The State of Your Heart Address

Last night the president stood before members of Congress, members of the cabinet, the Justices of the Supreme Court and all of their invitees to share the State of the Union address. He shared his insights on the important issues we have and will face. The president spoke about the economy, foreign policy and education. He challenged those in Washington to stop fighting with each and start working with one another to rebuild America. In essence he set the tone for his re-election campaign as well as his legislative agenda for the coming year. The SOTU address, as usual, gave key insights into his administration's goals, policies and plans. It will serve as reference point for future analysis of his effectiveness.

Today, and everyday, you have the opportunity to have your own address: the State of Your Heart address. The audience is you, but you have a choice of speechwriters.

Satan writes speeches full of selfishness and false justification. He places a work of deception before your heart and asks you to simply read the words of self-gratification and ease off his teleprompter. His rhetoric subtly supports deep divides between the party of good and evil. Each line pulls at the emotions and passions of the sinful hearts we fight with everyday.

God writes speeches of selflessness and true justification. He places a work of truth before your heart and asks for you to live the words of self denial and surrender through His Prompter, the Holy Spirit. His rhetoric boldly lifts you from the darkness of the party of evil and brings your thoughts to the courts of heaven. Each line brings conviction and change to the sinful hearts we fight with everyday.

Do not let today go by without a true State of Your Heart address. Do not let a moment pass without sitting down with the only One who can deliver on His promise of real change. Not simply political, economic or world change; true heart change.

The Battle for the Hearts and Minds

We hear quite a lot about political candidates hoping to win over the hearts and minds of voters this year with the upcoming presidential election. The president and his challengers work to position themselves squarely in the middle of our consciousnesses and are pushing their brand of America hoping to define themselves in an overwhelming way to the American people. They flood television and radio with advertising. They appear on national and local programs to beat their campaign drum. They shake hands, kiss babies, write op-eds, hold town halls, call out opponents, make promises and pledges which most will forget after November. All hope to win your vote, your circle of influence, your undying support.

Our political process is eerily similar to the supernatural campaign for our hearts and minds. God and his challenger, Satan, flood the spiritual airwaves with calls to join their campaigns.

God calmly and carefully lays out His promises which are never forgotten and do not change. God patiently knocks on every hearts door and personally asks for your support. He refuses to give up. He sends acquaintances, friends, family, pastors, and other influencers endowed with His Holy Spirit to speak on His behalf. Far and few between are those who willing take up the battle on the straight and narrow road.

Satan takes a seemingly more aggressive approach. The sights and sounds of the world are granted him. The heavens may declare the glory of God, but my television speaks of the work of the deceiver. The news heralds to destruction of men and women by others or themselves. Perversion is glorified. Vice is worn as a badge of honor. Skepticism and tolerance are delicately balanced as the grandest qualities leading to the dilution, devaluation or denouncement of absolute truth. Far and wide the call to a life of ease and entertainment is eagerly accepted.

Some may read this and say, "There goes Pastor Aaron, jumping back on the conservative, legalistic Christian bandwagon. Guess I'll have to watch my P's and Q's around him again." That's not necessarily the case. Each day I have the same decision you do. Each day I must make the decision to endorse Christ with my life or the challenger. The time for wavering is past. Today we must choose and the choice is  more than who will lead our government for the next 4 years. The choice is who will lead us to our eternal destination.

Who gets your vote?