Newspaper Page Text
6B
♦ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2006
Our hope does not lie
in the halls of power
With the mid-term
elections behind us,
perhaps it’s fitting
for members of the body of
Christ to consider our expec
tations as they relate to the
American political process.
At the onset, let me say that,
regardless of your political
views or party affiliation, I
believe it is important for
Christians to be active par
ticipants in our culture and
society, including the privi
lege to exercise our right to
vote.
The nature of politics
lends itself to tremendous
amounts of passion and
energy. Americans views
on issues like war, abortion,
taxes, welfare, the separa
tion of church and state,
immigration, and stem cell
research reveal a wide range
of opinions and beliefs.
Even within the Christian
community you will discover
that we are not always in
agreement on the political,
social, economic, and spiri
tual issues of our day.
The promise of politics
often seems to be that we
can simply legislate what
ever changes we believe are
necessary to promote the
values and agenda we believe
are best for our country.
And while it is important for
legislation to be consistent
with the laws of God, we
must not be deceived into
thinking that the hope for
America works within the
halls of Congress or in the
Oval Office. Our elected
officials serve important
roles and they should be
reminded that they have not
been given positions of great
power as much as they have
positions of great service.
The halls of government
have sometimes proven to be
places of corruption, deceit,
and immorality. That’s
THREE
From page jB
support group for the faith
ful. Members of the church
es get together to celebrate
fellowship and generally
support each other. Sunday
school and education classes
have encouraged youthful
spirits to seek out God and
to improve their reading and
math skills.
At one time the small set
tlement of Elko was home to
a major stop for a train that
DOBSON
From page jB
That kind of downward
mobility is almost unheard
of today - it’s almost un-
American. But when we
reach the end of our lives
and we look back on the
things that mattered most,
those precious relationships
with people we love will rank
at the top of the list.
If friends and family will
be a treasure to us then, why
not live like we believe it
today? That may be the best
advice I have ever given any
one - and the most difficult
to implement.
So keep your dream and
your passion. Work hard to
COLE
From page 3B
There is a great mystery
about the marvelous events
of Your life. The mystery of
“Why?” You had the power
to prevent Your only begot
ten Son from being subject
ed to the pain and agony
He suffered. Yet, because
of Your desire to free man
kind from sin, You permitted
these things to take place.
Not one among us deserves
this priceless gift.
There is absolutely no
comparison between You and
Santa. With the exception of
appearance, Santa is no dif
ferent from the rest of us
who find pleasure in making
little children happy. I like to
think of Santa as being one
of Your helpers, sowing love
rather than merely distrib
uting toys.lt is heartbreak
ing to see a child feeling
because the men and women
who serve at the local, state,
and national levels have feet
of clay just like you and me.
And while many serve with
integrity and character, let us
not believe for a minute that
our hope resides in them.
We are reminded everyday
that we are fallible creatures.
We make
promises
that we
cannot
keep. We
tell lies
to cover
up our
mistakes.
And any
of us can
fall vic
tim to the
seduction
Phil Lambert
Contributing
Writer
of greed and selfishness.
And while government
has the ability to accom
plish many great things,
God’s ultimate mandate for
change was not given to a
king, a government official,
or anyone serving within a
political system.
Instead, it was given to
11 ordinary men who were
told to go and make disciples
of all nations. What this
tells us is that God’s ulti
mate plan is not for govern
ment to bring about change
through legislation. It is for
the church to bring about
lasting change through the
preaching of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ.
You see, Scripture reminds
us that while legislating
morality might be a noble
thing, the fact is that our
natural self, controlled by
the sinful mind, does not
submit to God’s law nor does
it have the ability to do so.
Submission and obedience
are not part of the sinful
mind’s vocabulary. By mak
ing every law “Christian” or
ran through Elko to Macon.
At one time Elko could boast
of a world-renowned aspara
gus crop that was exported
to the capitols of Europe.
Hotels in Elko brought busi
ness and travelers. Today
the small town bank still
stands on Railroad street
though its doors have not
been open for decades.
Snow United Methodist
Church in Unadilla grew out
of a camp meeting. When it
was difficult to set up a fixed
church home, camp meetings
would be held, with singing,
achieve the success you crave.
But don’t let it become a 5-
pound lemon that destroys
the rest of your crop. You’ll
regret it if you do!
Question: When par
ents need help with sex
education, who do you
think should provide it?
Dr. Dobson: It is my
strong conviction that
churches believing in absti
nence before marriage and
in lifelong marital fidelity
should step in and offer their
help to families sharing that
commitment. Where else will
moms and dads find propo
nents of traditional morality
in this permissive day? There
is no other agency or institu
tion likely to represent the
theology of the church bet
unloved by Santa because of
being left out at Christmas.
A more heartbreaking thing
is to see one being deprived
the security of knowing
there is a loving God who
never leaves anyone out. We
adults need to be a conscien
tious over teaching the truth
throughout the year as on
this one day.
I am grateful for the privi
lege of being a mother and
grandmother. I am grateful
for the trust You bestowed
upon me to impress young
minds with the true mean
ing of Christmas. I thank
You for being patient with
me and for Your forgive
ness of my failures. It is
my prayer that Santa being
recognized within my fam
ily circle has never dishon
ored Your precious name. We
have so much to be thankful
for. It is impossible to suffi
ciently express appreciation
overturning every law that
is in violation of God’s com
mands wouldn’t make every
one suddenly desire to obey
them. If Christians truly
want to see America change,
it will only happen when the
heart of our citizens change
as well. Legislation can’t do
it, but the Gospel can.
We also need to remem
ber that the mission of the
church and our call to be
imitators of Christ is true
whether we live under
democracy or tyranny. The
Ist century church spread its
roots and flourished under
the rule of an autocratic gov
ernment while the 20th cen
tury underground church
in China grew in number
despite the oppression of
Communism. For the body
of Christ in America, our
mission, our worship, our
fellowship, and our love for
one another should not be
hindered or influenced by
whichever party has major
ity control in Washington
DC.
So, if there is indeed hope
for America, where can we
find it? That hope is in the
person of Jesus Christ. He
is the ultimate example of a
servant leader. He has prov
en to be beyond corruption
and deceit. And he oversees
a kingdom that is not of
this world, “a kingdom that
cannot be shaken” (Hebrews
12:28).
Let us find our hope
in him. A hope that the
Scriptures tell us is like “an
anchor for the soul.” Let
us not believe our hope is
in the political system. It
is too unpredictable. And
let us not think that we’ll
find it in any elected official.
They are imperfect. But in
Jesus we find one who is
“the same yesterday, today,
and forever.”
preaching and food for three
days or more.
General Andrew Jackson
and his men are believed
to have stopped at the site
of the church on their way
to Florida, watering their
horses at the natural spring
which flows by the church.
Originally a log church, it
is believe to be the oldest of
the three churches.
Grovania United Methodist
Church can be found on the
Golden Isle Parkway. Take a
left at Hayneville and follow
the Grovania Road.
ter than the church itself.
It is puzzling to me why so
few have accepted this chal
lenge, given the attack on
biblical concepts of morality
today.
A few parents who enroll
their children in private
schools are able to get the
help they need with sex edu
cation. Even there, however,
the subject is often ignored
or handled inadequately.
What has developed, unfor
tunately, is an informational
vacuum that sets the stage
for far-reaching programs
in the public schools that
go beyond parental wishes,
beginning in some cases with
kindergarten children.
for your endless love.
A piece of cake beneath
the tree. Is not enough to
give to Thee. To simply say,
“O Lord, Thank You” Is not
enough for me to do. To show
my love - the only way. Is to
live for Jesus every day.
Let me not forget Your
words in Matthew 25:40,
“Inasmuch as ye have done
it unto the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it
unto me.”
Help me, Dear Lord, to
be more open to Your daily
guidance that I may be
instrumental in spreading
“Peace on Earth, Good Will
to Men.”
Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Marta today!
M 887-1823
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