Unite as God's people to unite the nation

A lot of people, the day after the 2016 election, discussed why the polls were so wrong in not picking Trump over Clinton. Some compare President-elect Donald Trump's election to Brexit in Britain, the breaking away from the European Union. There have even been protests.

What all these news sources and protesters have in common is that they look at the world's system and forget that only God's system is perfect. As also discussed in this blog, the problems of this country, including the divides between people, can't be fixed by the "right leader" or by laws because they all boil down to a heart problem. To solve it, we as Christians must take the lead, united in sound doctrine and the Word of God. Then, as John F. Kennedy once said, we must ask what we can do for our country.

What we should do is be known by our love, as Jesus commands(John 13:35). That link that "Word of God"  directs to gives a number of areas where uniting is great, and we as a nation need to unite in the right thing - peacefully working together for Godly change, recognizing we are all one in Christ Jesus.(Gal.3:28)

Greater Canton Youthquake's mission is to share the Gospel and get young people saved, discipled, and serving the Lord. Still, by presenting ideas that can help to unify people of all races, we can show that love and demonstrate that love and compassion. It is one reason our "Quest for Truth" radio program - and Youthquake itself - publish this blog, so we can use social media, from time to time, to cover topics in a more timely manner (since we usually tape weeks in advance) and encourage people in their spiritual walk. And, in this case, to encourage an entire nation, if it's possible.

It's possible more ideas will be proposed later. In the secular realm, Bill Whalen blogged very good ideas. Ours, though, have to do with the spiritual realm, and touch upon the more pressing problem, that of the heart, so the divide can be healed. However, they will also help morally and economically, too.

1. Reach out to minorities - and to everyone. It's been said that the reason we distrust each other is that we don't communicate. It's important for people to get to know each other instead of name-calling. it's also important to realize that those who do call people names might be hurting very badly inside and not know how else to react except to lash out. The Bible says "A soft answer turneth away wrath."(Prov. 15:1) Speaking kindly to those with whom you disagree should be a staple of politics and life in general, and showing them you are trying to understand them is vital.

2. Offer solutions instead of just complaining and discuss how they can be done. God calls us to be thankful and not complaining; He is all-sufficient for us. "Be content with such things as ye have, forHe hath said I will never leave thee nor forsale thee."(Heb. 13:5)
     In fact, here is one such idea, to demontrate how easy it can be. Rebuilding inner city infrastructure - and infrastructure everywhere - is a pressing need. It would be great to get together and help those minorities who are complaining to start businesses that will allow them to do that, thereby creating jobs. This will take the work of someone who has the funds, of course, but it will go a long way toward showing that love, and once the ideas are put together they can be presented to the government.

3. Respect others as equals. In the body; the arm isn't more important than the leg, the eye isn't more important than the ear, etc.. Just as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12, we need to see that here.
     Yes, blacks/African-Americans have been mistreated. Whites must accept them as equals just as - if body parts could talk - the eye and ear would work together and not try to see each other as superior. We must repent of the last 400 years of evil, not just the last 40.
     However, since we are all part of the body, we should do this by joining together in in prayer and fellowship and stop backbiting and start communicating.

4. Focus on things above and let the Spirit work. The things of this world won't last; it makes sense, then, to focus on ternal rewards.(Matt. 6:19-21, for instance.) As above, thankfulness is crucial; I(Doug) am living proof that God can use someone with very little and handicapped as well for things that He couldn't use anyone else for. You are fearfully and wonderfully made by God.(Ps.139:14) So, let Him work His master plan. As the chorus says, "Turn your eyes upon jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."

5. Don't worry about comparing yourself to others; we're all parts of the body. It's common, as people, to want to compare ourselves to others - Peter did that at the end of the Gospel of John, comparing his future with John's. However, Jesus told him what all of us are told - follow Him. He has different plans for each of us, and they involve using the things He gave us for His glory. The richest person in the world really owns nothing; God has eitehr given it to them or allowed them to get it in order to cause them to understand Him more or get them in a position where they are most likely to turn to Him and away fromt he world's wickedness.

6. Pledge to make and keep peace and help others through their pain. Don't let the haters be part of things; there are some radicals who want to destroy, but God wants us to build each other up and help each other. that can mean cindid talk and listening when someone discusses the pain they've felt, and acknowledging that. It can mean dealing with grief. Most importantly, it means forgiving - but forgiving doesn't mean saying something was okay, it just means that you're willing to look past the horrible past some people have faced.

7. Know the Lord Jesus personally, since only He can provide that peace that passes understanding. Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. He was buried and rose agin the third day, according to the Scriptures. It's by grace you are saved through faith - it's a free gift. It's not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.(1 Cor. 15:3-4,Eph.2:8-9)
     The Bible shows consistently that God Himself came to this world to be the sacrifice for our sins in the person of Jesus Christ, who was God in flesh. The Bible shows many instances where He is declared to be God.

     This great love God has for us is needed because we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.(Rom.3:23) We are always turning from His perfection to serve our selfish sin in word, deed, even in thought. God created us to have a relationship with Him, but we can't unless we: Admit we're a sinner and can't get to heaven ourselves; Believe Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for our sins and rose from the dead; and, Call on Him to save and forgive us from that sin and Choose to turn from it and let Him make us new inside.
     Each of us must make that choice individually. It is a choice to let Jesus save you and forgive you and make you new. Once He does that, he lives in a believe through the Holy Spirit and works to imporve that person and make them more Christlike. the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.) of Galatians 5:22-23 are some good ways to show how He does this.
     You can make that decision right now by calling in your heart for Jesus to save you. Here is a more detailed explanation. You can even share it in different languages here.

     While we can't make a perfect world because of the sin nature of it, one day we who have been saved by grace will gather around the throne together in His perfect Heaven. People out of every tribe, tongue, kindred, and nation will gather together and celebrate as one. It will be a place where nobody can imagine the wonders that await us, where there is no pain, no suffering, nothing bad can happen.

     I pray that you are trusting Him today. You can always e-mail us and let us know and we can try to find a good local church for you wherever you are.

     This country, like the world, won't be perfect till Jesus returns to rule and reign, before which will be the 7 worst years of human history. However, we can certainly work together to show Godly love and follow Jesu and Him alone and edify one another while we are hear, showing that Christlike example that we are commanded to in God's Word, truly seeing all people as being created equal. We don't all play the same part or get the same stuff when it comes to worldly things. We do, however, all play a special part in God's perfect plan.

     That can include being part of a great repentance revival we we turn from our sins (including things the church has failed to speak out against, numerous of which are discussed on some of our radio shows) and call on God to heal our land.

Stability in uncertain times - a Rock you can count on

This message is, like our ministry and radio program, for the greater Canton area and yet for everyone no matter where they are, because Matthew 28:18-20 commands us to go into all the world, and in this day and age, this message could go anywhere.


Timken High School students may be especially interested, though. Whatever feelings may be on the subject, after this spring, Canton will have only two high schools, McKinley and Timken Early College, which will at least keep the Timken name prominent in the Canton City Schools, after the great history it has in the area.

Our show on Jesus as the rock discussed more than salvation, though. The storms of life pound at us so hard sometimes, it is important to know there is certainty in this world. Some young people deal with many diverse problems, some right in their families. It is vital for them to realize there is a rock they can count on.

There is an interesting quote which may feel appropriate for those rebuilding their lives, such as with the horrible earthquake in Nepal or the recent train accident in Philadelphia. “Yesterday, I was president of a college. Today, I am president of a hole in the ground.” These were the words of Louis Holden, president of the College of Wooster in nearby Wooster, Ohio, in 1901. A terrible fire had destroyed their one academic building, known as Old Main. Oh, some books and other small items were saved. But, as far anything important, nothing was left after the loss of Old Main. Present and former students suddenly found nothing but ruins. Nothing, that is, except...a rock.

This heavy rock was dragged and placed near its present site by the Class of 1874, with their year carved into its side. (It still stands, you can see it here.) Students and alumni were displaced, their school in ruins, and yet that rock stood fast, reminding them there was a college there, promising the chance for something better. And there that rock stands today, unchanged for well over a century, despite the incredible changes in the college and its students.Timken students are surely wishing that they had such certainty. But, they - and everyone - can be certain of the love of Jesus Christ.

Such a foundation is important, even necessary, in our lives as well. We often find the Old Mains of our lives in tatters. So many things change, and we ask ourselves, isn’t there some rock that we can build on that will remain no matter what? Jesus promises there is, in Luke 6:47-49.

        Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Jesus is not speaking of actual men in this parable. He often used stories to demonstrate an important truth, but only some concerned actual people. These begin with phrases such as “a certain man,” like in the well known parable of the Good Samaritan. Here, however, Jesus is making a comparison. He’s speaking of the importance of hearing and doing his Word. This, then, is that rock on which we can build our lives.

I. The house upon the rock.

            A. The building of the dwelling.

            Let’s look at how this first building was built. We see right away that Jesus says the first man built a house. If this were just about buildings, He could have had the man in this parable build a barn or an office. But, Jesus used a house for a reason. Our homes are more than just shelters. Our homes are places to return to, to welcome in friends and family, to celebrate. It’s like John Denver sang, in his song “Back Home Again,” it’s the little things that make a house a home. That fire in the fireplace, a well cooked meal on the stove, and the light in the eyes of your loved ones. And, I'm sure Timken students fondly remember those things, and will for years to come. The wonderful thing about reunions is that we can return, year after year, and celebrate such things. Family, love, great memories, all of these things are connected to the home.

            But, note that this house is built on a rock. A rock is something that will not be moved, it is steadfast. Many times in the Bible, a rock is used as a description of the Lord and His Word. No matter what happens, Jesus can provide that certainty. His Word can give us that certainty that no matter what happens, there will always be one constant. He says in Malachi, “I am the Lord, I change not.”

            However, our world is always chainging, and sadly we say goodbye to things like schools. However, the Lord promises that He will always be there for us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. If we follow the principles in His Word, first of all by coming to Him, and trusting Him for forgiveness, then by following the principles of absolute right and wrong that He established, we can be certain of surviving the storms of life.

            B.. The power of the storms.

            That last promise is vital because of the power of those storms. Things change from year to year,. That’s where our Lord is coming from when He mentions this flood. It arose suddenly, with no warning, and the waves came crashing against that house. Perhaps, to some of you, like the Timken closing, perhaps to others family tragedy. Please know that God made this world sinless, but by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. He gives us free will to choose and gets us through it when things go badly. "In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) This is how He can give us life everlasting but also life more abundantly(John 10:10) here on earth.

             If we didn’t have storms in life, it would be so wonderful. When our astronauts planted Old Glory on the moon in 1969, they knew it would remain in place till the Lord returned. There was no wind up there, nothing to shake it. It looks now the same as it did many years ago.

            Down here, however, our lives are shaken. Loved ones die, people disappoint us, we get sick, so many things happen that shake us to the core. The problems of life come like a gentle spring shower at times, but at others, they batter us like a powerful thunderstorm, with booming thunder and cracks of lightning.

            It is these storms to which Jesus refers, that His Word can shelter us from, his Word can be that rock. Oh, we will surely face them, but the way we face them is different. Those storms of life beat vehemently at us, as the Scripture says, and sometimes we just want to crawl into God’s outstretched arms and let Him cuddle us. And yet, we can move forward successfully, because of God’s promise, leading to the saving of the home in this parable.

            C. The saving of the house.

            This house could not be shaken, according to verse 8, because it was founded upon a rock. When the storms of life pound at us, and leave the inevitable scars, we can be certain that there is something better ahead. You who have suffered this past year, with the loss of Timken High School, are you certain you will go to God's perfect heaven when you die? Where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears, where we can't even imagine the wonders that await us?

            Through the ages, those who have seen friends, money, jobs, homes, vanish have been able to turn to Jesus for comfort. Others look at us and say, “How can you possibly have happy moments when all around you is crashing down.” And we can proudly say, “Because of Jesus.” People can’t understand unless they have Him as the rock at the center of their lives, this is why the Bible call it the “peace that passeth understanding.”(Phil.4:6-7)

            We can’t be mere hearers of the Word, though. We must be doers, that is the whole point of this parable, as you see back in verse 7. It is he that does what Jesus commands. Otherwise, we just sit around knowing a bunch of facts. We must do something with Jesus, that is, receive him and trust Him to give us that peace. That might mean dedication; that might mean getting saved for some of you. Whichever it is, though, it’s vital, because otherwise, you are only building your homes on shifting sand.

II. The house upon the earth.

            A. The building of the dwelling.

            Have you ever stood in the water, and let the tide take the sand out from under your feet? Do that for long enough, and you eventually fall over.

            That’s what the man did who failed to lay a foundation, in verse 9, he built his house upon the earth. He fell prey to every little shift in the earth, as those things he relied on were pulled out from under him.

            Of course, some things are important. We can’t live without money for instance. But, anytime we rely on something that can change, and place that above Jesus in our lives, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. Jobs come and go, people are born, live, and die, and the things that were certain one year are so uncertain the next.

            What Jesus is saying is that the house upon the earth was built without the proper foundation. Without the certainty and peace of that relationship with Jesus. A person who builds without that foundation will be okay for a while, like a child who can successfully imitate a home or a work situation (like cooking dinner). However, just as that child couldn’t deal with many of the most complex problems of life (the dinner catches fire, for instance), so the one without a foundation built on Jesus finds himself or herself much more troubled than they need to be about the storms of life.

            B.. The power of the storms.

            They find only worry and anxiety instead of that calming, tender voice inside saying, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will take care of this, in My own time.” It’s like a fellow I know who was then a junior in high school. His dad got hurt early one evening. At about eight o’clock, an uncle came to stay with him while his parents rushed to the hospital. This fellow was worried; his dad had never been sick a day in his life. What could be the problem, why had there been no phone call? Four, five hours, and he finally went to bed, exhausted with worry. (His Asperger's Syndrome likely made it worse.)

            Finally, at about four in the morning, he heard a sound in the dark, and it was so sudden, he was sure there was a robber in the house. Awakened from his deep sleep, he couldn’t stop thinking that first the one man he relied on to protect him was nowhere to be found, and now this strange noise was in his house.

            Well, thankfully, that noise was just his parents returning, but his father did need a hernia operation. It wasn’t a heart attack or anything, but to this young man it still caused great worry.

            Now, worry and concern over our loved ones is certainly warranted at times. And, there are times, because of our fleshly nature, when we get more anxious than we should. However, the point is, this young man lacked the ability to rely on God to give him peace, he lacked the ability to pray and ask God for help for his parents and himself. He lacked that firm foundation that Jesus promises, and so worked himself into a frenzy, not thinking that the Lord would work all things together for good to them that love God, no matter how tough it is at the time.

            He knows Jesus as his personal Saviouir now, thankfully, and can go to Him for that peace anytime.

            C. The ruin of the house.

            Life storms like that are why the ruin of the house was so great. Look back in verse 9; the house fell. It didn’t just lose a piece or two at a time, it went splat! It all came tumbling down at once. This is what happens when people do not have God at the center of their lives. They survive for a while, but when some storm comes, they suddenly feel devastated. Their world has been changed with no hope of going back. Things on which they relied suddenly are no more, and they don’t know where to turn. While we adults may think that Timken's closing will be something easy to get over, i know for teenagers it may seem a lot harder.

            What’s worse is, it’s not only life that’s like that without that foundation. In presenting the wonderful truth of God’s grace, the Bible clearly states that we are once to die, and then the judgment. We don’t get a second chance. Old Main went up in an instant back in 1901, and each of our lives could, too. There was no warning, before fire destroyed it. In the same way, each of us could go without warning, too, to meet Jesus.

            Thankfully, we have the opportunity to know Him and call on Him if we trust Him. However,
we have a problem 

            We have seen two very different houses, representing two very different lives. They finish with two very different ends. If I may transpose the stories for a moment, their ends are shown well in Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

            The house upon the earth is certain to end in failure. All that was built upon was destroyed. Like Old Main, at the end, the only thing left was a hole in the ground. The wages of sin, all we say, think, and do to displease God, no matter how small, is death, separation from God forever in a place meant only for the devil and his fallen angels. Because, God cannot allow sin into His perfect Heaven. Heaven is a perfect place, with no pain, no suffering, no tears, none of the things that haunt us here.

            The house built upon the rock is certain to end in success. That one who built his house on the rock came to Jesus. He received that gift of God, which is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. His house withstood incredible trauma, and yet it could not be shaken. No matter what happened, the storms of life could not destroy it.

            Thankfully, if you have built on the earth, without a foundation, you have lived to this day. Now, you can easily start building on the rock today. It simply requires a conscious decision. It means recognizing that you’re building on something that is going to change over time, and deciding to build your life on God instead.

            If you're reading this and have never built on that foundation, if you have never called on Jesus Christ, God in flesh, to save you from your sins, you must be more than a hearer of the Word, you must be a doer of it. He commands that to see Heaven, we must be born again. That means you must repent and receive Him. Repent means to change your heart attitude toward sin. Decide that you don’t want to displease God anymore. Then, receive Him as your Savior. Believe that Jesus Christ is God, and that His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection were for you, personally.

Admit, Believe, and Call/Choose. You're a single sincere prayer of repentance away from eternal life, and from starting to build upon that rock, so you can know for sure whatever life brings, you can go to teh Rock, Jesus Christ, and He'll get you through it.