I’m so sorry this is a day late. Early yesterday morning we were awakened by a minor explosion in our house. The good news is…everyone is OK and the house is OK, but cleaning up the mess was timely and tedious. Consequently, everything yesterday was off schedule. But I’m bright and chipper today, so happy Belated Memorial Day.
If you are middle-aged (or even a bit older), you probably have had moments when you look at the world around and think, “What happened to the world I once knew?” Everything is so crazy today. How did that happen?” No doubt the world is changing at warp-speed in terms of technological advances. That in itself a bit daunting! And if you don’t keep up, it’s easy to fall further and further behind the maddening crowd. Now couple that with the moral decline of our culture; the economic uncertainty of today; a government that has become more intrusive in our personal lives; and a volatile world stage, and you have the recipe for exasperation extraordinaire! No doubt there are times when the alarm sounds at 0-dark-thirty, the overwhelming temptation is to pull the covers over our head and assume the familiar fetal position. “I can’t face another day!”
So how did this happen? Well, it happened gradually. Over the years we all saw small changes that caught our attention, but if they didn’t affect us personally, it was just as easy to turn our backs and say, “that is none of my business” or “I’m not going to get involved.” But those little changes have cumulatively led to big changes (and challenges), so now when we realize they ARE affecting each one of us, the task of turning the tide is daunting indeed! It’s easy once again to find ourselves saying… “what can I do? It’s too big for me!” (hum…Moses said the same thing.)
So when we are faced with a dilemma, we always have choices. Whether it is a personal dilemma or a social dilemma, we first have to decide: “where am I going to turn?” and “who can I trust?” In today’s culture, there is an attempt to woo us into believing that the government will take care of us. But is that true? Can we trust that solution? My belief is…let the track record speak for itself. But that is only my belief; each one of us has to ask ourselves that same question and qualify the answer in our own minds.
In today’s culture, lying, cheating and stealing have become a common occurrences. That is unfortunate because it has numbed our sensitivities to its insidiousness. It has also created a cynicism toward traditional values. That is again most unfortunate because I believe the answer lies in time-honored values that have proven themselves to be worthy of such distinction. Sometimes the newest, latest, greatest intellectually-driven philosophy spouted by the social icons of our generation, is nothing more than intellectual drivel. Such popular spokespeople for the cause might be actors, sports figures, or our politicians. And no doubt their spew might sound good to the vulnerable (those looking for “something” or “anything”), but it is,unfortunately, rooted in the fallibility of man…and we all have seen the fallibility of man in the world around us. It seems that those who are perpetuating the myth have themselves fallen for the original lie… “you can be self-sufficient; you don’t need God.”(Genesis 3:5)
Looking back to the truths of the Bible, or referring to the governing documents of our Founding Fathers, is considered by a large portion of the intelligentsia to be “old fashion”, “out of touch”… or even worse, “intellectually challenged”, meaning out of touch with the “new world” vision. For those not grounded in the truth of God’s Word, such labels can be intimidating. No one wants to carry such a burden, so it is easy to start doubting oneself and asking, “am I right in what I originally thought? I have to admit, this new age thinking can sound pretty enticing?”
But when you ask yourself that question, you have just opened the door to satan’s playground, and nothing does he like more that deceiving us by creating doubt and ambiguity. And he is the master! Therefore our only shield for such an encounter is found in Ephesians 6:10-13: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor (the truth found only in God’s Word) so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”
If we look up “truth” in the dictionary, we will find a definition that includes such terms as “fact”, “reality” and “consistent”. That definition IS God’s Word. But the only way to accept that truth is to experience it…to experience it coming alive in our own life and shaping our reality. And contrary to the popular thinking of today’s culture, His Word IS timeless. Jesus was very specific in John 8:32 when he told his Disciples: “if you follow my teaching, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
And what did Jesus teach? To love God; to love our neighbor, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and service to others. (hum…are those things evident or lacking in today’s culture?) But experiencing the truth of God’s Word is predicated on the first two words: “IF YOU…” And therein lies the answer to the moral decline of our culture. Not many people step-up to that challenge today. After all…our culture believes itself to be too sophisticated to yield to the confines of a musty old book! Proverbs 3:5-6 warns us of that trap: “Trust in the Lord in all you do; do not lean on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and he will make your path straight.”
Whether speaking to individuals or speaking to nations, God’s Proclamation has been resounded by prophets of old and by current religious leaders: “Turn from your sin and turn to God!” The history found in the Bible tells us that when we, as individuals or as a nation, are in line with God’s will, we are blessed; when we are out of line with His will, we will suffer the consequences of our decision. Allow me to list some Biblical truths that are relevant to this discussion; truths that give us hope in this crazy, messed-up world:
2 Chronicles 7:14: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.”
Jeremiah 18: 8-10: “But if I announce that I will build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom, making it strong and great, but then the nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless that nation as I had said I would.”
Luke 13:3, when Jesus was speaking to a crowd, “…And you will also perish unless you turn from your evil ways and turn to God.”
Ezekiel 18:21: “But if wicked people turn away from all the sins and begin to obey my laws and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.”
Romans 22-24: “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can ALL be saved in the same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us NOT GUILTY!”
James 4:10: “When we bow down before God and admit our dependence on him, he will lift us up and give us honor.”
Luke 1:37: “For nothing is impossible with God!”
On this Memorial Day, let’s take time to give thanks for all the brave men and women who have willingly stepped up to protect the freedom we now experience. The powerful statement, “Freedom isn’t free”, is much more than a bumper sticker; it is a willingness to sacrifice whatever necessary to protect the freedoms as outline in our Founding Documents.
And let us also pray earnestly for God’s mercy and grace for our country; a country that has clearly turned away from God. Let us pray for revelation in the minds and hearts of our leaders that they may realize their own insufficiency and turn to God for wisdom. And let us pray for courage and leadership from our Churches that they will stand firmly on the truth of God’s Word.
Happy Memorial Day to one and all.
May God bless ya,
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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