Thanksgiving Day – Religious to Secular – Part 2

Posted on November 27, 2012 by jimdavenport

Beyond the Pilgrims to George Washington

Special Note: This article, along with considerable additional information, is included in Jim’s Book “Thanksgiving Day – Religious to Secular” available for purchase in Paperback and FREE in eBook format at this link:  Jim’s Books

Background:

This is the second in a series of four articles on the history of Thanksgiving Day in the USA. In Part 1 of this series of articles (The Pilgrims), I covered the background of how a day of Thanksgiving took root with the Pilgrims in the Plymouth colony in 1621. In this second article, I will highlight the period of time beyond the Pilgrims through the early years of the birth of the United States.

Following the Pilgrims’ religiously based Thanksgiving celebration, God worked through many other early colonists in North America such as governors, clergy, military leaders, the Continental Congress, and ultimately President George Washington to observe a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God for His mercy, providential care and manifold blessings.

First let’s review and discuss some key scriptures that will open the eyes of our hearts so we can better understand what it means to give thanksgiving to God.

Scripture: (all NKJV unless otherwise noted)

Philippians 4:6 – 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;.

Psalm 107:8-9 – 8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Psalm 105-1-5: – 1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! 3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! 4 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore! 5 Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.

Psalm 69:30 – 30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7 – 6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Discussion:

As the new world settlers established their colonial homes and towns up and down the eastern North American continent, they also built churches. There they regularly and collectively worshiped God and confidently petitioned Him for His divine providence (compare Philippians 4:6). Their religious background influenced the establishment of their laws and daily conduct. The Bible served as their guide. Life was hard and simply surviving was often their most immediate objective. They supported and drew strength from God and each other.

While many of the colonists were not religious per se, most demonstrated a measure of Godliness. The devout openly practiced their faith in everyday life. It was natural for them to continuously give praise and thanksgiving to Almighty Jehovah God. They were indeed grateful to be in a place generally free from the often corrupt state mandated religions, persecution and intolerance so common in the European homelands they left behind. Amidst their difficult lives, they regularly practiced the Bible’s teachings to “… give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works…” (Psalms 107:8). Without many of the necessities of life they depended on God to satisfy the longing of their souls and fill them with His goodness (compare Psalm 107:9). In their worship they sang hymns of thanksgiving and praise glorifying God remembering the “marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” in accordance with Psalm 105:1-5 and Psalm 69:30.

History shows that the Massachusetts Bay Colony began their observance of a Thanksgiving Day in 1630 and continued frequently thereafter until 1680. The Connecticut Colony first celebrated Thanksgiving Day in 1637. Charlestown, located on the Charles River and much later (1874) would become a part of Boston, first celebrated their Thanksgiving Day in 1671 by decree of the town’s governing council. Dozens of other settlements were founded in what is now Massachusetts including Boston (1630), Concord (1635), Framingham (1647), Dunstable (1656), Marlborough (1660) and Worcester (1673). The local church was usually one of the first structures to be built in the newly settled communities. Over time as these and other colonial settlements were established, many designated a day of Thanksgiving in honor of a military victory, the adoption of a constitution, or an exceptionally bountiful harvest.

The 1700’s ushered in significant exploration and territorial expansion by the English, French, Dutch and Spanish. Amidst this expansion “The French and Indian War” (referred to as “The Seven Years War” in Europe) took place (1754-1763) between England and France. The colonies fought on the side of England. The British eventually prevailed and took possession of most of the French territories in North America giving a great deal of pride to the colonists. George Washington served as a military leader in support of the British in this war, experiencing what would become famous victories and famous defeats. The war was expensive for England and they began to impose significant taxes on the colonies to help cover the war costs causing growing division with the colonists.

The “taxation without representation” concept imposed by Britain helped bring about the unification of the colonies and they founded the First Continental Congress in 1774. The Congress collectively aired their grievances to the British and sought a halt to the enforcement of the Intolerable Acts. The British paid no attention to the request leading to the establishment of a Second Continental Congress, the appointment of George Washington as the Commander of the Continental Army, the Declaration of Independence (1776), and a hard-fought American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

The defeat and surrender of British General Burgoyne at Saratoga ended the American Revolutionary War. At the request of the second Continental Congress, Commander Washington proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving and celebration for all thirteen colonies to be observed in 1777. George Washington was later elected as the first President of the United States of America (1789-1797).

….

On October 3, 1789 President Washington issued the first proclamation for the USA to observe Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, November 26, 1789. The texts for both of Washington’s proclamations are included below for your reference. As you read it, you can’t help but note the multiple references to the providence of Almighty God, His mercy and His protection. The observance of a national Thanksgiving Day for the USA was now firmly in place as both a religious and a secular day with devotion and thankfulness to God at the center of the day’s activities.

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Reflection:

Digressing a bit, in approximately 63 AD Paul wrote a letter to the recently established church in Colossae, a small and insignificant market town. This church was established by Paul’s fellow servants in ministry, Epaphras and perhaps Timothy (see Colossians 1:7-8). Colossae was located in the Roman province of Asia, an area now included in the country of Turkey and approximately 120 miles east of Ephesus. Paul advised that as followers of Christ Jesus The Lord they should “… walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith … abounding in it with thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7). I would like to think that these words from God through Paul were acted out by most of those early colony leaders and settlers based upon what I have learned of the times. I can certainly say Paul’s advice is just as sound for us today as well.

Over the past few weeks in researching and praying over this article, God has blessed me with a new and expanded appreciation for the history of Thanksgiving Day. I hope that it will do the same for you. Please join me in this prayer:

Lord God, I thank You for your love and guidance on my life. I give you praise and thanksgiving for Your goodness and mercy. I pray for your continued leadership and that the mind of Christ will be in me as I continue to research and write this series of articles. Thank you Lord for saving my soul. Thank you Lord for making me whole. Thank you Lord for giving to me, thy great salvation so rich and free. In the mighty name of Jesus, The Christ. Amen and Amen!!

In Part 3 of this series of articles I will continue to examine the history of Thanksgiving in the USA from the time of the President George Washington through President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

Related Links and Articles:

Related Articles by Jim Davenport

Related Southern Gospel Music by The Good News:

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Chronology of Significant USA Thanksgiving Events 1630-1795

Below is a summary of key dates, people, events and public proclamations related to Thanksgiving Day for the period under study. The primary source for the information in this table was compiled from the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
When and Who
What
1630 – Massachusetts Bay Colony
Consisting primarily of Puritan Christians celebrated Thanksgiving for first time in 1630 and frequently thereafter until about 1680.
1639 – Connecticut Colony
Celebrated Thanksgiving first in 1639; annually after 1647.
1671 – Charlestown, Massachusetts
First recorded Thanksgiving observance June 29, 1671, by proclamation of the town’s governing council.
1777 – Second Continental Congress
First national proclamation of Thanksgiving; draft created by Samuel Adams; adopted by the Continental Congress. FOR AS MUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:
It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth “in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.
And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion.
1777 – George Washington
Leader of the revolutionary forces in the American Revolutionary War; proclaimed a Thanksgiving in December 1777 as a victory celebration honoring the defeat of the British at Saratoga.
1789 – House of Representatives
First Amendment of the newly drafted Constitution recommended to states for ratification. Elias Boudinot from New Jersey proposed that House and Senate recommend to President Washington that he proclaim a day of thanksgiving for “the many signal favors of Almighty God.” Boudinot said that he “could not think of letting the session pass over without offering an opportunity to all the citizens of the United States of joining, with one voice, in returning to Almighty God their sincere thanks for the many blessings he had poured down upon them.”
1789 – George Washington
On October 3, 1789 President George Washington made the following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the USA:Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
1795 – George Washington
Again proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day in the USA.
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Thanksgiving Day – Religious to Secular – Part 1

Posted on November 20, 2012 by jimdavenport

This gallery contains 7 photos.


The Pilgrims Special Note: This article, along with considerable additional information, is included in Jim’s Book “Thanksgiving Day – Religious to Secular” available for purchase in Paperback and FREE in eBook format at this link:  Jim’s Books Background: In what … Continue reading →

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An Attitude of Thankfulness – A Thanksgiving Devotional

Posted on November 13, 2012 by jimdavenport

This gallery contains 2 photos.


Special Note: This article is included in Jim’s book “An Attitude of Thankfulness” along with 19 other articles and is available for purchase in Paperback and eBook formats at this link:   Jim’s Books I was having trouble falling asleep recently and … Continue reading →

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An Anchor in the Time of the Storm

Posted on November 7, 2012 by jimdavenport

Special Note: This article is included in Jim’s book “An Attitude of Thankfulness” along with 19 other articles and is available for purchase in Paperback and eBook formats at this link:  Jim’s Books

Background:

The 2012 USA Presidential Election is now history and in an extremely close finish our president for the next four years will again be Barack Hussein Obama.  Half of the USA population is ecstatic and the other half is tremendously disappointed.  Legislative gridlock will continue as the Republicans retained control of the House and the Democrats still control the Senate.

Hurricane Sandy – Sunday October 25, 2012 begins its northern trek toward the USA NE coast.

Almost two weeks prior to the election, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Jamaica on Wednesday, October 24, 2012. “The storm turned deadly in the Caribbean, and a hurricane/winter storm hybrid decimated regions along the U.S. East Coast” centered on New Jersey on October 29, 2012. Sandy has been described by many as the “storm of the century.”  Certainly it will be one of the ten costliest in the USA since 1900.

Robert Connolly, left, embraces his wife Laura as they survey the remains of the home owned by her parents that burned to the ground in the Breezy Point section of New York, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. More than 50 homes were destroyed in the fire which swept through the oceanfront community during superstorm Sandy. At right is their son, Kyle. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

The coverage for the Presidential election suddenly took a backseat to the continuous news reports of the significant destruction, power outages to more than 8.5 million homes and businesses, and the mounting death toll (74 in the USA and still rising as of November 3, 2012), particularly in New Jersey and New York, that resulted from Sandy.  CNN and other networks chronicled the event both before and after the storm for days (‘A loss for everybody’: Communities start cleanup after Sandy).

Military rescues trapped victims in New Jersey

Military and emergency response units  rescued people from homes and businesses isolated by the flooding.  Major portions of New York city’s subway system were crippled due to flooding. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City under pressure from all sides cancelled the New York Marathon as outrage mounted over using generators to power tents in Central Park that could power hundreds of homes still without power.

In the aftermath and recovery from the storm, there was an ongoing debate among USA and international news agencies that because of the storm’s massive disruption on everyday life a significant number of voters would not able to reach the polls to cast their vote … thus giving the edge to one candidate or the other.  Most of the storm victims were still dealing with personal priorities that are currently more important than the election.  What many were/are looking for is  An Anchor in the Time of the Storm.  

Scripture:

Hebrews 6:17-20 (ERV) – 17 God wanted to prove that His promise was true. He wanted to prove this to those who would get what he promised. He wanted them to understand clearly that his purposes never change. So God said something would happen, and He proved what He said by adding an oath. 18 These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when He says something, and He cannot lie when He makes an oath.  So these two things are a great help to us who have come to God for safety. They encourage us to hold on to the hope that is ours. 19 This hope is like an anchor for us. It is strong and sure and keeps us safe. It goes behind the curtain.[a] 20 Jesus has already entered there and opened the way for us. He has become the high priest forever, just like Melchizedek.

Discussion:

Hurricanes are not the only storms we will face in our lifetime.  Life’s storms take many forms including health issues, family problems, job loss, job issues. financial trouble, divorce, death of a family member, anxiety, depression, doubt, fear, relationship issues, unjust rumors, chronic pain, etc.  God Almighty knows that we will face such adversity throughout our lives.  He knew the storms in our life would have the potential to sweep us away. So God provided a sure anchor for us in such times.  That anchor is Jesus!

God’s word, The Bible, is also an immovable anchor in the time of storms.   In his sermon “Our Anchor in Times of Storm”, Dr. Charles Stanley related … “In the midst of hardship and pain, we can rely on the Bible for the stability, guidance, and security we need.” Every word of The Bible is true and without error.  As Dr. Stanley so aptly says, “the Bible is the record of God’s unfolding revelation of Himself through the spoken Word, nature, history, and ultimately the coming of His Son Jesus Christ into the world.”

In approximately 68 AD the writer of Hebrews, commonly attributed by most scholars as Paul … but not conclusively, offered encouragement to those Christian Hebrew followers who were in the service of the Lord but in need of further spiritual maturity.  Paul provided them the assurance that God would keep ALL of His promises by reminding them of the example of how Abraham received the promise of God through his faithfulness.  In Hebrews 6: 13-15  Paul said “13 God made a promise to Abraham. And there is no one greater than God, so he made the promise with an oath in his own name—an oath that he would do what he promised. 14 He said, “I will surely bless you. I will give you many descendants.”[c] 15 Abraham waited patiently for this to happen, and later he received what God promised.”

As Dr. Stanley pointed out in his sermon, sometimes we are responsible for our own storms.  The sin in our lives is often the cause for a storm.  At other times we show poor judgement in our decision-making bringing on a storm.  Satan also causes adversity and storms in our life as he attempts to draw us away from God. Others, such as family and friends, can bring storms into our lives. At times even God brings storms into our life, but be assured that such storms are always for our own good.  Sometimes it takes a storm to get our attention, purify us from sin, cause us to surrender to Him, and equip us to serve Him.

In closing his sermon, Dr. Stanley gives some scripture verses reminding us that God’s Word is the anchor we can hold on to in the times of the storms in our life.  God’s word:

  • is a comfort – Psalm 57:1-3 (NKVJ)  1 God, be merciful to me. Be kind because my soul trusts in you. I have come to you for protection, while the trouble passes.  2 I pray to God Most High for help, and he takes care of me completely! 3 From heaven he helps me and saves me.     He will punish the one who attacks me. Selah God will remain loyal to me and send his love to protect me.
  • is a reminder of God’s promises  – Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)  – 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
  • is a compass for our lives – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) – 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct[a] your paths.
  • teaches us how the God works – 1 Cor. 10:1-13 (NKJV) –  … 11 Now all[b]these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (click this link to read the entire scripture passage).

God’s Word does us absolutely no good sitting on a shelf in our closet just gathering dust.  For His Word to truly be An Anchor in the Time of the Storm we have to read it, meditate on it, believe it, apply it to our life and obey it.

Reflection:

In the days following the 2012 Presidential election many will still be facing the storm of their life as they deal with the damage resulting from Superstorm Sandy.  These folks “are/will be” in great need of an anchor as they recover.  Jesus and the Bible are that anchor.

I sang my first church solo at the Sunset Hills Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia when I was a six-year-old.  I was a member of the children’s choir and we sang along with the adults in a Christmas special.  Believe it or not, that solo was “Oh Holy Night,” quite a difficult song for a six-year-old.  That experience started a lifetime of singing solos at church services, weddings and funerals.  One of my favorite solos of all time is “The Anchor Holds” with lyrics by Ray Boltz.  Watch the presentation of this very special song originally released in 1995.

The Anchor Holds

I have journeyed
Through the long dark night
Out on the open sea
By faith alone
Sight unknown
And yet his eyes were watching me.

CHORUS
The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
the anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I’ve had visions
I’ve had dreams
I’ve even held them in my hand
But I never knew
They would slip right through
Like they were only grains of sand

CHORUS
I have been young
But I am older now
And there has been beauty these eyes have seen
But it was in the night
Through the storms of my life
Oh that’s where God proved his love to me

When I was nine years old our family moved back to Georgia from Virginia where my father had been transferred in the midst of World War II.  We attended White Oak Hills Baptist Church, then located in Decatur, Georgia.  I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was twelve years old and began my spiritual journey toward maturity in that conservative Southern Baptist church.  Julian Wilson was our Music Director at that time.  Our youth choir had more than sixty members and Mr. Wilson challenged us with wonderfully arranged  and often difficult anthems and hymns.  Our youth Choir sang every Sunday Night and the church crowds were large.  We sang Hymns and a few choruses back then … all with piano and organ … and to me all of the hymns were praise music!

Ruth Caye Jones – Mother Jones (1902-1972)

Dwelling  a moment on one hymn in particular that I really didn’t have enough appreciation for as a teenager is an appropriate way to wrap up this article.  Ruth Caye Jones (Mother Jones, 1902-1972) penned the words and music to “In Times Like These” in 1944 in London in the midst of World War II.  How appropriate!  Times were really tough then as millions were giving their lives for the sake of freedom.  Germany had continually bombarded London and was still on the offensive.  That would soon change.  Listen and watch George Beverly Shea present “In Times Like These” during a 1984 Billy Graham Crusade … a wonderful and inspiring message of how Jesus and the Bible are Your Anchor in the Time of the Storm.

In Times Like These

Words and Music by Ruth Caye Jones

In times like these you need a Savior;
In times like these you need an anchor.
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

In times like these you need the Bible;
In times like these oh be not idle.
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

In times like these, I have a Savior;
In times like these, I have an anchor.
I’m very sure, I’m very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

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Links for additional study and reflection:

Related Articles by Jim Davenport

Related Music:

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Hope and Change

Posted on October 27, 2012 by jimdavenport

Background:

In the year of 2008, leading up to the USA presidential election, the airwaves were filled with speeches and advertisements trumpeting the slogan “Hope and Change.”  This catch phrase did indeed capture the imagination and support for the Democratic party and helped to catapult the Democrats into majority positions in the Senate and the House, and vaulted Barack Hussein Obama into the Presidency.

Looking back now with 20/20 hindsight, the campaign slogan of “Hope and Change” has proven to be primarily that … a slogan.  There was little explanation or substance provided in advance for how the “Hope and Change” would be implemented and it is still difficult for the average voter to grasp the details of what the slogan embodied.

At the beginning of President Obama’s term in office the country was in a significant economic crisis.  President George W. Bush had previously signed the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)into law on October 3, 2008 to deal with the sub-prime mortgage crisis.  Through additional legislation and executive orders President Obama’s administration continued to deal with broader economic problems. Two of the three major U.S. auto manufacturers were ushered through a government managed bankruptcy of sorts where the government gave priority to union workers over the usual process of treating bondholders and creditors first in the settlement.  The Democratic majority in the House and Senate also passed a $900 billion financial “stimulus” package for what was termed “shovel ready projects” only later to admit that the projects were not so shovel ready after all.

On March 23, 2010 President Obama signed into law a massive and politically divisive health care reform bill known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly called Obamacare.  Not one Republican in the House or Senate voted in favor of PPACA.

With a significant Tea Party movement, the Republican party took back control of the House in the 2010 elections and a state of legislative gridlock emerged in January 2011. Since then very little of substance has changed.  The two political parties and the U.S. citizenry are sharply divided over future direction and most of 2012 has been consumed by political campaigning.  A national budget has not been passed for four years.  Government spending is out of control.  The country faces another financial crisis often called a “fiscal cliff” and another major recession in 2013 if the legislative branch can not agree on at least temporary financial reforms by the end of 2012.   After nearly four years of President Obama’s administration, the U.S. is still struggling with significant issues such as:

  • a massive $16.2 trillion national debt forecast for 2012 at $141,435 per taxpayer, $51,508 per citizen (see U.S. National Debt Clock)
  • an unacceptable employment level for our citizens – with a total workforce of 143.2 million and a total population of 314.6 million: currently 8.4% with 12.0 million official unemployed; 15.8%  with 22.7 million actual unemployed (see U.S. National Debt Clock)
  • nearly 1 in 7 (47.1 million) Americans on food stamps costing $72 billion in 2011, up $40 billion in last three years
  • 50% of recent college graduates jobless forcing many parents to continue their support
  • a huge divide between Democrats and Republicans causing legislative gridlock
  • a continuing war in Afghanistan costing precious lives of so many young Americans
  • governmental chaos in Libya, Egypt, Syria and Yemen with problems brewing in others
  • the Islamic Republic of Iran closer to a nuclear weapon with an outspoken President committed to the destruction of Israel
  • an administration advocating support for same-sex marriage and the continuation of abortion on demand

It is no wonder to me that the slogan of “Hope and Change” struck so many chords with the American public in 2008.  We were, and now are, a sick society drowning in our individual and collective sin … wanting to believe.  Unfortunately, our government and our people are trying to make significant changes on their own by placing their confidence for “Hope and Change” in man without the guidance of Almighty God.  True and Godly “change” will never spring from man alone.  What our citizenry and our government urgently need to do is seek the Lord God and turn from our wicked ways. It is only in and of God that we will find true “Hope and Change.”

Scripture:  (all scripture NASB unless otherwise noted)

Galatians 1:15-24 – 15 But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with [a]flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to [b]become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But I did not see any other of the apostles except [c]James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now in what I am writing to you, [d]I assure you before God that I am not lying.) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was still unknown by [e]sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; 23 but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they were glorifying God [f]because of me.

Matthew 7:13-14 – 13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Psalm 62:5 – My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.

2 Corinthians 3:4-5 –  4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, …

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed {changed} by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Acts 3:17-21 – 17 “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His [h]Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the [i]Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the [j]period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

Discussion:

In Galatians 1:15-24 Paul the Apostle describes in dramatic detail how God transformed his life.  Paul was known as Saul prior to his conversion experience (Acts 9:1-22; Acts 22:3-16; Acts 26:9-18) on the Road to Damascus.  Saul was a zealous Pharisee dedicated to the persecution and even the death of many early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem.  When Saul met Jesus and became a dedicated follower of Christ, his whole life changed.  His hope was now centered on the cross of Jesus where He paid the price for our sins through His crucifixion, burial and resurrection thus conquering sin and death.  Jesus was now Paul’s only cause and he spent the rest of his life leading others to “Hope and Change” by accepting Christ as Savior.

While Paul changed from a Christian killer to a Christian church founding preacher, your need for change may not be that dramatic. Christ can change your heart, outlook and outcome. Real “change” requires true repentance and a willingness to give up old worldly ways for dealing with life’s issues.  Just think back to Old Testament times … Israel was blessed when they followed God’s instruction and they suffered greatly when they didn’t.  Partial repentance is not enough.  We can’t pick and choose the portions of God’s Word with which we want to agree.  There is no bargaining with God.  It is His way or our way.  His way leads to real hope and change. Man’s way is the path to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).  Christians should live in a constant state of repentance placing their hope only in the Lord (Psalm 62:5) and not in man (2 Corinthians 3:4-5).

Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. And further in Romans 12:2 that we are not to be conformed to the world’s ways but rather be “transformed {changed} by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Acts chapter 3 records the healing of the lame beggar and Peter’s second sermon after God sent the Holy Spirit on the believers on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1-13).  In Acts 3:17 Peter preached to the “brethren” that they had “acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did.” In verse 18 Peter went on to say ALL that God had promised them was/is fulfilled through Jesus.  And in verse 19, they should “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”  This then is the true definition to  “Hope and Change“.  It is not of man … it is only of God through our Savior Jesus Christ, the Messiah!!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

Reflection:

It is easy to put our faith in the wrong people, the wrong places and the wrong things.  The only real agent for “Hope and Change” is Almighty God Himself.  True, we are created in God’s image and He uses man to accomplish His purpose.  But without God’s guidance people, places and things are useless in solving both our individual and collective problems.  What we desperately need in the U.S. are God fearing, God serving public servants … servants committed to the Word of God … servants who stand on the promises of God … servants who seek God’s understanding and God’s will … servants who don’t substitute man’s ways for God’s ways … servants who are set apart from the world but in the world … servants willing to do what is right in the sight of God … servants who are thankful … servants who are prayerful … servants who are submitted, giving and humble.  That’s a mouthful, but I submit that is what the U.S. needs to solve the huge problems we face as a nation.

The Bible teaches that God is in control ALL of the time, that He is ALL knowing, and He is ALL powerful.  He has the answers to ALL of our problems.  Can you name me one person, place or thing that can compare to God?  I don’t think so!  Then why would you put your trust elsewhere?

I encourage you to prayerfully consider your vote in the upcoming Presidential election on November 6, 2012.  Pray that God will place upon your heart His decision for you.  Don’t trust yourself or anyone else without consulting God.

Romney Ryan

Obama Biden

The U.S. is at a turning point.  Our future and the future of our children, grandchildren and succeeding generations weighs in the balance.  Above all, put your trust in God and not in man for the “Hope and Change” our nation so urgently needs.

On a personal level, you may feel that you cannot make the changes required to become a follower of God.  Some think they are too sinful to be pardoned.  Some try to give up their sinful ways by themselves only to miserably fail over and over again.  Take comfort in knowing that God will help you make the changes.  Turn your life over to Him and He will save you and give you eternal life. By accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior Paul made an unbelievable change from Christian killer to Christian preacher.   Jesus can help you make similar changes … no matter how deep you have descended into sin.

I invite you to view a youtube presentation of one of my favorite songs by the famous southern gospel quartet, The Cathedrals, recorded in their final year together in 1999.  The name of the song is “He Made A Change.”  If you have the time, you might also want to listen to the 1990 recording by The Good News, The Plan of Salvation.  I believe this is a perfect way to reflect on the message of this article.

References for Additional Study and Reflection:

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Calling Evil Good – The Abortion Tragedy

Posted on October 14, 2012 by jimdavenport

This gallery contains 3 photos.


Background: Note:  December 28, 2013.  This is a significant update to an article first posted on October 14, 2012 … support for the Sanctity of Life continues to spiral downward.  Christian, read and weep! Have you come to a peaceful … Continue reading →

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Pray With Confidence

Posted on September 23, 2012 by jimdavenport

Background:

When asked, most folks in the USA will say that they pray at least weekly (see “Who prays in a typical week?” statistics below). This is generally true whether or not they regularly attend a local church. People pray for a lot of reasons. Some pray because they don’t know what else to do. Some pray out of duty. Some pray because they were taught to do so as a child. Some pray because of a specific need or desire. Some pray for our political leaders, our soldiers, the poor, the helpless. Some pray because of sickness, financial problems, guilt, uneasiness. Some pray for healing, wisdom, guidance, help with raising their children, strength to face a difficulty. Some pray on behalf of others. Some pray out of a spirit of thankfulness for God’s blessings. Some pray to praise Almighty Jehovah God for who He is. Some pray for forgiveness. Some pray to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and become a Christian. Sadly, some even pray for revenge and other improper reasons.

The Barna Group, founded in 1984, is a “leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture.” Barna has performed hundreds of surveys since their inception. A Barna survey completed prior to 2008 reports the following statistics:

Who prays in a typical week?

  • 82% of adults
  • 88% of women
  • 75% of men
  • 89% of teenagers
  • 86% of those living in the South and Midwest
  • 76% of those living in the West and Northeast
  • 96% of born-again Christians
  • 72% of people not describing themselves as born-again

Interesting statistics … at least to me. Perhaps the most revealing statistic is the last one in the list … nearly three-quarters of those who don’t describe themselves as “born-again” still pray at least weekly. Why are they praying? Does God hear and answer the prayer of both the saved (born-again) and unsaved? If He does, what prayers does He hear and which ones does He choose not to hear. How can we be confident that God will hear and answer our prayers? How does one Pray With Confidence?

Scripture: (NKJV unless otherwise noted)

Jeremiah 32:16-19 – 16 “Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 18 You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. 19 You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Ephesians 2: 1-9 (NIV) – 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 BUT because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Discussion:

I started thinking about this topic after reading the April 27, 2012 devotional by Beverly Hill McKinney in Open Windows.  It took a while to completely sink in and become personally relevant to me.

In Jeremiah chapter 32, Jeremiah was under “house arrest” by King Zedekiah of Judah because of  his anger over Jeremiah’s prophesy that Zedekiah and the people of Judah would soon fall in battle to Nebuchadnezzar,  King of the Babylon, and would be carried away into captivity. Judah had repeatedly disobeyed God’s laws and ignored God’s pleas for repentance. Judah’s cries for God’s protection had come too late and His judgement on them was already in motion.

Sample papyrus document for a grain loan. The land deed describing Jeremiah’s purchase of the field in Anathoth would have been prepared on similar papyrus and placed in the sealed jar for safekeeping.

Through  a vision from God and with His leadership Jeremiah purchased a field in  Anathoth, (Jeremiah’s home town) in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.  The original of the deed, properly executed and witnessed, was placed in a sealed jar that was given to Baruch, the son of Neriah, for safekeeping well into the future.  The land purchase process signified “that though Jerusalem was (would be) besieged, and the whole country likely to be laid waste, yet the time would come, when houses, and fields, and vineyards, should be again possessed” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary).

McKinney’s Open Windows devotional relates that “… through this vision Jeremiah acknowledged God’s greatness and showed nothing is too hard for Him. Certainly, the Creator, who spoke the heavens and earth into existence, has the power to do anything.”  This same God whom Jeremiah served is always there waiting on us to call on Him.  ALL of our prayers offered to God are heard by Him.  None are overlooked.  This, in and of itself, is enough for me to pray more expectantly.  Christians should Pray With Confidence recognizing that God has unlimited power to carry out His will in our lives when we let Him do so.

Ephesians 2:1-9 is a marvelously rich passage that is not usually associated with prayer.  But I find one thought in particular extremely comforting in these verses. At the moment a seeker accepts Christ Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, Jesus enters and indwells the heart of the believer in the form of the Holy Spirit and never leaves.  Previously and without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we were sinners without Jesus, “dead in your (our) transgressions and sins” (vs. 1) … following our fleshly thoughts and desires  and “deserving of wrath” (vs. 3). “BUT because of His great love for us” (vs. 4) …  God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (vs. 6).”

WOW!!  Christians have God indwelling in us and we are also simultaneously seated in Christ Jesus at the Father God’s right hand.  What a lofty position the Christian occupies in God’s kingdom!!  Knowing this Christian, why would you pray so timidly?  By the Grace of God the Christian has been pulled up from the miry, fleshly clay and seated with Jesus.  That is a powerful, powerful message!

In Matthew 7:7 Jesus told us to  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  So when offering your prayers to God, why would you do anything other than Pray With Confidence.

Reflection:

God indeed hears ALL of our prayers, both for the saved and unsaved (see Psalm 66:16-20).  However, our “attitudes and actions can” easily sabotage our prayers.  Sin, disobedience, hypocrisy, insincerity, wrong motives, lack of faith and even marital problems are among the saboteurs.

One of my dear brothers in Christ, Bernie Webb, is fighting Stage IV metastatic colon cancer.  Bernie and I worked together for almost fifteen years through the 1980’s and early 1990’s.  He was (and still is) a tremendous asset for the information technology team that supports a major international corporation.  Bernie shares his daily journey in his blog, Believing IN Christ Jesus through ALL things.  Bernie is a prayer warrior and I know that he prays with confidence.  I point you to one article in particular, “God is able to accomplish INFINITELY more than we ask.”  Bernie shares his Christian faith and exposes his Godly courage and prayer life in this insightful article.  I invite you to go to his site and read it.

In closing, one of my favorite praise choruses, Ah Lord God, speaks to the immeasurable power of God.  Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing, nothing is too difficult for God.  Click on the link, watch the video and sing along with the words.

Ah Lord God

Ah Lord God, Thou hast made the heavens
And the earth by Thy great power;
Ah Lord God, Thou hast made the heavens
And the earth by Thine outstretched arm.

Refrain:
Nothing is too difficult for Thee,
Nothing is too difficult for Thee;
O, great and mighty God,
Great in power and mighty in deed,
Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing,
Nothing is too difficult for Thee.

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For those interested in additional reading on related topics please refer to:

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On Class Warfare and Demonizing the Rich

Posted on August 29, 2012 by jimdavenport

Background:

Recently I wrote a brief post on one of the social media sites regarding an extremely well publicized controversy that captured the national news media’s attention for more than a week.  I want to expand on that post and touch on a couple of related topics equally as controversial – Class Warfare and Demonizing the Rich.

Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chick-fil-A

The  negative media blitz started after an interview  with Dan Cathy, President and Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A, appeared in Baptist Press on July 16, 2012.  Same-sex marriage proponents seized the opportunity to promote their ungodly cause by viciously and cowardly attacking one of the finest Christian run companies in all of the world.  The ungodly attacks sickened me and countless other Christians and non-Christians alike.

In all of the hubbub Chick-fil-A and the Cathy family stayed true to the Word of God and well above the temptation to respond in kind.  The public showed overwhelming support for the company and family by patronizing in mass their local Chick-fil-A in a vote of appreciation on August 1, 2012.   The company hasn’t published sales figures yet but did report that sales hit an all-time one-day record.

Other than the obvious tactics under-girding the attacks by the same-sex marriage and gay community proponents, one in particular really troubles me –   the deliberate attempt to classify the openly Christian Cathy family as a group of selfish rich bigots out of touch with reality, disinterested in supporting the communities they serve, and interested only in acquiring more wealth.  This type of attack fits perfectly with the agenda of the Occupy Wall Street protestors and the class warfare tactics currently in use by one of the national political parties in their repeated “the rich don’t pay their fair share” campaign rhetoric.

After some scripture references, I’ll discuss this further below.

Scripture: (all ESV unless otherwise noted)

1 Timothy 6:17-19 – 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works,  19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Matthew 6:19-21 – 19  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[e] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Matthew 19:23-24 – 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Discussion:

In 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Paul exhorts Timothy to provide a special message to those of great wealth.  Timothy’s message is quite appropriate for our topic.  The rich are to recognize and avoid the temptations of sin that their wealth provides … avoid succumbing to pride, acting haughty, thinking too much of themselves, acting puffed up.  Their eternal confidence must not be placed in their wealth here on earth.  Instead they are to lay up their treasures in heaven.  This is a direct teaching of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 6:19-21.  The focus on our earthly treasure is wrong and sinful when it becomes the object of our actions.  Jesus did not teach that wealth in and of itself is sinful.  Instead, He taught that the “love of money” and all that it entails is sinful (Matthew 6:24).  The use of money can serve both God and Satan.

Depending on riches will not get the rich man nor anyone else into heaven (Matthew 19:23-24).  Trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord is man’s only hope for eternal life.  Nothing we can do on our own will ever get us to heaven.  Just like the common man, the rich are to see all of their possessions as God’s gift to them … they are assigned as God’s stewards of these possessions.  “Everyone to whom much was (is) given, much will be required …” (Luke 12:48).  Christians believe that EVERYTHING belongs to God.  We are just His stewards.  God expects all of us to be good stewards of His possessions. It is far superior for the Christian to be rich in good works.

Reflection:

It is easy to accuse and demonize the rich through class warfare.  Class warfare has existed for thousands of years.  Often times it was/is justified.  Given time each of us could think of historical examples where class warfare was the source of great pain.  Here are a few examples that came to my mind:

  • The Russian Revolution in 1917 that led to the founding of the  Soviet Union in 1922 – a single party socialist state that fell in 1991.
  • Hitler‘s rise to power in Germany and the establishment of a one party Nazi dictatorship leading to World War II
  • China’s revolutions in 1911 and 1949 where tens of millions were killed when the masses were pitted against the ruling classes.  A further note – I believe that China’s current communistic/socialistic system is in danger of a near future class warfare battle – currently 98% of China’s 1.3 billion people have less than $7,600 equivalent USA annual income.  Only 2% pay taxes because the government owns and controls most businesses.
  • The French Revolution (1789-1789) – a “period of radical and social upheaval…”

Sadly, both the Democratic and Republican parties in the USA are currently engaged in class warfare rhetoric.  The Democrats in particular seem to be basing much of their presidential election strategy on this tactic … attack the rich … repeat over and over that the rich are not paying their fair share … pit the masses against the “wealthy” minority, contend that small business did not “build” their own business … and on and on ….

I submit that the ugly and unGodly strategy of pitting the masses against the wealthy is based primarily on covetousness.  In the Ten Commandments, the Bible clearly defines covetousness as a sin (see Exodus 20, especially verse 17).  All tax systems are a form of wealth redistribution and most democratic governments use some form of taxation to accomplish it.  Governments have to pay for their services and must have a way to raise revenues.  But when the taxes become burdensome on a small percentage of the population you have to ask the question … is that “fair”?  What is a “fair share” when it comes to taxation?  Is it 0%, 10%, 15%, 28%, 33%, 39%, 50%, 70%, 90% or 100%?  Perhaps I will write on that in a future article, but if you are interested in it now you can refer to this Wall Street Journal article.  Suffice it to say that even taxing the top 10% of tax payers at a 100% tax rate, in other words taking everything they earn, won’t cover the spending gap generated by the current administration.   So it is an outright lie … and class warfare … to say that all of the USA fiscal problems can be solved by having the rich pay their fair share.  Only God defines what is fair.  God owns it all anyway and none of us will take any of our wealth with us when we leave this world.

So, how do I tie all of this up and link it back to my opening comments provided above in the “Background” section?  Let’s return to the attack of the Cathy family and their Chick-fil-A business.  The interviewer for the Baptist Press article mentioned above pointed out to Dan Cathy that “some have opposed the company’s support of the traditional family.”  Cathy responded with this exact discourse on traditional marriage:

“Well, guilty as charged.  We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.  We operate as a family business … our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that. We intend to stay the course.  We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”

That was the extent of Mr. Cathy’s comments.  Almost immediately Mr. Cathy’s comments were twisted by those groups in support of same-sex marriage to grab media attention and further their “cause”. In summing up the situation on July 27, 2012, CNN reported: “Proponents of same-sex marriage spread Cathy’s comments, eventually creating a firestorm of criticism on social media, including assertions that his comments and position were bigoted and hateful.”  Political leaders in major cities like Chicago and Boston jumped on the criticism bandwagon saying they would block Chick-fil-A’s expansion into their area, only later when confronted having to retreat from their unlawful positions. But, when fires start they can consume everything in their path.  And in this case, that’s what the same-sex proponents hoped would happen to Chick-fil-A.  To the contrary, at the height of the controversy, Chick-fil-A experienced its busiest day ever on August 1, 2012 setting all-time sales records.  This was in direct response to Mike Hukabee’s (former Governor of Arkansas) call for a national Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in support of the company and its Christian values.  The response of the same-sex marriage supporters was to stage their “kiss in” at Chick-fil-A locations across the nation two days later.  Though the media boasted about the response, it was basically a failure and soon after the controversy died down.

But one thing really struck me during the whole incident.  It was the level of class envy and class warfare that the controversy aroused … particularly against the Cathy family and their business success.  Those who unmercifully attacked Dan Cathy for days on end know little about this fine man, his strong Christian values, his family nor their successful business.  Some have even said and/or insinuated that Cathy is a hate monger who excludes those who do not agree with his religious position. Nothing could be further from the truth.

S. Truett Cathy – Founder, Chairman & CEO of Chick-fil-A

Original Dwarf House – founded 1946

The Cathy restaurant empire began with one small restaurant in 1946.  After serving in World War II Dan’s father, Truett S. Cathy, at the age of 25,  and his older brother Ben, started the single location diner called the Dwarf Grill (later renamed the Dwarf House and still in operation at the same location today) located in Hapeville, Georgia.  The restaurant operated 24 hours a day demanding a huge commitment from Truett and Ben.  Ben tragically died two years later in a plane crash. Truett continued successfully building the small business into a prosperous enterprise.

First Chick-fil-A location – Greenbriar Mall, Atlanta, Georgia

In 1967, twenty-one years after founding the Dwarf Grill, Truett opened his first Chick-fil-A restaurant in the Greenbriar Mall in south Atlanta.  That location is still in operation 45 years later along with 1,615 other locations in 39 states and Washington D.C. with over 60,000 employees.  What a small business success story … made possible by the freedom we enjoy in the USA that is under threat by some in our current administration.

Early on Truett adopted a policy of closing on Sunday so he and his employees could worship at their local church.  That policy still exists today.  Few companies can boast that.  The company is operated on Christian principles and those same principles permeate the private lives of the Cathy family.

In my opinion, the real hate mongers in this situation are those in opposition to the Cathy family and the Christian methods they employ in running their business.  Some have even attacked Dan Cathy as a “rich billionaire white man” who inherited his fortune rather than working for it.  By doing so, they have attempted to invoke class warfare among the races. They also complain that Dan and Chick-fil-A have exhibited a selfish lack of support for social causes.  What foolishness!

Dan and and brother Donald (Bubba) served as Dwarfs in their father’s business.

Dan Cathy started his career in the family business at the age of nine singing songs to customers in his father’s single restaurant.  After graduating from college, Dan joined Chick-fil-A full-time in 1970. He personally led the opening of 50 Chick-fil-A locations across the US.  He gradually worked his way up the ladder serving in significant positions in the business for thirty-one years before becoming President and COO in 2001.  That doesn’t sound like someone who inherited his wealth does it?  I say it is full-blown covetousness in action.

I defy those nay-sayers to equal Dan Cathy’s record of giving back to the community.  As dedicated to Chick-fil-A business activities as he is, Dan also gives generously of his time, efforts and resources to the community.  This is in accordance with the direct teachings of the Bible.  Here’s a partial list of awards, affiliations and associations derived from the Chick-fil-A website for Dan Cathy:

  • Member, Board of Trustees, Berry College
  • Member, Board of Trustees, Morehouse College
  • Member, Advisory Board, Eagle Ranch
  • Member, Advisory Board, Global Teen Challenge
  • Executive Member, National Advisory Board, Lead Like Jesus
  • Member, Board of Councilors, The Carter Center
  • Member, Board Trustee, Gordon College Foundation
  • Member, The New Hope Baptist Church (and trumpet player in the church band)
  • Sunday School Teacher, 12th Grade Boys – Youth teacher for 37 years
  • Member, Metro Atlanta Board of Directors, Chamber of Commerce
  • Member, Jenkins Clinic Board of Directors, Vice Chairman
  • Advisory Board, Heritage Preparatory School
  • Recipient of the Outstanding American Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – 2003
  • Honorary Doctorate Degree from the State University of West Georgia, Anderson College and Carver Bible College
  • Honorary Doctorate of Humanities Degree from Anderson College – 2005
  • Honorary Doctorate from HBCA Entrepreneur Summit
  • Honorary Doctorate, Law Degree, Pepperdine University, 2011
  • And in his “spare” time, Dan earned his Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license and has completed numerous marathons in Atlanta, Orlando, Los Angeles, Boston and New York. Additionally, Dan is a passionate trumpet player, gardener and an avid motorcyclist.

The Cathy family also supports countless life changing ministries through its Winshape Foundation. 

The Cathy’s ministries include the following:

  • Winshape College Program
  • Winshape Camps
  • Winshape Homes
  • Winshape Wilderness
  • Winshape Retreat
  • Winshape Marriage
  • Winshape International

Chick-fil-A also provides scholarships to its employees.  The Chick-fil-A Scholarship Fact Sheet lists some impressive stats:  “Through its Leadership Scholarship program, Chick-fil-A has offered more than $29 million in financial assistance to more than 28,000 restaurant team members who have attended 3,168 colleges, universities and other educational institutions throughout the country. The company will award $1.65 million in scholarships to its restaurant team members in 2012.”

A pretty impressive humanitarian record of serving the community I would say!  Both the Cathy family and Chick-fil-A are living out God’s commands.  Thanks be to God for people and a company such as this.  And phooey to those who attack these Godly people and their company to further their own selfish and covetous causes.

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Further Reading and Study for those keenly interested in this topic:

Note to the casual internet user:  All of the underlined words and phrases in this article are “links” to other internet pages.  When you click on the “link” a new window will open and you will automatically be taken to that site.  Close that window to return to this article.

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Let Us Reason Together

Posted on August 17, 2012 by jimdavenport

Background:

The Creator at Work

 The Bible teaches that God is the great Creator of all that was, is and ever shall be.  God created man “… in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27).  As such, God endowed man with a form of His own characteristics including the ability to reason.  Christians believe that God’s Word, The Holy Bible … and not human reasoning … is THE FINAL AUTHORITY regarding all matters of faith and human practice.

…

God created man “in His Own image.”

Though we are created in His image, God’s reasoning is different from that of man.  God’s reasoning is unfathomable, PERFECT, without flaw, always right (Job 11:7-8, Romans 11:33).  God placed Adam and Eve in a perfect environment in the Garden of Eden with only one stipulation … they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17).  But that wasn’t enough for them. They believed the lie of Satan reasoning that if they ate of the tree they would “… be like God …” (Genesis 3:5).

In the face of today’s political turmoil in the USA leading up to the November 2012 election, I am greatly concerned with the daily stream of untruthful rhetoric coming from so many of our national leaders and their supporters. The airways are filled with lies, attacks and political ads designed to pit the classes against each other … all based on faulty reasoning.  Why is it that so many of our leaders and potential leaders lean totally on their own understanding and reasoning without consulting God Almighty for His direction?  In a word, the simple answer is because of  “SIN.”

Because of man’s sinfulness he often disagrees with God’s reasoning and places himself above God violating the first of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3).  Blind ambition blocks and twists man’s ability to reason.  When politicians do not consult God about direction on important matters such as those affecting the future of our country, more often than not they make bad decisions.  Through my sixty-nine years of observation, it is easy to conclude that many currently serving in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the United States government have abandoned Godly reasoning altogether in favor of satisfying selfish motives … and these motives are more often than not sinful.

Scripture: (all Scripture ESV (English Standard Version), unless otherwise noted)

Job 11:7-8 – 7  “Can you find out (fathom) the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?  8 It is higher than heaven— what can you do?  Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

Romans 11:33 – Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Isaiah 1:16-18 – 16  Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17  learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. 18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

Isaiah 1:9-11 – 9  If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom!  Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!  11  “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.

Acts 17:2 – And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.

Acts 17:11 – Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Acts 18:19 – And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself (Paul) went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

1 Corinthians 6:12 – “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Discussion:

This article is not a scholarly attempt to provide a full discourse on reasoning.  Rather, it is an attempt to shed light on how human reasoning without the inspiration of God and His reasoning can easily be faulty.

Since I refer so often to “reason” and “reasoning” throughout this article, here’s how Webster defines “reason”:  the power of comprehending, inferring, or thinking especially in orderly rational ways.

I realize that many well-known writers have penned a multitude of articles and on what is involved in “reasoning.”  Thomas Paine published his still famous and widely distributed book promoting deism, “The Age of Reason“, in three parts in 1794, 1795 and 1807.  Deism called for “free rational inquiry” and rejected some of the important tenets of the Bible such as the miracles and the Bible’s teaching that there was only “one true faith”.  As for me Paine was/is absolutely wrong on both of these points.  Regardless of man’s position, depending on man’s reasoning ability to interpret scripture is an attempt to put man on God’s level and most assuredly is not possible.

God invites man to reason with Him.  Reasoning with God requires that man respect God’s position and His far superior perfect knowledge.  Man must reason with God on His terms.  Doing the opposite or leaving God out of our reasoning altogether is a guarantee for disaster.  Isaiah the prophet recorded the words of the Lord in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord…” as he promised that our scarlet sins would become like wool (white, cleaned, forgiven).  Of course, this requires that we accept the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior (see How to Become a Christian).

Isaiah lived in the eighth century B.C. during the resurgence of Assyria as a major power.  He prophesied in Jerusalem in particular to King Ahaz (Israel) and King Hezekiah (Judah) and two other kings.  Many of his prophesies spoke directly to the political situation during Isaiah’s lifetime.  Isaiah reminded them of how God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah  because of their wickedness (Isaiah 1:9-11). Isaiah knew that Israel and Judah were headed down the wrong path as each shunned God and placed their faith in human leadership … leadership that reasoned that alliances with ungodly nations such as Egypt would protect them from the overwhelming strength of Assyria.  Both Israel and Judah continued to depend upon their own reasoning and each fell into captivity of their enemies.  Could the USA be any different?

Let’s bring in a common example of faulty human reasoning.  Have you or one of your children  been personally involved in a conversation such as this:  “Oh, it won’t hurt you to try this just once!”  What a trap authored by Satan!  Too many teenagers are unwittingly dragged into a life of drug abuse by swallowing this line of reasoning.  If your friends are doing what is wrong in the sight of God, then my advice is to dump them and stay out of situations to begin with that will compromise your faith and your reasoning.  My wife and I taught our son early on that he should never put himself into the position of being too embarrassed to say no when his peers were trying to drag him into their sin.

The ability to reason is a gift from God.  Much of learning in areas such as science, mathematics, technology, engineering, information and computation systems, accounting, actuarial science, statistics, rocket science, etc., requires a significant human ability to reason.  God created us to reason.  My entire business life required intensive reasoning and I am thankful for God’s gift.  How dull would it be to live a robotic life without the ability to reason?  As Christians we are to strive to be more like God with every ounce of our energy.  Unfortunately, our sinfulness is constantly in the way of accomplishing that goal.

After Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and left his life as a Pharisee bent on punishing and even killing Christians, he became a fervent disciple for the Lord spreading the message of salvation through Jesus Christ on multiple missionary journeys.  Paul often reasoned in the Jewish synagogues with the religious leaders (Acts 17:2, Acts 17:11) to advance the cause of Christ.

Reflection:

Let me give some pictorial examples of how twentieth century leadership’s evil and twisted reasoning ran amuck with disastrous human consequences.  How many can you name?  Hover your cursor over the picture to reveal the names.  Answers are also presented below at the end of the article.

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I think that we all can agree that man’s reasoning can lead to disastrous tragedy.  A tyrannical German leader coerced an entire nation to blindly follow man’s reasoning resulting in World War II and causing the death of millions upon millions of innocent people and leaving millions of children dead or orphaned.  A perverted religious leader led 909 of his deceived followers to commit what the leader called “revolutionary suicide”.  The total included over 200 murdered children.  What an outrage!  A Chinese Communist leader massacred an estimated 40-70 million people in the name of The People’s Revolution.  The Supreme Court of the USA decided that the aborting of unborn children was constitutional resulting in the senseless murder of 53 million babies through legal abortions through 2011.

Two current examples of man’s ridiculous reasoning in direct conflict with the teachings of Almighty God and His perfect reasoning are abortion and same-sex marriage (see On Child Sacrifice,   On the Sanctity of Life and Abortion,   Lifestyle Choices and Biblical Truth,  The Sanctity of Marriage.)  Each human life, born or unborn is precious to God.  He creates each one In His Own Image.  How can we stand by and so callously allow the murder of our children?  The Bible clearly defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, not a man and a man, nor a woman and a woman.  How can so many reason that same-sex marriage is right when God specifically forbids it?

Godly human reasoning doesn’t mean compromising the Word or your Faith … it is quite the opposite.  Godly human reasoning supports the Word and your Faith.  I completely agree with Christian author Don Stewart featured in the Blue Letter Bible when he states:  “The Bible is not against reasoning. To the contrary Scripture encourages people to reason. What the Bible is against is unaided human reason that attempts to judge Scripture. Reason must always submit itself to the truth of God’s Word. This is the way that God intended it to be. “

My favorite religious leader is evangelist Dr. Billy Graham.  He is 93 years old being born on November 7, 1918.  Dr. Graham is mostly confined to his home in North Carolina due to his failing health.  Yet, Dr. Graham continues to regularly communicate through his prayer letter with the outside world about God and His forgiveness through His son Jesus Christ.  Here’s an excerpt from his July 24, 2012 article – My Heart Aches for America:

“Just a few weeks ago in a prominent city in the South, Christian chaplains who serve the police department were ordered to no longer mention the Name of Jesus in prayer. It was reported that during a recent police-sponsored event, the only person allowed to pray was someone who addressed “the being in the room.” Similar scenarios are now commonplace in towns across America. Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone—except God.

Yet the farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control.

My heart aches for America and its deceived people. The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance. In Jonah’s day, Nineveh was the lone world superpower—wealthy, unconcerned, and self-centered. When the Prophet Jonah finally traveled to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s warning, people heard and repented.”

Like Dr. Graham, my heart aches and is so burdened with the message of this article.  America is just like Israel and Judah.  Our leaders continually depend upon their own reasoning without regard to God’s Word.  Preachers preach.  Listeners listen.  Nothing happens.  How long will God put up with us?  How deep does our nation have to sink before God has had enough?  Who will stand on the Lord’s side and be counted.

In  1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul said “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the control of any.”  Joshua emphasized that people must make their own choices.  “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). 

My prayer is that one by one we will realize what a mess we are in and turn away from our sinful ways.  Pray for our leaders to turn their lives over to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Carefully consider your vote in the November 2012 election.  Vote your convictions, but make sure your convictions line up with God’s reasoning.

One final admonishment from God’s Word: Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.  May God help us!!

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20th Century Twisted Reasoning Leaders

Click on the links to explore more information:

  1. Mao Tse Tung – Chinese Communist Revolutionary
  2. Idi Amin – Military Dictator of Uganda
  3. Adolf Hitler – Dictator of Nazi Germany
  4. Saddam Hussein – President of Iraq
  5. Fidel Castro – President of Cuba and First Secretary of the Communist Party
  6. Jim Jones – Founder and Leader of the Peoples Temple – Jonestown
  7. David Koresh – Branch Davidian religious sect
  8. Osama Bin Laden – founder of al-Qaeda
  9. Kim Jon Il – Supreme Leader of North Korea

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God’s Solution for Anxiety

Posted on July 29, 2012 by jimdavenport

Special Note: This article is included in Jim’s book “Christian Devotions & Quick Studies” along with 33 other articles and is available for purchase in Hardback, Paperback and eBook formats at this link:  Jim’s Books

Background:

Angiogram of a Healthy Heart.
Photograph by SPL/Photo Researchers, Inc.

I have a serious heart condition.  It has plagued me for the past twenty-two months since October, 2010.  Specifically, my problems originate with the heart’s electrical system and not with the blood vessels (coronary heart disease).  The pumping function of my heart is strong.  The electrical system that regulates the pumping function is erratic.

Doctors have concluded via a heart biopsy that my electrical problems were caused by an as yet unidentified virus that attacked my heart causing inflammation which resulted in scarring as the inflammation healed.  The scarring interferes with the consistent transmission of the electrical signal across my heart, particularly in the lower ventricular chambers.  The official medical terms for my condition are heart block, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation.  Over the course of many months, my doctors tried several medication combinations before settling on the current mix. I also underwent a ventricular ablation which cauterized a number of the worst offending tissues within my heart.  As a result of these abnormal medical conditions, I have an implanted defibrillator/pacemaker that helps control my heart rhythm and delivers a shock to restart the heart in the event of a significant issue.  I also take a number of strong medications to help control the various conditions.

Marquette Electronics Copyright 1996

The good news is that things have recently settled down and I am making steady progress recovering with no significant heart incidents over the past three months.  That was not the case for the previous six months.  On the other hand, the medications have, at least in part, caused what doctors refer to as a “chemical imbalance” within my brain that affects the neurotransmitters (click the link for a detailed description of the function of neurotransmitters). This chemical imbalance contributes to a heightened level of anxiety.   Admittedly, fear is also a contributor to my anxiety … fear that my heart will stop, fear that I will receive another shock, fear that I might not be revived, fear that I might injure someone else if I pass out driving, fear that ______ (you fill in the blank).

It took a long while for me to admit that fear is really involved with my condition and interfering with my normalcy, but there is now no doubt in my mind about it.  Early on I didn’t believe that I was fearful enough to blame that for some of my issues.  After all, I am a Christian under the perfect care of my Heavenly Father, the Almighty God, the Creator of all that was, is, and forever shall be … the great “I Am.”  I trust in Him as my powerful protector and healer.  What do I have to fear?  Nothing is too hard for God.  But after repeatedly discussing the situation with several of my physicians they convinced me that anxiety and fear are commonly involved in situations like mine.  They recommended lowering my stress level, increased rest and some additional medications … one of which I now regularly take and one which I don’t take because of the additional side-effects that it caused.  Sound familiar?  My wife and I once worked through similar issues with one of my parents.  It was a tough situation.  I recall how fearful that parent was at times and how difficult it was to control the fears.  Medicine helped sometimes, but not always.

Anxiety, Fear, Worry, Stress, Sickness ….

So, for the first time in my life I am dealing with long-lasting anxiety … anxiety that in and of itself can cause serious physical, emotional and social problems.  Fortunately, I serve an on-time, all-powerful God and am bound for an eternity in Heaven with Him because I have accepted His son Jesus as my Savior and Lord.  God has provided direction for me in His Word, The Bible, on how to handle all of my life needs including anxiety.  God is also using others to help me deal with this anxiety such as my wife, my son and my Christian friends.  In addition, several months ago I was fortunate enough to view a sermon entitled Victory Over Anxiety presented by Dr. Charles Stanley, former President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta and founder of In Touch Ministries.  That sermon and my diligent search of the scriptures have put me on a path to recovery using God’s Solution for Anxiety.  While this is still a work in progress, I wanted to share it with others as it is a sure method for His healing.

Scripture: (all Scripture NIV unless otherwise noted)

1 Peter 5:6-7 – 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Philippians 4:4-7 – 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:33 – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Psalm 121:5-8 – 5 The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Matthew 26:37-39 – 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” 39 Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Hebrews 11:1,6 – 1 And now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. … 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Matthew 6:25-34 – 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Psalms 139:16 – Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Discussion:

Let’s start by settling on a definition of anxiety as it relates to my situation and this article:

“Anxiety is a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill … an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked 1 by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), 2 by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and 3 by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield: Merriam, 1981, p. 51).

This definition describes my situation perfectly with a slight modification.  For the Christian, there is an element that is missing from this definition.  I would modify the third point as follows:

… and 3 by self-doubt and lack of trust (faith) in God’s power to cope with it.

In his sermon Victory Over Anxiety, Dr. Stanley said that overcoming anxiety is a “faith battle.”  I identify with that statement.  In studying this statement I was led to Hebrews 11:1,6 where we are told that “… faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. … 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  Thus I conclude that God is not pleased with us when we hold on to our anxiety and worry.

Dr. Stanley also provided additional insight into the definition of anxiety from a Biblical perspective:

“In the New Testament, the word anxiety means to be distracted or pulled apart. This is the opposite of peace, which means, to be bound together. It can also be defined as dread, apprehension, and uncertainty and can be caused by past events, present situations, or future possibilities.  Sometimes, anxiety is a fear of not being in control.  Situations over which we have no control make us feel vulnerable and cause us to worry.”

Leaving God out of any healing process for the Christian is a huge mistake.  God cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).  Trying to cope with anxiety by self-will is a huge mistake.  How then does the Christian avoid such mistakes?  The Bible promises that God will provide His peace when we humble ourselves.  As Dr. Stanley related, God gave us emotions, including anxiety, for good reasons.  Anxiety allows us to recognize  risks in advance and potentially avoid those risks.  For example, if a grizzly bear was close by, we most certainly would be fearful.  That’s good.  If we hold on to the fear long afterward, that may be bad, especially if that fear lingers and keeps us from our normal activities.  When our firstborn comes into the world we have a flood of overwhelming joy.  That’s good.  When we are ill and we worry about our illness without doing anything about it, that’s bad.  When we hold on to our anxiety unnecessarily, that’s bad.

Philippians 4:6-7 provides a formula for dealing with anxiety: “6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Being a mathematician by training, I like things to be well-defined.  Formulas do that for me.  So, the formula can be stated as follows:

God’s Solution for Anxiety

If you have trusted God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as your Savior and Lord, then

  X = a + b + c + d, where X is God’s Solution for Anxiety, and

  • a = Do not be fret about or fear your anxiety
  • b = Take your anxiety to God in prayer with a spirit of thanksgiving
  • c = Turn over your anxiety to God and let Him handle it
  • d = Receive the peace of God into your heart and mind to replace your anxiety.

We are to make our anxiety a matter of prayer recognizing that God has the power to deal with the root cause and relieve it on our behalf.  We should make our prayers with an attitude of thanksgiving.  The promise is that God will give us peace … a peace that passes our human understanding.  God will guard our innermost being (our hearts and minds) in the same way that he guards our souls.  That is of great comfort to me personally!

Notice there is a prerequisite required for this formula to work for you (Matthew 6:33).  First and foremost, you must a born again Christian.  That’s the only way it will work. There are several links in this article that will aid you in turning your life over to the Lord.  For long-time Christians, why would we ever doubt that God would withdraw his upholding power from us after sustaining us through so many previous trials?

Christian, Almighty God accepts full responsibility for you and your welfare (Psalm 121:5-8).  God knew you even before you were born. He already knows your outcome in this life and has written it in His book (Psalms 139:16).

Reflection:

Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane – Heinrich Hoffman

Even Jesus Himself suffered from anxiety.  In Matthew 26:37-39 Jesus was facing His final hours before He was crucified on the cross.  He took Peter, James and John aside from the other disciples and told them that He was “sorrowful and troubled … to the point of death.”   He left them there to “… keep watch with Me” and went ” … a little farther” away from them into the garden.  In agony He prayed “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will.”  After that prayer, I believe that God’s peace came over Jesus as never before and He was content to do whatever His Father required, knowing fully that ALL of His anxiety had been assumed by Almighty God.

So God’s Solution for Anxiety is not really that hard to apply to the Christian’s life.  It is a choice, a choice that we should make.   Given that, here’s a question I’ve asked myself:  Why did it take me so long to turn over my anxiety to Him?  I already knew these principles and that they worked.  Why didn’t I choose to apply them earlier in my recovery?  Perhaps it was because “I” wasn’t ready to turn my anxiety over to God.  Clearly I had to get to the point where I quit trusting so much in doctors, medical procedures and devices and choose to put my trust fully in God to take my anxiety from me.  I can report that I am still learning more about Him every day in my faith battle with my heart condition.  I pray that I may reach the point that Jesus did when He prayed “… Yet not as I will, but as You will.“

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If you are interested in additional study on this topic you can refer to this partial list of additional scriptures that I studied during my quest for God’s Solution for Anxiety:

Philippians 4:13 – I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Matthew 7:7-8 – 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Proverbs 12:25 – An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Psalm 34:4 – I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Proverbs 3:5-8 – 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

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