…that is faithful, true, and enduring.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

At one point in my grandfather’s young life, he found himself to be a very unhappy man. He became angrier and angrier with every passing day. He knew he had a problem, but he wasn’t about to admit it to his wife and children. Grandpa would often say that he was misunderstood by others, including his own family. Instead of seeking guidance, he made them pay the price for his pent-up frustrations.

Too often he took his anger out on his family by becoming verbally abusive behind closed doors. And then, when it was over, he would leave the house in a huff, while hanging his head in shame over the fact that he had just treated his defenseless brood so badly. Within his heart, he knew he was wrong.

With tears stinging his eyes, he would walk down the street whispering to himself a promise to never do that again. He would assure my grandmother that he really meant it. But just a week later, after a tough long day at work, he would do it again. And at times he would break furniture into pieces while shouting at the top of his voice. He frightened his entire family, who cowered in their bedrooms.

These escalating acts were repeated just like a time-bomb ticking. He yelled at his wife and snapped at his kids without provocation, again and again. It was those outside forces that annoyed him. Unfortunately, this young father and husband had not learned not to bring destructive emotions through the door of his own home.

A changed heart

Thankfully, grandfather’s life changed and there was happiness after all. For you see, grandfather made a promise to God to follow Him. And by grace, he allowed Christ to have His way. He literally became the father that my dad longed for. And to God’s glory, grandfather became one of the major reasons why my own father gave his own life to the Lord. His father’s transformation was a tremendous witness to attest to what Christ can do when you’re willing to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Because of my young age, I never experienced the out-of-control and angry side of “papa.” He was, to me, a happy, kind, smiling face who sang with the church choir. Those are the memories I’m privileged to have whenever I think of him. He died a little over two years ago with his loving family by his side.

The truth is that no matter what your personal circumstances are, when the human spirit yields itself to God, His love can bring about changes because He is faithful. It’s my personal opinion that folks can’t truly alter their lives without a commitment to a loving God. The Bible describes this as having a born-again experience:

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Man is sinful and separated from God, yet He still loves us. Being apart from God makes it impossible for people to keep promises to themselves and put a stop to doing things they know are destructive behavior. But by the grace of God, they can overcome their sinful nature.

“When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible” (Matt. 19:25-26).

Willpower not enough

To this very day, America is still fighting a war against terrorism. I can’t help but think of the tremendous increase in church attendance shortly after the World Trade Center collapsed in 2001. Stunned and very frightened, people suddenly became determined to be on good footing with the Almighty God.

Prominent pastors became enthusiastic because an act of terrorism promised to precipitate a major spiritual revival in America. Unfortunately, it took only two short months and it was over. Church attendance went right back down to where it was before the horrific attack took place.

It’s regrettable that this revival only lasted a couple of months. Didn’t the people who suddenly went back to church actually mean to return to matters of faith and take it seriously? They had the perfect opportunity to experience a renewal and make a positive impact on society, while bolstering morality which is floundering in our country today. I am convinced, for the most part, that they did, at least for the time being. It’s evident, however, that fear was not enough of a motivator to keep their religious faith intact, it was enough only to bring them to church temporarily. When the planes stopped crashing into buildings, life just simply went back to the mundane. People quickly forgot all their promises and went back to the way things were.

We can spend a lot of time deciphering the self-sufficient will of human beings who do a lot of talking about willpower and the strength of sheer determination. Apply those topics to arenas in the world of business, careers, or politics, and there is something to be said for that. We live in a country where we can become as successful as the next person. However, in the world of faith, sheer willpower simply isn’t enough, because most temptations are bigger than the willpower we can muster up all by ourselves.

Broken promises

While reading through my Bible, I’m reminded about the Israelites. In the Book of Exodus, they had just been delivered from Egyptian slavery. God’s “Promised People” had seen the hand of God part the Red Sea and drown the Egyptians. They witnessed the fiery presence of God come down on the top of Mount Sinai. As they were privileged to watch the spectacular wonder of the moment, they made a solemn promise to God. Moses spoke with God, and then gave a report to the Israelites:

“And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord had commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, ‘All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.’ And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord” (Exodus 19:7, 8).

The Israelites made a promise to God, and they believed it was an easy promise to make after following God’s presence out into the desert. They repeatedly made the same promise after Moses had received the Ten Commandments:

“And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ‘All the words which the Lord hath said will we do’” (Exodus 24:3).

They repeated the same promise again a couple of verses later:

“And Moses took the book of the covenant, and read it before the people, and they said, ‘All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient’” (Exodus 24:7).

When the Israelites made these promises they were sincere. Unfortunately, the rest of the Book of Exodus and the Bible exposes the sad record of God’s people repeatedly breaking their promises to the Lord. They found themselves doing the very things they had promised God they would never do again.

The problem is not just sin, but ‘sinfulness’

I believe that God’s people today mean it when they promise to stop committing certain sins. They just don’t have what it takes to keep their promises. There has to be a real personal relationship with the Lord. When you love God, you want to please Him.

The Word describes sin as the transgression of God’s moral law: “And the problem of sin runs very deep. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

But sin is not just something we do. It’s also something we allow to enter into our lives. God could have solved the whole problem by just removing the laws we were breaking. Yet, intuitively, we know there’s more to it than that. Our sins separate us from God. The Scriptures say that we are powerless to change our sinful ways by ourselves:

Isaiah wrote, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).

The prophet Jeremiah expounds on the subject plainly: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jeremiah 13:23).

God says that you can no more change your sinful nature than you can change the color of your skin. If transgression were just a matter of breaking the rules, all you would have to do is stop breaking them. Can you do that?

But there is something about the human heart that has been changed by the nature of sin. Unless regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians will continually find themselves helpless to live the life they know they should live to glorify their Savior. They will not be able to witness to others and draw others close to them. The work of the Great Commission will be difficult to complete —

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20).

A faithful heart

It’s obvious that too many Christians suffer from a heart problem. So get out there and flex your spiritual muscle, and with God’s help begin to change your ways.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Breaking God’s law is sin. Acting out and being disobedient has trickled down into the very essence of our being. Everything we do is infected by it. Even the good things we do, according to the Bible are sullied:

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).

Without a spiritual rebirth, even with all the good we do, our works are like filthy rags. Sin will have sway over us. Mankind’s thought processes have been perverted. Sin has altered our misguided priorities. Most importantly, it has taken our focus off “The Great I Am” and put it squarely on ourselves.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Our own weakness explains why we sometimes find ourselves unable to walk away from sinful habits. We know that smoking cigarettes can cause cancer. Yet we often refuse to take personal responsibility and break free from a psychological habit. We know that bad temper can ruin our family, but we can’t seem to close the lid on our fuse. We know that our lying, gossiping mouth is doing untold damage to others. Yet many will not have that conversation with the Lord and ask Him to help them change.

Not alone

Take solace in the fact that you are not alone and that everybody struggles with something. You have never experienced a temptation that somebody else hasn’t felt:

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Whatever you’re going through, others have walked that same path. Let me share with you a little secret. The most recognized persons in the Bible have struggled with the same temptations you struggle with.

Most of the disciples proved to be faulty in one way or another because they were human, despite being saved by the blood of their Savor. Did you know that Moses had an extremely hot temper? David certainly struggled with a lust problem. And Abraham lied about his wife to save his own skin. Peter struggled with taking a stand in public acknowledging his discipleship. He denied his Lord three times. Noah had a problem with alcohol.

The Bible is full of people just like you and me. It’s amazing that throughout His Word, God refused to abandon suffering people. If you are willing to be used by God, and willing to let Him make the changes in your life, you’ll be astonished at how He can turn things around.

Real hope and change
As we strive to remove a Marxist progressive agenda that now plagues our country, we must understand the game plan: If “We the People” are not willing to return to the God of our forefathers, there will be little or no chance to do what we desire to accomplish.
America’s beginnings where ushered in by men of faith who embraced the fact that mankind received their inalienable rights from our Creator God.

Patriots, it’s time to dust off your Bibles and put your emphasis on the Word of God. Let us never forget that God established the greatest nation in the world. When we think of freedom, remember that it is The Almighty who has given us the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What America needs is a change of heart that is faithful, true, and enduring.

My grandfather’s favorite hymn: I Come To The Garden Alone — George Beverly Shea

RenewAmerica.com encourages grassroots movements that are based on Godly principles. The site has a clarion call for a Spiritual Renewal.

Feel free to study: America’s Documents

Introduction

When the Founders laid the groundwork for our republic, they stated in the final words of the Declaration of Independence:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. (emphasis added)

In the spirit of the above words from the Declaration, we invite all to join us in a “Pledge for America’s Revival.” Those who sign the Pledge commit to stand with likeminded patriots in advancing America’s God-centered revival, upon the principles of our nation’s founding.

Prayerfully consider the words of the Pledge. If our country is to survive in liberty, it needs citizens who understand their vocation as participants in the political process — not merely spectators. We are counting on you to make a difference, of your own initiative, in preserving our republic.

If you are prepared to commit in good faith and with a heart for God’s will — and find others equally committed — America’s Revival will grow into a mighty grassroots reality, capable of helping to restore America’s allegiance to God, and the connection between our liberties and our respect for His authority as our Creator.

Upon this depends the future of our republic!

The pledge

In viewing the needs of America against the backdrop of current destructive trends, and seeing an urgent duty to “make a difference” by my own individual voice and activism in the cause of preserving our nation —

I HEREBY ANNOUNCE my support for the purposes of America’s Revival, purposes that center in the values and traditions that define America itself — beginning with the need to acknowledge the authority of God in all areas of American life, including the political arena.

I UNDERSTAND that the purposes of America’s Revival include:

• Teaching and promoting the self-evident truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.
• Upholding the requirements, guarantees, and protections of the Constitution of the United States.
• Preserving and defending the vital moral foundations of our republic — including the sanctity of life; the God-ordained family; the free exercise of religion in both public and private life; and the divinely-appointed equal rights of every individual.
• Encouraging God-fearing Americans to recommit to living in harmony with the will of God — yielding their hearts completely to Him and trusting in Him in all things. (See Jer. 31:33-34 and Prov. 3:5-6.)
• Doing whatever else might be properly included in the obligations and responsibilities of American citizenship, in accordance with true principles and the requirements of self-governance.

I THEREFORE PLEDGE to stand with likeminded Americans in advancing this cause — and pledge to do my best to find and encourage others who are willing to make and keep the same pledge. I also pledge, as did our Founders, to commit my resources to assist worthy patriotic causes, according to my individual ability and circumstances.

FINALLY, I pledge to give my best effort in all other needful, exemplary ways as God may guide me — for the cause of America’s Revival and for God, who is my witness.

Sign the pledge

© Marie Jon

 

WesternFront America

It is one thing to judge, and another to excuse. The Manhattan Declaration does neither. I found this to be a rather profound statement by a large number of Christian leaders taking a stand for the foundations of civilization, the family, and the sanctity of human life. People of faith have to work together to preserve and protect the fundamental principles of morality from those who seek to destroy them. This declaration brings together numerous Catholic bishops, Orthodox clergy, and Evangelical leaders and as an evangelical Christian I will gladly partner with other types of Christians on the common concepts that form the backbone of Christianity.

From ManhattanDeclaration.org:

Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1. the sanctity of human life

2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife

3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Even now the whispers of “hate speech,” “ignorance,” “bigotry,” “intolerance,” and “insensitivity” await those who now champion the sanctity of life or who fail to cheerlead homosexuality and sexual deviancy. Some have even gone so far as to label the Manhattan Declaration “hateful” or a call for civil disobedience. They are wrong. If anything, it is in fact a rather benign, formal declaration of what a great many believe. It is also a clear warning shot across the bow of the U.S.S. liberal agenda that Christians will not compromise their fundamental religious beliefs no matter what the state may attempt to dictate.

Those who seek to mock, disparage, and even persecute those who fail to march lockstep with the agenda of secular humanism need to understand that a line has been drawn in the sand and a wide spectrum of the Christian community is joining together in a common cause to proclaim God’s truth, as they understand it, as outlined in the Bible. These are clear cut and unambiguous issues for Bible-believing people of faith and compromise is not an option when it comes to these basic principles.

The suspension of judgment and the concept that there is no true right or wrong is a devious lie and one that often fools even otherwise educated and intelligent people. If you are willing to suspend judgment and the concept of right and wrong, then you will eventually accept anything. The “if-it-feels-good-do-it” mindset produces only heartache and disaster in the end. It is the wise man who rejects such childlike idiocy and expects adults to think and act like adults. With maturity should come responsibility, self-restraint, discernment, and wisdom. It stands in stark contrast to an ideology of dependency, irresponsibility, the inability to practice self-restraint and accept the consequences of one’s actions, and the continued childlike dependency on others to fix one’s own mistakes.

Popular culture may sneer at such ideas as morals and values, sexual restraint, and personal responsibility, at patriotism and good citizenship, and at honesty, decency, and respect. Those are the failings of secularists and liberals. They should not be of Christians and conservatives. Part and parcel of both Christianity and conservatism is the simple concept that actions have consequences. The concept of the prohibition of sin was not to somehow squash your “fun” but to warn one about the repercussions of certain actions. It was to protect us, not to be “mean” to us.

There may come a time when a declaration like this is labeled “hate speech” or contrary to the public good and banned from dissemination. One may think that is far-fetched but we currently stand at the edge of the abyss when it comes to thought-control, censorship, and even the persecution of those that don’t march lock step with the powers-that-be and the dictates of a corrupt, popular culture.

As our society and culture embraces decadence and earnestly seeks to fulfill the Prophet Isaiah’s warning that “good shall be called evil, and evil good” it is increasingly important for people of faith to stand up and be counted. It is time to draw a stark distinction between those who have sold out to situational morality and don’t believe in right or wrong, only “different.” Eleven of the twelve disciples achieved martyrdom by refusing to heed those who sought to silence them. It is incumbent upon Christians to stand up for what is right, no matter the cost. It is an essential element of the faith, and at the core of the teachings of Christ. To not call sin “sin” is to be dishonest and contrary to the teachings of the gospels.

The last paragraph of the Declaration reads:

”Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.”

There is something noble and honorable about standing for truth, as uncomfortable or inconvenient that may be for some on occasion. You can join the over 300,000 people of faith who have followed the example and lead of the initial 170 leaders of the Christian community who presented the world with the Manhattan Declaration. Dare to take a stand. Join what has gone far beyond a mere statement in defense of faith and principle, and is now becoming a movement of people of conscience taking a stand for the whole world to see.

Start the New Year by recommitting yourself to what is right and true. The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience can be read in its entirity at www.ManhattanDeclaration.org. I signed this powerful declaration and so should you. I like the spectrum and caliber of the signers and am proud to join my smallest of voices with theirs.The goal is for one million Christians to sign the declaration. Will you join me in doing so?

For more information on the thinking behind the Manhattan Declaration I would suggest the article by Dr. Timothy George, Dean of the Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, senior editor of Christianity Today, and one of the original architects of The Manhattan Declaration: The Manhattan Declaration:  A Growing, Grassroots Movement of the Spirit (http://www.colsoncenter.org/the-center/columns/call-response)

David Huntwork is a conservative activist and freelance columnist in Northern Colorado where he lives with his wife and three young daughters. He is the author of the book No Apologies: In Defense of Common Sense and the Conservative Ideology which is available at http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=3576295.

Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions at DaveHuntwork@juno.com.

You may also view his bio and past columns at: http://DavidHuntwork.tripod.com.

 

WesternFront America

So here we are just days before Christmas. The familiar stories of the controversial baby Jesus laying in a manger and the controversial words ‘Merry Christmas’ have been noted. What is so dangerous about a baby in a manger is beyond me? I think I know the real reason it is offensive. It’s because of fear. No, not the fear in the back of some atheists mind that set off a terrible thought about what if this story is real (take heed, it is by the way). The fear of governments around the world of their own people is what I am talking about.

Government’s use fear to control the masses. We have seen this with the healthcare debate. Obama doesn’t offer solutions. He offers fear. Fear about what will happen to the country if this bill doesn’t pass it will cause the country to go bankrupt. (In case you haven’t looked, Obama has pretty much put us in bankruptcy. Read what the Chinese said about American bonds the other day.) Fear that you won’t get healthcare, even though no emergency room closes its doors to anyone. It’s all about fear. It’s what the government uses to manipulate people into a belief.

Global warming is the same way. It’s all based around fear. That’s why you hear stupid comments like we only have fifty days to do something or it will be too late, a quote by the United Kingdom’s Gordon Brown. He said it over fifty days ago.

Anything that is meaningful and sacred in our society is slowly being robbed from us by labeling it controversial. God is being removed from our society. I joke that when In God We Trust is finally removed from our money forever, I will keep my Sharpie out and make sure some of the money sees it again. God is also being removed from Christmas celebrations. In fact, when you question why Christian symbols of the holiday are removed from certain Christmas activities, the fringed left asks why do you hate. There is nothing hateful about the true story of Christmas. It’s a story of love. So why all the negativity?

It comes down to this. The less faith you have in yourself and in a higher power and calling, the better it is for those who want to lead you and control you. Faith in god removes fear. Christians know they are to pray and leave it to God. When you leave it to God, theoretically, fear is no longer the issue. Faith overpowers fear. Without fear, you can’t control the masses.

This is why religion was nearly shut out of the USSR and is nearly nonexistent in places like China. God in those countries is the government. They are the providers and the ultimate authority, or so they think. Each of those countries use fear to control their masses, and they have effectively done so by wiping out the possibility of faith. You can see the attempts to do the same thing here in the United States. Those who criticize the Christian aspect of the season have merely fallen for this poisonous statist belief. Sure, it’s been masked and they will either never see it as that or never admit to it. That’s what it comes down to. (Thanks to Left Coast Rebel for the inspiration.)

Originally posted at Bungalow Bill’s Conservative Wisdom © Clay Bowler

 

WesternFront America

There are people who have many misconceptions of Christianity. Some believe it is a heavy weight of do’s and don’ts piled upon one’s shoulders. Others believe that it’s an “if you sin, you’ll go to hell” doctrine.

Some believe that preachers are only in the pulpit to make money. There is the proverbial lie that God is always watching to catch you when you make a mistake, and there’s the pesky inconvenience of attending church in the first place.

The human mind can create a list of impossible expectations that lead to fear and a spiritual disconnect of hopelessness. Eventually, people who feel this way close their Bibles and never darken the doors of a church. They make the decision simply not to believe in God anymore.

I suppose one could say some “divorce” God and banish Him from their lives forevermore, but do these same people become born-again atheists? Too often, non-believers come face to face with a hell of their own making.

Living with occasional doubt

I realize that my thoughts are probably not going to reach many atheists. However, my writings proclaim the existence and the power of a loving God. Often, I do touch the hearts of skeptics, doubters, and a few scoffers. Most likely, you are a person who fits the profile of the believer in God who is sympathetic to the idea that there is a Creator who cares. You probably believe as I do, and want to live your life as Jesus did when He was here on this earth.

I believe in God and His word. However, doubts occasionally sneak in. They really do. I then begin to wonder if it’s all true. Did God come to Earth? Will there be a Second Coming? At times, do preachers and the founders of our churches unknowingly deceive themselves and others? Could it be that their faith is merely wishful thinking?

The famous author Clive Staples Lewis found faith late in life. After many years of a fulfilling Christian walk, he confessed that, at times, he had his doubts. This is common among believers while on their way to becoming mature, well-grounded Christians. The pendulum swings for many. There are days when it is easy to believe in the existence of God. Then there are times when we wonder where God is. However, it is interesting that the pendulum of inner doubts and questioning does not just affect Christians. It swings for atheists, also. For you see, it was C.S. Lewis’ direct admission that he lived on both sides of the fence. He was an atheist who eventually became settled in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and lived out the rest of his life as a believer in Him.

Please understand that whichever view you embrace, your feelings will continually attack your convictions. Just as Christians have their moments, atheists have their misgivings.

If you believe in God, there will still be times when it seems that this material world is the only reality. Disbelieve in the Almighty God, and you must face hours when the material world seems to shout God does exists. That is the atheist’s often-undisclosed dilemma.

Lewis explained that if we are believers, we need to fortify ourselves against doubts. He used a phrase “train the habit of faith.” Daily prayer is a must, and spending meaningful time giving great thought to Who we believe in strengthens us. In other words, fixing our minds on God’s love for us becomes factual truth. Christ died so we could have eternal life and live life here “more abundantly.” Meditate on the cross of Calvary, and consider how the Savior of the world, who left the glories of heaven, rendered us an enormous gift that came at an agonizing sacrifice.

Leaping into the void

It is amazing that atheism has become such a force in our world. It is truly sad when many intelligent men and women who are philosophers, educators, and scholars trust only in their human wisdom. They’ve taken the leap of faith into the void of an empty universe. In Psalms, God’s Word says: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalms 14:1).

We love to call the atheist a fool. And our history books are full of colorful stories of brilliant people who have gazed at the stars and foolishly said, “It means nothing. The planets and galaxies got here by themselves, and so did we.” Strange that these leaders, authors, historians, and statesmen often don’t seem to be fools. I suppose some could make the argument that if these brilliant human beings don’t believe, how can you and I stay on the safe path of righteousness?

There is a well-written book I find very helpful called The Real Face of Atheism, by Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias. In his writings, he portrays an interesting picture of us. It begins way back in the late 1950s, when the Soviet Union beat America into space with its first rocket, Sputnik.

In fact, cosmonaut Gherman Titov, speaking to reporters and fascinated crowds at the World’s Fair in 1961, boasted that he never saw God up there. Someone in the crowd retorted that if Gherman would have stepped out of his space capsule for a closer look, he might have been surprised. Gherman glibly said: “I saw no God. There is no God.”

Seven years later, our country made its mark in the space race when we sent Apollo 8 to the moon and back. The people of the world saw an astonishing picture on their television screens. For the first time, we could view earth rise over the horizon of the moon, which glistened in the light of the sun against the black void of space. As this wondrous experience occurred, the world heard, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Take a good look at these two philosophies. There they were, two groups of highly-trained and well-educated people. When given the opportunity to hurtle through space, one group saw God, and the other saw nothing but darkness and the occasional large rock.

I’ll borrow the words of philosopher Mortimer Adler: “More consequences for life and action follow from the affirmation or denial of God than from any other basic question.”

Surrendering to God’s promises

Allow me to lean in a bit closer and give some of you encouragement. If you’re going to put God on a shelf and walk away, wait! Don’t allow the craziness of this world’s events, or the hurts you harbor, stop you from surrendering to love, faith, and commitment. Have confidence in “peace that passes all understanding.” Please give God’s promises a second glance. A deep abiding relationship with God will grow.

I understand there are many hurt people who have had the unfortunate experience of living under a cloud of religious oppression. People are not perfect, but the Almighty certainly is. Sit down and consider the possibility that God is loving and good, but that there are times when His imperfect children and His self-appointed representatives are not.

There is too much at stake. God does exist, and He most certainly cares for you. Understand that He has a wonderful purpose for your life. Believe in His amazing grace and everlasting love. Wrestle with questions and doubts no more. Believe because the loss is too costly, but the rewards are unimaginable.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

It has always been my belief that the human race began in a garden called Eden. I have believed that with all my heart since I can remember. I believe what the Word of God says in Genesis, Chapter 1, is completely true. How did we depart so far off course that men and women, made in the image of God, stopped believing in a Savior? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

I’ve been going to church since I was a little tot. I have learned to understand that there are sinners in the church. I’m one of them myself. Atheists, on the other hand, often will look on in horror while their own lives slide right past them into heartbreak and eventually total disaster. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

America is facing some very real problems. Put your trust in Him alone. Man will always let you down. God has said: Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.

“The Lord will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

There is nothing more comforting than holding on to the promises of God. Stop doubting. I don’t pretend to know how to explain every verse, but still, hold on. When you feel your confidence slipping away, hold on and have faith to ask God to give you faith. He promises to do it, right now.

Song: “Thank You For The Cross, Lord”

America’s Revival will grow only when our people firmly believe and without hesitation return to an allegiance with our Almighty Father. Only then can our liberties and freedoms be preserved and restored. Upon this depends the future of our nation, free from despotism and tyranny.

An enemy generally says and believes what he wishes. — Thomas Jefferson

Please sign the Pledge for America’s Revival right now. To read the “Pledge for America’s Revival,” click here.

Related Readings:

Man was created in God’s image

Our country’s moral and spiritual crossroads: Same-sex marriage

© Marie Jon

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