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CHANGE?

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RADIO MESSAGE-The Rev. Dr. Joe Renfro, Christ Over All,
WNEG-AM5630, 12:30PM-Nov. 2, 2008
Hebrews 13:5-8 Jeremiah 2:4-11

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CHANGE IS IN THE WIND. The winds of change are blowing. Changes are exploding all about us, as well as creeping within and throughout us. But God calls us to we can realize his reconciliation and know the peace and power in the faith in him, the Changeless One in the midst of all the manifold changes? The winds change are blowing, as the populations are exploding, energy is increasingly seen as limited at least to fossil fuels, and forces of evil are threatening from many directions. At the same time we are called by God to be “changed from glory unto glory,” and to look up and remember the Scripture: “Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.”

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During this political season we are hearing a lot about change. We hear the call to go out and make history, to vote for change. But change is not always good, as it is possible to go from bad to worse. However, it is possible to jump from the frying pan into the fire. We need wisdom!

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The book of Jeremiah is about a nation that changed from following the God of Israel to following the gods of neighboring lands, which today basically represent the area of the Islamic nations. We need to be aware of change, but be sure we are seeking the right kinds of change, which come from hearts committed to the Lord God and his ways. People, we have freedom of speech in this land, freedom and religion, and opportunities for all races, religions, sexes, and others categories because of our Christian heritage. Let’s not forget that when we go to the polls!

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WHAT IS GOD? Many children used to learn from the Catechism the answer to the question, “What is God?” the answer that “God is a Spirit, in and of himself in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all perfection; all sufficient, eternal, UNCHANGEABLE, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty; knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” These are big words, but each points to a great truth! If God changed in any one of these characteristics, he would not be UNCHANGABLE.

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GOD IS SOVEREIGN! God is perfect and changeless, yet he works through the process of change to accomplish his purposes. God is Sovereign! God is changeless, because he is absolute perfection. Without question the world is changing at a pace no civilization of humanity could ever have imagined. However, God knows not only what has always been, what is everywhere, not just on this planet, but throughout the whole universe and beyond, as well as all that is and will be, as he knows all – being omniscient. Many don’t believe in God, because their concept of God is too limited.

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CREATION IS A CONSTANT FLUX OF CHANGE. Every created substance, living or non-living is the process of change. However, the promise of the Bible, God’s special message to mankind is through the revelation of himself in Jesus Christ. Here is the promise he will “create a new heavens and a new earth in which dwells righteousness.” As Christians we are called as the Bible says to be “changed from glory unto glory.” We see many changes that can be classified as good, others as bad, and with some we just don’t know. But in the midst of this all God calls each of us to be transformed more daily into his image and praise. This change is basic, something from the inside of us, not something imposed by the government from the outside!

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OUR UNDERSTANDING IS VERY MUCH LIMITED. We only have a glimpse of this transformation, but praise God for enabling us to have this glimpse. The Scripture declares that: “For now we know in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part will be done away.” The Scripture affirms Jesus Christ as being one with the unchangeable God, when it says, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” When we look at life through the eyeglasses of faith in Christ, we are able to realize the confidence in the changeless God.

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WE ARE CALLED TO GROW IN FAITH. The Bible teaches that God is changeless. Our perceptions of God might change, but God is the “Being of Being,” as he revealed himself to Moses as the “Yahweh,” or Being of Being, the one who causes all else to be. He is the Changeless One, as he is the one of total perfection! During our journey through life each of us might perceive God differently, yet he is the same God-only our understanding of him is what changes. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS!

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DON’T MISS THE GREATNESS OF GOD. A little boy had some real difficulties about understanding “God.” He said to his Sunday school teacher, “If there was a God, who created him?” The teacher replied that God was not created, but that he has always been. Still the boy wanted to argue about it. He just could not seem to grasp that! Part of this was that the little boy wanted to understand God in the context of time and space. What he didn’t or couldn’t realize was that God created time and space, in that he created and creates all and that, by revelation, “The Being of Being.” God’s existence is beyond time in space.

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GOD CREATED AND CREATES ALL. For the scientific understanding, it seems it began billions of years ago. The Big Bang theory is one theory that attempts to explain this. Dr. Hugh Ross, a famous astrophysicist in his book, THE CREATOR AND THE COSMOS states: “The Bible argues for the big bang universe by stating that the law of thermodynamics, gravity, and electromagnetism have universally operated throughout the universe since the cosmic creation event itself.” In this understanding proposed and supported by Ross, the creation began billions years ago, but it was not by accident. It was and is created by God. The Bible well affirms this, as it says, “All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

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TO NOT KNOW HOW IS NOT TO NOT BELIEVE. Some believe all was created about 10,000 years ago and wish to understand each “day” in the Genesis account as one of 24 hours, as it says “evening and morning.” However, in the Genesis account the Sun was not created until the fourth day, and I wonder how they had evening and morning, if there was no Sun yet. But I am just content to look to II Timothy 3:16-17 that, “All Scripture is given by God, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” It doesn’t tell me just how to interpret it all, but I can in faith see God as Creator of all!

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CONFIDENCE IN HIM, NOT JUST MY UNDERSTANDING. How and when God did it, I don’t know, but I do know I can know and realize his living Word in my life and soul through Jesus Christ. I wasn’t around to observe it! What is figurative and what is literal, I don’t worry about. I just know “in whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.” Praise God!

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JESUS CHRIST IS THE WORD OF GOD MANIFEST. Creation was and is by the mind of God, particularly as we see it in Christ revealed as the Word of God. Hebrews 13:8 points to the foundation of our faith, as it says: “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today, and forever.” We live in a world of change, and in fact the whole creation is in a constant flux, but yet following the laws of a certain ordering.

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ALL WAS CREATED BY GOD’S WORD. The proclamation that God created the entirety of the heavens is stated seven times in the Old Testament (Genesis 1:1, 1:3, 2:4, Psalm 148; Isaiah 40:26, 42:5, and 45:18). Then in the New Testament it proclaims that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God’s Word. The Changeless God in the Incarnation revealed himself as the one that was fully God and fully man, and came to redeem us from our sin. Praise God!

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GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS. The Bible teaches that God created not only the material creation, but the living creation as well, and in particular the human species in his own image-that is to be rational creatures. God created us in his divine plan, knowing all about us even before we were created, for God knows all things. It blows our minds! But it also gives us the great assurance that he is and will take care of us. As we trust in him, he will weave all the changes in constantly encounter to fit together for his glory. Take that great promise of Hebrews 13:6 that God says: “I will never fail you nor forsake you.”

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GRASP THE BIBLICAL CALL TO CONFIDENCE. Throughout biblical history redemption flashes forth. When time looked hopeless, and the enemy cursed God there were people who honored and had faith in God, like when David slew Goliath with just a sling and a stone. God’s redemptive change took place. When Daniel was cast into the lion’s den, and the hungry lions with dripping mouths and saber-like teeth prepared to devour him, things looked hopeless. But God stopped the mouths of the lions, and scene changed. There was deliverance!

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GOD CALLS US TO POSITIVE CHANGE. God calls us to be instruments of positive change, and the Christian Church overall, has had a most positive influence on the world. But many Christians today are suffering in other parts of the world, because of their faith in Christ. There is widespread persecution of Christians and those of other faiths, as of Hindus and Buddhists, and persecution is an increasing phenomenon in the Islamic world.

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ALL CHANGE IS NOT GOOD. The picture of the whole world is changing very much from the benevolence spread by Christianity to the quest for brutal dominance innate in the Muslim religion, especially very much evidenced through the radical Islam, so that today the world is on edge. It blows your mind how intelligent people can be so programmed to violence. However, we are seeing it happen before our eyes. Now all Muslims are not necessarily persecutors of other religions, but in every land where it dominates, other faiths are subjected to it by force. This is not a good change!

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WE ARE NOT CALLED TO PUT OUR FAITH IN CHANGE BUT IN THE CHANGELESS ONE. This is change that “you can believe in,” the regenerating power of God in Christ. This change is redemptive and is symbolized by the cross! Reading symbols is always subject to subjective evaluation, but symbols do point to truths often greater than words can adequately explain. The cross of Christ symbolizes God’s redemptive work in Christ. Here, as Christians is where we can put our ultimate trust. God calls us to have faith in him and his word. For nearly two thousand years in the Church there has been proclaimed the belief in the absolute redemptive work of God through Christ, although many have interpreted is somewhat differently at times.

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FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN AMERICA WAS SPAWNED BY THE JUDEO-CHRISTIANS FOUNDATION. However, we live in a time, when in America, there has taken place a shift. Many are calling for change, change from the basic Judeo-Christian faith and values that were central in the formation of our nation. Christianity was spawned from the Jewish faith.

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When the U.S. Constitution was written the freedom of religion was basically thinking about different Christian variations, as well and the belief in the Natural Law, given by God. The religious affiliation of the 204 U.S. founding fathers, signers of the Declaration, Articles of the Confederation and/or the Constitutional Convention were: 88 Episcopalian/Anglican, 30 Presbyterian, 27 Congregationalist, 7 Quaker, 6 German & Dutch Reformed, 5 Lutheran, 3 Catholic, 3 Huguenot, 3 Unitarian, 2 Methodist, and 1 Calvinist.

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OUR NATION IS TO BE UNITED, NOT DIVIDED INTO MINORITY GROUPS. Freedom of religion was to lead to the acceptance of all religions, which was consistent with what the framers set up. However, let me say, this openness is not the case in most all other cultures, as they regard their way as the absolute truth to the rejection of all others. Allen Bloom in his great work, The Closing of the American Mind, makes the observations that: “The Constitution does not promise respect for blacks, whites, Orientals, Catholics, Protestants, or Jews. It guarantees the protecting of the rights for individual human beings.”

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CHANGE IS COMING, BUT WILL IT BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE? There is a change in the winds, but many Americans equate all religions and cultures as the same—yes, even to the neglect of the evaluation of seeing what these religions or culture might promote. Reverse discrimination is a product of this, and it is an injustice, spawning other injustices! Why on earth is Barack Obama classified as black, when he is half white or for that matter over 90% of the black Americans who are part white, Indian, or Oriental? Why can’t we see people just as people?

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THE NEWS MEDIA NEGLECTS THE SUFFERING OF MASSES OF CHRISTIANS IN OTHER LANDS. There is widespread persecution of Christians, as it becomes an increasing phenomenon in the Islamic world. You see nothing about this in the national press. But it is very widespread, as there are only a few Muslim countries where it does not occur. It has been observed to take four basic forms, and I feel it would be good to see this.

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ISLAMIC GOVERNMENTS DON’T PRACTICE FREEDOM OF RELIGION. First, in all Islamic nations there are violent attacks in varying degrees by extremists on Christian communities, as the governments are either unable or unwilling to stop the violence. Secondly, there is civil war and communal violence where the Christian community has sought to resist radical varieties of Islam. In Sudan after the National Islamic Front took power in Sudan in the late 1980’s, and they have killed at least two million people mostly Christians, as well as those with native beliefs. In Nigeria some 11,000 people have been killed in a period of three years after the introduction of Islamic Sharia law and a literal interpretation of decrees of Mohammed, and he commands in the Koran that all Christians and Jews be killed, when not converted. Thirdly, there is widespread discrimination against all Christians in Muslim countries, so that they are frequently disadvantaged in marriage, custody and inheritance cases, and are forced to subsidize Islam through taxes. They, are severely restricted in building and repairing churches, and are often excluded from government positions. Even in some cases, as in Pakistan or Iran or Nigeria, the testimony of a Christian counts less in a court case. And then fourthly, blasphemy and apostasy laws disproportionately target minorities, especially Christians, and in Saudi Arabia, Christianity is entirely forbidden.

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THE NEWS MEDIA IGNORES THIS PERSECUTION. The Western media and Western governments usually overlook the discrimination against Christians. This is maybe to avoid irritating Muslim governments and also to protect Christians from more attacks, since they were often massacred by Muslim mobs under the pretext that they were protecting the land from infidels. . In sum, the suppression of Christians in the Muslim world is an international problem. But, nevertheless, the media in our land ignores this, and instead spends the focus on how evil we Americans are to seek to protect oppressed people wherever it might be in the world.

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THE TENSIONS ARE BUILDING. Some time back in the Jigawa State in Nigeria there was a local conflict between a Christian and a Muslim woman that escalated into a full-blown riot on the streets of the city. The result was that St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral was burned to the ground and the Bishop’s office and carport destroyed. “It was calm during the night,” the bishop said, but he was very much concerned that “police would not respond to the calls for protection from the Christians.” This is a common pattern!

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EMOTIONS ARE RULING IN THE PLACE OF REASONED JUDGMENT. One report stated anger was “sparked off by an alleged blasphemous comment against the Prophet Muhammad by a Christian woman, who reportedly spoke in reaction to a similarly irreverent statement about Jesus Christ by a male Muslim.”

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INJUSTICE IS IGNORED. In another incident three Christians were executed in Indonesia by a firing squad, because of a conflict that developed between the Muslims and the Christians. The appeal for these men that should have lasted months or even a year to process was denied, and they were executed within weeks. Christian villages were attacked with government munitions and burned down using Indonesian government fuel trucks. Christian adults and children were also beheaded. The Muslim community initiated the attacks, and there was every indication that local Muslim government leaders were involved. But no Muslims were ever charged in any of the attacks. We live in a world that is about to burst in flame.

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WHAT ABOUT POLITICAL CHANGE? Life is a process of continual changes, but we are called to see to change wisely. Here is a story that might make you think about our present political situation.
In the story a powerful senator died after a prolonged illness. In this fictitious account his soul arrived in Heaven, where he was met by Saint Peter. “Welcome to Heaven,” says Saint Peter. “We seldom see a high official around these parts, so we’re not sure what to do with you.” “No problem, just let me in,” says the guy. “I’d like to, but I have orders from higher up What we’ll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

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“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven,” says the senator. “I’m sorry but rules are rules.” And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is very happy and in evening attire. They run to greet him, hug him and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes.
They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, is time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

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“Now it’s time to visit Heaven,” he says. So 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. “Well then, you’ve spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity.”

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He reflects for a minute, then the senator answers, “Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell.” So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to him and lays his arm on his neck.

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“I don’t under stand,” stammers the senator. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends looking miserable.’ The Devil looks at him, smiles and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us!”

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This little story is not a literal picture of Heaven, but just a parable of a type. However, I think it can apply not just to the individual, but the course of a nation, as well. When you think about change, let me encourage you to seek to VOTE WISELY In this coming election!! Amen

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Joe Renfro, Ed.D. is a Radio Evangelist, Retired Teacher and Pastor, Box 751, Lavonia, Georgia 30553, 706-356-4173, joerenfro@alltel.net

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