Turning the Other Cheek

 I grew up in a home that taught the Bible and believed the Bible. My parents did their best to teach me the scriptures and many of their teachings stay with me to this day.

 One teaching was the Biblical teaching of turning the other cheek. You can find this teaching in Matthew 5:39 "But I tell you, do not resist and evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also."

 This teaching has been taught in Bible believing churches for centuries. Many have used it as a reason to avoid any kind of violence, including protecting themselves and their families. Conscientious objectors have used this as one of the main reasons for avoiding combat. They simply could not harm their enemy.

 Although I respect those that have used this scripture in that manner, I have to say I strongly disagree. Not just with the thought of avoiding combat but with the idea in general that Christians should just let people run all over them and their beliefs. I have seen it in an even greater way with how we react to political attacks, make no mistake there is a war on Christians in the US, and attacks from the media.

 Today Phil Robertson, patriarch of Duck Dynasty, was skewered for sharing his beliefs about homosexuality. Although I personally believe he went too far by using explicit details, I believe in the core of his message, that homosexuality is indeed wrong and a sin. This does not mean I hate homosexuals or that their sin is in any worse then my own, it just means it made the list of sins against God.

 I make no apologies for my belief in God but what I will apologize for is that as a Christian I took the "turn the other cheek doctrine" to the extreme, I let is silence me. I believed that being a peace maker meant being nonconfrontational, unless of course I was arguing with other Christians.

 Sadly many Christians of my parents generation and before allowed the same thing to happen to them as well. They sat back and watched God be taken out of school, Roe V Wade get passed and a general eroding of ethics and morality. Why we turned the other cheek humanist and the godless started to decay the moral fabric of society. Now we are getting all our cheeks kicked.

 I can tell you for me the time has come to be like my name sake from the Bible, hopefully minus the stoning. Stephen was a man that spoke with such clarity and passion that his enemies could not even answer him because they were so befuddled. It's time to speak up Christians. Not with arrogance or hatred but with conviction and passion. Gods ways are not outdated or old fashioned, regardless of what the politically correct in society say.

Thanks For Reading,

Steve

Failure Is The Stepping Stone To Greatness

We both sat back in our tree stand disappointed and defeated. I had been waiting for this chance all season and my daughter had waited for five years to get her chance at a buck. He came in just like I had envisioned he would. Everything was going perfectly then suddenly everything went wrong.

 The buck would not turn and give my daughter a ethical clean shot. Then the battery on the video camera I was using showed signs of dying. The buck turned and started walking the wrong way and my daughter was having a hard time getting into position. Up to this point everything was moving in almost slow motion but then in an instant went into warp speed. The buck appeared out of the thick brush again and a hasty shot was taken and I wasn't even able to get the camera on it. It was a clean miss. All that hard work and effort gone in a millisecond. There was nothing left to do but deal with the disappointment and try and learn from our mistakes.

 About a year ago I was talking to the woman who became my wife and we were discussing how I viewed failures, Lord knows I have had plenty and I should be an expert on the subject. I used to beat myself up over failures. They would drive me into times of depression and anxiety. However, over the last ten years I have started to view them differently. Failures are nothing more then a stepping stone, they are used to set us up for success the next time around.

 So often in life people do what I often did and let their attitude towards failure drive them in the wrong direction. We sulk, we cry and we throw a pity party when the realty is we are closer then we were before the mistake. We took that next step. Failure can teach us things that easy success never will.

 Two nights ago I was sitting in another stand with my daughter. Armed with the lessons we had learned from two weeks earlier. This time the buck was not a small buck but a giant mature whitetail. The pressure was intense. The battery was dying again (apparently I didn't learn all the lessons of the previous hunt) and the buck we were trying to get was one of the biggest I had ever seen while hunting. When the moment of truth came we were faced with many of the same scenarios as the last time; quick shot, camera problems, rough angle and ridiculous amounts of adrenaline. Ashley performed with tremendous poise and I was able to hold it together and get enough battery life out of the camera. We had succeeded.

 There is no doubt in my mind that had we not faced the adversity and failure of the previous hunt we would not have gotten the much bigger buck the other night. Ashley and my disappointment was very real two weeks ago but now is a distant memory to the sweet success we had this weekend. Had we not failed that opportunity would not have materialized.

 Don't fret the failure it is just a stepping stone to something better...

Thanks For Reading
Steve

Sitting Under the Tent

 The humidity was not normal for Northern New York and the suit and tie I was wearing was not helping the situation at all, I was uncomfortable. I was inclined to start grumbling but the event I was attending demanded that I look my best. I am sure I wasn't alone in my discomfort because everyone around me was dressed up and most of them were in Class A's or Dress Blues. To be quite honest I was feeling a little under dressed and a little jealous that I wasn't wearing the same uniform.

 When I got out of the car with the family we were greeted by a officer who escorted us to where the event was to take place. Along the way our escort asked us if we needed or would like anything, he was very eager to meet the needs of seven strangers. He ushered us to our seats under a large tent and we sat down. This was first class treatment to say the least.

 When I sat down I looked out at the other soldiers and their families that were sitting in the bleachers, uncovered from the glaring sun and thought to myself how uncomfortable they must be in the heat and humidity.

  To an uninformed bystander it would appear that the place to be on this day was under the tent. There was shade, a good view and escorts to care for your every need. But today that couldn't be farther from the truth.

 The tent was set up for Gold Star Family members on Ft. Drum. Becoming a Gold Star Family Member is not what it sounds like. It means that you have lost a family member in the wars our nation has been fighting for the last decade. I was honored to sit with my wife and three step children as they came to honor the lose of a husband and father.

 As I sat among such great loss and sacrifice I was immediately humbled by a question? Are you willing to pay the price to sit under the tent? There is no doubt that the tent for this event was the place to be for comfort, but the price to get their was very high. Everyone under that tent had paid a price for their comfort at that memorial, and all will do so for years to come.

 I couldn't help but think about how easy it has been for me at times to look at someone that is successful or prospering; someone that in appearance is sitting in the comfort of the tent we call life. It is an entirely different matter when you start to find out what they paid to get their. The hard work, the sleepless nights, the time away from family and most importantly the times they failed and had to get back up. I walked away from the Remembrance Ceremony with a lot to think about but no thought was bigger then what price are you willing to pay to sit under the tent?

 This can carry into so many areas of life; relationships, finances, raising children, work, and the list could go on and on. Everyone has a proverbial tent they are working towards. Maybe it is retirement or another level in education, financial freedom or some other form of success. But let me tell you about a tent, that if you are reading this in the United States you have already been blessed to sit under.

 I am talking about the freedom we have as Americans. Yesterday I was moved by the sacrifice of the people that have paid the ultimate price so we can remain under that tent. We have a solemn obligation to never forget that sacrifice but we must do more then just remember. We need to continually be willing to offer ourselves to keep this nation free as it was intended.

 Our country is entering the darkest times that I can remember in my life; the country is deeply in debt, there are monumental issues to address like immigration, terrorism and the level of governmental control in our lives as citizens. If you believe the news we are more deeply divided then anytime in our nations history. I have never seen greater attacks or questioning of our fundamental freedoms. Washington D.C. is full of politicians that are so lost, that menial decisions take months to be made while major decision like Obamacare are rushed through in days.

 It is my firm belief that without major involvement by the citizens of this country our way of life is doomed. I am not speaking solely about voting but greater political involvement. Call your local, state and federal politicians, write letters, attend rally's and most importantly discuss with other citizens the issues so you are informed. What price are you willing to pay to sit under the tent?

 I recently started a Face Book page for political discussions. I welcome any one reading this, regardless of political leanings to join the discussion. The link is https://www.facebook.com/CommonSensePolitics.

Thanks For Reading

Steve

The Politics of Fear

"America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand." President Harry Truman.

 Unless you are living under a rock, things in the United States are becoming more and more hopeless by the day. We are witnessing the decline of one of history’s great and most powerful empires; our strength is fading, our economy crumbling, our status in the world has greatly diminished.

 Talk to the average citizen and most will tell you things aren't right in this country. Most will tell you the government is the problem; it must either do more or do less. Most citizens will have big opinions about what is going on but little to no idea how to fix it. They will act like the issues facing our nation are beyond understanding and only the best and brightest minds could actually come up with an answer to correct the problem. We put our trust in politicians who promise us action and answers yet fail us time and time again. Any hope of meaningful change is destroyed by partisan bickering and stalemate. We are now in a vicious circle of political games, where the only real goals seem to be controlling the people and maintaining power; and the tool used, FEAR.

 I used to think the government used fear to control, which they do, but now I think fear is controlling the government.

 Over the last few months I have repeatedly read news and thought to myself, there is no way that politician can be that stupid. I am not going to name any specific politicians because I have literally thought this about leaders of both parties. I can hardly watch a discussion about the national debt without screaming at the TV. Highly educated people sit and argue with foolish and meaningless facts about fixing the economy and the debt, when the real answer is very simple. You cannot spend more than you take in. This is not rocket science, its simple math.

 Now I know many of my friends that dislike Obama will disagree with this statement, but he is not a dumb man. With a degree from Harvard he would at least have a minimum understanding of basic math which is all that is really required to balance a budget. Some would say I am over simplifying this and there are far more complicated issues to be raised then just the dollars and cents math, I would have to respectfully disagree. It really is just simple math.

 What do you do when you have bills to pay and you want to get out of debt or at least have manageable debt? Well, if you are going to be successful you reduce your spending, usually by cutting out extras. You get your budget as lean as you can by focusing on the necessities only and placing any disposable income on your debt. This works for individuals and it would work for the government. So the logical question is why is the government not doing it?

 I am not a conspiracy theorist but here is what I believe is really going on in our country today.

 According to several respectable news sources, anywhere from 35-45% of the US Population receives some form of direct government assistance. The assistance can come in everything from retirement benefits, unemployment benefits, Medicare, Medicaid and welfare benefits like Food Stamps and HUD.

For the sake of this argument let’s use 35% of the US population, which is 110 million people. That is an astronomical number of people dependent on the government. We can debate the question of who deserves help and those that are playing the system. We could discuss the massive amounts of waste that could be found in all the bureaucracy but that would take away from the point I am trying to make. So again for the sake of this argument lest just say that 90% of the people on assistance actually need the help or have earned the benefits through paying into Social Security. This would mean that there are 11 million people who are abusing and taking advantage of the system. I can tell you there are far more than that abusing the system but my point can still be made with these numbers.

 Now let’s imagine what will happen when the government is no longer able to give these 11 million people the entitlement that they need.  I use the word WHEN because let’s be honest it is really only just a matter of time. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we will see a catastrophic financial collapse in this nation in the next 10 years. It will probably be in the next 4 four years but the point remains it is coming, and everyone knows it. Even scarier is that your elected officials know it. They are stuck between two decisions; enrage the masses now by cutting the entitlements that are destroying the wealth of this nation or allow this current path to run its course into collapse. In any event this nation will see the greatest unrest since the Civil War. Imagine the social unrest of the Hurricane Katrina, the Race Riots in New Jersey, Detroit and Los Angeles and play that out in probably every city, county and state in the US.

 Is it any wonder why the government is trying so hard to destroy the 2^nd Amendment? Can you imagine the intensity of the civil unrest if there are weapons all over? I know that it may sound like I support gun control but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I will not give up my right to protect myself and my family when this all happens. The military and National Guard will not be able to control this event and there is a real possibility, depending on who is in office, that we could see United Nations soldiers on our soil. Is it any wonder that Congressman Ron Paul stated the, “national debt was the biggest national security issue our country is facing?”

 It is not hard to figure out why the Department of Homeland Security has purchased 1.2 Billion bullets this year? I think not. Could it be that our government knows what is about to happen and they are looking to control it? I find it ironic that when average citizens stock pile ammo and cling to their guns the government calls them paranoid, yet the government is doing the very same thing. Fear has taken over the government and every decision that comes from Washington is based on fear.

 We are inundated with information that makes us fearful about financial collapse, terrorist attacks, a struggling job market, failures in education and a ballooning national debt. Every issue and every topic is fear, fear and more fear.  When was the last time you heard something on the news that made you proud to be an American? We are fearful people being led by fearful leaders.

 You cannot lead with fear. In fact leading with fear generally turns into ruling not leading. The government of the United States was not set up for a ruler. If we are to maintain the freedoms we hold dear in this country we must have leaders that are not afraid. Men and women that are not afraid to make the hard choices, the choices that require sacrifice. This country can no longer afford to elect managers we need effective and steadfast leadership. We need leaders who will not shrink back from the difficult issues in this country and more importantly will not take away our freedoms because they are unwilling to make the hard choices. Benjamin Franklin stated, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” We are a nation that looks for easy and quick answers but there are no easy answers this time. We need to make the painful choices, the hard choices and even the seemingly impossible choices.

 Fear is a choice it doesn’t have to be a way of life. Too many in this country, myself included, have allowed the present state of this country to cause us fear and doubt but that is not what the United States was built on. We were built with courage by men and women that chose to do the impossible and make the tough choices. I trust it will be so again.

Thanks for Reading

Steve

Here I Make My Stand

"There is a spirit in a man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice. Therefore I say 'Listen to me, and I will declare my opinion." Job 32:8-10

 I love that passage from Job. I love the passion of Elihu, the young man that corrected Job and his friends. His attitude is one of explosion! He waited, he listened, to “age” and “wisdom” trying to convince Job. Yet, the right answer had not been found. Finally, he had his chance to speak. You can almost feel his frustration and anger, and then with wisdom and humility, he corrected Job and his friends.

 I feel like Elihu today, the spirit inside this man must speak. It is not because I am one with wisdom, or great eloquence, but like Elihu I have a spirit within that compels me to speak with intelligence and share my heart. Like Elihu, I am frustrated and angry.

 Before I get into what I want to say, let me state clearly and unequivocally that this blog is not in response to anyone person or group. I do not have an individual in mind while writing this. I know there are those I love and respect greatly that may disagree with some or all of this. My desire is not to correct, lecture, or divide people. My only hope is that you would consider what I say and see if you can find truth in it. If you are a person of faith, weigh it in prayer and with the scriptures to see if what I write is true.

 Over the last year, starting with the election season, and culminating with the recent passage of laws dealing with the 2nd Amendment, I have read literally thousands of posts on Facebook and probably hundreds of blogs and articles dealing with the question as to what should be the Christians response to what is a very dysfunctional government? I have read everything from friends Facebook posts, to articles and sermons from nationally known speakers. I have read every extreme opinion from, "pick up your weapons and let’s go to war," to “we are slaves to the government so let’s do what the Bible says and just submit to this nation’s leadership." There are voices on one side calling for violent revolution, and those on the opposite side of the spectrum stating if you really love Jesus and the Bible you will just roll over. It is infuriating to say the least. After reading these posts or blogs I am always confronted with two questions. One, as a professing follower of Jesus, how should I respond to this government? Two, to what length should I as a Christian go to protect the freedoms I hold dear?

 Let’s start by making the case that our government in the United States is seriously broken. I don’t know if anyone reading this will actually argue contrary to that statement. Just in case, let’s cover the basis. Look at some of the more pressing issues right now.

 We have an economy that is teetering on total collapse. We hear constantly about the fiscal cliff, and the only answer that our “highly educated” officials can come with, is raise the debt ceiling so we can borrow more. Anyone that has dealt with bankruptcy can tell you, borrowing more to save a sinking ship never works! In fact, it only delays the inevitable collapse. Taxes are at an all-time high, and Obamacare, which the Supreme Court ruled, would be the biggest tax increase in history, hasn’t even went into effect yet! We have an increasing number of citizens that are dependent on the government to survive. We have government cover ups in Benghazi, attacks on some of our most important freedoms, corruption, and the most partisan Washington, DC I have ever seen. These are just a few of the issues we are facing. We are a mess and spiraling out of control more every day.

 As a young man I made a decision to live as a follower of Christ thus giving me citizenship in another kingdom, the kingdom of Heaven. So my first response to any ethical, moral or spiritual decision is to emulate Jesus’ example. He taught us that we are to be meek and lowly, Matthew 5:5. He taught us to love our enemy and do good to those that persecute us, Matthew 5:44. He taught us to turn the other cheek, Matthew 5:39. With these scriptures alone it would seem that I am saying we just need to roll over and do what we are told. However, as I read Matthew 5, a very interesting thing stood out to me. Matthew 5 talks almost exclusively about how we are to act towards other individuals, not the government. You may think that is a stretch but here me out. Almost every verse states how we are to react to someone that is mistreating us. For example, take one of the most famous verses, Matthew 5:39: “But I tell you not to resist and evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.” So if we are true believers of the Bible, then we should not condone anything that thwarts stopping an evil person. In other words, we should not have fought against Hitler and Nazi Germany, al-Qaeda and certainly not against the King of England in the American Revolution. But is that what Jesus is really saying? I don’t think so.

 So what does Matthew 5:39 mean? Let me give you an interpretation that you may not have ever considered. To actually turn the other cheek you have to be in a position of strength. If I was walking out of a gas station and got jumped by five guys and was beaten would that be considered turning the other cheek? Of course not! One on five generally turns out badly for the one, and I would most likely be grateful to be alive when it was done. Now say I came out of the same gas station and was confronted by a single individual, one on one, that I could handle. Allowing that individual to strike me, without retaliating, would be turning the other cheek. Let me give you an even clearer example. Did Jesus turn the other cheek when he died on the cross? The answer is an obvious, yes! How do we know that? We know that because Jesus could have come off that cross whenever he wanted to. If He couldn’t have then He was not God and He wasn’t turning the other cheek he was just another man being subjected to the cruel devices of a stronger power. Matthew 5 is dealing with our response to one another not the government.

 Jesus is conspicuously quiet when it came to government issues. There is a reason for this and that was He was coming to a people and region that was looking for a deliverer from the Romans. We know from scripture that was not why He came. He came to die for the sins of man and for the redemption of our souls. But there were a few instances where Jesus dealt with the government and I think some clues about how we should act can be gleaned from his approach.

 Many use the story of Jesus being asked about paying taxes as an example of why we should obey the government. Jesus stated, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s”…Mark 12:17. But every gospel that tells this story states that the Pharisees were trying to trap him in his words so they could make a complaint to the Romans. In fact, Mark states it was one of the lies they tried to pin on him at Christ’s trial. It is clear from the gospels that Jesus’ answer was based on the fact they were trying to trick him.

 I think a better example of Christ’s feelings for the government could be found at his trial. There is no doubt that Jesus was meek and lowly, but I recently thought there were a few points in the time after he was arrested and before the crucifixion that he displayed the awesome power of God. I believe Jesus showed his disdain for the puppet court and government of that day when he refused to answer both Herod and Pilate. Can you imagine being the ruler of the region and bringing in this carpenter and He refuses to answer you even though you have his life in your hands? What power! What strength and how God like! His silence spoke volumes about who He was and what He stood for. The gospels bring out that Pilate marveled at the fact Jesus wouldn’t talk. It was if Jesus, through his silence, was stating who was really in charge that day. The Almighty was still the King in that court regardless of who was perceived to be in charge.

 What an amazing contrast Jesus is. He is a God of love, mercy and grace, but he is also a God of justice, the Lion of Judah and a protector of the weak! The God of the Old Testament is the same God in the New Testament. The Jesus of the Gospels is the same Jesus of Revelations 19. Hebrews 13:8 states, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” How can the God of War (Exodus 15:3 & Psalms 24:8 also be the God of Love and Mercy. This could be confusing until you read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…a time to love, a time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace.”

 So the first and most important question that we as believers should be asking is what season is it? Do you know? Have you prayed about it or have you let your emotions take you in a direction without clarification? It is easy to do but we must seek God to see what season it is. Is it a time of war or a time of peace? Let’s look back and see if we can glean anything further from the life of Jesus.

 If Jesus was about anything he was about freedom. He went about healing the sick, healing those possessed, healing the hearts of man and finally freeing us from the law of sin and death. On the day he died on the cross his blood stamped pardon on our souls and we were set free. “He who the Son sets free is free indeed” John 8:36. In fact His whole plan from the beginning was to free us. So how would Jesus respond to a government that is starting to take away the freedoms of its people? I strongly believe He would support freedom. I believe he would emphatically and charismatically support freedom. The scriptures both old and new are full of stories of freedom from oppression. Just because Christ did not free the Jews from the Romans during his life does not mean he was not interested in their freedom. Christ came to present another kingdom but that doesn’t mean He was condoning the Romans and their treating of the Jews. He simply had come for another purpose. Yet the final book of the Bible, the final chapter in history is written with one ending, freedom.

 How then should I respond as a follower of Christ to a country that is starting to take away freedoms? I think the answer is obvious from the Bible and that is we must fight to maintain freedom. To take a casual and apathetic approach to the state of our nation puts us in the category of the unfaithful servant found in Matthew 25. “To whom much is given much is required” Luke 12:48. We have been entrusted with this great nation and to let it go down the road it is headed would be a travesty. I can no longer silently sit on the sidelines and not act. The future of all I hold dear is at stake.

 What then should our approach be as Christians? Should we write letters and make phone calls? Am I suggesting protests? Am I saying run for office? Would I even go as far as to say that we not only can, but should, join in active rebellion if necessary? The answer is emphatically yes to every question. Do whatever it takes! Sitting on the sideline is no longer an option. A good friend of mine recently challenged me with the thought of outworking those that are looking to make changes and laws that I deem dangerous and unconstitutional. Do whatever it takes.

 Almost as bad as doing nothing is spreading toxic comments or posts on Facebook without doing anything of substance. Organize, get involved, fight for what you believe and do not let the disease of political correctness quiet you. Fight for your freedoms.

 In the passion of the battle you must remember that we lose our voice when we act and open our mouths out of emotion. One of the things that infuriates me is when a person states my view point but says it in such a vulgar or uneducated way as to totally turn off any open minded person that could be won to our cause. Calling the president an “F…ing Idiot” or stating from, “My Cold Dead Hands” only destroys the wisdom behind our cause. Be well written and well spoken. If you are writing to one of your representatives I encourage you to read how our founding fathers wrote to King George III when they expressed their grievances. They used words like “humbly” and “beseech” even though they were months away from armed conflict. “A soft answer turns away wrath” Proverbs 15:1. This would be the time for meekness. Most importantly pray for your leaders. Praise their decisions when you can and let them know you support them when they make the right decisions. Politicians are real people and trust me the tide of public opinion is still very powerful.

  I know some will think that my statement about active rebellion is radical and I would say they are correct but that places me in good company. Our founding fathers were radical. Look at the reasons they went to war with England and you will find many of the same issues we are dealing with today, namely a government that no longer places the needs of the people above its own devices and desires.

 I am not suggesting we are at a place where we pick up arms but if anything I have said resonates with you then you should at least take notice to this fact. The government is actively looking to reduce your ability to take up arms, even though it is explicitly guaranteed by the Constitution in the 2^nd Amendment. Wake up citizens, things are happening fast.

 I recently read a blog in which the writer stated, “for a government to work effectively there must be humility and an attitude of servant hood. These two characteristics, if missing, will destroy any leadership and render it useless or worse tyrannical.” Think about humility and servant hood when you think about the way our fore fathers acted when they brought this country into existence. I challenge you to do a little research about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

 Five signers were captured and tortured until they died. Twelve had their homes burned or ransacked, several lost children in the war. Nine fought and died from wounds or hardship from the war. Many of the men lost their wealth and died bankrupt. They were men that pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to defy a king and a super power. I am afraid that today most Americans would not even sacrifice their cable TV to fight for their freedom. How can we say we love liberty and freedom if we are not willing to put it all on the line like our fore fathers? How can we be worthy of this great gift to be born into this country if we are not willing to sacrifice it all to keep what we hold sacred and dear?

 As citizens we have lost the ideals of humility and servant hood. The American of today thinks about self and how he can prosper self. We do not emulate those characteristics that Jesus taught us and that our founding fathers exemplified; humility and servant hood. Sacrifice is needed to right this ship, and a revolution always has a price. So what are you willing to do? Will you do anything? I have decided that I will follow the example of Jesus and the founding fathers and lay my life down. I will do whatever it takes. I will write, make phone calls, contact my representatives, write blogs, protest and educate the uneducated… Lastly, God forbid that this day comes, I will take up arms and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from enemies foreign, and even domestic.

 So, what would Jesus do? What should our response be as Christians to the state of our nation? Quite simply, He would lay his life down for others, especially the weak. Our response as believers should be the same. I have decided that as for me, I will begin to make my stand here. I have planted my flag and this is a hill I am willing to die on. “Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for a friend” John 15:13.

Thanks for reading

Steve