A month ago I received the news that a church member and friend had passed away after a long, hard battle with chronic lung disease. The next week, I was informed that a life-long friend had passed away unexpectedly with a brain aneurysm. Earlier this week I learned of the passing of a wonderful saint of God who had reached the age of 83, and this morning I was called with the news that my wife’s first cousin had passed away at the age of 50. Death – cold, unrelenting, without partiality, taking some at extremely young ages while allowing others to live long, productive lives. However, no matter how long we live, we will all face this same reality. So far the statistics on death are pretty alarming: 100% of all persons born will eventually die. No exceptions. The rich can’t buy their way out of it. The powerful can’t escape it. The health enthusiast cannot hold it at bay. Everyone – each and every one – will die.

Morbid? Perhaps to some. However, it doesn’t have to be. The Bible is clear and direct on this subject. Death is a part of life. Please note that I did not say death is the end of life. It is not. It is a part of life. Scripture states matter-of-factly, “It is appointed to all men once to die, and after that comes judgment.” Let’s begin by talking about the first part of that verse – the appointment with death. A preacher from a previous generation made the statement that most people spend their lives trying NOT to think about death. We want to stay as far away from it as possible. When we are confronted with the cold, icy fingers of death, we try to get away from it as quickly as possible, to once again put it out of our minds until we are forced to face it once again. It is not usually a topic of social conversation. We all rather talk about life and living than to speak of death and dying. And yet, it is all around us, all the time. We all have an appointment with death.

And the second part of that verse leads us to believe that death is not the end. It states rather tersely, “After that [death] comes judgment.” So, there is something beyond death. It is but a part of this thing we call life. Life doesn’t end at the time of physical death. We might think of death as a doorway into the next phase of life. To view this from a Christian perspective, taking our instruction from the Bible, we understand that man was actually created to live forever. God placed His first human creation, Adam and Eve, in a perfect paradise in which they enjoyed the presence of God in that pristine garden. God gave them everything – EVERYTHING! They had the prospect of living in that perfect paradise forever. And yet, because they chose to forfeit the perfection of that fellowship with God, and the perfection of the place He had lovingly created for them, they were given the sentence of death. They were banned from the garden, forced to battle the forces of nature in a world that no longer enjoyed the blessings of God’s protection, and eventually experience physical death. And so, the sentence was passed on to all humanity.

But we must keep in mind that this was never God’s desired will for His human creation. His desire is for us to enjoy Him, and for Him to enjoy us, forever. So here is where we have to deal with that part of the verse that speaks of judgment beyond death. We are all accountable, and will give an account, to God. Some will give an account at what the Bible refers to as the Judgment Seat of Christ, and others at the Great White Throne Judgment of God. Those who have accepted God’s gracious gift of forgiveness will stand before Jesus Christ to be judged for those works we have done since receiving His precious gift of life. Those who have rejected that gift will stand before God at the White Throne Judgment to hear the pronouncement of their sentence of eternal death.

God’s grace is truly amazing, and His offer of grace is extended to everyone. Knowing that death is the doorway to the best part of life for the believer does not take away the sorrow and grief we experience when a loved one passes from this life, but it does give us hope that sees beyond that grave. At the time of death the spirit goes back to God, while the body goes back to the earth. The term, ‘passed away,’ is a very apt term, as the loved one has passed on to the next life, and we will be able to pass that way, too, if we have accepted God’s gracious offer of eternal life.

Have you accepted this offer of grace? It has been purchased through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this act, He conquered death, hell and the grave. He did that for you. Truly amazing grace. It is by this grace that we are able to face the inevitability of our own impending death. It is by this grace that we can see beyond the brutality of death, and see, through the eyes of faith, the glorious life that is beyond that grave.

It is, as the Bible says, the reality for each of us. We will all die. I have been reminded of this truth once again in the past few weeks, and I will be reminded again in the future. But I have seen beyond – through the teachings of God’s word and through the eyes of faith, I have seen the reality of that which lies beyond the grave, and I can now rest assured that one day I, too, will pass that way. But it will only be a passing through. Are you prepared? If not, why not today, right now, this very moment. Why not entrust your eternal well-being into the hands of the only One who can assure you of the life you were meant to live. It only comes through Jesus Christ, and it is available to you and for you.

Our president has stirred a major controversy in our nation within the first week of his term of office. In an executive order on immigration, he has created a whirlwind of activity from both sides of the political spectrum. The executive order stops all refugee immigration for a period of 120 days. President Trump also stopped all persons from coming from the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for the next 90 days. How are we to respond to this order? Or, more specifically for this article, how are Christians to respond?

I can only answer that question for me, so the following remarks are not representative of anyone else. I would like to begin by making a few observations.

First, President Trump is only doing what he said he would do. Even though he did not give specifics as to how it would be done, he had made clear in his run for the Republican presidential nomination that he would make changes which would affect immigration and refugee policy. So, no one should have been caught off guard when he quickly addressed this issue.

Second, I don’t think anyone would argue the point that immigration and refugee policy needed to be revisited and revamped. Far too many illegals are in this country, having never been properly vetted. This presents a plethora of problems for our nation. Many Americans are out of work because of so many illegals in the work force. This creates a grave danger to the citizens of the United States because it opens the door for terrorist cells to come in undetected.

Third, we need to recognize the fact that the tremendous influx of Muslims into this nation has created a very serious and dangerous plight for our nation. It is obvious that the population swell of those who practice the religion of Islam are not interested in becoming part of American culture. Rather, they desire to eventually replace American culture with the culture of Islam. They do not want to embrace the American way of life, but rather they want to  impose their way of life on us. Their ultimate desire is to make America another Islamic state.

When we review American history, and realize that our nation was founded on the principle of religious freedom, we understand that all adherents to all religions and religious beliefs and practices are welcome here. However, we also understand that this nation was built upon the principles of the Christian faith, and those principles would be the guiding force behind our government. Therefore, American culture was intended to be a Christian culture. All others are welcome, and wanted, with the understanding that when you come to make this nation your home, you come with full knowledge of our cultural beliefs and practices.

Bottom line, when you come to America you should come with the intent of being American. No, you don’t have to embrace the Christian religion for your personal faith choice. But, you don’t come with the expectation to force your culture and religious practices on the American people.

So, we do have a dilemma. As Christians we must understand that there are multitudes of people in other countries who are in dire need of aid. We need to understand that Jesus Himself ministered to the outcasts and unwanted of His day. But He also warned of those who would try to use any type of force to destroy the truth that He came to share. That truth is summed up in Jesus’ own words: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father except through Me.” You see, Jesus Himself drew the line in the sand.

As Americans, we understand that we are the melting pot of the world. We understand that there are those who now call the United States home who have vastly different beliefs and practices than those of us who have been reared in this great country. And, we understand that they came here to make a better life for themselves. What we ask of them is to become one of us. Adopt the American dream. Adapt to the American way of life.

I, for one, applaud President Trump’s desire to keep America safe. He has an enormous weight of responsibility upon his shoulders. Let’s support him with our prayers, asking that God would grant him the wisdom to make the best decisions possible for everyone involved in this serious matter.

Would you do me the kindness of allowing me to make a self assertion, and then hear me out before you condemn me? The assertion is this: I am narrow-minded. Some would use different words, such as bigoted, prejudiced, exclusive, hateful, among others. But if you would, please hear me out before you make a judgment. After you have listened, then feel free to judge me as you wish.

There is an unquestionable, obvious divide in our country. This divide has been identified in several different ways: racial, political, ideological, philosophical, religious, etc. I would agree that you can certainly identify each of these divides in our contemporary culture.

However, I would suggest that none of these is the real reason for the division which is so clearly seen in our beloved country. I would suggest that each of these is caused by an underlying divide which, in essence, is the root of every divide listed above, as well as any other you might name. The divide to which I refer is a spiritual divide.

I believe that the contemporary generation has a very limited knowledge of this spiritual divide. The reason for that, for the most part, is that the younger generation has very little knowledge of the historical foundation upon which this great nation was established. It only takes a cursory reading of documents written by our founders that they envisioned this nation as one which would be guided by Christian principles. This is not to suggest that every person involved in the formation of the United States were committed Christians, because they were not. And, there has never been a time when every citizen of this nation was a professing believer in Jesus Christ. But, this nation was founded upon Christian principles, and the founders made clear that this nation would only succeed and survive as long as those principles were embraced and practiced.

The reason I stated in the preceding paragraph that the younger generation has no knowledge of the Christian influence on our founders is because of historical revisionism. Christianity has, for the most part, been removed from American history courses taught in American classrooms. As a matter of fact, in many history books, the influence of Christianity is put into a very negative light. It is presented as an overly oppressive influence that has had a negative impact on the development of our nation.

When Christian influence is removed from the public arena, it opens our culture up to all sort of belief and behavior which runs contrary to Biblical truth. We are now witnessing a cultural revolution because we no longer have the moorings of a strong Biblical foundation. Thus, we see the erosion of the family through the dissolution of the long recognized and accepted Biblical view of that entity. We are seeing the proliferation of alternate lifestyles because we have rejected the clear teachings of Scripture. We see over a million women march on our capitol, crying out for a woman’s right to do with her body what she wants, without any intervention of our government. I would suggest that we take government out of the equation, and get back to what the Bible says about the sanctity of human life. I believe and respect the right of women to make a personal choice, but the choice is not the end a pregnancy, the choice is to get pregnant. Once that choice has been made, then the only right choice is to give birth to that child, who is a gift from God.

I am not so naïve as to believe that we could ever go back to those days. We are, after all, the great melting pot of the world, and thus we have embraced every conceivable religion and philosophy of every people group which now calls the United States home. However, I would suggest that we could go back if we as a nation would once again embrace the beliefs of our founders, and recognize that we were founded and created to be that bastion of religious freedom which offers a place of refuge for anyone and everyone from anywhere and everywhere, but with the underlying premise that when they come to make this country their home, they understand that they can practice whatever religion or non-religion of their choice, but not to expect that we throw our Christian foundation out for the sake of embracing their beliefs and practices.

My heart yearns for the day when we would once again be recognized as a Christian nation, guided by Biblical principles, while allowing the freedom for everyone to practice their choice of religious belief as long as they followed the principles and practices of a nation whose Lord is the God of the Christian faith.

Now, am I bigoted, narrow-minded, exclusivistic? No more so than the hundreds of thousands who marched on the capitol last Saturday. We see things from diametrically opposite ends of the spectrum. How do we go about resolving the many issues that now face our nation? My suggestion is that we not look to our politicians, but to God, and allow His word to give the guidance we need to be the nation that honors Him.

Here we are again: Inauguration Day in the United States of America. At approximately noon on this day we will witness the transition of power from the preceding administration to the newly elected administration. We will hear PEOTUS Donald Trump take the oath of office to serve this great country as our Commander in Chief. He will place his hand on the Bible as he takes this oath of office, and so will begin the next chapter of American political history.

There is no question that the country will begin to move in a different direction from that of the past eight years. President elect Trump has made many promises of the changes he will implement as he leads our nation into the next four years. There are those who are in total agreement with the changes he has enumerated, and then there are those who adamantly oppose those changes. As I think back over the past eight years, I must admit that I was opposed to most of the changes implemented by the present administration. President Obama has led our nation toward a more socialist form of government, undermining, in my estimation, many of the precedents set by those who had served before him.

President elect Trump has made clear that he will lead in a totally different direction. We will see vastly different foreign policy implementation, as well as national policy. We will see a vastly different perspective on immigration, healthcare, and a litany of social issues that will move away from the liberal agenda set by the present administration.

How are we to respond? I can only speak for myself, but I would like to suggest that we give President Trump the opportunity to prove his leadership abilities. Even though I voted against Obama in both elections, I have tried my best to respect the fact that he had been elected by the people of the United States. There have been days when I was overwhelmed with disappointment because of decisions made by Obama and his administration. I have used my right as a citizen of this great country to share my beliefs and convictions. But through all the disagreements I have had with this administration, I continued to pray for God to give direction to this nation through those elected to serve.

I am asking now that we do the same for President Trump. Those who disagree with the changes he has promised to bring about, please respect the fact that the people of the United States have spoken through the electoral process, and he is now our duly elected president.

For those of us who identify ourselves as Christian, let me suggest that we pray consistently for our elected leaders. Pray that God would give them wisdom to make decisions which would lead this country back to the founding principles of those who were instrumental in developing our constitutional form of government. Pray that we would once again be a nation guided by principles gleaned from the Bible, the book that gave such insight and wisdom to those who formed this great nation. And pray that our government would never forget that, as past president Ronald Reagan stated, “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

I am an avid Dallas Cowboy’s football fan. During football season, there are many tell-tale signs that give me away. If you walk into my house, you will soon see my Cowboy’s Cave in which I have all manner of Cowboy’s memorabilia on every wall of the room. The walls in the room are painted silver and blue, with a Cowboy’s border dividing the colors. Outside my house will be my Cowboy’s flag, proudly displaying the team colors. On my vehicle will be a Cowboy’s trailer hitch cover, and Cowboy’s headrest covers. You will see me wearing Cowboy’s jerseys, shirts and tee-shirts all through the season. During the Christmas season, you will see a Christmas tree adorned in silver and blue.  I have been pulling for the Cowboys since 1963, and see no reason to change my allegiance. I consider myself a true fan, and not a fair-weather fan.

You can well imagine my excitement as I anticipated the big game between Dallas and Green Bay. It had all the markings of a classic struggle. Dallas, led by the rookie tandem of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot. This duo aided by the likes of Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Cole Beasley proved to be a formidable force during the regular season. Coupled with a powerful offensive line, this seemed to be the dream team Cowboy’s fans have been waiting for since the mid-90’s.

However, on the other side of the line of scrimmage was the Packers, led by the hottest quarterback in the NFL at this point in the season. Aaron Rogers has been playing lights out for the last several weeks. He had been picking apart every defensive secondary the Packers have faced in a couple of months. Yes, this was going to be a game for the ages.

Now, the purpose of this blog is not to give a play-by-play analysis of the game. Let it suffice to say at this point that the game proved to be all that it was expected to be, and more. In the aftermath of the game, after my heart stopped pounding and my pulse calmed, I began to analyze the game, and to give serious consideration to some obvious life lessons which I think we can glean from the analogy of a football game.

The game began with both teams showing the ability to move the ball, and score on their opening drives. Good start! However, the Cowboy’s offense seemed to be stifled for the next several possessions, while the high-powered Packer offense clicked off three straight touchdowns, taking a commanding lead. Much like life. There are those chapters of life in which we experience the adrenalin pumping excitement of everything exploding with success, but then everything quickly coming to a screeching halt. For a while, it might appear that everything is imploding, that we are going to get caught in the debris and rubble of the crumbling walls, and never be able to recover.

The Cowboys could have become demoralized, disillusioned, and paralyzed. Just as we can do in life. We may be experiencing great strides of success, and the future might look bright, when all of a sudden things take a drastic turn, and failure looms large on the horizon. We might think all is lost. We might be tempted to give up, cave in, walk away.

Or, we can assess the situation, make necessary changes, adapt and move on. In life, just as in football, there are successful scoring drives, and then there are devastating losses, such as a fumble, or an interception, or a missed field goal, etc. Yes, these are hurdles that we must deal with if we are to move past them and learn from them. But they don’t have to be an end in and of themselves. They are learning opportunities, teachable moments, in which we can glean much needed counsel on how to handle future episodes of failure and adversity.

In one sense the loss for the Cowboys was an end – it ended their season, it ended their dream of making it to the big game, and the possibility of once again being Super Bowl champs. But it is not the end. Cowboy’s fans are now looking with excitement and anticipation to next year, anxiously anticipating what the Prescott/Elliott tandem will be able to pull off with a year’s experience behind them.

And for those of us who have had a set-back of some sort, we, too, can look forward with excitement and anticipation as to what we might be able to learn from the set-back, and allow God by His amazing grace to work in our lives to use the experience for growth toward maturity. It is, by the way, His promise to work in all things for the good of those who love Him. So, fellow believers in Jesus Christ, take heart, and allow Him to continue to mold us into His image.

Thanks, Cowboys, for a great season, and for motivating me to learn lessons from the analogy of a football game.

The following is a response to a letter in our local newspaper (The Lancaster News, Lancaster, SC).

I appreciate the fact that in this country we continue to have the freedom to share our opinions and thoughts in a public forum such as the editorial column of local newspapers. I appreciate the fact that it offers citizens a forum in which they can share their beliefs, and even have a debate of sorts as to why we believe the way we do. Having said that, I appreciate the fact the Sheila Bickford took advantage of her freedom of speech to disagree with my statements in a previous guest column.

Ms. Bickford seemed to be offended that I, a conservative, Bible-believing minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, would state that I would cast my vote for Donald Trump. For the sake of clarity, I would simply ask Ms. Bickford, and others, to consider the following points:

·         With a Clinton administration, we would continue to see the slaughter of innocent, unborn children. The Bible teaches clearly and unmistakably that every child conceived in the womb is a creation of God – a creation that bears the image of God Himself. The Bible teaches that every life is important to God, and should be important to us. How could anyone who believes the Bible to be the guide for life vote for someone who embraces this culture of death.

·         With a Clinton administration, we would continue to see the deterioration of the family. It was God who established the family unit – a man and woman, united for life for the purpose of companionship, mutual encouragement, and procreation. The argument from the LGBT community might be that same-sex partners can experience companionship and encouragement, but they cannot possibly procreate, at least not without some intervention through genetic intervention or manipulation.

·         With a Clinton administration we would continue to see the national debt rise, as she has stated numerous times that she would raise taxes so that those who are living off the government might continue to do so, while adding multitudes of others to the roles of the entitled. The Bible teaches clearly that if a person will not work, they are not to eat. There are those who are sincerely in need and should be helped, but for those who are capable of earning their own way, the government should not provide what they could earn themselves.

·         With a Clinton administration, we would continue to see illegals come into our nation, taking jobs away from honest Americans who only want to provide for their families. We would continue to see an acceleration of crime, as drugs continue to come into our country through wide open borders. And worse yet, we would continue to see the possibility of terrorists coming into this country through an un-vetted process of immigration.

·         Finally, with a Clinton administration, we would continue to see the proliferation of lying to the American people. We have yet to hear Ms. Clinton speak forthrightly about her 33,000 deleted emails. We have yet to hear her speak about her involvement in the Benghazi murders. We have yet to hear her speak about her own vicious words caught on tape.

With a Clinton administration it would be more of the same liberal agenda that we have seen for the past eight years, with an ever-increasing agenda of more liberal policies that will continue to destroy our beloved nation.

Ms. Bickford, I stated clearly in my previous column that I am truly disgusted with both candidates, and sincerely wish we had others for which to vote. But, all things considered, Donald Trump has promised he will close the borders to illegals; push for an overturn of Roe v. Wade; appoint supreme court justices who would stand by the constitution, and not enact laws that contradict the clear mandates of that document; lower taxes, which would result in an economic boost for our nation; and bring to justice those who willingly and knowingly break the law. All things considered, I believe the choice is clear. My vote still goes to Donald Trump.

I am just as disgusted as most Americans when I consider the choices we have for the highest office in our land. When I think of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, I wonder how we got to this point in our great nation. Are there not any better candidates out there? Are there not those who have better records, better morals, better character? Are there not some who would be better suited for the office of president?

Think with me for a moment about Hillary Clinton. In essence, she simply promises more of the same. If elected, she will continue the same liberal agenda as Obama. She will continue to grow the national debt by reckless spending. She will continue to murder innocent unborns with her dedication to abortion rights. She will continue to expand the entitlement society which has grown by enormous proportions under the Obama administration. She will continue to undermine the family structure in this nation with her agenda to legitimize and legalize same-sex marriages. Hillary Clinton will destroy America! Plus, as if that is not enough, she is a proven liar in covering up and then lying about 33,000 deleted emails from a private server, and she is still under investigation concerning her role in the Benghazi murders.

Does that mean I am a supporter of Donald Trump? Certainly not! I am a constitutional conservative, which sets me miles apart from Mr.  Trump. I have more than once scratched my head in perplexity over the fact that he won the Republican nomination with very little real competition from the established Republican party. He is a far cry from traditional, conservative, Republican principles and policies.

That, in my estimation, is the real reason behind Trump’s popularity. The Republican party has left the American people. For the past eight years we have had a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate. They have had every opportunity to stop much of the liberal agenda of the Obama administration, and yet, the liberal minority has run rough-shod over the Republican majority. Those of us who hold to conservative values feel as if we have been completely deserted by our representatives. So, when a radical like Trump comes along, masses are drawn to him because of his promises to bring about true change if elected. Now, we hear a recording of statements made by Trump in a private conversation eleven years ago. That, in and of itself, should not be grounds for disqualification. I wonder if Hillary Clinton would like her private conversations to be played for all to hear. How many of us would like every private conversation from our past made public knowledge. Of course, the argument is that none of us are running for the highest office in the land.

Left with the choice between Clinton and Trump, many are saying they simply won’t vote. Or, if they do, they will vote for an independent, or write in someone else. In my estimation, either of these alternatives is a waste of a vote, except in the sense that it makes a personal statement of principle, which perhaps is not a bad idea.

However, unless something drastic happens to remove one or the other, or even both, of the present presidential candidates, one of them will be sitting in the oval office in January. So, what are we to do? Let’s consider for just a moment a much bigger picture than that of Clinton and Trump.

Let’s consider for a moment the appointment of Supreme Court justices. There is already a vacancy that will be filled by the next president, and there is the possibility that one or more vacancies will arise during the next president’s four-year term of office. This (these) appointments will set the direction of this nation for the foreseeable future. We all know that Clinton will appoint those who lean far to the left, whereas Trump promises to appoint those of a more conservative stance on issues. This should be a major consideration as we go to the polls.

Then, let’s consider the enormous debt that has been heaped upon the American people during the last eight years, with the promise of Hillary Clinton that with a Clinton presidency we can expect more of the same. Trump promises that he would work diligently to promote business and commerce which would put the nation back on a favorable economic trajectory.

Further, let’s think for a moment about the legitimizing and legalizing of same-sex marriages. Under a Clinton administration same-sex marriages would become federal law. The nuclear family, viewed by many (myself included) as the very back-bone of our society and culture. This would result in a deterioration of the very fabric of America life.

Finally, let’s consider the fact that with a Clinton presidency we would continue to move headlong into the culture of death that has been embraced by the Democratic party. Abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia would continue to be the course of the day, and would expand exponentially under her administration. Trump, on the other hand, promises to be a president who would be pro-life, and would work toward overturning Roe v. Wade.

Bottom line, I wish we had a different choice. I honestly wish that something would cause both parties to somehow come up with a way to have candidates with more character, more morality, more ethical moorings. However, left with the choice which seems to be the one we will have in November at the polls. I feel that Trump would be the better choice.

My final thought is that whichever candidate is ultimately elected, our country is in desperate need of God’s intervention, because it appears to this writer that whichever it is, we are in for difficult days ahead. God help us to wake up to what is really important  – turning back to Him, for He is our only hope

We have heard the promise from both major party presidential candidates: “Let’s make America great again.” And, I am sure that most Americans would love to see America restored to its former state of greatness. Both candidates are making promises of enormous proportion, most of which the American people know is nothing more than empty rhetoric and political posturing. They are both vying for the vote of the American population, and when one of them is finally sitting in the oval office it will soon become painfully obvious that their promises were completely void of the power to back them up.

Please don’t misunderstand: I am sure that both candidates actually mean to prove true to their word. But we have seen the same thing happen time and again in previous elections. Promises are made, offices are gained, and the promises are soon forgotten or explained away.

Do we really want to see America restored to its former greatness? Are we willing to make the sacrifices that are necessary to make it happen? Then I have the formula. Spiritual renewal! A return to the values, principles, and precedents set by our founding fathers. I have stated this in several previous blogs, and I will continue to state it as long as I have breath in my lungs, and strength in my fingers to type the words. Hillary Clinton is not the answer! Donald Trump is not the answer! Jesus Christ, Son of God, King of kings and Lord of lords is the only hope for America!

I realize that in our pluralistic society, and our all-embracing idea of political correctness, that it is narrow-minded and bigoted to state that there is only one true religion, but that is exactly what Jesus Christ claimed. In one of the most clearly stated principles ever stated by Jesus, He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He did not say that He was A way, or A truth, or A life. He is not one of many. He is exclusively and singularly THE way, truth and life. The argument of one religious belief as opposed to another is not the issue here. It is not the argument of one religion against another, or one denomination against another, or one religious movement against another. It is the argument of Jesus Christ, the only person who has ever lived, died and conquered death by coming forth from the grave against all other religious movement leaders who lived, died, and whose remains are still safely tucked away in some earthly tomb, grave, or mausoleum. If I am going to put my confidence in anyone, I am going to side with One who was able to back His words up with the indisputable authority to conquer death!

If this country ever hopes to be great again, then the answer is quite simple: return to Jesus Christ and the teachings of His word. This is not meant to be taken in a spirit of disrespect for those who disagree with my personal beliefs. This really has nothing at all to do with my personal beliefs. This has to do with the overwhelming sentiment of the vast majority of those who fought for the freedoms and liberties we have historically enjoyed as citizens of this great nation. A cursory reading of countless documents authored by those who sacrificed all for the establishment of this nation will clearly establish the unquestionable fact that they believed in order for this nation to survive and thrive it would of necessity have to maintain morals, values and principles which were clearly gleaned from the Christian world-view.

So, let’s demand of our leaders that we expect them to adhere to the precedents set by our founders. Let’s elect politicians who will commit to upholding the Judeo-Christian ethic which was the foundation of our early leader’s decisions. Let’s become a nation, under God, with an indivisible spirit which will once again restore America to true greatness.

I have spent much of this day as, I am sure, most Americans have: wondering how we have fallen so far, gone to such drastic lengths, taken such horrific strides, in developing the hatred, animosity, bitterness and malice as we see being fleshed out before us. How is it that we have reached the point that human life means nothing? That one human can wantonly, with pure malice, have such little regard for another human being that he/she can take another’s life without so much as a thought? Certainly, our hearts and prayers go out to the families of those slain police officers from the Dallas Police Department, and for those who were wounded in this senseless attack.

And yet, I don’t have to think very long to be reminded of the fact that this hatred and malice has been with us from the very beginning. It was in the early years of the existence of humanity, according to the Bible, that one brother, Cain, moved in a murderous rage, took the life of his brother, Abel. From that beginning, we have seen hatred grow more and more intense with each passing generation. History is filled with glaring episodes of man’s hatred against man, on the individual level, on the national level, on the international level, at different times focused on religious differences, political differences, idealogical differences, philosophical differences, racial differences, etc.

America has become a hotbed of “differences.” It seems that instead of being able to look at each other as human beings, we look rather at black, white, red, yellow, crying out that certain colors “matter” which would lead us to believe that other colors don’t. Why can’t we accept the fact that all lives matter? Why do we have to look at the color of a person’s skin to determine if that life matters or not? Why can’t we respect each other for who we are, and not base our opinions of one another on the pigmentation of skin?

I believe the answer is to be found in the Bible. It is there that we are told the story of how God created man in a perfect environment, and provided him with everything he would ever need. But man, in his pride and arrogance, decided that was not enough. He didn’t want what God offered: he wanted to be God! He wanted control, to make all decisions, to map out his own destiny. He chose to reject the good God intended, because he actually thought he knew better than God. Imagine that, the created thinking he was wiser than the Creator.

Now, some reading this might think that this is nothing more than philosophical/theological speculation that is beyond meaninglessness. However, I feel that this has always been the problem, and will continue to be the problem. When one claims that those of a certain skin color “matter,” is that not an indication that they are, at least to some degree, looking down on those who do not have that particular color? And is that not playing God? God is the only one who can make judgments of this nature, and His judgment is simply that He created all men equal. There is no such thing as white supremacy, black supremacy, etc, in God’s economy. Those distinctions are a creation of fallen man.

The fact of the matter is that God gave man a chance, and he blew it. I am not talking about Adam and Eve in that perfect garden paradise – I am talking about every one of us. We are all fallen in sin, and in desperate need of salvation. Yes, we need to be saved in the spiritual sense through the precious blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as our substitute. But we need to be saved from ourselves. We need to see that our bitterness and hatred toward one another is simply because of our god-complex, which compels us to think that some are better than others.

No race, no ethnicity, no nationality, no political alliance, no international unions, will ever be able to change the human heart. Only the grace of God can do that. And it is only by the grace of God that we don’t see more of the atrocities being witnessed in our nation. For those of us who profess to be Christians, it is time for us to show the true love of God. To share the wonderful news of God’s gracious gift of salvation to those who would accept His Son.

Jesus warned of these perilous times, so they should not catch us off-guard. And He also instructed to be the light shining out in this world of spiritual darkness so that they may see their way out of that darkness into the light of His love and grace.

Several of my recent posts have focused on the subject of America’s pending judgment at the hands of God if we refuse to repent and turn back to Him. Recently, I had an interesting question posed to me as to how Christians are to prepare for this impending judgment. I will strive to answer that question in this blog.

Before we begin trying to answer, however, I feel that it is necessary to give a Biblical foundation for those who would believe that judgment will never come to America. There are those who buy into the rhetoric of empty promises made by politicians who are vying for their vote. For example, in our present presidential campaign, we have one candidate who promises to make America great again by implementing sweeping change, while the other candidate promises to stay the course which has been set during the last eight years of our present president. Both, in essence, are promising better days ahead for our nation. And yet, just a simple glimpse at the present state of affairs reveals to us that we are not on a path to greatness, but rather we are on a collision course toward destruction. Our economy is teetering on the brink of collapse. Racial tensions are running high. The political spectrum is grim, as we see our nation divided like never before. Social issues run contrary to the clear teachings of Scripture. Morality  – well, morality has been replaced with an anything goes mentality. In many instances right has become wrong and wrong has become right.

The root cause of this (from this one individual’s perspective) is that we as a nation have turned our backs on God, and therefore have brought God’s judgment on ourselves. So, now back to the question under consideration: how are Christians to ready themselves for God’s hand of judgment. First, don’t let it catch us unaware. The Bible gives ample warning to those who have once lived a Biblically enlightened life, and then turn away from Biblical truth to embrace the ways of the world. There are many conditional promises of God in the Bible. These conditional clauses are in the form of, “If you….then I.” For example, God told the people of Israel, “If you will obey Me, then I will bless you; but if you disobey me, then I will withhold my blessings from you.” On occasion, those conditional promises took on a very sobering tone: “If you refuse to obey Me, then you will experience My wrath.” The present day spiritual climate of America is a far cry from obeying the principles of God’s Word, so based on these conditional promises of God we can see clearly that we are ripe for judgment. So, believers should never be caught off guard and unaware of impending judgment.

Second, we must understand that when God’s judgment falls on a nation, it falls on the entire nation. God does not miraculously build a wall around believers to protect them from national judgment. Rather, the entire nation suffers, righteous and unrighteous alike. There are certainly physical precautions that can be taken. Food can be stored away in the likelihood of food shortages caused by destruction of crops from weather catastrophes. Provisions can be kept for long periods of time if the food supplies have been properly prepared for long-term storage. There are those who would suggest making sure that you are properly protected by having an arsenal of weapons and ammunition in case of rioting in the streets. I realize that I am speaking of extreme conditions, but when one reads the Old Testament and notes how desperate the people of Israel were during times of God’s judgment, then the likelihood of this happening in America is not such a hard-to-believe eventuality.

Finally, and absolutely of most importance, is to make sure that we are prepared to meet God. In the Old Testament book of Amos, God is revealing to His people the reality of impending judgment. Amos reveals prophetically the horrific atrocities which are coming, and yet, the most sobering word of preparation is this: “Therefore, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.” My question for you today is this: Are you prepared to meet God? Whatever happens in this life, regardless of how awful it might be, is nothing in comparison with meeting God without having a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.  We may meet Him through a time of national judgment, or we may live to a ripe old age and meet Him after a long, productive life. But know this: each and every one of us WILL meet Him. Jesus made it possible for us to be prepared for life and death through giving His life as a sacrifice for us. Have you trusted Him as your personal Lord and Savior? If not, you are not prepared to meet God. You will meet Him, you will just not be prepared. The Bible teaches clearly that “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God.” You have the choice of doing that now, in preparation for eternity, or doing it later, just before hearing the words, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” The choice is yours. Please, I beseech you in the name of our Lord Jesus, trust Him today so that you will be prepared for that coming day of judgment.