Somebody To Love

We know that our Heavenly Father is the giver of all good gifts, according to James 1, and that can include material blessings, certainly, but more importantly, there is a host of spiritual blessings.  We
also recognize that He has gifted each of us for His glory. 1st Peter 4 says:
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.

Remember, God supplies the ability, as we read in verse 11.  We can be confident that He has provided certain abilities that He desires to us to carry out His mission, and we can develop a willingness to serve Him by allowing Him to activate His Spirit within us and bring forth that giftedness.  We can identify and embrace those gifts, and rejoice when we see that God is using us in His service.

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We can consider how we are to allow God to receive glory in all that we do.  Paul taught in 1st Corinthians 10 about seeking to please God, and even though he received flak for his dietary choices,
he wrote this:
30 But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,
33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

I remember, it must have been 15 or 20 years ago, that a Christian band from Canada made an appearance at First Baptist Church in Montgomery.  There were band members that actually visited the studio prior to the concert and performed some music - of course, there was no drum set, so the drummer used a Faith Radio trash can to keep the beat.

The name of the band is Downhere.  Perhaps their most familiar song is one that will be heard throughout the Christmas season on Christian radio - it's How Many Kings.

The band announced back in 2012 that it would no longer be active, but the word was that it wasn't a "break up."

The lead singer of Downhere was Marc Martel.  And, millions of theatergoers have heard his voice in a recent film release.  You see, Marc has a rather distinctive voice - you could say that he sounds like the former lead singer of a band known as Queen.  And, he decided to embrace that gift a few years ago.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Marc's online audition in 2011 for something called, "The Queen Extravaganza" that one of the band members was putting together, designed to be a touring tribute to the group.  The article states:

Some may see this as just the karaoke version of "America's Got Talent." That is, until they click on the audition of Marc Martel. To date, Martel’s audition video hovers around 476,000 views and here’s why: His voice is probably the closest thing to Freddie Mercury next to Freddie Mercury. Shot in his disheveled studio (which many readers have already commented on), the 34-year-old, newly married Martel (sorry, ladies) recorded his rendition of "Somebody to Love."

The Journal highlighted Marc's philosophical perspective:

Martel’s band, by the way, is a Christian rock band. Will singing the songs of Queen help, or hurt him in the eyes of those with strong opinions about Mercury and his sexual proclivity? Martel feels this is a non-issue. “Freddie Mercury wrote songs that were real and true. Rock and roll reaches people because it’s honest, and doesn’t shy away from the issues. You can have a great voice, but people can spot a fake from a mile away. Our music may come from a biblical standpoint but we don’t shy away from true experiences – doubt, loss, pain, sorrow – we want to deal with all of that. Queen’s repertoire deals with those emotions and feelings too and I love singing their music because at the end of the day, it’s just true.”

His audition video landed him on the Ellen show, and ultimately, in the slot on the tour.  And, the original video has over 15 million views!

Faithwire did a piece on Marc, and stated:

In an interview with Noise 11, Martel, who has been covering many of Queen’s songs for years and is the former lead singer for the Christian rock band Downhere, said the film studio hired him to “do some of the singing in the movie and give the audience an immersive experience and not be able to tell where the singing is coming from.”

The article also went back in time to a Beliefnet piece announcing Martel's winning of the "Extravaganza" slot:

Martel, in a separate conversation with Beliefnet, said the last 10 years of his career “have been a preparation for me to be able to handle this,” adding he couldn’t have done it without his faith.

“I don’t think I could’ve handled this 10 years ago,” he explained. “God’s moving in this, very obviously.”

Martel mentioned the "true experiences" of Freddie Mercury's life.  As Plugged In writer Adam Holz puts it in the review of the film:

Despite his prodigious vocal talent, Freddie Mercury's real life was a mess. The film depicts his longing for lasting love, suggesting that Freddie's rocky relationship with his father resulted in an emotional vacuum he sought to fill through increasingly reckless choices.

For a brief moment, his romance with Mary Austin hinted at the fulfillment of that desire. But the movie suggests that Mercury's attraction to men—and his own tortured relationship with his homosexual identity, which he refused to publically acknowledge even when everyone already knew his "secret"—torpedoed any hope of lasting intimacy with Mary.

So, the film (that I haven't seen) does seem to be a cautionary tale; Holz refers to "the outcome of Freddy Mercury's choices as a tragedy."

By the way, Marc Martel isn't the only Christian singer to have appeared on the Ellen show; recently, Lauren Daigle performed on the show and received some criticism for it, due to the fact that Ellen DeGeneres is gay.  In a radio interview documented by Billboard, Daigle said:

“I think the second we start drawing lines around which people are able to be approached and which aren’t, we’ve already completely missed the heart of God," she said.

“I don’t have all the answers in life and I’m definitely not gonna act like I do, but the one thing that I know for sure is I can’t choose who I’m supposed to be kind to and who I’m supposed to show love to and who I’m not, because that’s the mission right?” she continued. “Be who Christ was to everyone."

You may not necessarily agree with Marc Martel's performing of Queen songs, but I think that his experience can teach us several principles.  He is desiring to use a God-given gift and apparently believes that the Lord has sustained Him in the use of it.  We can consider how we can embrace our gift. I think each of us has been created by God and there are talents that we have been given; ways we can bless the Lord by blessing others - we can identify that unique wiring and even enjoy using our gifts for Him.

We can also consider how we can seek creative outlets.  There are so many ways that we can express ourselves, and that's a healthy thing. And, remember God has not called us to walk the Christian life alone - He has placed us in the body of Christ and in this world.

But, whatever, we do, we can remember to make it about Christ.  Now, there is the element of doing God's will; we can't expect Him to honor our trying to make sinful behavior somehow glorifying to Him.  But, we can go before Him, ask His direction, and be careful to give Him the glory when we see Him work through us.

No Other

In Acts 19, we read about mighty works that God did through the apostle Paul and about the impostors who attempted to deal with evil spirits incorrectly - one possessed man actually attacked these so-called exorcists and drove them away.  It was a disturbing supernatural expression, and we read later in the chapter:
17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.
19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

We can develop discernment based on the Scriptures so that we can readily identify teaching that lines up with God's Word and that does not.  There are a number of non-Biblical ideas that masquerade under the banner of being "spiritual," but do not reflect the nature and glory of Almighty God.  We have to be careful not to mix Biblical instruction with human religious ideas and allow practices that do not reflect Christ to infiltrate our lives and churches.

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The Ten Commandments tell us to have no other gods before the one true God.  In Leviticus 19,
we can read the reflection of the heart of God regarding a host of issues. Here is an excerpt:
30 'You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.
31 'Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

The landscape of religion, or the practice of faith in America, certainly reflects a diversity of ideas, but also represents a number of people who have mixed a variety of beliefs together, including professing Christians who adhere to a "Bible-plus" philosophy.

Witness the results of a fairly new poll taken by the Pew Research organization that classifies religious and non-religious people into seven categories.  The survey summary at Pew's website states:

The new typology sorts Americans into seven groups based on the religious and spiritual beliefs they share, how actively they practice their faith, the value they place on their religion, and the other sources of meaning and fulfillment in their lives.

So, let's walk through these categories and maybe you will discover the one with which you identify best.  The "most religious group," according to Pew, is the Sunday Stalwarts.  This group represents 17% of those surveyed, and is one of three groups in the "Highly Religious" categories.  There are also the God-and-Country Believers, at 12%, and the Diversely Devout, at 11%.  This group could be characterized as being traditionally devout, but allows some influences such as psychics, reincarnation, and spiritual energy to be part of their belief system.

Then, you have the 17% of Americans who are Relaxed Religious - they hold to some religious beliefs but don't think you have to believe in God to be a "moral person."  This category is part of the "Somewhat Religious" group.  Also, in this umbrella group is the Spiritually Awake, at 15%, who believe in Heaven and Hell, but also embrace some New Age elements.

The "Highly Religious" comprise 39% of the population, the "Somewhat Religious" are at 32, and then there is the Non-Religious," at 29 percent.  The Religion Resisters believe that "religion does more harm than good," and comprise 12% of respondents.  Then, you have the Solidly Secular, at 17%, with no religious or even New Age beliefs whatsoever.

Here are a couple of observations by Pew:

Outside of the Sunday Stalwarts, relatively few Americans – even those who otherwise hold strong religious beliefs – frequently attend religious services or read scripture. About eight-in-ten Sunday Stalwarts attend religious services at least once a week – three times greater than the share of frequent attenders among God-and-Country Believers, and roughly seven times larger than the proportion of the Diversely Devout who are as observant. A similar pattern exists among the groups in the share who regularly read the Bible or other holy scriptures.

And, that leads to a drift from Biblical moorings, which is revealed in this observation:

New Age beliefs are common, even among Americans who are highly religious in traditional ways. For example, about three-in-ten Sunday Stalwarts believe in psychics, and a similar share say that spiritual energy can be located in physical objects such as mountains, trees and crystals. Smaller shares believe in reincarnation and astrology. Overall, half of Sunday Stalwarts and God-and-Country Believers and nearly all of the Diversely Devout affirm at least one of these four New Age beliefs.

Religion News Service had a story about this survey, and related these, among other, notations:

Overall, only 23 percent of Americans attend worship services weekly, and only one group — the “Sunday Stalwarts,” who make up about 17 percent of the population — attend in overwhelming numbers. These include mostly Christians but also Jews, Muslims and Hindus who may attend on other holy days.

In addition, the number of Americans who say they read Scripture daily, at only 11 percent, is strikingly low, and those who say religion is the most important source of meaning in their lives make up only 20 percent of the population.

For me, in looking over some of this data, the biggest concern to me is the mix.  That is, the mix of Biblical ideas with concepts that contradict the Scriptures.  There are forms of so-called "worship" that take the emphasis off Almighty God and place it on spiritual forces that are not of Him: psychics, for instance, the identification of "spiritual energy" from inanimate objects, including the belief in crystals.  The belief in reincarnation, which is in direct contrast with Biblical teaching on one physical death, followed by judgment, and astrology, looking to stars to govern our lives, have apparently crept in and are part of a religious menu that is practiced by even the most devout.  But, keep in mind, even the Sunday Stalwarts are not all Christians.

But, if we are not grounded in the Scriptures, we become vulnerable to teachings that are not of Him. It is critical to our spiritual health and our devotion to God's truth to make sure we are in the Word, and we are called in Hebrews not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together; i.e. regular church attendance.  And, Faith Radio is here to help you, through strong Bible teaching, to grow in your walk with the Lord; however, we are not a substitute for personal time in the Word and time with fellow believers in a local church body.  We need the accountability that comes from knowing God's truth and being connected to the body of Christ.

It's no surprise the culture is in the mess we're in when you look at these survey results.  But, it also presents an opportunity for believers to be salt and light and to seek, speak, and practice the truth of the Scriptures.

Outcome

We have now emerged from a critical and contentious election season.  Many have been somewhat immersed in the process; others went to the polls, faithfully cast their vote, and will carry on today as just another day.  And, many, perhaps over half of those eligible, did not cast a ballot.

I believe voting is important, but our walk with the Lord should be the most important thing in our
lives. Psalm 146 says:
3 Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.
5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God...

Politics should never ascend to a position greater than our devotion to Christ.  It can be very easy to look to human ability and ingenuity to sustain us, but for the Christian, we recognize that He is our source of strength, He gives us wisdom and direction, and He is supreme, no matter who occupies the White House or the U.S. House.  He wants to occupy our hearts and desires for us to build our lives on His foundation.

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In Daniel chapter 2, we read this passage that points to the sovereignty of God, the God who was at
work in the electoral choices that were made yesterday:
21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

Here are a few things that we know regarding yesterday's elections:

The big story is that we will now have a split makeup of the chambers of Congress. In the Senate, according to Real Clear Politics, Republicans have expanded their slim majority, and when it's all said and done, there could be as many as 54 Republicans in the Senate.  In Arizona, the Republican holds a slim lead.  And, in Mississippi, two Republican candidates combined to garner around 60% of the vote, with a runoff scheduled soon.  Democrat incumbents: Claire McCaskill in Missouri, Joe Donnelly in Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota, and Bill Nelson in Florida, were all defeated.  Democrats picked up the Senate seat in Nevada.

In the House, Democrats needed to pick up 23 seats to wrest control, and it looks like they took a minimum of 27, with some results outstanding; still just under 15 seats left to be decided, it seems.

Governors' races were less-than-rosy for Republicans.  Although Florida has sent Ron DeSantis to the governor's mansion and Georgia is still locked in a tight race between Stacey Abrams and Bryan Kemp, the Democrats finally got to Wisconsin governor Scott Walker and sent him packing.  Kay Ivey in Alabama handily defeated Walt Maddox.

Also, in Alabama, voters passed the religious freedom and pro-life amendments, according to WSFA.  And, Republicans continued to hold serve with all the statewide offices, many of which with somewhere in the neighborhood of a 60-40 split.

What do you take away from these results?

Well, you have to observe that nationwide, we have a divided nation ideologically.  That's no surprise. But, if the fractures continue to widen, Congressional leaders will be unable to move forward on meaningful legislation.  Not that Congress has been able to accomplish very much.  The cornerstone legislative achievement, the tax cut bill, was accomplished with plenty of blood, sweat, and tears.  But, there's been very little else out of the entire Congress.

Now, the Senate has been able to confirm two Supreme Court justices and a host of Federal judges with a constitutional philosophy who have been appointed by the President.  But, those who regard the President as having a successful first two years can point to his executive actions in reducing regulation, as well as his overall approach to the economy as the keys to the game.

Already, likely House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or some of her allies have telegraphed what the Democrats will do with the leadership in the House, although any actions to take substantive action against the President they oppose will be thwarted by a more Republican Senate.  Byron York of the Washington Examiner observes: "Trump needs the Senate to stay in Republican hands to keep his extraordinary line of judicial confirmations going. And now he has it."  He writes:

So far, the Senate has confirmed two Trump Supreme Court justices, 29 circuit court of appeals judges, and 53 district court judges. That is more than any other president in memory at this stage in his presidency. About one-sixth of the federal judiciary now consists of Trump nominees. Look for Trump and Senate GOP leaders to keep increasing that number.

But, on the House side, York observes:

Still, Trump cannot ignore the House, and certainly not a House that plans to bury him in subpoenas and might possibly try to impeach him. At the very least, Trump will have to beef up the White House counsel's office and prepare for battle each day with the new Democratic chairmen of key House committees -- House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Oversight Committee chairman Rep. Elijah Cummings, and others.

For the first few months of Democratic control, the biggest story out of the House might be an internal Democratic squabble as Rep. Nancy Pelosi tries to solidify support as Speaker. Along with that, there might be a spirited debate among Democrats about how much to pursue the president -- impeachment? -- versus pursuing a policy agenda.

But, get ready, special rights for individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity are on the menu for House Democrats. Faithwire reports:

House Democrats are promising to take action on major pro-LGBTQ legislation if they regain the majority in the midterm elections Tuesday.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said recently she would introduce anti-discrimination legislation — the “Equality Act” — as one of the first orders of business, should Democrats gain control of the House of Representatives.

The bill would expand the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which already bans discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, religion and nationality, to include discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in places like retail shops, restaurants, realty, health care and social services, according to The News Tribune.

So, the main election night takeaways:

God is still in control.  That's the assurance from Daniel 2.  We can accept the electoral outcome as part of His sovereign plan and then craft our Holy Spirit-inspired response.  And, we can be reminded to pray for our leaders.  And, in all the social media chatter last night, this post from yesterday's Meeting House guest Michael Brown caught my attention:

The people have voted, but what is God doing in these elections? What is the Spirit saying to America? Beyond the vote, these are the questions I'm asking.

This is critical; we can be concerned with how the Lord is working, even in the policy arena, and respond as He directs.

Also, for the Christians who voted for President Trump for two important words, "Supreme Court," there will be more of the same.  Perhaps there will be another vacancy on the high court, but there is strong evidence that more constitutionalist judges could be on the way, which has strong implications for life and religious liberty. 

Was the election an affirmation or a rejection of the President?  I would say "yes."  As York points out, vulnerable Democrats who voted against his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh lost (Tester in Montana turned out to be an exception). And, while typically the party of the President loses seats in the House in a mid-term election, Mr. Trump certainly expended a tremendous amount of energy trying to prevent that and he fell a few seats short.  But, there was not widespread repudiation of the President's agenda.

There was seemingly a lot of energy from younger candidates and voters; but a number of them seemed to embrace a more socialistic agenda.  That is a problem, and something to watch.  Because socialism, while it sounds fair and equitable on the surface, as it's been pointed out, leads to an oppressive leadership structure that attempts to choose the winners and losers, the "haves" and "have-nots."  This should be a reminder to the Church that people need to be trained in solid Bible teaching that underscores personal responsibility and a limited role of government.  I think that the undercurrent of the proper role of government was at play in this election.

The immigration issue was on a lot of people's minds, and this is something we have to get right.  There are thousands that are advancing on the U.S. southern border with the intent to somehow force their way into this country.  I do not believe that this is a random occurrence.  We have to shore up our laws and recognize while we are a compassionate nation, we are a nation of laws.  And, people should not be allowed to break our laws or exploit our system.  This is an issue that has stirred up debate, even within the Church, and it's important that believers adopt a Biblical view on the issue.

Extra

God calls us to prioritize what is truly important, and to make His goals our personal aim.  2nd
Timothy 2 states:
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth...

We can set priorities in accordance with God's call and instruction.  And, we can commit ourselves to making the time to do what is truly important to Him.  We can make time in the Word and in prayer paramount in our lives, and even though our schedules may have to be arranged or our predetermined plans altered, we can be challenged to follow His desires for us.  We may be called to do what is extra, so that He will get the glory.

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In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about the level of commitment we can show as believers in Christ; to possess and act on sacrificial love and to perhaps go to great lengths in pursuing what is important.  In Matthew 5, we see:
40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you...

I came across a heartwarming story that communicates how we are sometimes called to go above and beyond in our endeavors.  We pick up the story of Rich and Julie Morgan, who became fans of a pizzeria in the city of Battle Creek, Michigan, according to Faithwire - they would go to the restaurant every payday.

This was 25 years ago, and Rich and Julie, in the meantime moved to Indianapolis, about 200 miles away.  This is key to remember!  According to the article:

...the couple’s recent plans to return to their favorite eatery were thwarted when Rich was rushed to the emergency room. The news was bad — Rich was coming to the final stages of his drawn-out cancer battle. So, in an effort to bring him some comfort, Julie’s father, David Dalke, asked if the pizzeria could arrange to send the couple a card.

Dalke talked to manager Dalton Shaffer, who asked what kind of pizza he liked.  The story relates:

When he clarified that Julie and Rich were 200 miles away in Indianapolis, Shaffer simply replied that he would arrange a special delivery for a 16-inch pepperoni and mushroom pizza that very night — he would be driving all that way to personally present the couple with their favorite order.

In the Facebook post included in the article, Julie wrote, "And so, while Rich and I slept, at 2:30 AM, Dalton rolled into our driveway, left the car running and delivered two extra special pizzas to my waiting family. He told them we were in his prayers, and offered to help in any way he could. My dad offered to put him up in a hotel, but he refused and immediately left for the return trip home because he had to work the next day."  Oh, and Steve's Pizza - doesn't deliver!

The Faithwire story says that Dalton told the Battle Creek Enquirer:  “I just wanted to do that for them...I just wanted to make them happy.”  Shaffer's uncle, Jeremy Shaffer, owns Steve's Pizza.  Dalton said he was hoping that people “could keep that family in mind and pray for them.”  Faithwire states: "As for Julie, she said she was 'beyond overwhelmed' by Shaffer’s wonderful show of kindness."

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about doing more than is necessary.  Throughout His ministry, He talked about concepts related to possessing a charitable spirit.  We can examine our own willingness to extend ourselves for the sake of what is important - and Biblical.

Sometimes doing the right thing can be inconvenient.  Do you fail to obey God in the little things simply because we think we don't have the time?  We will make time for the things that are important to us.  We will be called to pursue God's will, and that may be a detour from our own best-laid plans.

We can consider, do we fail to take advantage of opportunities that we have because of our schedules?

One of those important things, I believe, is to be involved in the process of voting.  Today is Election Day - you have to wonder, how many people don't vote because it is inconvenient or they think their vote doesn't count?  And, Christians have developed a reputation for sitting out elections.  A press release from My Faith Votes refers to comments from its Honorary Chairman Mike Huckabee on his weekly television program:

Gov. Huckabee, who serves as the Honorary National Chairman of My Faith Votes, began the segment by pointing out that 25 million registered faith voters sat out the 2012 election. For perspective, Barack Obama was reelected by roughly 5 million votes, an outcome that could have been very different had more Christians voted, Huckabee implied.

Possibly 50 million Christians who are registered to vote may not participate in the 2018 midterm elections, according to Jason Yates, who said that some “just don’t feel like their vote matters or that their faith should play a role in politics.”

My Faith Votes challenges Christians to pray, to think, and to vote.

Bishop Harry Jackson was also on the program.  The press release continues:

Religious liberty, support for Israel and pro-life issues ought to drive a Christian’s vote, said Jackson, who declared, “if we thought differently, voted differently, we’d impact this nation differently, and it would be even more the shining beacon of light that it already is.”

Huckabee made the bold statement that if Christian voters would actually turn out in record numbers they would control the outcome of “virtually every election.”

James Dobson writes on his website:

Powerful social movements and passions are "blowing in the wind," and most of them have dangerous implications for the institution of the family, religious liberty, our children and unborn babies, and the country at large. The Ship of State, on which we all are passengers, is steaming into uncharted waters, and the midterm elections occurring on November 6 will determine its course for decades to come. That's why my letter this month conveys a single urgent message. Christians must go to the polls next month and let their voices be heard! Turnout will determine the outcome. What will you do about it? Will you sit out this election? God help us if you and I fail to fulfill our moral responsibility.

Send

You, who are greatly loved by God, have been given a holy calling - to enter into relationship with
Christ and to produce fruit for His glory through obedience. In John 20, we see this:
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit...

There you have it - Jesus is alive and He is alive in us!  We have been invited to follow Him and called to love Him and love others.  He has sent us to represent our Heavenly Father, so that He may be glorified, and we can be bringers of hope to people who need to know our Savior.  And, in verse 22, Jesus refers to the power source, the Holy Spirit, who comes into our lives when we accept Jesus as the Lord of our lives and enter into salvation.  We know that God walks with us as we seek to obey Him.

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Jesus has called each of us to magnify His name, to "make Him famous," as it's been said - we have been sent and empowered for His purposes.  In John 9, we can read a story of Jesus healing a blind man:
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
7 And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

Sometimes God will call us out of our comfort zones and take us to new frontiers of ministry.  And, we can be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He calls us to follow Him, with confidence that He will produce fruit for His Kingdom.

We can carefully pray about how He might use us in new works, new ministries, taking advantage of unique opportunities, inspired by Him.

I was reading recently about a ministry based in the United Kingdom called Siloam Christian Ministries.  The website, Christian Today, reported that the ministry recently conducted a Bible camp for the very first time in Peru, and it concentrated...

...on underprivileged youths living in Comas, a district of capital city Lima that has tried hard to leave its slum origins behind.

In total, 66 children came from around the district to take part in the Bible camp. They were aged between 12 and 16 and in addition to playing games and enjoying craft activities, the youngsters took part in Bible studies and worship time together.

Siloam said that most of the youths taking part were from one-parent or dysfunctional families and this was taken into consideration by the local partners who helped run the camp.

Out of the 66 children who came, 27 made a "decision for Christ."  The camp was devoted to children in an impoverished area, and their economic background and broken family structures contributed to the potential for spiritual poverty.  The story stated:

Camp director Margot Alzamora said the Bible teachers were specially trained to engage in discussions with the youths during the camp about the challenges they face in their day-to-day lives.

'It takes about three days for youngsters to really express how they feel about themselves and their difficult home situations,' said Mrs Alzamora. 'Our caring teachers and counsellors are trained to engage with the children and the issues they face.'

Richard Norton, director of Siloam UK, is quoted as saying: "Our ethos is to reach out with the Gospel wherever needed most," adding, "That is why we chose to partner with local believers for our first-ever Bible Camp in Peru."

I like that compound word, "first-ever."  It reminds us of newness, of freshness, of the beginning or expansion of an approach to ministry.  We should shun the phrase, "we've never done it that way before," and be open to new opportunities to which the Lord may be directing us.

We can be challenged to expand our horizons, and to do that in the right way for the right reasons. You're trying to be the biggest, but to be obedient to God.  If an effort grows, give glory to Him.  But, none of us should be trying to be the greatest; remember, Jesus had something to say to His disciples who argued about who the greatest in the Kingdom would be.

We can also view ourselves as people who deliver hope.  And, hope enables a person to rise above his or her circumstances.  And, we acknowledge that internal hope is stronger than external hardship.

By the way, the ministry's name, Siloam, comes from a Hebrew word.  I Googled the name and came up with this, from Dictionary.com:

Siloam. pool and spring outside Jerusalem (John ix:7), from Late Latin, from New Testament Greek, from Hebrew shiloach , literally "sending forth," from shalach "to send."

It was there where Jesus healed a blind man.  We are people who have been called, sent, and equipped by God to glorify His name, to honor Him in obedience.

Read

It's important to our spiritual well-being that we are carefully considering what we are feeding our spirits - consuming material that does not have the potential to corrupt our spirits.  And, making time
in the Word a priority is key for each of us. Romans 15 states:
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When we spend time reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word, it produces a more healthy Christian life.  Our minds are renewed to the truth of the Scriptures, we have clearer direction for our lives because we have accessed the very wisdom of God.  As Romans 15:4 states, we can have patience and comfort in our lives (and don't we need that these days?).  Ultimately, we find hope in Christ as we digest the Word - and it positively impacts our relationships, so that we can walk in unity.

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We can be careful to expose ourselves to material that helps to build us up in our faith and not to pollute our spirits.  The Bible underscores the importance of remembering God's enduring principles. We see in 2nd Timothy chapter 2:
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Recently, PBS sponsored a contest to determine what could be considered America's favorite novel.  It was called The Great American Read, and the PBS website describes it this way:

THE GREAT AMERICAN READ was an eight-part series that explored and celebrated the power of reading, told through the prism of America’s 100 best-loved novels (as chosen in a national survey)*

The winners were chosen through audience participation, and the finale revealed the rankings of the various books.  The top 10 included a number of familiar titles, including some that contained some spiritual overtones.  Here is the top 10:
10. Jane Eyre
9. The Chronicles of Narnia series
8. Little Women
7. Charlotte's Web
6. Gone with the Wind
5. The Lord of the Rings series
4. Pride and Prejudice
3. The Harry Potter series
2. The Outlander series (which might be described as the "outlier" series; I have to admit I was not familiar with these books, which deal with time travellers)
and, the top book, no surprise:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird

Certainly, you can make the case for the Narnia and Lord of the Rings books as Christian allegories, by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, respectively.   And the recent movie adaptation of Little Women was done by faith-based filmmakers Pure Flix.

In the top 100, there were several other faith-based titles.  One that caught my attention was a book I intend to read, called, Mind Invaders, by Dave Hunt, a Christian apologist and the co-author of a book called, The Seduction of Christianity.  Hunt, who passed away several years ago, as I recall was a fairly regular guest on John Ankerberg's TV show.  The summary of the book, which was originally called, The Archon Conspiracy, states:

Discovering the CIA and Russian Intelligence’s battle for psychic control, famed journalist Carla Bertelli delves into the power behind the Archons. Convinced they are benevolent, she is devastated when Ken renounces the paranormal and embraces Christianity.

Torn between her love for Ken and her contempt for his “demons theory,” Carla plunges into a search for the truth that becomes a desperate race against time...

Again, it's no surprise that To Kill a Mockingbird topped the list.  The Great American Read website states:

A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.

To Kill a Mockingbird led The Great American Read voting from the first week, and kept the lead for the entire five months of voting, despite strong competition from the rest of our five finalists.

In considering the faith elements of Mockingbird, my mind went back to a conversation on The Meeting House with Matt Litton, who critiqued the subsequent Harper Lee book published just a few years ago, Go Set a Watchman.  The interview aired in July of 2015.  He had written a book called, The Mockingbird Parables: Transforming Lives through the Power of Story.

In 2010, Litton offered these concepts on the CNN "Belief Blog:"

The many lessons of Lee’s novel can lead us back to a restorative way of making choices by following these four principles:

1. Try understanding others. The theme is revealed in lawyer Atticus Finch’s memorable explanation to his daughter: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view–until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Litton reminds us:

The Christian faith originated with a God who moved into our neighborhood, who “climbed into human skin and walked around in it,” and who truly understands and connects with humanity.

His other principles:

2. Live in the here and now. Lee’s novel challenges us to remember that our faith should impact our actions today.

Then, his third point is: "3. Embrace and encourage idealism."  Litton writes:

The novel reminds us that cynicism leads to complicity, that disillusionment leads to inaction. Maybe by becoming more like children, we can refuse to accept the status quo and take a closer look at our neighborhood, see the injustice, poverty, and sin for what it is and determine what it requires of us as people of faith.

And, finally:

4. Be guided by faith, not circumstances. Christians could also stand to remember the racism of the “good church going folks” of Maycomb, that the protagonist of the novel calls it a “disease,” and be wary that the same types of religious folks were actually responsible for the crucifixion of our Jesus.

Perhaps we should pause for a moment today to determine if we are allowing our decisions to be guided by status, wealth, or political gain. Maybe we should conduct our daily business guided solely by our beliefs, like the unassuming hero that places his family and his reputation on the line to take a very unpopular court case.

When his daughter asks why he is defending the innocent Tom Robinson, Atticus answers, “Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t defend that man.” To Kill a Mockingbird reminds us there is a spiritual approach to making decisions that can lead us to restoration on each street and in every house.

You could certainly make the case that Mockingbird relates some timely and meaningful principles consistent with Scripture, and while not characterized as a blatantly "Christian" book, there are certainly redemptive elements that can speak to us today.

There are several elements which I'd like to hit upon very briefly.  First, we can be selective with regard to what we read.  And, our first priority in reading has to do with God's Word.  If we are to grow in Christ, we have to have exposure to His Word; and as James 1 reminds us, we are to be doers of the Word and not merely hearers, or readers.  We can carefully consider what we are reading in the Scriptures and be attentive to what the Holy Spirit is teaching us.  We can also make reading choices that are consistent with our values and beliefs - and we can be sure to reject material that doesn't line up with God's standards.  Remember, we are feeding our spirits through the entertainment choices we make.

We can be confident that God is directing us and desiring to speak messages to us.  So, we can be careful to be sensitive to seek out, point out, and relate to spiritual truth through forms of entertainment, including books.  We recognize that stories can teach principles.  God will use a number of means in order to teach us and inspire us to abide by principles that are honoring to Him.

Light Unto My Path

The Bible indicates to all that we are sinners and we need a Savior; and that there is one way to God the Father, and that is through Jesus, who declared Himself to be the way, the truth, and the life.  We read in Romans 6:
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

World religions point out a way they believe that leads to God or a higher power, yet they do not contain the hope of a risen Savior.  It's been said that the bodies of the leaders of other religions are buried; our Savior is risen from the dead; He verified His claims by dying and then being resurrected from the dead, so that we by identifying with His death and resurrection can experience new life, with a new heart completely transformed by the power of Almighty God.

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In Romans 3, we find a passage that underscores the spiritual condition of humanity without Christ.
We can read:
(9b) ...we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."

Hope is later in the chapter, where we read:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...

So, what do you believe?  And, why do you believe it?  Can you back it up with Scripture?

It's important that we study the Word of God as a guidebook for our daily lives, not merely a tool, but a means by which we experience the power of God.  Jesus was the Word Who became flesh, and when we study the Scriptures, we have the potential to experience His presence.

The Word can shape our worldview, and exposure to and embracing good theology leads to right thinking and acting.  Ligonier Ministries has announced the findings of its biennial State of Theology study, described on its website: "Every two years, we take the theological temperature of the United States to help Christians better understand today’s culture and equip the church with better insights for discipleship."

There was a total of 34 statements, and respondents were asked if they agreed with them, and to what degree.  The front page of the website deals with the evangelical response to certain key questions.  The site says: "although evangelicals believe that Jesus died on the cross for their salvation...many do not fully understand the gravity of sin."

For instance, over half, 52%, of evangelicals agree with this blatantly non-Biblical statement: "
Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature."  The summary states: "This idea flatly contradicts the Bible, which teaches the radical corruption of every human being and declares that no one does good by nature (Rom. 3:10–12). This is why we need the gospel in the first place—because none of us is good."

The website goes on to say that, "Evangelicals are also confused about the exclusivity of Christianity and its objective claims to truth." Example: 51% of evangelicals agree that, "God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam."

But, the survey didn't just include evangelicals. The study summary stated:

When it comes to U.S. adults overall, a clear majority agree with well-known doctrines of the Christian faith. But beneath the surface, they hold these truths loosely. In particular, Americans do not seem to grasp the reality of God’s holiness.

An alarming 69% of people disagree that even the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation, with 58% strongly disagreeing.

There was also a disturbing response to this statement: "Religious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it is not about objective truth."  6-in-10 Americans overall agree with that statement, including almost a third of evangelicals.

The site relates:

If Christianity and its doctrines, such as the holiness of God and the resurrection of Christ, are merely matters of personal opinion, then we are truly lost. This statistic is a reminder that Christians must contend for the “true truth” of Christianity when engaging with the culture. Jesus believed in absolute truth, and He said that the truth would set people free (John 8:32).

One more area of discussion.  The survey summary states:

There has been a significant change for the better among Millennials across a range of questions when compared to previous State of Theology surveys—so much so that they score higher than any other age group in several areas. Whether this is an anomaly or will continue unabated in future years remains to be seen.

The percentage of those in this age range having evangelical beliefs rose significantly to 18% in 2018 (up from 14% in 2016).

There was also a large increase in the percentage of Millennials affirming that salvation is found in Christ alone and that Jesus Christ will return to judge the world.

62% of young adults ages 18-34 agree with this statement, "Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation." This is up from 53% two years ago.

A Christianity Today piece quotes leaders of Ligonier Ministries, which was founded by the late R.C. Sproul:

“The State of Theology survey highlights the urgent need for courageous ministry that faithfully teaches the historic Christian faith,” stated Chris Larson, president and CEO of Ligonier Ministries. “It’s never been popular to talk about mankind’s sinfulness or the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ. But at a time when a darkened world needs the light of the gospel, it’s disheartening to see many within the evangelical church confused about what the Bible teaches.”

“These results are a serious cause for concern,” said Stephen Nichols, Ligonier’s chief academic officer and president of Reformation Bible College. “… The evangelical world is in great danger of slipping into irrelevance when it casually forgets the Bible’s doctrine.”

There are a number of points to consider.   First of all, we can determine what it is we actually believe: we can define our personal theology, making sure that we are allowing it to be shaped by God's Word.  So often, it seems, people self-style a particular theology that may sound good, but contradicts Scripture.  We have to make sure our beliefs line up with the Word.

This survey actually measured the views of respondents about the nature of sin.  In this world, when humanity looks at itself as highly developed and the source of its own truth, the Bible teaches that we are hopelessly separated from God, and we need a Savior - and that's a key component of the gospel message: we each have to recognize our need for a Savior.  We cannot save ourselves; our insufficient, human-centered philosophy cannot produce ultimate redemption.

In addition to recognizing that need, we can reflect on the importance of repenting from sin.  The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, and empowers us to go the other direction.  If we are unrepentant of the sins we commit, we cannot experience the fullness of what God has in store for us.

And, we can be diligent in renewing our minds to the Scriptures.  The teachings of the Bible will illuminate our minds and sensitize us to God's truth, truth that can govern our thoughts and deeds and enable us to produce spiritual fruit to the glory of God.