What Did They Die For?
May 25, 2008
Ask any man on a battlefield why he is fighting and he will say for the man next to him. Ask him again and he will say for freedom. We live in a generation that takes our freedom for granted as if it is a right and not a responsibility. For every day of freedom we enjoy in America roughly fourteen men gave their lives. This number does not include the millions who are wounded. These men thought this was a worthy price to pay for our freedom.
True freedom has its basis in God. True tyranny has its basis in man. Today as a nation we reject God. We have so swallowed the concept of separation of church and state that we now consider belief in Jesus Christ makes one unfit to hold public office. What will step into the vacuum when God is gone? Man will! Our founding fathers never used the word democracy in the constitution. Democracy means “rule by the common people.” In 1787 at the constitutional convention John Adams argued, “The proposition that the people are the best keepers of their liberties is not true. They are the worst conceivable; they are no keepers at all. They can neither act, judge, think, or will.” We live in a Republic that was born “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence.” Today as we oust God we seek to exalt man. Our population is easily swayed by a fine speech. All a man must do is boldly promise the benefits of freedom without the price tag. History teaches there is more to the story. The price of democracy, or rule by the common people without God will be far greater than the price of freedom. Democracy always leads to anarchy and then totalitarian rule.
We Are Battling for the High Ground
May 18, 2008
Some day’s life can be an uphill battle. When fighting an uphill battle we don’t advance in yards but inches, often paying a high price fro each inch of ground we take. During World War II the Americans at Iwo Jima were sickened by the high price they were paying for a seemingly worthless piece of real estate. Iwo Jima’s high value was of a strategic nature and the enemy knew it.
Christians often experience an uphill battle for goals or areas of our lives that seem unimportant but these are often the areas with immense strategic value. If we disregard the high ground then we lose the war. Those who posses the high ground control their lives and are not easily dislodged. Romans 8:37-39 states, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The next time you want to quit the battle for the high ground stop what you are doing and assess its strategic value. You will find the strength you need to stay in the battle.
The Golden Years
May 11, 2008
When my daughter was born she had black hair and blue eyes. She turned two this past week with brown eyes and golden hair. Many see her hair and ask us where it came from. My hair was blonde when I was a child. When the flames of defiance scorch the treetops, those who are not intimately acquainted with Jamie or I often ask us where our daughter’s temper came from. Alas, she is our beloved daughter. The essence of who we are apart from the grace of Almighty God explains her belligerent actions.
It would be easy to lock horns in a battle of the wills. Many people do this destroying the fragile hearts they were intended to shepherd. When God created her, He gave her a strong personality for difficult times. People need a lot of spunk to live for God today. One thing is needed! Like the whole of humanity she needs a new nature in Christ Jesus. In a generation when talk is cheap she needs to see Christ exemplified in my life. Being a living example of Christ is far more than preaching, church attendance, and a good moral life, though it should include those things. A man will not go far in any athletic competition if he does not have heart. You can’t teach heart but you can model it. Christianity is about heartily obeying God so that all of our actions honor Him. This means having a submissive heart laying every area of our lives on the altar before God. This means submissively honoring our families by reserving no special rights for ourselves. My goal for my children should be the same as Christ’s for His, righteousness at any price. Do you dictate the laws of God or live as an example of Christ. The way we answer that question will likely determine our children’s future.