In God's Pocket

God is calling us to shine in a world that seems to be growing increasingly dark and perhaps more resistant to the message of faith in Jesus Christ.   But, Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 4 to keep shining:
6For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

God's Word can continue day by day to encourage us not to give up, to keep trusting the Lord even when we see that people just don't believe or behave the way that Scripture teaches.  They need to know the love of Christ, and they need to see it from those who call upon His name.   Even though there is resistance to our message, we can resist the power of the enemy and the worldliness of the culture and demonstrate our dependence on our great and mighty God, whom we love and serve.   So, keep shining, and keep abiding in Christ!

In Philippians 2, the apostle Paul cautions believers in Christ to live in a manner that reflects His light:
14Do all things without complaining and disputing,15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,16holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

There's a new survey out from LifeWay Research on the topic of religious liberty, and it shows that pastors are concerned about the state of religious liberty in America.

Seventy percent of those surveyed last September agree with the statement, “Religious liberty is on the decline in America.” Twenty-seven percent disagree. Self-identified evangelical pastors are more likely to agree than mainline pastors, by an 81-to-47 percent margin.

Researchers also asked pastors to respond to this question: “Many Christian leaders have talked about society being in a culture war. Regardless of how you feel about that terminology, how would you explain the current situation?”

59 percent say Christians are losing. 11 percent say the culture war is already lost.  Only 10 percent say Christians are winning the culture war.

Ed Stetzer of LifeWay Research, in a piece for Christianity Today, wrote that, 

I don't use the term "culture war" for several reasons, but I do think there is a growing perception that, if there was such a war, evangelicals are on the losing side and that is now having religious liberty implications.

He told Todd Starnes of Fox News that,

Ten years ago we were talking about who would win the culture war and now we’re talking about how will Christian rights be protected after the culture war...We’ve lost our home field advantage. There are going to be some things that are different.”

Starnes, whose interview with me at NRB was featured on yesterday's radio show, in a piece on the
LifeWay Research survey, quoted Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas. The pastor states: “A religious leader once said, ‘my successor will see the tax exempt status removed from churches and his successor will go to jail...That is probably on the horizon.”

But Todd points out that there are some pockets of resistance – like the town of Greenwood in the Mississippi Delta.

Jim Phillips is the senior pastor of North Greenwood Baptist Church. He said that Greenwood still has a “very high respect for the historical Judeo-Christian ethic.”

He told Starnes, “Every one of my son’s community college football games around the state last season began with a prayer on the loud speaker – in Jesus’ name...Will that eventually be challenged? I suspect so at some point.”

But right now he said “pockets of religious boldness still exist.” But, the pastor is concerned with national trends, saying that Christians have slowly given away their impact on culture by becoming more worldly instead of confronting the culture to become more godly. He says that, “Sadly, Christians have often wimped out and grown silent instead of being bolder for the Gospel...Christians get subdued into thinking they’re not supposed to rise up.”

He sees that his calling is to "keep leading the charge." He said. “As a local pastor, my goal is to keep encouraging my church to seek to raise the bar and not lower it when it comes to confronting culture.”

So, one of the questions for us is whether or not we are residing in a "pocket" of boldness.   In a culture where worldliness might be winning, perhaps we can do what we can do in the place to which God has called us, in order to see godliness grow greater.   One person cannot transform the whole culture, but we can operate in the pocket to which God has called us.  

I believe that a successful operation involves a demonstration of God's holiness in our lives.  I said, "holiness", not "holier than thou", and there is a big difference.   Sometimes we are branded as thinking that we are better or more deserving than everybody else.  We speak up for our "rights", but we may not act "right".  So, God is calling us to live a lifestyle that is rooted in the Word and compelling in our behavior.  It's best for us, because we are right with God, and it's best for those with whom we interact, because we are showing to them that God's way is best.

Also, operating in a pocket of resistance or boldness involves a determination to engage culture.   We could throw up our hands and say the culture war is lost, and Stetzer wrote in 2012 for Baptist Press that we need to be thinking about what it might look like to be the church in a post-culture war society. He said, "...let's all slow down, take a deep breath and do the same thing we did yesterday -- preach the Gospel, love people and engage in God's mission."    We are at war, in a sense, against these trends that run counter to God's principles, but we are certainly not in a war with people, and Christ died for each and every person - that's the central message on which we can focus.  We must try to be absolutely sure that we are reflecting Jesus as we walk through this complicated world.

A Complicated World

If we have called on the name of Jesus and He is the Savior of our lives, we can know that we cannot be separated from His love, which can bring great comfort in a complicated world.  In verse 35 of Romans 8, Paul poses the question: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

And, he gives these words of encouragement in verses 37-39:
37Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My goodness - we do seek the protection of the law as we seek to practice our faith and enjoy religious freedom, and we should.  But, I think it is important to note that we have a strong protector, who is our banner, our covering, our strong tower, our solid rock.   Even when we encounter trouble, we can know that we can never separated from His love, and from that spiritual fact, we can draw strength.  When we encounter the complications of the culture, we can rely on the simplicity of the Savior, who calls us to come to Him and enjoy the richness of His presence.

In John 16, we see that Jesus spoke to His disciples about enjoying His peace even in the midst of troubled circumstances:
33These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

It's a complicated world...

Just read the headlines:  a controversial piece of legislation in Arizona that was designed to extend religious freedom protections in Arizona has been vetoed by the governor there.  She was under a great deal of pressure from a variety of powerful groups, including the NFL, because these groups understood that the bill would allow businesses to deny service to gays and lesbians on the basis of faith.   Proponents of the bill, including the Alliance Defending Freedom, said that it clearly did not - that it merely protected businesses who desired to live and do business according to the dictates of their conscience and to keep them from being punished, as we have seen in cases from other states, where businesses such as a baker, a florist, and photographer have chosen not to participate in a same-sex ceremony and faced punishment.

I don't think that the supporters of this legislation, in Arizona and other states where similar bills are being introduced, are championing discrimination against anyone - but they would like to prevent discrimination against Christians and members of any other religion who want to live out their faith in the public square.  I do believe Governor Brewer was afraid of unintended consequences, including the loss of dollars to her state and the possibility of lawsuits that would inevitably arise.   It leaves me with a chilling feeling that businesses will increasingly face pressure to be part of activities that violates their faith.

Yesterday, another Federal judge ruled that a law affirming traditional marriage, this time from Texas, was unconstitutional.    In a climate where the very definition of marriage is being challenged, this can perpetuate the fear that our values are continuing to erode.

Then, you have this case out of Mississippi, where a federal judge has ruled against a public university professor that was allegedly punished for sharing his faith, stating that government employees do not have a right to promote a specific religion in the classroom, according to ChristianNews.net.

According to reports, Thomas Payne, a professor in the criminal justice department at the University of Southern Mississippi, received negative evaluations, was denied a promotion, and was told that his contract would not be renewed after a student that identifies as a Hindu lodged a complaint about his Christian speech.

In an e-mail, Payne had written, “[A]s a Christian, I am called to be an evangelical...[B]y that I mean when I am asked about my faith, that I stand up for my faith and that I tell people about my faith, which is appropriate and not illegal.”  He also noted, “I felt like I could tell my students from an evangelistic standpoint . . . that I would pray for them."   The judge said that he could not as an employee of a public university.

It is clear where we are heading - we cannot completely look to the law to protect our free speech rights as Christians.   Sure, we can support legislation that purports to do that, and we can elect candidates that claim to uphold our values, but the tide is strong in the other direction.  

Several streams of thought from my recent journey to the NRB convention come to mind here.   For one thing, as a number of guests highlighted, there are threats to our deeply-held values and our religious liberties, and I do believe we have to be diligent to speak out when these challenges arise.   We live in a nation that has been founded on the concept of freedom, and as people of faith, we can continue to attempt to exercise the freedom to practice our faith.   We have to identify the areas of the culture that represent an affront to our deeply-held Biblical beliefs.

But, that leads me to another theme from my conversations at NRB - I had numerous guests comment on the reality of heaven.  Now, to build on that, we recognize that while were are considered to be citizens of the great nation of the United States, we are ultimately citizens of heaven.   We belong to a kingdom that is not of this world.   So, while we are placed here with a distinct calling from God and we are empowered by Him to live our lives for Jesus, we do realize that this is not our permanent home.   We have to make sure that our relationship with Christ is paramount, and that while we face trouble in this life, as Jesus promises, we also can walk in the midst of turmoil with a peace that passes all understanding.  In a complicated world, it's easy to become distracted and even despondent - but if we keep spiritual things paramount in our consciousness, and seek to love God more deeply each day, then He will give us the resources we need - His love, His wisdom, and His power - in order to navigate this present world.   And, He will bring us into the world to come with a sense of joy and confidence.   To Him be all glory!

Phakes and Phonies

God is at work in our lives, to bring us into a deeper relationship with Himself and to transform us from the inside out.   Here is what 2nd Corinthians 3 says about spiritual transformation:
17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

God is calling us to live authentically.   That means that we can express the reality of the risen Christ.  It comes through recognizing that He is within our hearts and gives us the capacity to walk in a manner that pleases Him.   We have to be careful that we are not merely giving lipservice, saying that we follow Christ, but our actions do not measure up to His standards.  And, we know that there are those try and try to look like a Christian, but they're just going through the motions and are living relatively unfulfilled lives.   True, authentic Christianity flows from the inner relationship that we have with God as we allow Jesus to express, to live, His life through us.

The presence of the indwelling Christ enables us to live with authenticity.  If we call ourselves Christians, it is important that His reality is expressed in our lives.   In Colossians 1, Paul describes the ability we have through Christ to radiate His glory:
27To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.28Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

In Los Angeles recently, a new coffee shop sprouted up in the corner of an otherwise uncelebrated strip mall.  It bore a familiar logo featuring a mermaid surrounded by a circle containing the name of the shop.   For much of opening weekend, a line from the store wound alongside the parking lot and up the block, according to a report from CBSNews.com.

We're told that some patrons snapped pictures in front of a green awning and the somewhat familiar Starbucks logo, except that a word was added to the words in the circle -- that the word "Dumb" is prominently featured.

Yes, Dumb Starbucks opened, and the interest it generated grew over the weekend with a boost from posts on Twitter and Facebook.

People apparently weren't coming for gourmet fare, at least some of which was being served up free of charge: Their descriptions of the coffee ranged from "horrible" to "bitter," and one parent said his daughter complained that the hot chocolate was like water.

Instead, they were just coming to say they came, and to score a white paper cup with a sticker bearing the curious logo.

Well, Dumb Starbucks caught the attention of the real Starbucks.  Laurel Harper, a spokeswoman for Seattle-based Starbucks Corp., said in an email, "While we appreciate the humor, they cannot use our name, which is a protected trademark." She added that most trademark disputes are handled informally, suggesting the company might not need to take legal action.

At the front counter of Dumb Starbucks, a sheet of frequently asked questions said the store was shielded by "parody law."

"By adding the word 'dumb,' we are technically 'making fun' of Starbucks, which allows us to use their trademarks under a law known as 'fair use,'" the sheet said.

It continued: "In the eyes of the law, our 'coffee shop' is actually an art gallery and the 'coffee' you're buying is considered art. But that's for our lawyers to worry about."

OK.  The "big reveal" came the following Monday, when Canadian comic Nathan Fielder told a crowd he was pursuing the "American dream" -- before acknowledging that he planned to use the bit on his Comedy Central show "Nathan for You."   His production company had been filming at the site.

Soon after the announcement, Los Angeles County health inspectors shut it down for operating without a valid permit.
Then, you have a story out of Pittsburgh, where the sign on the restaurant said "Burger King", but customers were baffled.  Local TV station WPXI reported that customers were claiming the food had tasted different and were posting questions about the restaurant on Reddit.com.   A customer said, “The food was in a brown paper bag. The fries were in a Dixie cup. I said. ‘What is this?’”

A reporter said an assistant manager explained they’re in the process of transitioning to a new business called South Side Burgers. It’s even on the receipts.   But the sign still read, "Burger King" during the transition.

A parody of Starbucks and a misrepresentation of Burger King - we have cases of 2 fake food operations.   I thought about this wonderful concept of authenticity.  In one case, the customers tolerated the faux coffee shop, but in the other, the customers were wise to the ruse.   And, there are some applications for us as Christians.

The Dumb Starbucks people played off the well-known and reputable name.     If the producers had not used the Starbucks name, there would have been zero attraction - so they intentionally used it as a drawing card for their parody sketch.  In the Christian life, we have to make sure that when we use the name of Jesus, that by our actions, we do not do damage to what people think about Him.   We never want to make a mockery of the Lord we love by acting in a manner that does not bring Him glory.   I think it's important that we living authentic lives and reflect the presence of Christ within us.   We certainly don't want to be known as fake Christians.

And as we learn from the case of the fake Burger King, we have to remember that our reputation is important, so if we're going to use a name, we need to make sure that we represent it well.  We are building a reputation, and we can make sure that we are adding to the credibility of our own name, and especially to His name.   While we should not be caught up in people pleasing, still it's important to contemplate the image that we are projecting to others - we have a high responsibility to live according to His standards.

Finally, people obviously knew that the Starbucks thing was a fake, but they came anyway; not the case with Burger King.  We have to guard against the deception and schemes of the enemy that take us in and get us off track in our walk with Christ.   Sometimes we will get distracted and follow something that is not real with the promise of some sort of instant gratification.   We don't need to follow wild goose chases in the hopes that something beneficial can come out of them.

Where is the Wise?

We're encouraged in Ephesians chapter 5 to walk in Godly wisdom:
15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

The Lord has provided us the tools in order to walk in a wise manner, demonstrating our dedication to and understanding of the Scriptures.   If we are seeking God's wisdom and applying it to the way we live, then we will reflect the power and the presence of the risen Christ and demonstrate to the world that God's way is best.  God wants us to grow in the knowledge of Him and allow His truth to permeate every area of our lives, and recognize that Scripture speaks to how we can live in the present age with a sense of confidence in the God within us, including the decisions we make and the way we relate to other people.

In 1st Corinthians chapter 1, the apostle Paul asks some penetrating questions as He touts the importance of being spiritually wise:
20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.22For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;23but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
The headline has certainly turned some heads: David Wise's alternative lifestyle leads to Olympic gold - that is on the NBC Olympics website.  So, what is it about the first-ever freestyle skiing halfpipe gold medalist that causes the way he lives his life to be characterized as "alternative"?   The article says:

David Wise is at the top of his sport. He’s always smiling among his friends and competitors, however, he’s not like the rest of the field. He is mature.

Not to say the rest of the freestyle skiers of halfpipe are not mature, but Wise is mature far beyond his years. At only twenty-three years old, he has a wife, Alexander, who was waiting patiently in the crowd, and together they have a two-year-old daughter waiting for them to return to their home in Reno, Nevada. 

At such a young age, Wise has the lifestyle of an adult. He wears a Baby Bjorn baby carrier around the house. He also attends church regularly and says he could see himself becoming a pastor a little later down the road.

Not exactly the picture you had in mind while watching him nail two double corks wearing baggy pants.

I do think that this young man obviously has his priorities in place, flowing from a deep-rooted faith in Christ. The articles nail it when it says:

Wise is, well, wise. He knows where his head should be at all time, focused on being the best father and husband he can be. Then comes skiing.

David says that there is a higher purpose to his life, and even to his craft of skiing:

“When you’re out there skiing for something bigger than just yourself, it just takes a lot of the pressure off for me. I’m happy and content, fulfilled. I have an amazing life outside of skiing. I don’t have to perform at any time, I just get to go out and do what I enjoy doing.”

In a piece from FCA.org in the Crossmap section of The Christian Post website, we read a quote from Wise:

"Faith plays a huge role because it enables me to be confident...I don't have to worry about what's happening or the outside influences as much because I feel like I can trust God, and He's going to see me through. I can look back on my path and realize that God had a pretty significant part in taking care of me. It takes the pressure off and I can enjoy it."

David is involved in FCA and speaks at schools in the Reno area.  So, his so-called, "alternative lifestyle" could really be described as a "distinctive" lifestyle.  He says, "I don't think my fellow athletes look down on me for the way I live my life. They can see that it works. They have to have respect for the way I do things because I'm the guy out there winning the thing - at least thus far in the season. It's a cool dynamic that we have going."

In order to live that life that "works", he tries to maintain a connection with the Lord.  He said to Crossmap,
"I always try to wake up and spend some quiet time, try and center myself and really feel connected to God and what He's trying to say or speak into my life. As long as I have that, it becomes easier for me to just go out and enjoy what I do."

He also that he wants to be known for his actions related to his faith:  "My faith is something that I've wanted to live out, not talk about," he says. "I would rather be known for my actions rather than my words. If you ask me about it, I'll tell you about it, but I'm just going to try to live the best life I can and be an example in that way."

So, that's the "alternative lifestyle"?   Well, it's basic Christianity, and in this culture today, it's something that each of us can be challenged to live out.   What are some components of David's life that really make him, "wise"?   First of all, as I just mentioned, he tries to stay connected.  He recognizes that He has a relationship with God, and tries to spend some quiet time.   He is attentive to what God is wanting to speak into his life.  Throughout the day, it can be helpful to us to stay in relationship, to have communion with God the Father through Christ.

He also demonstrates the importance of setting solid priorities.   He recognizes that His life has a purpose beyond his skiing.   He puts time with God in first place, and he places a high value on his wife and daughter.   He says the pressure is taken off because his life is centered on his spiritual relationship.

Finally, he is intent on living out his faith.  He believes that his actions communicate the truth of the presence of the Lord within him.  He wants to be a Godly example to those around Him, not merely talking about faith, but showing it.   We can always say that we believe in God, but if our actions do not line up, then we are not bringing the proper honor to Him.   We can be encouraged to be people who live out Godly character day by day.

The Power of the Air

In Ephesians 6, we read a powerful passage that can encourage us regarding the strength that we possess in the Lord:
13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...

We have been placed in this earth, but we realize that there is more than just what we encounter with our 5 physical senses.  There are spiritual forces at work - many aligned with God, others aligned with Satan - and it's important to be discerning about the way that the enemy's forces are working to try to distract, deceive, and even to destroy you.  That's why we need God's armor and why our working knowledge of the Word of God is critical to living the life that God has in store for us.   If we can "see" spiritually when temptation is coming, we can take the steps - in Christ - to walk in victory.  If we can recognize a spiritual attack, we can use God's resources to resist the enemy.

Ephesians 2 identifies the spiritual enemy, whom we face each day, and gives us some insight into his operation:
1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience...

The missions organization SIM, which stands for Society for International Ministries, has a piece on the GodReports.com website that drew my attention and caused me to think about the nature of spiritual warfare.

The report is from Benin, West Africa. which is known as the birthplace of voodoo.  Signs of this ancient practice are entangled in the culture, especially in the southern parts of the country.

At a recent Fulani women’s conference, one participant described how she was set free from the bondage of demons and idols after she had listened to the “Programs of Life” radio broadcasts. For years Fulani herdsmen have heard the gospel in their mother tongue on eight local radio stations. Many of the women listen faithfully and have now started to support the radio work financially to mark their commitment.

Gospel broadcasts in the Adja language recently touched the hearts of a respected Voodoo deity and his assistant, as well as the leader’s three wives and many children. All came to faith in Jesus Christ.

The UEEB Church radio broadcasts, which are related to SIM, began in the early 1990s. They now reach out in 16 local languages on the national radio and close to 25 local community and private FM stations.  The report says this:

Radio goes where people cannot easily go, and it is perceived as official, true and important. Prominence is given to the gospel message as radio continues to open new areas for church planting.

The enemy is described as the "prince of the power of the air", and we're reminded in Ephesians 6 that we wage war against unseen forces.   Voodoo is a practice that is contrary to Scripture and is aligned with forces that oppose the lordship of Christ.   Through the airwaves, people are being set free.   

Another area where voodoo is prevalent is the nation of Haiti, and we are grateful to our ministry partner Radio 4VEH, which has an impressive track record in sharing God's Word.

And we congratulate this outstanding ministry:  National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) has announced that Radio 4VEH, The Evangelistic Voice of Haiti, will be honored with a Milestone Award at the annual NRB Convention next week.

The Milestone Awards are presented annually to ministries with more than 50 years of continuous ministry in Christian broadcasting. This year, Radio 4VEH is celebrating 64 years of serving God and the Haitian people through radio. Radio 4VEH is one of five ministries to receive a Milestone Award at a ceremony next Tuesday at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

This is the second time that Radio 4VEH has been honored by the NRB. Last year, Radio 4VEH received the NRB International Radio Ministry Award, for “excelling in radio or audio ministry, exercising integrity and faithfulness to the cause of Christ, while demonstrating unusual effectiveness in impacting the target culture with the Gospel.”

These stories can reminds us of the reality of spiritual warfare.   We do have weapons available to us to counter the strategy of the enemy, who comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy.   In order to effectively engage in this war of the unseen, we first have to recognize that it exists.   We acknowledge that there are forces around us that are intent on manipulating circumstances to get us off track, and who bring negative thoughts into our minds in order to break our connection with Christ and to make us less effective for Him.   We have to train ourselves to see with spiritual eyes, which transcends what we we see with our physical eyes.

We also must be intentional in using the tools that God has entrusted to us.   And, I believe in order to use those tools, we have to, as Paul says in Ephesians 6, put on the full armor of God.   There are five components:  the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, our feet prepared with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.   And this is all coated in prayer.   

Recognize that the only offensive weapon in the list of 6 components is God's Word.   Returning to the story from Benin, we hear that people are set free by the Word of God as it is transmitted through Christian radio.   Same situation in Haiti.   And, we trust through the communication of His truth through the ministry of Faith Radio, that people will be set free as they hear it and it begins to take root in their hearts and saturates their lives.  When we engage in spiritual warfare, we recognize that God's Word, spoken into the air to confront the prince of the power of the air, has tremendous power. 

Game-Changing Moments

God desires for us to draw strength from the teaching of and meditation on His Word, and we can be strengthened by reflecting on His past work in our lives.   2nd Thessalonians 2 says:
15Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,17comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Our lives can reflect the work of God in our lives, and become the product of His hand working in and around us, as well as decisions that we have made that were either consistent with His will or that ended up being, well, not beneficial.  In those times of trial and circumstances that could have shaken our faith, we can look back and see His faithfulness.   Life is full of lessons, and along the way, we can be confident that He will walk beside us, and as we abide in Him, we learn more about recognizing His hand and discerning His direction.   And, there will be those "game-changing" moments upon which we reflect and through which we can draw strength.
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Our lives are full of those moments - decisions along our path, defining moments in which we encounter God in a powerful way, experiences about which we can look back and see how God was working, or those times when we see that we made a mistake, but we were able to correct the course and get back on track. The apostle Paul looked back on some of His experiences in 2nd Corinthians 4:4But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,5in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;6by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,7by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

There's plenty of enthusiasm about American hockey at the Sochi Olympics, with the U.S. men's team and their thrilling victory over the Russians over the weekend and the women's team making the gold medal game on Thursday, with a 6-1 victory over Sweden yesterday.

One of those players to watch on the American women's team is Anne Schleper, who plays defenseman for the team from the U.S.A., which squares off against Canada on Thursday.   After the win on Tuesday, she was quoted by Baptist Press as saying, when talking about the pressure of playing in the big game, "...it's not about that...It's all about my Audience of One and playing only for God."   Anne is from Minnesota and played for the Golden Gophers hockey team - she stayed at home to play hockey and her role on the team is to essentially "stay at home".

The report says that she learned how to do that at an Athletes in Action training camp that "absolutely changed [her] life." She was raised in church but had missed out on having a personal, daily time with Him. The Holy Spirit moving through the athletes at the camp helped her put it all together.

"That was kind of my game-changing moment," Schleper said. "That's when I really got to know the Lord. I developed that personal relationship with Him which I was missing all along growing up.

Christianity Today states that Schleper now leads a Bible study at Team USA training camps.  She is quoted from the Athletes in Action website as saying, "Any time you get in the athletic environment, it's challenging as a Christian. It's easy to have an 'it's about me' attitude...That's why it's important to be around other Christians who can lift you up and pray for you. It's good to stay connected, and that's where I've seen those Bible studies at camps be so huge. God is opening the eyes of teammates who I would never have thought would come. He's building it into something bigger and better."

So what can we take away from this dedicated Olympian who is playing for the Lord?   Well, for one thing, I began to think about the phrase, "game-changing moment".   I think in our lives, there are moments or experiences that alter the course of our lives - for good or not.   Certainly, the moment that we make Jesus the Lord of our life would be a tremendous one, upon which we can look back and thank the Lord for salvation - this can even bring hope to us when we are discouraged in our walk.   There are other times in our lives where decisions are made or God shows up in a tangible way that can be great mile-markers along our spiritual journey.  And, there may be mistakes that we can look back upon and gain valuable insight as we contemplate how we should have acted or responded.   So, life has its game-changing moments that can continue to teach us and encourage us.

I think also, Anne's attitude can be refreshing and challenging.   We are all prone to lose sight of Who we are living our lives for.  Our connection to Christ and our acknowledgement of His presence daily can be of great value to us as we remind ourselves that we are to glorify Him in all that we say, think, or do.   We can become so caught up in our schedules, our work, our personal agenda, the trends of life, and not be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He desires to have our way.   So, we have to find ways to remain connected, with an overarching awareness that we are called to bring honor to Him.   He is our Audience of One and the focal point of our lives - to Him be the glory!   We can draw strength by reflecting on those game-changing moments from time to time.

Farewell Addresses

If we have professed Jesus as our Savior and belong to Him, then we know that we have a bright future with Him in heaven forever.   That promise is underscored in 1st Peter chapter 1:
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

The Bible teaches us that we can be assured of our eternal destiny, and our departure from this earth is not the end of the story.   We can live in the present with the future in mind - while our lives here are finite, we also recognize that God has wonderful things in store for us.   Even though this world is not our home, and death is a change in location and not something that God would want us to be afraid of, we do have a purpose on earth - to walk with the Lord, to share His truth, and to impact others.   We are called to leave a legacy and to be people who speak and act with a sense of hope and trust in our Savior, being convinced of our eternal destiny.

In 2nd Timothy 4, the apostle Paul shares some of his final words.  As he recognizes that he has come to the end of his life, he writes this to Timothy:

6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.8Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Today is known as President's Day, but as historian Dr. Thomas Kidd of Baylor University points out in a piece on The Gospel Coalition website, "From the federal government's perspective, the holiday is still Washington's birthday. In the 1960s, Congress changed the observance from the date of Washington's actual birthday, February 22, to the third Monday of February, under the "Uniform Monday Holiday Act." Holidays deemed to have less-than-critical dates were placed on Mondays so federal employees could have a three-day weekend. Then in the 1980s, marketers began unilaterally calling the holiday "Presidents' Day," ostensibly to bring Abraham Lincoln's birthday (February 12) into the fold for advertisements."

Dr. Kidd made some commentary on the personal faith of Washington and Lincoln, and pointed out that their faith was "enigmatic".  But, whatever you might believe about their respective personal walks with God, their approach to religion was critical for the entire country.  As Kidd writes, "Both endorsed a public role for religion in America, and Lincoln particularly employed religious rhetoric, and the words of the Bible itself, to the greatest effect of any political leader in American history. For Lincoln and Washington, a secularized public square was inconceivable."

Two addresses delivered in the latter days of their lives illustrate their take on the role of faith in public life. Washington's address in 1796, as Kidd points out, "...famously asserted that 'of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensible supports.' Washington, like Lincoln, proclaimed national days of prayer, fasting, and thanksgiving for 'humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations.'"

And, regarding Lincoln, Kidd writes that:

...He reminded the nation that both sides in the war "read the same Bible, and pray to the same God." He reckoned that the war somehow represented the judgment of God on both sides for their indulgence of slavery. If God willed that the war continue, he concluded, "until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether.'"

3 months after Lincoln spoke those words, and about 3 years after Washington delivered his farewell, both of them died - Lincoln by assassination, Washington by a sudden affliction of the croup.  Regarding Lincoln, BeliefNet quotes Stephen Mansfield, who wrote the wonderful book, Lincoln's Battle With God - during the play at Ford's Theater the night Lincoln died, he had said to his wife, “We will visit the Holy Land and see those places hallowed by the footsteps of the Savior.”  He writes:

...And then, nearly as the Derringer ball cracked the air, “There is no place I so much desire to see as Jerusalem.”

The Public Bookshelf website quotes Our Country, Vol. 2, by Benson Lossing, who related Washington's final words:

...He said to his friend and physician: "Doctor, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go. I believed, from my first attack, that I should not survive it. My breath cannot last long."

And, the final utterances:

"'Tis well," said the dying Patriot; and these were the last words that he spoke--"'Tis well!"

I just find it quite interesting what these men said as they approached the end of their lives.  For Lincoln, he had been on a remarkable faith journey, and had some understanding of God's role in human affairs.  Little did he know, of course, that his inaugural address in 1865 would come just months before his unexpected death.   And, how would Washington have known that his Farewell Address would come just 3 years before his passing?   Death came to him unexpectedly, as well.

I think these final words can be inspirational and thought-provoking for each of us, as well.   Of course, the content of the messages I referenced earlier illustrates for us that they had an appreciation for and made acknowledgement of the ways of God.   What a contrast between their words and the statements of people who would want to eliminate the vestiges of God's presence in our country today, especially in the area of public policy?    Personally, it's important that we reflect on the hand of God as He moves in our individual lives.

None of us is promised tomorrow; the Bible tells us life is like a vapor.   And, so, we can be motivated to think about our legacy - we carefully choose our words that will be a reflection of our lives, and we act in the present with a bit of the future in mind.   I would hope that as we look back, we can say that we have lived in a manner that honors God and brings encouragement to people.   If we knew that today were all that we were guaranteed - and it is - that can have a dramatic impact on the way we relate to others.

The apostle Paul was not afraid of death - He had come to terms with his own mortality.  So had Washington apparently, for he said that he was not afraid.  We can view death as a change of location, from our temporary home here on this earth to our permanent promised home in heaven with Jesus, so really and truly, death is not to be feared.    There is a bright future for the child of God who has accepted Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior.   We just have to be assured that when we do exit this earth, that we are certain where we will go.  

Highly Happy

A couple of good Scriptures for Valentine's Day, as we think about the love that God can give us for each other in our marriage relationships or those that would lead to marriage.  First of all, from Ecclesiastes 4:
9Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.and12Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 9 reminds us to revere and cherish our spouses:9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
Plain and simple, God intends joy for His children, and He does desire for us to have joy in our marriage relationship, but we have to cherish our mates and view them as God's gift to us - that's a starting point.   Marriage is not merely a contract or an arrangement, in God's eyes it is a covenant, and His desire for us is to glorify Him in this relationship He has ordained.  It's not to be taken lightly, and we recognize that if He is part of that "threefold cord", referenced in Ecclesiastes 4, He walks with us and will unite our hearts as we place our focus on and trust in Him.

I want to revisit Ephesians chapter 5 and incredible passage that reinforces the beauty of the marriage relationship:

28So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.30For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.31"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
“This nation needs a lot more hope about the institution of marriage.”

That is a quote from a recent article by Billy Hallowell on TheBlaze website from author and researcher Shaunti Feldhahn, author of the book, The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages.  You can listen to or download a copy of an interview that I conducted with her on the website at MeetingHouseOnline.info.

She says that, “A lot of what makes the happiest marriage is very, very simple stuff. 

I am thankful for my marriage to Beth - the Lord has given me a beautiful wife with a heart for Him who loves me unconditionally.   We have been married over 23 years, and I think that we grasped early on a simple concept of loving one another and realizing that what we go through, we go through together.   We are a team, and agreement is a huge component for us - in our parenting and in our decision-making in a variety of areas.   So, I guess that's one of my keys to a highly happy marriage - and we are definitely in that category!

Feldhahn shared five specific characteristics leading to wedded bliss that she noticed among the happiest of couples she spoke with:

1) Believing the Best in One Another: Among the most content of couples, Feldhahn found that a decision to believe the best in one another’s intentions — even when one spouse is emotionally hurt by another — is practically a prerequisite to a happy marriage.

2) Changing Attitudes: Feldhahn also said that couples who have the ability to snap themselves out of their frustrations with one another will also generally be happier. Changing their attitudes when they’re upset is key.

3) The Little Things: Sometimes, the little things really do matter. Feldhahn said that she observed another pattern among the happiest of couples she’s surveyed and interviewed. Whether conscious or not, the couples figured out “a few little things” that make a big difference.   This would include men touching their women in seemingly small ways - grabbing her hand while walking across a parking lot, or putting his arm around her and saying, "I love you" randomly, or putting his hand on her knee while driving.

4) Reconnecting Well After Conflict: How couples handle conflict is also key.

“They don’t necessarily follow the advice to not go to bed mad,” she said, noting that it’s all about how the anger is dealt with before bed and what happens the next day.   She argues that men need more processing time than women, which means that talking contentious issues out before bed isn’t always the best option.

She elaborated on that in our conversation.

And, I think the last one is huge in our culture today:

5) Be All In: In a culture that is characterized by talk of divorce and the failure of many marriages, some couples fear what could become of their unions and, as a result, they become guarded. But Feldhahn said that being “all in” is a key element in good marriages. The happiest couples reported being fully invested in their relationships.  She said, “They risked getting their hearts hurt in order to commit to their marriage...They never said the ‘d’ word [divorce] — and they fully committed, fully trusted — even at the risk of themselves. And what happened is they got back the marriage they were longing for.”

I think that there are certain schools of thought regarding marriage that have been normalized today.   And, I believe that the thought that if things don't work out, that a couple can just divorce, is exceedingly harmful in our society.   And, I recognize that there are many in our audience who have experienced the painful breakup of a marriage, so it is a sensitive subject, and I don't want to minimize that excruciating life event.   But I do say that those of us who are married could take a few moments to recommit and reconnect, to remember that we made a vow before God for a lasting marriage, and to recognize that He will give you the strength to work through our areas of pain and conflict, even when hope is fading and the love that you once had may have dissipated.    

We have been discouraged by the singular judges across our nation who have decided that they would like to undo hundreds of years of tradition, compelling sociological research, the democratic vote of the people of numerous states, as well as the Biblical definition of marriage as determined by God Himself, and decide that marriage is not just one-man, one-woman.   This is a disturbing set of circumstances that has been set in motion over the years and reinforced by the Supreme Court last year, allowing a very, very small percentage of the population.  So, we don't minimize that magnamity of these rulings, but these should motivate us to live out our marriages, based on God's Word and infused with love for each other, in a culture that has grown more hostile to the unions that we enjoy.

"I Think You Might Be a Christian"

Ephesians chapter 2 points out to us the purpose that God has for each of our lives, reminding us that He has saved us and set us apart, and desires for us to follow Him daily:
8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,9not of works, lest anyone should boast.10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

On the February 12 edition of The Meeting House, you heard from Antoinette Tuff, a person in whom God was working - He prepared her for a defining moment in her life - she was working in a school office when a heavily armed gunman walked in, intent on doing harm.   She was able to talk to this gentleman and essentially diffused the potentially catastrophic situation.   God has saved us and desires to use us for His unique purposes.   He wants us to do good works that proceed from our relationship into which we've entered by receiving the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.   We have to be ready and willing to reflect His character, daily.

In John 15, Jesus emphasized the call that he placed on the lives of his disciples.  This passage can be a reminder of how God wants to work in our lives.
15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.16You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

The American medal count continues to rise in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and in the women's snowboarding event in what is called the "halfpipe", two Americans won medals:  Kaitlyn Farrington and Kelly Clark.  Kelly, the bronze medalist, has been through this before, having competed in previous games.   She's also a previous guest on The Meeting House, and you can catch that interview here.   She is the author of a book called, Reaching New Heights.

According to a Baptist Press piece from 2010, Kelly grew up in Vermont, and snowboarding became her passion early in life. At age 18, she was competing in her first Olympics in Salt Lake City in the women's halfpipe, garnering the gold medal. She said, "I had every successful thing going for me...I'd won every major snowboard event you could ever dream about winning. I thought that when you are successful, you're happy. From an outside perspective I was living the dream. I had all the success and all the things you could ever dream about. But I found that it wasn't very fulfilling."

In a hotel room during a competition in 2004, Clark wrote in her journal that if this is what life is, she didn't want to do it anymore. Following that declaration, God began to orchestrate events in her life to bring her to himself. After a fellow competitor failed to qualify for the finals of the competition, Clark overheard a conversation when a friend reassuringly, almost in a joking manner, said, "Hey, it's all right. God still loves you." She went back to her hotel room and opened up the Gideon Bible, but didn't know where to start and didn't understand...so she walked down the hall and knocked on her competitor's door.

She said, "My name's Kelly...I think you might be a Christian, and I think you need to tell me about God."

That was the start of a five-month journey in 2004 that led Clark from despair and hopelessness to faith and freedom. She said, "I thought being a Christian was going to church and following rules and all sorts of religious things...But it's about having a relationship with Jesus."

Baptist Press did another piece on Kelly this week, and we get a glimpse on what God has done in her life since that turnaround in 2004.   Now, 10 years later and making her fourth Olympics appearance, Clark has come full circle -- she's now the one that other snowboarders come to for prayer, encouragement and spiritual discussions.

She said, "There is no formula to being a professional snowboarder or to walking with God, for that matter...I can look back at my Olympic experiences, and I've seen how I've grown as an individual, how I've grown in my faith, how I've grown as an athlete. Every four years I get a little snapshot to see how I'm doing."

She's grateful for what God has done in her life.

"It's very easy in the world of competitive sports to be defined by what you do," Clark said. "I found that God's really into what's in your heart. He just wants your heart. It's been a great privilege to pursue my dreams and pursue God at the same time."

And, she has developed a sense of generosity. Four years ago, she started the Kelly Clark Foundation to help others compete in the sport that she loves so much. She said, "As a competitive athlete, sometimes you're required to prioritize yourself and think about yourself all the time...I thought it might be better if I didn't spend so much time thinking about myself. That's kind of where my inspiration came from to start the foundation."

Kelly's story is a reminder about how God meets us at the point of our need.   She was despondent, ready to check out on life, it seems, but she took a step toward the Lord, and he met her there.   You can see the way that He was drawing her, giving her that sense of something greater, arranging for her to hear that conversation, using the Gideon Bible in her room, and prompting her to take a few steps down the hall to ask a fellow competitor about the Lord.  And, if that occasion ever arises for you or me, I would trust that we would be equipped to share the right words to lead a person to Christ.

God has a purpose for Kelly, and for each one of us.  She's moved in 10 years from being the person who was desperate for God's presence in her life to someone who is now pointing others to Jesus, someone who has an international platform, who has written a book about her faith journey, and who is demonstrating a sense of generosity by having an impact on other snowboarders. 

But, as she says, Kelly is not defined by what she does.  She is pursuing snowboarding dreams, has competed in 4 Olympics, and just won a bronze medal, but she recognizes the true prize in life is to know Jesus and to seek to please Him - that's the most rewarding thing of all for all of us. 

A New Robot and the Value of Life

I think it's important that we remind ourselves that we were created in the image of God, we were carefully constructed in the way He intended.  That's the point of this passage from Psalm 139:
13For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.14I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.15My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.16Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

Aren't you grateful that you were not just placed on this earth like a robot - without the ability to think for ourselves, to make quality choices, to experience emotions, to be able to imagine, to create, and to connect with our Savior?   We can choose to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit - and that's the absolute best place to be - but, we can also choose to be disobedient.  God has created us with free will, it's all part of being human.  And, He has made it possible to begin to experience Him to a greater degree each day, to grow in Him, and to possess a range of emotions that enhance our lives.   We can choose to live in His love, to know His peace, and to worship Him, to worship the Creator, who takes great care of us!   There's only one you, created and ordained by God...we can rejoice in who we are and who He is in us!

You were created in the image of God and you are of great value to Him.  Jesus talked about the worth of a soul and the care of our loving Heavenly Father in Matthew chapter 10:

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.29Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

This week, Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte will be unveiling its new NAO humanoid robot that will be used for faculty and student research into the ethical dilemmas that can arise with the use of advanced technology in everyday life. This will continue the conversation about the intersection of faith and science.

According to a press release on the seminary's website, The NAO (pronounced “now”) humanoid robot is an autonomous, programmable robot developed by Aldebaran Robotics, a French company headquartered in Paris. The robot is 23 inches tall and features a body with 25 degrees of freedom whose key elements are electric motors and actuators. NAO also includes a sensor network with two cameras, four microphones, a sonar rangefinder, two infrared emitters and receivers, one inertial board, nine tactile sensors and eight pressure sensors.

SES’ new NAO robot also features various communication devices, including a voice synthesizer, LED lights and two high-fidelity speakers. NAO robots have never been used at a seminary but have been used in research at other prestigious universities and research labs around the world, including MIT, Tokyo University, USC and Carnegie Mellon. These other top-notch organizations have used the robot for research in topics such as computer science, human-machine interaction and the social sciences. NAO, which has also been used in the education of autistic students, boasts face and object recognition, automatic speech recognition, text-to-speech in seven languages and whole body motion.

The acquisition of the NAO robot will allow students and faculty to conduct research into the ethics of emerging technologies, including robotics, bionics, human enhancement, artificial intelligence, transhumanism and nanotechnology, as well as learn from the many ethical questions that arise as part of these studies, such as, “Should robots do our jobs?” “Should they care for humans in a hospital or nursing home setting?” and “Will care like this take away the human touch and ultimately become a violation of ethics on a human level?”

At SES, Dr. Kevin Staley is the Associate Professor of Theology and will spearhead the NAO robot research. He is an expert in the application of a biblical worldview to moral issues involving advanced technologies.  The unveiling will take place, weather permitting, I guess, on Friday.

In my work, I am surrounded by incredible technology, and am amazed to see how technical advances have improved how radio is done.  The way that we transmit radio signals and the methods by which you receive them involves highly complex components, and now radio can be transmitted to computers through live streaming or on-demand availability and you can even listen to the radio on a smartphone.   In the case of Christian radio, God uses this technology to spread His message.   And, we see that faith and technology are not incompatible when it comes to spiritual growth.

But, technology has its limits.  And, the folks at SES are actually involved in exploring those limitations and the ethical challenges.  They will be exploring the implications of the absence of a human element.  The power of human interaction cannot be underestimated.  And, that's a concern now with social media where you have so many people who are relying on communication tools to build and maintain relationships. The range of human emotions is severely limited when you are relying on technology.  The capability of a robot to think for itself or to make reasoned decisions is quite limited.   There are many concerns when you consider replacing actual humans with the inventions of humans.  

A robot is merely constructed, a human being is made in the image of God.   We have wonderful capabilities - for instance, we have a soul, a mind with incredible potential to create and to make decisions, the ability to connect on deep emotional levels, and the capability to have a relationship with our creator through Jesus Christ.   We are not merely "wound up" by God and placed on this earth to have a mundane existence - we can make choices that will enhance our lives, or that would diminish our quality of life.   We can choose to accept Christ or reject Him - but it's our choice.   And, daily, we can choose to experience God's best in obedience or disobey His principles.  

One further thought:  the NAO robot was designed and carefully crafted by a design team.   It just didn't happen from a pile of parts and gadgets.  Far more, when you consider the intricacies of the human spirit, our souls, including our mental and emotional makeup, our brains, our nervous systems, our circulatory systems, the human hearts - and the makeup of our matter - our DNA molecules, the cells that comprise us, and so on.   Need I say more?  We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God desires for us to experience His fullness. Our makeup, the way we are formed, points to our Creator, who has designed us and made us in His image. You are of inestimable value!