First Amendment Rights

While attacks upon Christianity from the liberal left have occurred for some time now, the Obama Administration's assault on religious liberty in America now seems to be on steroids. The latest example is an announcement from the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, on January 20th. Sebelius dictated that ALL private insurance plans must pay 100% of the cost of all FDA-approved birth control (including abortion-causing devices and drugs like the IUD, and 'morning-after' pills), along with surgical sterilization. This also applies to any health insurance provided by religious based employers like hospitals, colleges or universities, and other service organizations that help millions of people each year. While a clarification later exempted churches from this "law", are we so foolish to think that exemption will last? Since it is now illegal under Obamacare not to buy health insurance, and since insurers are forbidden from charging the users of these specific services a co-pay, EVERYONE who has health insurance will collectively bear the cost for practices that violate our religious beliefs. This is about so much more than government's claim of insuring that all women have free access to health care. And, it's about so much more than just a Catholic issue over contraception. This is an issue of the government violating the First Amendment of our United States Constitution and telling religious people they cannot practice their beliefs. IF the Obama Administration is allowed to force all employer's to not only pay for contraceptives, but abortion services through their health care plans, what else will the Obama Administration tell churches, religious organizations, and Christians they can/cannot do? Peggy Noonan from the Washington Post writes, "there was nothing for the President to gain (with this edict), except, perhaps, the pleasure of making a great church bow to him." And while the Administration has publicly said it is willing to work out the details of a compromise over the next year, this Administration's history demonstrates it's not going to budge in the next year. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York said: "In effect, the President is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences." In other words, the President is saying, "get over it!" Even if the Administration changes it's mind on this issue, they've already revealed their true intentions.
So, there is no confusion, the opening words to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…." To those who say the church has no business meddling in politics, it is clear from the writings of the authors (check out The Federalist Papers), of the Constitution, they were more concerned about keeping the government out of religion than they were keeping religion out of government.
In a letter dated January 26th, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio stated, "We cannot - - we will not - - comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second-class citizens. Unless this rule is overturned," he writes, "we Catholics will be compelled to choose between violating our consciences or dropping health coverage for our employees (and then suffering the penalties for doing so)."
There reaches a point when free people must draw a line in the sand and say, "Enough is Enough!" Count me on the side of the Catholic Church and others who believe the Administration has once again ignored, stomped on, and marginalized our United States Constitution!

Get Reading!

In the early part of 2000, I committed myself to reading through the entire Bible in one year, every year, for the rest of my life. I had read through it twice prior to that, but I wanted to be more consistent. So, if you are keeping track, this will be the twelfth consecutive year that I've read through the Bible. It takes approximately ten minutes every day to do so. I can't usually tell you what I read yesterday, or sometimes what I read earlier today. Likewise, I'll bet you can't tell me what you ate yesterday, or maybe even what you ate earlier today. But, all of us would agree that whether we remember what we ate yesterday, last week, or last year, our bodies must have received nourishment from our consumption of food or we wouldn't still be here.
Similarly, even though we can't remember word for word what we read from the Bible last week, last month, or last year; the fact is, our soul was nourished by what our mind took in and our character grows as a result of doing so. My attitude and my view of people, my relationship with God and my relationships with others, have all grown IMMENSELY during the past twelve years. We are what we think. And what we think is determined by the information we feed our mind. We can either take in the garbage and lies we are so often fed through the secular world's music, television, news, etc., OR we can take in the eternal truths we receive from God's Word. But, our worldview WILL be shaped by what we continually program into our mind (Philippians 4:8&9; Colossians 3:1-3). Our primary source of spiritual sustenance should not be from a Bible class or even a small group that we attend with others our age. It should come from our quiet time we each spend with God in His Word.
Lamar Vest is president and CEO of the American Bible Society. He says, "We buy the Bible in increasing volume, we revere the Bible, we give the Bible as gifts, but we Americans do everything with the Bible except read it. And we find that only about 20% of Americans are actually engaged with scripture on a regular basis." Gleaning spiritual truth from another, including a preacher, is not intended to be the only time we receive spiritual nourishment. It should, instead, challenge us to read and study the Bible for ourselves.
If you are not already doing so, might I challenge you to begin reading through the Bible for the rest of your life, beginning in 2012? For those who are older, it is never too late to begin. But, the younger a person begins that habit, the more they will understand God's plan for their lives and truly live His eternal principles on a daily basis.
We have hardbound copies of the Chronological Bible in the New Living Translation at the church for $20. Buy one for yourself. Buy one for someone else as a Christmas gift. Reading God's Word for yourself is one of the best gifts you can give another person. "For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innner thoughts and desires." (Hebrews 4:12)

Patience

The theme for so many of us might well be, "I want what I want, and I want it right now!" I remember how impatient I was as a kid, waiting for a cupcake to bake in my sister's Easy Bake Oven. Even today, I find myself wondering why God doesn't see life the way I do and give me what I want and when I want it.
When Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus that their brother, Lazarus, was sick and needed Jesus' attention immediately, Jesus delayed going to see his friend (John 11:1-7). In the meantime, Lazarus died. His sisters couldn't understand why Jesus didn't come sooner. They firmly believed Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying. But, Jesus had something grander in mind. He would raise Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the grave four days. God's timing, especially His delays, may leave us thinking He doesn't care for us, but in reality, His delays are always for a very good reason.
When Jesus visited in his hometown synagogue, he dared to suggest that God loves Gentiles as much as He loves Jews (Luke 4:25-30). And even though they wanted to kill Jesus for making such a suggestion, the Bible says he pushed through the crowd and went on his way in spite of their efforts to kill him. We see the same thing happening on other occasions (John 7:30; 8:20, 58&59; 10:39). God has a plan for everything that happens in our lives. It wasn't time for Jesus to die so God didn't allow Him to die. Faith is trusting God, even when things don't go our way. Faith is believing that God always knows what He is doing and God will use our situation, whatever it is and however bad it may be, to bring about good in our lives and glory to Him (Romans 8:28). You see, God's timing is ALWAYS the right time (Galatians 4:4). "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Trust Him in all things and at all times. God knows what He is doing and we often don't see His wisdom until much later (Isaiah 55:8&9).

Extreme Family Makeover

After God completed His creative work in six days, including the formation of man and woman, it is interesting to note that the very first institution God brought into existence was not government. God did not envision government as being the central and primary tool for keeping peace between people, or regulating how people conduct themselves with one another. But, then, neither was the church the first institution God brought into existence after creating human beings. The first institution God gave to mankind was marriage, and with it, the family. In God's plans, it would be the family responsible for insuring that children learned how to relate to one another and ultimately, to others. Parents would be entrusted with the responsibility of teaching their children God's laws because following God's laws would best result in a society all could peaceably live in. Any time we separate ourselves from obedience to God's Laws, we receive the due consequences of our actions with chaos; either in our marriage, our family, or our society (Colossians 1:17).
Quite frankly, the family unit is under attack in America. A boat dock is built on many large, round, wooden posts that are sunk deep into the river, lake, or ocean bottom upon which the dock sits. Someone told me many years ago that we could safely remove one of those posts from underneath the dock and the dock itself would still stand. In fact, we could even remove many of those posts and the dock would still be usable, though not as safe. But, there does reach a point at which the removal of too many posts will result in the dock falling apart. As tragic as the demise of one family unit is to the members in that family, society itself will survive that tragedy. In fact, society will even withstand several family units that are not healthy or that fall apart. But, there is a point at which too many dysfunctional family units will cause the society to crumble. We are quickly approaching that Point of No Return in America.
America needs an "Extreme Makeover" in our families. Over the next five weeks, we will explore some ways that we can restore health and vitality to our specific families at New Hope. We pray that as these families, which are the building blocks or the foundational pillars of our society, are strengthened, that our society as a whole will also be strengthened. We invite you to join us. Here are the topics for each weekend:
October 8/9 - - "The Necessity of a Family Makeover" ( Joshua 24)
15/16 - - "The Foundation of a Family Makeover" (Psalm 127)
22/23 - - "The Keys to a Family Makeover" (Deuteronomy 6)
29/30 - - "The Role of Mentors in a Family Makeover" (I & II Timothy)
November 5/6- - "The Role of the Church in a Family Makeover" (Psalm 78)

Life Chain

Of the hundreds of laws given to the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant, here was Jesus' answer to a question as to which was the greatest commandment, "Love God with ALL your heart, and love your fellow human beings AS you love yourself" (Matthew 22:37-40). In fact, Jesus said that ALL of the laws given by Moses and ALL of the teachings given by the Prophets in the Old Testament were summarized in those two commandments. But, he simplified even more how we should live in Matt.7:12, "do to others what you would have them do to you, for this one command summarizes everything else you've been taught in the Law and by the Prophets."
I've read through the entire Bible thirteen times and it's very obvious that God values ALL life. It matters not the circumstances behind our conception, where we were born, the condition of the environment into which we were born, or whether we are of a sound mind or totally normal physically (Psalm 139:13-16). God is able to use EVERY situation and circumstance, and every person regardless of their social standing, their abilities, their family name, and more for His glory (Romans 8:28). It's hard for me to understand how anyone could knowingly take the life of another human being; unless it is to defend one's self, their family, someone else, or their country. I know this is hard for some people to understand, but God loves life so much, He commands that those responsible for murdering another human being must forfeit their own right to live (Gen.9:5&6; Exodus 21:12-14; Leviticus 24:17; Numbers 35:16-31).
The idea that someone can personally be opposed to abortion (which is the taking of innocent human life in what should be the safest of sanctuaries), but not be opposed to someone else taking a human life by abortion, is a position based more on being politically correct than it is based on moral and biblical truth. It is one thing to be personally opposed to wearing make-up or hairspray, or to personally be opposed to dancing, or to be personally opposed to taking vitamins and not be opposed to others who want to. But, there are some absolutes that are always wrong or always right. And God's view of life is absolute. He values life highly. God expects us to do the same.
October is "Respect Life" month. This Sunday, Christians from many churches will be uniting to silently pray for the unborn in cities all across the United States. In Marshalltown, registration begins at 1:00pm either at St. Henry's Church, the Church of the Nazarene, or the Redeemer Lutheran Church. At 2:00pm, we will form a chain starting at Center Street and Olive Street that stretches as far north on Center Street as we have people. For ONE hour, we will pray that our society sees the truth of this unconscienable murder, that women who have had abortions would find forgiveness and emotional healing in Jesus Christ, and that God would bring an end to abortion in America and around the world. Bring a lawn chair if you can't stand for an hour. Some who drive by honk their horns in support. Others share obscene gestures. Still others will change their minds because of our peaceful, prayerful, and silent witness. I hope you care enough about life to join me and other Christians this Sunday (October 2nd) in our Life Chain Prayer Vigil from 2-3pm.

Courageous

Did You Know?
---63% of all teen suicides come from homes without fathers.
---90% of all runaways and homeless children come from homes without fathers.
---85% of children with behavioral problems come from homes without fathers.
---71% of all high school dropouts come from homes without fathers.
---85% of all youths in prison come from homes without fathers.
27% of all caucasian children in America live apart from their dads, as do 36% of Hispanic children and 65% of African American children. In a survey taken by the University of Texas at Austin, 91% of the 701 fathers questioned, agreed there is a "father-absence crisis in America." In many more homes where the dad is physically present, he is often not actively engaged in the lives of his children. Children with fathers who are involved in their lives are much more likely to enjoy school and extracurricular activities, get good grades in school, be involved in church, and overall have fewer problems than are those with dads not actively engaged in their children's lives.
Dads, moms, and kids alike need to see the movie, "Courageous." Four police officers attempt to put their faith in God after a sudden and unexpected tragedy transforms their lives. Their conviction and determination will have an infectious impact on all who see this movie! Google, "Courageous, the movie" and you will find many trailers from this Christian film that are a foretaste of how powerful the movie is.
"Courageous" opens September 30 at the Plaza 9 Theaters here in Marshalltown and discount tickets for $5.50 can be purchased by calling New Hope Christian Church (752-1612). Why not consider purchasing enough tickets not just for your family, but also for others whom you know need to see and hear this message? In the meantime, pray that those who need to see "Courageous" are made aware it is here by some form of advertisement, or they are personally invited by someone else to attend. Pray that hearts, lives, and families will be changed!

10 Year Anniversary of 9/11

We all remember what we were doing and where we were, when we heard the news 10 years ago about the attack on America by Islamic Jihadists. I want to share with you some thoughts from a video by, The Skit Guys, that you can watch on God Tube at the following address: http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KKLW6GNX&utm_source=GodTube%20Must-See%20Video&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=09/08/2011
"I Corinthians 13 says, 'now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror' (v.12). It goes on to assure us that one day, 'we will see everything with perfect clarity.' Until that day comes, we have three things that will enable us to not just deal with the problems and issues of life, but actually help us overcome and conquer those problems (Rom.8:37): faith in God, unswerving hope, and love (v.13). Through our shock and horror from the events of that day, something else happened ten years ago. Although evil intentions appeared to be a success, our country embraced the complete opposite of what was intended. Instead of division, there was unity. Instead of confusion, there was clarity. Instead of falling apart, we banded together. But then again, that's the way one nation under GOD, will always respond."
The Proverb writer reminds us that, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of true knowledge" (1:7). That verse infuriates our increasingly secular society. When the U.S. Supreme Court banned the Bible from public schools in 1963, Justice Potter Stewart blasted the ruling with his dissenting remarks. "It led not to true neutrality with respect to religion, but to the establishment of a religion of secularism." Sadly, we often see this religion of secularism disguised with Christian clothing.
I say all that because much has been made about New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg's decision to forbid the saying of prayers from the upcoming ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. His actions, and the ones of many others who continue to assault our Christian heritage should not surprise us. Satan has always incited rage against God and those who follow Him (Psalm 2). (refer to our podcast of my sermon on Psalm 2 from August 14, 2011) On Sunday night, September 11, 2011 at 6:45pm, New Hope Christian Church will remember and reflect upon the happenings ten years ago that would have crumbled any other nation, but instead turned our nation to the Lord. And yes, we will pray, repent, and seek the blessings of the only God who created us, saves us, redeems us, and continues to sustain us. We invite and encourage you to attend.