Not Ashamed

Psalm 1 can really give us a watchword for our lives and challenge us to live godly, even in a world of temptation that provides ample opportunity for compromise.  Here are the first 3 verses:
1Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.3He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

We have to be so very careful that we are not buying in to what the world would feed us.  In the name of tolerance, we have to make sure that we are not compromising our principles, that we are standing strong and holding fast to our convictions.  The attitude of being "not ashamed" of the gospel, according to Romans 1, is so important as we seek to integrate the faith we have in Christ into the decisions we make, the activities in which we engage, and the general manner in which we operate.  Sometimes that may involve a stand that could be unpopular, but we can stand knowing that we have aligned ourselves with God's truth.

In Romans 1, we see a clear charge to live out our faith and to be willing to share it - I believe that means with our words and our actions. 
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Yesterday afternoon, I picked up on a tweet that Kevin Sorbo and Phil Cooke, two guys whom I greatly respect who have been on my radio show several times in the past, were going to be on the entertainment news program, Inside Edition.  They were discussing faith and Hollywood - of course, Kevin stars in the #4 movie at the box office last weekend, "God's Not Dead" and Phil was part of a group of Christian leaders that recently urged support of the "Noah" movie.  In fact, one of the correspondents for the show, Megan Alexander, had tweeted that out. When I went to her Twitter page, I found the following statement in the heading: "TV Host, Inside Edition & SBT, Actress, Speaker, Mama, Keeping the Faith in NYC / Nashville. Phil 4:13 ;)"  (SBT=Showbiz Tonight).

I mentioned that to my colleague, Jeremy, who referred to a situation about that verse and the Governor of Wisconsin.  Seems Gov. Scott Walker had made a simple tweet over the weekend that just said, "Philippians 4:13".  It also appeared on his Facebook page.  Todd Starnes at FoxNews.com reports
that the Freedom From Religion Foundation has demanded Walker remove posts from his official Facebook and Twitter feeds that read, “Philippians 4:13.”

By the way, the verse reads, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

So the FFRF wrote a letter to Mr. Walker, as they are wont to do.  Co-presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Baker wrote, “This braggadocio verse coming from a public official is rather disturbing...To say, ‘I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,’ seems more like a threat, or the utterance of a theocratic dictator, than a duly elected civil servant.”

They accused the governor of misusing his authority to “promote not just religion over non-religion, but one religion over another in a manner that makes many Wisconsin citizens uncomfortable.”

Best way to deal with the FFRF - two letters: NO.  Press secretary Laurel Patrick said that, “Governor Walker will not remove the post on his social media...The verse was part of a devotional he read that morning, which inspired him, and he chose to share it.”

She continued: “While he frequently uses his social media to engage with Wisconsinites on matters of public policy, he also uses it to give them a sense of who he is...This does just that – it was a reflection of his thoughts for the day.”

I have a thought for today: Romans 1:16.  That's a great verse for oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court today.  Two family-owned businesses have taken a stand on their convictions because they do not believe they should have to follow dictates from the government that they believe are immoral.  Not only are the Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby, and the Hahn family of Conestoga Wood Specialties, going before the high court, but dozens of other for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations have stood against a mandate that they pay for, in their employee health care plans, contraceptive drugs that could cause an abortion.   In the case of Hobby Lobby, who could face fines of over a million dollars a day if they do not comply, this could result in the craft store chain shutting its doors.

Across America, people are being called to prayer for this case.   This Saturday, FRC Action, Governor Mike Huckabee and others are celebrating Hobby Lobby Day.  Those who support this cause are being encouraged to change their profile picture, to shop Hobby Lobby and even share a picture.  The hashtag is #HobbyLobbyDay.

Not ashamed:  that's what we are seeing.   Filmmakers who take a stand for Biblical truth.  High-profile individuals who post Scripture online and live the life.  Business people who desire to operate in accordance with the Scriptures.   So, the question is for all of us:  how are we showing that we are "not ashamed?" Do the principles of the Bible govern our conduct?   Do we integrate Scriptural principles into our approach to our relationships, to our work, and our other activities?   Hobby Lobby is risking perhaps its very existence by not complying with a government mandate that violates the conscience rights of its owners.   Kevin Sorbo told me Friday on the radio show that he has lost work because of his strong stands consistent with Biblical truth.

So, how about it:  if "God's Not Dead" and Jesus is alive in us, then we can show it by allowing His truth to penetrate every area of our lives and make sure our actions are consistent with His principles.