Christian Duty?
With the 2008 USA presidential race being a topic of conversation in most circles, the question is raised, “Is it a Christian Duty to be involved in politics?” Good question.
Having gotten a bit too close to the process during my early days in college, I became “apolitical” for awhile. I decided that the process was controlled by those with power and money and that it was corrupt beyond belief. I avoided politics for years thereafter and figured that God would handle it; I couldn’t. After all, didn’t Jesus say that His kingdom was “not of this world”?
My opinion has changed. No situation is too big to give up on and God does call us to be involved in our society. If nothing else, we are to pray for our leaders and be subject to them. See Romans 13 for a Pauline discourse on the subject.
Hosanna kids are in the process of discovering what the Bible has to say about politics. Furthermore, we are taking a look at our local situation. We are the only Congressional district in the United States where the incumbent is not being opposed by the other major party. Why is that? Our research thus far has shown that our representative is simply too popular and too powerful to be challenged.
We did find that there is an Independent candidate who has entered the race. Right now, we are querying both men on their positions, using school vouchers as our point of entry. The challenger, Jim Holbert, has written back and we are hoping to persuade him to come by and speak to our school. The incumbent, Hal Rogers, has yet to answer our inquiry but we look forward to a reply and will invite him to do the same.
One thing about it: Our involvement will not be fruitless. We will investigate the idea of Christian Duty and we will become more knowledgeable about the way our government works. And as the high school kids say, “We can’t vote in this election, but we sure will be a factor in the next.”
School Time
Hosanna kids are back in school and today is the first full day for them. Please join me in prayer for them and for all of our students. It’s all about discipleship. None of us is beyond needing discipline and education.
God is faithful and good. Sometimes it is difficult to see how things will work out…but they always do. Thank you, Lord for watching and keeping us under your banner. Show us how to better parents. Teach us how to live as your child. Your grace is abundant. Thank you.
Orphanage project
News from the front lines: Hosanna Kids have finally found what appears to be the orphanage they will support. It is not in Kentucky, though, but in South Africa! More information coming soon, as arrangements are made, but please do pray for this effort. According to Sara, who was recently on a short-term mission to the site, the kids there would be very much encouraged by knowing that the Hosanna crew is on their side.
Poem in Your Pocket
Hosanna kids are getting into national Poetry Month (April) in a big way. They are going to be composing poems to and about God all month long…culminating in a special evening when parents and members of the community will be invited to an evening of a “Let There be Light” poetry performance by the kids. Not only that, but the Hosanna bunch is challenging kids everywhere to highlight the first ever national Poem in Your Pocket Day (April 17th) by carrying a poem on every day of the month!
Hosanna kids reaching out to orphans
Hosanna kids have decided that they wish to develop a ministry to orphans. Right now, they are researching orphanages and needs. If you know of a ministry to orphans that could use some support, please let us know.
Music time…
Hosanna kids recently acquired a dulcimer as an addition to their musical instruments collection. Violet is busy learning to play and is doing well. The dulcimer was made by a local craftsman, from the Kentucky Coffeetree. It joins the drums, guitar, ukeleles, keyboard, and a host of handheld music-makers in the Hosanna Kids music room. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!
Nine years of joy…
Tomorrow is Violet Sunshine’s birthday. She will be nine years old. What a joy that girl is; she is absolutely precious. We will be singing a “special” at Church this morning. Violet chose the song, and it is an example of the sweetness within her. For her birthday, she asked to sing “It is all about you, Jesus.” (Heart of Worship.) Is that incredible, or what?
Please pray that we can get the Hosanna Kids ministry going in force so that Violet and other children will have choices outside of the mainstream. Right now, she is being tugged by her friends to get involved with cheerleading, ballet, and such. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with these activities, but I see other kids who are so caught up in sports and such that they are away from home constantly and have little time for anything else. Knowing that we must choose, our desire is to choose the best. Of course, the Father has special assignments for us all. Pray that we rightly discern hers. She is a jewel in the Kingdom.
Hosanna kids get going…
Thanks to that right-on-time check for a set of classroom Bibles, we have begun our first close study of the Word. The Gospel of John is our first focus, a verse by verse effort to learn a different way of reading. Our desire is not just to sound out the words, but to understand them and to apply them to our lives.
This week, we are considering the first 18 verses and asking ourselves one question: What does John say about the Word? Our first job was to differentiate between John, the Apostle, and John, the Baptist. Many, maybe most, of the students initially believed that they were the same–that John the Baptist had written the Gospel of John.
The response has been excellent. For the most part, the kids are bearing down and finding that there is more to the Bible than words–there is The Word. A few are attempting to be disruptive. Please pray that I will be able to handle those students and situations with love and wisdom. One pupil was escorted from class, yesterday. She has a special problem that needs attention. Whether it is spiritual, physical, or both; I am not sure. Hers is a special case, though, and especially needs your prayers.
Please pray for us as we take the Word of God to these precious children.
The Living Word…
A big lesson for me today, as I worked with a group of kids at a local church. They like doing drama, I like studying the Word, they are on a scripture memorization team, I have always thought that John 9 would make an excellent skit (as it is written–it’s hilarious,) their pastor wants them to not just know scripture, but live it. They asked me to come and help. All told, it seemed to be an excellent opportunity to apply the Hosanna principle (It is better to live one verse of scripture, than to be able to quote the entire chapter.) But it didn’t work out…at least not on this try.
Why? The kids told me that they are so tired of being drilled on memory verses (for competition) that the last thing they want to do is learn a skit that is nothing but scripture. They want to do something more exciting–not so boring. So, I bowed out and wished them the very best. My job, my desire, my calling is not to entertain people. If it was, I would likely be singing Jimmy Buffet songs in a Florida beach bar…me and my guitar. That’s just not my gig. I am here to shout encouragement to the Church and to fan the coals of revival. And I have plenty of that work to do right inside of myself. Here I am, Lord, use me.
Snowed out…but not snowed in.
Hosanna kids are snowed out at local schools, today. We will use the time to play in this wonderful snow, but also to clean and pray over the room where we will be holding our Hosanna kids ministry meetings. Please join us with your prayers for this fledgling venture. The Word tells us not to “hide our lamps under a basket.” So our plan is to shine…join us.
Violet’s story…
Our own Violet Sunshine is busy writing her very first children’s story…we will run it here as soon as the ink is dry. But this spot is not just for creative writing…it is for your real-life experiences too. Especially, we would like to know how you came to Christ and how He is working in your life…
**Update**
We came across a writer’s site that warned against publishing on the web. According to that site, even putting a story up on a blog is considered using the “first publication” rights…and without those rights, many magazines and such will not even consider it as a submission. Since Violet aims to see her first story published (”Highlights” Magazine, perhaps,) we have decided not to post it here. After the girl is established as an author, we will run her work frequently…
The same goes for any creative work you wish to submit. Please be forewarned that it may constitute the loss of first publication rights. There is just no way around it, other than to make a members only part of the blog for workshopping. Please let us know if you have any further insight about this topic.
Daddy’s boy, God’s man!
Zebadiah RisingMoon is a leader in the Hosanna Kids group. Along with his sister, Violet Sunshine, he is anxious to see the first group established. Please pray for this ministry, for the children, and for revival.
