Sorry friends, I've been gone a while.
The kitchen/dining room project has taken much of my time and energy.
Our Thanksgiving celebration went well thanks be to God. The floor was completed just the day before . It is looking great - all I need to do is the baseboards and have the tile installed above the counter tops.
To tell the truth, that's not what kept me from the keyboard.
I am trying to gain a new perspective on the travesty that has once again been inflicted upon our nation. Election Day was a great disappointment, no doubt about it, and I would be untruthful if I said that it did not affect me deeply. I really believed that there was no way that Obama could win.
I seriously needed to take a breather, a time to clear my head and look at things from God's POV.
At the time of Jesus' death, the nation of Israel was a Roman province. When Jesus was crucified, Tiberius was Emperor. When Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, Nero was Emperor. I thought that when comparing Nero to Obama, there are a few startling similarities, particularly the homosexual behavior. Nonetheless, neither man came under direct condemnation of Jesus or His Apostles.
Jesus never spoke a word regarding Roman governance. His message of hope and salvation was to the Jews, not the Romans. Yes, I know His gospel applies to all of us and rightfully so for it reveals God's nature and His love for mankind. But it was to the Jews first and the Gentiles second. In Mark 12:13-17 Jesus told us to comply with civil authority and pay our taxes. In Romans 13:1-7 the Apostle Paul tells us that God establishes earthly authority and that we are to submit to it.
Of course it is not as simple as all that. We are to obey God's commandments over the laws of men - many Christians paid the price for that over the centuries and they still do today in astounding numbers all over the world. But how does that apply to me today?
It is a matter of focus. I cannot allow politics or political considerations to control me or exert undue influence. They are but temporary distractions in a life that I should be preparing for eternity in concert with my family and friends.
If we are to make a difference, I believe our focus as Christians should be on personal evangelism. If you want to change the direction of a country, you must first change the direction of its people. There is no greater change you can effect in a person's life than leading them to salvation. But, and it is a fearsome consequence, as our nation abandons Christianity we must prepare ourselves for a satanic, hateful campaign against us that will be far worse than what we have ever experienced. The special light that was America is dimming; America is being held accountable by God just as every other nation.
The kitchen/dining room project has taken much of my time and energy.
Our Thanksgiving celebration went well thanks be to God. The floor was completed just the day before . It is looking great - all I need to do is the baseboards and have the tile installed above the counter tops.
To tell the truth, that's not what kept me from the keyboard.
I am trying to gain a new perspective on the travesty that has once again been inflicted upon our nation. Election Day was a great disappointment, no doubt about it, and I would be untruthful if I said that it did not affect me deeply. I really believed that there was no way that Obama could win.
I seriously needed to take a breather, a time to clear my head and look at things from God's POV.
At the time of Jesus' death, the nation of Israel was a Roman province. When Jesus was crucified, Tiberius was Emperor. When Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, Nero was Emperor. I thought that when comparing Nero to Obama, there are a few startling similarities, particularly the homosexual behavior. Nonetheless, neither man came under direct condemnation of Jesus or His Apostles.
Jesus never spoke a word regarding Roman governance. His message of hope and salvation was to the Jews, not the Romans. Yes, I know His gospel applies to all of us and rightfully so for it reveals God's nature and His love for mankind. But it was to the Jews first and the Gentiles second. In Mark 12:13-17 Jesus told us to comply with civil authority and pay our taxes. In Romans 13:1-7 the Apostle Paul tells us that God establishes earthly authority and that we are to submit to it.
Of course it is not as simple as all that. We are to obey God's commandments over the laws of men - many Christians paid the price for that over the centuries and they still do today in astounding numbers all over the world. But how does that apply to me today?
It is a matter of focus. I cannot allow politics or political considerations to control me or exert undue influence. They are but temporary distractions in a life that I should be preparing for eternity in concert with my family and friends.
If we are to make a difference, I believe our focus as Christians should be on personal evangelism. If you want to change the direction of a country, you must first change the direction of its people. There is no greater change you can effect in a person's life than leading them to salvation. But, and it is a fearsome consequence, as our nation abandons Christianity we must prepare ourselves for a satanic, hateful campaign against us that will be far worse than what we have ever experienced. The special light that was America is dimming; America is being held accountable by God just as every other nation.
