Could This Be You???
Fred Somebody, James Everybody, Susan Anybody, and John Nobody were neighbors, but they were not like you and me. They were odd people and most difficult to understand. The way they lived was truly a shame.
All four belonged to the same church, but you would not have enjoyed worshipping with them. Everybody went fishing on Sunday or stayed home to visit with incoming family and friends. Anybody wanted to worship but was afraid Somebody wouldn’t speak to her. So guess who went to church on that Sunday – Nobody.
Really, Nobody was the only decent one of the four. Nobody did the visitation and outreach. Nobody worked to clean the church building. Once they needed a Sunday School teacher. Everybody thought Somebody would do it, and Anybody thought Somebody would do it. And you know who did it? That’s exactly right . . . Nobody! The exact same thing happened when they needed a new Choir member, and a new Church Board member. Even something as simple as a new Greeter, Nobody did it.
It happened that a fifth neighbor (an unbeliever) moved into the area. Everybody thought Somebody should try to win him to Christ. Anybody could have made the effort. Everybody should have made the effort. You probably know who finally won him to Christ: Nobody!
This little parable brings to focus again the fact that each of us is personally responsible for God’s work. If we leave it for somebody or everybody or anybody, nobody will do it. Let’s work till Jesus comes!
In the Love and Grace of Christ,
Pastor John Collins
Fred Somebody, James Everybody, Susan Anybody, and John Nobody were neighbors, but they were not like you and me. They were odd people and most difficult to understand. The way they lived was truly a shame.
All four belonged to the same church, but you would not have enjoyed worshipping with them. Everybody went fishing on Sunday or stayed home to visit with incoming family and friends. Anybody wanted to worship but was afraid Somebody wouldn’t speak to her. So guess who went to church on that Sunday – Nobody.
Really, Nobody was the only decent one of the four. Nobody did the visitation and outreach. Nobody worked to clean the church building. Once they needed a Sunday School teacher. Everybody thought Somebody would do it, and Anybody thought Somebody would do it. And you know who did it? That’s exactly right . . . Nobody! The exact same thing happened when they needed a new Choir member, and a new Church Board member. Even something as simple as a new Greeter, Nobody did it.
It happened that a fifth neighbor (an unbeliever) moved into the area. Everybody thought Somebody should try to win him to Christ. Anybody could have made the effort. Everybody should have made the effort. You probably know who finally won him to Christ: Nobody!
This little parable brings to focus again the fact that each of us is personally responsible for God’s work. If we leave it for somebody or everybody or anybody, nobody will do it. Let’s work till Jesus comes!
In the Love and Grace of Christ,
Pastor John Collins
What Is The Christian Response?
How many times have you heard someone come to you a say, “I’m not talking about this person (yes, you are) or trying to spread gossip (yes you are), but this is something that you need to know about this person.” If someone comes up to you telling you about brother or sister so-and-so (in gossip or backbiting).
You should tell them “shame on you” for:
1. Sowing Discord (contention and strife)
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19
2. Spreading Disunity (togetherness and agreement)
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together
unity! Psalm 133:1
A simple question: if it is good and pleasant to dwell together in unity, what is it when we endure together in disunity???
3. Speaking Destructive Words
Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: that they may shoot in secret at the perfect (lit. blameless): suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune (lit. rehearse) in laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? Psalm 64 2-5
We can be destructive by undermining the God-given authority placed in this Church (speaking ill of the Pastor or the Church Board) or by violating the integrity of any other or every other person spoken about.
The problem is every Church has them!!! The reason why every Church has them is because every Church allows them. We empower them by giving them an unopposing audience. If we would stand up in Christian courage and tell them that what they are doing is wrong and sinful, we could stop it in its tracks.
In the Love and Calling of Christ,
Pastor John Collins
How many times have you heard someone come to you a say, “I’m not talking about this person (yes, you are) or trying to spread gossip (yes you are), but this is something that you need to know about this person.” If someone comes up to you telling you about brother or sister so-and-so (in gossip or backbiting).
You should tell them “shame on you” for:
1. Sowing Discord (contention and strife)
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19
2. Spreading Disunity (togetherness and agreement)
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together
unity! Psalm 133:1
A simple question: if it is good and pleasant to dwell together in unity, what is it when we endure together in disunity???
3. Speaking Destructive Words
Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: that they may shoot in secret at the perfect (lit. blameless): suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune (lit. rehearse) in laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? Psalm 64 2-5
We can be destructive by undermining the God-given authority placed in this Church (speaking ill of the Pastor or the Church Board) or by violating the integrity of any other or every other person spoken about.
The problem is every Church has them!!! The reason why every Church has them is because every Church allows them. We empower them by giving them an unopposing audience. If we would stand up in Christian courage and tell them that what they are doing is wrong and sinful, we could stop it in its tracks.
In the Love and Calling of Christ,
Pastor John Collins
Is It A Christian’s Duty To Vote?
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2
The question has been asked, “Why is it a Christian’s duty to vote?” It could first be said that it is the honor, privilege and duty of every American citizen (Christian and non-christian alike) to vote. Voting is a fundamental and critical part of participating in a Republic, which is a representative government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” It has also been said that through the process of voting, we can “help determine who will lead our nation, make our laws, and protect our liberties.” Samuel Adams, one of our Founding Fathers, said it this way, “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.” This, in and of itself, should be reason enough to cast our vote.
Just a little food for thought. Depending on where you get your statistics, the percentage of “eligible” American citizens who are not registered to vote is between 24 to 28 percent. That translates to between 52 million and 61 million citizens who are not even registered (of the 314 million people in America, roughly 220 million are eligible to vote). Dr. James Dobson rebuked Christians, “I think it is a disgrace that half the Christians in America aren’t even registered to vote, and of those who are, only half go to the polls… When we withhold our influence and participation, we yield by default to those who promote immoral and destructive policies.”
We are also obligated, not only as Christians, but as American citizens to be informed before we vote. If any candidate has any prior political experience, such as a Senator or a Governor running for President, it is a simple matter of public record how each and every candidate has voted. No matter what they may say with their mouths, (some may say one thing in front of one group and another thing in front of another, depending on which voting demographic they are trying to reach) but their voting record will faithfully declare what they truly believe and where their morality is. So it is up to us to do a little research to discern where they stand. There are also many good resources available like Voter Guides that can help us make informed, intelligent, and ethical decisions.
This brings us to the question at hand. Why it is a Christian’s duty to vote. It has been said that without Christian influence in politics, government will have no clear “moral compass” to guide them. This can be understood in that being an American is not just about business, the economy, the government, and the military. But it’s also about other aspect as well, such as, family, faith, and freedom. All the areas above touch our lives as Christians, but it’s the last three areas that are instrumental to our existence and our prospering as a nation. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus has called us to have a “Salt and Light” impact on our culture and our world.
There are many political “hot spot” issues, that originally began as purely moral issues, that are debated during the election season. One such issue is human sexuality. Questions are raised about traditional marriage and so-called same sex “marriage.” On a national level, the Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman. More importantly, in the Word of God, Jesus Himself said, “from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Mark 10:6-9) With this being said, as far as I’m concerned, the debate is closed!!!
Another issue is regarding the sanctity of life. Questions are raised about the right to life and the so-called right to “choose.” There is on-going debate as to when life begins, at conception, at birth, or any time in between. God said to the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5) Once again, with this being said, as far as I’m concerned, the debate is closed!!!
Another issue is regarding standards for living. Today we are living in a very secular and humanistic world that is growing much more hostile against people of faith. Do we not still have the freedom and the right according to the First Amendment of the Constitution to live our life out according to a Christian Worldview? Perhaps a good question that needs to be asked is, why does one belief system – athiesm (the belief that there is no God) and it’s worldview – evolution (the view that everything began without Divine intervention) gets taught as the official stance of public schools and universities, but Christianity and the Christian Worldview is shut out under the pretense of the mythical “seperation of Church and state?” Isn’t our tax dollars that fund our public schools and universities, the same as the secular person’s?
Finally, I will end with an earlier statement made, that without the Christian influence in politics, government has no clear “moral compass” to guide them. If we allow the government, the media, or various activist groups to silence us regarding family, faith, and freedom, then where will morality come from? Are we ok with how the topic of sexuality is currently being treated? Are we ok with how the topic of the sanctity of life currently stands? Are we ok with the field of education currently reflecting a very anti-christian standing? If not, then come November 6th, Vote!!! Vote your Christian values!!!
Voter participation often suffers because of the generally accepted belief that “one vote really can’t make a difference.”
1645: 1 Vote gave control of England to Oliver Cromwell
1800: 1 Vote made Thomas Jefferson president instead of Aaron Burr
1868: 1 Vote saved President Andrew Johnson from Impeachment
1876: 1 Vote made Rutherford B. Hayes a United States President
1923: 1 Vote placed Adolph Hitler as the leader of the Nazi Party
1941: 1 Vote kept the military draft operational just weeks before Pearl Harbor
1 Vote Does Matter. Be The One!!!
“If America is to survive, we must elect more God-centered men and women to public office – individuals who will seek divine guidance in the affairs of state.” Evangelist Billy Graham
Originally published by Pastor John Collins on August 26 at: www.franklincountyvapatriots.com
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2
The question has been asked, “Why is it a Christian’s duty to vote?” It could first be said that it is the honor, privilege and duty of every American citizen (Christian and non-christian alike) to vote. Voting is a fundamental and critical part of participating in a Republic, which is a representative government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” It has also been said that through the process of voting, we can “help determine who will lead our nation, make our laws, and protect our liberties.” Samuel Adams, one of our Founding Fathers, said it this way, “Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.” This, in and of itself, should be reason enough to cast our vote.
Just a little food for thought. Depending on where you get your statistics, the percentage of “eligible” American citizens who are not registered to vote is between 24 to 28 percent. That translates to between 52 million and 61 million citizens who are not even registered (of the 314 million people in America, roughly 220 million are eligible to vote). Dr. James Dobson rebuked Christians, “I think it is a disgrace that half the Christians in America aren’t even registered to vote, and of those who are, only half go to the polls… When we withhold our influence and participation, we yield by default to those who promote immoral and destructive policies.”
We are also obligated, not only as Christians, but as American citizens to be informed before we vote. If any candidate has any prior political experience, such as a Senator or a Governor running for President, it is a simple matter of public record how each and every candidate has voted. No matter what they may say with their mouths, (some may say one thing in front of one group and another thing in front of another, depending on which voting demographic they are trying to reach) but their voting record will faithfully declare what they truly believe and where their morality is. So it is up to us to do a little research to discern where they stand. There are also many good resources available like Voter Guides that can help us make informed, intelligent, and ethical decisions.
This brings us to the question at hand. Why it is a Christian’s duty to vote. It has been said that without Christian influence in politics, government will have no clear “moral compass” to guide them. This can be understood in that being an American is not just about business, the economy, the government, and the military. But it’s also about other aspect as well, such as, family, faith, and freedom. All the areas above touch our lives as Christians, but it’s the last three areas that are instrumental to our existence and our prospering as a nation. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus has called us to have a “Salt and Light” impact on our culture and our world.
There are many political “hot spot” issues, that originally began as purely moral issues, that are debated during the election season. One such issue is human sexuality. Questions are raised about traditional marriage and so-called same sex “marriage.” On a national level, the Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman. More importantly, in the Word of God, Jesus Himself said, “from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Mark 10:6-9) With this being said, as far as I’m concerned, the debate is closed!!!
Another issue is regarding the sanctity of life. Questions are raised about the right to life and the so-called right to “choose.” There is on-going debate as to when life begins, at conception, at birth, or any time in between. God said to the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5) Once again, with this being said, as far as I’m concerned, the debate is closed!!!
Another issue is regarding standards for living. Today we are living in a very secular and humanistic world that is growing much more hostile against people of faith. Do we not still have the freedom and the right according to the First Amendment of the Constitution to live our life out according to a Christian Worldview? Perhaps a good question that needs to be asked is, why does one belief system – athiesm (the belief that there is no God) and it’s worldview – evolution (the view that everything began without Divine intervention) gets taught as the official stance of public schools and universities, but Christianity and the Christian Worldview is shut out under the pretense of the mythical “seperation of Church and state?” Isn’t our tax dollars that fund our public schools and universities, the same as the secular person’s?
Finally, I will end with an earlier statement made, that without the Christian influence in politics, government has no clear “moral compass” to guide them. If we allow the government, the media, or various activist groups to silence us regarding family, faith, and freedom, then where will morality come from? Are we ok with how the topic of sexuality is currently being treated? Are we ok with how the topic of the sanctity of life currently stands? Are we ok with the field of education currently reflecting a very anti-christian standing? If not, then come November 6th, Vote!!! Vote your Christian values!!!
Voter participation often suffers because of the generally accepted belief that “one vote really can’t make a difference.”
1645: 1 Vote gave control of England to Oliver Cromwell
1800: 1 Vote made Thomas Jefferson president instead of Aaron Burr
1868: 1 Vote saved President Andrew Johnson from Impeachment
1876: 1 Vote made Rutherford B. Hayes a United States President
1923: 1 Vote placed Adolph Hitler as the leader of the Nazi Party
1941: 1 Vote kept the military draft operational just weeks before Pearl Harbor
1 Vote Does Matter. Be The One!!!
“If America is to survive, we must elect more God-centered men and women to public office – individuals who will seek divine guidance in the affairs of state.” Evangelist Billy Graham
Originally published by Pastor John Collins on August 26 at: www.franklincountyvapatriots.com