USA

From POW to Ambassador

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11755266_873460132744096_7210495943791147530_nFor several years now, veterans have gathered at El Dorado Lake to renew friendships and to reminisce.  The event began 30 years ago as the Kansas Vietnam Veterans and Family Reunion, but the name was changed to the Kansas Veterans and Family Reunion in 2007.

As I thought about this annual event, I remembered a man I’ve never met.  His name is Pete Peterson.

During Viet Nam, Captain Peterson’s plane was shot down during a bombing raid and he spent the next 6 years in the Hanoi Hilton as a POW. He returned to Hanoi on May 9, 1997 on a different mission; he returned as the first post war Ambassador to Viet Nam.

Peterson believed God had saved him for a purpose.  He resolved to use the remainder of his life to be an agent of healing and the power of his office to accomplish his mission.

Among the many citizens of the USA, very few will ever be appointed as an Ambassador; however, there is a higher calling and an office open to all; and, that is to be an Ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20):

We are now Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were appealing direct to you through us. As his personal representatives we say, “Make your peace with God.” ~Phillips

Peterson’s mission was to bring peace and healing to the people of Viet Nam.  Our mission is a message to the world and it is one of hope and reconciliation between man and God.

Number 45: Donald J Trump

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trump-penceThe prayers of pastors, are heard at least every four years in Washington D.C., and this was true again this year when Bishop Wayne T. Jackson prayed for President Donald Trump: We ask that you give him the wisdom of Solomon, the vision of Joseph and the meekness of Christ . . . Solomon kept peace among many nations, Joseph dreamt better for the people, and Christ who accepted us all.

Jackson was obeying the mandate of I Timothy 2:1-2: I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Regardless of our political views and how we voted, Donald J. Trump is now the president of the United States; and, whether we like him or detest him, it is our duty to pray for him.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord ~Psalm 33:12

Olympian Effort: The Race or the Finish?

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abbottTeam USA hasn’t won a gold medal in women’s Olympic cycling since 1984, but fans thought Mara Abbott was going to end that drought.   With a 40 second lead on Sunday, Abbott was positioned to win the gold.

With 200 meters left in the race, Abbott thought her dreams were about to become reality, but the last 150 meters along scenic Copacabana Beach became a nightmare. Anna van der Breggen of the Netherlands, Sweden’s Emma Johansson and Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini had been chasing Abbott for most of the race, and the three of them passed the race-weary Abbott.

When bicyclists think of this race, will they remember Abbott for her effort or for her 4th place finish?

Fortunately, finishing in 1st place is not a prerequisite to pleasing God. In his letter to Timothy, Paul said: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing (I Timothy 4:7-8).

I applaud the effort, discipline, and dedication of Mara Abbott and Team USA; and, I cheer for you as you fight the good fight.

Virtue or Vice

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virtue-viceAs a young boy, I was stirred by the words of President John F. Kennedy when he said: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

The prevailing attitude in present-day America is not that which was envisioned by President Kennedy.  Far too many among our lethargic citizenry are a paradox; they consume energy drinks and assume the rest of the country owes them a living while they watch the world go by.

There seems to be more of a focus on a person’s rights as a citizen and what he is owed and less of a conversation that focuses on a person’s obligations and duties as a citizen.  Is this due to a general lack of what the Founding Fathers referred to as “virtue?”

Virtue can be thought of as moral excellence. It is the “conformity of one’s life and conduct to moral and ethical principles.”

The Founders believed our nation would not survive unless its citizens were a virtuous people.

  • Patrick Henry: Virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone that renders us invincible. These are the tactics we should study. If we lose these, we are conquered, fallen indeed . . . so long as our manners and principles remain sound, there is no danger.
  • Benjamin Rush: “The only foundation for . . . a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.”
  • John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
  • Samuel Adams: “Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue.”

Is a lack of virtue the germ that’s responsible for many of the social ills that plague us? The answer to this question may be seen in the somewhat prophetic statement of Benjamin Rush (1746-1813): “By removing the Bible from schools we would be wasting so much time and money in punishing criminals and so little pains to prevent crime. Take the Bible out of our schools and there would be an explosion in crime.”

In the Proverbs, Solomon said, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people (14:34).”  If righteousness exalts a nation, virtue is the mortar that binds the bricks of its foundation.

 

A Monument to Washington

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Washington Monument, Lincoln Reflecting Pool, National Mall, Washington DCThe Washington Monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885, and during the ceremony a prayer was offered by Reverend Henderson Suter.

As you read the part of that prayer that I have excerpted, notice the high regard that Rev Suter had for President Washington. 

        As we stand beneath the lofty height of this memorial work, and mark the symmetry of its form, we would remember Washington’s high character, and all the virtues which in him, builded-up the man.

A leader fearing God; a patriot unstained by self; a statesman wishing only the right, he has left us an example for whose following, we supplicate thy help, for ourselves and for all who are now and hereafter be, the instruments of thy providence to this land and nation.

        O God the high and mighty Ruler of the universe, bless today, and henceforth, thy servant the President of the United States and all others in authority.

        To our Congress ever give wisdom.  Direct and prosper all their consultations.  May our judges be able men, such as fear God, men of truth—governed in judgment only by the laws.  May our juries be incorruptible, ever mindful of the solemnity of the oath, and of the great interests depending on its keeping.

        O God…Heal every wound opened by human frailty, or by human wrong.  Let the feeling of brotherhood have the mastery over all selfish ends, that with one mind and one heart, the North and the South, and the East and West, may seek the good of the common country, and work out that destiny, which has been allotted us among the nations of the earth.   

Rev. Suter described Washington as, “A leader fearing God; a patriot unstained by self; a statesman wishing only the right . . .” Contrast this description with the political climate and moral fiber you see in our elected officials of today. 

Either something is missing or I’m missing something, but I think there is a stark contrast between now and the time of Washington and his peers.  Many of these men were signers of the Declaration of Independence, and their resolve is seen in the final sentence of this cherished proclamation: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

The need of the hour is a spiritual awakening that begins with prayer: “I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people, even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:1-4).”

Independence Day

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july-4th-independence-day-usa-flag-map-abstract-holidaySince tomorrow is the 4th of July and the day that we celebrate our independence, I thought I would share a few statistics with you:

  • 87%of American households own an outdoor grill, and moat of those will be used over this weekend.
  • 150 million hotdog will be eaten which is enough to stretch from Washington D.C. to Los Angles more than 5 times
  • 700 million pounds of chickens has been purchased to be cooked and eaten,
  • 190 million pounds of red meat or pork will be cooked.
  • 63% of Americans will attend a fireworks display and 66% will have an American flag on display.
  • 80% of Americans will go to a picnic or attend a barbeque.
  • According the Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs, the record for eating the most hotdogs in 10 minutes is 64….including the buns.
  • Macy’s will light up the skyline in New York City when more than 40,000 shells are exploded when 12,000 pounds of black powder is ignited. Every second approximately 1,000 of the shells are launched with some of them travelling a thousand feet into the sky.

As you celebrate on July 4th, remember the sacrifices of our forefathers who, through personal sacrifice, purchased the freedoms we enjoy.  As I write this, I think of a statement made by President Ronald Reagan:

George Washington believed that religion, morality, and brotherhood were the pillars of society. He said you couldn’t have morality without religion. And yet today we’re told that to protect the first amendment, we must expel God, the source of all knowledge, from our children’s classrooms. Well, pardon me, but the first amendment was not written to protect the American people from religion; the first amendment was written to protect the American people from government tyranny.

When you see the fireworks displays in the night sky, remember that Jesus is the Light of the world, and pray that God will bless the USA.