Opportunities to Glorify God

  If you are given an opportunity to glorify God in the public arena, don't you think God would want you to do so?  Unfortunately, when some do so these days, they are criticized.  Just look at the criticism that has been given to Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin, and Rick Santorum.  I applaud them for not being bashful about their faith.  As I read Scripture, I see that it indicates we ought to be bold about our faith, not apologetic or secretive.
   At the same time, we see actions of our current President which are insensitive to the tenets of the Christian faith.  In this case, we see most of the media supporting such actions. 
   I think it is a sad state of affairs when America is being told to oppose Rick Santorum because he is so public with his faith.  In fact, I think the media is focusing on his Christian beliefs because they think it is a negative attribute to have in the political arena.  Politicians, I guess, are supposed to keep their faith to themselves.  I would ask you this question:  If a politician or someone else in the public eye is being advised to be reluctant to exhibit their faith, is that the work of God or the work of Satan?
  I, for one, pray that we have someone in the Oval Office who looks to God for guidance.  I pray that the actions of the President are ones that would give glory to God.  I pray that a President would be sincere in their faith, not using religion as a political "card" to play.  I pray that we have a person who has a genuine faith, and one who is willing to share that faith.  I pray that we have a President that knows he is a sinner in need of forgiveness.
   Some are claiming that Rich Santorum would impose his religious convictions upon the country.  That is so wrong.  Christians don't do things that way.  Christians know that they are just the messengers.  It is the Holy Spirit that works faith in the hearts of people.  Christians don't force their beliefs on anyone.  Muslims have a history of doing that, but not Christians.  Christians are told to be humble servants of others.  I would love to see a humble servant of Christ in the Oval Office. 
   One of the reasons I support Rick Santorum is that he seems to me to be the only one in the race, including our current President, that gives the impression that he wants to SERVE.  He does not seem to be in it for himself.  I know there are other reasons to not support Santorum, but I personally don't think that one of them should be his faith  
   If we are not a nation under God, it is because we have chosen to deport him.

God's Word is Truth

When Jesus taught, even his opponents were amazed at how he taught with such authority.  He did not teach as if what He was saying was just His opinion.  That's because it was the Truth.  God's Word is the Truth.  We live in a world that seems to dedicate itself to avoiding the truth.  Worldly people want to eliminate the truth, making it relative to whatever situation exists.  They try to justify any behavior as acceptable by making everything gray, never a distinct black or white.
It is this approach that has slowly changed our country from one that cherished the sanctity of life to one where abortion is considered acceptable by a large percentage of the population.  It is this approach that has taken homosexuality, a behavior which is considered sinful by Scripture, and turned it into an activity that must be tolerated, even celebrated.
Before I go on, let me say that I do not pretend to be an expert at God's Truth.  I learn more every time I read the Bible.  And, like everyone else, I am a sinner (although the world would like to make NOTHING a sin).  I need to daily repent.
This past week, President Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast.  During his speech, President Obama used Scripture on several occasions.  I would normally applaud that.  I would love to think that every President was a Christian who knew their Scripture.  However, in this case, the use of Scripture was intended to defend the President's agenda.  I believe this is an improper use of the Truth.  The Bible has two main purposes:  to show how to be saved and to show how to live. The Bible is not a political manifesto. I know he would certainly not use a similar passage which refers to a steward who had been successful and then was told by the owner that he would be put in charge of more.  The President was using a passage which fit his agenda, and even then, he was using it out of context.
I was also concerned about other aspects of the President's speech.  He always has a tendency to center his comments on himself, and I feel that he did that again in this speech.  I think a speech at a prayer breakfast would focus especially on the greatness of God and what He has done.  Maybe it was my bias, but I came away from that speech thinking that President Obama talked more about what he has done in his "faith journey" than on the God who ought to get any credit. 
Based on what I have heard the President say in the past and comparing it with his actions, I have to admit that I think the President does not know his Scriptures that well and was using this breakfast as another campaign speech.  I just have real trouble thinking that he is sincere when he talks about his faith.  I wish I could believe him, but I cannot.  I found the most appalling thing that he said was in reference to how our actions should match our words.  The President is all about making his words sound good to the audience to whom he is speaking.  I do not think his actions come anywhere close to matching his words.
America needs repentance.  Repentance is an individual act.  Each of us needs to confess our sins (and we shouldn't just call them mistakes), beg for forgiveness from God, and turn our lives toward doing God's will.  Knowing the will of God can only come by spending time in God's Word.  And that is something that should be done by folks on both sides of the aisle.  And that includes me.
May God have mercy on me and my country.