Category: Blog Page 1 of 164

Psalm 56:11 “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

Psalm 115:9-11 “O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.”

On March 3^rd, 1865, Congress passed a bill requiring the words “In God We Trust” be engraved on all gold and silver coins. It was the last bill that President Abraham Lincoln signed into law before his assassination. Though that slogan had been engraved on some U.S. coins before that time, it was that federal act that first formalized an acknowledgment of the need for a trust in God into nationwide law.

These leaders were able to enshrine In God We Trust into the nation’s law because it was already enshrined in Christian theology. In a Biblically literate society, they had read about and understood the trustworthiness of God as revealed in His Word.

When God says something once, early American leaders knew to believe it. When He says something back-to-back-to-back, as He does in Psalm 115, then they knew it should be on the forefront of their minds. In fact, such a thing was well worthy of engraving onto those things that would fill every pocket and populate every wallet.

Interesting, there was a bit of a debate about engraving “In God We Trust” on every coin in 1865. There were those in Congress who thought that such a phrase was inappropriate. Interestingly though, it wasn’t because they were secular humanists who strove to purge every mention of God from their society. No, just the opposite. A contingent in Congress had a better alternative – “In God Alone Is Our Trust.” This group of federal legislators wanted to emphasize that God was not just to be trusted as a prominent element of society, but instead as the preeminent element of society. He wasn’t just to be highly trusted, but ultimately trusted. While it was the shorter more catchy motto that was signed into law, the more powerful intent is engrained into the fabric of American society!

PLEASE TRUST IN GOD AS NOT JUST PROMINENT, BUT PREEMINENT. Every time we look in our pockets, purses, or wallets, may we remember that God is to be ultimately trusted. After all, it is right to remember that – In God Alone Is Our Trust!

ADMIN: I won’t be publishing a PLUS blog next weekend, but please keep praying faithfully for widespread revival in the United States of America!

II Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

II Chronicles 7:19-20 “But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.”

God’s contingent promises are powerful and meaningful. So are His warnings!

If we are faithful to humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, then God promises that He will hear from heaven, and will forgive our sin, and will heal our land.

Alternatively, if we turn away from Him while forsaking His statutes and commandments and serving other gods, then we will become a cautionary tale for the rest of humanity and throughout history. The choices are stark, and the context should compel us today.

In II Chronicles 7, God had just created a remarkable edifice for His people – the temple. It was an amazing structure that embodied a stunning institution. And when God builds something grand, He reminds His people of the importance of staying right and getting right to retain the blessings of their heritage.

As we marvel at our nation’s 250^th birthday that is on the horizon in 2026, and as we ponder the powerful signing of the U.S. Constitution that we rightfully celebrated this past week, may we remember the starkness of the contrasts in II Chronicles 7.

God has created a remarkable governmental edifice for the American people. It is an amazing structure that embodies a stunning institution. And when God builds something grand, He reminds His people of the importance of staying right and getting right!

PLEASE GOD, MAY WE HUMBLE OURSELVES, AND PRAY, AND SEEK YOUR FACE, AND TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS. Oh how desperately this land needs His healing! It is time to follow His perfect formula for getting right so that we can return to the blessings of our heritage.

NOTE: I posted this PLUS on September 6, 2018. It was immediately after I was publicly (though only reputationally and legally) attacked for my faith. Instead of my intended post for today, I thought a repost of these thoughts would be particularly relevant to the challenging times we now face seven years later.

Matthew 5:44-47 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?”

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Because we are Christians in America in 2018, there are those who will oppose us. They will curse us. They will hate us. They will despitefully use us. They will persecute us.

In reality, this isn’t unique to American Christians in 2018. It has happened to believers throughout history.

As we stand strong and unwavering in our beliefs, Jesus gives us the perfect checklist to follow. As we are cursed, hated, used, and persecuted, we are to respond in a way that is refreshingly different and distinct from the world. We are to do good to our opposition; we are to pray for them; we are to love them.

After all, this is the checklist that Jesus Himself followed. He loved those who opposed Him. He did good to those who hated Him. He prayed for those who despitefully used Him.

If we are to make the impact that God intends for us, then we are to follow His ways. They are greater than our ways!

PLEASE PRAYERFULLY RESPOND TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE US IN A WAY THAT FOLLOWS JESUS’ ADMONITION AND EXAMPLE. Maybe by doing so, we can have the impact that Jesus intends for us. Maybe by loving our enemies, we can prompt revival in this land!

II Corinthians 5:20-21 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

I Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”

Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Matthew 5:13-16 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

During our first military assignment in California, we bought a home off base. It was on a wonderful piece of property and we had the benefit of a very big lot at the end of a cul-de-sac.

Shortly after our move in, a kind neighbor who lived at the base of our street stopped by to say hi. He owned a landscaping business and offered his services at the market rate to take care of our yard. With a young family and a busy job, it was a welcome opportunity to shed some workload, but we weren’t ready to commitment until we got a bit more established.

A few days later, we took a walk around the neighborhood and noticed something important – his property was a disaster. The landscaping was non-existent, the yard was overgrown in some places and dead in others, and the property was an eye-sore. This quick observation made it obvious that we wanted nothing that he had to offer in the landscaping and yard maintenance realm. We weren’t looking for perfection, but at least a modicum presentability and respectability.

How is your spiritual landscaping? Is your testimony an eye-sore? I’m not talking about perfection, but at least a modicum of presentability and respectability. If not, people won’t interested in anything you have to offer.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS, STARTING WITH US, TO LIVE LIVES THAT ARE FITTING AS AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST. It is important to remember that people are always watching to determine what they think about what you say you represent. It is critical that we live out genuine testimonies that includes at least a modicum of presentability and respectability.

I Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

Ephesians 6:10-13 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Whenever someone thinks of the name Neville Chamberlain, they often think of the word appeasement. Whenever someone thinks of the word appeasement, they often think of the name Neville Chamberlain. They are linked together in a way that is permanently inseparable and that conjures up images of international affairs and national security failure.

As the British Prime Minister in 1938, Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement that gave large portions of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany and its leader Adolf Hitler. Chamberlain was convinced that such concessions would harmlessly satisfy the Germans and end their desires for future conquest. He saw it as the pathway to “peace for our time.” In the end, the British Prime Minister’s actions likely only enticed Hitler who saw the agreement as a sign of weakness. His appeasement was a steppingstone for future aggression and a gateway for malignancy.

Christians often cling to the strategy of appeasement. We believe that small activities that are misaligned with God’s will and His word are harmless. We are convinced that such concessions will harmlessly satisfy the flesh while ending the devil’s desires for future conquest. In the end, our actions likely only entice the devil who sees our agreeability with the ways of the world as a sign of weakness. Our appeasement is a steppingstone for future aggression and a gateway for malignancy.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO STEADFASTLY RESIST EVEN THE SMALL ENTREATIES OF OUR ADVERSARY. By putting on the whole armour of God, we can avoid the entrapments of appeasement that lead to spiritual failure.