Who has the ultimate say in the future of the UK government after 6 May 2010

Would you please, please pray for the UK election taking place tomorrow, Thursday 6 May 2010?

This is where we live: in the small county of Hertfordshire.

Voters (30-40%)  admit that they are undecided as to who to vote for.  We count ourselves as part of that statistic.  Ok we do not fancy Communism, for eg, but it does make one wonder about Democracy and how it is that the the future of a good few year's goverance is subject to weak, weak, weak chance of making a good judgment and decision! What is the worth of a personal political opinion based on scanty party manifesto's.  To have our “own political views”, we all, obviously, need true information.  Whicih we get where?

Now.....................how very good and assuring it is that our God works out His purposes - HIS purposes - His PURPOSES - and that He is good and His love endures forever.  And somehow He can achieve His plans through voters who are so betwixt and between!

Gordon and I have been paying fair attention to the debates, analyzers communication through many forms of the media, but still, like many others, we battle to discern and make a clear choice. Uncertainty is a feature of this election, thus the leaders and campaigners' pounded the streets - some right through the night.  We have tried to assess and discern, while trying to remember who said what on which taxes, on the EU and immigration and the Recession and how to deal with the rich bankers - added to hospitals, age-care and education.  Do we vote tactically, for the party or for the man?

Many say there hasn’t been an election in their lifetime in which so many voters are just not certain where they or the parties stand – and no wonder, given the turbulence of the economy and the unusually slippery tactics of politicians across the board.  Disconcerting.

Here's the dilemma:  many of  the uncertain voters will stand in cubicles tomorrow and draw crosses.  Here is the crunch: many of  those crosses will determine the leaders of the United Kingdom for the next few years.

(A few  BBC interviewees said that when they are in the voting cubicle they believe the right decision will "come" to them!)

How wonderful and assuring and thrilling - and what real security -  to have our confidence in a Sovereign Lord .  He works all the time and He works all things together (just consider what a magnificent influence that is).  He works everything together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.  He holds sovereign sway over the universe, the world and the UK elections tomorrow.  He is the Ancient of days - no lack of experience there!  Our God reigns and His purposes will not be frustrated.

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, can avail against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.   {Prov 21:30-31 RSV}

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

 
Please see  Some key issues to keep in mind when casting a vote. for further information.  Prayer makes sense- and to go and vote tomorrow - because as Christians we are convinced of God's sovereign and wise sway over the UK and all the kingdoms of our world.

We and the whole country are very curious to what the outcome is going to be - nobody knows - oh, SOMEBODY does know!  And before that "Somebody" there is splendour and majesty; strength and joy in His dwelling place.  Ascribe to the LORD, oh families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His Name."  1 Chronicles 16.

For an indepth Christian view on how to vote, we strongly suggest "How should Christians vote" bethinking.org

Christians in Britain today live in a collapsing culture in which God’s moral law is openly
flouted. Things will not get better unless this is addressed. The only lasting and real solution to
the problem of man’s sin is uniquely providedin the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel denies that there can ever be political salvation in this life. Nevertheless, we are to pray that our authorities would provide freedom for the Gospel and freedom for Christians to live“peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). We are to pray that the governing authorities will fulfil their Godgiven
mandate and govern according to God’s moral law (Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-14).


The General Election provides an opportunity for Christians to speak out and play their part.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.Proverbs 19:21

Some key issues as we vote in the 2010 UK election tomorrow

Tomorrow morning we are off to the polling station at our nearest school to participate in the  UK 2010 election.   My soulmate, Gordon and I are familiarising ourselves with some of  the Christian principles to keep in mind, together with whatever information we were able to gather. The political leaders' and parties' manifesto's were/are criticised for lack of facts.

We received these welcome vote-reminders in email-format this evening from "Christian Concern for our Nation".  (See a link to their website at the end of this post).



 

Final election message:

Please remember the three key issues as you cast your vote

The polling booths open in less than 24 hours. As you consider how to vote, please remember the biblical vision of what makes for a peaceful and prosperous society and to value God’s wisdom over that of any political leader. Please also continue to cry out to the living and life-giving God that He might have mercy on this country and raise up godly leaders.


As the campaigns come to a close, we continue to underline the vital importance of three key areas. We do so not because they are the only issues of interest to Christians but because they are fundamental to the very foundation and fabric of our society and because they are currently under relentless attack. The ‘litmus tests’ of the future shape of the society that we and our children will inhabit are:

1. The protection of the most vulnerable in society—especially those at the earliest (unborn) and final stages of this life. (Christians make an enormous and positive contribution to serving the needs of the marginalised. We long to see justice for all and our concern for arguably the most vulnerable—the unborn and those nearing death—naturally flows from this).
2. The promotion of the family, biblically and traditionally understood, as the basic building block of a healthy society.
3. The proclamation of Jesus Christ as the only ultimate hope for our nation.

Despite the fact there are many wonderful politicians doing great work within each of the biggest political parties none of the parties now publicly support the biblical position on all three of these issues. This makes voting decisions harder and underlines the importance of voting in light of the commitments of the particular candidates in your constituency.

The issues at stake are so significant, that we believe that candidates’ positions on them outweighs other considerations—whether party loyalty or sympathy on matters such as economic, environmental or foreign policy.



For really useful information re Chrisitian issues in the UK, please refer to Christian Concern for our Nation

Does undying love for Jesus as Lord strip me of my freedom?

On a cold and unpleasant May Day here in Hertfordshire, UK today, Gordon and I stayed indoors, cosy and warm.  After some domestic tasks were done and dusted, we listened together to an online sermon by J.R.Vassar, from New York. 

If you want to check it out - and we do hope you have/carve out time - worth it!

Here is the link to "Love Incorruptible", a sermon on undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ - and the alternatives.    The site is navigation-friendly, you only have to click on the play-button.  Today's post consists of notes from this sermon mingled with our own thoughts and responses, with much thanks to JR.  

Ephesians 6:24:  "Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love."

Oh, to love our Lord Jesus Christ supremely with a genuine love and devotion, loyalty, with an undying never-ending, forever love, resulting in glad obedience to Jesus as our Lord!

We are born lovers; born with capacity and inclination to give our hearts to something. We are incurable worshippers:

"When we cease to worship God, we do not worship nothing, we worship anything.” GK Chesterton.

Whatever we love most will begin to define us and shape us.

"We are to a large degree the sum of our loves, and we will of moral necessity grow into the image of what we love most.” Tozer.

Our loves give shape to our lives, they will define and direct us.

1. Our loves define us – our identity and meaning and sense of self, our joy and confidence get tied up in what we love most. We can’t begin to see our lives functioning without these things. Without these loves, we would not know who we were. Our greatest loves define us.
2. Our loves direct us - we make our decisions in light of what we love most. What we love most will be the most influential factor in our decision making.  What motivates and shapes our decision-making?

We need to identify our highest loves and  re-prioritise.  We do not destroy our loves, but when we love Jesus as our Lord, we demote them so Christ is supreme.  How and where do we spend and invest our time and money; our thoughts and imaginations and ideas and energy?  What do we love the most?

The essence of the Christian faith is that we trust and treasure Jesus above all things so that Jesus defines us and he directs us. If we love him in this way, it will mean a life of absolute and completely willing surrender and glad obedience, because my Lord Jesus Christ means most to us.

 John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command"  

 Does this mean I have to prove to Jesus that I love Him?  Here we go again:  all that two-faced loveless duty, those rules and regulations?  Take half a second and  read John 14:15 again: it starts off with love.  Jesus says "Love Me"  He wants our deepest affections, our highest loyalty and for it all to be pure joy on our part.   The obedience will follow.

Aaah but I want to call my own shots.  All this obedience business is nothing but dehumanising.  I want to be led by my glands, my culture, my preferences, my tastes, my peers - not by God.  Come on, give me my freedom! Freedom to make our own moral choices, about parenting, sex, money, and power, my immediate pleasure, my fulfillment.  We want to be free. But are we free?

All loves require a loss of independence. We voluntarily release our independence to the objects loved. Many can attest to how much they have  sacrificed to their loves.   Think for a moment of marriage, children, jobs.  We give up our independence  if we love our spouses, and if we love our children, our jobs and our hobbies.  We release our independence to who and what we love.

Conclusion:  If you love, you will not be free - you will gladly not be free.  You will put in a 90 hour week at work, you will spend time and money on your hobbies.  You will go hard after what you love.  You become slaves to what you love.  We think we are so free.   Are we?

The highest loves in our lives enslave us in that we have to have them for our identity, significance, joy and our direction.…Whether it is a successful career, a relationship, a body type, we sacrifice for them and struggle hard to keep them. We are never really free.


And to crown it all, Jesus also sounds ever so enslaving!  Even demanding.   Everything that I love become my master and now Jesus also wants to be my Master and my Lord.  It is vital to keep in mind that Jesus is every bit as demanding as He is loving. OK then, how loving is Jesus?

Here is one glimpse:

Philippians 2:7 "...but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in the appearance of a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!"  

The risen Jesus' sacrificial love melts my mistrust. 
Jesus never requires from us what he has not already done for us. The self-less suffering and deep, deep love of Jesus, the lover of our souls melt the mistrust, the suspicion and scepticism in our hearts. I can trust a God like that - I can have full confidence in the Father who gave His only Son and in Jesus
who gave Himself on the cross in my place.

The difference is that Jesus is a better Master - a better Lord - by far!  Infinitely better than our "other loves".  We have to see His act of sacrifice before we see His demand of obedience.We love because he first loved us - we obey our Lord Jesus Christ because we love Him with an undying love.  We obey Him because we trust Him, who sacrificed Himself for us, to be our Master, our first love, our highest joy and treasure.  Hallelujah!

How do we cultivate this love?  Ask the Lord to pour out His love in your heart by the work of the Holy Spirit that He has given to you.   To cultivate any relationship takes time and truth.  We need time and truth to get beyond being merely attracted to Jesus, beyond admiration from a distance and to that place of undying love and glad obedience.  

There is an indescribable difference between duty and delight.   Here is an example, say you propose, put a ring on the finger of the one you proposed to, the setting is all romantic, the recipient glows and you pipe up with:  it's only my duty.  Isn't it the height of insult!


A genuine  and undying love for Jesus comes from a heart bursting with affection for Him.   I don't obey Jesus to avoid guilt and feel a bit more righteous or very righteous or more comfortable before God.  Dead and deadly legalism is motivated by guilt and pride and independence, not by love.  When I am smitten by God's love and His grace and love Him with an undying and first love - there's vitality and glad submission and joy.  Then I am truly set free.

Does this mean I have to eliminate the loves in my life?     No, it does not mean you discontinue your marriage, stop loving your children, give up your job and your hobbies and interests.   It does mean, if they mean more to you than Jesus that you need to demote them, so Christ is supreme.


Here is the reality check:

Deuternomy 6:5  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength"  And love others as Jesus has loved us.  

And for those who love Jesus with an undying love, who obey Him gladly because they love and treasure Him most of all?  Grace is poured out  those who love Jesus with an undying love. For those who treasure Christ above all things, God pours out his grace upon them.   God is active among a people like this with life changing grace and power.  Talk about blessings galore!

Ephesians 6:24

"Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love."

Despite this wonderful doxology, the Ephesian church lost their first love...... Revelation 2:1-5. 

And it happened NOT because God's Word is powerless, but because they allowed their love to deteriorate to lukewarm "love". unstead of increasing and abounding in undying love.

John 15:9

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love"