Bragging on Some Legislators

Let me take a minute today to brag on some lawmakers who deserve our recognition.  It’s not becasue they are receiving prestigious awards or citations from their community or state for their dedicated public service (although they serve well).  I’m proud of them and want to brag a little because they recently asked for prayer.

The first is my delegate in the West Virginia legislature, Jonathan Miller (Berkeley County).  I want to commend Del. Miller for his faith and openess to talk about spiritual things when we get together.  He recently sent a survey to his constituents which included a letter with this request:

Del Jonathan Miller

“But there is one more thing you can do to help me serve you: pray.  Please pray for me as well as the Charleston politicians.  Praying for those serving in public office is the most powerful thing you can do to help our community, state, and nation. . . So, please return the ‘Rapid Response Survey on Key Issues’ and pray for all your elected officials today.”

I love it when leaders ask for prayer, because it is a public ackowledgement that their work is beyond them; that they are dependent on the God Who has placed them in their offices. 

I also saw this post on Facebook a few days ago by Maryland Delegate Donna Stifler (Harford County) who is recovering from a painful ankle sprain:

Del. Donna Stifler

“to all who have been praying for me, my ankle appears to be improving! I did not have to take pain med last night for the first time in about 2 weeks! please continue to pray for my strength and healing down here. thanks“

We may forget to pray for our leaders from time to time, but when they come right out and ask for prayer, sometimes with specific requests, we should not fail to stop and lift them up to the Lord.  Praise God for these who let us know what their needs are and that they believe and depend on the prayers of their constituents!

So pray for delegates Miller and Stifler.  Consider visiting, writing or calling the representatives from your district and ask them how you can pray for them as well.  I can tell you this is not a request they receive very often, to the church’s shame.

 

‘Tis the Season to Be Whiney

The Christmas season has turned into some Christians’ best opportunity to whine that we’re being treated exactly the way Jesus says we would.

It’s as if we’ve been given some license to get in others’ faces just because they don’t agree with us.  Yes, it’s sad the word “Christmas” gets intentionally left off store signs and advertisements.  It’s sad schools have “Holiday” parties and concerts.  Yes, our culture has lost reverence for the real meaning of the season.   But why get mad at the world for acting like the world?

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”  1 Corinthians 2:14

How should we respond to all this?  Here are a few verses to think about in the next five weeks:

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”  2 Timothy 3:12

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  Matthew 5:10-12

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

“For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”  Philippians 1:29

This is probably the most convicting verse on the topic of being wronged.  The attitude is incredible and blows me away every time I read it:

“For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.”  Hebrews 10:34

Each time you and I feel slighted for our faith this season, we need to find a way to shine as lights in this dark world by absorbing the hurt and showing why Christ causes us to think and act differently. 

“so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world“  Philippians 2:15

Use times of disagreement with our world to be a generous, gracious testimony.  Ask the Lord for wisdom when you get into a problem situation.  He’ll give you the right answer at the right time.  Let’s leave the anger and whining to others.

Remember, you can’t spell “Happy Winter Festival” without w-h-i-n-e-y.

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

 

Remember Maine, But Don’t Forget the Main Thing

Last week the citizens of Maine approved a referendum that reversed their state’s law that recognized marriage between gay and lesbian couples.

Good.  But not enough.

While many Christians and unbelievers alike voted for the referendum, the followers of Christ in Maine and every other state have a biblical mandate they must acknowledge: the primary role of the church in our world is to bring about heart-change, not simply law-change.

Standing up and speaking up for right living according to Scripture is a calling of believers, but not the main one.  Matthew 28:18-20 applies to all nations, and each of the people in those nations. 

There is an interesting and undeniable thread through the Bible that shouts God’s love and desire for human governmental leaders.  Have you ever thought about how you can be an instrument of sharing the gospel with your representatives?  What if their hearts were changed by the power of the gospel?  We should pray and act with that goal in mind (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Expressing views on issues and voting, while encouraging others to vote, are examples of good earthly citizenship.  But a believer’s top identity is heavenly citizenship with a whole other set of priorities, attitudes and actions.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.  Philippians 3:20, 21

 

Did the Founders Follow Scripture?

John Trumbull's painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence

I have spent the past hour reading through an interesting discussion forum from Focus on the Family’s website which asked whether the American Revolution was a biblical response by our founders and what position Christians should have taken.  It caught my eye because I recently started the DVD of HBO’s biographical series on John Adams, chronicling the same story and ethical issues.   How one answers this question determines his outlook on a believer’s political involvement in today’s world.

You can find the discussion here.

 

Block out some time and get some coffee in advance.  It will take awhile.

 

My first observation of the forum has to do with sources.  I saw references to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the writings of Francis Shaeffer, Norman Geisler, Dave Barton, et al.  I read about principles of civil disobedience taken from Scripture in the stories of the Egyptian midwives, Peter and John in Acts 5, even Jesus’ approach to leaders of His day.  There were comments on Old Testament political situations in the examples of David and Saul, Moses and Pharaoh, et al.  I noted points made from other historical periods of rebellion to authority, including the Reformation, the French Revolution and the post-World War II establishment of an Israeli state. 

 

These made for a fascinating and lively discussion, but I found myself looking hard for other texts.  In fact, the texts that should have been consulted first were barely, if ever, mentioned.  There was little attention given to passages such as Romans 13:1-7 or 1 Peter 2:13-17 or 1 Timothy 2:1-4 or Titus 3:1,2.  I saw the Matthew 5 concept of “salt and light” mentioned once, but only in the context of establishing liberty in human government.  The word “gospel” was nowhere to be found.  “Witnessing” was mentioned briefly by someone who had an opportunity to share Christ in prison after being jailed following an Operation Rescue protest.  The Church’s ostensible priority of making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) was conspicuously absent.

 

Actually, Geisler’s idea that Christians submit to government, even a corrupt one, held little water in the thread.

 

A second unavoidable topic was the pathetic state of the church and pastors in contemporary society.  There were plenty of laments that the pulpits of America have capitulated to the government, more concerned about keeping their tax-exempt status than promoting candidates or preaching against political issues of the day.  There seemed to be agreement that a revival is needed in the church before any change will happen in American moral culture, but no real definition of what that revival should look like.

 

I would suggest that the American church’s impotence in affecting its world is found in the lack of conviction and enthusiasm that Christ’s Great Commission is actually our priority.  Justifying the spiritual legitimacy of deists and their writings got more space in this forum which was the original topic, I’ll admit.  But when Christians take so much time and mental energy discussing such an important subject, would we not be better served to search the relevant scriptures rather than recommend the opinions and views of men?

 

Also, should we accept everything the founders wrote without question?  They get quoted more quickly than other sources by many American Christians, so we’d better be sure, don’t you think?

 

The title of the discussion was “Were the Founding Fathers Traitors?”  Maybe a better question is “Did the Founders Follow the Scriptures?”  Then we might be able to get at the heart of what we as believers are commanded to be, not only in 21st-century America but in any culture at any time.

 

Hearing From the Reformers

In honor of Reformation Day, I thought we should hear the voices of three of the most well-known reformers.  When these quotes are considered through the sieve of ministry to politicians, they take on an interesting, urgent tone.

Ulrich Zwingli (1484 – 1531)

Ulrich Zwingli (Zurich)

We cannot but admit that not even the least thing takes place unless it is ordered by God. For who have ever been so concerned and curious as to find out how much hair he has on his head? There is no one. God, however, knows the number. Indeed, nothing is too small in us or in any other creature, not to be ordered by the all-knowing and all-powerful providence of God.

 

John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

John Calvin (Geneva)

For there is no one so great or mighty that he can avoid the misery that will rise up against him when he resists and strives against God.

No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keepeth us back from entering in, save only our own unbelief.

There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.

 

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)

Peace if possible, truth at all costs.

Martin Luther (Wittenburg)

People must have righteous principals in the first, and then they will not fail to perform virtuous actions.

Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace.

 

The will is a beast of burden. If God mounts it, it wishes and goes as God wills; if Satan mounts it, it wishes and goes as Satan wills; Nor can it choose its rider… the riders contend for its possession.

You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.

You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the word which the Lord who receives sinners preaches to you.

As we take our place in the stream of church history, may we commit to sharing truth with those in power.  Happy Reformation Day!

 

What’s Better – Individual or Group Prayer?

If I’m praying for something, why should I ask you to pray for it, too?  Or ten others?  Or hundreds of others?

When it comes to ministry to the political community, 1 Timothy 2:1-4 is a prayer commanded to all who are followers of Christ:

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

If you and I follow that call to pray, is our obedience complete?  Is it at all important that we remind others to pray for the same thing?  Is God likely to answer quicker or with more intensity if a larger number of people are praying for any given item?  Why share prayer requests with a growing circle of people in the first place?

Anytime we have questions about the nature of prayer, there has to be a willingness to accept the fact that answers may not be as clear-cut as we like.  The scriptures teach us some things about prayer, but in the end God is the only One who can possibly understand final outcomes.  That said, are there any objective answers to these questions above?

Without pretending to know all of God’s mind on this, here are a five things I do know:

1)  The command to pray for our leaders in 1 Timothy 2 is for all believers.  God wants a large quantity of prayer on this particular request.

2)  Faith is still the deciding factor in any prayer being heard and answered.  “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” Hebrews 11:6.

3)  This request, as with all prayer, can be made in a wrong way.  “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures“  James 4:3.

4)  There are verses that emphasize the power of many people praying for the same thing.  “you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many“  2 Corinthians 1:11.

5)  We still can’t discount the effectiveness of the faith-filled prayer poured out from a single pure heart.  “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much“  James 5:16.

What a priviledge to pray for those who lead us, and what a serious thing it is.  What a responsibility they bear and what guidance they need from God.  We should be encouraged that the Lord hears the prayer of faith from us individually, but we should not stop reminding one another to obey the call to lift our voices corporately for the same purposes.  The wonder is that we are allowed to communicate with The Holy One at all.

We must stay expectant and faithful as we pray for leaders’ hearts, both individually and as a Church.  How God chooses to answer is totally up to Him.

 

Screwtape and Politics

I had coffee today with a member of the Maryland General Assembly and a comment he made has stuck with me.  He said, “Brent, if Satan himself sat down with a pad of paper to design an environment effectively suited to derail a person from thriving spiritually, it would be politics.”  No field, according to this delegate, causes one to reject the crucial and eternal things of life and to embrace the fleeting and temporal things as much as politics.  That’s a significant statement coming from a politician.

C. S. Lewis, author of "The Screwtape Letters"

It got me thinking about The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis’ effort to describe Satan’s strategy of distracting humans from following God (who is referred to as the Enemy in the book).  In a series of letters the demon

Screwtape, an experienced tempter, is writing his advice to his nephew, Wormwood, on how to draw his assigned human away from God.  Consider these quotes through the filter of the life of the believing or unbelieving politician (really buckle down and think about these; it’s not always easy reading):

“Prosperity knits a man to the World. He feels that is ‘finding his place in it,’ while really it is finding its place in him. His increasing reputation, his widening circle of acquaintances, his sense of importance, the growing pressure of absorbing and agreeable work, build up in him a sense of really being at home on Earth, which is just what we want.”

“This, indeed, is probably on the Enemy’s motives for creating a dangerous world — a world in which moral issues really come to the point. He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means, at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful until it became risky.”

“The Enemy loves platitudes. Of a proposed course of action He wants men, so far as I can see, to ask very simple questions: Is it righteous? Is it prudent? Is it possible? Now, if we can keep men asking: ‘Is it in accordance with the general movement of our time? Is it progressive or reactionary? Is this the way that History is going?’ They will neglect the relevant questions. And the questions they do ask are, of course, unanswerable; for they do not know the future, and what the future will be depends very largely on just those choices which they now invoke the future to help make.”

“Talk to him about ‘moderation in all things.’ If you can once get him to the point of thinking that ‘religion is all very well up to a point,’ you can feel quite happy about his soul.”

“Aggravate that most useful human characteristic, the horror and neglect of the obvious. You must bring him to a condition in which he can practice self-examination for an hour without discovering any of those facts about himself which are perfectly clear to anyone who has ever lived in the same house with him or worked in the same office.”

Marriages can be devastated by working in the political world.  Satan knows this and exploits it, which is another reason to soberly pray for our leaders’ homes:

 “Make full use of the fact that up to a certain point, fatigue makes women talk more and men talk less. Much secret resentment, even between lovers, can be raised from this.”

Even when someone enters politics with the intention of being careful about Satan’s attacks, it is also true that

“Suspicion often creates what it suspects.”

When it comes to a Christian’s political involvement as a citizen, these might be helpful:

“We produce [a human's] sense of ownership not only by pride but by confusion. We teach them not to notice the different senses of the possessive pronoun–the finely graded differences that run from ‘my boots’ through ‘my dog’, ‘my servant’, ‘my wife’, ‘my father’, ‘my master’, and ‘my country’ to ‘my God’. They can be taught to reduce all these senses to that of ‘my boots’, the ‘my’ of ownership.”

“On the other hand we do want, and want very much, to make men treat Christianity as a means; preferably, of course, as a means to their own advancement, but, failing that, as a means to anything-even to social justice. The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice. For the Enemy will not be used as a convenience.”

The plan and schemes of the real “enemy” of men’s souls can be overcome, but only by God Himself.  Do you want godly leaders?  Are you praying for them to desire Him and His ways?  Are you communicating to them that you care for their souls more than their votes?

 Satan has conjured a plan to lead people astray from God.  Many inside and outside of the Church are falling prey to his subtle attacks.  We are in a battle in the spiritual realm and must know our enemy and his tactics, but also trust the One who has the power to defeat him.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:12, 13

 

Changing Our World Through Crowds or Conversation?

The pictures that came out of Washington D.C. this weekend showed huge crowds passionately protesting against their government’s direction. The motivation to show up at a public rally comes from a desire to change things. If one agrees with the current conditions, no need to make a sign or start a chant. The bottom line is we can’t sit still when we disagree with the way things are. 

I think there were well-meaning people making up the crowd. I’m sure there were followers of Jesus who were in the crowd. As good citizens, we have a privilege and responsibility to voice our views. I just hope those who know Christ don’t come away from a Tea Party thinking they have finished their task to impact their culture.

Jesus knew about crowds. Just take a cursory glance through the gospels and you will see how popular He was once word got out that He could heal diseases and cast out demons. Sometimes He and the disciples could barely move or have time to eat because they were so busy with the multitudes. Sometimes, at the last minute, Jesus even had to cater dinner for several thousand.

But the big event wasn’t the main vehicle Jesus used to get his message out. The excitement of the masses didn’t drive His strategy to turn the world upside-down. As a matter of fact, for someone who only had three years to spread His global message, He seemed to systematically avoid filling arenas or promoting the huge gathering. Instead, He poured Himself into small groups of people and many times, individuals.

Whether teaching His twelve disciples, His inner circle of three, a rich young ruler, a tax collector in a tree, a Samaritan woman at a well in the middle of the day or a religious leader who sought Him out in the middle of the night, Christ masterfully showed that conversations allowed for questions and answers better than big crowds.

Can our world be reached the same way? Is the Church more comfortable with large groups rather than one-on-one encounters? If we follow Jesus’ example, we will focus on opportunities to share our faith individually with those He has purposed us to know.

Political involvement only satisfies a small fraction of Christianity’s effectiveness in the world. The gospel is our message and relationships are the context in which we share it.

Concerned about our country? Good. We should be.

Convinced the Church is the solution? Great. We can be.

Committed to making disciples? Super. We have to be.

 

A Labor Day Prayer Reminder

The following is an excerpt of a prayer email I sent out on Labor Day 2009:

Since today is Labor Day and this is our monthly prayer email, a verse came to my mind.  What a convicting example is presented to us in Colossians 4:12 which says, “Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.” 

 Why don’t we take the opportunity on this Labor Day, a day generally given to the opposite of laboring, to let that verse sink in and challenge us.  When Epaphras prayed, he labored, struggled, strained, strove.  It’s a sports mindset where the athlete contends intensely with the one goal of winning.

 Now pick an adverb to describe your pattern of prayer.  Where does it happen?  How often?  How long?  How strenuous?  How easily distracted?  The prayers of Epaphras were wrestling matches, with a foe to defeat.  I have so much growing to do in my praying. 

Could we learn to pray more like that?  I need to.  Would you repeat the prayer of Epaphras for your political representatives and their staffers and families?  What if we really prayed, believing that the hearts of our leaders could “stand perfect” and be “fully assured in all the will of God”?

Thank you for remembering Capitol Ministries Maryland in your prayers.  The people-group we seek to serve face many pressures and temptations in very public positions.  Pray evangelistically for those who need to repent and call on Christ.  Pray for growth and deepening obedience for those who already know the Lord.  The stakes are high, not because our laws need changed but because God must be glorified.

And when we pray, let’s labor like Epaphras.

 

America Doesn't Need a Theologian-in-Chief

On Tuesday, a celebration was held at the White House for the Muslim observance of Ramadan.  In his speech for the occasion, President Obama continued his effort to find common ground for the nation’s various religious views.  To support his point, though, he chose an ill-advised quote from boxer Mohammed Ali: 

“A few years ago, he explained this view – and this is part of why he’s The Greatest – saying, ‘Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams – they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do – they all contain truths’. . . They all contain truths.  Among those truths are the pursuit of peace and the dignity of all human beings.  That must always form the basis upon which we find common ground.”

All citizens in a society built on the principle of freedom of worship should respect and tolerate one another.  The freedom of others to worship as they see fit should ensure the same freedom for you and me.  But quotes like Ali’s feed a dangerous notion that all faith systems eventually lead to the same place.  They may all contain some truth, but they cannot, by their own admission and beliefs, all lead to God.

How can Christianity’s claim that Jesus is the only way to God possess the same validity as Islam, which claims that Allah has no son?  They may share some teachings on peace and human dignity, but you can only follow one to reach God.  Follow the other and you will perish.

In his defense, the president was making a political point of seeking harmony in a pluralistic democracy.  But when he publicly declares his approbation of a statement that sounds like “all paths take you to heaven”, many untaught souls can be led astray.  It would be better if our leaders stuck to their calling of protecting freedom, not making theological commentary.  The president will not say (nor is it his role to say) things like

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”  John 14:6, 7

. . . and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. . . For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  Romans 8:8, 9, 14

Enter the Church.  It is our responsibility, as well as God’s plan for societal Christian education to rightly divide the Word of truth for the world around us.  This includes our political leaders.  The Church must be proactive in going to lawmakers to share the truth of the gospel, praying for receptive hearts.  The Church should be the theological gatekeeper to see that a loving, but accurate message is clearly presented to the world.

Each time you see President Obama on the news, breathe a prayer for his spiritual inner man.  “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”  1 Timothy 2:3, 4.