Selection Tuesday

There are passages of Scripture that teach us how we are to relate to our governmental authorities.
And, I should mention 1st Timothy 2, which tells us to pray for our leaders. In Romans 13, we can read:
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

When we consider the selection of leaders, as we will do next Tuesday, we consider the sovereignty of God - ultimately, He is responsible for placing and removing leaders in those positions, and we have the unique privilege to participate in the process.  We also consider aspects of the size and scope of government, according to the Bible, which teaches 2 simple principles: to uphold good and punish evil.  When human desire for power results in overburdening governmental involvement, then one must consider how that can be scaled back.

+++++

While God ordains governmental leaders, he has given us as American citizens the opportunity to participate with Him in the execution of His will.  I love my country; it's where He has appointed my family and me to live, and we are certainly blessed to be part of this nation.  We can consider how
candidates line up with the Biblical viewpoint of government. We read in 1st Peter 2:
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,
14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.

We are now less than a week from Election Day, a very important mid-term election.  In the State of Alabama, that includes the selection of officeholders in a number of statewide positions, including the executive and a number of judicial positions.  All the Alabama Legislature is up for re-election.  And on the Federal level, the entirety of the House of Representatives and one-third of the U.S. Senate are being selected.

I commented recently on a study from George Barna's organization, the American Culture and Faith Institute.  The summary says:

The survey indicated that there are three issues that will have a greater impact on voting decisions among conservatives than among other ideological segments. Specifically immigration, religious liberty, and the nation’s moral decline were top concerns to conservatives.

Similarly, there were three issues that will have heightened influence on the voting ruminations of liberals in comparison to other voters. Those issues included environmental policy, racism, and economic inequality.

The survey also suggested that there were three issues that have substantial influence on conservatives and moderates but not to liberals. Those matters were taxes, jobs, and national defense and terrorism.

Finally, there was one issue – healthcare – that appeared to be of significant importance to liberals and moderates, but not to conservatives.

I also wrote, "One group about which the ACFI has done extensive research is the so-called SAGE Cons; SAGE is an acronym for Spiritually Active and Governance Engaged.  You could say that these are Christian conservatives who are active in matters of policy.  The top issue for this group is religious liberty, with 65% indicating that it would have 'a lot of influence' on voting decisions.  Donald Trump was second at 62%, followed by gun rights and immigration, tied at 61.  Among the 'Born Again Christian' group, gun rights and quality of government were tied at 64% each."

Again, in this election cycle, the faith vote is of paramount importance.  The organization, My Faith Votes, encourages believers to pray, think, and act concerning their choices.  A recent Religion News Service article called attention to the efforts of Family Research Council and its "Values Bus."   The article states:

FRC Action Director Brent Keilen said the organization has had the bus at least four years and tours every two years ahead of elections.

This tour will culminate in The Event on Nov. 4 at Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, Co., with conservative Christian voters called on to pledge to “pray, to vote, to stand” during a simulcast on its website.

“There’s just so much at stake, and our hope is to really draw attention to that and to point out the importance of those races,” Keilen said.

The article points to a YouTube video about The Event:

The video points to issues and actions taken by the Trump administration that are important to Family Research Council’s conservative evangelical supporters: tax cuts, religious freedom, abortion, moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and appointing conservative justices to the Supreme Court.

“Values voters can determine whether this country stays on the path of greatness,” said a written statement from FRC President Tony Perkins, who has been a vocal Trump supporter.

More on The Event now.  The National Religious Broadcasters website states the it will be "simulcast nationally" on Sunday, November 4 at 5pm CT.  NRB, FRC, First Liberty, and Alliance Defending Freedom are among the sponsors; speakers include Mike Huckabee, Mike Farris, and Tony Perkins.  The site says:

“The Bible teaches us we have an obligation to vote,” said Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, president & CEO of NRB. “The United States is a democratic republic in which the fundamental responsibility for governing the country rests with the people. The individual voices of people are expressed through casting ballots, so if we are to truly follow the biblical mandate to honor governing authorities, we must not neglect our duty to vote.”

You can learn more at www.theevent2018.com.

As perhaps a counterweight to the perspective of FRC and like-minded groups, another organization claiming to be evangelical has formed and is also featured by RNS.  It's called Vote Common Good, it's headed by Doug Pagitt, and it has a bus. The article says:

It aims to encourage evangelical Christians — who traditionally have been associated with the Republican Party, and perhaps never more so than now, given white evangelical support for Trump — to “vote their values rather than their longtime party.”

Pagitt argued that Republican candidates support Trump administration policies on taxes, immigration and the environment that are “contrary to the teaching of Jesus.” Flipping Congress for the Democratic Party in November would be more in line with Christian values, he said.

So, how does that work? There are a number of Christians who have difficulty supporting Democratic candidates because of the party platform's commitment to abortion on demand.  That, of course, is a position that not all Democrats embrace.  For some insight, I went to the Vote Common Good web site, which outlines six commitments, one of which is:

2. We will vote with the poor, vulnerable, and forgotten in mind, with religious, racial, and gender minorities, with children and the elderly, with the sick and diversely abled, upholding the God-given dignity of all people, no exceptions.

And, in an ominous declaration, we read:

5. We will vote against policies and politicians who promise special privileges for any religion, including our own.

Translation: since this is a unabashedly Democrat-supporting organization, one must assume that they feel that Republicans do not care about the poor, vulnerable, and forgotten.  And, what is a gender minority?  LGBT?  Oh, yes.  And, how about the Constitutional guarantee of religious liberty?  Oh, well, that must be a special privilege - there are some who believe that Christians, after all, are privileged in America.  And, this is a Christian organization who is supporting this type of rhetoric.

So, in the runup to Election Day, it's important that we are in prayer.  Liberty Counsel and Presidential Prayer Team are two organizations that have organized 10-day prayer initiatives leading up to Election Day.  There is a special prayer time coming up this Friday evening in Opelika.  There is plenty at stake, and we need to be calling out to God.

We also have to make sure that we are critiquing candidates based on the teachings of the Bible.  We can confidently say that the sanctity of life and of marriage are two areas that the Bible speaks clearly to. We also recognize that the family is an institution that has been established by God, and I believe that it is the duty of government to protect it...so we can look for candidates who pursue policies that protect the families.

But, we have to be clear that we are selecting candidates who uphold the Biblical view of government.  Be cautioned about candidates who are touting government-funded programs that are designed to undermine personal responsibility and exceed the parameters set by our governing authorities in the Scriptures - to uphold order and punish evil.  When you hear candidates speak free health care, free college, a "living wage," or even a guaranteed income, one has to think - how does the government intend to fund these programs?  When you hear candidates, under the umbrella of justice, speak of confiscating funds from one socioeconomic group to give to another, that is certainly a red flag.

Another red flag has to do with Christian leaders who are overly anxious to withdraw from partisan politics.  We have a political system and it includes political parties, who adopt platforms that say a lot about how they would govern and the principles they stand for.  While we never place party above theology, over-critiquing the current system could lead to a decline in participation.  We should be prayerful, involved, and intent on casting a vote as an act of worship, that we might be involved in doing the will of God.

Pursuit of Peace

Throughout the ages, as we see in the Scriptures, God has worked to bring people to Himself - even after the fall, He continued to reach out to humanity.  Through a man named Abraham, He called and chose a people unto Himself and attempted to build relationship with His covenant people.  We read
in Jeremiah 31:
31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah--
32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.
33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

The Bible contains an incredible narrative of God's love for human beings and how He wants to have fellowship with us.  He called out a people, Israel, and called them by His name.  He has brought those who are not part of that group into relationship with Himself by sending His Son to die.  And, He continues to confirm His covenant with the Jewish people today - but now, as then, they must respond to His call.  The tragic murder of 11 people in a house of worship, a synagogue, grieves the hearts of people of faith, especially Christians, because it represents a hatred for people whom God has called to be special.

+++++

In Deuteronomy 7, we read what the Lord had to say about the people whom He had chosen, and we remember that Israel has a special place in His heart:
6 "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.
7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;
8 but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments...

It was an act of sheer terror - a 46-year-old man named Robert Bowers walked into a synagogue in Pittsburgh and opened fire.  An article in USA Today said:

The man accused in a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday morning screamed anti-Semitic epithets, including "All Jews must die," as he fired at random, a law enforcement official told USA TODAY.

At the end of his rampage, 11 were dead and six people, including police officers, were seriously wounded.  Just before going into the building, he had posted an anti-Semitic message on a social media site called Gab.  The USA Today story continued:

The profile includes an array of anti-Semitic comments and conspiracy theories. The anti-Semitic rants on social media prompted authorities to designate the FBI as the lead agency to investigate the attack as a hate crime.

In the post just before the shooting, the organization HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, was mentioned. The post accused the agency of bringing "invaders in that kill our people."

It's unclear who Bowers meant when saying "our people."

On the page appearing to belong to Bowers, he wrote about a number of conspiracy theories and his stark opposition to immigration, especially the migrant caravan that has drawn ire from the Trump administration.

But, he was not a Trump voter, according to the article - in fact, he believed the President was too "soft" on the Jewish faith and was surrounded by too many of them to really "Make America Great Again."  You may recall that his daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, practice the Jewish faith.

This is the second extremist arrested in the past week - a Cuban-American named Cesar Sayoc was arrested in association with the pipe bombs that were sent to a number of high-profile political leaders.  USA Today indicated he has an extensive criminal record.  His online profile shows an allegiance to the President; he also drove a white van that had numerous "pro-Trump and anti-Democrat stickers."

It is way too convenient to say that you had two individuals with extreme tendencies who approached political issues from different viewpoints and center the discussion on whether or not these men supported the President or not.

Fact is, extremists exist in our society - and their political viewpoints and actions are not always clearly defined.  But, we are seeing a chilling devaluation of human life that has infiltrated a number of different segments of our society; it's scary, it needs to be addressed, and the Church can play a key role in leading the way to a more civil discourse.  Ratcheting up the rhetoric doesn't persuade those who see things differently than you to change their minds - it reminds us that somebody is going to get hurt; and we see in Pittsburgh that occurred.

People with whom you disagree are not your enemy.  And, that includes matters of faith: for instance, Christians and Jews do not see theological matters eye to eye, but we can disagree agreeably and live as members of an orderly, civil society.  We can strive to show respect to other religions, even though we believe that Jesus is only way to the Father.  (We can even grant a benefit of the doubt to those Muslims who are seeking peace; now, if we sense radicals among us, then we can leave that to the authorities to deal with.)

The shooting in Pittsburgh, the mass murder, is antithetical to the nature of God.  Eric Metaxas did not mince words when he tweeted out: "Evil is a hatred of God Himself. It perennially finds its clearest expression in a murderous hatred of the Jews, who are God's beloved chosen people, & out of whom came the Jew, Jesus of Nazareth. What happened yesterday was an attack on God Himself and on all He loves. #yeshua"

This is a provocative, reasoned, and Biblically accurate tweet.  Unfortunately, there was way too much political posturing that I saw on Twitter after the attack, with people blaming the views of another segment of society, some blaming the President, and even among some Chrisitans an impuning of their response to the events of that tragic day.  Certainly, as a people, as a nation, we are better than this: certainly we can all agree on the horror of this event without having to resort to name-calling and finger-pointing; it dishonors the memory of the 11 who lost their lives.

We must seek to respond correctly and Biblically.  David Jeremiah of Turning Point referred to Saturday as a "devastating" day. In a statement, he said: "No one should ever have to endure such horrific violence in a house of worship in a nation where the free exercise of religion is a fundamental and basic human right. I’m praying for the families of these victims right now, and I pray that God gives them comfort and a peace that surpasses all understanding.”

Tony Perkins of Family Research Council said:

"I encourage our leaders to call the nation together for a focused day of prayer and reconciliation. Let us take a day to seek God and pray for Him to bring healing to our nation -- asking God to move in the hearts of people to bring about the unity our nation so desperately needs.

"The challenges America faces are far beyond anything we're capable of overcoming on our own. For almost 250 years, that's what's set America apart -- its acknowledgement that we are a nation under God. And if there were ever a time that our nation should be coming together to pray, it's now. Our history records it. Our Founding Fathers held a national day of prayer in view of the monumental struggle we were engaged in with Britain.

The FRC website also stated: "It's true that anti-Semitism has been on the rise in recent years, as FRC has documented extensively. It's also true that the freedom to believe and live according to one's faith has been increasingly marginalized and demonized by political and cultural rhetoric. But these factors, and others like them that contribute to the horrors like we've seen in the past week are symptoms that won't be remedied by mere political or cultural change."

Laurie Cardoza-Moore of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations described Bowers as a "Christian nationalist" who was influenced by what is called "replacement theology," which teaches that God no longer has a plan for Israel.  She stated: “It is long past time to confront the growing danger posed by the dramatic rise of anti-Semitism in America. We must examine how our society, including our churches and education system, is helping to enable this threat making not just our Jewish communities vulnerable, but all people. History has shown that anti-Semitism doesn’t stop with the Jewish community; this hatred will soon be directed at other people of faith as well.” She issued this warning: "We in America have witnessed a continuous rise in anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses and on social media platforms with little to no response from university administrators. They continuously cite the ‘free speech rights’ of students to perpetuate and thus legitimize this growing threat."

Behind the Beard

In James 2, there is a stirring and convicting passage that illustrates for us that we are not to look at outward appearance or even socioeconomic factors, when we consider those whom we encounter,
even those who wish to worship with us. We read:
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Isn't it great that we serve a God who does not determine whether or not to save us based on our appearance, our level of income, our cultural background, or even how much money we have?  Christ died for all, and He desires for all to come into a saving knowledge of Himself.  None of us deserve to have that right relationship with God, but Jesus gave His life for us, undeserving as we were.  And, He calls us to not view other people with a sense of partiality; rather, to be sensitive to sharing the compassion of Christ with all.

+++++

In Luke 10, Jesus is asked, "who is my neighbor?" after He taught that we were to love God and love
our neighbor as ourselves. So, He taught this:
30 Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

Several campuses of Harvest Bible Chapel, based in the Chicagoland area, had a unique visitor not long ago.  He was a man who was apparently homeless, described by the Faithwire website as having a "gray, mangy beard," who "leaned against a TJ Maxx shopping cart overstuffed with his life’s belongings."

How would congregation members respond to this unkempt individual? Would they stop and stare, walk on by, or perhaps demonstrate the compassion of Christ? What occurred was that, according to the article, the appearance resulted in "a number of congregants praying with him, bringing him food, handing him cash and inviting him inside the sanctuary."

Ultimately, the man did go inside the sanctuary, and straight toward the pulpit - uh, oh; this could be awkward!  But, as he approached, he removed the coat and then took off what turned out to be a fake beard, only to reveal that it was the church's teaching pastor, James MacDonald!

Faithwire states:

MacDonald, who founded and leads the megachurch in the Chicagoland area, posted a video of the experiment to his Facebook page Monday. He told his congregation he was blown away by the treatment he received as he crouched next to the door of the church campuses...

The story said that the response of his congregation members resulted in his "crying inside that beard."  He is quoted as saying, “I dressed up as a homeless man and sat outside our church,” adding, “What I witnessed blew me away.”

MacDonald explains:

“Do you know that your father in Heaven is giving the same graces to the person that is hardest for you to love? He is giving it. He doesn’t play favorites. He is giving the grace to everyone,” he said. “If we are going to love like our father in Heaven loves, we don’t get to play favorites. By favorites, I mean, so often we love the people when there is some benefit in it for us.”

The crux of MacDonald’s message — and the intention behind his brief social experiment — was to show his congregation that it’s “hardest to love when the problem is most common and the people are least known.”

So, the takeaways for us today:

First of all, don't take human suffering for granted; it is certainly all around us.  We can be motivated to not just walk by, but to exercise sensitivity.  Remember, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, two of the three people who encountered the wounded man walked by; this can serve as a stirring example to us.

We can also fine-tune how we look at those who are down and out.  Do we regard them with the compassion of Christ, or with conceit, placing a higher view on ourselves than we ought?   We are called to place the needs of others above our own - God sent His Son, who regarded our need for salvation as the highest priority.  He came to earth to redeem fallen humanity - that's the love He gives us the capacity to exhibit.

We also remember that Christ died for all - an elevated socioeconomic background doesn't give someone an advantage at the foot of the cross.  He comes to repair the broken, those who are willing to admit our need for a Savior so we can experience a relationship with God through Him.  And, everyone is called to enter in through the same door, the same method.  His invitation is for all, as He desires for all to be saved.

Tell of His Wonders

We have been empowered to actively and accurately communicate what we have seen God do in our lives and in the world around us.  What we have experienced, we can tell it to those who desperately need to hear His message. Psalm 105 says:
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!
3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

Pay careful attention to verse 2b: "Talk of all His wondrous works."  God is doing amazing things - and we can communicate what we have seen and heard.  We can also relate about the incredible things He has done for us - we can live in a manner that reflects joy; joy regarding who He is and what He has done, with a sense of appreciation and awe.  Our willingness to allow God to use us and faithfulness to follow through can have a tremendous impact in bringing hope to people and the good news of salvation through Him.

+++++

Jesus has been described as the greatest storyteller of all, and He used parables to relate God's truth - some would hear, others would not. In Matthew 13, we read:

33 Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,

35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."

There are a few developments to discuss in the world of movies that communicate a faith message, including the release today of Indivisible, from eye doctor turned moviemaker David Evans, who, along with his wife, and their church, made the movie, The Grace Card, a few years back.  We'll be hearing from David and his wife, Esther, during the second hour of The Meeting House, in a conversation recorded at UNITE this summer.   The film portrays a military chaplain and his wife and the struggles that they face.  Sarah Drew, who starred in Moms' Night Out, is one of the leads.

That film was made by Jon and Andy Erwin, who later made Woodlawn and I Can Only Imagine.  Now, the Erwin Brothers, of Birmingham, have their sights set on greater pursuits for God's kingdom.  Baptist Press notes that Jon Erwin...

...his brother Andy and their production partner Kevin Downes have formed a new filmmaking company, Kingdom, which will bring multiple filmmakers together to create a "pipeline of event movies" that proclaim a biblical message and "serve the church," Erwin told Baptist Press.

He likens it to a "Christian Pixar or a Christian Marvel" studio that specializes in a specific area and is able to work on multiple films at one time -- but all with the quality that moviegoers expect from an Erwin-branded movie. Some movies will be directed by the Erwins, while others will employ other veteran or upcoming directors. Lionsgate will distribute them.

Erwin is scheduled to announce Kingdom's first lineup of films at the National Religious Broadcasters meeting March 26 in Anaheim, Calif. At least one of those will be directed by the Erwins.

Meanwhile, men known for their athletic abilities have jumped into making faith-based films.  ChristianHeadlines.com reported on former Heisman Trophy winner, professional baseball player, and co-host of SEC Nation, Tim Tebow, who has been involved in producing a film, along with his brother, Robby, called, Run the Race.  It's described this way:

The film tells the story of two brothers who have lost their mom and whose father walked out on them after her death. Despite this, the brothers are determined to make the best out of a bad situation. They plan on obtaining football scholarships so that they can use the money to change their circumstances. Suddenly, everything changes when one of the brothers sustains an injury bringing his football dream to a screeching halt.

The article quotes Tebow:

"This is a story about overcoming the hard issues of life, about the power of sacrifice, the power of family and the power of forgiveness," Tebow told Hollywood Reporter. "I love being a part of a project like this because it will impact lives."

He told CBN News: "I wanted to be part of something that's encouraging and inspirational to the viewer."  The film is scheduled to be released in February of 2019.

And, another pro athlete who just put 51 points on the board this past Wednesday night will be an executive producer of a faith-based movie.  Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, who is part of a new entertainment company, is involved with Breakthrough.  ChristianHeadlines.com states:

The film is based on a book called The Impossible by Joyce Smith which tells the inspiringly true story of how Smith’s son, John, fell through the ice, drowned, and was declared legally dead, only to be revived an hour later through the power of prayer.

You may remember that Joyce and their family pastor were guests on The Meeting House to discuss their experiences and God's faithfulness.  The article relates:

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Curry jumped at the chance to work on Breakthrough because of its strong messages of faith and family.

"John's story is nothing short of incredible," Curry told THR. "It's a story about the power of prayer and perseverance and one I immediately connected to. After reading the script, I knew I wanted to be a part of bringing it to life onscreen."

According to THR, executive producer DeVon Franklin pitched the movie to the Golden State Warrior during a general movie meeting and 24 hours later Curry was sold.

Franklin has been involved in two of the highest-grossing Christian movies of all time, Heaven is For Real and Miracles From Heaven, both in the top 10, according to Box Office Mojo.   The afore-mentioned, I Can Only Imagine is at #6; The Passion of the Christ sits atop the list.

There are several areas to consider when we look at these new developments. 

One is the power of a story.  All of these filmmakers, in a way, are involved in telling stories.  The Erwins talk often about the importance of telling good stories.  As it's been pointed out, we see how Jesus used parables - stories - to illustrate His truth.  A good story, infused with faith, can result in a changed heart or a changed perspective.

And, we can consider the power of faith.  People are looking for hope these days; so many want answers that are not derived from human wisdom.  Faith transcends our own human understanding and takes our thinking and acting to a higher level.   We can soar in our faith as we are inspired - the Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  So, God's Word is the foundation of our faith.  But, God will use other tools in order to propel us to grow.

Another area is the power of a platform.  Tebow and Curry are using their platform as professional athletes, high-profile individuals in our culture and are venturing out into another realm.  I have mentioned before the importance of athletes, even student-athletes, using their influence to make an impact for Christ.  People are watching, and we can consider how we are using the gifts he's given us to glorify Him.

Not Changeable

God's immutable truths apply to the design of male and female, and His intent is clearly expressed
through His Word. We read in Genesis 1:
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

And, in Genesis 2, we find this:
23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Scripture teaches two genders, a binary choice: male and female.  There is nothing said about identifying as a certain gender that is different than the biological one.  And, there are clear intentions about the role of men and women - we find the priority of parenthood in Genesis 1 and the definition of marriage in Genesis 2.  When you redefine marriage and reject procreation within that relationship, the door is opened for a clear departure from His plan.  A same-sex marriage relationship cannot produce offspring.  Period.  And, it is clear that God's intent is for a child to be produced from a father and mother - that's His glorious design.

+++++

God has revealed His truth to humanity through the Scriptures, and His Word has been brought to life in the person of His Son, the Word who became flesh.  We can choose to embrace His absolute truth
or rely on inferior, human wisdom. Jesus taught in John 16:
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

In light of the recent ruling in the United Kingdom in favor of a baker who would not provide a cake about homosexuality that did not reflect the baker's deeply held religious beliefs, I have discovered the work of the British organization, Coalition for Marriage, which provided updates on the situation involving Ashers Bakery.

Interestingly enough, the results of a recent survey by that organization pair well with comments made on The Meeting House, by Focus on the Family's Glenn Stanton, who discussed the false notion that one can determine his or her gender, which flies in the face of the Biblical principles that a person's sex is determined by God, the Creator, who has made us to be male and female.

According to the Coalition for Marriage website:

Under 18s should not be able to self-define their gender, according to a major new poll for C4M.

The survey of over 2,000 members of the public found that a majority of those surveyed (51 per cent) believe that young people (under 18) should not be able to self-define their gender, while just one in five (20 per cent) thought they should.

The poll by ComRes found a less clear picture for over 18s, with four in ten (44 per cent) supporting the right of adults to self-define their gender compared to three in ten (29 per cent) who did not.

The summary included a statement from Colin Hart, the Chairman of the Coalition for Marriage, in light of a report that Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt has "ordered an inquiry into why there has been a more than 4,000 per cent increase in the number of girls seeking support from 'transitioning' services in the last decade."  Hart said, regarding this survey, “These results show that the public is deeply concerned at the Government’s obsession with pushing transgenderism on all. There is after all nothing progressive with children who are so ashamed of their bodies that they think they must change gender, something that has risen at an alarming rate in recent years.”

The timing of the survey coincided with a public comment period, which ended last Friday, on revisions to the Gender Recognition Act, which was established in 2004.  Coalition for Marriage reported that areas to be considered include:

• Allowing a person to change legal gender without first living as a member of the opposite sex for two years;

• Allowing legal gender change without any medical diagnosis, which would remove a key protection against bad faith from the current system;

• Removing the requirement that a married person who changes gender may only do so with the permission of their spouse, thus potentially forcing people into ‘same-sex marriages’...

And, there are more areas of concern in the C4M survey.  The summary states:

Asked “to what extent would you support or oppose each of the following? Permitting transgender individuals to take part in sports competitions under their new gender identity?”, the survey found opinion evenly split between agree (35 per cent), disagree (34 per cent) and don’t know (31 per cent).

Worryingly the poll found significant support for those who want to self-define their race (32 per cent), their age (19 per cent) and even their species (ten per cent). Among young people, these figures were higher in every category. 34 per cent of 18-24 year olds backed the right to choose your race, 23 per cent their age and 18 per cent their species.

Hart also commented, “This poll shows conclusively that the public remain highly sceptical about the direction of Government policy and want children to be protected from the irreversible treatments..." and stated, "It also shows that there is concern about the fairness of transgender individuals competing in sporting competitions if they have what many would see as an unfair advantage because of the bodies they were born with."

These developments come against the news that the Trump Administration is considering rescinding language amending Title IX, providing fair treatment of women and girls and preventing discrimination on the basis of "sex" -  to include gender identity, i.e. the gender with which one identifies.  This resulted in special rights for transgender persons.  And, recently, a female bicycle race was won by a biological male, which hardly seems fair.

There are a few things to remember in the light of this British survey and the stated response to it.  And, an overarching principle is that there are certain things that are fixed: the glory, majesty, and supremacy of Almighty God and the absolute truth in His Word.  And, gender is a fixed characteristic - determined by God and unchangeable by humanity.

We can admit that this new "gender awareness" is a direct affront to God's design of male and female.  Gender identity, gender fluidity, the emergence of so-called "gender pronouns" like Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family was talking about - these are all symptomatic of the rejection of God's ideals.  We can be assured: Gender is not a changeable characteristic, and is determined by the Creator.

Unfortunately, the redefinition of rules on gender provides an allowance for and codification of deviant behaviors.  When we are not playing by God's rules, we rely on fallible, human wisdom, which is far inferior to the wisdom of the Almighty.  We can choose God-reliance, depending on His power and principles, or self-reliance, which ushers us into a realm of vulnerability in which we are walking in rebellion to His ways.

Eye of the Storm

In Luke 4, we find Jesus teaching in the synagogue, and He indicated to those gathering the reason for which God had sent Him, a fulfillment of prophecy written by Isaiah. We can read:
17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Jesus was the Son of God, sent to earth in the flesh, and He was sent to proclaim God's truth and to bring salvation.  We, as His ambassadors, are called to reflect His restorative nature - where there is brokenness, loss, and suffering, we can allow His Holy Spirit to bring the message of love and healing from our Savior.  We can be confident that He will work through us to accomplish His intentions, so that hearts might be encouraged and discover His hope.

+++++

God uses His people so that others may see His glory, acknowledge His presence, and perhaps come into a saving knowledge of Himself.  Our response in times of disaster and suffering can certainly
accomplish His purposes. Isaiah 52 states:
6 Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: 'Behold, it is I.' "
7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

We are continuing to process the extent of damage from Hurricane Michael several weeks ago, and we are seeing that Christian groups are on the ground in the afflicted areas, bringing critical physical and spiritual resources.

And, in the midst of the devastation, area churches, even some that experienced damage are leading the way in bringing hope and relief.  Partnerships have been developed between churches outside the Panhandle and those on the Gulf Coast, and it's gratifying to see how the Church is being the Church in the aftermath of the storm.

ChristianHeadlines.com reports that Destiny Worship Center in Panama City Beach, despite losing the side of one of its buildings, has become involved in providing help:

Wayne Asprodites, the pastor of the Destiny Worship Center in Panama City Beach, told CBN News, "Really we're beginning to communicate to take supplies here on the beach level and bring them over to Panama City and Springfield and Callaway, where the churches there were really destroyed, major damage, and allow them to be collection points for the supplies that people are giving us and distribute to the people in need."

The CBN News story also profiled Lighthouse Church, located in the eyewall of the storm:

Lighthouse Pastor Cole Bailey told CBN News, "I think we all know that's just a building, it's just a building. We can build a building but we want to make sure our community is taken care of, we want to make sure our members are taken care of."

"We have seven teams out with chainsaws and front-end loaders, we're moving trees and making sure that everybody is accounted for, and that they can get out and that they get the aid that they need," he continued.

He pointed out that his church, by reaching out to meet needs, is demonstrating the love of Christ.

Baptist Press reported that Michael damaged "at least 50 Southern Baptist church buildings in Florida and Georgia." One such church is Family of God Baptist Church in Panama City, pastored by Dwight Woods. There, "the fellowship hall collapsed and 30 feet of the sanctuary roof was ripped off by Michael, Woods told Baptist Press. The church's east campus saw half of the roof torn off and module buildings damaged."

Pastor Dwight Woods is quoted here in this excerpt: "'Some of the deacons are doing some reconnaissance for us, trying to find out some of the needs' in the community in order to initiate ministries."

Churches in nearby Walton County were quick to become involved in the relief efforts.  The Walton Sun reported on a few of them, such as Oceans Church:

“You don’t need to have a church building to be the church,” Pastor Michael Janetis wrote on Facebook. “It’s so humbling yet powerful to see people of God coming together as the body of Christ to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are hurting, broken and in need.”

On Oct. 14 almost 400 people were given packed lunches, baby supplies, hygiene products, snacks, water and more than 100 gallons of gasoline.

Shoreline Church in Destin was another church to be involved:

“Shoreline likes to partner with larger organizations that have the resources and knowledge to address the biggest needs,” said Shoreline Church’s Communications Director Molly Williams. “Some of our partners are ARC national, Pensacola Dream Center, Cajun Navy, and Baypointe Church in PCB. All funds will go toward those organizations and our serve teams will partner up with them as soon as we receive direction.”

ARC is the Association of Related Churches.  Baypointe's Facebook page says that it still is not having services, but will be used as a staging area for a group that is distributing supplies.

There are numerous principles to consider here in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael.  One is that destruction becomes a call for the church to swing into action.  When we encounter a personal crisis or observe another person or group of people in crisis, that provides the open door to share Christ.

What is remarkable here is that even though they have been bruised themselves, churches are reaching out to the hurting.   That's a good lesson for us - I've heard it said that if someone is suffering, perhaps part of the healing can be wrapped up in a willingness to serve others.  These churches, while certainly on the receiving end of assistance, are also part of the process of giving to their communities.

We are not islands in and of ourselves, we are responsible for our brothers and sisters.  Because we are part of one body of Christ.  And, we are responsible, I believe, to shine the light of Christ into the communities to which we are called.  God will motivate us to act.

Finally, we remember that in our consideration of how to be involved in disaster relief that churches are effective resources because of their proximity to damaged areas; accurate assessment of needs.  Even large, international organizations will use churches as staging areas.  God's call upon the churches in an area can result in tremendous fruit.

Missing Bible

When we feel there is something missing in our lives; perhaps we are troubled in our spirits or maybe we feel distant from God.  That is the time for us to press on and to diligently seek His face.  We read
in Psalm 77:
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.

God calls us to seek Him, and there are times we sense His presence more than others - perhaps that is a prompt to us to draw closer to Him, to spend more time in His Word, to call out or even cry out for the presence of Almighty God.  There may be times in which we are seeking answers or are in the midst of a crisis - He wants to make Himself known to us in a real way, but we have to realize that He is near, He wants us to discover His wonderful truth so that we can grow in a profound way.

+++++

Proverbs 2 deals with searching God's Word diligently, seeking His truth with determination.  We can
read:
1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.

Cameron Smith of McKinney, Texas, has served our country in the Army, touring overseas and possessing a number of military patches.  According to Dallas television station, WFAA, Smith had placed the patches on a Bible that his mother had given him a number of months ago.

Perhaps you know what it's like to get children to and from church.  Well, recently, Cameron put his Bible on top of his car while he put his son in the car - and he drove off!  Realizing what he had done, he returned to the church, drove the area perhaps a dozen times, walked it off, retraced his steps, and...nothing.

He told the TV station: "It's irreplaceable so I was desperate to find it," adding, "I was really distraught when I couldn't find it, like feeling really low."

The article said:

The military patches are from his tour in Iraq back in 2008. In the Army, he assisted the chaplain. Cameron said he prayed about the loss of the Bible and patches. He thought it was lost for good.

It continues:

His wife put up a post on the McKinney Cares Facebook page asking for help to find it. Soon after posting it, a resident responded with a NextDoor post asking for the owner of the Bible they found.

"I was nervous the whole time because I was thinking maybe it got rained on and hopefully it's still intact," Cameron said.

But, the good news is that it was intact, "just as he left it on Sunday." The article states, "The woman who found the Bible was happy to return the Bible. They also said they didn't want an special credit for finding it."

Cameron Smith, as the article points out, viewed this as an answer to prayer and said, "There's good people out there who do good things. The world is not so horrible and scary like we hear about..."

That was spoken by someone who has served in our military, and provides a refreshing perspective. 

Because, I think so often, and I'm guilty of this, we look at the discouraging events that occur and sometimes neglect that there are good things that take place.  And, we can be careful to pray about everything and give glory to God when He shows up.

There is some symbolism in this story, and we can consider this:

Is the Bible missing in your life?  Do we sometimes find we "leave God's Word behind," and then discover that we are no longer living according to its principles in some ways?  We can enjoy a complete life by hiding God's Word in our hearts and allowing it to be a lamp to our feet and light to our path. 

And, do we search diligently in God's Word for the answers we need?  Cameron Smith repeatedly retraced steps in order to find this special Bible.  He exercised determination in order to find His Bible.  We can exhibit a similar sort of diligence, studying and meditating on the Word of God in order to find the wisdom that He desires for us to have.

Reckless

There's a popular, Dove Award-winning song that is based on a parable of Jesus in Luke 15, in which He teaches:
4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'
7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Those of us who have been saved were all in that condition - separated from God, in need of a Savior so that we might be brought into fellowship with our heavenly Father.  The overwhelming love of God is so strong that He will pursue one who is lost "until he finds it."  God never gives us on us, even when we reject Him - time after time.  He just keeps on loving us, because He wants to bring us into a saving knowledge of Himself through His Son, who paid the ultimate price so that we might come to know Him.

+++++

In Ephesians 3, the apostle Paul issues a prayer that we might know and experience God's love.  He
writes:
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

How many different words can you use to describe the love of God?  You might, in the spirit of Ephesians 3, just consider the vastness of that love.  You can think about the expression of that love by Jesus on the cross.  You can recognize that His love is unconditional.  And...it is personal; He loves ME!

Christian musical artist Cory Asbury has used a word to describe the love of God in one of his songs, which just won the GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year last week in Nashville.  The word: Reckless!  Cory writes on Facebook:

When I use the phrase, “the reckless love of God”, I’m not saying that God Himself is reckless. I am, however, saying that the way He loves, is in many regards, quite so. What I mean is this: He is utterly unconcerned with the consequences of His actions with regards to His own safety, comfort, and well-being. His love isn’t crafty or slick. It’s not cunning or shrewd. In fact, all things considered, it’s quite childlike, and might I even suggest, sometimes downright ridiculous. His love bankrupted heaven for you. His love doesn’t consider Himself first. His love isn’t selfish or self-serving. He doesn’t wonder what He’ll gain or lose by putting Himself out there. He simply gives Himself away on the off-chance that one of us might look back at Him and offer ourselves in return.

His love leaves the ninety-nine to find the one every time. To many practical adults, that’s a foolish concept. “But what if he loses the ninety-nine in search of the one?” What if? Finding that one lost sheep is, and will always be, supremely important.

I have to admit, especially in a radio context, you don't have always the luxury of issuing a disclaimer about a song that might raise a few eyebrows because of the use of a certain word or phrase.  So, while Cory's explanation is compelling, it simply can't be included every time you play the song.

And, there has been plenty of discussion about the use of the word, "reckless."

CBN.com posed the question, "Is God's love reckless?"  An article says:

Evangelical theologian and apologist Randal Rauser says 'no' and criticized the song recently.

"God's love is the very antithesis of recklessness. What is more, when God asks us to live out Christ's love he challenges us likewise to set aside the intensity of wavering infatuations and instead soberly count the cost," he said.

His analysis is found in a Christian Post article.

The story also quotes from John Piper, who "explains that using the term 'reckless' could imply that God does not know the future, and that he takes risks without knowing the outcome -- a view he calls 'heretical.'"  However, Piper extends some grace, saying, "Maybe the author used the word reckless in the sense that God's love may look, to an outsider, foolish, ill-advised, brash, and breakneck, but in fact the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men..."

CBN says, "This is the interpretation Asbury openly preaches. In fact, he goes straight to scripture to defend his use of the word." The Scripture he cites, according to the article, is from Luke 15, which points to the leaving of the 99 sheep to seek the one.

Christianity Today covered the controversy, as well.  One quote, from Wen Reagan of Duke Divinity School, said:

"Reckless could be taken two ways here. One is with its common implication of “thoughtlessness” or “carelessness.” I think we can all agree that’s not a very accurate description of God’s love for us, and if that was the association here, then the song would be problematic. But I think there’s a second connotation, and one better supported by the lyrical context. We might call it “foolishness,” and I think that’s spot-on.

Todd Johnson of Fuller Theological Seminary is quoted as saying:

There are two words that are helpful here. Myth, or that which we expect… and parable, or that which we do not expect: the last will be first, marriages end in divorce, the Samaritan is the best example of faith, and the kingdom of God is like a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep in search of the lost one. This reckless shepherd is a kingdom example in that parable, a reckless example with which we are still uncomfortable evidently.

Relevant Magazine attempted to show both sides of the discussion.  An article included material from a blog post from theologian Andrew Gabriel, who wrote:

I searched for the meaning of “reckless,” and Almighty Google tells me that “reckless” describes someone who acts “without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.”

I tried the more respectable Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, and, similarly, it defines reckless as “marked by lack of proper caution: careless of consequences” and even as “irresponsible.”

I don’t think too many Christians would like to say that God is “careless” or that God’s love doesn’t “care about consequences.” Instead, God loves us with the clear and thoughtful intention …

But, the article also stated:

The hosts of popular YouTube Channel “Worship Tutorials” make it a point to emphasize that the lyrics seen above make explicit reference to God’s love and not God’s identity. It is the way that God loves that is reckless, they say, and not God Himself that is reckless.

It goes on to say:

Both sides make some good points. One side says God is intentional. True. If Ephesians 2:10 is any indication, God reconciling the world unto Godself is a calculated effort that’s been in the works for a long time—like, ever. The other side says, but God did act without caring about the consequences to Godself when pursuing redemption for humanity. Also, true.

Recently, Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church spoke at Greg Laurie's church, Harvest Christian Fellowship.  The topic: The Reckless Love of God, based on Luke 15.  Laurie relates in a blog post about his response while that song was being played in a Harvest Crusade.  He writes:

I was standing on the field as people where walking down, listening the the lyrics of the song Reckless Love: “Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found . . . ” and it dawned on me, do I pursue my children the way God pursues me? Do I pray for them enough? Do I show them that God is first in my life? Do I live a Christian life they’d want to follow?

So, how do you describe the love of God?  Whether or not you agree with the use of the word, "reckless," still this can lead to an exercise of examining how we consider and respond to God's love.  I admit, I would have preferred a word like, "relentless," to be used, but Cory's point is well taken - we can consider God's assertive pursuit to bring people into a saving knowledge of Himself.  The thought here deals with leaving the 99 sheep in order to claim the one lost sheep.  That illustrates the extent to which God will go in order to show His love and bring you into a relationship with Him.

God's love is a sacrificial love, and it's demonstrated by His giving His one and only Son in order to purchase and provide salvation for you and me.  God loves you so much that He did not want to allow our sin to keep us apart from Him - He is more than capable of forgiving all our sins, and we don't have to allow the past to keep us trapped in its grip.  We can surrender to the overpowering, unconditional love of God.

We can be confident in our lives that we are loved by God.  That changes our outlook and it can bring joy to our hearts.  We can get so down on ourselves sometimes, and the knowledge of God's love can produce a totally different approach to life.  And, receiving God's love can also affect how we love others.  We are charged in Scripture to life a life of love, a life that is filled with God's presence and knowing that He is with us. 

On the Move

It's important that we craft a spiritual filter for our lives, that is predicated on the teachings of the Word of God.  We can accept and incorporate the truth of the Bible and reject instruction that doesn't line up, so that we are not led astray. 1st Thessalonians 5 says:
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

How do we "test" the information to which we are exposed?  Well, we first of all seek to know what God teaches us; through study of and meditation in His Word, and incorporating solid Bible teaching from trusted sources.  We develop a strong foundation for our lives - and then we are able to consider accurately and Biblically what we are hearing.  This is so necessary in a time in which there is so much access to information.  It's great that we can hear and see so much teaching, but it should be filtered.

+++++

There is a spiritual progression or regular cycle, that we can live out, a progression from exposure to truth, to properly incorporate it in our minds and spirits, and then to actually walk in that truth, applying God's principles. James 1 challenges us:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

I would hope that there is a thirst for God's Word that is being created all around the world, due to a sense of hopelessness that seems to have taken root in our culture.  People are looking for answers, and God's Word provides solutions that can impact their lives.

A rather well-known media player is now getting into the business of transmitting sermons through a new platform.  His name is Dan Abrams.  The website, The Hill, related this recently:

ABC chief legal analyst and Mediaite and Law & Crime TV founder Dan Abrams launched a streaming network on Monday “dedicated to broadcasting Christian sermons with an in-studio discussion.”

Abrams, who has seen great success with his media properties in recent years under Abrams Media, launched Ambo, named for a historic synonym for a pulpit, from a studio in New York.

Now, I don't know what Abrams' faith background is, but just judging from the circles in which he runs, I would be very cautious about embracing such an endeavor.  Still, it's indicative of what might be considered a thirst for truth in our culture today.  The rollout announcement stated:

"The live programming rollout is scheduled for November with simultaneous back-to-back live sermons airing Saturdays and Sundays and featuring a lineup of high-profile partners such as Victory Church of Tulsa, OK and the multi-site Fresh Life Church, led by pastor and best-selling author, Levi Lusko..."

The content will promote viewer interaction, with a "live-chat feature." Plans are to go daily with the programming.  Brooke Girley, who will run the network, has degrees from NYU, Duke University School of Law, and Yale Divinity.  She is quoted as saying: "An inspirational network for younger Christians is long overdue,” adding, “Ambo TV will allow viewers to watch compelling sermons, in real time, from pastors of my generation and discuss them with other viewers from around the world. This is the type of network many of us have been waiting for, and I’m thrilled to be a part of creating it."

Meanwhile, Netflix has announced a deal to bring content related to The Chronicles of Narnia to its streaming service.  Faithwire reports:

In an official statement, the entertainment powerhouse stated that they would be producing a variety of works off of The Chronicles of Narnia series, after reaching an agreement with The C.S. Lewis Company, who owns the rights to all the books.

The story quoted Lewis' stepson, Douglas Gresham, who stated, “It’s wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world,” Gresham said.  That is a quote from the Netflix website.

So, in processing this information, what can we glean?  Well, for one thing, it's important that we seek for and receive truth from trusted sources.  There is no such thing as "your truth" and "my truth" or "his truth" and "her truth."  There is one source for absolute truth, and that is through the Scriptures - so that is the measuring stick, the plumb line by which we determine what principles by which we build and live our lives.  And, I would say that Faith Radio is devoted to being a trusted source for quality, Biblically-faithful teaching.  Our teaching lineup, I believe, is second to none, comprised of people who have a solid track record for accurately and authoritatively relating the truth of the Bible.

And, let me say it again, we have to develop discernment - there is so much material available to us through a variety of means.  But, while it is wonderful to have the volume of teaching, preaching, and writing, it is vital that we discern truth related to the principles of God's Word.  We have to make the study of God's Word a priority - because that's where it starts: getting into the Bible and knowing what it says.

Once we seek truth with accuracy and study diligently, we also consider how it can be applied to our own lives.  Then, as James 1 says, we can be more than merely hearers of the Word, but also doers.

The Vote

We are facing an important and challenging election on Tuesday, November 6.  And, it is important
that Christians are engaged in the process, so that we can select leaders who uphold our Biblical values. Proverbs 14 comments on exercising the principles of God:
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The king's favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

I believe that America is a nation that has been blessed because of its foundation on principles that are consistent with the Scriptures.  And, while we have been governed by imperfect people, the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have served us well.  We see many in America, including those who are in office or seeking office, that do not exemplify or are even committed to upholding that vision for America, and it is important that God's people are involved in the selection of leaders who are committed to pursuing and preserving those opportunities.

+++++

In Psalm 33, we find a passage on godly wisdom and how His wisdom, His counsel can and should
be released in the lives 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.

Election Day is coming up on Tuesday, November 6, and it gives citizens of this great country the opportunity to participate in the act of selecting leaders.  For believers in Christ, it gives us a chance to allow God to use us in the political process and to exercise our convictions by voting for people who most closely represent our deeply held beliefs.

George Barna's organization, the American Culture and Faith Institute, has released a study several months ago on some of the key issues that voters will be considering here in less than three weeks.  The summary of this survey states:

Some issues get everyone, regardless of their political ideology, heated up. The survey identified four such issues that will have a dramatic impact on voters’ choices in November. Seven out of ten likely voters consider government performance, gun rights, and Donald Trump to be major influences on their votes, with crime and violence the fourth a major consideration that will affect large numbers of people, regardless of their ideology.

To break it down further, the summary says:

The survey indicated that there are three issues that will have a greater impact on voting decisions among conservatives than among other ideological segments. Specifically immigration, religious liberty, and the nation’s moral decline were top concerns to conservatives.

Similarly, there were three issues that will have heightened influence on the voting ruminations of liberals in comparison to other voters. Those issues included environmental policy, racism, and economic inequality.

The survey also suggested that there were three issues that have substantial influence on conservatives and moderates but not to liberals. Those matters were taxes, jobs, and national defense and terrorism.

Finally, there was one issue – healthcare – that appeared to be of significant importance to liberals and moderates, but not to conservatives.

One group about which the ACFI has done extensive research is the so-called SAGE Cons; SAGE is an acronym for Spiritually Active and Governance Engaged.  You could say that these are Christian conservatives who are active in matters of policy.  The top issue for this group is religious liberty, with 65% indicating that it would have "a lot of influence" on voting decisions.  Donald Trump was second at 62%, followed by gun rights and immigration, tied at 61.  Among the "Born Again Christian" group, gun rights and quality of government were tied at 64% each.

Interestingly enough, in this June survey, abortion was considered an influential issue by 48% of SAGE Cons and 39% of the born-again Christian group.  Tax policy was also a key issue across the board, as well.

We can consider what issues motivate us when we go to the polls.  Traditionally, abortion has been a critical issue.  I do believe that where a person stands on the sanctity of life will commonly determine where he or she stands on other issues.  Recently, a tweet by Bellevue Baptist pastor Steve Gaines, from Memphis, caught my eye, and I agree.  He stated:

At the risk of being labeled a “single issue voter,” I believe abortion is the most heinous, barbaric, diabolical practice in America. It defies sound logic to say that a woman’s right to choose supersedes her unborn baby’s right to live. I will always & only vote Pro-Life.

I think this sentiment is quite common among members of the Christian community.

There are a number of organizations that can inform Christians about their electoral choices.  Recently, it was announced that iVoter had partnered with My Faith Votes.  The announcement on Twitter said:

.@MyFaithVotes is a nonpartisan movement focused on equipping and motivating Christians to participate elections by voting from a biblical worldview. We are thrilled to have them partner with us to equip Christians to vote wisely! #PrayThinkVote #ThisChristianVotes

This statement is informative and challenging, and begs the question: do we take our Christian worldview into the voting booth?  I believe that life, marriage, and religious freedom are three key issues that we can consider.  In Alabama, it seems year after year our Legislature deals with the issue of gambling.  With the Supreme Court ruling on sports gambling a few months ago, states are now considering how to craft their own laws - do we want to expand gambling that way?  Some candidates will favor another form of gambling: a state lottery, which claims to increase revenue, although it does it on the backs of those who can least afford it.  So, knowing a candidate's position on gambling should be a strong consideration, I believe.

Voters in Alabama will be considering constitutional amendments dealing with the posting of the Ten Commandments and abortion.  According to Ballotpedia, on Amendment 1:

A "yes" vote supports amending the state constitution to authorize the display of the Ten Commandments on public property, including public schools, and establish certain religious rights. The amendment also contains a provision preventing any public funds from being spent to defend the amendment in court.

On Amendment 2:

A "yes" vote supports this amendment to make it state policy to "recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life" and to state that no provisions of the constitution provide a right to an abortion or require funding of abortions.

Again, the day is November 6th.  The deadline to register to vote is this coming Monday, October 22. You can learn more about getting registered by going to the My Faith Votes Voting Assistance Center at MyFaithVotes.org.

As you prepare to go the polls on Tuesday, November 6th, here are some things to keep in mind.  First, we can allow the Scriptures to shape your approach.  In all things, we can seek to follow the principles of God's Word, and that includes the selection of leaders.  We can examine their positions on various issues and see how closely they line up with God's principles.  And, we can also look at the posture of the candidates: how does the way they live their lives reflect the character that we want to see in our leaders?

And, consider how you can allow the Spirit to direct your choices.  We can call upon the Word and wisdom of God and know that the Holy Spirit walks with us.  We can seek His leadership and know that He is available to guide us.

Finally, you can make sure you are prayerful and informed.  I would say you can pray for your own individual choices AND the choices of people all across our nation, knowing that the selection of leaders is something that is important to the Lord.  We do our part by gaining information, by researching the candidates, and making sure that we recognize our responsibility in making these choices.

At the Intersection

We are called to be part of one body of Christ, joined together with Him and through Him.  And, Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 4 about the makeup of that body:
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

As members of that body, the blood of Jesus has flowed toward us, and His Spirit unites us, keeping us together, moving in the same direction - if, in fact, we are willing to allow that to occur.  Unfortunately, we can allow those areas in which we are different, issues over which we disagree, to sever what God has built for us in Christ.  The Church has been established on His firm foundation, but division will cause us to take our eyes off His principles and get them on each other's perceived deficiencies.

+++++

In the book of 1st Corinthians, the apostle Paul is warning against artificial divisions that he observed in the church at Corinth - with people identifying more with labels than the love of Christ.  After
addressing such issues in chapter 1, he's back with more in chapter 3:
4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Last week, I briefly called attention to this idea of "intersectionality," recognizing that there are true injustices in this world, primarily because the world is populated by imperfect human beings.  And, true justice ultimately comes from our Savior, who will ultimately make all things right under His authority.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, there are attempts to redesign society by categorizing people into various oppressed "categories," and to level the playing field.  You may have heard the term, "intersectionality."  Tom Gilson, writing for The Stream, states:

The idea behind it is that it’s hard enough being a minority group member, but for people who are in more than one group at the same time, the oppression gets worse. One page lists five interacting categories: race, disability, sexual orientation, nationality and gender identity. Those are the categories that count. People who live in their intersections “face multiple forms of oppression.”

Josh Buice, a pastor in the greater Atlanta area, on his blog, wrote:

Intersectionality was originally coined in 1989 by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a political activist and radical feminist, in order to describe oppression against women on specific different points of intersection. Today, it’s used in a more broad sense. In short, intersectionality as it has been defined, is discrimination based on overlapping layers of individual classes of discrimination. 

I related that Pastor Buice warns about this philosophy creeping into the Church, writing that, "it’s now being used within evangelical circles to describe people who are oppressed and 'held back' from certain advancement within evangelicalism. Today, conferences are being held, articles are being written, and people are talking quite frequently about social justice and intersectionality as it pertains to ethnic diversity and women empowerment."

Gilson points out that in this philosophy, people are divided by categories, which he doesn't see as an effective way of uniting people.  Gilson states:

Intersectionality treats people like categories, and it assigns special value to a handful of those categories. But categories don’t have pain; they don’t have experiences; they don’t live lives at all. People do. Members of minority groups have a much higher probability of discrimination than others do, yes, of course. But I’ve never sat and had coffee with a probability. Only with people.

Buice is one of the leaders of the multi-racial group of originators of the Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel, which addresses matters relative to people being divided up into different categories.  It states:

WE DENY that Christians should segregate themselves into racial groups or regard racial identity above, or even equal to, their identity in Christ. We deny that any divisions between people groups (from an unstated attitude of superiority to an overt spirit of resentment) have any legitimate place in the fellowship of the redeemed. We reject any teaching that encourages racial groups to view themselves as privileged oppressors or entitled victims of oppression. While we are to weep with those who weep, we deny that a person’s feelings of offense or oppression necessarily prove that someone else is guilty of sinful behaviors, oppression, or prejudice.

John MacArthur, who is heard weekdays on Faith Radio, is a signer of the statement, as well.  On the Grace to You blog, he writes:

Today, critical race theory, feminism, intersectional theory, LGBT advocacy, progressive immigration policies, animal rights, and other left-wing political causes are all actively vying for evangelical acceptance under the rubric of “social justice.”

Not every evangelical leader currently talking about social justice supports the full spectrum of radical causes, of course. Most (for the moment, at least) do not. But they are using the same rhetoric and rationale of victimhood and oppression that is relentlessly employed by secularists who are aggressively advocating for all kinds of deviant lifestyles and ideologies. Anyone who claims victim status can easily and effectually harness the emotional appeal of a plea for “social justice” both to gain support and to silence opposition.

There are a few concepts that we can grapple with here.  I think you could surmise that the more you try to divide people into groups and labels, the less likely you are to foster unity.  We, like Gilson writes, should be concerned with compassion, not categories. Jesus in Matthew 25 called out certain groups of people - the sick, the stranger, those in prison - but He did not do so in order to establish categories of societal oppression, but to point out how His people, motivated by love, can seek to demonstrate that in how we allow Him to use us to meet their needs.

We should also seek to reflect His victory, rather than victimization.  Too often, people blame external factors for the difficulties they face and attribute more privileged classes of people with conspiring to mistreat them.  We understand that we live in a fallen world, and we will face hardship and suffering - it's part of the human condition.  But, rather than blame others for those circumstances, we can seek to trust God and follow the direction of Christ.

We can emphasize joy, instead of "justice."  Today, there are those that take justice to mean evening the score, leveling the playing field, trying to manipulate societal trends in order to guarantee the myth of equality - meaning equal outcomes.  This can produce rivalry and bitterness.  Rather, each day, we should be intent of reflecting the joy of Jesus, rather than seeing who we can blame for the negative circumstances of our lives and seeking to get even.  Biblical justice is not predicated on hatred for a perceived oppressor; we should all be concerned about justice, because it involves doing the right thing because it pleases God; it's motivated by love for Him and others.