IMMIGRANTS WE ARE

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Dear fellow travelers,

  If I told you immigration is a highly contested topic in the USA and elsewhere, am I telling any of you something you are unaware of?

  Even if I wanted to forget it, neither the media, nor God’s Holy Spirit within me (1Cor.3:16; 6:19; 2Cor.6:16 ) will approve my doing so. This morning I awoke with the matter prayerfully on my mind. While stoking on Rice Krispies topped with banana fortified by Maxwell House I read yet in the Omaha World-Herald of more news on the subject. Completed refueling and decided to see what I’d personally studied and wrote in the past on the controversial topic. Going to files I typed in “Egypt” ………

THE ALTERNATIVE IMMIGRATION PLAN

Friday, October 23, 2015

Psalm [MKJV today]128:1-4 Blessed is everyone who fears Jehovah, who walks in His ways. For you shall surely eat the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and all is well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine by the sides of your house; your sons shall be like olive plants around your table. Behold! So shall the man be blessed who fears Jehovah.

Romans 12:1-3; 8:24-28 I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. … we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what anyone sees, why does he also hope for it? But if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, 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 called according to His purpose.

  Demographics today are daunting as huge numbers of people are on the move here and abroad. Immigration is major political issue in USA, Europe, Australia and elsewhere. The en masse movements are resulting in stressful turmoil and unrest in both receiving and invaded countries. Reading and hearing news, Facebook comments, emails and phone texts tells me that many Christian people and organizations are caught up in the heated pro versus con, con versus pro, political viewpoints. Quite a number of souls are even fiercely positioned.

  But should a licit political stance, silent or vocal, be the utmost list-topper for the followers of Christ?

  In pondering the matter this morning Exodus 23:9 came to mind. “… you shall not oppress a stranger. For you know the heart of a stranger, since you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

  And then my thoughts turned to October 17th WORLD magazine information I read recently.

  It is no secret that Europe is not a Christian Entity like the USA. Though once was, it gradually became a secular bed as result of a variety of human choices. There does remain however a remnant of quickened believers scattered throughout Europe thinking and acting in godly manner.

  Then my thoughts turned to those immigrants under great duress coming to secular Egypt, “And Joseph said to them, ‘Do not fear. For am I in the place of God? But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save a great many people alive. And now do not fear. I will nourish you and your little ones.’ And he comforted them, and spoke to their hearts.” (Genesis chapter 50)

  Because immigrants to Europe come from religiously intolerant cultures, the religious freedom of Europe offers them the opportunity to explore Christianity. Awaiting them are followers of Christ as individual, families, assemblies, and para-church ministries (Navigators et al) that are responding with Romans 5:8 love. Whereas we physically send missionaries to them, as immigrants they are physically arriving in places of Christ-like outreach!

  Gottfried Martens, pastor of a Lutheran church in Berlin “… told The Wall Street Journal he has baptized about 400 people with Muslim backgrounds since 2011. Martens said ‘90% of the converts continue to come here even after they obtain [legal] asylum. They wouldn’t do that if they had done it just for papers.’”

  Indeed we in the USA are to obey God ordained authority. But are we by opinion or activity to displease God? (Rom.13; Mt.22:21; Mk.12:17; Lk.20:25)

  The last verses I contemplated this extended morning are found in James’ epistle, chapter one: ”… the wrath of man does not work out the righteousness of God. Therefore putting aside all filthiness and overflowing of evil, receive in meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror. For he studied himself and went his way, and immediately he forgot what he was like. But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty [Ps.19:7, 11] and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.”

EBB4