Eze. 36:26, "I will give you a new heart, and put my spirit into you..."
A while back I sent out an e-mail complaining about the new $1 coin, encouraging my church not to accept it because the Treasury had chosen to leave 'In God We Trust' off of it. I was quickly corrected, that the coin does indeed have those faith affirming words on it. Apparently, they exist on the edge of the coin, although I have yet to see one. I thought, how appropriate for America today. Every area of our culture and society is attempting to push God to the edge. As I country and nation, I wonder if we truly believe we even need God; except of course in times of national emergency. Other than that, I fear we rather like having God relegated to the edge of our daily lives. The problem I see with that is that He is still God, and He will never take that position in life. He is the originator and sustainer of all life and love; it all revolves around Him, whether we recognize Him or not. He is and always will be the center of life and love. And I believe when we attempt to move Him the edge of our lives; what we really do is move our ourselves to the edge of His.
PJ
3 comments:
Wow! I find it difficult to beleive a pastor would suggest such a thing from a position of authority, it certainly isn't biblical, it has nothing to do with salvation or the Gospel.
Doris, really? Jesus was continually challenging the social and cultural wrongs that existed when He walked the earth. Our culture and society is headed for destruction because we keep pushing God further and further from the center of it. When God speaks to my heart about such things, do I really have a choice but to speak up? You always have the choice to disagree, and do what ever God is leading you to do; as I am sure you do. I can only encourage and challenge; I cannot mandate, nor would I. One more thing, in case you misunderstood; I didn't preach about not accepting the coin, I would never use the pulpit (if I had one) that way. It went to the spiritually mature via email. Thanks for sharing.
PJ
I totally understood it was an e-mail. Your profession is pastor, that doesn't stop when you are not preaching, the e-mail went to people who know what you do for a living, and unless couched in the fact it was your opinion not biblical principle, I think it was inappropiate.A Pastor's reach goes far beyond the church doors. I would see an e-mail like that as from a pastor not a friend, because I know your profession. Secondly, I was referring to the coin- so you will take no money because it doesn't say "In God We Trust"? That is not found in scripture. Thirdly, if you use credit cards, debit cards and accept personal checks or payroll checks,and money orders, you are accepting and using money that doesn't meet your standards. All those forms of money are condidered legal tender in the U.S., and do not have "In God We Trust" inscribed on them.
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