Dreams

We can be confident that the Lord is getting His Word to His people - now, it's our job to seek out and receive what He has given. The book of Habakkuk portrays a prophet who is desirous to follow God's call; in the 2nd chapter, we find these verses:
2 Then the Lord answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
4 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

The Bible speaks in the book of Joel about dreams and visions - and we can be encouraged that God is not withholding His wisdom from His people; in fact, in James, we are told to ask God for wisdom. An entire book, Proverbs, is devoted to the sayings of the wisest man who ever lived. So, we are not devoid of direction from God - we just have to be listening, earnestly seeking Him, putting ourselves in a position to hear.

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I am thankful that the Holy Spirit provides direction for our lives. In Isaiah 30, we can read, regarding the Lord's desire to direct His people:
21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

Later in the chapter, we find these words:
29 You shall have a song As in the night when a holy festival is kept, And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute, To come into the mountain of the Lord, To the Mighty One of Israel.
30 The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, And show the descent of His arm, With the indignation of His anger And the flame of a devouring fire, With scattering, tempest, and hailstones.

Major League Baseball held an event recently where the production values were amazing, the baseball itself was compelling, and the ratings weren't dreadful.  USA Today reported:

On Thursday night, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox played a game that rivaled Hollywood fairy tales. It was the first official MLB game played in Iowa, in a ballpark built among the Dyersville's corn fields where the iconic 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" was shot.

The game, with its Hollywood ending and its setting within America's heartland, was the most-watched regular season MLB game in 16 years, with 5.9 million viewers across FOX and FOX Deportes. It was also the most streamed regular season baseball game in FOX Sports history. Chicago and New York ranked as the top two markets.

The Chicago White Sox narrowly defeated the New York Yankees 9-8, thanks to a ninth-inning home run that disappeared into the Iowa cornfields.  The production values were lauded for their authenticity and captured the feel of the original movie.  

So, this past weekend, we watched Field of Dreams at our house. I remembered very little about the film, except for the concept of a middle-aged farm owner hearing a voice telling him to build "it," the "it" being a baseball field on his Iowa farm. 

Well, the "it" also turned into a place of redemption - Chicago White Sox players implicated in a scandal in which they were accused of throwing an important game and banned from the game showed up from the pages of history.  There was also a burned-out author whom the main character, Ray, tracked down, whose meaning in life had turned into cynicism; plus, you met a doctor from another era who only played in one game in the major leagues, but whose life had meaning off the diamond as a successful, much-beloved doctor, who stepped out of history to help Ray's daughter after an accident.

Even though professional baseball doesn't seem to be enjoying the popularity or respect it once had, it's still a game that means so much to millions of fans and participants. Think about the large crowd in Atlanta last night to watch the Braves square off against the Yankees in a battle of the major leagues' two hottest teams. Witness the local Little League ballfields in your community.  I would dare say in most young people's life stories, there is a place for baseball or softball. 

So, the "Field of Dreams" and possible rediscovery of the film may have been the escape that people needed in what has become a very discouraging season.  It's not a Christian film; it really doesn't address God or faith - there is the casual, yet famous mention of "heaven," but certainly not in an accurate, theological sense.  But, there is certainly content that we can consider in the pursuit of our relationship with Christ.

I think one thread is that there is certainly redemption that we can discover in Christ.  The movie depicts players who were out of baseball who experienced the thrill of playing again, hope restored to an author who no longer possessed it, and a successful physician who experienced the renewal of a childhood dream, yet understood that if he had stayed in baseball, that he would perhaps not have become that doctor who became legendary in his hometown.  God wants to redeem our souls, and to redeem our thinking - we can have renewed hope by embracing His presence and the principles of His Word. 

We can also learn how to deal with regret. The main character, Ray Kinsella, had his regrets over his relationship with his father exposed, and in a touching scene at the end, he was able to play catch with him - in the dream world, of course.  But, in the real world, relationships don't always work the way they should.  We may never recapture the lost pursuits or unfulfilled dreams.  But, we know that God is with us in the present, and if we allow ourselves to be fulfilled in Him, He can restore purpose and hope to us.

We can also recognize our reason for living.  We have been placed here on this earth for a purpose - we are still here because God isn't finished with us.  Knowing Him and fulfilling His call help to reinforce our joy.  Even when the trajectory of our life doesn't exactly follow what we may have thought, still we can discern the hand of God leading and empowering us. 

And, we can be inspired to follow the Holy Spirit into the realization of God's direction.  Ray Kinsella followed a voice that spoke short phrases to Him.  We know that God speaks to us in accordance with His Word.  We do not have to go through life without direction.

Ministry in the Hotspots

In Colossians chapter 3, we see a picture of the motivated and equipped saint of God, ready to do the will of God and to share the compassion of Christ. We can read:
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

These resources and qualities are available to the believer in Christ, because we have been recipients of His love and have accepted Him into our hearts.  Therefore, we are called not to walk in selfishness, turning inward, but to selflessness, keeping our eyes outward, so that we can know the areas in which God would have us to minister. We can allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate our hearts and to give us the capacity to love with His love and to serve with His motivation.

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In our love for Christ and for other people, we can be ready to do His work when the need arises. 2nd John mentions the love of the Lord, which can operate through us:
4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.
5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

It certainly was unexpected - heavy rains in the central portion of the state of Tennessee resulted in devastating flash flooding, which led to death - over 20 lost their lives in and around Waverly, Tennessee, about an hour west of Nashville. 

The Tennessean reported that 17 inches of rain fell on Waverly on Saturday.  On Sunday, it was time to rescue and recover.  I read a post on social media that basically said that the churches of the area mobilized and became a source, the initial source, even, of help.  Indeed, the newspaper's website said:

Humphreys County EMA Public Information Officer Grey Collier estimates hundreds of homes may be uninhabitable.

Roughly 60 people have taken shelter at three locations in Waverly: Waverly Church of Christ, First Baptist Church Waverly and Compassion Church Waverly, according to Collier.

And, the community rose up to do what communities should do, according to the site:

On Main Street, 36-year-old Chelsea Christman's home has become a hub for volunteers and donations. It's near Waverly's First Baptist Church, which is acting as a shelter for displaced families. By Sunday morning, donations of non-perishable food, water, baby supplies and fresh clothes overflowed from Christman's porch.

Dozens of residents walked through the flooded neighborhoods close to the downtown district Sunday afternoon. ATVs and trucks with trailers hauling boats and equipment poured through the tight city roads as civilian and professional volunteers alike worked to help where needed.

Smoke from grills filled the air as several people fired up hot dogs to feed anyone hungry passing by. People stood on corners handing out bottled water.

The article also described how an aptly-named church declared that it would be the Church:

On Sunday morning, Compassion Church Pastor Kody Newcomb told the congregation and others, “we need to do this.”

"We cannot let this city just stay where it is, or just be served here or there. We need to be the light of the world so people can see these loving actions,” Newcomb said. "This is not a two-day project. This is not even a two-week project. We are going to continue to serve this city and love on it even after it's repaired, on a whole new level."

Meanwhile, we are reminded that there are other ministry hotspots around the world.  No doubt, there will be relief provided by ministry organizations in the aftermath of Hurricane Henri, which affected the Northeast U.S. over the weekend.  And, in Haiti, where the death toll is now well over 2,000 people as the result of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, The Christian Post reports on faith-based organizations who are ramping up their assistance - not unexpectedly, Samaritan's Purse is on the scene; so is Free Wheelchair Mission.  And, an organization with a base of operation in the nation is ramping up its activity.  The Post relates:

LiveBeyond, a Christian nonprofit organization that's been operating in Haiti for over a decade, said in a post on Twitter Monday that its operations in the Thomazeau region were not affected and urged people worldwide to pray for Haitians mourning the loss of loved ones and for the nation's recovery. The nonprofit is providing medical care for many who suffered injuries from the earthquake near Les Cayes.

Dr. David Vanderpool, the founder of LiveBeyond, said he's working to get back to Haiti, as LiveBeyond has opened its hospital to receive the injured by helicopter as part of a disaster relief group working under the Haitian Ministry of Health. They anticipate expenses nearing $200,000 to provide medical care and disaster relief assistance to those in need.

Dr. Vanderpool related to The Christian Post:

“Even though I’m not currently there now, our base is operating completely normal, and our staff have reported that we are feeding more people because marketplaces and ports have been shut down in Haiti, so food is scarce,” he said. “Typically, persecution increases faith for those who have faith."

“Introducing people to the Christian faith is a real challenging situation because many people respond differently. But many Haitians with faith have turned to God more now than ever,” he said.

The doctor encourages prayer for the nation of Haiti in this challenging time. And yesterday was a day of prayer that was set aside concerning the situation in Afghanistan by Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse. CBN.com reported:

“There is no hope for these people to get out safely — apart from a miracle from the hand of God — and that’s what we need to pray for,” he said in a press release issued Friday afternoon, noting Samaritan’s Purse is partnering with groups in Afghanistan to get people out of the country.

Graham’s youngest son, Edward, who served in six combat deployments with special operations forces in Afghanistan, said it “hurts” to see what’s currently unfolding in the country.

“I spent years there and lost many friends,” he added. “There are many Afghan people that I love. This is a manmade disaster and there isn’t a person or an organization that can fix this. Only God can deliver us from this crisis.”

Within the space of a little more than a week, we are reminded of the deep human needs that are present in our world - from Tennessee to New England, from Haiti to Afghanistan.  And, our God is big enough to handle it all and so much more.  He is calling on His people to stand in faith and to call upon His name, that He might get the glory even in trial.

The question becomes: are we prepared to stand - and act?  The churches of Waverly, Tennessee, faced with a sudden disaster, became available to their community, to provide hope and comfort.  Christian organizations are working in Haiti and Afghanistan to take advantage of opportunities to save lives.  Christ came to rescue us and the whole world from the power of sin and in His compassion, He can equip and empower us to do what He's called us to do. We can possess a sense of readiness, in order that His designated work might be carried out. 

Losing and Finding

In our suffering, we can know that Christ sustains us. He is not unacquainted with suffering, having given His life so that we may know Him, and offering His life to us as we humble ourselves before Him. 1 Peter chapter 4 states:
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

We can know God when we encounter triumph and when we suffer, and even in our suffering, we can experience a measure of His victory, because we know that Christ is with us. Our default position is to expect and revel in our comfort, yet we grow in the Lord and can experience His nearness when circumstances don't necessarily conform to our wishes.  Recognizing that we grow in our pain, we 

can embrace our difficulties with the proper attitude, choosing to glorify the Lord and grow.

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Even in our losses, we can gain knowledge of the Lord who loves us - Paul recognized that we can find, or discover, more about the Lord even when we are challenged or even when what or whom we love are taken away. He writes in Philippians 3:
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Shawn Johnson is a former Olympic gymnast, as well as a winning contestant on Dancing With the Stars.  I first met her almost ten years ago at an International Christian Retail Show in Orlando.  She is now a two-time mom with husband Andrew East.

But, there has certainly been trial along with way in their pursuit of expanding their family.  The Easts suffered a miscarriage in 2017, according to a Movieguide article, and Shawn had stated on YouTube:

“If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, if you’re trying to adopt, if you’re in the process of expanding your family or recently suffering from a loss, we are praying for you. All those beautiful babies out there, all those rainbow babies, all those babies in heaven...We love you guys.”

A "rainbow baby" is a child who is born following the loss of a child.  

A previous Movieguide article provided a more extensive look at their struggle.  Shawn shared her pain through social media and reached out to others for comfort.  The article quotes her as saying:

“And to see the thousands and thousands of women that came forward and just said, ‘I went through this. I’m struggling through this. Thank you, I felt so alone until now’ — I felt the same way, and it was the only way I healed.”

The article goes on to say:

Johnson East is also an outspoken Christian and said that she is thankful for how God has used her experience for a greater purpose.

“Looking back on everything we’ve gone through… it’s all for a purpose,” Johnson East said. “It all makes it worth it in the end. It makes things more sweet. I think it’s through those heartache moments that you truly learn. You learn who you are, you learn how to be a better wife and mother and daughter.”

Their new baby boy, born July 20, is named Jett James, joining his sister Drew Hazel, who arrived in 2019.  

Shawn has learned to recognize her identity in Christ, which sustained her in the aftermath of her first Olympics, at age 16, when she won a silver medal - the expectation was for gold.  Movieguide relates, using material from an "I Am Second" video:

Because Johnson East felt like she let the world down, she focussed [sic] solely on her training. Despite eventually winning a gold medal, Johnson said that her dedication to the sport was to appease the world and no one else.

However, the former gymnast recalls the moment that God called her to put her identity in Him and not the world.

“In that instant, I felt the entire world be lifted off my shoulders,” Johnson East said. “God is the answer to everything. Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross so that when I stood up there and I was given that gold medal, yes, it’s a monumental and amazing experience and wonderful thing. But it’s not the end-all be-all.”

Shawn Johnson East has known loss - as a competitive athlete and an expectant mother. But, because she has found the One who brings love, meaning, and hope to our lives, she has the capability to find His peace.  When we lose in life - and we will - we can pursue our Savior and find the knowledge and assurance of His presence.

We have to be willing to lose in order to find what God has in store for us.  We can try to preserve what we think is ours, or we can release our own ambitions, possessions, and relations, and allow God to show us His magnificent plan.  We have to place the emphasis on the things that are important in life. 

We learn so much about the Lord when we lose.  Jesus talks about losing our soul if we try to gain the world, and He calls us to lay down what we love in order that we may discover the perfect plan that He has in store for us. 

Hope and Fear

The apostle Paul was dedicated to showing people that they indeed could come to know the Savior, to discover the will of God, to seeing and knowing God as He is. In Colossians 1, he is speaking about God's people, the saints of God, and writes:
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

We can have hope in the Lord.  That's more than just possessing good feelings or having happy thoughts.  Biblical hope reminds us that we have Someone who is near to us, who gives us inner strength and peace to face the challenges of life.  When we are afraid, we can release the resources of heaven; when we are weak, we know, as Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians, the grace that is sufficient for us. Hope helps us to be courageous as we face the future.

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By the Holy Spirit, we find a source of hope and strength in the midst of our fears. Romans chapter 15 states this:
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

God created us with a great deal of complexity - not only are we spiritual beings, who have the capacity to enter into a relationship with the God of the universe, but conversely, we can choose to follow other spiritual paths that do not lead to Jesus.  We also have our mental capabilities, and certainly we possess a wide range of emotions.

A new Lifeway Research survey examined a number of different emotions and asked respondents which one they wanted to avoid the most.  The winner in this survey: fear. 4-out-of-10 indicated they wanted to avoid that emotion, with shame, at 24%, and guilt, at 22, trailing far behind.  Five years ago, a study showed that shame was the emotion that respondents most wanted to avoid, at 38%.

No doubt, things have changed. Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, says: “For many Americans, circumstances in 2020 led to an increased focus on their fears,” adding, "Many feared getting COVID; others feared social unrest during protests; and politicians played on people’s fears in ads and speeches.”

Interestingly enough, "adherents of non-Christian religions" had the highest percentage wishing to avoid fear - at 57%. 

The survey also measured where people looked for hope.  40% of respondents cited the kindness of other people, while 38% found hope in their relationships.  Religious faith garnered 36% of responses. 

There were several other parts of the survey reported in the survey summary.  When asked what they desired most in life, 36% said "personal freedom, " while 32% cited "a desire to overcome."

8-in-10 Americans indicated that they would be most satisfied by "doing the right thing," yet 46% of respondents would rather eliminate anxiety from their lives than "wrongdoing," which was indicated by 32%.

We know what to do when we encounter fear.  The Bible is replete with verses that assure us that the power of God is available when we are afraid.  Fear is a very real emotion and can be a tangible presence, and we can combat it with the weapons of our warfare.

We should not allow fear to dissuade us from pursuing the will of God in our lives.  The fear of failure, of rejection, of what other people may do or say to us - none of these concerns should hold us back from doing what God has called us to do. 

And, we have to look for true hope in the right place.  More people in this survey looked for hope in human relationships rather than faith.  True, we can be built up by our interactions with others; yet, we can look to Christ to sustain us - not necessarily to give us ease and comfort all the time, but to give us peace when our world is in crisis.

Flying Low

We can know that the Lord offer us grace in the midst of suffering. He is not unaware of our struggles, and wants to meet us there and walk with us, even in our darkest days. 1st Peter 5 states:

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

When we experience pain, when we are wounded by others or even the sorrow for our own mistakes, we can know we have someone who is there for us, who lives in our hearts, and will bring joy and comfort. He is the one who can bring clarity and peace to our minds and give us hope, even when we are discouraged.  We should not run from God when we encounter hardship, but run to Him and discover the bountiful, beautiful spiritual resources that He offers.

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Even in suffering, we can seek the Lord and discover the depths of His joy and the assurance of His presence. The Psalmist wrote in the 16th Psalm:
8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Her name is Jane Marczewski, who attended Liberty University.  To fans of America's Got Talent, she is known as Nightbirde.  But after she left college, life took a downward turn.  According to Faithwire...she "fell ill to a cancer that took up residence in her lungs, lymph nodes, ribs, liver, and spine. She was 29 years old, and had already beaten cancer once before."  The article also notes:

Her world was crashing down in more ways than one.

Just days after her diagnosis and only weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Nightbirde’s husband, whom she described in a blog post as “My One Great Love,” walked away from their marriage.

According to John Stonestreet at the Breakpoint website:

She chose the name Nightbirde because she wants to sing in the darkest places, where she found Jesus. “If you listen for it and look for it,” she said, “you’ll see Jesus all over it.”

She chose to go on America's Got Talent and sang "her original song," which is entitled, It's OK, telling the judges that it was “a story of the last year of my life.”  She even added that she still had the presence of cancer within her.  

Faithwire states, regarding the judges: "Each one of them was clearly enraptured by her song," with judge Howie Mandel saying it was “the most authentic thing I’ve heard this season.” Sofia Vergara said, “It was powerful,” adding, “It was heartfelt, and I think you’re amazing.”

Then, it was time for Simon Cowell, who brutalized contestants during his days on American Idol.  He said, “There was something about that song,” and he added, “The way you almost casually told us what you’re going through.”  Jane said, “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy."  The Faithwire report added:

“I’m not going to give you a ‘yes,’” Cowell told the singer with tears in his eyes. “I’m going to give you something else.” With that, he leaned across the desk and slammed his hand down on the famous golden buzzer that triggered a flurry of glimmering confetti that rained down on Nightbirde, who fell in tears.

Cowell made his way to the stage and hugged her.

Early last week, Nightbirde announced on Instagram that she is leaving the competition. In another story, Faithwire quoted from the post:

“Since my audition,” she wrote, “my health has taken a turn for the worse and the fight with cancer is demanding all of my energy and attention. I am so sad to announce that I won’t be able to continue forward on this season of ‘AGT.’ Life doesn’t always give breaks to those that deserve it — but we knew that already.”

But, she continues to look forward to her future, according to the post, which said, “I’m planning my future, not my legacy,” adding, “Pretty beat up, but I’ve still got dreams.”

There certainly is some truth here - we don't have to wait until things get better to pursue a more positive outlook. Happiness can be our choice, and the joy of the Lord can be a reality for us. Even when we are discouraged, we can move toward His light and experience the joy of His presence. We can be hopeful in the hardship because our lives are in God's hand.

There is also something to be said for honest emotion, which can win the day.  Her transparency in suffering showed the judges and the audience a picture of grace in the midst of suffering.  We can keep our discouragement bottled up inside, but we can know that God desires for us to pour out our hearts before Him, to press into Him, and seek to discover what He has in store.  When believers are authentic, it allows the presence of God to be manifested.

The Church as an Institution

We have been saved by Christ, and His Spirit lives in our hearts, empowering us to act like Christ - when we have enough Christians that are actually doing that, in an authentic way, we can look forward to a transformation of this world. Matthew 16 states:
15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

I think it's important to consider the role of the Church in this world - we are people on mission for Him, and we have to take that very seriously. As His ambassadors, He intends for us to serve Him wholeheartedly, and to leverage our influence so that people may see Jesus in us. In a world that is adrift, we can point people to the solid rock; and our lives should ideally reflect that sense of confidence in the Lord even when we face the shaky circumstances of life. 

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In Acts 10, we find a passage that highlights foundational truth regarding our Christian faith. We can read there:
39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,
41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

Historically, the Church is a pillar of our society.  Churches in communities have long been known as places of hope and support, ministering to people in need and being established as a moral force in our culture. Even though there have been incredible testimonies of God working through His people during the pandemic, the absence of the visible manifestation of the Church, with churches not meeting due to COVID, I would project, has had a negative effect by sidelining the Church.

A new Gallup poll has measured the perception of major institutions in our society. And, as the survey summary states:

In 2020, confidence in several specific institutions increased as the nation dealt with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. These include some of the business and societal sectors most affected by the public health and financial effects of the coronavirus situation, including the medical system, public schools, small business, organized religion and banks. This year, these same five institutions show the greatest decreases in confidence. However, they all are perceived at least slightly better than they were in 2019 before the pandemic.

Respondents were asked to gauge their level of confidence in leading institutions, and the summary says:

Currently, an average 33% of U.S. adults express "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in 14 institutions, marking a three-percentage-point dip since 2020 and a return to the level seen in 2018 and 2019.

Leading the way in 2021 is the confidence level in "small business," at 70%.  Just behind it is "the military," at 69%.  The police have a 51% confidence level, which is up three points from last year after dropping 5 from 2019.

At the bottom, "Congress," at a 12% confidence level. A few points above that institution: "television news," at 16%.  Newspapers were higher, at 21%.  What is termed, "big business," was at 18%.

Interestingly enough, the Presidency and the Supreme Court had confidence ratings in the 30's.

Regarding "The church or organized religion," just over a third - 37 percent - expressed a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in that category in 2021.  That is down from 42% last year and up a point from the 36% level in 2019.

When you consider those that expressed "little" or "no" confidence in these institutions, 30% of respondents say they have little or no confidence in the church or organized religion.

Overall, the summary relates:

Average confidence in the 14 institutions Gallup has tracked long-term continues to lag behind where it has been historically. The pandemic thrust many U.S. institutions into the spotlight, and the discussion of these institutions' roles in the pandemic has been controversial at times. Grappling with how to set policies to contain the spread of the pandemic while simultaneously attempting to limit its impact on economic, educational and faith activities has proven challenging.

You could say that one of the challenges for the Church today, based on these numbers is how Christianity can sustain confidence.  Granted, we don't live our lives always by the opinion of others, but we are called to live in a manner that would result in someone coming to Christ - wanting what we have.  We have to be grounded in Scripture while marked by compassion.

So, a key element of confidence in the Church is for the people in the body of Christ to be vessels of His love.  We have to take our eyes off ourselves and be devoted to seeking the Lord, which will equip us to minister in this world more effectively. 

In an age of confusion and tons of information all around us, we have the chance to cut through the noise and speak truth with conviction.  Compromise doesn't set us apart, adherence to the principles of Scripture does. 

Away From Sin Into Freedom

The power of the Church is grounded in the truth of the gospel and our devotion and effectiveness in living according to the Word. Ephesians 2 describes the powerful work of the Spirit in the lives of His people:
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

When the body is functioning as a body, united by Christ and empowered by His Spirit, we can see the Lord do incredible things.  However, when we attempt to look more like the world than like Christ, our influence is weakened and the fulfillment of our mission is reduced.  We can seek each day to be open to the work of the Lord in our hearts and allow His love to encourage us and flow through us, so that the power of Christ can be seen in us. 

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Paul wrote to Timothy about the preservation and power of the Church and as members of the body, we are called to partner with the Holy Spirit to uphold its witness. 1st Timothy 3 states:
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

The Church of the living God has the potential to be a tremendous force in this world, but our witness is stained and restricted if we are not walking in the personal and corporate holiness that God desires for us and has made possible through Christ.

Yet, there is a narrative that has permeated the Church, a narrative of permissiveness that seeks to paint local churches as being intolerant.  An agenda-pursuing ReligionNews.com story started off with the story of a gay man who had his sin pointed out to him and was removed from leadership.  The article says that this instance is...

... one shared by thousands of LGBTQ young people who grew up in evangelical churches that deny them full participation. LGBTQ people are typically excluded from serving on church boards and from leading worship or other church groups. They are not ordained or allowed to marry same-sex partners in the church. That’s causing many younger evangelicals — gay and straight — to question the integrity of their church’s theology and the consistency of its biblical interpretation.

The story cited a PRRI study that shows 51% of white evangelicals ages 18-49 favor same-sex marriage, while a-third over age 50 do.  Julie Rodgers, who was a staff member at Wheaton College and who could have been described as a "Side B" "gay Christian," possessing desires but not acting on them, is quoted in the article: "Most people know and love someone who’s openly gay....It causes them to wrestle with the implication of teachings that say, ‘We’re bad and wrong and sinful.’

As the article notes, Rodgers was featured in a Netflix documentary called "Pray Away."  Apparently, the film attempts to discredit what has come to be known as "conversion therapy."  The Religion News article claims:

Conversion therapy, the discredited practice of attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity, has increasingly come under fire, as the documentary “Pray Away” reveals. At least 20 states have banned the practice among minors. 

Who says it has been discredited?  This is a case where an attempt to help someone break free of sexual sin has been isolated and demonized, and given a label.  Stephen Black of First Stone Ministries isn't buying it. He posted on Facebook:

Dear Friends, this documentary is an anti-Christian, anti-Biblical pathetic opining of whining victim-mentality failed-fallen-former Exodus leaders who are in love with themselves, and who are FILLED with UNBELIEF! I like how Andrew Comiskey put it, they are the "BRAY AWAY" - meaning that they are The Little Whiny Lamenters of loving self. Deceptively, they have a hatred of God's holy standards for human-sexuality.

The reference to Exodus is about a failed organization which at one time was helping people to walk away from the homosexual lifestyle. 

Apparently, according to Movieguide.org, the documentary features a story of someone who did make the transition. His name is Jeffrey McCall, and the article states:

“PRAY AWAY has a clear agenda to stop conversion therapy practices,” McCall says. “They believe that trying to change one’s sexuality can be harmful. My ministry is quite different from previous former LGBTQ ministries in that the focus is on relationship with Jesus. I don’t focus on behavioral changes, I focus on wanting to see people cleaned from the inside out. I believe obedience to God follows an internal cleanse of the Holy Spirit.”

McCall lived as a transgender woman named Scarlet for several years before he had a radical encounter with Jesus Christ.

While McCall was performing drag, he was secretly listening to sermons from Pastor Jentzen Franklin and the Holy Spirit began to convict him.

“I cried out to God and He spoke to me,” McCall tells Movieguide®. “It was just a few months later I threw my life as Scarlet in a dumpster.”

The article says, "McCall saw the opportunity to participate in PRAY AWAY as a chance to share his story of redemption with a larger audience."

The tolerance of sin is a forfeiture of power.  We need a powerful Church today, yet when we compromise truth in the name of acceptance, we weaken our influence, because the power of God does not reside in a Church that has abandoned truth. 

We also restate, for the record, that the power of God is available to change lives.  We are not called to accommodate sin of any type - and once we are convicted of our sinful attitudes and behavior, we don't identify with that sin, we seek to eliminate it from our lives.  It is a redemptive work of the Holy Spirit that produces freedom - the freedom that Jeffrey McCall celebrates through his movement, the Freedom March, and the initiative of Stephen Black called, Freedom Realized.  Rather than find ways to accommodate sin, these men and like-minded individuals are boldly stating that the power to change is present and available.

The Church is full of sinners, correct - flawed individuals who have been redeemed by a flawless Savior. We can celebrate our new life in Christ, and when we blow it, we can come into the loving arms of a Savior and confess our sins in order to receive His forgiveness.  And, if we have offended someone, we can ask to be forgiven.  If we have bitterness and unforgiveness, unconfessed sin in the Lord's house, we inhibit the work that He wants to do.