Kneeling in the Rain

Our love for God and the dynamics of our relationship with Him can govern how we relate to other people.  We can develop a healthy respect for our fellow human beings as we allow God's love to
determine our attitudes. Proverbs 3 says:
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety's sake.

We can be devoted to showing appreciation for those who have served us.  We have to be careful not to take the contributions of others for granted, but be charitable in our response to goodness and kindness shown toward us.  Out of a heart that is thankful toward God, who has done so much for us, we can show the proper amount of honor and respect, not only to those who have done good, but for those who have not, realizing that we can even show Christ's love to those who we think may not deserve it.

+++++

Because we belong to Christ, we can certainly honor Him in worship, in fellowship with Him, and in
the way we conduct ourselves. 1st Peter 2 tells us:
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--
16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Nick O'Rear was a police officer in Kimberly, Alabama, just north of Birmingham. He lost his life recently when he was shot during a pursuit, according to a piece on the Faithwire website, which reports he was 33 years old, a father of two children, and expecting a third.

The article relates that:

Following O’Rear’s untimely death, Kimberly Mayor Bob Ellerbrock described the slain officer as “a tremendous asset to our community” and a man whom “everybody loved.”

The mayor went on to describe O’Rear’s murder as “senseless.”

Gov. Kay Ivey (R) said in a statement she was “profoundly grieved” to learn about O’Rear’s death, adding, “His sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Tim Evans was a friend of O'Rear who is with the police department in nearby Warrior.  At the processional for O'Rear, he captured a touching scene.  He has written, “During the procession for Officer Nick O’Rear, so many people lined the streets in the pouring rain to pay tribute to this hero,” adding, “But this one man really caught my attention. I don’t know who this man is, but he knelt in the wet grass and prayed, his hand outstretched as each patrol car passed by.”

So who was this man who knelt in the rain and prayed?  Birmingham television personality Rick Karle provided some insight on his Facebook page:

Joseph Brewer is a simple man. He's never needed much, and that's just fine with him. Joseph's best friend? The Holy Bible, which he has read front to back five times. His faith is real, and down through the years, his faith has been needed.

Joseph Brewer grew up in Pell City, AL and learned about faith as a teenager- that was when he was hit head-on by a drunk driver and suffered serious back injuries and other ailments.

And through it all, his faith pulled him through.

Joseph Brewer cheated death later in life. A bullet would find the back of his head after a group of teens fired into his occupied vehicle.

And through it all, his faith pulled him through.

Joseph Brewer was not done beating the odds. As he helped repair a gas line, the utility truck that was on site accidentally was shifted in the wrong direction, and Joseph was run over. Joseph has made mistakes in his life, but through it all, his faith pulled him through.

Brewer, according to Karle, was friends with Nick O'Rear.  As Karle wrote, "He bowed his head and prayed for what seemed like an eternity as rain pelted his face and the long, sad procession moved along. With mud on his knees and wind whipping through his bones, he prayed for every officer as they sadly drove by."  O'Rear was to be buried in Trussville after a procession from the funeral service at First Baptist Gardendale.  Brewer drove from Ragland, a distance of some 30 miles, to pay tribute.

What an incredible image!  This powerful story can inspire us to remember those who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, as well as to protect our country.  So, we can remember our law enforcement, first responders, and those who are dispatched all around the world to serve in our military.  This one man kneeling in the rain honoring a fallen officer is a great tribute to those who serve.

We can also, like Joseph Brewer, reflect on how our faith has been instrumental and how we have seen God pull us through.  When we consider how the Lord has worked in our lives in the past, it can give us great confidence to trust Him in the future.  We grow in the Lord through our study of the Word and through prayer, but we can also gain a sense of His presence with us as we remember and thank Him for how He has been faithful.

The Reality of Faith

When we recognize that our sufficiency is in Christ and that we can rely on His mighty power, we
can be motivated to call on Him. Psalm 18 states:
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

In the midst of our day-to-day routine, we can be conscious of the presence of the Lord, and take time, moments throughout the day, to offer up prayers to God.  We can maintain consistent communication with our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, and experience His strength and wisdom.  He wants for His children to come to Him and has made the way possible for us to abide in Christ and to hide ourselves in Him.

+++++

In 1st Thessalonians 5, we see some short, but powerful statements that can provide guidance for us
as we pursue our walk with Christ. We can read:
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.

Periodically, you find Christians who will show up on reality television shows, and they will use that opportunity to share their faith in Christ, taking seriously their role as ambassadors for Him and using those moments in the spotlight to shine a light for Him.

One recent example of an expression of faith comes from the venerable television show American Idol, which has changed networks and time slots, is not the juggernaut that it used to be, but apparently draws enough audience that ABC has decided to stick with it.  The show has made an impact on Christian radio playlists across America, with artists such as Danny Gokey, Mandisa, Phil Stacey, Jasmine Murray, and others placing as finalists on the show.

Well, Faithwire reports on Samantha Diaz, who goes by "just Sam."  The article relates:

The network released a nine-minute-long story on Samantha Diaz, showing the hardships endured by the young performer.

The 20-year-old aspiring singer, who goes by “Just Sam”, was raised by her grandmother in Harlem, New York and started singing in subways when she was kid.

The piece reports that, "She said her grandmother, Elizabeth, never gave up on her and always believed in her talent..." and that she said, "I just want to give her back everything that she gave me..."

She had trouble on her audition, and was unable to perform her selected song until the three judges hugged and encouraged her.  Judge Lionel Richie said, “We’ve got you and I want you to rely on us to coach you through this. I’m so grateful that God put you in front of us..."

The article goes on to say:

Diaz tearfully thanked the judges for their patience and asked if they would pray with her.

“Can I pray with you guys, is that okay?” While holding hands, the group repeated, “Heavenly Father, Lord make my life brand new right here, right now, with my friends and my new fam, Amen.”

“Thank you, Jesus,” Diaz said. 

Faithwire reports:

On her Instagram page she wrote, “I know that at this point in my life, I’ve already made my grandmother proud. Her seeing me on TV was my dream and it finally came true after all these years. I wish that I had the words to say right now, but I just don’t. I’m currently filled with so much gratitude, joy and so much peace.”

It's not clear what sort of religious persuasion that "just Sam" has, but the fact that faith has once again made it to American Idol can be seen as a positive thing - you could say that millions tuned in to see that one incident, and in a time when the entertainment industry as a whole presents a worldview that is contradictory to a Christian perspective, it is refreshing to see a simple expression of faith.

Oh, by the way, the Movieguide Awards, honoring faith and family-friendly movies and television programming, were presented last month, in partnership with the Hallmark Channel.  The 28th annual awards will be shown on Hallmark Drama on Monday night, February 24 at 10:00pm Central Time.

This moment on American Idol can be a good example for us when we face challenges.  So often, we can internalize or attempt to solve our problems on our own.  God wants us to bring our burdens and dilemmas to Him, so that we can discover His power and direction.  We can take a moment or even a season to pray about our concerns and make prayer a priority.

Finally, we can recognize the talent given by God and use it.  God intends for the giftedness we have to be used for His glory.

Less of Nones

Jesus is alive and He is alive in the hearts of His people; His Word is alive, and He desires for those
who call on His name to live the Word, so that Christ may be seen in us. 1st Peter 2 states:
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

We are living stones - made alive by the power of God, and we can reflect on how we can appropriate that power to carry out the mission to which He has called us.  The Church, because Jesus is alive, can be a living organism that God uses to change hearts and touch lives, and because He is active, we can see the active work of God in saving souls and transforming lives.  From generation to generation, the Church has the mandate to survive and the potential to thrive.

+++++

God has established His Church, and He is at work through His people to manifest His love and truth
to a world that needs a Savior. Ephesians 2 describes His work:
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

For years, we have been talking about the rise in the religious "nones," or those who do not claim a particular religious affiliation, especially among the Millennial generation.  A ChristianHeadlines.com article says:

Since the 1990’s, a growing population of Millennials have identified as “nones,” meaning that they claim no religious affiliation. Over 30% of this age group find churches distrustful and religion worthless. But recent data shows that this trend may actually be slowing down.

“Okay, this is kind of a big deal,” tweeted Ryan Burge of the Religion in Public blog. “The growth of the ‘nones’ may actually be slowing or possibly even slightly reversing itself …”

The Christian Headlines article points out that, "Every generation since the Baby Boomers has become less involved in religion." But, regarding Gen Z, those born in 1995 and afterward, "recent data shows this may not be the case. With Paul A. Djupe, Burge analyzed several polls to reveal that Gen Zers weren’t anymore opposed to religion than Millennials. The trend shows that 'nones' may be tapering off or even fallen behind."

Burge and Djupe write on the Religion in Public blog regarding the "religiously unaffiliated:"

The lesson is clear – the rate has drastically increased with each generation through to Millennials and has since slowed so that Gen Z is so far no more unaffiliated than Millennials. In 2018, 42.8% of Millennials were nones (combining atheists, agnostics, and those ‘nothing in particular’), while 42.9% of Gen Zers were nones.

This is based on the 2018 Cooperative Congressional Election Study.   Burge and Djupe do point out: "These results are only suggestive. Gen Z is still very young – only a few have graduated from college at this point and may be gaining distance from their parents and religious institutions. However, the college years are when we tend to find religious socialization gaps..., so maybe these early estimates are sending a true signal. Only time will tell, though the general population rate of the religiously unaffiliated will continue to climb to meet the younger generations."

They go on to say:

The upshot is that the population rate of the religious unaffiliated is at least leveling off and may be contracting. That is the remarkable conclusion reached with data from 4 years of PRRI’s American Values Atlas based on hundreds of thousands of interviews.

Christian Headlines summarizes some possible reasons why, based on the blog:

One view is that diversification in America is threatening people enough to drive them back into churches. Another is that “organized religion has been shedding marginal identifiers for several decades.”

As Burge and Djupe relate, "As the social desirability of being religion [sic] has eroded, people have stopped identifying just to seem respectable."

I think something we can keep in mind is that we can beware of proclamations of the death of organized religion.  Religion is baked in to the foundations of American government and is still valid as an institution that promotes morality and the common good.  Furthermore, we have to look at the active nature of Christianity in our world today.

God is doing amazing things and people are coming into a knowledge of Him.  It's easy to get caught up in differences over doctrine or approach to some issues, which are important, but we also have to make sure that we are focusing on and praying for the mission, being enthusiastic participants in what He is doing and wants to do.  We can identify that He is moving, even among younger generations.  I would also submit that He is doing so outside of some of the traditional religious structures, which may explain why the number of "nones" seems to have been growing - it may not indicate a departure from faith, but a practice of faith in churches that may not be considered mainstream, even though they are Biblical, as in non-denominational bodies.

Analytical Tools

We are called to build our lives on the teachings of the Word of God, and to reject the ideas of this
world. In 1st Timothy 6, Paul writes to his young associate:
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge--
21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

There is a smorgasbord of worldly ideas from which we can choose, and we have to be careful that we are grounded in God's Word so that we are not led astray.  We have to guard against embracing worldly philosophies that contradict Scripture, so that the Word of God directs our steps and determines our worldview.  If not, we can become double-minded and find ourselves in a place where we are inconsistent in our pursuit and application of God's truth.

+++++

We are encouraged to make sure that our lives are built on the foundation of Christ and devotion to His Word and to be aware of ideas and philosophies of this world that contrast with His teachings.  An article I will reference today made mention of a verse in Colossians 2.  Here is a passage from that chapter:
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

I have been providing you lately with some coverage of the formation of the Conservative Baptist Network, a consortium of Southern Baptists that are calling the Southern Baptist Convention to a high view of Scripture and a renewed commitment to evangelism.  As I reported to you, one of the stated reasons for forming this new initiative was the passage at last year's annual convention in Birmingham of what is simply known as Resolution 9, which referred to Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality as "analytical tools."  The implication is that these can be implemented, but only through submission to Scripture.  Resolution opponents say they should not even be used, and there is the rub.  The Conservative Baptist Network website states:

However, they are far more than just tools; they are ideologies that have their roots in Neo-Marxist, postmodern worldviews. While the committee may have meant well in presenting the resolution, many messengers left Birmingham confused about Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality, and others left feeling that they had been misled or deceived.

There should actually be some definitions given here, since these philosophies, or the rejection of them, have become one of these bases for a new group or organization.

Founders Ministries produced a documentary film a few months ago called, By What Standard?  Megan Basham of WORLD Magazine provided a review, including comments from Founders President Tom Ascol; the review stated...

...the film fills in context for what critical race theory and intersectionality are, arguing all Christians should mourn their introduction into the Southern Baptist toolbox.

Ascol told me he and his team originally intended to produce an update and response to the well-known 1997 PBS documentary Battle for the Minds, about feminism in the SBC. But in their last half-hour of shooting, Resolution 9 came to the floor. It ironically illustrated Founders’ thesis that forces within the Church are using legitimate dialogue about racial division and sexual abuse to move it in a liberal direction, undermining its work and witness.

As the film successfully demonstrates, CRT/I touches on the most hotly contested topics in our culture, including white privilege, LGBT identity, and feminism. Their adoption by a denomination so traditionally minded as the SBC proves all Christians need to grapple with how the Bible expects us to respond.

A piece on the Founders' website provides this summary:

So, CRT assumes that “people of color” are inherently oppressed and marginalized by power structures that are rooted in white privilege and white supremacy. Furthermore, CRT does not merely make that observation, it is definitionally committed to transforming the perceived oppressions it identifies.

It goes on to relate:

CRT (along with every other Marxist ideology) cannot be reconciled with what the Bible teaches about sin and salvation. First, to view all relationships in terms of power dynamics requires that people be seen in terms of the powerful (privileged, oppressors) and the powerless (marginalized, oppressed). Apart from striking out against God-ordained hierarchies and authority structures (by evaluating them as oppressive power structures), this way of viewing the world fails to evaluate people in their primary relationship, which is as creatures made in the image of their Creator.

Regarding Intersectionality, the Founders Ministries website says:

Intersectionality describes the way that different types of discrimination overlap in a marginalized or oppressed person’s experience. It is the idea that a person’s true identity is measured by how many victim-statuses you can call their own. Like CRT, IS views the world through the lens of power dynamics with a person’s social position best understood in terms of discrimination and disadvantage. So, the more disadvantaged groups that you identify with the more oppressed you are.

Contrast this to the Biblical worldview of God, his relationship to humanity, and how we are called to related to one another:

Like CRT, the great problem with IS is the worldview that forged it and is necessarily embedded in it. Intersectionality operates on a sub-Christian worldview that makes no account for God’s sovereignty over His creation or His prerogative to order it however He chooses. Intersectionality emphasizes the ways that people differ from each other while ignoring, if not rejecting altogether, what the Bible says about the commonality of the human race.

The bottom line, as I see it: CRT and Intersectionality divide, the Scripture unites.

This debate, which has become quite contentious, can remind us of several things.  For one, we are to beware of worldly philosophies - the WORLD article makes reference to Colossians 2:8, to which I referred earlier.

And, we should be devoted to the practice of unity.  It is difficult for me to see how we can be reconciled along racial lines when some who champion that concept are using divisive language and denigrating those with whom they are seeking to be reconciled.  The Bible teaches mercy and forgiveness - yes, there have been past hurts, but through the love of Christ, we can pursue future harmony.

Love is the glue that holds us together as the body of Christ.  There is quite a bit of uncharitable language that is being expressed toward those who have formed this network that is devoted to calling their denomination to a more faithful expression of Scripture.  They are perceiving a drift, and rather than to be told there is not "liberal drift" and to face accusations of improper motives or outright lies, perhaps their claims should be responsibly addressed. 

Saved to Serve

We were all saved for a purpose: so that we might be reconciled to God and walk in a right relationship with God the Father.  Because we are saved, we now have capacity to serve God and
other people. Galatians 5 states:
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Salvation brings sensitivity to the Spirit of God, and that sensitivity can bring desire and direction to serve.  We no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to God, and He desires for us to seek to walk in His purpose.  The Church is, in a sense, the delivery system through which God's love is brought to a world that needs to know Him.  And, each of us individually can find our place - it takes willingness to give up ourselves so that Christ may be expressed through us.

+++++

We are God's representatives, and even in our occupation, He can rightly position us so that He is
glorified through the actions we take and how we conduct ourselves. 2nd Corinthians 5 states:
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

I am appreciative about what those who work for the U.S. Postal Service do.  I am the son of a postal worker, who worked for over two decades with the post office after making a career change in his 40's, having been an auto mechanic for a similar amount of time.

We have an explosion of delivery employees now, with the new online frontier sending out packages through a number of delivery options.  And, many restaurants have joined what was once regarded as the domain of pizza chains in offering home delivery.  Why, now you can even have your groceries delivered to your home!!

One particular U.S. Postal Service worker had a chance to deliver something more than mail and packages recently, which can remind us of the opportunities we may have to deliver kindness and the love of God.  Keith Rollins is a Maryland postal employee who was driving along a highway around 8:00 one recent morning, according to Christian Today, when he saw a toddler walking near the road, a 2-year-old boy who had been reported missing the previous evening.  Rollins had said, according to WUSA-TV: "It was God-ordained that I be in that place at that time..."  The Christian Today article says:

Describing the moment he spotted the toddler, he said: "He only had a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt, no shoes or socks. So I walked up to him. I said, 'Hey, buddy. How you doing? What's your name? Are you OK?' He looked at me, but I didn't get a response from him."

It was at that moment that Rollins "decided to just scoop him up" and take him back to his vehicle.

"I had a sweater that I tried to cover him up with, and turned up the heat and I called the police back and said that I had the little boy in my vehicle, and within a matter of minutes, the police were there," he said.

The article says that:

Speaking to local media, Rollins said it was "remarkable" that he found the boy when he did as he was "shivering, cold".

Rollins added that he did not consider himself to be a hero and that he was "Giving glory to God that I was able to help at that particular time and be in the correct place at the right time..."

One thing we can recognize is that God is sovereign over time and place.  He will direct our steps or actions so that we can be His representative in a particular situation.  And, in this case, Keith Rollins was used by the Lord to testify to His hand.  If we possess a submissive attitude, we can be in a place where we can be a blessing to others and to be blessed by what God does in our midst.

Keith Rollins delivered more than just the mail that Maryland morning - he delivered hope, kindness, and a sensitivity to the Lord.  He was rightly positioned so that God could us Him.  We can reflect on how God has certain "packages:" of love and light, caring and kindness, so that Jesus is exalted through us.  

Washington's Wisdom

Today, we consider the character of a Christian and recognize that the presence of Christ in us means
we have the resources to live out the Christian life effectively. 2nd Peter 1 states:
(5) ...giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We call ourselves Christians, and that is more than just a label - it can be a measure of how much we exemplify Christ, to what degree we prioritize living like Him.  He will instill in us a desire to be more like Him and provide us with the power to carry out His mission and to serve Him wholeheartedly.  We can seek to reflect His character, full of love for Him and for the people around us - our faith in Christ should be producing fruit for the Lord.

+++++

On this day set aside to celebrate the birthday and life of George Washington, we can reflect on what he had to say about Christian character - I will share that quote later.  I thought about how we can wear the title of "Christian" well.  There was a man named Barnabas, who apparently did just that, whom we read about in Acts chapter 11:
24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

This is the Federal holiday that has been set aside in February - it is called by most President's Day, and I have thought that it was set up to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and George Washington on the 22nd.  The concept was said to be expanded to honor all Presidents and, well, to provide a three-day weekend.  However, the official name of the holiday is...Washington's Birthday!!  WhiteHouse.gov has some information about that:

Today, we celebrate Washington’s Birthday on the third Monday of February each year—the result of the 1968 law mandating that a number of federal holidays occur on Mondays.

It goes on to say:

Rep. Robert McClory (R-IL), representing “the land of Lincoln,” attempted to change the name of the holiday to “Presidents’ Day” in 1968. But that measure proved to be particularly controversial for legislators from Virginia, Washington’s home state. The provision was soon dropped.

McClory did gain the concession of having the holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February, which falls between Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12 and Washington’s 10 days later. It appeared to many that a federal holiday now existed to celebrate both Washington and Lincoln—as well as America’s other 43 commanders in chief. This interpretation was fueled by the numerous states that adopted “Presidents’ Day” as the holiday’s name, rather than the traditional “Washington’s Birthday.”

I did want to take a moment to reflect on the devotion to prayer in the life of our first President, George Washington.  Perhaps you're familiar with the President's Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1789.  According to the Mount Vernon website:

Washington issued a proclamation on October 3, 1789, designating Thursday, November 26 as a national day of thanks. In his proclamation, Washington declared that the necessity for such a day sprung from the Almighty’s care of Americans prior to the Revolution, assistance to them in achieving independence, and help in establishing the constitutional government.

But, it was back in 1778, in which Washington issued another proclamation - for a day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer, following the legendary brutal winter at Valley Forge. Noted historian William Federer quotes Lutheran pastor Henry Muhlenberg at the American Minute website:

"From all appearances General Washington does not belong to the so-called world of society, for he respects God's Word, believes in the atonement through Christ, and bears himself in humility and gentleness.

Therefore, the Lord God has also singularly, yea, marvelously preserved him from harm in the midst of countless perils, ambuscades, fatigues, etc., and has hitherto graciously held him in his hand as a chosen vessel."

Federer goes on to say:

Washington successfully kept the army intact through the devastating winter, and gave the order at Valley Forge, April 12, 1778:

"The Honorable Congress having thought proper to recommend to the United States of America to set apart Wednesday, the 22nd inst., to be observed as a day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer, that at one time, and with one voice, the righteous dispensations of Providence may be acknowledged, and His goodness and mercy towards our arms supplicated and implored:

The General directs that the day shall be most religiously observed in the Army; that no work shall be done thereon, and that the several chaplains do prepare discourses."

In May of that year, Washington called for "Divine Service" every Sunday, stating, "To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to laud the more distinguished Character of Christian."

So, today we celebrate the birthday of someone who demonstrated a personal faith and had a healthy respect for the role of faith in the life of our nation.  We can consider a couple of principles.

For one thing, just taking that previous quote, Washington spoke of the "Character of Christian." The word, Christian, is more than just a label or a designation of a social club.  I believe we are defined as being related to Christ, embracing the teachings of Christ, and exemplifying Christ, allowing Him to to be seen through us.

There are those who have unfortunately been led to believe in this country that a robust practice of religious faith, including Christianity, cannot be carried out.  We are told we should keep our Christianity in a box, and that the government should not be involved in religious practice.  You have to wonder why it is that religion, of all the philosophies that influence our nation, should be cast aside?  Christians practicing Christianity pose a distinct threat to the secularists, but we should not be intimidated, but boldly live out our faith, to the glory of God.

Working It Out

There is a passage in Matthew 18 that can inspire us as we function in the body of Christ, as well as in our homes, in our marriages and family relationships.  Prayer can help bring us together, shape our
perspective, and release God's power. We can read:
18 Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

There is tremendous power in agreement, and it is so vital to a strong marriage for couples to recognize that and to walk in it.  When we face the challenges of life that could be detrimental to a couple, God offers us the ability to come to Him and to pray together about those areas of concern.  We are called to work together, rather than try to address our respective issues with a sense of independence - there is amazing power that is available.

+++++

We're back in Ecclesiastes today for some relationship wisdom, as we reflect on the power of a married couple facing life's challenges with a sense of working together.  In the 4th chapter, we can see these verses:
9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Hailey was raised in a Christian home - her father was an actor; you might say he was part of an acting family.  But, as a new Faithwire article relates, as a teenager, she temporarily walked away from church.  That is, until she was 16 and discovered Hillsong Church in New York City.

She says, according to the article, referring to a recent piece in Elle magazine:

“It started to feel like my own little community of people who were also young and following God and just immersed in a church community,” Hailey said. “Then I developed my own relationship to church and my own relationship with God, separate from being raised that way by my parents.”

At the time she discovered the church, she was a model and aspiring dancer.  Along the way, she met a famous singer, whom she married in 2018 at a courthouse, followed by a formal ceremony this past fall.  Because the singer was, well, famous, not only was his faith on display, but his foibles as well.

That's part of life, it seems, for Justin Bieber, husband of Hailey.  But, amidst an admittedly difficult first year of marriage, that shared faith has apparently kept them - and their marriage - strong.  Hailey told Elle:  “Being able to share that with each other—to have that bond of faith and spirituality—is so [critical] for us...It’s the most important part of our relationship, following Jesus together, being a part of the church community together. It’s everything.”

In the midst of it all, Justin was diagnosed with Lyme disease, which added another layer to an already complicated life and marriage.  Hailey relates:

“When we first got married, we were just figuring out our life together,” Hailey explained why they didn’t have a wedding ceremony right away. “I felt like putting a wedding in the middle of all of that would be really hectic and stressful.”

“He was really sick,” she explained. “He has Lyme disease, and he was dealing with a bunch of medical stuff. We didn’t have a diagnosis and it was hard because everybody from the outside was being super mean and judgmental, saying he looked like he was on drugs, saying how unhealthy he looked, when in truth, he was not healthy and we didn’t know why.”

But, I would say God has sustained them - they have been determined to work through the challenges they encounter.  Hailey, who describes her husband as "an incredible, amazing man," wrote on Instagram recently:

“Grateful to let people in on our journey of the last year and a half,” she wrote. “It was a tough road but we are stronger because of it.. and to @justinbieber you my love, are incredible. I love growing together! Thank you for sharing your story with the world. I am so grateful to walk through this life with you.”

Well, certainly the Biebers are vulnerable to falling prey to superstardom.  I have interviewed Hailey's father, Stephen Baldwin, as well as Justin's mother, Pattie Mallette, and they are known as committed Christians.  So, their families offer a strong faith influence, and that's important.  Plus, their involvement in the local Church is key.  And, Justin has been embraced by a number of high-profile pastors such as Judah Smith from Seattle and Chad Veach from LA, who have also both been guests on The Meeting House.  So, support is critical - for all of us - as we travel on this Christian journey.

On this Valentine's Day, we can consider some of the components for a strong, lasting relationship built on Christ.  As Justin and Hailey are discovering, it's important to be prepared to persevere.  Our faith can sustain us for the long haul, and we can know that God is with us as He does His inner work in us.  But, life offers its challenges, and we have to be grounded.

We can also recognize the power of working together.  In a Christ-centered marriage, we acknowledge that we are created to be a team, a unit.  Just as the Biebers have faced numerous struggles, including his health challenges, we can be reminded not to allow adversity to divide us. It all flows from having God at the center of our marriage relationships.

Faith and a Fruitful Marriage

As it's been taught, we can view our spouses as gifts from God, and He desires for us to love each
other and to enjoy our time together. Ecclesiastes chapter 9 says:
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

This is a wonderful picture of the type of life that God wants us to experience - He has given us our spouses to love, to care for, and to have someone with whom we can enjoy living and thriving.  We can contribute to one another's well-being and be supportive of one another in our endeavors.  When the pressures of life weigh us down, we can turn not only to Christ, but to our mate and hopefully be lifted up, and we can seek to lift him or her up.

+++++

God's intention for marriage is found in Genesis 2, the place where we can see that He established this solid institution that is foundational for our society. We can read:
18 And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

Later in the chapter, we see how He fulfilled His promise:
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
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.

On this day before Valentine's Day, I want to consider the significant contribution that religious faith can have on the martial relationship.  Certainly, we acknowledge that if the Lord is at the center of a marriage, or even a dating relationship, and couples are attempting to relate to one another with self-sacrificing love modeled after the love of Christ and applying a Christian worldview perspective in their approach to their marriage, including addressing issues Biblically, a marriage can bring glory and honor to the Lord and satisfaction to the men and women in those relationships, even as they walk through the difficult times of life.

There is research that traces the relationship between faith and family.  John Stonestreet commented on it in a Breakpoint commentary, and the transcript was posted on The Christian Post website last year.  Stonestreet and co-author Shane Morris state:

A sweeping new study by the Institute for Family Studies at Brigham Young University reveals that, in terms of both sexual satisfaction and relationship quality, highly religious couples fare better than the non-religious.

In their report, entitled, “The Ties that Bind: Is Faith a Global Force for Good or Ill in the Family?” the authors looked at data from eleven countries, including the U.S., the U.K., France, Canada, and Argentina. What they found was striking: Highly religious couples “enjoy higher-quality relationships and more sexual satisfaction,” have more children on average, and are far less likely to have cheated on their spouse.

The commentary says that the report found that "...couples who regularly attend religious services—which overwhelmingly means Christian churches—enjoyed a boost in satisfaction and relationship quality regardless of whether they identified as progressive or traditional." Stonestreet and Morris say that the authors "theorize that this may have to do with the strong correlation between religious observance and involved, committed fathers."

And, regarding the relationship between Christian faith and practice and the sexual relationship, Stonestreet says:

I’d venture that religious commitment—especially Christian commitment—serves as a silent but inescapable reminder of what sex is for. In a time when meaningless encounters are pushed over on an increasingly miserable, lonely populace, religion serves as a signpost to couples that there’s meaning to sex beyond their own pleasure, beyond their own bodies. In essence, when they become “one flesh” they participate in God’s “very good” created order.

The summary of the survey contains some interesting tidbits; some of which were shared in the Breakpoint commentary.  An interesting note has to do with families praying together.  44% of those surveyed indicated that they did pray together as a family, although only 20% indicated they did so once a week or more.  56% did not exercise family prayer.  The researchers also said:

After controlling for age, education, gender, and family finances, participants who reported daily family prayer (above and beyond prayer at worship services and meals) also reported relationship quality scores nearly a full point higher than the “never” group. This modest effect, while statistically significant, does not offer sufficient support for a blanket statement that family prayer is—by itself—a powerful glue for family relationships. However, coupled with the more in-depth qualitative response data, there is (across the 16,000-person sample) some indication that family prayer is one factor that matters to those families who unite in this connecting practice on a daily basis. Given the myriad factors that influence family lives and relationships, finding a single practice that may help to measurably move the relational quality needle in a positive direction is something that warrants attention.

About the faith-family relationship, the survey summary also says, "Religious traditions seek to foster norms—such as marital permanence and fidelity—that may strengthen or reinforce the ties binding partners to one another....Religious teachings also place a strong emphasis on love, forgiveness, respectful behavior, and putting the needs of others above one’s own. Taken together, these beliefs, as sociologists Kristen Taylor Curtis and Christopher Ellison have observed, may 'reinforce beliefs about the sanctity of marriage, while helping to define appropriate marital conduct and assisting partners in fulfilling their familial roles.'"

It's true - God's way is best.  A married couple who is devoted to Christ has tools available in order to be able to have a thriving relationship that honors Him.  I can testify personally to that!  This is research that is consistent with that point of view. 

We recognize that the application of God's principles can work on a micro level in our individual relationships, but helps on a macro level to further a more ordered society, based on tried-and-true norms that can be traced to the teachings of the Bible.

A Year in the Word

The Word of God contains not only words directly from the Lord, but those words contain power, wisdom, and direction for us.  Jesus is the Word made flesh, and we become more alive because of
the living Word. Hebrews 4 states:
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

The Bible teaches that when we are weak, He is strong - and He manifests His strength through our interaction with His Word.  The Bible can change our thinking, which can result in right living, in devoted obedience to our Heavenly Father.  And, we can conform the words we speak to the teachings of the Word of God, so that our confession is consistent with the work of God in our hearts.  We become more like Jesus as we experience Him through Scripture.

+++++

We can be inspired to make God's Word more of a part of our lives by these verses in the 119th
Psalm:
10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!
12 Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes!

In Spring Hill, Tennessee, a Southern Baptist pastor challenged his congregation members to read the Bible through in one year in 2020.  Over 560 people got on board, and the lady who wanted to be first in line had done it before - 60 other times!!

According to the state's Baptist and Reflector newspaper, it's 99-year-old Helen Tyler, who hits the century mark in March. Pastor Jay Strother of the Church at Station Hill, an extension of Brentwood Baptist Church, had a conversation with "Miss Helen."  The article says:

Strother asked her, “Miss Helen, why do you still do it?” She replied, “God shows me something new every time.”

“She said you’d think I’ve heard these stories, but every time I read it or hear it being read, I catch something new,” Strother recalled her saying. It’s a reminder, he noted, that God’s Word “intersects our lives” in different seasons and in different ways with the timelessness of Scripture.

Helen's first time to read the Bible through was in response to a campaign called, "Read the Bible through in '42," when her husband was a pastor in Vermont during their first year of marriage and they were living out of what came in to the offering plate.

Pastor Strother noted to the congregation: “My how times have changed...But God’s Word hasn’t.”

One thing has changed about the way Miss Helen goes through God's Word: because of failing eyesight, she now listens to the Word as it is read.   The article continues:

“I love that resolve to find a way to get the Word of God into your heart and into your life again and again,” Strother said.

“Just like she learns something new every time she reads it,” he shared with his congregation, “we learn something new every time we come to it.

Reading the Bible through in a year can seem to be a daunting task, but the pastor, according to the article...

...doesn’t buy the argument that people are too busy to read the Bible through in a year. He described it coming down to a “matter of priority.” In one week, he said, “the average American now consumes 35.7 hours of televised content.”

He went on to say: “You could read the entire Bible through out loud in about 72 hours,” adding, “So in just a little more in the time that people usually watch TV – the typical American in two weeks – you could read the Bible through.”

Strother said, “I love the idea that our senior saints can lead the way in setting that example for us..."  Rather than separate the seniors in a congregation, we should strive to integrate them, so younger individuals and families can draw on their wisdom.

We can remember that God's Word continues to speak - it's more than words on a page, it is the living Word that is meant to be taken into our hearts.  It is amazing that words that were inspired by the Holy Spirit thousands of years ago apply to the situations we face now.  His truths have been described as "timeless," and I agree.

So, we have to get more of the Word in our hearts.  We can make time with God a priority and set Bible reading and study goals.  And, while we can read for quantity, regarding reading through the Bible in a year, it's also important that we allow the verses we read to speak to us and allow the Holy Spirit to show us how the Scripture we read can become a practical reality for us.

There are all sorts of Bible reading programs - some are chronological, others are linear.  You have Bible reading plans, such as the one I'm using this year, that takes sections from various books of the Bible each day - Old Testament and New Testament, including a reading from the Psalms.  And, there are Bibles and Bible-related resources that actually have a Bible reading plan that is integrated.  You also have the Faith Radio App that has a Bible, an audio Bible so that you can listen to the Scriptures, and a Bible reading plan that you can use.

Agree

The Lord desires to transform our hearts through the truths of His Word and the inward work of the Spirit.  He has made us, and created us for a relationship with Him through Jesus.  We can see these verses in Isaiah 29:
14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden."
15 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, "Who sees us?" and, "Who knows us?"
16 Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?

Even though we may not speak those words, per se, by the attitudes of our hearts and the actions in which we engage, we can show a level of commitment and desire for obedience that God does not intend.  We read the Scriptures, but we have to make sure we make them part of us, allowing God to change us, to remake us internally, so that we can walk in His love and obey His truth.  Without Him, we cannot comply with His teachings.

+++++

As Jesus walked on earth with His disciples, He taught them some revolutionary things.  Take, for
instance, what He said in Matthew 19:
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"
26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Peter was especially impulsive, as we know: in Matthew 16, we read this account:
21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

This is the same man, who was a pillar of the early Church, by the way, who argued with Jesus when the Lord told him that he would deny Him three times.

Now consider an earthly encounter that reminded me of some of the encounters that the disciples had with Jesus as they wrestled with certain aspects of His teaching.  At last week's National Prayer Breakfast, Arthur Brooks, a Harvard professor and self-described conservative and Christian, spoke.  The Christian Post related:

The author of 11 books turned to the words of Jesus, society’s “greatest entrepreneur” and thinker, from Matthew 5: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Such words are as “subversive and counterintuitive” today as they were 2,000 years ago, Brooks said.

But to apply these words to today’s polarized society, “we need to make the problem personal..."

Brooks, author of a book called, Love Your Enemies, said:

“Let me ask you this: How many of you love somebody with whom you disagree politically? Are you comfortable hearing someone insult that person that you love? Make it personal, my friends.”

Moral courage, he said, isn’t standing up to those with whom you disagree. Rather, it’s “standing up to those with whom you agree on behalf of those with whom you disagree.”

Brooks gave three pieces of "homework," according to the article:

• "...ask God to give you the strength to do this hard thing, to go against your human nature, to follow Jesus’ teaching.”
• “make a commitment to somebody else to reject contempt.”
• “go out looking for contempt..."

In other words, look for opportunities to overcome hate with love.

President Trump then got up and opened this way; this is taken from the White House transcript:

I’m working very hard for you, I will tell you. (Laughter.) And sometimes you don’t make it easy, and I certainly don’t make it easy on you. (Laughter.) And I will continue that tradition, if I might, this morning. And, Arthur, I don’t know if I agree with you. (Laughter.) But I don’t know if Arthur is going to like what I’m going to say. (Laughter.) But I love listening to you. It’s really great. Thank you very much.

That response was certainly off-the-cuff, and the President has even been chided for disagreeing with the teachings of Jesus.  But, since there was laughter, you could surmise that it was intended as an attempt at humor.  Let's look at little closer at the words that followed.

Tony Perkins of Family Research Council discussed his speech recently online.  Here he quotes the President in two excerpts from his prayer breakfast speech:

"As everybody knows, my family, our great country, and your president have been put through a terrible ordeal..." he said when he took to the podium. "They have done everything possible to destroy us and by so doing, very badly hurt our nation. They know what they are doing is wrong, but they put themselves far ahead of our great country. So many people have been hurt," he admitted, "and we can't let that go on."

Looking at Brooks, he acknowledged how hard the message of forgiveness can be. "I'm sorry," the president said with humility. "I apologize. I am trying to learn... It's not easy. When they impeach you for nothing, and you're supposed to like them, it's not easy, folks. I do my best," he said. "I'm working very hard for you, I will tell you," he had started. Then, to laughter, "And sometimes you don't make it easy, and I certainly don't make it easy on you."

As CBN.com reported: "That 'I'm sorry' came after the normally politics-free morning of prayer had already taken a partisan turn with the president still reeling from years of impeachment attacks and threats by his political opponents."

The article goes on to say:

"I don't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong," Trump said in a possible reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). "I don't like when people say, 'I pray for you' when that's not so…"

Elsewhere in his speech, Trump connected faith to God's freedom for everyone. "All of us here today reaffirm these timeless truths: Faith keeps us free. Prayer makes us strong. And God alone is the author of life and the giver of grace."

In looking over the White House transcript, I discovered a story that the President shared that has received very little coverage.  It seems that the section about using faith as justification for wrongdoing and saying "I pray for you" get the lion's share of attention.  But, did you know that the President introduced the pastor of an African-American church in Louisiana whose church was burned to the ground last year - just before Easter?   The church and two others which were burned have raised $2 million for rebuilding.  And, listen to the President's words:

You know, the Reverend says that we’re rebuilding because that’s what Jesus does. He rebuilds, he lives, and he breathes. It’s what he does. He wants it to be rebuilt. It was torn apart, but it’s being rebuilt again, and I’ll bet you it will indeed be bigger, better, and nicer than before. What do you think, Reverend?

If you Google the pastor's last name "Touissant," and "National Prayer Breakfast," you get only a handful of entries.  Isn't it sad?  And, I have to admit, I think that story did not receive the attention it deserved partly because it didn't fit the mainstream media narrative, but because there was other material grabbing headlines, thanks to the President.

And, that's my first takeaway: we can speak kindly words and do good works, but sometimes ill-chosen words and harmful actions can overshadow all the good we've done.   One wrong choice may even cancel out a lifetime of right service.  We have to be careful to avoid those "unforced errors" that can harm our testimony.

As I mentioned, I've seen where Trump has been taking to task for questioning Jesus' command to love our enemies.  Well, you could say he's in good company - sometimes the disciples wrestled with what Jesus was teaching them. And, we may even, in studying the Word, find some of his hard teachings hard to swallow.  Sometimes we may really have to pray about receiving them.

And other times, we flat out shirk His truth and disobey His commands, demonstrating we don't really believe His words.  Trump is not the only one who has trouble loving his enemies - at least he admitted it.  And, I would hope that God deals with his heart.  For each of us, we have to be careful that we don't disregard Christ's teachings by doing what we want and harboring anger and bitterness in our hearts.  We recognize that we need the power of God to enable us to follow that command.

Not Yet

Jesus has absolute power over death, and by believing on Him, we enter into a relationship in which
we can experience His resurrection power. Romans 6 states:
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our Lord Jesus defeated the power of sin and death when He was crucified, then resurrection.  Because He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins, death could not hold Him.  We now have the capability to walk in the newness of life that He promised.  In that life in Christ, we have the ability to experience His victory, to walk in His truth, and to know the power of His Spirit, who has raised us up in Him.  As the Scriptures teach, with Him, nothing is impossible.

+++++

Jesus had been summoned to the city of Bethany where Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha
lived. Lazarus had died, and Jesus, rather than panicking, confidently went to Bethany and performed a miracle demonstrating His power over death. John 11 says:
23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

The Bible tells us that nothing is impossible with God.  I would contend that God specializes in the impossible, and we can experience those times where we not only give credit to God for how He has worked, but realize that without Him, certain things would not have occurred.

One of those "certain things," being characterized as a true miracle, took place in the life of Christopher Wickland, a pastor in England.  CBN News reported that the pastor was "...jumping at a trampoline park with three of his youngest children, when he became sick and collapsed, according to The Daily Echo." Park employees had administered CPR, but Wickland "had stopped breathing for 15 minutes."

His heart was re-started with a defibrillator four times, and he was taken to a hospital, where he was placed in ICU.  The article states:

Doctors at the hospital informed Wickland's wife Tracey about their grim prognosis. He had suffered a cardiac arrest and had died for 15 minutes. They also warned her that he could suffer brain and heart damage as a result if he was lucky enough to pull through.

That's when Tracey went to work. She immediately posted about her husband's condition on social media and asked if people could start praying for him.

After being in an induced coma for 48 hours, the following Sunday morning, as the church was having services, Christopher woke up.  The article says that Wickland shared with The Daily Mail: "This is a miracle that is all down to divine providence and the very quick actions of some people...My congregation and other Christians around the world were also praying for me. All this power was harnessed to keep me alive. I'm not lucky, I'm blessed." In that article, Tracey attributed the fact that he was alive to all the prayers being lifted up.  The Daily Mail headline, in its sensational style, blasted out: "Reverend resurrection..."

And, the pastor is amazingly healthy, stating, "I've been checked out by the doctors several times now and there's absolutely nothing wrong with me. They can't believe that I died for so long and there's no permanent damage."  The BBC has also done a story on this amazing recovery.

I think this story can remind us that God's nature is to bring dead things back to life. That actually occurs with the physical death of a believer - once we depart from this world, Scripture teaches that we are with the Lord.  There may be instances when that does not occur, such as the incident I just related, but we are all partakers of Christ's resurrection, if we have been born again.  And, that includes our deliverance from the power of sin and death to the power of life in Christ, as well as our transferral from death on earth to life in eternity with Him.  We are raised up with Jesus.

We can also be motivated to celebrate stories of God's faithfulness.  Christians have experienced a new life - that is the incredible miracle of the new birth. Perhaps we have encountered life-saving or life-altering incidents.  We can give God the glory and testify to what He has done, and rejoice in what God has done in the lives of others.

Even the Skeptic Should See

The powerful account of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 6 in his book includes these words near the beginning: "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne..." It continues with a spectacular scene and includes these words near the end:
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
9 And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'
10 "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed."

We have been entrusted with a message, and our lives have been readied for service.  Isaiah experienced an angel touching his mouth with a hot coal and saying his sin had been taken away.  We can rejoice that we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus and His holy fire can purify our hearts, our lips, and our actions.  When we are surrendered to Jesus, we can rejoice in that right relationship and reflect His inner work to those around us.

+++++

The practice of Christianity, according to the Word of God, can have an amazing impact on our individual lives, our families, our communities, and even our nation - this has actually been seen throughout history.  Scripture encourages us in 2nd Timothy 1:
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...

He refers to himself as a "rationalist and skeptic," but he is not blind to the contributions that Christianity has made.  He has been a featured actor in some of the biggest movies of all time, such as the Lord of the Rings series and Raiders of the Lost Ark.  He has also been involved in faith-based projects, such as Beyond the Mask and an upcoming release centered on the life of St. Patrick.

In an age of hostility and unbelief, it is refreshing to see a big-name Hollywood actor who is not afraid to say positive things about Christianity.

His name is John Rhys-Davies, and at the recent Movieguide Awards, he spoke with Jeannie Law of The Christian Post.  On the red carpet for that event, he said, "I count myself a rationalist and a skeptic, and I find myself constantly defending Christians and Christianity,” and added, "We seem to forget that Christian civilization has made the world a better place than it ever was..."

In fact, the actor waxed historical in the conversation - the article quotes him as saying:

“All the things that we value, the right of free speech, the right of the individual conscience, these evolved in first and second century Roman Christendom, where the individual Christian said, 'I have a right to believe, what I believe and not what the Emperor tells me.' From that our whole idea of democracy and the equality that we have has developed,” Rhys-Davies said.

In typical Rhys-Davies eloquence, he stated: "We owe Christianity the greatest debt of thanks that a generation can ever have and to slight it and to dismiss it as being irrelevant is the detritus of rather ill read minds, I think..."  The piece also states, "The U.K. native said one of Christianity's greatest 'glories, was the abolition of slavery' but maintained that slavery still exists and it makes him mad."

Rhys-Davies will be one of the actors playing Patrick throughout the stages of his life in the film, I Am Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland, which will be released on St. Patrick’s Day through Fathom Events.

Yesterday on The Meeting House, long-time Nashville area pastor Robert Morgan highlighted some material from his new book, 100 Bible Verses That Made America.  In it, he makes a strong and clear case that the teachings of Scripture have been influential on the history of our nation.  He decried the attempts by secularists to erase the effect of the Scripture on our nation.  John Rhys-Davies is apparently not numbered among them, although his own personal faith perspective is not readily seen.

But there are many who lack the eyes to see and the ears to hear and reject out of hand the teachings of the Lord and how He has worked in our nation.  We as a nation should ideally wake up and turn to Him.  We also can take the opportunity to tell the story of how God has worked in our own lives.  If there are those with whom we interact who are skeptical about the things of God, perhaps the supernatural flow of the love of God through committed believers can help them to draw closer to Him.  We can testify to our personal experience of God's love and power. 

Anointed Application

A well-ordered healthy culture is aided by applying Biblical principles and adopting a position of humility. In 1st Peter 5, we are told:
(5b) "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

We can remember and embrace the teachings of Jesus, who said that He, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.  Even though He was the Son of God, He referred to Himself on occasion as the Son of Man.  That attitude of service can be beneficial to us in whatever endeavors we participate.  Pride can contribute to mistrust, and humility can help to rekindle that trust.  Our service to Christ and to others can speak powerfully and provide examples of His sacrificial love.

+++++

The Biblical concept of humility can be a key component when we are in the position of rebuilding
relationships and restoring trust. Philippians 2 elaborates on true Biblical humility:
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

It's a novel idea, but consistent with a worldview that is centered on Biblical truth.  According to ChristianHeadlines.com, there is a professor at Princeton who says that institutions can reclaim the trust of their constituents by incorporating the principles of the Bible.

The professor, David W. Miller, who is the Director of the Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative, in a recently released document, proclaimed that “religious traditions have amassed extraordinary wisdom and learning about human nature, brokenness, and healing..." The article goes on to say that, according to Miller, these "can be instrumental in helping institutions restore public trust." It states, "The paper focused on the Abrahamic faiths (Christianity, Judaism and Islam)."

There is a survey called the Edelman Trust Barometer, which, according to the article, "found that 'none of the four societal institutions' it measured – business, government, media and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) – are trusted."

A deeper dive into the Barometer's summary finds this key paragraph on trust:

People today grant their trust based on two distinct attributes: competence (delivering on promises) and ethical behavior (doing the right thing and working to improve society). This year’s Trust Barometer reveals that none of the four institutions is seen as both competent and ethical. Business ranks highest in competence, holding a massive 54-point edge over government as an institution that is good at what it does (64 percent vs. 10 percent). NGOs lead on ethical behavior over government (a 31-point gap) and business (a 25-point gap). Government and media are perceived as both incompetent and unethical.

Earlier in the summary, we find these words:

Distrust is being driven by a growing sense of inequity and unfairness in the system. The perception is that institutions increasingly serve the interests of the few over everyone. Government, more than any institution, is seen as least fair; 57 percent of the general population say government serves the interest of only the few, while 30 percent say government serves the interests of everyone.

Miller presented his white paper, co-written with Michael J. Thate, at the World Economic Forum in Davos recently.  The document states:

“Perhaps it is time to consider other resources to help restore a broken trust with an institution’s primary stakeholders. In this reflection, we turn to a rich source of ideas and wisdom to help us consider fresh ways forward. Namely, we consider the resources that exist in various religious traditions. Many religions accent and place a premium on healing broken relationships between individuals and within their communities.”

As Christian Headlines notes, the authors build their report around 11 theses. Humility is one of the notable characteristics; the article states:

“Each of the Abrahamic traditions speaks of the need for a humbling moment within the redemptive arc of the individual and institution,” it says before quoting James 4:10: “Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord. And the Lord will restore you.”

Even though this report is not completely Christian in nature, I think that we can agree that application of principles consistent with Scripture can be of help as someone desires to have an effective business.  In fact, the Scriptures are sufficient to address every area of life. 

The report highlighted humility in one of its theses.  As I mentioned, there is this concept of a "humbling moment" in order to rebuild trust.   The report says:

How might this humbling moment lead to a conversion of institutional consciousness? How might this humbling moment lead to genuine transformation within the structures of leadership, product development, and the metrics of success that allowed for the prior actions that resulted in a breach of trust to occur in the first place? Of the many insights which emerged during our research, this was perhaps the most radical and celebrated: Whatever the institution that has a trust deficit—be it a corporation, a government, a nongovernmental organization (NGO), or even a religious institution—a genuine conversion requires a transformation of its very life!

This is certainly a concept that parallels how we enter into the Christian life and how we thrive in the Christian life - we breach a trust when we sin, and through humility, we can repair the broken relationship with God our Heavenly Father.  When we sin against others, we are called to be humble, as well.  Notice, the ideals of the business are to be submitted to the customer - that reflects an attitude of service, and, I dare say, the position of esteeming others above ourselves.

In thesis 9, the concepts of effectiveness and honesty are explored. The report states: "Throughout religious texts a summons is delivered to the religious communities: 'Choose this day whom you will serve.' Such summons are a charge for communities to reflect honestly on this tension between their confessed Ideal and their lived ideals."  The gap is associated with idolatry.  Again, these are not exclusively Christian concepts, but when Biblical principles can be taken and applied in a business setting or in an organization that serves the public, there is the satisfaction of doing things according to God's plan.

Responsible

There is the hope of living a clean and pure life because of the power of the Holy Spirit - He has declared us to be holy in Him.  He offers us His righteousness as we admit that we are sinners and
cannot possibly live according to His principles according to our own strength. Romans 8 says:
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

One of the keys to a believer's life in Christ is humility, recognizing that we are incapable in ourselves of experiencing true, lasting change.  People seek freedom and validation in so many artificial ways, according to worldly principles.  The world cannot and does not offer an effective way to deal with our own sinfulness.  We can turn to our Healer, our Redeemer, who offers us the power of His Spirit to cleanse us and to empower us to live in the way God intended.

+++++

The power to change is a gift that is offered by our Heavenly Father, who calls us out of sinful desires and activities and gives us the power to crucify the flesh so that we live in the Spirit. 1st
Thessalonians 4 says this:
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

Here's a story that is truly an indicator of the culture in which we live.  It has to do with a 23-year-old Iowa man by the name of Joseph Matthew Smith.  He is formerly a student at Midwest Christian Services.  A National Review story reports that Smith "...was convicted of molesting a fellow student in 2014 and is accused of molesting as many as 15 victims from ages one to 13, including the repeated molestation of a 7-year-old. Smith was molested repeatedly as a child around age seven as well." He was imprisoned in 2015.

In 2017, presumably at taxpayers' expense, Smith began a gender transition with hormone therapy. An state expert, Dr. Jeffrey Davis, according to the article, had "put the chance that Smith would offend again sometime over the next five years at over 20 percent."

14

The report said, “Mr. Smith has not had an intimate relationship...His sexual encounters appear to have primarily involved molestation, including his own molestation by multiple perpetrators, or his victimization of others.”

Mr. Smith is now Josie Smith, identifies as a woman, and will be released soon.  The article states:

The attorney general’s office on January 9 dismissed the application to commit Smith, who now goes by the name Josie and was transferred this month to the Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility in anticipation of an eventual release.

“An offender’s hormone levels are an important part of substantiating an offender’s likelihood of recidivism,” a spokesman for the attorney general said. “We don’t believe we have evidence sufficient to prove Josie Smith has a significant chance of re-offending."

Smith will still be required to register as a sex offender, but he did not meet a 50 percent threshold in likelihood to offend again. The lower testosterone levels affected that. The expert had recommended that Smith be committed to a mental health facility indefinitely.

Nevertheless, this sex offender will soon be back on the streets.

This is unnerving on so many levels.  So, is taxpayer-funded gender transition "treatment" the ticket out for convicted sex offenders?  And, having to register as a sex offender is a small price to pay for the freedom that this individual will receive.

But is it freedom?  Not only does Joseph Smith carry around the innate desire to engage in illicit acts, but now he has allowed his metabolism to be changed, chasing the false freedom of so-called "gender transition."

People are seeking freedom and go about it in all sorts of insufficient ways.  But, there is a source of true, lasting change - a power greater than ourselves through the presence of the Holy Spirit that is greater than the sin within us.  Yes, we have all sinned against Almighty God, and there are consequences for our actions in this life.  But, there is also forgiveness for the person who is willing to humble himself or herself before Jesus and allow His life to flow through him or her.

Each of us bears a responsibility for our sins. That includes the prisoner who has committed crimes. And, the person who is a prisoner to sinful desires.  We need help, we need freedom, and God wants to change us His way so that we can be empowered to walk in His ways.  Treating the symptoms or altering the surface doesn't produce the lasting life change that Jesus can.

Steadfast Seniors

Our presence here on earth is an indicator that God is not finished with us - He has a purpose for us, and we can depend on Him for divine assignments that bring Him glory. Psalm 92 says:
13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

He is so faithful to us, and He calls us to continue to grow and be faithful to Him.  No matter what season of life in which we may find ourselves, we can know that we can find Him and find ourselves in Him.  We can seek His face and study His Word, reliant on the Holy Spirit to direct us to find what He would have us to do and to give us the strength to fulfill His mission.  Even in the face of resistance, we can pursue the will of God.

+++++

Through the stages of life, we can rely on God's faithfulness and remain faithful to do His will - even during the latter seasons of our life. Psalm 71 states:
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
17 O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.

Kenneth and Liv Hauge exemplify how to remain active in doing the work of the Lord during their retirement years - and to do so even through opposition.

The Hauges are residents of the Evergreens at Smith Run in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  They had started to hold a Bible study in the community room at the senior living center, according to The Christian Post.  But, in July of 2018, the landlord, the Community Realty Company, sent a notice saying the Hauges had to cease to hold their study or be evicted.  The article states:

According to the notice, the weekly Bible study "caused, and continues to cause, serious and substantial disturbances with other residents in the community."

"Landlord has received a series of complaints over the past several months regarding your conduct at the community," read the notice in part.

"Landlord has also learned that you show religious films on Sunday evenings, followed by a group discussion on the religious film. This activity has resulted in complaints to Landlord similar to those related to the Bible study class."

The landlord though tried to couch their eviction threat in religious tolerance, saying that they weren't being evicted for their beliefs, nor were they being told not to practice their faith.  So, that means, keep it to yourselves - seems familiar, doesn't it?  Remember the government officials who began to use the phrase, "freedom of worship," which, as it was explained, implies private practice of faith, rather than the Constitutional and Biblical concept of "freedom of religion," or a public expression of faith?

Well, a lawsuit was filed against the center and the landlord by First Liberty Institute on behalf of the Hauges.  Recently, the firm tweeted out that the parties had agreed to a settlement.  The tweet said, in part: "The FLI Legal team reached a settlement for Ken and Liv Hauge that allowed their group to gather for their first Bible study since being banned from meeting in 2018.”

The article linked to a story on the website of Fox5, which quotes Kenneth Hauge: "It’s just a great relief to have this behind us and be able to move forward..."  First Liberty attorney Lea Patterson is also quoted:

"The settlement provides that the policy that prohibited any religious activities from occurring in the community room is rescinded so that means anyone, not just the Bible study, that wants to have an event has equal access regardless of the religious content..."

And, the Hauges have signed a new lease, too!

One of the obvious talking points from this story has to do with faithfulness in retirement.  There will definitely be changes in life, but no matter what stage we find ourselves in, if we are still here on earth, it means that God wants to use us.  And, if someone has perhaps stepped aside from his or her career, that may mean some time has opened up to serve God in fresh ways.

The Hauges also demonstrate to us a dedication to doing the Lord's work even with opposition.  They were devoted to studying God's Word with other residents of this center, and even when they were told not to, they persevered and contacted legal assistance so they could continue to faithfully serve.

This is a wonderful example of standing strong for religious freedom.  We are blessed in America to have freedom of religion as a cornerstone principle, and we can thank God for that, exercise our freedom, and pray and stand with those whose freedoms have been curtailed.