Non-Political Article About Political Stuff
I have been wanting to engage in this political stuff, but am very convicted to not alienate my left leaning Christian friends, nor my right leaning Christian friends. I told my friend Chuck in California this and that I was in the middle of a NON-Political post regarding political matters.
He guffawed and asked, “How are you going to do that?” I answered, “By simply giving a Biblical perspective on the questions brought up.”
Tell Me How I Did
The first thing I think of when I see people praying is, “Cool, I wonder what they’re praying?” Is what they prayed scriptural? I want to know this because if it is, God will hear their prayers and if He hears their prayers, He’ll answer them (1 John 5:14-15).
I didn’t see the game, but after reading the article (CLICK HERE or see below) I thought, “Hmmm, whatever I may believe about one’s attention during the National Anthem, I had to admit that what they did was in an orderly fashion. And there is a verse in Scripture that refers to doing things in an orderly manner.
Now, while the Holy Spirit, through Paul is talking about doing worship services in an orderly manner (1 Corinthians 14:40), that verse is the first thing I thought of. I’m NOT saying that is from the Lord, I’m just sharing with you my thoughts.
So that got me thinking about other things The Holy Spirit may have said through Paul. Now this is by no means exhaustive, but it is an interesting view, a Biblical view, of certain items relative “attaining change” which these men said they prayed about (when I saw their YouTube interviews).
Biblical View of Attaining Change
How did the Holy Spirit, through Paul suggest that we attain change?
- He first assured us that our struggle isn’t with flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12).
- Compare that to the anger we see pointed towards one another.
- In another verse He says to thank the Lord IN every situation (1 Thessalonians 5:18), but He also says to thank the Lord FOR everything.
- Now I’m sorry, but that’s just hard to swallow.
- Another interesting, and very counter-intuitive instruction is that we are to rejoice in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
- Maybe i’m blind, but I’m not seeing this, anywhere!
Look, this stuff is hard for Christians to follow. And it is impossible for the unsaved to even understand (1 Corinthians 2:14), let alone follow. But my friends, the grid of the Bible is where we start and where we finish (Hebrews 4:12-13), so it is here that we must consider our reactions to what is going on.
Here is what I don’t read in Scripture, and I’m more than happy to be shown where I’m wrong. But nowhere do we read about civil disturbances as a way to make change.
Look, I expect the unsaved to act like the unsaved. They’ve been doing that for 6000 years, but you and I, IN THE CHURCH have got to live according to Scripture, whether we like it or not.
The Holy Spirit on Authority
So you might ask, what does the Holy Spirit say about those in authority? Well, look at Romans 13:1-2. It says that the person in leadership is who God put there and who God wants there.
Now before the Trumpsters say, “Right-on!” Let me remind you that the same verses carried the same authority during the previous 8 years!
Regardless of which side of the political aisle you are on I hope that you are getting the sense that you need to look at bit more humbly at your own life? You see, PERSONAL HUMILITY is the real meaning of 2 Chronicles 7:14.
May I? There is another Holy Spirit inspired passage that comes to my mind, Philippians 3:13b in the NASB, “. . . but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.” Is there some legitimate application to us in that verse? Maybe, and if so another verse comes to mind, Matthew 16:24 where we are told to “deny ourselves. . .” which again conjures up the expectation of humility on my part.
Blessings my friends,
To read the article by Dan Labbe @dan_labbe Browns reporter for @clevelanddotcom: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2017/08/browns_players_decided_on_pray.html
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