Chips

As he wrote to the church at Thessalonica, Paul definitely had the last days on his minds.  In his first and second books to that that church, he pointed to the coming of Jesus, as well as the coming of the
Antichrist. In 2nd Thessalonians 2, we can read:
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

God lays out His prophetic timetable in the Scriptures, and world events are falling into place in order to usher in a seven-year period of tribulation on the earth, followed by the 1000-year reign of Christ. Paul issues his warning, but did not want his readers to be "shaken" or "troubled."  As believers in Christ, we have the promise of the Word of God that we will see Him, He will return, and we will be taken up with Him.  This gives us hope for our future, and as we see the signs, we can respond with a sense of anticipation.

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There is a day that believers in Christ are anticipating, the day that He will return to claim His church. 1st Thessalonians 4 states:
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

A Wisconsin tech company has announced that it will be offering a microchip to its employees that will enable them to enter the building, as well as to purchase food on-site.  That's the word from Three Square Market, according to a USA Today story, which will make available a rice-sized chip to be implanted between the thumb and forefinger.  The company's CEO, Todd Westby is quoted here:

"We foresee the use of RFID technology to drive everything from making purchases in our office break room market, opening doors, use of copy machines, logging into our office computers, unlocking phones, sharing business cards, storing medical/health information, and used as payment at other RFID terminals..." 

He added, "Eventually, this technology will become standardized allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc."  The story points out that RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification.  Three Square is partnering with a Swedish company that already has a number of employees who are "chipped."  The story notes that Westby says there is no GPS tracking with the chip.

NBC News pointed this out:

Privacy protections were among the concerns when it was first rolled out, and fundamentalist religious groups publicly objected to the tiny tags as being the "mark of the beast" mentioned in the Bible's Book of Revelation.

Even though NBC did not quote one of these "fundamentalist" believers, CBN News rightly pointed out:

Many Christians express concerns about microchip implants because they see the idea as a prelude to "the mark of the Beast" as described in the book of Revelation.

Here's that verse about the End Times from Revelation 13:16-17 (NIV): "It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name."

When Apple Pay technology came out a few years ago, consumer privacy expert and bestselling author Dr. Katherine Albrecht told CBN News, "We're kind of moving closer and closer to that 'right hand' and closer and closer to the fulfillment of biblical prophecy about the mark of the Beast."

Jerry Newcombe, writing at WND.com, indicates that people believing in the return of Jesus by the year 2050 comprise over a-third of the population:

A Pew poll from July 2010 focused on whether Jesus would come back within four decades: “By the year 2050, 41 percent of Americans believe that Jesus Christ definitely (23 perent) {sic} or probably (18 percent) will have returned to earth.”

Newcombe warns against what he calls "newspaper exegesis," and writes:

Regardless of whether this story on buying a bag of chips in a break room in Wisconsin by means of a microchip planted in the hand has anything to do with the return of Christ, I take great comfort in knowing that one day Jesus will come back.

Radio preacher Chuck Swindoll gives us great insight for living, on keeping the return of Christ in perspective: “There’s something about Christ’s soon return that stirs up our urgency and keeps us involved. … What we need is balance. We need to be informed and aware, thinking it could occur at any moment, but carrying out our lives as responsibly as if His return would not be for another two or three generations.”

Newcombe adds, "Or possibly longer."

Here are the facts:

The microchip and RFID technology are certainly being utilized and, while convenience is a leading factor, privacy and moral concerns abound.

When you consider that Scripture teaches that what is called the "mark of the beast" in Revelation will become a mandatory element, without which no one can buy and sell, it's not too much of a stretch to see how implanted technology could lead to a fulfillment of prophecy.

The "mark" is a tool that will be used by the Antichrist.  The Bible teaches that those loyal to him will take the mark, those who are not will reject it.  So, there is the question of methodology, but there is also the matter of meaning.  And, to whom will people on the earth swear their allegiance?

Of course, for those who believe that Jesus will take His Church to be with Him in the rapture, that event would predate the distribution of the "mark."  But, these technological developments can help us to see how that man of perdition could actually control the lives of people by regulating their ability to buy and sell.  And, as the NBC News piece might suggest, it gives an opportunity to consider the scenario of the end times.  This technology, you might say, could indicate that we are at a point on the timeline on which another Bible prophecy might come to pass.

Finally, we have to make sure that we are ready when Jesus comes to receive His Church.  The Bible teaches that we are to strive to be found faithful.  So, there is a sense of urgency; we need to make sure that Jesus is the Lord and Savior of our lives and that we are walking in obedience to His Word.

Qualified?

We can be challenged to maintain our spiritual credibility.  Certainly, none of us is qualified in and of ourselves to do the work of the Lord, but by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, He
has qualified us to be part of the family of God through salvation and to function as part of the body of Christ through service. 1st Corinthians 9 says:
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Paul speaks of being "disqualified."  I don't believe that he is talking about losing salvation; rather, that our credibility is diminished if we do not reflect the character of Christ.  We can give the aura of being devoted to Him, but if our lifestyles and our choices are not consistent with His principles, then we essentially are hypocrites.  So that we may grow in our Christian life and that our witness might be effective, we have to be well-versed in and obedient to certain essentials of the faith, so that we might be distinctive.

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In 1st Timothy 3, the Bible lays out some characteristics of people in spiritual authority.  The first
three verses say:
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous...

I'll stop there...the chapter also deals with that brand of spiritual leader known as the "deacon."
Following these lists, Paul writes:
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

When you think of celebrities who are vocal about God, you have to think that Justin Bieber will top the list.  And, this week has been a whirlwind of speculation about Bieber's career, as well as what his next step might be.

According to a story on the Daily Mail website on Monday, the pop singing sensation announced that he would be cancelling the remainder of his "Purpose" world tour.  No reason given other than "unforeseen circumstances."  The story goes on to say that, "Australia's Channel Nine entertainment guru Richard Wilkins has claimed that the real reason Bieber decided to step off the tour bus was that he wanted to 'reconnect with his faith' and possibly start his own church.  Wilkins claims to have received his information from some anonymous insider.

Then, another source comes forward:

Shortly after, a source told TMZ that Justin actually cancelled the shows because of religion.

He has reportedly 'rededicated his life to Christ,' according to a source connected to Hillsong Church in Los Angeles.

Over the past few months, Selena Gomez's ex has become very close with Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz.

And in his Instagram bio, Justin links to a sermon by Miami pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr., as opposed to one of his music videos or his songs on iTunes.

The Daily Mail article says that on Tuesday: "...the singer stepped out in Beverly Hills to grab a bite to eat at SugarFish restaurant where he was questioned by TMZ if he cancelled the concerts due to 'religious reasons'."  The story stated: "The 23-year-old Canadian crooner looked dumbfounded by the question as he replied with a simple: 'No, you already know the reason.'"

OK, then.  Well, the announcement on Monday, the denial on Tuesday, what else could happen?  On Wednesday, according to a USA Today story, Bieber hit a photographer while driving a truck:

In a clip from ABC World News Now, Bieber is seen entering the truck and pulling out of a parking space amid a throng of photographers. As others back away, one of the photographers steps toward the truck and is hit by the front wheel on the passenger side. Another clip shows Bieber kneeling beside the injured man, offering to help.

At one point, Bieber turns and sarcastically asks the group of photographers if they are getting enough footage of the man lying on the ground. The man is eventually put on a stretcher and wheeled to an ambulance.

He just can't avoid the spotlight, can he?  Admittedly, the truck incident was an accident, it seems - Bieber wasn't cited and the photographer did not have life-threatening injuries.

So, let's go back to Monday - the rumors of Justin Bieber starting a church.  Justin's life - the good, bad, and ugly - has played out for the world to see.  He is apparently outspoken about his faith, but his fruit can sometimes be, well, questionable.  So, is Bieber qualified to plant a church?  You could pose the question of what makes a person qualified for ministry.

That's a matter that the leadership of a church in South Carolina is facing.  Last year, the pastor was removed, with alcohol abuse being a prime factor.  But, he has begun speaking at churches, but not at his former church, an issue that was addressed by the interim pastor at a recent "Leadership Night" for the church, which was primarily centered in a new leadership structure for the church.

ChurchLeaders.com reports: that the question was posed at the meeting and the interim pastor, "After "reading Bible passages that detail the moral expectations for someone in pastoral ministry," he said, “We can’t speak for other churches."  He said that the former pastor, in the eyes of the church, "does not currently meet biblical qualifications.”

The former pastor, who has been posting regular video updates on Facebook, was quick to respond. The article goes on: to say that he has accused the church of a “characterization of me being unqualified [for pastoral ministry] that was a direct assault on other churches who invited me in to speak, which is an attack on my livelihood.”

Apparently, there have been some meetings between the former pastor and current leadership, but he has rebuffed invitations to meet with the current interim, saying that he wasn't ready for that.

So, all in all, the church is grappling with effective leadership and the...qualifications for ministry.

Which gets us back to Bieber - so he's not starting a church, it seems.  But, if it were, would it be Biblical?  I can't judge the young man's heart; I certainly see the passion and desire, but are the qualifications present?  I also don't know a whole lot about that former pastor's walk - he's been through a tough time, and apparently his former authorities have concerns about his readiness to go back into pastoral ministry.

One thing I will say, these guys are in the spotlight - and the spotlight can be something God uses, but it can also be a tool of the enemy.  I thought about what happened after Saul became Paul, after his dramatic conversion - he went away.  He details in Galatians 1:

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.

He says in verse 22, "I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ."

I think that each of us should make time for reflection as believers in Christ.  Our personal walk with the Lord can prepare us for doing ministry that brings Him honor; that doesn't exalt self, but exalts Christ and affects lives.

I don't know what Scriptures the interim pastor at that South Carolina referred to that night, but I wouldn't be surprised if 1st Timothy 3 made the list.  We see references to qualifications for bishops and deacons - these are some characteristics that all of us can aspire to.  While this passage deals with pastoral ministry and church leadership, we also recognize that we have all been called, and God will equip us to do His work and bring glory to His name.  We are all called to spiritual leadership - over someone, and by our devotion to Christ and personal character, we can develop the ability to be effective for Him.

Post-Christian

We are called to be servants of Christ to the communities to which He has called us - we can testify
by word and deed to the presence of the hope-giver. Romans 15 says:
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.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, this passage tells us that we are to understand who gives real, lasting, authentic hope - our Lord Jesus Christ.  And, we are encouraged to be unified in our approach toward one another...the church working as one can be a powerful force in our world today.  We can develop a heart to serve, through which we underscore what Christ has done for us, laying down His life so that we can know Him ourselves and to invite others to see and experience what He has done.

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In Psalm 39, we see a contrast between the hopelessness that is contained in this world to the hope we can experience in Christ:
6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.
7 "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You...

Yesterday, I touched on the importance of churches responding to change in their communities.  And, we can seek to be used in the location to which God has called us.

For years, the Barna Group has partnered with the American Bible Society to develop its list of "Bible-Minded Cities," designed to indicate how the top 100 media markets "interact" with the Bible, as the summary indicates.  Chattanooga, TN is the city at the top of the list for 2017, with the Birmingham market in the number 2 position.

Now, Barna has released a list of the most "Post-Christian Cities." This appears to go further than just how people relate to and with the Bible.  According to the survey summary:

Barna has developed a metric to measure the changing religious landscape of American culture. We call this the “post-Christian” metric. To qualify as “post-Christian,” individuals must meet nine or more of our 16 criteria...

These criteria, "identify a lack of Christian identity, belief and practice. These factors include whether individuals identify as atheist, have never made a commitment to Jesus, have not attended church in the last year or have not read the Bible in the last week."

These are questions which are designed to "get beyond how people loosely identify themselves (affiliation) and to the core of what people actually believe and how they behave as a result of their belief (practice)."

Of the top 10 (which could really be considered the "bottom 10") on the post-Christian scale, eight are found in the Northeast United States, with the Portland-Auburn, Maine area topping the list, with a score of 57% relative to the post-Christian criteria. Rounding out the top 5 are: Boston, MA-Manchester, NH, with 56%, Providence, RI-New Bedford, MA, at 53%, Burlington, VT-Plattsburgh, NY, also with 53%, and Hartford-New Haven, CT, at 52%. New York City is next, with 51, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA, and Seattle-Tacoma, WA, both with 50%.

At the bottom of the list is Shreveport, LA, with 12%.  The top Bible-minded city, Chattanooga, is 96th.  The Birmingham market is 94th.

The opening paragraph of the summary contends:

Rates of church attendance, religious affiliation, belief in God, prayer and Bible-reading have all been dropping for decades. By consequence, the role of religion in public life has been slowly diminishing, and the church no longer functions with the cultural authority it held in times past.

One thing that stands out is the church's cultural authority.  We are not merely to be regarded as buildings on a street corner or in a shopping center.  The local church is more than an entity, it is a group of people designed to function for a specific purpose, and that involves being a light to the community to which God has called it.  When you consider the decline in religious practice to which the summary referred, you can see that it is incumbent on the church to step up and reclaim that moral position in society. 

We can do that by recognizing the signs of decline, and respond to these changes by not trying to blend in to culture or compromising the message, but seek to live with distinction.  Our differences should be contagious and the Spirit of God has given us the capacity to reflect Him in the everyday.

The Lord is our source of hope, and Jesus represents to a world that seems to be determined to depart from His ways a path to comfort and assurance; He is the One to Whom people can turn to experience repair of brokenness and renewal of purpose.  Churches in the community can represent depots of hope, a place where people can find answers to their most desperate and disturbing questions, and where they can interact with people who have a relationship with the hope-giver.

Responding to Change

When we encounter change or transition in our lives, God's Word gives us principles that can provide a firm foundation, an anchor for us during those times. Hebrews 13 says:
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?"
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Some characteristics of change include: change is inevitable.  That is one of the assurances of this life - we will have new things come into our lives: new opportunities, new relationships, maybe even new places to live.  But, through it all, we can be anchored in the Lord.  We can also know that change is instructive.  God will work through those periods of change; He walks with us, gives us direction, and develops His nature in us and our dependence on Him as we navigate the challenges of change.

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We can know for certain in this life that change will occur - the challenge for believers is how we are to respond to change.

The children of Israel were facing a change of leadership; the leader, Joshua, taking over for Moses
was facing new responsibility, a new assignment from the Lord. God said to him in Joshua chapter 1:
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

There was a piece from USA Today that ran in the Montgomery Advertiser that deals with how churches in inner-city communities are responding to change.  A word used to describe the conditions that some churches are facing is "gentrification."  Dictionary.com defines that process as: "the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, raising property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses."

The story focused on how several churches are responding to this type of change.  Front and center was a church in Nashville, East Nashville Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation that has found itself in a changing community.  For instance, a posh apartment complex has moved in next door, but behind the church there is Section 8 housing where lower-income people live.  But, Pastor Morris Tipton, Jr. seems to be staying put, even though some area churches have departed. The story states:

His church has survived tornadoes and floods as well as neighborhood crime and redevelopment. It’s not leaving, Tipton said.

“I don’t think God did all of that for us then to say, 'Well, let’s just go on and take the highest bid, and we’ll go find something else,' ” he said. “I just don’t think that’s what God has for us.”

Other examples included in the USA Today piece include:

• In the District of Columbia, a 120-year-old church in what was once a working class black neighborhood has been converted to condos selling for up to $1 million.
• In Springfield, Mo., a church was razed to make way for a Walmart.
• In York, Pa., the city bought a former house of worship to use as potential event space for a nearby hotel.
• In Knoxville, Tenn., Norwood Baptist Church's aging and dwindling congregation merged in January with a larger, thriving congregation in the suburbs.

The article includes observations from Alvin Sanders, who is the interim president and chief executive of World Impact, which is described as a "Los Angeles-based urban missions organization," which "has trained pastors working in impoverished communities across the country."

Sanders says there are four routes that churches generally take in responding to gentrification in their communities:

1) Relocation. "The church follows the neighborhood’s displaced residents."

2) A church stays in place, but "tries to change the makeup of its congregation by reaching a multi-ethnic group across social classes."  That's the model East Nashville Baptist is following. Pastor Tipton is trying to reach the apartment dwellers representing various demographics. He is quoted as saying, "I’m a firm believer that heaven is not racially segregated, and so because of that I think it’s not a good thing for churches to be,” adding, “I just feel led to try to bring back that whole community spirit.”

3) Suburban churches plant urban facilities. 

4) The church closes its doors.

This is a very interesting article and underscores how churches can be challenged to pursue their calling in the location to which they are called.  The question becomes, how are we going to minister to the city or the community to which God has called us?  And, there are many choices.  I also think people can perhaps wrestle with the issue - individually and collectively - of how best to serve in the place where God has positioned.  We can pray for the Holy Spirit to direct us to the right place where we can serve Him and serve others.

I also think we can be encouraged in our response to change.   We can become satisfied in a certain place, a certain, fixed way of life.  That may be a precursor to God calling us out of our comfort zone. There may be ministry opportunities that await us if we are willing to think and act outside of the confines we have been operating in.  There may be a new assignment that He is arranging for us even now.

We can be assured that change will sometimes bring discomfort, which can result in anxiety or frustration.  But, in times of transition, we can rely on the Lord's peace and direction.  We can adopt the view that He is responsible for the change, and will sustain us and walk with us as we navigate what He has in store.

People As Property

In Job 31, the main character is wrestling with his view of his fellow human beings; it's an internal conversation that we all need to have.  In this passage, he upholds the Biblical view of the sanctity of
life:
13 "If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,
14 What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
15 Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

If we are to love others in the proper way, we have to look at the way God loves us.  He is our Creator, and we recognize that because of that, our lives have meaning and great potential, including the potential to believe in Christ, to follow God, and to be with Him for eternity.  We know that God's love is unconditional; there is nothing any of us can do to make Him stop loving us.  And, we realize that He always knows what's best for us and is pursuing that end.  We can be challenged as Christians to extend a deep, undying compassion for all with whom we interact.

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The way that we regard others will determine the level of compassion we show toward them; it's
important that Christians demonstrate that we believe that there is value to life. Psalm 139 says:
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

It's certainly a harrowing incident; consider perhaps as many as 200 people, lured by the promise of a better life, crammed into a tractor-trailer with no air-conditioning by human smugglers who saw the humans on board the 18-wheeler as cargo.  Now, 10 are dead and others were found to be in need of medical attention.

KENS Television in San Antonio described the incident as the work of a Mexican crime syndicate. One man has been arrested; a man who claimed to have not known what he was transporting.

The U.S. Attorney's office has released information, including interviews with some on board.  One of them, known as JMM-J, "told investigators that he left his home in Aguascalientes, Mexico, traveled to Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas and met with smugglers who offered to transport him to the U.S. for $5,500."  The story continues:

JMM-J said he was waiting with a group of 28 when a smuggler associated with the Zetas told him he would charge 11,000 Mexican pesos for protection and 1,500 Mexican pesos to cross by raft into the U.S. JMM-J said he paid the amount and the group was ferried over in three trips.

The next day JMM-J said he and the others were picked up and taken to board the tractor trailer. He estimated that about 70 people were inside when they took off.

JMM-J said the door was closed and it became pitch black inside. He said it was already hot and they were left with no food or water before the journey began. He said they began to make noise and try to get help, but nobody ever came.

After an hour, the immigrant said, people began to pass out and started banging on the walls. They found a hole through which they could get air.  Finally, the truck stopped and people went to six black SUV's that were waiting.

Another individual had told investigators that he had come over with a group of relatives.  After waiting in Laredo for 11 days, they boarded the tractor-trailer - he said 70 people were already there. Another person told authorities that he thought there were 180 to 200 people on board.

The transport of people - described as "human cargo," according to the television station, is a growing problem in South Texas. Another story quoted Laredo police investigator Joe Baeza: "Laredo has thousands of tractor trailers that basically transport goods from the border to northern cities every day, every hour,” adding, “So a lot of the immigrants do hitch a ride unsuspectingly to those truck drivers." The article stated, "Investigator Baeza said this is an ongoing trend."

The idea of people as property can be seen in several instances of our society, and it stems from a devaluation of human life in the minds of many.  This concept of human smuggling or "human cargo" is one of them.  This incident has been described as "human trafficking," but we would commonly think about that activity as being more in the area of sex trafficking and prostitution. Again, in these instances, people are treated as commodities to be bought and sold.

This also can be seen in the arena concerning the sanctity of life.  The practice of abortion is predicated on the concept that a human life in the womb does not have value.  Those who are Christian and pro-life believe the Bible teaches otherwise.  The offensive Planned Parenthood videos that were taken by the Center for Medical Progress show officials in the abortion industry who are dealing in the trafficking - the buying and selling - of the body parts of unborn babies.  To them, these are not lives that they are talking about, but merely commodities.

Now, I want to go back to a conversation aired just last Friday on The Meeting House.  Stuart Shepard of Family Policy Alliance and I were discussing the case of 11-month-old Charlie Gard, who has a debilitating disease.  The hospital, in tandem with the courts, had blocked Charlie's parents from being able to take him elsewhere for treatment.  We discussed the court-appointed guardian for Charlie - not his parents - who is tied to an organization that embraces assisted suicide.  And, our conversation included socialized medicine, or government-run health care.  I contended then, as I do now, that mentality could lead to patients being regarded as property, not people.  It could lead to decisions being made based on economic factors, rather than what is best for the patient.  And, vulnerable people - like Charlie Gard - become the victims.  Now, Charlie's parents have given up the fight, and apparently they had been told that nothing more could be done - the result of the long delay in getting experimental treatment that could save his life.  Tragic, indeed.

As believers, we have been confronted with these sobering headlines.  And, we have to make sure that we are not desensitized by these harmful messages concerning the worth of an individual.  All life is sacred, and we have to make sure that we are operating in our capacity to love others; not regarding others as less than ourselves, but making sure that the way we interact demonstrates that we believe they have value.

Below the Surface

In 2nd Corinthians 4, we encounter a passage that can challenge to think about seeking to experience
more than just what the eye can see or what our senses can take in:
16b Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

We have been placed here on this earth, so our flesh is synced to the earthly realm in which we live. However, there is a supernatural realm, where God operates, where there are spiritual forces at play, determining what is manifested in the natural realm.  We were created to fellowship with God at a supernatural - beyond natural - level, and were created to intersect with Him in that way.  So we have to move beyond what we can comprehend and think about and fellowship with the One Who is able to do beyond what we can ask or think.

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In Proverbs chapter 2, the author uses an analogy about seeking to understand the words of God:
4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding...

We are now into the last week of the month of July; what is typically called "summer" is actually coming to an end - the signs are everywhere: the tax-free back-to-school weekend just occurred, the summer schedule for church activities, such as camps and VBS's are in the rear-view mirror, and more.

Perhaps this summer, your vacation plans included a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida.  Maybe you caught my recent interview from the CBA UNITE event with Jeff Dixon, an Orlando pastor who integrates Disney material into his writing and overall ministry.  It was a fascinating conversation, and one thing he mentioned was the existence of the "utilidors" under the Disney park.  The website, MentalFloss.com, states:

When construction began on the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, the first layer of the park that was built was 392,040 square feet of “underground” tunnels, known as utilidors.

The story points out that these utilidors are actually on ground level and the park is the second floor.
The utilidors were conceived after Walt Disney noticed a cast member from Frontierland wandering about in Tomorrowland in Disneyland - you certainly can't have this.  So, he set out to do something about it in the next park.  In these tunnels, Disney cast members can travel from place to place; also, that's where they eat, where a number of costumes are stored, and where garbage generated goes.  Plus, as the article notes: "Engineering Central, or what used to be known as DACS (Digital Animation Control System), is the place where parades, lights, music, and more are controlled for the entire park."

It's all about the visitor experience - and all of this goes undetected to the average person moving around through Walt Disney World.

The concept of "hidden" services also translates to the transportation industry.  Of course, we know that in major cities such as New York, Washington, DC, Boston, and Philadelphia, there are massive subway systems that move people throughout the respective cities.  And, there is plenty of concern about the transportation burden in the northeast corridor of the U.S.  Enter The Boring Company; which is anything but uninteresting.  It's the brainchild of innovator and really rich guy Elon Musk, who claims to have recently received verbal approval from government officials to move forward on what is called a Hyperloop, a super-high-speed underground rail system that he says could move people from New York to DC in 29-minutes.  That's according to a recent USA Today article.

The Boring Company, as the story notes, was formed to "manufacture faster and more efficient tunnel-boring machines."  But, there are enormous costs that would be associated with the project. The article says:

A 120-mile above-ground stretch of the most comparable U.S. project, a high-speed rail project in California, will cost an estimated $7 billion to $10 billion, she said. But underground projects are more expensive, the hyperloop proposed by Musk is unproven technology and the innovator's system would theoretically travel five times faster than California's.

Similarly, the phase one expansion of New York City's Second Avenue Subway opened for riders on Jan. 1 — nearly a century after the project was proposed. Built at an estimated cost of $4.45 billion, the expansion included three new subway stations along an underground route of no more than two miles.

This almost sounds like a Disney ride - Travelmath.com says the flight distance from New York to Washington is 204 miles.  That puts your travel time on the underground system at around 400 miles per hour.  43 minutes is the estimated time on an airplane.

These two stories talk about action below the surface, unseen activities that can be beneficial.  So, there's the spiritual takeaway - we have to be willing to not just be satisfied with what we can experience with our eyes.  Just as there is a wholly different world under the surface at Disney World, and worlds of transportation that operate or could operate in the future, doesn't mean that is all that exists.

It's true in the spiritual sense, too.  The Bible encourages us to look beyond this temporal world into eternal things.  And, we can also recognize that there are spiritual forces all around us - good forces aligned with the kingdom of heaven and evil forces that represent Satan that operate seemingly in secret to thwart the plan of God for our lives.  We can be challenged to develop a sensitivity to discern how these forces are affecting our lives.  We can especially become more skilled in knowing how God is working and in resisting the work of the evil one.

Plus, our spiritual growth is determined by how deep we dig into God's truth.  The Bible talks about studying God's Word being likened to mining for silver.  We aren't merely called to go with our own human impulses and understanding; no, we are called to read and study God's Word, meditating on its implications for us and relying on the Spirit to show us how to apply it.  It's not acquired by having our minds centered on the things or ways of this world, but by focusing our attention on the things of God.

Self-Styled

Our suffering can lead us into the love of God and the hope of Christ.  We can be drawn into humility and surrender as we recognize that He is drawing us to Himself in the midst of difficulty.  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 desires for us to humble ourselves before Him, and that involves recognizing His supremacy and the Lordship of Christ.  There are those who discover God and talk about Him, yet their lifestyle is not consistent with what the Bible prescribes.  You might call it "self-styled religion."  We have to be careful that we are not picking and choosing what to believe and what to reject, but that we are dedicated to pursuing the "whole counsel of God," as the Bible calls it, being willing to do whatever He calls us to do.

+++++

In James chapter 1, we read about how suffering plays into a life of faith in Christ:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

It's not every day that you see a movie that deals with spiritual themes and features a main character who is endued with power from on high, including an encounter with the Almighty Himself.  You may have seen the movie, Bruce Almighty.  Plugged In gave it 3 out of 5 for family-friendliness - it summed up the plot in this way:

Like many people who don’t understand God, Bruce rails against the Almighty, blaming Him for his troubles. He shouts, "The only one around here not doing his job is you! ... Answer me!" Which God does. In fact, the Lord goads Bruce into a personal meeting and invites the whiny mortal to spend one week in His heavenly shoes, sharing His powers and responsibilities.

The reviewer highlighted the positive characteristics of a film, starring Jim Carrey in the title role, that was marred by its "coarse jokes, foul language and sexual situations." But, the review did say:

Morgan Freeman projects authority, dignity, kindness and a gentle sense of humor. Director Tom Shadyac does a nice job of making his Creator an omniscient, omnipotent, fully competent and loving personality rather than an impersonal force. God isn’t aloof, but intimately interested in seeing his children "be the miracle" to one another through acts of charity.

Jim Carrey is someone who has had quite the mixed bag with regard to spirituality.  According to GodReports.com, Carrey was raised Roman Catholic and "dabbled in Presbyterianism later in life."
He also had told Oprah that he advocates for the "law of attraction" and "visualization techniques." The piece states:

Carrey remains an ardent proponent of Transcendental Meditation, and seems to credit the practice for helping him to overcome depression and remove himself from Prozac and all other drugs, including coffee.

He had told 60 Minutes back in 2010: "I'm a Buddhist, I’m a Christian, I’m a Muslim, I’m whatever you want me to be. It all comes down to the same thing. You’re in a loving place or you’re in an unloving place, if you’re with me right now you cannot be unhappy, it’s not possible.”

Over the past few years, Carrey has been involved with Homeboy Industries in downtown Los Angeles, run by Father Gregory Boyle, which "provides hope and job training for former gang members," according to that GodReports.com article.

He spoke there last month, and at first glance, it appears he was peddling that "you're in a loving place or you're in an unloving place," simplistic philosophy.  Carrey is quoted as saying: “Ultimately, I believe that suffering leads to salvation. In fact, it’s the only way.” Also, "We either decide to go through the gate of resentment, which leads to vengeance, which leads to self-harm, which leads to harm to others, or we go through the gate of forgiveness which leads to grace."

Then things get interesting; Carrey stated:

“You made the decision to go through the gate of forgiveness, which leads to grace, just as Christ did on the cross. He suffered terribly and he was broken by it to the point of doubt and a feeling of absolute abandonment, which all of you have felt."

But he continued to advocate for meditation, and delivered this statement, according to the article:

"They talk about omnipresence in church and nobody really thinks about what that means. What it means is that every cell of your body is God. Everything is God. Everything is divine,” he said, veering into a pantheistic interpretation of God’s omnipresence.

Just as Bruce Almighty presented a viewpoint of God without Christ, Jim Carrey apparently pays homage to God, but doesn't quite understand the salvation message.  His words sound good, and he did present some references to Christ's suffering, and that's encouraging - it's certainly a God-moment in celebrity culture.

But, theologically, overall, he is certainly not sharing about traditional Christian truth.  Let's take some positives and negatives away from Carrey's example.  First of all, as he said to the LA group, "suffering leads to salvation."  The Bible says that the trying of our faith brings patience - God works through suffering, and through what we suffer, even before we come to Christ, He can use that to bring us to Himself.   So, you could say that's fairly accurate, in the Christian sense.

In complimenting the attendees for going through the "gate of forgiveness," embracing the good side of things, he talked about Jesus also went through that gate - in a sense that's true, He forgave the sins of humanity, but He did not have to receive forgiveness because He was perfect.  True, He was broken for our sins, but I would contend He not doubt God His Father.

Finally, Bruce in the film Bruce Almighty believed that he could do a better job of running the world than God Himself.  He learned a valuable lesson in the course of the film.  The actor who played him, Jim Carrey, in a sense, has developed a personal theology that is composed of a number of religious elements.  Christianity + Transcendental Meditation + pantheism does not equal the way that God intends - and nowhere do we see, at least here, the affirmation by Carrey that Christ is the only way to God and salvation comes through His death and resurrection.  It could very well be that Carrey has developed his own self-styled religion that doesn't acknowledge the atonement of Christ nor the importance of obedience to His ways.  But, there is definitely a seed here; one can pray that it would bear fruit to an accurate understanding of the ways of the Lord.  We have to be careful that our theology lines up with the Scriptures, that we are not engaging in "self-styled religion," and that we're not making up our own path and then attempting to put a God-stamp on it.

Clash of Freedoms

We are living in an age where morality and Christian virtue have seemingly less influence than ever.
And, we have to be determined to live godly lives and practice our faith without being trapped into compromise. Galatians 5 says:
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

We are called to free, for sure; but our freedom is never to be an excuse or enabling to commit sin, to do as we please.  We have the restraint of the Holy Spirit who will work through us to produce the fruit that God desires.  We have the ability, the freedom, to choose God's ways; and He has given us the freedom to disobey, as well.  So, we have to be careful that we exercise His freedom rightly. There are those who will exercise personal freedom - to do as they wish - in the area of illicit sexuality; we have to be careful to reject that notion, living truth to ourselves and speaking and living truth to a culture that needs to observe God's ways in action.

+++++

The Bible offers us a template for holy living and having a holy influence.  We are not to use our
freedom in Christ as an excuse to sin, according to 1st Peter 2:
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.

A new LifeWay Research poll addresses this concept, as the summary of the survey states:

When faith and sexuality clash, which side should prevail?

The conclusion: "Americans can’t decide."

Not good.

Here's the gist of the findings:

About half of Americans (48 percent) say religious freedom is more important in such conflicts when faith and sexuality clash, according to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. A quarter (24 percent) say sexual freedom is more important. A quarter (28 percent) aren’t sure.

“It’s clear Americans value religious liberty,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “But when it comes to sex, they aren’t sure religion should have the final word. That’s especially true for younger Americans and those who aren’t religious.”

Of course, I keep my eye on what evangelicals are saying.  In this case, 9 out of 10 said religious freedom matters most.  Almost half of religious "nones" said that sexual freedom matters most.

Another question dealt with whether or not "the freedom they selected is always more important or usually more important." Only "one in 10" respondents said that "sexual freedom always matters most," with 14% saying that it usually does. 31% responded that "religious freedom always matters most," and 17 percent say religious freedom usually matters most.

Again, a large percentage of undecideds - 28%.

Finally, motivation was called into question.  In sexuality issues, is faith or hate the motivating factor.  Almost half said "faith," but about a fifth said "hate," with almost one-third unsure.

This survey clearly shows a division we are experiencing in America.  There are some that say the matters of religious freedom, which is guaranteed under the Constitution, and sexual freedom, which is promoted by the culture, will not be reconciled.  One of those areas, of course, deals with the LGBT agenda.  The Colson Center for Christian Worldview was involved in promoting a statement regarding the protection of religious freedom against the tide of these so-called SOGI laws, which is an acronym for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

In a commentary on The Point, John Stonestreet stated:

Sadly, some in the Christian community want to compromise with SOGI laws by carving out exceptions for churches and some religious organizations. But this is bad news.

First, to say, as SOGI Laws always do, that sexual orientation or gender identity defines a different class of human beings is simply not true. We must tell the truth about human dignity and value.

Second, this kind of compromise leaves out Christians—like florists, bakers, doctors, lawyers—whose religious freedom also needs protecting.

Now I, along with nearly 100 religious leaders, have signed a statement to protect Americans’ religious rights from unjust SOGI laws.

But that's not to say it, reconciliation, can't be done, according to Stonestreet, quoting from Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation in a later Breakpoint commentary. Anderson contends these SOGI laws are not even needed. The way forward, according to Anderson is, first of all, "we should identify real-world instances of discrimination and then tailor-focus responses appropriate for the need, rather than implementing sweeping SOGI legislation.

Also, Anderson contends that terms should be defined - "carefully:" For instance, "There is a difference, for example, between discrimination and making distinctions. Sex-specific bathrooms and locker rooms, for instance, are not based on discrimination, but upon observable physiological and common-sense distinctions."

Stonestreet goes on:

Ryan concludes, “if other policies are adopted to address the mistreatment of people who identify as LGBT, they must leave people free to engage in legitimate actions based on the conviction that we are created male and female and that male and female are created for each other. This would,” Anderson asserts, “leave all Americans—not just the lucky few who are sufficiently well-connected to be exempted from SOGI laws—free to act on those convictions.”

This is commonsense and Biblically-consistent material relative to the attempt to exalt sexuality over freedom to practice our faith.  And, it is true that there are those who want to force people of faith to accept a particular lifestyle that is anathema to our deeply-held convictions.  There is a tension, no doubt, and people of faith often seem to find themselves on the short end of the stick in light of the prevailing winds.  But, we should not be discouraged, but continue to trust in the Lord and live our lives in a manner that reflect those convictions.

We also should not become angry.  Words spoken in anger do not bring the necessary clarity that is needed to present a persuasive point of view.  We should be prayerful and measured in our response to trends in our culture that conflict with the Christian worldview.

Finally, we recognize that God has a plan for sexuality - it is a good plan, and it has been violated repeatedly.  We don't have to compromise in order to make it more palatable; if we do, we diminish the beauty of what He has intended.

Forces Aligned

In Hebrews 11, which has traditionally been called the "faith chapter," we see a series of instructive verses. In the first part of the chapter, we read:
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

So, what is Abel speaking to us today?  He was murdered by his brother - 1st John 3 is very clear: Cain's works were evil and Abel's were righteous.  Into our world today, we still see that there are two sides: good and evil.  Because of the fall, no one can be truly good.  But, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have been given a second chance: He has delivered us from the power of the enemy, and has invited all humanity to come into a relationship with Him.  Many are opposed to Him, but He died for all, so that even those who reject Him are still loved by Him.

+++++

Ever since sin came into the world, we see spiritual forces aligned against each other - for instance, Cain took the life of his brother, Abel, because his sacrifice was not rendered acceptable to God. In
1st John 3, we see the spiritual underpinnings of this conflict of the ages:
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous.

The heat of opposition for our current Administration continues to burn.  It was seen in the so-called Women's March, which really was an amalgamation of a variety of what might be called "social justice" causes.  In addition to the unabashedly pro-abortion slant to the proceedings, you also find a strong LGBT emphasis; there is a rejection of the rule of law in the immigration field; and a redefinition of civil rights that plays to the extremes.

And, at the top of it all, one of the principal leaders recently has called for "jihad" against the President.  Conservative Review reports that:

Linda Sarsour, a Hamas-tied and prominent Women’s March leader, Islamic supremacist, and anti-Semite, has called for a “jihad” (Islamic holy war) against President Trump.

Addressing the 54th Annual ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) Convention this past weekend, Sarsour delivered a 22-minute screed attacking the Trump administration and called on the Muslim community to unite against the White House.

Sarsour began the speech thanking her “favorite person in this room … Imam Siraj Wahhaj, who has been a mentor, motivator, and encourager of mine.” She does not mention that Wahhaj was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombings.

But, she was far from done. She made this indictment: “We are struggling against tyrants and rulers not only abroad … but here in the United States of America, where you have fascists and white supremacists and Islamophobes reigning in the White House..."  The story goes on:

She continued, calling upon Muslims to refuse to assimilate into America.

“Our number one and top priority is to protect and defend our community. It is not to assimilate and to please any other people in authority,” she said. “And our top priority … is to please Allah, and only Allah.”

So, here you have a representation of a variety of agendas - a part of this so-called "resistance," no doubt.  Now, again, I am not an apologist for our President; and I believe that people of faith need to hold him and all our elected leaders accountable.  This, obviously, is beyond the pale.  But there is a disturbing militancy that operates on a number of fronts, which are united against Trump, yes, but historically, you find the pro-abortion, LGBT, and many in the Muslim community on opposite sides of the cultural conflict from those of the Christian persuasion.

Which is odd, because Islam has an extreme view on homosexuality - with provisions of punishment for those guilty of it.  Here's an interesting story, I found, and you can see the story at the InvestorPlace.com website:  It says that coffee chain Starbucks "is facing a boycott by muslim groups in Malaysia and Indonesia."

The backlash faced by the coffee chain is in response to CEO Howard Schultz publicly supporting the LGBT community, letting them know they can always feel at home with Starbucks. However, Muslim groups such as Malaysia’s Perkasa are asking its members to get their coffee elsewhere.

The article continues: "The group was joined with Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second largest mainstream Muslim group, which includes 29 million people. The Starbucks boycott includes initiatives from the groups asking their governments to revoke the trading license that companies such as Starbucks have."

Investor Place says that:

Sodomy is a crime in Malaysia that can land you 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, Indonesia does not ban homosexuality, but there is currently a bill that is being reviewed, seeking to make homosexual relationships illegal, as well as banning sexual relationships outside of marriage.

Interestingly enough, the article linked extreme Muslims and so-called "far right" groups: "Extreme forms of Islam and far-right views believe that homosexuality is a sin, condemning the company’s words and asking for a boycott."

Well, Andrew McCarthy contends in an informative National Review article that:

The inspiration for Muslims to brutalize and mass murder gay people does not come from ISIS. It is deeply rooted in Islamic law, affirmed by many of Islam’s most renowned scholars. This is why, wherever sharia is the law, homosexuals are persecuted and killed.

A crack in the coalition here?  This takes us back to Sarsour.  She embodies what we often find as a unity between pro-abortion, pro-LGBT, and pro-Islamic forces.  I've had the opportunity to ask this question of people in the past as to why this is. Even though the culture treats Islam as the preferred or politically correct religion, its teachings are really at odds with groups with which some Muslim leaders align.  One of the conclusions you could come to is that, despite the attempt to portray it otherwise, the teachings of Islam and Christianity are not aligned.  Muslims and Christians do not worship the same God.  The so-called "reproductive rights" crowd do not acknowledge the sanctity of life as it is taught in the Scriptures.  And, the LGBT activists do not adhere to the teachings of Scripture in advocating their sinful behavior.  So, it is now, as it always has been - there is spiritual warfare that is occurring, and we have to make sure that our lives are aligned with Scripture.

Interestingly enough, even though the Starbucks boycott by some Muslims is over the position of the company's leader on homosexuality, the position of the boycotters is that homosexuality is a sin that is to be punished. Now, while it is true that the traditional Christian teaching is that the gay lifestyle is sinful, and that punishment is provided under the Law of the Old Testament, the Christian faith offers an essential element - grace.  The Bible teaches that those who choose to walk in sin have placed themselves under God's judgment, but we serve a loving God who offers forgiveness if we will repent.

The grace of God emerges out of these stories in a powerful way. For the person who supports abortion, there is an opportunity to embrace His wonderful view of the value of life, a precious creation of God.  For the homosexual, there is a chance to experience freedom in Christ.  For the Muslim, there is the chance to encounter the one true God, who offers salvation through His Son. There are forces aligned against Christians in our world today, and we have to be aware of them, but we don't wage war against them personally; rather, we recognize that they have been deceived by the enemy of their souls, and ours, and the truth can set them free.

Beloved

Believers in Christ can create a welcoming atmosphere, ready to walk in compassion but clear in our
convictions based on the Scripture. 1st John 3 exhorts us:
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

The truth of God's Word compels us and empowers us to exhibit Christ-like characteristics which lead us to welcome others into our fellowship.  The way we walk should, ideally, invite others to become followers of Christ as we are His followers, according to 1st Corinthians chapter 11, when Paul wrote to the church at Corinth to follow him as he followed Christ.  What we have to evaluate is whether or not we are truly following Christ.

+++++

The church in action, living out the character and commands of Christ, can be a powerful and a
welcoming force in our culture. Colossians 3 states:
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

I came across an eye-opening piece from a professor at the University of Nebraska - a professor who was raised in an evangelical background, abandoned it in college, and started attending a Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) church in Lincoln.  Why?  Well, in an article on the Religion and Politics website, professor Max Perry Mueller, who teaches religious studies, said:

I tried Lincoln’s Unitarian and United Church of Christ offerings. But while these denominations’ politics aligned with my own, their theologies and their styles of worship did not. My evangelical upbringing was still with me. I needed more Jesus. I wanted to talk about Him, sing to Him, and exhort Him with my prayers. And I wanted to do so with others doing the same.

Now, Mueller definitely writes from a liberal perspective, but he began attending a conservative church.  His article is full of the indictments against Donald Trump that you might expect from a man in his position.  But, the election actually was something God used to nudge him to seek a deeper walk with Himself.  He writes:

SOON AFTER I BEGAN attending Grace Chapel in September 2016, the arrogance of my self-prescribed mandate to become a Christian witness to longtime professing Christians was made abundantly clear. Grace didn’t need me; I needed Grace. Each Sunday, I’ve gone to church depleted, due to worrying about the damage Trump is doing to the health of our democracy, our civil liberties, and our planet. Weekly fellowship with the Lincolnites—some of whom did vote for Trump—fills up my spiritual reserves for the week when I teach and write; when I call my representatives; when I participate in marches. My time at Grace Chapel has also taught me that I’m guilty of the Manichean thinking—dividing the world into evil (Trump voters) and good (anti-Trumpers)—that I found so unchristian in the evangelical churches in which I grew up.

And, Mueller has caught a glimpse of the role of the church and the kingdom of God:

What’s more, my time at Grace has taught me that I’ve made an idol out of politics. I’ve outsourced to politicians both my power and my responsibility as a citizen and as a Christian to work to build the kind of “beloved community” that I want to live in. As Pastor Ben told me recently over coffee, “This election exposed how fragile democracy is, and how fragile the church is. This current moment has exposed the fact that we can’t control much at a national level. So we must build the kingdom in local ways.”

Mueller is at odds with his father, and that has caused concern - and it is based on who each chose to vote for in the past election.  His father voted for Trump, Max did not.  But, they're both trying for reconciliation, it seems.

Now, he doesn't completely line up theologically with this PCA church.  One example is that he doesn't like that Grace will not ordain gay people.  But, he states:

Despite these misgivings, for now I feel at home at Grace because the leadership and the laity emphasize humility and charity, where each week we are called to “walk alongside”—not in front of—those with whom we disagree.

So, there are some poignant takeaways from this article.  I think the first is that seeds planted can be watered and produce desirable fruit.  Mueller admits to praying the "sinner's prayer" in his early teens but abandoned what he calls "conservative Christianity."  But, a seed was planted and he began attending his current church because he wanted "more Jesus."  We can be confident that the Word of God will not return void and that a person who has a childhood experience with God could one day return to Him, as the Spirit draws him or her.

I really do think about the church as a place where everyone can be "safe."  Max admits that he was seeking out somewhere to be safe - "spiritually and culturally."  And, even though he walks among people with whom he finds disagreement, he has discovered that safety in the church. Now, from a Biblical standpoint, safety doesn't necessarily mean compromise or a lack of challenge; rather a trust that is in operation among people who will disagree with each other, yet accept one another in Christ's compassion.

Mueller also has gained a greater sense of the kingdom.  It is true, the kingdoms of this world will one day pass away and Jesus Christ will be installed as Lord of all people.  It is very easy to trust in political leaders, thinking that our hope is in them - this is deceptive; for our real hope is in the Lord. He will use governmental leaders, but ultimately we are called to place our trust in the hand of a sovereign God, not in fallible humanity.  And, we can regard the Church as a "beloved community," which I consider to be a place where Christ is exalted through relationship - with Him and with one another, so that He might be glorified in us and to our culture.

Speak With Clarity

The Bible teaches us how we are to speak, and the power of the Spirit will help us to control what we
speak. In Colossians 4, we see this verse:
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Sometimes we find ourselves in the position where we need to know how to give the answer that others need, the words that someone else needs to hear.  It's important that we develop personal standards based on the Scriptures that can help restrain us as we speak, as we seek to give accurate and Christ-affirming answers to the questions posed to us.  Clarity is an incredible characteristic that we each have the potential to develop, and we can express it with compassion.

+++++

The Bible is full of references to speaking truth.  And, we have to make sure that what we are speaking lines up with the truth, found in the Word of God.  Zechariah 8 says:
16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace...

When a highly-respected and widely-read theologian makes statements that contradict Scripture, it matters.  And, we as believers in the body of Christ should rightly point out error that is publicly proclaimed.

Such was the case over the past few days regarding the popular author Eugene Peterson.  He is perhaps most famous for the Bible paraphrase, The Message.  He was the subject of an interview series by Jonathan Merritt of Religion News Service.  If you've read very much of the interviewer's work, you know that, under the guise of "religion reporting," he promotes a softening of the Church regarding the LGBT agenda.  So, it's not surprising that he raised the matter, especially after he claims to have "heard" from unnamed sources that Petersen had made statements supportive of same-sex marriage.

Here's the explosive answer from Peterson in response to a question on if his view on homosexuality had changed and his "position on the morality of same-sex relationships:"

I wouldn’t have said this 20 years ago, but now I know a lot of people who are gay and lesbian and they seem to have as good a spiritual life as I do. I think that kind of debate about lesbians and gays might be over. People who disapprove of it, they’ll probably just go to another church. So we’re in a transition and I think it’s a transition for the best, for the good. I don’t think it’s something that you can parade, but it’s not a right or wrong thing as far as I’m concerned.

He also stated that, if he were still pastoring and asked to perform a same-sex wedding, that he would.

Well, the next day, Peterson issued a statement through a publicity agency.  More on that later.  But, RNS published a piece by Merritt doubling down on Peterson's statements.  The writer justified his line of questioning and said this:

It is possible Peterson felt he had been placed on the spot and offered an answer that doesn’t reflect his true conviction. But it is also important to note that in the week prior to the publication, there was no attempt to clarify or change his answer to these questions.

And, he offered this:

To all the LGBT Christians who read Peterson’s words and felt a sense of hope but today feel like deflated tires: I am sorry if today feels like yet another church-induced bruise. Regardless, you are sons and daughters of Almighty God and the object of God’s love. In fact, God is obsessed with you. There is nothing you can do today to make God love you less or more. Trust that these statements are true of you and that their truthfulness is not dependent upon the statements or beliefs of any leader.

RNS included very little of Peterson's retraction in that story, but Christianity Today did a nice job of covering it, as well as the entire series of events.  It offered several excerpts from the statement by Peterson, including these words:

Recently a reporter asked me whether my personal opinions about homosexuality and same-sex marriage have changed over the years. I presume I was asked this question because of my former career as a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), which recently affirmed homosexuality and began allowing its clergy to perform same-sex weddings. Having retired from the pastorate more than 25 years ago, I acknowledged to the reporter that I “haven’t had a lot of experience with it.”

To clarify, I affirm a biblical view of marriage: one man to one woman. I affirm a biblical view of everything.

 And, there was this from Peterson about marrying a gay couple:

When put on the spot by this particular interviewer, I said yes in the moment. But on further reflection and prayer, I would like to retract that. That’s not something I would do out of respect to the congregation, the larger church body, and the historic biblical Christian view and teaching on marriage. That said, I would still love such a couple as their pastor. They’d be welcome at my table, along with everybody else.

The criticism to Peterson after the original article was swift and solid.  One point made by the CT article was that:

LifeWay Christian Stores had reached out to “confirm with Eugene Peterson or his representatives that his recent interview on same-sex marriage accurately reflects his views.” A spokesperson said that because of his retraction, they will continue to sell his books, which include dozens of versions of The Message as well as A Long Obedience in the Same Direction and The Pastor. The store stopped selling Jen Hatmaker’s books last year after she also affirmed same-sex marriage in an interview with Merritt.

He also caution pastors to not get "clouded by controversy and cluttered with loud voices.” Peterson added, "I regret the confusion and bombast that this interview has fostered," he said. "It has never been my intention to participate in the kind of lightless heat that such abstract, hypothetical comments and conversations generate."

So, at this moment, it appears that Eugene Peterson affirms Biblical marriage and will not perform a gay wedding, although it is unclear what his position on the practice of homosexuality, or even gay marriage, actually is.  But, Peterson's comments do offer some instructive principles for us.

One was brought to light by John Stonestreet of the Colson Center and Breakpoint, dealing with the importance of accountability and the need to stand for truth publicly.  He stated in a Facebook post:

News flash: the process of Church accountability worked just as it should. The outcry was justified. This was no private rumination; it was a public interview with the potential for great harm. And it was not ambiguous. His were words worthy of condemnation. Thank God for Christian leaders with the courage to call for repentance. Now the issue has been clarified. I've no way to speak of the sincerity of his recantation vs his original statement, but I do know clarity was brought to the issue itself, especially to a vulnerable church. Praise God.

Stonestreet referred to earlier instances in church history where there was confrontation and resolution. He called for a "church history lesson that starts with St. Paul's confrontation of St. Peter, and visits the church counsels, learns of Luther and lands with Bonhoeffer."

There are those who would want to portray church "leaders" who have "evolved" on the homosexuality issue, i.e. softened their stance on truth, as somehow being enlightened.  It is important that we exercise clarity in our position that is consistent with Scripture and compassion for those who struggle in the area of sinful sexuality.  As Merritt said, God loves the LGBT person greatly, but what he didn't say was that in Christ's love, He desires to set them free from that bondage.

I do believe that there is enormous pressure on the church today to compromise on the teachings of Scripture.  The matter of homosexuality has become a controversy because those who pursue the agenda of unconditional acceptance of sinful behavior are pushing it.  Again, we can be resolute to uphold moral purity that is taught in the Bible and to exercise compassion for all sinners - no matter what their sinful patterns - including, but not limited to, "sexual orientation" and sexual activities.

Finally, I think we can all be diligent to think before we speak and speak to people whom we trust.  In the statement from his literary agency following the RNS story, Peterson noted, regarding his affirmation that he would perform a gay wedding ceremony:

It was an awkward question for me because I don’t do many interviews at this stage in my life at 84, and I am no longer able to travel as I once did or accept speaking requests. With most interviews I’ve done, I generally ask for questions in advance and respond in writing. That’s where I am most comfortable. When put on the spot by this particular interviewer, I said yes in the moment.

Peterson apparently violated a personal policy, or several policies, and he paid the price.  Perhaps we can be challenged to make sure that we follow personal standards, including what we say to certain people.  We have to be so careful to build and maintain trust with people.  We can be challenged to be thoughtful people who use our words carefully and wisely.

The Path

Because we belong to Christ, we have powerful spiritual resources available to us. Hebrews 13 says:
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

We can count on God to do His work in us and to bring us into a position in which we not only know His will, but we can be empowered to follow that will.  It's done through a reliance on the Holy Spirit to show us how to walk, based on our study of God's Word.  But, in order to know the will of God for our lives individually, we need to be in the Word of God, which communicates to us powerful truth that we can apply in our daily walk.

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We have access to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, on Whom we can depend to direct our paths and to help us to discern and to walk in His ways. Isaiah 30 says:
21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

Maybe you or your kids watched the reboot of the classic Mickey Mouse Club - it was called The New Mickey Mouse Club, and some of the stars of that show have gone on to be fairly well-known, to say the least.  As a recent piece at The Stream highlights:

Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera became superstar singers. Keri Russell and Ryan Gosling emerged as well-known actors. Jennifer McGill, however, wasn’t a star.

She had been a student at New York University, but after graduation, jobs weren't exactly opening up for her.  According to the article, she said: “I was frazzled. Overworking and over-comparing.” Through it all, she had the support of her mother; but then things changed - her mom died and Jennifer's life went into a downward spiral.  She isolated herself.  She became involved in a bad relationship at age 30.

The Stream article relates that Jennifer recognized some things about herself:

“I had taken so much of my life into my own hands. I’d narrowed myself, put myself into a spiritual cage. I felt lost and alone.” But then she realized: “He had never left me.” God was waiting, gently, for her to return. And by His grace, she did.

From then on, she never wanted to make a decision without God. “I went back to where I’d begun,” she explained. “God upgraded me to a more intimate relationship with Him.” She started to rethink her decisions with “God as the filter.”

God brought the right people into McGill’s life. Right away she moved to Orlando and began working at The Holy Land Experience. She was “immersed” in a wonderful cast. “They taught me how to be active in my faith. We prayed. There was lots of prayer. They were spiritual warriors.” She began living a real relationship with God. “I was given back all the things I’d let go to re-tether to God. I went straight to the Source.”

She has been involved in a live show called Freedom Fighters, and has a new album coming out on August 11 called Unbreakable.

This story can really teach us some principles about our walk with God.  The first thing that stands out is that comparison is a dangerous and destructive activity.  You could definitely see how the now-superstars that Jennifer worked with on the Disney show could be the objects of envy or jealousy.  And, it appears that Jennifer was someone who was prone to compare - "over-comparing," as the quote says.  As believers, we have to find our own path and walk in it.  His road may not involve fame and fortune - some people will be high-profile, others will be behind the scenes.

We just have to be comfortable where God has called us, and if we aren't confident that we are in the center of His will, then we have to take the necessary steps to get there and encounter His peace. Some of those steps include: a recognition that we are not there, perhaps repenting of actions that are not pleasing to Him, a rediscovery of God's love and presence through prayer and devotion to the Word, and a reliance on Him as we renew our devotion to Him each day.  We can become willing to lay aside our own ambition so that God's plans might be expressed in and through us.

Workplace Wisdom

1st Thessalonians 5, in its concluding verses, gives some brief, but powerful principles that we can
put into practice:
22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

That's the New King James. The King James translation says: "Abstain from all appearance of evil." There are people who will watch us and draw false conclusions about our lives; we just have to make sure that we don't give them ammunition.  Gossip and slander are works of the flesh, and the enemy will use the indiscreet pronouncements to discredit our witness.  So, we have to be so careful that we are seeking to walk in the nature of Christ.  And...we have to guard ourselves about being caught up in spreading rumors and engaging in gossip and slander.

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In 1st Peter 5, we are reminded about the way that the enemy operates, as he seeks to discredit the
children of God:
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Among the faux controversies that has been manufactured by the media during the last few months, the criticism directed toward Vice-President Mike Pence and his position on being alone with a women who is not his wife has certainly generated some discussion, as there have been attempts, documented by Mollie Hemingway at The Federalist, to discredit the Vice-President and make his moral standards some how look out of touch with reality.

Well, it appears that Mr. Pence's moral standard is not that far out of the mainstream.  The website, Hello Christian, reports that:

A new survey indicates that many Americans agree with Vice President Mike Pence when it comes to dining with the opposite sex. Pence came under fire after stating that he does not dine alone with any other woman than his wife. Among 5,282 registered voters, 60 percent of women said it would be inappropriate to have a drink alone with a man who is not their spouse.

48 percent of men surveryed agreed that having drinks would be inappropriate. The marital boundary was coined the "Billy Graham Rule" after the famed evangelist declared that he employed it in his own marriage. Following the ridcule of Pence in the media, Graham's granddaughter, Cissie Graham Lynch, said she was "disgusted" by the media's attempts to "dirty the names of good men."

Lynch went on to criticize the media for its criticism of Pence, whom she said loves his wife, "so much he will do whatever (sic) takes to protect his most cherished relationship." She continued, "We as Christians have to protect our heart and soul form (sic) many things in this world, and we have to set standards so that Satan cannot inch himself into our lives."

The article referred to the Morning Consult poll conducted for the New York Times.  Hemingway published a graphic in her column, which shows that 53% of women and 45% of men found it inappropriate to have dinner with a person of the opposite sex who is not their spouse.  38% of women and 29% of men answered that they found driving in a car with someone of the opposite gender is inappropriate.  And, even about a quarter of women and men found that a meeting at work with someone of the opposite sex was inappropriate.

Hemingway wrote that, "All those many stories about how unforgivably sexist Pence was to protect his marriage? Note that women are even more likely than men to think it inappropriate to have a drink, have dinner, have lunch, drive in a car, or have a work meeting with someone of the opposite sex who is not one’s spouse."  She also points out that:

The New York Times story — which is well-written — notes that women, Republicans, rural voters, Southerners and Midwesterners, and religious people (particularly evangelical Christians) were more likely to show concern about meeting with opposite-sex people who are not spouses.

You’ll also note that women, Republicans, rural voters, Southerners and Midwesterners, and evangelical Christians are far less likely to inhabit newsrooms.

David French, writing at National Review, states that this about the wariness about opposite-sex relationships: "...it’s not just because affairs, harassment, or other inappropriate conduct might occur. The results also demonstrate the extent to which fear of rumors or of even potentially false claims colors human behavior. A single accusation can destroy a reputation and derail a career. Why not keep your office door open? Why not conduct business more in professional settings than in the intimate confines of dinner or drinks?

He also writes:

In my 20-plus years of job experience — in multiple private-sector and public-sector contexts — the influence of private dinners on professional advancement is vastly overstated. At the same time, I’ve seen multiple sexual scandals derail the most promising of careers. Given this reality, caution isn’t extremist or sexist. It’s wise.

I wrote a Front Room blog post about the Pence philosophy, and stated these principles, which I'd like to review.  One is that...

...people who desire to live holy lives are not understood by those who do not possess spiritual understanding. However, it is true that many unbelievers live by a certain moral code - it's just a matter of whose making up the standards. As believers in Christ, we can go to the Scriptures and find principles to which we can adhere.

And, some, like the so-called "Billy Graham rule" on male-female relationships, are not accepted by all believers - it falls in the "preference" category. The point for Graham, like Pence, is to build a "safe zone" around a marriage, to guard against temptation. I think we all can be inspired to fervently and passionately fight to preserve our marriages and not open them up to situations that could be detrimental.

I'd like to add that Randy Carlson stresses how important it is to be intentional about the decisions we make.  This arena of what I would call "workplace wisdom" is so important, because we, as John 10 teaches, recognize that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  We each can be challenged to think about our own personal approach and make sure it's grounded in Scripture.  A marriage is a gift of God, and we have to take the necessary steps to protect it.