We Need More Jesus

We recognize that Christ is our sufficiency: we are incapable of saving ourselves, and we do not
possess the resources in our flesh to effectively live the Christian life; we are indeed helpless without Christ. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

God is calling us to a life of surrender, utter dependence on the Holy Spirit to live through us.  Sure, we can try to live a good life, even make an attempt to live a holy life, but there is no true holiness without Christ; otherwise, it's just insufficient religious practice.  We are most effective when we are relying on Him to not only speak through us, but to manifest His character in us, so that when people look at us, they can recognize the presence of God.

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In 2nd Corinthians 1, Paul relates the image of a surrendered life:
9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,
11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.

"We don't need more religion. We need more Jesus..."

Those are the words spoken recently in one of the plethora of tributes to Billy Graham - that was from one of the powerful proclamations, which came out of a conversation between Kathie Lee Gifford of NBC's Today show and her fellow host Megyn Kelly.

CBNNews.com summarized her comments.  Gifford stated:

"What just happened for Billy, happened for my husband, happened for my mother, for my father. Everybody that dies in Christ...goes immediately into the arms of Christ for eternity. That is the hope of the Christian faith," Gifford told Kelly.

"Yes, it gives us the tools we need to live in the world today while we are alive," Gifford explained. "But that's why I could hold my dead husband in my arms and rejoice, because I knew where he was."

"And it gives you the peace that passes all understanding," she continued. "If we've ever needed peace in this world, we need it now, right?"

She related how she came to Christ through one of the Billy Graham movies, The Restless Ones:

"God met me right where I lived," Gifford said. "I wanted to be an actress. So where does God meet me? In a movie theater."

During the Today interview, according to CBN, she "shared that her whole family came to Christ through the Billy Graham organization."

In a moment of boldness on the NBC set, Kathie Lee challenged viewers - the article says:

"I feel so privileged to share the good news. 'Gospel' means good news and I'm not talking about a religion. I'm talking about a relationship with the living God. They are so different," Gifford said.

"We don't need more religion. We need more Jesus," she said as the studio audience applauded.

Reflecting on Graham's death, Gifford told Kelly and her audience to "use this opportunity to look into your own heart."

"Everyone one of us should, and say, 'Do I have a malignancy of my soul? Where's the doctor?'" the TODAY Show co-host asked. "Well, the good news is that the doctor is in. And he conquered death for all time for everyone of us. And it's free. Probably the only thing in this whole world that is completely free."

There's also a personal tribute by Gifford on the Today show website.  In it, she wrote:

There’s a wonderful verse in Micah that says, basically, this is what God requires of you — to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. And by those standards, Billy lived an extraordinary, exemplary life.

The preface to that article said she had a 50-year friendship with the evangelist.

What a wonderful opportunity to share that good news in front of a national television audience.  And, the tributes have poured out in the media, and during the next few days, many will pay their respects, as the earthly body of Graham lies in repose at the Billy Graham library today and tomorrow and then in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and Thursday before the funeral in Charlotte on Friday.

From this profile delivered by Kathie Lee Gifford, you gain a sense of the authenticity of the man. He was a powerful preacher of the gospel, but the way he conducted himself added to the message.  He proclaimed the gospel through words and actions.  He was not flashy, self-serving, or prone to call attention to himself.  I think people looked at Billy Graham and it sparked something in the heart of human beings.  It came from a life devoted to God.

We can unleash the supernatural presence of God through our humility.  If we try to act spiritual as a means of drawing attention or currying favor with certain people, our productivity will be limited.  But, if we live a surrendered life, regarding ourselves as empty vessels asking the Lord to fill us, then the true presence of God will be manifested through our lives.  That's the reminder - we can aspire to live a holy life, but true holiness comes as we rely not on our own efforts but on the work of God in and through us.

Wakanda Forever

Jesus told a story in Luke chapter 10 that illustrates a powerful truth about our response to injustice.  It is a story referred to recently by a Christian commentator in a piece about a current movie release.  Jesus' main characters: a wounded man who had been robbed, a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan. The priest and Levite left the man on the side of the road, and the Samaritan tended to the wounded man's needs.  We read:
36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"
37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Jesus delivered this compelling story in response to the question, "...who is my neighbor?"  We have been given unbelievable resources through which we can minister to the needs of others.  We have the compassion of Christ, the power and direction of the Holy Spirit, and perhaps physical resources that can be used for God's glory. But we can choose to keep these treasures to ourselves or to use them to touch people's lives, to further the Kingdom of God, and glorify Him.

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Stories can be used to illustrate deeper truths and applications. After he gave the parable of the sower in Mark 4, Jesus challenged the disciples:
10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.
11 And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
12 so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.' "

The film is smashing records, and it is certainly a cultural phenomenon, for good reason.  The latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther, is a film that contains some highly important messages, and it's certainly an entertaining film.

Box Office Mojo listed some of the box office achievements of this film.  It is "only the fifth film to ever deliver over $200 million in its first three days of release and the second largest four-day gross in history."  It holds the title for Largest February Opening Weekend, Largest Winter Season Opening Weekend, Largest President's Day Opening Weekend, at just over $242 million. It now has the largest Monday in history.  Also, "Beyond those charts, Black Panther places second only to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as the second highest four-day gross of all-time and the second largest Sunday of all-time by just $485,750."

Cultural commentator Jim Denison of The Denison Forum shared this straightforward summary of the plot and its implications:

Black Panther is about an African nation called Wakanda, which developed a metal called “vibranium” from a meteorite. Vibranium helped them produce an extremely advanced civilization and technology they have hidden from the world by posing as an impoverished country.

At the heart of the movie is a dilemma: Should they share what they know with those in need?

If they do, will they lose control of their resources? Will people use their technology for evil? Is their king’s highest duty to his nation or to humanity? If he refuses to help those he can, what kind of country will Wakanda become?

Martin Luther King Jr. noted, “The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'”

Black Panther resonates with audiences in large part because its dilemma is our dilemma. Every day, we must face the question of serving self or serving others.

Now, as a Movieguide article adeptly points out, the religious elements of the film are centered around ancestral worship.  The "gods" of Black Panther are not the God of the Bible.  Put that aside, and you find some themes that are consistent with the Bible, as Denison points out.

I sought out an African-American Christian perspective on the film, and found some good ideas which were consistent with my own appraisals of the film.  A piece by Esau McCaulley appeared at the Christianity Today website. He says the film...

...did not set out to highlight black suffering, but black achievement. Furthermore, it was black achievement in a black context. For black people, this was a film for us, by us, and about us.

He states:

American evangelicals might look to Black Panther as a starting point for dialogue and reflection as they increasingly address concerns about diversity, reconciliation, and representation in their churches and the church at large.

McCaulley writes:

At the heart of the film lies the question: What are those with resources (the Wakandans) going do about black suffering in the world? The film posits three responses: violent black nationalism, isolationist black nationalism, and an engaged nationalism that addresses the rest of the world.

The first point of view is represented by the challenger to the throne, the nephew of the late King T'Chaka, who is known as Killmonger.  By contrast, the new king, T'Challa, T'Chaka's son, in the titular role, is concerned with protecting the valuable resources of Wakanda.  But, there is pressure from within his inner circle to be more generous and use what Wakanda has to touch the world.  McCaulley writes:

Black Panther shows us that rejecting violent nationalism need not carry with it rejecting the concerns of oppressed peoples. This idea is deeply Christian. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. could say that “riots are socially destructive and self-defeating” and that “a riot is the language of the unheard.”

If you read the review, just know that there is a spoiler alert about which direction T'Challa takes.

A little aside here:  You may remember, I shared the story from the set of the film a few weeks ago from actor Sope Aluko.  There is another actor who has been sharing her story of a relationship with Christ.  Her name is Letitia Wright, who plays T'Challa's scene-stealing little sister, Shuri.  In Relevant Magazine, you can read this:

On the UK talk show This Morning a couple weeks ago, Wright joined co-star Daniel Kaluuya for a talk about the movie. When she was asked about her road back to acting, Wright confessed she had to step away from the industry for a time, but a relationship with Jesus proved to be her way back:

I needed to take a break from acting, because I really idolized it. So I came off from it and I went on a journey to discover my relationship with God, and I became a Christian. It really just gave me so much love and light within myself. I felt secure, like I didn’t need validation from anyone else, or getting a part. My happiness wasn’t dependent on that, it was dependent on my relationship with God.

Wright assured the hosts that things weren’t all crystal clear but affirmed that her faith is a process. “I’m not perfect. As a Christian, you’re not perfect, you know, but you’re walking everyday and trying to stay connected. I’m really grateful. I’m centered in who I am.”

Several takeaways from these comments today:

First of all, seek out application in stories.  Jesus taught us valuable spiritual principles through stories, through parables.  He had the supernatural ability to penetrate the heart through the way He communicated.  Sometimes there are stories that have no redeeming message, and we can reject them - but if we find stories that line up with Scripture, perhaps the Holy Spirit would want to teach us truth.

We can also pay attention to one another's stories.  The audience for Black Panther are incredibly diverse:  according to Fortune magazine, 37 percent of the audience in the U.S. over the holiday weekend was African-American, 35% was white.  Black audiences no doubt resonate with the mostly-black cast, as well as the messages of achievement and empowerment in a positive way. White audiences have the potential to come away with an appreciation of elements of the black experience and issues.

As McCaulley touches on, the evangelical community can be inspired to consider some of the themes.  I would say that the whole notion of response to opposition, including oppression, is a major theme.  And, T'Challa and the Wakandans had a choice - would they continue to isolate themselves or use their resources to address issues and bring about solutions?  The film, I believe, does depicts an incorrect response: to respond in anger and use violent means to overthrow the oppressors and by so doing to create a better world, a utopian world under the dominance of one powerful entity who overcomes oppression by oppression.  But, it also shows correct responses...the film raises important questions and does so in an entertaining way.

Who's Heard of Billy Graham?

In order to enjoy the relationship with God He desires for us to have with Him through Christ, and to really see the power of God expressed through our lives, it's important that we develop a sense of
humility. Jeremiah 9 issues the warning and portrays a life without that important characteristic:
12 Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?
13 And the Lord said, "Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it,
14 but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them..."

There is a Biblical premise of sowing and reaping.  If we are humble before God, as He instructs, then He will manifest Himself through our lives - we will know Him and can follow His will. However, if we "forsake" His ways, if we believe that our ways are best and do not humble ourselves and put Him first, then we will discover the fruit of doing things our own way, which is far inferior to what God has in store.  He calls us to lay down our selfish pride and humble ourselves before Him.

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In Proverbs chapter 18, we read a passage of Scripture that is concentrated on humility, which was an attribute of the late Billy Graham.  Picking up at verse 12, we can see:
12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.
13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?
15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.

Today the world continues to mourn the loss of Billy Graham, and during the next few days, his life and legacy will be explored and highlighted.  I just think that the idea of a motorcade from Asheville to Charlotte is a moving tribute to someone who touched millions.

As I shared yesterday, according to a fact sheet from the DeMoss PR group: "More than 22 million people have made a commitment to Jesus Christ through a Billy Graham or Billy Graham Evangelistic Association outreach effort."

The webpage also notes that:

Billy Graham was regularly listed by the Gallup organization as one of the "Ten Most Admired Men in the World." Since 1955, Graham was chosen a record 61 times (55 consecutive years, except when the question was not asked in 1976)—more than any other individual in history.

It reports that a 2005 Gallup poll reported that "35 million Americans—one in six adults—had heard Billy Graham preach in person."

More than 400 crusades in 53 countries on 6 continents.  215 million people reached in live audiences.

This is impact - the power of a life humbled to God, dedicated to doing His will preaching the gospel.

LifeWay Research did a survey on the impact of Billy Graham.  It was released on his birthday last year.  The survey summary says:

The survey of 1,000 churchgoers—those who attend a Protestant or nondenominational church at least once a month—found Graham has had widespread influence.

Two-thirds of those surveyed had some contact with Graham’s ministry, according to LifeWay Research:

• 48 percent watched a Billy Graham sermon on television.
• 18 percent listened to one of his sermons on the radio.
• 15 percent read one of his books.
• 14 percent read a Billy Graham newspaper column.
• 11 percent attended a Billy Graham crusade.
• 8 percent watched a Billy Graham sermon online.

The article also states:

If you go to a Protestant church, chances are you know of Billy Graham, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research.

“We’d be hard-pressed to find another American Christian leader who has that kind of name recognition,” said McConnell.

There are three concepts that I want to draw attention to.  One is the concept of heaven. The BillyGraham.org website published this quote from this great preacher:

“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”

Billy Graham was convinced that his true home was in heaven.  He was also passionate about telling people how to get there through a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

You could also say that a key to Graham's effectiveness was that he truly desired to honor God.  His life was lived in a manner to bring glory to Him.  He said:

“If you are a true Christian, you will not give way at home to bad temper, impatience, fault-finding, sarcasm, unkindness, suspicion, selfishness, or laziness.”

His life reflected not a hint of scandal - as it has been publicized, he took precautions to avoid the appearance of inappropriate relationships with women.  He was devoted to personal holiness.

And, he demonstrated a spirit of humility.  According to the BillyGraham.org website, when he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he said:

“My primary desire today in having my name inscribed upon this Walk of Fame is that God would receive the glory,” he said. “I hope someday somebody will come and say, ‘Who is Billy Graham? What did he stand for?’ Perhaps a child will ask his parents or grandparents, and they will tell him that he was not a celebrity, not a star, but a simple preacher of the Gospel. And that they might explain the Gospel to him, and that many might find Christ in that.”

Path of Destruction

Jesus is described in 1st John chapter 2 as our "Advocate;" we are to run to Him when we sin and not
away from Him:
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

A couple of things here: for one, the Bible is given to us that we "may not sin."  Does that mean we can live a life of sinless perfection?  Well, yes and no - it's possible, but the Bible tells us that we all have fallen short of it already.  But, by appropriating God's Word and living by His Spirit, we can decrease our level of sinfulness.  And, when we do sin, we know that He is standing there, willing to receive us and to extend forgiveness and enable us to overcome the operation of sin in our lives...He desires for us to come before Him with repentance and to bring about restoration.

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In Psalm 19, the Bible speaks to the nature of sin and types of sinfulness. We can read:
12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Some other translations use the word, "willful," instead of "presumptuous" in verse 13.

Sin is a cancer - the original sin in the Garden resulted in the separation of humanity from its Creator, and damages our relationship with God.  Fortunately, we have a Savior who came to set us free from our sins, to give us victory over its power, and to provide forgiveness for our sins, when we come before Him and confess our sins.

But, sin has its consequences, and while the Bible does speak of "secret faults," even those sins that are only known to us can bring harm to relationships - with God and others.  There are the more apparent sins that bring their share of devastation.  Truth is, in so many cases, sin isn't just between you and the Lord.

Consider the path of destruction that was set out upon by one willful act - it was a decision, not just something that occurred in the moment.  A youth pastor sexual assaulted one of the students in his youth group.  This became quite a secret - you had another church staff member who attempted to cover it up.  According to the website, Facts and Trends,

Larry Cotton, director of an internship program at The Austin Stone Community Church, an influential megachurch in Austin, Texas, has resigned for failing to report sexual abuse at a church he served in the past.

While associate pastor at The Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church (now known as Stonebridge Church) in the mid-1990s, Cotton learned that a youth pastor on staff had sexual contact with high school girl named Jules Woodson.

Cotton arranged for Andy Savage, the youth pastor, to leave the church quietly. He did not report the incident to police and allegedly advised the victim to keep her accusations to herself.

According to the article, Savage has been placed on leave from a Memphis megachurch, where he had been serving - an investigation is underway.

The article states that:

Boz Tchividjian, founder of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), says churches should report alleged abuse to the police or other authorities.

Church leaders, he argues, don’t have the training needed to investigate the allegations. And they can’t be objective, says Tchividjian, a former child abuse prosecutor. They are tempted to focus on protecting the church’s reputation rather than safeguarding victims.

Meanwhile, Savage publicly confessed to a minimized version of his sin before his church after his victim called his attention to it.  Stunningly, he received a standing ovation.  The website, Christ and Pop Culture published an article by Abby Perry, in which she cried foul over the pastor's lack of repentance.  In the story, Perry compared the Savage story to that of a Hollywood writer, Dan Harmon, creator of the TV show, Community, and his assault on a lady named Megan Ganz.  She said that Savage...

...referred to his assault of Woodson as a consensual “sexual incident” rather than assault. While apologizing to Woodson for her continued pain, Savage said he wanted to “cooperate” with her, a word that sounds neutral or even good on the surface, but in the apology’s context seemed only to reinforce Savage’s belief that he doesn’t bear any more responsibility in the situation than Woodson does. Savage also stated that he believed the situation had been handled in a “biblical way” since he left the church where the “incident” occurred.

After Megan Ganz publicly told her story, Dan Harmon took to Twitter and his podcast to address the accusations. He referred to his harassment of Ganz as “creepy,” “cruel,” and “abusing his position.” He apologized to Ganz and said he wanted her to “call the shots” and determine what was “just.” Harmon stated that “I lied to myself the entire time about it, and I lost my job. I ruined my show. I betrayed the audience. I destroyed everything, and I damaged her internal compass.”

Perry writes, "Harmon’s apology on his podcast was met with a statement of public forgiveness from his victim, who told her Twitter audience, 'Please listen to it… it is a masterclass in How to Apologize.'”

Perry lamented how "men in church leadership positions advised a fellow pastor to minimize his story, ostensibly to protect Savage and their church’s image." She pointed out that a Hollywood figure could apologize and exhibit repentance in a manner that is superior to that of a Southern evangelical pastor.  She writes:

Abuse of power, refusal to admit sin in its fullness, and grasping authority with clenched fists have no place in God’s kingdom. His is an economy of intertwined justice and grace, one that looks sin in the face and is repelled by it, not minimizing its grotesque nature but covering it with true grace. True grace does not thinly veil gross moral failure and allow those who commit it to continue wielding power, but offers discipline, discipleship, care, wise counsel, and friendship as means of walking with a person who has fallen.

As Christians navigating a culture that has long repressed the stories of the abused, our primary motivation must be to “proclaim liberty to the captives” by bearing witness to their stories and holding space for their healing processes.

I think the number one takeaway from this information today is that sin is not just about you.  Your personal sin can be a component of a path of destruction that adversely affects the lives of others.  Sin corrupts and damages lives - the life of the sinner and those who are affected by it.  We have to be careful that we don't try to conceal or cover up our sins or participate in someone else trying to hide their sin.  Confession can contribute to making things right...

And that should be our desire - to set things right.  That involves personal confession and inner struggle, but could also involve going to the person who has been offended - directly - honestly.

We also recognize the cancerous nature of sins in our souls and be mindful to keep a short list of sins. We have to make sure that we recognize that Jesus, as our Advocate, invites us to come before Him and receive forgiveness, in humility and repentance.  Repentance is more than an empty confession or hitting a "reset" button - as Perry writes:

The biblical word for repentance means “to change one’s mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins.” It represents a true turning from sin, which requires knowing what the sin was in the first place and labeling it as such.

Also, remember Numbers 32:23..."be sure your sin will find you out."

God's ultimate aim is a restoration of relationship - with Himself and with others, and as Galatians 6 teaches, we can be involved in that restorative process:
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Applied

Soul and societal transformation can proceed from the hand of God.  And, His Word, living in the heart of a willing individual, can result in a tremendous impact on the people with whom we interact.  Joshua was taught principles of leadership by God in the 1st chapter of the book of Joshua:
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."

The Word of God, we are told in Hebrews is living and active; as it is strategically infused into a human heart, can result in true and lasting heart change.  We each have the potential to bring about change in our culture, light in our surroundings, and to proclaim freedom in Christ to those who have no hope, whose lives are heading in the wrong direction.  As we depend on the Lord and apply His truth in whatever we encounter, we can see His presence go before us to bring about change.

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The great reformer Frederick Douglass was inspired by 2nd Corinthians 3:17.  I want to share that
verse and the following one to paint a picture of the potential for freedom, for life and culture transformation, that the Scriptures relate:
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The year was 1818 - 200 years ago this month, on February 14.  It was the day on which Frederick Douglass was born.  I referred to Douglass yesterday in discussing advisers to President - he advised 5 of them!

Josh Shepherd interviewed Rev. Dean Nelson, the chairman of the Douglass Leadership Institute for The Stream, and I want to relate some more content from that interview.

Douglass was born into slavery and was devoted to the abolition of it.  He is someone who apparently applied a deep faith in the Lord to the work that he did.  According to the article:

Douglass became committed to Christ at a very early age. He used the Bible as the framework for why he worked to abolish slavery. Many are familiar with the passage from Second Corinthians chapter three: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. His faith influenced his understanding of what freedom is.

In his own personal walk, the inspiration of the Scriptures helped him overcome hatred and bitterness. As a result, before his former master departed this life, Douglass spent time with him. He forgave the man’s cruelty and reconciled with him. This reflects the foundation of Christianity, which is love.

Douglass saw communication as an important tool in encouraging black Americans, according to Nelson.  He started The North Star - Nelson said:

Douglass felt it was important to have a voice that was for the abolition of slavery, from the standpoint of black Americans. The North Star was a newspaper owned and operated by black Americans that actually reached black Americans.

And, Douglass was someone who was devoted to our nation's founding documents and challenged the church, according to Nelson:

Today, many voices seek to redefine the Constitution. Douglass resonates with the ideas of freedom and Constitutional government. That’s critical in our time. He echoes how important America’s founding documents really are.

At the same time, he also challenged where there were inequities. Douglass was famous for challenging the church. He observed what he called “slave-whipping, cradle-plundering, hypocritical Christianity.” It’s a good example of how he was a prophetic voice to the church. Committed to biblical principles, today we too can challenge the status quo.

Nelson spoke recently to the Family Research Council in Washington.  The FRC website has these notes:

As a young man, Douglass recalls a very personal and transformative encounter with God:

“I knew very well—I was wretched, and had no means of making myself otherwise. ...I was, for weeks, a poor, broken-hearted mourner, travelling through the darkness and misery of doubts and fears. I finally found that change of heart which comes by ‘casting all one’s care’ upon God, and by having faith in Jesus Christ, as the Redeemer, Friend and Savior of those who diligently seek Him. I seemed to live in a new world, surrounded by new objects, and to be animated by new hopes and desires. I loved all mankind—slaveholders not excepted; though I abhorred slavery more than ever. My great concern was, now, to have the world converted.”

After escaping slavery, Douglass became a licensed minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Perfecting his writing and oratory skills, Douglass’s commitment to Christ and his calling fueled his new mission to abolish American slavery.

The Stream article also points out that, "The White House and Congress recently created the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission. Days ago, President Trump appointed Dr. Alveda King to serve on it." Nelson said:

We’re really excited about this effort. Not only is Alveda King part of it, but my good friends Star Parker and Kay Coles James are also on the commission. They are joined by Senator Tim Scott and Ken Morris, Frederick Douglass’ great-great-great grandson. Ken and I have become very good friends. They are all serving together on this project.

Alveda King is the niece of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Star Parker leads the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and Kay Coles James is the new head of the Heritage Foundation.

A recent Baptist Press article written by African-American church leader Curtis Woods of the Kentucky Baptist Convention related the story and passion of Carter G. Woodson, who, in 1926, "...established an annual Negro History Week (now Black History Month), seven days in February devoted to the celebration of black history and culture. He selected February to honor the birthdays of two cultural change agents, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Douglass, whom many regard as one of the greatest Christian intellectuals in American history, finds his name virtually unknown amongst most evangelical Christians then and now. It disappoints me to even think about this fact."

Woods writes that:

I agree with Woodson's construal that "no one can be thoroughly educated [in America] until he learns as much about the Negro as he knows about other people."

Black history is American history.

In the Woods article, Frederick Douglass is described as a "cultural change agent."  And, as the FRC website says, presumably quoting from Dean Nelson, "Douglass’s commitment to Christ and his calling fueled his new mission to abolish American slavery."

He was not content to merely have escaped slavery; no, he was dedicated to allow his experience to motivate him to improve society - he apparently was not a bitter man, but a man who was better than his circumstances.  We can allow the experience we have had to be used of God to influence culture positively.

He also was not an excuse maker.  Unlike some, he saw the Constitution as a document that could be used to empower freedom. According to a Heritage Foundation piece linked to the Stream article, Douglass argued that "none of the clauses of the Constitution should be interpreted as applying to slaves. The 'language of the law must be construed strictly in favor of justice and liberty,' he argued."  He said, “Anyone of these provisions in the hands of abolition statesmen, and backed up by a right moral sentiment, would put an end to slavery in America,” Douglass concluded.  Of course, there are those that disagree with that perspective.  A takeaway for us: we can be challenged not to make excuses for our conditions, but to leverage the tools at our disposal to perform the will of God.

A key word for us today: application.  We can take stock of what God has given to us in order to perform His will, to positively impact the lives of others with the truth and power of the gospel - infused with the love of Christ.

Surrounded

The Bible gives us clear instruction as to how we are to regard those who are placed in positions of leadership, including Presidents and all those who serve in political or governmental roles.  Romans
13 states:
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

So, our governmental leaders, whether they realize it or not, have a responsibility before God.  Daniel teaches that they have been placed there.  And, the Bible speaks to the role of government, which has implications for the size of government.  We also recognize that it is not the government's role to prevent the practice of faith; rather, I believe that faith consistent with the Scriptures should be upheld and adhered to by our leaders.  We can pray for the end - that they would seek the Lord and follow godly counsel.

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Paul reminds us to pray for authorities, including governmental leaders, in 1st Timothy chapter 2:
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

On this Presidents' Day, I wanted to point to a group of people who are very important in contributing to a President's legacy, the policies for which he is known, and the legacy for which he is remembered.  A President cannot go it alone - he (or she) must have people around him who provide strength and counsel.  People to whom that leader will listen - but not just people to affirm the leader's point of view, but who will offer direction, and even be bold to disagree.

And, you really hope it can be godly counsel.  Much has been made of the evangelical advisory board that then-candidate Donald Trump formed during his general election campaign.  Many of these apparently still have the ear of the President today.  One could make the case that his response to the immigration issue has stemmed from this ad hoc committee's input.

But, this group has been maligned in the media, especially when Trump makes a misstatement or seems to contradict the principles of Christianity.  But, you would hope this is not a one-way street or a symbolic assortment, but that they are speaking into his life and holding him accountable.

Throughout the years, Presidents have had people that will speak truth to them.  Someone who comes to mind is Billy Graham - according to an article that ran on the CBS North Carolina website:

Billy Graham met with every sitting president from Truman to Barack Obama.

Asked by CBS North Carolina how his father had the close type of adviser role to so many presidents across party lines over such a long period of time, Franklin Graham said, “Well, first of all, the politicians, for the most part, are self-serving. They saw that Billy Graham attracted a large crowd and they wanted to be seen with him. It wasn’t so much that my father wanted to be with him. They sought him out.”

The article states:

Billy Graham’s role ranged from times of national tragedy to personal difficulty.

“All of them he had a relationship, but it was prayer. He’d pray with them. I think Nixon he was the closest. And I think when he heard those tapes that there was another side to Nixon, he was so disappointed because he didn’t know that Nixon used that kind of language, didn’t know that Nixon had that other side to his life,” Franklin Graham said.

“My father, when a person was in trouble, he didn’t run away from them. He got even closer to them.”

Graham began his relationships with the 33rd President - Truman, and it continues through the 45th -
Billy Graham may not have met with Trump while he has been President, but Franklin said that he knows Trump "very well."  The President was at Graham's 95th Birthday party in 2013.

There is an article that appeared recently at The Stream about an adviser to five Presidents.  His name is Frederick Douglass.  I will discuss him more tomorrow.  There was a Q&A with Rev. Dean Nelson, Chairman of the Douglass Leadership Institute.  About Douglass, he said:

There is hardly a more formidable figure in American political history than Frederick Douglass. He was born into slavery in 1818. He overcame tremendous obstacles to not only escape from slavery, but then to go on to be a leading figure in the abolition movement. He ended up being the most photographed person in the 19th century, because he used the technology of his day to help advance his cause.

Douglass was an advisor to five U.S. Presidents. He was a social reformer — and not only for the abolition of slavery. He advocated for women’s suffrage and also for the rights of black Americans. I believe God raised him up as a unique figure during the Civil War era. He had a deep dedication to American principles and an abiding faith.

Historians lament he’s the most famous person that no one in this current generation knows much about. It’s our hope that through our initiatives, we can reintroduce him. Douglass became one of the greatest statesmen our country has ever known.

Godly counsel - that's something you can definitely pray for.  We need godly men and women, strategically placed by the Holy Spirit, who will speak truth to power, who are devoted to applying God's Word in the enormous situations we face as a nation.

We also recognize that even though you may not be an adviser to a President or some other politician, you can definitely assist our leaders - by praying for them.   The Bible is clear when it tells us to pray for those in authority.  Why?  So that we can lead gentle and quiet lives, that we can live in an atmosphere for the gospel to flourish, according to 1st Timothy 2.

Victory

Victory is a concept that involves overcoming; it's a competitive concept, and we can think about how God desires for us to compete effectively over those spiritual forces that can defeat us.  Hebrews 12
offers this insight:
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.

There are threats that we encounter consistently that would derail us in our walk with Christ.  Victory is not a challenge-free life, no, it's how we respond to and meet those challenges that determines our level of victoriousness.  The trials will come and we can allow God to be in control to the extent that He enables us to effectively navigate what comes our way.  And, when we fail, when we sin, we can confess our sins and walk in His sweet forgiveness.

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With the Olympic Games in progress, there is much emphasis on winning and losing, on attaining
medals and athletic success. In Christ, the Christian has an opportunity to experience true spiritual victory. 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.

Victory takes a lot of different forms.  For the Olympians who compete day and night, they are aspiring for greatness in their respective fields of endeavor.  But, there are some Olympians who have experienced victory in a variety of ways and have seen God's hand in profound ways.

Alexa and Chris Knierim are figure skaters who have been married since 2016. Christianity Today reports that "Not long after their wedding, Alexa underwent three surgeries for a life-threatening abdominal illness."

But, as the story relates, Alexa was back out practicing not long after that third surgery.  Sure, her endurance was limited, but she kept at it.  The article states: 

"I may have lost a lot of faith in myself, but I grew with my faith in God,” Alexa says. “I have some insecurities now that I didn’t have before, but I’m able to work on it and move forward because I’ve shifted my focus and my attention to my faith instead of myself.”

A ReligionNews.com story on the couple states:

Her Christian faith was “the reason I was able to get back on the ice,” she told People.

“I stopped worrying and stopped trying to control life, because I couldn’t. In the moment, you know, I was so sick and didn’t really know where things were going to go for me, whether it was skating or life in general. So I finally just threw my hands up and said like, ‘You lead the way,’ and it’s my testimony and I stay true to it.”

That faith plays a big role in the pair’s lives, she said. The two take part in a group prayer before competitions and meet regularly with other Christian athletes in Colorado, where they now live, according to People.

For Alexa, victory is more than just recognition on the ice; it means seeing God's control in her life, even in the midst of trial.

Katie Uhlaender is trying for an Olympic medal in her fourth appearance in the Winter Games.  She competes in the skeleton, which is essentially downhill sledding - very fast.  She narrowly missed out on a medal in Sochi, losing out to a Russian who was later disqualified, but then reinstated.  So she had to deal with that. The Gospel Coalition website highlighted another form of adversity in her life - the loss of her father...

...Uhlaender, who lost her famous father—former MLB outfielder Ted Uhlaender—to a heart attack in 2009, has tenacity and perseverance, in large part because of her faith.

“Quitting is never an option, so why would I quit on God?” she said. “He guides me and gives me the strength to keep going.”

That quote is from a Christian Sports Journal interview, in which Katie also said, " Adversity helped mold me and my successes gave me confidence. But my family and the people that I’ve met have taught me more than I can say through their support and love."

In 2012, Seun Adigun was a track and field competitor for her home country of Nigeria.  Christianity Today said:

Former Summer Olympian Seun Adigun represented Nigeria in track and field during the 2012 Summer Olympics, but confesses that she “stunk it up.” Hungry for athletic “redemption,” she then switched to bobsledding, building her own training sled from scratch.

In addition to learning a new Olympic sport and doing the necessary training, she has completed a doctorate of chiropractic degree and master's in exercise and health sciences, according to the TMC.edu website.  Asked how she accomplished all that, she responded:

I honestly only have the one answer: God. I do not know how I made it through the last three years, other than a lot of prayer, very little sleep and just a lot of support from all the people that have been involved from TCC and UH-Clear Lake.

She also said: "When you ride on faith, you’re able to live in that element of selflessness. You’re able to live in that moment of fearlessness. I don’t attribute any type of individual success to myself, but more so to God’s will to put me in places to allow things to flourish or opportunities to present themselves."

For the Christian, victory doesn't mean freedom from adversity; it involves seeing God show up in the midst of our adversity.  Spiritual victory isn't necessarily related to winning on an athletic field or achieving in your profession, although if you are dependent on the Lord and functioning in Your calling, He will produce excellence.  Alexa struggled with health challenges, Katie with the loss of a father, Seun with failure in an athletic endeavor and then the issues of time management.

We also recognize that spiritual victory results from how well we deal with the sinful impulses and actions that we encounter in the flesh.  Paul spoke of bringing his body under submission, as an athlete does. The Bible highlights the struggle, but reminds us of the spiritual resources available to enable us to overcome the power of sin in our lives.

Finally, victory involves surrendering control to Someone who is much more qualified to be in control of your life than you are.   Playing off what Seun said, faith enables you to "live in that element of selflessness" and "live in that moment of fearlessness."  Faith involves a recognition of who is in control, losing ourselves so that we may be found in Him, discovering that He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

Don't Worry, Be Married

In Ecclesiastes 9, we recognize that God has provided for our ability to enjoy this life; not to "love the world," but to recognize His blessings and His presence, which we can actually experience in our homes.  The author is talking about joy, and writes:
8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.

Joy results from the knowledge that we are walking with the Lord and knowing that He is with us. We can rejoice in the blessings that He shares - some will be material, others will be relational, and still others will be internal, as we enjoy the inner working of His Spirit within us.  In all things, we can be hopeful and acknowledge His faithfulness.  He has provided for us to walk in joy, which is a force more powerful than we can comprehend, and certainly not something we ourselves can conjure up.

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The marriage relationship is reflective of Christ and the church, and God has wonderful intentions for this relationship, as we see in Ephesians 5:
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.

Yesterday, I talked about the juxtaposition of Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day and the element of humility that we ideally can reflect on in relation to both those commemorations.  There's another "H" word I want to deal with today, specifically regarding marriage, and it was covered in an article on The Stream website by cold-case detective and author of Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace.

He referred to a New York Times article about the most popular class at Yale University, taught by Dr. Laurie Santos, which is called "Psychology and the Good Life, which “tries to teach students how to lead a happier, more satisfying life.”  Wallace writes: "Dr. Santos teaches her class that a happier life results from developing 'good habits … like students showing more gratitude, procrastinating less, [and] increasing social connections.' But she may be missing something far more important to long-term happiness: marriage."

He noted that a Wall Street Journal article the same day...

...summarized a U.K. study which found that married people are happier than unmarried people, even when these unmarried people are living together.

The study, published in December 2017 in the Journal of Happiness Studies, also found, unsurprisingly, that the better the relationship between spouses (the closer the connection and the more loving the interaction), the happier and more satisfying the results.

Wallace also writes:

This seems to complement prior studies describing married men as happier than single men, and reporting married people as healthier, wealthier and more satisfied. In fact, one study found married people have lower cortisol levels (a stress hormone). They are therefore are less likely to have heart problems, decreased immunity, diabetes or cancer. Married people are even more likely to survive cancer, should they contract the disease.

Happy, committed marriages result in happier, healthier people, and spouses aren’t the only ones who benefit. In virtually every metric by which we measure healthy, well-adjusted children, kids do better when raised by two biological parents in a low-conflict setting.

I would say that is not meant, in any way, to denigrate the enormous number of single-parent households, where one parent is attempting to raise a child or children in a quality way.  But, the road is certainly tougher, as I would imagine single parents would testify.

Wallace believes it's more effective for academicians to be teaching the "benefits of marriage," rather than "better time management skills and social strategies.

He also states, "If you’re a Christian, you already know this valuable truth," saying:

Christians are more likely to marry than non-Christians. Recent research reveals that most couples who identify themselves as “very happy” agree with the statement, “God is at the center of our marriage.”

Plus, "married couples who attend church together are more likely to live longer, avoid depression and stay married."  Wallace says, "Maybe that’s why studies also reveal that Christians are the 'happiest among all faith groups.'"

God ordained the institution of marriage, the one-flesh relationship, as we read in Genesis chapter 2. He has incredible intentions for men and women as they come together in the manner which He intends.  Unfortunately, we see the perversions of this institution that have become threats to it - the plague of cohabitation, the scourge of adultery, the confusion in male-female relationships in culture, and the advent of same-sex marriage.

Sounds like we need to go back to the basics and realize that when we zero-in on God's plan, we can experience God's blessings.  If our relationships and our marriages are built on His firm foundation, we can see Him bring us together in incredible love, which can produce happiness in our lives - a concept consistent in these survey outcomes that J. Warner Wallace was talking about.

This is a powerful message, and in a restless world seeking for happiness, like the students at Yale apparently are doing, God's truth - again - offers answers that are being sought.

Giving Up and Giving All

We can be challenged to develop an attitude of humility before God, resulting in acts of service
toward others. We read in Ephesians 4:
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love...

The coinciding of all these special days, such as Ash Wednesday, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, and the season of Lent can actually send a powerful message to each of us, and I think that it deals with humility.  God sent His Son to earth, He humbled Himself to death as a man, but He was raised from the dead, and He calls us to new life if we would humble ourselves before Him.  Lent deals with humbling ourselves before God; Valentine's Day can be a day to reflect on serving one another - and isn't that what Jesus taught about the two greatest commandments?

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As the Lenten Season begins, we can think about the importance of humbling ourselves - before God
and the people with whom we interact.  In a passage that provides an indication about what Lent should be about, and really what Valentine's Day can be about, Philippians 2 states:
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Today it's Ash Wednesday, and for a variety of religious traditions, this marks the beginning of the 40-day period prior to Easter, excluding Sundays, which falls on April 1 this year.  A search online reveals a number of articles about the coinciding of this day with Valentine's Day.  On the surface, one seems to be a day of celebration, while the other marks a period of pentinence.  As it's been pointed out on the CBS San Francisco website, Valentine's Day represents a "feast," while Lent marks a "fast." 

But, there is, or should be an element of humility in the commemoration of both.  Mark Merrill of the organization, Family First, wrote a piece a few years ago about the real St. Valentine.  He said:

St. Valentine gave his life so that young couples could be bonded together in holy matrimony. They may have killed the man, but not his spirit. Even centuries after his death, the story of Valentine’s self-sacrificing commitment to love was legendary in Rome. Eventually, he was granted sainthood and the Catholic Church decided to create a feast in his honor. They picked February 14 as the day of celebration because of the ancient belief that birds (particularly lovebirds, but also owls and doves) began to mate on that very day.

Merrill relates about Valentine that he was a priest during a time when the Roman emperor had cancelled marriage, believing that was inhibiting people signing up to serve in the military - they did not wish to leave those they loved.  He writes:

But a simple Christian priest named Valentine did come forward and stood up for love. He began to secretly marry soldiers before they went off to war, despite the emperor’s orders. In 269 A.D., Emperor Claudius found out about the secret ceremonies. He had Valentine thrown into prison and deemed that he would be put to death.

As Valentine was awaiting execution, he fell in love with a blind girl who happened to be the jailer’s daughter. On the eve of his execution, with no writing instruments available, Valentine is said to have written her a sonnet in ink that he squeezed from violets. Legend has it that his words made the blind woman see again. It was a brief romance because the next day Valentine was clubbed to death by Roman executioners.

So, according to this popular story, of which there have been a few variations throughout the years, including the contention that there were more than one Valentine, humility is a key element.

That desire to see couples experience marriage led a Christian organization, Food for the Hungry, to step outside its normal work to help couples in the Philippines.  According to a piece at the ReligionNews.com site by Gary Edmonds, the President and CEO of that ministry:

The cost of a legally recognized marriage prevented many couples in the community from getting married, so Food for the Hungry did something very unusual for a faith-based nongovernmental organization that specializes in global health and development. Clearly, weddings were not its typical foreign assistance project. But Food for the Hungry looks at the whole person, and its staff saw a need and a unique way to improve living standards. Marriage isn’t just a symbol. The Christian sacrament of marriage bonds couples to one another, to God, and it also creates positive, tangible growth in communities.

So Food for the Hungry sought out community leaders who agreed to sponsor couples. And what followed was a mass wedding for 48 couples who until then were not able to marry.

Edmonds concludes by saying:

I, for one, am always heartened to hear about joint efforts between Food for the Hungry, churches and community leaders that put love first. Love, I suggest, is another kind of food — for the heart.

There you have it - even though, as the CBS article pointed out, these two commemorative events have not fallen on the same day since World War II, there are some common elements.  You think of Valentine's as being about food: chocolate, romantic dinners, etc., and Lent, well, is sometimes about food, involving giving up food, or other items or practices.

I have heard it said that fasting can create a greater hunger for God, and I guess you could say that the practice of Lent can help us to concentrate more fully on Him.  Jesus is the bread of life, who gives us living water, promising we will not thirst again.  Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, He taught, would be filled.  And, playing off what Gary Edmonds said, experiencing and expressing the love of God, even in our earthly relationships, can provide satisfaction in our hearts.

We can be reminded that the real sacrificial love of Christ gives of Himself...and perhaps on this Ash Wednesday, - and Valentine's Day - we can humble ourselves before God and the people we love.  For the married, we can reflect on how we can truly serve our mates.  I believe a healthy marriage involves an atmosphere of service.  Christ gives us direction, and we can empty ourselves so He can fill us.

Angel of Light

In Philippians 1, we read where the apostle Paul encouraged the people of God to have discernment -
and to make the choice to "approve" what is "excellent..."
8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ...

We have the choice - to determine what we expose ourselves to and to believe or disbelieve the messages that are being sent to us.  But, we recognize that the enemy would want to cloak himself in a form of light, so that we do not see the pitfalls of his activity - he will tantalize us with what the Bible calls the "pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11).  By His Spirit, God will give us wisdom and discernment to be able to identify the operation of the enemy, so we can use our spiritual resources to resist him.

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We can be reminded that things are not always as they seem, and that the enemy will try to put a
positive face on his dark activity, and motivate those to do his bidding to do the same. 2nd Corinthians 11 says:
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Eric Metaxas, who is heard regularly on the Breakpoint commentary on Faith Radio, has been pounding social media recently, for good reason.  He's one of seemingly many that are trying to counter the media narrative coming out of South Korea during the Winter Olympics.

No, we're not talking medals here...no, it's a response to the media coverage of what can be termed a "charm offensive" of North Korea.  He retweeted several negative responses to a CNN article which begins with these words, "If 'diplomatic dance' were an event at the Winter Olympics, Kim Jong Un's little sister would be favored to win gold."  Oh, by the way, she, according to CNSNews.com,

...heads up the regime’s department responsible for lying to its people about the behavior of a regime whose atrocities have been described as “without parallel in the modern world.”

That entity, the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s propaganda and agitation department (PAD), lays down monthly guidelines that all media in the country must follow.

Eric himself tweeted out:

The sadistic torture & murder & persecution that goes on in North Korea is as evil as anything on this planet. The idea that we could put that aside for the Olympics is itself evil. Kim Jong Un brilliantly sees this as an opportunity for propaganda. Hitler did the same in 1936.

He also tweeted out a link to a story at The Federalist, which said:

...Witness this story from CNN today, with its dripping credulousness in attacking Mike Pence with a story sourced entirely to a diplomatic source close to the North Korean regime.

“The senior diplomatic source said Pence “degraded the image of the United States as a superpower” by meeting with North Korean defectors along with Otto Warmbier’s father, and by speaking strongly against North Korea on multiple occasions.

“Fred Warmbier accompanied Pence during his visit to South Korea. His son Otto was jailed in North Korea and died upon his return to the US last year after suffering extensive brain damage…

This regime, that has teamed up with its neighbors to the south, using them for a propaganda feast, is attempting to recast its image, with the help of some in the American media.  But, facts are facts, and as Open Doors USA reports, North Korea is the top nation in persecuting Christians.  It states on its website:

The main driver of persecution in North Korea is the state. For three generations, everything in the country focused on idolizing the leading Kim family. Christians are seen as hostile elements in society which have to be eradicated. Due to the constant indoctrination permeating the whole country, neighbors and even family members are highly watchful and report anything suspicious to the authorities. Children are especially vulnerable to the heavy indoctrination. Reports show that some children report their own parents for religious activity. Therefore, many parents prefer not to tell their children anything about their Christian faith until they’re older.

But, help is on the way, even though it may be limited.  And, the light is shining - through information.  Perhaps you've heard about the balloons containing Scripture that are launched from South Korea on a regular basis.  A few years ago, Melanie Kirkpatrick of the Hudson Institute was a guest on The Meeting House, discussing her book, Escape from North Korea.  She posted some excerpts on her website.  She writes:

In South Korea, the North Korean diaspora has established an array of nonprofit organizations aimed at prying open North Korea by providing its citizens with information banned there. Four independent radio stations, founded and staffed by refugees, broadcast from Seoul to North Korea. A Web magazine run by exiles is publishing information gathered by a stable of covert reporters operating in North Korea. A think tank is developing back-channel lines of communications with intellectuals and military officers in North Korea.

Kirkpatrick states that, "North Korean exiles perform three essential functions in opening up their homeland." These functions are: "they are conduits of information;" she says that, "When North Koreans hear a trusted relative describe his life in South Korea, his conversion to Christianity, or his new understanding of North Korea’s history, they are likely to believe what he says, even when it contradicts Pyongyang’s propaganda."

Also, "North Koreans who settle in South Korea serve as a 'bridge population,' in the words of the president of the National Endowment of Democracy, Carl Gershman; and, "as a population acculturated to the South but with roots in the North, the refugees are preparing for the eventual integration of North Korea into a united Korea."

When you consider this "underground railroad" concept of people leaving North Korea, you have to think of people like Steve Kim of 318 Partners, whom I met and interviewed at ICRS in St. Louis a few years ago.  He is involved in helping smuggle North Koreans out of the country into safe places in China.  He actually spent some time in jail as a result of his efforts, but he is apparently undeterred.

There are a few principles that we can extract from this information:

Don't always believe the propaganda.  This doesn't apply just in the political realm.  Satan has been attempting to deceive humanity since the Garden, and we have to be discerning and established in truth in order to resist his painting of a pretty picture about sin.

Specifically, it is encouraging to see North and South Korea competing under the same banner in the Olympics.  The South Korean leader was invited to come to the North for a visit.  But, the road to unification, while possessing some positive prospects, does seem to have an "oil and water" aspect to it - you have peoples who are united in ethnicity, but their countries have moved in different directions.

We can also be challenged to consider the plight of persecuted Christians in North Korea and respond to the promptings of the Spirit to pray for them and to continue to be informed.

Finally, step by step, the light does appear to be shining.  People from around the world are disseminating information, including the message of the gospel.   And, a CBN News story states:

Dr. Eric Foley, head of Voice of the Martyrs Korea, says the door for the gospel in North Korea is open wider than many people believe.

"People tend to think about North Korea as a country with a big barbed wire fence around it, where nobody goes in, and nobody comes out," Dr Foley told Hope 103.2. "And that's not a very accurate picture."

Despite constant threats of death, Foley says North Korea's Christians are strong and creative about sharing their faith. He writes about this in his book, These Are The Generations.

Shining

Jesus called us to be salt and light in this world in Matthew chapter 5, and the apostle Paul echoes the theme of the light of Christ in 2nd Corinthians 4:
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

We are called into this world to reflect the light of Christ - in dark places, we have the opportunity to demonstrate His love and character.  We center our lives on His truth, which brings light and freedom to those who are bound by the power of sin.  His truth shows us that every human being reflects His image, and hearts, even those which are very hard, can be transformed by His power.  We can be dedicated to following the Spirit as He directs us into the places where He wants to shine.

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A few years ago, Joni Eareckson Tada shared a radio commentary which encouraged listeners to allow the light of Christ to shine even through hardships.  She included a reference to a passage in Philippians 2.  She writes:

The apostle Paul is writing from a dark prison cell and he tells his friends: "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe..."

For years, the Gerber company has been displaying the famous baby picture on its products. And, now, each year, the company, according to Bill Partyka, chief executive and president of Gerber, “...we choose the baby who best exemplifies Gerber’s long-standing heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby..."

That quote is from a Townhall.com story about the latest Gerber Spokesbaby, Lucas Warren, who was selected from 140,000 entrants.  Lucas is very unique - he has Down Syndrome.  

Writer Leah Barkoukis states:

In a world where far too many people and countries (like Iceland) don’t believe in the value of every human life, Gerber’s decision should be celebrated.

Many parents, particularly those who have children with Down syndrome, did just that.

Lucas is from Dalton, GA, and his dad, Jason Warren, told the Today show: “We’re hoping this will impact everyone — that it will shed a little bit of light on the special needs community and help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited,” adding, “They have the potential to change the world, just like everybody else.”

The DailyWire website reported that the state of Utah is considering a ban on the abortion of pre-born babies with Down Syndrome, joining Indiana, Ohio, and North Dakota.  An article on the site quoted from the LifeNews website:

Unborn babies with Down syndrome and other disabilities are discriminated against at astronomical rates. Parents whose unborn babies have Down syndrome or other disabilities frequently report feeling pressure to abort them by doctors and genetic counselors.

Earlier this year, a CBS News report shocked the nation with its exposure of the discriminatory abortion trend. According to the report, nearly 100 percent of unborn babies who test positive for Down syndrome are aborted in Iceland. The rate in France was 77 percent in 2015, 90 percent in the United Kingdom and 67 percent in the United States between 1995 and 2011, according to CBS.

This is totally unacceptable, and completely ignores that every life is a creation of God, special, unique, reflecting His image.

Tim Tebow is devoted to showing teens and adults with disabilities that they are special by sponsoring a series of proms called the Night to Shine.  Last Friday, CBN News ran a story about the concept:

The event is called "Night to Shine" and it was created by the Tim Tebow Foundation to share the love of God in a practical way.

"Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God's love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older. On one night, February 9, 2018, more than 540 churches from around the world will come together to host Night to Shine for approximately 90,000 honored guests through the support of 175,000 volunteers!" the foundation says on its website.

The article continues:

Each special needs youth invited to the prom is called a "king" or "queen" and the whole community gathers to treat them like royalty for the entire evening.

"We get to celebrate a lot of people with special needs and hopefully change a lot of lives," Tebow said in a video Friday.

Just Google, "Night to Shine," and you will see extensive local press coverage.  One story, from WHNT in Huntsville, spotlighted the Tuscaloosa event, which featured a certain special guest from the Alabama Crimson Tide, Jalen Hurts.

Now, this is a great example of the Church being the Church.  This shows how Christians value every life, and in unselfish acts of love, make people with special needs truly feel special - please notice that the anticipated number of volunteers was almost twice the number of guests expected.

So, the takeaways are simple - one, is that we should always come to the defense of life - in the womb, throughout a person's life, and even until the end-of-life.  God is the author of life, and as humans, we are not authorized to take life.

We also can be grateful for what people with special needs, who struggle with disabilities, can teach us.  You hear inspiring stories of people who are disabled who provide an example of determination against sometimes overwhelming odds.

The Church has a special opportunity to speak and to act on behalf of the vulnerable.  There are excellent ministries, such as Joni and Friends, Hope Heals, Rooftop Friends, and others who are dedicated to making communities and churches more aware of the needs of those who are challenged.   By the way, Hope Heals, the ministry of Jay and Katherine Wolf, has two weeks of camps coming up this summer; perhaps your family has been impacted by disability, or, like the thousands who volunteers for Tebow's Night to Shine, you'd like to volunteer to help - you can learn more at HopeHealsCamp.org.

More Than Medals

Near the end of his life, the apostle Paul used a couple of sports analogies and focused with clarity on his eternal reward - we read this in 2nd Timothy 4:
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

We should be all about being excellent in what we do; we can maximize the talent and skills that God has granted to us - but ultimately, we should do all things for His glory.  So, our approach to our work, whether it be a paid vocation or unpaid volunteer opportunity, should reflect our commitment to honor Him with all we do.  He wants us to give maximum effort by the Holy Spirit, and the rewards we receive in this life pale by comparison to the reward of being in heaven with Him, which is actually a free gift, unattainable by human effort.

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Ultimately, our aim is not to achieve greatness, to win games, or earn medals; we are called into a
relationship with Christ and to testify to God's greatness. 1st Corinthians 9 states:
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

The Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea are now officially underway, and while the athletes take to the slopes or the ice for some action, there are some athletes who have allowed the action of the Holy Spirit to take root in their hearts.

There have been several lists of Christian athletes that have been released over the past few days.  Gina Dalfanzo, at the Christianity Today site and Brett McCracken, at The Gospel Coalition website, have published lists of athletes.  You have a very unique element in that you have Nic and Elana Meyers Taylor, a husband and wife team who are part of the U.S. Olympic Team.  Christianity Today reports:

While Elana Meyers Taylor is going to PyeongChang as a member of the women’s bobsled team, her husband, Nic, will be there to play multiple roles: both an alternate for the US men’s bobsled team, and Elana’s trainer and biggest supporter. Pastor Ryan Schneider, who married them and who leads a Bible study in which they participate, tells FCA Magazine that Nic’s sacrificial support of Elana, prioritizing her training and her needs above his own, is “the perfect picture of a husband loving his wife like Christ loved the church.”

Elana missed Olympic gold by just one-tenth of a second in the Sochi games in 2014.  She is quoted on the Gospel Coalition site:

“We’re talking about the Olympics. We’re talking about trying to win the gold medal. All of these things can be overwhelming,” Taylor said in a 2016 interview. “But regardless of whether I win a gold medal or never compete again, I just have to trust that God has a plan for my life and I’m called to be his representative through the sport and outside of the sport.”

Then there's former Meeting House guest Kelly Clark.  She is the author of a book called, Reaching New Heights.  She will be the first U.S. snowboarder to compete in five Olympics, according to McCracken, who states:

After she achieved fame and success in the 2002 Olympics, Clark found her life lacking meaning and fulfillment. At 20, she overheard a conversation in which four words caught her attention: “God still loves you.” Clark couldn’t shake these words, which set her on a path to accept Jesus Christ, changing the course of her life and giving her a new identity.

“I started to understand that I didn’t get my worth from people or from the things that I did,” Clark said. “It was from Christ. If I hadn’t had that shift in my life, I think my world would have come crumbling down.”

And, then there's David Wise, a skiier, who, according to Dalfanzo, was the first man to win a gold medal in the ski halfpipe in Sochi four years ago, its first year as an Olympic sport.  The CT article quotes Wise:

“I know that whatever happens to me is not outside the control of a God that faithfully cares for my family and I,” he says. “The fact that God is in control over my life and my family’s life, takes pressure off of me. It makes it easier for me to go out there and enjoy the ride.”

These are just some of the athletes who will be competing in the Olympics in South Korea over the next few weeks.  I have to think about Tony Dungy's comments that I shared yesterday; He said that Eagles quarterback Nick Foles' confidence in the Lord would enable him to play well.  And He did.

Tony is on fire online about the Super Bowl, and he's been responding to criticism for reporting the faith of an athlete. Another tweet said: "Why would you find it hard to believe that the Holy Spirit could speak to Nick Foles just as much as a coach could speak to him? If he credited a coach for saying “Stay calm and be confident” that’s good. But if he tells me Christ says that to him I shouldn’t report it???

But, I digress: we recognize that our faith in the Lord will produce fruit for His glory.  These Olympians are extremely competitive, and I think we can say that their devotion to Christ is paramount; He enables them to compete at a high level, and if they win a medal, we can assume they will give honor to Him.  But, to many Christian athletes, winning or losing is a by-product of obedience.  

Because, as it's been said, our call is to be obedient to the Lord and leave the results up to Him - and to accept the results as His will - if we have done our best, if we have aspired to excellence, doing our work as unto Him, He is the One responsible for the prize.

But, we can know that He enables us to do our work for Him well.  So, we should always strive to bring Him glory by honoring Him with our gifts and talents.  If He has provided talent in a certain area, we are responsible for using that for His purposes.