Trumped II: Hail to the Chief

On this day after Election Day, I want to offer some words from the 47th Psalm:
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.

We have selected a new President, as well as members of Congress, but our ultimate devotion is not to a politician, although the Bible does instruct us to pray for and submit to our authorities.  We are called to surrender to a mighty King, the One who is seated on the throne, Who holds all things together by His mighty power, who works His purposes throughout the earth in accordance to His will.  We humble ourselves before our mighty King today, as in the days before.

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In chapter 2 of the book of Daniel, we find the words of Daniel, who had just taken on the responsibility of interpreting a dream for the king. We read:
20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.
23 "I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king's demand."

An October Gallup poll measured respondents' answer to this simple question: In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?  Only 28% of those surveyed said they were satisfied; 70% said they were dissatisfied.  Even though that number is down from 82% in July, nevertheless, people do not like the way things are going in this country.

Many of those, I would imagine, cast a vote for change yesterday, and Donald Trump will take the oath of office as the 45th President of the United States in January.

Can he correct the numbers?  One would hope, but there is plenty of work to do.  Trump may think he can "Make America Great Again," but he has to recognize the value of the people who make America.

Ed Stetzer of Breakpoint This Week, in a column on the Christianity Today website responding to the election results, writes:

There are many Evangelicals who voted for Trump, and many Evangelicals who advised him. It’s time to advise him now that immigrants are made in the image of God, women are not tools and toys, racial and religious prejudice must be confronted, and so much more. The answer is not for us to change our views on character, it’s to help a flawed candidate become a President of character.

Evangelicals elected Trump. Now they need to call him to a better way.

It's a thoughtful column, and makes some strong cases for what to do going forward.  Stetzer also wrote:

We’ve spent months talking about the things that matter. Don’t cast off issues that came to the surface in this election. Just because we aren’t talking about debate questions or party platforms on Facebook doesn’t mean we stop standing up for the unborn, raising our voices for religious liberty, caring for refugees, pursuing racial reconciliation, and more. It’s easy to go back to our own lives and become self-focused when we don’t have a reason to think about these issues. But they matter. And casting our votes doesn’t mean our job is done. We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and share the love of Jesus in an angry moment in our culture.

So, I say that even though leadership may change, the mandate for the Church does not.  Evangelicals played a part in electing Trump, but we don't need to look to him, or any other political leader, to do what God has ordained the Church today in our culture.  And, those concerned about matters of life and religious liberty and who voted for Trump may feel a reprieve today, but we have to recognize that prayer and prudent action are necessary components in seeing those matters turn more in our direction.   I would hope that Mr. Trump was not just using the Church as a means to an end, as politicians have done for years - people I trust within the Christian community supported him, and I would hope that they would continue to have influence as he moves into the nation's, and I dare say the world's highest office.

On November 9, we hold true to the sovereignty of God - He has given us the President that He intends - Daniel is clear that he exalts and deposes leaders.  And for a nation that has faced a wholesale rejection of the principles of God in so many ways, some may say that Trump is the President we deserve.  There are those that have asked throughout the general election cycle, "is this the best we can do?" Now that one of two unpopular candidates have garnered millions of votes, we have to ponder what God might be saying to us as a nation.  This may not have been the result many wanted, but it's the outcome that He has intended.

But, a President's power is limited, but the power of God is unlimited.  Again, you hope that the faith leaders that have served as advisors to his campaign will continue to have a place at the table and speak truth to power.  And, those faith leaders who have vehemently opposed his campaign will also continue to be purveyors of truth.  Because, honestly, they're both right - Trump was and is a person who has demonstrated questionable and even offensive character who also represented a variety of policy positions that resonated with a number of Christian voters.  His personal character did not.  God has chosen a flawed individual and given him the opportunity to be used of Him - and isn't that just like the Lord, just like characters we see in the Bible?

Finally, we have a political leadership change, but our allegiance is to Someone greater.  As Dr. Ronnie Floyd, former President of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote before the election:

The testimony of the gospel is serious business. One’s involvement in the political world today does not bring harm to the gospel. We are called by Jesus to be the salt and the light in this darkness. We should do so both wisely and courageously. God will use this kind of testimony.

This I do know: we live in a sinful world. The gospel is the only answer, not politics. Yet, we must still engage and operate in this sinful political climate and in this evil world. Our hope should never be in a politician or a party, but only in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sun Will Come Out...

In Psalm 46, we can see a passage that testifies to the greatness of our God:

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

What a wonderful, majestic God we serve.  We can be confident in His control.  We can ponder His power and realize that He reigns.  He has a plan and a purpose, and we can participate in that plan through the selection of our governmental leaders.  We are called to submit to our governmental authorities, but our ultimate surrender is to God and God alone.  We do not look to governments to save us, but to our Savior Who does all things well.

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We read in Psalm 22 about the supremacy of God over all the nations, including our nation:
25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!
27 All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's, And He rules over the nations.

That last verse is used in a recent post from Max Lucado, from which I will quote a bit later.

Can you believe it?  November 8th has come - and you know, tomorrow will come as well, unless Jesus decides to come for His church sometime today.  There are polls and predictions, prognostication and punditry.   Everybody thinks they know what will happen; and nobody really does.   The only things we as believers can do today regarding the election is pray and vote.

And, tomorrow - when we wake up, it's highly possible that we will know who will be our next President.  Most of the composition of the U.S. Senate will be decided.  But, there is something that is more certain, and Max Lucado hit on it in a column he wrote several weeks ago.  He wrote:

I have a prediction. I know exactly what November 9 will bring. Another day of God’s perfect sovereignty. He will still be in charge. His throne will still be occupied. He will still manage the affairs of the world. Never before has His providence depended on a king, president, or ruler. And it won’t on November 9, 2016. “The LORD can control a king’s mind as he controls a river; he can direct it as he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1 NCV).

He cites several examples.  He says: "On one occasion the Lord turned the heart of the King of Assyria so that he aided them in the construction of the Temple."  That's according to Ezra 6:22. He continues, "On another occasion, he stirred the heart of Cyrus to release the Jews to return to Jerusalem."  You see that in Ezra 1:1.  Max Lucado also points out, "Nebuchadnezzar was considered to be the mightiest king of his generation. But God humbled and put him in 'detention' for seven years." That's from Daniel 4, verses 28-34. He quotes Psalms 22:28: “The kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations." He goes on:

Understanding God’s sovereignty over the nations opens the door to peace. When we realize that God influences the hearts of all rulers, we can then choose to pray for them rather than fret about them. Rather than wring our hands we bend our knees, we select prayer over despair.

Beth Moore wrote this:

We cast our votes prayerfully. Carefully. We plead for wisdom. But the church of Jesus Christ doesn’t rise or fall on the fleshy back an election.

We have our God. He has His people. And we are not a few. We don’t even have to fully agree with one another to be a colossal force for the gospel. All we have to do is agree with God that nothing is too difficult for Him and that no amount of mortal elbow grease can back His throne into a corner. He cannot be overruled. And it is He alone – I cannot say this loudly enough – it is He alone who truly loves the world. To think we care more than He does is remarkable hubris.

Whatever happens in November, the responsibility for the gospel is coming back to us. It’s not the government’s job. Seed spreads best ground level. We are only as powerless as our passivity. We still have voices to raise at deafening volume for the vulnerable. We still have knees to drop in contrition and desperate need for intervention...

So, we vote - and I would say vote for the candidates who best represent your deeply-held Biblical values.  Keep in mind, as Franklin Graham has written, which we find on the BillyGraham.org website:

...But I have hope—not in the Republican Party, nor in the Democratic Party, but in Almighty God. Our trust can’t be in men or princes or presidents or courts, but in a Sovereign God whose blessing has been poured out upon our land in so many ways.

That’s why I’ve spent this entire year going to all 50 state capitals for our Decision America Tour, calling on God’s people to spend time in prayer and confession, seeking God’s face for His mercy and healing upon our land. More than 200,000 people have come to call on the Lord and intercede for our troubled nation.

I believe that God hears and answers prayer, and I know that His hand is not so short that He cannot save. There are still millions of fervent Christians across America who care for their country and who can make a profound difference on Tuesday.

He continued:

Christians are called upon to “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you” (Jeremiah 29:7). This means believers should engage and be involved in earthly matters of government and politics, working for the good of their communities.

So when you go to the polls on Tuesday, I urge you to cast your ballot for those who will protect the religious liberties of Americans, who will defend the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman, who will appoint conservative judges who will protect our fundamental, constitutional rights, who will defend the right of the unborn, and who will listen to the voices of men and women who love their God and their country.

So we vote, we participate, and we pray for God to bless and use the results for His purposes. Things will change tomorrow, electorally speaking, but our God never changes.  The sun will rise tomorrow morning, and we can be assured that God is still on the throne, He reigns and will reign forevermore.

So for those that have already voted, we now await the results and look forward to having a Christ-centered mindset for the days to come.  For those who have not voted, you can be encouraged to cast your ballot as an act of worship, confident in God's direction for you, then allow the Lord to shape your viewpoint as you process the results.  And, for all of us, we can be confident of God's hand on the Church to be the true change agents in our culture.

Church Discipline

Here is a Scripture referred to in an op-ed piece by a Dallas pastor, whose church had decided to take the steps of church discipline for one of its members.  Hebrews 13:17 says:
17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Later in the chapter, we read:
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Christ is our Good Shepherd, and He has called our spiritual authorities to watch over our souls, according to verse 17.  Our loving Savior wants us to live a fulfilling and productive life, in fellowship with Himself and God our Heavenly Father, and He has provided the Holy Spirit and His Word to keep our lives in line, headed in the right direction.  Caring for our souls is so important - it's a high priority for each of us, as well as those around us who are our fellow believers, a concept that was also covered by that Dallas pastor.

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Here is a Scripture passage that was referred to by a church in Dallas in a letter that it wrote in the
context of church discipline. It is from 1st Peter 5:
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

So, our spiritual leaders are called to be shepherds, an extension of the work of the Good Shepherd.

When a local church body has a member who has been living in overt sin; someone who has sought counsel to deal with it, but has rejected it and insists on accommodating that sin, does the Bible give a prescription for dealing with that person?

In this "anything goes" culture, we still recognize that the Bible set parameters for those who are determined to be part of the body of Christ.  Please let me share a few Scripture references: 1st Peter 5:1-4, Acts 20:28, Matthew 18:15-18, and 1st Corinthians 5:11.

These are references, according to a story on the Christian Examiner website, that were used in a case of church discipline by a multi-site church in the Dallas/Fort Worth area named Watermark Community Church. There was a member, Jason Thomas, who, after seeking help in dealing with his homosexual behavior, decided that he could not change and continued in an inappropriate relationship with a same-sex partner.  For this, he was removed for membership one year ago.  He posted an anniversary post several weeks ago.

It's church discipline; it's Biblical, and it's a way for the church to take care of its own by challenging them to repentance.  But, Thomas decided that he would try to embarrass the church by posting the letter from the elders removing him from membership on social media.  Here is a sampling of the contents:

"Specifically, your desire to actively participate in a same-sex relationship with another man, and your unwillingness to heed biblical counsel from your church to turn from that relationship, has made it exceedingly difficult to shepherd you during this time..."

According to the letter, Thomas had obeyed the church's counsel in the past and repented of the sin of homosexuality, but "this is no longer the case." The letter also said,

"So, in obedience to Matthew 18:15-18 and 1 Corinthians 5:11, we are left with no other option but to remove you from our body and treat you as we would anyone living out of fellowship with God ... and we lovingly, but firmly, call you back to repentance. This means that you are no longer a member of our body at Watermark."

It also outlined steps to repentance and restoration.

So, Thomas shared his post and said he spent years battling homosexuality and believed God would change him. He said he prayed daily for change, but "when I wasn't able to change, you turned your back on me." He now says, "Thank you for removing yourself from my life! I am who God made me to be. I cannot change my sexual orientation and nor would I want to. I now have internal peace and happiness like never before..."

After the media publicized this conflict, the church issued a statement, which included these words:

"As directed by Scripture, Watermark makes a distinction between regularly attending and being a formal member of our church. We don't remove someone's formal status as a member for struggling with sin – whether that sin is pride, materialism, or sexual sin. Every member of Watermark needs God's grace to stand firm in the midst of temptation and His forgiveness for the times we fall short."

"An individual's formal relationship with us as a member is only changed when someone no longer desires to resist sin and/or refuses our help, care, and encouragement. Even if someone's formal membership status is removed, our desire is to continue to love and care for them, and they are always welcome to attend Watermark and be reminded of the grace and truth of our Savior, Jesus Christ..." 

The church's pastor, Todd Wagner, wrote an opinion piece on the Dallas Morning News website.  The Christian Examiner article states that Wagner "said church discipline as a concept may seem archaic and oppressive to many, but he said the goal of it is repentance and He said 'loving correction.'" He wrote for the newspaper: "Loving correction (church discipline) can be a difficult idea to understand, because candidly – though the mandate is clearly explained by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, most churches today completely ignore it. Discipline is an act of love, something any parent knows..."

Here are a few comments that emerge from this conflict:

For one thing, church discipline is Scriptural and is intended to lead to repentance.  Just as Pastor Wagner says, a child who is lovingly disciplined by his or her parents is better for it.  When a person violates God's standards, not only does God work directly in someone's life by the Holy Spirit to bring about repentance, but there are human instruments whom He will use.

For those who would seek to brand Watermark as less than compassionate, we have to recognize that the Church should be loving to all, but, and this is important, we should always stress that a relationship with Jesus involves bringing one's life into conformity.   Yes, we come to God just as we are, but He does not intend to leave us there - if we refuse to grow or even refuse to obey, there should be consequences, and lack of fellowship with the church is one of them.

The problem has come when churches have made one activity that the Bible clearly calls sin - homosexuality - "acceptable"; in fact, for many, it is no longer a sin from which one should repent, but a matter of identity that someone should embrace.  It is singled out today as a badge of honor, in direct contradiction to Biblical teaching on the matter.  One could say that the church is being intolerant here, but it is certainly not compassion to see a person violating God's principles and not take steps to provide the remedy, the way to a right relationship with Him.

Healing the Broken

We can rejoice because of the work that the Lord is doing, transforming lives, binding up the broken
hearts and restoring relationships with Himself. Jesus said in John 14:
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

If life is unsettled for us, if trouble has come and seemingly set up residence in our lives, we can look to the power of the Holy Spirit - He will bring God's Word to our minds and will minister His peace to our hearts.  God wants us to be whole, in a right relationship with Himself; He wants to repair the broken places and shine His light in the recesses of our hearts and minds where the enemy had done damage.  He wants to be active in our lives, as we surrender to Jesus and allow Him to do His loving work.

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God is so faithful, and we can give Him glory when we have seen Him move, and live with an
expectation of what He will do in someone's life, including our own. Psalm 34 says:
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

A decade ago, Jeannie Ortega was on her way to pop stardom, or so it seemed. According to her website, her first single, Crowded ended up in the Top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and was certified Gold on radio airplay.  Her debut album, No Place Like Brooklyn, released in 2006, debute at number 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and charted in the Top 200. She spent the summer of 2006 as the sole opening act for international pop star Rihanna.

The Christian Today website recently did a story on Jeannie - her childhood was definitely troubled. The article says that:

She dabbled in drugs and even contemplated suicide several times. But her true downward spiral began when she got involved in the religion called Santeria, which is a form of witchcraft that originated in Africa.

Through Santeria, Ortega conjured spirits through chanting and offering food and drink sacrifices. Even then, Ortega could feel Jesus tugging on her heartstrings, but she dismissed His calls.

The article quotes from a Christian Post story - she says: "I could feel an internal battle within me. I felt like there was something that wanted to come in — [but] there was something in me that was fighting back. I didn't know that the Holy Spirit even existed, really. So I didn't know that it was God, but there was something in me fighting back."  The story from the Post actually said that she had participated in a Halloween feast when she felt the presence of God.

She was signed to a record deal at age 16, and around that time, she says she saw that "people could have an intimate relationship with God."  Christian Today refers to one church visit, when Jeannie had a profound experience with Him:

During that visit, Ortega finally allowed the Holy Spirit to move inside her. All of a sudden, Ortega dropped to her knees, began to weep, and released all of the bitterness, pain and anger that she had bottled up over the years.

"I didn't know why I couldn't control what I felt and why I was crying, but I know it was God — beyond a shadow of a doubt I know it was God," she said.

In her bio, she says, "Eventually I fell madly in love with Jesus and could not stop talking about Him everywhere I went. Being that I was signed to Disney’s record company they did not want to have any of that "God" talk because I was the bad girl of the label. My life began to authentically change from the inside out; and eventually I was dropped in the middle of recording album # 2."

She went through a difficult time at a church, but while there, she met her husband.  They ended up at the Brooklyn Tabernacle. She writes:

Now, I just finished recording my first “official” Christian record, am a part of the Brooklyn Tabernacle singers and have learned that all of the hurt I went through as a believer was part of the development of my character as an ambassador of Christ. The best part of it all is that I never lost my praise; I’m still madly in love with Jesus.

This year, the day after Halloween became a day of celebration of her new album, Love Changed Me.

I think this story illustrates several things we can contemplate:

For one thing, you can see God's faithfulness, even when Jeannie did not know Christ.  You know, I believe that God is pursuing every one, because I believe, according to 2nd Peter chapter 3, He wants all to come into a relationship with Himself.  And, I know when praying for the lost, I pray for spiritual sensitivity.  Some hear his voice and respond.  In Jeannie's case, it was during a dark hour when she was dabbling in practices that were not honoring to God.  But He was there for her, and He's there for us - before and after we make Jesus our Lord and Savior.

It also occurs to me that people may have a public persona, but you never know what God is doing in someone's heart.  And, the Holy Spirit is more than capable of changing a life.  So, we can be encouraged that He is working in high-profile people, and perhaps working in the hearts of people you know - even family members, preparing hearts to receive what He has in store for them.   And, we can rejoice when we see or hear about how the Spirit of God has moved in a person's life, orchestrating events and healing and transforming hearts for His glory.

Sources of Influence

In Proverbs 9, we read two verses that can challenge us to develop wisdom, which we can apply to the decisions in our lives:
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding...

What we believe - and how deeply we believe it - are expressed through the decisions that we make. We have to be so careful that we allow the Word of God to shape those decisions.  If we evaluate our motivations for our decisions - why we do what we do - it can help reveal to us what is in our hearts and the degree to which we allow the Lord to be in control of our lives.  Our careful attention to the things of God will result in strong obedience to Him.

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We can choose to make the teachings of the Bible the authority for our lives, allowing God to shape
our decisions through His Word by His Spirit. Paul's understanding of and reliance on the authority of God is expressed in 1st Corinthians 15, which says:
31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

When we consider our motivation for doing the things we do, it's important that we identify that Scripture is an important component.   There is another Barna Group election report that has explored what influences people to vote a certain way.

The survey asked voters to weigh in on ten different sources of influence concerning their vote. The survey actually found that out of the ten sources, none of them were found to have “a lot of influence” on who people will support for President by as much as one out of every five respondents. The top-rated sources: a person's religious beliefs (18% said they had a "lot of influence”) and family members, at 10%. The other eight sources fell between five and eight percent.

Other sources included the news media, friends, advertising, and political commentators.

Furthermore, when you combine the sources identified to have "a lot" and "some" influence on voters, religious beliefs win the day again, with 33% citing that source.  Family members and news media each garnered 28 percent, then friends and television political commentators, chosen by 26% of those surveyed.

The last-place influencer in this combined number - pastors, at 14%.

Among evangelicals, 75% said religious beliefs were their most important factor in their Presidential vote.  They placed a higher value on pastors, with 22% saying that they had "a lot" or "some" influence.  Family members followed close behind, at 21%.

Among non-evangelical, born-again Christians, 30% said religious beliefs were their most important factor.

According to the summary of the survey, special analyst for the survey, George Barna, the founder of the Barna Group, who sold it back in 2009, made these comments:

"The fact that a majority of adults believe that campaign advertising and political analysts have no effect on their thinking, and that only six out of ten adults think the news media influence their political thinking at all, is an indication of how little we ponder the inputs that affect our thoughts and perceptions, either directly or indirectly.”

He went on to comment on the church's role in influencing how people vote:

“There is great potential for churches and pastors to impact voting decisions. In fact, one out of every four Americans say they trust their church or pastor to exert a lot of influence on their political choices. What a tremendous opportunity for churches to position themselves as relevant to people’s life choices while taking advantage of an available opportunity to influence people’s lives. Our research reveals that most pastors have chosen to not speak to their congregants about the issues or the candidates involved in this year’s election, which might explain the low-ranked influence of pastors in this study. But if more pastors were willing to teach their congregants how to think biblically about political issues, matters of governance, and candidate selection, the election campaign might have been dramatically altered.”

Some takeaways from this survey:  For one thing, we do see that personal faith is a factor in determining voting decisions.  News media is also significant, with 6-in-10 people saying that it is an influence.  And, this may illustrate somewhat of a tug-of-war generally in society.  We may think that our faith is a determinant in our decisions, but because the media is so pervasive, it can also shape us.  If the media becomes too much of an influence, it could override or corrupt our Biblical thinking.  We have to adhere to a Bible-centered view of cultural issues, not a Bible-plus view that can lead to some conclusions that are not Scriptural.

In a general sense, it's helpful to think about and evaluate why we do what we do.  Is the Bible the predominant influence for our decision-making?  Is it the absolute authority in our lives?  We must avoid the smorgasbord mentality that can lead someone to develop unbiblical convictions, even though he or she may claim to be a person of faith.   If we attend church or perhaps participate in various activities or even sacraments, but do not allow the Word to govern our decisions, that illustrates a huge disconnect, even a compartmentalization of our "faith" area from other areas of influence.

Liberated

In 2nd Corinthians 2, we read about the potential we have to triumph over the power of the enemy, to
walk in victory through Christ, and to communicate that message of true freedom:
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.
16a To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.

What an incredible life God promises that we can have!  But, it's conditional on our surrendering our life to Christ, rendering ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ.  Through the cross, by which Jesus took our sins and their punishment, we can experience the liberation that He wants to give us.  The surrendered life is also a victorious life, because He has purchased for us the victory over what would ensnare us and has set us free to walk in the love of God and the power of the Spirit.

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By the power of the cross, we can experience liberation - the freedom to live in triumph over the
power of sin. Colossians 2 reminds us:
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

There are reports out of Iraq of the campaign to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State, or ISIS, and there is anticipation of Christians being able to re-inhabit cities in that general area.

For instance, an article on the Christian Today website says that there are reports that the city of Qaraqosh, which was once home to Iraq's largest Christian community, has now been liberated as part of the offensive to retake Mosul; others say Iraqi troops are still battling a small number of militants left in the town.  The article reports that, "Security sources have confirmed that around 50 villages and towns around Mosul have been liberated."

The story quotes 12-year-old Myriam, who told SAT-7 KIDS on October 21: "Surely I am happy and joyful to return home and see my friends who didn't leave." She added, "I'll get to see them again," and said, "I'll see my home and my country again, the place that I love."

Myriam had first been interviewed by SAT-7 in October 2014. Then, she had said she would ask God to forgive those who had threatened her family. A video of the exchange was watched by more than 200,000 people within 42 hours of appearing on the SAT-7 ARABIC Facebook page. She said, "God loves everybody," adding, "I'm not angry with God because we left Qaraqosh, I thank him because he provided [for] us. Even if we're suffering here, he provides for us."

In the village of Karamles, according to a piece on the Christian Headlines website from World Watch Monitor, a cross, the size of a man, covered with flowers, was erected on a hill by Father Thabet next to his village.  He had lived with his congregation in Erbil, said: "I am so happy I can do this. I’m smiling from cheek to cheek and I weep tears of joy at the same time. This is the trip I have been praying for, for two years now..."

In Qaraqosh, Father Ammar reinstated the Cross on his church, assisted by Christian soldiers who had been guarding the village after it had been liberated. He said, "I praise God for this wonderful day," adding, "Yes, they destroyed and burned some houses and churches, but we can rebuild them. What counts is that we have prayed here and have put up the Cross."

He also is quoted as saying, "After being away for exactly 811 days, after being attacked by the forces of darkness and evil, we have come back to worship in freedom."

It has been a difficult season for Christians throughout Iraq, forced to flee from their homes by Islamic State, and no doubt people are hoping that the ordeal is close to being over.  Mosul has not been taken back - yet - but there is anticipation that it could be a matter of time.

Want proof that there is evil in this world?  Look at the brutality of ISIS, especially the way they have treated Christians in these areas.  And, yet, the victims - those that lived - are hopeful and are ready to return home and rebuild their lives...and their churches.

It is touching to think about these members of the clergy who are intent of erecting crosses - in a sense to reclaim their property, their "holy ground."  You know, for each of us the cross is a powerful symbol of liberation - not only for the residents of the Nineveh Plain, but for each of us.

We were bound by the power of sin and death; without Jesus, we are in a state of hopelessness, facing the prospect of eternal separation from God.  But, Jesus intervened in human history, gave His life on a cross, and made it possible for each of us to find a home with God.  Now, in our liberated state, we rely on the power of the cross to enable us to put to death the deeds of the flesh and to resist the lures of the world, so that we might experience true life and peace.

We are liberated, we are free - not to do whatever we want; actually, that is a description of our life before Christ.  The end result of self-gratification is contrary to what God wants for us.  We have submitted our will to His and surrendered our desires so that we would want to do what is right, what pleases Him.  In our surrender, we experience true freedom from the bondage of sin so that we might have a life that reflects the presence of our Savior.

Stand Alone

In 1st Corinthians 10, we see a verse that instructs the believer on God's faithfulness to us when we
are tempted. And, I will also add the verse following it:
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

So, God promises the ability to resist temptation and has provided a way of escape in the midst of being tempted.  Of course, we need to make sure that we are aware of and looking for the escape route when we are facing the schemes of the enemy.  And, verse 14 gives us a clue into the nature of that route - flee.  Flee.  When we are tempted to follow a way that is different than the way of righteousness, we can go in another direction.  God gives us the power and wisdom to do that.  It's a skill that is developed, sure, but we can be assured that He is equipping us as we deal with temptation.

+++++

The Bible encourages us to be people of conviction, to stand, and perhaps stand alone, so that God
might be exalted through us. In Exodus 23, we find this passage:
1 "You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
2 You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.

So, how are those National Anthem protests going so far?  Of course, Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers got it all started by refusing to stand for The Star Spangled Banner, then modified it to a kneel.  Some other players followed suit, with their own expressions of solidarity, in a misguided attempt to call attention to serious issues in our country regarding race and justice.  As I have said: right message, wrong expression.  So far, NFL ratings are down, and there is speculation that the coverage of these protests, which have had really a small degree of participation - has led to decreased ratings for NFL games.

The wave of discontent has even reached the college level, to the extent that one particular team at a private school in Illinois - Milliken University - made the decision to sit out the National Anthem - literally, as in, stayed in the locker room.  Todd Starnes wrote a column about the set of circumstances.

On Sept. 24th, some of the team's players took a knee during the Anthem. Starnes writes, "The community outrage was apparently so severe the football team decided to 'forge a new path.'"

A team statement published in the Herald-Review said this: “Rather than have our message be misunderstood or misconstrued, we are united in our decision to stay in the locker room until kickoff during which time we will engage in a moment of reflection to personally recognize the sacrifice of so many and renew our commitment to living up to those most important words: ‘with liberty and justice for all.’”

University President Patrick White wrote: “We all need to listen to voices and opinions different from our own and listen with our hearts and minds awake to difference,” adding, “When the issues involve race and justice and differing contentions of what patriotism mean, all of us can stand more education.”

Agreed. But to take part in a stunt that seems to have done little more than offend and inflame passion in opposition doesn't seem to be the right response to me.

But, I'll tell you what one player for Milliken did. His name is Connor Brewer. He chose to honor his country and went to the field - alone - to stand for the National Anthem. Starnes writes:

Historians may consider the events of that autumn day as inconsequential, but that would be a shame.

Because it was the day an American citizen considered the cost and chose to defy the anti-American sentiment sweeping across the fruited plain. It was the day Connor Brewer, of Springfield, Illinois, stood resolute.

That young man is an American patriot.

Starnes said that out of respect for his coaches and team, Connor "declined to be interviewed."

Here we have the case of one young man who believed that doing the right thing was to do something different - to head to the field to honor America rather than stay in the locker room.  It's admirable, and can provide some motivation for each of us.

We can ask ourselves: Do our convictions motivate us to stand alone, even when the majority or even everyone else go in a different direction?   That's an important question, because when the tendency to "go along with the crowd" is so strong, perhaps God will call us to go with Him.  His Word gives us instruction regarding the way we should go.

And, you know, we will be tempted to follow the crowd to disobey God.  One really good way to resist temptation, or "go it alone," is to decide beforehand, before you get into the heat of battle, how you will respond.  That involves taking stock of your personal conviction and mentally draw the lines in the sand that are necessary so that when the temptation comes, we have a strategy.

Remember, you're called to be distinctive - and God grants us the power to walk in that way.