This was passed to me and I thought it worth
sharing. Vicki
We appreciate the ministry of Chuck Colson who
heads the
ministries called "Prison Fellowship" and "Break Point" and
felt
that the following message from him should be passed on
as this weeks A
Moment to Consider.
One of our readers this week wrote complaining that
we
should keep Religion out of politics following our suggestion
that
before voting we should each pray and ask God who He
would have us vote
for.
The Bible actually instructs us that we need to pray daily
asking for
wisdom to get through the coming
day.
----------------------------------------------------------
The Day
After
Break Point
By: Chuck Colson - November 5,
2008
----------------------------------------------------------
Whether
you voted for Barack Obama or John McCain,
whether you're recovering from
your all-night celebration or
drying the tears from your pillow, today's a
good day to
remember the words of the apostle Paul: "I urge, then, first
of
all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be
made for
everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that
we may live peaceful
and quiet lives in all godliness and
holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
The new
President will surely need our prayers because he
and his administration face
huge, serious challenges to the
health of our nation and to peace in the
world, challenges
that, in my opinion, neither he nor any government on
earth
will have the power to overcome without divine aid.
How has
America
come to this point? Why is our economy on
the brink of
disaster? Why is our culture so utterly depraved?
I can only think of what
Alexandr Solzhenitsyn said about the
catastrophic consequences of the Russian
revolution. "I
recall," he said, "hearing a number of older people offer
the
following explanation for the great disasters that had
befallen
Russia
: Men have forgotten God; that's why all this
has
happened."
Solzhenitsyn was right. Indeed, I can't find any
better
explanation for why we Americans find ourselves in the state
we are
in. We have forgotten God.
We have also forgotten that American democracy,
indeed
Western Civilization itself, is the product of the
Judeo-Christian
understanding of God and humanity. Without
that revelation that man is
created in the image of God, our
founders never would have recognized the
unalienable rights
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Indeed, as
I and
others like Rodney Stark have argued, modern science and
education,
liberal democracy, capitalism flourished in
Western civilization precisely
because of the Judeo-Christian
worldview.
The attacks on Christianity
these days are only going to
intensify in the months ahead. But we must press
on all the
more to make a winsome witness. Those who would
banish
Christianity from American life are risking the very survival
of
American society.
Friends have asked me whether this economic crisis is
God's
judgment upon us. I don't know.
As I've re-read the Old Testament
prophets recently, I
couldn't help but notice the recurring theme: The people
of
God turned away from Him and worshipped false idols. The
result was
always disaster.
Is God responsible for credit markets collapsing around
the
world? No. We're responsible. Because
instead of
worshipping God, we've worshipped false idols of
the
marketplace, credit card companies and cheap mortgages.
We've put our
own appetites over our duties to God and
neighbor.
So this is no time for
Christians to go into the bunkers. No
time to wail or moan over our
retirement plans. This is a time
to repent, to pray more, to give more. It's
a time for Christians
to lead, encourage, and minister to a faltering country
in a
faltering economy.
This is a time for the Church to get serious about
Christian
discipleship. Enough cheap grace.
So pray for the new President
and his administration. But
most of all, my brothers and sisters, this is a
time to love our
neighbors and to hunger for God and His
righteousness.
Vicki & Yellow Lab Guide
Elway