5 Steps to Political Epiphany

First off... My apologies for not posting anything for months! I am going to blame it on a combination of laziness and depression.

The latter excuse is not the clinical type. It is definitely situational, given the state of our country and this presidential election cycle.

I had poured my heart and soul into helping Senator Ted Cruz win the GOP nomination, including driving nearly 1700 miles round-trip to Iowa to try to help him win that state's caucus. He won. But in the end, the Hand of Providence worked things out differently than what I had hoped nation-wide.

So I finally shook off my mild indolence and sadness, and I finally came across something that I deemed worthy enough to deserve a new post!

"5 Steps to Political Epiphany"

The word "epiphany" is defined as "a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way." If you have about an hour to kill, the series of short animated videos from Rev. Cary K. Gordon would most likely be well worth your time.

Grab a cup of coffee and a comfy chair, click the link below, and I think you will be entertained... enlightened... and empowered! Do not let anyone tell you that your vote "will be wasted" if you vote for this candidate or that candidate. Let God guide your conscience.

http://stepstopoliticalepiphany.com

Jesus, the Great Scapegoat

 

 

John 19:16

"They took Jesus, and led Him away."

 

He had been all night in agony, He had spent the early morning at the hall of Caiaphas, He had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate; He had, therefore, but little strength left, and yet neither refreshment nor rest were permitted Him. They were eager for His blood, and therefore led Him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous procession! Well may Salem's daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also. 

 

What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive that truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did not the high-priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins of the people, that thus those sins might be laid upon the goat, and cease from the people? Then the goat was led away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of the people, so that if they were sought for they could not be found. 

 

Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce Him guilty; God Himself imputes our sins to Him, "the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all;" "He was made sin for us;" and, as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon His shoulders, represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice. 

 

Beloved, can you feel assured that He carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon His shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether He carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon His head, confessed your sin, and trusted in Him? Then your sin lies ...not ...on ...you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and He bears it on His shoulder as a load heavier than the cross. 

 

 

Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own deliverance, and adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid.

 

 

- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, M&E, April 3

The Cords of Death

I confess... Sometimes I doubt. Even as a child, sometimes when I lay my head on my pillow at night, I doubt God... even his very existence. I wonder... What if when you die, you just no longer exist? You are no more? These thoughts rarely creep in these days, now that I am older. But still, occasionally, they do. And since I've debated a few atheists, and read their literature, some of their thinking occasionally becomes mine, and it grieves me. The Bible says to confess our sins, and take every thought captive to the word of God... so that's what I try to do.

Often out of the blue, I send a simple text to my daughters. "I love you, Ellise Virginia." "I love you, Sarah Grace." (My other daughter is somewhat estranged now, per her wish, but that is another story.) Last Tuesday afternoon I did that. Ellise responded shortly thereafter, but Grace did not. She does not keep her phone nearby as Ellise does, since she works.

As I laid down last Tuesday night, around 11pm, for some reason, those awful thoughts returned. As usual, I curled up in the fetal position, hoping the thoughts would go away, and I would just fall asleep. But this time, I thought... I guess I should pray.

I rolled over on my back, looked at the darkened ceiling in my airport sleep room, closed my eyes, and began to cry and pray:

"Dear God... You know all my thoughts. You know my fears. Sometimes I don't much like myself... but I love living.... even with all life's trials, disappointments, and failures. I do not want to die. I want to live. I love life... 

... I love my daughters..."

At that very moment, my cell phone vibrated with a text message. It was from my daughter Grace, with this simple reply: 

"Love you too!"

I laughed a little. I cried a little more. And I thanked God for his gracious Providence! The fears fled, and I soon fell asleep.

The Psalmist says:

The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 

the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 

In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

 - Psalm 18:4-6

Just wanted to confess... and share. :)