Stolen

The enemy of our souls desires to steal life from us - he wants to deceive us into thinking that God doesn't love us and use every means necessary to prevent us from experiencing His freedom.  Plus, he will attempt to make us comfortable in our sin. Acts chapter 3 states:
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Jesus came to give us eternal life - as I mentioned earlier this week, He is the door through which we enter into that life; the good shepherd who walks with us.  We can seek to follow His principles and the leadership of His Spirit.  He will lead us in His ways and He gives us the resources in order that we may be protected from the deception of the enemy, the one who comes to trap us in self-reliance.  Jesus comes to set us free through reliance on His power.

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Jesus taught about Himself in John chapter 10, using imagery of Himself as the door through which we can enter into eternal life and as the good shepherd who gives His life for His sheep.  We can see
this passage:
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

What a life that God has in store for us through a relationship with Jesus Christ!  He invites us to come into the abundant and eternal life that He has prepared for us. There are forces manipulated by the enemy that would work against the power and love of God in our lives, and it's important that we are aware of the operation of Satan, that we resist Him in God's power and that we focus our attention on walking in the victory afforded us by the One who gave His life so that we might be free.

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Throughout the Scriptures, we can see evidence of the heart - and the hand - of God.  In Joel 2, we
can see a reference to God's desire to restore His people to Himself:
25 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.

Kenny Clark is a defensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers.  Recently he had accumulated more than $7,000 worth of toys to be donated to needy children in the community, according to Fox 11, which reports that:

Hundreds of toys donated by Green Bay Packers defensive lineman player Kenny Clark have gone missing.

According to KNBC in Los Angeles, the toys were set to be delivered to children in need when they were stolen from a shed in Clark's backyard.

This has been discouraging to Clark's mother; he said:

"It's just messed up man, it was for a bunch of kids. I mean it's difficult, especially for my family. My mom, she works so hard to do it. It's just really difficult for her, you know because she works so hard throughout the whole year putting it together."

As the article points out, Clark is known for his off-the-field work. It states: "This year, the Packers nominated Clark for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award for his charity work."

I learned a few things about Kenny.  For one thing:

Should Kenny win, he plans to donate the money to Angel Tree Sports Clinic™, a program that gives children with incarcerated parents an unforgettable day of coaching, encouragement, and hope in Christ.

That's from the Prison Fellowship website, which administers the Angel Tree ministry, providing Christmas gifts to children whose parents are incarcerated.  The site reports that:

For most of Kenny Clark's childhood, his father was incarcerated. Today, Kenny wants to shine a light of hope for children in similar situations, easing their burdens with the kind of encouragement he received from Angel Tree volunteers who reached out to his family at Christmas.

The Packers' website reports that "as part of the league’s 'My Cause, My Cleats' initiative, Clark wore specialty cleats he designed in support of Prison Fellowship and the program Angel Tree."

And, a GoFundMe page set up to support the Kenny Clark Foundation raised over $13,000 to replace what was stolen.

In the midst of it, Kenny tweeted out that God is "always working."

That's the first takeaway for us.  We can acknowledge that, in His great love, according to His plan, God is working to accomplish His desired purpose, and you can consider that He is moving toward restoration.  He is our mighty healer, and He wants to take us from glory to glory.  That's not to say there may not be trouble along the way; that's a given, but ultimately, He receives the glory.

We can also contrast the work of the enemy vs. work of God - Jesus was clear in His teaching: the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy; Christ came that we might have abundant life.  We clearly see the work of stealing vs. restoring, as well as Satan's agenda of taking away life and hope vs. God's desire to give life and hope.

If the enemy has stolen from us, we can look to God to replace what has been stolen.  The book of Joel refers to the years that the locusts have eaten.  We serve a restorer who wants to give us a new identity in Christ, who affirms where we have been rejected, who provides forgiveness for past hurts and love in place of shame.

And, we can also think about the opportunities we have as the Church to demonstrate the generosity of God's people.  When people heard about the stolen toys, they went online to give in order to replace the items.  When we become aware of needs, we can allow God to use us in order to bring a sense of His presence.

Finally, we rejoice in the work of Angel Tree, which is an outreach of Prison Fellowship, founded by the late Chuck Colson.  Angel Tree provides a tangible expression of the love of Christ through Christmas gifts to children whose parents are incarcerated.  The founder of Angel Tree, Mary Kay Beard, passed away in 2016 - the Prison Fellowship website quotes Colson:

“While serving six years of a 22-year prison sentence in a state prison for burglary, grand larceny and robbery, Mary Kay watched women gather soap, shampoo and toothpaste received from charity groups and wrap them as Christmas gifts for their children. She vowed she would do something for children who have an incarcerated parent when she was released from prison, and Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program is among her greatest legacies...

The site points out she was in an Alabama prison.  That ministry was founded in Alabama, and Chuck Colson was inspired to found Prison Fellowship in Alabama, while incarcerated at Maxwell Federal prison.

Through Thicke and Thin

In the midst of the crises we experience, we can experience hope in Christ.  2nd Corinthians 3 talks
about the transformation that God wants to bring about in our lives. We can read:
16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But 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.

The Lord wants to pierce the spiritual blindness that we possess, trapped by human wisdom, and hopeless in ourselves to craft solutions that will satisfy the longing in our souls.  In our trouble, we can turn to our Redeemer - not One who will take us out of our trouble, but who can replace turmoil with peace and disappointment with hope.  He wants to work in our souls to bring us into a fresh knowledge of Himself.

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God wants to bring us to a place where we admit the futility of the life we are living apart from Him, embrace His hope, recognize His power to save, and surrender to the Savior.  A passage in 1st
Corinthians 6 contrasts the old life from the new:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

In the Christian community, actor Kirk Cameron has a tremendous following.  He, of course, is known for a variety of films, as well as his evangelistic work with Ray Comfort and The Way of the Master.

What the Faithwire website has brought forth recently is that after he became a Christian, Kirk Cameron struggled with his role in the entertainment industry.  Interestingly enough, it was his sit-com dad, Alan Thicke, who provided some wise counsel.  The article states:

While not much is known about Thicke’s faith, his father took “Growing Pains” co-star Kirk Cameron under his wing many years ago, when the 48-year-old actor converted to Christianity.

Following his embrace of the Christian faith, Cameron said he began to feel uncomfortable performing scenes that were suggestive or didn’t align with his beliefs in some way. The elder Thicke ultimately advised Cameron to step away from secular entertainment and pursue faith-based opportunities.

Two years ago, Alan Thicke passed away during a pick-up hockey game in California.  Meanwhile, another man named Thicke had achieved pop music stardom - that would be Robin Thicke.  His song, Blurred Lines, was described by Billboard in this way in an article that does contain some objectionable content:

Either way it’s observed, the inescapable ditty and the fallout that followed seemingly christened the track as one of the more polarizing, conversation-starting pop songs in recent memory, and contributed to the derailment of a once promising R&B career.

The lyrics were thought to be not only suggestive, but also objectifying of women; the songwriters lost a copyright lawsuit, and Thicke's raunchy performance with Miley Cyrus at the MTV Music Awards was certainly a topic of conversation, but not in a good way.  The article says Thicke told GQ:

“We tried to do everything that was taboo,” he told the magazine, in part of a discussion that he now says was “taken out of context.” “People say, ‘Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?’ I’m like, ‘Of course it is,’” he continued. “‘What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I’ve never gotten to do that before. I’ve always respected women.’”

So, Robin Thicke's pop music legacy is questionable, at best.  Fast forward to two years ago: his father dies suddenly, and, as Faithwire points out, his girlfriend revealed that she had a miscarriage prior to the birth of the couple's first child; they are now expecting a second child outside of a marriage relationship.  So, now Thicke has released a new song - Faithwire reports:

Thicke released a new single, “Testify,” last week, and it strikes a few spiritual chords — a sharp turn away from the overly sexual, made-for-radio pop tunes for which he’s famous.

About the song, the article says:

“It’s cathartic just to be able to say it and then let it live, as opposed to in the middle of a conversation or a quote,” Thicke told People. “Once you put it into song form, then it can live forever. And so the message in the song is really about the hope and the light at the end of that tunnel when you feel that you lost or you feel that you don’t know what to do next.”

He is also quoted as saying, "You know, that reconnection to God or spirituality or something deeper than the surface is what brings you back home to who you really are and who you want to be."

Tre Goins-Phillips, who wrote the Faithwire article, comments:

While Thicke’s new song and comments about God are very broad and seem more aligned with a general spirituality, the Lord uses the brokenness and pain we experience on this earth as opportunities to meet us, to give us glimmers of mercy and grace in a dark and often hopeless world.

That is a great reminder for us, and perhaps the Lord is drawing this young man to Himself.  I know that crises can produce a fresh dependence on God.  A trial can either cause someone to draw closer to God or run away, but He will use trouble to show us that we don't have all the answers, and He can lead us to hope as we recognize that this world doesn't offer the deep-seeded solutions that we seek.

Human wisdom does not produce those answers, and we know that God can use circumstances to point out that our path is flawed, and He has a better way.  We try to figure out what is wrong or what needs to be done; in our human independence, perhaps we find that our thoughts are futile - we need a Savior.

And, that can come over a period of time.  Remember, the story is not over; God is still working.  We can continue to trust in His love and faithfulness.  And, we can make a clean break with our past.  Jesus enables us to change the narrative, which will change the reputation.  The apostle Paul was well-known for His hostility to Christians - and he wrote about how God changed His life, changed the course of His life, and provided a contrast between a life devoted to Christ and one that was not.

Meaning in Family

In Joshua chapter 24, the leader of Israel, Joshua, made a bold declaration, not simply on his behalf, but on behalf of his entire family. We read this:
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

He challenged God's people to make a decision, and it's a decision that we can apply in our lives even today.  We have to consider whom we will serve, whose ways we will follow, whose truth we believe. And, we are called to also lead our families in pursuing that truth.  There are many different influences in our world today, but there is one way, through Jesus, that leads to life.  We can be challenged to live according to His ways in the power of His Spirit, in our homes.

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The Bible teaches clearly about the significance of the institution of the family, and it is a healthy building block of society today.  And, a family which is centered on Christ reflects God's love and presence. Psalm 68 says:
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name Yah, And rejoice before Him.
5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.
6 God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

It has taken a real beating over the past few years, yet it still ranks #1 in a new Pew survey about what brings meaning to a person's life.  Even though there are those who would want to redefine it, diminish its purpose, and even accuse people of idolizing it, the family is still what a majority of those surveyed identified as bringing the most meaning to their lives.

Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family, writing at The Federalist about the survey, stated:

When asked the open-ended question about what brings the greatest meaning to their lives, where they could freely say what came to mind without prompting, 69 percent of Americans said family. The next highest factor was one’s career, but by half as many votes. Third was money, but with three times fewer adults listing it compared to family. Nineteen percent said friends gave their lives a major sense of meaning, and a measly 5 percent said their pets did.

He added:

When it came to a similar, but more definitive question, “What is the MOST important source of meaning in your life?” — determining the intensity of their answer — family was still the run-away winner. Second to family in this more specific close-ended question, but by half, was one’s religious faith, at 40 and 20 percent of Americans saying so respectively.

And, as Stanton pointed out:

This is not a one-off finding. Family has been consistently listed among the most important life goals and sources of satisfaction and happiness for Americans for as long as such surveys have been conducted. Regardless of how materialistic, politically divided, and atomistic our culture gets, family and faith still play very substantial roles in the human heart.

Even though there is an abundance of "divorce, cohabitation, and unmarried childbearing," Stanton insists this isn't the ideal; not the life people would have chosen for themselves. He contends, "It is the nature of the human heart and soul to deeply desire enduring marriage and raising happy children."

So, the family, even though under attack and battered, still holds a place in the hearts of Americans, as it always has. Stanton writes, "We must not forget that one of the most important aspects of being human is that we are made for others, and we cannot live in isolation. We are made to love and be loved. And the most important and meaningful places where people find these are with their family and with God — the very local and transcendent."  

To crave this type of relationship is not to idolize the family, but to fulfill God's purpose.  And, if our families are submitted to the Lordship of Christ, then we are operating in line with His intended order.  There are a few principles that we can consider.

First of all, the nuclear family is not outdated or passe, but clearly defined as God's standard.  We see, according to Genesis 2, that He intends for male and female to become one flesh, and through that relationship, children come into the world.  Certainly, there are cultural trends that have resulted in variations on this original theme, but we can be convinced that God has a plan for our families.

We know that our families help each of us to pursue and fulfill God's purpose, and in that context, we can teach our children His principles.  It's been said that our homes are incubators for Christian teaching and behavior, and we can learn a lot about ourselves by self-observing how we behave in our family context.  Even in fractured home situations, we can trust God to do an amazing work and bring healing and restoration.

We also know that we can rejoice in the relationships that God has given to us.  Our most important relationship, of course, is our vertical relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Then, we can build horizontal relationships; we have the opportunity to let God's love through us and model His character as we grow in Christ.

In the Book

God is calling people to come to know Him, to be adopted into the family of God, and to accept His
truth. Jesus came to earth as an expression of God's love and a fulfillment of His truth. John 1 states:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 4 reminds us that God's Word is living and active - it can penetrate our hearts and transform our souls.  As we enter a new year, we can be challenged to make God's Word a priority - to read and study the Scriptures, and to allow the Scriptures to become part of us.  Our absorption of God's Word into our consciousness provides a foundation through which the Holy Spirit will work in our lives, and the Word will convict, correct, and cleanse us, so that we might know and reflect Christ better.

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God's Word is active and powerful, and we can rejoice that the Word became flesh, and the presence
of Jesus gives us strength for our lives. Hebrews 4 says:
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

It might be a little bit hard to believe, because you may not think a whole lot about Iceland, unless you're really into Viking stories.  But, according to Christianity Today, the tiny island nation "publishes and reads more books per capita each year than almost anywhere else."

No, really...the article states:

Though sales have dipped due to digital options, Iceland’s printing output has remained steady at about 1,500 books a year, according to government statistics. The bulk of the new titles come out in the months leading up to Christmas during Jólabókaflóð, or the “Yule Book Flood,” so they can be given as gifts and read during the holidays.

The article is accessible through the Jesus Storybook Bible Facebook page.

But, as the piece points out, "Few evangelical books at all make it to the overwhelmingly secular island, deemed the 'most godless country in Europe.' And just one version of the Bible is available in print in the local language."

Gunnar Gunnarsson is the leader of what is referred to as "the only doctrinally Reformed church in Iceland, and is also the founder of The Iceland Project, a network for church planting and theological training," according to CT.  He was involved in the translation of The Jesus Storybook Bible into an Icelandic version. He is quoted as saying, "The reason we went with The Jesus Storybook Bible for the first [translation project] is that it’s actually a great resource for adults reading it too. They get a holistic view of Scripture as it points to Christ..."  The translation project was crowdfunded by evangelical Christians from around the world.

As the Christianity Today article says:

Though the popular children’s Bible has sold 3.2 million copies in 38 languages, Icelandic wasn’t one of them. Few evangelical books at all make it to the overwhelmingly secular island, deemed the “most godless country in Europe.” And just one version of the Bible is available in print in the local language.

Gunnarsson says, "Most of the kids’ Bibles here in Iceland are moralistic,” adding, “They’re about getting you to share your toys and not necessarily about the gospel or your need for a Savior.”  Next up, The Iceland Project "will begin fundraising to publish a newer version of an out-of-print 1981 Icelandic Bible, or Biblía. The only current Icelandic Bible available in print is a 2007 translation updated with gender-inclusive language."

For 400 years prior to the birth of Christ, the world had been plunged into darkness - the prophets had completed their pronouncements, and God's people had not heard from Him.  Then, as John 1 reminds us, the Word, God's Word, became flesh - Jesus came to earth in human form.  The world is in darkness today, but the good news is that God is speaking, powerfully, to our culture today.  But, many are not listening, much less receiving.  If the Word lives in us, then we became the conduits through which He speaks.  In Iceland, a man of God decided to address the spiritual darkness in His culture, and through these projects, God is speaking to people, many of whom do not know God's truth.

Gunnar Gunnarsson had a thirst to see God's Word translated and transmitted through publication in his home country.  We can also be challenged to see how God might use us to spread His Word, for many are thirsty to hear and experience the presence and truth of Almighty God - He is truly the One for whom people are searching.

We are reminded that there is incredible work occurring through Bible translation, which makes God's Word more accessible to more people, and He is opening up the doors to make that happen.  We can be thankful for what God is doing in spreading His Word through His people.

Advent-ure Day 21: Take a Chance on God's Word

In Joshua 1, we see a prescription for a fruitful, satisfying Christian life - and it's centered around careful study and application of God's Word.  We can read:
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

We can have the awareness that God is with us, and I would add that when we do see where God has worked in our lives, we can give Him praise for His faithfulness.  He has provided wonderful tools through which we can walk in Him, and our hearts can be filled with joy in His presence.  As we think more deeply about the birth of Christ, we can also consider the power of the new birth, and how He wants to express Himself through us in the new year.

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We're just about there - we are about to arrive at our destination of 25: A Christmas Advent-ure, the 2018 Faith Radio Advent Guide; with the title this year, Sing Unto the Lord!   And, I hope you have enjoyed our journey through these Christmas songs this year.

Today, we come to Good Christian Men, Rejoice.  And, we recognize that this is certainly a season
for rejoicing because Christ has come! A corresponding Scripture verse can be found in Isaiah 61:
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

That's who we are - in Christ!  Certainly a cause for rejoicing.  And, our entry into salvation through Christ begins a journey of discovery and spiritual growth as we learn what it means to be a disciple.

There is a rather well-known rapper who apparently wants to go deeper in a spiritual journey.  His name is Chance the Rapper.  A piece on Crosswalk.com announced:

Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper has taken some time off from music to make studying and meditating on God’s Word his main focus.

On Monday, the 25-year-old took to Instagram to give his 9.2 million followers a peek into his morning devotions. He posted a photo showing a page from Scottish theologian John Baillie’s A Diary of Private Prayer.

The article references a Christianity Today article.  The report says, "The prayer in the picture is titled 'Continued Dependence Upon You,' and it speaks of one rededicating their life to Christ."

Chance is quoted as saying: "I’m going away to learn the Word of God which I am admittedly very unfamiliar with. I’ve been brought up by my family to know Christ but I haven’t taken it upon myself to really just take a couple days and read my Bible..."  He said that he wanted to read five or more books of the Bible and to quit smoking.  Apparently, his young nephew was "somewhat of an inspiration" for this sabbatical.

Apparently, he is on his way to reach that goal.  The Christian Post reported earlier this week:

The Chicago-based rapper made the announcement on Instagram, writing: “Today is my 7th day ZERO CIGARETTES #leaveitatthealter.” The 25-year-old artist also shared a screenshot of Ephesians 3:20: “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Crosswalk.com also stated:

Many Christian fans have welcomed the rapper’s musical references to God—not to mention the millions donated to various schools and services in his hometown. Some listeners, on the other hand, have concerns about Chance’s Christian walk and wonder if the content of his music should shift as he grows in his faith.

“For the last few years, we’ve covered Chance the Rapper with bated breath,” noted the Christian hip hop news site Rapzilla. “We’ve seen him toe the line between making impactful gospel-infused rap, and then follow up with sexual/drug laden raps. It’s frustrating to watch, but at the same time a bit endearing in the sense that Chance is ALWAYS proclaiming his love for Christ, but like many of us, falls short.”

That's a good starting point for all of us, isn't it? None of us has arrived in our spiritual life, and we can always improve in our time in the Word and our acting on that Word.  That's something especially good to remember at the beginning of a new year.  And, perhaps God is calling us to do something different to grow in our walk with Him.  It may be a sabbatical, it may be a time of prayer and fasting, it may be additional study time, or a change in our daily routine; we can be challenged to set ourselves apart so that we can become more like Jesus, so that we can be more set apart.

There has been the criticism that Chance's work product doesn't line up with His profession of faith. But, that is a daily struggle for all of us, and we can acknowledge the availability of the power of God.  He wants to infuse us with His strength, and once we've absorbed His Word into our consciousness, we have to allow the Word to work through us, to permeate us, to empower us - so that we can be more than hearers, but doers, as well.  And, we can rejoice in what God is doing through us.

John Stonestreet, on a recent edition of The Point, said, regarding Chance's announcement:

He went on, “…how much time do we spend as followers of Jesus to really just read and KNOW His Word?”

That’s a good question for all of us.

Advent-ure Day 20: More Christ in Christmas

The story of the Wise Men, or the Magi, depicts learned men who were seekers of the truth.  They followed a star and brought gifts to the King whom they had sought out.  And...they worshiped.  Hebrews 13 gives this admonition to us:
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

We, too can be seekers of truth, and motivated to seeking out God's Word.  But, we certainly are to do more than just read or casually study - we are to be more than hearers of the Word, but also doers.  We are called to walk in the truth we have seen, to be obedient - to follow God's guidance.  We give of ourselves so that He may be glorified.  We can be challenged to worship our King; with a pure and devoted heart, we bring praises to His holy name.

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We are now on Day 20 in the Faith Radio Advent Guide, 25: A Christmas Advent-ure. And, we have come to a rather unusual song that, taken in its entirety, attempts to give a biographical sketch of those Magi, or Wise Men, men who studied the stars, who followed one particular star to Bethlehem to see Jesus.  The verses of We Three Kings deal with the personalities and purposes of these "three kings," as well as their gifts.  The chorus points to that spiritual GPS of old - the star in the heavens that led them to Jesus.  When they came to Jesus, they presented their gifts and worshiped the newborn King.

Matthew 2:10 serves as our theme Scripture - I want to share it, as well as the following verse:
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Christmas is a time in which believers in Christ can take the opportunity to bring our worship to Jesus; and a new LifeWay Research study shows that Americans at large could stand to have more spiritual meaning in their Christmas celebrations.  According to a Baptist Press story:

A new study from LifeWay Research found two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) say, "Christmas should be more about Jesus."

Those looking for more Christ in Christmas in 2018, however, are significantly fewer than four years ago. A 2014 LifeWay Research study found 79 percent of Americans at that time said Christmas should be more about Jesus.

And, the bulk of the decline comes, not surprisingly, from those not claiming to be Christians.  The article says:

Much of the shift came from non-Christians. In 2014, a majority of members of other faiths (63 percent) and almost half of the non-religious (46 percent) agreed that Christmas should be more about Jesus. Today, those numbers have dropped by nearly half.

The article says that 35 percent of Americans of religions other than Christianity and 28 percent of those who are "non-religious" believe there should be more of Christ in Christmas.

But, there is still a significant number of people who are offended by the generic "Happy Holidays" greeting: 40 percent of Christians and 32 percent of Americans in general.  This is similar to four years ago.  And, 65% of evangelicals pan "Happy Holidays."

But, Scott McConnell, Executive Director of LifeWay Research, does offer some perspective.  He points out that "it appears there is less cultural expectation for celebrations of the Christmas holiday to include the religious aspect."  He also relates that, "It's likely that Christians and older Americans are nostalgic for previous years or reluctant to acknowledge that not everyone celebrates Christmas this time of year," adding, "Many have the idea that most Americans are the same or that we share one culture of baseball, apple pie and Christmas, but that's not the case...And when we encounter someone who believes differently from us, that can be jarring and even seem offensive for some."

It is Christmas, a special time of year that is celebrated by an overwhelming majority of population in America. Last year, Pew Research released a study, and the summary of it offers these data points:

• Nine-in-ten Americans (90%) — and 95% of Christians — say they celebrate Christmas.
• 46% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious (rather than cultural) holiday, down from 51% who said this in 2013, 
• Millennials are less likely than other adults to say they celebrate Christmas in a religious way. 
• A majority of U.S. adults (56%) also say religious aspects of Christmas are emphasized less in American society today than in the past, though relatively few are bothered by this trend.

Something that we can remember during this run-up to Christmas is that we can look for ways to take this sensitivity to a holiday with spiritual roots and share the spiritual meaning.  The Christmas narrative and its meaning are so amazing, and we can seek to represent Him well during this season.  I would contend that it may just be that people are more receptive to spiritual truth during this time of the year.

For the Christian, I think we should make sure that our Christmas celebration is centered on Christ.  There are all sorts of fun aspects to the holiday that we shouldn't necessarily de-emphasize, but we have to make sure that the presence of the Lord is not diminished by our concentration on those things.

Our song today is We Three Kings, and following elements of the Wise Men's story, this time of year can offer opportunities for guidance, giving and worship.  The Lord gave them a sign - a star, and He wants us to turn to Him for direction.  They presented gifts, and we can recommit to giving of ourselves and participating in the spirit of giving this time of year.  And, the Christmas story is a story of worship, and we can approach Christmas with that attitude.

Advent-ure Day 19: Not Fair

We are called to adopt a viewpoint that is rooted in God's Word, to allow His truth to shape our
actions, and to be aware that the enemy would want to corrupt our minds. Colossians 3 says:
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

God has clear standards that are set forth for us in His Word - He has certain principles that He wants us to follow and desires that we allow the Word to govern our thinking on areas pertaining to sin and obedience.  Jesus came to save sinners, and that includes all of us; however, when we allow ourselves to be compromised on what the Scriptures point to as being sinful, then people are less likely to be able to define their sinful state and therefore will not recognize their need for a Savior.  We have to be clear on God's standards and the impact of His Savior.

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We are on Day 19 of 25: A Christmas Advent-ure, from the Faith Radio Advent Guide, which features a corresponding Christmas song, Scripture, and song lyric for each day.  Granted, a number of the songs we've been enjoying as we have worked our way through the guide are traditional carols.  But, there are songs that we written in later times that are part of the guide, as well.

Take, for instance, Jesus, What a Wonderful Child, which is credited by multiple sources as being an African-American spiritual, although it has also been stated that Margaret Allison of the Angelic Gospel Singers.  The song presents snapshots of the Christmas narrative.

We can think about the significance of the birth of the Christ Child, which can motivate us to be grounded in His truth.  Our corresponding Scripture verse is Matthew 2:10; let's add verse 9, as well:
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

I have documented the struggle between so-called LGBTQ rights and religious freedom rights in our culture today.  Yesterday, on the program, Alexandra McPhee documented instances where people found themselves in violation of the law when they acted on faith principles, on convictions that they did not want to violate by performing artistic services for gay couples.

In 2015, a law was passed known as the Utah Compromise, which, according to J.C. Derrick of WORLD Magazine was “a SOGI law with religious exemptions." He wrote that, "The 2015 legislation remains the only statewide SOGI law enacted over the last seven years."

Derrick reports that based on this compromise, "Two major evangelical organizations have formally endorsed principles that would add sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) to federal nondiscrimination law."  That's right, presumably in exchange for religious freedom protection, these organizations favor granting special rights to LGBT individuals.  Derrick writes:

The boards of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) quietly passed similar motions in recent months, advancing a multiyear effort they say is necessary to preserve religious freedom.

This concept, called "Fairness for All" has been simmering for several years, as WORLD points out:

The board actions come two years after Hoogstra and NAE President Leith Anderson held a series of informational events about Fairness for All at locations around the country. In response, more than 75 Christian leaders signed an opposition statement titled “Preserve Freedom, Reject Coercion.”

Shirley Hoogstra is president of CCCU.  Wondering about the documented drift in Christian higher education?  Well, here is an organization to which a number of Christian colleges and universities belong.

The opposition statement still resides on the Breakpoint.org website, administered by the Colson Center for Christian Worldview.  And, the opponents of Fairness for All have become quite vocal as this news has spread over the past few days.

Regarding laws creating so-called "rights" based on sexual orientation and gender identity, or SOGI, the statement includes these words:

SOGI laws empower the government to use the force of law to silence or punish Americans who seek to exercise their God-given liberty to peacefully live and work consistent with their convictions. They also create special preference in law for categories based on morally significant choices that profoundly affect human relations and treat reasonable religious and philosophical beliefs as discriminatory. We therefore believe that proposed SOGI laws, including those narrowly crafted, threaten fundamental freedoms, and any ostensible protections for religious liberty appended to such laws are inherently inadequate and unstable.

Tony Perkins' Washington Update from the Family Research Council included these comments:

In a quiet motion this fall, their boards reportedly voted to subjugate biblical teachings on gender and sexuality in exchange for a flimsy fence of protection around their organizations. They believe -- quite naively -- that if they give in to the Left's demands, it will leave them alone. But the stories from the last decade paint a much different story.

On the far-Left, there's no such thing as live and let live. Liberals may want tolerance, but that doesn't mean they'll give it. If the cases against florists, bakers, and other wedding vendors make anything clear, it's that the LGBT agenda isn't about meeting people halfway. So while "Fairness for All" is a noble pursuit, it can't be achieved when special rights or extra-fairness are extended to some based on subjective, self-defined characteristics. That's special fairness for some, and the persecution of the many.

In other words, I would say a compromise with those who are not really interested in compromising with your deeply-held convictions is not a compromise, it's a surrender.  And, in a state of cultural warfare, this is a dangerous step.  This would not be a deal, in my estimation, but a disaster.

This so-called "compromise" does not have the force of law, although it may be an indicator or instigator of liberalized policies for member organizations.

Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom, who argued on behalf of Christian baker Jack Phillips in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, has a statement on the ADF website, including these
words: "Every person should be treated with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, sexual orientation and gender identity laws like the so-called ‘Fairness for All’ proposal undermine both fairness and freedom."

She also states:

“The freedom to live peacefully according to our beliefs, and to follow the dictates of our conscience, is a pre-political right, resting in our dignity as human beings, and codified by the First Amendment. It cannot be bought or sold, and it must not be surrendered. We can live at peace with each other without forcing anyone to sacrifice their freedom. Indeed, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled twice—in the Obergefell and Masterpiece Cakeshop decisions—that the government must respect the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. Rather than respecting all sides, the so-called ‘Fairness for All’ proposal denies freedom for all and makes conformity the price of citizenship.”

So, this is certainly a non-starter, it seems, for a number of Christian organizations.  So, why do some feel this is necessary?  Is it spiritual tiredness or lack of spiritual sensitivity?  Many so-called tolerant LGBT activists have no interest in tolerating Biblical beliefs on sexuality - so why compromise?

There are cultural and personal applications when we consider this news story.  Certainly, as I have attempted to track, there is an infiltration of tolerance for the LGBT agenda in churches today.  And, we have to guard against areas of compromise.  We can recognize that compromise can lead to ideological defeat.  If we are not upholding and submitting to the authority of the Scriptures, we become vulnerable to allowing a cultural Christianity to take root that is unrecognizable when compared to the teachings of the Bible.

We can see how compromise can place us in a sense of identifying more with errant teaching than Biblical authority.  So, we have to know the Word, certainly, but we also have to allow God's Word to govern our thinking and our acting.  That doesn't mean we don't love those who hold to different viewpoints, because we are called to be compassionate to all, in order that we might demonstrate the character of Christ, but we must also guard against being intimidated into accommodating viewpoints that are contradictory to the Scriptures.

Advent-ure Day 18: Peace on Earth

We have been shown in the Scriptures the path to peace, and we are called to walk in the love of God, that brings peace between people. Hebrews 12 states:
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled...

Bitterness can lead to broken relationships, but Jesus can to heal the brokenhearted - He is the One who has come to repair what has been fractured.  If we allow bitterness to fester, it can work its way through the heart and soul of a person and cause great harm to not only the person possessing it, but the people around him or her.  We are called to walk in forgiveness, in a spirit of restored relationships, so that Christ's love may be seen and activated.

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It's Day 18 of our 25-day Advent Guide at Faith Radio, entitled, 25: A Christmas Advent-ure: Sing Unto the Lord!  Each day has a corresponding Christmas song, Scripture, and line from the song.  Today, we reflect on a carol which includes this operative line: "Peace on the earth, good will to men; From heaven's all gracious King!"

That is from the Christmas carol, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear.  A corresponding Scripture is found in Zechariah 9:9:
9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

This points to Jesus riding into Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday on a donkey, not as a militaristic, conquering King, but as a mighty, compassionate King - mighty to save, but not through brute force, but through the power of the Holy Spirit.

That is what we need today: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear reminds us how true peace on earth comes: through the presence of the Prince of Peace.

There is some terrifying imagery that occurred in France recently.  Someone with intent to kill entering a market in Strasbourg, into a Christmas market full of shoppers.  The BBC reported:

At about 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT), a man opened fire close to the famed Christmas market near place Kléber, which attracts thousands of visitors.

France's anti-terror prosecutor, Rémy Heitz, said the man had shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") as he opened fire.

The suspect was armed with a gun and a knife and escaped the area after jumping into a taxi, Mr Heitz said.

And, the alleged shooter was later shot and killed by police after an extensive search.  The BBC reported that, "Hundreds of French police and security forces had been searching" for the attacker."  The article states:

"French police have shot dead the man who attacked Strasbourg's Christmas market on Tuesday, the interior minister has said.

A police unit came across Cherif Chekatt in a Strasbourg street and shot him after he opened fire.

Three people have died following the shooting at the market and several more were seriously injured.

Chekatt, 29, had a string of criminal convictions in France and Germany and had become a radical Islamist in jail.

 Evangelist Franklin Graham had strong words about the attack. Breitbart reported that:

...Graham reacted strongly to a recent Islamic terror attack in Strasbourg, France, warning that radical Islam continues to be a major global threat.

In a two-part tweet Saturday, Rev. Graham, the son of the prominent Christian leader Billy Graham, reminded citizens that Islamic extremism has not ceased to be a menace to the world and that, contrary to popular opinion, the Muslim idea of God is very different from the God worshiped by Christians.

His tweets said:

Radical Islam continues to be a huge threat around the world. I thank God for the hard work of the French police & law enforcement who tracked down terrorist Cherif Chekatt. Remember the families of those whose lives were taken and the many wounded.

Also, he tweeted out:

Contrary to what some may say, the god of Islam & the God of the Christian faith are not the same. The God of the Christian faith is Creator of the Universe & sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to save us from our sin. He can change every heart who will put their faith in Him.

The Breitbart article also quoted from other past statements from Franklin Graham, including: “It’s a religion that calls on its soldiers to shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘God is Great’ in Arabic) as they behead, rape, and murder in the name of Islam,” and, “Radical Islamists are following the teachings of the Quran. We should call it what it is..."

We talk about and hear about the concept of "peace on earth" during this season; it proceeds from the pronouncement of the angels in Luke 2; we recognize Jesus as the Prince of Peace.  And, we can see how radical Islamic terror is a serious threat to peace on this earth.  Not only does it threaten the nation of Israel, but we see the spread of this mentality and activity across the globe.  It is important that our leaders recognize the threat, and we can pray for them to take responsible action for our national security.

We can also think about the gospel as possessing hope for the most hardened terrorist, and a message of hope through a loving God for those who follow Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and even those who have no religion or who are unsure.

Let's consider the concept of peace in our own lives.  We should pursue a path that leads to peace.  Jesus said that "blessed are the peacemakers," and Paul encourages us to seek peace with all people. Because we have peace with God, we can reach out with His love and to be people of peace.  And, we are reminded that we can look to the Prince of Peace to help solve issues between people of good will.

We also know that we live in troubled times, and Jesus taught that wars and rumors of wars are signs of the end times.  We know that we serve a Savior who ultimately will make all things right, but the earth will have to endure tribulation, prior to the millennial kingdom and the new heaven and the new earth.  Our temporary struggles can remind us of the bright future promised to the child of God.

Advent-ure Day 17: Jumping From the Truck

God is alive!  And, He sent His Son to the earth to die and to be raised from the dead so that each of
us may have new life. Romans 6 says:
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

We are alive in Christ; and He wants to us recognize that He is living and that He empowers us to walk in newness of life.  We serve a living God who is very, very active in and around our lives.  He communicates with us by His Spirit according to His Word, and we can have deep, meaningful fellowship with Him as we call upon Him and be sensitive to His response.  He is working according to His plan and we have the assurance that He is working for the good of those who love Him and are called according to that purpose.

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The Christmas song for today, as part of our Christmas Advent-ure, is I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.  The operative lyric that is in the Faith Radio Advent Guide is this: "God is not dead nor doth he sleep! The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, With peace on earth, goodwill to men!"

Doesn't that just sum up the message of Christmas?  And, just as those Christmas bells offer a message of proclamation, we can be reminded that we serve an active God, who created each and every human being in His image, who wants to bring us into a relationship with Himself, and who is at work in our lives.  He is an active God - He interjected Himself into this world as a man, so that we might have peace with Him and proclaim to people how they can be at peace with each other.  He used angels in Luke 2:14 to communicate His truth:
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

By giving God the glory and focusing on Him, people can learn to experience the peace that passes all understanding through the Prince of Peace.

We know that our active God, our Heavenly Father, is desiring to communicate with His people.  Now, most of us, I would dare say, will not hear an audible voice.  But, He is speaking to us, consistent with His Word, and is very, very involved in our everyday lives.

Case in point:  Jordan Cole and Kenneth Bryant were driving a food truck from Montana to Philadelphia for a pastors' conference.  The MudMan truck, is, according to Fox 8 television in Cleveland, "part of a non-profit that sells hamburgers to raise money for Potter’s Field Ministries," which is a ministry that, according to Bryant, is "Providing food and other resources."

The truck they were driving broke down in Ohio recently.  The Fox 8 story says:

Bryant and Cole stayed with the vehicle while the others took a van to go get a repair part.

“He was in the cab of the truck and I was in the back,” Bryant said. “I was using a generator in the back to charge our cellphones.”

We are told that Bryant suddenly experienced "a pretty predominant thought that the truck was going to get hit."  The story goes on:

He immediately grabbed his phone and jumped out of the vehicle, at the same time Cole was jumping out of the front cab.

They both made it out with only seconds to spare before the entire food truck was crushed and mangled beyond recognition.

The semi driver sustained only minor injuries. The article relates that, "Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers who responded to the accident told FOX 8 the men most certainly would’ve been killed had they been inside the vehicle during impact."

Cole is quoted as saying, "We heard a voice, and it was to get out of the truck and I look down and I saw a semi swerving toward us..." Bryant said, "God kept us safe, God kept us alive..." He also stated, "We’ve come to the conclusion that it was Jesus,” adding, “He allowed this to happen for me to be able to share this story...for people to know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us.”

The story states:

The men feel strongly that they were spared because they have a purpose in this world.

This Christmas, they hope people will be inspired by their story and realize that they’re just as important and have a purpose too.

They continued their journey to Philadelphia, by the way.  And, they served up some burgers, according to the MudMan Facebook page!

Again, very few of us, I would project, will hear the audible voice of God in the manner that Moses did, but that doesn't mean that God isn't communicating with us.  One truth we can rely on is that: God is speaking.  And, the primary way that He does that is through His Word.  We are also told that the children of God are led by the Spirit.  These two men believe they were rescued because the Lord intervened in their lives - they were warned about an imminent danger.

You know, we can find ourselves in danger in our lives - physically and even spiritually.  Perhaps, according to His will, the Lord will intervene; He may even send angels in to steer us away from trouble or keep it from happening to us.  When we look back and see how we may have been spared tragedy in our lives, we can give God praise for His intervention.  Because, we can know that God is speaking...and God is working.

We may not see the evidence of His hand when we are in the middle of a perilous situation, but we can possibly reflect and gain understanding of what He may have been doing in the midst of our trying time.  And, even though deliverance may not come when and how we think it should, we can still know that He is at work according to His plan.

Because, for the child of God, He has a purpose for our lives, and we can be assured that God is using those who are willing.  He determines what that will look like, but we decide if we are willing to follow His will.  Because, if we walk in rebellion or reject His instruction, even though He may make it clear to us, then we put ourselves in a vulnerable position.  We have to make sure that we are walking according to His ways and that we are determined to be pleasing to Him.

Advent-ure Day 14: Second Chance

In the darkness we may encounter, we can anticipate seeing the light of Christ.  In our imperfections,
we can experience the perfection of His love. 2nd Corinthians 4 offers these verses:
6 For 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.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

The Bible reminds us about the contrast between light and darkness - into a dark world, God shone His light.  We are all burdened by the darkness of sin, but when Christ shines His light into our hearts, He reveals where He desires to do His work - He exposes our sin, and enables us to walk in His righteousness.  He gives us the power to pull down strongholds, to renew our minds, to take every thought captive - we can put off the old and put on the new.  He is full of grace and mercy, extending second chances to those who are willing to follow Him.

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This is Day 14 of 25: A Christmas Advent-ure, our Faith Radio Advent Guide, available as a free download from our website at FaithRadio.org.  Each day has a corresponding Christmas song, a Scripture verse or passage, and a lyric from the song.  Today, we reflect on O Holy Night.

Luke chapter 2 says:
6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The plan, at one point, looked hopeless:  a long journey to Bethlehem by a pregnant woman and her husband, the arrival into a packed city, and "no vacancy" at a local inn.  Relegated to the stable.  Among the animals.  Kicked to the curb, you might say.  But, in that scene of desperation, God's will was performed; His Son came into the world that night!

Let me tell you about a former Meeting House guest named Donna.  She is actually portrayed in a new film called, The Front Runner.  It stars Hugh Jackman in a role unlike The Greatest Showman or Les Miserables.  I don't recommend the film, but there is an element that bears some spotlight.

I caught a column by Jerry Newcombe of D. James Kennedy Ministries at ChristianHeadlines.com.  He also writes for WND.com and has also been a guest on The Meeting House.  He set up the story dramatized in the film:

You may recall that Gary Hart, a handsome Democrat politician from Colorado, was easily the front-runner in the road to the 1988 presidential election, at least the primaries. But he derailed himself in 1987 through a sexual scandal on board a South Florida yacht, appropriately called “Monkey Business.”

He continued:

Gary Hart denied that he was seeing any mistresses (and even challenged reporters to follow him), but a widely publicized photo of Hart with Donna Rice on his lap on board the boat said otherwise.

As Jerry tells the story, Donna Rice was raised in a Christian home, but after college, she began to make "subtle compromises." When she was in her twenties, spurred on by an act of abuse against her, she " just put God [and] my Bible on a shelf."  Donna, who is married and known as Donna Rice Hughes, says: "...it took going through this international scandal in 1987 for God to get my attention again. And He did.”

The column states:

Donna continued, “What it really did was it drove me to my knees. And I realized how far I had gotten from the Lord, and that I was in so much pain. It was such a devastating time for me and for my family. And so I rededicated my life to Him at that point, and went through really seven years of being underground.”

During that time period, she diligently studied the Bible and got involved in Christian fellowship.  She began to work with an organization called Enough is Enough.  Newcombe writes:

Enough is Enough is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the Internet safe for children, for example, by protecting them “from both porn and sexual predators,” to quote Hughes. “Our overall focus…has been preventing all Internet-enabled exploitation of children online.” How ironic that a woman initially known for a sex scandal is now a leading champion against porn.

Donna says "...my whole story illustrates, in a way, God’s sense of humor, but also how He really can bring incredible redemption and restoration in situations that seem hopeless as mine did.”

The website, Bustle.com did a story recently on Hughes.  It said:

In the lead up to The Front Runner's release, the now-60-year-old Rice Hughes spoke with People Magazine about the lasting effect the Hart scandal has had on her life. "I felt I was put on trial," she told People of the scandal. "The media fixated on me for the next 18 months. My reputation was destroyed worldwide." Rice Hughes, who is now a grandmother to three, also revealed to People that she suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by the scandal.

She had the chance to view the film and appreciated the way her character was treated. 

The story of Donna Rice Hughes is certainly a redemption story, a story of second chances.  And, isn't that what God has come to do, to redeem flawed individuals in need of a Savior and to give them, to give us, new life through a relationship with Him? 

And, through that relationship, we have opportunities, as clay in the hands of the potter, to be molded into whom God wants us to be.  Donna is now speaking out against pornography, which victimizes so many individuals, including those who not only consume it but those who are on the receiving end of heinous actions perpetrated by those who are motivated by it.

The dark night in Bethlehem looked like a story that might not have a happy ending, but God had a plan.  And, in the dark night of Donna's life, she rediscovered the Savior of her childhood.  In our troubles, it's important that we look beyond current circumstances and develop hope in God's plan, which is rooted in His love for us.   

Advent-ure Day 13: I Don't Know

We celebrate the birth of our Savior - God with us, Emmanuel.  And we can know that He walks with us, teaching us and giving us understanding and direction.  We are called to be seekers of wisdom,
and Proverbs 3 says:
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

Knowing Christ means that we can know more about His ways and practice what He teaches us in His Word.  We are not left without direction in our lives, and He has revealed Himself to us through the Scriptures.  We see the prophecies about Jesus throughout the Old Testament, we see His practices in the New through the gospels, and we can learn principles that we can apply throughout the entirety of the Scriptures.  He calls us to know Him and receive Him as Savior and then to know Him better as we walk with Him through this life.

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We can be so thankful that Jesus came as the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies written about Him.  That fact provides clear evidence of Christ as the Messiah.   Even the place of His birth was
prophesied, as we read in Micah chapter 5:
2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."

In the little town of Bethlehem, a Savior was born.  That Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, corresponds to Day 13 in our Faith Radio Advent Guide, 25: A Christmas Advent-ure, with the title of Sing Unto the Lord!  The lyric that appears in the guide says this: "The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight."

We face a world full of fear and if we're not careful, our lives can become consumed by fear and doubt.  We need clarity for our lives, which we find in the firm foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word, the rock upon which His Church is built.

In the U.K. these days, there certainly seems to be a lack of clarity or confidence about spiritual matters.  I reported to you several weeks ago about the Ligonier Ministries State of Theology survey for the United States.  Well, for the first time, the ministry has surveyed residents of the U.K.  A story on the Christianity Today website says:

In Ligonier Ministries’ first-ever State of Theology survey conducted in the UK, “I don’t know” was the top response to numerous questions about Jesus, sin, the Bible, salvation, and other rudimentary theological concepts.

It seems as if about a third of those surveyed were unclear on basic theological matters. For instance, 36% of those surveyed neither agreed nor disagreed with this: "God counts a person as righteous not because of one’s own works but only because of one’s faith in Jesus Christ.” 33% were unclear about the bodily resurrection of Jesus, 31% were not sure about the "nature of the Trinity" or "Jesus' return." 30% didn't know whether or not hell exists.

There are some disturbing trends among people described as "practicing Christians." For example, "Half of practicing Christians (49%) attest that religious belief is a matter of personal opinion rather than objective truth. Only 22 percent disagree, and another 21 percent somewhat disagree." And "Nearly two-thirds (64%) of British practicing Christians say God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam." Even among the practicing Christians surveyed, almost half "believe that the Bible contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true."

The article quotes Stephen Nichols, chief academic officer of Ligonier Ministries and president of Reformation Bible College, who told Premier Christian Radio, "It’s actually tragic when you look at the survey and you see so many saying ‘I don’t know...’”

Certainly in life, there are going to be many subjects about which we don't know or that we don't understand.  But, to claim to not have knowledge about topics that the Bible clearly addresses can indicate a lack of spiritual understanding or willingness to submit to God's principles.

The good news is that we can know - a lot. But, in many cases, spiritual knowledge is acquired through diligent study and exploration.  There are certain basics that we can know and accept, including those areas I mentioned earlier that a third of residents of the U.K. are unsure about.  We can grasp the concept of salvation as a free gift and how we accept Christ, the resurrection of Jesus, the concept of the Trinity, and the existence of heaven and hell.

But we can also grow in our knowledge.  We never exhaust the treasures of God's Word.  And, when we encounter questions or situations, we are assured of Scripture that we can ask for wisdom; and we can be confident that God will show us His truth, based on His Word.  When we face decisions, having that foundational knowledge of God's principles, we can seek to apply those principles under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  The more we exercise spiritually, the stronger we can become.

We can remember, though, to always stay humble.  God doesn't call us to be spiritual know-it-alls.  So, if we are unclear or unsure, we can take our questions, our doubts, and our fears to Him.  We can admit our human fallibility, but we can also hold to a high view of God's Word and know that we can come to Him, submit to His will and be open to learning.  None of us have "arrived;"  and our God has much to teach us.

Advent-ure Day 12: For the Children

In Colossians chapter 4, the apostle Paul asks for prayer for open doors and boldness of speech.  We
can read:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

As Christ's representatives, we are called to not only know the truth of the Scriptures, but to walk in that truth and speak it in love.  It is important, in the morass of cultural messages that do not reinforce and even contradict the Bible, that we are speaking clearly in a manner that is consistent with God's Word.  We can make sure that we are firm in our beliefs and reliant on the Holy Spirit to speak through us when we are asked about or discussing various topics.

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We are continuing to work our way through the Faith Radio Advent Guide, entitled, Sing Unto the Lord! It features 25 days and 25 different Christmas songs, with a corresponding Scripture and song lyric.  So, today, on Day 12, we concentrate on He is Born, the Divine Christ Child.

In Matthew 1, we find that an angel has come to Joseph. Beginning in verse 20, we read:
20 ...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

Joseph had a dilemma: he had a wife who was pregnant outside the bounds of marriage.  Until the angel came to him, he was considering sending her away.  This gave him the strength to resist the religious law and cultural norms of the day and follow God's direction.

There will be defining moments in our lives, in which we have the choice to follow God's direction, even when it may not make sense or be the popular decision.  A gentleman named Ryan Bomberger has repeatedly made that choice as he speaks out for children created in the image of God.

He is the founder of the Radiance Foundation, and ran into some trouble recently at, of all places, a Christian college.  That would be Chicago's Wheaton College, the place from which a professor departed because of her teaching that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.  Just before that, there was a member of the Chaplains' Department who held to the so-called "gay Christian" paradigm, and even though she insisted that she was celibate, not practicing her "orientation," she later moved from what is termed "Side B" to "Side A," and entered into a same-sex relationship.  And, Wheaton has just hired a professor who has provided talking points to fuel this gay Christian identity movement.

This is the Wheaton where a semi-secret meeting occurred to discuss the "future of evangelism" earlier this year; only one media person, who doubled as a participant, was allowed.  But, the guest list - those who attended and those who did not, would certainly create some concern.  Some of the most high-profile evangelical leaders were not invited and even dismissed by one of the organizers, who I had previously never heard of, as not being "thought leaders."  Wheaton is the alma mater of Billy Graham, and even has a Billy Graham Center, yet Franklin Graham was not invited to this gathering.

So, enter Ryan Bomberger into the mix.  The Daily Wire reports:

Recently, prominent pro-lifer Ryan Bomberger (a black man conceived in rape) delivered a talk to the Wheaton College Republicans about a topic very close to his heart: abortion and race. Apparently, that was much too racy a topic for certain members of the student body to tolerate.

His talk was entitled, "Black Lives Matter In and Out of the Womb."  In response, the Student Government Association sent out a campus-wide e-mail. The article states:

The email claimed that Bomberger's message about abortion and race "made many students, staff and faculty of color feel unheard, underrepresented and unsafe on our campus," which is bizarre, to say the least, considering that Bomberger is a "person of color." The email did not identify him as such.

Philip Zeisemer, Founder of the College Republicans, said he was "disappointed by the school’s response." He added, "I believe free speech is threatened when someone with a different point of view is accused—in print—of making students feel ‘unsafe’ and ‘underrepresented.’ I wish the school would have responded by encouraging students to think critically, discuss the message from both sides, and challenge themselves on the content presented."

Bomberger, writing on the LifeSiteNews.com website, stated:

Sadly, it was clear that even on an evangelical Christian campus, truth is anathema to those who deify "diversity". In a presentation on what Jesse Jackson once called "black genocide", those who prefer activism over factivism chose to demonize and distort. The talk focused on the hypocrisy of the #BlackLivesMatter movement's leadership and its announced solidarity with the leading killer in the black community – Planned Parenthood – where 247 black lives are killed by the abortion giant every single day. I pointed out several disturbing policy platform positions (see www.M4BL.net) that are, inarguably, hostile to Christianity such as the negation of fathers, the promotion of radical LGBTQ ideology, and lack of any call for racial reconciliation.

I refuse to bow to groupthink. And that never goes over well with those who think "diversity" means ideological conformity.

Franklin Graham, on his Facebook page, has stood in solidarity with Ryan.  As he points out, Wheaton is the alma mater of his mother and father, Billy and Ruth Bell Graham.  He wrote:

As Christians we need to have an influence on culture and not let the culture influence us. I’m afraid these students are being influenced by the culture of the progressive left, which is very unfortunate. They need to hear from godly leadership of the university on important matters of truth like this. This one-time bastion of evangelical conservatism always needs to be on guard against drifting left.

I think that there is a timely message for the Christmas season, as we consider that we should speak up for the Child, the One who grew up to give His life for our sins.  The One who said to let the little children come to Him.  And, we should always speak up for the children.  The taking of human lives prior to birth should not occur in a civilized society.

Ryan Bomberger also reminds us that we should be willing to tell the truth, even if there is a cost.  He has chosen to address a very serious issue in our society in provocative and creative ways.  For that, he has found himself maligned on numerous occasions because he dare disrupt the status quo.

That leads into another takeaway: we should always seek to offer a compelling testimony.  We can be challenged to be grounded in our beliefs, consistent with Scripture, and to communicate well.  With preparation and prudence, we can be good representatives of our Savior.

Advent-ure Day 11: Not Fluid

The words of comfort today: there is hope in the Lord.  We see vestiges where the enemy is at work, deceiving and distracting, but we can look to the God of all comfort to accompany us.  2nd
Corinthians chapter 1 says:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

In the presence of the Lord, there is joy.  The Bible in Proverbs 13 says that the way of the transgressor is hard.  The power of sin can be great, but the power of God is greater.  The enemy's lies are seemingly overpowering but Christ says that I have overcome the world.  So, when we need to experience the "comfort and joy" that the old carols speaks of, we can press in to the truth of the Scriptures and rest in the knowledge of God.

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It is Day 11 of our 25-day "Christmas Advent-ure," entitled, Sing Unto the Lord!   In this year's Advent Guide, there is a corresponding Christmas song to each day, with a Scripture verse and lyric.  Today's song is the carol, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, which includes the line, "...To save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray."

The song also reminds us of the tidings of "comfort and joy," which are expressions that we can
experience in Christ. Psalm 16 says:
8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

And, our theme Scripture verse for today:
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Like never before, we need to know the path of life, the correct path, the Biblically accurate path, so that we might experience the "fullness" of God's joy.

Walt Heyer writes for The Federalist website:

Six-year-old James is caught in a gender identity nightmare. Under his mom’s care in Dallas, Texas, James obediently lives as a trans girl named “Luna.” But given the choice when he’s with dad, he’s all boy — his sex at birth.

Heyer also writes:

In their divorce proceedings, the mother has charged the father with child abuse for not affirming James as transgender, has sought restraining orders against him, and is seeking to terminate his parental rights. She is also seeking to require him to pay for the child’s visits to a transgender-affirming therapist and transgender medical alterations, which may include hormonal sterilization starting at age eight.

Walt can identify; he had a grandmother who would cross-dress him, and he was sent to a gender therapist, who started him on the road to "transition" into being a different gender.  As an adult, he was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and went through a complete transition, including surgery.  He writes, "I felt that my gender identity and biological sex were at odds, but what the therapist failed to consider were the other factors driving my desire to change gender, which needed to be addressed first."

Poor James is being sent to a gender therapist who seems very quick to diagnose and send a child on a path of gender transition.  About him, Heyer writes:

When his mother, a pediatrician, took James for counseling, she chose a gender transition therapist who diagnosed him with gender dysphoria, a mental conflict between physical sex and perceived gender. James’ precious young life hinges purely on the diagnosis of gender dysphoria by a therapist who wraps herself in rainbow colors, affirms the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and dismisses evidence to the contrary.

Imagine the pressure this child is under.  The Federalist story continues:

When James is away from his mother, he consistently rejects the idea that he is “Luna girl” or that he wants to be a girl. Because the court prohibits dad from dressing James as a boy or from teaching him that he is a boy by sharing religious or science-based teachings on sexuality, dad presents James with male and female clothing options and James always chooses, even insists on, his boy clothes.

The story quotes Bill Lovell, the senior pastor of Christ Church Carrollton, who wrote: “Based on the three occasions I’ve spent time with him, I’d say he acts and looks unmistakably like a healthy six-year-old boy. … I am praying for James, an average six-year-old boy, a sweet-natured, intelligent, lovable and at this point particularly vulnerable young man, caught up in a titanic clash of worldviews.”

The article also quotes from Michelle Cretella, executive director of the American College of Pediatricians, who "describes the pediatric community’s encouragement of sex change and hormonal treatments for children as 'institutionalized child abuse.'"  The College's own website states:

It is now alleged that discrimination, violence, psychopathology, and suicide are the direct and inevitable consequences of withholding social affirmation and puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones from a gender dysphoric child. Yet, the fact that 80 percent to 95 percent of gender-dysphoric youth emerge physically and psychologically intact after passing through puberty without social affirmation refutes this claim.

And, this is regarding children who actually experience gender dysphoria, which doesn't seem to be the problem with James, who, when with his father, rejects the pressure to conform to the thoughts and behavior of the female his mother insists that he become.  It's a classic and tragic case, in one family, where the errant theory of gender fluidity conflicts with the biological, Biblical teaching of gender being fixed.

We find a culture today that is fighting with all its might against traditional sexual norms.  It is a deception, and even though those who speak up for traditional Biblical teaching on sexuality find themselves ridiculed and labeled as being bigoted and homophobic, we still have the opportunity and even the responsibility to hold fast to God's truth.

The pastor described James as a boy who is "caught up in a titanic clash of worldviews."  And it's really sad that the perpetration of views of modern sexuality have left so much hurt and confusion in their wake.  We are reminded that we should always be compassionate toward those who are experiencing confusion in this area, but the best thing we can do is tell the truth - not to accommodate errant sexual beliefs, but to share the freedom that comes in Christ.  So often, we find people and even churches who are willing to tolerate LGBT beliefs without sharing the really, really good news that people can change.  

And, Christ promises a change from death to life, not a change from life to death that is being forced upon six-year-old James. The contradiction in the LGBT community is that they advocate gender fluidity, but also fixed sexual orientation, determined biologically.  The Bible teaches something different: one gender, created and determined by God; and the ability to overcome all sinful behavior, including the practice of homosexuality.  Christ came to redeem sinners and to give us power to overcome the sinful practices in which we engage.  Comfort and joy come through believing in the One who came to set us free.