Removing the Stigma and Relying on Our Refuge

In Psalm 46, we read some words of comfort and strength, encouraging us to trust in the Lord as our refuge:
(1b) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea...
Later in the Psalm, we read:7The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge...
When we are struggling, we can find hope and healing in the presence of the Lord.  In the dark days of the spirit, we can find encouragement in the Word of God.  When our hopes are shattered or our perspective is shifted away from God's sufficiency, we can rely on the Lord and draw on His strength. The powerful truth is that He loves us, He is with us, and He doesn't abandon us in our struggles or our perceived shortcomings.  He wants us to trust Him at all times, even when we are afraid or feeling far apart from Him - He is there, and He is reaching out to us to reach into our minds and provide His refreshing and restoration.
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James chapter 5 paints a picture of how the body of Christ can provide strength in the midst of troublesome times:
13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.15And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.16Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

It's a heartbreaking occurrence for any family, and when you have had high-profile pastors who lose a child to suicide, it has provided opportunities for the church to discuss the matter of mental illness.

A piece on the ChristianityToday.com website states that one in four U.S. adults experience mental illness in a given year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  And, a new LifeWay Research survey commissioned by Focus on the Family shows that nearly 1 in 4 pastors acknowledge they have “personally struggled with mental illness,” and half of those pastors said the illness had been diagnosed, according to the poll.

The article speculates that the suicides of Rick Warren’s son Matthew and Joel Hunter's son Isaac perhaps have prompted increased attention to mental illness from pastors’ pulpits and pens. Warren launched “The Gathering on Mental Health and the Church” this past spring.  Also, NewSpring Church pastor Perry Noble has publicly documented his struggles with mental illness.

And, just last week, Rick and Kay Warren conducted a web event called, "24 Hours of Hope," coinciding with World Mental Health Day.

Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research, told Christianity Today: "Here’s what we know from observation: If you reveal your struggle with mental illness as a pastor, it’s going to limit your opportunities.” He went on to say that, “What happens is pastors who are struggling with mental illness tend not to say it until they are already successful. So Perry Noble, running a church of 30,000 plus, just last year says ‘I have severe depression.’”

He added, “We have to break the stigma that causes people to say that people with mental illness are just of no value...These high-profile suicides made it okay to talk about, but I think Christians have been slower than the population at large to recognize what mental illness is, let alone what they should do."

The survey found that the majority of pastors (66 percent) still rarely or never talk about mental illness in sermons or before large groups.  About one-fourth of pastors bring up mental illness several times a year, and 7 percent say they tackle it once a month or more.

The study also found that struggling laypeople wish their churches dealt with the issue more; 59 percent of respondents with a mental illness want their church to talk more openly about it, as do 65 percent of their family members.

In a news release, Stetzer noted, “Our research found people who suffer from mental illness often turn to pastors for help...But pastors need more guidance and preparation for dealing with mental health crises. They often don’t have a plan to help individuals or families affected by mental illness, and miss opportunities to be the church.”

The CT story linked to a Perry Noble blog post about his own struggle with depression.  In it, he writes:

For 3 years, I was publicly working for God in the church while privately I thought about ending it all. Depression and anxiety were taking over on the inside, but I was too worried about what people would think if I told them what was really going on.

It took a lot of changes and a lot of time to get to a place where I could be honest about it. Depression was not just a season I was going through—it was a trap I was stuck in!

Today I believe it’s more important than ever to help others see that God can use our pain for our progress!

Referring to a Harris Research Analysis survey, Noble writes that 29% of Christians in the United States have struggled with depression at some point in their life. He points out, "that’s over 45 MILLION CHRISTIANS! That’s more people than the population of the state of California and Massachusetts COMBINED!" He says that out of every 10 Christians you know, 3 of them are depressed.  He believes that some of the Bible’s greatest heroes were far from perfect and they struggled with depression, too - referring to Moses, Elijah, Jonah, and David.

So, here's what we know:

Mental illness is afflicting the church, and perhaps the awareness of the effects of it have led to a greater emphasis on the topic. There perhaps is a reduction in the stigmatization of mental illness in the church. And, as Noble points out, "In Christ we are not rejected because of our depression--God rescues us and carries us through it!"  

I believe that in the church, we are not called to look down on someone because of their struggles, but to reach out with compassion to minister the grace of God.  And, when we are having mental health challenges, running to God's Word and hopefully even to the church can be a helpful and healing component.  Church leadership, as Stetzer points out, can be better equipped to deal with these issues, and perhaps the comfort level for people who wish to come forward can be enhanced.

Finally, we recognize that God's Word contains truth that can help renew and reprogram our minds when we are facing mental challenges.  Certainly, there may be a medical component, as well, and Biblical counseling can be effective in helping a person walk through these struggles.  I do think its vital to regard the sufficiency of Christ and realize that He is an ever-present help in the troubles we encounter.

A Portrayal of a Problem

In Isaiah 58, we see passage related to fasting, and I think it can serve to illustrate the heart of God for reaching out to the needs of people:
9Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,10If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.11The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

In the Scriptures, we see unveiled to us the heart of God, and in this passage, we see some activities that please Him - He is calling us away from destructive behaviors that tear down the effectiveness of the ministry of the body of Christ and wants us to turn our energy toward meeting the needs of others - including those who are hungry or afflicted, those who are in need of hope.  He wants to use us to set other people free - from their physical deficiencies (such as hunger), as well as from their spiritual deficiencies, so they may encounter the life-changing presence of the Savior.

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Yesterday, I talked about the importance of passionately taking up a cause, as expressed in the lives of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winners.  Today, I want to tell you about a man in Colorado who has been used of God to provide a visible display to his community about a challenge that the church can be involved in addressing.  But first, here are some words from Matthew 25, spoken by Jesus:
34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'37Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'40And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

This month, 19,000 crosses constructed out of stir sticks have been planted on the campus of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.  This display was the idea of a man named Gordon Herrick, a member of First Baptist Church of Bayfield, near Durango.  According to a recent Baptist Press article, Herrick said that, "The blind spot of the church today is the enormous number of children across the world who are dying each day from hunger and the effects of poverty." After leading a study of David Platt's book, Radical, Herrick came up with an idea to fashion paint stir sticks into white crosses that are temporarily "planted" in visible places around southwestern Colorado to let people see a display of the number of children - 19,000 - who, according to a United Nations estimate, die daily from hunger and other effects of poverty worldwide..

He said, "The Lord laid it on my heart to demonstrate this enormous problem that's totally preventable...We didn't want to put a guilt trip on people, but to get them to think about what they could do." His pastor, Randy Ash, gave enthusiastic approval - after all, Ash says part of his calling is "If you have a passion for ministry, let me help you fulfill it."  Herrick initially gathered about 10 people from the church to make some 750 crosses during a 90-minute, once-a-month Saturday "project day."

The effort was not without its challenges - Herrick realized that the crosses lose their visibility as they become weathered and must be continually replaced. It's also quite a bit of work to not only construct the crosses, but to plant the 12-inch crosses in the ground.

And, after the first display of about 4,500 crosses appeared at a local city-owned ski slope in Durango last July, a few days later, after some people objected to what they saw as a religious display on city-owned property, the crosses disappeared without a trace.  Not to be deterred, church members went back to work, and had constructed and planted 4,000 by October, and at Easter this year, the crosses were displayed on the lawn at First Baptist in Bayfield, located at a main intersection in the town of about 1,600. This summer, they were planted in a quarter-acre section of the pastor's property on highway frontage just inside the Durango city limits. This October they are again set up at Fort Lewis College.

This past Sunday was World Hunger Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention, and many churches were expected to focus on the theme "Hunger Happens Everywhere" in addressing hunger needs across North America and around the world.

I like to say that our God uses imagery to communicate His truth, and we can find numerous examples in the Scriptures to that effect.  Gordon Herrick wanted to show the people in Colorado what 19,000 looked like - the number of children who die daily due to starvation.  The steps he followed are instructive for us today:

First, he had a stirring and responded to it.  He took up the cause of world hunger and saw how the body of Christ could be involved in rising up to the challenge.  But, rather than sitting back and saying, "isn't this terrible?," he began to take action steps, first going to his pastor and then enlisting volunteers to helping him communicate the message.   That brings to mind another step: he shared the vision and invited people to stand with him.   He didn't try to do it all himself and saw the effect of God's people working together for a common purpose.

Finally, he demonstrated a sense of perseverance.  To construct crosses and then to use crowbars to plant them in the ground can be time-consuming and the planting process can be, as the article says, "back-breaking."  This could provide discouragement.  Plus, the initial display was vandalized and more crosses had to be made.  But, the cause outweighed the cost!

And, a further note, symbolically speaking, how devoted are we to carrying the message of the cross?   These small crosses can make a powerful statement.  And, as we think about how we are communicating the significance of the cross and our Savior's death there, we can evaluate our degree of commitment to sharing the truth that He has called us to relate.

Material and Mercy

There is strong teaching in Scripture about generosity, driven by mercy.  Jesus taught in Luke 6:
36Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.37"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.38Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

I believe that our degree of generosity is reflective of the way we allow Christ to control our hearts. His nature is consistent with that of our Heavenly Father, who loved us so much that he...gave His son in order that we might know Him.  Jesus gave His life, and teaches us to develop an attitude of mercy toward other people.  When we are blessed materially, we can recognize that He is showing Himself to be our provider, and He will direct us in the decisions regarding those possessions.

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The Bible teaches us about the importance of being generous with regard to the use of our financial resources.  Consider the words of 2nd Corinthians 9:
6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Generosity is a force that flows from the character of Christ being resident in our hearts.  And, a recent Religion News Service article features the results of a study on charitable giving. The organization, Empty Tomb, an Illinois-based nonprofit that tracks the percentage of church members’ income that they give to their congregation, released the report “The State of Church Giving through 2012: What are Christian Seminaries and Intellectuals Thinking — or Are They?”

In 2012, the latest year for which the numbers are available, church giving dropped to 2.2 percent of member’s incomes, the lowest percentage since 1968.  Using statistics from international agencies and pictures of malnourished infants, report authors John and Sylvia Ronsvalles seek to illustrate the significant impact an uptick in giving from American churchgoers could make in the lives of the world’s poor.

Sylvia Ronsvalle, is quoted as saying that, “People are richer...They have a lot more to spend on. If the church is not giving them a real challenge, the church becomes less important.”

The Ronsvalles write, “From a global perspective, the vast majority of Christians in the U.S. are more on the ‘rich’ spectrum in Bible categories." They write that most of the poorest in the U.S. have more than the poor abroad, citing a study showing that an American with an annual income of $34,000 falls within the world’s richest 1 percent.

The report says that seminaries need to school future clergy on the affluence of American congregations, and remind church members of “God’s agenda to love a hurting world." In the Religion News piece, Sylvia Ronsvalle was critical of seminaries and divinity schools, saying that, “Pastors are not being prepared to effectively pastor their people within an age of affluence.”  That contention is challenged in the article by the Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, dean and president of Virginia Theological Seminary. He said that alleviating the suffering of the poor is “a key aspect of the gospel,” but taking the seminaries to task for shortfalls in Christian charity overlooks the complexity of the problem and the realities of the culture “that are much bigger than any classroom experience."

I do say that the quantitative evidence from this study is strong, and can be a wake-up call to believers in Christ.   We are called to submit our hearts to Christ in every area of our lives, and that includes the appropriation of our financial resources.  The 2.2 percent statistic, representing the percentage of church giving to income, is particularly compelling - and concerning.   And we can ponder some important points:

We can be challenged to reinforce a view that it all belongs to Him.   If we are surrendering every area of our lives to God, that would include our stewardship - whether it be how we spend, or how we give.  When we recognize that He has a purpose for the purse, then we can rely on Him to direct us in the appropriation of our finances.  

We can also check our mercy component.  Jesus taught that He desired mercy, and not sacrifice. He doesn't want us to merely go through the motions and focus on the outward expression of religious behavior, but He wants us to develop compassion toward others, and that compassion can move us to be more generous with the resources He has provided.  

Finally, we can be appreciative of the resources that He has given to us.  There are people in need all around us, and out of a thankful heart, we can bless others through our generosity.  As the report points out, when we compare American income and possessions to other parts of the world, we do realize that many of us have been quite blessed.    We thank Him for His material blessings, and in our gratefulness, we realize that we can hold on to those material resources very loosely, willing to share.

Peace, Passion, and Proclamation

God is calling us to know Him better, to acquire knowledge, and to use that knowledge to more effectively walk in His ways, without fear, not holding back.   Here's an encouraging passage from 2nd Peter chapter 1:
2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,3as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,4by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
We have access to the truth of God and can gain a greater understanding of the nature of God as we study and consider carefully the principles we find in His Word.  And, we build confidence as we seek to proclaim His truth.  When the Lord calls us to a certain endeavor, maybe to speak into the life of another, perhaps to minister to a person that needs to experience that freedom that comes from knowing Jesus, He will build a sense of boldness within us as we develop conviction and take the necessary steps of preparation in order to make a strong statement for Him.
God is calling us to know Him better, and as we grow in Him, we can become more diligent in spreading the knowledge of God and the truth of His Word to those around us.  Consider these words from 2nd Corinthians 2:14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.

The latest Nobel Peace Prize recipients are Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi.  Malala is the youngest recipient of the award, at 17 years of age.  She is from Pakistan; Satyarthi a 60-year-old man from India. According to a piece on the ChristianHeadlines.com website, they both advocate for protection against child slavery, extremism and child labor.

Satyarthi is quoted as saying that, "Child slavery is a crime against humanity. Humanity itself is at stake here. A lot of work still remains but I will see the end of child labor in my lifetime.”

Yousafzai gained international attention in 2012 after surviving a Taliban attack. She was shot in the head after arguing with a militant that girls should have the same educational opportunities as boys; she miraculously survived the shooting.

Columnist Jim Denison writes that on her 16th birthday, she made her first public speech after the attack:

Appearing at the United Nations, she stated: "The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born."

She was named one of Time's "100 Most Influential People in the World."  Denison relates that she was asked why she would risk her life, and replied: "Why should I wait for someone else? Why should I be looking to the government or the army, that they would help us? Why don't I raise my voice? Why don't we speak up for our rights?"  

She challenged the United Nations: "Let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world."

Malala has become an inspiration to a number of people - as a young girl, she has been a champion for education for children, even to the extent that it put her at odds with the Taliban, who attempted to take her life.  But, rather than be intimidated into silence, she continues to speak - and her voice has been heard around the world.   

Even though Malala is Muslim, she is not afraid to take on those that would manipulate religion to further oppression.   That was a cornerstone of the earthly ministry of Jesus - He was confrontational with those who had perverted the Old Testament and attempted to use the Scriptures to oppress other people.   

We can examine our own lives and see where our passions lie.  When we see other human beings who are suffering from lack of freedom and laboring under the weight of bondage, could there perhaps be a way that God is showing you to help speak into their situations?   Jesus came to set the captive free, and He desires to use us as His ambassadors to show the way to His truth, which brings freedom.  We can become agents of proclamation, to perhaps take up a cause and demonstrate His principles.

And, we may have to fight off intimidation along the way.  Malala basically put her life at risk because she believed in a cause.  Is there perhaps something in your life that you feel so strongly about that you are willing to encounter some risk in order to further the cause?   If you are being led of the Lord to take up a cause, you can be confident of God's presence with you as He calls you out of your comfort zone to bring liberty or healing to the lives of another person or group of people.   

Malala believes strongly in education, and so do I.   God has given us wonderful minds, and He desires for us to use them for His glory.  While her cause apparently deals with secular education, which is highly important, I submit that we as Christians should be involved in the education of the spirit, learning God's truth so that we may grow in the ways of the Lord and strengthened in our walk with Him.  He wants to transform us by the renewing of our minds.

Conviction About Our Creator

We each have been made in the image of God, the One who gives to each of us the breath of life.  In Psalm 139, we find a passage of Scripture that reinforces the notion that each of us has value in God's eyes:
14I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.15My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.16Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
The Bible teaches the sanctity of life - we each have value before the Lord.   Every person is created with the potential to serve the Lord, to inherit salvation through Christ through an act of their will, and to be used of God for His glory.  Sure, we can choose to reject it, but consider what wonderful things He has in store for us if we would only believe in Him.  If we believe in the sanctity of life, we recognize the higher call that is wrapped up in that philosophy, and how that can shape our attitude to take our eyes off ourselves and develop more compassion for other people.  It can also motivate us to take up the cause to defend the defenseless.

In Job 31, Job is elaborating on a set of moral principles, and he poses a very important question surrounding the sanctity of life.  Let's pick up at verse 13:
13"If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,14What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?15Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
The question in verse 15, "Did not He who made me in the womb make them?"   This is consistent with the teachings of Scripture in other books of the Bible concerning the value of life and how every life is precious. And, that phrase is key today...

You may be aware that I have a great amount of respect for the Duggar family.   The parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, are people of conviction who have integrated Biblical principles into the way they raise their children, and you're beginning to see, as the next generation reaches adulthood, that you have Duggar children who are also reflecting the faith upon which the home in which they grew up was built.

They have been featured for years on their television program, called, "19 Kids and Counting," and I believe their approach to living reflects a unique dedication to reflecting Christ's love - and truth.   And, Jessa Duggar, who has gained a bit of attention these days because of her upcoming wedding, drew attention for some Instagram comments following a visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.  From a LifeNews.com article, here's part of what she wrote:

“I walked through the Holocaust Museum again today… very sobering. Millions of innocents denied the most basic and fundamental of all rights—their right to life. One human destroying the life of another deemed ‘less than human.’ Racism, stemming from the evolutionary idea that man came from something less than human; that some people groups are ‘more evolved’ and others ‘less evolved.’ A denying that our Creator—God—made us human from the beginning, all of ONE BLOOD and ONE RACE, descendants of Adam..."

She concluded by saying:

"...May we never sit idly by and allow such an atrocity to happen again...Not this generation. We must be a voice for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Because EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS. #ProLife.”

Of course, there has been criticism, but as the writer of the article, Sarah Zagorski, points out: "The word “holocaust” is defined as the destruction or slaughter of people on a mass scale. Some pro-life people think its fair to say that the killing of over 57 million people through abortion fits the definition."  The report also relates that Jim Bob Duggar used the word in a similar context at last year's Values Voter Summit.

Meanwhile, sister Jill Duggar and husband Derek are expecting their first child. And, she demonstrated her conviction that every life is precious in what could be regarded to be an unconventional way - announcing their pregancy at just eight weeks. She is quoted on the Page Six website as saying, "Understanding that the majority of miscarriages happen within the first trimester, and believing that every life is precious no matter how young, we decided to share our joyful news as soon as we could." She's also quoted as saying that, "We knew that we weren’t going to prevent having children, so when we found out we were expecting within our first month of marriage, we were thrilled!”

And, finally, there's even more Duggar pro-life news.  Bryan Kemper, youth director of Priests for Life, wrote on the LifeNews.com website about some t-shirts that he provided to the family.  He had met several of the Duggars last January at the Students for Life of America Conference and gave Jessa one of the "I Survived Roe vs Wade, Roe vs Wade Will Not Survive Me” t-shirst, and later sent a box to the whole family. There have been photos of the family wearing the shirts. And, some of the shirts ended up on an episode of "19 Kids and Counting."

Needless to say, Kemper was excited to watch the next episode to see if more shirts turned up. And - they did!!   However, as he writes, "I was shocked when I saw the shirt again but this time I was shocked because they had actually blurred out the message." He goes on to say, "Knowing how dedicated to the pro-life cause the Duggars are, I expected to see the shirts many times on their show. It really amazes me that TLC would censor this; it’s not like people don’t know the Duggar’s [sic] beliefs."   This is probably not the last you'll hear on this developing story.

Convicted - for life.  That is a phrase you could use to describe these stories involving the Duggar family. And, they have been given a platform through which family members can share their deep faith in the Lord. These comments and actions can challenge each of us.  If we believe that every life is precious, which is a point of view based in the Scriptures, then we can be challenged to speak out and act in a manner consistent with that core belief.

If you say every life is precious, then you may want to demonstrate it through involvement in pro-life activities.  There are numerous opportunities, through getting involved with a local pregnancy help center, or perhaps volunteering to stand in prayer in front of an abortion clinic through "40 Days for Life." There may be action that can be taken in the political sphere by contacting your legislator about pro-life bills. 

And, if we believe that every life is precious, then that can also be expressed through the way we treat other people.  If we behave selfishly or even in a less-than-compassionate manner toward other people, if that is a viewpoint that we carry through life, then we have to consider whether or not we see others as creations of God.   We have to make sure, as children of God, called by His name, that we do not callously look down on others because they are different than we are.   Rather, we can strive to look at others through the eyes of compassion, consistent with the view of our Creator.

Influential Christians in a More Insolent Culture

We are called citizens of heaven, yet we live here on this earth - and we are called to follow God's precepts and pursue His purpose, so that His glory may be evident on the earth.  Philippians 3 reminds us of our ultimate home:
20For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,21who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

1st Peter 2 reminds us that are "sojourners and pilgrims."  This world is not our home, but we're here for a reason, and we can show the world what it means to be a child of God.  He desires for us to walk in a manner that is consistent with the character of Christ, which can put us at odds with people in the world, but can have a dramatic impact.  If we are living according to His principles and radiating His nature, we have the unique opportunity to direct people to our source of hope, Who can provide the answers for which people are searching these days.

There's a passage in 1st Peter 2 that speaks to the civil order in our society and can help to shape our behavior as we seek to be people of influence:
13Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,14or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--16as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.17Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

A new Pew survey seems to indicate that many Americans would like to see a greater influence of religion in public life.  The results show that nearly three-quarters of the public - 72% - now thinks religion is losing influence in American life, up 5 percentage points from 2010 to the highest level in Pew Research polling over the past decade.

Pew points out that, as in previous surveys, most people who say religion is losing its influence in American life see this as a negative development, with 56% of the public as a whole saying it is a “bad thing” that religion is losing sway in the U.S. The concern is most pronounced among white evangelical Protestants, 77% of whom say religion is losing influence and that this is a bad thing, but is shared by majorities of white mainline Protestants (66%), black Protestants (65%) and Catholics (61%). The religiously unaffiliated who see religion’s influence as waning are evenly divided over whether this is a positive or a negative development.

The summary of the survey surmises that perhaps as a consequence, a growing share of the American public wants religion to play a role in U.S. politics. The share of Americans who say churches and other houses of worship should express their views on social and political issues is up 6 points since the 2010 midterm elections (from 43 to 49%). The share who say there has been “too little” expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders is up modestly over the same period (from 37% to 41%). And a growing minority of Americans (32%) think churches should endorse candidates for political office, though most continue to oppose such direct involvement by churches in electoral politics.   This is especially encouraging to those who participated in Pulpit Freedom Sunday this past week.

The survey attempts to paint a picture for the religious landscape in America leading up to the midterm elections next month.

I think we can take away some discouraging news from the survey, but also concentrate on a ray of hope that is presented through the results.  This is another confirmation of a waning role of religion in our society.   I believe that the age-old institutions and foundational principles upon which this nation was founded are being challenged today.  And, I would dare say that many of the principles that have contributed to the order and morality of our society in which we live are rooted in the Scriptures.

Even though we see pockets of chaotic behavior around our world today, even in some of our neighborhoods, in America, we live in a relatively peaceful society.  Even though there are those that reject the principles of God's Word, still I think there is a driving force that causes people to regard one another respectfully and to obey the laws of the land, many of which are consistent with Scriptural admonition.  We can be thankful that our traditions and the preserving hand of God have contributed to an unprecedented sense of order that permeates our society.

And, the fact that Americans do tend to look out for and support one another is a testimony to a longstanding viewpoint of walking in a manner consistent with the love of Christ, who gave of Himself so that we might come to know Him.

But, there are definitely cracks in the foundation.  Three-quarters of Americans, according to this survey, see a declining influence of religion, but only half see this as a bad thing.   There are many who would declare a reduction in the role is good, but I would conclude that they are still people who participate in an orderly, civil society.  And, you continue to think that our civil laws are just an outgrowth of a strong Biblical influence on our society.   Recognizing that there is abundant evidence that we are living in a nation whose founders were motivated by a belief in God, and that there is a civil code that has a religious component, then I think that can give us as Christians a sense of confidence.  Yes, we do belong, we do have a role to play in our culture, and rather than shrink back, we can trust God to use us to speak out for Him, to make Him famous, and to point people to a knowledge of our Savior.   People want answers, they are searching for hope, and we can be instruments to show people the source of true hope.

Mixed Morality and Muddled Messages

A passage in Titus 3 contrasts the fruits of a life outside of Christ with the fruit of a renewed spirit through salvation in Him:
3For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,6whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,7that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life...
That may not exactly be your biography, but there is a distinction between the heart that is right toward God and the one that is not.  And, when we mix righteousness and unrighteousness, the holy and the profane, then we act in a manner detrimental to our relationship with God.  If we call right what the Bible says is wrong, then we place ourselves in a state of spiritual risk and confusion.  No matter what moral judgment we may make about certain behavior that we tolerate, we have to recognize that God's ways are right, true, and best for us - we must take heed that we do not compromise the authority of the Scriptures over our lives.
In Romans chapter 13, Paul gives some Scriptural admonition to check our hearts and our motives and to walk in the love of Christ, giving us the power to do what pleases Him and keep His commandments:8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.9For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
An example of a violation of this principle is found in the story of a Nigerian pastor who has confessed to robbery in order to benefit his church.  He, along with two others, have been arrested by federal officials, according to the Nigerian Daily Post website. The arrest occurred after law enforcement was tipped off that a group of robbers had hijacked a 25-foot container bearing 25 units of heavy duty outdoor split air conditioners.  22 units of the air conditioners have so far been recovered, while two had already gone missing and one damaged.
The pastor is quoted as saying that, 

"I was arrested at Igando bus-stop for participating in hijacking and diversion of goods worth over N25 million. I have been engaging in these operations for years but after a while I stopped and invested proceeds from the operations in transportation.
“For about nine years, I didn’t participate in any of these operations because I had made enough from the operations until I received a call from God to serve him. I was doing well in my transportation business before I was duped by a woman.

“The reason I went back into robbing was to get money to expand the church of God where I pastor. If I had succeeded, I would have used the proceeds to build a house for God.”

Here, the supposed end does not justify the means, and even if there may have been seemingly good intentions, you cannot justify breaking the law and violating God's commandments.   That also applies to the Christian couple whose interview has been making the rounds recently.  The Christian Post reports on a couple who have a rather odd wife-swapping and fitness "ministry."  They believe they are not committing adultery because everyone agrees to participate.

Just because you attempt to place a God-stamp on immoral behavior does not justify it.  These two examples are rather extreme, but there may be areas in our own lives where we accommodate and justify sin because we turn a blind eye to the Scriptures and even think that God condones behavior that stands in opposition to His precepts.

We live in an age where God's commandments are being compromised, and we must be on the lookout for ways that we are compromising truth in our own hearts.   When we desire the things of this world more than the things of God, we are rejecting God's best for us.   When we look for satisfaction in something other than the love of Christ, we have not regarded the Lord in His rightful place in our lives.

It's important that we make holiness a goal for us - recognizing that we have been given a new nature and have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we can be focused on thinking and behaving in a manner that is consistent with that new nature.   We have to be careful that we do not accommodate sin in our hearts and minds and take the necessary steps to resist temptation, release the power of God, and repent of the sins that we commit, so that we can honor God and reflect His character in us.