Real Change Is Within You.

This past week or so many Americans, myself included, have been watching with rapt attention the two major political conventions going on in Tampa and Charlotte.  Every four years we go through the same process of endorsing the incumbent on one end and formally nominating their challenger on the other.  The platforms are ratified, the delegates assembled, the speakers arranged and filed out with seemingly endless wisdom and solutions for our ailing country.   It's flawlessly choreographed into one spectacular extravaganza that culminates with the sitting president or his challenger laying out their plans to unify, rectify, and satisfy we the people but ultimately only end up glorifying themselves.  Hollywood it seems has nothing on Washington DC for pure unabashed fantasy and entertainment.  I, for one am not amused anymore.
   You see people I don't care what political affiliation you are or what your personal ideology is.  But I do care what you think and feel and experience everyday in your lives.   Because contrary to the illusions and delusions painted by many of our failed political leaders living in their ivory towers, it's we the people who stand unprotected against today's endless storms.  How many of them have watched a family crying as the sheriff's sale notice is posted on the front porch of their soon to be foreclosed home.  Or a father or mothers entire career is wiped out and they can't find work.  Your savings and retirement accounts are decimated and you don't have anymore lifelines.  Families and households are crumbling under the stress and enormous debt
of ruined lives.  College aged adults have nearly one trillion dollars of student debt and can't find decent jobs.  The elderly feel that nobody cares about them and the unborn don't have even have the basic precious protection for the sanctity of human life.  Our once great industrialized nation has outsourced entire industries overseas which will never come back.  I could go on and on but why wallow in the misery.  Now what I am going to say next may shock you but just think about it for a minute.  Your vote on November 6th will not make a difference at all!  There I said it.  I didn't say not to vote, no.  We as citizens of our nation should all vote in every election so we can make a difference.  What?  Has Rick lost it?  No, on the contrary I have never in my adult life had a more clear outlook and perspective on what I believe is needed to turn our nation around.
  All the problems I mentioned up above have affected almost everyone of you or someone you know to a degree.  You can relate to the pain and hopelessness on a somewhat personal level.  I for one, have experienced most of them.  I don't overtly blame President Obama, Congress or the Supreme Court although they certainly are accountable to a great degree for the continued degradation and lack of integrity in dealing with our crisis.  I blame WE THE PEOPLE.  That's right folks us.  This government so Divinely inspired and created was formed for we to be the guardians of government, business, schools, churches, financial institutions, courts families and human lives.  It is we that have failed.  Just look around you and see what watering down and secularizing every major aspect of our society has done for us.  In the absence of restraint and Moral Absolution we have become a backstabbing, wheeler dealing, take one step forward and two steps back flimflam man of a country.  We have no credibility because instead of being good stewards of our bountiful blessings, we have become self serving, apathetic and wasteful.   Too concerned about me and not about we.  Too harsh for you?  I know.  I thought so myself until God said to write it anyway.  You see Jesus knew that in order for us to establish His kingdom here on earth we had to be like minded.  Honesty, charity, compassion, unconditional love, hope and forgiveness all describe Him perfectly.  They should describe us but they don't by a long shot anymore.  No matter what you may think, His life. what he stood for and ministry is indisputable even by the most skeptical of historians.  Because He cared about us first His decisions were always just and fair.  They served the common good and benefited all mankind.  He preached that we should love our neighbors and help the poor and downtrodden but to not give pearls to swine either.  We are quite simply to live our lives in faith with moral restraint.  Not our own, ours is too depraved and compromised, but in His.  Let Him be our guide and helper.  America can see quite clearly now where this unfortunate separation from our Lord has gotten us.  So, if we want to defeat the enemy and rise again as a nation we must change.  Each one of us, from the inside out.   The communists used to say to win a war you don't need guns you need to change the minds and hearts of your enemy.  How did Godless tyrants have more wisdom then We The People?  I urge you please, to reflect on where we are at and renew your faith in Christ.  If you don't know Him introduce yourself.  If you've rejected Him really examine the tenets of your life and how they benefit anybody but yourself overall.  Politicians can't help you there is but one way out of this mess and you can begin to fix it today one very personal heart at a time!

Psalm 119

 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! ...