Every culture has a god that it worships. This is universally and obviously true. And since it is true of all cultures, it is true of ours. Our’s is a democracy, meaning our god is demos, the people. Our worship of ourselves, of people, reveals itself in our lust for comfort and pleasure, in our impatience, and in our revulsion to being even slightly inconvenienced. And in our relentless pursuit of self, what could be more inconvenient than a child? But this is where the religion of demos breaks down. You see, we don’t have to look very far to realize that our culture’s worship of people doesn’t include all people. It certainly doesn’t include our smallest people.

This can be seen in more and more people intentionally choosing to not have children, in the ever-growing mountain of child abuse cases, the rampant fatherlessness, the over 400,000 children in the foster care system, and in our country’s slaughter of over 2,000 pre-born children each and every day.

Compare that to the words of our Lord, “let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.” This welcoming of children by our Lord is one of the many areas that the kingdom of God, the true God, the actual God, comes into direct conflict with the kingdom of Satan, the kingdom of demos. But not only does Jesus welcome the little ones, he fills his kingdom with them.

As Christians, let us follow our Lord in our love of children. Let us love them joyfully and let us love them publicly. This will not only bring glory to God and blessing from God, but it will be a prophetic condemnation to our culture’s love of self.

We can do this by having children, adopting children, fostering children, advocating for children, and by welcoming children here, in our corporate worship of God. In this church we have a nursery room, but if you are here now and you have small children, I want you to hear this: your children are welcome here, in this room. We welcome their noises — their distraction. There will no doubt be times when a visit to the nursery is necessary, but please, let your default location be here. The sounds that your little ones make are the sounds of the blessing of God.

Mr. Mayor & Council Members,

Thank you for putting this ordinance on next meeting’s agenda for vote. Thank you for recognizing the value of human life and the need to take a stand to protect that life from those who seek to destroy it. I am praying for you. My church is praying for you. The vast majority of Big Spring is praying for you. And many others from all across the country are praying for you. We are asking God to bless each of you and to keep you strong and courageous. 

The vote you cast on December 10th and January 14th will be your legacy. You will either vote to defend the defenseless–to protect the most innocent among us–or, you will choose to cave to pressure and empty threats. Your vote will reveal your ultimate allegiances and your fundamental beliefs. If you believe “in the beginning God” then the issue is already settled. God’s Word is clear: abortion is the murder of an innocent image-bearer of God (Exodus 21:22-25) who was created by God (Psalm 139:13-14) for his glory (Isaiah 43:7). However, if you believe “in the beginning no God“, then, to quote from an antagonist to this ordinance, a baby in the womb is nothing more than a “parasite”. Fundamentally, those are your two options. Either the baby in the womb is a human image-bearer of God, full of dignity and value, or she is a parasite that can be ripped apart and disposed of at will. Which do you believe? Your vote will tell.

Mr. Mayor and Council Members, on December 10th and January 14th, choose life. Establish justice in Big Spring, Texas. Let that be your legacy.

“Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate.” – Amos 5:15

“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” – Isaiah 1:16-17

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31

Blessings,

Chance Nichols

Pastor of Christ Fellowship Church

(432) 213-3499

chanceenichols@gmail.com

“Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” – Ephesians 5:4

Well, November is here. It’s the time of year when the sun gets out of bed a little earlier and goes back to bed a little earlier too. When the weather starts to chill, and the leaves start to fall. When football finally gets interesting. It’s also the time of year when we get our families together to eat turkey and pumpkin pie (Gluten Free, obviously), to take a quick break from the busy-ness that has come to characterize far too much of our lives and be thankful.

There’s something beautiful about gratitude, about thankfulness. Perhaps it’s the strangeness of it. I’ve seen the news. An endless sea of talking heads complaining about the other talking heads. Democrats complaining about Republicans, and Republicans returning the favor. In our culture, complaining feels… homey. Normal even. So, when gratitude steps onto the stage and makes its brief appearance it seems out of place. It seems strange. But its beauty is undeniable. Its allure irresistible.

Or perhaps it’s the appropriateness of gratitude that draws us in. It’s hard to deny that we live in a blessed country and have much to be thankful for. Luxuries like indoor plumbing, central heat and air, homes with pantries filled with food, personal transportation and privacy fences—things most of the world has never experienced—are commonplace here. In the presence of all these blessings, maybe it’s the complaining that ought to seem strange.

If your family is anything like mine then you no doubt are accustomed to answering the question, “What are you thankful for?” Seems appropriate, given the reason for the get-together and all. But that question begs another. “Who are you thankful to?” It’s good to be thankful for things—for family, friends, and food. But where do those things come from? Who is thegiver of those gifts? It’s the answer to this question that separates those who believe in the beginning God from those who believe in the beginning no god.

Christian gratitude delights in the gifts. I really do love my family, my friends, my home, and good food. But that delight is meant to go further. Or, perhaps I should say higher. The gifts of God, like rays of the sun, are meant to be traced back to the Source. And it is there that our thankfulness will be complete.

We have much to be thankful for. Much to delight in. As we take time to remind ourselves of all the gifts we’ve been given, let’s not forget that they were just that—given.