Rich Stearns

If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.—Ecclesiastes 5:8

Nothing new under the sun, indeed.

Frog and Toad craddle warm cups of tea in their hands, as they sit in cozy chairs in front of the fire. From "Shivers" In *Days with Frog and Toad*

The night was cold and dark.

“Listen to the wind howling in the trees,” said Frog. “What a fine time for a ghost story.”

How should Christians respond to migrants? Well, the Church’s job is to care for desperate and hurting people. The government’s role is to set border policy. Jesus doesn’t check IDs before deciding to care. Let’s let the Church be the Church and the government be the government.

True arrogance is to stand on Earth pondering its wondrous plant and animal life-with its beauty and majesty-with a brain that provides remarkable cognitive abilities-in a massive solar system within one of billions of galaxies in an infinite universe-and declare confidently that there is no God.

To be a disciple means forsaking everything to follow Jesus, unconditionally, putting our lives completely in His hands. When we say that we want to be His disciple, yet attach a list of conditions, Jesus refuses to accept our terms. His terms involve unconditional surrender.

The beautiful simplicity of our faith is that it distills down to the exact same bottom line for both the brilliant theologian and the five-year-old child: love God and love each other - period.

“Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit,fn was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory“ 1Tim 3:16-17

“The root and origin of sin is the arrogance in which man wants to be his own and his neighbor’s judge.” Karl Barth

The Church must aspire to this holy responsibility:

“God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eph 3:10-11

Ironic that this is what many Christians voted for— ”In April, a coalition of Christian organizations — including the National Association of Evangelicals — estimated that about 80% of the 10 million illegal immigrants who could be at risk of deportation from the U.S. are Christians.” Christian Post

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Col 2:6-7

When NBC News’ lead story is Hulk Hogan’s death instead of the thousands starving in Gaza or the brazen ice raids targeting peaceful immigrants awaiting their asylum hearings - it says a lot about our priorities.

Important to remember in difficult times: “This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.” Colossians 1

You did indeed and it was much appreciated.

Wrote a book about this very topic.

Wrote a book about this for. Christian leaders.

One independent estimate of the needless deaths resulting from the closure of USAID is that 14 million people will die over the next 5 years. That is 3 times more deaths than all of the wars and conflicts of the 21st century.It will happen without firing a shot and most Americans don’t seem to care.

“When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Learn to do good. Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Isaiah 1

One independent estimate of the needless deaths resulting from the closure of USAID is that 14 million people will die over the next 5 years. That is 3 times more deaths than all of the wars and conflicts of the 21st century.It will happen without firing a shot and most Americans don’t seem to care.

“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.
You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” Heb 3:13-14

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Heb 10

Even if you believe that the US should not be helping the poor in other countries, does it bother you that thousands of mothers and children are now dying due to the abrupt cancellation of our foreign aid programs? Actions have consequences. Our votes have consequences.

If you could pick just three qualities you want to see in a leader or a boss, what three would you choose?

“They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content.
Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”
The LORD replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless,
and I have heard the groans of the poor.
Now I will rise up to rescue them,
as they have longed for me to do.” Psalm 12:4-5

“LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them.” Ps 10:17-18

Here’s a simple truth: When you show people the love of Christ, you draw them to the Cross of Christ.

If you could pick just three qualities you want to see in a leader or a boss, what three would you choose?

In Mt 25:31-40 the criteria Jesus uses at the final judgment for separating the true believers from the rest, are all sins if omission-not commission. It was a failure to care for the poor that brought judgment, not the sins of commission that Christians are often obsessed with. Think about that.

“how we treat refugees and immigrants paints a vividly clear picture of whether we truly believe that our primary citizenship is in God's kingdom rather than any earthly empire.” Rev. Benjamin Cremer