Side by Side

Our love for one another as believers in Christ provides a powerful witness to the world.  As we love Him and follow Him in obedience to love others, people will be drawn to what, or better said, Who,
is flowing through us. Philippians 2 instructs us:
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

We are the people of God, called to be in fellowship with our Savior, and called to walk in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  If the world sees a divided Church, then it diminishes the degree to which people want to be associated with it.  But, if they see the love of Jesus operating through the Church, through believers, motivated by humility and compassion, then we become a powerful witness to a world that needs to see His grace.

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In John chapter 13, Jesus is teaching His disciples how to truly love each other.  It is described as a
"new commandment," as we see here, and our obedience to it provides a witness to the world:
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

We can be thankful for the men and women who drive across our country to bring needed food and supplies to various areas.  Those who drive the 18-wheelers provide an incredible service.

Now, I have to admit, that doesn't cross my mind, when you are on a interstate, you want to pass, and it might be difficult to do so because our friends are driving either side-by-side or close to one another.   But, in Detroit recently, there was an instance where truckers banded together and totally blocked an area interstate - 13 trucks side-by-side.

You see, according to local television station, Fox 2, a man was on a bridge over a local freeway, known as 696.  He was apparently planning or threatening to commit suicide.  Michigan State Police swung into action.  Here's what was reported:

The first call came in a little before 1 a.m. on Tuesday as the unnamed man was on the bridge over the highway. The eastbound lanes were closed as MSP started organizing semi-truck passing through.

A few minutes later, the westbound lanes were also closed as more semis showed up to cross the highway. All told, 13 semi trucks were parked under the overpass to shorten the distance he would fall, if he were to have jumped.

Thankfully, the man did not jump and the situation ended as the man walked off the bridge. He was taken by Huntington Woods Police to Beaumont hospital for evaluation.

MSP, Huntington Woods and Oak Park police were all on scene and all had negotiators talking to the man for several hours until it ended peacefully.

MSP stands for Michigan State Police.

One of the trucking companies represented was Moon Star.  The Detroit Free Press stated:

Renee Osaer, safety director for Moon Star, said she was proud that one of the company's drivers was involved.

"At Moon Star (Express) we believe in safety and giving people chances," Osaer said. "We were very pleased to be able to assist in the situation because we feel that all of our drivers and everyone out there are people, and that's ultimately the goal — safety and people."

Both of the stories I referenced included the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is 1-800-273-8255.

There are several takeaways that I'd like to spotlight here.

First of all, there's the reminder that there are people who are hurting in our society today.  Their lives have been racked by hopelessness and we have the opportunity to relate the hope of the gospel.  It is important that we get help for people who are despondent, even to the point of taking their own lives.  And, we can be sensitive to the warning signs.

Also, as Franklin Graham points out, this gives us an opportunity to reflect on the key role that law enforcement plays in our lives.  He wrote on Facebook:

...the Michigan State Police had 13 tractor-trailers pull together to break his fall. What an incredible idea—and what a great way to show this man that people cared and that his life mattered. Our law enforcement officers go above and beyond to protect and serve every day in our communities—it’s just that many times we don’t hear the stories. I’m truly thankful for these heroes—including every trucker who helped—aren’t you?

Finally, this image of thirteen semi-trucks lined up together to help save a life presents an image of how the Church, the body of Christ can unite to help people in need.  When a member of the body is down, we can join together - side-by-side - to stand with and support that person. And, when someone who is outside the Church suffers, we can intervene with the love of Jesus, as well.  Jesus talked about the witness to the world that occurs as we love one another.

Making the Change

We are called to be followers of the Most High King, saved and called into a life of obedience and
spiritual growth, so that we may reflect His glory. Jesus taught in John 15:
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Jesus uses that powerful analogy of being connected to the vine - we are the branches, and we receive life as we maintain and grow in that relationship.  But, if we decide to do things our own way, sometimes even putting a spiritual stamp on secular behavior, we end up not bearing the fruit that He would desire.  We don't act and ask God to bless; rather, we seek the heart of God and depend on the hand of God to direct us, so that He may receive the honor.

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Jesus is calling us to be His disciples - we have professed faith in Christ, and that has opened the door to a wonderful life of obedience to Him; as we grow, we have the capability to see more of the nature
of Jesus through us. Matthew 16 says:
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

This week, if you look over the Billboard gospel chart, you will see that the #16 song is called, Blessing Me Again.  It features a collaboration between Rance Allen and...no this is not a typo, Snoop Dogg!  The well-known rapper has released a gospel album, and he has included a number of well-known gospel music artists, including Shirley Caesar, Kim Burrell, and the Clark Sisters.

The Christian Post offered an article on the singer's declared transformation, and reported about Snoop Dogg's 16th album, Bible of Love:

Snoop explained why he wanted to make a gospel album, telling TV One, "It was just time to put my money where my mouth was and have it not be about money but about spirit. Give love to get love."

And, because of his past, there is an abundance of skepticism, it seems, and Snoop took the occasion of the recent Stellar Awards to confront his critics:

"The devil is a liar. I thought church was supposed to welcome sinners," he told TV One after taking the stage at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, the oldest televised awards show honoring gospel music artists. "If you find someone trying to find their way back home, the natural thing would be to accept him with open arms. We not gonna throw stones while you trying to get right and walking back into the church house.

"That's what's running people away from church right now as we speak: We're trying to get people back in church with a different perspective of come as you are, show love. We show love, we give love," Snoop added. "What about you? Have you checked your status? Are you going to Heaven? Why are you judging me? How much have you done for the Lord?"

But, there is apparently much to overcome. The article says, "he...has an alarming history of crime and sexual exploitation."

Who knows what God is doing in this man's heart?  Sure, there are concerns, such as his close ties with smoking marijuana, and, according to USA Today, a multi-million dollar relationship with the cannabis industry.  But, there are some lyrics from a piece on the album called, Pain, which can be instructive, according to the article:

"A lot of times, you see me performing for thousands of people, filling their hearts with love and joy, not knowing that I'm going through so much pain," he intones. "But God knows everything, and I mean everything, that I'm going through."

CCM Magazine describes the album, Bible of Love, "surprisingly impressive."  The review states;

Launching the imprint All The Time Entertainment alongside with this release, Snoop has vowed to use it and his massive platform to “provide more opportunities for gospel music artists.” We’re not sure gospel music necessarily needs his help, but if he and his label continues to produce the type of positive, unifying messages and stellar sounds found here, we’ll be more than welcoming. Now that he’s got our attention, Bible Of Love leaves us with even more questions about this “character,” but namely, and after all this time: Are we all finally getting to know the real heart of Calvin Broadus, Jr.?

There is obviously the potential for something good to come out of this association with gospel music - and, as he says in that song to which I referred, "God knows everything...that I'm going through."

The question becomes, then, do we believe that God can truly change a person?  Is anyone beyond the saving hand of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Obviously, Snoop Dogg has been long associated with the things of this world, but who knows the nature of what God is doing in his heart.

We also know that change will not be instantaneous - yes, the heart is instantly transformed, born again, but that decision and that new life begins that process of sanctification.  This can be problematic when you have a high-profile person makes a profession of faith or who is beginning to do Christian things.  I remember a certain pop singer over three decades ago who recorded a Christian album and the expectation was placed upon him to exemplify the Christian life.  It doesn't necessarily work that way - for anyone!

Discipleship and accountability are two important factors - in order to point a person in the right direction and to challenge him or her to grow in Christ.  Since our behavior doesn't become perfect at the moment of salvation, we have to recognize that we are called into a growth process.  The Holy Spirit is more than capable of setting a person free from his or her past sins and shortcomings, in order to make that person an example who radiates the light of Christ.

Thought Leaders

We have to be so careful to make sure that we are being taught in accordance with the Scriptures - that we are discerning and expose ourselves to what can shape our thoughts to be in line with God's
Word. 2nd Timothy 4 says:
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

The Bible instructs us to follow sound teaching and to be faithful to do His will.  Our immersion in God's Word should be centered around our own personal time of study; then, we can choose people of good reputation to teach us, to help us to grow in our walk with Christ.  We can develop discernment about the things of God so that we are not led astray.  And, as we learn and apply the Scriptures, we develop a refined sense of how He has called us to act.

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God has raised up people who can teach and model the Word of God, who can help shape our
thoughts and our lives for His glory. Ephesians 4 says:
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ...

There has been no shortage of coverage, especially in some sectors of Christian media, about a relatively small gathering of evangelicals that took place at Wheaton College last week.  The purpose of the meeting was described in a Christian Post article by Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary, who said: "It is an attempt to try and show how we should be thinking in such a way that our theology is what is the central concern versus our political commitments..."  Another organizer, Doug Birdsall, honorary chair of the Lausanne movement said, "When people say what does it mean to be an evangelical, people don't say evangelism or the Gospel. There's a grotesque caricature of what it means to be an evangelical."

So, who made the invitation list?  Well, the Post said, "Dozens of leaders from prominant [sic] evangelical seminaries, churches and organizations..." Birdsall stated, "Those who have been invited have been invited by virtue of their individual and institutional leadership influence. The group that did the inviting was made up of leaders of organizations in our country that are known and trusted around the world as pillars of evangelicalism..."

Anybody who is part of the President's evangelical advisory board invited?  Birdsall said, regarding "informal" advisors: "I have been in touch with two of their offices with a desire to engage in a meaningful conversation," adding, "I don't think they are globally perceived as evangelical thought leaders by virtue of what they have written or by virtue of the values that are reflected in their public statements."

CBN News traced reaction to the meeting before and after.  An article quoted one of those advisory board members, Richard Land of Southern Evangelical Seminary, who said, "Any definition of 'thought leaders' and any definition of evangelicalism that excludes the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Franklin Graham is a pale imitation – anemic and incomplete..." Oh, and just to note, Franklin Graham is not a member of that advisory board and conducted non-partisan pre-election prayer meetings in all 50 states.

The website also stated, "CBN News has confirmed that at least a few people walked out of an intense invite-only evangelical meeting this week at Wheaton College after the affair turned into 'crazy Trump bashing.'"

Bock's take on the meeting, which included Tim Keller, A.R. Bernard, Ed Stetzer, and others, was a bit different, according to the Christian Post, in which he is quoted: "That was the idea that this had a political agenda to it and that kind of thing or that it was about being anti-one particular group, which it wasn't. It was about discovering with one another where we are and where we see things and how that relates to the ministries that we participate in." 

This meeting, and the discussion surrounding it, brings to mind two important questions:  Who are considered to be thought leaders for you?  And, what does it mean to be evangelical?

Let's go with the second one first.  The Christian Post said:

According to the National Association of Evangelicals, the term "evangelical" classifies all Christians regardless of political beliefs who believe in four basic truths:

• The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.

• It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

• Jesus Christ's death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.

• Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's free gift of eternal salvation.

The afore-mentioned Franklin Graham, who was not invited to this meeting at Wheaton College, where his father attended and which has a Billy Graham Center, weighed in on the meeting, and his comments are quite instructive.  A Faithwire article stated:

Graham wrote on his Facebook:

“Recently some people have had discussions about the state of evangelicalism today, almost referring to it as a politically-related term. I can’t speak for others, and I’m certainly not a spokesperson for any kind of evangelical movement, but I can tell you what I believe.

“I believe in God. I believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. And I believe in the Holy Spirit,” Graham said. “I believe my God is three-in-one. I believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to take our sins. That He died on a cross and shed His blood for all the sins of mankind. I believe He took our sins to the grave, and I believe in the resurrection. God raised Him to life on the third day, and I believe He is coming again. This is God’s Gospel.”

Graham stressed his involvement in reaching out to the lost through the humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

I think meetings can be instructive, but this one has attracted quite a bit of attention - for the composition and even the content, which reportedly included critical comments about the President and other Christians.  Apparently, these were people considered to be "thought leaders," but there was not a high-ranking leader, for instance, of the Southern Baptist Convention; the head of the world's largest Christian university, Jerry Falwell, Jr. - not invited.  Look at our Faith Radio lineup of prominent Bible teachers - off the list!  

So, back to that first question about who our thought leaders are.  We can examine who is leading us?  Who do we trust to teach us and set a godly example?  We have to hold those "thought leaders" to a high standard and have a working knowledge of God's Word in order so that we can ascertain that what is being taught is consistent with Scripture.  We can even seek to be a "thought leader" in our own sphere of influence.   

The local church plays a key role in keeping us grounded and accountable.  God has placed pastors, Sunday School teachers, Bible study leaders, and fellow believers in our lives so that we can be positively influenced and motivated to do the will of God.  We can also rejoice and take advantage of the abundance of Bible teaching available today.  At Faith Radio, we count it a privilege to present to you solid Bible teaching from some of the nation's foremost and knowledgeable Bible teachers, and we encourage you to avail yourself of these incredible gifts to the body of Christ.  They can shape and lead our thoughts, along with personal study of the Word, so that what we think lines up with what God says.

Soaring

I want to concentrate on two verses from Isaiah 40 that point to the sufficiency and supremacy of our
God and how His power is made available to us as we trust in Him. One is verse 28:
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

In verse 31, we can see how that can be appropriated:
31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

We have the opportunity to be in relationship with the God of the Universe, and He calls us to fellowship with Him, to worship Him, to wait on Him, with expectancy in our hearts.  When we feel overwhelmed and disappointed, God wants us to rise above that.  If we feel we have lost our way or the answers we seek are not being manifested, we can renew our sense of purpose in Him and know that He loves us and grants us the strength to live each day in the glory of His presence.

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There is a sense of alertness that believers in Christ can possess, and it can be applied in so many areas of our lives, including responding properly in times of pressure.  1st Peter 1 identifies this
dependence on Christ:
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

You go into the experience of an airplane flight with the expectation that you will routinely get to your destination, more or less on time, with only a minimum of inconvenience - maybe some turbulence, perhaps a snafu with the baggage.  But, the passengers on that flight from New York to Dallas recently had another thing coming.

The ChurchLeaders.com website tells the story of what happened to the 149 passengers on that plane that day: "An explosion in the left engine of the plane sent a piece of shrapnel through one of the windows of the plane. A woman was partially sucked out the window but other passengers managed to pull her body back into the plane and a registered nurse administered CPR until the plane landed."

That passenger, Jennifer Riordan, did lose her life; 7 others were injured.

The pilot guided the plane to safety, making an emergency landing in Philadelphia.  Her name is Tammie Jo Shults.  The article says:

Shults would have had plenty of practice keeping cool under pressure during her career in the Navy. She was the first female pilot to fly an F-18, a fighter jet. While she wasn’t allowed to fly in combat situations, Shults was an instructor pilot.

She was a graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University in Kansas.  The article states:

MidAmerica Nazarene’s director of alumni relations, Kevin Garber, describes Shults as a “solid woman of faith,” NBC News reports. Shults’ brother-in-law, Gary Shults, describes her as “a very caring, giving person who takes care of lots of people.”

Indeed, Shults’ concern for others was apparent after she landed the damaged plane. Passengers on board report Shults walked through the aisle to check on everyone. According to passengers, the plane erupted in applause as she came through the cabin.

And, according to the ChurchLeaders.com story, "She says being a pilot gives her the opportunity 'to witness for Christ on almost every flight,'" and it points out that she was certainly a witness to those 149 passengers.

A Dallas Morning News story on Shults reports that she and her husband, also a pilot, attend the First Baptist Church in Boerne, Texas, about 30 miles from San Antonio.  It says:

Longtime friend and fellow church member Staci Thompson said a deep Christian faith has guided the way Shults lives.

Shults has taught nearly every grade level of Sunday school at their church. She’s volunteered at a school for at-risk kids and turned a cottage on her family’s property into a temporary home for victims of Hurricane Rita and widows.

“She would tell you everything she has she’s been given from God, so she wants to share it,” Thompson said.

Tammie Jo was one of the first female pilots in the Navy, and is profiled in a book called, Military Fly Moms. Even though she had faced rejection, she is quoted as saying, "In my heart, I hoped that God had given me an interest in flying for a reason. I had never touched an airplane, but I knew flying was my future."

Tammie Jo Shults can teach us about that sense of readiness that I talked about yesterday.  The ChurchLeaders.com story states:

You can listen to an audio recording of Shults talking to air traffic control as she makes the emergency landing. Shults is a picture of keeping calm under pressure. She is also an exemplary leader.

She was trained, she was prepared, so when the pressure hit, when the trial came, she was able to activate her skills and apply her training, so that she could land the plane successfully.

Also, her view of her call and purpose is inspiring.  Every flight could be an opportunity to witness for Christ, in her estimation.  And, as the result of her application of honed skill to land a plane under adverse circumstances, her story has spread and her Savior has been glorified.

She is someone who has a sense of purpose and, as the Dallas News story described it, "fierce determination and laser focus," combined with "sweetness."  The story pointed out that she had been told in a high school vocational day that her dream of being a pilot was not realistic because there were no professional female pilots; and, she did not allow her initial rejection from the Air Force to deter her.  She was convinced that God had instilled in her an "interest in flying for a reason."  She did not give up in her pursuit of what she believed the Lord had called her to do, and neither should we.

In Harm's Way

We can recognize that God grants us the capacity to be strong and ready to face challenging
situations. As Moses said his farewell before his death, he related in Deuteronomy 31:
6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."
7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.
8 And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

Life is going to present challenges to us, and our faith will be tested.  A big question is whether or not we will be ready to face those trials and depend on the strength of the Lord.  The best time to face adversity is when we are not experiencing it.  We can build ourselves up, "work out" our faith so that when the pressure comes, we are able to appropriate the resources that God makes available to us. He will strengthen us from the inside, and the growth of His Word in our hearts and minds will assist us in that preparation.

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There is a verse in 1st Corinthians 16 that encourages us to be prepared, alert, and dependent on
God's strength. We can read:
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

Then,
14 Let all that you do be done with love.

It was certainly a harrowing day in the Nashville area, with an early morning shooting in which 4 people lost their lives and four others were injured at a Waffle House in Antioch, one of the Nashville suburbs where there was a church shooting last year.  By sunset, the alleged gunman, who had fled the scene, was still at large.

But, in addition to the tragedy that occurred at the restaurant, an encouraging story line emerged, and it had to do with a customer by the name of James Shaw.  WSMV Television reported:

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, James Shaw Jr. saw the suspect wrestling with the gun and interfered with him, taking it from him and tossing it behind the counter.

The gunman was near the front door and was "having issues with restocking" and "Shaw ran through the door as hard as he could and hit him with the door, forcing him to drop the gun." The article reported:

The two men wrestled until Shaw was able to grab the AR-15 and throw it over the counter. Shaw said he ran the gunman out of the restaurant before going inside to check on the other victims.

Shaw said, "I have a 4-year-old daughter, And that came to mind probably after the fact. The only thing I was thinking was save yourself and get the gun away from him..."

WSMV stated, "Police are crediting Shaw for stopping the violence before any more people were
killed." Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said, "The real definition of a hero is someone who knows the danger they are facing, and yet, takes that action..."

But, the story said that Shaw is downplaying the characterization as a hero. He said, "I did what I think most people would've done in that situation if you actually think about it," adding, "Once you're in that position and you see there's nothing else for you to do, there's a brick wall, and he's standing there with a gun. You have to react."

Shaw was "grazed by a bullet" and "burned his hand while trying to grab the gun."  But, after enduring what was no doubt a frightening, emotional experience, James Shaw Jr. did not go back home and stay for the rest of the day.  As the television station reported:

After getting released from the hospital, Shaw went to church with his family and friends.

"I'm not over it, but it helped me," he said.

The Tennessean reported that:

Shaw Jr. received a phone call from Nashville Mayor David Briley after the shooting.

The hero invited Briley to the Nashville church he has attended since he was a baby.

With Briley by his side, Shaw Jr. cried for the third time during the church service.

It goes on to say:

During the 10 a.m. church service, friends and fraternity brothers flocked to see Shaw Jr.

Over 10 fraternity brothers went to the church to see him, with his hand wrapped, but bleeding from the burns and altercation.

One of his friends said, "What he did, it never crossed my mind as something he wouldn’t have done,” adding, “He’s a man of honor.”

Shaw told WKRN Television, "I’m not a greatly religious person,” and added, “I don’t want this to be a major moment in my life. I went to church to get past it.” 

It will likely take a while for Mr. Shaw to "get over it" or "get past it."  And, he will need the encouragement and reinforcement of his church family for strength.  Even though he downplays the importance of faith, perhaps this is an event, tragic as it is, that God will use in his life.  We never know what God will use in order to draw us closer to Himself, but Scripture teaches that even tragedy can be a precursor to God's glory - He works out His character in us through our trials.  And, I do not think it is a small thing that James went to church after this ordeal.

James Shaw obviously had the reputation of being a "man of honor;" what he did was not a surprise to the gentlemen who commented to the newspaper.  We can be challenged to think about the reputation that we build and make sure that by our lives, we are projecting a sense of integrity.  We can aspire to be honorable people.

I think we can also consider the concept of readiness.  This was a dangerous situation, in which a man with a rifle was shooting people in a restaurant; James Ward disarmed him and saved lives - yes, he is a hero!  But, there may be situations, not necessarily life-threatening, in which we are called to intervene.  There may be a conflict that needs the touch of a peacemaker, there may be truth that needs to be spoken in the life of a friend or family member.  There may be resources that God has given to us that are needed in a particular situation. We are called to be ready for those moments in which God calls us to act and realize that He provides the resources in order that we may work effectively to bring Him glory.

Take Care

In the fifth chapter of 1st Thessalonians, the apostle Paul is bidding farewell, and writes these instructive words:
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.

God is concerned with the totality of our being, and He wants us to grow strong in Him in our spirits, as well as our souls, which grow as we are committed to seek the truth that is contained within God's Word.  Romans 12 speaks of renewing the mind.  If our soul is not at peace, or we have allowed our souls to be corrupted or polluted, we cannot experience the mental and emotional condition that God would desire for us to have.  He wants us to grow in Him and to conform to Christ in the way we think.

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In the first chapter of the book of Joshua, we see that God has given him some important keys to his development as the leader of the people of Israel.  You might say that God's instructions dealt with
the way Joshua made His walk with God and the condition of His soul high priorities:
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."

One of the phrases that is used when people part company is "take care."  It's a pretty innocuous phrase, really, but it can cause us to think about Who is really taking care of us and how we can connect with the Lord through the care of various areas of our lives.

Barna has released a survey about the topic of "self-care."  In the survey summary, it says: "...conversations about 'self-care" have entered the mainstream as people seek out ways to unplug, relax and pursue personal health and growth." The group says that "we asked American adults who identify as Christian and / or spiritual to identify practices they participate in on a regular basis—some more spiritual in nature, some that could be more broadly categorized as self-help or self-improvement."

According to this survey of so-called "spiritual" people, including Christians, 1-in-4 indicated that "time in nature for reflection" was their preferred practice of self-care.  That area finished in the top position, followed by "reading books on spiritual topics" - a little over 1 out of 5 gave that answer. Then, there was a trio of what could be described as "contemplative" practices: meditation, at 19%, silence or solitude, at 16%, and journaling, the response of 14% of those surveyed.

Interestingly enough, 28% of Millennials said that they journal, as opposed to just 3% of the Elder category.  Boomers and Elders, it seems, gravitate toward reading and nature.

Those in higher income categories tended to move toward activities which might require a financial investment. Those in the higher education categories were drawn to more "cerebral expressions of self-care, such as silence and solitude, or meditation."

But, across the board in the income and education categories, "spending time in nature or journaling are similarly appealing to all spiritually-inclined adults sampled."

This survey can help us to consider what we are doing to take care of our souls.   Certainly, there is plenty of emphasis on physical health, including diet and exercise.  But, the ways we feed and develop our spirits are of paramount importance.

First of all, I think there is something that is therapeutic about being immersed in God's creation. The simple act of getting out of the house or the office can be refreshing, especially now that the temperatures are rising and the pollen count might be declining.  And, while we don't worship nature or seek to be one with it or commune with it, the Bible is replete with Scripture verses that tell us we can see the Creator in His creation.

I also like the concept of writing things down.  What is God teaching you through His Word?  We can certainly commit principles to ministry, but that act of journaling, which Barna shows is popular among young adults, can help reinforce what He is teaching us and can be helpful for all believers.  Good ol' spiral notebooks or bound journals can be places where we can write - or even draw - our thoughts.

Finally, a word about meditation.  This word can have a negative connotation if the object of our meditation is not God and His Word.  But, the Lord spoke to Joshua about speaking of and meditating in the Scriptures so that we can be careful to do what is in them.  Meditation involves study, it can involved memorization, and it can involve the Holy Spirit showing us how we can make Scripture operational in our lives.  Through meditation, we train our minds to think about, to carefully consider, the ways of God.

He is inviting us to practices through which we can fellowship with Him and know Him better.  As we come to know Christ better and allow Him to renew our minds by His Word, we are participating in a restorative act of "soul care."

Upheaval

In times of confusion and upheaval - not just referring to culture but in what we encounter in our
individual lives, we need the wisdom of God. James 1 states:
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Upheaval can be an indicator that we need to learn what God has to teach us.  We can choose to allow uncertainly and trials to lead us away from God, but we need to mindful that He has a purpose in the trials that we encounter.  And, when we are facing adversity, we can keep in mind that He is at work, and we can surrender ourselves to His will, so that we might experience stability and satisfaction in our souls through Him.

+++++

We can get a sense of God's goals for our lives as we read Ephesians 4, which deals with those people who are called by God to equip the body of Christ. We pick up in verse 13:
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--

So many Christian parents cling to the verse in Proverbs about training up a child in the way that he or she should go, with the promise that when that child ages, they will not depart from those principles - that can be challenging to parents, and perhaps discouraging when the fruit doesn't seem to be producing.

I would say that certainly would be the case for Keith and Mary Hudson - they are involved in the ministry, and it appeared their daughter Katheryn was on that track to be a contemporary Christian artist - I remember interviewing her prior to her appearance at Jubilee CityFest in Montgomery quite a few years back.

But Katheryn Hudson became curious, and pursued another direction - thus, Katheryn Hudson became pop superstar and American Idol judge Katy Perry.  Hallels.com reported on a 70th birthday party that she and her siblings threw for their parents last fall; in the article, it says:

Though Katy Perry's mother is disappointed that her daughter has turned away from the faith, she's still hopeful. "The devil definitely tries to steal my joy," Mary told me. "I sometimes have to fight depression." A few years ago, Mary anchored her soul to Psalm 113:9, which says, "He gives the barren woman a dwelling, making her the joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!"

That verse inspired her to write her 2015 book, Joyful Parent, Happy Home. Mary Perry believes if you want your children to live for God, "You have to get happy and stay in the 'God zone.' It's just like when a plane takes off in a storm. The thunder and lightning may be raging, but once you reach 30,000 feet, the sun is always shining."

A recent Relevant Magazine story reported on Katy:

Since making it big, she’s confessed her upbringing sheltered her from a lot in the world, and she’s said she doesn’t identify with Christianity anymore.

This season, as a judge on American Idol, Perry has been adjacent to a lot of Christian ideas. One contestant, a worship leader who covered Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally,” moved her to tears through the spiritual nature of the cover. On the other end of the spectrum, Perry kissed a contestant of faith who claimed he was saving his first kiss for someone he was in love with.

The article goes on to say: "In any case, Perry has been engaging with her Christian past in a very public way in recent weeks."  It relates her Easter Instagram post, "my brokenness + God’s Divinity = my wholeness."

Well, if you do any reading about Perry, you do find a person who seems to be inner conflict.  She is currently embroiled in a controversy over a Los Angeles convent that she wants to buy, according to Faithwire.  The article states:

One of the nuns embroiled in a fierce lawsuit with pop star Katy Perry has revealed that sky-high legal fees have plunged her into financial dire straits. The group of nuns, who are members of the order of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, filed a lawsuit against Perry after she cut a deal with the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to purchase their former convent without running it by the sisters. The nuns claim that the expansive property has been owned by the order for 45 years insist that it is their right to sell it and nobody else’s.

Just a month ago, one of the nuns involved in the case "tragically passed away after collapsing at a court appearance March 9."   The Faithwire story stated that "the Daily Mail reported that multi-millionaire artist Perry told the nuns that she wants the gorgeous 22,000 sq ft Mediterranean-inspired property so she can “sip green tea and find herself.”

As an Idol judge, TIME Magazine explores it in the context of the pinball machine that has been her career for the past two years:

In her music career, she pivoted from generalized uplift like “Firework” to generalized political engagement with her last album, 2017’s Witness; the public seemed less interested in her coming into consciousness than they’d been in her looser, loucher pop. In 2018, as a means of preserving her world-conquering status, she’s swerving deeper into a comic persona that can’t help but dominate its surroundings: Her fellow judges, with less at stake, aren’t really there to play, and contestants have everything to gain by just playing along.

TIME relates, "last summer, she invited fans to watch her in a strangely compelling 96-hour livestream in which she underwent therapy, yoga lessons and the intrusion of cameras. And yet some fundamental self-protection clicked in even then, keeping her from explaining what, precisely, she was going through."

So, you have a very public search for identity and meaning played out in the life of a young lady whose life over the past few years has seemed to be characterized by upheaval.  And, through it all, perhaps those Scriptures that Katheryn heard in her home growing up are doing their work.

I guess when one is major pop star, there is some rebooting that is necessary, although it appears Ms. Perry is on a constant search, with no particular destination, with the exception of that fuzzy concept of "meaning."  The faith of her childhood provides that anchor that she needs, and a deep-rooted faith in Christ can provide the moorings that will enable us to experience true happiness and satisfaction.  And, certainly we all will need to reboot or reset from time-to-time; that is what repentance and sanctification are all about - God's Word provides us the direction we need so that we are not blown about by the untrustworthy winds of the world.

One of the tools that God will use in order to bring us into conformity with His will for us and to help us discover our identity in Christ is upheaval.  As Matt Hybarger expressed in a song, there is purpose in the pain.  The uncertainties and instabilities of our lives can help to propel us to discover who God is, what He wants to do in our lives, and who He wants us to be.  And, in the midst of upheaval, He will make Himself known to us, if only we would listen and learn.

Color Me Christian

The apostle Paul provided some perspective on the human family in his address at Mars Hill, as we read in Acts 17:
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

We are all part of one family, of humanity, "made from one blood."  Now, there are expressions of differences - our racial and cultural makeup are certainly important.  But, in the eyes of God, He sees us as the body of Christ, bought by the blood of Jesus, which flows through us all.  And, we are all united under His banner, related in faith in a glorious tapestry through which God wants to express Himself to display His glory.

+++++

Galatians 3 presents a panoramic view of the body of Christ and highlights a starting point in our
pursuit of improved race relations:
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

On this Survey Thursday, I have one statistic - one number, one percentage.

81%.

That simple number has been instrumental in what I see as an attempt to redefine what it means to be an evangelical Christian in America today.

For those that belong to the 81 percent, it represents a position taken in favor of religious liberty and policy positions that are consistent with Scripture, as they see it.

For those that don't belong, it has been an underlying force in causing rancor and division within the body of Christ.

81 is the percentage of white evangelicals who voted for Donald Trump to be President - yes, that Donald Trump - the thrice-married, philandering, casino-owning, racist, misogynist, liar.  And, because of that 81%, there have been attempts to discredit evangelicals and the Church at large.

Certainly Trump has not demonstrated Christian values personally.  But, as it's been explained, in a binary choice of two candidates, Donald Trump represented for many Christians a departure from a political system that had disregarded religious liberty; you know, the freedom to practice our faith.  Trump wasn't embraced by many Christians because of his morality, but because he was seen as someone who could fix things, in much that same way as a homeowner would hire a contractor to fix something at the house - those who are selected to perform services are commonly chosen because of perceived skill, not because of private character.

But I believe there are those that cannot get past the 81% - and it seems to be a subtext for denouncing and denigrating white evangelicals; white Christians.  Imagine, one part of the body of Christ criticizing fellow Christians for a political choice. As I was discussing with someone the other day, while Donald Trump's physical address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, truly, he seems to live in the heads of a number of people of faith.

And, to think that one man can do so much damage.  But, I would submit to the average Christian, that choice was just one of many that were made on November 8, 2016, one of many that were made in the course of a lifetime.  Christianity is not defined by one man, well, we are defined by one man, but not the President.  In deference to Bill Gaither, the church triumphant is NOT the church Trump-hant.

But, the selection, I dare say, support of Trump seems to color how some Christians, including vocal Christian leaders view the body of Christ, including issues of race relations.  For those who would claim that evangelical Christianity is overwhelmingly white in nature, I would submit the findings of the Public Religion Research Institute.  From a Christianity Today article from last September, we read this:

“The American religious landscape has undergone dramatic changes in the last decade, and is more diverse today than at any time since modern sociological measurements began,” reported PRRI on its 2016 American Values Atlas, based on more than 101,000 bilingual surveys between January 2016 and January 2017.

In fact, the number of nonwhite Protestants has grown so large that the group has surpassed white mainline Protestants, and has nearly caught up with white evangelical Protestants.

Here are a couple more nuggets:

Among white Americans, 68 percent are Christians, 47 percent are Protestants, and 27 percent are evangelicals. Among African Americans, 75 percent are Christians, 67 percent are Protestants, and 42 percent are evangelicals.

Let's look at it another way - according to PRRI:

About a quarter of Americans (26%) are self-identified evangelicals. About two-thirds of those evangelicals are white (64%), while 19 percent are black, 10 percent are Hispanic, and the remaining 6 percent are Asian, mixed race, or other ethnicities.

And, this:

Half of evangelicals under 30 years old are now nonwhite (50%), a far higher share than among evangelicals older than 65 (23%). PRRI found that “22 percent of young evangelical Protestants are black, 18 percent are Hispanic, and 9 percent identify as some other race or mixed race.”

PRRI found that white evangelicals in this survey comprised 17 percent of the population, a drop from 23 percent in 2006.  As CT points out, Pew found that "25.4 percent of Americans were evangelical in 2014, down only slightly from 26.3 percent in 2007."

Contrary to the narrative in some circles, evangelical Christianity has become more diverse.  And, isn't that the picture of the body of Christ that we see in Galatians 3 or in Revelation 7:

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

I can't say definitively why that narrative has taken hold that the evangelical church is in crisis because of Trump.  But, the Bible teaches that we are not defined by one man, nor a political party, nor a particular race - when we attempt to define our brothers and sisters by various boundaries, it creates division.  You are creating boundaries that God never intended.

Satan has succeeded in dividing the body of Christ, and I do not believe he is sitting on the sidelines today - his work is not done, and it is admirable and effective that we should be discussing issues that keep us separated.  But, in the midst of attempting to unite, we have to guard against using rhetoric that creates further division.  There has been racial division for many years, but I would submit that it is more productive, rather than to dwell relentlessly on events of 50, 100, or 150 years ago, on actual or perceived injustices, we should be laying the groundwork for the next 50 or more years - we should always be directed to focus on solutions borne out of a mutual respect and understanding.   Surely, we repent from past sins of racism or current vestiges of racism in our hearts, but we move forward, having accepted Christ's forgiveness and forgiving one another for past injustices.

And, as I have said repeatedly, the Church, the body of Christ, His bride, made up of people from a variety of tribes and tongues, a beautifully diverse body, has the opportunity and the responsibility to lead the way in these matters.  We have to be honest arbiters to pursue unity rather than pursuers of an agenda that may not line up with God's intent for His people.

The Missing Word

The Word of God can do amazing things as it is planted in the hearts of a believer in Christ.  1st
Peter chapter 1 says:
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
24 because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever."

His truth can do a powerful work in our hearts - we just have to make sure that we are hungering for the Word and consuming it so that our hearts and minds are transformed, or renewed, as Romans 12 suggests.  If the Word is controlling and informing our decisions and refining our actions, it can have a tangible effect not only on our level of peace and power, including the power to overcome sin, but our demonstration of the Word can be effective in God touching others through us.

+++++

The Word of God is powerful; Hebrews says it is living and active and Isaiah 55 reminds us of the
authority and even the pervasiveness of God's Word:
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

If you live in China and want to practice your Christian faith, you have the option of attending a state-sanctioned church or being part of a house, or underground, church.  But, it looks like that you may not have the option to purchase a Bible.

According to WORLD Magazine:

Starting in late March, major online retailers including JD.com, Dangdang, and Amazon.cn stopped offering Bibles for sale, although children’s Bibles, theological books, and Bible concordances remained. Technically, Bibles in China are allowed to be sold only in government-sanctioned churches, yet the authorities never enforced that rule strictly, and Bibles could easily be found online as well as in Christian bookstores.

That also goes for the retailer Taobao.

And, as the article points out, a government representative visited a Beijing Christian bookstore and said Bibles with foreign ISBN numbers could no longer be sold in the country.  There is the fear that Bible apps will be the next to be excised.  And, the article states that recently:

China’s government released a white paper claiming the Chinese Communist Party exercises authority over religion in order to keep “Western” religions like Christianity from being “controlled and utilized by colonialists and imperialists.”

WORLD also reports that...

...President Xi Jinping insists on the “Sinicization of Christianity,” an effort to transform Christianity into a belief system that “aligns with the core values of socialism and so-called Chinese characteristics,” according to U.S.-based ChinaAid.

No doubt the Church is growing in China, with predictions that the number of Christians in China will exceed the number in the U.S. within a few years.  And, officials cannot be blind to this interest in Christianity - so, they have to choke the information and to remove certain vestiges of Christianity, such as crosses on local churches.

But, I would submit these efforts are just speedbumps against the torrent of God's Word and the power that comes from the knowledge of it.

News of this crackdown reminded me about how lawmakers in California are devoted to stifling truth - that's a reference to a bill that would, according to the California Family Council.  Its website states:

AB 2943 (bill text) declares “advertising, offering to engage in, or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with an individual” as illegal under state’s consumer fraud law. Sexual orientation change efforts is defined as “any practices that seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation. This includes efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex.”

As Anne Paulk of Restored Hope Network related on The Meeting House, this would prevent materials from various ministries dealing with freedom from same-sex attraction from being sold in the state, even if by out-of-state ministries.

It appears that in some parts of this world and even this nation, truth is a commodity that will be restricted.  But, God's Word cannot be bound; it will not return void - if there are hindrances, God can get His truth across in other ways, including through His people, His ambassadors. We can be faithful containers of Biblical truth and be open and ready to share it on a consistent basis.  Even in the early church, when rapid growth was being experienced, the Word traveled by word-of-mouth.  Through the years, with the printing press, radio and television, and now the Internet, God has sent His Word into the world and it continues to proliferate as it grows large in the hearts of His people.

We also have to make sure that we are not restricting the Word of God from our own hearts.  We can examine whether or not our daily decisions affect our ability to consume the Word - do we order our schedules so that we might consume the life-giving bread of God's truth?  We have to figuratively or literally take the Word "off the shelf" so that it may reside in the shelves of our minds, living and active, doing its work within us.

Eat Mor Intolurense

We have the potential, through the presence of God being expressed through us, to create an
atmosphere around us that will draw people to our Savior. 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.

The Spirit of God lives in the hearts of His people, and the presence of Christ can be detected through believers who are communing with Him and acting Biblically.  Our fellowship with Christ and devotion to His Word can produce in use the peace that passes understanding and joy that is unspeakable.  Through our relationship with the Lord and our allowing His love to flow through us as we serve Him and others, we can demonstrate that we know Him and people will be drawn to Christ in us.

+++++

There's a concept to which I'll be referring later, found in the 5th chapter of Matthew, involving adopting a Christlike, servant's attitude toward others:
41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you...

Well, you see where this is going.  The New Yorker piece was fronted by the headline, Chick-Fil-A’s Creepy Infiltration of New York City. Now, right off the bat, you have to question the use of the word, "infiltration," as if it were some clandestine move to place Chick-fil-A restaurants in every neighborhood. No, this would best be described as an "invasion!" And, it's all good - except to this New Yorker reporter and those who think like him.

The AJC.com reports that the restaurant has "five floors and a rooftop terrace overlooking a view of One World Trade and the city’s financial district." It is 12,000 square feet, with 140 seats, two kitchens, and a private dining area.   And, according to FoxNews.com:

According to restaurant consultancy firm Technomic, which shared its findings with Buzzfeed News, Chick-fil-A is poised to become the third-largest fast-food chain in the nation by 2020 in terms of sales, trailing behind only McDonald’s and Starbucks.

The average Chick-fil-A does $4.4 million each year per store; McDonald's is at $2.5 and Starbucks at $1.1.  And, the chicken chain does it at far fewer locations - and only 6 days a week!

Yes, there's the bit about being closed on Sunday.  That can't make the New Yorker happy!   A CBN News story by Steve Warren and Drew Parkhill, reported that author, Dan Piepenbring...

...examines how New Yorkers have taken to Chick-fil-A and its signature sandwich – so much so, that the day he visited the new five-story location in lower Manhattan, the line of customers waiting for food stretched around the block.

However, Piepenbring writes, the company, founded by S. Truett Cathy, feels like an infiltration because of its "pervasive Christian traditionalism." He points to the company's stand for traditional marriage (which liberals consider anti-gay), and how in 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a boycott.

The CBN story also states:

Piepenbring writes that "proselytism thrums below the surface of the Fulton Street restaurant, which has the ersatz homespun ambiance of a megachurch."

He also suggests that Chick-fil-A's emphasis on the local community, which is one of the company standards at all of its retail locations, has an ulterior motive. And he's critical of what David Farmer, Chick-fil-A's vice president of restaurant experience, recently told Buzzfeed about how they try to have a "pit crew efficiency, but where you feel like you just got hugged in the process."

As Jenna Ellis points out at the Washington Examiner website: "he hates that idea because the chicken sandwiches are served out of the owners’ sincere desire to simply 'glorify God.'" Those words, by the way, are found in the corporate mission statement.  She also writes:

Piepenbring is actually arguing that a chicken sandwich chain owned by Christians is somehow culturally dangerous enough to warrant exclusion and ostracizing from society. This is exactly the kind of viewpoint discrimination that rights of conscience bills are designed to protect against, so that someone like Piepenbring cannot stop a business from operating simply because he hates the business’ religious messages.

She theorizes accurately that "this attack piece would never have been published if it were against any other religion or suspect class under law."  Ellis, who is a constitutional law professor, writes:

For-profit, commercial businesses retain the right pursuant to all the protections in the First Amendment to be openly affiliated with a religion, including Christianity. In fact, the Supreme Court has long and properly recognized First Amendment protections for private religious speech, including in the context of a corporation’s business operations and messaging.

 And, in a lighter, yet frightening note, Ellis points out...

Piepenbring goes on to describe the restaurant chain’s “Spokescows” as “its ultimate evangelists,” because obviously, this kind of messaging is somehow putting New Yorkers in peril.

But, as absurd as that, along with some of this other material, might sound, Ellis rightly states:

This is not a piece to simply laugh off. It’s evidencing the increasing acceptance and normalizing of intolerance and hatred against Christian messages.

It's disheartening to see how Chick-fil-A gains its share of detractors, not for the food, which I would submit is the main motivation for people to go there.  But, its ideology, its basis in Christian principles, cannot be separated from the chain itself.  And, that drives the experience - its combination of efficiency and friendliness, as its vice-president stated, making you feel like you got "hugged in the process."

That flows from the Cathy family philosophy of "second mile service," which is a Biblical concept and contributes greatly to the restaurant experience - an AJC.com article from a few years back said:

Faith is never far from the front lines at Chick-fil-A, which has become the country’s highest-profile business that touts the Bible as an operating manual. Chick-fil-A’s creed of “second-mile service” is a reference to Matthew 5:41, in which Jesus tells his followers that if someone forces them to go one mile, they should go two instead.

Undoubtedly, the food, the atmosphere, and the community service are all contributing factors to the growth of this restaurant chain.  And, we can consider some principles for our own lives.  For one thing, if and when we face criticism for our faith, are we geared up to "stay the course?"  There will be pressure to change, to conform, to maybe tamp down that "religious stuff."  But, God has made us who we are, and He desires to express Himself through us.

We can also consider the atmosphere we create.  This is important, it plays to the concept of "intangibles."  Do we do all to the glory of God - that includes excellence in the tasks set before us, done with an attitude of service, not radiating a negative vibe, but honestly doing what we do in a friendly manner?  And, do we accept the challenge to go above and beyond what might be expected? These factors can contribute to the creation of a winning atmosphere around us - not winning in the sense of a competition, but in people wanting to be around us because of the character of Christ we project.  

Pompeo and Circumspectness

We demonstrate to the world that Christ is in us as we build our lives on His strong foundation,
relying on His grace and truth. Ephesians 3 states that Paul is expressing his prayer...
(16) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

We are called to possess conviction - knowing what we believe and acting accordingly.  We have to make sure that what we believe and act upon are principles that are consistent with the Scriptures.  Many have conviction these days, and we have to guard against errant beliefs, which can lead us into incorrect responses.  So, we have conviction that is based on God's Word, and we can learn, through the power of the Spirit, to communicate those convictions - by word and deed - with grace.

+++++

There is a passage in Colossians 2 that encourages us to walk in conviction:
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

You could call it a litmus test - some lawmakers, in committee hearings, have questioned and even denigrated the religious beliefs of nominees for governmental positions.  It had happened previously in the case of Russell Vought, now the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, who had been chastised by Sen. Bernie Sanders about a situation involving his alma mater, Wheaton College - CBN News reported: "In a blog, Vought had defended Wheaton College for their decision to force out a professor who said Christians and Muslims worship the same God...Sanders said Vought was unfit for public service due to his Christian beliefs."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein had spoken the famous words, "the dogma lives ," with respect to Federal appeals court nominee Amy Barrett.  CBN News stated that the senator said: "When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you and that's of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years."

Recently, the President's nominee for Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who is serving as CIA Director, was goaded by Sen. Cory Booker about his views on homosexuality.   Pompeo's response was that he supported traditional marriage while showing respect to people, regardless of sexual orientation, according to a CNS News article.  The senator referred to a now-famous prayer from over 20 years ago that Pompeo had cited when speaking at an evangelical church in 2015 - the prayer was from the church's pastor Joe Wright.  CNS News said:

In June 2015, Pompeo gave an address at an evangelical church in Wichita, during which the then-congressman from Kansas quoted from a prayer delivered by the church’s senior pastor, Joe Wright, almost 20 years earlier, at the opening of the state’s legislature.

Quoted by Pompeo, Wright’s prayer included the lines: “We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of your Word and called it moral pluralism. We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism. We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle …”

Pompeo, who was speaking in Wichita shortly before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring that same-sex marriage is a right – said he thought Wright’s prayer was “so fitting for where we find ourselves today.”

Family Research Council took those who hold similar views to these senators to task, presumably including those who would want to impose a so-called "litmus test," stating:

They don't want to admit that it's possible for people of faith to have respect for everyone, while also believing in the biblical definition of marriage and sexuality. Instead, they want to marginalize an entire half of the country for sharing the same view that every secretary of state except John Kerry held when they were confirmed. In fact, most of us would argue that Pompeo's beliefs are more aligned with other countries' than Booker's!

Under Barack Obama, world leaders were furious with the way the president used the State Department to export his LGBT agenda globally. Trump's predecessor not only sent openly gay ambassadors into countries that are culturally opposed to homosexuality, they used foreign aid to bully other nations into accepting Obama's twisted agenda. He flew rainbow flags over our embassies in Muslim countries and appointed a special taxpayer-funded LGBT envoy whose sole purpose was forcing the president's radical social agenda on reluctant countries. Under both Kerry and Hillary Clinton, DOS changed the rules for same-sex diplomats and openly demonized other countries that refused to recognize homosexuality as an international "human right."

These are the times in which we live, in which traditional Christian beliefs are under fire and there are those people in high position who would not want those convictions, shared by many of our nation's founders, to be held by people who are making policy.

In light of this exchange, I think some questions for us would be: when or if we are intimidated for matters of faith, how will we respond?   Do we stand up for the Biblical view of marriage?  And, can we do that while still showing respect for those involved in a lifestyle that is abhorrent to God?  Pompeo stressed his respect for individuals with whom he disagreed; a respect that was not being shown to him in the Congressional hearing.  We can become skilled in expressing convictions with the compassion of Christ.

And, that's a good word among Christians, as well.  When you spend a lot of time on the Internet, including social media, you see a stunning lack of grace.  There are disagreements all over the place between believers - we have to be careful that we are not portraying to the world a viewpoint of Christians that is inconsistent with the character of Christ.  I saw a tweet the other day in which a pastor essentially said that he would no longer engage with fellow believers who have a different viewpoint than him on a certain matter, an issue that is most certainly creates debate among believers - is that where we have come to as a Church?   This does not build unity in the body.  Now, there will be times when fellowship has to be broken, but we have to be so careful to rely on the Holy Spirit to direct us - and Matthew 18 prescribes 4 steps in order for that to occur.

We can be challenged to possess conviction, rooted in the Scriptures, and communicate it with grace.

Leopards?

In Psalm 119, the Psalmist is expressing His love for God's Word. We read:
129 Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
131 I opened my mouth and panted, For I longed for Your commandments.
132 Look upon me and be merciful to me, As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
133 Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

Here, he is expressing a high and devoted view of the Scripture, and indeed, this Psalm becomes a standard by which we can measure our own love for and appropriation of the Word of God.  We know God as we not only fellowship and commune with Him through prayer and worship, but as we read about Him and realize that the Bible is a template for a consistent meeting with Him - our living Lord will express Himself to and through us as we spend time in the Scripture.

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Jesus is the Word who became flesh, and just as He lives today, His words to us are words of life that
can totally transform us. Hebrews 4 states:
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Perhaps you have heard of Chrissy Teigen - if not, maybe you are familiar, to a certain extent, with John Legend, her husband.  They could be described as a pop culture power couple: he is a singer and actor who recently played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert; she is, according to ChristianToday.com, a "model and TV personality."  That website said that Teigen, "might need to start reading the Bible to learn about the man her husband is depicting, as she admitted on Twitter that she's not familiar with the Bible."

Chrissy attended a rehearsal for the musical presentation.  Christian Today stated:

Aside from watching Legend fly, Teigen joked she had been excited to see leopards on the stage but that turned into a disappointment.

"John said there would be leopards today," Teigen wrote on Twitter. "But it's lepers. I uh, am not good with the Bible," she added.

It goes on to say:

In 2017, Teigen told a follower that Jesus Christ doesn't shape her beliefs after someone asked, "Is Jesus shaping your personal culture or is the culture shaping you?"

But cold-case detective J. Warner Wallace contends that Teigen is far from being the only one who is "not good with the Bible."  In a Fox News piece, he related some statistics, such as:

A study conducted by Lifeway found that while nearly 87 percent of American households possess a Bible, most people who live in these homes (53 percent) barely open the holy book.

A scant 19 percent of Christians say they read the Bible every day, and only 20 percent report thinking about biblical truths throughout the day.

And, there's this morsel:

A 2017 Barna Group study (in association with Summit Worldview Ministries) found that only 17 percent of “Christians who consider their faith important and attend church regularly actually have a biblical worldview.”

Wallace, who lives in California, said:

I might be able to call myself a Californian based on my being born and raised here. But when challenged by an increasingly secular culture, Christians need to be able to offer more than “I was born and raised in the church.”

He concludes by saying:

If we want to call ourselves Christians and have a positive influence on the world around us, we’ll need an informed, forensic faith that can stand up in the marketplace of ideas. Christians need to understand the difference between a leper and a leopard. We need to be “good with the Bible.”

So, there are a couple of questions that can emerge for us today.   One is: are we "good with the Bible?"  And, another follows from that, "How good?"  I think there are varying degrees of what is termed, "engaging" with the Bible.  There are some that possess one, but perhaps, as Lifeway discovered, never crack the covers.

In order to experience more of the reality of Jesus, the Word made flesh, it is vital that we open the pages and begin to read.  In going deeper, we go beyond merely reading into careful study and then consider carefully applying what we discover.  We allow the Spirit to open up and to enliven the words on the page - it's like reading God's truth three-dimensionally rather than two-dimensionally.  God wants to reveal more of Himself to us through His Word, which is "living and active," according to Hebrews 4.

We can carefully evaluate whether or not the phrase, "I'm not good with the Bible," applies to us. But, there is always the promise of getting better, seeing the Bible come alive in our hearts, and to be expressed through our lives.

Sing

There are so many verses and passages in the book of Psalms that deal with the effectiveness of
music. In Psalm 96, we read this:
1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

Music is an important part of the worship experience - now, as it's been stated, worship isn't just music, but music can be a part of worship, contributing to our walk with God being strengthened and our experience of the presence of God to be deepened.  As we engage with God through music, it can be a tool by which our spirits are lifted and perhaps even impacted by spiritual principles.  Music is a container, a carrier, of messages and can impact moods, and God can use it for our good.

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Ephesians 5 emphasizes the importance of singing before the Lord:
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

On Faith Radio on a regular basis, not only do we provide over 15 hours of music each day, but we also make you aware of various events, including concerts, that are being held within, and sometimes even outside, the Faith Radio terrestrial coverage area.

And, there's a new study that shows that going to concerts can actually impact the length of a person's life!

This is from the Independent website out of the U.K., which declares:

According to a new study by O2 - which owns some of the largest music venues in the UK - alongside Goldsmith University's Associate Lecturer Patrick Fagan, regularly attending live shows can help expand your lifespan.

The study says that 20 minutes at a show "can lead to a 21 percent increase in that feeling of well-being."

The article goes on to state:

 "Combining all of our findings with O2's research, we arrive at a prescription of a gig a fortnight which could pave the way for almost a decade more years of life," Fagan explained.

A fortnight, by the way, is 14 days.

The story also says:

Results showed that people who attended gigs had an increase of 25 percent in feelings of self worth and closeness to others and a 75 percent increase in mental stimulation.

While the study found that Brits preferred going to concerts instead of listening to music at home, music in general has been found to increase happiness.

Here are examples cited:

In 2013, research in Finland determined that "children who took part in singing classes had higher satisfaction rates at school."

A study by a team at University of Missouri published research in The Journal of Positive Psychology stating that joyful music had a "significantly positive effect" on good health.

Here is research that is consistent with what the Bible prescribed.  According to Bible Study Tools, in the New King James translation, the word, "sing" is found 99 times in the Scriptures, and the word, "song," is there 193 times!  We are encouraged in Scripture to participating in "singing and making melody in your heart."

This survey can remind us of several important elements.  First of all, God is pleased with music that honors Him; after all, He is the Creator and the inventor of music.  He has come up with the concept, and it's a powerful communicator of information, as well as an entity that can affect our emotions.  Even instrumental music can transmit a variety of different moods.  So, music is something that God has intended for our good - and of course, there are those that would use it for other purposes.  All in all, there is something about it that connects with the soul - so many are drawn to it and it becomes an instrumental (no pun intended) part of our lives.

And, I believe, there is a connection between the music we listen to and what impacts our minds.  If we expose ourselves to content that can drag us down or influence us adversely, contained within song lyrics, it can negatively impact our spiritual walk with Christ.  Likewise, the words of life and hope contained within music that carries a message consistent with Scripture can encourage and edify us.  We have to be discerning, selective, with respect to our song choices.

And, the concert experience or exposure to live music - well, as this study found, there are benefits there.  We can leave a Christian concert feeling lifted up, and we can enjoy the fellowship with other believers and the joy of the corporate experience.  And, in a sense, we have the capability to enjoy a mini-concert experience in our weekly worship services, and can be challenged to really enter in to God's presence as we sing songs that testify to His greatness.   We can make it our aim to incorporate worship through song - individually and collectively - as we grow in the Lord.  And, the music we offer on Faith Radio is designed to enhance your experience with Him.

Mind Reading

In James chapter 1, we see how sin operates in our lives, and how its power progresses:
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

We're tempted when we are "drawn away" by our "own desires."  Those desires are cultivated by the thoughts that we allow to take root in our minds.  The enemy will attempt to deceive us and we can choose whether or not to accept what he is suggesting to us.  If we dwell on thoughts that are contrary to the truth of God and His nature, then we become vulnerable to the enemy's schemes.  We own those thoughts, which can easily develop into sinful actions.  We have to guard against the enemy's tactics and make sure our thinking lines up with God's standards.

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The Bible addresses the content and power of our thoughts in Philippians 4:
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

The hearing went on and on and on - the founder of Facebook descending from his perch atop the social network to testify before members of Congress about privacy concerns that have come to the fore as of late.  One does certainly get the picture that what we once thought private really isn't, and that Facebook is woefully inadequate in protecting that information.

Now, there is technology that may even promote a notion that our very thoughts are not really private.

An article on The Blaze website starts out by saying:

Scientists have developed a new mind-reading machine that translates what you are thinking and instantly displays your thoughts as text, the Daily Mail reported.

The process is simple and surreal: electrodes are implanted in the brain, and electrical signals are sent to a computer.  The machine is allegedly able to take the vowels and consonants that we use to put sentences together and translate them into text on the computer screen.  Developers say it has a 90% accuracy rate.

The article states that there are noble uses here, saying:

Researchers hope the machine can assist medical patients with conditions that don’t allow them to speak or move.

The device was developed at the University of California and was featured in the Journal of Neural Engineering.

But, there are some concerns: "As the Daily Mail noted, there are fears the device could 'cause problems if secret thoughts are exposed accidentally.'"

The article quotes from a story on the website, The Sun:

Study leader David Moses said: “No published work has demonstrated real-time classification of sentences from neural signals. Given the performance exhibited by [the machine] in this work and its capacity for expansion, we are confident in its ability to serve as a platform for the proposed speech prosthetic device.”

And, as the story points out, "One year ago, the Daily Mail reported that a 'device that reads people’s minds through their brainwaves' could be linked to smart phones within the next several years."  As the writer of the article, Teri Webster, states: "our reality is that even our thoughts may not be our own."

Here you have a case of the contrast between light and dark: technology that holds potential to help people "speak or move;"  but, technology that can enable untrustworthy agents to actually monitor our very thoughts and to even share that information.

One of the first thoughts that came to mind, that I have translated into text - the conventional way, without the aid of electrodes, concerns the implications of our thoughts being monitored.  I guess, in a strange sense, we would have a higher level of motivation to control our thoughts and probably even to conceal the innermost thoughts that we are ashamed of.  Let's take that a step further - you do realize, your thoughts are being monitored!  By your Creator, Almighty God.

So, recognizing that, what are we doing to control the thoughts that we have?  The Bible speaks to the renewing of the mind in Romans 12, it shares criteria for acceptable thinking in Philippians 4, and 2 Corinthians instructs us to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.  Temptation and sin operate through the gateway of our minds.  A thought, not properly processed, can result in an action.

The enemy of our souls recognizes this - it's been said that Satan cannot read our minds, but he can place errant thoughts in our minds, he is a master of the power of suggestion.  We have the capability to decide what thoughts we accept or reject.  While we cannot keep thoughts from entering, we can choose what to do with them.  And, we can, through the act of the will, launch thoughts that are consistent with God's Word.

I think it can be a challenge to think about this: if some electrode would monitor our thoughts and transfer them to text, that the output would be found to reflect God's Word and thought patterns that are consistent with His truth.