I am very excited about the launch of my new blog today, Restoring Hope for a Better Tomorrow. In America, and around the globe, hope needs to be restored. There are plenty of people that believe education, capitalism, or welfare is the pathway to restoring hope. While these ideas can bring knowledge, wealth, or food to our lives they cannot restore hope or bring joy. The missing element is the essential element, salvation in Christ.
Our culture has been taught for too long that the answers to our problems lie in the hands of a political ideology. This misunderstanding penetrates both sides of the spectrum: liberal and conservative. I fear that believers are placing more faith in a political ideology and not in a powerful Savior.
While each political party has its strengths and weaknesses, Jesus does not. While they both flip-flop and double speak, Jesus does not. While they take public opinion polls and give false promises, Jesus does not. While they say one thing and do another, Jesus does not. Jesus has no weakness, speaks no lie, goes against the grain, and follows through on His promises. It is time that as believers we get back to the basics. Our identity is not that we are just Americans, conservatives or liberals, Texans or New Yorkers; we are believers in Christ. The answers to our society’s problems are not found in who has political power, the answer is and always will be Jesus.
Believers in America have gotten too caught up in political rallies and not prayer rallies. We are too concerned about our tax rates and not the salvation rates. Christians are spending more time worrying about their investments but not enough concern about the boy or girl that doesn’t have enough money to pay for school books. Liberals are wrong in thinking it is the government’s job to take care of the hurting, while conservatives are wrong in thinking it is the market’s job to take care of the hurting.
As believers it is our job to take care of the hurting and the hopeless. Christ did not call us to stand by and live big while others are struggling and falling apart. The life of a Christian should not be characterized by comfort and ease. In fact, the life of a Christian should be physically, mentally, and financially draining. However, the spiritual rewards outweigh anything we could attain otherwise.
We must get back to doing what God has called us to do. That is praying, obeying, and making disciples. Our lives are no longer about us when we accept Christ, they are about Him. If Christians in America do not wake up and start carrying out the mission that God has given us, we will not like the results 10, 15, or 20 years from now. We have a merciful God that has given us many more chances then we deserve, but if we continue to live in the same patterns of idolatry and selfishness, then punishment will come.
Believers, we must stop pushing aside our responsibilities and step up to the higher calling given to us by God. How can we allow God to use us where we are? What skills and abilities has God given me that I can use to make disciples? The command is clear. Make disciples. Who are you going to make your disciple today? Who will you take under your wing, adopt into your family, train and teach? Remember that Christ did not call us to simply make converts, but disciples. We must be a father to the fatherless!
Over the next weeks, months, and years I plan to use this blog as a way to communicate with believers in America and around the globe how we can bring true hope and restoration to our nation and the world. God Bless.
