Lonely No More

Today, I want to return to Psalm 34, where we can find encouragement when we might feel alone, isolated, or even wounded. The Scriptures say:
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

We can know that we are seen by God; in fact, He loves us so much that He gave of Himself - He sent His Son to earth to die for us, so that we could be brought near to Him through salvation. We serve a loving God, to whom we can "cry out," and be assured that as we come to Him with a humble and contrite spirit, that He will hear us and act in accordance to His will.  We have the assurance of salvation, as well as the companionship of the Holy Spirit - we can fellowship with our Lord and enjoy the nearness of His presence with us.

+++++

The antidote to loneliness is found through a relationship with the living God and with His people; Scripture addresses our human relationships in 1st Peter chapter 4, when it says:
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.

May is commemorated as Mental Health Awareness Month, and it provides an opportunity for those who believe in Jesus Christ to recognize the power of Scriptural principles to help address mental health issues. 

Last May, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, released an 85-page report on loneliness, described by Forbes magazine as "declaring loneliness a new public health epidemic in the United States." The article quotes Murthy, who said, “Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health. Our relationships are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight—one that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled and more productive lives..."

So, how do we fix it?  A Connecticut Senator named Chris Murphy has an idea, according to the Washington Examiner's Madeline Fry Schultz, writing for the Independent Women's Forum website:

After the government shut down large swaths of society in early 2020, everyday Americans were feeling the brunt of Uncle Sam’s enforced isolation. More than a third of Americans struggled with “serious loneliness,” according to a Harvard survey conducted that fall.

Now, the very same people who shamed others for going to parks or seeing their friends during the pandemic have a solution to fight the loneliness crisis: more government.

Senator Murphy tweeted out: “Today I’m introducing a groundbreaking bill – the National Strategy for Social Connection Act...It creates a federal office to combat the growing epidemic of American loneliness, develops anti-loneliness strategies, and fosters best practices to promote social connection.”

Schultz referenced an Examiner editorial, which stated: "Social connection happens at a local level, so a national solution is impossible." It also stated: "Centralization of power, attention, and action is a chief cause of social disconnection..."

I do believe there is a force that can address the loneliness problem in a meaningful way - the power of God's Word and His Church.  Hope for the Heart, the ministry founded by June Hunt, sent out a press release written by Meeting House guest Haley Scully of the organization, who responded to a recent Arizona State University study, which found that, "...not only are middle-aged Americans lonelier than their same-age peers in Europe and Israel, levels of loneliness are also increasing across generations in both the U.S. and Europe."  A summary of the study quotes from ASU professor Frank Infurna, who said, “Middle-aged Americans are experiencing very high levels of loneliness, especially baby boomers, but middle-aged adults in England, Italy, Spain, and Greece are now ‘catching up’ to their American peers..." For people ages 45-65, loneliness may not constitute an epidemic, but, according to that summary, "loneliness might instead be endemic, or constantly present."

Scully references a Gallup poll showing that 6-in-10 young people ages 18-24 "wrestle with loneliness," and notes, "Although we are technologically connected more than ever, we are in many ways, more relationally disconnected than ever." She adds, "Loneliness not only affects mental health and well-being but can also lead to more serious issues such as anxiety, depression, and suicide. These represent a third of all problems treated today."

So, it appears that loneliness occurs irrespective of age. And, as Scully points out, "We are made for relationship with God and one another. The very meaning of church – the assembly, the gathered people – is about relationship. We have an opportunity to play a vital role in providing a meaningful sense of community, support, purpose, and connection for individuals."  

Hope for the Heart offers resources that address applying a Biblical approach to mental and other issues through its website at hopefortheheart.org/free.

So, during May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month, we can consider how our Savior has come to bring us peace - with Him, with ourselves, and with one another.  His abiding presence is with us even when we feel lonely. His healing, restorative power is available to us. In fact, as Paul writes to Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 1, we do not have the "spirit of fear," but of "power," "love," and "a sound mind."  We can look to God's presence and principles to help us in our pursuit of sounder minds.  

Furthermore, we are part of a living organism called the Church, through which we can enter into rewarding relationships predicated on our common fellowship with God.  God has created us as holistic beings - spirit, soul, and body, according to 1st Thessalonians chapter 5, so our Creator can minister to the deepest needs of our hearts and can provide power and wisdom to address the challenges we face in our minds. This ability can be released through our fellowship with one another.  It is also heartening to see churches embracing mental health challenges and recognizing that the Scriptures and the love of fellow believers can be instrumental in addressing these needs.

Power at the Border

In the 34th Psalm, we can read words of hope that can encourage our hearts and direct us as we seek to minister to those who are seemingly without hope. That Psalm contains these words:
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

Verse 4 in this passage relates the words of Psalmist, who said, "I sought the Lord," and related the results of His seeking God: "He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears."  There is fear today, and we can experience freedom from it as we seek the Lord ourselves and help others to seek Him. As verse 6 tells us, a poor man "cried out" to God, he was heard and saved. If we are faithful to speak to those who are without Christ, who may have poverty of soul or possessions, they can know the saving grace of Jesus.

+++++

We are called to be bringers of hope, and that may place Christians in the midst of difficult, even seemingly hopeless situations. Romans 15 can encourage us, when it says:
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.

There has been much concern about our southern border - not only the mass numbers of people who are attempting to enter this country, but those who are involved in criminal behavior and those who wish to do our nation harm.  As a country, we have to address this situation.  As a Church, we can also see opportunities for ministry.  And, there is ministry that is occurring. 

Last month, Franklin Graham tweeted out:

Over 58,450 people heard the Gospel on the #GodLovesYou Frontera Tour and thousands made a decision to trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. I’m grateful to all the churches and volunteers that made the #FronteraTour possible. All glory to God!

Prior to the tour, Graham shared with FoxNews.com the concept of the 10-city evangelistic tour:

"Everyone along the border is overwhelmed — the churches, the law enforcement agencies, the residents, those there trying to help, as well as the people coming into our country," said Graham.

"There are a lot of hungry hearts and hurting people, so I’m coming to the border to tell everyone about God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and how He can make a difference in our lives if we put our faith and our trust in Him."

And, on Good Friday, an evangelistic outreach from Tony Suarez brought hope to the cities of El Paso and McAllen, Texas.  A CBN.com article related:

Suarez said the first wave of evangelistic outreach in El Paso was remarkable.

“Our street evangelism team set out to reach everyone, everywhere!” the preacher told CBN News. “From bars to city parks to those we could get to come to the tent — when it was all set and done, God gave us a harvest of over 3,000 souls that had an experience with God, in some form or fashion.”

Suarez spoke of raising up a "prayer army," and said, “These men have handed out Bibles to migrants, border patrol agents [and] they have preached in parks and ministered to people in restaurants.”

And, a Texas ministry has been training church leaders in evangelism on the other side of the border, according to The Baptist Paper, which reported that:

More than 200 pastors and church leaders gathered in Querétaro, Mexico, to receive training in discipleship, pastoral leadership, church planting and evangelism this past year. 

It was sponsored by River Ministry and Mexico Missions, which, according to the article, "seeks to connect affiliated churches to specific mission projects along the Texas/Mexico border and the interior of Mexico." The article added: "Mission projects tend to focus on three priorities — evangelism, leadership development and family —and current areas of ministry on the Mexican side of the border..."

So, regardless of your position on the immigration issue, there are people who need ministry.  Certainly the rule of law should be enforced and people should play by the rules - believers in Christ can and should support that. In the midst of what is clear human suffering and even criminal enterprises, there are clearly people who need to be redeemed. There are those that possess hope for a new life in our country who need to know the hope that is possible in a heavenly country, through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  

Ministry happens when we see beyond the headlines or the political implications and recognize that there are people involved.  People who need that hope - we can consider how we can be bringers of hope to those who are lacking it.  There is hopelessness in our communities, and we can be diligent to shine the light of Christ.

Still Here

The very fact that we are still breathing means that God has not finished His work in and through us here on this earth.  And, as Psalm 150 reminds us, since we have breath, we can praise the Lord!

2nd Corinthians chapter 4 has a reminder of God's faithfulness:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Consider this, we can rejoice that God is with us - and we can experience His power, which is available to us through His Holy Spirit.  Even though we may face tribulation, we can recognize the strength and the wisdom of God, who works through our trials, according to James 1, to bring about spiritual growth and the expression of the character of Christ.  He goes with us, Jesus lives in us, and He gives our lives meaning and hope. 

+++++

It can be helpful to consider what God has done in our lives, including saving us to new life through Jesus. 1st Peter chapter 1 gives us some great principles to think upon:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ...

It is certainly an exciting time for the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program as it enters the Final Four this weekend, a feat that was accomplished by the football team a few months ago as it likewise finished among the top 4 teams in America. 

Someone who will be front and center for tomorrow night's game was also present in a key role for the football team's Rose Bowl appearance on New Year's Day.  

But, considering what he endured a few years ago, the certainty of him even being on this earth was not a given.  In fact, he said in 2022, according to a Sports Illustrated Bama Central article:

“My belief is that God spared my life, and for whatever reason I was shown incredible favor. I was not only allowed to live, but be fully healed and fully restored and was given a platform to share the story of what had been done for me. Nothing that I earned or did to deserve it, but it mirrors God’s gift of salvation for us. It’s a free gift to us. I was incredibly blessed."

His story was actually presented in a feature during the NCAA men's regional coverage this weekend, and it was actually quite well-done.  

If you're not familiar with what Crimson Tide sports announcer Chris Stewart has endured - the article offered this summary:

The small amount of pain Stewart endures on occasion serves as a reminder of what he went through the last five years; how he suffered a stroke, underwent bypass surgery and was treated for an infection that followed.

In 2016, Chris's wife found him in pain, and he ended up in the emergency room:

“I wound up at the St. Vincent’s ER (in Birmingham),” Chris said. “There was no indication I had a stroke initially. They ran tests to figure out what was wrong and they were negative. On the second cat scan it was revealed I had two clots on the brain.”

He had surgery to remove the clots, had a stent put in, and was sent on his way. But, years later, Chris had bypass surgery. The Bama Central article noted:

But just as life seemed to be back to some sense of normal for Stewart and his family, another health issue hit. In August of 2019 Stewart underwent bypass surgery and later was re-admitted due to post-surgery infection.

It was a tough fight for Stewart, who spent three months in the hospital battling the infection.

“I didn’t get mail there, but I probably could have,” Stewart said of his extended hospital stay.

As the story reported, Chris went to a social function for the surgeon who had operated on his blood clots - at the event, he shared with a nurse that he was experiencing some "tingling and tightness" in his arm.  Soon, he went in for tests, revealing a 95% blockage.  According to the story,  Stewart said, "I feel like in a way the stroke saved my life.”

Life can sometimes seem so fragile - if not for the sustaining hand of God, I would imagine that most of us could point to a time when our lives might come to an end...but they didn't.  So, we have to ask the questions, I think: why am I here?  And...Why has God chosen to give life to me and what does He desire to do through me?

Fact is, we have been born again by the Spirit of God and adopted into His family and our lives have meaning. Though we encounter adversity and endure suffering in our lives, that doesn't mean that God has forgotten us - actually, the opposite is true: He walks with us in our suffering.  We have a relationship with our Heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave His life and has risen to new life.  The Holy Spirit guides and empowers us for His service. When we are tempted to feel down and out or rejected, God will affirm His presence to us.  So, rejoice, even in the midst of those trying times - God's work in you isn't finished here on earth.  And, we have the promise that we will live for Him forever in eternity. 

40

Many Christians worldwide are coming off that 40-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, excluding Sundays, called Lent.  The number 40 is found throughout Scripture: the 40-day flood, the Israelites' 40-year journey, Jesus tempted in the wilderness for 40 days, and 40 days from His resurrection to His ascension. 

Acts chapter 1 begins with these statements by the book's writer, Luke:
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Today, we observe the number 40 in a different way.  The 40th Anniversary of the ministry of Faith Radio. In Scripture, that number represents a passage of time, a significant period. As Faith Radio celebrates God's faithfulness, I encourage you to look at the seasons of your life - periods of time through which God has brought you - and consider how He has led you, how He has demonstrated His love.  And, you can use that as a catalyst to devote yourself to serving God as He continues to guide you.

+++++

The number 40, which is actually found in Scripture on numerous occasions, is of great significance to the ministry of Faith Radio today - for it was 40 years ago today, on April 4, 1984, on which 89.1, WLBF in Montgomery, signed on the air. I began to think about the 40th Psalm, which begins this way:
(1) I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

The idea was inspired by two Montgomery radio veterans in 1980 who had heard Christian radio in another city and wanted to bring it to this area.  That began a process of prayer and perseverance for a dedicated group of early leaders of this ministry.  As the Faith Radio History page on our website states, in 1983:

After overcoming numerous obstacles on the path to approval, God worked a miracle and the Federal Communications Commission granted approval for a non-commercial radio license. The call letters, WLBF, were chosen, standing for "We Live By Faith".

In 1984:

WLBF signed on the air at 89.1FM, after an extensive fund-raising effort for start-up expenses. The station operated from trailer space donated by Frazer Church on its property, using an automation system donated by a local broadcast company, which also provided free tower space.

In 1988, as our history notes:

WLBF moved in to its current office and studio space on Mendel Parkway. Due to God's provision, the new building and grounds were completely paid for before the ribbon cutting ceremony was held!

The ministry of Faith Radio is a testimony to God's faithfulness - from those humble beginnings, the Lord has raised up a powerful, regional radio network of 3 Christian FM stations and 5 FM translators. We even send programming to a radio station in Cap-Haitien, Haiti.  Faith Radio is heard in area prisons and hospitals. 

Plus, though Internet technology, Faith Radio can be heard online at FaithRadio.org and through the Faith Radio app.  Content from Faith Radio programs can be accessed through a variety of other platforms as well, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, and now through a newly-launched YouTube Channel devoted to Faith Radio audio conversations.  We also distribute video through our original Faith Radio YouTube channel and through Meeting House TV on Frazer Christian Television, which is operated by that same church which allowed us to broadcast from its campus when we first signed on the air!   

I haven't been here since day one, but I can certainly speak from experience, having been part of this ministry for almost 33 years!  There are some applications from God's working through this ministry that we can reflect on today.

For one thing, the power of prayer is amazing!  God led people to share the vision for Christian radio in the Montgomery metro area, and they continued to pray - even when there were obstacles to the initial approval.  This ministry is sustained through the prayers of our listeners, and we are grateful for those who continue to pray for this ministry to be used of God to touch and change lives. 

Coupled with that, even from the beginning, is the power of perseverance.  We are devoted to maintaining the original vision of a Christ-centered ministry that presents sound Bible teaching and uplifting music. We continue to be a listener-supported ministry that does not sell commercials. Our programs are aired on Faith Radio at our request, not because someone wants to "buy" air time.  I would dare say that's not how most broadcast ministries operate.  And, we are devoted to being a support to the local church, believing that stronger Christians who use Faith Radio as a catalyst for growth contribute to stronger churches.  

We also recognize the power of proclamation.  Spiritual growth occurs in correlation with the truth of Scripture.  The Word of God is alive - living and active, Hebrews 4 says, and Isaiah teaches us that God's Word does not return void. Bible teaching is a critical component of our programming lineup, and we have been devoted to presenting the very best Bible teachers in our nation and world, some of which have been with us for almost all of those 40 years. 

But, music is important, too - we celebrate the power of praise.  But, our desire is to present music that ushers you into the presence of God; that creates, as I say it, an atmosphere of worship. So, our music is different than what you may hear on other stations, and that is not by accident. The desire is to present Praise and Worship music - that would include songs that are used in churches and even incorporate hymns that have meant so much throughout the ages. 

So, today we celebrate - we look back at God's faithfulness and anticipate what He will do through the ministry of Faith Radio in the future!

Unforced Errors

The enemy has a hopeless goal: to somehow defeat, in some sort of cosmic rematch, the One who defeated Him through His crucifixion and resurrection. It is unattainable, certainly, but the enemy does not give up and desires to paralyze and harass the people of God. Galatians chapter 6 states:
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.

Sin has its consequences, and when individuals trample the image of God by denying His plan for gender and sexuality, that is a path that leads to degradation, to inner turmoil, and perhaps a desperate act of ending one's own life. All because of a lie - the lie that they can change God's fixed biological framework, that somehow they are greater than He.  The enemy will lie to us about all sorts of things and attempt to attack where we are vulnerable.  We have to stand against His deception and embrace the truth of Scripture.

+++++

In Proverbs 13, there is a striking contrast between the consequences of embracing sin and walking in righteousness. A passage in that chapter reads:
13 He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool lays open his folly.

Even though the Transgender Day of Visibility has been observed on March 31 for a number of years, it received undue attention this year because it fell on Easter Sunday, and the optics could not have ben worse; the observance of the day, accompanied by a Presidential Proclamation, raised the ire of Christian leaders. Why such a day is even observed in the first place is troubling, and transgender individuals have received an unbalanced amount of attention these days anyway. 

Recently, the death by suicide by a female who presents as "non-binary," received an inordinate amount of attention.  Certainly, young people who are confused about their sexuality need to ideally have Biblically-centered counseling that can help them walk through their confusion and discover who God has really made them to be.  They don't need to be told that they can identify as another "gender" and be enticed with the false premise of facing treatments and surgical procedures to somehow override their biology. 

Oklahoma teenager Nex Benedict certainly needed truth - but she bought in to lies and ultimately took her life. And, her death has become used, inappropriately, to further a particular agenda. The Christian Post reported on March 15:

On Feb. 8, Benedict's grandmother Sue, who served as her legal guardian, called 911 reporting a head injury. In a police video at the hospital that was later released, Benedict claimed that she poured water on three girls in the bathroom after they made fun of her for the way she dressed.

The next day, Benedict was rushed to the hospital, where she died.

The Education Department subsequently announced on March 1 that it was investigating the school district for allegedly failing to respond to "sex-based harassment."

An autopsy report released Wednesday by the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office found that Benedict died by suicide via a toxic level of pharmaceutical drugs.

That didn't stop politicians from positioning Benedict as a hero and a victim.  

The New York Post reported that, in Oklahoma:

Superintendent of public instruction Ryan Walters spoke out after many online continue to suggest the student’s death is linked to a fight in a school bathroom a day earlier, despite police and school officials saying Benedict’s death appears unrelated.

“I think it’s terrible that we’ve had some radical leftists who decided to run with a political agenda and try to weave a narrative that hasn’t been true,” Walters told the New York Times.

“You’ve taken a tragedy, and you’ve had some folks try to exploit it for political gain.”

The Post article continued:

“You always treat individuals with dignity or respect, because they’re made in God’s image. But that doesn’t change truth,” Walters told the Times.

“I really see there’s a civil war going on, where the left is really fighting for the soul of our country … They are undermining the very principles that made this country great, our Judeo-Christian values and our traditions in this country.”

Well, it turns out that Nex Benedict had another component that had perhaps drastically affected her life:  The Post-Millennial reported:

However, after a brief mention in a Washington Post report on her death, Red State and independent journalist Jeremy Lee Quinn discovered that Benedict had been molested by her father for year. He is currently in prison for failing to register as a sex offender after he was released from prison.

Again, the medical report ruled the death a suicide; the assault, in which Nex appeared to be the aggressor, if it unfolded the way she reported it, was not responsible for her death.  The Post-Millennial story also said, "Benedict left notes that were 'suggestive of self-harm' as well."  Last Thursday, the website stated:

The final autopsy report was released on Wednesday and found "no lethal trauma" despite various head injuries such as contusions, lacerations, abrasions, and hemorrhages, according to pathologist Dr. Ross Miller.

Benedict also suffered nonlethal injuries to the neck, limbs, and torso, per the report.

On yesterday's Meeting House, I referenced a piece by Ben Johnson at The Washington Stand regarding the Transgender Day of Visibility, which fell on Easter Sunday this year, and a Presidential proclamation was issued.  Johnson writes:

“Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our [n]ation,” Biden wrote. Since people who identify as transgender “help America thrive,” they deserve the “fundamental freedom to be their true selves,” Biden’s 2024 statement states.

But how can trans-identifying people do for America what they cannot do for themselves? One study found, the moment someone begins to identify as transgender, “the most common outcomes were worsened mental well-being (47.2%); worsened parent child relationship (57.3%); unchanged or mixed grades/academic performance (59.1%); and a narrowed range of interests and hobbies (58.1%).” A growing list of whistleblowers know what everyone who works in gender clinics quietly admits: Teens who identify as transgender suffer from an array of psychological comorbidities, including autism, depression, and bipolar disorder aside from their “gender dysphoria.”

The warning is clear: depart from God's ways, and there is unnecessary pain and suffering that will result. Life in this world can be challenging enough without people making uniformed decisions on the way they feel about their sexuality rather than objective, biological standards. People are making unforced errors and is bringing untold amounts of permanent damage into their lives. 

The Bible says that "the way of the unfaithful is hard."  Now, that doesn't mean that Christians will not experience a hard life, a life that contains tribulation and heartbreak - some of it the result of self-inflicted mistakes, still other trials coming as the product of the people or circumstances around them. We can ill-afford these unforced errors of deliberate sinful behavior.  But, the fact is, God gives us the strength to endure the challenges of this life and even when we sin, we can confess our sins and receive His forgiveness.

He is My King

In Hebrews chapter 10, we can find encouragement to continue to proclaim the finished work of salvation, wrought by the hand of God through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Here is a passage from that chapter:
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

In this passage, we see a number of roles of our Savior.  He is our perfect sacrifice - the Lamb of God, who shed His blood to bring forgiveness.  He is our great High Priest, who has made it possible to come into the very presence of Almighty God.  He is certainly our hope, and we are called to boldly declare that our hope is in our Lord, our Savior, and our King.  He is our faithful King, who loves us and desires for us to "draw near" to Him.

+++++

Jesus Christ, our risen Savior and Lord, is also the King of the Universe, the King for those who would believe on Him, and the King for us personally. In 1st Timothy 6, we can read:
13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing,
15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

The weekend of Palm Sunday and afterward, the phrase, "Christ is King," became a subject of debate. And, one could claim that it is beyond debate; that it is established fact.  But, there are apparently those who have used the phrase as a means to denigrate a group of people who were chosen by God, a group whom God continued to love, even though they rejected Him.

The head of the Standing for Freedom Center at Liberty University, Ryan Helfenbein, set up the series of the events at the organization's website:

Unbeknownst to me, some very bad actors have more recently used the phrase “Christ is King” as an antisemitic statement against Jews, specifically, while others have used it to be an extremist propagation of their own political white nationalism. Who am I talking about? You will understand part of this controversy if you’ve been following Candace Owens’ ouster at Daily Wire and her ongoing feud with Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro. Whether or not Candace is promoting, “Christ is King” as a pejorative, I cannot say and will let her speak for herself. It is clear, however, that figures like Nick Fuentes are using “Christ is King” as an anti-Jewish statement with absolutely no interest in the rule and reign of Christ, Christian doctrine, or longstanding theological beliefs.

Let's touch on the Candace Owens elements first of all. Based on what I've seen, it does appear that Candace has taken a misguided position toward the nation of Israel since the October 7; that is unfortunate.  The Christian Post stated:

Andrew Klavan, a podcast host at The Daily Wire — which parted ways with host Candace Owens following months of disagreements between her and Ben Shapiro and a controversial interview with a rabbi and her re-tweeting posts on social media that many deemed antisemitic — said the phrase “Christ is King” is being used as an antisemitic attack.

Shapiro is the co-founder of The Daily Wire and is Jewish.  The Christian Post article goes on to note:

Klavan, who identifies as a Christian, added that while he believes Christ is King and Jesus Christ is his Lord and Savior, the phrase is being misused by an “antisemitic crowd” who are misquoting Scripture. He doesn't disagree with its substance — only its intent.

John Zmirak at The Stream, not one to mince words, jumped into the controversy: 

As far as I can tell, this phrase, once spoken with reverence by martyrs, was popularized as a racial cudgel by the vulgar online demagogue Nick Fuentes, a 25-year-old white supremacist who has openly praised Hitler and fantasized about marrying a 16-year-old girl. He purloined the phrase “Christ is King” and misuses it...

He goes on to say: 

Imitating Fuentes, other “alt-right” Gentile tribalists have taken up the “Christ is King!” chant — people who do little or nothing to demonstrate the actual sovereignty of Jesus over our lives and indeed the Cosmos. Instead, they abuse this holy thing (it’s called “blasphemy,” people) to “own” public figures whom they dislike...

Zmirak concludes by saying this:

Antisemitism is not about Christ, or even Christianity. It’s a tribal flinch of hostility on the part of Gentiles (Christian or not) at a tribe which they resent. It’s the impulse that drove Haman to want to wipe out the Jews of Persia.

What’s worse, Christians who have aggressively tried to “de-Judaize” the Church have reinvented the heresy of Marcion — which, by cutting off the Gospel from the truths of the Hebrew Bible, leaves Christianity an almost empty vessel that Caesar, Mammon, and Sodom can fill with whatever content they like. In Germany in the 1930s, it was pantheist racial narcissism. In America today, it’s woke pansexual hysteria and masochistic white guilt.

We need the Old Testament, with its concrete teachings about sexual sins, the value of national borders, and the authority of fathers, to protect us from such perversions. How ironic that those who despise the Jews for being too liberal are themselves opening the Church to hijack and corruption.

Joel Abbott, Editor of Not the Bee, a sister website to the uber-popular satire site, The Babylon Bee, provided some analysis in a column on the site, writing:

Even in Paul's day, there were those who saw Jews as the enemy. They were the ones who followed Paul from town to town trying to get him imprisoned and killed, after all.

Abbott writes, "No doubt there were many...intelligent, god-fearing, bold people...who fell into error there. And as you can easily see online with people who are becoming more racially charged, kinist, and elitist by the day as a backlash against all the anti-whiteness in our systems, there are people who go further still, not seeing the poisonous pride that's infecting them at the roots.

Helfenbein, at Liberty University, encourages Christians to be forthright in their confession.  He writes:

“Christ is King” and “Jesus is Lord” have always been statements that affirm the Supremacy of Christ. This is a central truth in the Christian faith that cannot be abandoned or forfeited. Even now, as there are both deceptive players and unsuspecting cons who are abusing and misusing the phrase “Christ is King,” I do not believe that this is in any jeopardy of being hijacked any time soon. Christians are charged to “earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). That earnest and sincere motive is needed now more than ever, even when foul play is afoot.

In today’s clown world, many hijacked terms and subtle phrases have been utilized as tools to perpetuate evil. Even biblical symbols, like the rainbow, are being used now as the banner and symbol to promote the LGBT’s Pride movement. This strategy has been so effective that the rainbow is scarcely viewed as a biblical symbol anymore. It is now synonymous with the alphabet mafia’s sexual revolution. Even as the rainbow flag waved over the White House lawn last June, no one believed Ken Ham was hosting an Ark exhibition at the invitation of Joe and Jill Biden. That’s because the rainbow has been hijacked.

But even as God’s bow has been successfully misused and abused — at least in the contemporary — to perpetuate the lies of the sexual revolution, that symbol in its current misuse is not indefinite. Even as the rainbow has been misrepresented for the last few decades, that still is a finite amount of time when accounting for the last six thousand years and the next ten thousand. We will get the rainbow back because permanent things always win and it belongs to Christ in the first place.

So, we can confidently and boldly declare that Jesus Christ is King.  We should, with all that we are, show that we honor Him as our King by living a life surrendered to Him. There will be those who would want to pervert the expressions of Christianity, but we must not be intimidated from our devotion to proclaiming the Lordship - and Kingship - of our great Savior. 

But, we should never respond in pride.  Certainly, we recognize that the practice of Christianity is more than a religion serving a dead founder; rather, it is a relationship with a living King, who willingly gave His life so that He could redeem fallen humanity.  But, we don't win others by denigrating or mocking them - we persuade by pointing to Jesus and living in a way that pleases Him.

Stay the Course

The apostle Paul, as he neared the end of his life, wrote to Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 4, stating:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Paul rightly recognize that while there may be struggle in this life, we are serving the One who gives us victory in the midst of our challenges. He wrote in 1st Corinthians chapter 9:
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

We are all in the race of life - and in a sense, we are all competitors, not against other people, but against the enemy of our souls and...against ourselves and our worldly desires.  We are called to identify with Christ in His crucifixion, to die to self, so that we might experience His resurrection power. We can develop determination and practice perseverance so that Jesus might be glorified in us. He gives us the ability to triumph as we hold on to Him. 

+++++

Isaiah 50 contains an expression of determination and can encourage us to hold fast to Him - we can find these words:
7 "For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.
8 He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.
9 Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up.
10 "Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God.

Jonathan Varkey is a professing Christian who has served as a biology professor in Texas. A recent Faithwire article referenced a CBN report that...

...a biology professor for the past 20 years, Varkey consistently taught the same facts about the human reproductive system without any problems. But that changed last year, when he received a notice of dismissal.

“I was surprised and I was shocked, because, you know, never expected for such a letter from, or such an email from, the school because I’ve been teaching that for that school for the last 20 years and without any complaints,” he said.

Varkey believes his lessons on human biology and sex being determined by chromosomes X and Y sparked complaints leading to his dismissal.

“On the 12th of January [of 2023], I received an email from the vice president of the department of the school that they are doing an ethic violation investigation on me, so I responded to his email and asked him, ‘What are the complaints?'” Varkey said. “So, what he said was the human resources will contact me.”

The professor said, although he asked about complaints, he received no response from HR and didn’t get a chance to defend himself before his firing.

Varkey was told that he had offended LGBTQ students because of his comments - about...biology! 

First Liberty Institute stepped in to defend Varkey and recognized a number of constitutional violations regarding the way he was treated. First Liberty even filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  The Faithwire piece notes that:

Kayla Toney, associate Counsel at First Liberty Institute, told CBN News her legal firm was initially “outraged” after initially finding out about Varkey’s plight, noting the fact his “speech had been targeted” was deeply concerning.

“There were many First Amendment violations that we saw right away, first his religious exercise,” Toney said. “He is a committed Christian; he’s also a pastor in addition to his role as a biology professor. So, we think there was some religious targeting by students who knew he was a pastor and thought they could accuse him of something like religious preaching.”

The attorney said her client was “simply teaching straight from the textbook and following those lesson plans that he had used for 19 years.”

She also referenced "academic freedom concerns" and the lack of due process afforded Varkey - he did not have a chance to face his accusers.  

Through the efforts of First Liberty, Varkey and the school, St. Phillip's College in San Antonio, have reached a settlement through which the professor has received his job back. The professor commented to CBN: “I was so excited...And thank the Lord for that outcome.”  The Faithwire article says:

The professor said he hopes his successful quest to fight for his job will inspire other Christians who might face similar issues and barriers.

“I would say, don’t quit, because there are people very supportive just like First Liberty,” he said, urging people to be brave and take a stand. “Stand for the truth.”

Some things are worth fighting for.  We have to make a Biblical determination about what is and isn't worth devoting time, effort, and mental and spiritual energy to fight. But, certainly this is a battle worth fighting - a professor's loss of a job and an impact on more people because of his willingness to stand for truth.  Yes, Professor Varkey could have taken the loss and went and found other employment. But, he believed an injustice was done and that he was experiencing reprisals because of his faith. This was clearly worth it. 

As Jesus taught, there is an enemy who unleashes his destructive power on people's lives. He wants to make us ineffective for the Kingdom and to restrain the advancement of God's Kingdom on earth, which is what Jesus has called and equipped us to do.  Once we make the decision to follow Christ and perhaps take a bold step in a particular area, He gives us the capacity to see it through.  He gives us power so that we don't give up.  Through our struggles, He builds character in and through us.