Ancient Truth | Modern Sound

Welcome to the FreakShow
Like everyone else I have been watching the current campaign for president with a combination of disgust and interest that is usually reserved for car crashes and freak-shows.  It is a combination of patriotism and self defense that lurks behind my motivations.  I am thankful for this country and I want to be proud of our leaders. I also would like to be proud of the actions of our government (this has sometimes been a challenge).  At the same time, I am trying to live my life and provide for my family, and the various policies and philosophies of government have left me wondering about the security of our safety, economics, morals and basic freedoms.  I would like to believe that a new president could help us recover our national sense of freedom, security and love of country.  (I would like to believe it, but I am probably too cynical … how about you?)

Who’s The Man?
Of the two candidates, which one fosters more of a sense of pride in our country?  You know … like when you are proud of your dad, or your pastor, or your favorite college professor when they write a best selling book.  Like when your brother wins first place in an Ultimate Fighting Championship? Of the two candidates, which one would you willingly follow?  If you needed someone to talk to for serious advice, which of the candidates would you want to seek counsel?  Strange thought, eh?  Here are a few scenarios:

Some Advice
If you wanted financial advice,  which candidate do you think would give you information that could really help?  Dave Ramsey isn’t running, would either McCain or Obama be helpful at all?  Their plans for the national budget wouldn’t work very well for the average American household.  They both are proposing socialism to some degree. They are both individually wealthy though, they must have done something right, which one could offer sound advice?

If your pregnant teenage daughter went to each of the candidates (without your knowledge) for advice on whether or not to  have an abortion, what would their advice be?  Would you agree with them?

If you were having a personal conflict with someone, which candidate would be able to help you remedy the problem?  Would either of them understand the difference between an insult and a threat?  What would they do if someone broke into their house in the middle of the night?  (And there was no special security on duty).  Who do you want to stand between your family and danger? As Commander and Chief, that will be one of his major duties.

What if you were going to die and you had to entrust your kids to one of the candidates, which candidate would you want to raise you children?  Which candidate would you trust to articulate spiritual teachings?  They both claim to be Christian, but could either of them clearly present the Gospel?

In a room all by themselves, which candidate do you think is more likely to do the right thing?

What about you? Do you have a philosophy of government?  Like, what things should government do?  What things should government not do?  What aspects of government should be controlled at the national level?  State level?  County level?  City level?  Household level?  Which candidate do you trust to carry out this philosophy?  Or are you just voting for the person who promises to give you the most value/stuff/money/tax breaks, etc.?

King Verses King
What does God require from the next leader?  What does He want?

Psalm 72:11
May all kings fall down before him,all nations serve him!

Can we really know what is in the heart of a presidential candidate?  We listen to their well rehearsed speeches, watch them in canned debates, and are subject to their marketing propaganda.  What can we really discern about them?

Proverbs 25:3
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,so the heart of kings is unsearchable.

I will continue to watch the national spectacle, and soon enough we will have our next king.   It might be the one we don’t want, or it might be the one we REALLY don’t want.  Either way, it will be the one that God wants us to have, of that we can be sure.

Romans 13

Submission to the Authorities

1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7

Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Either way the election goes, we will certainly be getting a chance to put this passage of scripture into practice.  (Especially the part about taxes.)

LORD, have mercy.