Giants in the Land

Well, I don't normally get into writing about political issues and I don't really intend to now, but I was just so inspired by Rick Green from Wall Builders speaking at our church last night that I couldn't pass up the opportunity entirely.

Recently, Larry and I hosted several couples from our Sunday School class for Sunday lunch. One of our guests is very involved in local politics and the discussion turned to some of the issues facing our city. In one incident, a business was seeking permission from the city commission to open in town. While it is a perfectly legal establishment, some felt it was not the sort of business venture we would want to see in our sleepy, conservative little burg. Unfortunately, the measure passed and the business was granted access. After the commission meeting, one of the commissioners confronted my friend (who opposed the measure) and said, "Where were the churches?" Where, indeed? Not one church showed up to voice an opinion in the discussion, but I am sure many church members will have something to say when a tattoo parlor opens in Plant City.

Last night, we heard Rick Green from Wall Builders give example after example of the Christian values that shaped the opinions and beliefs of our founding fathers. Examples that students won't hear in public school history classes and we certainly won't hear in the secular media. They wouldn't dare tell the American public that the framers of our founding documents spent HOURS in prayer before session - not just a little 15 minute "bless this meeting"  - but literally hours studying scripture and in prayer before making the decisions that shaped our nation.

I came home from church and was reading in Joshua, chapter 17. In this chapter, some of the Israelites are having trouble subduing the giants within the boundaries of the land allotment for their tribes. Joshua encouraged them and in the last two verses of the chapter he says to them, "You are numerous and very powerful...the farthest limits will be yours...though [the Canaanites] are strong, you can drive them out."

The giants in our land are numerous and some of them can be pretty intimidating, but we are numerous and powerful. Jesus Himself said that the gates of hell could not prevail against His church. The problem is, like the ten other spies in the wilderness, I think most of us have decided the giants are too big and we can't defeat them. We cower in fear because we are so concerned about being politically incorrect or offending someone who might disagree with our views. The giants are strong...but we CAN drive them out.

Rick Green gave us a few directives last night:

1. PRAY ~ We need to pray for our country and its leaders. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

2. VOTE ~ We are numerous but the numbers can't be counted if you don't cast a ballot.

3. Be Informed ~ Know what your representatives at all levels of government believe in and stand for as well as candidates for office.

4. Get involved ~ Find Godly candidates (regardless of party) that you can support and then get involved in their campaigns.

5. Contribute ~ Help em out.

There are giants in the land, but we can drive them out. "Greater is He who is in US, than He who is in the world." It's time for us to take this country back!