This past Sunday, I preached from Revelation 22:1-5 about the new heavens and the new earth and all that we have in store for us once we die.  One of the promises in that passage is that there will be a tree of life, and that the leaves on the tree will be for the healing of the nations.  To any casual observer of world politics, you can appreciate the beauty behind this statement.  In that new world, when the curse is broken and the dwelling of God is with man, the nations will no longer be at war, but will at last experience healing from the divisions that have destroyed this world so many times over.

 Keeping that promise in mind, as well as this month’s focus on the persecuted church, and with Thanksgiving coming up this week, let me share another story of what is going on in this mad, mad world (courtesy WorldNet Daily): Read more »

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. (Revelation 6:9-11)

 This past Sunday was the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  As we sit in church each Sunday in our comfortable chairs and hang out afterwards drinking coffee with other believers, it can be hard to comprehend what it is like to live in a land where going to church means risking your life.  We Americans often get squeamish when speaking of the judgment, the justice, and the wrath of God, but in places like China, India, and Iraq, where Christians are routinely persecuted and killed, there are few things more important than knowing that God is a God who will judge those who commit such atrocities. 

Consider this story from the Voice of the Martyrs website, one of numerous examples of persecution (in some cases state-sponsored) of Christians around the world: Read more »

America has elected a new President, Barack Obama.  I’ve been reading words from many pastors and Christians the past couple of days that are reminding us that as a church we are called to pray for our leaders, including our President.  In the words of Paul:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone– for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men– the testimony given in its proper time (1 Timothy 2:1-6).

 In that spirit, we pray today that God would give our new President Elect the wisdom and godly focus he’ll need to lead our nation in a way that brings glory to God.  And, as Paul instructed Timothy, we pray for a government that would allow us to live peaceful, holy, lives, so that all men might be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

As I prepare for the upcoming series on Death and the Life after that, I wanted to briefly meditate on one connection between ourselves and President-Elect Obama.  Read more »