Going the Distance

One of the keys to spiritual growth is to recognize the hand of God, even in our trials, recognizing
that He will produce perseverance in us, even though our tribulations. Here is what Romans 5 says:
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

God is working in our lives, and perseverance comes as we submit ourselves to Him and develop the proper attitude toward our trials.  When tribulation comes to us individually, or to a marriage or family, or to a church, it's important that we turn to the Lord and allow Him to teach us and strengthen us.   There may be an assault by the enemy, and we have to put on God's armor and utilize those spiritual tools in order to fight Satan and his forces.  As we depend on God, we will see His express His character through our lives.

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In 1st Chronicles 16, David offered thanksgiving for God's faithfulness, and encouraged God's people to seek Him continually:
8 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!
10 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
11 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

Richard Baughman is 97 years old. His wife, Arlene is 96. They got married in 1940 - two years before World War II - and, as a story on the Christian Today website states: "until now they remain as deeply in love and committed to each other as during their first day together as husband and wife."

The Baughmans were featured in TIME Magazine and other news sources after they told a local outlet that they had never had a fight during their 75 years of marriage.  Their secret?

Communication!  Richard says, "If we had differences we just talked about it."

And...resolve! Arlene joked, "We always said, we didn't have dishes to throw or shoes to throw because we couldn't afford it. So, we had to get along!" She referred to money being scarce in the pre-war era right after the Great Depression.

Richard got drafted in 1942 for the war, only a few weeks after the birth of their first son.  Arlene relates, "There was no way of getting in touch with him. Letters were scare so we hardly knew how he was or where he was."  After 14 months, he returned to their home in Wisconsin.

Richard said, "That was the most wonderful time of my life...To think I could come home to my wife and children."  But, he was troubled by the memories of war, including bad dreams.

The couple stuck together, facing issues such as Richard's post-traumatic stress disorder and the death of their eldest son.

Arlene said, "Without him, I don't know what I would have done, I wouldn't have made it."  Richard commented, "I'm still in love with her, she means everything to me."

It seems we live in a culture where long marriages are the exception, rather than the rule, and they deservedly make the news.   I am grateful for the example of my parents who were married for 62 years when my dad passed away in 2006.   And, this type of example can give inspiration to couples of all ages and stages, including those who are just starting out.

I am devoted to celebrating marriage, in an ages where marriages are facing a number of challenges and the definition of marriage is being threatened.  When you consider the sheer number of people, including Christians - including pastors, who were exposed recently for seeking out a relationship with someone other than their spouse, we need to concentrate on devotion and the importance of building our marriages on a strong foundation.   Ed Stetzer of LifeWay Research wrote this last week on his blog at ChristianityToday.com:

Based on my conversations with leaders from several denominations in the U.S. and Canada, I estimate that at least 400 church leaders (pastors, elders, staff, deacons, etc.) will be resigning Sunday. This is a significant moment of embarrassment for the church—and it should be.

Stetzer wrote another piece last week entitled, "Life is Eternal.  Don't Have an Affair."  This was a play off the slogan for Ashley Madison, the affair-enabling service.

So, our takeaways related to the story of the Baughmans...

They apparently avoided fights because they communicated well.   It seems matter-of-fact, but Richard said that if they encountered differences, they just talked.  They didn't avoid conflict, it seems, but they just worked those differences out.   And, through it all, they maintained a sense of togetherness.

So, communication is important, as was the attitude of perseverance, or resolve.  Their lives were not free from challenges - the financial struggles, the separation due to Richard's being called to serve in the war, the PTSD, the death of a son.  But, they walked together through those negative circumstances in life, not allowing themselves to be divided.   I think the Biblical principle of bearing one another's burdens is so relevant in marriage relationships - we have to be willing to listen, to provide encouragement, to go the extra mile, to do what we can in order to lift up our spouse and perhaps even to share their load.

The Baughmans achieved longevity, and they made the news for it.  I do believe those couples that go a long distance should be celebrated.  And, we can be reminded as Christians that when Jesus is Lord of our household and God is in the center of our marriage, we have the resources in order to grow in love and to stay together.

Banning the Band - and Free Speech

We can have confidence and joy as we walk with the Lord, knowing that He lives in our hearts and He is working in and through us, providing us with inner strength. Romans 8 says:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

I think it's important to try to take our spiritual walk to a higher level.  We can avoid a victim's mentality, especially as we face challenges or barriers to the expression of our faith.  We know from the Scriptures that we are victors in Jesus Christ, and He will speak through and express His nature through us as we yield to Him.  He is calling us to trust Him, to walk free from fear, and to enjoy the life to which He has called us.

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In our current spiritual climate, it would certainly be easy to think of ourselves as victims in a society that has pockets of hostility toward people of faith. But rather than victims, we should look at ourselves as victors in the Lord. Psalm 27 says:
(1b) The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident.

Tonight, when the Brandon High School band of Mississippi takes the field for its halftime performance, it's likely that one particular song will not be part of the program.  You see, last week the band was slated to play the hymn, "How Great Thou Art," as part of its halftime show.

According to the Fox 6 website out of Birmingham, the band did not perform at halftime during the season-opening game last Friday night. A statement from the Rankin County School District says a July federal court order is the reason the band was banned from Friday night's halftime show.

Parent Kimberly Moore is concerned.  She's quoted as saying, "It bothers me because you look at the schools and all of the school shootings and all the bad things that are happening, and wonder why. It's because we're allowing evil to step in." (Interestingly enough, the same news source reports that there were shots fired at a football game in Birmingham the same night - and people don't realize that the awareness of and dependence of the greatness of God is a powerful solution to so many of the problems we face in our society.)

The report says that Moore and dozens of parents and students sang the hymn during halftime Friday night in response to those who banned its performance.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves issued a court order on July 10, which said "defendants are permanently enjoined from including prayer, religious sermons or activities in any school sponsored event including but not limited to assemblies, graduations, award ceremonies, athletic events and any other school event. That means administrators, teachers and staff of the Rankin County School District may not participate in any religious activity, or solicit or encourage religious activities at school or while performing duties as a RCSD employee.”

The district made the decision to ban the halftime show after learning the hymn was included in the performance.

Meanwhile, in Madison, Alabama, the city school district is facing demands from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, according to WAFF 48.  Yes, they received one of "those" letters - sent to Madison City Schools Superintendent Dee Fowler last month demanding that Fowler and the district begin an immediate investigation.

The FFRF alleges that the head volleyball coach at Bob Jones High School requires volleyball players to participate in a "prayer circle before and after every game or practice."  Another allegation is that a pastor leads pregame prayer over the school loudspeaker and post-game prayer in the middle of the field at every Bob Jones football game.

Finally, the FFRF says they were told that a local FCA leader is allowed access to Bob Jones students during PE "practice blocks" during regular school hours, during which the leader carries a Bible, quotes scripture and questions students about their faith "while promoting Christianity."

Again, you have attempts to somehow extract the influence of religion, especially Christianity, from public life, and the FFRF is leading the charge, now even writing letters to a number of universities calling for them to restrict or eliminate the work of team chaplains.

In an AL.com opinion piece by Leada Gore on that story, she provides an excellent paraphrase of the First Amendment:

We don't want laws requiring people to be a part of any religion. At the same time, we don't need regulations that prohibit the free exercise of anyone's religion. If a particular university wants to allow a chaplain to be part of its sports program, then that's free exercise of religion. If a player wants to be a part of a chaplain's programs, that's fine. Should there be consequences for players that don't take part? Of course not. But outlawing the program is just as ridiculous as requiring everyone one in a football jersey to join in.

She then provides a list of some of the harassment in which FFRF has engaged:

They complained about a Kansas school having a portrait of Jesus hanging on the wall. They sent a letter to Pensacola, Fla., asking the city to take down a cross that's in a public park, a spot its held since the 1940s. They balked at New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce's trip to Belarus to speak to the country's parliament about religion's role in the founding of the United States including, as the foundation pointed out, lessons from the 10 Commandments.

You know. Really controversial things like "don't steal" and "don't kill."

And, that leads us back around to the Brandon High School band and whether the school district, the band leaders, and the students have the right to free exercise of religion.  And, in this case, I think it may be more of a case of artistic expression.  So, now you're going to keep bands from playing songs with religious themes because someone might be offended?  Give me a break!

When I report these types of stories concerning religious freedom, I don't want to merely come across as complaining or even whining.  I think it's important that we are aware of threats to our free expression of our faith, and that can challenge us to be more intent on speaking out boldly - and praying.

It is important that we are praying for our leaders.  We are called in 1st Timothy 2 to pray for our officials so we can live in peace.  And, when we are frustrated because of the actions of the judiciary, because on the Federal level these are unelected officials for a life term, we know we can do something about it - we can pray.  We can recognize that there are people that have aligned themselves against the principles of Almighty God, who in some cases are hostile toward spiritual truth and ignorant of the spiritual foundation upon which this nation was founded.

We are facing spiritual battles today - as the Church has encountered for ages.  And, the words of the apostle Paul about donning our spiritual armor, praying without ceasing, praying in the Spirit, and recognizing that our enemies are not flesh and blood - these resonate for us today.

Where You Live - and Why

In Philippians 4, Paul underscores the importance of contentment - here is a man who was called by God to a variety of cities and many circumstances, not all of them positive, but He trusted in the Lord through all of them:
11b I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

He wrote to Timothy that godliness with contentment brings great gain.  God is calling us not to be restless or to be controlled by dissatisfaction, but He wants us to find our peace in Him.  As we trust Him with our lives and are confident of His presence with us, we can joyfully submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  He is the One who walks with us, who establishes our steps and brings us into a good place with Him.

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God wants us to be content in Him in the place to which He has called us. Hebrews 13 reminds us about how we can trust Him to guide our lives:
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

How long have you lived in the city where you currently reside?  And, why are you there?   I'm not sure how often we think about why we ended up where we are, but I do know that God has a purpose for the place to which He has called us.

The Barna Group has done a survey that studied the relationships of adults relationships to their cities and towns: where they live, why it’s important to them and how they ended up there. Most American adults - 59% - either never plan to move or aren’t sure if they ever will. But, at some point they decided where to plant their roots. So, Barna asked questions such as: what was it about that place that drew them in the first place?  And, why do people live where they live—and what keeps them living there?

The study shows that 45% of Americans make a home for themselves in suburban neighborhoods, and the summary states:

...although factors shift in importance according to life-stage, the most consistent characteristics that make a place special or unique to people are relational.  Factors like “family” and “friendships” dominate the data, while “work” and “entertainment”—although more relevant earlier in adulthood—become less central to one’s sense of place as life goes on.

25% of adults describe where they live as “urban” and slightly less - 24% - say they live in a “rural” area. The study points out that life stage plays a key role in where Americans call home: The younger people are, the less likely they are to live in an area described as “rural.” And, as the summary states: "Education, work opportunities and attractive lifestyles in cities like Washington, DC, and New York have long drawn younger generations away from rural communities and toward the glitz of the big city—and fewer and fewer young adults are returning once they leave."

And, large, urban centers tend to be the most unchurched cities - for instance, in San Francisco, 44% of residents have not been to a religious service in the last six months. Boston is at 40% and New York City at 38%. Cities in less populated regions are among the most churched: Birmingham, where 67% have been to a religious worship service in the last six months, Baton Rouge and Salt Lake City, at 62%.

It does appear that mobility in the United States has declined over the long term, but Millennials are significantly more likely than older generations to say they plan to move in the short-term.

Roxanne Stone, a vice president at Barna Group and the lead analyst on the study, provided some analysis, saying, “Places are where we build families, create communities and make memories. They contribute to our sense of self, helping us to understand who we are and where we came from."  She adds that, “Churches and ministry leaders in particular, should pay attention to the significant pull that relationships have on people...Relationships are the primary reason people live where they live. Although factors shift in importance according to life stage, the most consistent characteristics that respondents in the Barna survey pointed to as making a place special or unique were relational."

There are several concepts to consider here:

Where you live is important.  The city or area in which you reside can become a "home base" for ministry.  And, if you are dedicated to seeking God, you can be confident that He does have a purpose for you there.  So, we can be challenged to seeking out a purpose in the place.

Even if someone else - a company or the military - has determined that you are going to live where you're living, you can know that God wants to use you there.

And, you may be in a position where you've ended up in the place you're in as the result of straying from the will of God.  You hear stories of people who have awakened at some point and know they are not where they're supposed to be.  I think of the story of the prodigal son, who decided that after drifting from his father's house, woke up and decided to return.  You can depend on the God of restoration to get you in to the right place - and in the meantime, to even work through your life where you are.  You may even be in the "right place" for you now, even though you got there in a period of rebellion.

I do believe that God calls us to be content, wherever we are - restlessness can lead to rebellion.  If we're thinking that the "grass is greener" somewhere else and are looking for the next big break or have allowed ourselves to become dissatisfied to the point of anger and frustration, it's important that we turn to the peace of God and allow Him to stabilize our thoughts and our emotions.   He wants us to live - spiritually speaking - in a place where we are abiding in Him, content in our walk with Him.

Make Jesus Known, Pray Without Ceasing

In Luke chapter 6, Jesus is teaching about living a life of character, which may draw some opposition. He says:
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Because we call on the name of Christ, that does not mean we will be liked all the time.  There will be those who are dedicated to rejecting God and therefore reject us.  There are those that do not want to hear or receive the message that we have been sent to communicate.  We may encounter people who are angry toward God for whatever reason and may even seek to deny Him.  But, we can keep loving and keep praying, persevering for the sake of the gospel.

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Some brief words of encouragement from 1st Thessalonians 5, if we take them to heart, can be very powerful for us:
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

There has been widespread praise and celebration for the two young ladies who recently became the first two female graduates of the U.S. Army's Ranger School at Fort Benning, GA. 1st Lt. Shaye Haver and Capt. Kristen Griest passed the two-month course; it's the first time in the school's 60-year history that women have even been allowed to attempt it, according to a piece on the Christian Examiner website.

But the head of the so-called Military Religious Freedom Foundation is not happy with the ceremony that honored the completion of this milestone.  According to its website, the head of the organization, Mikey Weinstein, took issue with Brigade Chaplain (Maj.) Mark Winton's prayer. Chaplain Winton prefaced the prayer by saying, "I invite you to join me in prayer and I will be praying in Jesus' name."

Weinstein made reference to a "Christian cancer metastasizing throughout the broad totality of the U.S. Military." Not unexpectedly, he doesn't stop there. He said that the prayer was not only improper – it was "a despicable and asinine act of Constitutional defiance and criminality." He wrote, "In America, The Great Constitution trumps The Great Commission...The Army's senior leadership MUST expeditiously punish those shameless religious zealots and extremists who enabled such a fundamentalist Christian invocation of insuperable dominion and dominance, which deliberately and permanently marred what would have been an otherwise immensely proud moment in the history of the U.S. Armed Forces."

As the Examiner points out, Weinstein, failed to cite current Army regulations which make clear Chaplain Winton did not violate policy. Here's the quote: "Chaplains will perform their professional military religious leader ministrations in accordance with the tenets or religious requirements of the RO [religious organization] that certifies and endorses them (see DODD 1304.19)."

This is not an isolated incident.  But it seems that the military is no longer capitulating to Mr. Weinstein, as it has been accused of in the past.  The Air Force Times reports that the Air Force rebuffed the MRFF's demand that Maj. Gen. Craig Olson be court-martialed after he gave a 23-minute speech at a May 7 National Day of Prayer Task Force event in which he said God enabled him to fly aircraft, manage programs worth billions of dollars and sell weapons systems to the Iraqis.

He also asked the audience to pray for Defense Department leaders, who "need to humbly depend on Christ," and to pray for troops preparing to deploy again so they can "bear through that by depending on Christ."

An Air Force spokesman said that Olson did not break Air Force policy, because it was clear the opinions were his own and did not represent the views of the Air Force.

There may be challenges to our free exercise of religion.  We are called Biblically to express our faith, and the U.S. Constitution guarantees us the right to do so.   We hear so much about the so-called "separation of the church and state," but the First Amendment balances that with free exercise.

So, even when challenged, we can know that God is pleased when we seek to make Jesus known. He lives in us, and as we have seen Christ work in our hearts to transform our lives, so we can boldly and compassionately share our story.

And, even when challenged, we can follow the Biblical admonition to pray without ceasing.  How we need that today!  I believe this can apply to public prayer, as well as private prayer.  When called upon to join with fellow believers, we can stand together as a testimony of our dependence on God. Also, privately, we can be inspired to go before the Lord and present our requests, developing a fervent and fruitful life of prayer.  God is calling us to speak of Him and to Him, with a sense of expectation of what He will do.

Threats and Tools

The Bible reminds us in 1st Peter 2 who we are in Christ and how we can respond to the threats that we encounter in this world, which could cause us to drift away from Him:
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul...

Verse 9 gives us some insight into who we are, and verse 11 can encourage us about what we do. We have been placed in this world, but we are not to give in to the ways of the world, rather we are to live in God's ways, that His glory and His kingdom might be expressed through us.  And, we have powerful resources given to us by God to enable us to stand strong, to resist the power of the enemy, and to live out the victory that Christ worked for us through His death and resurrection.

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It is important that we refine our focus when we are feeling threatened, when trouble comes and we need a sense of overcoming power - Christ can give that to us. In Psalm 62, we read:
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

There have been some tense times at a North Alabama high school recently. It all began last Tuesday, when someone reportedly found a threat written on a bathroom wall at Athens High School, according to television station WHNT, which reported that on Wednesday, the school was evacuated because of a bomb threat someone called in. The students were sent home for the day on Wednesday.

The TV station reported that more than 100 students, teachers, and parents gathered for a prayer service at the school last Wednesday evening after the two consecutive days of threats. The police chief, Floyd Johnson, was also there. Organizers wanted to bring the community together and help people to feel safe in the school.

Junior Gracyn Hargrove helped to organize the event. She said, “We just want to encourage everyone that we’re safe and that God’s in control and that it’s in His plan and we just want to lift it up in prayer."

WHNT reported that Athens police stress they did not find a bomb, and all students had been allowed to return to campus around midday Wednesday to pick up their vehicles left behind.

When security is threatened, prayer is certainly an appropriate response, and these students give us a great reminder of  how to respond when we feel insecure.  We acknowledge that God is our dependable refuge, a source of strength, and we can be confident of His peace and protection as we call on His name.

A bomb threat at a school is a troubling event, but you generally don't find that type of threat on a daily basis, as the students in Athens experienced.  But, from a spiritual standpoint, we do face a real enemy who is threatening us on a consistent basis.  And, we have to confront him and resist him in prayer, using the weapons of our warfare, which are mighty for pulling down strongholds, for minimizing the effects of his schemes.  We have to make sure that we are turning our attention to his threats, and recognize that God is more than able to meet and exceed the challenge.

The students at Athens High decided to meet a physical threat with spiritual resources.  Our spiritual enemy manifests himself in the physical realm, but the tools we use are not physical - they are mighty in God, in the Spirit.  We have unrestricted access to the God of the universe, the Maker and Ruler of heaven and earth, who can provide us with victory.

Found Out

In Luke 8, after Jesus teaches on the parable of the sower and the importance of bearing good fruit, He says:
16 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.
17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.

First of all, we recognize that we are called to walk in the light of Christ.  We are not called to keep our faith a secret.  And, we are not called to walk in secrecy with regard to sin.  We have to make sure that we are not accommodating sinful desires and ways.  A person may think he or she is operating skillfully and cleverly in keeping certain things private, but there is the danger that he or she could be exposed - if not in this life, but definitely in the future.  For we cannot keep secrets from Almighty God - He knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts and even those secret actions that may be shielded from other people.  He is calling us to a transparent life.

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God wants to lead us into a fulfilling life in Christ.  The Bible says in Proverbs 13:
15 Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool lays open his folly.

It's unnerving to think that personal data could end up in the wrong hands.  We have perhaps experienced credit card information that has been compromised, and are learning that skilled hackers can obtain information and perhaps use it against others.

Which brings us to the situation involving the cheating-facilitation site Ashley Madison.  First of all, you recognize that these data miners are stealing information, so there is no moral high ground they can take - it is plain and simple, unethical behavior.

But, the names that are on the list represent a vast number of people who had a desire to channel their desires for a person other than his or her spouse.  And, that is wrong and concerning.

Columnist Matt Barber makes some strong points in a recent column at Barbwire.com.  After chiding the moral relativists that see hypocrisy, when applied exclusively to Christians, as the only sin that matters, he writes:

Here is a fact: Adultery is sin.

Here is another fact: “[Y]ou may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

And how.

Some 32 million paying customers of the vile adultery website Ashley Madison, which makes a fortune off the backs of families it helps to destroy, have just learned this truth the hard way. The site, which boasts of being the “most successful website for finding an affair and cheating partners,” was hacked by a group calling itself the “Impact Team.” The hackers published the identities of Ashley Madison “customers” online for all to see.

Their sin found them out.

But, he pivots to discuss the redemption that is available for all through Jesus Christ, writing that, "...there is redemption available for the millions of our fellow sinners who, tragically, chose to avail themselves of this sick site’s sinful 'service.' While they have become fully exposed, utterly humiliated and, for many, even ruined by a most selfish and lustful ambition; total redemption is yet within reach."

He adds, "'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 6:23)."

The Ashley Madison news apparently hits close to home:  Business Insider reports that when U.S. states are ranked based on dollars spent at the site, Alabama comes in first place.  The article points out that an analyst had said that might be artificially inflated because our state is first on the drop-down.  But, the message is clear that there are those who have been unfaithful around us, perhaps very close to us.

Kyle Idleman, Teaching Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, wrote this in response to Ashley Madison's announcement a while back that 25 percent of those using its site professed to be Christians.  This is from CBN.com:

There is a story in the Bible found in the Gospel of John where we read about a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. She is ripped from the bedroom and thrown at the feet of Jesus to receive her punishment. The crowd is full of hypocrites who are ready to stone her. They wait for Jesus to deliver the sentence. Instead Jesus says, "If any of you is without sin, he can cast the first stone." Slowly the stones drop to ground and the accusers walk away. Then Jesus says something to this woman. We don't know her name, but let's call her Ashley Madison. Jesus says, Ashley, neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.

That's what I would say to those who identify as Christian on Ashley Madison. But I wouldn't just say it to 25 percent of the members; I would say it to 100 percent. We come to Jesus and he offers us forgiveness and invites us to live a new and different life.

As Richard Clark writes on the Leadership Journal website:

For the minister of the gospel, the challenge is to show grace to sinners and victims of sin alike, never forgetting that we are sinners too. This is not a time to excommunicate first and ask questions later. This is a time for confrontation, grieving, and prayer.

We like to advertise our churches as places for broken people. But when sin and its consequences come to public fruition, it results in a mess we often are tempted to clean up at all costs. Unfortunately there is no quick fix for the disorder caused by sin. The gospel teaches something else: work through the disorder and chaos, and revel in grace.

There are some great lessons for us in the midst of these unfortunate circumstances.  For one thing, as Matt Barber points out, based on Scripture, your sin will be exposed.  Maybe not in this life.  But, maybe so.  What is done in what we think is the dark may be illuminated.  And, above all, God knows, and there will be consequences for our actions.  The double life is a life of risk and rebellion - the Bible says the way of the transgressor is hard.  The threats of exposed sin and the misery of embedded sin should produce repentance.

And, there's the hope in this message.  Where sin has abounded, God's grace can be found in greater abundance.  And, of course, as Paul points out, that doesn't mean we dabble in sin so that we can get more grace.  But, we can know when we come before God in genuine repentance, we can experience a great degree of His restoring love.

Finally, we have to make sure that we take the steps to remain strong when we are tempted.  The Bible tells us that God makes a way of escape for us when we face temptation.  Proactive, preventive action can be helpful, as we make sure that we are grounded in God's Word and reliant on His Spirit's power.  But, the enemy will seek to attack us at our greatest point of vulnerability.  So, we can make it our aim to recognize the attack and appropriate God's resources.

Divorce, Sin, and Godly Standards

It is so critical in our Christian lives that we adhere to Biblical standards - when we are tempted to give up or go down a path that doesn't please Him, we can make up our minds and rely on His power. Hebrews 12 gives some encouragement:
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When we are tempted, we don't have to give in - God makes a way of escape; He gives us the power to overcome.  When we are tried, we don't have to give up - God provides the resources we need and will lift us up in those difficult seasons of our lives.  In every area, God offers an antidote to the worldly way of thinking - He provides strength and direction as we seek His face.  We can hold fast to Him and trust in our faithful God.

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God desires that we develop a Christ-centered attitude toward every area of our lives, and we have to guard against the attitudes of this world to creep into our consciousness and impact how we think toward our spouses.  1 John 2 says:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
In light of challenges to the Biblical viewpoint of marriage, I have offered some commentary about the sanctity of the marriage relationship - defined in Scripture as one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship.  There is something sacred and powerful when two people, joined together in their love for God and for each other, come together to pledge their lives to one another.

And, I recognize there are those in our listening audience  who have gone through the breakup of a marriage, who have experienced the pain of divorce.  There is hope and healing available in the Lord for those who have been through that set of circumstances.

It's important that we recognize the sanctity of the marriage relationship and the powerful tools that God has given to us to enable married couples to stay together.

But, there is certainly a lack of stigmatization of divorce in our culture, according to a relatively new phone survey from LifeWay Research, which found that 39 percent say divorce is a sin when an individual’s spouse commits adultery; 38 percent when the couple no longer loves one another; 38 percent when a spouse abandons the other; 37 percent when a spouse is abused; and 35 percent when a spouse is addicted to pornography. Close to the same - 37 percent - say divorce is not a sin in any of these.  This study included 1,000 Americans.

LifeWay Resarch Vice-President Scott McConnell said, “About one in seven Americans are saying divorce is a sin in all of these cases, more than a third don’t think any of these would be a sin, and almost half believe some circumstances would be sinful, but not others."

There was a separate phone survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors, in which less than a third want to classify as sinful an individual divorcing their spouse for adultery, abuse, or abandonment.  About 4-in-10 pastors are more likely to call divorce a sin when a couple divorces over a pornography addiction or and because the spouses no longer love another, at 61 percent.

In their views on divorce, Protestant church members are much more closely aligned with the average American than with their pastor. 44 percent of Protestants believes a divorce is sinful when it is over adultery, and 46 percent believe it is a sin when it is due to an end to their feelings of love.

McConnell is quoted by Religion News Service, as saying: “Hopefully, they are basing their view of what is sin by what the Bible says,” adding, “Clearly in Scripture, God indicates that he doesn’t like divorce. But Jesus did have things to say about this.”

I think this can provide some insight into the acceptability of divorce in our culture.  And, I want to concentrate on the responses concerning a married couple no longer loving one another.  Almost 4-in-10 Americans believe that it would not be a sin to divorce one's spouse in those cases.  Greater than 4-in-10 Protestants and more than 60% of Protestant pastors would say that it is sinful to divorce when a couple is no longer "in love."

This indicates how important it is for Christian couples especially to fight for our marriages.   This can be done in a number of ways.  I think it's so important to make staying together the default for our marriage relationships.  Yes, there are Biblical grounds for divorce, but while those may give permission to divorce, they don't have to be the final outcome.   But, that "stay together" mindset is so important from the very beginning.

Realizing that our marriages represent the relationship between Christ and the church, you have to admit that there is a permanent aspect built into these sacred unions.  So, one key to keeping things together is to submit our marriage relationships under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  We also have to maintain a humble submission to one another and an ability to communicate effectively. Conflict resolution skills can be developed and implemented.

And, we recognize that prayer is a key component.  Instead of fighting with our spouse, we can fight for them using the powerful resources that God has given to us.  We can also take moments to pray with our spouses, especially in those difficult times.   As I have mentioned, we are called into a love relationship with each other and with God, and we can depend on Him to work in our lives to build strong bonds between our mates and ourselves.  Upholding God's standards in our homes is so important in our efforts to please Him.

An Unusual Sentence

In 2nd Timothy 3, there is a passage that can remind us that the Word of God provides guidance for
our lives, and is a powerful tool through which we change and grow:
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In the 16th verse, God's Word is described as "profitable."  We acknowledge that God's words bring life to us.  Hebrews 4 says the Word is living and active.  As we study and meditate on the Scriptures, we recognize that we have the capacity to become more like Jesus - in our thoughts and our actions. God's Word is powerful in the mind renewal process; He can help us change our thinking, so that we are dedicated to following Him wholeheartedly.  He empowers us to walk in obedience as we absorb His principles.

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Psalm 119 points to the authority and power of God's Word. We can read in verse 11:
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!

The Psalmist continues - here are verses 15 and 16:
15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.
16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

The opening sentence of a recent article on The Daily Beast website goes like this:

People often joke that marriage is like a prison, but one Texas judge apparently believes that the two are actually interchangeable.

That's a rather provocative sentence referencing a different sort of sentence - handed down by Smith County Judge Randall Rogers, who, according to a report from KLTV, referenced in the article, sentenced 21-year-old Josten Bundy, to marry his girlfriend, Elizabeth Jaynes, who is 19, within 30 days of his hearing in order to resolve an assault charge for punching her ex-boyfriend after the ex said “disrespectful things.”  Judge Rogers also ordered Bundy to write down Bible verses and undergo counseling as part of his probation.

During the court hearing, the judge asked Bundy, "Is she worth it?"  Finding out the couple was not married, the judge delivered these words: "You know, as a part of my probation, you’re going to have to marry her…within 30 days?"  The piece goes on to say that according to the TV report, Bundy was offered a choice between a more conventional 15-day jail sentence or marriage. He told the station that he would have actually preferred the jail time if the judge had allowed him to notify his employer but, when Rogers refused, he accepted the alternative sentence out of fear of losing his job.

According to public records obtained by The Daily Beast, the couple was married on July 20, 18 days after the hearing. The Smith County Courthouse told the website that Judge Rogers cannot comment on the case as legal action is still pending.

Justin and Elizabeth had discussed marriage in the past but neither planned for it to happen under court order.

Attorney Blake Bailey, who practices constitutional law, said an order to marry is not legal.

“To say you're not going to be criminally punished if you get married is way out of left field,” said Bailey. “It sounds like the old days of shotgun weddings, but not even the judge is capable of enforcing, what he thinks is best for some people in his court.”

Bundy and Jaynes say they do not at all regret getting married, but they do regret not being able to plan or have control over their special day.  But, they do plan to have a larger wedding ceremony when they get the money.

I admit, this is a bit odd, but I can only speculate that that judge thought that this couple would be better off married.  And, he obviously has a respect for the Word of God.  I would note that the Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins.  They're married now, and you have to hope that despite the rough start, they could settle down and enjoy their marriage relationship.

I'm not defending the judge, but I do think there are some points to ponder here:

Number 1, the bonds of matrimony can have a stabilizing effect on two people who pledge their lives to one another.  No, marriage is not a prison, but a sacred institution ordained by God.  And, marriage dramatically affects the lives of the two people involved, and the sanctity of marriage can have a profound effect on our culture.  

Also, I believe this judge believed that the Biblical aspect was important - as part of his probation, he was sentenced to write down Bible verses.  Again, not to justify what the judge did, but I am reminded how God's Word can transform those who have committed crimes.  People who are in prison can experience spiritual freedom through the transformative power of the Bible. There are Christ-centered programs that reach out to prisoners, such as the Prison Fellowship model and other prison ministries, can result in more stable and fulfilling lives, reducing the chance of those who are incarcerated returning to prison.

Finally, we recognize that sometimes we all need a wake-up call.  That certainly was the case for the Bundys.  There may be an area that we have played around with, waffling on a decision, or caught up in errant behavior - we may need a Holy Spirit push to get in the right direction, and perhaps God will intervene in our lives to set us on the right course.  We can be thankful for God's love and faithfulness as He calls to us, but we have to be willing to change as He indicates the issues where we are missing the mark.

Using the Weapons of Our Warfare

Isaiah 54:17 points to the mindset of the believer in Christ who wishes to walk in triumph - we recognize that the power of God is so much greater than that of the enemy, and that verse says:
17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the Lord.

This is a relevant Scripture verse for us today.  In an age where we see so much lawlessness, which results from rebellion against God, we can see that human strength can sometimes be ineffective - we need to rely on another power source.  So, we trust in the weapons God has given to us.  There are spiritual dynamics at play when people intentionally reject the principles of the Lord.  Through strong, spiritual warfare prayer, we can see the enemy loose his hold on people and situations.

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It's helpful to recognize the spiritual dynamics of the culture in which we live and how the Bible describes the roots of lawlessness. 2nd Corinthians 10 gives insight into the nature of the battles we face:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

A police detective in Birmingham who was beaten unconscious by his own gun said last week that he hesitated to use force because he didn't want to be accused of needlessly killing an unarmed man, according to a CNN report  (note: offensive language in the report).  The officer said, "A lot of officers are being too cautious because of what's going on in the media," adding, "I hesitated because I didn't want to be in the media like I am right now."

That is an unfortunate commentary about the villification of law enforcement these days.  The criminals seem to be getting a pass in some instances, including social media, while those who are charged with protecting our citizens are facing questions about their ability to do their jobs.

Heath Boackle, a sergeant with the Birmingham Police Department and president of the city's Fraternal Order of Police, said to CNN that cops are "walking on eggshells because of how they're scrutinized in the media."  He said of the detective who was beaten, "We should be thanking the good Lord because he could be dead right now."

The report states that Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper sees the episode -- as well as the reaction, including celebratory and vitriolic comments posted online alongside images of the wounded officer -- as symptomatic of a larger problem, in which some don't respect law enforcement.

He said, "The nobility and integrity of policing has been challenged," adding, "As a profession, we have allowed popular culture to draft a narrative which is contrary to the amazing work that so many officers are doing everyday across this nation."   He also called the fact that bystanders would take pictures of an officer being beaten rather than help him, then proceed to post them, "absolutely inhumane," and the online commenters only made it worse.

"It really speaks to the lack of their morality and humanity," the chief said. "People commented on the pictures in a celebratory fashion ... disregarding that this public servant has a family and is committed to serve in some of our most challenging communities."

This incident is tragic and heartbreaking, and it speaks to a sense of lawlessness in our society.  In Judges, we read about a culture that did right in its own eyes.   And, there are some principles that we can take to heart.

First of all, I would encourage you today to pray for our officials - pray for our law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line.  And, pray for peace in our communities.  Crime is an outgrowth of a number of factors, but I would say that there can be hope if the presence of Jesus can be brought into troubled neighborhoods.   I am so thankful for ministries that work diligently to speak and live God's truth into desperate situations.  The opportunities are plentiful.

Next, we recognize that lawlessness is a manifestation of a deeper, spiritual problem.  And, lawlessness doesn't just involve criminal activity - it involves an attitude of rebellion against the ways of Almighty God.   Those who want to intentionally violate God's laws are in need of a heart change.  And, we have to check our own hearts for areas of rebellion, in which we want to operate selfishly and reject God's leadership.   As the Holy Spirit convicts, then we can repent and set out in a new direction.

Finally, I believe we are in an unprecedented age of spiritual warfare.  And, we as believers must be bold to use our spiritual weapons.  We have to make sure that we have not become too calloused or complacent.  God has provided powerful tools in order to be victorious over the power of the enemy, who is set on destroying lives.  But, for whatever reason, maybe even intimidation, we don't use those weapons.  Intense spiritual warfare praying, calling upon the power of God and speaking the truth against the enemy, can be transformative and effective for our own lives, our families, our churches, and our communities.   We should not be forgetful or fearful, but recognize what God has given to us.

Tangible Expressions

The Lord desires for us to think and speak spiritual truths, recognizing that His words can communicate deeply within our hearts. 1st Corinthians 2 says:
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We are called to be conduits of God's truth.  In order to be effective in that, it's important that we develop a sense of how God is speaking into our hearts. Also, He will provide tools that we can use in order to more effectively share His message.  So, we depend on God to give us the words to say and creative ways to say them.   The Holy Spirit will guide us into truth and will enable us to live out God's principles so that we can appreciate and communicate what He has done in our lives.

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We can be convinced that God will express His nature through us and use us to communicate truth, even through the tools that He has entrusted to us. 2nd Corinthians 2 says:
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

A replica of the Ark of the Covenant, a cup representing the Holy Grail from which Jesus allegedly drank, and more "religious" artifacts are on display in a museum in Washington, DC these days, but this exhibit might not be what you think.

“Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology" will be on display at the National Geographic Museum until January 3 and features 100 carefully crafted film props alongside real archaeological finds, according to a piece on the Religion News Service website.

There’s the golden Ark of the Covenant from the movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” described as "the model for the container that housed the Ten Commandments, complete with two winged cherubs as described in the Old Testament."

There’s the cup representing the Holy Grail from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

And, in the less Judeo-Christian sense, there are the oblong, translucent Sankara stones from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” an imagined artifact based on symbols of the god Shiva.

In the article, Peter Manseau, who holds a doctorate in religion from Georgetown University, is quoted as saying, "It’s not simply archaeology but the archaeology of the sacred, the idea that once upon a time humans had this immediate capacity to connect with something sacred.” He noted that sacred artifacts also excite people because they lend legitimacy to religious stories.  As much as religion is a matter of faith, he said, these archaeological adventures are at some level quests for proof because sacred artifacts make religion “physical in a way that’s hard to ignore.”

The curator of the exhibit, Fredrik Hiebert, said his archaeology students loved the movies when he used to teach at the University of Pennsylvania. So when George Lucas, creator of the film franchise, reached out to National Geographic about an exhibit, Hiebert “took 20 seconds to say yes” to the proposal.  He said, "I like the fact that George Lucas can entertain, make you laugh and make you think deeply about God, the afterlife and the past at the same time."

Of course, no one is to regard George Lucas as a theologian, although his two most well-known series contain elements of theology, from a Biblical presence in the Indiana Jones films to the idea of the "Force" and Jedi theology in the Star Wars franchise.

I do agree with Manseau that beholding what he calls "the archaeology of the sacred" can help to bring a sense of physical reality to the spiritual truths that we embrace.  I remember the wonder I experienced when viewing the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit that was on display in Mobile a number of years ago.  And, within 2 years or so, there will be a chance for people to participate in a sacred quest at Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, which is now under construction.

This is an outgrowth of the work of the Green family, which owns and operates Hobby Lobby. According to MuseumoftheBible.org, the Green family purchased their first biblical artifact in November 2009 and they have assembled in only a few years what is now one of the world’s largest private collections of rare biblical texts, objects, and artifacts.

It's called the Green Collection, the compilation of around 40,000 objects includes some of the rarest and most significant biblical texts and artifacts ever assembled under one roof. Highlights of the Green Collection include cuneiform tablets dating from the time of Abraham, Dead Sea Scroll fragments, biblical papyri and manuscripts, Torah scrolls, and rare printed Bibles.

Museum Chairman of the Board Steve Green, who visited with me recently in Orlando at the International Christian Retail Show, is quoted on the website: "The Bible is the best-selling, most translated book of all time and is arguably history's most significant piece of literature," adding, "It has had an unquestionable influence on science, education, democracy, arts and society. This book has also profoundly impacted lives across the ages, including my own."

So, here's a great opportunity to actually see physical artifacts relative to our faith.  Recognizing that Jesus said to Thomas that those who do not see, yet believe, are blessed, we still see that these physical expressions can help provide confirmation for our faith and can even be used as a tool for people to think more deeply about spiritual matters.   

Because the physical, the tangible is important - the miracles of Jesus were tangible expressions that certified His divinity and led people to see that He was who He said He was.  And, likewise, as people experience God with their senses, it can provide a powerful effect.

We recognize that God will use all sorts of tools to draw people to Himself.  I saw that on display in Birmingham at the Franklin Graham Festival.  A variety of musical styles, spoken word, sound and lights, video vignettes, and the powerful preaching of God's truth, laced with the truth of Christ, could be used to touch hearts.   The ministry of Faith Radio is a tool through which God will speak and work in hearts and minds.

I can't say that I have met anyone who has been saved by viewing "Raiders of the Lost Ark."  But, a viewing of that film could perhaps lead into a discussion of the Ark of the Covenant and it meaning. Or, thinking about the "Last Crusade" film and what makes a person truly "worthy" could actually stimulate some thinking about the redemptive work of Jesus Himself.    

In summary...

Remember, there is spiritual information all around.  We can be used as communicators to help people process that and convert it to Christian truth.  

There are also physical tools that can help us and other experience the spiritual.  We can use all that we have at our disposal in order to express the love and truth of Jesus.

Hope

The Greater Birmingham Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham begins tonight and continues through Sunday at the Bartow Arena on the campus of UAB. Event organizers are asking for prayer in several important areas, according to the festival Facebook page:

1. That Christians will invite at least 1 non Christian to the Festival of Hope.

2. For Franklin Graham, the artists, and the team preparing for the Festival.

3. For people throughout the region who need the life-changing power of the Gospel.

Through the power of the message of the Word of God, people can have hope. The Bible says in Romans 15:4:
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Franklin Graham is the fourth of five children of evangelist Billy Graham and his late wife, Ruth Bell Graham.  Yesterday would have been Mr. and Mrs. Graham's 72nd wedding anniversary.  On Franklin's Facebook page, you can read this:

August 13th, my parents were married at Gaither Chapel in Montreat, North Carolina. My father has said that he could not have imagined loving my mother any more than he did that day—but as time went on, he realized that he loved her even more with every passing day. That’s still true. Even though she’s been gone eight years, he still tells me that he misses her and looks forward to being reunited with her in heaven. I’m thankful for their great example of a loving Christ-centered marriage.

Billy Graham will turn 97 this November.

According to the public relations agency for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse:

In his autobiography, Rebel with a Cause, Franklin explained that "just being the son of Billy Graham won't get me into heaven." He knew that he was being called to do more with his life and to make a real commitment to God. So at age 22, after a period of rebellion and traveling the world, Franklin committed his life to Jesus Christ while alone in a hotel room in Jerusalem.

In his early twenties, Franklin Graham was invited by Bob Pierce, founder of Samaritan's Purse, to join him on a six-week mission to Asia. It was during that time that Franklin felt a calling to work with hurting people in areas of the world affected by war, famine, disease, poverty and natural disaster. He said, "I've been called to the slums of the streets and the ditches of the world."  Franklin was elected to the ministry's board in 1978 and the next became its President after the death of Pierce. Samaritan's Purse now ministers in over 100 countries around the world.

He conducted his first evangelistic event in 1989 and now conducts crusades, called festivals, around the world for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He has preached to more than 8.4 million people. The Association appointed Franklin Graham CEO in 2000 and president of the organization in 2001.

Franklin Graham has become an important cultural voices, addressing a variety of issues from a Christian worldview perspective.   His comments that are posted on his Facebook page can generate quite a bit of discussion.  And, he often invites people to come into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Earlier this week, this was posted on his Facebook page:

I heard someone talking about their “bucket list.” Do you have one? Things you want to do, places you want to go before your time is up? The most important thing that every person needs to make sure they have done in this lifetime is accept Jesus Christ by faith as their Lord and Savior. Nothing else compares in importance. In fact, once we take our last breath and step out of this life on earth, it will be the only thing that matters. God’s Word says, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” If you haven’t turned from your sin and accepted God’s gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, I urge you to do it today—because we’re not promised tomorrow. Check out peacewithgod.net to learn more. What’s on your bucket list?

Hope Even in the Midst of Hostility

Jesus spoke to His disciples and gave them clarity in order to prepare them for what would be facing for the sake of His name. In John 15, we read:
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

The principles of the gospel are true for us, no matter what the circumstances.  When all seems well around us, we can rejoice in the Lord.  But, when we encounter opposition because of our faith or just because we are living in a fallen world, the Scriptures gives us encouragement and direction on how to respond.  And, we know that God walks with us - He will prepare us and will strengthen us when we face adversity in this life.  Adversity, it will come, and it may be great; but we serve a God who is greater!

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We are people of hope, called to radiate a sense of trust in Christ.  Romans 5 says:
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

In Birmingham beginning on Friday night, the Greater Birmingham Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham will be occurring.  It promises to be an extraordinary time of ministry, including messages of hope from Mr. Graham, centered around the gospel.   And, we know that even in the midst of difficulty, we can possess hope in Christ.

Graham, when interviewed by Todd Starnes of Fox News after the Supreme Court decision on marriage, responded:

“I believe God could bring judgment upon America.” He told Starnes that Christians should be prepared for persecution in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling on homosexual marriage.

He said, “You better be ready and you better be prepared because it’s coming,” adding, “There will be persecution of Christians for our stand.”

But, we can know that as we make up our minds to stand strong on the principles of the Scriptures, we can have hope in our hearts.  In an age that is characterized so often by hopelessness, we can trust in the unshakable promises of God.

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We are called to be a strong witness, people of conviction in Christ, who stand strong even though we may encounter hostility. The apostle Paul wrote this in 2nd Timothy 3:
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

A poll released last week shows that while a majority of Americans would like to see what is termed, "a commonsense solution that both protects religious freedom and gay and lesbian couples from discrimination," when pressed, they would overwhelmingly come down on the side of religious freedom, according to a report on the Washington Examiner website.

The poll was conducted by Caddell Associates.  Pollster Pat Caddell, in a memo, said, "When asked which was more important, by a 4 to 1 ratio, voters said protecting religious liberty (31 percent) over protecting gay and lesbian rights (8 percent)." He added that most of the rest said both are important.

One of the questions asked was this: "Suppose a Christian wedding photographer has deeply held religious beliefs opposing same sex marriage. If a same sex couple wanted to hire the photographer for their wedding, should the photographer have the right to say no?"

A huge 82 percent said yes.

And, respondents were overwhelmingly opposed to government officials forcing people to perform services that violate their religious beliefs.  Caddell said, "More than two thirds (68 percent) disagreed that the federal and state government should be able to require by law a private citizen to provide a service or their property for an event that is contrary to their religious beliefs. Only 18 percent agreed. Indeed, 51 percent strongly disagreed with this."

Also, the memo stated, "When asked whether it should be up to the federal government to determine what constitutes legitimate religious beliefs only 11 percent agreed and a massive 79 percent disagreed. Indeed, even two thirds of those on the 'left' of the segmentation disagreed."

There are several takeaways here.  For one thing, religious freedom is and has been an important principle in the life of our nation, an entity that should be vigorously defended.   I had an interesting conversation with Brian Walsh of the Civil Rights Research Center earlier this week, and he discussed the importance of preserving religious rights.  We recognize that religious freedom is contained within the First Amendment.  As Walsh contends, it is a civil right.  And, the Founders recognized the significant role of religion as an essential component in the foundation of our nation.

I think this poll can also highlight the way that the judiciary is out of step with the views of many Americans.  When you consider that over 8-in-10 people in this survey would side with a wedding photographer who does not want to provide services for a gay wedding ceremony, you can see a healthy respect for religious considerations.  The New Mexico Supreme Court however, decided that a wedding photographer was out of line when she attempted to act according to her deeply held beliefs.  And, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.  As the Alliance Defending Freedom website states, one of the New Mexico justices wrote that the photographers “now are compelled by law to compromise the very religious beliefs that inspire their lives,” adding “it is the price of citizenship.”

Such are the times in which we live - times of challenge, but times of opportunity to make sure that our faith is strengthened.   We realize that there will be those who do not accept our deeply-held religious convictions.  So, we gear ourselves up for that, and we continue to prepare and stand strong. We can develop a mindset of diligence, in which we follow Christ's teachings, no matter what the cultural consequences.  And, remember that the New Testament was birthed during a time in which the atmosphere was not affirming to people of the Christian faith.  That gives insight and assurance for us as we seek to live out the teachings of Scripture today.

Faith, Fashion, and a Word on True Freedom

In 1st Peter 2, the writer gives some instruction on how we can relate to culture, communicating our love for Christ:
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--
16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

We are called to be free in Jesus Christ, and the apostle Paul cautions against using our Christian freedom to not cause others to stumble.  Legalism can certainly sap the life out of a joyful Christian experience, but self-control - Biblical restraint - can keep us right with God.  We can be challenged to live with a sense of dependence on the Holy Spirit to the extent that He gives us the capability to walk free from legalism, but in a manner that pleases God.

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The apostle Paul addresses the concept of Christian sensitivity in 1st Corinthians 10. He writes in verses 23 and 24:
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.

Later in the chapter, he writes:
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

I think it is so important to seek to live out the Christian life and attempt to be an influence for Christ in the occupations to which we are called.  You may not be in a vocational "ministry" position, but your position can provide you with a platform for ministry.

Such is the case, I believe, of Mayra Gomez, the co-founder of Christian Fashion Week (CFW). A Real Clear Religion piece called, "Faith on the Runway," opens by saying: "It's an understatement to say that Mayra Gomez is passionate about the intersection of faith and fashion." She is quoted as saying, "It was kind of like a shock coming to the Christian realm, coming from that fashion industry," adding, "I tried every single job you can imagine in the church and I was not happy. Why? Because that wasn't me."

In response, Mayra then began Model4Jesus, a traveling ministry that raised funds for hurting women via the runway.  The article points out that for Gomez, to combine faith and fashion is not to live out her Christian faith through what she wears. It's about displaying ethical practices, integrity, wisdom, and "an inch more of fabric."

And, to her, this includes a concept called, "contextual modesty." She relates, ""In all reality modesty is contextual. It all depends where you're from, where you live, and where you were raised," adding, "I don't think it was meant to be one rule for every single person." She does say that Christians must be prudent in determining what is proper, comparing people's talk of "modesty" with the Word of God.

The website for Christian Fashion Week states: "...We believe in scripture and moderation, not tradition or legalism."  It also says, "Christian Fashion Week is more than just a collection of fashion shows - it's a true movement fueled by a passion for modest clothing and for building an industry around its consumers."

The site also says, "Part of our mission is to promote the concept of contextual modesty and help those within the Christian church break free from legalism and imaginary dress codes while developing a more grounded and disciplined perspective of what modesty truly means."

I understand this organization's perspective, and agree that we should not be bound in legalism. But, I would add, that as the apostle Paul says that all things are lawful, but all things are not profitable, some discretion should be used in the selection of clothing, so that does not become a stumbling block.  

I would submit that Mayra's story is a great example for us of someone who is allowing her devotion to Christ to shape the way she approaches her occupation.  She is attempting to inject a Biblical perspective into her craft, and according to the site, she is also allowing that activity to promote affordable clothing and sustainable fashion for those who do not have the resources to buy clothing for themselves and their children.   

So, there are three elements to which I want to call attention:  one is the idea of injecting your Biblical worldview into your craft.  Another is the concept of taking things perhaps a step or two further and developing ministry from business.  In other words, if through your career, there may be a way to reach out and create ministry opportunities - for example, devoting resources to help those less fortunate, or perhaps organizing a team from the workplace to do charitable work.  There are great examples of companies who have a charitable bent.

And, finally, a further note: I think that the way that you relate to customers can say a lot about your Christian faith.  Your approach to people sends a clear message of how your regard people.  If you develop and live out a servant's attitude, that can communicate the character of Christ.

Rejecting the Divorce Culture

In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul challenges believers to develop an attitude of purity and reject those attitudes that can be detrimental to us:
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Believers in Christ are called to live according to a high standard.  But, we are not to be discouraged, because we have the presence of the Holy Spirit who goes with us to lead us and to empower us.  We are called to live according to His Word and to demonstrate the character of a new person, a new creation in Christ Jesus with a new identify - and this transforms how we live and how we relate to one another.  The power and presence of the indwelling Christ can energize our vertical walk with God and our horizontal walk with others.

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We see this beautiful picture in Ephesians 5 depicting the relationship of Christ to His church and how it is to be demonstrated in the husband-wife relationship:
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Last week, another high-profile celebrity breakup was announced. It took place in Beverly Hills in a confab with TV critics, according to a USA Today story.  That's right, Muppet legends Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog are splitting up.   And, this in advance of the new Muppets TV series which launches soon - can you say publicity stunt?

But, on a more serious note, there is a fascination with who's seeing who, who is with whom, and who is no longer together.  And, recently, there has been more to feed that appetite.  As the article points out, there's Ben and Jen, Gwen and Gavin, Miranda and Blake, Reba and Narvel.

That would be Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Gwen Stefani and husband Gavin Rossdale, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, and Reba McIntyre and Narvel Blackstock.  As the article points out:

It seems long ago but it was only in March 2014 that Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin attracted widespread notice and derision when they announced their "conscious uncoupling" after 10 years of marriage and two kids. The separation didn't result in an actual legal divorce until April of this year.

Just in the first half of 2015, we saw the parting of the ways for Hillary Duff and Mike Comrie (five years of marriage); Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon (their third divorce from each other and a total of about a year of actual wedded bliss); Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams (nearly six years); and Patrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink (15 years).

Meanwhile, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, who have been dogged by divorce rumors, took to social media to state to the world (again!) that they were not breaking up.

Megan Daniels, of a matchmaking service called SelectiveSearch.com, is quoted as saying:  "Celebrities are like real people but their lives move at an accelerated rate and on a bigger scale, played out publicly," adding, "That can really cause a lot of additional stress on a relationship, it can create a lot of tension and it can lead to a failing relationship."  She also said that a "diversion of career paths" contributed to the Stefani/Rossdale split - hers was soaring, his was not.

Rob Shuter, host of a show on VH1, says that it may not be necessary but it's been proven that news consumers are interested in (meaning they will click on) stories about celebrities' major life events, such as love, weddings, babies, divorce and death. He adds, "Some percentage of the population takes great satisfaction in seeing 'perfect' celebrity couples breaking up. If your life is a mess, you can take satisfaction in watching, say, Gwyneth's divorce."

As the article states:

So human nature — our love of gossip — is ramped up to a fare-thee-well thanks to the speed and ubiquity of today's media. We were just as interested in the 1960s in Elizabeth Taylor's marriages and divorces; we just didn't have the means to share as widely and as quickly back then.

So, there is a fascination with celebrity lives, celebrity couples are not modeling the admirable act of staying together, and we now have swirling around us a divorce culture, glorifying what God has said that He disapproves of.  And, as I contended on the radio show last week, I believe that couples sometimes don't go into marriage with the intent of staying together, no matter what.  And, when the tough times come, they are not prepared and allow their marriage to dissolve, which brings pain along with it.

A piece that was written by Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family in 2004 and reprinted on the CitizenLink website in 2010 highlights the impact of no-fault divorce, which I believe is a contributing factor to the divorce culture that we find ourselves in.  He writes:

It was 1969 when California’s first actor-turned-politician, Ronald Reagan, enacted the world’s first no-fault divorce law, dismissing the essential “till death do us part” part of marriage with the wisp of a pen. California redefined marriage, transforming it legally from a meaningful, binding contract to a mere arrangement.

 The indictment continues:

No-fault divorce subjected an entire generation of children and their parents to a massive, untested social experiment fueled by adult wish fulfillment. We entered this experiment with no idea of how it would turn out. We bolstered ourselves with hopeful assumptions that if adults could easily exchange bad marriages for good, we would have happier, more self-actualized adults who would parent happier, more self-actualized children. Love would see us through. It was all so I’m OK; You’re OK and like disco and leisure suits, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

He outlined the negative effects on adults and their children.  Large numbers of adults are, as Stanton says, "less secure, experiencing failing physical and mental health, unable to put their lives back together, entering affairs and cohabiting relationships that are just as troubled — if not more so — as the newly disposed of marriage. Domestic violence increased dramatically. Some entered new marriages that broke up faster and as tragically as the previous one. Happiness was elusive." And as for the children, they "fared even worse. Many saw the innocence of childhood evaporate the day their parents announced the divorce. Others described being “scarred for life.” They told countless stories of being crippled by anxiety, possessed by anger, disoriented by confusion and immobilized by fear of total abandonment. Their behavior, grades and physical and mental health plummeted."

And, a note on same-sex marriage: "If the essential 'as long as we both shall live' quality of marriage becomes optional, why not the 'husband and wife' part? Tinkering with the fundamentals of marriage begets more tinkering with fundamentals."

That leaves us with some challenges for our own lives.  We do have to recognize where we have allowed the culture, and especially the media, to define our view of marriage.  If we have an unhealthy fascination with the love lives of others, then perhaps that could desensitize us to the sanctity of our own marriages.  We have to reject an appetite for gossip and refuse to allow the cultural attitudes to permeate our consciousness and affect the way we approach life and relationships.

Finally, it's important that we shore up our own marriages.  And, teach those who are getting married the importance of building their relationships on a firm foundation, with a view of staying together.  Marriage is a representation of Christ and the church, and just as we are joined to Him through an indelible bond, so God calls us to develop a mindset of permanence for our marriages.  

Celebrity God-Talk: Pursuit of a Journey

The apostle Paul, in Philippians 3, is challenging believers to keep moving forward, to grow toward spiritual maturity. We read, beginning in verse 14:
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

God is calling us to spiritual growth, and there are many resources that He makes available to us in order to bring that about in our lives.   First and foremost, we have God's Word, which can teach us and contains the power to actually produce fruit consistent with the character of Christ.  We have the Spirit who empowers us.  We have fellow believers who can encourage us and challenge us.  Overall, we have the ability to walk with Jesus in a devoted manner each day.

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After listing a number of types of sinful behavior that can characterize an individual apart from God, Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 6:
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

When you hear what I am calling, "Celebrity God-Talk," it does make my spiritual antenna tune in a little closer, and it could just provide a basis for evaluating our own walk with Christ.

So, you have an R&B star by the name of Chris Brown, who has apparently had enough.  An article on The Christian Post website announced:

In what appears to be a public cry for help to God, popular R&B singer Chris Brown recently lamented his life as a burden that would make the "average man" commit suicide and says he's tired of the devil ruining his life.

This came from an Instagram post that included some expletives. Brown wrote that he thinks the average man would have committed suicide if he had to endure what he has to deal with on a daily basis and says he heard "God speak for the first time."

He added, "Most won't understand the genius and beauty in change and learning and the people who have devilish intentions will win in the short term. My soul will always be pure of heart. What's on the surface always looks like one big party but inside there is a little boy looking for help and guidance."  He also said, "I don't have any more patience for anything that will cause me to self destruct!!"

One Instagram response stated, "You feel this way because your life does not match up with the Bible. You say you love God bro, but your actions do not prove it fam. Also you need accountability, there are not many people around you who tell you the truth about yourself, only what you want to hear. God has a plan for your life bro, but you must be willing to give up EVERYTHING. Not some things, everything. That's what he is calling you to do."

And, recently, another celebrity who seems to be searching for spiritual truth was spotted in Australia at the Hillsong conference.  That would be Justin Bieber. ChristianHeadlines.com quoted a statement from Hillsong Church, which said, "Justin is here, like tens of thousands of others, as a delegate who is seeking to build stronger foundations into his life.”

The church added, “The purpose of the conference is to honour God, and our hope for all attending is that their lives are enriched.”

The article points out that recently, Bieber posted scripture on Instagram and wrote, “I'm not religious nor do I think I have ANYTHING figured out that's why I call out on God to help me through what I can't do on my own. Developing my relationship with God has been the coolest thing I've experienced, to know that I'm not alone and I don't have to live in fear."

It is easy to dismiss these public figures' pronouncement of faith, especially in light of the lifestyles in which they seem to be involved.  There were some reports surrounding Bieber's trip down under that seem to be inconsistent with a Christian life devoted to holiness - but, I have to say, that he's still hanging around Christian activities; Chris Brown seems to indicate that he's tired of the way that his life is going and may be hinting at a change of direction.

So, for us, what can we take away?   I think first of all that when a high-profile person makes a faith statement, that should not be automatically discounted.  Just think about actors and athletes in whose lives the Lord has made a dramatic impact.  And, as the apostle Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 6: "Such were some of you," making reference to past lifestyles of the Corinthian believers.  And, in this world of social media where people are all-too-willing to make public statements for all to see, it becomes a public expression of what may be going on in a person's heart.

Everyone has the potential to change; and when Christ is involved, that means that His presence can result in transformation.  And, unfortunately, when celebrities' lives are on display so frequently, it's hard to know what's going on in the heart - bad judgment should not be mistaken for a lack of good seed that may be taking root in a person's life.

I want to return to Mr. Brown's party persona, if you will.  He makes reference to a little boy inside, beneath that outward veneer.   I think he speaks for so many that do not want to grow up, who do not take responsibility, and who play around without any serious pursuits in their lives.  I have to think there's a message for each of us, from a spiritual standpoint - the Bible directs us to grow in Christ; we are called to spiritual maturity and to put away childish things.  It's easy to point fingers at celebrities behaving badly or childishly, but we have to be challenged to put aside childish thought patterns; areas of selfishness that hold us back from growing spiritually.  God is calling us to grow - none of us have arrived, but through abiding in Him, we can see the seed in our hearts bear fruit for His glory.