Stormed

Jesus shared some powerful imagery in Matthew 7 that can motivate us to make sure our lives are built on the solid foundation of a strong relationship with Jesus. He taught:
24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

God's sustenance through natural disasters is a theme that we see quite commonly, and we can give glory to God for the manifestations of His presence. Now, we are reminded that people lose their lives in such disasters, and the presence of God can provide comfort in those difficult circumstances.

Recently, there were close to 100 people gathered in a sanctuary in Finleyville, Pennsylvania when an F1 tornado touched down, resulting in the roof being taken off the building.  The Christian Post quoted  from Pastor Ken Barner of Crossroads Ministries, who shared comments online:

"The tornado came up the hill at about 6:14 p.m., and it came up, and it took the roof off of that building, and it sent it into the woods," he said. "I just have to tell you God was with us. The steeple got knocked out. Cars were damaged. Nobody was injured. There's a few cuts and bruises and bumps, as you might imagine, but nobody had to be hospitalized that we know of, and we're just thankful for that."

It was during a Saturday night service, and according to The Observer-Reporter, Barner said: "My wife, Rhonda, was singing, and all of a sudden, you could hear the noise of the storm. You could hear the wind outside. The power jumped once, then the power went out and came back on. I knew there had been a tornado warning for Lawrence County at 5 p.m., so I started evacuating people downstairs where there's a cinder block basement..."  The Christian Post article went on to say:

"It was the scariest thing I've ever experienced in my life," Lynn Michigan, who attended the Saturday evening service with her husband, Rob, told the publication.

Rob Michigan, a member of the Castle Shannon Volunteer Fire Department, helped lead the parishioners to safety in the church basement. He said he would never want to experience what happened in the tornado again.

The pastor had shared in his online statement that church activities had been canceled, and he offered these words:

"This is just a building folks. I thank God for it. The people who've gone before us, they have done a good job to hand us what they could do, and we've been doing our best to take care of it and really use it for the honor and glory of God, but folks, this is just a building here, and I know that God is really using us as his church," he added. "I want you to know that by next weekend, we will meet somewhere."

This occurred in mid-May, and by the end of the month, according to the church's website, the roof repair was nearly complete.  The church is back in its building!

What an inspiration - after a devastating set of circumstances, this small church, which actually runs three services every weekend: 1 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday morning, is back in its building.  It's a reminder that, as the pastor related, the church is not the building, and the building is not the church, and the work of the church has continued.  So often, when we refer to a community, we talk about a "church" - it becomes a landmark, a gathering place.  But, the real church is the people inside. There are empty "church" buildings that no longer house a congregation - it's the Church, God's Church, that has the potential to effectively represent Christ and to share His love. 

This congregation experienced the presence and protection of God in a profound way - apparently, a direct hit by a tornado.  They were gathered in worship, and tested in affliction.  We may not have an F1 heading our way, but there will be storms.  This story can remind us of the importance of maintaining a spirit of worship and trusting in the Lord, even when we face challenges.  And, our storms can show us what we're made of. 

Discovering God Through Pain

In our suffering, we can develop the right perspective and honor our loving God, who is active in our lives. 1st Peter 4 provides this reminder:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Later in the chapter, Peter writes:
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

Alexa and Carlos PenaVega are actors who are Christians, and God has given them a great platform through which they can share their faith. And their response to tragedy has become an opportunity to testify to His goodness.

The Christian Post reports that:

In April 2024, the outspoken Christian couple revealed their daughter, Indy, was "born at rest" after a "beautiful and peaceful delivery."

"It has been a painful journey. But in the pain, we have found peace. God continues to comfort and hold us in his arms. The prayers from the community around us have been so sustaining in this difficult season," they wrote on Instagram.

Alexa is quoted as saying, "God has really been meeting us where we're at, and He's just been providing us so much peace...He's really been so graceful to us. … He's been the only reason we've been able to get through this season." She added, "To have now gone through the hardest thing we've ever gone through, ever, you just realize the world is just so much bigger than your bubble..."

She also shared this: "... the one thing God kept reminding us through our grief was how great He is and how His heart hurts for us to go through this pain. His intention was not for us to feel this pain. … He is going to turn this pain around, and He's going to give us pain with purpose. I feel like if there was a slogan for the season we're going through, it's called 'pain with purpose.' … When you give your pain to God, He will turn it into purpose."

The PenaVegas have a new project out called, Mr. Manhattan, now available on Great American Pure Flix.  The plot is described by The Christian Post:

The film centers on Mason Bradley (Carlos), a highly successful lawyer who prides himself on being able to tackle any challenge. His world is upended when he learns that his brother and sister-in-law have passed away, naming him as the legal guardian for their children.

Despite his lack of parenting experience, Mason takes on this new responsibility. However, juggling a demanding new client and accommodating his niece and nephew in his not-so-kid-friendly Manhattan loft soon proves overwhelming. The children look to Dani (Alexa), their mother's best friend and former babysitter, for help. Dani, also Mason's ex-fiancé, becomes an essential part of this unexpected family dynamic.

The article notes:

Today, the duo's faith plays a crucial role in their career choices — something "Mr. Manhattan," which highlights God's faithfulness despite life's challenges, reflects.

"We believe in making worldly content with a Kingdom heart because the world is broken, and it needs healing," Carlos said, adding that the couple is committed to projects that glorify God, whether overtly faith-based or subtly impactful.

Alexa agreed, "Sanctification is a journey. The more we know the Lord, the more we want to reflect Him in our day-to-day life. It's about constantly bettering each other and the projects we choose."

The PenaVegas have been married since 2013 - and, as the article notes, they have experienced spiritual growth since the early days in which, as Alexa relates:

"We weren't like crazy party animals, but we liked going to the club and having a few drinks and dancing. After a month, we were like, 'This probably doesn't add up.' The more that we let God into our hearts, the more He started changing and molding us. I feel like over the years, He's done that more and more and more, especially when it comes to all these projects."

Carlos and Alexa have recently experienced the hard reality - there will be pain in this life.  But, they have also relied on their faith in the One who will comfort in our times of pain, of grief, of loss.  And, that's a great example for each of us - life will not be without challenge; and we should be thankful that it is not.  But, in our challenges, through our trials, we discover more about His goodness and faithfulness and learn more how to rely on His resources to get us through those tough seasons.

We can trust that God is using our pain for each of us internally, as well as externally - who knows how many people have been touched by the PenaVegas' story. And, in the loss of little Indy, people can be motivated to rejoice in suffering.  To lose what you have loved can draw us closer to the Savior who loved us so much that He gave His life so that we might know Him.  And, our incremental growth can prepare us for the next time. 

Helpful Measures

It is important to discern and deal with ideologies, teachings, and principles that do not line up with what the Bible has to say. Jesus referred to philosophies of His day as "leaven," in the context of bread. He taught in Matthew 16:
6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."
8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?
9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?
10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?
11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?--but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

The annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention will begin next Tuesday, June 11 in Indianapolis. We have a significant presence of Southern Baptists in our listening area, and I want to encourage you to pray for those who will gather to fellowship together and to make decisions about important issues confronting the denomination, including an amendment that would address qualifications for pastoral leadership and the consequences for churches that do not adhere to it.  

There will also be the selection of a President of the Southern Baptist Convention, an individual who has the capacity to set the direction and tone of the convention - it is more than a figurehead; this person has the ability to appoint others who will serve in decision-making positions.  

The key issue, I believe, facing churches and denominations, is the recognition or lack of recognition of worldly ideas infiltrating the Church.  The notion of spiritual "drift" has been identified, and if we fail individually or collectively to point it out, deal with it where it has occurred, and take steps to move forward in spiritual growth, then we cannot accomplish what God wants to do through us.  The Bible talks about "leaven," and if the enemy is allowed to erect strongholds in our fellowship, it leads to division and ineffectiveness.

Prior to each year's Southern Baptist Convention, the Annual Church Profile is released, a measuring stick of numerical factors in several key areas.  The Lifeway Research website states:

The recent slide in total memberships among congregations affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention slowed in 2023, while baptisms, worship service attendance and small group participation all grew.

The Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions details the annual numerical changes for the Southern Baptist Convention. Membership declined for the 17th straight year, dropping below 13 million for the first time since the mid-1970s. However, the less than 2% decline was the smallest in recent years.

The summary found on the website notes:

Total baptisms climbed to more than 226,000. In-person weekly worship service average attendance topped 4 million for the first time in three years, while in-person small group average attendance reached nearly 2.5 million. Average online worship service participation also increased.

And, those numbers could be larger, because they are based on the reports of just under 7 out of 10 churches who reported "at least one statistic" to the profile, according to Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research; who said: “This represents a massive amount of cooperation among churches and the local associations and state conventions that collected most of the data. But this also means there is more church membership and attendance, baptisms and giving beyond these totals."

Plus, while there may be declines for a variety of reasons, there is still amazing, life-changing work that is occurring. Newly elected President of the SBC Executive Committee, Jeff Iorg, said: “Southern Baptists are a force for good. We are sharing the gospel with more people, gathering for worship and Bible study in increasing numbers, giving billions to support churches serving communities across our country and sending millions to support mission enterprises around the world,” adding, “While we often address our shortcomings, it’s also good to pause and celebrate the global good Southern Baptists are accomplishing.”

I think this is a helpful perspective; because so often we can focus on the negative in the Church - and while that can be instructive, it also can cause us to not appreciate the work of God that is taking place. We have to be careful to make sure that we are identifying how and where God is moving and give Him glory. 

We also have to be keenly aware of the tension between the Church and culture; the Church and the world. We don't belong to this world, certainly, but we are called to reach those who live in it - we live in it, and by the power of the Spirit and direction of the Word, we have to determine how we are to be good representatives of our Savior. While the world would attempt to water down our witness, we have to allow the water of the Spirit, the living water, to cleanse us and flow through us so that He would be exalted.

Without a Vision

The Bible, the Word of God, can bring clarity into a person's life and show us what is good and what is evil, to bring instruction and correction. 1st Corinthians 2 emphasizes the importance of communicating words that are consistent with Scripture:
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If we are not careful or discerning, ideas and ideologies that are contrary to Scripture will infiltrate the the Church.  And, one of the tools to accomplish that is the language that is used. The words we speak can indicate what's in our hearts, and if our words contradict Scripture, then we are insufficient in our representation of Christ. 

Media feeds errant philosophies, and I am thankful for Christian media sources, which I use regularly, that are devoted, by and large, to speaking truth.  But, there are outlets that wear a religious label that are promoting ideas that are contrary to Scriptures.  Religion News Service comes to mind.  The decline of Christianity Today has been documented throughout the years.

An astute writer for The Christian Post wrote an astonishing op-ed piece on that website recently that can serve as a warning to Christians about language that can impact the Church negatively.  His name is Ian Giatti, who recently attended the annual convention of the Evangelical Press Association; he writes:

Created in 1948, the Evangelical Press Association is the world’s largest professional organization of Christian print and digital publications, from magazines and newspapers to newsletters and content-driven websites.

Every year, the EPA holds its annual convention where journalists, photographers and other media creators gather to network, to learn, and, not unlike most other church gatherings, to feast.

It’s where publications are honored for their work in various media categories, not as the world honors, not like the Golden Globes or something glitzy, but as servants in the work of the Gospel, as co-laborers with Christ. As light and salt in an age of darkness and corruption.

Or so we tell ourselves.

Amid a dizzying barrage of workshops and meet-and-greets, there was one offering that, at least for me, raised questions as to exactly what was being accomplished at such a gathering, particularly where newbies and aspiring journalists pay good money to attend in the hopes of landing their next gig.

It was a workshop called, “Communicating Words and Visuals with Inclusivity." There's one of those "red flag" words, because you will find people who promote inclusivity culture-wide as perhaps not-too-inclusive of Biblical Christianity. The workshop was led by the editor-in-chief of a magazine published by a high-profile ministry with which you're probably familiar.

According to the description of the workshop, it would instruct journalists to “eliminate words and images that subconsciously — or consciously, in some cases — create an ‘us vs. them’ mindset that places our work and goals in a position of a savior or rescuer mentality.” One such word is "converted," which Giatti described as "a word used by both Jesus and His apostles throughout the New Testament."

The workshop leader said:

“Oftentimes, because we work in so many different cultures around the world, we work in a lot of places where Christianity is either not allowed or the Christian population is less than two percent,” she explained. “We are very sensitive to accusations of proselytization, and so, none of our work is conditional on people becoming Christians. None of our work is conditional, [like] ‘Come listen to a Sunday School lesson.

These are the words of the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine published by the organization World Vision, Kristy Glaspie.  Giatti wrote:

There we were, at an Evangelical media workshop, Christian journalists being told not to evangelize others for fear of causing offense. That the words of the Gospel aren’t “inclusive” enough for the mission field.

And we wonder why the mission and the message of the Church is weak in America.

And we hand-wring over falling attendance numbers and apostasy.

And we scratch our heads when we’re told that Gen Z wants nothing to do with Evangelicalism.

We’re too busy telling our own not to use the words of Scripture and, yes, to proclaim salvation to the lost and the Savior to a dying world.

The spirit of faux "inclusion" at World Vision appeared 10 years ago, when, as The Christian Post reported at the time:

After days of backlash from Evangelicals, World Vision, an international nonprofit ministry, has reversed its decision to allow those in same-sex marriages to be employed.

"Today, the World Vision U.S. board publicly reversed its recent decision to change our national employment conduct policy," the Christian humanitarian organization said in a letter to supporters Wednesday. "The board acknowledged they made a mistake and chose to revert to our longstanding conduct policy requiring sexual abstinence for all single employees and faithfulness within the Biblical covenant of marriage between a man and a woman."

World Vision has come under heavy criticism since it made public on Monday its policy change. In a letter to its employees that was shared with The Christian Post on Monday, World Vision President Richard Stearns announced that while the organization is not endorsing same-sex marriage, it recognizes that its staff is comprised of believers from more than 50 denominations, some of which have sanctioned same-sex marriage. Thus, its board has decided to defer the issue to local churches, in its effort to "treat all of our employees equally."

Ironically enough, when you fast forward to a report on Ministry Watch just two weeks ago, you see a report that World Vision had "...agreed to pay $120,000 as part of a settlement to help move an employment dispute through the appeals process, according to a motion filed jointly with a candidate whose job offer was withdrawn in 2021."  The article says:

In January 2021, World Vision hired Aubry McMahon to fill an open position as a customer service representative. Before officially starting, McMahon emailed the ministry inquiring about maternity leave, indicating that she and a woman she identified as her “wife” were expecting. World Vision then revoked the employment offer since McMahon was in a same-sex marriage and did not meet the ministry’s conduct criteria. She sued a few months later, claiming discrimination based on her gender, sexual orientation, and marital status. 

A lower court judge had ruled against World Vision, which has appealed to the 9th Circuit federal appeals court. 

No doubt, language can communicate approval or disapproval, endorsement or disdain.  Consider those who would label those who embrace the sanctity of life as "anti-abortion" rather than "pro-life." Or those who would describe biological men who present as female as "transgender females."  

It is a sin of the highest order to be a "nationalist" and that is extended to calling a Christian who loves his or her country  a "Christian nationalist."  "Inclusion" has become a term that grants favored status to certain people, but typically will be used to exclude people of faith for their perceived "intolerance." And, it goes on and on. And, all of this ends up where even the words of Scripture, the Word of God, are watered down or omitted because, well, "you don't want to offend somebody."  We must be bold to embrace the language and meaning of Scripture so that we communicate clearly God's truth. 

Actively Fighting For Christian Values

We can be sensitive to the fact that there are battles that are occurring throughout our world - truth vs. falsehood, light vs. darkness, life vs. death - and we are uniquely equipped to use the resources, spiritual and otherwise, that God has given to us in order to advance the Kingdom of God. 1st Corinthians 4 states this:
1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

It's June - it's a month marked by summer celebrations, family vacations, and outdoor activities. It marks the lead-up to arguably our unique American holiday known as Independence Day, the Fourth of July.

But, it has been co-opted by certain activists, supported by corporate interests, and labeled "Pride Month." You will no doubt see retail stores pushing rainbow-themed merchandise, which reminds us that those who embrace a warped view of sexuality have corrupted the sign of God's covenant. 

Last year's Pride Month demonstrated a huge consumer backlash, and a recent Washington Stand article noted that:

Target’s CEO Brian Cornell, who flaunted the stores’ chest binders and tucking swimming suits for kids as “progress,” finally counted the cost of his social extremism late last summer. By the end of a dismal August, he didn’t apologize, but he did admit that it was time for some soul searching. As his first and second quarter earnings tanked, he hinted at changes ahead. “As we navigate an ever-changing operating and social environment, we’re applying what we’ve learned to ensure we’re staying close to our guests and their expectations of Target.”

What Cornell learned, Americans will be pleased to know, is that trans activism is the fastest road to financial insolvency. After thumbing his nose at Christmas shoppers with shelves full of LGBT pandering, the full weight of consumer outrage started to sink in. Like his counterparts at Anheuser-Busch, Nike, Disney, Planet Fitness, RipCurl, and Doritos, he sent shoppers running for the exits.

Target's answer, according to the article: "a significant reduction in Pride products." The company even "wanted people to know that this summer’s LGBT merchandise will not only be limited but designed with adults — not children — in mind."

In a May article, The Daily Citizen, referencing a Wall Street Journal report, said that "shareholder activists question the financial risks of backing divisive sociopolitical agendas."  The Daily Citizen article said that, "Shareholders are asking major companies to analyze how aligning with 'public and politically divisive positions' — like donating money to support transgender medical interventions" being performed on minor children, "has affected their financial stability." It went on to say:

Each company’s shareholders must vote in favor of the proposal before a risk analysis must take place.

Target, Dell, Intel and snack giant Mondelez will vote on similar proposals this year. Levi Strauss voted against one last month.

Some companies managed to skirt a vote entirely. According to the Journal, Walmart and Verizon “argued successfully to the Securities and Exchange Commission in recent weeks that they don’t need to hold votes on the proposals at all.”

Writer Emily Washburn says that "The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) and the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) have lodged most of the shareholder proposals emphasizing fiduciary responsibility."  One example of this type of "shareholder activism" affected the policies of Best Buy; the article relates:

The NCPPR created a proposal late last year requesting that Best Buy analyze whether its partnerships with and donations to radical advocacy groups were hurting its business.

The proposal specifically cited Best Buy’s donations to the Human Rights Campaign, which supports children undergoing transgender medical interventions.

To avoid a vote, Best Buy promised the NCPPR it would no longer support the causes it “identified as concerning.”

Also, "The NCPPR introduced a proposal at Intel’s shareholder meeting...requesting the tech company “create a committee to assess the extent to which Intel is undermining its financial sustainability by aligning itself with a type of radicalism that is rejected by large swaths of the market." And...

The NLPC is hard at work campaigning for a proposal that would “create a study subcommittee to examine the risks and consequences of Mondelez’ associations with external organizations, to determine whether they threaten the growth and sustainability of the company.”

The Daily Citizen notes that, "Mondelez owns Oreo, which has a strong partnership with PFLAG — Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays," adding, "PFLAG lobbies against laws banning doctors from performing transgender medical interventions on kids under 18 years old and supports kids’ access to sexually-explicit, LGBTQ books."

Consumer actions against some companies have been motivated by the Alliance Defending Freedom Viewpoint Diversity Score, which has taken banking companies JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America to task for "debanking" certain entities who engage in religious activity and has challenged Apple for free speech concerns. 

This is important to recognize.  On yesterday's program, Mark Christian highlighted large-money entities that have been involved in pushing agendas that are contrary to a Christian perspective.  But, he let us know that even though Christian organizations may be outspent in our promotion of Biblical values, we have the power of God and the truth on our side.  We can recognize, as 2nd Corinthians 10 says, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal - not of this world. We have mighty resources that can be used to advance the cause of Christ, and I am thankful that there are organizations out there that are taking the fight to those who promote godless principles. 

We can also speak against those in the corporate sector who are tilting the playing field against people of faith. We can challenge corporations that are involved in ESG - environmental, social, and governance, investing. Some may choose to examine where their dollars go - and support laws that prevent such a philosophy from being implemented.  There is great power in the pocketbook, and we can be wise stewards of what God has given to us to use our resources wisely, affirming what is consistent with our values. 

The Devil's Influence

If we allow unforgiveness to abide in our hearts, it does damage to our relationship with God. Jesus taught in Mark chapter 11:
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

It was Pew Number 7 in the Free Welcome Holiness Church in Sellerstown, North Carolina, where a man named Mr. Watts sat.  A CBN.com article described him as "well off and well connected."

But, when a new pastor came to town, Robert Nichols, he was not welcomed by the man in Pew #7, who was intent to run the new preacher off.

Late in 2022, Nichols' daughter, Rebecca, shared her story with CBN News Reporter, Wendy Griffith. An article on the website said:

"This man was every pastor’s nightmare - he would point at his watch if he thought my Dad had been preaching too long. He would get up and walk out and slam the door. They had the doors replaced so he couldn't slam than anymore which made him even madder."

But this was only the beginning...

“He worked his way up from harassing phone calls and threatening letters to the drive by shootings. Then when he realized all of those things weren't going to work then he began with the dynamite explosions. We had 10 explosions in 2½ years around our church and our home.”

The story continues:

Mr. Watts knew that that Nichols were taking care of a woman who was seeking shelter from her abusive husband. He talked the husband, William Harris, into “taking care" of the Nichols.

“My Dad, when he was shot, fell to the floor because one of the bullets went into his hip and he was unable to move. This big guy, my hero, our protector was just slammed to the floor with that bullet.”

Although Rebecca’s father survived the shooting, her mother didn't make it. Rebecca says the years of torment and anxiety and the loss of his beloved wife, took a severe toll on her father; not just physically but mentally as well.

Pastor Nichols later died.  Rebecca had a hard time with forgiveness, but came to a conclusion; she said:

"I got pretty mad at God. I said, ‘Lord, when mother was killed, a man took her life, but when Daddy died, You took Him.’ So, after 2 years of wrestling with God over that I realized I needed God more than I needed to be mad at Him.”

Both Watts and Harris went to jail.  At a later time, Watts called Rebecca and told her he had come to know the Lord and apologized for what he had done.  She was able to tell him that she and her brother had already forgiven him.

Rebecca Nichols Alonzo is the author of the book, The Devil in Pew Number 7, co-written with Focus on the Family's Bob DeMoss. 

You really never know how God is working in someone's heart!  Horry Watts was consumed with a spirit of bitterness that ultimately led to murder. But, while in prison, God got a hold of his life and he came into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  It's a reminder that no one is beyond the long arm of God's love, and the entrance of His love can set a sinner free.

That's a story that all of us, as born-again believers, have experienced to some degree.  We can rejoice in His mercy and the grace that He has extended to us.

We also have to recognize that we are called to love even our enemies.  Rebecca learned how to forgive those who had harmed her family. It's an admonition we all share. And, we have to learn that the ultimate enemy of our souls, who is out to steal, kill, and destroy, will attempt to influence individuals to manifest his destruction in the lives of others. 

Straining

The apostle Paul recognized that the road to spiritual maturity was paved with a constant putting to death the things of the flesh, putting off, laying aside the old man and putting on the power and presence of Jesus Christ. He wrote in Philippians 3:
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

There are other translations that use the word, "straining," in verse 13 instead of "reaching forward."

The NBA Finals are now set - the Boston Celtics will face the Dallas Mavericks, while the other 28 teams are making decisions during this offseason period regarding how they will improve.  

This was a hopeful year for the Orlando Magic, which actually made the playoffs and was the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. And, one of the key players for the team was Jonathan Isaac.  A Movieguide article reported that Isaac...

...told podcaster Rebecca Lamb Weiss how one night while in bed, he had “this overwhelming feeling of preaching.”

“If we would just do what God is asking us to do, we would reap the benefits of it. But a lot of times, we want what God has for us, but we’re not obedient,” Isaac said, recalling the word God gave him in that moment. “And so I was saying that to myself, and…something was just saying, ‘Preach, preach, preach,’ and I was doing it.”

The athlete continued, “And then I went and told my pastor. I said, ‘Hey. I had this weird thing.’ He’s like, ‘You need to preach.’ I’m like, ‘I need to what?’ I’m like, ‘There’s absolutely no way I’m gonna preach.'”

Not only did Isaac’s pastor invite him to come preach, but he challenged Isaac to invite his teammates as well.

The article linked to a previous Movieguide piece that mentions that Isaac, during the "bubble" season in 2020, was the only player on his team to stand for the National Anthem. It said that Jonathan "pointed to God and his faith as the motivation behind his solitary act" and relates that "Isaac wrote a book to explain that his journey to courageous faith began long before his career in the NBA."

According to Movieguide, Isaac appeared on Kirk Cameron's Takeaways show. The article says that...

... even after Isaac established himself as the number one player in the State of Florida, playing for Florida State University, and being drafted to the Orlando Magic, he struggled with anxiety and fear.

Isaac said that he began to live the “NBA player lifestyle,” and would only pray to God when circumstances were difficult. Despite growing up in Church, Isaac recalled not surrendering his life to Christ.

In his rookie year in the NBA, Isaac said that God brought specific people into his life to turn him from his life of sin and anxiety to a real relationship with Christ.

“I’m thankful to God that he brought the right people into my life,” he told Cameron.

Ultimately, through being challenged, Isaac surrendered to the Lord, The article goes on to say:

“The time that I decided that I’m gonna live my life for Christ, that’s when The Growing Pains really started,” he explained. “How do I balance this life of deciding to live for Christ and being an NBA basketball player who previously was living the NBA basketball player lifestyle?”

Isaac said he began to cut out bad relationships from his life and invite his teammates to church when he spoke to the congregation about his testimony.

“When the stand happened so many people came out and said Jonathan Isaac is the most courageous guy and the most bold guy but the thing that was striking to me was knowing the process that it took for me to get there. It tells me that God obviously knows the future, He obviously knows what he’s preparing us for but even more so, the only thing that is more terrifying to the enemy than us becoming a Christian is us becoming who God has created us to be and growing and forming into the image of his son and being able to do what he’s called us to do.”

Jonathan Isaac realizes the importance of obedience - and of courage.  He bought into a lifestyle that was antithetical to the teachings of Scripture, and early in his NBA career, he was called out for it.  He surrendered his life to Christ, and now he has surrendered his life to preach. 

And, as he told Kirk Cameron, ironically enough, he experienced "Growing Pains" on his road to spiritual maturity.  While the Christian life will certainly be rewarding, we know that it is not without a certain amount of straining - we have to accept what Jesus has done for us and appropriate His power daily, applying His resurrection power so that we might put to death the works of the flesh. 

Paul refers to this straining in Philippians 3, but we can confidently and courageously confront the challenges of our lives and recognize that, in light of the price Jesus has paid for us, we can embrace His resources and live a life of victory and joy.