I had a rough day yesterday.  Nothing particularly terrible happened; it was a fairly normal day, in fact.  Wake up.  Breakfast.  Sit down to write.  Delete everything I just wrote.  Try again.  Fail.  Go to work.   Yeah, pretty normal.   I don’t know what it was.  Less than a month ago I missed an entire night’s sleep because I could not praise and thank God enough.   Yesterday I wanted to throw every last possession through my window and yell, “There! Everything else is gone, Lord, and I am ready to follow! Just lead me somewhere!” And I heard nothing.

Answer me quickly, LORD, my spirit fails.  Don’t hide your face from me, or I will be like those going down into the Pit.  Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You.  Reveal to me the way I should go, because I long for You. — Psalms 143:7-8

I think I just felt alone yesterday.  I guess I have felt that way for a couple of days now.  Have you ever been in that place where you just feel cut off from the rest of the world?  Even when you have seen most everyone within the last week?  That is exactly where I am right now.  Communication has not ceased, but I feel like connection has.

I wish it were only people from whom I feel disconnected.  If I could hear God speaking to me, telling me that He still loves me even when I’m alone, I think I would be fine.   But I cannot even hear that.  I feel just like David in the end of Psalm 42: I will say to God, my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?  Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”…Why am I so depressed?  Why is this turmoil within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God. (vs. 9,11).

I realize that a good portion of this is my fault.  I have not initiated communication (both worldly and spiritually) like I should be.  If I want to make a connection, I am going to have to take the first step, I get it.   But it just feels so good to have other people desire to connect with me, you know?  In fact, one of the highlights of my day yesterday was a good friend writing on my Facebook wall.  Nothing deep, just saying hi, but it brought a really big smile to my face.  So thanks to her!  I know that everyone is busy, especially this time of year, so I am going to make more of an effort to let the people I care about know that they are special to me.  Not quite the same as having them tell me, but at least it will spark some dialogue, which will do for now.

I wish I had an inspirational verse to close this with, but in truth, they are still ringing hollow in my ears.  Even the last few lines of Psalm 42, which I quoted earlier, only provides a little bit of comfort.  I know that God has not abandoned me, but I still feel disconnected.  I will do the only thing that I know to do, because I know that it will work no matter how far off it seems, and that is to continue to seek the presence of God.

I know that each of you has felt like this before. What do you guys do when you feel alone and disconnected? Do you have any particular Scripture that you like to read? Any special tips for staying connected through the chaos of the holidays?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

However, it seems that I caught a little bit of spirit today.  It was not Christmas spirit (sorry, mom) but rather the spirit of the less-tinselly holiday of the season: Thanksgiving.  I am not entirely sure what sparked it, but at about 1AM this morning a feeling of thanks just descended upon me as I sat in front of my computer.  And it has not left me all day.  I have found myself thanking God for everything that even comes into my field of vision, and it has been wonderful.

“Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High.”  Psalms 50:14

Gratitude is a funny thing.  As I thanked God today for everything from turtles to dirt to protecting me as I was pulling electrical wires, I noticed that I really had no room for negative feelings.  I have been quite stressed and anxious about a couple of things (mostly my distinct lack of full-time employment) for the past few months and, for the first time that I can recall, I was not even thinking about them today.  I just did not have time to worry about those little things; I had to give thanks for all that He has given me!

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 4:6-7

Today has been wonderful.  My prayer is that this overwhelming gratitude will not depart from my spirit.  I realize that God has blessed me beyond all human measure and that He will continue to send those blessings my way simply because He loves me.  My God, thank you for not abandoning me during a time of despair.  Thank you for taking care of every need in the way that you see fit.  Thank You for loving me as one of your children.  But most of all, thank you for loving me enough to send your Son so that, one day, I can say “Thank You” to your face.

So, we all made it through another election! I have not heard any news reports of mass rioting and looting across the nation, so all seems well for the time being. Seriously, though, I think everyone is fully aware of the gravity of yesterday’s election. These United States are stepping into a new era, an era that will (hopefully) enter the history books as a time of change for the betterment of its people.

A congratulations is in order for President-elect Obama. He ran a very good campaign, one that was well-planned and and implemented in a way that managed to have voters turn out in record numbers. He ran a relatively-clean campaign and managed to focus most of his advertisements on the positive aspects of his own campaign rather than the negative portions of the McCain-Palin ticket. That grace was certainly not reciprocated, and I tip my hat to Obama’s campaign manager for not stooping to his opponent’s level.

I am anxious to see what policies will be enacted during his administration. There is no doubt in my mind that there will be some large changes to the way our society operates, both good and bad. Mr. Obama has never shied away from voicing his pro-choice beliefs, so hopes that Roe v. Wade will be overturned can most likely be shelved until the election of 2016. On the other hand, I believe that the poor and underprivileged in this country have been marginalized and financially raped by greedy heads of large corporate entities, and I truly hope that a Democratic White House will do its best to keep these vultures at bay. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will happen, but it has a historically better chance than if a Republican president was elected.

Well then, regardless of your opinions about his policies of qualifications for the office, there can be no argument that Mr. Obama has claimed a hands-down victory for the White House. So, what does the Bible tell us, as Christians, about our responsibility to a figure of authority? How are we to support future President Obama? By praying for him (I Timothy 2:1-8), submitting (yep, it says that) to him (Titus 3:1-2, Romans 13:1-7), honoring him (I Peter 2:13-18), and by seeking righteousness for the entire nation (Proverbs 14:34).

Another overarching theme found in nearly all of the aforementioned verses is the command to us that we are to refrain from slanderous speech and arguing amongst one another. The call for bipartisanship has become such a political cliché, but the Bible commands just that. And so does common sense. The election is over and Barak Obama is going to be our new president in two months. Short of tragedy, nothing is going to change that. So it is in our best interest, as both Christians and citizens of the greatest nation of the world, to come together with those who voted differently than us and pray that Mr. Obama, his cabinet, and his advisors are sympathetic to the direction of our God. Submit to their authority unless it directly contradicts the commands of the Lord. And use the next eight years to show that Christianity is a religion of peace and love, not hate, bigotry, and ignorance.

God has placed in the position of power the man that He wants in power. Nothing happens in this universe that God did not directly cause to happen. We have no reason to fear the coming administration. We know that God’s plan is not always obvious to our finite and simple minds. But we can have faith. We can have faith to know that He is in control and that, whatever happens, it will all culminate in in Christ’s return to this earth to bring His faithful back to worship the Father for all of eternity. And that, my friends, is a pretty happy ending.

I assume that you all have heard the phrase “God helps those who help themselves.” Many believe that this quote comes from the Bible, and, at first glance, it seems to be harmless. After all, Proverbs 6 warns against laziness by honoring the work ethic of the ant and in Matthew 25, Christ presents two parables that speak of the virtues of preparation and hard work. In truth, however, this phrase is not in the Bible at all; Benjamin Franklin coined the phrase in Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1735.

And, honestly, how much further from the truth of our Lord can a phrase be? God helps those who help themselves? No! Our Lord helps those who cannot help themselves! Jesus healed the lame man at the pool at Bethesda (John 5:1-8). He healed the paralytic man whose friends lowered him through the roof in Capernaum (Mark 2:1-5). And He healed you and I, desperate and wicked sinners who had no hope of ever spending eternity with our God and Creator. He gave His life so that we might be freed from the bondage of our sins and know the joy of being able to boldly approach the Father and be presented holy, faultless, and blameless before Him.

Unfortunately, that phrase has a tendency to creep into our everyday speech and it is rarely spoken in a loving manner. The homeless, the prostitutes, the addicts…they can all be written off because they are obviously not helping themselves. That is not how our Saviour sees them. Thankfully, that is not how our Saviour sees us. I challenge you to try to become more like Christ in this way: help the helpless just as Christ did for you.

How do you feel about the phrase “God helps those who helps themselves?” Is there a bit of truth to it? Is it completely true?  I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the garbage pile in order to seat them among nobles… Psalm 113:7

Today is Blog Action Day 2008. Thousands of bloggers around the globe are focusing their attention on Poverty to raise awareness for the poor and downtrodden. The eradication of global poverty seems to be a gargantuan task, but there are little things that each of us can do to help out a little bit at a time.

“OK, OK,” you say, “hold up right there, dude. How can I (and heck, why should I) help with poverty when I’m on the verge myself? My stocks just crashed through the floor!” Well hang on there, cowboy; I’m about to tell ya.

I know that many of us are feeling the pressure of the economic downturn of the past couple of years. Gas is still (relatively) astronomically-priced, nobody can get a mortgage loan, and new jobs are seemingly a thing of the past. But believe me, God has blessed us tremendously and we have a responsibility to help those who are less fortunate. So, without any further ado, here are a couple of ways you and your friends can help combat poverty both in the United States and around the world:

• Become a mentor- Check out some place like Big Brother Big Sister of America. There are tons of underprivileged children in your city that just need someone to hang out with and teach them about life.

• Donate clothing- There are tons of places to donate all types of clothing. Check out Dress for Success or Nashville-based Soles4Souls.

• Join a relief organization- I’m sure your local church has a relief program that sends teams to help whenever disaster strikes across the country. If you are connected to a local church, check out organizations like the Peace Corps.

• Donate a micro loan- Check out organizations like Kiva that let you donate small amounts of money toward and entrepreneurial venture in a third-world country.

So there you go, tons of ways you can help fight poverty by doing something little. Don’t sit back and wait to do something. Go now and spread the love of Christ through your actions.

He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. Proverbs 28:27 (NIV)

OK, is anybody else sick of the political junk that the two parties have been spewing forth in an effort to earn our pen-stroke on a tiny piece of paper? If you are like me, you just jumped up and yelled “Yes!” at the top of your lungs. The red and blue propaganda has somehow fused together into an unintelligible pile of purple crap. If that sounds like you then pay attention; I’m about to break this down better than a pre-1991 rapper.

I hate to break this to everyone, but I don’t think that Jesus is a Republican or a Democrat. I’m not even sure he’s registered to vote in the United States, but I’ll check and get back with you later. “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” was not an endorsement…in fact, when I read that passage I hear a twinge of sarcasm in his voice. I seriously doubt that God is worried about who is going to be in the White House for the next 4 to 8 years. It’s not like we are going to throw God a curve ball and He will have to change His swing to make His plan happen. No, God will put into power whomever God wants in power.

Now, that is not to say that Christians do not have a responsibility in the election process, because we do. Our votes need to align with the teachings of Christ so that his kingdom may come to earth as it is in heaven. I know, I know, that’s a tough one. Vote Democrat and the Freedom of Choice Act gets signed. Vote Republican and the poor of the country have a good chance of getting marginalized and ignored. How are we supposed to make that kind of judgement call?!

We aren’t. God is. Just pray. I promise that if you truly seek the will of God during the next several weeks, He will direct your path to the polls.

This article is the first of several being written about a Christian’s responsibility during the election season. I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings about political matters.

It truly pains me to see a pastor entrenched in a legal battle over something so simple as providing aid for the homeless. But at the same time, it is very encouraging to know that there is someone in this country who is willing to stand up and shout: “My God’s laws supersede those of your township, and I will live my life in accordance with His plan and vision!”

This is a perfect example of Acts 5:29 in action. The Sanhedrin walked in on the apostles preaching and demanded that they cease immediately. “But Peter and the apostles replied, ‘We must obey God rather than men’” (Holman CSB). Yes, God commands us to obey those He has placed in authority over us, but His law is greater. We cannot sit idly by and watch our nation become so corrupted and secular that it becomes illegal to love! In Matthew 22, Christ commands to love the Lord our God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. He even goes on to say that all (not some, not most) of the Law depends on these two commandments. If we fail to show God’s love to each and every one of our fellow humans, it is all for naught. Never forget the love that God has shown all of us, and never forget to share it with your community.

What do you think? Should churches be allowed to house homeless even though it may go against city zoning ordinances? Where should the line be drawn for civil disobedience?