Crossing Over

Our proclaimed faith in Jesus Christ is intended to produce fruit to the honor of His name. As James puts it, good works proceed out of our relationship with Jesus. James chapter 2 says:
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

There is no amount of "works" that can result in our being ushered into the Kingdom of God - except one...that is, the accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives.  That's it - we cannot earn the grace of God nor work our way into salvation. But, once we are saved, we are called to be His disciples, placing ourselves into His hands and allowing the Holy Spirit to do Christ's work in our hearts and through our lives. 

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1 Peter chapter 4 contains some powerful words that can influence our mindset as servants of God. We can read:
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The Southern Baptist Convention occurred recently in Nashville, and while procedures and policies, which are very important, mind you, received the lion's share of attention, there was a component of the Nashville gathering that was consistent with the moniker that the Convention is using that declares that they are "Great Commission Baptists."

The work of evangelism has traditionally been a key aspect of the SBC, and at the annual meeting, for a number of years, there has been an event called, Crossover.  This year, according to the Tennessee Baptist newspaper, the Baptist and Reflector:

Crossover Nashville featured a wide variety of large-group gatherings, with churches in Middle Tennessee hosting block parties, concerts, outdoor worship services, ice cream socials, family movie nights and other events.

The report went on to say that:

Mark Miller, baptism/discipleship team leader and Sunday School specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. “We are so thankful for the churches who participated, and we were glad that Middle Tennessee was saturated with gospel conservations.”

Miller said the final numbers from the week had not yet been tabulated, but said the early returns from Crossover Nashville showed more than 100 professions of faith and 150 additional decisions. It is estimated that more than 3,300 gospel conversations took place.

Roy Vargas was one of the participants, along with almost 100 other seminary students.  He was quoted by Baptist Press as saying: “People were just at the place where we could see that the Holy Spirit had been working in their lives...As we were sharing the Gospel, people were getting convicted of their sinful nature, and they were coming to Christ. My team was able to share the Gospel and see the fruit of eight different conversions for the glory of Jesus Christ.”

The article notes that a collaborative effort was taking place "between national, state and local Southern Baptists." Churches that held special events included Shelby Avenue Baptist Church and New Season Church. The article relates:

Shelby Avenue hosted local vendors and provided food for those in their community as members of FAITH Riders, a national group of Southern Baptist motorcyclists who share the Gospel across the U.S., assisted the church.

In East Park in Nashville, New Season Church partnered with the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists (COSBE) and the Nashville Baptist Association as they set up inflatables and invited those in the area to attend. COSBE president Richard Hamlet presented the Gospel and invited people to put their faith in Christ.

New Season held a baptism service on Sunday morning, and the church "went out into their community" after its conclusion.

This is a prime example of the church going into the world.  In the city of Nashville on Saturday, June 12, churches were going into communities, setting up where the people are, in order that Christ would be exalted.  We have to make sure that we are not complacent, expecting people to come to us.  We can realize that we have been sent, we have been dispatched, to be a shining light for Jesus in this world. 

While our church buildings can serve as "ministry centers," equipping and edifying believers and sharing the love and truth of Christ with unbelievers, it can be unrealistic to think that people will necessarily come through the church doors. That why the idea of the Church being "sent" or "on mission" is so important.  

And, we ourselves have to be careful not to completely be consumer-minded in our interaction with the local church.  Our position as members of the body of Christ means that we not only receive from the Lord and grow in Him, but to not keep that to ourselves, to realize that He gives our lives meaning and purpose, and we can derive satisfaction through service to our King.

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David made a bold declaration regarding the content that he wished to allow into his heart and mind; we can read in Psalm 101:
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

We have the capability to control what goes into our hearts and influences our spirits.  We are told in Proverbs to guard our hearts.  So, we can erect filters around our minds, using the Word of God as our standard, in order that we are not negatively impacted by the pollution of this world.  We can make sure we keep our minds as pure as possible, so that the love of Christ flows out of us, so we can be encouraged and encouragers.

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The Bible provides a prescription for how we should speak and act, and what we feed into our souls can be a determinant of what comes out. Ephesians chapter 4 states:
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Our social skills can be severely warped if the core of our interaction is social media.  Behind the technological curtain, I guess people feel free to say or type things that they would never say to a person in their presence.  It can be downright mean on social media, even among believers, with Scriptural violations left and right - name-calling and motive-questioning, disregard for another person's dignity. 

And, Americans are taking note of the potential harmful effects of social media.  Faithwire published a story recently saying:

A new survey of American adults found the majority believe social media platforms do more harm than good.

The NBC News survey, conducted in mid-April, showed 64% of the 1,000 respondents said social media does more to divide Americans than bring us together, while only 27% said it brings us together.

The Faithwire summary goes on to note:

Among those who utilize social media at least once per day, 49% said it enhances their lives, while 37% said the behavior worsens their lives. Thirty-two percent of all respondents claimed social media makes their lives better, while 24% said it makes their lives worse.

And over half of parents indicated that the pandemic has increased their children's screen time. The article also notes:

Nielsen, which tracks media trends, found in April 2020, just one month after the lockdown measures were put in place, that social media usage exploded — a spike that came just as more tech companies were grappling with the damage of social media overuse.

I think that increase could be an ominous sign of greater negative interaction online. 

And, generationally, respondents noticed the ramped-up rhetoric, with "61% of young adults and 71% of seniors" indicating that "social media sites are doing more to fracture the country than bring it together."

I think a critical question is: Where do you go for information?  We have to make sure that we have developed a list of trusted sources from which we can consume our news. And, an even more important question is, "Where does the Bible fit in?"  We rely on the Bible to govern our view of the world and to provide the lens through which we can see and interpret the news and information we consume.

We can also be devoted to encouragement and edification.  There is certainly a human tendency to go negative in our thoughts and statements.  We can certainly become discouraged with trends that we see in the world today.  Nevertheless, we are called to be people who radiate the love of Christ and we can seek to edify fellow believers and expose ourselves to words that will build us up.

Act of Charity

We are called to reflect the presence of Jesus in us by loving others unconditionally - not reacting in kind when we face disagreement or hostility, but responding in love. Romans 12 gives insight into that concept:
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We can consider the path to peace - that doesn't mean that we should compromise our Biblically-consistent values in our human interaction, but we should be grounded in truth and to be able to speak and live that truth in a manner that represents our Lord.  We can develop and maintain charitable hearts, being willing to minister to even people with whom we have disagreement.  In the midst of the devil's division, we can seek to activate the love of Christ.

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Jesus spoke to the topic of Christian charity in Luke 6 as he challenged the hearers of his message to love even those regarded as "enemies." He taught:
25 Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 2:
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

The Bible doesn't quite use these words, but I think that we can seek to have a drama-free life.  Often - and I think this has intensified with access to social media - we allow our thoughts and feelings to flow in a steady stream that don't necessarily glorify Christ or edify others. And, if we're not careful, we can give in to the tendency to exaggerate situations and subtly stretch the truth, with an end result of calling more attention to ourselves but not adding to our credibility.

There is more than one member of Congress that certainly would fit some aspects of that description. The House member from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the gold standard for political drama. And, in a recent instance, her bluff was called.

The Washington Examiner reports that Ocasio-Cortez recently, "shared a photo of her grandmother’s home in Puerto Rico, which she said was destroyed by Hurricane Maria.' She tweeted out, "Just over a week ago, my abuela fell ill. I went to Puerto Rico to see her- my 1st time in a year+ bc of COVID. This is her home..." But the report turned quickly into a rant, as the Congresswoman said:

"Hurricane María relief hasn’t arrived. Trump blocked relief $ for PR. People are being forced to flee ancestral homes, & developers are taking them," she said. "We immediately got to work reaching out to community advocates and leaders and following the money. What’s happening to Puerto Ricans is systemic. Much of it can be traced to La Junta, aka the Wall Street-connected fiscal control board that the US gave power to over the island."

How much of that is true is anyone's guess. But, upon hearing of the plight of the grandmother, Daily Wire columnist and professing Christian Matt Walsh came up with an unusual idea - why not help the grandmother out?  So, he organized a GoFundMe campaign which, according to the Examiner, raised in excess of $100,000!  However, Walsh received an e-mail from the GoFundMe Trust & Safety Team. The article says that:

In the email, the company said it had communicated with the "beneficiary's family," who declined the funds. The fundraiser topped $104,153 in less than 12 hours before donations were halted.

Walsh responded by saying, “Tragically this charitable effort has been sabotaged by forces outside of our control. Still I’m grateful for the outpouring of support for abuela, even if AOC isn’t. But questions remain: Why didn’t AOC help her own abuela? Why was our help turned down? We are left to speculate.” He went on to say, “In the end, our campaign raised 100 thousand dollars and could have solved a problem in ten hours that AOC couldn’t solve in four years. We can all be proud of that,” adding, “As for abuela, all we can do now is pray..."

I'm not sure this was true charity or an attempt to bring clarity to hypocrisy.  But, it does offer us a chance to consider how we respond when we receive news of a need.  Oh, by the way, the Daily Mail sent a team to Puerto Rico to follow the grandmother's story.  The article says:

DailyMail.com tracked down 81-year-old Clotilde's home to a quiet community just outside the picturesque coastal city of Arecibo - located 40 miles west from capital San Juan - on the island's beautiful north coast.

And when we politely approached the two-story flat-roofed residence, we were met by a woman who told us emphatically after viewing AOC's tweets: 'I am her aunt. We don't speak for the community.'

The aunt also gave a different political viewpoint than her niece, saying: "It's a problem here in Puerto Rico with the administration and the distribution of help. It is not a problem with Washington. We had the assistance and it didn't get to the people."

Again, one could say that the columnist was attempting to embarrass the Congresswoman, but there is a lesson for us here. If the effort had succeeded, a family member of someone who represents a different ideological or political perspective could have been assisted.  We have to be careful in the Church to not just reach out and help those who are of our theological or ideological camp.  Tribalism can prevent the common work, the hard work, of living out the gospel.  And, our hearts can be open to help those in need, regardless of their political stripe.

The fact is, we are called to minister to the entire world.  We are to love the least and the lost, and when there is lack, we can respond in love to provide physical and spiritual resources in the name of Christ. I came across an example recently of a Georgia church that saw a need in its community and generously set out to address it.  ChristianHeadlines.com reported that...

...Wesley United Methodist Church of Evans delivered the donations to Macedonia Church of Grovetown after the food and funds were collected during Lent.

In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Milledge Austin, communications director at Wesley UMC, explained that the donations included 8,100 pounds of food and $10,456.83.

"At the beginning of the new year, a group of our staff brainstormed ways that our church could have an impact on the local community," Austin told the outlet.

The church recognized that during the summer, families were without breakfasts and lunches provided during the school year by the respective schools.  With that outlet no longer being available, the church stepped in to try to bridge the gap.  

This is yet another example that communicates to us how we can develop charitable hearts, seeking to demonstrate the love of Christ and interact with the people around us. 

Changed

Even though we have been redeemed by Christ and are declared to be new creations in Him, there is the pull of the old nature, the flesh, activated by the power of the enemy. We have to regard sinful thoughts and behaviors from the past as being under the blood of Christ and seek to walk in the newness He promises. 1st Corinthians 6 says:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

We are known by God - He has loved us greatly and sent His Son so that we might be redeemed. So, there is ideally a break from the actions of the flesh - we are told to put off that old nature and embrace the new.  Even though one or more of these areas of sin that Paul outlined in that passage may show up, we have to realize that they are still problem areas and deal with them with the resources of the Spirit, not embrace them as part of our new nature. 
 

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The apostle Paul offers insight and understanding into the working of our mind in Christ and how we can regard and reject the entrapments of the flesh. Galatians 5 states:
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

The presence of Christ through salvation releases us from impulses and actions that are not pleasing to God and brings us into a state of freedom in Him.  Through His work in our hearts, we can truly experience change - and that change is not beyond the grasp of any human being, as long as he or she is willing to surrender to the cleansing, empowering work of Christ within.

Recently in Washington, DC, people who have experienced the power of God to set them free from the lifestyle of homosexuality gathered to send a message to lawmakers to reject the so-called "Equality Act," because, in essence, the law would deny people who wish to receive freedom from the LGBT lifestyle a legal means to receive the counseling that is helpful in producing that life change.

Dozens of members of what is called the "Changed" movement met at the U.S. Capitol recently to declare that their identity is in Christ, not in their past patterns of homosexuality. A LifeSiteNews article quoted Tamika Sanders, who is the founder and executive director of Coming Out, Inc. She is quoted as saying: “legislation that says that change is not possible says that we don’t exist,” and she adds that such a law “forces individuals to remain trapped."  The article goes on to say:

Legislation that bans “any attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression will force individuals to remain silent, with no voice, with no one to talk to about their internal conflict and struggles, and absolutely nowhere to find healing and wholeness,” asserted Sanders. 

The article quotes from a co-founder of the "Changed" movement: 

“Changed has come to DC to appeal to our President and to Congress to focus on human dignity apart from identity politics,” said Elizabeth Woning of California, co-founder of the Changed movement and a former lesbian, now married to her husband for 15 years.  “America deserves to know there’s more to the story when it comes to LGBTQ experience.”

Jason Maxwell is a man from Arkansas who has experienced transformation in his life. He said: “I am a survivor and overcomer of LGBT indoctrination that many in our country and churches have falsely partnered with, that says, ‘I was born that way.’” He went on to say, “Other LGBTQ don’t have to choose to find healing from sexual and emotional childhood trauma...but I want to make sure that they have the freedom to make that choice if they want to,” and have the option to seek “pastoral care, lay counseling, and professional counseling.” 

A pastor from Oregon named Drew Berryessa, said, "equality is never achieved by silencing another community.  It’s never achieved by persecuting another viewpoint, specifically people of faith and conviction.  The Equality Act does that."

One of the key words here is "freedom."  The message that these individuals is speaking is one of victory, of overcoming through Christ.  It is not a message of accommodating same-sex attraction or the gay lifestyle, trying to attach the word "gay" as an adjective to try to complement one's Christianity.  And, they recognize that this proposed federal legislation would prevent people from access to the Christ-centered care that they need in order to help them overcome.

The message of the gospel is that Christ has come to make us new.  The numbers show that the dominant sin in your life is not related to homosexuality, but there is one. The question is whether or not you are living with it, tolerating it, even feeding it from time to time, or allowing the power of Christ and the transformative nature of His Word to help you to truly walk in victory.  

We also have to ask ourselves, "do we want to change?"  We should be totally satisfied with who we are in Christ, and that means we can be dissatisfied with the sinful patterns and impulses that tempt us and weigh us down.  Our identity is in Him as a new creation, and unbiblical thoughts and behavioral patterns that are inconsistent with who He says we are can be dealt with in the Spirit.  It's not a matter of toleration or accommodation; it's all about freedom in Christ. 

Under His Flag

This is Flag Day, and we can recognize the message that the flag carries - not only the 50 "United" states symbolized by the stars, but the 13 original colonies that the stripes represent.  As believers in Christ, while we can celebrate our great country, we recognize that we are citizens of another Kingdom, a heavenly one, and we represent our Lord. Jeremiah 50 offers some thought-provoking words:

2 "Declare among the nations, Proclaim, and set up a standard; Proclaim--do not conceal it-- Say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed. Merodach is broken in pieces; Her idols are humiliated, Her images are broken in pieces.'
3 For out of the north a nation comes up against her, Which shall make her land desolate, And no one shall dwell therein. They shall move, they shall depart, Both man and beast.
4 "In those days and in that time," says the Lord, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the Lord their God.

The standard - the banner - the flag, if you will, according to the prophet Jeremiah, communicated a message of God's faithfulness. When you look at the American flag, I believe that you can also reflect on how God has established a nation that is based on freedom and the principles that all are created equal, with rights granted by our Creator.  Ultimate victory, though, is in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are called to display His character in the way we allow His life to flow through us...we wave His banner through the way we live.

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On this Flag Day, 2021, we're going to trace some American history, but the landing spot for me today is to recognize the ultimate banner under which we serve - our Lord Most High. Exodus 17 says:
13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."
15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner..."

This is the day that is set aside to celebrate the history of the United States flag, and the origins of this commemoration actually go back to 1777, less than a year after the 13 original colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.  

The History Channel website reports that:

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress took a break from writing the Articles of Confederation and passed a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

Over 100 years later, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson marked the anniversary of that decree by officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day.

While Wilson implemented the celebration, it is reported that the original idea came from a teacher from Wisconsin named Bernard Cigrand, who proposed the idea back in 1885; the website says, "That year, he led his school in the first formal observance of the holiday."

Flag Day was also the day that two very important words were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. According to an article at the Business Insider website, a minister named Francis Bellamy originated it in 1892, and in 1948, the addition of the words "under God" occurred.  The website reports:

Then, an attorney from Illinois, Louis Bowman, shook the wording up a bit. At a meeting of the Sons of the American Revolution in 1948, he added "under God," claiming Abraham Lincoln used the same phrase in his Gettysburg Address. Almost all reported transcripts from the speech do include "that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom."

Fast forward to 1953 - a resolution introduced into Congress failed. But, President Eisenhower, according to the website, had been "Recently baptized as a Presbyterian." He had "...heard a sermon, arguing the words 'under God' from Lincoln's speech set the United States apart from others as a nation. At the time, the Cold War was gaining steam, and Eisenhower was fighting communism across the globe." He encouraged Charles Oakman to re-introduce the bill concerning the Pledge and it was passed and signed into law on, you guessed it, Flag Day 1954. The article says, "A story announcing the news in the Washington Post quoted him as saying the new version would add 'spiritual weapons which will forever be our country's most powerful resource.'"

Throughout the years, people have stated that connection between our nation and the hand of God, and we need to continue to honor Him. Unfortunately, there is a battle of ideas that is occurring, ideas that are not compatible with a Christian worldview, that are being commemorated by...flags.  Family Research Council commented recently, on Thursday, June 3:

The Pentagon, which is so busy grand marshalling the president's Pride parades that it barely has time for real work, announced Tuesday that it might consider allowing rainbow flags to be flown on installations along with the stars and stripes. It would be a dramatic departure from the Trump administration, which banned bases from flying anything but Old Glory and the POW/MIA colors. Apparently, the White House wants to add to the controversies it started in the State Department by unfurling the rainbow at embassies around the world where the symbol is seen as offensive.

Fortunately, the day after that was written, the website Stars and Stripes said that the military would not expand its policy on flags to be flown at its installations, which would include the so-called "pride" flag. 

Based on this information, we see that there has been a spiritual connection to this day - the Pledge of Allegiance having been written by a minister, as well as a teacher and President championing the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge. 

In thinking on Eisenhower's words, we can certainly look around and ascertain that we need spiritual weapons, in reality, in our land today.  He was using those words relative to the Cold War and the fight against Communism, but we are fighting against a variety of ideologies today that do not square with the Word of God.  We have to push back and stand strong against "every high thing," as I talked about last week that is exalted over the Word of God.  

We are placed on this earth - with a mission: to share and live out the gospel.  Jesus has called us to go into all the world and share our faith and make disciples.  That is key.  Changed hearts mean changed conditions in which we live. A by-product of our faithful service to God will be a change in the moral climate.  We have to make sure that we get that progression right, though - we are first and foremost servants of God, and we carry the banner of the cross.  As we advance, and as God brings people into a relationship with Himself through Christ, change occurs - inside the human heart and throughout our country.

Driven By Faith

There is nothing we can do to work our way into heaven; the misnomer that we get into heaven because our good outweighs our bad is a dangerous, errant concept. We are called to follow Christ through salvation - once we're in, He calls us to obedience. 1st Corinthians 3 says:

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

We have to guard against developing a mindset of works-based righteousness.  Our relationship with Christ is made possible because of the free gift of His grace; there is nothing we can do to earn it. But, once we're in, Jesus does call us to, as He says, take up our cross daily and follow Him - we are to die to self in order that we might live for Him.  And, the life of Christ flowing through us produces fruit for His glory, fruit that is described in Scripture as "fruit that will last."

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We have been placed on this earth for a season, but if our lives are truly hidden with Christ, we know that we have eternal life and will live with Him forever. 2nd Corinthians 4 provides these reminders:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

It was baked in to the life of this car-loving family.  Dad was a tire salesman, his son an aspiring race-car driver who competed in his first race at age 5.  He was a quarter-midget champion at age 12.  But, every Sunday, even if it involved a long drive through the night, the family was in church on Sunday.

That's according to a CBN.com story about one of NASCAR's emerging stars, who says, "I never got into racing because of fame or because of money or because of the perks that might come with it. For me it was all about going to the racetrack, competing, competing at a high level, and using the gifts that, you know, I had been given."

He continued to compete, but it became obvious that there was a steep financial cost involved. In fact, his parents came to a point where there was no more money to invest in his racing dreams.  But, Justin Allgaier was a young man of faith, so naturally, he called out to the Lord.  As the story relates:

Justin says he asked God for help and got an immediate answer. Before his next race, he was introduced to the director of competition at Penske racing, one of the largest teams in the sport of NASCAR.

"We went out, I raced and of all days, I ended up winning that day," says Justin. "It was a fantastic race for us. A racetrack that we shouldn't have won at, but I ended up winning that day. And 24 hours later, literally, 24 hours later I was sitting in Detroit, Michigan with Roger Penske, going over on a legal pad writing down different things that, you know, would ultimately end up being my contract and an opportunity to race full-time in NASCAR."

Allgaier is a driver in the Xfinity series, which is one step below the Cup Series of NASCAR. He now drives for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s team. He won a race in Atlanta this spring. And, he is obviously driven by his faith in Christ, saying, "I think what I want people to know is just that I'm a believer in Christ."  

So, Justin has won trophies, but he recognizes that they're just pieces of metal - the real trophies, as believers recognize come in the forms of crowns in heaven, given for faithful service to Christ. Allgaier says, "I have no reservations about where my talent comes from and the opportunities that I'm given, where they come from. You know, it's definitely a gift of God...when it's all said and done you have to be thankful for the opportunities and the people that you meet and the opportunities that you're given."

Allgaier definitely appears to be on the right road - the road to eternity.  We can view our life on this earth in light of what is to come.  We can recognize that the things of this world are temporary, but what is done for Christ is eternal.  This world will pass away, but God is infinite, and we will live with Him forever, if we have accepted His Son as our Savior.

Yes, the Bible teaches that we are to be faithful with the life and resources that God has given to us. He expects us to use the gifts that He has bestowed upon us for His glory. There are rewards in heaven stored up for believers for obedience, and it's been said that we lose rewards for disobedience. But, ultimately, our entrance to heaven is determined by one thing: whether or not Jesus is our Lord and Savior, whether or not we have trusted Him with our lives.  We can be confident of our place in His eternal kingdom because of that faithful choice we have made. 

Every High Thing

There is a spirit at work in the world today that is in opposition to the Holy Spirit - this is not a conspiracy theory, mind you, but it is a fulfillment of the words of Paul in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, where he writes:
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

When you hear political leaders take ideological stands that are in opposition to Scripture, this is evidence of this "mystery," and we have to possess discernment in order to know what is working, what is being perpetrated in the name of power and control...Christ stands for freedom, our Constitution stands for freedom, but there are those who want to use the government in order to bring people under its subjection.  That is why Christians should not sit out the epic spiritual battle that is occurring today. 

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There are spiritual forces in the world today - some at work to confirm and further the work of God, others to thwart His plan. We have to be aware of supernatural elements in the world in which we live and make sure that we are grounded in God's truth. 2nd Corinthians 10 states:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

The continued attempt to paint evangelical Christians with a broad, negative brush has continued by a number of organizations who either don't understand Christianity or are outright hostile toward it. And, there are those in mainstream media who appear to be obsessed more by this QAnon conspiracy than those who are said to be embracing it. 

CNN.com recently ran a story about evangelical leaders who are trying to root QAnon out of their churches. Granted, believers should be devoted to not embracing worldviews that are not grounded in Scripture. The story centered on an American Enterprise Institute survey that attempted to examine the influence of this Q conspiracy theory on the events of January 6, in which a relatively small number of people out of the thousands there, including evangelicals, actually went inside the Capitol building and threatened lawmakers.

The centerpiece of the survey is a statement that encapsulates the beliefs of the Q conspiracy; respondents were asked to respond to this: "Donald Trump has been secretly fighting a group of child sex traffickers led by prominent Democrats and Hollywood elites." Only 1 out of 10 white evangelicals said that believed that statement was "Completely Accurate." 17% of that group said it was "Mostly Accurate."  While that is certainly a concern, one has to wonder how many churches have Q devotees lurking inside of them. 

But there is more. In its summary, it included this sweeping paragraph:

What’s more, white evangelical Protestants who report being members of a local church are generally more likely to believe in conspiracies than those who do not. For instance, 62 percent of white evangelical Protestants who belong to a particular church believe a group of unelected government officials had been conspiring against Trump, a view shared by less than half (43 percent) of those not formally connected to a church. There is an important exception: White evangelical Protestants who belong to a church are roughly as likely to believe the QAnon conspiracy is mostly or completely accurate as are those who are not members (27 percent vs. 25 percent, respectively).

The first part of the paragraph is consistent with Trump support that has been demonstrated by evangelicals in the past. And, admittedly, with Trump out of formal office, I think you could find areas of concern with the direction of our government and even wonder the extent to which unelected officials are pushing an agenda that is contradictory to the Christian principles upon which this nation was founded.

And, that's where the CNN article drifts deeper into the false labeling of Christians who love their country as being "Christian nationalists."  The story even interviews a granddaughter of Billy Graham, Jerushah Duford; she is quoted as saying, referring to her grandfather: "I think he would've spoken out against it. He was very true to God's word," adding, "It was just Gospel and scripture. And you can't do that and believe in QAnon."  I agree with that - the Bible speaks of casting down every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God - that is QAnon, critical race theory, the gay agenda, and secular humanism - all of which have roots in our churches, because churches are made up of people, people who, if not grounded in Scripture, can be led astray.  But, CNN takes it a step further:

QAnon ties back to the movement, known as Christian Nationalism, that seeks to declare America a Christian nation and privilege Christianity within it, according to Duford.

Duford, along with more than 200 other prominent evangelicals signed a letter denouncing Christian Nationalism and the role it played in the attack on the capitol.

"The term Christian nationalism, in and of itself, is ironic because there's nothing Christian about nationalism," Duford told CNN Business. "I hope that it will be looked at like an extreme portion of our faith. Not our faith as a whole."

I went to the website, I looked at the names - I'm not sure that you could find very many "prominent" evangelicals there.  I did see some people whom you could consider to be of the more "progressive" wing of Christianity, including one person, a musician, who recently declared himself to be an "exvangelical."

But there are those who want to try to stain the name of Christ by tying Christianity into the abhorrent, lawless events in the Capitol on January 6.  There were Christians and Christian banners on the outside, but out of the large crowd, I don't think you should draw the conclusion that there were very many, if any, Bible-believing Christians on the inside. 

Regardless of what theories about the world you may believe, our starting point should be a Christian worldview perspective.  There may be elements about which you have drawn conclusions that Scripture doesn't speak to - that's where we should be careful to be reasonable, to seek out good sources, and to stay grounded in reality.  

And, there may be things you believe, especially about the last days, that others may dispute. A non-believer may find much of what you believe as conspiratorial.  Actually, the whole idea of a man dying on a cross and raising from the dead might be a foreign concept to someone who does not know Christ. But that's the foundational truth of Christianity, and it's real not only because the Bible gives an account, and that's enough, but scholars by and large believe the fact of a resurrection, and we can testify to the power of the resurrection in our lives.  We also know that He is coming for His Church, and that events unfolding on the earth today are right in line with the proclamation of God's Word.  That is why we should study prophecy, so that we can know and understand what is transpiring and be able to identify forces at play that are consistent with the establishment of a global, one-world government, headed by the anti-Christ, whose work is in the world today.  Conspiracy?  Yes, in the eyes of some.  But reality according to God's Word.