Developing relationships-The days after Pentecost were days of learning what it meant to follow Christ in a community of believers. Many were attracted to the church by the preaching of the disciples and had not previously known each other so it was a time of learning to live with each other as Christ would have them. Our society values isolation and the church has fallen prey to it. As a result, few in the church really know each other well enough to admit to having needs. In addition, very few know them well enough to minister to them because they have not had a close relationship with them. People require more than an hour a week in a worship service to develop close relationships. Churches need to make a big effort to help members get to know each other. In the past, pot luck suppers were a place where people got to know each other but few churches today organize social times. Many churches today that still have social times are going to catered meals and eating at restaurants but that is only available to those who can afford them. In addition, many members do not know other members well enough to be open and honest so little socialization occurs in large gatherings. People today develop best in groups of less than 16 people, therefore the church needs to organize small group to help members get to know each other and learn to live like Christ would have them live. Short six week Bible studies are not adequate, it requires long term commitment to each other. (See “Living Presence” in “Rebuilding the Kingdom” (Lulu Press) for developing a small group ministry)
Gun Control-B-B
The government is supposed to protect citizens, however Democrats have proposed a number of bills to control guns, which will do nothing to protect Americans. No mass shooter has acquired their guns through private sales. They were either purchased publicly, passing a background check, or stolen. It would only make it more difficult to buy or sell firearms, ensuring that a gun dealer will get a cut of the profit. It would also create a national gun registry allowing the government to know who has guns so they could confiscate your gun whenever they decides to do so. There has been no media publicity about these bills in spite of the impact they would have on the country. Cities and countries which limit guns have seen dramatic rises in gun deaths caused by criminals who ignore the law and deaths from knifings as criminals prey on citizens unable to defend themselves. The gun laws only curb the use of guns by honest citizens. The Democrats have proven how ineffective gun laws are. States and cities controlled by Democrats have the strictest gun laws in the country and they also have the highest rate of killing by guns. Chicago which has the strictest gun laws in the nation also has more shootings that anywhere else in the nation. While gun opponents talk about gun violence as if it is everywhere, the vast majority of violence occurs in only a few places which restrict the use of guns. Mass shooters and other criminals target areas which restrict the use of guns where they do not have to fear running into someone with a gun, and many mass shootings have been prevented when a bystander carrying a gun took the shooter down before he could kill many people, but the media doesn’t report those because they don’t support their anti-gun narrative.
Gun Control-B-A
Democrats say they are seeking responsible gun use however when they gained control of the House, they pushed a wide range of bills to promote their agenda. Talk is cheap but the truth lies in what they vote for. They pushed the “Universal Gun Registration Act” which would ban all private sale of guns and require they be handled through an authorized gun dealer. All guns would have to be registered through a national registry. While that sounds good, It would disarm the citizens and leave them at the mercy of criminals and terrorists who would not register their weapons. In addition, it is the first step dictators use to disarm their citizens and allow them to subdue the citizens. While people say that can’t happen here, we saw how far President Obama pushed the country towards government control using universal health care. Most provisions never went into effect but were truly scary. They are also pushing legislation which would ban gun sales to military age adults and to mandate ammo microstamping (to trace ammo-?). They are also pursuing the “Red Flag Gun Confiscation Bill” where they could take away your gun simply because someone said you posed a threat with no due process.
Third Sunday of Kingdomtide-Sept 17
Love Others -God wants us to not only love those in the body of believers but unbelievers as well. God may not like what they do, but He loves them as much as He loves us. He reached out to us when we were sinners and we should do the same to those who are still sinners and do not know Him yet. Hopefully they will come to know God’s love as we extend God’s love to them and they will leave their sinful ways and accept Christ as their Savior. God did not love us based on whether we accepted Him and our love for others should not be based on their acceptance of Christ. God loves us Concern for others involves more than just seeing them as people of value. It involves active concern for the welfare of others where we look out for each other. The world has no concern except to survive and is always looking out for number one. Their first concern in any decision is what will it benefit them. The church needs to show active concern for others as it develops programs and makes decisions by considering the impact it will have on those involved, not just on its benefit to us. The church needs to actively develop programs to minister to church members and train them to minister to those around the church who don’t belong to a church. The church has turned most of its social services over to the government so most people no longer see the church as caring about them. They see the government supplying their needs and now look to the government when they need help. While the government provides for their immediate needs like food and housing, it does little to provide long term help to enable them to get back on their feet and able to help themselves. In fact, many government rules prevent or at least discourage people from helping themselves. If the government provides for their needs, there is little incentive to provide for themselves. In addition, while the government can supply their physical needs, it can not supply their spiritual needs. Concern for others also involves forgiveness– Many people are afraid to show any sign of weakness because they are afraid that others will take advantage of it. As a result, they are afraid to admit that they made a mistake and ask for forgiveness. By the same token, they are afraid to extend forgiveness to others because they are afraid others will see it as a sign of weakness in them and try to take advantage of them. As a result, our bitterness and resentment drives a wedge between us cutting us off from fellowship with each other. God calls us to forgive others, just as He has forgiven us. In fact, it is because He has forgiven us that He expects us to forgive others (see the parable of the King and His servants in Matt 18:22-35). As we forgive others, we break down the barriers of bitterness and resentment which divide us and which prevent us from experiencing the joy that comes from fellowship with each other.
Environment-L
While Democrats claim to support scientifically based transition to renewable energy, they ignore much of the scientific evidence. While they push the benefits, they ignore the problems created. While they push reducing pollution emissions in the United States, they ignore the fact that we have already reduced the vast majority of emissions and further efforts will seriously hurt the economy while producing almost no benefit to the environment. In addition, they push for stricter controls in the United States while ignoring China and India who produce the vast majority of man-made pollution. In addition, many so-called scientific studies have been doctored to create scary scenarios and ignore the real facts. They pushed scary stories of the dangers of overpopulation to justify the need for abortion at a time the birth rate in the United States was actually declining and food production was exceeding demand resulting in needless destruction of grain because there was no place to store it. In fact, last year the world’s population actually decreased and the government continues to pay farmers to keep thousands of acres out of food production to support food prices and prevent surpluses.
Health Care-C
Democrats state that they believe in scientific evidence based policy for vaccinations and health care yet they pushed universal mask mandates long after they were no longer needed and ordered churches to stay closed long after most large social gatherings were allowed for political reasons rather than scientific reasons. The vaccines were approved long before adequate testing was carried out. In addition, information on problems with the vaccines were withheld for a long time. In addition, they have pushed transgender puberty blockers with no scientific evidence that the person is really trapped in the wrong body and no evidence that they are safe. They are also pushing gender correcting surgery with no scientific basis. Many countries in Europe are now banning them. In addition, they are pushing them without informing the recipient of the dangers and possible complications and often without parental notification, which are both required by law in all States for any medical procedure.
Politics-AB-AE
Democrats are continually saying that the Republicans pose a threat to democracy. Let’s look at the facts– Freedoms-Democrats seek to curb the right to carry a gun, the right to free worship and public prayer, and the right to life for unborn babies, They also seek to restrict the right to conduct business through increased regulations restricting citizens and businesses and seek to expand the government and extend its powers to control citizens and businesses. . Republicans seek to reduce regulations, and restore rights guaranteed under the Constitution. President Obama and President Biden have sought to promote their agenda through executive directives in spite of widespread opposition by American citizens while President Trump canceled many of the executive orders that President Obama had issued. Freedom of speech-Democrats seek to restrict the right to free speech through censorship and violent protests, while Republicans encourage free speech and open discussion. Democrats promote freedom of choice as long as you support the choice they tell you to and threaten you if you don’t, while Republicans seek to offer informed choice through open discussion of any alternatives. The Law-Democrats appoint judges that ignore the Constitution and federal law to promote their personal agenda, while Republicans appoint judges who respect the law and the will of the people. Voting-Democrats seek to strip away all protections for voting to allow unlimited fraud while Republicans seek to restore the protections that ensure only eligible voters vote and there is no possibility of inserting fake ballots. While Democrats are tied to big donors supporting abortion, unions, green energy and Gay rights, and are pressured to support legislation supporting them, Republican politicians depend on private contributions and so are fairly open to respond to the will of their constituents. It appears that Democrats pose a much greater threat to democracy then Republicans.
Second Sunday of Kingdomtide-Sept 10
Values-Christian values had so taken over the western world that many in the church had begun to view the community’s values as Christian. Unnoticed by many Christians is the fact that liberals have been taking over community values through the schools, the media, and the entertainment industry. While liberals have been very vocal about what they believe, the church has been silent and done little to counter the liberal teachings. Many Christians still believe we are a Christian nation, but our community values are anything but Christian. Our communities at large no longer value life, the rule of law, the family, or any other values taught by God. If the church is to regain the moral high ground, it must speak out against the liberal teachings. However, it can not simple proclaim that God says so because they don’t recognize the authority of a God they don’t believe exists. Christians must demonstrate through their lives that God’s values are superior to man’s values.