Husband, dad, pastor, artist, and musician. Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2006 (no joke!). Loves coffee (big time), good movies, and sarcastic humor. Holds a Doctorate in Ministry. Most importantly, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. All glory belongs to Him! Matthew 5:16
We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.
Folks, I hope this series of posts is opening a few eyes. The whole point is to counter the idea that our nation (and states) were founded on “godless” principles. To the contrary, these posts featuring The Magnificent Fifty: Foundation of Faith art collection at Bryan College show that faith – not godlessness – was very much a part of the fiber of our nation. To deny this exposes one of two things: an ignorance of history, or the willful desire to rewrite it.
We, the people of Hawaii, grateful for Divine Guidance…dedicate our efforts to fulfill the philosophy decreed by the Hawaii State motto Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono (“The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”).
CLICK HERE to read the introduction to this series.
One of the great things about modern cable networks is the ability to watch free movies on demand. It’s a great thing, but I guess it’s also a bad thing, too. Free movies mean lots of wasted time in front of a television – because there’s always something to watch.
Well, sorta.
I mean, it’s precisely because I am NOT paying for these movies that the selection is a tad bit limited. When you get what you pay for, and you pay nothing, then you get what you pay for.
So, that’s why I found myself watching “Oz the Great and Wonderful” late Sunday night. I’d forgotten that I’d already seen it back in 2014.
Finley the Flying Monkey
Anyway, even though the movie was rather lame, there were a few well-acted scenes. I especially liked Mila Kunis as Theodora: the creepy, emotionally-ill, heartbroken witch that later became the wicked witch of Dorothy fame. She became the prime reason I will never trust an attractive woman dressed in red that just so happens to greet me in the middle of the woods.
But of all the scenes, one stood out immediately (at least this time around when it was free), and that was the following scene where Finley the monkey indebts himself to Oz.
When I saw this Sunday night, I immediately thought of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I was once trapped and bound by sin. A lion that had been seeking me out to devour me was just about to pounce. I cried out to the only One who could save me, and he did – except in my case, He took the lion’s bite for me.
Why is it so hard to understand that I owe him my life? Oh, I know I do, but do I ever really go about it in the way that Finley the monkey did? Do you?
You do realize, don’t you, that without Jesus we would be dead – eternally so. The life we live is only because of the grace of God. The least we can do is echo the words of Finley and say, “You saved my life, oh Jesus. So, I hereby swear a life debt to you. From this moment on, I shall be your loyal and faithful servant until death.”
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
Constitution Preamble (1777): We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
We celebrate many holidays in this world, but one stands out among the rest…
Easter.
Now, I know that some of the more legalistic among us will label all the celebrations “moot” because of certain “pagan” links, like that to Ishtar and fertility rites. The unbelievers will laugh off this day with arrogant disdain (especially with it being April Fool’s Day).
But for the majority of Christians around the world, this day is a day to rejoice in the Son of God’s victory over the grave.
We are prone to celebrate many things, like who won a game, that new promotion, or a birthday. We throw parties when political candidates squeak out a win, or when that big contract gets signed. Some will even fire thousands of AK-47 rounds into the air while shouting “Allah Akbar!” at the top of their lungs. But nothing is more worth celebrating than Jesus keeping His word and rising from the dead to secure eternal life for those who trust in Him.
Today, as I stand before a congregation, I will attempt, in the power of the Spirit, to stir the imagination, to take us back in time, to recreate a fraction of the excitement that must have been felt when those who were convinced of defeat were shocked by the greatest come-from-below victory of all time.
Today, before all those present, whether in flesh or spirit, I will celebrate victory over sin, death, and hell. The Enemy has been defeated, his tools are obsolete, for Jesus died and rose again.
A very revealing study was done, leading to a book detailing how 300 churches went from declining or dying, to growing. In Comeback Churches, written by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson, there is a list of 30 different barriers to church growth. Having received permission from the publisher (B&H Publishing Group), I would like to discuss a few of them.
“God withdraws Himself from the church because of sin. He hardens hearts and gives the people over to sin (Isa. 63: 15-19; Heb. 3:12-13).”
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” – Hebrews 3:12-13 KJV
Have you ever thought it possible for a church to be given over to sin? I am not talking about the “liberal” church down the street (every town has one, I suppose), but your church – my church. Is there no growth taking place? Maybe it is because of sin. Maybe it’s because of a hardened heart.
Do churches sin?
You know they do. Many times, however, the sin is not viewed as such. It is seen differently from something that smacks of unbelief. It is rarely seen as a departure from God. More often than not, the sin that churches commit is hidden or disguised with terms or labels meant to justify “an evil heart of unbelief.” Here are a few phrases you may have heard. If so, it might be time for a hard-heart check.
“We can’t do that.”
“We don’t have the funds for that.“
“That area of town will never be receptive.”
“Maybe we should just pray about it, for now.”
“Why do we need to change? They need to change!”
“We’ve never done it that way before.”
Can churches have their hearts softened?
Absolutely! God is in the forgiving business, you know. All it would take is our churches turning away from the sins that so easily beset us, like legalism, traditionalism, racism, envy, and pride…not to mention the fear that God will not provide for us the ability and means to accomplish His work.
“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.” – Lamentations 3:40
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” – Isaiah 55:6-7
Through Divine Goodness, all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictations of their consciences.
The other day I heard a man,
A man of radio fame,
A man who wrote a book about God, Faith, and Reason.
It really doesn’t matter his name.
This man has degrees; he’s paid his dues.
I’m sure he could teach us some lessons.
But this worldly-wise man proved unwise indeed
When he posed the following question…
“What is good about Good Friday?”
It wasn’t a joke, please understand;
He genuinely wanted to know!
This educated doctor with millions of books sold
Was clueless on his radio show.
What is good about Good Friday?
The greatest crime committed by man…
A day which should be most infamous
Was the bait and switch that fooled the Devil
And set up the Day most glorious!
On that Friday God’s love was manifest
The greatest Love in history.
But this man with one question exposed his ignorance
When the Cross to him was a mystery.
Hartford, Connecticut (Artist: Susan Cassidy Wilhoit)
Connecticut’s Great Seal (1784) and State Motto (1788)
Qui Transtulit Sustinet
“He Who Transplanted Still Sustains”
Image credit: Wikipedia
If it wasn’t clear enough, here is what Wikipedia has to say about the history of Connecticut’s state motto:
History of motto
The current motto looks a little different than the 1639 version (c.f. Sustinet qui transtulit). It was first seen in the colonies in 1639 on a seal brought from England by Colonel George Fenwick. The meaning of the motto was explained on April 23, 1775 in a letter stamped in Wethersfield, Connecticut: “We fix on our Standards and Drums the Colony arms, with the motto, Qui Transtulit Sustinet, round it in letters of gold, which we construe thus: God, who transplanted us hither, will support us”.
However, this explanation for the origin of the motto is questionable. In 1889, State Librarian Charles J. Hoadly published an article, “The Public Seal of Connecticut” that indicated the 80th Psalm as a possible source. The article stated:
“The vines [on the State Seal] symbolize the Colony brought over and planted here in the wilderness. We read in the 80th Psalm: ‘Thou has brought a vine out of Egypt: Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it” – in Latin, ‘Vineam de Aegypto transtulisti, ejicisti gentes et plantasti eam’; and the motto expresses our belief that He who brought over the vine continues to take care of it – Qui transtulit sustinet“
To read the introduction to and purpose of this series of posts, CLICK HERE.
Regardless, I’m rather enjoying countering the nonsensical notion that faith (specifically a Judeo-Christian kind) had little to do with our nation’s founding. It’s obvious that if one wanted to eradicate God from the public square, he’d have to do a lot more than silence voices; he’d have to take a chisel or sledgehammer to the stone of our state capitals.
Folks, I hope this series of posts is opening a few eyes. The whole point is to counter the idea that our nation (and states) were founded on “godless” principles. To the contrary, these posts featuring The Magnificent Fifty: Foundation of Faith art collection at Bryan College show that faith – not godlessness – was very much a part of the fiber of our nation. To deny this exposes one of two things: an ignorance of history, or the willful desire to rewrite it.
The Recovering Legalist 