“Take Me Back”, too!

Thabiti Anyabwile was going back down memory lane and posted this YouTube video of the late COGIC Bishop Gilbert E. Patterson singing Andraé Crouch’s “Take Me Back”. That song brought back memories for me, also. This Thanksgiving Day, I’m thankful for the Lord who has brought me such a long way. I’m thankful for the human instruments through whom the gospel came to me. I’m grateful for my great-grandparents and great-great aunt who never let me forget that I had to meet the Lord for myself. “Ye must be born again,” was a message I heard frequently from them. Thankfully, by God’s grace, I eventually came to know what they were talking about.

Take me back, take me back, dear Lord,
To the place where I first received You;
Take me back, take me back, dear Lord,
Where I first believed.



I’m also reminded of these solemn words from the Lord Jesus (Revelation 2:1-7):

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’”

HT: Pure Church

It’s official

Yesterday, I received my first pair of bifocals. I guess that means it’s official…

…I’ve finally reached middle age!

Evangelical Politicking: A futile exercise

Lance Lewis has a thoughtful post regarding abortion and the recent Presidential election. I encourage you to read it and seriously ponder the issues he raises. In response to his post, I submitted the following response (which I’ve slightly edited for posting here):

After this latest Presidential campaign, I've come to the conclusion that Evangelicals have, to a great extent, been duped by the Republican Party. The Republican Party knows they have the Evangelical vote locked up. All they have to do is talk the pro-life talk, and Evangelicals will vote for them, regardless of whether or not they actually do anything that brings about real change. It is exactly the same situation as that which exists between the Democrat Party and the greater part of the Black community. What has Black loyalty to the Democrat Party done for the Black community? Very little, if anything. That's exactly where the Evangelical community is right now with the Republican Party.

I've also become convinced that Evangelicals have been wrong to focus so intensely on abortion. Abortions are not the problem; abortions are but a symptom of the real problem: the spiritual condition of the United States. We Evangelicals work ourselves into a frenzy about Roe v Wade, when the fact of the matter is, if the gospel we proclaimed was really going out with power (see 1 Corinthians 2:4), Roe v Wade would become a moot point. Few would want an abortion. There would be little demand for abortion. Those who support and promote abortion don't need the animosity and hatred of Evangelicals; they need the gospel. Those who are blinded by Satan don't need to be demonized by us; they need the gospel.

The way to end abortion is not through the exercise of political might. The way to end abortion is through the Spirit-empowered propagation of the gospel. The proof: Remember the powerful effect that the gospel had on 18th century society in England and the American Colonies in the days of Whitefield and the Wesleys? Cannot God do the same thing today?

In my opinion, the Evangelical politicking of the past 30 years (since the emergence of the "Moral Majority") has simply been a futile exercise in fighting spiritual battles with carnal weapons (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

I never thought I would see this day…

…but, I thank God that He let me see it.

May God, in His great mercy, bless, keep and protect our President-Elect, Barack Obama.