What did Jesus say to President Bush?
Thesis: The Lord spoke to President Bush’s heart and told him “Faith changes lives!’; “Be an honest leader” and “Make the most of every opportunity!”
Texts:
Hebrews 10:38 “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”
Proverbs 12:17 “A truthful witness gives an honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.”
Colossians 4:5 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”
Introduction:
George W. Bush was born July 5, 1946
His favorite hymn is Amazing Grace.
He believes that the greatest speech ever given was the Sermon on the Mount out of Matthew. Were we received the teaching on the Beatitudes, the Golden rule, and the Lord’s Prayer. He stated, “The Sermon on the Mount is the most famous speech in the history of the world.”
He notes “I pray for guidance. I do not pray for earthly things but for heavenly wisdom and patience and understanding. My faith gives me focus and perspective it teaches humility. (President’s Testimony).”
His view of the condition of our nation: He stated, “During more than ½ century of my life, we have seen an unprecedented decay in our American culture, a decay that has eroded the foundations of our cultures values and moral standards of conduct.” He continued “For our culture to change, it must change one heart, one soul, and one conscience at a time.” He further added, “Societies are renewed from the bottom up, not the top down.”
Interesting story about the 9/11incident in Washington..
“At 9:43 A.M. a third passenger jet - American Airlines flight 77 – crashed into the Pentagon, presumably killing hundreds. One air traffic controller who was tracking the plane that morning theorized that American flight 77 was indeed aiming for the White House, but that on that particularly brilliant day the sun was at such an angle that it might have blinded the hijackers, making it difficult for them to spot their target” (page ,m n6, Andersen, “George and Laura”).
I. Jesus said “Faith changes lives” and George said, “I know it changed my life!”
a. His testimony reference parts of it.
i. The testimony is from the internet site titled George W. Bush’s testimony.
b. President Bush feels the Lord has implanted in His heart that “Changing hearts will change our entire society.”
c. The debate with his mom Barbara Bush
i. Shrub the author of The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush shares this story to rip on President Bush’s faith. Listen to her opening comments about the President and his faith. “Normally, it is not the function of political reporters to poke into a politician’s religious beliefs. But Governor Bush has invited such scrutiny, and indeed his private religious beliefs are so much a part of his public political pitch, we would be remiss not to explore them” (57).
1. She notes how terrible George Bush is with his faith in an incident between George and his mother. Here is the story she uses to describe how despicable President Bush is:
a. George Walker Bush was visiting his parents in the White House one day when the talk turned to religion…”Mother an I were arguing-not arguing, having a discussion-and discussing who goes to Heaven…”Bush pointed to the Bible: only Christians had a place in heaven. “I said, mom, look, all I can tell you is what the New Testament says. And she said, well, surely, God will accept others. And I said, Mom, here’s what the New Testament says. And she said, O.K., and she picks up the phone and calls Billy Graham. She says to the White House Operator, get me Billy graham. “I said, Mother, what are you doing?” Bush told Verhovek that Graham, when called upon to referee this theological dispute, told them he agrees with George W. “from personal perspective,” but then he gently admonished both mother and son: ‘I want to caution you both. Don’t play God. Who are you to be God?’ She then adds this comment” what we have here is not so much a religious discussion as a political damage-control operation. Ever since his 1994 race against Ann Richards, the story has followed Bush that he believes only Christians are granted God’s grace” (58).
d. The critics of his faith
i. Shrub and other liberal media look at President Bush and his faith as the worst thing that could happen to our great society. Listen to this quote from Shrub, “Bush…compassionate conservatism, which we think is a Biblical and ideological justification for further dismantling of what remains of the social welfare safety net” (page 66).
ii. She also considers his faith and faith involvement in government as “Bad Government”- She believes that any involvement of faith in government is Bad policy and not good for the nation. She sights rare cases or abuse from faith based outfits as the rule for all. She says faith based outfits doing alms is “Bad government”, faith-based organizations reforming juveniles is “bad Government” the knee-jerk conservative positions is “bad Government” The belief system of these individuals such as “welfare is bad (Not all conservative Christians believe this), abortions are evil, affirmative action is racist (not all Christian believe this), public education is hopeless (Not all believe this), the Bible is the final authority…and faith based public health” is all “Bad Government (Shrub, 66-68).”
iii. Shrub also ripped on Bush’s relationship with that TV. Evangelist James Robinson.
iv. She Quotes people like McKenna who compared “the gay bashing and intolerance of the Christian right and their view of Homosexuality and gay marriages as the work of the Neo-Nazis in Europe (74).
v. Shrub criticizes Bush for learning to dance with the Christian right (76).
vi. She uses an example of how President Bush discriminates and puts others down by his stand on Gay marriages and adoption by gay couples. She stated, “Bush supported a bill requiring that a parent be notified before a minor can get an abortion-not a high-risk stand in Texas. He refused to take a position on the hate-crimes bill while his surrogates in the Senate killed it because it provided protection for gays and lesbians. He supported a bill to make it illegal for gays and lesbians to adopt children or serve as foster parents. A particular nasty feature of that bill was its failure to protect people who had adopted a child in the past and since come out as gay and lesbian; the state could take the child back. Bush could have opposed at least that provision, on grounds of not breaking up existing families. Instead he delivered a little homily about traditional two-parent families” (80).
II. Jesus spoke to him through a sermon “Be an honest leader!”
a. Quote from testimony about what Pastor said.
b. He notes, “Do what is right for the right reason even if the polls do not like it.”
c. What it means to be an honest leader (See Maxwell).
d. Example of honesty?
III. Jesus spoke to his heart that you should “Make the most of every opportunity!”
a. The death of his sister Robin from Leukemia made him determined “To never take life for granted”(Andersen, pg33).
b. Esther’s story “Such a time as this!”
Conclusion:
The e-mail letter.
Shrub the attacker of President Bush in her book
Quotes on her view of Biblical Faith.
Quote by MCkenna
Sing: Amazing Grace
