PastorTim

First things First

Here in the United States of America and around the world the freedom of religion, speech and the press are among the most important components in the foundation of a free society. Amendment I of the Constitution states clearly, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” I have long since known and deeply appreciated this freedom in the land that I love. I am now more concerned than ever that these freedoms are in jeopardy.

My friend Dr. Everett Piper in the Washington Times last week writes, “Creatio ex nihilo is a Latin phrase used to describe a central theological point of Christianity. It’s an axiom that captures the first event of Genesis: “In the beginning, God created.” It says it is God and God alone who can take nothing and turn it into something. He’s the one who sets the field and draws the boundaries. He’s the one who puts the goals in place. He is responsible for the rules and the definitions. God establishes order. No matter what you’ve been told, there is a Creator, and it’s not you. Some things are what they are, and neither you nor I has any business or power to change or redefine them. Facts are facts, and that’s the end of it… Truth is true, and falsehood is false, and that IS the end of it.

Only one worldview acknowledges that truth is endowed by our Creator and is not the subject of a political consensus. Only one worldview understands that all our rights and freedoms, therefore, can never be taken away by a democracy or a demagogue. In the ontological world of Creation vs. chaos, some things simply are. The yard lines are down. The boundaries are set. The rule book is written. It can’t be manipulated into whatever you’d like it to be. Only the Creation worldview understands that denying established facts doesn’t change them.”

On June 20^th 1785 James Madison in his Memorial and Remonstrance against
Religious Assessments wrote, “the equal right of every citizen to the free exercise of his Religion according to the dictates of conscience is held by the same tenure with all our other rights. If we recur to its origin, it is equally the gift of nature; if we weigh its importance, it cannot be less dear to us; if we consult the “Declaration of those rights which pertain to the good people of Virginia, as the basis and foundation of Government,” What Madison suggested and what was embraced by not only the Virginia legislature, but our young nation as well, established a worldwide principle of religious freedom. A freedom with worldwide significance which is still understood and appreciated to this day.

Here in America, unlike other places in the world, our founding documents say that our rights come to us from God and not Government. We have them because of our creator, not our group. If rights because of your group are what you are interested in, you’ll need to move to another country to find those. The premise of our nation’s founding is clearly defined, “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness….” If it is suggested that American’s rights are based on anything else, reject the premise and stand for truth.  

Jedidiah Morse, a historian of the American Revolution wrote, “To the kindly influence of Christianity, we owe that degree of civil freedom and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoys. All efforts made to destroy the foundations of our Holy Religion ultimately tend to the subversion also of our political freedom and happiness. In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation… in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom… Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government and all the blessings which flow from them must fall with them.” 

President Ronald Reagan in his farewell address reminded America, “An informed patriotism is what we want. And are we doing a good enough job teaching our children what America is and what she represents in the long history of the world? ... We've got to do a better job of getting across that America is freedom... freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of enterprise. And freedom is special and rare. It's fragile; it needs protection. So, we've got to teach history based not on what's in fashion but what's important.” I can’t think of anything more important to the future of our beloved nation than freedom. If we fail to keep first things first in America, then nothing else may matter.

 

 

 

FEELINGS

In 1975 Morris Albert, a Brazilian singer, and one-hit wonder, popularized the song “Feelings.” Actress and performer Julie Andrews once stated that this song was too difficult to sing simply because it had no meaning behind it. I agree, and may I mention that the topic of “Feelings” is a big deal these days! The uniqueness of this moment in history is amplified by the current trend of thinking that feelings are all that matters. The problem is that stubborn and unwanted facts often get in the way of feelings. To complicate things further, feelings are now rising to the occasion of being perceived as more important that fact!

Tony Perkins observed, “Now, even Scrabble isn't safe. You can forget the triple word score on at least 236 "slurs" the North American players association is stripping from the group's lexicon. The goal, these gamers say, is to make the game “friendlier” for all types of people. Of course, no one has seen the official list of "potentially offensive" words -- leaving many to wonder if this new vocabulary is just W-O-K-E. George Orwell used to say that if you control the language, you control the people. And the fringe has certainly taken that advice to heart, putting a bullseye on phrases as pedestrian as "peanut gallery," "no can do" and the ever inflammatory "eenie meenie miney moe." But is it working? New polling says no. If anything, a growing number of Americans -- including an impressive number of prominent liberals -- think the cancel culture has worn out its welcome.” 

Mark Hemmingway said, “If you want to blame someone for this unrest, try academia. It's our colleges and universities who created this chaos by allowing certain Marxist theories to take hold of U.S. campuses. In the last 20 years, it's reached critical mass," he pointed out. So much so that "the point of education [is now] to rectify injustice and to create activists, not to impart knowledge. And I definitely think that that has taken hold among younger people that haven't really even, frankly, been that well educated on competing ideas regarding basic things like free speech or free enterprise. And that's a problem. They've been taught that [only] one set of ideas only is correct."

If I read the scriptures correctly, Eve had a feeling! The problem was, she was operating on fake news! In the book of Genesis, we find that after some persuasion she felt that she could follow those feelings and do what she liked. The problem was that God had the facts and regardless of how strongly she felt it would be a good thing to follow her feelings however the outcome was inevitable. Disobedience to God’s will and design for His creation always brings a separation from the creator himself.  Paul McHugh, MD, University Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School writes, “In a way, it’s reminiscent of the Hans Christian Andersen tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes. In that tale, the Emperor, believing that he wore an outfit of special beauty imperceptible to the rude or uncultured, paraded naked through his town to the huzzahs of courtiers and citizens anxious about their reputations... He continues, I am ever trying to be the boy among the bystanders who points to what’s real.”

There is an even more important aspect of this discussion worth noting concerning feelings and fact. The fact is that no one loves and cares more for each human being more than the one who lovingly created each man, woman, boy, and girl! Listen to the Message paraphrase… “God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.” God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”

You see, God made us each distinct, and recognizably different from each other. There is no one else just like you. Think of that! God created you and he did so with a perfect plan in mind. You and I were not a knee jerk reaction but were intelligently designed to experience a divine plan that God himself has set in motion. Any deviation from His design can only bring sadness and discouragement. Finally, God made us with a purpose in mind. Not only a plan he wants us to experience but also a real purpose for living that goes beyond our feelings and our desires but to realize a life our creator has wished for us to experience! The prophet Jeremiah described it this way… “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” And that my friend is more than a feeling… It’s a fact!

 

 

The danger of forgetting

English statesman Sir Edmund Burke wisely observed, "In history, a great volume is unrolled for our instruction, drawing the materials of future wisdom from the past errors and infirmities of mankind." History is preserved for us that we may know, learn, and benefit from the successes and mistakes of the past.

The scriptures also remind us of history’s importance. The Apostle Paul to the church at Rome said, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” And to the church at Corinth he admonished, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” Good advice for them and for us!

What is glaringly apparent in our nation today is the lack of understanding and the teaching of American history! Scott Walker, president of Young America’s Foundation and 45th governor of Wisconsin wrote recently in the Washington Times, “The reaction of many college students to the terrorist attacks by Hamas on innocent Israeli citizens seems to be yet another sign of the failure to teach objective history. Many of the current protesters couldn’t even articulate which river they are talking about when they chant “from the river to the sea,” because they know little about the region and the thousands of years of history in the Middle East. Similarly, those who truly understand the history of communism see the false promises that lead to oppression and poverty for the masses. It is the difference between reading about Marxism and understanding it.”

He continues, “Many colleges and universities have reduced or even dropped history requirements. Few students are majoring in history. Worst of all, many courses focus more on ideological themes than objective history. For all the talk about diversity, there is little talk of thought… A good start on the path toward saving America is teaching real history again. Those who understand history are unlikely to repeat the negative parts.”

We here in America are only a mere 4% of the world’s population and yet this nation has given more than any other nation to missions and disaster response, taken in more refugees, sent more of its young men and women to war defending the freedom of others, created more opportunities for freedom, and given the world more inventions, medical technology and medicines than all other nations in recorded history. I believe the reason is that God has been honored here more than anywhere else in history!

This is the beauty of America’s freedom and opportunity. A freedom I might add, that in every corner of the world I have traveled is longed for, appreciated, and yet often never experienced. For this to continue unpopular steps are required, it’s been that way from our beginning. If this free land which has been a blessing to the world is to continue then we must be good stewards of our nation’s Godly heritage and effectively pass it along to a new generation of Americans.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin gives the illustration where he asks, “Imagine if you will that you are running for your life through the streets at night and you can hear the footsteps of soldiers behind you. You come to a row of houses, and you know that in each of the first four houses their lives the following, an economics professor, a politician, a baker and a dedicated Sunday School Teacher. Which door would you knock on? Rabbi Lapin pauses and then says, you would knock on the door of the Sunday school teacher! Why? Because you know for sure that that person values life and the best chance you have of staying alive would be in the home of one who believes that life is sacred and comes from God.

In the history of the world there has only been one country to which the world could run to for live because our founding documents clearly begin with the truths we call “self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” 

It was September of the year 1814 and Francis Scott Key began to catch a glimpse of the American flag over Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor inspiring him to pen the words that we today embrace as our National Anthem. We all know the first verse but may never forget what the fourth verse reminds us, “O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand, Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation; Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land, Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!” And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! Generations that follow are counting on us to be the best of stewards of America’s Godly history!  

 

 

Who’s listening?

Quick Question, have you ever thought that your phone is listening to you? Maybe you noticed your Facebook ads changing after you mentioned something in a conversation. Maybe considered getting a dog and then were immediately bombarded with pages for animal lovers, or talked about your travel plans and suddenly started receiving cheap flight ads to your exact destination. Were these just coincidences, or is your phone really spying on you?

According to an article in March of 2023 by Karolis Bareckas on nordvpn.com, the answer is yes, it is true that your phone is listening to you through virtual assistants via your device’s built-in microphone. In 2011, Apple introduced Siri, the first virtual assistant designed for iPhones. It paved the way for Alexa, Cortana, and many others. They listen to your voice all the time and, after you trigger a special command, recognize you so you can make calls, send texts, ask questions, and control your device.

It is legal if you’ve agreed to the terms and conditions of the service provider of your virtual assistant. For instance, if you’ve given your consent in your virtual assistant settings, it’s legal to track your conversations with Google Assistant, Siri, or Alexa for marketing purposes. It only becomes illegal if an app is spying on you without your consent. That’s why it’s important to review the permissions you’re giving to certain services and learn about the ways your phone is tracking you. This is important, but what’s more important is who else is listening to you!

Listen to the psalmist, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” also in the book of Proverbs “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.” “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Even the Apostle Peter would remind us, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” That’s not so much creepy as it is sobering. I’m not just talking tire pressure here, but all we do and why we do it! For those who have a close personal relationship with God this is comforting and helpful to say the least.

A little boy was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of a friend who lived only a few blocks away. When the day finally arrived, a blizzard made the sidewalks and roads nearly impassable. The lad's father, sensing the danger, hesitated to let his son go. The youngster reacted tearfully. "But Dad," he pleaded, "all the other kids will be there. Their parents are letting them go." The father thought for a moment, then replied softly, "All right, you may go." Surprised but overjoyed, the boy bundled up and plunged into the raging storm. The driving snow made visibility almost impossible, and it took him more than half an hour to trudge the short distance to the party. As he rang the doorbell, he turned briefly to look out into the storm. His eye caught the shadow of a retreating figure. It was his father. He had followed his son's every step to make sure he arrived safely. That’s what God does for the Christ follower. He is always watching, always there.

However, he not only observes those who know Him, but those who do not. Time-lapse photography compresses a series of events into one picture. Such a photo appeared in an issue of National Geographic. Taken from a Rocky Mountain peak during a heavy thunderstorm, the picture captured the brilliant lightning display that had taken place throughout the storm's duration. The time-lapse technique created a fascinating, spaghetti-like web out of the individual bolts. In such a way, our sin presents itself before the eyes of God. Where we see only isolated or individual acts, God sees the overall web of sins influence in and on our lives.

What may seem insignificant -- even sporadic -- to us and passes with hardly a notice creates a much more dramatic display from God's panoramic viewpoint. If a man-made object can hear and respond to a casual conversation, how much more does the eye of God see in the heart of His creation. Does the way God observes you now the way you want to look when you stand before Him one day? Someone wrote, “When I stand at the judgment seat of Christ, And He shows me His plan for me; The plan of my life as it might have been, Had He had His way, and I see, How I blocked Him here and I checked Him there, And I would not yield my will, Shall I see grief in my Savior's eyes; Grief though He loves me still?” What’s God seeing and hearing in your life today?