Great is Thy Faithfulness

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.”  Thomas Chisolm

  If you study Church History, you’ll find that many well-known Christians that we so admire today had very difficult lives. Many of our favorite songs we love to sing were written by those who knew very well difficult times and even the “valley of the shadow of death.” In fact, many of the believers that you and I admire, even in this church, have gone through deep waters. If we knew their story and the pain that they’ve endured, it would stagger us. That’s not a testimony of their strength or abilities, it’s a testimony of something so much greater – the faithfulness of God.

  One of my favorite hymns is Great is Thy Faithfulness by Thomas Chisolm. I love it because the words come straight out of God’s Word, Lamentations 3:22-23. That passage was a great blessing and source of continued encouragement for Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960). He had a very difficult life, particularly his adulthood. His health was so fragile that there were great periods of time when he was confined to bed, unable to work. Between bouts of illness he’d have to push himself to put in extra hours at various jobs in order to survive financially.

  He was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky and trusted Christ when he was twenty-seven. eHe studied and later entered the ministry when he was thirty-six. His ongoing poor health forced him to leave the ministry after only one year. During the rest of his life, Chisholm spent many years living in New Jersey and worked as a life insurance agent. 

  Yet, because of the many difficulties that he dealt with, Chisholm found tremendous comfort in God’s Word. I wonder today if many of our emotional and mental health issues in the Church would be alleviated, if not potentially resolved, if we were people who were consistently immersed in the study and meditation on the Scriptures. Yet, God’s faithfulness and that God was his constant source of strength in his times of illness and provided his needs, was particularly encouraging for him. Lamentations 3:22-23 was medicine for his soul: “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.”

  On one occasion, while away from home on a mission’s trip, Thomas Chisolm often wrote to one of his good friends, William Runyan, a relatively unknown musician. Several poems were exchanged in these letters. William Runyan found one of Chisholm’s poems so moving that he decided to compose a musical score to accompany the lyrics…and Great is Thy Faithfulness was born. It was published in 1923. For many years, the hymn received very little recognition, until it was discovered by a Moody Bible Institute professor. He loved it so much and requested it be sung so often at chapel services, that it became the unofficial theme song of Moody Bible Institute. Yet, it wasn’t until 1945 when George Beverly Shea, the famed soloist in Billy Graham Crusades began to sing it during the crusades that the hymn was finally heard around the world. 

  Toward the end of his life, Chisholm explained, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.” Thomas Chisolm died in 1960 at the age of 94. During his lifetime, he’d written more than 1,200 poems and hymns including O To Be Like Thee and Living for Jesus.

  Just think, with each new day, God gives you and I the opportunity to prove His faithfulness. Throughout history, He’s never once been proven wrong, for His mercies are new every morning, no matter what.

  That’s what we are celebrating today – God’s wonderful faithfulness. Sixty years ago a handful of believers had a dream of a Bible believing Baptist Church in Burlington. We are their legacy. In following their footsteps, we truly walk on hallowed ground.

  I feel very blessed that I had the privilege of personally meeting all four of the previous pastors at Grace. Dr. Reuben Kile was one of the godliest, most passionate men that I’ve ever met. Even though I first met him in his later years, I was moved by his love for the Lord and love for people. He came to Burlington as a church planter. He and his wife Sandy, lived on a very limited budget yet left us this great treasure. They were followed by Pastor John Loggans and his wife, Marion. I knew Pastor Loggans when he served in Imlay City, Michigan. I preached for him one time many years ago at a youth conference, never dreaming that I’d one day follow his steps to our church in Burlington. His son, Bob, is one of my closest friends and a continual source of blessing and encouragement to me. Pastor Dewey Godwin was known for great passion for the lost, love for the Lord and a vision for the future that left its mark on our church. Pastor Ron Bergquist and his wife, Mona, were used by God to touch many of the lives of folk who are still at Grace.

  Our Heavenly Father is faithful. If you’re a believer, you’ve been adopted by a Father who will never ever change His mind in regard to you, never write you off, never leave you or forsake you. If you’re a part of God's family by faith alone in Christ alone, you have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. You can’t talk about the one true God without coming to this truth: How great is the faithfulness of our God!

  When an intimidated Moses needed assurance about the massive assignment that he had been given, He asked for God's credentials. He wanted to know God's name. So God answered with His covenant name, "Yahweh: I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). What’s the meaning of that name? God took the present tense verb form of "to be" and used it for His name. It’s a name that expresses God's eternality. It also announces that in His nature and perfections, in His knowledge, will, purpose and happiness, God always remains the same. God never changes.

  In another sixty or six hundred years, God will still be faithful. May that be said of us! If Jesus tarries His return for sixty or six hundred years may Grace Church still be faithfully serving the One who is consistently faithful!

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

Problems are meant to be solved

“You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.”  Edwin Louis Cole

  “I can’t.” It can’t be done.” It’s impossible.” “There is no way.” “No one can do it.” “I’m dropping out.” “I’m filing for divorce.” It’s overwhelming.” “I’m walking out.” “I quit.” Over the course of the last week, you’ve probably heard or perhaps even said one of those phrases.  

  Life is a process: a complex ever-continuing, ever changing set of problems and difficulties. The choice is not – will you accept problems?  Problems are inevitable. The vital question is HOW will you face problems? Problems are a part of life. Even without the Fall and sin’s contamination, there would still be problems. God created us to “subdue” the earth (Genesis 1:28). He gifted us with intelligence and creativity so that even in that perfect, yet not fully developed world, we would problem-solve. The very first problem God gave Adam was a major one – one that most of us even today with all of our combined knowledge and tools of technology would be very intimidated by – what to name all of the animals? (Genesis 2:19).

  With as many problems as we’re all faced with, it seems as if there’s never enough time to solve each one without dealing with some adversity along the way. Life is so complex. Problems keep coming at us so fast that we find ourselves wanting to just quit often before we even start.

  Too many, when faced with a problem, are paralyzed. For some it’s ignorance, for others it’s laziness, yet we live in a world where far too many fail to use their God-given creativity and abilities. Part, too, is that of doting parents not wanting their children to suffer or be uncomfortable in any way, and fix everything for them. If a child starts a sport or playing a musical instrument that they want to play, yet then decides that practicing is too difficult or too much work, parents let them quit. Perseverance is a key ingredient when it comes to problem-solving. Then, we are too quick to ask for help, whether it’s Google or someone in authority, instead of putting out some effort to figure it out for ourselves.

  The results of lacking problem-solving skills are disastrous. It’s why teens drop out of school. It’s why adults quit jobs or bail on marriage. It’s why people leave churches. It’s that core problem of a lack of problem-solving skills. It’s easier to not try or just quit, but it’s very costly.

  This came home to me when I encountered a new problem I’d never previously faced. One of the wonderful responsibilities of a pastor is to meet with people and pray with them prior to their having surgery. Let’s face it. Most of us are a bit nervous if we’re facing surgery, even if the doctor says “it’s routine.” It may be her routine, but it’s not mine. Having someone anesthetize us or start cutting into parts of our bodies is not routine. Add to that “every surgery is minor surgery until it’s MY surgery.”

  This surgery was scheduled in the morning. The family knew I was coming. I arrived as I normally do about half an hour after the patient was instructed to be there. With changes in schedules, surgeries often happen very quickly and ahead of schedule. It was a small hospital so I didn’t anticipate any issues. I went to the reception desk and was told to wait, they’d let me know when I could go back to see the patient. Now that’s not routine for a pastor. Prep for surgery is fairly standard. The patient dons a hospital gown and lays in bed, as medical staff come in to ask the same questions the patient has been asked seemingly a hundred times before. If a certain appendage is being operated on, they mark it. Sometimes they’ll start an IV or draw blood. None of it is a big deal, particularly for a pastor.

  So I sat for fifteen minutes. I wish I could say patiently, but I wasn’t. I tried to text the family, yet couldn’t get through to them. I asked the receptionist what the status was…my impatience was beginning to show. She said that she’d let me know. She didn’t. I was concerned they’d take the patient in for surgery before I was able to pray with them, so I finally convinced her it would be good to check again. She did and I went back.

  For a pastor, this just doesn’t happen, particularly since the patient wants you there. I was not a happy camper. As this is not a hospital I often deal with and because I was so shocked, I called a friend who pastors in the area. He informed me that this particular hospital always makes pastors wait. On top of that, they have a poor reputation for communicating with pastors. Several times they’ve forgotten him as he’s waiting to see a patient and he has to remind them. It’s not a good situation.

  Like most pastors, I love to be there to pray with folk. Oftentimes, I find that they or their family are anxious. Pastoral care is a wanted and needed blessing. Most hospitals are begging for local pastors to assist with pastoral care and to be volunteer chaplains. They can hardly keep up medically and are thankful for assistance with the spiritual and emotional side.

  Since I’d seen the patient and I’d never been at this hospital for a pastoral call previously, there was high probability I’d never have to return. So I had a decision to make: Do I just blow it off or do I attempt to improve the situation for other pastors and patients? In other words, do I seek to problem-solve? To be honest, it’d have been easier to have just let it go, but I believed that would be wrong. So I called the pastoral care department at their main hospital.

  This is where you know that God was intervening. They had a new chaplain…who just happened to be an old friend of mine. We’d worked together in the past at another ministry. My friend was having major difficulties making some needed changes. This particular hospital had been problematic when it came to pastoral care. Not only was my friend very thankful for my call but asked me to consider being a chaplain at this hospital (It’s a bit of a drive and there are many other pastors that are much closer, but I’m now on the emergency call list.) Because I’m familiar with the area, I helped make some contacts to begin a chaplain program at the very hospital I’d just had so much difficulty with.

  It’s easy to get irritated and impatient (which I was wrong for doing) and complain. It takes creativity and wisdom to problem solve. Too often, even in the Church, we’re venters when God wants to use us as problem-solvers. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a spiritual matter. While we don’t want to be busybodies, many of us throw in the towel far too soon when we could make a valuable investment in the world God has called us to minister in.  

  Are you a problem-solver or just a problem pointer outer? God blessed us with intelligence, skills and creativity so that we can be part of the solution and use the abilities He’s endowed us with to better His world. A great resource from a Christian perspective that I found very helpful was Eating Problems for Breakfast: A Simple, Creative Christian Approach to Solving Any by Tim Hansel. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- 262.534.3500. 

Why trust when you can worry!?!

“God has great things in store for His people; they ought to have large expectations.”   Charles Spurgeon

  If you’re like most people, you probably worry about your weight.  That might not be at the top of your list, but according to a recent survey, that’s the #1 concern for most people. Here are the Top Ten Worries (counting down from #10 to #1) according to this survey: #10 Diet. #9 Job security. #8 Rent/mortgage payment. #7 Credit card debt. #6 Low energy level. #5 Overdrafts and loans. #4 Overall fitness. #3 Lack of savings/financial future. #2 Growing old. #1 Being overweight.

  Yet, notice something about this list. First, these concerns primarily fall into two categories – health and finances. Second, these are universal human concerns. Finally, these are issues which will be with us as long as we live. You’re going to have to die in order to stop being concerned about your money and your health.

  Have you ever wondered how much time you spend worrying? It’s probably more than you think. That same survey asked people how much time they spend worrying and here’s what they discovered. Each week, we spend 14.31 hours worrying. That equals 744 hours of worry each year, which turns into 45,243 hours of worry over a lifetime, which equals 1885 days in a lifetime spent doing nothing but worrying. Ultimately, we spend 5.2 years of life enslaved by worry. Is it any wonder that we have trouble sleeping? Or, that we feel under so much pressure and often find it so hard to concentrate? For most of us, it’s not just one thing, it’s multiple concerns all wrapped up together. It’s our job, school, money, work, health, bills to pay, your husband, your wife, your ex, the in-laws, the kids…on and on it goes. Any one issue we could handle or even two, but when you get three or four together, your knees start to buckle.

  To worry is to “give way to anxiety or unease; allow one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.” The word comes from the Old English wyrgan, which means “to strangle or to seize by the throat.” That’s a helpful image, because we’ve all felt the pressure of worry choking us, squeezing the life out of us. Some folk who are consumed by worry will wonder if they’re possibly having a heart attack because of a tightness in their chest.

  Yet, God has called us to be the people of faith. Faith and worry are arch enemies. Worry is the enemy of a relationship with God. You can’t go to heaven without taking God at His Word, that the death of His Son, Jesus was sufficient to pay for all of your sins. If you want God’s blessing, His approval on your life…if our church wants His blessing, then we must trust Him. Hebrew 11:6 admonishes us that “without faith it is impossible to please Him.” What does it mean then to live by faith, to truly trust God? The consistent pattern of God’s Word is that….

  Trusting God means that we’re obedient. The life of faith isn’t complex. It begins with obeying the truth we already know. It means repenting of sin and doing what we know the Bible teaches is right. It means consistently reading the instruction manual, the Bible.

  And true faith always leads to decisive action. Noah believed God and built an Ark. Abraham left everyone and everything he knew because God told him to. The early church shared a message that cost them, not just their livelihood, but often their lives. So what are the areas of obedience that you’re neglecting? You won’t be free from worry until you first obey. God’s blessings are on those who obey.

  Wonderfully, those who trusted God left behind an inheritance of faith. Each of us is given just one life. We leave behind an abundance of memories for those who love us. So what will your family and friends, your children and grandchildren know about a life of faith by their memories of your life? How will you be remembered? Will you be remembered for your faith?

  Living by faith can be like driving in a fog. When driving though a heavy fog, you can’t see that far in front of you but you keep on driving anyway, believing that what you can’t see, you will see once you get there. When you move forward one hundred feet, you can see one hundred more feet than you could not see before. Thus, you keep going until you reach your destination, driving by faith.

  Trusting God means that we’re patient. Many believers in the Bible and even throughout Church History didn’t see the fruition of their faith in their lifetime. God promised Abraham that he’d be the father of a great nation. When he died, he only had Isaac…not exactly a great nation. But God kept His promise.

  Satan tempts us to live for the here and now, to focus and worry about today. We spend money and time seeking to ward off poor health and death. We save for retirement and build up our 401Ks…and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you’re not a fool and living only for temporary healthy and wealth. When our focus is just on the possessions of the here and now, they distract us from the walk of faith. Living for this world is like preserving and storing up the leaves which are going to fall off the trees in a few weeks. If you’re a believer, this world is not your home. You’re just a leaf on a tree, here today…gone tomorrow. Wise people in faith live for the eternal Home built by God. But it means waiting, not as long as most of us think, yet it still means waiting in faith, trusting God.

  Sometimes we feel like our lives have been put on hold. Waiting is one of the godly life’s greatest disciplines. As we wait in faith for the fulfillment of God’s promises, we must remember that “waiting time is never wasted time.” God is working even while we wait. Sometimes He’s testing us and growing us spiritually. True faith is waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises in His timing, and He always keeps His promises.

  Trusting God means that we’re willing to sacrifice. True faith is always willing to sacrifice. Abraham demonstrated that willingness when he laid on the altar the most precious thing in his life, his son. What’s the most important thing in your life? God will never settle for being second place in your life. He’s only interested in being in first place in your life and won’t settle for anything less.

  Corrie Ten Boom said that she’d learned to hold the things of this world loosely in her hand, because she knew that if she grasped them tightly, the Lord would have to pry her fingers away and it would hurt. Is there anything you’re clinging to, trying to withhold from God? Is there anything that it’s going to hurt if God has to pry it out of your hands?

  Jesus must be Lord of all or He’s not Lord at all. You and I will never give up anything for God that God will not repay many, many times over. True faith means that we’re obedient, patient and willing to sacrifice. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com. 

A job is NOT the best social program!

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.”  John F. Kennedy

  Did you know that if you swallow a piece of chewing gum, it remains in your body for seven years? Did you know that if you leave a tooth in a glass of Coke overnight by the next morning the tooth will be completely dissolved? Did you know that if enough people fill out “Jedi” as their religion on their census forms the government will have to make it an official religion? Did you know that Poinsettias are poisonous?

  None of those are true. They’re all myths. Did you know that, (and you’re going to hear this a lot during the upcoming election year), that “jobs are the best social program out there…that there is no social program as effective as a job.” One of my heroes, the late Ronald Reagan, appears to be the first one to say that “I believe the best social program is a job.” But President Reagan was wrong. Like most myths, this one has been repeated so often that it’s accepted as fact. Since it’s the Labor Day weekend, let’s consider a biblical worldview of the place of a job in our life.

  Statistics show that most voters, even the majority of Christians, vote based on economic values more than any other one issue. In other words, the vast majority of those who are part of the Kingdom of God vote based on kingdom of man values. It may take different avenues. For some it’s job security or the creation of jobs. For others, it’s lowered taxes, a growing economy or the stock market. The bottom line is it is economic and the majority of the time that’s translated into money and – my job.

  Please understand, it’s good to have a job. If you read last week’s Pastor’s Pen or are familiar with 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12, you know the Bible teaches that part of our God-given responsibility from Creation is work. It’s a continual theme of Scripture – God’s plan for human beings is to find fulfillment in work and responsibility, not just leisure and the weekend (that’s another myth we’ll work through at another time).

  Yet, politicians are indiscriminate, after all if “the best social program is a job,” it doesn’t matter what the job is – as long as it’s a job. That’s not what Scripture teaches. It’s discriminatory on what is “good work.” Scripture is permeated with ethical principles on what jobs are appropriate, as well as how employers and employees are to treat each other.  

  Not every job is a moral job. Personally, I’m disgusted at how many “conservative” officials have no issue with increasing gambling. They’re dilatory in their God-given responsibility to their constituents. It’s the responsibility of government to protect its citizens, particularly the disenfranchised who have difficulty protecting themselves. Every study shows that gambling is bad for society, that it takes advantage of the poor, elderly and uneducated. Nearly every school child knows that the nickname for Las Vegas is “Sin City.” Why? Because gambling rarely creeps in alone. The gambling disease is a carrier of adult bookstores, strip clubs, illicit drugs and prostitution. Often the Mob gets its fingers in a community via gambling. Even politicians realize the limitations of this naïve premise, “the best social program is a job” in that so far they’ve not legalized prostitution, lowered the drinking age, or legalized the sale of illicit drugs.

  Not every job is a good for your family. It’s increasingly rare to find those who are highly successful in their career in their original marriage. Often, if they’re still married to the same person later in life, the marriage is little more than a shell. It may be a matter of social convention or perhaps they kept it together for their children. Sadly, a thriving, healthy marriage is not the norm for highly successful individuals. In Scripture, we find those who were successful in their careers yet were often failures in their marriage. King David and his son, Solomon, are tragic examples.

  There are several factors that contribute to this. First, a healthy marriage demands time and cultivation. It’s hard to burn the midnight oil at work and have time for candlelit romantic dinners at home. Then, if you’re successful at work, you usually come home so weary your spouse often gets leftovers. Sometimes a successful person becomes addicted to success. It’s like they have a mistress and their spouse can’t compete. Plus, if you’re successful at work, your need for emotional and social support is usually filled there. Add to that, if you work a lot, when you finally come home, rather than being warmly welcomed, your spouse may grouse that you’re always working which motivates you to want to be away and work more.

  Sometimes to climb the corporate ladder, you must make frequent moves and your children are uprooted again and again. Not only do they resent leaving their friends, Dad is often unavailable because he has to put in inordinate amounts of time and attention on the new position. Success and child-raising rarely mix. And parents who are obsessed with their work, wealth or social standing usually devalue the task of bringing up children.

  Recently, the former CEO of Pimco, Mohamed El-Erian, explained why he’d resigned from his $100 million a year job. His 10-year-old daughter gave him a written list of 22 milestones he’d missed because of work – including the first day of school, a parent-teacher meeting and a Halloween parade. Even though he had legitimate excuses for every absence, he realized that none of the pressing meetings, travelling and so forth really mattered in the long run.

  Not every job is good for you spiritually. American evangelicals have deeply identified themselves with the culture’s unflinching belief that success is the point of human existence. It’s the defining value of American life. Please understand, idolatry is not a small, stone Buddha. Too many of us worship our work, which is why we have so little time for worshipping God. We spend little or no time with Him. Prayer is reserved for moments of desperation. We look for a worship experience that keeps a close eye on the clock because we “have so many things to do.” As G.K. Beale, wisely said, “We resemble what we revere, either for ruin or restoration.” Meaning, whatever we worship, we’ll seek to become like that object. It will either save or ruin our lives. Our walk with God in sanctification is meant to be a steady, faithful climb. That takes time, lots of it. You can’t be a human doing and a Christ-follower. 

  Is a job, is work important? Yes. But the best social program isn’t a job. It’s a relationship. It’s the Gospel. It’s knowing Jesus Christ and living for Him. Amazingly, when our relationship with God is as it should, so is everything else. So don’t believe the myth, believe God’s eternal truth! 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com. 

There are no Rights without Responsibility

“No man was ever endowed with a right without being at the same time saddled with a responsibility.”  Gerald W. Johnson

  Recently, I saw a video clip of a young man arguing with a police officer that the officer didn’t have the “right” to pull him over because the law didn’t make a provision for someone being detained for speeding. In spite of his protests, the clip ended with the officer breaking the car window and pulling the young man out of the vehicle. Somehow I doubt his “right” to not be pulled over, ticketed or arrested will hold up in a court of law.

  Various rights are continually proclaimed in today’s culture. If you listed all the “rights” that are part of the current cultural conversation, you’d fill a page. Yet, it’s very noteworthy that one is hard pressed to find an example of someone demanding their rights in Scripture. While there are a few incidents, they’re rare. The consistent focus of the Bible is on a word virtually unknown today and more rarely seen in action – responsibility.

  The Bible begins with responsibility. Almost as soon as they’d taken their first breath, Adam and Eve are given responsibility: “And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28). “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16-17).

  As our world becomes more secular, the emphasis has inverted so that it’s now on rights, yet rarely on responsibility. But are rights without responsibility even possible? What’s been eradicated is the fact that rights and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin. One can’t have one without the other. Every right has a necessary corresponding responsibility.

  A Biblical worldview begins with responsibility preceding rights, or at least on a parallel with rights. It never has rights without responsibility. While a secularized culture seeks to have rights without responsibility, it ultimately crashes against its own illogical impossibility. As a result, it continually creates more laws to somehow seek to curb that absurd mindset. Rights without responsibility is unsustainable.

  A blood drenched historical illustration of this is the French Revolution. Motivated by the atheistic philosophies of Rousseau, Voltaire and others, the French Revolution sought to emancipate people from all authority, particularly that of government and the church. It resulted in a breaking away from the church and questioning of the “Ancien Regime” which was the system France adhered to prior to the revolution and had resulted in the monarchy having absolute power. Tragically, both the church and government had abused their rights, so the prevailing sentiment was that it was better to dispense with them altogether. Their perverse view of church and state rights without responsibility were a catalyst that birthed the French Revolution. French royalty and the church in France erroneously believed that they had only rights, yet little or no responsibility.  

  But who created both government and the church? God. As the Creator, who gives government and the church authority and power? God. Yet, in France both forgot that they were responsible to God. Personally, I believe that God used the French Revolution to hold them accountable.

  Tragically, Robespierre and his revolutionaries didn’t learn from those errors. Even though one of the Revolution’s first documents was The Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Revolution unleashed a Reign of Terror, during which suspected enemies of the Revolution were guillotined by the thousands – the chaotic outcome of rights without responsibility.

  America continually repeats this same failed pattern of rights without responsibility. Rights absent of responsibility always have a tragic end. Because there are so many examples of this, we could easily be overwhelmed with illustrations, so let me touch on just one.

  Please understand, because this rights without responsibility mindset is so deeply rooted in our culture, solutions aren’t simple, nor is it easy to dismantle. The cure will be painful, costly and require great wisdom. This tragedy of irresponsibility and dependence took decades to devolve and will take time to solve. A “quick fix” approach will be disastrous.  

  The conventional wisdom is that it is inhumane to withhold food to motivate the indolent to work. What Scripture teaches then is a radical and very politically incorrect, social behavior model:  “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-11). Essentially, the Bible is in total agreement with a sign often seen: “Will work for food.”

  If you refuse to work, the Bible teaches hunger is the natural outcome. An empty stomach is a cure for sloth. If you won’t be responsible and work, you don’t have the right to food, housing, medical care of a litany of other rights we dole out to the irresponsible in the “Great Society.” Dr. Thomas Sowell powerful writes that the Welfare State is more enslaving than slavery ever was. Today 1^st century indolent “busybodies” would be a blessing in our free lunch world.

  Please understand, because God is merciful and gracious, there’s provision made for those unable to work, like children, the disabled or elderly. The Bible though is the original instigator of “tough love” and the application of this one biblical truth would revolutionize our world.

  Sadly, this mindset of rights without responsibility has contaminated many Christians. Believers who are aghast at those who live on the dole in the public arena are inconsistent when it comes to their own adult children. They allow them to live at home with little or no responsibility. Many are addicts (drugs, alcohol, porn, video gaming) but the thought of putting them on the street horrifies their parents. Sometimes the lazy adult child will use grandchildren as pawns to manipulate their parents and protect their irresponsible lifestyle. If their parents threaten them with eviction, they’ll accuse their parent/s of cruelty, rather than owning up to the fact that their own choices – laziness and a lack of initiative – are the real problem. They don’t want to take any responsibility for their mess.

  Another common rights without responsibility is found in the mindset of many Christians when it comes to their church family. They see the church as a type of spiritual soup kitchen where they can get a free meal, yet never invest time or money. They’re offended if there’s any suggestion that they might have some responsibility. In their unbiblical reasoning, the church should just be thankful that they come and take up space. They’ll even complain if the soup is too hot, the line is too long, someone sat in their seat, or there’s not enough variety. It’s a Christian welfare mentality. The bottom line is that the thinking that we often abhor in the public arena frequently contaminates our marriages, families and our churches. We have many God-given rights but God places responsibility first, and so must we. 

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