Buying, Selling, and Growing

We are called to be followers of Christ, and recognize the responsibility we have to live and speak in a way that is consistent with His Word. Ephesians 5 says:
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

That is a shapshot of a life that is being lived for Christ and will continue to bear fruit for Him.  We can clearly communicate what God has done in our lives and by so doing, bring honor to His name and show people that He is truly living in our hearts.  We invite people to join us on a spiritual journey, an exciting adventure, as we connect with them where they are spiritually and communicate effectively in love.

+++++

We can open our hearts and open our mouths and allow God's truth to flow through us. In 2nd Corinthians 6, we read:
11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.
12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.

I am now back in Alabama after spending the last four days at the International Christian Retail Show in Cincinnati, but our coverage is certainly not done.  One of the highlights for me, in addition to being able to meet and have conversations with a number of Christian communicators, was to visit the site of the Ark Encounter, which opens next week in Kentucky, about 45 miles away from Cincinnati.   This year, while the Christy Awards were held online rather than at a banquet hall, still the winners were announced at ICRS, and there will be coverage on my radio show about that.

The event brings together retails, authors, publishers, distributors, and others who are devoted to communicating the truth of God's Word.  In addition to a massive exhibit hall area, there were a number of workshops held throughout the convention devoted to a number of subjects that were designed to equip attendees.

Since my primary commitment at ICRS is to gather content for The Meeting House, I generally do not attend special events or seminars.  But, there was coverage of various aspects of the show.  For instance, the CBANews.org website contained an article about overall statistical trends of the Christian retail industry.   Kristen McLean, director of new business development at Nielsen BookScan, spoke, and said that Christian publishing has been growing since 2010, with Christian retail accounting for around 17 percent of category sales.   She spotlighted areas of potential growth, including the area she identified as "professing Christians" - those who are interested in faith but may attend church only rarely, and yet comprise almost a third of consumers.

She said, “In my opinion, the professing Christians are the future of this business,” adding,. “They’re reading a lot of Christian,” though not as much as committed evangelicals—the core CBA store shoppers—who account for 70 percent of sales. “What do they want, how can we engage them and are we packaging our stuff properly for whatever it is they’re looking for in their Christian content?” She said that this group tends to be younger - half of them under 44 years of age, contrasted with the "evangelical core group," of which 70 percent of is 45 and older. McLean also said, “We have to figure out how to connect with these guys and create content that appeals to them...and it makes me ask the question, what does the Christian retail environment of the future look like?”

Last year, Nielsen offered a Christian Book Summit in Nashville, and Carl Kulo, the U.S. market research director at Nielsen Book, highlighted four key consumer segments regarding Christians:

Unengaged: “Chreaster” Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter. They make up 70%-75% of the U.S. population and 39% of the Christian market (in terms of population).

Semi-engaged: These Christians pick-and-choose where to participate. They’re more involved than unengaged Christians but not fully engaged with their faith.

Liturgical: These consumers are mostly Catholic and focused on their parish life.

Engaged: Faith and worship are integral to their lives, and they are heavy Bible readers, representing the bulk of Christian book buyers.

Kulo said, "Understanding these different Christian segments’ habits can help those across the industry better reach their best customers. For example, the biggest purchase influencer for Engaged Christians is TV or TV ads, followed by radio. So author appearances on morning talk shows could prove particularly useful to reach these eager and engaged consumers."

Well, I'm glad to hear that, and of course, I would expand that to an afternoon show...and yes, there is a partnership between Christian radio and the industry devoted to Christian products.  And, the sale of product hopefully can be a sign of a spiritual hunger.

So, we ponder for a moment the importance of customizing truth.  No, I didn't say "compromising" truth.  But, it can be important to know where people are on their spiritual journey so that we can more effectively minister to them.  Jesus modeled that in His earthly ministry - He would speak to large gatherings, and there would be occasions when He took His disciples aside in order to explain more in detail.  And, at times, He would just take a subset of His disciples and confide in them.

We can also be reminded that we are all on a spiritual journey - we are all at different points of that journey, but we all have a story to tell about God's faithfulness.  So, we can be challenged to be communicating truth.  What's your story?  What has God done in Your life?  How are you seeing Him move?  Our testimony consists of how we came to Jesus, and how He is expressing Himself through you.

A Sleeping Shepherd and Swarming Sheep

We have to be careful who or what we follow, and unreliable sources of information or direction can be detrimental to our walk with the Lord. Jesus is totally reliable; we can trust Him. In John 10, Jesus says:
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

We can examine who or what we regard as our authority.  Jesus calls us to be discerning seekers of truth, and He tells us that He is the way, the truth, and the life.  He has given us His principles, and intends for us, as His followers, to live by them.  We can trust Him with our lives because He loves us, He knows what's best for us, and He wants to express His character through us, so that in all things God is glorified.  The life lived for Christ is undoubtedly a reflection to the world of His goodness and truth.

+++++

The Bible warns against spiritual sleepiness, not allowing the lure of the world or the power of sin to delude us from God's best for us. Romans 13 says, referring to walking in God's law of love:
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

There was some news out of Spain recently about a wandering flock of sheep running loose.  The reason: a sleeping shepherd!

This was no small flock, according to a report on the website, The Telegraph.  There were 1,300 sheep. City authorities said that the police were alerted to the presence of the extremely large flock as it attempted to negotiate the streets in the center of the city of Huesca at around 4:30 in the morning - a local resident had called the emergency number.

The sleepy shepherd was supposed to be keeping watch until 7:00, at which time he was supposed to guide the sheep through Huesca towards the Pyrenean uplands where his flock would be grazing during the summer.  When police found the shepherd, he was still asleep.  Fortunately, he and the police were able to collect the sheep and direct them back to their pastures.

Huesca is located on an ancient herding route, known as a "cañana real."  These routes can be found throughout the country, and one day a year, shepherds actually fill the streets of Madrid with their flocks to commemorate, as the website says, the "herding tradition."

Oh, my, this story is chock full of spiritual analogies.  Of course, the obvious deals with the curious case of the sleeping shepherd, who shirked his responsibility.  Now, the Bible generally refers to shepherds in the pastoral sense, but I would contend that anyone with responsibility needs to take that responsibility seriously.  If there is an assignment God has given you, don't fall asleep or go into a slumber - literally or spiritually.   Lead the people over whom you have been given authority and don't allow distraction or complacency to put you in a state of being less than your best.

The sheep are obviously dependent on their shepherd, and this throng of 1,300 was no exception. They were, as the hymn says, "prone to wander."  And aren't we?  That's why we need to submit to reliable authority and direction for our lives.   Jesus referred to Himself as the "good shepherd," and we can depend on Him to provide the wisdom we need as we follow Him wholeheartedly.  We can place the Scriptures in a position of authority and guidance for us.

Finally, the Bible tells us that the time has come to awaken from sleep.  Believers are called to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who will energize us to walk in the will of God.   There are influences that can place us in a state of being "asleep," in a sense, but we are called to be alert - watching, waiting, listening, discerning - we can pray, calling out to God and be attuned to His response.

Absolutely

We have a strong foundation upon Whom we can rely, Who has given us His truth upon which we can build our lives and hold fast to in a shifting culture. 1st Peter 2 says:
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone..."

Strong, reliable, unchanging - those are some words that come to mind for me when I consider Jesus as our cornerstone.  He provides indisputable truth that we can trust in no matter what circumstances or cultural shifts we may encounter.  When we are weak, He is strong.  When we are tempted, we can be steadfast in Him.  He provides the total authority for our lives, and His truth is absolute truth, not determined by human knowledge or ingenuity, but by the breath of God.

+++++

In Psalm 18, we read the words of David, who wrote about God, who was his rock even in shifting circumstances:
(1b) I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Last week, on Survey Thursday, I cited a Gallup survey in which respondents indicated they thought that the nation's moral values were declining.  In relation to that, I questioned how moral values are determined.

A new Barna Group survey sheds some light into questions of morality and absolute truth.  In this survey, 8-in-10 people overall expressed concern about the nation's moral condition, including 3/4 of Millennials.

This survey dug a bit deeper with respect to the source of morality.  For over half (57%) of these American adults, according to the survey summary, "knowing what is right or wrong is a matter of personal experience. This view is much more prevalent among younger generations than among older adults. Three-quarters of Millennials (74%) agree strongly or somewhat with the statement, 'Whatever is right for your life or works best for you is the only truth you can know,' compared to only 38 percent of Elders."

And, 41% of practicing Christians agree that knowing what is right and wrong is a matter of personal experience, 59% disagree.

About two-thirds of those surveyed agreed either strongly or somewhat that “every culture must determine what is acceptable morality for its people.”

With respect to the role of the Bible in determining morality, 59% of respondents agree that “the Bible provides us with absolute moral truths which are the same for all people in all situations, without exception." 83% of practicing Christians agree.

35% of those surveyed believe that moral truth is absolute - and 59% of practicing Christians state that belief.

The summary quotes Barna Group President David Kinnaman, writes in the book, Good Faith: Being a Christian When Society Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme: “There is a tremendous amount of individualism in today’s society, and that’s reflected in the church too. Millions of Christians have grafted New Age dogma onto their spiritual person. When we peel back the layers, we find that many Christians are using the way of Jesus to pursue the way of self. . . . While we wring our hands about secularism spreading through culture, a majority of churchgoing Christians have embraced corrupt, me-centered theology."

He also writes, "So, there appears to be a dichotomy at work among practicing Christians in America," adding, "Most believe that the Bible is the source of moral norms that transcend a person’s culture, and that those moral truths are absolute rather than relative to circumstances. Yet, at the same time, solid majorities ascribe to five of the six tenets of the new moral code."

Kinnaman says that this dichotomy "represents an opportunity for leaders and mentors who are prepared to coach people—especially young people—toward deeper wisdom and greater discernment."

The summary opens by saying, "Christian morality is being ushered out of American social structures and off the cultural main stage, leaving a vacuum in its place—and the broader culture is attempting to fill the void."

Self-determined morality - that is what we're talking about here.  It is dangerous - and all too common.  The takeaways from this story are all too obvious.  While Christians seemingly like to say, "I believe the Bible" - you can also add, "cover-to-cover," truth is that many have bought into the whims of the culture and are embracing moral values that are determined not by what God's Word says, but what they think and feel.

So, we get back to the question about what determines our values.  If our lives are built on the foundation of Biblical truth, then we can be convinced that those bedrock principles will not change no matter what circumstances we encounter or what cultural shifts we observe.  And, there will be change, no doubt - we have to determine how we will navigate it - we can be challenged to hold on to those reliable truths that the Lord has taught us or to buy in to the philosophy of self that is unreliable.  And, we do well to pre-determine, as best we can, how we will respond in the face of influences that will attempt to counter or at least alter our deeply held Christian beliefs.

Caffeinated

The Bible contains a powerful principle called sowing and reaping, and Galatians 6 offers some insight into it:
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

We can be challenged to make sure that we are sowing to the Spirit - what does that mean?  Well, I contend that means to embrace the principles of Scripture, recognizing them as absolute truth for ourselves and for others.  If we are convinced of that, then we make decisions and take actions based on those truths.  God's Word provides a roadmap for our lives - He is full of wisdom that He wants to share with us...that wisdom is contained within His Word and is brought to light by the Holy Spirit.

+++++

We can look to God as our provider, and we can present the transformative power of God to people who are suffering in various ways, including financially. 2nd Corinthians 9 says:
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God...

The gospel - and coffee - have worked to bring change to a village in Thailand, among the Mien tribe.

Back in the 60's, according to a piece on the Mission Network News website, the village was at the center of opium production in the nation.  Around the same time the government stopped the production, which was the village's main source of income, the ministry of FARMS International began to share the gospel.

A church was planted, which has now grown to 100 members.  And, that's not all that has grown. The villagers have realized that their climate is conducive for the growth of coffee crops.  To help facilitate the growth of these crops, FARMS has provided interest-free loans to the villages.  So, as the story points out, the "loan holders have a real change to pay the loan back. And, they are given with the understanding that after the loan is paid back, the recipient will tithe from their profit."

Joe Richter of FARMS is quoted by Mission Network News, saying that FARMS, “has always had a biblical approach to alleviating poverty and using a loan program has been a very effective way of approaching this problem."

Through the loan program and the revenue from coffee, a deaf family is hoping to obtain special resources and send a son to school in another city; others are repairing roofs, buying vehicles, or sending kids to higher education institutions.  Richter says, that the loan program..."increases their self-worth and their dignity, and it also encourages them in really understanding the Lordship of Jesus Christ,." He adds, "It also benefits the church in tremendously—increasing the tithing to the local church and it also increases outreach from those churches to other villages in the area."

What a great, creative instrument for transformation.  A few thoughts relative to the story.  First of all, the plan starts with the gospel and is centered on the gospel.  When God's Word is applied to a situation, the desired fruit will come - not according to selfish, worldly desires, but according to God's desires.  It's not a matter of coming up with a plan and asking God to bless it, but to allow Him to provide the vision, the framework, and the execution.

Another note, and why I really am a fan of micro-financing - the way out of poverty is not just a handout.  The government's "war on poverty," as it has been said, has spent an enormous amount of money trying to alleviate poverty, with questionable results.  According to the Heritage Foundation, since the declaration by President Johnson of a "War on Poverty:"

In the 50 years since that time, U.S. taxpayers have spent over $22 trillion on anti-poverty programs. Adjusted for inflation, this spending (which does not include Social Security or Medicare) is three times the cost of all U.S. military wars since the American Revolution. Yet progress against poverty, as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau, has been minimal, and in terms of President Johnson’s main goal of reducing the “causes” rather than the mere “consequences” of poverty, the War on Poverty has failed completely. In fact, a significant portion of the population is now less capable of self-sufficiency than it was when the War on Poverty began.

I believe that the approach to societal problems is more than monetary - sure, money is a component, but ultimately hearts have to be changed, people have to have hope, and Biblical principles have to be applied.  Dollars that are invested can be seen as tools to empower people to do ministry. People of faith can walk beside those in need to help to provide them with the right mindset to walk in spiritual and financial freedom. 

Picture This

Psalm 119 is devoted to shaping our view of God's Word, underscoring its authority and content. We read:
16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.

We need all the tools that we can get our hands - and our ears and eyes - on in order to make the Word of God part of us.  There are numerous influences that can serve to keep our minds on a myriad of other things, and that can challenge us to make the Bible and the study of Scripture a priority.  His Word gives life to us, and we can certainly discover, as the Psalmist puts it, "Wondrous things!"  In God's Word are treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and God offers them to us as we set aside the pull of the world and concentrate on Him.

+++++

I want to concentrate here on one verse from 2nd Timothy chapter 2, encouraging us to take the proper approach to the truth of God's Word:
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In addition to the assortment of Bible translations and what might be termed to be paraphrases, enter another player into the world of Bible accessibility: "Bible Emoji," subtitled, "Scripture for Millenials" (that's how they spell it - with one "n").  According to Christianity Today, this is a King James Version with 10 to 15 percent of the text swapped for emojis; with about one or two symbols appearing in each verse.

The story says that a translator program substituted 80 icons directly representing 200 different words in the text; for instance; a tree for a tree, water droplets for rain, and a smiley face emoji with a halo for God. It is also written in all lowercase and makes some, as the article says, “text-friendly substitutions,” like changing “and” to the ampersand.

CT points out that:

Especially in the past year, emojis have become a huge cultural force, with billions of the tiny icons texted and tweeted across the globe. The “face with tears of joy” emoji was declared 2015’s word of the year.

This iconic shorthand also gets incorporated into Christian expression. Emoji appear in about 3 percent of Bible verse tweets without images and about 13 percent of Bible verses tweets with images, according to analysis of the “emojipocalypse” by Stephen Smith at OpenBible.info.  Popular emojis accompanying Bible verses—often as reaction, rather than transliteration—include prayer hands (No. 1), praise hands (No. 3), hearts, an open book, a pointed finger, an angel, and fire.

The Daily Mail website featured some comments from the "translator," who told The Memo: "You start with emojis that are really common — for instance, the earth emoji can mean earth, world, or planet." He said, "I've received a lot of tweets, some very nice some very, not nice."  But, he added: "But it's all worth the goal of making the Bible a little more approachable, to inject some levity, and to get people to look at it, with no particular agenda beyond that."

The article also points out that users can themselves translate phrases from the religious book on a website. The address is www.bibleemoji.com. The site says: "enter ur fave Bible verse on the left" and that "emoji awesomeness appears on the right."

The Christianity Today website says that this new emoji version follows other lighthearted 21st-century translations such as the LOLCat Bible and the Lego Brick Bible.

But, can you take it seriously?  One thing I can say, you could say it is a way to access the Bible in a more lighthearted way, and the exposure to God's Word can obviously be positive...after all, His Word will not return void, right?

But, the concept of the translation seems to lack seriousness.  In a quest to do something different with the Bible, one has to make sure that he or she doesn't undercut the authority of the Bible - yes, these are God's words, and I would contend that perhaps they should be treated with more reverence.

All across our land, churches are attempting to reach children through the fun and effective device known as Vacation Bible School.  And, there is a high degree of fun that takes place during that week, as children learn more about God, His Word, and the stories contained within it.  It's fun with a purpose!  But, is there a spiritual purpose for an emoji Bible translation?  One could say that it is fun for fun's sake, fun for trendiness, and we have to be careful that we're approaching the Bible with the right spirit.

But, for a millennial with no experience with Scripture, this new "translation" could be an entry-level way for him or her to be exposed to the Bible, and hopefully to be inspired to go deeper.  We should be striving for spiritual depth, digging deeply into the truths of Scriptures, so that we may apply them accurately and effectively into our lives.

Taking the Mantle

In 1st Chronicles chapter 12, we read about the men who assisted David in his struggle against King
Saul:
21 And they helped David against the bands of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army.
22 For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, like the army of God.
23 Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord:

There is a list found there and in verse 32, we see listed:

32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command...

There were many who came to David's aid, who were bold and courageous and stood with him. Numbered among them were those men of understanding, from the tribe of Issachar, the ones who understood the times.  We can be challenged to be discerning, to understand the challenges that we face today, and see that there is a Biblical perspective that can be applied to current events, and that God will use us as we dare stand in His wisdom and His strength.  

+++++

In Psalm 33, we can read some words about the sovereignty of God, Who takes great interest in the
direction and decisions of nations:
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

As I have continued to report, Franklin Graham is criss-crossing the country in the Decision America Tour 2016, eventually holding prayer meetings at state capitals in all 50 states.   He provides a number of cornerstone messages, including praying for our nation and praying for repentance, the importance of voting, and...the prospect of Christian people running for office.   Graham was in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota last week and will travel to Oregon, Washington, and Alaska next week.

While it's not apparent whether or not they are inspired by Mr. Graham, there are more than 200 pastors who have made the bold step of running for political office, according to CBN News, which ran a story on some of their efforts.

One of the pastors highlighted is Rob McCoy of Calvary Chapel, who decided to run for City Council in Thousand Oaks, California. He explained: "I'm in exile in my own state and my own nation and this is a directive that God gave me, praying for the peace of the city locally." In the CBN News piece, McCoy invoked the Biblical story of Shammah, whose job was to defend a small lentil bean patch against the Philistines. McCoy said, "You can change the city council. You can change the school board. You can make a difference right where you are. You can affect your schools; you can affect your sports teams. You have the ability to affect your Kiwanis, your rotary. Change your bean patch. Quit whining."

The article says:

Charlotte pastor Mark Harris is running for Congress in North Carolina. Others, like Oklahoma pastor Paul Blair, are starting at the state level. Many of them are seeking help to get started.

The American Renewal Project holds "Issachar Training Sessions" across the country. In the Old Testament, the men of Issachar understood the serious times they lived in and took action for Israel.

California Assemblywoman Shannon Grove told CBN News: "I want you to know that it doesn't take experience; it doesn't take qualifications. God will call you and if you are called, He will qualify you." Grove posed the question, "Do you think that if people on your deacon board or pastoral board were serving on the school board that you would be discussing same-sex bathrooms?"

U.S. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma spent 15 years in the Southern Baptist ministry before running for Congress. He said, "While some people try and paint it as extraordinary, it's not. It's actually a very normal American thing – people who love our country and who love God and love other people to get engaged in the political process. I'm excited it's happening. It should be a conversation that's bubbling up around the country."

Well, God may not be calling you to run for office, but then on the other hand, He may be.  We have an important responsibility to obey the call of God, and to recognize that He has specific duties for you to do at particular times, so that His Kingdom may be established.  So, consider first of all, how God can possibly use you.

We can also think together about the nature of the political system and how it would change if Godly people took the initiative to seek political office.   What if Godly men and women were in the position to speak truth to power and to even take the power of a governmental office and infuse it with the power of God.  In a society that seems to be short of solutions, the Bible offers credible and workable answers.

Finally, we have to make sure we know ultimately where, or in Whom, our hope lies.  The political system can be a catalyst for change, not the total answer, but God will use people of faith who dare to participate.   If we believe things need to change (and they do), we can rely on God to use His people to help bring about change - in hearts, in systems, and in the direction of our government.

Sentenced

God desires for us to appropriate His wisdom for the decisions we have to make.  In 2nd Chronicles
chapter 1, we read about a conversation that God had with King Solomon:
7 On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask! What shall I give you?"
8 And Solomon said to God: "You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place.
9 Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?"

He is regarded as the wisest man who ever lived - and here, we see why.  God gave Solomon an open invitation to ask for anything, and he requested wisdom.  The Bible tells us in James that if anyone lacks wisdom, that person should ask of God.  God provides wisdom to us in His Word, so that we can conform to His will.  Through our exposure to the truth, we can find the keys to knowing Him and knowing His ways.  It is so critical that we make the pursuit of Biblical truth a priority in our lives.

+++++

In Proverbs chapter 8, we see the personification of the entity of wisdom; i.e. wisdom is speaking
here. We read:
12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.

Judge William Mallory sits on the bench in the Cincinnati area and has attained quite a reputation for "creative" sentencing, as we might say.

And, the sentence he meted out to 23-year-old Jake Strotman would certainly fit the category. According to Cincinnati.com, Strotman had attended a hockey game with some buddies and there had been some alcohol consumption. He approached a group of Baptist street preachers and Jake said he "gave them my two-cents worth."

He is quoted as saying, "They were telling me I was going to hell..." He continued, "I was asking them: 'Why do you think you can condemn people?' I didn't understand why they thought they could judge me."

Well someone else, according to Strotman, then, as he put it, "started going off like a ball of fire." This was followed by screaming, threats, the breaking of a camera, a push and a shove, and as the newspaper said, "the fray was on."  Strotman ended up at the bottom of a pile - he pushed himself up with one hand and planted his other one on the face of preacher Joshua Johnson, near his glasses, which cut him.  Strotman was charged with low-level assault.

Now, back to Judge Mallory - in court, he expressed a reluctance to send Jake to jail, so he said he was open to suggestions.  Strotman gave him one: "Your honor, if I may, I would be more than happy to serve a church of your choosing." The Judge said to Johnson, "So for his penance, what if I make him go to your church a number of Sunday services?" The deal was done: Strotman's sentence was to attend 12 consecutive Sunday services at Morning Star Baptist Church. He was ordered to attend each entire 90-minute service. He must get the weekly program signed by the minister.   Strotman is a Catholic.  He also paid some court fees and attorney's fees.

Strotman is quoted as saying: "I think it's a nice example of hearing people out instead of getting angry and jumping to conclusions," adding, "I'm going to listen with both my ears and keep my mouth shut...''

Got to hand it to the judge, although he gave seemingly a bit of tepid rebuke to the street preachers for being overly aggressive, it seems.  But, he also declared that he was a man of faith.  The judge is an example of someone who was willing to set aside the boilerplate and craft a new direction.  We may be placed in situations requiring "out-of-the-box" thinking - well, God can take us outside that box and show us ways that are beyond human understanding.   He is the source of wisdom.

Also, Strotman's sentence, well, he might just get some godly wisdom out of it.  The Bible reminds us that God's Word, will not return void.  What Jake heard on the street, and what he will hear in the church, are instances of the proclamation of God's truth.  We never know how God's Word is registering on the human soul, and perhaps those seeds - from our mouths or the mouths of others - can have the lasting effect of bearing fruit for the glory of God.

Whose Values?

We can examine our deeply-held beliefs, our guiding principles, and make sure that those are shaped by the Word of God.   The love of the world, or the things of this world, can get us off track, and 1st Timothy 6 offers this exhortation:
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

This is a picture of a life that is dedicated to doing the work of the Lord, whose values are conformed to God's standards.  If we are devoted to Christ, then we have access to the tools to build our lives on a firm foundation, that provides us with stability for the days to come - and those days may be difficult or challenging, but He gives us the strength and perspective to endure.  What we believe, what we "value," our moral standards, if they are consistent with the Scriptures, can anchor us.

+++++

When someone talks about "morality," which involves the concept of right or wrong, those standards need to be based on something, and it should not be subjective, based on human understanding. 2nd Timothy 3 says:
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

A Gallup poll from last month indicates that Americans remain far more likely to say the state of moral values in the U.S. is getting worse than to say it is getting better - of those surveyed, 73% say the state of moral values is getting worse, only 20% say it is getting better. In fact, the summary states that over 15 years, "solid majorities have consistently viewed the direction of the country's values negatively, ranging from 67% in 2002 and 2003 to 82% in 2007."

Overall, 43% of U.S. adults describe the current state of moral values as "poor," with 36% saying that it is "only fair". Only 18% say that the state of moral values is "excellent" or "good."

And, the poll indicates that Republicans and those who lean that way seem to take a dimmer view of the values of the nation. The summary says, "Platform issues on moral values are frequently espoused by Republican candidates for office at all levels of U.S. government, so it may come as little surprise that those who identify as or lean Republican have a heightened sensitivity to the state of the nation's moral fabric. But a majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, too, say the state of moral values is declining."

But what are those values, you may ask?  Americans are most likely to say they see a decline in U.S. standards and a lack of respect for one another, as well as poor values instilled by parents and reflected among government officials.  Also, the summary linked to an article analyzing a 2010 survey, which indicated that improvement in values could be seen with regard to "a better understanding of people from different backgrounds and cultures -- including a decline in racism -- as well as Americans pulling together in tough times and helping those in need."

While the summary is rather vague, it does provide us an opportunity to take a moment to reflect on our collective morality as a nation.  An overwhelming majority may indicate that what are called "values" are declining, but if one's "true north" on the moral compass is pointing toward a liberalization of social ideals, then one might not be satisfied unless our moral standards are loosened in a direction that contradicts the principles of the Scriptures that have been largely embraced for decades and centuries.

So, we as believers have to be careful that our moral values are defined in the Scriptures.  Even though a leader or high-profile celebrity might say that an act violates "our values," we have to recognize those values that person embraces may be different than our own.   There does seem to be a struggle in the area of what the poll terms, "U.S. standards."  The Bible gives us reliable measures of what our morality - individually and collectively - should be.

There are a host of positions on issues that can reflect our collective morality and "values."  But, we have to remember that morality should not be subjective - it has to be based on something.  And, human understanding is a most unreliable source.  God's Word gives us a solid foundation upon which to base our value system.   His teachings provide us a "true north" in our pursuit of moral values.

On a Napkin

Proverbs 16 instructs us about using well-chosen, encouraging words:
23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Jesus taught that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  So, our words can be indicators of the attitudes of our hearts.  So, are we people who are given to complaining or criticism?   Do our words communicate life, light, and hope, or do they convey a sense of darkness or even contradict Scripture?   Words are powerful tools that can exhort someone or to wound another person.  So, we can check our hearts and ask God to transform our attitudes, so that the words we speak reflect a gracious spirit.

+++++

We are called to be people who build up and not tear down, who speak the truth and do that in love.
Ephesians 4 says:
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

Lives can be touched and perspectives can be changed through the communication of encouraging messages.  From Sophie Hudson's Twitter feed, @boomama, I learned about Billy Ivey and a way in which he is involved to raise the spirits of children.

He tells the story:

Late last year, I began posting the lunch box notes I write to my kids every morning to Instagram. A couple of weeks later, Napkinisms kind of went viral. People started liking, sharing, posting, commenting, and even creating messages of their own and posting them to my page. To date, hundreds of thousands of people have now seen and shared "Napkinisms," and momentum continues to build around this silly idea...

So, basically we're talking a simple message written on a napkin.  For instance, a message that he linked to from Twitter at @wrivey earlier this week said, "There are 1,440 minutes in every day.  Pick one, and do something amazing."  This is one of messages being shared with kids through the Chick-Fil-A Foundation.

On his website, Napkinisms.com, Billy shares why he thinks that the effort has gained momentum. He says, it's "because people like to smile. Everyone needs to be encouraged and inspired and reminded of moments in their lives when someone took the time to brighten their day, and these more often than not ridiculous notes have hit on a universal need we all have to feel special - if only for a moment."

Ivey writes:

So, what's next for Napkinisms? That's where you come in. Through this site, you can now create insightful, funny, or flat-out-silly and smile-inducing messages that will be scribbled on a napkin (by me) and put in kids' lunches every week this summer by the Chick-fil-A Foundation and Action Ministries. Please take a look around and consider submitting a message to share.

Action Ministries is a Georgia-based ministry involved in helping to lead people out of poverty.  The Chick-fil-A Foundation is devoted to positively influencing youth in communities through a variety of initiatives.

So, what do we take away from this story.   First of all, you have an opportunity to serve, and contribute to Billy's writer's cramp!  That is amazing that he is handwriting those notes on napkins to bring a smile or encouragement to a child.  This is yet another example of a creative person behaving creatively.  For the Christian, each of us can be challenged to exercise our gifts and our skills for the glory of God.

And, I think that simple messages can have a profound impact.  People are thinking about how to place a message within the space of a napkin.  It's not the abundance of words that can lift up someone's spirit, but the meaning of those words.  And, the creative way in which they are being communicated reinforces that message.

Finally, we can think about the power of sacrifice.   Billy Ivey and his contributors are taking moments to touch another life.  It's more than just checking a box or writing a check.  It's thinking about what needs to be said - and saying it.  Time, and how that time is used, are great gifts that can be used for His glory.  You've only got 1,440 minutes every day - maybe you can take one...or more...to attempt to impact someone else.

Motive

We are charged as believers to live out the gospel to the world and to proclaim God's truth.  Psalm 96 says:
2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

This is that season during which there is a great proliferation of gospel ministry.  Children are learning about Jesus in Vacation Bible Schools all around our region.  Churches will offer summer missions opportunities at home and abroad.   Serving at a summer camp like next week's Alabama Family Retreat or a WinShape Camp, provide unique service options.  And, every day, we have a chance to live our lives and to shine our light for Christ - in the interactions we encounter.  There will be Christian believers serving in Orlando in the aftermath of the tragedy there.  The gospel is powerful and quite frankly, necessary to provide hope and redemption in this fallen world.

+++++

Jesus died for all, and there are opportunities all around the world for people to come to know Him.
Romans 10 provides a great inspiring passage about doing the work of missions:
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Yesterday on The Meeting House, I featured a noted spokesman on behalf of missions, embracing the concept of growth through service.   And, I believe we do have spiritual growth potential as we exercise our faith and love others as an outgrowth of our love for God.  I also featured a report from someone actually on the mission field in the Dominican Republic.  I've been thrilled to present reports from France, Ukraine, and Moldova over the past month.  Thank God for technology!

Routinely, our ministry team at Faith Radio prays for groups of people who are on mission in various parts of the world.  And, summer is a time in which young people are involved in service.

There were two young ladies recently who started a satirical Instagram account called "Barbie Savior" that attracted quite a bit of attention.  It has 104,000 followers, and in the description, it says: "Jesus. Adventures. Africa. Two worlds. One love. Babies. Beauty. Not qualified. Called. 20 years young. It's not about me...but it kind of is."  And, yes, it does feature dolls in various situations on the mission field.

According to a story on the WORLD Magazine website, the two anonymous twenty-something creators—who say they formerly shared Barbie’s “white savior complex”—wanted to spur self-absorbed millennials to think about their motives for volunteering. The creators told the Huffington Post that “It really just started as a joke between us, a way to get some of these things off of our chest,” adding, “It’s hard to pinpoint the irony at times in real life … the wildly self-centered person veiled as the self-sacrificing saint.”

Ron Thomas used to train inexperienced college-age volunteers and interns for Mission to the World (MTW) and said the satire is insightful. He said, “It’s kind of funny and you can laugh at it, but it’s kind of sad because it can be true in some cases,” adding, “It could be a helpful tool in training. Humor is a way of addressing sensitive issues in a non-threatening way.”  He said he doesn't remember training any "Barbie saviors" but he does recognize that even a genuine desire to serve can be sidetracked when missionaries focus more on tweeting than learning from their hosts and team. He advises volunteers to have a humble attitude and not to assume they can fix everything,

A piece on the Christian Today website offers 4 things to be learned from this online creation:

1) There is only one world
2) Documenting your selfless acts all over social media kind of defeats the point
3) It's possible to be more of a hindrance than a help
4) It's important to remind yourself that it's not about you.

Now, the second one bothered me just a bit, because we do see photos from missions trips, which can serve as an effective way to document what God is doing.  The author elaborated on all four points, including that one:

Of course social media is a great way to raise awareness for causes but there comes a point where the intent shifts from doing it to shine a light on the realities faced by some of the world's poorest people to doing it so that people build up a particular idea of what kind of person you are.

So, let's think together about the word, motive.  Do you do what you do in order that others will see you do it and glorify you?  Or do you do what you do so that others will see Jesus in you and glorify Him?

Perhaps you serve because you know it's right, but it's not from the heart...or maybe you're following the crowd - I wouldn't discourage those type of service, because God will perhaps touch your heart and give you a fresh love for His work.   But, ultimately, we have to come to grips with our motivation, and recognize that our reasons why can determine or be a detriment to our ministry.

Barbie Savior is a thought-provoking tool, and you really don't know a lot about the two ladies who are involved.  But, she certainly could use a dose of humility, because she is apparently one to look down at the people she is attempting to serve, rather than bowing before God and submitting herself to others.   We remember that Jesus humbled Himself, giving His life for us, so that we, by giving our lives to Him, can give to others with the right heart.

Massacre in Orlando

In the circumstances of life, even in tragedy and loss, we can be faithful to share the love of Christ. 2nd Corinthians 6 says:
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left...

Loss can generate a host of emotions - and we can be assured that Christ will meet us in our deepest times of sorrow and grief, providing comfort to our hearts.  When we are feeling unloved, we can press in to the love of Christ and experience His healing and restoration.   And, when lives have been taken by another, perhaps even in an act of terror, we can rely on the Scripture that tells us that perfect love casts our fear.  God's love is present with us and will sustain us in our darkest moments.

+++++

In the aftermath of a tragedy, the hope of Jesus is available.  We are called to be conduits of the love
of God. In 1st John 4, we read:
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The response of a nation continued to be expressed about the tragedy at a nightclub in Orlando throughout the day yesterday.   The Orlando Sentinel reported that inside Pulse nightclub Sunday morning, "The first shots sounded about 2 a.m. as Mateen exchanged gunfire with an Orlando police officer. Mateen, armed with an assault rifle and a pistol, then ran further inside the club and started shooting into the crowd.

The article went on to say, "Witnesses said Mateen aimed at people, who dropped to the ground. For the next three hours, law enforcement and SWAT members worked to rescue hostages from inside the club." The newspaper website reports that the process of identifying victims continued overnight.  It appears that around 50 people were killed and 53 were injured in what has been referred to as the nation's largest mass shooting and the largest terrorist attack since 9/11.

Fox News cited a Reuters report that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack Sunday afternoon via its Amaq news agency. Amaq said an "Islamic State fighter" carried out the assault. It was not clear, however, if the shooting was actually directed by the terror group or only inspired by it.  Fox explored Mateen's ties to radical Islam.  Mateen was reportedly enrolled in a online seminary based in Orlando run by a former gang leader and bank robber who was released last year and a bodyguard to the Blind Shiek who carried out the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

1) Even though the news media played up the fact that the tragedy took place in a "gay" nightclub, we exercise sympathy for the victims because of their worth as creations of God, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Michael Brown, writing at The Stream, said:

A Christian colleague of mine posted on Twitter, “Just read reports of the act of terrorism at the night club in #Orlando. I’m so grieved by this. Come Jesus.” Someone responded, “Your work creates a culture that dehumanizes us. That makes it easier for people to kill us. Don’t grieve, repent.”

You can expect comments much more intense than this in the coming days from political leaders, journalists, social media experts and entertainers, as if Christians who renounce violence but who teach that homosexual practice is sinful in God’s sight were complicit in the slaughter of men and women in a gay bar.

 He later wrote, "Our words must be guided by truth and love."

2) I don't think you will find a Bible-believing Christian who would rejoice that dozens of people, presumably gay people, died in a massacre at a nightclub.   Islamic State is taking credit and reveling in the brutal activity.

Brown continued:

Not surprisingly, someone posted on my Facebook page, “I blame YOU and people like you for the tragedy in Orlando. As of now, 50 people are dead, 53 injured, including at least one police officer, due to homophobia. And you, and your ilk spreading your messages of hate daily directly contribute to senseless tragedies like this. … SHAME ON YOU!”

I responded, “You’re attacking the wrong person. I get death threats and death wishes on a regular basis from the LGBT community, but I will continue to preach the love of God.”

No, people died because of hatred in a man's heart, hatred that was apparently stoked by radical Islam.  His hatred for people stirred him.  It is unbiblical for Christians to "hate" anyone, even people who are homosexuals.  Our desire should be to see them encounter the radical love of Jesus Christ. Now, that doesn't mean we should be in favor of allowing granting special considerations to people who practice it or other forms of behavior that the Bible calls sinful.

3) This incident highlights a key difference between Christians, who teach that a homosexual can experience freedom in Jesus Christ, and radical Muslims, who believe that homosexuality is punishable by death; Christianity .  Christians should want to win those with whom we disagree, in a compassionate way.  Terrorists are intent on killing the person with whom they disagree.

This is a critical difference.  We serve a God of love, who sent His Son to die and to rise again, so that people might have a relationship with Him.   We desire to promote life to all who call upon the name of the Lord, not to promote a culture of death that punishes disagreement.

4) This was an act of terrorism, and it illustrates the mode of operation of radical Islam, which teaches to take life in order to please Allah.

Brown points out that:

At Muhammad Ali’s funeral service, leftist rabbi Michael Lerner said, “We will not tolerate politicians or anyone else putting down Muslims and blaming Muslims for the actions of a few people.”

A few people, as in perhaps 200-300 million Muslims worldwide who are sympathetic to radical Islam? A few people, as in the few responsible for the 28,576 deadly Islamic terror attacks since 9/11, including 60 in the first 7 days of Ramadan, resulting in 472 deaths?

But, he point out that our response should be measured, because "there are plenty of peace-loving Muslims in America who are not only appalled at this violence but who now fear for their own lives."

5) But, Muslims are also created by God, and we should regard even radical terrorists as those who need to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Jesus died for all - regardless of race, cultural background, religion, or even sexual orientation.  He wants people to experience Him and follow Him, so that they might live in freedom, peace, and love.

Finite

In Hebrews 9, we read about themes of death and redemption, and the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for us. We pick up in verse 26:
(26) now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

We have a finite number of days here on this earth, and the Lord has placed us here with a purpose, expecting us to exercise responsible stewardship over the incredible gift of life.  And, our eternal destiny is determined by the choice we make here on earth - whether or not we accept Jesus Christ. We have the promise of eternal life with Him if we accept the sacrifice He made on the cross.  Death is certain for all of us, and its prospect is something that we should not ignore.

+++++

Because we are believers in Christ, we have the promise of a life eternally with Him, and 2nd
Corinthians 5 reinforces that spiritual fact:
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,

Well, there was a piece of sad news that came across the National Football League's Twitter account earlier this week.  USA TODAY reported that a tweet appeared on the NFL's account that said, “We regret to inform our fans that our commissioner, Roger Goodell, has passed away. He was 57. #RIP.”

The website states that NFL spokesmen said the league’s official Twitter account was hacked Tuesday morning when it tweeted out an erroneous statement that the commissioner had died.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told USA TODAY in an email, “Not true. Hacked.”  Another spokesman, Brian McCarthy confirmed that Goodell was still alive.

The article says that a group had been identified as being responsible, and the NFL said that law enforcement had been engaged.  

Now, the story gets a bit sadder.  One of USA TODAY's sports columnists, Nancy Armour, wrote this:

The best measure of a person is the reaction when he or she dies.

In that case Roger Goodell, you’ve got some work to do.

Now, the NFL commissioner was only “dead” for a few minutes Tuesday, not long enough for the heartfelt tributes and praise to start pouring in. And maybe the dark humor shown over his “demise” –his Wikipedia page was briefly changed and the cause of death listed as “deflated lungs” – was because people knew he wasn’t, in fact, dead.

Listen to this...more from Armour:

Goodell’s near-death experience played out on Twitter, and social media is often the Internet equivalent of a sixth-grade classroom left unsupervised after inhaling Pixy Stix. People say stupid, mean and tasteless things on a regular basis.

Even trolls have their limits, though, and the death of someone famous tends to bring about at least some semblance of civility. Look at the outpouring of love and admiration in recent days for Muhammad Ali. Bet you didn’t know how many of your friends were Prince fans until they started posting lyrics and quoting Purple Rain following his death in April.

But, the USA TODAY columnist was not finished.

Goodell is almost universally disliked by NFL fans and, not to speak ill of the “dead,” it’s largely his own doing. Concussions, domestic violence, Deflategate, player discipline – he’s been a case study in bad public relations.

Not that he cares. When he was booed at the NFL Draft in April, Goodell laughed and raised his arms in the universal “Bring it on” sign.

But it’s one thing to be booed at the draft and quite another to watch people dancing on your (virtual) grave.

What was Roger Goodell doing the day he "died?"  According to the column, he had tweeted out that he was playing golf with Jim Kelly. (He was participating in the NFL Hall of Famer's celebrity golf tournament.)

Agree or disagree about the commissioner's effectiveness - after all, the NFL does enjoy an incredible amount of popularity - there was certainly some dark humor at Goodell's expense, it seems, ranging from references to Deflategate to concussions.

I had a few thoughts about this strange turn of events.  The first one had to deal with the stewardship of the days that we have here on earth.  We have been granted a number of years, we've been given a life, and we can examine how well we are living for Christ and reflecting His nature.  And, one of the tests of our effectiveness, which we can never alter, is how we are regarded once we leave this earth.  We need to make sure that we are living in a manner that brings glory to our Creator and show that we are living our days in an effective manner.

And, I have to say: Death is not a laughing matter.  This hack, and the aftermath, was a rather macabre sequence, and maybe, as Nancy Armour said, people didn't regard the hoax as being serious. But, still, death is something that is a serious topic, and each of us should recognize the temporary nature of our stay on earth and make sure we are prepared to leave, when the time comes.  That includes the decision on where you will spend eternity.

Because, after all, death is certain.   No one has an indefinite pass to live here on earth.   Even if we are fortunate enough to be on earth when Jesus comes to retrieve His Church in the rapture, still that means there is a cessation of our time on earth.   Otherwise, barring that exception, we can have certainty that one day we will die, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  So, we can live in a way that reflects that certainty, as well as a sense of urgency, in order to enjoy relationships and experiences, as well as to accomplish what God has called us to do while we are here. 

Out of Darkness Into Light

The Bible encourages us to live by the Word, and worship will necessarily be part of that life that is
expressed according to God's truth. Colossians 3 says:
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Music can be such an important component of building our relationship with God - the Scriptures are replete with references about singing to the Lord.  In worship, as we humble ourselves before Him, we have the promise that He will inhabit our praises; James says that humility to God will bring exaltation, I believe, in the form of lifted spirits and released burdens.  Our view of God can be altered as we sing or listen to songs that exalt His name, expressing Who He is and what He has done and desires to do in our lives.

+++++

In Psalm 98, we are encouraged to worship the Lord through song:
(1) Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
2 The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

If you follow politics and polling, you've probably encountered the name Nate Silver, who started the website FiveThirtyEight.  The Relevant Magazine site says that FiveThirtyEight "...is operated by ESPN, but was started by statistics and analytics mastermind Nate Silver, a man with a talent for using math to predict the outcomes of elections."  Relevant reports that the site “took a look at the last five years of Billboard’s year-end top 50 Christian songs” to find “pairs of concepts across the entire collection of lyrics (life and death, grace and sin, etc.) and calculated the ratio of positive to negative words.”

How interesting - among predictions of Presidential election trends, Major League Baseball and NBA probabilities, and more, you have a survey of Christian music.  Oh, please, tell me more...

The summary, according to Relevant:

Their findings: Christian songwriters use far more positive words than negative ones. “Grace” was 2.5 times more common than “sin”; life was eight times more common than “death”; love was seven times more common than “fear.”

Interestingly, compared to Christian music of the 1800s, a genre known as shape note, today's most popular Christian songs are noticeably more cheerful—and contain a lot fewer references to sin. Though the older hymns and church songs were still more positive than negative, they contained far more mentions of concepts like sin, judgement, sorrow and darkness than what’s heard on today’s CCM stations.

The FiveThirtyEight article offers some analysis from Richard Beck, a psychology professor at Abilene Christian University, who says that when Christian pop songs and hymns are “excessively positive or wholly positive,” they often “come across as cotton candy and inauthentic."  He says that some, whom he calls "Winter Christians," whose lives are "touched by pain, distance, or doubt," may not can relate to "uniformly upbeat themes in worship."

Filmmaker Matt Hinton, a former religion professor at Morehouse College, is referrred to in the article: "Hinton sees the darker themes of shape note as integral to Christian worship. Mixing in negative language makes it easier to tell the positive story of salvation, Hinton said."

My takeaway from this article, on the surface, produces for me a bit of a "so what?" attitude.  If there's 2.5 times more grace than sin, statistically, is that a bad thing?  I contend not, but I would exercise a word of caution.  I have been critical of vague things in Christian music - the references to a vague "third-party," the "Jesus is my boyfriend-y" attitude that the FiveThirtyEight article refers to, quoting David Stowe, who claims that Christian music is not as negative as it used to be.  I'd say that even songs that don't carry a reference to Jesus or God specifically, i.e., Amazing Grace, can carry a strong meaning. But we do need to make sure our song choices line up Biblically.

I believe that worship music can provide a number of functions for us.  One is that it allows us to connect with God - if we are singing about Him or listening to songs that exalt Him, we can gain a greater awareness of His presence.  But, there is also music that has lyrics that can help us to learn more about God and even to grow in Him.  The hymns have been lauded as great containers of Christian theology, and can teach us about these concepts of the redemption that we have in Jesus Christ.

I agree that we need to focus on a wide variety of aspects of our theology, and we need to be rooted in it.  But, I think ultimately, our music should leave us hopeful, if not introspective.  There may be times when we need to pour our hearts out to God, and a song can perhaps touch us deeply and help us to do that, embracing somewhat darker or more weighty themes.   Music is a powerful tool that God has given to us in order to experience Him more fully.

Valued & Protected

Jesus reinforces the value of a human being, including the value of a soul, in Matthew chapter 10:
28 And 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.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Value - it's an important concept, and something that is worthwhile for each of us to think about.  You are so valuable to the Lord that He sent His only Son to die for you, so that you might inherit and enjoy the new life He has provided.  Yes, there was certainly nothing we could do to earn God's favor, but He extended it to you anyway because of His great love.  He created you for fellowship with Him - you were created as a spirit-being, with a soul that could experience life to the fullest through our Lord.

+++++

In Genesis 1, we get a glimpse into the created intent of humanity, related to other created things and beings:
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Harambe is dead.

Harambe is the 450-pound gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo who was shot and killed as the result of an unfortunate incident - a three-year old child had somehow made it into the ape's habitat, and zoo officials and expert observers believed the child's life was in danger.  The death of the gorilla has resulted in some outrage by animal rights activists and others who believed that Harambe's death was unnecessary.  It is a debate that could be helpful - or destructive.

Let's unpack several of the issues here.   Frank Turek points out at CrossExamined.org that the debate about, as he puts it, "whether we really should always choose a human life over an animal life"  He says that is confusing, because it "goes against our most basic understanding of our existence. But that’s where our society is today: equating the value of human life with the value of animal life."

He says the debate is indicative of two worldviews at play: the naturalistic worldview and the Christian worldview.  In the naturalistic worldview, there is no God - and the natural world basically sprang into existence and developed over time.  There are four basic implications he outlines: 1) There is no objective meaning to our existence. 2) There is no objective purpose of our existence. 3) There is no objective morality. 4) Humans are equal in value to animals.

By contrast, the Christian worldview stands in direct opposition. 1) There is objective meaning to our existence. 2) There is objective purpose of our existence. 3) There is objective morality. 4) Humans are fundamentally different from and more valuable than animals.

In his conclusion, Turek states:

None of this is to say that we should mistreat animals, or that we should have been happy about Harambe being killed in this unfortunate situation. It’s also not an analysis of whether or not he was killed prematurely. In an ideal world, they would have been able to save both the child and the animal.

Rather, this is to say that a person’s worldview is foundational to how he or she evaluates a situation like this. If you believe that there is no God who designed humans as unique creatures with a unique right to life, you’ll argue over the details of the situation to assert your opinion on which life should have been spared in this particular case. Maybe you think the gorilla should have won, maybe you think the boy should have won. The details are there for discussion. But if you believe that there is a God who has created us specially—in His image—you’ll always argue for doing what it takes to save a human life, because human life is sacred in a way that animal life is not.

By the way, CNN reports that the mother of the 3-year-old boy who fell into a gorilla exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo will not be charged, according to Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters, who said: "She had three other kids with her and turned her back. ... And if anyone doesn't believe a 3-year-old can scamper off very quickly, they've never had kids."  The mom's name is Michelle Gregg, and Charisma News reported that:

The shooting enraged hundreds of thousands, who now call for #JusticeForHarambe. More than 334,000 signed a petition demanding Gregg be held responsible for the gorilla's death, as well as ask for authorities to investigate the Gregg home.

Gregg wrote on Facebook, according to the story: "God protected my child until the authorities were able to get to him. My son is safe and was able to walk away with a concussion and a few scrapes ... no broken bones or internal injuries," adding, "As a society we are quick to judge how a parent could take their eyes off of their child and if anyone knows me I keep a tight watch on my kids. Accidents happen ..."

Also, another note is that Zoo Director Thane Maynard said that the first response was to call the gorillas out of the exhibit - the female gorillas complied, and Harambe did not.  A tranquilizer would not have worked because its effect would have been too slow.

So, even though Harambe lost his life, the boy's life was spared - I would dare say miraculously. And, that is an aspect of the story that you haven't heard a lot about; sure, there's debating about whether zoo officials did the right thing or if the parents should be charged, but, there should be a degree of thankfulness that this little boy survived the ordeal.  Where's that?  It's really time for a reinforcement of the value of human life, isn't it?   And, we can be challenged to take time to be thankful for those instances in which we see God show up in our lives.

That, of course, is not to minimize the value of animal life.  Jim Daly of Focus on the Family writes:

To be clear, I wholeheartedly believe there is a fundamental difference between human and animals. Zoo officials did the right thing.

At the same time, there is no glee in Harambe’s death. As Christians, we can certainly mourn the loss of Harambe, for his life had value. The Bible tells us in the Proverbs “the righteous care for the needs of their animals” (12:10) And many of you have known firsthand the love and devotion of a pet.

But is the life of that pet … of Harambe … of any animal on earth worthmore than a human life?

No! Human life alone is sacred.

I would say to exalt the life of animals ahead of humans is an act that is indicative of a reversal of dominant worldviews that is taking place today - there are those who do not value their fellow human beings; witness the lack of respect that we encounter, see the number of human beings, made in the image of God, whose lives are taken by fellow humans.  We must recognize that we are created in and reflect the image of our Creator.

Give My Regards

In Exodus 36, we can read about how God gifted certain people to use their gifts for His glory:
1 "And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded."
2 Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work.

Where did Bezalel and Aholiab get their ability?  Verse 1 makes it clear that it came from the hand of Almighty God.  From Whom do we receive our gifts and talents?  I think we have to recognize that God has assigned each of us abilities to be used for His glory.   Those gifts are to be used with wisdom and motivation, based on verse 2 - so we can identify what God has done in our lives and take steps to use what He has given to us for His glory!

+++++

When I highlight some of the artistic trends in our society, I am reminded on how God desires for us
to express the gifts and talents He has given to us. 1st Corinthians 12 says:
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

This coming Sunday night, Broadway will recognize its best with the annual Tony Awards, a spectacle that will be shown on a national television network, CBS, but that highlights plays that only a relatively small segment of the population will have seen, or so my perception goes.

The Broadway League reports that for the 2015 – 2016 season, total attendance reached just over 13.3 million people and Broadway shows yielded $1.37 billion, making it the "best attended and highest grossing season in Broadway recorded history!"   I guess, when you think about it that's not too bad.  Average paid admission was $103.11.

By comparison, just one film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, grossed over $900 million domestically and over 2 billion worldwide.

But, there is something magical about Broadway, no doubt - it is certainly an experience.  We have seen plays that have toured to Birmingham and Atlanta, but to actually see a presentation in the center of it all is quite incredible.

Of course, this year, the Tonys could aptly be re-named the Hamilton Awards, because that musical is likely to walk away with the Best Musical and a host of other awards - after all, it has been nominated for 16 of 'em!   No, we were not part of a fortunate crowd that jams the theater night after night for that musical.

I did highlight Alissa Wilkinson's excellent article at Christianity Today about the Scripture references found in the musical as part of a Front Room blog post a few months ago.  Spiritual content has shown up on the Great White Way periodically...You may remember my interviews last year with people involved in the musical depiction of the life of John Newton in Amazing Grace, which did not fare so well on Broadway - according to the Hollywood Reporter website, the play had 24 preview performances and 114 regular performances, closing last October. There is the expectation that the musical will go on tour in the future.

There is Broadway content that is certainly not consistent with a faith perspective, including some that has been shaped by the LGBT agenda.  Witness last year's Best Musical, Fun Home, which was set in a household headed by a gay father and features a lesbian main character.  (You can learn more at Broadway.com.)

My nominee for best Broadway experience - An American in Paris, which won 4 Tony Awards last year.  If that title sounds familiar, it may be because it is an adaptation, a loose adaptation, of the Oscar-winning 1951 movie of the same name starring Gene Kelly.   The Broadway version has been reimagined, with a different lineup of songs composed by the late George Gershwin, although some of the songs from the film show up in the play.

An American in Paris is a combination of incredible choreography, including ballet and interpretive dance, that accentuates the plot of two people who were pursuing relationships for the wrong reasons. Jerry Mulligan, the title character, is a painter who finds a willing benefactor to support his work, who also desires something more, but Jerry just doesn't seem sold on the idea.  He falls for Lise, a young dancer, who is engaged, or so it seems, to a French cabaret singer, whose family has a close bond with hers, a bond cemented through the difficulties of World War II.  So, there is a relationship of advantage and one of obligation, but, without giving too much away, the two main characters work their way toward the pursuit of true love, with a few twists and turns along the way.  It's a great story with fabulous production, a highly artistic presentation. And, it will be going on tour, as well.

I enjoy talking about art, because through various forms of art, we can have a unique experience that can move us and teach us.  And, there is a huge place for elements of faith in art.    A Christian worship song, or even a song about a faith challenge, can help us to think more deeply about the things of God.  A painting with a spiritual element, a film or a play that tells a compelling story, or even a ballet piece or interpretive dance, can register images in our minds that perhaps God can use to touch us on a deep level.   The spoken or written word can be very instructive and meaningful, but art gives an opportunity to reinforce concepts and channel emotions.   That's why there are those who are outspoken champions of Christian involvement in the arts.

Jesus was the master of using story to illustrate spiritual truths.  And, it's great to see a story like War Room or Woodlawn, just to name a couple of recent film releases, unfold on the screen. Or perhaps to see an Amazing Grace or a presentation of The Screwtape Letters or An Evening with C.S. Lewis.   I think about the Ballet Magnificat performance based on the story of Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place.  A good story, expressed creatively, can have a marvelous impact.

I want to mention two things we can be challenged to share: our story and our gifts.  We can each recognize that if you know Christ, God has done a work in your life - that's your story, your testimony.  And, we can be prepared to share that as He gives opportunity.  Also, you may not be a painter, a dancer, or a musician, but you are uniquely gifted in a certain way to be used of God - as He has revealed that to you, He will also show you ways to use it.

Who is in Control?

In Isaiah 55, we find some verses about the superiority of the ways of God to those that are crafted in human wisdom:
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Human beings desire to be in control, but God is calling us to allow Him to be in control of our lives - for our thoughts to line up with His, and for our spirits to be in tune with the Holy Spirit as He guides our steps.  If we are intent on controlling the course of our lives, we are settling for less that what God has in store for us.  And, in order to conform us more fully to His will, the Lord may choose to interrupt those carefully laid plans, so that we will exert a greater sense of dependence on Him.

+++++

Proverbs 19:21 provides a reminder about Who is ultimately in control:
21 There are many plans in a man's heart, Nevertheless the Lord's counsel--that will stand.

Last week, I shared some observations about my recent visit to New York City, focusing in on the measures that the city has taken to ensure safety for its residents and visitors.  Something else I observed had to do with the use of public transportation.  Although there are an astounding number of vehicles on the streets of New York, it is not a place in which I would look especially look forward to driving.

This morning, as I do every morning, I get in my vehicle and drive myself to work.  In fact, in our area, most residents participate in that routine.  In the Big Apple and surrounding cities, you have all sorts of options.  If you live in the suburbs, you might catch a train into the city.  Once you get to town, you hop on the subway, maybe a bus, or take the oldest known form of transportation: your legs.

Public transportation is a huge component of getting people from point A to point B - and there does seem to be a sense of people who are on a mission, intent on getting to their next destination - on time.   The MTA governs the massive system, and states on its website:

MTA subways, buses, and railroads provide 2.73 billion trips each year to New Yorkers – the equivalent of about one in every three users of mass transit in the United States and two-thirds of the nation's rail riders. MTA bridges and tunnels carry more than 285 million vehicles a year – more than any bridge and tunnel authority in the nation.

The website goes on to say:

While nearly 85 percent of the nation's workers need automobiles to get to their jobs, four of every five rush-hour commuters to New York City's central business districts avoid traffic congestion by taking transit service – most of it operated by the MTA. MTA customers travel on America's largest bus fleet and on more subway and rail cars than all the rest of the country's subways and commuter railroads combined.

In 2015, according to the MTA, over 5.65 million people ride the subway system on the average weekday.  Just over 2 million ride one of the city's busses each average weekday.

For those who have mass transit, there is no doubt a dependence on it.  But, residents of Washington, DC are preparing to do without portions of their subway system.  ABC News reports that:

In response to safety recommendations from federal agencies and even a threat from the U.S. Transportation Secretary to shut down the entire system, the DC Metrorail network is on the eve of the biggest repair plan in its history.

City officials are encouraging the 700,000 daily riders to avoid the Metrorail entirely for stretches at a time, in anticipation of extremely crowded train cars and platforms.

The plan is called SafeTrack, and it involves shutting down portions of the system through March of next year, staggering the shutdowns.  But, if you have been used to a certain routine for getting around the district or getting to and from work, this could be result in a major adjustment.

Again, I like getting in my vehicle and going where I want to go - call it control or convenience.  It's amazing to see the systems of public transportation in New York or Washington, even though there are significant repair needs.  An AMNewYork story highlighted some of the problems with the subway system.

There are a couple of takeaways from this experience with public transportation.  One is the issue of control.  There's a certain satisfaction that comes from riding trains and subways to your destination, but riders are totally at the mercy of the system.  And, the system is vulnerable to delays and even accidents.  So is driving, of course.  For the believer, while we like to be in control in some or most areas of our lives, the effective, satisfying Christian life involves relinquishing control, but not to a man-made construct, but to Almighty God, who designed us, calls us into relationship with Himself, and wants to express His will through us.  We can be challenged to rely on our Creator daily.

But, another idea has to do with how we respond to interruptions in our lives.  The New York transportation system is quite marvelous, but what happens when the subway or train is late?  Would that cause our whole day to unravel?   What about those distractions you encounter - the car won't start, there's an emergency to attend to, things don't work out the way we plan.  We humans are great at planning, but the Lord may decide that He wants your plotted course to take a different direction. Those interruptions could cause us to get off track or give us an opportunity to trust Him more fully as we walk in His peace.