Freedom to Practice Christianity

As we enter into this week prior to Independence Day on Friday, we can reflect on the guiding principles for the foundation of this nation. The Declaration of Independence and statements of the Founding Fathers show a healthy respect for the practice of religious faith - not as a state religion, but a reflection of a reliance on Almighty God, the God of the Bible. Proverbs 14 states:
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The king's favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

The promotion of righteousness, which is defined in the pages of the Scriptures, and the practice of Biblical principles makes for a strong nation, according to Proverbs 14. 

Two weeks ago today, a number of religious leaders, including evangelical Christians, gathered at Museum of the Bible in Washington for the first meeting of the Religious Liberty Commission, established as the result of an executive order issued by the President.   According to that order, published on the White House website, the Commission would consist of up to 14 members.  It states:

The Commission shall produce a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, the impact of religious liberty on American society, current threats to domestic religious liberty, strategies to preserve and enhance religious liberty protections for future generations, and programs to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism.

To assist the work of the Commission, which is chaired by Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, with vice-chair Ben Carson, there are three Advisory Boards: one of Religious Leaders, another of Lay Leaders, and a third of Legal Experts.   

The initial meeting was open to the public. The Daily Citizen reported that "Timothy Goeglein, Focus on the Family’s vice president of external affairs, attended the morning gathering." He stated: “We at Focus on the Family were so honored to be part of this first presidential hearing on religious liberty, and the matrix of scholars, attorneys, public officials, and first amendment experts was a powerful testament to the foundational importance of the right of conscience in the 21st century American public square..." Published reports also showed that members of groups that do not support a robust representation of religion in the public square attended the meeting.  The Daily Citizen article stated:

In a press release lambasting the group’s first meeting, Americans United for Separation of Church State pulled out the tired and baseless bogeyman accusation that the group is comprised of so-called Christian Nationalists.”

The article says that, "Radicals reflexively suggest that any socially conservative Christians involved in politics today are 'Christian Nationalists,' i.e. those whose faith in God is fused with love of country in idolatrous fashion. In reality, Christians should be actively involved in the political arena – and do so in ways that honor God and His Word, and love (not destroy) our fellow man."

The Daily Citizen points out, "Attorney General Pam Bondi joined the meeting and spoke on 'the importance of faith to American success.'"

Among those attending the meeting and serving on the Commission is Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of First Liberty.  An article on the organization's website noted:

The Commission’s inaugural meeting focused on the foundations of religious liberty from our nation’s founding to the present day, including the Founders’ intent behind the First Amendment’s religious liberty protections, and a discussion of related key U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

The Commission heard testimony from experts around the country. Dr. Mark David Hall—Senior Research Fellow at First Liberty Institute’s Center for Religion, Culture, & Democracy—was among those who testified.

Commissioners and experts discussed the state of religious liberty, including ongoing legal attacks and discrimination against religious Americans.

The article included comments from Shackelford about the meeting on a recent edition of First Liberty Live!:

“During the previous presidential administration, our First Freedom came under attack in ways we had not seen,” Kelly explains.

“Twenty-three Americans were put in prison for praying outside an abortion clinic,” he added. “The Catholic Church was investigated by the FBI as a radical group, and FBI officers actually asked hundreds of priests to join the federal government in their effort against the Church. Easter Sunday was even declared Transgender Visibility Day for the country.”

The First Liberty website also noted:

Kelly notes that the Religious Liberty Commission is evidence of a massive shift in favor of religious freedom in America. He says this is an opportunity fully reclaim our First Amendment rights and to fully reestablish religious freedom as our First Freedom.

According to the White House site, other Commission members include Ryan Anderson, Franklin Graham, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and Phil McGraw.  Advisory Board members include:  Jentezen Franklin, Jack Graham, Mark David Hall, Alveda King, and Kristen Waggoner.

In light of the contempt for the freedom of religion enshrined in the First Amendment, this is a positive step - not indicating government establishment of religion, but allowing, in the words of the Bill of Rights, the free exercise thereof.  When you see people of faith, including Christians, who routinely face hostility simply because they desire to speak out or act out that faith, it shows some restoration is necessary. 

It's telling that organizations such as Americans United and the Freedom from Religion Foundation single out religious speech as not having a place in public discourse.  This is far from what our Founders intended.  We should not allow ourselves to become intimidated in the expression of our Christian faith. And, we should always recognize that we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom and are citizens of earthly institutions, in submission to governments of this world.  It is right, it is appropriate to love our country, but we should always love God more. 

Deceived

I mentioned yesterday about the arsenal that the devil uses in order to enslave people to follow his ways and reject God. Fascination with and participation in occult practices is a way in which the enemy enables people to encounter spirits that are not of God and to inflict mental, emotional, and spiritual harm. The Bible warns against these practices, and in Deuteronomy 18, we can read the words of the Lord spoken through Moses:
9 "When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you.
13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God.

A recent Movieguide article begins in this way:

Ex-psychic turned born-again Christian Jenn Nizza warned about allowing the occult to worm its way into your life and placing faith in a counterfeit version of Christ that leads to death and destruction.

“I was participating in sorcery, in witchcraft, except that it presents itself as light. And that’s the deception. Like that’s the whole agenda of the evil one: to deceive us” Nizza told California Living. “Love and light, this is the new age movement. You can have new enlightenment, you can raise your frequency, you can raise your vibration, as if you have any divinity, as if you have any special spiritual status that you can attain. And that’s what it always goes back to.”

The Movieguide piece goes on to say:

Witchcraft, sorcery and demons may seem like things of the past that are incompatible with our current day. But in reality, they are real and pose a deadly threat to the spiritual life of those who practice them.

“The satanic culture is real, witchcraft is real, and I think we live in a culture where we like to act as if that’s just something that is make-believe, cute and entertaining to see in movies,” said “Trending with Timmerie” host Timerie. “Satan wants us to believe that.”

While culture makes light of the occult, allowing it to become mainstream, the Bible is extremely clear that the demon world is not something to mess with.

Nizza's involvement with elements of the occult began in her early teen years, according to an article published at Faithwire, including quotes from the Playing with Fire podcast.  The article relates:

“In my home, it was very acceptable to talk about paranormal activity, what people commonly call ghosts, which, of course, were demons,” she said. “I had my very first tarot card reading [at the age of 13].”

Around the same time, Nizza said she had already begun experiencing what she now believes was demonic oppression. She started having dreams about events that would essentially come true.

Rather than flee from these practices and experiences, Nizza became enamored and dove in even deeper after her first tarot reading.

“That’s when I really walked through the door, because I was so intrigued by it, and I started seeking it out. … I went full-in,” she said. “It was a rabbit hole of destruction. … I had my own tarot cards. I kept going for readings; I became addicted to it.”

She began to do so-called "readings," thinking she was being helpful to people - but she was deceived herself and deceiving others.  But, Jenn needed help, true spiritual help, herself.  Faithwire states:

“When I was 36, I first cried out to Jesus,” she said. “I was at the lowest of the low, the lowest moments of my life — one of the darkest moments. … My soul, my spirit, knew to cry out to Jesus. I needed Him.”

By the time she turned 37, her Christian journey had finally begun.

Reflecting on all that unfolded, Nizza — who believes she was oppressed throughout her life but not possessed — found it fascinating she turned to Christ rather than the spirits she spent years adoring.

“I didn’t cry out to a deceased person, a spirit guide, an angel, anybody who I thought I was communicating with all those years,” she said. “I cried out to Jesus Christ and He really did show up.”

Nizza continued, “The Gospel is what saves.” 

There is a multitude of spirits that are operating in the world today. And, the Scriptures instruct us to "test the spirits."  While New Age and occult practices might seem to be spiritual enlightenment, we have to remember that the Bible tells us that Satan appears as an angel of light and declares that we are not "ignorant" of his schemes.  

Faithwire quotes Jenn Nizza as saying, regarding her time spent as a practitioner of the occult, "Satan masquerades as an angel of light,” adding “You think that you’re a servant of righteousness.”

We have to insulate ourselves by being devoted to the Scriptures.  We overcome the power of the enemy, as the Bible says, through the blood of Jesus and the word of our testimony.  If we are full of the Word of God, we build a shield against the errant spirituality that is being perpetuated by the devil.  This is nothing to play with - we must exercise discernment between good and evil.

The Way to Life

We have each been made in the image of God, and I believe it is incumbent upon the Christian to affirm the sanctity of life. The world offers paths to death and destruction, and promotes ideas that are antithetical to the teachings of Scripture. We can be inspired to follow the Scriptural directive to choose life. In Matthew 7, Jesus teaches about the way that leads to life:
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16a You will know them by their fruits.

With the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade being celebrated earlier this week, it gives us an opportunity to reflect on the significance of that decision.  While certainly it removed federal protections for abortion, the decision about the regulation of the horrendous practice was left with each individual state.  While some states, like Alabama, have implement strong pro-life laws, the promoters of abortion have found a new, risky path to the termination of a human life through chemical abortion.  

Now, in light of the Skrmetti decision upholding Tennessee's ban on gender treatments and procedures that are falsely characterized as changing a person's "gender," there has been a new precedent set that could positively impact the laws in over half of the states that prevent these types of actions in cases of minors, as Tennessee's law does.

There is new research that shows a majority of voters reject taxpayer funding of organizations, such as Planned Parenthood, that are involved in abortion and harmful gender treatments.  The Post Millennial website declares:

A new poll has revealed that American voters strongly disapprove of taxpayer dollars being used to fund abortions and child sex changes.

The Life Leadership Conference poll, obtained by Breitbart News, found that 64 percent of registered voters oppose "an organization that provides puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and other gender transition treatments for minors." This figure included 51 percent of voters who strongly opposed.

There was also a survey question regarding, as the article puts it, if "...voters would support taxpayer funding for 'an organization that provides abortions to minors without parental notification or consent..." The article notes, "67 percent said they oppose funding these groups, while 27 percent said they supported."

The article notes:

Respondents were also asked, "Now that you know Planned Parenthood is providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and other gender transition treatments for minors, would [you] support or oppose continued taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood?" This came after Live Action released an investigation in which they found Planned Parenthood had been providing hormone treatment to minors as young as 16, often with limited parental consent or medical supervision.

That question yielded these results: "60 percent said that they oppose providing taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood, while 32 percent supported the funds going to the organization."  

In a recent op-ed at The Christian Post by Tony Perkins, President of Family Research Council, he noted that, "... 71% of Americans oppose experimental medical gender transition interventions for minors. The activists preferred to operate in the shadows, far from public debate. That debate has now happened — and they lost."  He described the decision on transgender procedures as a "cultural U-turn." 

That poll was published in January, about which National Review said: "An overwhelming majority of Americans support restrictions on the ability of mentally unwell minors to obtain puberty blockers and hormonal treatments, a new survey finds," adding, "Over two-thirds (71 percent) believe children under the age of 18 should not be prescribed puberty blockers or hormones..., according to a new poll from the New York Times and Ipsos."

I have said it multiple times throughout the years, and it should be a guiding principle for our lives: God's. Way. Is. Best.  Jesus said there was a way to life, but few find it.  The entrance to that way to life is through Christ, our door, through salvation by believing upon Him.  We enter into a life of the knowledge of God and the experience of His love - a life, as Jesus taught, of abundance, through which all the resources of God become available to the child of God.

And, I believe we have a responsibility to spread that life throughout our culture. The principles of Scripture are reliable, and society as a whole can benefit by embracing those principles.  When we lift up the presence of Jesus, we can see cultural transformation, and the exposure to the good of the Lord can hopefully draw people into a saving knowledge of Jesus to secure their future.  Our lives, built on Christ's foundation, can communicate the good that can only be found in Him.

Great Depravity

The enemy of our souls has an enormous arsenal that he can use against humanity. And, technological developments have produced even more resources in order to deceive and destroy people's lives. We have to guard ourselves and our families from these pervasive means of corrupting souls. Psalm 101 states:
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

A hideous extortion scheme using artificial intelligence has led to the death of a 16-year-old boy in Kentucky named Eli Heacock.  The Washington Stand relates this:

As their teenage son lay in the hospital with his life oozing out of him, Eli Heacock’s parents felt their grief compounded by confusion: They had no idea why he had committed suicide.

Then they found his phone.

Messages showed their son — 16-year-old Elijah “Eli” Manning Heacock of Glasgow, Kentucky — had fallen prey to an extortioner, who convinced Eli to send photos of himself, which the predator used to generate sexually explicit images using artificial intelligence (AI).

This extortioner, described accurately as a "predator" in the article, demanded $3000 from young Eli, who tried to raise the money, but fell short.  As the article states:

The tragic death highlights the changing profile of sexual abuse and predation. Parents “no longer [have] to be scared of the white van that drives around. You have to be scared of the internet,” said Eli’s mother, Shannon Heacock.

Her son is far from the first person to lose his life to online sexual extortionists. “From October 2021 to March 2023 ... sextortion involved at least 12,600 victims — primarily boys — and led to at least 20 suicides,” according to the FBI.

Arielle Del Turco, Director of the Center for Religious Liberty at Family Research Council, who has been a guest on The Meeting House, says: “It’s absolutely horrific and tragic that criminals used AI-generated images to extort money out of a teenage boy, ultimately resulting in him taking his own life..." The article notes that, "FRC previously highlighted concerns raised by AI chatbots, which appear to be human, engaging in sexually explicit dialogue with minors online — or stoking pedophiles’ fantasies by posing as sexually precocious children."

Lawmakers have been attempting to limit this type of activity - as The Washington Stand notes, Eli's home state of Kentucky has a law against sexual extortion and Congress recently passed the "Take it Down Act," which "makes it illegal to knowingly publish, or threaten to publish, intimate images without a person’s consent; it also requires websites to remove such images within 48 hours of a victim’s valid request and help track down any sites that have republished the material."

But, there are legislative areas of concern: the United Nations has allowed member nations to limit prosecution of objectionable material, and in Congress, the current spending bill being considered by the Senate has a provision that bans states from regulating AI technology for 10 years.  The article states:

“We can’t afford to be behind the ball on creating policies that govern AI,” Del Turco told TWS. “The effects are too far-reaching” — a fact Eli’s mother, Shannon, knows too well.

There are maneuvers of the enemy that are beyond our comprehension - people either being duped or intentionally participating in unimaginable acts.  While it may be almost impossible to comprehend the depths of the depravity in our world today, we must know that it is there and reject the temptation that the enemy presents to us and our families. 

And, know that there is power to overcome.  But, if we are unwittingly being lured into compromising situations, we lose the winning advantage that Jesus died in order to purchase for and grant to us. There is great wickedness, certainly, but there is great victory as we rely on the everlasting arms of the One who is mighty to save.

Something Spiritual

There is something, I believe, deeply spiritual, that is occurring regarding the nation of Israel and its current conflict with Iran, a nation bent on destroying the Jewish state - the Jewish people were chosen by God and they were promised a place: physically and spiritually. In Genesis 12, we find that God said to Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham:
(1) ..."Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.

2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Joel Rosenberg, a Christian author, commentator, and Editor-in-Chief of All Israel News, has been a trusted and informed voice regarding the nation of Israel in general and the current conflict with Iran.  Maayan Hoffman wrote this recently on the website:

The intertwining of faith and security led to last night's historic strike by the United States on three of Iran's nuclear sites – including the destruction of Fordow, Iran's largest and most deeply buried underground facility, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth.

But U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to attack Iran was not merely a military move in defense of Israel or America. For many, it was a spiritual act – part of a larger battle between good and evil and a quest for peace in the Middle East, Israel, and the world.

This All Israel News piece continued:

On Saturday night, as he addressed the United States, he closed his speech with these words: "I want to just say we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel, and God bless America."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that spiritual tone in his address, thanking the U.S. and declaring, "With the help of God, we will win."

Someone who has framed this as a spiritual conflict is U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.  The All Israel News article notes:

Trump's decision to attack was foreshadowed by a text message sent to him last week by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The message, which Trump chose to share on Truth Social and through official White House social media channels, reflected the Evangelical Christian perspective Huckabee brings to his counsel. In it, he urged the president to "listen to the heavens" and let divine guidance shape his decisions regarding Israel's war with Iran.

"God saved you in Butler, Pennsylvania, to be the most consequential president in a century – and perhaps ever," Huckabee wrote. "There has never been a president in my lifetime like you. Not since Truman in 1945."

He continued: "You have many voices speaking to you, sir, but there is only ONE voice that matters. HIS voice," referring to God. "I believe you will hear from heaven, and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else's."

Hoffman writes:

For Evangelicals, the call to peace is deeply rooted in scripture. They cherish the biblical instruction to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and the Apostle Paul reminded believers, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

Millions of Evangelical Christians worldwide pray daily for peace in Jerusalem. So, for the faithful, the strike on Iran was not an act of war – it was a step toward the answering of that prayer.

So...in light of the current conflict, we can continue to follow the Scriptural admonition to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. God has a plan for Israel, and ultimately, He desires for all - Jew, Gentile, and people of all backgrounds, to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the demonstration of the hand of God in protecting Israel will be a witness to the Jewish people, so that they may come to know the Messiah.  And, we can pray for the people of Iran, where a distinct spiritual awakening is occurring, that God might bring rescue to that nation, resulting in even more people coming into salvation.

We can also pray for our leaders, including President Trump, Ambassador Huckabee, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and the host of military leaders who are strategizing and executing those strategies. The defense of Israel and the perpetuation of freedom are noble causes, and we can look to Almighty God to strengthen those who serve in our military. 

This conflict can remind us of the spiritual foundations of the nation of Israel.  Even though Israel is a secular state, its foundations are Biblical.  So, as we've seen since October 2023, we have a fresh reminder of God's sustenance of this land, upon which He has not taken His hand off, and we can collectively trust God for His protection.  We can also be reminded to see beyond the physical to look through spiritual eyes regarding the conflicts and challenges we face. 

Upheaval

These are perilous times in the world today - violence in the streets of America and enhanced tensions in the Middle East. There is a potential shift that is occurring in the nation of Iran. In addition to Israel attacking its nuclear capabilities and retaliation from the Iranian menace, there is a change of heart that is taking place in the people of that beleaguered nation, bringing hope through the gospel. Romans 15 says:
(9)...that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name."
10 And again he says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!"
11 And again: "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!"
12 And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope."
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

God is working throughout the Middle East even though these are turbulent times.  A God Reports article, written by Charles Gardner, stated recently: "The Bible Society, which operates around the globe, reports that more than 2,000 Iranians are turning to Jesus every single day!"  It cited this example:

One 92-year-old believer, whenever she’s on a bus, pulls out a small book and asks her neighbor to help her read the tiny font.

In fact, she is secretly getting strangers to read the gospels. Every time she does it, the person sitting next to her ends up taking a New Testament home.

This is brave work in a land where leaving Islam is potentially punishable by death. But the Iranian revival is good news for Israel – and the Jews! For these dear people have been taught by their government and mullahs that Israel is their archenemy.

The article goes on to note:

For the strict Islamic state of Iran, whose rulers want to wipe out the Jewish people just as Hitler did and who are chief sponsors of monstrous terrorist groups like Hamas, is now the focus of a Christian revival where some two million people have discovered that Jesus, the Jew, is the Savior of the world.

As the mosques shut down in great numbers, passionate Christians are filling the vacuum, though of necessity staying ‘underground’ for now, out of sight of the religious police.

The latest upheaval in the Middle East comes as no surprise to God, and we must continue to recognize the spiritual nature of what is taking place and to be in prayer.  Gardner writes:

The Islamic foundations are crumbling for the chief sponsors of terrorism, a fact graphically prophesied by the psalmist thousands of years ago when he wrote of them: “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more. With one mind they plot together, forming an alliance against you.” (Psalm 83:4f)

We do recognize that in the last days, according to Ezekiel 38, there will be an alliance that will come against Israel and God will intervene - that scenario is seemingly becoming closer to reality, which is why we ideally should have a greater sense of urgency to demonstrate and share the love and truth of Christ with those around us.

This is a time of intense spiritual warfare, and we must be prayerful and understanding of what is occurring in the world today.  Gardner writes:

It’s important that we see the big picture of the unfolding spiritual warfare taking place. When Jesus sent out the 72 disciples to spread the gospel (as recorded in Luke 10:19,21), he told them he had given them authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy.

And he was full of joy through the Holy Spirit because God had hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes.

It is not the proud and arrogant who will inherit the earth, but the meek and humble. And the latter will also be granted a clear-sighted vision of what is really happening amidst the turmoil of these terrible times which are surely preparing the way for our Lord Yeshua’s return.

We also can give God thanks for the encouraging reports out of Iran - while governmental leaders around the world attempt to persecute the church, nevertheless out of that affliction, God is raising up His Church.  And, it could result in a tipping point in the nation of Iran, where so many believers face penalties, even death, for sharing the gospel.   But, the Lord is very actively acting according to His will in our world today.

Ordinary (6/16)

If we have come to know Christ, if we have been born again, we have been given a testimony of what God has done in our lives. The hymn writer John Newton said, "...was blind, but now I see." The presence of Jesus brings life change, our eyes have been opened and we can experience forgiveness and freedom through our Savior. And, we can be challenged to share His message. In 1st Timothy 1, Paul shares a portion of his testimony of His transformation through Jesus:
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

Wow!  Just think about that - someone who was intent on destroying the Church became a catalyst for the growth of it.  The salvation of a soul through a relationship with Jesus will do that.

Greg Laurie is heard weekdays at 2:00 p.m. on A New Beginning on Faith Radio.  He is Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in California and has long been known as an evangelist through the ministry of Harvest Crusades.

Recently, he spoke at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's European Congress on Evangelism.  Prior to his giving his message, he talked with Christian Daily International/Christian Post.  The article including his comments appeared on the Harvest website. 

The article states:

Laurie recalls a private moment with the late Billy Graham—whom Laurie calls “one of the greatest, if not the greatest evangelist in human history, apart from the Apostles”—when the two had lunch together, some time before Graham passed away. Laurie asked the older evangelist for his wisdom: “If an older Billy could speak to a younger Billy, what would you say to yourself?”

“I would remind myself to preach more on the cross of Christ and the blood of Christ because that is where the power is,” replied Graham.

“I have never forgotten that,” Laurie reflects, “and I’m going to mention that to the evangelists here [in Berlin] because the message of the evangelist is very simple and we have to avoid complicating it.”

Laurie has been on the BGEA's board for 25 years and "spent a lot of time" with the late evangelist toward the end of his ministry, describing it as “a time of great training."  He described Graham as someone who was unique, one-of-a-kind.  He stated:

“I think Billy Graham was called to be Billy Graham. I think we’re all called to bring the gospel to our generation in our way. It was said of David, he served God in his generation. And that’s what Billy did. He served God in his generation.”

This understanding of integrity needing to be prevalent within the core of an evangelist’s private life, as it was with Billy Graham, is important for Laurie who brings to the Berlin congress an encouragement for fellow evangelists to be focused without distraction on their task “to preach the gospel, to sow the seed and leave the result ultimately up to God.”

The article points out that, "A sense of understated ordinariness is key for the effectiveness of evangelism, according to Laurie."  He recognizes the call each of us have to fulfill the Great Commission, even though some may have a particular anointing in the area of evangelism. He highlighted some characters found in Scripture who struggled with their own call.  Laurie stated:

“Moses didn’t feel qualified to lead the children of Israel. He had some kind of a speech impediment. Gideon said, ‘I’m least in my father’s house.’ And others gave what we would call excuses as to why they could not be the one to do what God called them to do.

“But it seems as though the Lord goes out of his way to choose ordinary people to do extraordinary things. And the apostle Paul says, God calls the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. So I think if you believe your call is to be an evangelist, then just go evangelize.”

He also notes: "In fact, I think it’s a good thing to struggle with, ‘Am I really qualified to do this?’ Because if you think, ‘I am the most qualified person that ever walked the Earth,’ you probably just disqualified yourself because God wants us to walk humbly before him.”  The article also relates:

The ultimate test of success for an evangelist however is not results but faithfulness, according to Laurie. He points out that Jesus on the final day will not say, “Well done good and successful servant” but “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Greg Laurie reminds us of how the obedience of one man touched incredible numbers of people. He said about Billy Graham, "...he brought the gospel to more people than any other person ever.”  We may not be called to reach millions for the gospel, but we are called to be obedient - to demonstrate the love of Christ so that people may come to know Him.  We can be faithful to the Lord, and as Laurie points out, leave the results up to God.

We can keep in mind that God did the extraordinary through this seemingly ordinary man who humbly allowed the Lord to work through Him.  The minute we begin to think we are something we are not, our degree of effectiveness for the Lord will be diminished.  We can cultivate our love for the Lord and for others, and allow Him to motivate and use us for His purposes.