Who Is Christianity Following?

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Romans 1:16 

Good News Translation (GNT)

¹⁶ I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God's power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles.

Many have said that the worst thing to ever happen to Christianity was the nominal conversion of Constantine. He said he had a dream that showed him a cross and heard the words in hoc signo vinces “In this sign conquer.” Constantine then became a Christian. It now became fashionable to be a Christian, so the world marched into the church. People became Christians, not because they had faith in and loved Christ, but because it made economic and political sense to do so. Christianity has never recovered.

Are we seeing the same phenomenon in America today? We find fundamental Christianity supporting a president who makes no pretense of being a Christian. But they like that he supports the independence of the country of Israel. Under his leadership the stock market has risen to record levels. Unfortunately, so have medical expenses. He is trying to purge aliens from America, even demanding that duly elected congressmen “go home.” I hear proclaimed by people I have respected for years, “Even if he is proved to be a liar, I will vote for him!”

In the 1930s both the Lutheran (Evangelische Kirche) Church and the Catholic Church in Germany strongly supported Hitler. After all, Hitler was a vegetarian and a teetotaler. He rescued Germany from terrible runaway inflation and brought in a strong economic recovery. But then he killed between 15 and 30 million people, including some 6 million Jews, as he purged Germany from social undesirables and non-Arians.  

Our ancestors fought the tyranny of King George III for freedom to live as our consciences direct. The Anglican Church strongly supported this tyranny. Are we, as Americans, going to accept injustice and erosion of freedom for an apparent economic advantage? Will we allow our own church leaders and political leaders to blindly support a new tyranny?

We pray, Oh Lord, that You will bring Americans to their senses.

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[i] https://www.amazon.com/High-Supply-Polyester-Grommets-Stitched/dp/B01N5QSQ4A

Unshakable Government

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Hebrews 12:28

Good News Translation (GNT)

²⁸ Let us be thankful, then, because we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe.

This past week Robert Mugabe, the world’s longest ruling dictator of 37 years, was deposed by a carefully orchestrated, bloodless coup d’etat.  Mugabe had emerged the victor in a bloody civil war that rocked the idyllic, prosperous, and peaceful Southern Rhodesia or just Rhodesia. Hundreds of innocent people were killed after the war by simply stepping on land mines that had been planted throughout the country.

Mugabe started a systematic genocide attempt on the Ndebele people who had put up the strongest resistance to his assuming leadership.  He methodically drove the successful white farmers out of the country and gave their farms to his favorite military generals who had no desire or skill to farm. The net result was that when he took office, the country was exporting food to the nations around: after his policies took effect, starvation overtook the country. The international community has had to step in and feed his people.

The pictures above show how he squandered the limited wealth of his country to build himself a mansion that rivals the mansions of European nobility and royalty. As the country ran out of money, he printed vast amounts of paper money until the Zimbabwe dollar became literally worthless.

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King Ndebele, a boyhood friend of mine, once wrote, “When the British were here, we had freedom but not independence. Now we have independence, but we don’t have freedom.”

As we see the steady erosion of our rights and freedoms in our own country, I appreciate more and more the promise that we will, in God’s own time, receive the “kingdom that cannot be shaken.”

 Let us indeed “be grateful and worship God in a way that will please Him, with reverence and awe.”

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[i] https://i2.wp.com/truthorfictioncom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/zim5.jpg

[ii] https://i0.wp.com/truthorfictioncom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/zim10.jpg

[iii] http://m.wsj.net/video/20150616/061615zimnote/061615zimnote_1280x720.jpg

When we lose good things

Job 1:21

Good News Translation (GNT)

²¹ He said, “I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The Lord gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised!”

Cleo, our half Alsatian half black Labrador, and I take a walk out into the desert hills every night before we go to bed. We’ve done this for over fourteen years now. She runs, chases the occasional coyote, and uses the desert as her personal toilet. She looks forward to this with eager anticipation every evening.

Some years ago Karen moved into a house on the corner we go by every evening. She often sat out on her tiny patio in the evening. Every evening that she was out there she had a few treats that she gave to Cleo. She kissed and welcomed her, and Cleo loved it. I told Karen, “It’s all cupboard love,” but she loved it−as did Cleo. On the nights that Karen wasn’t there, Cleo still studied the patio carefully, hoping that Karen would suddenly appear. If I didn’t happen to have her leash on her, Cleo would race over and inspect the patio carefully, undoubtedly hoping that Karen would appear or that she might have abandoned a treat there.

This autumn Karen bought a house in a different part of the city. Her move to this permanent address doesn’t faze Cleo’s eager searching for Karen and the former treats she used to receive. I’ve explained to the new residents of that home the reason for Cleo’s sudden appearance on their patio. So they tolerate her quick inspection very graciously.

Every time I watch Cleo’s vain excitement, I’m reminded that everything that I regard as precious will eventually be taken away, including life itself.

Thank You gracious Lord for all You do for me. When these are taken away, may I respond with the gratitude of Job, “May Your Name be praised!”