July 08, 2008
The Real Question
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, preached a good sermon on TV Sunday morning. Many of his comments, supported with Scripture, came from his book Rediscovering God in America. According to Gingrich, as a nation we ask ourselves, “Is God on our side? But the real question is, ‘Are we on God’s side?’” I think we should be asking that same question of the church. Today’s trend for leaders in casting a vision for the church falls in the category of asking God to be on our side. In our efforts to fulfill leadership’s vision, we fail to ask the real question, Are we on God’s side?
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Gail;
-----The Barna Reports continue to show America’s claim to be 80% and more Christian. Ask all those Christians if America is on God’s side and, according to opinion polls on America’s direction, I think most by far would say, “No.” But they still stumble after Obama, Hillary, AlGore, etc. as if these guys were institutions of God Himself. Similarly, I think if all these Christians were asked whether they thought the church in general was on God’s side, they would think not. But most everyone is sure the local church they’ve chosen to attend is on God’s side. And I would bet they are all sincere about it, too. In fact, I believe I knew the leaders of XYZ Church who kicked me out, and I am sure they were totally sincere about being on God’s side. I am sure they still are.
-----I am firmly convinced that if we ask me, or you, or the leaders of XYZ Church, or the Christians of America whether the church, America, me, you, or anyone else is on God’s side, we are asking the wrong person. God is the knowing One; we are the humbled ones. It is God we must ask. Now we can get on our knees and sincerely beseech Him for an answer about such a matter, but the only way He is going to speak His answer into our ears is if that is what He will choose to do. Frankly, I’ve met a few folks who claim He has, and just as many less whose lives bore the solid evidence of it. But He has already given us the answer to these questions in the Bible He inspired. Praying for the truth about whether or not we are on His side, we must humble ourselves and abide by what His Word says before we can recognize the answer in it.
-----I think that is why there are so many churches and countries and people who claim to be on God’s side, yet they all hold beliefs and live in manners diametrically opposed to one another. As far as I am concerned, I want like all get out to be on His side, but I don’t try quite as hard as I want. That is why I hope far more than I want that He knows me as being on His side.
Love,
Steve Corey
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