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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.