OUTLOOK vs. UPLOOK

On January 20th the faces of government will change but the outlook for the future of the U.S. will not necessarily change. It remains to be seen what the new administration will do to deal with the many challenges we face as a nation. Our economy is a mess. Jobs are being lost by the thousands. Retirement funds have been lost that may take years to recover. The housing market is in deep trouble. But I don’t need to tell you all of that - you already know what the problems are. The outlook for the future is at best guarded and at worst bleak (at least in the short-run).       

But the Uplook is quite a different matter. The Uplook is bright. When our jobs are in jeopardy, our economy going South, people turn to God. Bad times economically are often good times spiritually. But the church needs to be ready with some answers from God. We need to make sure we understand that our national problems are spiritual and only Christians have the answers through the Word of God. Even our economic woes are spiritually based. Charles Colson said recently “Our nation is in this crisis precisely because we’ve traded in a Christian worldview of work, thrift, savings, and prudence, and instead have embraced the false worldview of consumerism—of leisure, debt, and instant gratification.” We need to be able to point people to Biblical truth about finances. And, we need to be able to point people to Jesus because they need a heart-change before they can find answers to their other issues. The Uplook is bright because the church is ultimately the only place to find the solutions we need. Our mission, purpose and priority is to share the gospel with our community and world in the New Year. Are you ready to sign up to be a part of the Uplook? I hope you are because we need every Christian on board in 2009!

Let’s have a blessed New Year for Jesus!