Halloween & Electrifying Elections

Today is “Halloween”—a holiday that never ceases to amaze me. Funny how we’re allowed to openly celebrate witchcraft, demons, evil . . . But there’s a ton of hoo-ha about openly celebrating Christmas. (The politically correct term for Christmas now is “Holidays”). Funny eh? Not really. It’s tragic. So what can we do?

Well, to start with, we should pray. But American citizens also need to vote on November 4th. And Christians need to vote biblically—from the standpoint of a clear, biblical worldview. We have the opportunity to vote for the candidate who most represents our values. Biblical values. As Chuck Smith said on radio yesterday, in this election, the choice easy.

So today, millions celebrate the day of the dead. Looking at where the elections might be headed, makes sense. Many are being lured into choosing death (read my last post).

Elections are always electrifying. Some are even scary. This one tops them all.

America is supposedly a democracy – but that may quickly change. If the wrong man gets in, our hard earned taxes will be used to kill babies. Before you know it, abortion will become a convenient form of contraceptive. After all, it’s free. Think about it.

We’re hearing things like “Spread the wealth around.” Duh! That’s what we do in England, and France. It doesn’t work. It promotes laziness. After all, why work if the money from those who do work has to cover you? That’s what socialism—ooops, I mean “spread the wealth around”—means. Those who work hard pay for those who choose not to work. ‘And I’m not referring to people who cannot work, or who are poor because of extenuating circumstances.)

I believe in giving to the poor. I guess that’s obvious, since I’m the founder of Orphans First: www.orphansfirst.org). But there are two kinds of poverty. There’s poverty that’s the result of laziness (Prov.24:33,34). Scripture tells us, “If a man doesn’t work, he shouldn’t eat.” Europe is filled with folk who are not motivated to work because, why should they? If they work, they’re highly taxed, and don’t gain any more benefits than if they don’t work. So they’d rather live off “the system” – off other people’s tax contributions. Now, that’s just not a smart way to organize society.

But of course there are those whose poverty is not a result of their choices. Life has dealt them a harsh deck of cards and they need our help. It is our duty to help them. The Bible encourages us to give to the poor and in so doing we’re ministering to Jesus. There’s no better investment of our time and our money than helping those who truly cannot help themselves (Prov.19:17; Prov. 28:27; Prov.28:27; Prov.31:9)). It’s like popping our assets right there in Heaven and letting them grow interest. Way better than down here where investing’s become a fluky business.

Consider and compare these verses on poverty: Prov.19:17; Prov. 28:27; Prov.28:27; Prov.31:9; Prov.21:5, 25 & 26; Prov.23:19-21, Prov.28:19, 22.

As for marriage, the concept is found in the Bible—between man and woman. Changing the definition amounts to the same thing as taking Christ out of the Christmas. You can’t. Well, you can, but you deform the very essence of the word’s meaning by doing so. Tampering with terminology to make something mean what it truly doesn’t mean invites confusion and obliterates criteria that protects our society. Ain’t good. Ain’t good at all. And what’s the point? Gay couples already hold legal rights anyway.

For the record, I’m not against gays. I love gays. God loves them. Jesus died for them just as much as He died for me. I have compassion on gays—especially those who’ve never known a real father. What I’m against is twisting semantics to accommodate an unhealthy lifestyle at the expense of confusing our children. (I’d be equally against the idea of someone taking the word rape and changing the definition to accommodate the rapist, or making murder mean something else to accommodate the murderer.)

One last thought: All this hype about “let’s bring change, change, change . . . “ Of course we want things to change. Some things at least. But not everything. And we certainly don’t want to lose more rights. We don’t want biblical values to be even more squelched to accommodate liberalism. We don’t want the kind of change that’s synonymous to eliminating safe, moral and spiritual barriers: “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set” (Prov. 22:28).

Consider this: “. . .Do not associate with those given to change, for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin those two can bring?” (Prov.24:21).

In a few days, when Halloween costumes are discarded, I hope we will not still be celebrating the dead. My prayer—my earnest prayer—is that Americans will see through the masquerades, media, ads and slick speeches, and that they’d make their vote count for the Kingdom and choose life (Deut.20:19).

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © October 2008
www.JaneyDeMeo.com & www.orphansfirst.org

Choose life -- vote biblically

Friends say they’re having a hard time choosing which candidate to vote for. Really? I ask them: Are you listening to what the candidates believe and propose? Or is media commentary confusing you? Are you searching the Bible to compare God’s standards with those of the candidates?

God’s Word tells us how to live, and even how to vote: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

God has placed a choice before us. Voting is not a light thing. Heaven and earth witness our choice – and our descendants will pay for it. We get to choose how they’ll live – or even if they live at all.

“. . . choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” How can our descendants live if we abort them? The stakes are clear. God is not pro-abortion. God is not for infanticide. He forbids murder. And what about marriage – the nest into which live is supposed to be born? The biblical definition of marriage is one woman and one man. Sure, God cares deeply about homosexuals. He died for them and wants to help them with their struggles, just as He wants to help each of us with ours – whatever they may be. Many gays lack father-figures, and their lives are not easy. They suffer terribly. God’s compassion for them is great. But, He does not endorse homosexual marriage. We cannot redefine marriage to accommodate our lifestyle. (Hey, if you really want to be legally bound to protect assets and demonstrate commitment—just as biz partners are—you don’t need to call it marriage. It’s not and saying it is confuses our children.)

This election brings many other issues to the table. May we be vigilant and discern during this dark times. Let’s not flock to biased media commentaries as a source of information.. Let’s do our own thinking. And let’s do it BIBLICALLY, letting God’s Word be the litmus test. Let’s choose life – so that the life we leave for our descendants will be worth living.

Janey DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © October 2008

Fireproof

Everyone should see Fireproof. No exception. It could change your life – and certainly equips you to strengthen your marriage, or someone else’s marriage.

Starring Kirk Cameron and made by the creators of Facing the Giants, Fireproof is another motivating movie that makes you want to make changes and fix the broken things in your life. It tells the story of Caleb and Catherine Holt, a struggling couple who find themselves caught in a downward sliding spiral of events that cause them to drift apart. It is the story of you and me, of our neighbors or friends . . . It is today’s story of western marriage. And today’s struggle.

It is also the story of honor and victory. Victory over the pressures that surmount against marriage.

Frankly, I also found the movie entertaining. The filming was delightful with beautiful colors. The characters were fun and humor was a plenty.

Don’t miss Fireproof. See it while it’s still in theaters. Watch the trailer here.
http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/

And if you want a great resource website to help strengthen marriages, go here.
http://www.fireproofmymarriage.com/

Janey L. DeMeo M.A. © October 2008

Why Christians Don't Pray

Ever thought about why Christians don't pray? I have. Plain Truth recently published my article, Why Christians Don’t Pray! You can read it here.

Thanks for stopping by. Keep praying.

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.