Accentuate the Positive

Accentuate the Positive

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

During the 1940’s, the decade of World War II and its aftermath, Bing Crosby, accompanied by the Andrews Sister, encouraged their listeners with Johnny Mercer’s classic lyric:

“You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium’s
Liable to walk upon the scene.”

Soul singer Sam Cooke revived the song in 1958, that supposedly utopian time that we revere as the epitome of the “American Dream.”  In just a few short years, the American dream became a nightmare of riots, sit-ins, and demonstrations fueled with the passion of those who had been unable to share in that dream. 

Accentuating the positive is Biblical.  It is part of the abundant life found in Jesus Christ (John 10:10).  Accentuating the positive does not mean ignoring the negative.  It means recognizing and evaluating both the positive and the negative and coming to an understanding that the positive is more powerful than the negative.  

We are often confounded with improper definitions.  Many times, those improper definitions weaken our theology.  

We have been taught that darkness is the opposite of light.  True opposites have the same force, the same weight, the same power.  They can balance the teeter-totter of our thinking and keep us struggling to remain on the fulcrum of life. If darkness has the same force, the same power as light, then light cannot overcome darkness.  If evil has the same power as good, then good cannot overcome evil.  If hate has the same force as love, then love cannot overcome hate.  If ignorance has the same weight as wisdom, then wisdom cannot overcome ignorance.  Thinking this way, we entrap ourselves in an existential conundrum that leaves us hopeless.

In truth, darkness is not the opposite of light.  It is the absence of light.  In the darkness, we need light only one candle to find our way.  Light dispels darkness

God said that light, that which dispels darkness, is good.  He did not say that the darkness, the absence of light, is good.  In the same matter, evil is not the opposite of good.  It is the absence of good. Good is greater than evil; love is greater than hate; wisdom is greater than ignorance.

The Church, the Bride of Christ, must submit to the admonition of Isaiah 60:1-3 (NKJV):
 “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
The Gentiles (unbelievers) shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Jesus said to His listeners, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV).

Nearly 80% of the people in the United States call themselves Christian. Our potential for light is far greater than the darkness that seems to be consuming us. It is time for God’s people to lead the way.  We must stop feeding the negative with our fear, doubt, unbelief, anger and strife.  It is time for us to call forth the promises of God, to quit wallowing in the problems and to seek the solutions.  We must walk in the light, speak in the light, and vote in the light. 

Our Lord is an overcomer. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NKJV).   

Let’s allow Him to do that through each of us.

Determine to let your little light shine.

Enthusiasm Undergirded by Knowledge

Enthusiasm Undergirded by Knowledge

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Proverbs 19:2 (NLT): “Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.”

America, along with much of the free world, is at a crossroads. We are facing a crisis in the upcoming elections. Political and religious discussions abound. However, because we often enter into the enthusiasm of a discussion without a proper knowledge of the matter, our arguments frequently fall short, and frustration ensues.  In order to take our proper place as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God impacting our world for good, we need more than zeal.  We need knowledge. 

Thomas Jefferson put it another way. “A properly functioning democracy depends on an informed electorate.”  The time to become informed is now. We must avail ourselves of various resources. Even some organizations and people who do not expressly espouse Christianity can be sources for information that undergirds truth.  God’s truth in governance is truth even in secular situations.  

Today we have no excuse for ignorance. Knowledge is available to us at the click of a “Google” button.  We must be knowledgeable about developing, and promoting spiritually sound,free-market, constitutionally based answers, rather than governmental “handout solutions”, to social and economic problems.  We must learn to effectively explain the importance of parental choice in education, individual responsibility for health care, wise approaches to environmental protection and traditional family values and structures. Keep in mind that the acquisition of knowledge must be coupled with Godly wisdom.  

We must also learn to articulate our thoughts with dignity and precision.  We must be ready, not only to proclaim that God’s way is best, but also to explain why God’s way is best.  May we be like the psalmist: “My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” (Psalm 45:1 NKJV).    

In wisdom and knowledge, we must stand firmly and speak out for the truth.  Paul wrote, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:13-14 NKJV)

It is time to put away the clichés, idioms and Christian phrases that we often mouth without thought of context or content.  We must become like the sons of Issachar who understood the times and knew what their country should do.  (1 Chronicles 12:32)  It is time for us to become more knowledgeable about the political agenda that seeks to destroy the truth. We must study, prepare our arguments, rehearse them and enter the arena ready to stand.

Remember, “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 18:15 NKJV)  

Let’s join together and pray--
▪ for Christians to have a hunger for knowledge founded in truth. (John 8:32)
▪ for an anointing of articulation in order to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)
▪for the Church to rise up and become the army described in Joel 2.

Disagreeing in Love

Disagreeing in Love

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

If we change our minds on moral issues, it does not necessarily mean that our opinions have “evolved.”  If we stand for biblical truths, it does not mean that we are following an archaic system that has no relevance in the modern world.  

How do we cope with living in a world of such diverse ideologies?  

First of all, we must remember 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NKJV) :  “Let all things be done decently and in order.”  Civility is always decent and orderly. 

Civility requires that we put a guard on our tongues and our emotions. 

Proverbs 21:23 (NKJV):  “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” 

Ephesians 4:30-32 (NKJV)^{: "}And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."

Civility requires that we associate and have discussions with those with whom we disagree without engaging in foolish arguments.  (2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9)

We don’t have to be in agreement to be civil.  We must speak in the spirit of Proverbs 15:1 (NKJV): ^“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  

In a discussion, body language and tone are vital components.  When we must take a stand for what we believe, it is important to speak in a gentle tone.  With a countenance of peace and love, we should make eye contact with the other person or persons.  If possible, we can gently take the person’s hand and lead into conversation such as the following:

“We do not agree on this issue.  I still care for you. I still see you as my colleague and my friend.  Even though I do not agree with your lifestyle, because God has given us free will, I support your right to live the way you choose.  I defend your right under the first amendment to exercise free speech.  I will protect you from those who choose to revile and denigrate you.

“It is my hope that even though we do not agree to this issue, that you still care for me.  I still want to be your colleague and friend.  Hopefully, you will support my God-given right to free will and to free speech.  Can we agree to protect one another from those on either side that would revile and denigrate us?”

Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Therefore, none of us has the right to cast stones.  What does Jesus say to all sinners, to all of us?

“I love you.”

“I died for you.”

“I want more for you than you want for yourself.”

“I am ready to receive you.

One of my favorite authors is Graham Cooke who says, "We seem to be judging all kinds of people who, in my understanding, are doing certain things because they haven’t met Jesus in the first place. So how are they going to meet Jesus if we are judging them for who they are when really we need to be giving them the message of salvation? Let them know that God loves them and has made a way for them to know Him!"

Billy Graham, such a precious saint of God, has said, “It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict.  God’s job to judge and my job to love.”  

Let’s be civil.  It’s the loving thing to do.