Monday, June 14, 2004

 

Dear Family and Friends:

 

Time and time again we have heard and many of us have said the words of Romans 8:28.

 

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJ)

 

This past week those who watched the week long ceremony of America’s final salute and farewell to President Ronald Reagan witnessed one of the greatest displays of  a man delivering his greatest message to the world.

 

During the time of his presidency, Reagan brought the attention of the world back to the honor of patriotism. He demonstrated what one man can accomplish in his life when he commits his life to the Lord and applies himself to the principles that each man is on earth for a purpose.

 

If we look at the events leading up to the Reagan era we see that there was a tremendous moral decay beginning to work its way through our land. Each step in history from 1963 to June 12^th, 2004 at sundown now appears to have been planned out in advance in order to bring the attention of the world to a single moment in time.

 

Time after time God has given the people and leaders of this country the opportunity to proclaim the message of our God and this country to the world. Each time more honors were given to the event than to the purpose of the event. 

 

Man's sins have been the principal debate until we were all caught off guard by Reagan's death. This has been a time of proposals to accept man's sins as law. Then God intervened and proclaimed once again His message to the world and it could only happen through the death of a great man.

 

Speaker after speaker stepped to the podium to praise Reagan but the praise was always mingled with Reagan's belief in God and the desire of God to use this country as the candle and city on a hill to proclaim the gospel message to the world not only in word but most importantly in action.

 

I marveled at the impact that this man had on his own children. Each remembers what a special place God held in their father’s life. Each pointed to this man's faith in God and how his faith affected their lives. 

 

Rom 8:27-28

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJ)

 

Then through a perfectly orchestrated ceremony the great communicator communicated just one more message to the world and it was the message God had communicated to Reagan’s spirit long ago.  The Holy Spirit sits in the presence of God the father and God the son. The Holy Spirit relates the thoughts, intents and desires of man’s heart to God the father and God the Son. They then respond not because man asks but because his thoughts, intents and desires are consistent with God’s will. He searches the heart for the thoughts, intents and desires to rightly judge them. Not as politicians or spinmeisters do, but perfectly - correctly. 

 

“When the world condemns him for insincerity, he rejoiceth that God knoweth his integrity; and when he has it in the purpose of his heart to do good, but wants power in his hand to accomplish and effect it, this is his consolation, That God accepts as done, what he did desire and resolve to do,” 2Ch 6:8. (Burkitt’s expository notes.) 

 

Reagan said in death what he could not say as president and it was said to a much greater audience. Every generation God brings about an event that causes the world to consider Him and His Son Jesus Christ. Each time we think this time it is really going to stick and the spiritual revival has begun to bring us back to God. But each time the excitement and commitment is short lived by most. The time spans I have referred to as generations are getting closer and closer. Consider the shuttle, 9/11 and Reagan's farewell. Each moved our hearts to a new commitment to God and country.

 

Michael Reagan was the most grateful for his father, who he was and what he did. Michael was adopted. Just like you and I are adopted into the family of God. We have become children, and if children, then heirs. Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

 

Look again at that verse we so often quote, "Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJ)"   

 

There are conditions in this verse and here they are --  those who love God, and  to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJ).  Do you see the conditions?  All of Romans 8 builds to this statement in verse 28 and 37-39  "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NKJ)"

 

How will the world respond to the message? How will we as individuals respond? Will we heed the message as one from God as Reagan did? I pray that you will see the hand of God writing another chapter in the annals of history while sending another invitation to the world to surrender their hearts and souls to Him.

 

 

Love ya,

 

Dad