Saturday, July 21, 2012

"Darkness"

The tragic events that recently took place in Colorado brought back  distant memories of my teenage years. My parents told me several times  that,  "nothing good happens after midnight".  I was always expected to be home by 11:00 pm. I thought my parents were old fashioned and out of touch with the modern world.

My high school sponsored an all night party at a local bowling alley for all the graduating seniors. I was looking forward to staying up all night for the first time in my life. My date (now my spouse) and I worked for weeks to get her parents permission to stay out all night. We were so pumped up when they agreeed to let her stay out all night. When I informed my parents they  quickly burst my bubble when they  said "no way." You have to be home by midnight. I could not believe it! I was so embarrassed that I was not allowed to stay out all night.  At the time I did not realize how wise my parents were.

"You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness". (I Thessalonians 5: 5)

The scriptures are true because all kinds of evil things take place at night.  Every day you hear stories on the news about  evil things that take place after midnight in the cover of darkness.

 "But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble" (Proverbs 4: 19)

We live in a world that is filled with darkness but thanks be to God because He has called us out of this darkness into a world of light.

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what has been done has been done through God" (John 3: 19-21)

I was very blessed as a teen to have "old fashioned parents who were out of touch with the modern world."

Thank you God!

Gee Man




Saturday, July 7, 2012

"Freedom"

My spouse and I  recently attended a musical  entitled "1776". During one of the heated debates the delegate from Virginia called  the King of  England a 'tyrant' who had taken their freedoms away. The delegate from Pennsylvania objected to the term 'tyrant' and he insisted that the King of England had given them their freedom so he  therefore had the right to take away some of those freedoms. The Virginia delegate argued that 'freedom' was a 'God given right' and that no  earthly King had the right to take that freedom away.

I could not help but think about the exchange between God and Samuel  when God's people rejected Him as their King. God tells Samuel  "And the Lord told him: Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their King".  The people had rejected God the very Divine being who had delivered them from slavery and given them their freedom.
 (I Samuel 8:7)

God told Samuel to warn the people that their new earthly King would take their children and send them to war. He would take the best of their fields, vineyards and animals and give them to other people. The King will oppress you.   "When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the King you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day." (I Samuel 8:18)

It seems to me that things have  not changed that much. Our Nation has turned its back on God the very Divine being that helped us secure our freedom from  the King of England in 1776.

God is the giver of every good gift but our country has rejected Him. Instead we look to our Government (our King) to take care of all our needs and provide for our welfare. We call things that are good bad and things that are bad good.  I read the ending of the book and all the earthly Kings will pass away but Jesus the King of Kings will return to claim his own.

I think Joshua said it best when he said "Choose this day whom you will serve but as for me and my household we will serve the Lord."

Your God given freedom allows you to choose whom you will serve.

Gee Man


Sunday, July 1, 2012

"Happy Birthday America"

America will  turn 236 years old this week.  Birthdays are meant to  be happy and joyful occasions.   I have mixed feelings about this  years birthday celebration. I am happy and grateful that  we still enjoy freedoms like no other place in the world but I am sad that we as  a Nation have turned our back on God. This morning in our Bible class we sang God Bless America, "the land that I love, stand beside her and guide her".  I sang this song with sadness in my heart because our Nation has turned its back on God.

Earlier in the  morning our congregation along with millions of other Christians in America got down on bended knees and we ask God to forgive our sinful ways. We ask Him to raise up leaders that will lead us to paths of righteousness. We ask him to restore the Godly foundation that this nation was built on.

 Where did we go wrong? When did we first turn away from God? I don't know the answer to that question. I suppose like many other Americans I was too busy in self indulgence to notice when things began to change.

Last week the Republicans raised over 4 million dollars in one day which will be spent on this years Presidental election. The Democrats boasted that they had rasied more than the Republicans.  Conservatively speaking lets assume that both parties together raised 9 million dollars in one day which will be spent on advertisements to solicit my vote and yours.

I could not help but think about all the children in the world who do not know where their next meal will come from. I thought about the thousands of children that will die this week because they will not have access to clean water. Think about it, Healing Hands International could have drilled 1,875 water wells and provided clean water for  6,375,000 children with this 9 million dollars.

God please forgive our sinful ways and raise up leaders that will restore our country to a Godly Nation.

Amen