8 minute read
From the Editor
Will You Stand With Us?
I still believe America can be a shining beacon of hope. The invitation Jesus offered to Jerusalem, He extends to us today as a nation in crisis. “Oh, America, how I long for you to come to Me like chicks to the hen.” He invites us to come to the shelter, to the shadow of the Almighty. As believers, we must extend a clear call to return to the security and direction that God freely offers.
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In the Old Testament, God repeatedly told His people that if they would return to Him, He would bless them. God wants to bless us beyond anything we could ever imagine, but it requires that we stay in His presence. In turn, He wants us to become a blessing to the nations of the world. Jesus told the twelve that were closest to Him to go disciple the nations. We don’t have to be overanxious for the future kingdom of heaven. We must focus on the assignment that God has given us here and now, because Jesus announced, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”t
We must be connected to one another and submitted to Christ, the head. We must also understand and value the importance of each other. Believers that are not properly connected to one another short-circuit God’s power. We are sent out on a divine assignment. We are not called to promote a denomination or political party, but to leave the imprint of God on all denominations, political parties and every sphere of influence.
We must become name-less, egoless and logo-less. We have a nation going down and who cares who gets the credit. It’s not a matter of trying to wrap the Bible with a flag. We must recognize biblical principles applied to a nation’s life are better than anti-biblical principles. Wherever you see believers working, pray that they are ambassadors for Christ. Each of us must be true to the word of God and the principles on which we must build, which pierce the darkness with the light of God’s truth.
I am not talking about organizing a base of power, but mobilizing a people to release God’s power all over the earth. If we understand what He wishes to accomplish and commit to doing it, God’s purpose will be accomplished in His power and by His Spirit. The Christian Community is a diverse group of people, but we can learn to hear God together and respond in a way that sets an example of unity, as we communicate and find common ground to address common concerns without compromising biblical convictions. We do not have to forfeit our uniqueness and diversity to come together in harmony, revealing the purpose of God.
A foundation established on biblical principles makes it possible to be productive, creative and prosperous. The Kingdom of God, revealed by genuine love and grace, will affect human character. Never take lightly the important role the church must fulfill on earth and in this mission! Opportunities, success and prosperity are not the problem. Forsaking God and the failure to live under His control and in a responsible manner is the culprit. Let us, as Christians and caring Americans, not forsake and fault the very potential for being blessed and blessing others. Do not place the blame in the wrong places. We must take personal responsibilities for our actions.
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From the Editor
See STAND WITH US on Page 45
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Top Priorities
Whether you have ever thought of it or not, is it not true that life sets up priorities and top priorities? If one would succeed in the battle of personal living, he must designate some things as important and other things as most important. There must be top priorities.
Probably the number one danger of modern living is to substitute secondary matters for primary, nonessential for essential, incidental for fundamental and peripheral for the central.
The Old Testament records a classic example of this human tendency. A prisoner was put in custody of a keeper, with this charge: "Keep this man, guard him, and watch him. If for any reason, he escapes -- be missing thy life shall be for his life." There was a top priority.
But what happened? The custodian or keeper became occupied with other matters -- secondary, incidental things -- and forgot his top charge. The prisoner escaped and then what? The warden cried out to the king, "As thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone." Did that excuse him or absolve him from blame? The king decreed: "You knew the charge. You knew the penalty. Thou thyself has decided it. Thy life shall be for his life." So, he was condemned, not because he was busy doing sinful, evil things necessarily, but because he betrayed his top priority (I Kings 20: 38-42).
The classic New Testament illustration of this same principle is commonly designated "The Story of the Rich Fool." Jesus himself related it. In essence it is this. A man's business prospered; he had to build larger barns to care for his bounteous crops. He sat back smugly and complacently and said to himself, "Soul, thou have many goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry."
But God broke the silence and said, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." What a pathetic tragedy! Here he was at the triumphant apex of his career, just ready to live life to the full. But now his number was up. He must die. He ignored top priorities. He put sensuous satisfaction ahead of his soul. He gave all his time seeking for gold and none searching for God.
Successful living must recognize top priorities.
Permit me to suggest what they are: 1. God's will for your life must be first and your personal desires second. 2. Make the kingdom of Heaven first in your activities. Jesus commanded, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things [needful things] shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6: 33).
Here is the top priority. It must transcend even home, friends, school, work, and pleasure. In all things Jesus must have pre-eminence (Col. 1: 18). 3. Give God the first hour of every day. It is recorded of Jesus, "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mark 1: 35). Early prayer and Bible reading each day is a priority first. 4. Give God the first day of the week. Here is another top priority. The Sabbath must be a holy day and not a holiday. Its observance is so important that it is included as one of the Ten Commandments. You must not ignore it or shove it to a secondary place. It rates top priority in God's requirements and thus of necessity must be an imperative first in man's observance. 5. Give God the first portion of your income. Under the old Jewish order, the first fruits, the first of the flocks, herds, and material increase were the Lord's. One-tenth was the minimum. Offerings were to be over and above the tithes. It is still God's plan for financing His Church. So, give Him the first tenth, top priority, and He will bless your nine-tenths.
So, here are the top priorities. 1. Give yourself to God. 2. Give the Kingdom first place in your activities. 3. Give the first hour of every day to prayer. 4. Give the first day of every week wholly to God. 5. Give the first portion of your income to His Church.
If you give God and His kingdom top priority, He will give you top blessings here and eternal life hereafter.
I propose this personal question: To what do you give top priority in your life?
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