Doug Tweed

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1-2)

“They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.” (Isaiah 61:4)

This is Easter weekend. Churches throughout our region will experience their greatest attendance of the year this Sunday as we remember with celebration how, almost two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ died for our sins and then rose from the dead to become King of Kings, with all authority in heaven and earth. Hallelujah!

My question for us today is whether we will be satisfied this weekend to simply remember and celebrate, or whether we will instead treat Easter 2017 as a call to action.

Will we remember that Jesus came as the light of the world so we would become the light of the world? (John 8:12, 9:5; Matthew 5:14-16) Will we remember that Christ gave us the glory that the Father gave Him, and sends us forth into the world just as the Father sent Him? (John 17:22-23, 20:21)

The New Testament is filled with calls to action, but one of our most powerful calls to action is proclaimed prophetically in the Old Testament at Isaiah 60-62. I urge you to read these three chapters of scripture this weekend, and to understand how relevant they are to the times in which we live.

Spiritual darkness is seeking to cover the earth: chemical weapons used against children in Syria; nuclear weapons brandished in North Korea; Islamic terrorists beheading innocent villagers and using teenagers as suicide bombs; abortions continuing to kill thousands of babies and scar thousands of mothers every day; radical gay lobby groups seeking to destroy every semblance of sexual morality; radical political groups seeking to drive our nation toward either socialism or fascism; and the list goes on.

Spiritual darkness is also right outside your door, if not already inside your home. Addiction to methamphetamine and prescription opioids is at epidemic levels, and our region has some of the highest overdose and drug-related crime statistics in the nation. Our statistics for divorce and domestic violence are also among the highest, and pornography is defiling not only the majority of our men but our grade school and middle school children. Again, the list goes on.

So, what are some ways we can arise and shine, releasing the light and love of God amidst this horribly destructive darkness?

First, in a nation divided both politically and culturally, we must as the Church begin to walk in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

A group of young Christians in our region have been led by the Lord to bring 1,000 churches together for a night of united worship and prayer. This incredible event, called Adoration 2017, will be held at the new ETSU football stadium on October 1, 2017. We all need to be there! Learn more at www.adorationlife.com. Tell your pastor. Make sure your church signs up right away.
The Lord will also bring His people in this region together in the spring of 2018 for a Will Graham Celebration sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Learn more about this terrific opportunity, and how you can be praying for it, at www.tcprayergatherings.org.

And for those in the greater Kingsport area, New Direction Network is sponsoring a second annual “A Night in Unity” worship service on April 29, 2017, at Ross Robinson School. Learn more at www.newdirectionnetwork.com. Be there as well!

Second, as a nation faced with problems too great for our science or politics to solve, we must become the house of prayer God called us to be. (Isaiah 56:7, Mark 11:17)
Thursday, May 4 is the National Day of Prayer, established in 1952 by federal law as the one day of the year when we can officially bind together our love of country and love of God. You would expect a massive turnout of public support, but in past years, that has not occurred.

There will be noon events on the National Day of Prayer in Blountville, Rogersville, Church Hill, Bristol, and Jonesborough. In Kingsport, celebrating its 100th anniversary, there will be a Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at 7:30 AM at Glen Bruce Park focusing on the powerful role faith has played throughout our city’s history. Then, at 7 PM, multiple area ministries are sponsoring Kingsport’s National Day of Prayer Observance at Higher Ground Baptist Church, where we will worship in song and pray for our nation’s seven primary spheres of influence: the Church, family & marriage, education, business, government, media, and arts & entertainment.

In all these communities, if you are a Christian and a patriot, you need to be there! Arise and shine!

Then, recognizing that we are called to pray not just one day but throughout the year, learn about the Tennessee Governmental Prayer Alliance at www.tngpa.com. Learn about the Watchmen Prayer Network of TN/VA at www.watchmenprayernetwork.com. Join one of the weekly or monthly prayer ministries springing up throughout the region. Organize an ongoing prayer team in your congregation.

There is much more we must do, but this is a start. Christ died and rose for us. It is time for us to arise and shine for Him!
God bless you, and God bless our communities.

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)

God loves us unconditionally. The Bible tells us so.

When something is unconditional, it is absolute and without exception. It is, or it will happen, regardless of what else happens or what you do or don’t do.

Matthew 5:43-48 reveals God’s love to be perfect, and for both the just and unjust. God showed His perfect love dramatically by sending His Son to die for all of us while we were still sinners in rebellion against His Kingdom. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 2:2) He is “no respecter of persons”, and desires everyone to repent and come into everlasting life. (Acts 10:34; 2 Peter 3:9)

This is unconditional love, summarized by the apostle John in the statement: “God is love.” (1 John 4:8, 16) Love is not all that God is, for He is also sovereign, holy, righteous, wise and just. But because God is love, His love permeates everything else He is and everything He does. He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

Now for the paradox: although God loves us unconditionally, His unconditional love for us has conditions. The Bible tells us this as well.

When something has conditions, one thing depends on another. If “A” happens, then “B” will happen or “B” can happen, but if “A” doesn’t happen, don’t expect “B” to happen.

The Old Testament covenant of the law was all about conditions. If you obey, you will receive wonderful blessings, but if you disobey, you will be cursed. (Deuteronomy 28)

The New Testament covenant in Christ removed the conditions of the law, but did not remove all conditions. The easiest and most important example is the road to salvation. We are saved by grace – an incredible expression of the unconditional love of God – but only when we meet the condition of faith by trusting Jesus as our Savior Lord. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Now look at John 14:21, where Jesus promises that if we love Him by keeping His commandments, then both He and the Father will love us and Jesus will manifest Himself to us. Here the love of Jesus and the Father appear to be conditioned on our obedience of His commandments! And it is a condition Jesus repeats twice in the same discourse.

At John 14:23, Jesus says the Father will love us, and both He and the Father will make their home in us, if we love Him by keeping His word. At John 15:10, Jesus says we can abide in His love if we keep His commandments. Conditions!

To resolve this paradox of unconditional vs. conditional love, we need a better understanding of what love is.

Scripture commands that we love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. (Mark 12:30) Love relates to all those aspects of who we are.

We love with our mind as an ethical and moral choice, wanting the best for another because that is the right thing for us to want. We love with our heart by feelings of caring or compassion. We love with our soul, or will, by making choices that express the love in our mind and heart. Likewise, we love with our strength by actions that demonstrate our love.

Love is relational. Love with our mind and heart determines our attitude toward another. Love with our soul and strength then completes the relational connection by expressing and demonstrating that love to the one we love. The goal is to love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith, and to love in both deed and truth. (1Timothy 1:5; 1 John 3:18)
God loves all of us unconditionally with His heart and mind. But the glorious expressions and demonstrations of His love are, for our own good, subject to conditions. He loves us too much to reward continued sin and works of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-25) Instead, He rewards those who seek Him by doing His will. (Hebrews 11:6; 2 John 1:8-9; Psalm 24:2-5)

Do you want to know the love of God, and not just know of it? Do you want Jesus to manifest Himself in your life? Do you want to have the Father and Son actively dwelling within you? Do you want to live each day breathing in the atmosphere of Christ’s love? Do you want to be filled with all the fullness of God? (Ephesians 3:17-19)

If you want this abundant life, then meet the conditions of God’s unconditional love. Express your love for Jesus by doing your best to learn and keep all His commandments. This isn’t legalism. This is wisdom. This is faith. (Hebrews 11:6)

God bless you, and God bless our community.

“I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword.” (Zechariah 9:13b)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8)

In the days that immediately followed President Trump’s inauguration, I had some Christian friends who were totally excited, others who were cautiously optimistic and yet others who were deeply concerned. I prayed for God to give me revelation as to what was really happening in our nation, and He gave me Zechariah 9:13.

When I opened my Bible to that scripture, I found that it had already been circled in ink. Written in the margin next to the scripture were the words, “Truth vs. Humanism”.

Zechariah is a prophetic book. I had concluded in an earlier study that the sons of Zion prophetically represented the Judeo-Christian world view – God’s truth revealed in God’s Word – while the sons of Greece represented the pride in human intellect that defined Greek philosophy and eventually led to the world view of humanism.

The Lord was reminding me that personalities come and go, be they Donald Trump, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. For both individuals and nations, the ultimate key is what you believe to be true, what you believe to be important, and what you believe to be right and wrong. Those are the principles that will direct your path for good or for ill.

Otherwise put, the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32). The father of lies kills, steals and destroys. (John 8:44, 10:10)

Merriam-Webster defines humanism as: “an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.”

The most aggressive form of humanism is secular humanism, which expresses either denial (atheism) or doubt (agnosticism) about the existence of God. Religious humanism has been around even longer, seeking to blend teachings of faith with rationalism (trust in human reason) and empiricism (trust in what man can prove to be true).

In all of these expressions, the focus is on how mankind will successfully use intellect, education and science to solve all our problems. You can believe in God, but make sure those views don’t get in the way.

The Bible makes it clear that humanism will lead to disaster. Proverbs 3:5-8 tells us not to lean on our own understanding or be wise in our own eyes. God, our Creator, knows what is good and what is evil, so trust what He says.

Yet from the very beginning, we humans have desired to be wise like God and determine for ourselves what is good and evil. (Genesis 3:1-6) Humanism is as old as the Garden of Eden. Ever since then, mankind has repeatedly been taken captive by vain philosophies and traditions that scratch the itching ears of our deceitful hearts and allow us to do whatever we want to do. (Deuteronomy 12:8; Jeremiah 17:9; Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 4:3)

Our universities have for many decades been the bastions of humanism. As a result, humanism saturates our public education system, news media, entertainment, and the “think tanks” that provide expert advice to our governments and businesses on how to deal with social, economic and international issues.

Humanism is the foundation for: (1) relativism, which denies absolute truth and absolute morality, including sexual morality; (2) religious pluralism, which declares many religions can be equally valid even if inconsistent with one another; and (3) socialism, which dishonors hard work and promotes coveting the property of others. Karl Marx was a humanist, and so is Senator Bernie Sanders.

Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, was Humanist of the Year in 1957. Her own writings reveal her desire to use abortion and sterilization to exterminate or greatly reduce America’s black population, among others, for the “greater good”. Abort73.com estimates 17,000,000 unborn black children have been killed since the 1970’s. God, help us!

Our nation was founded by sons of Zion – men and women with a Judeo-Christian worldview and morality. Today’s Democratic Party platform represents the sons of Greece – totally defined by humanism. President Trump and the Republican Party are far from perfect, but they were the only available option to stem the tide.

So, what do we do now? The tragic truth is that we Christians have allowed humanism to steal our mission, and we must take it back! We are called to make disciples of nations, including our own nation. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) We are to be the salt and light that preserves and improves our culture. (Matthew 5:13-16) Instead, humanism has taken over that role, and even invaded the Church with liberal theologies that are really humanism “in the name of Jesus”.

Reason, intellect, education and science are all very good things, but they must be submitted to our Creator and His Word or they will fail. Truth, shared in love, must displace humanism in America, starting with the Church. (Ephesians 4:14-16) Then we will be the one nation under God we have pledged ourselves to be!

God bless you, and God bless America.

”Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” (Psalm 51:10-13)

I write this column knowing it will appear on Inauguration Day 2017. President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence will take their oaths of office this day in the presence of both thousands of vocal supporters and thousands of vocal protesters. A record number of congressional representatives from the opposing party will not attend, and as each media source reports the event in a manner reflecting their particular political bias, our nation’s “peaceful transition of power” will be off to yet another shaky start.

For ten years, my primary focus in this monthly column has been the application of biblical truth to our lives, our relationship with God, and our relationships with each other. My worldview, in a nutshell, is that if I get my relationship with God right, I begin to develop a right attitude toward self and right relationships with others. I am then in a position to have a positive impact on the people around me by my prayers, words and deeds.

The biblical name for this is Kingdom living. As I do it better, and as more and more people around me do it better, the Kingdom of God increases on the earth. (Matthew 6:10, 13:31-33)

Kingdom living is about love, truth, faith, hope, grace, kindness, humility, repentance and righteousness. Our nation’s political process has been unloving, divisive, deceptive, fearful, self-righteous, condemning and unrepentant. And too many Christians in both parties have represented their politics more than the Kingdom.

My last two columns: “Jesus is the Lord of America”, written before the election, and “Ask the Lord to Lead America”, written after the election, have both been about how Kingdom living can change our political climate. This column is about accountability. This column is about you and me.

Most of you are familiar with Psalm 51. King David wrote it to express his repentance after he was convicted of his sins involving Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite. (2 Samuel 11) These were sins against his family, his friend and his nation, but they were first and foremost sins against his Lord. (Psalm 51:4)

David’s cry is for a “clean heart” and a “right spirit” so that he can be restored to the joy of his salvation and the blessing of God’s manifest presence in his life. As Christians who follow Jesus, we know “a clean heart and right spirit” is simply another way of describing Kingdom living. We also know it is Kingdom living that produces peace, joy and the manifest presence of the Lord in our lives. (John 14:21; Romans 14:17)

David’s commitment in this cry of repentance is, upon receiving a clean heart and right spirit, to lead others to God. (Psalm 51:13) David knew he had to get right with the Lord before he could effectively help others be right with the Lord. Likewise, we know as Christians that our witness is only as effective as our walk. (Acts 1:8; 1 John 2:2-6) If we want God to use us to change our family, community or nation, we must first let Him change us.

The key word I want us to focus on in Psalm 51 today is the word, “me”. My friends, for each of us, it always starts with God and “me”.

As we move forward with our nation in this hour, you and I need to embrace Psalm 51 as our own individual prayer. Create “in me” a clean heart! Renew a right spirit “within me”! Restore “me”! Uphold “me”!

Jesus taught about the importance of this in a wonderfully blunt parable. He said, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)

For many of our politicians and their supporters, including those who profess Christianity, things may not change any time soon. “Unity” may still mean, “Join me in what I want” rather than “Let’s work together”. The goals may still be, “Stay in power” and “Get power back”. The mantra may still be, “We are good and they are not”.

But for you and me, little old Doug Tweed and each of you who reads this column, change can begin now. As we take our stance on the issues, we can do more than profess Christianity. We can embrace Kingdom living. We can love, respect, listen to, pray for and seek to work with those who disagree with us, and become a living model we hope others will follow.
We all need clean hearts and right spirits. It has to start somewhere.

God bless you, and God bless our community.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son ….” (John 3:16)

In the midst of all the secular expressions of Christmas, we are visually blessed with at least one precious reminder of what Christmas really celebrates. It may be a small rendition on a mantle or a life-size rendition on Kingsport’s Church Circle, but we are always inspired when we see a Christmas nativity scene.

The centerpiece of the nativity is the baby Jesus. Thousands of years earlier, the covenant presence of God with His people centered on an ornate golden box called the ark. Now, the bread of life, the only begotten Son of God, lay in a box used to feed farm animals.

The infant in that manger was both newborn and firstborn, the long-awaited Messiah Savior King, the Word of God through whom all things were created, now made flesh. God is with us! He came in a totally unexpected way.

Kneeling next to the Christ child is His mom, Mary. She accepted from an archangel her life’s calling: be impregnated by the Holy Spirit of Jehovah, become an unwed mother in a culture where that brought shame or even death, and raise God’s Son to adulthood.

This mother watching over her infant son would later watch Him die on a cross. Then, in an incredible reversal of roles, she would be born of God herself in an upper room on Pentecost. What an amazing woman!

Standing over mother and child is Joseph bar Jacob, the best step-dad ever! He too was entrusted to raise God’s Son to adulthood, and so we know he was a godly, humble man. What strikes me most is his courageous faith in accepting such a responsibility under the constant scrutiny of the child’s true Father. Joseph’s courage and faith would carry them to the pagan lands of Egypt and back, and would allow him to teach Jesus both the craft of carpentry and the craft of righteous manhood.

Surrounding the holy family that night are the angels and the shepherds – the glorious, powerful multitude of heavenly host, and the lowly minimum wage earners. It is a fitting contrast for the child who would be called both Son of God and Son of Man – the Good Shepherd who would be anointed to bring His Kingdom to the poor.

The angelic messengers brought news of great joy to those shepherds, and they became the first messengers to bring that news of great joy to others. Be thankful, when you see the shepherds in the nativity scene, for the shepherds (pastors), teachers and other servant leaders of Christianity who proclaim the good news today.

The magi are also present at our nativity scene. Although theologians point out from Matthew that they came to a house in Bethlehem and not a stable, it is clear God wanted them to be part of the birth story.

These highly educated and spiritual men were not kings. They were king-makers, the politically elite of the Persian Empire. While not Jews, they had studied and accepted the centuries-old prophecies of a Jew who became one of their own: a man we know as Daniel and they knew as Belteshazzar.

The magi remind us that God came not just for the poor, but for the rich and prominent. “With God all things are possible.” And as these kingmakers entered that house to honor the newborn king of the Jews with gifts, something happened that reveals yet another Person present at the nativity even though He could not be seen.

I believe with all my heart that the Heavenly Father was present for the birth of His Son. I believe it was His manifest Presence that caused the magi to fall down and worship.
Think about it. The Son had emptied Himself when He came down to take on the form of mankind. Jesus would not receive the fullness of Holy Spirit until He was thirty years old. So the manifest presence of God would probably not come from the child.

Many of us have experienced our Father’s manifest presence in prayer or worship. Don’t you think Mary and Joseph would experience His Presence on that holy night?

Would the Father who was present at His Son’s baptism, and who loved and revealed Himself to Jesus throughout His ministry, not also be present at His birth? I was present at the birth of my two beautiful daughters. Is not our Father a more loving and involved father than me? Would He just send His messengers, or would He come to hold His Son in His own arms?

As I reflected on my belief in prayer last week, God’s spirit rose up in me. I will never look at a nativity scene again without being aware that Heavenly Father is a glorious and majestic part of what I see and sense. Most holy is His name!

I also know that the Father who was present for the birth of His firstborn Son is the Father who chooses to be present at the birth of all of His children: every one of us who receives His Son as Savior and Lord. And He watches over us every moment thereafter, just as He watched over Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

“Where there is no vision, the people perish….” “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint….” “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV, NKJ, NLT)

My last column, published about two weeks before our national elections, declared that “Jesus is the Lord of America”. This column, published about two weeks after those elections, urges Christians to take advantage of that truth. Ask the Lord of America to guide America.

Donald Trump, a celebrity billionaire real estate developer, will be our next President. He will begin his term with a cooperative Republican Congress. Opinions vary widely on how this happened.

Many political pundits say it was, as always, about the economy, coupled with an attitude of rebellion toward “business as usual”. Some Democratic leaders blamed it on the FBI director’s handling of the private e-mail server controversy. Others suggested the Russians tipped the scales by releasing hacked Democratic staff emails through WikiLeaks.

I believe our November 8 election results were God’s answer to a united Christian prayer effort led, in part, by Franklin Graham’s “Decision America Tour”.

Please understand. The prayer tour did not propose any individual candidate, and overall, this united prayer movement included both Christians who supported Donald Trump and those (including me) who were deeply concerned about his character, temperament and history.

The prayer movement was about party platforms, not candidates, and in opposition to a Democratic agenda that would: (1) increase the number of abortions in our nation; (2) eliminate the biological distinction between “male” and “female” that has existed since God created mankind, male and female, in His image; and (3) appoint “progressive” justices to the Supreme Court who would rewrite, rather than honor, our U.S. Constitution.

I have dear Christian friends, black and white, who supported Democratic candidates, and I respect some of the reasons they did so. But the Democratic “transgender” agenda would allow adults who are biologically male to use the same restroom as my granddaughter. It would allow boys who are biologically male to join her gym class and compete on her girl’s track team. That is cultural insanity.

Our Constitution is our nation’s foundational document. To protect the stability of this foundation, a constitutional amendment requires legislative ratification by 75% of our fifty states. Wonderful constitutional amendments since 1789 have been done the right way, including the abolishment of slavery (13th), the right to vote regardless of race (15th) and the right of women to vote (19th).

Regardless of your personal stance on gay marriage, the Supreme Court ruling that made it “the law of the land” in 2015 involved five unelected political appointees who effectively amended our Constitution on their own. If they can do it on one issue, they will do it on other issues – a violation of our government’s separation of powers that equates to constitutional insanity.
As a result of God’s answer to concerted prayer, we will now have justices appointed to our Supreme Court who understand their role. We will also see a revocation of President Obama’s invasive executive orders on transgender rights. But while this is a step in the right direction, it is only a step.
President-elect Trump is, in my opinion, a “wild card”. He has no governmental background, nationally or internationally. He is neither strongly conservative nor liberal. Yes, he loves the limelight, but he also loves to achieve. How well or poorly he leads our nation will, in a nutshell, depend on whose advice and counsel he hears and what guidance he accepts.
Proverbs 29:18 says that without divine revelation and guidance, the people will “perish”, “cast off restraint” or “run wild”. In other words, without divine guidance, we run helter-skelter down the broad path of destruction. (Matthew 7:13-14)

This is why the Lord commands us, “first and foremost”, to pray for those in authority over us. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Our prayers can be used by the Lord to provide President-elect Trump and our other national, state and local leaders with the divine guidance they so desperately need. They can receive discernment as to whether the advice from all those people around them is good or bad. They can receive the wisdom to make good decisions that provide fair and effective solutions to our problems. (James 1:5)
November 8 demonstrates that concerted, united prayer works, but if we stop praying, it stops working. We have been woefully unfaithful in praying for past Presidents. We cannot afford to make that mistake again.

Finally, as emphasized last month, the biblically grounded, Jesus-loving, people-loving Christians of America must come together in this hour – black, brown and white – not just for prayer, but for listening, fellowship and godly, united purpose. For far too long, we have been politically divided as believers and politically yoked to unbelievers, including some anti-Christian groups on the far left and some lingering racist groups on the far right. (2 Corinthians 6:14)

Donald Trump has demonstrated high respect for the Christian leadership of our nation, both black and white. Post-election, he has expressed an interest in repairing both our national security and our inner cities, and in addressing the interests of all Americans. He has selected a devout Christian to be his Vice-President and the leader of his transition team. If we work together, we can have the President’s ear as well as the all-important ear of the Lord.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, what I propose is something we have sung together for almost one hundred years. “God bless America, land that [we] love. Stand beside her and guide her though the night with a light from above.”

Let’s begin singing it every day.

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’.” (Matthew 28:18)

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” (Psalm 37:3-5)

Scripture tells us that in the last days, there will be times of difficulty. (2 Timothy 3:1) This national election year of 2016 has been such a time in America, particularly for biblically grounded, Jesus-loving, people-loving Christians. Polarization, rancor, deception, and vitriolic, fear-inducing language are not our “cup of tea”.

In less than two weeks, the elections will be over, praise God! But tragically, the times of difficulty will not be over. To the contrary, the polarization and rancor will, regardless of the election outcomes, only get worse unless somebody does something to change how our diverse American people feel about and interact with one another.
This change will not be led by the present leadership of either political party. Their fundamental tactic for obtaining and retaining power is to promote fear and distrust.
The leadership for this positive change can only come from the Body of Christ.

In order to develop successful strategies for this change, we must as Christians be willing to learn from our mistakes. Some of those “lessons learned” will not be available until after the November 8 elections because at present, outcomes are uncertain, our judgment is still clouded and our focus is too narrow.

There is, however, one lesson that I believe we all need to learn (or re-learn) today, in advance of November 8. Jesus is the Lord of America!
Jesus is the Lord of America despite the sin and darkness that we see around us. Jesus is
the Lord of America despite the increasing number of Americans who do not believe in Him. Jesus is the Lord of America despite the many Americans who profess belief but do little to obey God’s Word. Jesus is the Lord of America despite President Obama’s statement that we are no longer just a Christian nation.

My friends, Jesus is the Lord of America because He is the Lord! After His resurrection victory over sin and death, Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth by His heavenly Father, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. (Matthew 28:18) Jesus is the Lord of our nation and all nations, “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords”. (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14, 19:16

Jesus is not like the fairy Tinkerbell in “Peter Pan”, who began to fade away when children stopped believing in her. He does not fall off His throne when people fail to acknowledge or submit to His lordship. (Psalm 2) And despite the fears expressed by many Christians on both sides of the present presidential contest, He will not fall off His throne when either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump becomes President.

Sin and unbelief have serious adverse consequences for a nation. (Proverbs 14:34) I grieve over our nation’s confusion about the sanctity of life, marriage, sexuality, racism, respect for law enforcement, religious freedom, the love of money and fame. But my grief does not give birth to despair. Instead, it intensifies my desire, like David in Psalm 37, to trust in the Lord of America and commit my ways to His Way.

The Lord’s Way calls for us to pray daily for all our governmental leaders – those we voted for and those we voted against. (1 Timothy 2:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17) We may even change a Saul into a Paul.

The Lord’s Way calls for us to bless and not curse. (James 3:10-11; Luke 6:27-27) Blessing does not mean we agree with what is wrong. Blessing opens the door for our leaders to receive God’s wisdom and be protected from the enemy’s deceptions. When you curse a President, you curse the nation. When you vow to cause a presidency to fail, as some politicians in both parties have done, you move the nation toward failure.

The Lord’s Way calls for us to seek the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-6) The biblically grounded, Jesus-loving, people-loving Christians of America need to get together – white, black and brown; young and old; male and female; without regard to political party affiliation. We must love one another, listen to each other and work together under the Lord’s leadership to address each other’s concerns, not just our own. (John 13:34; Philippians 2:4)

We must also stand together to show non-Christians that God loves them and we love them. (John 17:22-23) Truth must be spoken in love because faith works through love. (Ephesians 4:15; 1 John 3:18; Galatians 5:6) Without love, we are wasting our time. (1 Corinthians 13)

Finally, we must form our strategies and make our decisions in faith and love, not in fear and anger, which are simply footholds for the devil. (2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 4:26-32)
The most important election in American history will not be on November 8. It will be what Christians elect to do thereafter. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

God bless you, God bless our community, and God bless America.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases …” (Psalm 103:2-3)

“…for I am the LORD, your healer.” (Exodus 15:26)

Healthcare is an ongoing crisis in our nation and our world. Ever-increasing costs are aggravating the problem of limited availability, particularly among the poor, and despite our wonderful advances in medical science, there are still many health problems we have been unable to cure.

The answer to this problem has a name: “Jehovah Rapha”, which translated from Hebrew means, “the Lord our healer”. God gave Himself this name because it describes His heart. God even inspired a song (psalm) that celebrates His desire to both forgive all our sins and heal all our diseases.

Yet the vast majority of Christian churches in America have no healing ministry, and there is very little outreach of divine healing to the lost. Why?

As Bible-believing Christians, we are called to be both hearers and doers of God’s Word. (James 1:22-25). In addition to God’s name as Healer and God’s song of healing, here is what scripture says about divine healing.

In the old covenant of law between God and the Hebrew people, divine healing was a promised benefit for God’s people if they obeyed His commandments. (Exodus 23:25; Deuteronomy 7:15) Our new covenant of grace with God through faith in Jesus Christ is superior to that old covenant, not inferior. (2 Corinthians 3:5-18)

Jesus reveals the Father because they are one. (John 10:30, 14:8) Jesus’ ministry on earth included preaching, teaching and healing. (Matthew 4:23-24) Anointed with the Holy Spirit, Christ went about healing all who were oppressed by the devil. (Acts 10:37-38) Then He assigned and equipped His disciples to do the same – first His inner circle of twelve apostles and then seventy- two other followers. (Matthew 10:1-8; Luke 10:1, 8)

Jesus forgave sins and healed diseases because both forgiveness and healing expressed His Kingdom authority. (Matthew 9: 2-6, 35) Likewise, His disciples were given authority to heal as an expression of God’s Kingdom coming near. (Luke 10:8) Just as there was no disease in the Garden of Eden and there is no disease in heaven, so there is no disease wherever the Kingdom of God is being rightfully and fully expressed. The keys (authority) of that Kingdom have now been given to us as we are sent to proclaim His Kingdom throughout the world. (Matthew 16:18-19, 24:14)
Jesus declared that “anyone who believes in” Him would do the same works that He did, and even greater works. (John 14:12) He sends us out into the world just like the Father sent Him. (John 20:21) This means we are sent out to express the same Kingdom He revealed, and we are given the same Holy Spirit to empower us. (John 20:22; Acts 1:8) As we fulfill this Great Commission, healing is one of the signs that should accompany us. (Mark 16:15-18)

Just as we are all called to witness but some are given a special spiritual gift of evangelism, so we are all called to bring healing but some are given special gifts of healings and miracles. (1 Corinthians 12:9-10) The apostle James told Christians who were sick to seek prayer from the elders because prayers of faith would heal them. (James 5:14-16) Are those ministries of healers and “elders” active in your church today?

Finally, look at the prophetic description of Christ’s suffering and death in Isaiah 53. We all celebrate the fact that Jesus bore our sins on the cross so we could have forgiveness. (v. 5, 11) But too many of us have failed to embrace the truth that by his stripes (some translations say “wounds” or “bruises”) we are healed! (v. 5)

Note here that some argue this healing is for our soul but not our bodies because the previous verse 4 says in most English translations that He bore our “griefs” and “sorrows”. But those Hebrew words used in verse 4 most commonly mean “disease” and “pain”. And in the midst of a description of Jesus’ healing ministry, Matthew 8:17 gives us the Gospel’s definitive translation: “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases”. It is clear Christ’s blood and death paid the price for our forgiveness of sin, and His pre-death suffering paid the price for our healing. Just as we receive forgiveness by faith, so we can receive healing by faith. (Matthew 9:22)

Finally, for those who still want to argue without any scriptural backing that the healing ministry of Jesus was for biblical times but not for today, I emphatically declare, “JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER!” (Hebrews 13:8) He healed in His natural body when He walked this earth, and He wants to heal through His corporate Body today.
If your child was sick and you had the power to heal, would you not heal your child? If you, who are not good, would do that, then how much more will our heavenly Father heal His children, if only they will ask? (Matthew 7:7-11)

The heart of our problem is unbelief. When Jesus went back to his hometown of Nazareth, He was unable to do many healings, or any miracles, because of their unbelief. (Mark 6:1-6) Jesus had never done healings or miracles in their presence before, so they concluded He just couldn’t do them. For most of the Church today, divine healing has not been taught, preached or experienced, and so just like Nazareth, we don’t believe today.

Use God’s Word to purge your unbelief! Become doers of God’s Word rather than your own limited intellect and experience. (Proverbs 4:20-22) Begin to ask so you can begin to receive. The Lord is our Healer!

God bless you, and God bless our community.

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:12-14 ESV)

For many of us, the 2016 Olympic Games were a welcome relief. We were able for a short while to turn our attention away from the dark, difficult things happening in our nation and world, and instead be inspired as we watched athletes from virtually every nation “go for the gold” in wonderful demonstrations of ability, desire, training, effort and endurance.

The athletic achievements of these diverse men and women were terrific, as was the enthusiasm of the equally diverse fans, but what I find even more remarkable is how they all treated each other. Mutual respect, encouragement, and good (even great) sportsmanship were the norm, not the exception. It may be true that only one person or team can receive a gold medal in an Olympic event, but I believe a great many more grasped gold in a way God finds far more important. They embraced the Golden Rule.

The Golden Rule, set forth at Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31, is most commonly stated as: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It is a simple and straight-forward command from the Lord that we treat others the way we want to be treated.

The importance of this command is underscored when Jesus says, “… this is the Law and the Prophets”. The only other time Jesus used such language was when He described the Great Commandment – that you love God with all your heart, mind and soul, and your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:35-40) In short, the Great Commandment summarizes God’s will for our lives. And we obey God’s Great Commandment to love one another by following the Golden Rule.

As I write this column, the closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games have just concluded. My attention turns back to our nation, where over 75% of our citizens are still professing Christians and, therefore, very much subject to the Golden Rule. How well are we “going for the gold”?

As citizens of a nation more polarized than it has been since the events leading up to the Civil War, I urge all of us to read and re-read 1 Peter 3:8-17 and 2 Timothy 2:24-26. These scriptures explain how we should apply the Golden Rule in situations where there is disagreement or conflict. We are to be kind and gentle, not quarrelsome. We are to stand for what we know to be good, but never repay evil with evil or insult with insult. Instead, we seek to overcome evil with good by showing respect to those who oppose us, and by blessing them.

To make sure we understand how to follow the Golden Rule in such difficult times, Paul also provides in 2 Timothy 3 a description of those who disobey it: the proud and arrogant, lovers of self and money, those who defy the authority of holy scripture, and those who profess faith without actually practicing it. We are told to avoid such people.

So how are we doing? There are notable exceptions (praise God!) but overall, I believe we are failing to make the podium. Many of us are breaking the Golden Rule, and we are vocalizing our support for people on the national stage, both in media and politics, who are smashing it to pieces every day.

Why are we doing poorly? We have failed to understand that the way of the Golden Rule is narrow and hard. It does not come naturally. The things that empower athletes to the incredible achievement of winning a gold medal: ability, desire, training, effort and endurance, are also the things that empower people to follow the Golden Rule. And we have not pursued those things as we should.

We all have the ability because, as born-again children of God, we have the Holy Spirit, who can pour God’s love into our hearts and do far more than we can ask or imagine through His power at work within us. (Romans 5:5; Ephesians 3:20) But do we set our minds on the things that are above? (Colossians 3:1-2, 12-17) Do we seek the Lord and His will with all our heart? (Jeremiah 29:13) Do we train ourselves for godliness through consistent obedience, prayer, worship and bible study? (1 Timothy 4:7-16) Do we “make every effort” to grow in faith and love? (2 Peter 1:3-8) Are we running with endurance the race that is set before us, ridding ourselves of the sins and unneeded burdens that hold us back? (Hebrews 12:1-3)

America desperately needs a powerful and abiding spiritual awakening. That will come when enough of us hear the heart of God and “go for the gold”!

God bless you, and God bless our community.

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

God heals the brokenhearted. So who are these brokenhearted people God heals, and how does He heal them?
Dictionary.com defines “brokenhearted” as: “burdened with great sorrow, grief or disappointment”. Our culture most often connects this with romantic break-ups or the loss of close family and friendships. God’s loving presence can certainly be a comfort in those situations. (Matthew 5:4)

Scripture also speaks of “a broken and contrite heart”, that is, a person who has become humble and repentant before the Lord after being convicted in their heart of pride and sin. (Psalm 51:17) Again, God’s grace to wash away our sins provides great comfort as He creates in us a “clean heart” and “right spirit”, restoring the joy of our salvation. (Psalm 51:1-12)

When, however, Psalms 34 and 147 speak of the brokenhearted, their wounds and their crushed spirits, I believe God is looking beyond those who mourn and those who are repentant. The Hebrew word used for “broken” (“shabar”) can mean “shattered” or “crippled”. The Hebrew word used for “heart” (“leb”) refers not just to emotions but to the mind and the will – what we might call the inner man or inner woman.

In short, and in modern vernacular, I believe these psalms reveal God’s desire to heal the crippled soul.
Our neighborhoods (and our churches) include many men and women who have been deeply traumatized, particularly in their childhood. Some were abandoned. Many were sexually or physically abused. Even more were verbally abused on a long term basis, and they can all tell you in no uncertain terms that the nursery saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”, is a lie of the devil.

As a result, these men and women, each beloved by God, struggle with various levels of anxiety, depression, anger, bitterness, isolation, guilt and/or shame. Almost all of them have problems with self-esteem.

Other children, even if not the victims of overt abuse, were taught by their parents or other caregivers what may be the greatest lie of all: that you are supposed to earn love and acceptance. When they did well, they received approval, but when they made a mistake or failed, they received condemnation and rejection. This eventually leads to the assumption that if things go wrong, it must be because you did wrong.

These men and women, also beloved by God, struggle with fear of failure and rejection. Many are people-pleasers or perfectionists, and again, almost all of them have deep-seated self-esteem issues.

God designed human beings to have three basic needs: the need to belong (love), the need to feel safe (peace), and the need to believe your life has value and significance (purpose). Those crippled in soul are challenged in these areas. Yet most of them will not seek healing.

When we are crippled in body by injury or disease, we do not hesitate to seek help. But when we are crippled in soul, the opposite occurs. We fear the stigma of mental illness in our communities. We fear to be seen in our churches as lacking in faith. So we keep telling people, and sometimes ourselves, that we are fine when we really aren’t.

Those who do seek help from secular sources will primarily be provided medication, which may help you cope but will never heal you. The fortunate ones get some benefit from empathic counselors, particularly with approaches in cognitive behavioral therapy that seek to change how you think about life, situations and yourself. But it is almost impossible for secular therapists to help you take those changes in thinking to the deeper levels below your rational mind – to your memories and subconscious where the pain is rooted. You need the power of God to do that.
How can God heal the brokenhearted? Through prayer warriors, biblically grounded Christian counselors (pastoral or clinical), loving Christian community and the experience of God’s presence, the Lord can:

1. Plant hope in your heart that you can be healed.
2. Guide you through forgiveness ministry as to those who hurt you, and often yourself as well, so you can be freed from anger, bitterness, guilt and shame.
3. Convince you both in your outward mind and the depths of your being that you are incredibly loved and valued by God, and that God has family on earth who love and value you as well.
4. Impart His eternal perspective into your memories so that the hurt fades away, leaving behind gifts of wisdom, humility and empathy for others.
5. Free you from any demonic oppression that is aggravating your pain and obstructing your efforts to heal.
6. Set you on the path to the wonderful hope and future God has for you as His child.
Some of this healing can come quickly, like surgery, and some will take time, like rehabilitation. The brokenhearted can be healed by the Lord if only they will respond to His invitation.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
God bless you, and God bless our community