A New President?

I am one who does not jump into the political realm easily, but I feel like this is a moment that I am being told to do so.

Right now there is a big divide in our country because of the actions recently under our new president, and the Congress. Many have said let's elect a new president because of it.

It's interesting to me to see the attitude towards President Obama is similar to that attitude that was present towards our previous president, George Bush. The main difference? Those speaking for and against have merely traded their words with each other. But rather than speak my own opinions about these actions, I would rather direct us to God's opinion when it comes to the authority that is set over us.

Daniel spoke some powerful words to a powerful king one day - "The Most High God rules the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them." - Daniel 5:21b

Jesus echoed these words when he told Pilate, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above." - John 19:11

So what does God say to do when it comes to human authority, to the government?
Romans 13:1-7
Verse 1 - "Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God"
Verse 2 - "So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished."
Verse 5 - "So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience."
Verse 6 - "Pay your taxes too, for these same reasons."
Verse 7 - "Give respect and honor to all whom it is due"

Personally I believe that the punishment Paul is speaking of comes from God, not from the government. Look what Paul also says in the letter to his friend Titus...

Titus 3:1-2 - "Submit to the government...be obedient, always ready to do what is good...must not speak evil of anyone...be gentle and show true humility."

Peter also knew this to be true but when he was told to never speak about Jesus again, by religious leaders he said, "We must obey God rather than human authority." - Acts 5:29

So the boldest disciple was pushing aside human authority all together? No. Look what he said in I Peter 2:13-17 - "Accept all authority...show respect for the king."

Just as in the 8 years of the Bush Administration we were to honor, respect, and accept the authority set before us, so now during the Obama Administration we are to do the same.

When did you last complain, argue, or get angry about a political decision that was made or a political leader? Was it Sunday evening? Was it this morning?

When did you last pray for the political leaders who make those decisions? If God set these people in place as Jesus said, does God not have the ability to speak words of wisdom and council to them like he did in the days of Daniel?

Fight for what you believe in but learn to set the example for others that will set you a part from all other people and show that God is in you and coming through you!

Final thought: The way we handle our human authorities tells a lot about how we handle our heavenly authority.

Test Time!

I know what this week has been like for many, if not all of you.

You have been tested!

You have had to deal with tough decisions, hurtful words, angry glances, doubting days, and more.

WHY?

Because as we have begun to take this journey to a deeper relationship with HIM, there is nothing more the Enemy would like to do than disrupt what God is doing in your life. Yet the other side is true too.

God may be allowing this to happen to sharpen you and to clean out the areas of your life that you have been unwilling to clean out on your own. The tests have come for a reason and we will talk about that reason more in detail on Sunday!

I am very excited about what God has been doing in your lives and I love hearing the stories so please do not hesitate to tell me what God is shaking loose inside your heart as He prepares us for even more of his manifested presence daily.

I wanted all of you to know that we have decided to not have Community Groups this Sunday evening but we will be gathering once again in the Sanctuary for what we have called our “Remove the Noise” evening gatherings. I have seen God make His presence known in many services in my life, but I am hard pressed to remember a time greater than last Sunday evening. Even though I look back at that with excitement, I am still craving Him all the more. I know that He is cleaning us from the inside out, yet he wants us to reveal to others things we see that needed cleaning in their lives.

Proverbs 27:5-6 says, “An open rebuke is better than hidden love. Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”

After walking through the 40 Days of Love, we all know the need of telling the truth IN LOVE so do that with those you love. Pray for those around you! The more emptiness that is in us all the more space God has to fill!! And oh do we want his fresh in-filling!! Bring it God!

Sorry, I felt like Paul just then when he would get lost in God during his writings. That was amazing. I was shaking just as I thought about more of God filling me up!

Come ready for God, be ready for God. Be ready today, right where you are at, for God too!

Do You Remember?

God is really using our time alone with Him to prepare us for what He has in store for all of us at New Life Community Church. As we continue to talk about the exiled Israelites return to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the Temple on Sundays there is one portion of the story that I intend not to share but has been reinforced to me today during my quiet time with God.

It is found in Ezra 3:11-13. The Temple foundation has been laid and there is a mixed response to this monumental moment within the first 2 years of their return from exile. We see the younger generation rejoicing at the sight of the foundation and the cries and mourning of the older generation at the very same viewing of the foundation. The older remember the grand temple in Solomon’s day while the younger never knew it. The combination of cries and rejoicing can be heard “far away” the Bible says.

In my devotional these powerful words are penned – “It is said that the greatest obstacle to the latest move of God is the generation that experienced the previous move of the Spirit, and history confirms it. God obviously has a better plan. He intends for the older saints to guide, instruct, encourage, and support younger saints in their passionate pursuit of God. Anything less is sin.”

No matter where you find yourself on the spiritual maturity age range, one thing is clear – God will move on all generations and all generations need to move towards God. Peter recounts the words of the prophet Joel of how young men will see visions and old men dream dreams in his message in Acts 2 right after the Holy Spirit’s infilling.

DO NOT ALLOW your “self” to get in the way of what God wants to do in you and in all of us. DO NOT HAVE distaste for the passion to pursue God in a way that may seem different than your past, or your opinions. Rather DO ALLOW yourself to encourage all to seek God with ALL their hearts, minds, souls and strength. And DO HAVE distaste for the devil's schemes to come in and disrupt what God is doing and desiring for ALL of us.

In the end, all the mourning and rejoicing over the temple foundation had stopped and so did the work on rebuilding the Temple. They stopped work on it for 16 years!! WHY? They let the enemy discourage them, they let their pride get the best of them.

Then after 16 years, the prophet Haggai spoke these words in Haggai 2:3-9,

“Does anyone remember this house – this Temple – in its former splendor? How in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! But now the Lord says: Be strong…all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.
“For this is what the Lord or Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

The rebuilding of the Temple then began shortly after that and when it began the prophet Haggai spoke again. This time he said this in Haggai 2:18-19,

“Think about…the day when the rebuilding of the Lord’s Temple began. Think carefully. I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.”

I crave for God’s presence so dearly that I do not want to wait 16 years. I will if I must, but I do not want that! We must work together in unity and purpose so that what we do know is the blessing of God upon our lives, our families, our church, our 3 block radius, our city, our county, our region, our state, our country, our world!!!!!!