Roll Over Rover: Not This Time

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Joshua 1:7

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success^[a] wherever you go.

(ESV)

Joshua is about to lead God’s people into the Promised Land and face the giants he saw when spying out the land 40 years ago.  Joshua 1:7 is a word to him from the Lord reminding him that even though there are giants in the land, God will be with him and enable him to defeat the giants.  However, this word of encouragement comes with a command to Joshua to do according to all the law Moses commanded him and the people of Israel to do.  Unfortunately, the history of the Nation of Israel is a history of a people not following all of God’s law and suffering accordingly with periods or persecution and captivity. 

This picture of obedience to God followed by times of wavering and even turning our backs on God is something most of us who have chosen to make Jesus our Savior can relate to.  Thankfully, our salvation is not dependent on our own works of obedience to God (Ephesians 2:8) but instead is a result of God’s grace and the work of Jesus on the cross.  However, our disobedience does come between us and a close fellowship with Jesus (1 John1:6-7).  Therefore, to enjoy a close fellowship with God, we must strive to live lives of obedience to God. 

We are witnessing a moral and cultural decline in our nation and world.  Unfortunately, much of this decline can be attributed to the failure of churches and Christians to take the Gospel outside of the confines of the walls of the church and into a community that desperately needs it.  Instead, many churches and Christians are content with claiming to take the high road by staying out of the political fray and thus subjecting the nation to un-godly leadership coming out of a corrupt political system. 

In an article appearing on the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission on August 4, 2015, four reasons are given for Christian involvement in the political process.  (1)

1)      The Christian worldview speaks to all areas of life – Some Christians claim that anything other than the explicit preaching and teaching of the Bible is a distraction from the mission of the Church.  (1)  While this explicit preaching and teaching is important and is why we as Christians regularly attend services at our churches, this teaching from the Bible should encourage us to live lives for Christ outside of the Church.  Instead of rolling over and withdrawing from the political process as some Christians do, we should take what we learn from the Word of God and apply it to our lives outside of the church, including the political process.  We as Christians should therefore engage in the political process, viewing it as an opportunity to share Godly principles in an ungodly world.

2)      Politics are Unavoidable (1) – One of the main reasons the church in the United States has thrived is that it has for the most part functioned in an environment of religious liberty.  Missionaries and ministers working in countries lacking religious liberty can attest to difficulties they encounter with having to function in a political environment lacking religious liberty.  As are beginning to witness to loss of some of our long held religious liberty in the United States, (2) churches in the United States may face having to function in an unfriendly political environment.  However, by participating in the political process now, we still have an opportunity to protect our religious liberties.

3)      We need to love our neighbor (1) – As Christians, Jesus has called us to love God and our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39).  In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus expanded the definition of neighbor to include people of all races, social status, or occupation.  In a political environment pitting race against race and social status against social status, it is more important than ever for Godly people to participate in the political process in a loving manner.  As Christians, we know that God will care for us no matter who is elected.   However, we should participate in the political process as a way of extending the love of Christ to the lost by voting for leaders that will protect them and their liberties. 

4)      Government restrains evil and promotes good (1) – Romans 13:1-7 expressly states that the role of government is the restraining of evil and promotion of good.  While earthly governments run by imperfect people often fail in this role, we as Christians must participate in the political and electoral process as a means of promoting government fulfillment of this role. 

For far too long many of God’s people have withdrawn from the political and electoral process.  The results of this withdrawal have been the moral decline of culture and a loss of religious liberty.  Well-meaning Christians have, in essence, rolled over like a submissive puppy dog to this decline.  I urge my fellow believers not to roll over this election and instead stand up and support candidates vowing to protect religious liberty.  In this presidential election, that candidate is Donald Trump (3) and not Hillary Clinton. (4)  Therefore, I support and will vote for Donald Trump this election.  I also urge Christians to do their research when it comes to voting for members of Congress and their local leaders for they too can support policies threatening religious liberty. 

Let’s not be Christian spectators this election rolling over but instead be players standing in defense of our religious liberties. 

1. Closson, David. 4 Reasons Christians Should Care About Politics. erlc.com. [Online] The Ethics & Religious Liberty Comission, August 4, 2015. [Cited: October 22, 2016.] http://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/4-reasons-christians-should-care-about-politics.

2. Smietana, Bob. Is Religious Liberty On The Decline In America? www.religiousfreedomcoalition.org. [Online] Religious Freedom Coalition, February 22, 2014. [Cited: October 22, 2016.] http://www.religiousfreedomcoalition.org/2014/02/22/is-religious-liberty-on-the-decline-in-america/.

3. Grossman, Cathy Lynn. ‘I will protect Christians,’ Donald Trump tells Liberty University students. religionnews.com. [Online] Religion News Service, January 18, 2016. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://religionnews.com/2016/01/18/donald-trump-liberty-university-evangelicals/.

4. Shoebat, Theodore. Hilary Clinton: Christians In America Must Deny Their Faith In Christianity. shoebat.com. [Online] Shoebat.com, April 24, 2015. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://shoebat.com/2015/04/24/hilary-clinton-christians-in-america-must-deny-their-faith-in-christianity/.

Encouraging One Another: A Study in 1 Thessalonians (Part 6)

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Thessalonians 4:18

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

(ESV)

In a world dominated by hatred, strife, and religious persecution, a word of encouragement is a welcome sight.   Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:18 were directed at the persecuted believers in Thessalonica, and I believe they apply to us living for Christ today.  Therefore, let us take a moment to look at the words Paul told those in Thessalonica so we can use them to encourage one another today.

Paul begins by addressing the question of whether believers who died prior to the second coming of Christ would participate in the second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).  Due to his having to leave before completing his teaching.  Apparently, the new believers in Thessalonica lacked understanding about what happened to believers who died prior to the second coming.  Perhaps there was a false teaching that those who died prior to the second coming of Christ would miss out on the second coming of Christ.  For those living in Thessalonica who experienced the death of believing friends and family, this teaching would have represented a major discouragement. 

While this teaching of the dead in Christ missing out on the second coming is not prevalent in the church today, there are false teachings that can discourage us such as,

1)      We can have no assurance of our salvation – I was raised in a church that taught if we sinned, we would lose our salvation.  It was therefore necessary to confess that sin before something tragic might happen to us causing us to die unsaved and be eternally dammed to hell.  While 1 John 1:9 does tell us that confession of sins is necessary for us to receive forgiveness, the verse is in the context of John addressing believers that had lost their fellowship with God due to sin in their lives, urging them to confess their sin for restoration to full fellowship with God.  It is therefore not necessary for us to be saved all over again and live in fear of possibly dying before we do this but it is only necessary for us to seek forgiveness to be restored to fellowship with God.  This provided great encouragement to me for it freed me from living in constant fear of losing my salvation and allowed me to achieve closer fellowship with God my creator.

2)      Christians must endure the coming Great Tribulation – The debate about whether the church will go through the Great Tribulation or be taken away before it occurs is as old as the church itself.  Some claim that since 1Corinthians 15:52 states that Christ will take both those living and the dead in Christ with him at the sound of the last trumpet, and since Revelations speaks of seven trumpets sounding during the Great Tribulation, Jesus return for His church must occur after the Great Tribulation.  (1)  Others however, I believe Jesus will return for, or rapture His church or bride prior to the Great Tribulation due to scripture telling us (2)

a.       Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-4) (2) – A Jewish groom would leave to prepare a place for him and his bride to live in.  After completion of this place, the groom would suddenly return for his bride.  Since the Great Tribulation period is clearly defined as a seven-year period commencing on an agreement between Israel and the Antichrist, it would not be surprising to Christians having this knowledge that were forced to go through it.

b.       The “rapture” is a secret not revealed in prior ages (1 Corinthians 15:51) (2)

c.       The “rapture” is a quantum event (1 Corinthians15:51-53) (2) – Jesus returns after defeating the Antichrist and will be seen by the entire world.  However, the rapture occurs in the blink of an eye and only seen by those who have either died in Christ or are alive believing in Jesus as their savior.  Therefore, the rapture and the second coming of Christ to establish His Millennial Kingdom must be two separate events occurring at separate times.

d.       The “rapture” is a rescue, not a judgment (Revelation 3:10) (2) – The events of the Great Tribulation are a time of judgment on the world like the judgment of the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-12, Revelation 5-18).  Since Revelation 3:10 promises that the church will escape this time of global judgment, we can surmise this means the church will not be present on the globe during the Great Tribulation.

e.       Paul taught a pre-tribulation rapture (1Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:1-11, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12) (2)

f.        The Church is not mentioned in Revelation 4-22 (2) – The only reason for the church to be absent during this time when it is the main focus of the rest of the New Testament prior to this time is that it is no longer present.

For this reason, I believe Jesus will return to rapture His church prior to the Great Tribulation and find great comfort and encouragement in knowing this.

3)      The Bible contains errors and contradictions – We live in a world of constant change.  Those like myself that live in the United States face this fact each election cycle.  The Word of God, however, is unchanging and provides a stable rock upon which to anchor our souls.  For this reason, any presumed contradiction or error is disturbing to Christians as it represents a crack in the stable rock upon which they have anchored their life.  The good news for Christians is that when these presumed errors and contradictions are viewed in context, referring to the original text, and when the audience to which the text is addressed is considered, the contradiction vanishes.  For example, Ephesians 2:8 tells us that we are not saved by our own works but by the work of Jesus on the cross.  However, James 2:20 tells us that faith without works is dead.  While this appears to be a contradiction, Paul is explaining the process of salvation through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross providing salvation for sins while James is addressing those who are believers already, encouraging them to demonstrate good works because of the grace extended to them through the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  No contradiction here for both passages are addressed to different audiences in different contexts.

Satan will always insure there is false teaching designed to discourage God’s people.  Therefore, it is important for God’s people to expose themselves to the truth of God’s word so it can shed light on the lies of Satan.  We must also set aside a time of solitude with God each day, even if just a few minutes, to talk with him and allow Him to speak with us through His Word.  We also must find encouragement in knowing Jesus is going to return for His church (1 Thessalonians 4:18). 

1. Steps Toward the Mark of the Beast. Why I Believe the Church Will Go Through the Great Tribulation. www.stepstowardthemark.com. [Online] [Cited: October 23, 2016.] http://www.stepstowardthemark.com/id10.html.

2. Bible Truths. 7 reasons the church will not go through the tribulation. www.bibletruths.org. [Online] Bible Truths, June 7, 2015. [Cited: October 23, 2016.] http://www.bibletruths.org/7-reasons-the-church-will-not-go-through-the-tribulation/.

Wanted, Courageous Godly Men

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

(ESV)

This past weekend I attended a men’s conference, yes they still do happen.  The conference began with a man on the street segment asking people when a boy becomes a man.  The answers ranged from one young boy saying manhood began when a boy received his drivers license to one older gentlemen asking if we were to assume all boys actually mature into manhood.  There was also one lady that said maturing into manhood was not a matter of age.  I believe the biblical answer to this question is found in 1 Corinthians 13:11, boys become men when they put away childish things.

One of the main objections many have to Donald Trump is his strong leadership style and his openly, and not politically correct, speaking out on issues he fervently believes in.  As a strong masculine leader, he speaks out believing he can correct these wrongs if given a chance.  I believe this to be true for if it was not, he most likely would have just kept on running his businesses and stayed out of politics.  It has also been so long since the people of the United States have witnessed strong leadership that I believe it concerns, and even scares them.

However, strong leadership alone is not the only answer for much damage has occurred throughout history from strong tyrannical leaders like Napoleon, Hitler, and most recently Stalin.  What our families, churches, nations, and world needs is strong courageous leaders whose strong leadership is tempered by Godly principles.  Godly men who strongly speak and live the truth but in love (Ephesians 4:14-16). 

To determine how to demonstrate strong leadership tempered by love, let us take a few moments to look at three men in the Bible.

1)      Joshua – Acted as Moses right hand man and was among the twelve spies sent in to spy out the Promised Land (Numbers13:1-24).  Even though the land was fruitful as evidenced by the fruit brought back by the 12 spies, there were also giants in the land causing 10 of the 12 spies to report there was no way they could occupy the land.  Only Caleb and Joshua believed God would be with them and help them occupy the land God had promised (Numbers 13:25-33).  Joshua’s belief that the nation of Israel could move forward and occupy what God had promised came from an unwavering belief in God and a dedication to serve Him (Joshua 24:15).

2)      David – A small shepherd boy is hardly who most of us would pick to defeat a nine-foot-tall giant like Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4).  However, David remembered how his God had helped him protect his father’s flock from lions and bears and told King Saul that the uncircumcised Philistine Goliath was just like these lions and bears (1 Samuel 17:31-36).  With just a sling and a stone, along with faith in God, David prevailed against the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:50).

3)      Jesus – Jesus, the very Son of God, left the glory of heaven to become a man just like one of us (John 1:14).  However, unlike us, Jesus lived a sinless life while on the earth (Hebrews 4:15).  In addition, not only did Jesus leave the glory of heaven to become like us, he took upon himself all the sins of humanity and died to fulfill the death penalty for our sin (Romans 5:8).  Jesus is therefore the perfect example of courageous, unselfish, and sacrificial leadership.

Our families, our churches, our communities, our nations, and our world need an infusion of courageous Godly leadership.  We need men like Joshua dedicated to serving God no matter how unpopular it may become, with faith that God’s plans will prevail.  We need men like David dedicated to facing down the giants of the main stream media, liberal educators, and liberal government leaders changing our culture and turning it against Godly principles.  We also need servant leaders like Jesus who are willing to abandon their own self interests in the interest of protecting their families, churches, communities, nations, and even the world against ungodliness.

The question facing men reading this is will you become a courageous Godly leader?  The question facing women reading this is will you support the men in your life who volunteer to become courageous Godly leaders?  Please feel free to comment to this post with your decision to become or support courageous Godly leadership.  

A Life Pleasing to God: A Study of 1 Thessalonians (Part 5)

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Thessalonians 4:1

Finally, then, brothers,^[a] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

(ESV)

Christian living is a balance between grace and truth.  Our salvation from sin is a work of God’s grace and not dependent upon anything we have done (Ephesians 2:8).  However, James 2:17 reminds us that faith without works is dead.  While this may appear to be a contradiction in scripture, when we look at these two passages in context and consider who they were written to, the apparent contradiction vanishes.  Paul is writing to the Church in Ephesus about the redemptive work of Christ in their lives whereas James is speaking to Christians about acting out their faith after experiencing the redemptive work of Christ in their lives.  

The encouraging report from Timothy was pleasing to Paul in that it showed the believers in Thessalonica still wanted to see Paul again (1Thessalonians 3:6).  However, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 expresses he still had concerns regarding how they were living out their faith, in other words were there any good works accompanying their faith a question I believe the church must ask itself today. 

1 Thessalonians 4:3 speaks of sanctification.  Sanctification is the setting apart of something in service to God.  Paul’s desire was that the church, even though those in it are saved by grace, set itself apart from the rest of the world by living lives of holiness that have a higher standard.  Unfortunately, however, in many churches today there is little difference between how their members live Monday through Saturday and nonbelievers.  As members of the body of Christ we are to,

1)      Abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians4:3-8) – Unfortunately the current election has deviated from a discussion on which direction the country should take and devolved into a debate over lewd sexual comments by Donald Trump and the enabling of sexually perverted behavior by the husband of Hillary Clinton.  Let us therefore as Christians striving to live lives pleasing to God return the discussion among our friends, family, co-workers, and fellow believers to important issues like the economy, national security, and protecting our Constitutional rights including the right of the freedom to practice our religion. 

2)      Love one another (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10) – There is no lack of hate in our world.  We have hatred rooted in racism, hatred rooted in gender, and even generational hatred.  Unfortunately, if the world sees similar hatred in the church, why would they want to become part of it by accepting Jesus as their savior.  Jesus taught His disciples in John 13:35 that it is love for one another that differentiates the church from the world.  Living a life pleasing to God therefore must involve the church putting aside its petty differences and unifying around its mission, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15).

3)      Live quiet lives, minding our own affairs – (1 Thessalonians 4:11a) While social media makes it easy for us to keep up with friends, it also gives people the opportunity to vent from behind the keyboard in a manner they probably would not do face-to-face.  Before hitting send I urge my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to pause and make sure what they are about to send is not something incendiary or gossip.  

4)      Work diligently (1 Thessalonians 4:11b) – We tarnish our witness for Christ when we slack off at work.  Most of us are not missionaries traveling to foreign countries to minister but we do have a mission field, our workplace.  When our co-workers see us slacking off by sharing our faith or studying our Bible on our employer’s time, they see Christianity as an excuse to be lazy instead of a life changing relationship with God. 

5)      Be good citizens dependent on no one but God (1Thessalonians 4:12) – Let us be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) in how we conduct our daily lives while standing strong against sinful behavior.  This means we are not to start heated arguments with nonbelievers but to instead peacefully share the truth of God’s word with them so the Holy Spirit can convict them of their sin and point them to the source of their salvation, the graceful work of Jesus Christ on the cross. 

We are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).  However, when we fail to live lives of sanctification for God, we in essence hide our light.  Let us therefore strive to live lives of sanctification as Paul taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 so the light of the gospel within us can shine brightly.  

Clinton Goes Fishing

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 4:18-19

¹⁸ While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

(ESV)

Jesus’ last words to his followers was the Great Commission where Jesus told them to take the Gospel to the world (Mark 16:15).  Interestingly Jesus first words to His Disciples was that they would become fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).  In essence Jesus’ ministry was one of teaching His disciples to spread the Gospel around the world or become fishers of men.

I remember going fishing with my dad one time.  It was not a good day for us for we were unable to catch anything.  However, another person fishing along the same shore was reeling in one catfish after another.  We went over to ask this other fisherman what he was using for bait and it soon became obvious we were using the wrong bait. 

Just as using the correct bait is important for fishing, fishing for men also requires using the correct bait.  This is why I like the Roman Road when sharing the gospel with others.  If you are not familiar with this, let’s take a moment to look at it.

1)      We all have sinned (Romans 3:23) – The only sinless man to ever walk the face of the earth was Jesus Christ.  This means that the rest of us have sin in our lives that separates us from God. 

2)      The penalty for our sin is death (Romans 6:23) – Sinning against God is a capital offence.  Since we all have sinned, we all carry a death sentence in our lives.  However, there is hope for God loves us and demonstrated that love by making Jesus, the only sinless man, a substitute for our death penalty (Romans 5:8-9)

3)      We are saved when we take the bait by accepting the substitutional death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins (Romans 10:9-10).

The difference between fishing for fish and fishing for men is that when fishing the bait is attached to a hook and results in the fish being caught and possibly becoming dinner whereas taking the bait of Christ’s death leads to eternal life (John 3:16).  When it comes to our salvation, taking the bait is good but in a heated political campaign, taking delicious looking bait can become a disaster. 

The strategy of Hillary Clinton in the first debate was to “get under Donald Trump’s skin” and provoke him into losing his temper.  (1)  After the debate the Clintons dangled the bait of comments made to Miss Universe regarding her weight and unfortunately Donald Trump took the bait and stopped talking about issues important to voters, and instead wasted time defending himself. 

Now we have the issue of lewd comments about women made by Trump into an open mic.  While is find his comments disgusting, the timing of their release just before the second debate are another piece of bait designed to take the subject of the debate off of issues important to voters like the economy, national security, and law and order.  Since the Clinton candidacy promises more of the same policies that have failed the last eight years, they must take the debate off of these issues and instead dangle the bait of Donald Trump’s temperament hoping Trump will come unhinged causing his supporters to stay home on Election Day.

While I find Mr. Trumps comments disgusting, my intention to vote for Donald Trump is not because he is perfect.  I am voting for Donald Trump to prevent Hillary Clinton from winning and continuing the downward death spiral the United States is currently in for a Hillary Clinton Presidency promises,

1)      Higher taxes that will destroy economic growth and innovation which is necessary to create jobs for the millions currently not in the labor force who want to work and those currently forced to work part time and who are underemployed.  (2)

2)      Increased regulations, especially on energy production.  In fact, Hillary Clinton, in a moment of honesty, declared her intention to cause coal miners to lose their jobs.  (3) Of course the spin on this comment is that these unemployed coal miners will find jobs in renewable energy.  The problem is that the Obama administration has already tried this and the result was the companies going under leaving taxpayers with the bill.  (4) (5)

3)      Asking Christians to soften their stance on issues like abortion and gay marriage.  In fact, Hillary Clinton has already asked Christians deny their faith while seeking office.  (6)  Since churches and religious organizations presently enjoy a tax exempt status with the IRS, look for a Hillary Clinton presidency to threaten the loss of this exemption unless churches and religious organizations abandon their stance against abortion and gay marriage.  After all, liberals like Hillary Clinton seem to have no problem using the IRS to go against their political enemies.  (7)

While the comments of Donald Trump are disgusting, the job killing taxes and regulations of a Hillary Clinton presidency coupled with her asking Christians to deny their faith is extremely dangerous.  Both candidates are imperfect sinful human beings as are we all, however, I believe God has given voters in the United States a privilege of selecting their leaders.  We therefore have a responsibility to vote even though our choices are always imperfect people with sin in their lives.  That is why I will vote this election and vote for the imperfect candidate I believe will best lead the nation.  That is why I will vote for Donald Trump in spite of his imperfections and urge those that love God and our nation to do the same. 

I also encourage my fellow Christians to fast and pray for our nation.  Our nation has drifted from the Godly principles upon which it was founded and is in dire need of a spiritual revival returning it to the Godly principals that made it great.  We are not just in an electoral battle but a spiritual battle like Daniel experienced (Daniel 10:1-14).  Let us therefore be like Nehemiah, a Godly man and not a religious leader who upon seeing the fallen state of Jerusalem was driven to his knees in prayer (Nehemiah 1) for that is the only thing that will make America Great again. 

1. Allen, Nick. How Hillary Clinton plans to 'get under Donald Trump's skin' in Monday night's presidential debate. www.telegraph.com. [Online] The Telegraph, September 24, 2016. [Cited: October 8, 2016.] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/24/how-hillary-clinton-plans-to-get-under-donald-trumps-skin-in-mon/.

2. The Wall Street Journal. September Jobs Report. blogs.wsj.com. [Online] The Wall Street Journal, October 7, 2016. [Cited: October 8, 2016.] http://blogs.wsj.com/briefly/2016/10/07/september-jobs-report-the-numbers-2/.

3. Leahy, Michael Patrick. Hillary Clinton Promise: ‘We’re Going to Put a Lot of Coal Miners and Coal Companies Out of Business’. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, March 14, 2016. [Cited: August 26, 2016.] http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/03/14/hillary-clinton-promise-were-going-to-put-a-lot-of-coal-companies-and-coal-miners-out-of-business/.

4. USA Politics. List of Failed Obama Green Energy & Solar Companies in the Billions. usapolitics.thoughts.com. [Online] USA Politics, March 17, 2016. [Cited: October 8, 2016.] http://usapolitics.thoughts.com/posts/list-of-failed-obama-green-energy-solar-companies-in-the-billions.

5. Dinan, Steven. Obama clean energy loans leave taxpayers in $2.2 billion hole. www.washingtontimes.com. [Online] The Washington Times, April 27, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2016.] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/27/obama-backed-green-energy-failures-leave-taxpayers/.

6. Shoebat, Theodore. Hilary Clinton: Christians In America Must Deny Their Faith In Christianity. shoebat.com. [Online] Shoebat.com, April 24, 2015. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://shoebat.com/2015/04/24/hilary-clinton-christians-in-america-must-deny-their-faith-in-christianity/.

7. The Washington Times. IRS finally reveals list of tea party groups targeted for extra scrutiny. www.washingtontimes.com. [Online] The Washington Times, June 5, 2016. [Cited: October 8, 2016.] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jun/5/irs-reveals-list-of-tea-party-groups-targeted-for-/.

An Encouraging Report in Troubled Times: A Study of 1 Thessalonians (Part 4)

By:  Dale Weckbacher   

1 Thessalonians 3:6-7

⁶ But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— ⁷ for this reason, brothers,^[b] in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.

(ESV)

In our negative driven media world, it is always good to get some good news.  After the chaos surrounding the initial founding of the church in Thessalonica, Paul might have expected a bad report from Timothy.  Instead, Paul received a good report (1 Thessalonians 3:6).  Paul goes on to tell them how much the good news from Timothy brought him comfort in a time of great affliction (1Thessalonians 3:7).

This comforting report brought both joy to Paul along with making him thankful to God (1 Thessalonians 3:8-9).  Paul then expresses his continued desire to see them face to face praying that God will somehow provide a way for that visit to occur (1 Thessalonians 3:10-11).  Chapter three then concludes with Paul’s prayer that the church in Thessalonica would increase and abound in love for each other and for all and that God would establish their heart blameless in holiness before God when Jesus returns for all his saints (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13). 

If there is anything lacking during this election cycle, it is any good or encouraging news.  Instead the electorate is deluged with constant attacks by candidates at each other through commercials that seem to come up every five minutes.  All I can say is praise the Lord for DVR’s that allow us to record our favorite programs and fast forward through the commercials.  For this reason, I would like to take the rest of this posting and share some good news during these troubling times.

1)      Jesus is still on the throne (Hebrews 6:13-20) – Jesus, unlike any earthly high priest that preceded Him, is high priest forever.  This is because he is not some earthly high priest requiring atonement for his own sins through annual animal sacrifices but instead is a sinless high priest who once and for all offered Himself up as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 10:1-10).  In other words, when we accepted Jesus as our savior, no matter what may occur to us or in our world, we know without any doubt that we will spend eternity with Jesus Christ as he reigns eternally on His throne.

2)      If we truly love Christ, all that happens in our lives will work for our good (Romans 8:28) – While this verse is often used to bring comfort to those experiencing struggles in their lives, it can also cause us to wonder how in the world this current suffering we are in could ever be for our good.  This is because our view is limited to our present situation whereas God sees things on an eternal level and knows the outcome.  We therefore can take Romans 8:28 on faith and trust God that there will be a good outcome. 

3)      God is with us (Psalm 23:4) – God is omnipresent which means he is everywhere all the time.  Our human minds cannot come close to comprehending someone having the ability to be everywhere so it is easy to begin to believe God is not with us when times get tough.  However, just as our limited view does not allow us to see the good outcome of our struggles, it does not allow us to comprehend God always being with everyone wherever they are at any given time.  However, even though we cannot comprehend how God can be omnipresent, we must take it on faith that he is and that he is always with us.

4)      God loves us and sent His Son Jesus to save us (John 3:16-17) – Most Christians and even some non-Christians can recite John3:16 from memory.  However, John 3:17 expounds on the thought of John 3:16 by telling us that God did not sent His Son Jesus to condemn us but to save us.  While this primarily refers to Jesus saving us from our sins through His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10), it also refers to his being with us to save us in times of trouble in our lives (2 Corinthians 1:8-11). 

Therefore, do not let us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior walk around with frowns on our face like the rest of the world believing all is lost.  Instead, let us go around with smiles on our faces knowing our God is still on the throne, that all that is happening is somehow part of His plan, remembering he is always with us, and that Jesus loves us and came to save, not condemn us.  Then let us share this good report with others so they too can share in the joy and thanksgiving to God we have in knowing our sins are forgiven. 

However, perhaps you are reading this posting and have never given your life to God by accepting the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus, for your sins.  If that is you I encourage you to pray the following prayer with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations, all of the good promises previously mentioned in this post now apply in our life as well.  Now I encourage you to share this good report by either sharing this post with others through twitter, Facebook or email or by sending them to needanswers.com.  

Time to Drop Anchor

Hebrews 6:19-20

¹⁹ We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

(ESV)

It seems that in this election we find ourselves in a tumultuous political storm.  Many fear the country will perish and that they will lose everything they have worked for.  Others, who have decided to trust in government to care for them through some entitlement program fear the election of someone that will do away with these programs.  Scripture tells us that God is not the source of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), so if we are feeling fear for any reason this election, that feeling is not from God. 

Mark 4:35-41 records the account of the disciples and Jesus in a severe storm.  Just as many have fear in this electoral season, the disciples feared they would perish in the storm.  However, Jesus is asleep in the stern of the boat.  The disciples, most likely not understanding and probably angry at Jesus’ lack of concern at their plight, wake Jesus up and question his concern for their plight.  I picture Jesus calmly getting up, raising his hands, and commanding the storm to stop.  Of course, as God, the storm had to obey Jesus’ command. 

In the tumultuous political storm and the storm of cultural upheaval in which we now find ourselves, I believe we can learn much from the account of the calming of the storm.  

1)      Jesus was with them (Mark 4:38) – While consumed with fear, the disciples forgot that Jesus, God in the flesh, was with them.  It is easy for us to get caught up in the political rhetoric of our times or to become angered as we witness our culture turning its back on God.  However, no matter how tumultuous the storm is, Jesus is with us and he will be at peace because he is never surprised by what is happening in our world.

2)      The disciples called out to Jesus (Mark 4:38) – While consumed with fear, the disciples, maybe just one of them, finally realized that Jesus was with them.  Even though the manner in which they called out to them implies they were angered at his apparent lackadaisical attitude towards their situation, the fact is that they did call out to Jesus.

3)      Jesus calmed the storm and they were saved (Mark4:39) – In spite of the fear of the disciples and their apparent lack of faith, Jesus answered their cry for help and calmed the storm. 

Hebrews 6:19-20 reminds us that we have an anchor for our souls in Jesus our Savior.  However, we only have this anchor if we have decided to make Jesus our Savior and taken refuge in Him (Hebrews 6:18).  During these tumultuous times, it has never been more important for us to each drop anchor by taking refuge in Jesus by inviting him to be our savior.  If you have not already taken refuge in Jesus, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations on your decision to drop anchor in the rock that gives stability during these tumultuous times.  I now encourage everyone that either just made Jesus their Savior, or those of us that have had Jesus as our savior for some time to drop anchor by.

1)      Remembering Jesus is always with us no matter how tumultuous the storm is.

2)      Making calling out and praying to God our first reaction when we begin to experience fear or anger.

3)      Remembering that even when our faith seems weak and we are full of fear, Jesus is gracious and hears our prayers and is ready to calm the storm in which we find ourselves. 

Join me in praying for this election in the United States knowing that whoever wins, it is not a surprise to God and in fact is part of his grand plan.  Pray knowing Jesus is with His people and no matter what storm may arise due to the results of the election, Jesus is there primed and ready to calm the storm.  Pray knowing that Jesus is going to return and straighten everything out (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).  

The Desire of an Apostle: A Study of Thessalonians (Part 3)

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Thessalonians 2:17

 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face,

(ESV)

The tumultuous start of the church in Thessalonica left the Apostle Paul with many concerns (Acts 17:1-10).  Would these new believers revert back to the pagan worship when faced with persecution from both the Jews of the city and the Roman authorities?  He most likely had concerns for their safety.  Perhaps believing his return to the city would once again stir up trouble, Paul sent his trusted coworker in Christ, Timothy, to finish the establishment and exhortation of the church. 

While leading others to Christ, the Great Commission, is the primary purpose of the church, the strength and stability of the church is in establishing and exhorting those in the church with the Word of God.  As we see the increased secularization of our society with even one of our current presidential candidates calling on Christian to soften their beliefs, (1) strengthening of believers through solid biblical teaching is even more important.  While we currently do not face hard persecution for our faith in the United States as Christians do in some parts of the world, (2) Christians in the United States are facing growing intolerance (3) that has manifested itself in economic persecution for some (4) and social rejection for many of us. 

While Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world with the promise he overcame the world (John 16:33), pastors must have the heart and desire of an apostle and insure their flocks are strong and prepared to face the troubles of modern society.  Paul’s desire was,

1)      To have a face to face meeting with the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18) – The abrupt separation of Paul from the new believers in Thessalonica left Paul with an eager desire to check on their well-being but he was hindered by Satan.  Paul considered those coming to know Christ through his sharing the Gospel with them his greatest joy and glory.  Is that the greatest joy we have as church leaders today?

2)      To experience the joy of seeing others grow in their relationship with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20) – Having been educated as a Pharisee (Philippians 3:4-5), Paul could have found joy in his vast knowledge of scripture but considered this a confidence in the flesh.  Instead, Paul found his greatest joy in seeing those he led to Christ through his ministry grow in their knowledge of scripture as his greatest joy.  Do we as church leaders today gauge church growth by numbers or by the spiritual growth of the flock. 

3)      Not to let Satan’s hindering his face to face meeting stop him from checking on the well-being of the new believers in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:1-5) – As we saw from our recent study of 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul had great trust in Timothy.  It is therefore not surprising that in his inability to meet them face to face, Paul sent his trusted coworker to check on the well-being of the new believers in Thessalonica.  As we experience growth in our churches, these churches grow to the point where the senior pastor can no longer be involved in all church activity in a hands on basis.  Therefore, it is necessary for these pastors to delegate to trusted associate pastors, deacons, and elders.  However, it is important for these pastors to insure those they delegate to are people they can trust to carry on the work and not attempt to circumvent the mission of the church by engaging in some power struggle. 

Paul’s ministry was a ministry of spreading the Gospel to the ends of the known world at his time as evidenced by his missionary journeys.  However, he also had a strong desire to see those receiving Jesus as the Savior grow in the faith and knowledge of the Word.  Paul never just came to town and left without insuring the establishment and encouragement of those he led to Christ.  It is this strong desire that caused his concern in Thessalonica due to his sudden departure from them. 

As we begin to see increasing persecution and intolerance in the world today aimed at Christians, we too must share the desire of the Apostle Paul and insure the members of our churches and our fellow Christians are established and encouraged in their faith. 

1. Shoebat, Theodore. Hilary Clinton: Christians In America Must Deny Their Faith In Christianity. shoebat.com. [Online] Shoebat.com, April 24, 2015. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://shoebat.com/2015/04/24/hilary-clinton-christians-in-america-must-deny-their-faith-in-christianity/.

2. Edmunds, Donna Rachael. Christian Persecution Reaches Global Historic High, Thanks to Rise of Radical Islam. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, January 14, 2016. [Cited: October 2, 2016.] http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/01/14/christian-persecution-reaches-global-historic-high-thanks-to-rise-of-radical-islam/.

3. Richardson, Bradford. Persecution of Christians is on the rise, Americans say. www.washingtontimes.com. [Online] The Washington Times, April 5, 2016. [Cited: October 2, 2016.] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/5/christians-facing-increased-persecution-america-po/.

4. Fox News. Oregon bakery owners pay more than $135G in damages over refusal to make cake for gay wedding. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, December 29, 2015. [Cited: September 10, 2016.] http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/29/oregon-bakery-owners-pay-more-than-135g-in-damages-over-refusal-to-make-cake-for-gay-wedding.html.

Making the Connection.

By: Dale Weckbacher

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

(ESV)

Christianity is unique in that God left heaven in the person of Jesus Christ and came to be with us.  Not only did he come to be with us but he also took on human form exposing Himself to the same physical, emotional, and spiritual pain as well as temptations that we face.  In essence, God made the connection with His fallen creation. 

The only difference according to what Hebrews 4:15 tells us is that in His humanity, Jesus never sinned.  This absence of sin in His life made Jesus the perfect Lamb of God for the atonement of the sins of fallen humanity.  However, Jesus is a perfect gentleman as well and honors our individual freedom of choice.  In other words, to redeem the gift of salvation for our sins and its reward of eternal life (John3:16), we must decide to accept the gift. 

Receiving this gift of salvation and making a personal connection with God is simple for Jesus death on the cross did all the work (John 19:30).  All one has to do to receive this gift is ask so if you are reading this and have not made the connection with God by asking Jesus to forgive your sins, please pray with me now.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations, you have now made a connection with God your creator.  Your sins have been forgiven and you now have eternal life with Jesus to look forward to in your life.  I now encourage you to click on the link for needanswers.com where you will find a link to an online Bible as well as an affordable print version.  There is also a link to help you find a church in your area where you can learn more about God since you have a direct connection with Him in your life now.  In addition, you can download the free YouVersion Bible app on your phone or mobile device. 

Political candidates also face the challenge of making a connection with voters.  Candidates attempt to make this connection by promising things if they are elected to office.  In this Monday’s Presidential debate both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump attempted to make this connection with voters.  The question we must answer is which candidate made a connection with the greatest number of voters, bringing them victory on Election Day.

Hillary Clinton’s big government agenda promising higher taxes on the wealthy, greater environmental regulations, and things like free college education, free healthcare, free child care etc. connects with voters that place their trust in government to provide for their needs.   This is identical to the Obama agenda which has resulted in

1)      A record low labor participation rate.  (1)

2)      Record numbers of people on food stamps.  (2)

3)      Record debt driven by continual budget deficits.  (3) (4)

While Hillary Clinton made a connection with many voters, the results of a Hillary Clinton presidency will most likely be continuing low labor participation rates and increasing numbers of families needing food stamps.  This will result in fewer people with taxable income and thus reduced revenues to government plus increased spending as an increasing number of individuals and families require some government entitlement program for their survival.  The result will be continuing deficits increasing the debt which will need to be paid for by future generations. 

Donald Trump’s agenda promises to make America great again.  However, his agenda is to accomplish this through stimulation of the private sector.  This stimulation will occur through tax cuts for job creation for both large and small businesses as well as lessening growth stopping regulations that are strangling innovation and business growth.  Donald Trump is gaining support this election by connecting with voters desiring to achieve the American Dream, not through the help of some government program, but through their own hard work and effort. 

Donald Trump’s plan will result in an increased labor participation rate.  With more people working and earning a paycheck, fewer people will require a government entitlement program to survive.  This increase in revenue by more people earning a paycheck and paying taxes coupled with reduced spending through fewer people on government entitlement programs will eliminate deficits and make it possible to reduce the burden of debt on future generations.  (5)

However, did either of the candidates make a connection with evangelical Christians in the debate?  The answer to that question is no since the question never came up.  However, Donald Trump did promise to protect Christians during a speech at Liberty University.  (6)  On the other hand, Hillary Clinton has said that Christian beliefs such as being pro-life must change.  (7)  While there was no connection made during the debate, it is obviously clear that Donald Trump, and not Hillary Clinton is interested in protecting the religious liberties and free speech rights of evangelical Christians.  While evangelical Christians would prefer a devout Christian candidate, what we must always support and vote for are leaders vowing to protect the rights of Christians. 

This election, I urge everyone to vote for the candidate they believe makes the greatest connection with them.  If they want a cradle to grave safety hammock of comfort through government taking care of them, with no regard for the massive debt it will create for their children, the candidate is Hillary Clinton.  However, if you desire a country where each individual can pursue their individual dreams, and protect their religious liberties, Donald Trump is the choice. 

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject. data.bls.gov. [Online] United States Department of Labor, September 27, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000.

2. Kangadis, Nick. Food Stamp Users Near Record High Despite Low Unemployment Rate. www.mrctv.org. [Online] MRCTV, February 29, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://www.mrctv.org/blog/despite-low-unemployment-rate-food-stamp-users-remains-near-all-time-high.

3. Painin, Eric. CBO Warns Congressional Spending Is Driving Up the Deficit. www.thefiscaltimes.com. [Online] The Fiscal Times, January 19, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/01/19/CBO-Warns-Congressional-Spending-Driving-Deficit.

4. Amadeo, Kimberly. The Difference Between the Deficit and the Debt. www.thebalance.com. [Online] The Balance, September 8, 2016. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] https://www.thebalance.com/deficit-vs-debt-how-they-affect-each-other-and-economy-3305779.

5. Patton, Mike. Do Tax Cuts Increase Government Revenue? www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, October 15, 2012. [Cited: September 27, 2016.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikepatton/2012/10/15/do-tax-cuts-increase-government-revenue/#23e23b5148a3.

6. Grossman, Cathy Lynn. ‘I will protect Christians,’ Donald Trump tells Liberty University students. religionnews.com. [Online] Religion News Service, January 18, 2016. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://religionnews.com/2016/01/18/donald-trump-liberty-university-evangelicals/.

7. Shoebat, Theodore. Hilary Clinton: Christians In America Must Deny Their Faith In Christianity. shoebat.com. [Online] Shoebat.com, April 24, 2015. [Cited: September 28, 2016.] http://shoebat.com/2015/04/24/hilary-clinton-christians-in-america-must-deny-their-faith-in-christianity/.