Know Your Candidates

As I said last week, I believe it is the responsibility of Christians to be involved in the political process. As Christians we are citizens of heaven, but we are also citizens of the state and government in which we live. As the Bible says in Romans 13:1, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God" (NIV). Or as the Message paraphrase translation puts it, "Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen."

One of our responsibilities as a good citizen is to take part in the political process of choosing our leaders. When we opt out of participating in the selection process, or even running for politicaloffice ourselves, we leave the whole political process to unbelievers. That is going completely against biblical instruction that says we should be making a positive impact on the culture in which we live.

So with that being said, I feel we should get to know, first of all, our candidates running for President. Voting should not be about just casting a vote for my political party, or who's the best looking are smoothest talker. We need to know what our candidates believe, what they are saying about the issues that concern us, and how they have voted in the past, which tells a lot about where they stand on the issues. With the knowledge we acquire, we should weigh a candidates position against the teachings of scripture, and then pray about who we should vote for, asking God for wisdom in the process.

We also need to keep in mind, as President of the United States, we are not seeking to elect a person to be the pastor of our church, yet, on the other hand, we should seek to elect a person who comes closest to honoring a biblical worldview (that is seeing the world through the lens of God's word).

Last week I wrote about Barack Obama (see the posting below for June 19th). This week I would like to take a closer look at John McCain. So let's look at his position and statements on the same list of issues I addressed in the article on Obama.

Abortion:
In a 2008 speech John McCain described himself as decidedly pro-life:

I am pro-life and an advocate for the Rights of Man everywhere in the world, because to be denied liberty is an offense to nature and nature's Creator. I will never waver in that conviction. Our liberty will not be seized in a political revolution or by a totalitarian government. But, rather, as Burke warned, it can be "nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts." I am alert to that risk and will defend against it, and I will be encouraged in that defense by my fellow conservatives.¹

McCain gets a 0% rating by the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), indicating a pro-life voting record.² However he gets only a 75% rating from the National Right To Life Committee, which the group says indicates a “mixed record on abortion issues.”³ They’re no doubt referring to McCain’s previous statements about abortion, including a 1999 declaration that he didn’t support repealing the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision:

“I’d love to see a point where Roe vs. Wade is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support (the) repeal of Roe vs. Wade, which would then force women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.”⁴

Since then, a McCain spokesman has said that the Senator “has a 17-year voting record of supporting efforts to overturn Roe vs. Wade. He does that currently, and will continue to do that as president.” McCain has also supported the following statements:

1. Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.

2. Prohibit the late-term abortion procedure known as “partial-birth” abortion.

3. Prohibit public funding of abortions and public funding of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.⁵

McCain has also voted “Yes” on a bill requiring parental notification in the case of minors who get out-of-state abortions, and requiring that parents be involved in abortion decisions involving their minor children.⁶

Gay Rights:
McCain has advocated leaving the issue of gay marriage up to the individual states, and voted against a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage when it came up in the U.S. Senate. The Arizona Senator also voted "Yes" on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996.⁷ That vote prohibited marriage between members of the same sex in federal law, and provided that no state be required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. It also defined marriage as “between one man and one woman.”

On a related issue, the Arizona Senator also voted "No" on extending the definition of hate crimes to include sexual orientation, and also voted against prohibiting job discrimination based upon sexual orientation.⁸

John McCain gets a 33% rating from the Human Rights Campaign, which the organization says indicates a “mixed record” on gay rights.⁹ The HRC describes itself as the largest national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization with more than 700,000 members.

During the June 3, 2007 GOP debate at Saint Anselm College, McCain said he supports the military’s “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy regarding gays in the armed forces:

We have the best-trained, most professional, best-equipped, most efficient, most wonderful military in the history of this country, and I'm proud of every one of them. So I think it would be a terrific mistake to even reopen the issue. The policy is working. And I am convinced that that's the way we can maintain this great military. Let's not tamper with them.¹⁰

Budget, Jobs & the Economy:
Addressing the question of the recession, McCain says the government must stop out-of-control spending:

Out-of-control spending is what caused the interest rates to rise. It causes people to be less able to afford to own their own homes. We need to stop the spending. And the way we can get our budget under control is to have strong, fundamental fiscal underpinnings.¹¹

McCain also promises to veto all pork-barrel bills and publicly call out big spenders. The Arizona Republican also voted in 2005 to increase the minimum wage to $7.25 over a two-year period¹² and voted "No" on restricting employer interference in union-organizing.¹³ McCain supports making the Bush tax cuts permanent, but admits that financially these are tough times.
McCain has been criticized for not being well-versed on economic issues and has made contradictory statements regarding his grasp of economic issues. During a 2008 GOP debate, McCain said he was “well-versed” in economics and was a part of the Reagan Revolution:

I was there just after we enacted the first tax cuts and the restraints on spending. I was chairman of the Commerce Committee in the Senate, which addresses virtually every major economic issue that affects the US. I'm very well versed on economics. That's why I have a strong team around me that respect my views and my vision. And I have been a consistent fighter to restrain spending and to cut taxes. And my credentials and my experience and my knowledge of these economic issues, I think, are extensive. And I would match them against anybody who's running.¹⁴

Despite McCain’s assertions, he admitted in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on November 26, 2005, “I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." He apparently repeated those comments in a December, 2007 interview with the Chicago Tribune which quoted McCain as saying, “The issue of economics is something that I've really never understood as well as I should. I understand the basics, the fundamentals, the vision, all that kind of stuff."¹⁵

Universal Health Care:
John McCain opposes a mandated universal health care system and says he thinks affordable health care can be made available to all Americans without such a system. McCain rejects government-run systems such as those in Canada and in Europe and says he doubts they would succeed in the US. McCain says the U.S. has the highest quality of health care in the world and he wants to preserve the quality of that care and at the same time stop the skyrocketing costs. Unlike the Democratic proposals that have been floated by both Hillary Clinton and BarackObama, McCain says his system depends on the individual and the marketplace. Among his ideas:

• making recipients of health insurance much more responsible in health-care costs.

• Addressing wellness & fitness.

• Giving every American family a $5,000 refundable tax credit so they can go anyplace in America to acquire the health insurance policy that best suits their needs.

• Letting Americans keep any money they’ve got left over and letting them invest it in a health savings account.¹⁶

McCain also supports tax-free medical savings accounts and tax credits, and has come out in favor of a Patient's Bill of Rights, including appeal mechanisms when claims are denied, and the right to sue when claims are denied. He also wants to see expanded eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts, limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits, expanded prescription drug coverage under Medicare and tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.¹⁷

Homeland Security and Immigration: John McCain touts the strength of his record and experience in the area of the military and homeland security as his main strength for becoming the next Commander-In-Chief:

I've spent my life in national security issues. I've taken unpopular stances because I knew what was right. Back in 2003, amid criticism from my fellow Republicans, I spoke strongly against the Rumsfeld strategy, which I knew was doomed to failure and caused so much needless sacrifice. I advocated very strongly the new strategy that some Democrats have called the McCain strategy--which it is not. And I believe that this strategy is winning. I know the conflict. I know war. I have seen war. I know how the military works. I know how the government works. I understand national security.¹⁸

McCain also voted "Yes" on reauthorizing the Patriot Act and extending the FBI’s authority to conduct roving wiretaps and access business records through at least December 2009.¹⁹

On immigration, McCain would deport the 2 million illegal immigrants who committed crimes. He says despite humanitarian concerns, he’s committed to carrying out the mandate of the American people, which includes securing the borders as a national security issue.²⁰ The Arizona Senator has done an about-face on a 2006 immigration proposal he sponsored, now saying he no longer supports the measure that included a pathway to citizenship for illegals already in the U.S.:

We will secure the borders first when I am president. I know how to do that. I come from a border state, where we know about building walls, and vehicle barriers, and sensors, and all of the things necessary. I will have the border state governors certify the borders are secured. Then we will move onto the other aspects of this issue, including prosecuting employers who hire illegals to the fullest extent of the law.²¹

Summary:
John McCain is an enigma. Conservative on national security and immigration issues, he raises eyebrows from members of his own party over some of his views and votes on social and economic issues. Columnist Robert Novak may have said it best:

There is probably less enthusiasm for McCain at the grass roots of the Republican Party than we have seen for a Republican since Bob Dole in 1996. McCain definitely has not made his peace with all the conservative elements of the Republican coalition.²²

Consider the positions of John McCain, then the positions of Barak Obama, pray about it, seek God's face, and then vote for the one you feel supports a Christian worldview the best. We can't always find the perfect Christian person for the final candidacy of President, but we can, as a Christian people, vote for those who adhere the best to the principles, values, and moral standards of God.

References:
1 Speeches to 2008 Conservative Political Action Conference Feb 7, 2008
2 NARAL website 03n-NARAL on Dec 31, 2003
3 NRLC website 06n-NRLC on Dec 31, 2006
4 Ron Fournier, Associated Press Aug 24, 1999
5 Project Vote Smart, 1998, www.vote-smart.org Jul 2, 1998
6 Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act; Bill S.403 ; vote number 2006-216 on Jul 25, 2006
7 Bill HR 3396 ; vote number 1996-280 on Sep 10, 1996
8 RSLevinson.com "All Things Queer", review of 2008 gay issues Jan 1, 2007
9 HRC website 06n-HRC on Dec 31, 2006
10 2007 GOP debate at Saint Anselm College Jun 3, 2007
11 2008 GOP debate in S.C. sponsored by Fox News Jan 10, 2008
12 Fair Minimum Wage Act; Bill H.R.2 ; vote number 2007-042 on Feb 1, 2007
13 Employee Free Choice Act; Bill H R 800 ; vote number 2007-227 on Jun 26, 2007
14 2008 GOP debate in Boca Raton Florida Jan 24, 2008
15 FactCheck.org on 2008 GOP debate in Boca Raton Florida Jan 24, 2008
16 2007 Republican primary debate on Univision Dec 9, 2007
17 National Political Awareness Test (NPAT) Nov 7, 2004
18 2007 GOP debate at UNH, sponsored by Fox News Sep 5, 2007
19 Motion for Cloture of PATRIOT Act; Bill HR 3199 ; vote number 2005-358 on Dec 16, 2005 20 2008 Republican debate at Reagan Library in Simi Valley Jan 30, 2008
21 2008 Republican debate at Reagan Library in Simi Valley Jan 30, 2008
22 Evans-Novak Political Report, June 3, 2008

This article was adapted from an article by Dave Ficere on Christ's Church of the Valley website. It can be found at www.ccvonline.com.

A Christian Citizen Votes!

I believe that it is the responsibility of every Christian to live in this world, reflecting a Biblical worldview in all aspects of life; that would include participating in the political process of selecting a leader for our nation (Presidents as well as Representatives, Senators, Governors, etc.). I don't believe we should be complaining about the direction of our country if we aren't actively involved in selecting our leaders.

Sometimes people feel that politics is "dirty" or "shady," or we feel that as Christians we end up compromising our values when we get involved in the political process. But I believe that is THE problem in our country today. As Christians we need to do all we can to bring Biblical values to bear in our nation; not just in church on Sundays, but in every area of our culture we should be impacting those areas with Biblical values and a Biblical worldview; education, government, legislation, and world affairs.

Therefore I am going to share with you some commentary I have been reading about these two candidates running for President of the United States of America. I am not going to take sides, I simply want to present what I know to be true about each candidate, so that we can make an informed decision about these candidates. After informing ourselves about the political and moral views each of these candidates hold, we need to seek the Lord in prayer, and ask Him to guide our decision in selecting the one we should vote for.

So let's examine the views of the two major candidates, taking an in-depth look at the opinions and voting record of Democratic Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator John McCain on several key issues.

This article is fairly long, but I hope you stick with it. Regardless of your preconceived notions about each candidate, I would hope, for the sake of being fully informed, you would read these two articles in their entirety. Let's give BOTH candidates a fair consideration, instead of just putting political tags on them, such as as "conservative or liberal", or "Republican or Democrat."

Barack Obama
First, this week, let's take a look at Barack Obama regarding his position on several key issues, values and political views.

Abortion:
While admitting that there is a moral dimension to abortion, Obama calls himself pro-choice and overwhelmingly votes that way. He received a 100% rating on pro-choice votes in 2005, 2006 and 2007 from the National Abortion Rights Action League ¹ and a 0% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. In 1997, while serving in the Illinois Legislature, Obama voted against SB 230, which would have banned partial-birth abortion, and against a 2000 measure banning state funding for abortions. ²

Obama has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will likely make preserving a woman’s right to chose a priority as president. He also supports expanded access to contraception, health information and preventive services to reduce unintended pregnancies. The Senator’s plan is clearly outlined on his website:

Protecting a Women's Right to Choose : Obama will make safeguarding women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn that decision.

Reducing Unintended Pregnancy : Obama will work to reduce unintended pregnancy by guaranteeing equity in contraceptive coverage, providing sex education, and offering rape victims accurate information about emergency contraception. ³

The Illinois Democrat has also voted to uphold Roe vs. Wade, saying “abortions should be legally available in accordance with Roe,” ⁴ has voted "No" on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions ⁵ and has voted "Yes" on providing 100 million dollars to reduce teen pregnancy by education and contraceptives. ⁶ Obama has also sponsored legislation providing contraceptives for low-income women, and co-sponsored a bill to ensure access to and funding for contraception.

Gay Rights:
Barack Obama says he doesn’t believe being gay is a choice, but has angered some progressives with his pragmatic stance on marriage. During Congressional debate, the Illinois Senator opposed the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban gay marriage nationwide, and came out in support of allowing individual states to decide the issue. Declaring that he “personally believes that marriage is between a man and a woman,” Obama at the same time has strongly supported civil unions. In doing so, he has argued that it’s a way to protect equal rights without officially endorsing gay marriage. ⁷

In explaining his vote against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Obama said that he supported a strong version of a civil union bill to give gays the “same rights that are conferred at the federal level to persons who are part of the same sex union. He vowed to fight hard to make sure that those rights are available.” ⁸

Clearly, for Obama the issue is one of civil rights more than one about marriage or traditional values. In a debate on Gay issues in August of 2007, Obama clarified his stance:

My view is that we should try to disentangle what has historically been the issue of the word "marriage", which has religious connotations to some people, from the civil rights that are given to couples, in terms of hospital visitation, in terms of whether or not they can transfer property or Social Security benefits and so forth. I would continue to support a civil union that provides all the benefits that are available for a legally sanctioned marriage.⁹

While not totally equating gay rights with the battle over civil rights, Obama says he does see some parallels.

Budget, Jobs & the Economy:
On the issue of the budget, jobs and the economy, Obama tends to look toward government regulation, rather than the free-market economy to solve some of the economic challenges facing the country. He voted to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over a two-year period, and to involve the government to correct areas in which he says the free-market has failed.¹⁰

Obama pins much of his plan for getting the U.S. economy back on track on ending the war in Iraq. He says the 12 billion dollars spent per month on the war effort can be put to use at home in areas such as economic growth and universal health care.

Among his specific proposals are tighter regulation of the credit card and mortgage industries, cutting $150 billion dollars in tax savings for the wealthiest Americans and strengthening union and worker's rights.

Overall, Obama seems to reject the traditional free-market vision of government. In a 2005 commencement address, he described the conservative philosophy of government as a program to:

Give everyone one big refund on their government, divvy it up by individual portions, in the form of tax breaks, hand it out, and encourage everyone to use their share to go buy their own health care, their own retirement plan, their own child care, their own education, and so on. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society. But in our past there has been another term for it, Social Darwinism, every man or woman for him or herself. It's a tempting idea, because it doesn't require much thought or ingenuity. ¹¹

Rather than embrace the free-market approach, Obama prefers to see the power of the state as something that can serve the public interest.¹² Obama also says we can eliminate tax credits that “have outlived their usefulness and close loopholes that let corporations get away without paying taxes.” ¹³

Universal Health Care:
Although Hillary Clinton is usually identified with the issue of Universal Health Care, BarackObama says he supports the concept too:

I believe in universal health care. Every expert has said that anybody who wants health care under my plan will be able to obtain it. President Clinton's own secretary of Labor has said that my plan does more to reduce costs and as a consequence makes sure that the people who need health care right now, all across America, will be able to obtain it. And we do more to reduce costs than any other plan that's been out there. ¹⁴

As with other issues, Obama prefers a government-based, rather than a market-based, solution to health care issues. He writes in The Audacity of Hope that:

Given the money we spend on health care, we should be able to provide basic coverage to everyone. But we have to contain costs, including Medicare and Medicaid.

The market alone cannot solve the problem--in part because the market has proven incapable of creating large enough insurance pools to keep costs to individuals affordable. Overall, 20% of all patients account for 80% of the care, and if we can prevent disease or manage their effects, we can dramatically improve outcomes and save money.

With the money saved through increased preventive care and lower administrative and malpractice costs, we would provide a subsidy to low-income families and immediately mandate coverage for all uninsured children.¹⁵

Unlike Hillary Clinton’s plan, Obama would not mandate coverage for everyone, except children, who would have to be covered. Obama says his plan will create a system so attractive that people will want to sign up for it. Nonetheless, look for more government bureaucracy under an Obama presidency. The Obama plan will create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase a private insurance plan. The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and create rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable and accessible.¹⁶

Homeland Security and Immigration:
According to his campaign literature, Obama wants a world without nuclear weapons, but will maintain a strong deterrent as long as those weapons exist. He promises to take steps down the long road toward eliminating nuclear arms and seek dramatic reductions in stockpiles of such weapons and material.¹⁷

Because of the Iraq war Obama believes the U.S. is no safer now than we were after 9/11. He says the war has “fanned the flames of anti-American sentiment (and) allowed us to neglect the situation in Afghanistan.”¹⁸ He has also stated that, because of the Iraq war, Al Qaeda is stronger now than at any time since 2001, and poses a significant threat that has to be dealt with.”¹⁹

Obama has changed his position on the Patriot Act several times, in 2003 he promised to oppose it, then he voted for it in 2005. Later in 2005 he voted against ending debate on the issue, a position equal to opposing it, but then in March 2006, voted for the Patriot Act reauthorization.²⁰ It's hard to say where he stands at this time.

Obama is also on record as opposing the detaining of terrorist suspects at Guantanamo, and as wanting the facility closed. In addition he does not believe the President has the powers to authorize secret surveillance of terror suspects, would not allow U.S. citizens to be detained as enemy combatants, and believes the U.S. must reach out in dialog to Muslim extremists.²¹

Obama also favors stronger border security and requiring undocumented workers to go to the back of the line for citizenship behind those who have applied legally. Saying the American people want fairness and justice, Obama calls the idea of deporting the 12 million illegals “ridiculous” and not something law enforcement resources should be involved in. Instead, he favors what he calls comprehensive reform by way of the “Dream Act”. That legislation allows children of illegals to grow up as Americans and received a higher education.²²

On the issue of a border fence, Obama favors a community-by-community approach, saying: “There may be areas where it makes sense to have some fencing. Having borders patrolled, surveillance, deploying effective technology, that's going to be the better approach.²³

Summary:
According to a review of voting records conducted by the National Journal, Barack Obama was listed as the most liberal Democrat in the United States Senate during 2007. After ranking 16th and 10th in 2005 and 2006 respectively, the Journal says the Illinois Senator’s voting record shifted even further to the left in 2007.²⁴

With what he has already said, it is fair to assume that an Obama presidency will increase the size and scope of the federal government and increase taxes on individuals and families. Also, as president, Obama will probably be in a position to appoint one or more Supreme Court justices, giving the High Court a leftward tilt that would impact social issues for many generations to come.

Next week we will take a look at John McCain.

References:
1 NARAL Voting Record, www.ProChoiceAmerica.org, Jan. 1, 2008
2 The Improbable Quest, John K. Wilson, p. 147-148, Oct. 30, 2007
3 Campaign booklet, “Blueprint for Change,” p. 35-36, February 2, 2008
4 1998 Il State Legislative Political Awareness Test, July 2, 1998
5 Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, Bill S. 403, vote number 2006—216, July 25, 2006
6 Appropriation to expand access to preventative health care services, Bill S. Amdt 244 to S Con Res 18; vote number 2006-75, March 17, 2006
7 The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p. 114-115, October 30, 2007
8 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues, August 9, 2007
9 Ibid
10 Promise to Power, by David Mendell, p. 248-249, August 14, 2007
11 The Improbable Quest, John K. Wilson, p. 155, Oct. 30, 2007
12 The Improbable Quest, John K. Wilson, p. 155, October 30, 2007
13 “The Audacity of Hope,” by Barack Obama, p. 187-189, October 1, 2006
14 2008 Democratic Debate, Cleveland, Ohio, February 26, 2008
15 “The Audacity of Hope,” by Barack Obama, p. 183-185, October 1, 2006
16 Campaign booklet, “Blueprint for Change,” p. 6-9, February 2, 2008
17 Campaign booklet, “Blueprint for Change,” p.50-55 Feb 2, 2008
18 Source: 2007 AFL-CIO Democratic primary forum Aug 8, 2007
19 Source: 2008 Congressional Black Caucus Democratic debate Jan 21, 2008
20 FactCheck.org on 2008 Facebook/WMUR-NH Democratic debate Jan 5, 2008
21 Boston Globe questionnaire on Executive Power Dec 20, 2007
22 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008
23 Ibid
24 National Journal, January 31, 2008

This article is from, "Fusion" a cyber newsletter found on Christ's Church of the Valley website, www.ccvonline.com, byDave Ficere, a news writer and former radio personality.

True Hope

2 "We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured our His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." (Romans 5:2-5 NIV)

God tells us in the Book of Romans that we can rejoice when we go through suffering and trial. He isn’t saying we have to be happy when we suffer. Rather, we can have confidence that a just and loving and merciful Father is working everything out for the good of His perfect will (Romans 8:28) , giving us hope in the midst of suffering – and we can rejoice because God uses moments of crisis to reveal where we are truly looking for hope in the midst of chaos.

Have we placed our hope in the circumstances that surround us? Or have we placed our hope on nothing less that Jesus' blood and righteousness; upon the dependability and faithfulness of God to carry out His promises?

Time and time again we pray for circumstances that are difficult (or even tragic), and it seems that God doesn’t answer our prayer. I heard about a pastor praying for his wife and family as they traveled. Instead of returning home safely, they were in a car accident, and his wife and two of his four children were killed. In circumstances like that we feel, in our anguish and grief, that God wasn't listening, didn't care, or wasn't even able to help.

But slowly … very slowly … this pastor began to realize that his perspective was limited, that he'd placed his hope in an answer to prayer that he insisted was best rather than trusting in the character of God to answer the prayer as He saw best (Jer. 29:11).

The pastor realized that he had hung his hopes in the wrong place – until God reminded him that we serve a God of hope, and His hope will not disappoint. That is what we all have to cling to, no matter what circumstances may come our way. If, for a single moment, we think God isn't in control, or is unable to help us, then we've lost our focus; and we're making judgments without knowing all the facts.

Paul told us that - because we have this tremendous hope inside - we shouldn't grieve our losses like other men (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We believe Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe God will resurrect those in Christ who've been taken from us. And we're to encourage one another with these words of hope. After all, if our God is not a God in times of trouble, then he isn't a God at all.

God is working all things – even the hardest of things – for your good, so put your hope where it belongs: in Jesus. Don’t hope in circumstances, but in the God who holds your future in his hands. Remember this prayer found in Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."