Reflections on God … Man … Life
The Scripture to the left is often invoked to say that everything will work out alright regardless of what men choose. “Don’t you know,” we are told, “that God works all things together for good”? That’s called “selective reading” of a Scripture. Look closely. For whom do things work together for good? The promise is for those “who love the Lord,” the ones “who are the called according to His purpose.” This is not an outright promise that all things… Read more »
Although God calls the shots for the overall direction of His creation, He has given each of us a wonderful, and simultaneously frightful, gift—the ability to make choices in life. Our choices are the real thing, not simply illusions. As Moses stated to the children of Israel in the desert, This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and… Read more »
Even before the presidential election, I heard so many Christians say, “Well, no matter what happens, God is in control.” Do not number me as one who denies God’s sovereignty. He is the Lord of the universe and omnipotence is one of His natural attributes. He will determine when this whole earthly experiment has run its course, and one day everyone will have to stand before Him to give an account. Further, He decides the eternal destiny of each person…. Read more »
This political cartoon leads me to say something that I have only hinted at, but need to emphasize. I have been highly critical of the views of our new president, and will remain so. Yet, as a Christian, I believe that even the worst of sinners can change. The apostle Paul started as Saul, the persecutor of Christians. John Newton was a slave trader who was converted and became the writer of “Amazing Grace.” Can Obama change his views? Yes…. Read more »
My final critique of the Bush presidency has to do with communication. A president must be able to connect with the American people and explain what he is doing. He will not convince everyone of the rightness of his policies, but he must make the effort, which most people will at least respect. George Bush started well. After 9/11, his speech to a joint session of Congress was one of the best presidential speeches in recent memory. He was at… Read more »
Then there is the issue of immigration. There is a misperception out there (even promoted by Bush) that conservatives don’t like immigrants. That is not the case, and it is not the issue. The key is that immigrants need to follow the laws in order to become citizens. When President Bush pushed for his comprehensive immigration bill, he tried to make it seem as though it was a tough approach to lawbreakers, but it was not. In fact, as many… Read more »
Total federal spending per household has risen 115% since 1965. The sharpest increase occurred during the Bush administration–11%. That comes to an average of $23,500 per household in 2007. Now, is President Bush to blame for all of this? Only in conjunction with Congress, which decided to go along with the spending spree. The saddest part of this to me is that Congress was controlled by the Republicans until the 2006 elections. They must share the blame. And then, of… Read more »