the elections
i think this sums up what i've been thinking in the last few days.
taken from decapolis.com
Christians and the Elections
If you are like me, this past election season got me riled up. All you have to do is look at the facebook statuses of people or look at our message board for any political topic and know Christians get upset when talking about politics and then throw love out the window and create disunity.
Why do Christians have to participate in talk that divides? Which leads me to the question, "Why are we here?"
We are here to fulfill the callings God has given to each one of us as individuals...
EPH 4:[11] It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, [12] to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
But wait! Check out the following verse...
[13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
"Unity in the faith".
Then why do we fight amongst ourselves over politics? I'm not saying we shouldn't be involved in the political process. I'm saying how come we throw love out the window when we do? And if we do, then how can we achieve "unity in the faith"?
If you or the other person can't speak in love - then DROP IT. You are now causing division and causing yourself or someone else or both of you to sin.
Any time spent that you are focused on bickering about politics is time with your eyes off of Christ.
Your devotion to God doesn't increase just because someone you like is picked president. A president isn't going to stop people from sinning. A president isn't going to stop parents from getting divorced, people from thinking bad about their coworkers and classmates. A president isn't going to help you grow in the fruits of the spirit. Do not place your faith in man.
Christ is the only one who can change hearts.
Christ is the only one who saves.
Christ is the only one we look to.
Christ is the only one we serve.
If you live in a socialist, communist, democratic or totalitarian country - it's all the same...
Stop wasting time on earthly things but rather serve Christ in love.
http://www.decapolis.com/christians-and-the-elections
Christians and Their Candidate (Christians and the Elections Part II)
During this whole election I've heard from Christians on both sides of the aisle how their candidate is going to somehow save our country and the other candidate will somehow ruin it. I too have had these feelings.
Then the first day after the election I see Christians saying either that Obama gives them hope or that they despair because that McCain wasn't elected. Even though I don't come out and say it, I know deep down I feel these things as well.
So somehow before the election we didn't have hope or we didn't despair. But now that a man has been chosen we now have hope or despair. Somehow God was more in control before or after the election of a man.
That is placing our faith in a man. Not God.
God loved us and took care of us before the vote - and isn't going to take care of you more because Obama was elected, or take care of you less because McCain wasn't. How do you think God feels when we have more hope or despair due to a man?
Our hope should be in God.
Romans 1:2 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
No where is the hope in a man is mentioned in that verse. And yet somehow, now we have hope or despair because of a man.
And guess what? Man is sinful. Man will always let you down. And man is what we put our hope in?
God allows both good men and evil men into power for His reasons. Do you think a Christian in Nazi Germany somehow had less hope in God? Do you think the early Christians during Roman times had less hope in God under Nero when they were persecuted by their government?
On the opposite side of that - a greedy person will be a greedy person in a socialist country or a free market country. A bad father is going to be a bad father if there's a Democratic or Republican majority in the Senate.
A president isn't going to make God love you more, or bring you closer to God, or help you overcome sin, or make you read your Bible, or help you comfort your friend in need, or help you pray for your family, or help you forgive your neighbor, or help you fulfill your God given calling in life.
We don't place our hope in Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, W, Obama or McCain. They can't bring our soul hope, happiness or peace.
God is the one in control - not some dude. We have inner peace because of God - not some dude.
If we truly have our hope in God, we should feel no more hope or despair than we did before the election of a man.
PS 62:5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
http://www.decapolis.com/christians-and-their-candidate-christians-and-the-elections-part-ii-
taken from decapolis.com
Christians and the Elections
If you are like me, this past election season got me riled up. All you have to do is look at the facebook statuses of people or look at our message board for any political topic and know Christians get upset when talking about politics and then throw love out the window and create disunity.
Why do Christians have to participate in talk that divides? Which leads me to the question, "Why are we here?"
We are here to fulfill the callings God has given to each one of us as individuals...
EPH 4:[11] It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, [12] to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
But wait! Check out the following verse...
[13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
"Unity in the faith".
Then why do we fight amongst ourselves over politics? I'm not saying we shouldn't be involved in the political process. I'm saying how come we throw love out the window when we do? And if we do, then how can we achieve "unity in the faith"?
If you or the other person can't speak in love - then DROP IT. You are now causing division and causing yourself or someone else or both of you to sin.
Any time spent that you are focused on bickering about politics is time with your eyes off of Christ.
Your devotion to God doesn't increase just because someone you like is picked president. A president isn't going to stop people from sinning. A president isn't going to stop parents from getting divorced, people from thinking bad about their coworkers and classmates. A president isn't going to help you grow in the fruits of the spirit. Do not place your faith in man.
Christ is the only one who can change hearts.
Christ is the only one who saves.
Christ is the only one we look to.
Christ is the only one we serve.
If you live in a socialist, communist, democratic or totalitarian country - it's all the same...
Stop wasting time on earthly things but rather serve Christ in love.
http://www.decapolis.com/christians-and-the-elections
Christians and Their Candidate (Christians and the Elections Part II)
During this whole election I've heard from Christians on both sides of the aisle how their candidate is going to somehow save our country and the other candidate will somehow ruin it. I too have had these feelings.
Then the first day after the election I see Christians saying either that Obama gives them hope or that they despair because that McCain wasn't elected. Even though I don't come out and say it, I know deep down I feel these things as well.
So somehow before the election we didn't have hope or we didn't despair. But now that a man has been chosen we now have hope or despair. Somehow God was more in control before or after the election of a man.
That is placing our faith in a man. Not God.
God loved us and took care of us before the vote - and isn't going to take care of you more because Obama was elected, or take care of you less because McCain wasn't. How do you think God feels when we have more hope or despair due to a man?
Our hope should be in God.
Romans 1:2 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
No where is the hope in a man is mentioned in that verse. And yet somehow, now we have hope or despair because of a man.
And guess what? Man is sinful. Man will always let you down. And man is what we put our hope in?
God allows both good men and evil men into power for His reasons. Do you think a Christian in Nazi Germany somehow had less hope in God? Do you think the early Christians during Roman times had less hope in God under Nero when they were persecuted by their government?
On the opposite side of that - a greedy person will be a greedy person in a socialist country or a free market country. A bad father is going to be a bad father if there's a Democratic or Republican majority in the Senate.
A president isn't going to make God love you more, or bring you closer to God, or help you overcome sin, or make you read your Bible, or help you comfort your friend in need, or help you pray for your family, or help you forgive your neighbor, or help you fulfill your God given calling in life.
We don't place our hope in Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, W, Obama or McCain. They can't bring our soul hope, happiness or peace.
God is the one in control - not some dude. We have inner peace because of God - not some dude.
If we truly have our hope in God, we should feel no more hope or despair than we did before the election of a man.
PS 62:5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
http://www.decapolis.com/christians-and-their-candidate-christians-and-the-elections-part-ii-