The Choice is Ours
Are you praying about the forthcoming election? I am. I will leave the result of my prayer in God’s hands. I only know He said “ask.” I want to do my part with confidence He will do His part.
I heard a speaker recently say we should not be concerned about the election result, we will do it all over in four years. True, BUT! What if in those four years something happens and the opportunity to vote has been taken from us. What happens on election day will influence what happens in the next four years, and what happens in those four years will determine the nature of America thereafter.
The speaker to whom I referred defined himself as one who believes God is sovereign and determines destiny. I, too, believe God is sovereign, but in His sovereign will He chose to give human beings a free will.
The Old Testament leader Joshua challenged his people as follows: “…if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24: 15).
In light of that example God may very well be allowing us to choose who we will serve. There is a great disparity of choices.
As the framers of our Constitution exited their assembly Elizabeth Willing Powel asked Benjamin Franklin: “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” To which Franklin responded: “A republic, if you can keep it.”
The question of our day is whether we choose to be governed as we have been by a republic form of government or a socialist oligarchy.
Rather than trying to define the latter I ask that you look at the examples of Russia, Venezuela, and Cuba. Do you really want that? The modern day national Democratic party strongly leans in that direction and if in power will likely seek to lead us there. There are many good patriotic Democrats who do not desire such, nevertheless their party does. The policies they advocate are covert Socialism.
Often we don’t know the value of what we have until we don’t have it. Let us abrogate that principle by valuing what we have as not being perfect, but the best there is.
There is a lot not to like about the candidates of the National Republican party. However, in running from a bear let’s not run into a lion, in this instance the National Democratic ticket.
A person voting for a pro-abortion candidate on that issue alone is voting for the rest of the party’s socialist agenda also. Do you really want that?
Who Am I?
Who am I? Have you ever thought about that? How did you get to be the you that you are?
One of the most amazing gifts that God has given is the human mind. The ability to learn, think, choose, and reason is the essence of what makes us human. While the ability to think makes us human, it actually goes deeper. Your thoughts become a reflection of who you really are. God certainly understands this, and He speaks to this in various places all throughout His word.
One of the verses we often quote to back this up is “as a man thinks in his heart so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). You are who your thoughts have made you.
William James, considered by many as the father of modern day psychology, noted the greatest discovery of his generation is that a person can change their life simply by changing their mind. That is good news for we often can’t change our circumstances, but we and we alone can change our mind. It is called out look.
Therefore, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Colossians 3:1-3).
Often people speak of things bearing on their mind. In reality our mind should bear on things.
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3: 2 – 5). Freely interpreted that means since you are a Christian think Christian thoughts. The mind is the supervisor of itself. As a horse is bridled so the mind must at times bring itself into control of one’s thoughts. Thoughts are either of a “self-ian” or a Christian nature You chose.
Jonathan Edwards taught “The ideas and images (mental concepts) in men’s minds are the invisible powers that constantly govern them.” We think of a thing and then we do it. If you want to change your attitudes and actions, change your mind.
Your outlook is often determined by your input, what you see or hear, often even your hormones.
When you dethrone your ego and enthrone God there is a new monarch.
William Ellery Channing taught, “Secret study, silent thought is the mightiest agent in human thought.” The mind chooses which of those it will feed on and what is fed on becomes the outward action.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
The Lord Bless You
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace” (Numbers 6:22-23).
This blessing of God delivered through Moses to Aaron is a warm greeting often shared with friends today. I keep a copy of it on my desk. Consider the components as they apply to you.
“The Lord bless you and keep you.” God loves to bless His people. It is He who really provides all of our blessings small and large. His blessings are so numerous and abundant we fail to realize their consistency. It is only when a desired blessing is not realized we seem to be aware of the many good ones we routinely enjoy. His keeping, that is His preserving of us, is a major blessing. He shields us so often we tend to be unmindful of this grace.
To “keep” is a specific blessing given to those with concerns for safety, focusing on God’s sheltering the people from evil and its effects.
“The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you….” One’s face is a revelation of his will. What is going on in the heart and mind shows on one’s face. This comment encourages individuals to conduct themselves in such a way as to please Him. Our loving responses make His face shine, that is, to radiate with pleasure. His response is to be gracious to us, to bless us.
“The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace ….”
This is an expression meaning to look up, pay attention. “Look-a-me God and give me peace. This peace, this shalom is God’s word for wholeness and goodness and total satisfaction in life. In this idiom, we might say: God smiles on you. The greeting means you want its object to have such peace.
The reference to “you” is mentioned six times in the passage giving emphasis to you personally.
No less emphasis is given the source of all blessings. It is “God,” who is mentioned three times.
Before posting this I have paused to pray for all who receive the following blessing.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Who Are You Going to Believe?
Both candidates for President are quick to accuse the other of lying. That is about the only thing they agree on, both are false bearers. If their falsehoods were these warriors they would wear camouflage. They never look or sound like what they are. Unmasked they are untruths, lies. Their object is to deceive. It is disheartening to know we have to decide between two liars, but we do. Considering they are co-equal liars we must look for some other basis on which to decide for who to vote. Consider these headings.
Immigration:
Trump: Trump’s policy on immigration may be among his most famous. He says on “day one” he would close the US-Mexico border and embark on a hard-line position to round-up and deport undocumented immigrants.
Harris: “We are very clear, and I think most Americans are clear, that we have a broken immigration system and we need to fix it,” she told an interviewer. Why hasn’t she helped do it using authority already at her disposal?
The war in Ukraine:
Trump: “We must be absolutely clear that our objective is to immediately have a total cessation of hostilities.” He has said he supports extra aid to Ukraine, albeit possibly in the form of a loan.
Harris: This summer she traveled to a conference in Switzerland and pledged Washington’s continued support. She announced $1.5 billion in US assistance through the State Department and the US Agency for International
Abortion:
Trump said the issue should be left to individual states, which is the current state of affairs since Roe was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022.
Harris: After the Supreme Court overturned Roe, she became among the most effective campaigners on reproductive rights, saying while Trump boasted about having helped overturn the 1972 ruling, she and Biden were pressing Congress to restore the position to have it as it was before.
Economy:
Trump: He has suggested he would tax all imports up to 20 per cent of their value, and tax Chinese imports 60 per cent. He has said he would lower the corporate income tax rate from 21 per cent to 20 per cent.
Harris: “Building up the middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency.” How? She has also proposed a change to inheritance tax rules, ending a “loophole” where children do not pay the capital gains of their parents’ assets when they are sold.
Israel:
Trump: Trump often claims to have been the most pro-Israel president in history. He agreed to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, recognize Israeli sovereignty of the disputed Golan Heights and spearheaded the Abraham Accords.
Harris: In March, she talked of a “human catastrophe”, while last month she skipped Netanyahu’s address to Congress but did meet with him.
Climate Change:
Trump: He says on his first day in office he will end Mr Biden’s “Green New Deal atrocities” – a measure that was actually never signed into law. He also says on the first day in office he would “drill, baby, drill” and reduce restrictions on drilling imposed by Biden.
Harris: She says climate change is real and warned “the clock is not just ticking, it is banging”; when she ran in 2019 she supported the progressive Green New Deal climate change mitigation framework and spoke out against fracking.
Vote for the candidate whose policies you approve.
Lord Have Mercy
There is a lilting song that is expressive of our needs and a responsive answer. Before reading the lyrics below it is more meaningful if you know the Greek words for “Lord, have mercy,” are “Kyrie, eleison” that is to say, ‘Lord, soothe me, comfort me, take away my pain, show me your steadfast love.” Keep that in mind in reading the following and make it your prayer.
As we come before You with the needs of our world
We confess our failures and our sin
For our words are many yet our deeds have been few
Fan the fire of compassion once again.
Kyrie Eleison, have mercy
Christ Eleison, have mercy
Kyrie Eleison, have mercy
Christ Eleison, have mercy
When the cries of victims go unheard in the land
And the scars of war refuse to heal
Will we stand for justice to empower the weak
Till their bonds of oppression are no more?
Kyrie Eleison, have mercy
Christ Eleison, have mercy
Kyrie Eleison, have mercy
Christ Eleison, have mercy
The song ends with this:
Kyrie eleison down the road that I must travel
Kyrie eleison through the darkness of the night
Kyrie eleison where I’m going, will you follow? (Will you follow?)
Kyrie eleison on a highway in the light.
Perhaps you will find it more meaningful if you go back and pray it as a plea for God’s mercy.
Synonyms like compassion, lovingkindness, favor, and steadfast love often appear in Bible translations to illustrate the idea of mercy. A brief biblical definition of mercy is “the gift of God’s undeserved kindness and compassion.”
Mercy is a concept necessary to an understanding of God’s dealings with humankind. In English translations of the Bible, it comes to expression in phrases such as “to be merciful,” “to have mercy on,“ or “to show mercy toward.” The corresponding term, “merciful,” describes a quality of God and one that God requires of his people. Basically, we get mercy from God and we should resultantly show it to others as in His name. Lord, have mercy.