Taking the Trophy

There will be a contest on the field in Miami this coming Sunday, and there are those who will be competing who are believers in Christ.  In 1st Corinthians 9, Paul uses the language of sports to
describe a different sort of competition:
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

Later, in verse 27, Paul writes, "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection."  I think the implication here is that we can become our own worst enemies - we have to take caution so that we do not give into the schemes of the enemy and the whims of the flesh and the world.  We are in a daily competition to bring our own sinful desires and actions under submission and to release the holiness of God working powerfully to cleanse us and to mature us in Christ.

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In 2nd Timothy chapter 4, the apostle Paul uses two sports analogies to illustrate the Christian's
journey through this life. We can read these verses:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

There seem to always be faith-related stories around the Super Bowl, and this year is no exception.  You may remember that one of this year's teams, the Kansas City Chiefs, played in the very first game, against Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers, back in 1967.  The Chiefs represented the upstart American Football League, which was founded by a gentleman named Lamar Hunt.  Hunt, according to CBS Sports, reached out to the commissioner of the rival National Football League about having a game between the two leagues' champions.  He had, in passing, suggested it be called the "Super Bowl."

The rest, as they say, is history.  The Chiefs, after losing to the Packers, have only been back to the big game once since then, when they won Super Bowl IV.   Meanwhile, their opponents Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers, have five Super Bowl championships, but have not won since 1995.

Less than two weeks ago, according to ChristianHeadlines.com:

The chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs thanked the coaches, players and fans while accepting the AFC Championship trophy Sunday but also took a moment to credit God.

“I want to thank the Lord for blessing us with the opportunity,” Clark Hunt said on national television. “The glory belongs to Him.”

Clark is the son of Lamar Hunt, and the trophy he received bears his father's name.  The article relates that Clark has been "outspoken" about his faith, and states:

“We want our employees to develop spiritually,” Hunt said last year while speaking to a men’s luncheon in Tyler, Texas. He became a Christian at age 10, he told the men. “In the National Football League, Christ is really glorified. My identity is my faith in Christ.”

That is according to TylerPaper.com. The article also goes on to quote from the FCA website.

Hunt and his wife, Tavia, partnered with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in 2014 to launch a non-denominational chapel service for fans attending the Chiefs’ Sunday games. Services are held at the Pavilion, a structure next to the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium. About 350 fans attended the first service – most of them wearing Chiefs’ apparel. Eight people accepted Christ during the first service, according to FCA.

Over on the other side, there is a faith presence, as well.  Consider Jordan Matthews, a wide receiver for the 49ers.  A Baptist Press article relates:

"We've got to realize as Christians that we're going to be the Bible that people read," Matthews said during Super Bowl Opening Night Jan. 27 at Marlins Park. "We've got to be able to share our faith with people whenever the opportunity comes."

Matthews is widely regarded as one of the team's spiritual pillars. He's the leader of the team Bible study and is one of the go-to guys for spiritual counsel.

49ers backup quarterback C.J. Beathard has been on the receiving end of Matthews' witness.  The article states:

Matthews' ministry was especially meaningful in late December when Beathard's brother Clayton was stabbed to death. Matthews regularly texted Scriptures and encouragement to Beathard and was faithful in praying for him.

"He was really there to help me out with the whole thing," Beathard said.

Matthews, who is from Alabama and attended Vanderbilt, came to the 49ers from Philadelphia, where God used some of his teammates to strengthen his faith.  Baptist Press says:

His second year in the NFL, however, brought about a major change in Matthews' commitment to Christ. Two of his teammates -- Chris Maragos and Trey Burton -- provided the catalyst that God used to deepen Matthews' faith. While Matthews saw several teammates who weren't steady, and while he considers himself one of those, he saw something different in Maragos and Burton.

When all is said and done in Miami on Sunday night, somebody will take the trophy; you will have Christian believers who will be part of the team that receives it.  And, they are playing for a greater reward ultimately.  The Bible promises us that we will receive crowns, and in 2nd Timothy Paul refers to the "crown of righteousness."  We can live our lives with the ambition to hear our Father say, "Well done."  That is the greatest trophy of all.

Because, for some, football is a game.  But, faith is a practice.  And, while our earthly endeavors can be a platform through which we can share our faith in Christ, we recognize that our priorities are to be centered on pleasing our Savior.

The two individuals I've spotlighted today - Clark Hunt and Jordan Matthews have chosen to make Jesus the center of their lives.  But, as I have shared, they haven't kept it to themselves - they are releasing the love and power of God so they might strengthen others.  We can maintain our sense of mission.

Politics in Pulpit and Pew

God does not withhold wisdom from His children, but He does call us to press in to discover what He wants to teach us.  Daniel 2 even explores how this applies regarding the selection of governmental
authorities. We see these verses:
20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

I believe the Lord is very active in the affairs of government, and we are charged in 1st Timothy 2 to pray for our leaders, that believers can lead a quiet life; I believe that has to do with principles concerning religious freedom - that we may peacefully live out our faith.  We can see God's hand in the life of our nation, and we recognize, according to that Daniel passage that He is involved in establishing those in leadership - we should not withdraw from political matters, but be engaged.

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God has a purpose for earthly governments, and Christians in America have the opportunity to participate in the selection of who will lead those governments. We can see 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.

In an election year, there will no doubt be plenty of discussion about politics. And, while we should never allow politics to transcend our devotion to Christ, we also know that our participation in government and proclamation in the public square are important.  So, for church leaders to say that we should be "less political" may not be an accurate, or even helpful statement.  As in any area of life, we should allow our Christian worldview perspective and devotion to God's Word to determine how we approach matters of governance.

ChristianHeadlines.com reports on a new Pew Research Center survey, which...

...asked if churches and other houses of worship should “keep out of political matters” or “express their views on day-to-day social and political questions.”

The article relates: "Although 63 percent of all U.S. adults say churches should stay out of political matters, evangelicals disagree, and by a 55-43 percent margin say churches should express their views on social and political questions. Members of historically black congregations also chose the 'express their views' option by a margin of 54-43 percent."

There has been discussion over the last few years about loosening restrictions on what pastors can say behind the pulpit on political matters.  The survey found that, "Forty-five percent of members of black congregations and 36 percent of evangelicals say churches and other houses of worship should 'come out in favor' of one candidate over another."  These numbers are significant, but may indicate that great care should be taken when dealing with specific candidates.

And, to a certain extent, pastors feel a responsibility to teach their congregations regarding so-called "social" issues.  A Christian Post article from early last year about a Barna survey relates:

The report also showed that 53 percent of clergy believe it is part of their role to help Christians understand their responsibility to vote on specific issues and 21 percent agree that it is part of their job to help Christians understand why they should vote for or against specific candidates.

Ninety percent say it is a major part of their role to help Christians have biblical beliefs about specific social issues and 72 percent believe helping Christians think well about culture in general is a major part of their job.

But, pastors feel they are walking a tightrope; the article says:

Sixty-four percent of pastors said they felt “limited” in their ability to speak out on “moral and social issues” due to those within their congregations, while 69 percent reported feeling “pressured” to speak out on “moral and social issues” when they were “not comfortable discussing” them.

And, George Barna, who is no longer with the organization that bears his name, lamented that pastors were not preaching on a variety on important issues, writing in 2016:

One of the complaints heard from Christian conservatives during the 2014 mid-term election cycle was that their church was providing little guidance for their thinking about the issues. Surveys have borne out their disenchantment: relatively few pastors preached about the issues of the day during that election cycle. During 2014, a majority of theologically conservative pastors (63%) preached about matters related to religious freedom, but none of the other nine issues tested were taught about by at least half of the pastors.

The 2016 presidential election cycle promises to be even worse. Looking at the same ten issues, there is no issue that even four out of ten theologically conservative pastors have preached about or plan to preach about before the November 8 election. The most likely issue to be discussed in church services by theologically conservative pastors is again religious freedom, but the proportion who have spoken or plan to speak about religious freedom has plummeted from 63% in 2014 to just 36% this year.

Abortion, which was the second most frequently preached about current issue in the 2014 cycle (addressed by 48% of theologically conservative pastors) again ranks second. However, the number of theologically conservative preachers who have or plan to preach about that subject is barely half (26%) of what it was in 2014.

These are figures from his former organization, the American Culture and Faith Institute. Now, according to his website, "George Barna is a professor at Arizona Christian University and leads the Cultural Research Center based at the university."

Much to consider here, and we have to informed, Biblically, about the issues at stake in the 2020 election.  First of all, I believe there is a responsibility for the Church to be a place where good information is shared that is consistent with Biblical truth about a variety of issues, including political matters.  The Church should not shy away from politics, rather, we can go to the Church, Christian leaders, and other Biblical resources to govern our involvement. 

We can be committed to allowing the Word to govern political choices.  God has ordained human government for His purposes, so to withdraw from our important responsibility as Americans robs us of an opportunity to do the work of the Lord.  But, we can remember that politics should never become an idol.  And, be careful when you hear this phrase that Christians should not be tied to a political party - I'm not sure what that even means, but I'll just say that there is a clear and distinct difference between the platforms that the major parties in the U.S. have crafted - I will grant that some candidates do not agree with various tenets of their party's platforms, and that's why it's important to be knowledgeable about where various candidates stand on issues and to measure and evaluate those stands based on the principles we see in God's Word.

Aged Exit

The foundation of the Church is our Lord Jesus, described as the head of the body, according to
Colossians 1. These verses can inspire us:
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

If we, as members of the local church, are keeping focused on Christ, then He will work in and through our relationships with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  If Jesus is truly regarded as our head and if we make it our ambition as the local church to honor Him and His Word, we can have a great impact on the communities we serve. All in all, with Jesus as our focus, we can follow His direction and reflect His glory.

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The church of the living God is more than a building and more than a social club - the Church is
intended to be a living organism that represents Christ on the earth. We can read in 1st Timothy 3:
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Here is a news story where the words may be changing, but the core conditions seem to be remaining the same. ChristianHeadlines.com is one of the media outlets that related about a church in Minnesota that had essentially asked the older congregation members to leave to make room for younger ones.  The article linked to the Grand Forks Herald, which stated:

“I pray for this church, getting through this age-discrimination thing,” said William Gackstetter, as the gray-haired heads around him nodded in agreement.

Gackstetter and other members of the Grove United Methodist Church in Cottage Grove are upset enough that their church is closing in June. What makes it worse is that their church is reopening in November — pretty much without them.

The church wants to attract more young families. The present members, most of them over 60 years old, will be invited to worship somewhere else. A memo recommends that they stay away for two years, then consult the pastor about attending the Cottage Grove location again.

Officials say the church needs a reset, and reopening the church is the best way to appeal to younger people.

The church, which has around 25 or 30 members, is reeling, not only from trying to rebuild the congregation, but from the poor PR it has received as the result of widespread reporting that basically implies that the older people are being sent elsewhere.  A subsequent Christian Headlines article incorporated statements from church leadership.

"Everybody is welcome,” Lead Pastor Daniel Wetterstrom of Grove United Methodist Church told KARE 11 news.“Our hope is they're not going anywhere. This is their church.”

The church sent a letter to church members on January 21 in which Wetterstrom and other leaders...

...maintain media coverage “did not accurately portray what is happening with the Planting Project.” The church operates at two separate campuses, the main church in Woodbury, and the smaller congregation meeting in Cottage Grove.

“The worshippers at Cottage Grove are beloved members of our church family; their presence and contributions are part of our identity,” the letter read.

The letter also stated:

...Discussions of a full closure have surfaced over the years. Instead of letting that happen to this beloved faith community, we determined a new path.”

To that end, current members “have been invited to serve on a transition team to identify the traditions and values that are important to them and to explore options during and after the relaunch.”

The pastor, acccording to the article, invited the displaced older members to worship at the Woodbury campus. And, there is the incentive - the United Methodist Annual Conference is kicking in $250,000 for this re-launch.

Well, we do know this, that change is hard, and churches should ideally be sensitive to the communities around them.  It certainly takes the leadership of the Holy Spirit and openness to innovation.  And, it may involve some pain.

But, the Church consists of its people.  This isn't like tearing down an old restaurant and building another one in its place, like an instance in downtown Montgomery.  Sure, employees are being displaced temporarily, but they'll be back at work.  The Minnesota situation does come across as if the existing congregation members are being "hidden" so that the new people they are trying to attract won't see them.

Even after the attempt to spin the situation, it does seem that the basic framework is still there - the previous congregation is being shipped off to keep from interfering with these bold, new plans.  You have to wonder if the church can re-launch while keeping the existing congregation in place and really enabling them to experience a sense of buy-in.

Bottom line: while a local church congregation does have business aspects and capable administration is needed, the strength of a church is its people.  Perhaps Cottage Grove could have sent that message a bit clearer.  And, we can all make an effort to affirm the wisdom of those who have valuable life experience and demonstrate a love for Christ.

A younger couple in the church, according to the Grand Forks Herald, aren't on board with the plan.  The article says:

Stella and Jon Knapp of Cottage Grove were the only members with children at the service, and they say they hate the plan.

“If it happened, I wouldn’t come here any more,” said Stella, 34. As six-year members, the couple loves the church, and do not see how any Methodist miracle can draw in more people like them.

But did it bother them to be the youngest members at the Sunday service?

“Not at all,” said Jon, 34. “This church is very kind to us and our children.”

And, a note here: there may be theological issues at play. So, the plan is to stay progressive, embracing ideas that have been detrimental to the denomination. According to Slate:

The Cottage Grove church’s internal drama is happening concurrently with a larger denominational drama over same-sex marriage and gay clergy. Earlier this month, UMC leaders proposed a plan to formally split the denomination, with “traditionalist” churches leaving the existing church. Both Grove UMC congregations fall on the progressive side of that conflict, Wetterstrom said. 

Eat Cake

Within our heart of hearts, we possess a certain set of beliefs - Jesus talked about knowing what those desires are and calling people out because of the evil desires that they harbored.  We have to make sure that our private beliefs that do not honor God are brought into submission to Him, because in the moment of pressure, those errant thoughts may lead to destructive action. Jeremiah 23 says:
23 "Am I a God near at hand," says the Lord, "And not a God afar off?
24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the Lord; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the Lord.

We have to be careful not to assume that what we think or do in private will not have consequences. The Holy Spirit will shine His light in our hearts and seek to correct our conscience so that our lives are in sync with the teachings of Scripture.  We have to hold on to the truth and allow God's Word to govern how we see and respond to the world around us.  It determines how we engage, and gives us power to live a life pleasing to Him.

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Perhaps in Luke 12, Jesus was looking ahead to an age in which there is no privacy and cautioning each of us to make sure that even our private behavior is consistent with who we say we are in the
Lord.  Consider these verses:
1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

It was just a picture.  An innocent picture posted on social media.  A 15-year-old girl celebrating her birthday at a local restaurant, clad in a rainbow shirt and seated behind a rainbow cake.  What's not to love, right?  After all, even though the LGBTQ agenda has co-opted the rainbow as its symbol doesn't mean that the rainbow can't be displayed or celebrated.  Right?

And, to think, the Christian school she attended kicked Kayla Kenney out - for that picture!  Family Research Council reports:

The press wasn't interested in the real story -- which is that Kayla, who'd already posted (multiple times) that she identified as gay, had a two-year record of disciplinary problems. She was caught cutting lunch, vaping, bullying, disrespecting teachers, and violating the school's moral code. Her own mother, in an interview last week, admits "Kayla was no angel..." In fact, the school had met with the Kenneys multiple times -- most recently in October -- warning her to clean up her act. So the idea that the rainbow cake was just a fluke -- when Kayla is snapping pictures of "getting a gf" and being "in her bed" -- is, as Rod Dreher puts it, "almost certainly a flat-out lie."

Now, the school, Whitefield Academy, in Louisville and the parent company of The American Conservative, the publication for which Dreher writes, are being sued. According to WLKY.com in Louisville, they accuse the school of not following its own policies, and blamed the school and the publication for "outing" her.  Yes, it is true - Dreher had posted Instagram photos of Kayla, which have apparently been removed at this point, which goes to show that this "innocent" shot of Kayla did not tell the whole story.  There's even a Facebook past, now-deleted, in which Kayla's father plainly states that his daughter was suspended because - wait for it - she's gay.  So is the mother going to sue the father, too? And, as FRC points out, Dreher likened this incident to another example of irresponsible media reporting:

"...[And the] account they give is not what Kimberly Alford and the mainstream media want you to believe. It seems to me that this is a situation much like the Covington Catholic smear campaign one year ago -- when the media read what it wanted to read into a story involving a conservative Christian school and slandered them in the name of progressive values."

The FRC column states:

And the irony is: while the Left is busy overreacting to Kayla's case, the real intolerance gets ignored. Where is this same concern when secular schools tell kids they can't pray, start a Christian club, or play "Joy to the World?" The liberal media doesn't mind flying to Kayla's defense, but good luck finding a primetime firestorm that compares to this one. Students are threatened every other week for their faith, but it rarely makes the mainstream press. Why? Because a) most outlets don't sympathize with them, and b) it doesn't fit their narrative -- that Christians are mean, self-righteous, pushers of outdated morals.

It's a clarion call to Christian schools and their religious liberties.  The FRC piece quotes David Closson of the organization, who had served as a deacon at the church that started the school.  He shares, "This story is important because it raises a question at the heart of ongoing religious liberty debates in this country, namely, whether a Christian school founded on Christian convictions can insist that its students and staff comply with its publicly-stated Christian values. Thankfully, Whitefield Academy's statement of faith clearly communicates the school's stance on issues related to sexuality." He adds: "Other Christian schools should pay attention to this and ensure their own statements of faith clearly outline what they believe about marriage, sexual ethics, and the Christian faith that grounds their worldview."

This statement by Closson can segue right into our section on the takeaways here.  We should always be scrutinizing our worldview, and make sure that we view the world through the lens of Scripture.  We can ask ourselves, what do we believe?  And, is our worldview grounded in truth?  Or on personal opinion?

In this information age, we still have to recognize that you can't believe everything you see.  There will always, it seems, be op-ed pieces that masquerade as news - opinion journalists are trying to sway you to see things their way and even stoop to unacceptable levels to do so.  We have to make sure that we are not deceived and search for the facts.

Finally, we can know that what we may think to be personal details can no longer be expected to be kept private.  We experience opinion journalism and there is citizen journalism.  Some of that is good, because it circumvents established structures of reporting information.  But, privacy is a precious commodity these days, and we have to make sure that our seemingly private behavior as children of God honors Him.  And, many help the process along by sharing personal details on social media.  We can't be naive to think that a Facebook post that may be "private" won't somehow leak out into a more public sphere.  People at large can go to your social media feed and learn a lot about you; perhaps what you don't want to have disseminated far and wide.  So, if you don't want it shared or seen, don't share it.  Use discretion and make sure the profile of your activity and personality the world sees honors the Lord.

Glorious Transition

Our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, has gone to heaven and has prepared the way for us to be there with Him.  He tells us in John 14 that He has gone to prepare a place for us.  In Hebrews 9, we can
read:
24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us...

Later in the chapter, we see these verses:

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Verse 27 is a Scripture verse that has been used many, many times in the heaven scene of the River Region Judgment House - a ministry through which thousands came to know the Lord, as those who came were invited to consider their eternal destiny.  The question of where we will spend eternity is a matter that should be settled - and we can have the assurance through Christ that we will be with Him forever.  It's a matter of receiving Jesus into our hearts through faith in salvation.

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The Bible instructs us that our citizenship is in heaven, and that those who have called on the name of Christ and have been saved will spend eternity with Jesus. 2nd Corinthians 5 states:
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven...

Recently, our Faith Radio programmer, Dr. Tony Evans, experienced the loss of his wife, Lois Evans.  The pastor's family has experienced a series of deaths over the last couple of years, according to a Christian Post article on the death of his father in November.  The article says:

The Evans family is still grieving the unexpected loss of Evans' sister, Beverly Johnson, who died in January, along with his niece, Wynter Pitts, who died last year, and his brother who died six months before that.

Earlier this year, Tony Evans revealed that his wife, Lois, was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer. The family is “totally resting on the supernatural” for a miracle for healing, Evans said.

About his 90-year-old father, Dr. Evans wrote on Instagram: "We celebrate this day because we know that my father is overjoyed to finally see the face of the One he served with his whole heart since the day He met Jesus and surrendered His life to him..."

In a sense, our lives are one chapter in preparing us for eternity with Jesus.  And, the anticipation of the transition from this world to the next can be inspiring for us and the people around us. According to a CBN article, Lois Evans, as she neared the time of her departure, tasted of the heavenly realm.  The article states:

Pastor Tony Evans says something supernatural was happening during his wife Lois' final moments on earth, and the family was there to witness it.

Lois Evans had been battling a rare form of cancer and the family had gathered around her in late December to say goodbye. At some point during their farewell moments, he says she began to speak about seeing "something outside earth's realm".

It seems she was catching a glimpse of family members in heaven, perhaps like the "cloud of witnesses" described in Hebrews 12:1.

In the memorial service for Lois Evans, her husband explained:

Pastor Evans said, "One of the things that I've observed in life and in scripture is that when people walk with God and He doesn't take them suddenly, He will give them a glimpse of heaven while they're still transitioning from earth. He will let them know, not only that it's time, but it's okay."

The article relates Dr. Evans said that Lois said she saw her mother and father, and at some point, spoke the words, "Two days, two days, take me up..." two and a half days before her death.  Dr. Evans likened that to Stephen, as he faced being stoned, seeing heaven opened and "Jesus...giving him a standing ovation."

One great reminder that we can take away here is to live in light of eternity.  At the memorial service, according to The Christian Post, the Evans' son, Jonathan...

...said God spoke to him about the prayers, saying, “Just because I didn’t answer your prayer your way doesn’t mean I didn’t answer the prayer anyway.” He concluded that either way, God did answer their prayers. “Either she was going to be healed or she was going to be healed. Either she was going to live or she was going to live,” he said.

“My mom would want me to let you know that if you’re writing your summary and you don’t like what it says and you’re sitting here breathing right now, you need to walk out these doors and live in such a way that you rewrite it,” Jonathan Evans concluded. “Because every man and woman ... wants to hear what my mom has already heard: ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Well done.’ My mom served the purposes of God. How do you know that you’re serving God? Simple. Somebody’s impacted.”

Also, going to heaven is a glorious transition.  The Post article said:

On Dec. 30, Tony Evans revealed that Lois was with him and their four children when she died.

"Just before the sun came up this morning, the love of my life, Lois Irene Evans, transitioned from earth and watched her first sunrise from Heaven,” he wrote at the time.

For the believer, our departure from this earth is a change of locations - from the temporal to the eternal.  We certainly miss those who have gone before, and there is grief and sorrow.  But, as Billy Graham said, quoted by CBN.com: "Some day you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God."

The Bible teaches that we will all stand before God one day, and the most important decision we face in this life is whether or not to accept Jesus as Savior.  If He is our Lord, then we can know we will spend eternity with Him.  Lois Evans and her family knew her departure was at hand.  Kobe Bryant on the other hand likely did not suspect that the helicopter that he boarded yesterday morning would go down, resulting in his death.  As Ray Comfort tweeted out, "We’re filled with sorrow at this tragic news. Like many, we asked if he knew the Lord."  He linked to a video that he had produced that has received over a hundred thousand views since yesterday.  The question for every human being is this: do you know the Lord? 

Not in This House

Jesus was very clear when He contrasted His identity and purposes with those of the enemy, and invited us to follow Him as our good shepherd, who will empower us to navigate the spiritual battles
of this world. John chapter 10 relates His words:
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.

See the contrast?  Satan has a purpose for our lives - He wants to ultimately destroy us, to render ineffective in our witness, and to drive a wedge between us and our Creator.  His purposes are evil, and we have to be aware of His subtle schemes and be equipped to take action.  But, God does not leave us without the tools that are necessary for us to walk in victory - but, we have to be aware of the enemy's tactics of evil, so we can experience the triumph of good.

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It is important to recognize the nature of the spiritual warfare in which we're all involved - it's not a matter of choice to be in the war; we are in it, and we have to follow Christ and use the resources He gives us to experience His victory.  2nd Corinthians 10 states:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

Just because it's got the name Disney on it doesn't mean it's necessarily appropriate for families, including those who embrace a Christian worldview.

The warning has been sounded about a new Disney Channel series called, The Owl House. Over at CBN.com, author Deborah Bunting shared an overview of this series, that explores topics such as witchcraft and demons.  She writes:

This is so beyond Cinderella it's not even funny. Disney has come up with a new cartoon about a teenager who, in their words, "finds herself stuck in the Demon Realm and battles the forces of evil alongside a rebellious witch and a pint-sized warrior."

In this so-called fantasy world, the main character, Luz, "pursues her dream of becoming a witch by serving as Eda's (the rebellious witch's) apprentice."

She states, "The show tries to portray witchcraft as a positive tool to fight evil," which, as we know, flies in the face of Scriptural teaching.  Another CBN article featured comments from a former real-life witch, Jenny Weaver, who expressed her concern about this new Disney show.  It relates...

...one former witch and lesbian told CBN's "The Prayer Link" that parents need to be very careful about what their children watch.

"I actually watched a movie that was very popular when I was in high school and it was called The Craft," said Jenny Weaver. "And the movie was about four high school witches that had all of this power, that had all of this control."

Weaver was in a dysfunctional home and struggled with depression - she opened herself up to demonic forces, leading her into cutting and ultimately practicing witchcraft.  The article says:

"It was a demonic hold on my life that caused me to open doors to witchcraft and practicing spells and incantations and studying the religion of Wiccan," she said.

She added, "It's why I tell parents when I minister, it's not a joke when we say be careful what your children are watching."

She underscored the reality of that dark spiritual realm, a realm from which it took quite some time for her to exit.  Weaver shares:

"I was smoking methamphetamines in dope houses, sleeping in people's sheds, being tore up by bugs all day long. And so, I remember just crying out to God. I cried out to the top of my lungs, I said 'God Help Me!'"

That's when her life changed forever.

"God rescued me," said Weaver.

She is now involved in worship ministry.

Deborah Bunting issues this warning:

The Bible tells us clearly that there is a spiritual realm that is not of God. It warns us not to participate in witchcraft, to not consult with mediums and spiritists, but to call on God for answers in our lives.

She, too, talks about the reality of evil and the nature of the spiritual world:

This spiritual realm that opposes God is real. Demons are real. And they are out to deceive your children and draw them in to be pawns of the enemy of their souls, the Devil, otherwise known as Satan. His devices and plans are to destroy your kids and grandkids spiritually, physically and emotionally. You must protect them from being enticed into this demonic world.

The Bible is clear about the nature of a very real spiritual battle that is occurring all around us; there are forces for good and evil.  And, the Scriptures speak of the forces with which we are doing battle and tools we have for the fight.  Plus, we are told about the perpetrator of the battle against God and those who side with him.

The enemy will use our physical senses as a front in that battle, for they are the gateway to the mind, and our souls can be polluted by what we take in.  So, what we see or hear, the information we allow into our consciousness, can deceive and distract us from the purposes and presence of God.  So, as Philippians 4 suggests, we have to filter the incoming content traffic.  The standards are there:
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

Assimilation

We live with the consequences of our choices, and we have to make sure that we are making decision in accordance with the teaching of God's Word.  Joshua 24 says:
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."
16 So the people answered and said: "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods;
17 for the Lord our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went and among all the people through whom we passed.
18 And the Lord drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God."

The people declared and affirmed their faith in the Lord and dependence on Him.  Following this passages, Joshua challenged the people to re-affirm their faith, and they continued to boldly declare their intent to follow Him.  Our devotion to God is determined by our decision to love and serve Him - then our actions have to line up.  He calls us to give more than lipservice or to simply "go through the motions," as it's been said, but He desires for us to practice wholehearted obedience.

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The Bible gives us the template for sound and godly decision-making.  In Deuteronomy 30, we read
these words of Moses:
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

I believe that Christians should allow our faith perspective to govern every area of life - and that includes our involvement in politics and the candidates we select.  That is especially important during an election year, such as what we're currently facing.

And, our positions on various issues should be governed by the Scriptures - that includes the issue of abortion, which again is front and center as we have recently observed the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

The Daily Caller reports on a new survey that shows various religious groups' perspective on a number of topics, one of which is abortion.  Its article says:

Sixty-seven percent of white evangelicals said they support making abortion illegal except in cases of rape or incest or in case of a threat to the mother’s life, a poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found.

And, it goes on to state:

The poll results showed white evangelicals differ greatly from other religious groups on this subject — though 67 % of white evangelicals support strong restrictions on abortion, 39% of white Protestants, 33% of nonwhite Protestants, and 45% of Catholics support strong restrictions on abortion.

I actually went to the summary of the survey, which was predicated on the role that respondents believed that religion should play in addressing current political issues. The summary seemed to pit white evangelicals against other religious groups to pursue an agenda to tie white evangelicals to the President and to portray them as out-of-step from other religious groups.  And, the media seems to have a lack of understanding about the diverse nature of evangelicalism.  In fact, in this survey, I did not see a reference to black or non-white evangelicals - the conventional wisdom is that the group is too small to be surveyed; that is a fair assessment, but it is a bit uncomfortable, nonetheless.

As the Daily Caller summarized: "white evangelicals are more likely than these other religious groups to say their religion will influence their politics."  A wide variety of issues were covered in the survey, but abortion and LGBT issues received the bulk of the attention, it seems.  The Daily Caller stated:

The poll also questioned whether the government should bar discrimination against LGBTQ persons in housing, workplaces and schools. While about 60% of Catholics and both white and non-white Protestants support government barring of discrimination of LGBTQ people in these places, a third of white evangelical Protestants support such measures.

That language is troubling, as if to say that white evangelicals are discriminatory to gay people. A more accurate portrayal would have been to illustrate that a number of religious people do not support special privileges based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  So, two-thirds of white evangelical Protestants believe that gay people should be discriminated against in "housing, workplaces, and schools?"  What does that even mean?  This is the language of the dangerous Equality Act that the U.S. House passed last spring.  The data seems to be related in a manner that mischaracterizes certain people of faith in a negative light.

It's no secret that I believe our faith should influence every area of life.  That includes our personal relationships, how we conduct ourselves at home, at church, the workplace, and other venues.  And, our political posture should also be governed by principles of Scripture.

We can also recognize that to be pro-life, in the purest sense of the word, is to be against the termination of human life in the womb.  But, there has been a redefinition effort in place.  Last year, March for Life President Jeanne Mancini and Focus on the Family President Jim Daly wrote in the Washington Examiner:

Lately, there has been an increased and intensified discussion about what it means to be authentically pro-life. We have both witnessed a concerted effort among some members of the faith community and others, including friends and colleagues whom we deeply respect, to broaden the scope of pro-life concerns to encompass everything from race and immigration to healthcare and the environment.

Certainly, these are serious matters that affect each one of us. As men and women who believe that every human life is sacred and valuable, and as concerned and engaged citizens, we are bound by our faith and by conscience to care deeply about these issues and any issue that speaks to the dignity and worth of human beings created in God’s image.

Yet, there is a priority and urgency to the protection of the unborn.

The expansion of the definition of pro-life to include a variety of issues lessens the impact and priority of abortion and, as it's been contended, is being used to try to influence people who are single-issue voters to perhaps change their minds and be more comfortable with voting for someone who may be pro-abortion, but who is considered more socially aware on issues such as immigration.

This underscores the necessity of being prayerful and informed about our 2020 choices.  There are faith organizations across the political and ideological spectrum that are providing information regarding the vote.  We have to be discerning and use the Bible as our guide and select the candidates that best line up with our deeply-held beliefs.

Alive

The omnipresence of Almighty God extends to the womb of the mother, a principle upheld in the 139th Psalm, where we can read:
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

Each human being is a "marvelous" work - we have been formed by an all-powerful Creator, created in His image, with the capacity to know God and to be used according to His purposes.  Life is incredibly precious, and we can praise the One who has given us that life.  We can also defend those who are in danger and speak out for children yet unborn, so that they might have that chance to live for Him.

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God is encouraging people who are devoted to Him to continue to be strong in speaking out and acting in accordance with the life-affirming principles of the Scriptures.  Proverbs 24 offers a strong
passage, relevant for these days:
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

It was January 22, 1973.  The U.S. Supreme Court made an ill-advised decision and created a constitutional right for a woman to take the life of an unborn child. It's now called "reproductive rights" or a "woman's right to choose."  There are over 60 million people who would have been born since 1973.  Just consider the missed possibilities.

January 22 has now become a catalyst for pro-life people to reaffirm their support for the sanctity of human life, a gift from God.  The month of January is commemorated and celebrated as Sanctity of Life month.  This Friday, the annual March for Life will be occurring in Washington, DC, as thousands of people from all ages will gather in the nation's capital to stand with those who have lost their lives to abortion and to stand against the taking of pre-born life through abortion.

Already, there have been some regional events and, based on attendance, there are some promising signs.  A Christian Headlines story shared about some of the occasions thus far this year.  One instance:

In Colorado, thousands attended the “Celebrate Life” march to rally against late-term abortions, according to Faithwire. A new measure in the state, called “Initiative 120,” proposes that medical professionals who perform an abortion after 22 weeks—unless the mother’s life is at risk—could lose their license for at least three years.

Also, there was this report:

To the northeast, approximately 9,000 people appeared in Chicago to protest their beliefs in the “March for Life Chicago.” In 2014, only 1,000 showed to the event. This year’s theme was “Life empowers: Pro-life is Pro-Woman.”

“There’s more people in Illinois and the Midwest who recognize the urgency of this,” said March for Life president Dawn Fitzpatrick. “We recognize that there’s a human being that’s created from the moment of conception.”

Illinois Democrat Congressman Dan Lipinski spoke in Chicago; as the article notes, he signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.  Also attending was Dr. Karen Deighan, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Loyola University Medical Center. The article notes:

After the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a statement warning against bans on abortion care, Deighan raised the alarm to protect “conscience” laws which allow doctors to refuse to make healthcare decisions against their faith.

And, in another pro-life development, according to Live Action News:

According to the UK’s Daily Mail, British professor Stuart Derbyshire — an abortion supporter who was once a consultant for Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocacy groups — claimed in 2006 that there was “good evidence that fetuses cannot experience pain.” Today, while he still supports abortion, he believes — along with his American co-researcher, John C. Bockmann (who apparently does not share Derbyshire’s pro-abortion position) — that several studies call into question the current 24-week pain ‘consensus.’

The findings of their study was published in the BMJ Journal of Medical Ethics. Here are a couple of quotes that Live Action News emphasizes:

...The fetus experiences something that is inherent to a certain level of biological activity, and which emerges at an unknown time often speculated to be after 12 weeks’ gestation….”

They add, “Overall, the evidence, and a balanced reading of that evidence, points towards an immediate and unreflective pain experience mediated by the developing function of the nervous system from as early as 12 weeks.”

(The emphasis is added there and in the following statement.)  Also, the researchers say: "We may doubt whether the fetus (or an animal) ever feels anything akin to pain, but acting as if we have certainty flirts with a moral recklessness that we are motivated to avoid.”

The powerful image of an unborn child in the womb was put on display last year by Focus on the Family in its "Alive From New York" event in Times Square.  This year, there will be five events on the same day throughout the country, including in Atlanta.  ALIVE 2020 will occur on the day before Mother's Day, on May 9th.

It's Sanctity of Human Life month, centered around this day - certainly a dark day in American history, but an occasion to affirm life as it has been created by God.  We can reflect on three phrases:

1. Celebration in the midst of devastation.  Millions of babies have lost their lives; but, we also know that numerous lives have been saved through pro-life work.  For example, the network of pro-life pregnancy centers known as CareNet reports that, as of this past September, almost 750,000 babies had been saved over the past 10 years through just its network of centers.  That's worth celebrating!  And the pro-life movement is strong, and apparently getting stronger.  We also reflect on:

2. Worship in the midst of woe.  It's a Biblical concept: in the darkest, most challenging times of our lives, we can look to the Lord, offer praises to Him, and draw strength in our weakness.  We can continue to be diligent to serve and worship the God who has given us life and opportunities to rescue those who are endangered.  Finally, we continue to reflect on:

3. Affirming life even in a culture of death.  We are people who recognize the Giver of Life and speak and act boldly to protect what He has created.  In an age where there is disregard for the child in the womb, we can continue to allow God to use us to bring light and life. 

In Jeopardy

Knowledge can certainly be a good thing - and as we acquire knowledge, we can also ask the Lord for wisdom in how to apply the knowledge we gain.  But, we have to continue to be discerning and
reject ideas that don't line up with God's Word. Hosea 4 states:
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
7 "The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.

There is plenty of information available in the world today; and God desires for us to train our minds. Some information, though, is not helpful to us and will be detrimental to our Christian walk.  That is why we need filters - and the Word of God, living and active, abiding in our heart, can provide the necessary filter in order that we may discern what is consistent with Scripture and what can be beneficial to us as we follow Christ.

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We are surrounded by information, and we have to be careful to filter what we take into our minds.
And, we can be motivated to not allow our knowledge to make us prideful. 1st Corinthians 8 says:
1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

As if you didn't know it already, the brainiac Ken Jennings was declared to be the "Greatest of All Time" on the legendary game show, Jeopardy!, which brought its GOAT competition to prime-time, and, according to WORLD Magazine, 15 million viewers tuned in to the competition. WORLD reports that the four nights, of which Jennings won three, represented "the largest television audience drawn by a non-sports program in the past four years."

Jennings, according to WORLD, "who holds the record for the longest Jeopardy! winning streak—74 games in 2004. He defeated Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer, who held records for most dollars won.

It is reported that Ken Jennings is a Mormon, and made news about 5 years ago when, according to Religion News Service, he denounced a new church policy on same-sex marriage.  The article says that, in a podcast, Jennings...

...lambasted the LDS Church’s recent policy changes regarding LGBT persons—that

1) any Mormons who are in a same-sex marriage are now considered to be in apostasy, and

2) any children who live primarily in a home with same-sex parents are not eligible for baptism.

Jennings, who is a Mormon Sunday School teacher, related how disappointed he was in the changes, which he called “shocking” because he had understood there to be room in Mormonism for a wide diversity of opinion on same-sex marriage.

Based on the context, you could make the case that Jennings is a supporter of same-sex marriage, or at least tolerant of it.  But, as the article points out, he was not at that time inclined to leave the Church.

But, he certainly has made a case for being knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics.  I wonder how he would have answered the question posed recently in a regular Jeopardy! episode.  According to a Christian Post article, the category was "Where's That Church?," and according to the article the clue "asked contestants the country in which the Church of the Nativity, which is in Bethlehem, West Bank, less than 6 miles south of Jerusalem." The article related:

When contestant Katie Needle answered "What is Palestine?" she was ruled incorrect. Then contestant Jack McGuire answered "What is Israel?" and was ruled correct.

In a statement posted on the “Jeopardy!” website Monday, the production team explained that during the filming of the episode, “we became aware that the clue was flawed as written and that determining an acceptable response would be problematic.”

“In accordance with our rules and in the interest of fairness, we voided the clue and threw it out. We restored Katie’s and Jack’s scores to what they were prior to the clue,” they continued.

Unfortunately, the flawed sequence was aired by mistake.

Bethlehem is located in the area of Judea and Samaria, popularly known as the West Bank - it is controlled by the Palestinian Authority, but there is not a country called Palestine; that has been a source of conflict for quite some time.  Geographically, you could consider that area as part of Israel - so the game show rightly threw out the question (it never should have been asked), but Jack is more correct that Katie was.

Meanwhile, in other Jeopardy! news, perhaps you're aware that the venerable, likable, 78-year-old host of the show, Alex Trebek, has been suffering with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.  Christian Headlines reported in October that the host was undergoing more aggressive chemotherapy; his numbers from September had revealed a setback.  The article says:

Faithwire reports that Trebek, who was raised Catholic, has partnered with the Christian-based World Vision, and has openly sought prayers for his cancer battle.

“I told the doctors, this has to be more than just the chemo, and they agreed it could very well be an important part of this,” Trebek told People magazine in late May. “I’ve got a lot of love out there headed in my direction and a lot of prayer, and I will never ever minimize the value of that.”

Closer to home, Alex is married to a devotee of Religious Science.  FoxNews.com reported that:

Jean, who is a licensed practitioner at the North Hollywood Church of Religious Science, shared some advice to those that may be struggling through difficult times or cancer treatments of their own, noting that they merely need to turn to the universe for support.

“Just ask the universe, ‘What’s the next step for me?’” she said. “The universe will always respond. I am absolutely sure that we live in a benevolent universe that is always conspiring for our highest and greatest good.”

Jean Currivan Trebek had made those comments in an interview with SurvivorNet.  The Fox article also states: "She did note to the outlet that, in the past, she has played her sound-healing crystal bowls for Alex. The acclaimed TV host previously credited her and an outpouring of fan support with helping him get through treatment."

Well, there certainly is a great deal of knowledge out there.  And, I think to study and know information can be very beneficial and will help to build up our minds.  Ken Jennings has an amazing amount of knowledge, and can be inspiring in our pursuit to know more about the world in which God has placed us.

We can move beyond a mere comprehension of facts and see how God can use the knowledge we acquire in order to help us to be more proficient in living a life for Him.  Facts are great, but God wants us, I believe, to learn how to apply the knowledge we gain - that, I believe, is the wisdom that He will make available.

We also recognize that knowledge can be perilous.  The wrong kind of knowledge can be detrimental to us spiritually.  We have to be discerning regarding what we take into our minds and make sure that our knowledge does not become distracting to our Christian walk.

And, the Scriptures teach that knowledge that is not tempered by our love for Christ can serve to make us arrogant.  In our quest for knowledge, we should not allow that knowledge or information to make us prideful - we can always seek to stay humble and learn as God would direct us.

The Mountaintop

We celebrate the life of a great leader today, and we can reflect on what we are leaving behind when
we leave this earth. Psalm 78 says:
3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children;
6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children...

We can live with a sense of our own mortality, and realize that tomorrow is not guaranteed for us.  Each day of our lives is a gift from God, and He wants to express Himself through us so that we can have an eternal impact.  We can accomplish this through dependence on the Lord, who has placed us here - on this earth, on this day - in order that we might do Kingdom work and bear fruit for Him.  And, as Jesus taught in John 15, that fruit can be lasting, for God's purposes.

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We are on a journey with Christ through eternity - it begins with our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior, it continues throughout our time on earth, and continues with our transition into another
realm, another world. 2nd Corinthians 4 states:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

There are many character traits to admire about the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was insightful, devoted, and passionate for the cause of civil rights.  You might say, in athletic terms, he left it all on the field - that energy can be inspirational for all of us as we seek to fulfill God's purposes.

But, he also had a sense of his own mortality.  And, he sensed that his determination could cost him his life.  Consider his message in Memphis on April 3, 1968 - that was the day before his death at the hand of an assassin.  An Atlanta Journal-Constitution article from two years ago said this:

...King spoke for 45 minutes about everything from human rights to his brush with death a decade earlier, when a deranged woman’s blade came so close to the aorta that, if he had sneezed, he would have died.

This was the famous "mountaintop" speech, given on a stormy night at Mason Temple, that the article said "would prove to be his darkest and most prophetic."  The piece relates:

“I don't know what will happen now,” King said. “We've got some difficult days ahead.”

And, then came the memorable words after a pause in the speech:

On this night King regains his thoughts and tells the crowd that he has been to the mountaintop, does not fear any man and through those pained eyes, “have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!”

The article links to a special media section which contains more of the speech, including the words surrounding the reference to the "mountaintop:"

...Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!”

I think about David, who was told by God that he would not build a house for the Lord, but his son, Solomon would complete that work.  We may have work that we are called to do that may not be finished in our lifetime, yet, we can be careful and motivated to do what He has instructed, because ultimately it's his plan.  The work of Rev. Dr. King is by no means complete, but I believe that God used him in a special time, a certain season in order to create a spark of a vision for men and women to live in harmony - it's a Biblical vision that Christians are still wrestling with today.

We can develop a sense of our own mortality, our own human frailty, yet remember that when we are weak, He is strong.  A journalist named Ken Fuson recognized that; upon finding out that he had a liver disease, he wrote his own obituary.  Faithwire reports on it, stating:

Here’s a paragraph on his faith that stood out:

“Ken’s pastor says God can work miracles for you and through you. Skepticism may be cool, and for too many years Ken embraced it, but it was faith in Jesus Christ that transformed his life. That was the one thing he never regretted. It changed everything.”

Fuson died on January 3.  The article notes, "Fortunately, because of Fuson’s wit and foresight, millions of people are getting a window into his charming personality and considerable skills as a writer, because his self-crafted obituary is going viral."

Fuson had a sense of his own mortality, and embraced it by writing his own obit.  In his words, he shared what he felt people needed to know about him.

Ken Fuson had a disease in his body, Martin Luther King, Jr. had a foreboding in his soul.  We all face death, and I would encourage you not to face it without Jesus.  The question becomes: how are we going to live in light of eternity?

Moses didn't go into the promised land, David didn't build the Temple, and King didn't see his dream fully realized by no means.  But, our lives are building blocks in God's Kingdom plan.

Plenty of takeaways as we reflect on this chapter at the end of Dr. King's life.  And, his seemingly prophetic words can lead one to believe that he sensed the end of his earthly journey was at hand.  I am reminded of what Dr. Tony Evans shared at the memorial service for his wife, Lois - a CBN.com article related that she was touching the heavenly realm during the final days on earth, perhaps even seeing loved ones who had gone before.  I want to go into more detail at another time.  Suffice it to say that we should all be enthusiastically embracing eternity, while realizing that God has a purpose for us on earth during a finite, pre-determined time period.

And, during that time period, we can consider what we are leaving behind - it's called a legacy, and we can seek to allow God to work through us so that His glory is seen through us and that we leave tangible evidence of Christ in us.  The work of the preacher and reformer Martin Luther King, Jr. is by no means done, and many are building on his foundation.

King referred to the "mountaintop."  We will hopefully all have times of exhilaration, when we sense the closeness of God's presence with us.  A time of great joy and a heart full of worship to the Lord.  But, we also recognize that we will face tough times, and we can draw from those times of past strength to help sustain us in the present trials.  Life will not just be mountaintops, nor valleys, but we can know that He walks with us through all of life's experiences.

A Morass of Moralizing

In the book of 2nd Corinthians, the apostle Paul writes about the subject of holiness, providing sound instruction about living a life set apart to the Lord.  We pick up in the final verses of chapter 6 and go into the first verse of chapter 7:
17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."
18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Bible provides for us sound teaching and a strong foundation for our morality.  This has served our culture well - giving us a sense of right and wrong and providing standards for what is and isn't acceptable behavior.  But, those standards have eroded, and people have decided what is right or true for them, which doesn't necessarily line up with the teachings of Scripture.  We have to start with the Word and in the Word, so that we can know truth and that our lives can line up with that truth.

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The Bible prescribes principles and patterns by which we can live, and God has provided the
capability to walk in His holiness. Here is some material from 1st Peter 1:
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers...

We have to careful whom we allow to lecture us about morality.  For the Christian, we recognize that our source of moral teaching is the Bible; and our culture, unfortunately, does not uphold those teachings.

So, people will look to high-profile individuals, who may not have a sense of who God is, much less devote their lives to Him.  Entertainment "stars," who will be part of content that is contrary to Scripture, that paints detrimental images, and do not exhibit positive lifestyles, attempt to lecture others on matters of morality.

Now, Ricky Gervais is certainly not known as a religious man and is a somewhat controversial figure.  I don't know from what he derives his morality - but, he took on the Hollywood elites the other night as he hosted the Golden Globe Awards.  According to ToddStarnes.com, the actor and provocateur said: “If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech. You are in no position to lecture the public about anything,” adding, “You know nothing about the real world.”

Hollywood types are quick to lecture, but not so quick to live out very much of a sense of morality - just look at the filth that is churned out that pollutes the minds of adults and children alike.  Dr. Everett Piper, President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, in a Washington Times piece, took Ron Howard to task recently for describing the President as "morally bankrupt."  Without taking a stand or attempting to justify Trump's moral character, as evangelicals are accused of doing, Piper did call the former "Opie" to task for hypocrisy:

This moralizing comes from a leader of an industry that, for decades, has lectured all of us rubes in heartland America about our beliefs in traditional morality being backward and prudish.

This is the club that, for years, has shouted, “who are you to judge?” when conservative Christians have objected to the sexualization of our children.

This is the superior class that has told us drag queen story hours are a good idea for preschoolers.

These are the “smarter-than-thous” who have preached to us, over and over again, that “it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as it works for you.”

You get the point - and there is plenty more.  Piper writes:

In “Mere Christianity,” C.S. Lewis shared that as he looked at the various cultures that spanned the course of human history, he couldn’t avoid the evidence of a common moral code that crossed the boundaries of time, geography, race, gender and even religion.

Lewis concluded that people, by and large, have an intuitive sense of some underlying moral assumptions from tribe to tribe and from age to age. He also noted that proof of a “universal moral code” is that everyone seems to have a common reaction of indignation when its rules are violated.

So, Piper contends that Howard's comments indicate that Hollywood still has a "faint wisp of a conscience."  But, there is rampant hypocrisy.  He writes:

But, what Mr. Howard and his fellow elites apparently don’t understand is that the more they flail against the “immorality” of Donald Trump, the more they expose themselves to be little more than a parade of “wannabe” emperors with no clothes. For decades they have marched through our culture, naked as a jaybird, while apparently thinking they are dressed in the finest attire. And now they presume to tell us that they are our moral exemplars?

Yes, Ron Howard, there is such a thing as morality, and I am glad you admit it. But the huckster here is not so much Donald Trump as it is you and your peers. For years you have sold a nation the snake oil of sin, and this has cost you all credibility. Millions of us care little about what you think. You can take your traveling medicine show elsewhere.

A few years ago, Melissa Henson of the Parents Television Council wrote a piece that called out Hollywood's hypocrisy in light of the Harvey Weinstein scandal; basically saying that the behavior that many in Tinseltown are decrying has been contained in the work product of entertainment producers for quite some time.  She writes:

Given how wide-spread the problem of sexual abuse, harassment, and predatory behavior appears to be in the entertainment industry, isn’t it worthwhile to consider how a worldview that excuses and justifies this predatory behavior might be seeping into that which they create, and thereby influencing our shared culture, and in turn, influencing the world view of children who are the primary consumers of their creative output?

Theologian and philosopher, Francis Schaeffer wrote, “People are unique in the inner life of the mind – what they are in their thought world determines how they act. This is true of their value systems and it is true of their creativity… The results of their thought world flow through their fingers or from their tongues into the external world. This is true of Michelangelo’s chisel, and it is true of a dictator’s sword.”

How can the same not also be true of those who write, direct, edit and produce entertainment products? It would be naïve to believe they can leave their presuppositions, attitudes, and worldview at the door when they go to work. Their worldview is the prism through which they see the world, and it is the foundation on which all of their creative endeavors are built.

Those who moralize must be careful lest they be accused of or even found to be participating in what they are railing against.  That's why we have to make sure that we are living what we say we believe.  Jesus did not spare harsh words for those who were hypocritical in His day - that's why He was so hard on the religious types: they didn't live what they said they believed, and their hypocrisy negatively impacted their followers, who were held in bondage to their oppressive dictates.

As Jesus taught, we should spend more time getting the logs out of our own eyes than trying to extract specks from others.  We can ascertain whether or not we are living a life that is properly aligned - we certainly have a responsibility to speak truth, but perhaps our greatest target and our greatest audience should be ourselves. 

We can also think more deeply about a subject that the Bible addresses quite frequently - holiness.  That is something we cannot conjure up ourselves, or in our frail attempts, we can become holier than thou.  But, holiness reflects our oneness with Christ and an expression of His nature. Committing ourselves to be Christ's disciples and seeking to reflect His holiness can transfer us out of a double-minded life into a singular focus on Him.

Cats and Dogs

In the Scriptures, we can see how God uses His creation to teach us; and that includes the animals.  For instance, in Proverbs 6, we see how the ants can be examples to us of diligence and hard work.  In Matthew 6, our observation of certain animals can communicate to us about worry and anxiety.  We can read:
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

We can be alert to and learn lessons from the world around us.  In this particular passage, Jesus is teaching about trust in Him, and ultimately, seeking first the Kingdom.  He uses birds, lilies, and grass to produce a sense of dependence on Him.  Our trust is in the Lord, our great provider; we can try to look to other sources to meet our needs, but we can know that He is all-sufficient and we can rely on His resources.

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In creation, God has provided so many rich ways in which He reveals Himself, and we can learn and draw closer to Him through our observation and reflection.  In Job 12, we see these verses:
7 "But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
9 Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

Perhaps you, like many Americans, and like my wife and me, are pet owners.  We have two very fine kittens that we just brought into our home the day after Christmas.  And, believe it or not, as Religion News Service has reported, there is a new survey about pets - and faith. The findings were taken from responses in the General Social Survey and published in a new article at the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

The story states:

Among Americans who said they own a pet, nearly three-quarters (74.9%) said they had a dog in 2018. Fewer than half (40.3 %) identified as cat owners. The average American pet-owning household has 1.72 animals (which also included reptiles, fish, pigs, goats, birds, horses and small mammals).

And, among religious groups, evangelicals own the most pets, at 1.95 per household.

I don't really know the significance of these findings, but, according to the article at RNS:

Evangelicals and Catholics are more likely to have dogs than are mainline Christians. Mainliners are more likely than evangelicals and black Protestants to own cats. Jews prefer dogs to cats. Jewish families are also more likely than other traditions to own a small mammal or a bird.

Those who claim no religious identity are most likely to have a cat.

And, apparently the study shows a correlation between pet ownership and church attendance.  According to the RNS article, which was written by one of the researchers, Ryan Burge: "For our study, we put together a regression model that predicted how many pets were owned at each level of church attendance while controlling for a number of factors that could impact pet ownership, such as income, geography, gender, race and education." It says, "While not conclusive, it appears that the more someone goes to church or other religious worship service, the less likely they are to own a pet."

Burge highlights two possible reasons:

One is practical. People who are highly involved in activities at church or other houses of worship may not have the time to take care of a lot of animals in their home.

A second possibility is that people may be using pets as a replacement for social interaction. Therefore, people who are frequently attending church events don’t need to fill that social void with pets.

And Burge and his co-author found evidence that, "...higher church attendance is especially predictive of lower cat ownership."  Why?  The report says:

A wealth of social science has found that cat owners are more likely to express feelings of being socially isolated. It seems possible that the same factors that drive people to be religiously unaffiliated may also make them more likely to own a cat.

So, this yields the general headline: "Atheists prefer cats, Christians love dogs, study shows."

As a cat owner, I can say confidently that these are merely trends and not necessarily indicators of behavior.  So, you're not spiritually deficient if you have a cat - or multiple ones.

One takeaway from this study is the reminder that we love our pets, but we have to make sure we don't love them too much.  That can apply to our animals - or anything else in our lives that is exalted over the place of God.  We have to make sure that our priorities are in line with God's intentions for us.

And, that includes our spiritual participation.  There is certainly no substitute for being with God's people - it doesn't seem that pets necessarily keep people at home, but the study does indicate that if people don't have the propensity to go to church, they may be more likely to have a pet - and a cat at that.  We have to press in to be connected.

Finally, the book of Job directs us to, essentially, learn from the animals. Quite a while ago, I had the opportunity to interview Gerald Robison, the co-author of the book, Cat and Dog Theology.  There is even a website called CatnDogTheology.com.  The premise is simple, according to the site:

"A dog may look at you and think, 'You feed me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me -- You must be god!" On the other hand a cat can look at you and say, 'You feed me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me -- I must be god!" -- You see, they both look at the same information, but because of their self-centered or master-centered attitudes, they come to totally different conclusions!

It's been said that ancient Egyptians once worshipped cats as gods, and the cats have never forgotten that!

In a similar way, many Christians look at all that God has done for them - and while they "say" He is 'Master' -- they treat Him like staff". That is, they use their prayer time to tell God what they want, when they want it and how they want it -- and if He doesn't do it accordingly, they complain! They think life is all about them and they use God to make them happy.

So, we can appreciate animals, maybe even let them teach us, but never let them become idols to us.