It is Written

And [Satan] brought Him into Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; for it is written: He will give his angels orders to protect you.” Luke 4:9, 10

Here it is...the ultimate fraud...Satan quoting scripture. What are the odds he got it right?

This is the familiar narrative of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. He hadn’t eaten for 40 days and Satan believed Jesus was hungry and vulnerable. So he said, “if you’re the Son of God, turn this stone into bread.” Jesus could have done it. I don’t believe there is anything sinister about Jesus using His divine power to sustain Himself, if necessary. 

But...that’s not the point. 

The point is...what sustains us is not food, or water, or air...or any other material thing. And Jesus, saturated with the Word of God, knew this regardless of how hungry He might have been. According to the account in Matthew’s gospel Jesus replied “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” 

Satan was merely trying to distract Jesus from the truth...to dupe Him into believing He had to take matters into His own hands.

Satan tried again...offering Jesus all the kingdoms of the world...if He would bow before Satan. Again, Jesus recalled the Word of God; “Worship the Lord, your God, and Him only.”

The Devil is no fool. He thought “two can play this game” so he quoted scripture right back at Jesus. The devil *took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and he *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throwYourself down; for it is written: He will command His angels to guard you.” Now, this is sinister.  This is the Devil quoting scripture to test Jesus...to get Him to do Satan’s will rather than God’s will.

This Wiley old Deceiver still does it  He will use scripture in an attempt to convince us God can’t be trusted to provide for our needs. I’ve heard people justify fornication, pornography, stealing, violence  and many other unbiblical behaviors by quoting scripture and proclaiming “it doesn’t mean what you think it means...let me tell you what it really means.” They proceed to offer a strained construct that justifies their prurient desires. It sounds a lot like the Devil in Genesis...”did God really say?”

You and I are vulnerable. We are filled with desires that can be satisfied in either biblical or unbiblical ways and the Devil will help us twist scripture to send us down the wrong path. I suggest we take great care. One good test is to simply ask ourselves this question; am I using God’s Word to justify what I want to do or to pursue what God wants me to do?

Live boldly out there today...

The Logos speaks about the Kingdom of God: Part 3...tomorrow

 “As Jesus Christ ascended into heaven at the completion of His mortal ministry, two angels declared to His Apostles, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” Acts 1:11.

Bible believers are expecting the return of Jesus to the earth from heaven. This, the Bible tells us, will happen and Jesus will return, to sit on the throne of his father David in Jerusalem (Luke 1:32). The second coming of Jesus Christ is not the “end of history” but is the beginning of the human history that God always desired.” It contains the promise that God is in control of all things, and is faithful to His Word. 

In His first coming, Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem, just as prophesied, to become the sacrifice that atones for the sin of all mankind when, by faith, we accept His offering. The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ, with the armies of heaven at His side, to settle the score with Satan and his legions.

The Old Testament prophets did not make this distinction clear between the two comings. At one point Isaiah says. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7). At another point he says “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” (Isaiah 53:3)

This led to some confusion but LOGOS is the final word. What did Jesus say?

Matthew 24 v 27-31

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 25 v 31-33

When the Son of Man shall come in His Glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His Glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

Years later, Jesus spoke directly to John, the Apostle, revealing even more graphic detail recorded in Revelation 19:11-21...”And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great feast of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slaves, and small and great.”

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.”

Next, we read of one of the first events to take place following the return of Jesus Christ the Messiah: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” (Revelation 20:1-3).

After the thousand years we are told Satan is released and attempts to regain his authority...but fails. John shares what he saw next...”Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:1-5

This is what you and I yearn for; the Kingdom of God in its fullness, a home that encompasses the best of both worlds...heaven and earth...unspoiled by sin. I know, it seems fantastic; too good to be real but...LOGOS says its coming and, He’s the final word.

If I truly believe it, how will the promise of such a future impact my doubts and fears today?

Live boldly out there today...

The Logos speaks about the Kingdom of God: Part 2...today

  “Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36

 “When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." Luke 17:20, 21

Contradiction?

Sometimes the Bible refers to the Kingdom of God as a present reality while other times as a future realm or territory. Where and When Is the Kingdom of God?

When Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world." He was not implying his reign had nothing to do with the world, but that his dominion did not derive from, or find expression in, any earthly power source...it came directly from God.

And, we have clear indication from both Jesus and the Apostle Paul that the Kingdom of God is currently in existence but is something other than physical.  The Apostle Paul explains it this way; “You, however, are not in the kingdom of the flesh but are in the Kingdom of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.” (Romans 8:9) So, We must understand, from this, that the Kingdom of God exists at the point where the Holy Spirit and the human spirit intersect. If the Holy Spirit lives within me (and, He does) my being is an outpost of God’s Kingdom. The apostle Paul also taught that followers of Jesus Christ enter into the Kingdom of God at salvation: “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13b–14). This, then, brings truth to Jesus’ claim that the Kingdom of God is “in our midst”...meaning...in the midst of the human community. It is physically here, within believers, but it is not a “physical” kingdom. 

The LOGOS...the “final word” then, proclaims you and I are dual citizens; our bodies are subject to this earthly kingdom while our spirits reside in God’s kingdom. but, how may it be identified with any certainty? After all, “metaphysical” does not mean “invisible.” And an invisible kingdom would be of little practical value to either believers or an unbelieving world. Believers need visibility so that we may come together as a community to support one another and pursue our Kingdom mission. The lost world needs visibility so they can comprehend the claims of God’s Kingdom and make an informed decision to join. The Apostle Paul  explains the Kingdom is manifest through faithful physical presentation of our spiritual life: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). This idea is fleshed out by Paul in Galatians; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). 

We don’t need to look very far in this earthly kingdom to recognize God’s Kingdom values look nothing like the values in this world. We proclaim our residence in God’s Kingdom by faithfully exhibiting the characteristics of His Kingdom. This identifies us to other believers...helping us form communities...while proclaiming to this world’s kingdom there is a better way.

The question is...which kingdom do I look like?

Live boldly out there today...

The Logos speaks about the Kingdom of God: Part 1...from the beginning

  “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” Matthew 6:33

The Kingdom of God is prevenient. It existed along before mankind understood the concept of kingdoms. It is also presumptive. It need not be asserted or defended. It simply “is” and will always be. Failure to apprehend this truth is at the core of all our human troubles. 

On the other hand, integrating this truth into the soul of our being satisfies every need known to man. But...it’s not a natural course for us to take.

The story of the Levite’s wife (Judges 19) who was raped and murdered is prefaced by the phrase “In those days Israel had no king.” The account concludes with “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” (Judges 21:25). Libertarianism...in the extreme, had been tried and found wanting. Israel needed a king to restore and maintain order. At least that’s what the people thought. So, they demanded Samuel pick them a king. 

Samuel didn’t disagree except to say “you have a king...his name is Yahweh.” 

In one sentence, the judge unraveled one of the greatest mysteries known; why is life so difficult? Samuel’s answer implies life is difficult because we are constantly looking for other kings to save us. And...that search always results in more heartache. He warned the Israelites but they wouldn’t listen, Samuel was right, Israel’s dalliance with other kings was a remarkable failure...it split the country. To be fair, the kings were often no more at fault than the stubborn, stiff-necked people. But, if we follow a flawed leader we will reap flawed results. Only Yahweh has the capacity to rule in righteousness.

The existential question every. Human being is required to answer is...will I kneel before my King, Yahweh, or will I seek another? The answer will determine the course of our life. So, if choose the Kingdom of God, what does that mean?

I’m reminded of the oath of Office I took, five separate times, while I was in the military: I, Lee Thompson, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. 

The Kingdom of God has a similar expectation; “God’s house...God’s rules...” This is where most of humanity decides not to join the military, or the Kingdom of God, because it requires too much self-denial. Unfortunately, many of us are just like Israel; we have found another king...and its us. And, we wonder why our lives seem like Ground Hog’s Day.

Jesus, LOGOS, is the final word on this subject and He has some things to say...primarily in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). First, entry into God’s Kingdom requires a certain attitude that will naturally unlock the blessings of God. “Blessed are” Μακάριοι means “fortunate, well off, happy, on the right path.” 

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

“I have failed God”

2. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted

“I’m heartbroken over my failure”

3. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth

“I’ll do whatever God requires to be rehabilitated”

4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

“I will make the pursuit of God my primary goal”

5. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

“I will not judge those who haven’t joined this journey”

6. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

“I will be honest about my progress every step of the way”

7. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.  

“I will help others along the way”

8. Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

“I will not be dissuaded, no matter what the cost”

God’s Kingdom exists with, or without, my assent and, is my only hope for eternal peace and prosperity. What am I looking for? What do I need? Its all right before me...in God’s Kingdom...If I simply choose. Israel had a king, she just didn’t know it. Am I guilty of the same misunderstanding? My first step is to dethrone any other kings I’ve installed in my life.

Live boldly out there today...

LOGOS

 “In the beginning was the Word (Λόγος), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.”John 1:1-4

With all due respect to Lawrence O’Donnell, his CNN program titled The Last Word is at once, ambitious, audacious, and profoundly naive. He is not even close to “the last word.”

Gerard Kittel, in his Theological Dictionary of the New Testament,  introduces his treatment of the word “Logos” (well over 100 pages) with the following statement; “It is hardly possible in this context to give a full treatment of the Greek words for “to say”, “to speak”, “to tell”...it must suffice to lay the foundation”

This suggests, to me, that there is quite a bit we may not know about the theological doctrine asserting Jesus is the “Logos.” And, since the historical Jesus is foundational, the central figure in our Christian faith, this lack of knowledge at a practical and accessible level makes me nervous. So, in an effort to provide something comprehensive for the average Christian, I have decided to share some information that I found obscure to my own understanding but is profoundly critical to a proper appreciation for what it means to call Jesus the “Logos.”  Much of what follows is lifted directly from Kittel’s work.

The meaning in the Greek and Hellenistic World

Since John, the Apostle, introduced this description of Jesus into a Hellenistic culture, we begin with a critical look into what LOGOS meant to the people reading John’s Gospel. Kittel tells us, for Greeks, knowledge is always recognition of a law. It is “self-evident to the Greek” that there is, in everything, an “intelligible and recognizable law that makes knowledge and understanding possible.” This law is called LOGOS. But, this LOGOS is not taken to be merely understood theoretically. It is like gravity. It claims us and determines our life and conduct. We ignore it at our peril.

John is literally saying we cannot understand God without Jesus (LOGOS), “the intelligible and recognizable law that makes knowledge and understanding possible”. The meme No Jesus, No God...Know Jesus, Know God is a truism.

Derived from the root “Lego” (not the toy building blocks), meaning  “To say or to speak,” LOGOS is far more comprehensive. It connotes the idea of gathering, counting, enumerating of narrating. The term we translate as “word” means far more than “saying something”...it also includes the law that governs the meaning behind it. In this respect, we must understand that LOGOS (Word), “an intelligible and recognizable law” as used to describe Jesus, stands in stark contrast to “word” as used in the Old and New Testaments to describe the “Word of God” as reference to spoken language.

LOGOS is a “statement” that captures everything pertinent to the subject. It is like a bank statement and contains the idea of being “the last word,” the full accounting of all the information contained in a subject. In fact, the term was used in the discipline of accounting to describe the final spreadsheet...the final “word” on the financial status of any given concern. In this sense, Jesus is “the last word” containing everything that God intends to say to man. He embodies “an intelligible and recognizable law” There is no more...and everything contained in Jesus is essential to gaining the full picture. It literally will not do to summarize, gloss over, or paraphrase the person, work and testimony of the person we call “the author and finisher of our faith.”

The Hellenistic world would have understood John to be saying “Jesus is the last word concerning God.” there is nothing more to say. 

Kittel asserts that, for the Greek world then, LOGOS must have been understood as “something displayed, clarified, recognized and understood.” In this sense, LOGOS had to be something of material form that could be seen, touched, heard, smelled or tasted. This demands that Jesus appeared to us fully human and was not merely a hologram  as  some heresies like Gnosticism suggest. This “anti-matter” notion derives from the dualism of Plato that asserts matter is evil and therefore, Jesus could not appear in material form. 

But, of course, Jesus is the “Last Word” on that...

Secondly, we must understand LOGOS is a metaphysical (non-physical) reality since LOGOS is intended to reveal “an intelligible and recognizable law” regarding what the statement “means.” We must understand that “non-physical” does not mean “not real”. While the fact of my checkbook balance is physically real, the meaning of my checkbook balance, of course is not. It is an “idea” (metaphysical) yet...very real. And, the “idea” governs my material conduct if the physical and metaphysical worlds are to remain in harmony; I spend more than what is materially “real” at my peril.

For example, I look at my checkbook (the LOGOS). The checkbook is simply a statement of material reality but it contains an intelligible and recognizable law; We have $xx.xx dollars at our disposal. This material reality governs my conduct; My checkbook balance can mean many things. It might mean I can, or can’t, have dinner out this weekend. It might mean I have to transfer money. It might mean I eat fast food. Whatever the “ideal” meaning is, it absolutely and positively in governed by material reality and...vice versa. They are two sides of one reality.

So, when the material Jesus walks and talks and teaches about sin and salvation and eternal life, we must necessarily consider the meaning of these metaphysical concepts in order to make sense of the LOGOS. These ideas are very real and have very real influence on our lives. We can choose to understand them in some way other than how the LOGOS has told us to understand them but it only means that our ideal and material worlds will eventually collide. 

Because, of course, Jesus is the “Last Word”...

What does this mean for you and me when we are taught “believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ and you will be saved?” Since our eternal destiny rests on this truth, it warrants more than simple assent; “I believe.” It means serious consideration of the LOGOS and all it’s implications so we can be certain of what we claim to believe.

As we ruminate over these words from the Apostle John, I plan to publish entries, in the near future intended to  make a more intimate “knowledge and understanding” of LOGOS possible.

Live boldly out there today...

Where Love and Hate Collide

 “Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

Politics seems to have become a religion.

We have reached a point in our country where we believe any party (other than the one we prefer) is venal and hates America. Our own preferred party, alone, can be trusted to lead us to the “Promised Land.” All others are bent on the planned destruction of the country we purport to love. The leaders of those miscreant groups are regarded as tools of Satan and should be eternally condemned.

Am I overstating?

Look at these comments about Nancy Pelosi...

This Pelosi woman and her cohorts are a threat to the United States of America, She has a link that is corrupt, her soul has evil intent.

Nancy Pelosi is extremely evil.

Or, Barack Obama...

God showed me Obama is the one who will fulfill Daniel’s prophecy about an evil king who takes action against the strongest fortress on earth with the help of a foreign god

Or Rush Limbaugh...

Rush Limbaugh was a shitty, cynical person who did everything he could to make the world meaner, dumber, and more divided. I'm glad he's dead and I wish it had happened a lot sooner.

It's easy to make fun of Rush Limbaugh right now, but it's important to remember that he also brought a lot of people a lot of joy by dying

I may have disagreed with him on everything, but I think we can all agree that even the worst of us doesn’t deserve the suffering that Satan is going through now that he has to deal with Rush Limbaugh

Or, Donald Trump...

This man is a pathological liar. He doesn't know the difference between truth and lies. He lies practically every word that comes out of his mouth."

You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell.

I don’t want to give him any more oxygen. That’s not a euphemism, by the way. I mean it literally. Somebody get me the pillow they used to kill [Supreme Court Justice Antonin] Scalia and I’ll do it — I’ll do it!

Rhetoric like this should be unsettling for all Christians. Unfortunately, in many cases, it is professing Christians making the statements. Now, I don’t believe all Christians must necessarily agree on politics. Truth be told, there is enough good...and bad...in every party that should suggest caution as we exercise our duties as citizens. There is, however, a responsibility that all Christians share in this respect. We cannot be party to the scurrilous and libelous chatter.

1. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35, 35
2. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5
3. “For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” Matthew 7:2

Store this in your heart and mind: We, as Christians are commanded to love others...and not just other Christians. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus says “love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute you.” How than, do we recognize and proclaim Biblically unacceptable character? 

We do it without anger or judgement. We do it with patience and kindness so we don’t dishonor others. Furthermore, once the person is off the scene we do not keep a record of their perceived faults. Finally...God will judge us in the same manner we judge others. So, if I insist on proclaiming Mr. Trump is an inveterate liar, God will judge me according to my own truthfulness. If I insist on declaring Ms. Pelosi as evil I will be judged by God according to my own worthiness. That will be embarrassing.

My point is critical: we Christians  are possibly the only group capable of restoring sanity to our culture. But, only if we conduct ourselves as such. The next time I feel tempted to disparage another person I need to stop myself and ask “am I part of the solution or part of the problem?” Furthermore, if I’m comfortable joining the cacophonous hate-filled mob, do I have any business calling myself a Christian?

I’m deadly serious...

Live boldly out there today...

The other

“I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3

Few things have distressed me more than how we, as a country, have treated our President. Not because of who he is, but because of what it says about who we are.

The incident in Luke 13 is revealing;  Jesus was warning, in the previous chapter, against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees...explaining to a group of thousands of people to “watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees.” Yeast is a living organism—and living organisms need food for fuel, in this case, simple sugars. As the yeast feeds on the sugar, it creates two digestive byproducts; alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide.  The carbon dioxide is what leavens the bread; carbon dioxide gases filter through the dough creating loft. 

Jesus is explaining, to his  listeners, that they need to distance themselves from the hypocrisy of the Pharisees because it will contaminate everything it touches. Hypocrisy, like yeast, has a life of its own, but needs fuel. That fuel is the hearts and minds of anybody who will listen. Hypocrites pretend to be what they are not, or to believe what they do not. If they are people of influence, hypocrites convince their listeners to believe the same lie. When we are convinced to believe a lie...we have been changed for the worse. The damage could be irreversible.

So, Jesus says “Beware.”

It’s not a coincidence that...on the heels of this warning, news came to Jesus that Pilate had executed some Galileans while they were sacrificing animals. These victims were zealots and were considered troublemakers because they spoke out against the system...the implication being they probably deserved what they got. Jesus asked to them, "Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee? No! I can guarantee that they weren't. But if you don't turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.”

And...if I wish our President were more like me...it wouldn’t really be an improvement.

Today the voices scream and threaten. “Kick the President out of office!” As though he is unworthy of us. As though he is something “other” than us. He has become anathema to the point that media literally cancels anyone from the community conversation if they appear to sympathize with the President. Out of fear...we shut our mouths and go along with the crowd. We have been changed...without our permission. And it’s all a lie.

So, we are no better than whatever we think of President Trump. To pretend we are is to profess a lie. The problem with professing a lie is...according to Jesus...Nothing has been covered that will not be exposed. Whatever is secret will be made known. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight. Whatever you have whispered in private rooms will be shouted from the housetops.” (Luke 12:1-3)

That’s going to be embarrassing...

The response from the hypocrites, of course, is expected; “I’m not saying I’m better than him...I’m just saying I expect my president to be better than me.” More hypocrisy.  And, the ones who claim they are morally superior to our President are the expert demonstrators for hypocrisy. How do I know? Romans 3:10-12 says “There is no one righteous, not even one. there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good,not even one.” They will protest...don’t listen. They’re are hypocrites.

So where does that leave us sinners...saved by grace?

First, Jesus tells us, in Matthew 7, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Think about this when we think about our President. He deserves the same honor and respect from us that we expect from him. It doesn’t mean we have to tolerate unseemly behavior. It does mean we cannot accuse and punish a person for the same transgressions for which we are guilty. “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (V. 5)

Without judging, we must be vocal advocates for behavioral change when appropriate. Not just in our President, but in our entire culture.  And, we must pray...Jesus says in Matthew 5, “love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully use you.” We cannot be effective instruments of change unless we engage the “father of all change” in the endeavor. Unfortunately, I’ve heard more than a few political leaders say “we don’t need thoughts and prayers...we need action.”  I assure you, anybody who does not believe in the power of prayer does not understand prayer or the One to whom we pray. They will never be true change agents.

Which tells me, our problem is much bigger than the President.

Of course I pray for our President and our leaders...with humility...because whatever I may think of them, they are a mirror of myself, staring back at me.  We’ve had the whole of human history to review the trouble we create when we take matters into our own hands. Let’s not perpetuate this slide toward oblivion. We Christians will never win the day, on this side of eternity, but we can be leaven ourselves...encouraging others to follow the anointed Son of God into an eternity free of turmoil and trouble.

But for now...what if God decided to do something marvelous with (and for) our President simply because we asked Him to? Or, for Our Congress? Or for our media outlets? or, for our neighbors?

Ah, yes...yeast...of a different kind!

Live boldly out there today...