Power of Radio

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 1 about being devoted to growing spiritually and immersing ourselves in God's Word. We can read these words:
1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

We are certainly living in a blessed age in many parts of the world - we, of course, have the Scriptures, through which we can grow in the Lord.  Plus, there are a variety of strong resources and content that is delivered by various forms of technology. But, we are also reminded that there are many around the world who do not even have access to a Bible, and there are wonderful ministries that are engaged in providing them.  Out of our abundance, we can look forward to sharing what God has taught and provided for us.

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Yesterday, I talked about the future and signs that we are seeing, in addition to how Christian believers should position themselves, continuing to trust in the Lord. Peter, in the book of 2nd Peter chapter 3, was also looking to the future, and wrote these words:
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

I do talk frequently on The Meeting House program on Faith Radio about the use of technology, and how Christians can engage with technology to enhance their spiritual growth.  Radio continues to be a "go-to" medium, with Pew Research stating last year: "In 2020, 83% of Americans ages 12 or older listened to terrestrial radio in a given week...according to Nielsen Media Research data published by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

We hear a lot about podcasting these days - it is certainly a worthwhile tool, and we operate in that space. However, Pew reports: "As of 2021, 41% of Americans ages 12 or older have listened to a podcast in the past month, according to “The Infinite Dial” report by Edison Research and Triton Digital..."

In the Christian space, a new study from Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research states that "91% of evangelical radio listeners use Christian radio."  The numbers for Christian television are substantial, as well: "76% of evangelicals watch some Christian television content."  

This survey evaluated seven types of media: TV, streaming video, web, broadcast radio, podcasts, books, and magazines.  Christian radio has an impressive showing as a preferred medium for distinctly Christian content.  The survey relates: 

Of these seven media types, three show evangelicals relying on Christian content for at least half of what they consume: broadcast radio (60%), podcasts (57%), and books (58%).

Out of those 7 types of media, "the average evangelical uses 3.4 different media formats for spiritual purposes." Those are defined as "Christian information, teaching, preaching, inspiration, and/or spiritual growth," and drew the distinction between Christian content in general and Christian content for "spiritual purposes."  The survey summary stated that, among evangelicals, "Over one-third use printed books (43%), broadcast, cable, or satellite television (38%), and websites (36%)...Significant proportions also use streaming video (29%), mobile apps (28%), broadcast radio (23%), and podcasts (20%). 

Regarding each of the seven media types, two-thirds to four-fifths of respondents - between 63 and 80% - showed that they used a mix of Christian and mainstream media.  

A few years ago, there were predictions of a decline in the impact of radio - I believe that the proclamation of the "death of radio" was greatly overexaggerated.  Radio continues to be strong, even though Christians are apparently consuming a mix of media - Christian and mainstream.

And, among those seven types, Faith Radio operates in five.  We have our 8 U.S. terrestrial signals, plus we broadcast on a channel in Haiti.  We are also on the web in a variety of ways: through our website, as well as our app.  Faith Radio has ventured into the podcast space as well - content from The Meeting House and Morning Praise can be found on a variety of platforms, including our website and app, plus a number of leading podcast sites, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Plus, we have streaming video available through the Faith Radio YouTube channel and a daily television presence on WFRZ, Frazer Christian Television.  

On top of that, we offer content you can read.  We have a Ministry Magazine that is released four times per year.  And, I post a regular commentary online and a weekly blog post with three stories of relevance to the Christian community. 

The availability of Christian content is astounding. Just yesterday, Publishers Weekly ran a story about the burgeoning Christian publishing industry.  It said: "Religion publishing was valued at $1.2 billion in 2020, the most recent annual estimate in the StatShot Annual Report from the Association of American Publishers."  And, an earlier article on the website had indicated an 11.2% rise in sales from 2020 to 2021 based on the figures given by reporters to StatShot.  

But, with all this content, there are still warning signs in the Church.  Books are great, and the Infinity Concepts survey shows that books are a leading source people use for spiritual growth. But, we have to apply what we read.  And, make sure that content we are using squares with the Scripture.  Whatever media source you use, including what you hear on Faith Radio, we have to remember that we should have a working knowledge of the Bible.  Time spent consuming Christian media should never supersede our personal time in the Word. 

But that is not to minimize the impact of Christian media sources. I believe that the local church is strengthened as His people go to these sources for inspiration, information, and even entertainment.  At Faith Radio, our desire is to be a complement to the work of the local church, playing a role in providing content that can help believers grow and be encouraged.  All in all, God's people have accessibility to the Word of God, and we can be edified and strengthened as we grow deeper in Him. 

Hacking Humanity

There is a passage in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 that describes the conditions of our times - it states:
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.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

The lawless one - described as the "Antichrist," is coming; that is a promise of Scripture.  We don't know when his reign will begin, but we can be sensitive to the signs all around us. The turmoil that we see in this world provides the condition for a leader who will come to make peace and ultimately bring all the nations together.  1st John tells us that the spirit of antichrist is at work in this world. So, what do we do?  We seek to live faithfully to our Lord, cognizant of what is transpiring around us, but focused on the work at hand that God has called us to do.

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The Bible tells us in Revelation 13 that a one-world leader will come on the earth, and there will also be what has been termed a "false prophet" who commands those under this one-world government's authority to submit, to in essence, worship, the leader, or "the beast." We can read these words:
15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The pursuit of a better life motivates people to seek out all sorts of ways to improve themselves.  As we think about the resurrection, we recognize that our new life in Christ is beyond human achievement and cannot be attained by human means. And, that life enables us to be one with Him - forever.

Immortality is in the grasp of the believer in Christ, the one way to eternal life. But, human ingenuity has certainly been unleashed in order to try to artificially create a superior species through the melding of man and machine.

I came across an article on the Intercessors for America website by a gentleman named Keith Guinta of the website, The Wine Patch.  The article is entitled, What is a Human? Guinta called attention to the life and work of one Yuval Noah Harari. Certainly not a household name, one might think - the author says:

Why should anyone care about an Israeli author who lives outside of Tel Aviv with his husband of 20 years, even if Barack Obama did give rave recommendations of his work? Perhaps his role as Klaus Schwab’s envoy representing the World Economic Forum to prominent cabinet leaders around the world lends a hint.

He quotes from the doctor's appearance on 60 Minutes: "The idea that humans have a soul, or a spirit, or free will, or that nobody knows what is going on inside of me, or whatever I choose in an election or the supermarket is my free will — that’s over."

Guinta notes:

He goes on to say that the future masters of the planet will be decided by the people who own the most data. The collection of data en masse has been happening for many years via mobile devices, wearables, internet behavior, and the 24×7 secret service agents we deploy in our homes with cute names like, Hey Google, Siri, and Alexa.

That's apparently Phase I of this brave new world order, or whatever you want to call it. He writes:

Harari explains how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was an integral piece on the game board used to sink rebar for Phase II. He glibly explains, while discussing global vaccinations and mandates;

It is often said you should never allow a good crisis go to waste. Because a crisis is an opportunity to do ‘good reforms’ that in normal times, people would never agree to. But in a crisis, people have no chance. So let’s do it.

Then there's our old buddy Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum...Guinta writes:

In 2016, Klaus Schwab, the globalist who sits atop the World Economic Forum like the eye of Sauron over Mordor, said that by 2026, every person on the planet will be injected with a chip that will not only surveil biometric health but will;

…be a direct communication between our brains and the digital world. What we see is a kind of fusion of the physical, digital, and biological worlds. In the future, this new breed of transhumans will be able to just say, ‘I want to connect with someone’, and instantly their brains will be connected through the cloud.

How does this occur? One key might be patented technology from Dr. Charles Lieber, who formerly led the Chemistry and Chemical Biology department at Harvard, who "was able to deliver a nano-electronic brain-machine transducer into the human body with minimal immune response."  He received a 15 million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health and worked with Tony Fauci for 15 nanotechnology patents.  Lieber also worked for the Wuhan lab in China. 

Harari says:

In terms of surveillance, people could look back in 100 years and identify the coronavirus epidemic as the moment a new regime of surveillance took over, especially surveillance under the skin which I think is the most important development of the 21st century.

As Guinta projects: "Under-skin nano-electronics will not only monitor and capture biometric data but will also invoke brain-to-cloud connective consciousness as human beings are transformed from purely organic beings into inorganic creatures. So when Harari tells us the technology is already here to hack human beings — believe him."

It's called transhumanism and may be on its way to a body near you, if the globalists have their way.  And, while there is great fervor for the prospect of Elon Musk getting his hands on Twitter, I'm not sure I want anyone with his view on the topic to be experimenting with my body, or anybody else's.  As an article on The Federalist website states:

Musk told the World Government Summit in 2017 that as humanity’s daily dependence on technology increases, humans should simply merge with machines.

“To some degree, we are already a cyborg,” Musk told the audience at the summit. For Musk, becoming a cyborg — a sort of superhuman with both biological and technological capabilities — is only one step away. Think Iron Man.

The article continues:

“I think one of the solutions that seems maybe the best is to add an AI layer,” Musk said in an interview in 2016, “Just as your cortex works symbiotically with your limbic system, your third digital layer could work symbiotically with you.”

On Twitter, Musk announced another method by which we could create “symbiosis with machines” — neural lace. Science Alert describes neural lace as, “a brain implant that can augment natural intelligence by hooking us up to computers.”

The author of the Federalist piece, Sarah Weaver, writes:

Musk’s support for a sort of transhumanist future is in line with that of the World Economic Forum’s founder Klaus Schwab, who wrote a book, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution,” on how the physical and digital worlds could be fused, “challenging ideas about what it means to be human.”

So, what does it mean to be human?  Well, for one thing, humanity, is created in the image of God, with a divine design.  Technology can be a powerful tool, and in the right hands, can be useful in a number of ways, even to augment physical deficiencies.  But, it can also be used to control and destroy if it gets into the wrong hands.  The work of the enemy is to steal, kill, and destroy, Jesus said, and the wrong motives for the use of tech can lead to the fulfillment of this goal.

We also have to recognize, as it's been pointed out here on this program, that there is globalist ambition to control and dominate humanity.  The implementation of sophisticated technological surveillance is such a powerful possibility.  And, in the book of Revelation, the Bible speaks of a one-world leader who attempts to force people to receive a "mark" - on the forehead or hand.  Without this mark, no one can engage in commerce.  The "mark" becomes, in essence, a false way to life.  But, Jesus, in the midst of human manipulation and spiritual deception, offers the true way to life, eternal and abundant life, bringing salvation to those who surrender to Him.

Truth of the Risen Lord

Jesus did not come to earth to make you a better person - He is not the author of some sort of self-improvement plan. No, He came to give life to dead people. Because, after all, we were spiritually dead before He made us alive. The apostle Paul was no exception; he wrote in 1st Timothy chapter 1:
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

There it is - Jesus came to earth to save us, to die for fallen humanity, and to be raised to new life so that we can enjoy His new life. Paul was the most religious man of them all - while he was persecuting Christians.  The religion of humanity did not serve him well; he had to have a life transformation - the replacement of a heart of sin with a heart of righteousness.  Humans may have ideas for improving our culture, but they pale in comparison to the superiority of the gospel.

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In order that we and others might live in the resurrected life that Jesus invites us to participate in, it's important that we have a grasp on its true meaning. Romans chapter 6 offers this breathtaking look at what Jesus has done for us:
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

We have recently celebrated Easter Sunday, which marks the resurrection of our Lord. And, while you have those who would entangle the true meaning of the resurrection with more progressive takes, it is important that we hold on tightly to the truth of the gospel.

The fact of the matter is that the resurrection is not some sort of self-improvement program. Jesus did not come to make humans better, but to make us free.  In fact, rather than try to better ourselves, He calls us to die to ourselves so that we are brand new.

Jesus did not come to reinforce our own identity, but to give us His identity. He did not come in order to make humanity live together peacefully on our own, but to raise up fallen humanity to peace with God. Through peace with God, we can then have peace with one another.

There does seem to be a confusion of the fruit of the resurrection and the fact of it.  Jesus rose from the dead to bring people to Himself, not to make us love each other in our human strength.  Socialism, humanism, secularism, globalism, and other forms of human exaltation are merely cheap substitutes for the truth of a new creation.  Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, and other inventors of world religions are still in the grave - for the Christian, the grave is empty, and we have been raised to new life.

But we live in a day in which the "progressive," or really, "regressive," individuals who want to redefine Christianity and take aim at the essential doctrines of our faith are seemingly having a field day in diluting and distorting traditional Christian teaching.  Alisa Childers, in a piece that was posted on her website several years ago and recently appeared at Crosswalk.com, wrote:

Progressive Christians are often open to re-defining and re-interpreting the Bible on hot-button moral issues like homosexuality and abortion, and also cardinal doctrines such as the virgin conception and the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

She continues: 

Comments you might hear:

• The resurrection of Jesus doesn't have to be factual to speak truth....
• The church's historic position on sexuality is archaic and needs to be updated within a modern framework...
• The idea of a literal hell is offensive to non-Christians and needs to be re-interpreted....

Childers identifies a shift in emphasis, writing:

There is no doubt that the Bible commands us to take care of the unfortunate and defend those who are oppressed. This is a very real and profoundly important part of what it means to live out our Christian faith. However, the core message of Christianity—the gospel—is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and resurrected, and thereby reconciled us to God. This is the message that will truly bring freedom to the oppressed.

She goes on to identify these "Comments you might hear:"

• Sin doesn't separate us from God—we are made in His image and He called us good....
• God didn't actually require a sacrifice for our sins—the first Christians picked up on the pagan practice of animal sacrifice and told the Jesus story in similar terms....
• We don't really need to preach the gospel—we just need to show love by bringing justice to the oppressed and provision to the needy...

Don't miss this: as Childers emphasizes, and I agree, the core message of Christianity - THE GOSPEL - is that "Jesus died for our sins, was buried and resurrected, and thereby reconciled us to God." The risen Christ was our substitute for sin, paid the penalty, and has been raised to new life. And, all who believe on Him are raised, too.  This has enormous implications for the world we live in - the power of a changed life can impact the world in significant ways.  Rather than buy in to human philosophies that want to make the world "better," we can submit to God's ways, which can bring lasting change and eternal life.

Farming

In 1st Corinthians 3, Paul reminds us that it's not a matter of who is sowing the seed of God's Word, nor who is reaping the harvest, but the One to whom people are coming to know through salvation. The passage says:
7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

We are called to be part of representing our Lord and relating His message with truth and power. Even though the Bible is clear about how someone can be saved, it is incumbent upon His people to accurately share that way. The fact of the matter is that we are all sinners who need a Savior, and that Christ died for the forgiveness of sin and rose again so that we might have His new life.  While it was essentially a two-step process for Him, we can die to self and live to Him in one simple prayer, resulting in lifelong change.

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In Galatians chapter 6, we see a clear set of Scriptures that address sowing and reaping and remind us that we are called to plant the seeds of God's Word. We can read:
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Jerry Rice is a farmer who lives in the Oklahoma farmer near the state line with New Mexico.  He's in his 70's, and not only does he farm, but he plants the seeds with fellow farmers by ministering at farm shows with the Fellowship of Christian Farmers International, or FCFI. 

According to the Enid News and Eagle from the Sooner state, Rice is involved in not only attending shows, but in participating in disaster relief and missions trips at home and abroad. 

One of the projects in which Rice took part was documented in the article:

In the mid-2000s, wildfires burned millions of acres in the Texas Panhandle. Rice coordinated disaster relief to help rebuild barbed-wire fences lost in the flames.

Several families, including 8-, 9- and 10-year-old children, volunteered to help out.

“One of the guys would come by the (FCFI) booth in Amarillo and would say, ‘I cannot believe these people ... just came in and started rebuilding my fences,’” Rice said. “He was an older man, and he was just amazed by that. Every year, he would come by the booth and tell me that same story.”

The article says that Rice is "also is a pastor at a small church in the Oklahoma Panhandle." It reports that he "and his wife went to an FCFI conference in the early 1990s, which kickstarted his involvement."FCFI has been around since 1985, and is devoted to "to encourage Christian farm families and agricultural professionals to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior around the world."

A picture with the article shows an FCFI booth at what appears to be a farm show.  There are scores of what appear to be broomsticks in the picture, one of which is being held by the gentleman who is manning the booth. These are Wordless Walking Sticks, which is a ministry tool that the FCFI website notes has been used to share the gospel with "hundreds of thousands" of people.

The cord at the top of the stick has 5 beads or balls on it.  The picture on the Enid website appears to contain balls at the top.  This is similar to the wordless book that has been used as an evangelistic tool.  Kyle and Laura Martin at the Winter CPE Show had wristbands that contained the colorful beads - their ministry, Time to Revive, also has contributed to a Bible centered around the plan of the salvation.

On this day after Easter, I think it could be helpful just to run through that simple presentation of the true meaning of the cross and the empty tomb.  Here is a synopsis of the plan of salvation depicted by the Wordless Walking Stick from FCFI's website:

The GOLD stands for heaven. We are reminded that "God loves you and wants you to experience his peace and life."  

1. The BIBLE says…
   “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
   “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b)

   The DARK bead represents sin & separation. The site says that we have "a will and freedom of choice."  But, "We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way...We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God."

   The BIBLE says…
   
   “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
   “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

   The RED bead represents Christ's blood.  This is described as "GOD'S REMEDY."  We are told, "Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He died on the cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin through His innocent blood and bridged the gap from God to Man."

The BIBLE says…

“But God commends His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“For Christ also has suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18a)

Then, there's the WHITE bead, which is a reminder that our sins can be washed away, "whiter than snow," as the Bible teaches.

2. The BIBLE says…
   
   “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12)
   “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

   Finally, the GREEN bead provides encouragement to grow in the Lord.  The website notes that we can have assurance as a believer.  

   The BIBLE says…
   
   “And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life, and he that has not the Son of God has no life.” (1 John 5:11-12)
   Jesus, God’s Son said… “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my Word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into Condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

   The meaning of the cross and the resurrection have not changed since Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead some two thousand years ago.  Other ideas may creep in to distort the true meaning of these acts to change the meaning of what He has done, but the plan is simple - we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and Jesus gave His life in order that we may be saved.  

Like Gold

Through what Jesus did for us on the cross, we can actually know Him - we can have a relationship with the God of the Universe, because He sent His Son to give His life and to rise from the dead. We have the capacity to walk in His ways, as we are directed in Psalm 19:
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

When we consider what the Lord has done, the series of events we observe on this Good Friday, we can be reminded of what an incredible story that actually is. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth in order that He could take our place on the cross.  He is risen from the dead and sent His Spirit so that we can walk a life that is surrendered - crucified - to Him and that is filled with the power of His resurrection. That is an amazing, precious story, and day by day we can seek His face and follow in His ways.

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God directs us not to be consumed by the riches of this world, but to seek the true riches that are from heaven. To the lukewarm church at Laodicea, the Lord gives this exhortation:

18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Todd Hoffman is a real-life gold miner, but he has discovered something even more valuable than gold - a relationship with Jesus Christ.  He has discovered God's true gold that will never pass away.  The Hoffman family was featured in a series on Discovery Channel called Gold Rush, and they are back on that cable network with Hoffman Family Gold, according to a Christian Headlines piece.

The article states:

In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Todd shared that while talking to Discovery about the new series, he stressed the importance of showcasing his family's faith on the show.

"We think we have something to share where our faith can shine through," he told the outlet. "We don't want this to be a dark reality show where people throw wrenches at each other."

Hoffman, a devout Christian, also told Discovery to allow his family to encourage other people, including non-believers, in the new show.

"If you guys can agree to allow us to pray. If you guys can agree to allow us to be us, and on TV encourage everybody in the world, not just Christians, anybody. They said, 'You know what? We're game. We want you guys back, the Hoffmans back,'" he shared.

The Christian Post article relates that:

Hoffman first went mining with his father when he was a teenager. It was something that his father dreamed about. The family took the chance in 2008-2009 when gold began increasing in value and skyrocketed during the recession. This led to the launch of “Gold Rush” on the Discovery Channel in 2010.

He says that he came to know Christ when he was "young," but that it was "cemented" when he was around 15 or 16 years of age. He thought at one time that he would become a youth pastor, but he believed that, in his words, “My faith took me into the business world..."

In 2018, the original TV show ended, but Todd had a chance to showcase his singing skills. On his Facebook page, he wrote:

I was asked to sing for an online trailer for an incredible movie, "I Can Only Imagine," coming out March 16th. Please share this video with your friends and family. It's about the relationship between father and son.

He added, "I’m leaving Gold Rush. I’m so blessed by God. My next chapter is singing and producing TV for the family."

On this Good Friday, we can make sure that we are mining the riches of God's love and truth. The cross stands as a reminder of not only our sinfulness, but of the Savior who died for us. He invites us to accept Him in salvation and to enter into a relationship with Himself.  We are called to grow into the Christian life and to discover more about Him.  

Todd's story can also cause us to think about the call of God on our lives.  His involvement in the mining industry has been used of God to develop a platform through which He can share His faith in Christ. We can be encouraged and motivated to be a light, to allow the light of Christ to shine through us, right where we are.

The Best Way

There was a moral crisis in the Church at Corinth, and Paul warned the church members in 1st Corinthians 5 that a solution would emerge through sacrifice. He wrote:
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The Church had not been watchful for sin in its midst, apparently, and was chided by Paul for being prideful. Jesus is our example - He humbled Himself to the point of death so that the power of sin and the power of death might be defeated and that we could walk in His victory. What He did for us on the cross communicates to our society that we should humble ourselves before God, follow His principles, and walk in sacrificial love toward one another.  There is hope because Jesus died and lives again.

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Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples, just before He would be offered up as the perfect Passover Lamb, to be offered as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. We can read in Luke 22:
15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;
18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

This is a very important season of the year, as we reflect on the meaning of Jesus coming to earth, giving His life, and rising from the dead.  It is also noteworthy that the celebration of Passover is taking place, as well - it begins tomorrow, as a matter of fact.

The two are tied together, because Passover is the commemoration of how God saved the lives of the Israelites who would make a sacrifice and be spared from death because they placed the blood on their doorposts.  Jesus is our perfect sacrifice, our Passover Lamb, who has made it possible to triumph over the power of death.

These observances, according to a new poll, offer some lessons for our nation.  The Christian Post reports on a poll by the Trafalgar Group, which you may know as one of the most accurate polling organizations in past elections.  The poll was commissioned by Convention of States Action.  The Post article says:

According to the survey, 72.6% of respondents said they believe the “moral lessons found in the holidays of Easter and Passover” are either “somewhat important” or “very important” to guaranteeing a strong U.S. in the future.

In total, 52.6% of respondents said the moral lessons were “very important,” while 20% said they were “somewhat important." Another 11% said they were “not very important” and 16.4% said they were “not important at all.”

Mark Meckler, who heads Convention of States Action, a sister organization to Convention of States, who has been a Meeting House guest in the future and talked with me at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention recently, is quoted in a press release; he said:

“Every day, we’re told that Americans place less and less value on faith, and yet when asked about the two most significant holidays in the Judeo and Christian traditions, over 70% of voters say the moral lessons they teach us are vital to a free and strong America in the future. Parents want our children to be taught to know and respect God, value freedom, observe the golden rule, and to achieve a good and great society through hard work and sacrifice. These are some of the fundamental values taught to us through our Judeo-Christian heritage. This is the foundation of all that is exceptional about the United States of America..."

Meckler added: “Don’t believe the headlines, we are still one nation under God.”

This is encouraging and it speaks to the issue of Biblical application.  Because we need to do more than just give lipservice to religious heritage.  It really sounds nice, but are the principles we find in Scripture really guiding our decisions?  That includes on a macro level, with government and corporate decision-making, as well as the choices we make in our individual lives. 

But, I think Meckler makes a good point - the Bible provides principles that can help to build a strong nation, and I believe our founding on those principles has served us well throughout the years.  But, there are strong influences that could serve to jettison those principles and turn to other sources that do not reflect Scripture's moral teachings.  We see outright rejection of God among leaders in various sectors, including among political leaders and our media gatekeepers.  

On this Maundy Thursday, we remember the hostility that Jesus faced. He was prepared to turn Himself over to those who wished to take His life, recognizing the plan of God beyond His death.  We can be prepared ourselves to be willing to die to self and live unto Him, so that we might experience and reflect His new life and allow His Spirit to govern our direction.

Speaking Truth

In the 20th and 21st chapter of the book of Luke, in a narrative occurring during the midpoint of Holy Week, we find that Jesus is teaching in the Temple in the face of confrontation. He did not shrink back from the discussion and demonstrated the incredible wisdom of God.

Jesus had finished sharing a parable about a vineyard - the owner had sent three servants to collect the fruit, but they were beaten by those tending to the vineyard. Finally, the heir was sent, and his life was taken. In Luke 20, we can read:

17 Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone'?
18 "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."
19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people--for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.
20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

The religious leaders of the day, who were intent to silencing the witness of Jesus, because He was a threat to their system and teaching.  The used deception and trickery in order to trap Him.  But, He was not deterred and provides us a wonderful example of grace and determination in the midst of opposition. If we are reliant on Him, we can depend on Jesus to give us the capacity to engage with our critics in a non-combative, firm, and convicted way.

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On the Wednesday of Holy Week, Jesus was challenged by some of the "religious" leaders of the day - after all, they saw him as a threat. Luke 19 states:
47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him,
48 and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

The self-appointed gatekeepers of what constitutes proper religious speech these days are at it again not too far from us, taking the Jefferson County school board to task for allowing prayers prior to football games. Initial news stories indicate that school officials capitulated to the atheist group, the Freedom from Religion Foundation.  According to Faithwire, though, there may be more to that story.

The FFRF said that prayer before games at Gardendale and Pinson Valley High Schools was improper.  The Faithwire article said:

“It is unconstitutional for a public school to sponsor religious messages at school athletic events,” the atheist group noted in a statement. “The Supreme Court has continually struck down school-sponsored prayer in public schools.”

The district responded, via an attorney, in a letter last month noting the prayers would indeed come to an end.

“The Superintendent met with school principals, and the administration will not allow prayer at school-sponsored events, including football games,” it read.

Case closed? Maybe not.  Last week, Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin issued a statement, according to according to WBMA-TV.

Faithwire says:

The district’s new statement detailed not only a defense of invocations but said the initial attorney’s response sent to FFRF — while done in “good faith” — wasn’t meant to “provide a comprehensive analysis of school prayer in every context.” It also purports the superintendent and board didn’t approve the initial letter before it was mailed.

The WBMA (ABC33/40) story included these words from the statement:

Any assertion that the Jefferson County Schools system will no longer permit school prayer during school activities is simply not correct. The right to pray and to religious expression is guaranteed under our laws and Constitution...Let us be clear, this board of education and superintendent fully supports the rights of its students and all members of the education community to pray and engage in voluntary religious expression in school settings.

The article from the TV station adds:

The school system concluded its statement by underlining that its attorneys are preparing for its approval of a formal resolution supporting the position of Washington football coach Joseph Kennedy in his effort to secure the right to pray with his team and members of the public following games. This case is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

But, that language of the letter, while purporting to honor religious freedom, does not necessarily override the cessation of prayer before football games, in my estimation. The school district gets mixed reviews here: they seem to capitulated to the FFRF, but they are now attempting to walk that back while throwing their attorney under the bus.  We will see if statements affirming religious freedom will result in solid action. And, they are supportive of Coach Kennedy, it seems.

Jesus did not capitulate to the "bullies" who attempted to, as the Scriptures say, "destroy Him." He answered their questions in a shrewd and reasoned manner.  In one instance, He pointed out their hypocrisy, according to Luke 21; these leaders asked him about the authority under which He operated.  We can read:
3 But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:
4 The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men?"
5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
6 But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."
7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8 And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

You might think that is a brilliant response, but I could never do that.  Jesus also taught that He would give us the words to speak when we stand before authorities, when we are persecuted for our faith.  We can remember to rely on God to be bold to share our faith, and then if there is pushback or negative consequences, to continue to rely on Him.

We have to understand that there are those who want to "bully" us for our faith.  The FFRF has made an industry out of going after people demonstrating their religious freedom.  Sometimes they are successful, other times they have been rejected for trying to shut up people of faith. In honoring our Lord, we can have that mindset to not be silent, to not be ashamed of our faith in Him.

We can be inspired by examples, such as Coach Joe Kennedy, who would not allow authorities acting improperly to stop him from engaging in protected speech - a simple, postgame prayer on the football field after a game.  Sure, others voluntarily joined him; I believe they were drawn to his light and to his witness.  As we follow Christ, we can seek to have a witness that is compelling.