Strong in the Challenge

The Word of God can embolden us when we face disturbing and unsettling circumstances in our lives. Paul address the strength we can find in Christ in 2nd Timothy chapter 2:
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 

3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

The coronavirus crisis has taken its tolls on churches, church leaders, and individual Christians alive.  Thankfully, the Lord is continuing to use His people to provide hope in the midst of challenge. But, it can be hard.  We have to continue to seek out the Lord's strength, to personalize His promises, and to press into Him when we are discouraged or fearful.  He will minister to our souls when we are struggling and will be our strength in our times of weakness.

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This world has certainly become more challenging and even confusing during the past year, hasn't it? Yet, in times of uncertainty, we can rely on the security of Christ. 2nd Corinthians 1 states:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

The span of time known as the year 2020, more specifically, dating back to this past March when the coronavirus swept across the world, sickening people and taking lives, has provided a challenge for the Church.  And, while the Church has continued in many instances to be faithful to its call to serve its communities, there are many who are hurting from physical affliction and mental anguish.

The Barna Group highlighted some of these dynamics in a recent survey about the Church's response to hurt within its midst.  Christian counselors David and Donna Lane were on the program recently and shared about the importance of recognizing some of the mental, emotional, and spiritual challenges that the body of Christ is facing.  The survey summary on Barna's website says:

Most pastors agree that trauma is an issue the Church should address, but many church leaders have had little to no training in the way of trauma care. Data from Barna’s recent report created in partnership with American Bible Society—Trauma in America—show that the majority of Protestant pastors (73%) indicates they feel “somewhat” equipped to help someone in their congregation who may be dealing with significant trauma. Only one in seven (15%) feels “very” well-equipped, while 12 percent do not feel equipped at all.

Unfortunately, I can see where this challenge can be stretched when you consider that a significant number of people do not look to the Church for assistance.  The summary notes:

Data from Restoring Relationships show that while pastors might feel somewhat equipped to help their congregants work through a challenging time, it’s not a guarantee that practicing Christians will turn to the Church in the midst of their struggle.

Though seven in 10 practicing Christians say they have grown closer to a church because of a personal crisis (69% vs. 31% who have not), this positive indication of effective support is tempered by the fact that one-third recalls having distanced themselves from a church during a personal crisis (33% vs. 67% who have not).

So, we have leaders who are feeling insufficient to address these matters, with roughly a 50-50 split between pastors who see their "mental and emotional well-being" in a positive light and those who do not. In fact, as Barna's summary states: "As of August 13-17, 2020, while half of U.S. pastors rated their mental and emotional well-being as excellent (12%) or good (38%), a significant amount noted this area of health as average (31%) or below (20%)."

COVID-19 can be a very painful, debilitating, and even deadly virus. Even those sidelined with relatively mild symptoms or those who have not contracted the disease can find themselves beset with anxiety.  That is why believers have to continue to trust God and prioritize faith over fear.

We also have to recognize the resources that the Lord has given to us.  He can equip those who are in spiritual leadership and comfort those who are suffering.  But, we can acknowledge when we need help to cope - by taking our burdens to Christ and by seeking out those who can encourage us.  That is what the body of Christ is about - function in order to help one another heal - physically and spiritually!

When we struggle and perhaps find ourselves in isolation, our stance should be to run to God and not away from Him.  And, He is there with open arms to take us in, to comfort us, to refresh and renew us by His Word.  Meditation on His promises can be so powerful in confronting our challenges.

Keep Dreaming

All across the nation, we can see that Christian organizations, as well as other charities, have been distributing food to their communities.  Meeting the physical needs of those around us is a powerful, indelible way in which the Church can actually radiate the light of Christ.  In Acts 4, we see the 
selflessness of the early Church:
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

In the economy of these believers in Acts, there was a sense of commonality, as these Christians gave of the resources that God had entrusted to them.  They testified to the living Lord by being yielded vessels to be used of the Lord.  They demonstrated the power of God in them by allowing the love of Christ to be manifested through them. It's been said that when a person's physical needs are supplied, it provides an open door for spiritual needs to be addressed.

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One of the dynamic ways in which churches and ministries reflect Jesus is through their faithfulness to minister to physical needs. In James chapter 2, we find a mindset and prescription for effective ministry, and it involves doing physical ministry that can lead to spiritual transformation. We can read:
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

The California ministry tweeted out last Monday: "BEST WEEKEND EVER! Over 3,000 cars served, 12k presents given out, $10k in cash given to families in need from Secret Santa, and countless moments of pure JOY! In addition, 750 hams, 1,000 bags of food, & 3,000 socks were distributed..."

That's the word from the Los Angeles Dream Center, which is headed by Matthew Barnett, who has been a guest on The Meeting House in the past - in fact, the last time I spoke with him was this past spring, as Matthew shared about how God was using the ministry to provide food to people in the midst of the coronavirus situation.

Well, that praise report from the California Dreamland event the weekend before Christmas almost didn't occur. The Stream reports that weeks before Christmas, county officials had shut the facility down due to COVID restrictions.  The article points out, "The Center, located in an old hospital, houses 700 people who would otherwise be homeless. They also daily give away food to 3,500 poor people in their community. But one of the best times is had during their Christmas present and food giveaway."

Barnett told The Stream that he sent an e-mail to authorities: “I’m like, look, we will comply with whatever you say, but I’m just going to have to tell the people that … Christmas is canceled. But it’s not our choice. It was your decision to do it. And I’m not going to own it if I didn’t cancel it myself.”  He recorded a video which got over 300,000 views.

The article says:

But those who would be affected didn’t go away quietly. They contacted the county and told them the event was essential. “It just kind of struck a chord with people and they rose to defend the cause of the one thing left in the neighborhood that’s giving back to them.” Eight hours after he posted his video, the county changed its mind. “They came back … and said, ‘We want you to have your event, we want to work with you, partner and help you go forward.'”

Did it operate in a different manner?  Most certainly - but the event continued, people's needs were met, and Christ was exalted.  Christmas for needy families in the City of Angels was certainly not canceled. 

Sometimes it may look like something for which we have been praying will not take place.  Maybe there are plans that we have made, perhaps needs that we or others around us have. If we are earnestly seeking and praying for the will of God to be done, we can be confident that He is at work.  The answer may not look like we might think it would, but we can be convinced that He is concerned about our needs and will move according to His plan, not ours. 

The answer may not be manifesting itself when we think it should, but isn't that what faith is all about?  "Seeing" into the unseen realm, where God operates - He is a supernatural God and we know that He has not turned His face away from His people.  And, even when the answer is "no," that may not be the end of the story.  He always has His best, which is our best, in mind.  His goal, motivated by His love, is for the greatest glory for His name. 

So, when it looks like the answer isn't coming, that doesn't mean we are to stop praying!  Perhaps we can pray even more diligently and continue to exhibit that solid trust in our strong Savior.  We have experienced our share of cancellation and adaptation during the previous year, but we can know that God is still with us and out of His great love, He is working for our good!

Let Us Worship

Our worship of God is not limited by our location - we certainly can go to our church worship centers and participate with our fellow believers, or we can enter into the presence of the Father wherever we 
are - in the moment. Psalm 95 states:
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods.

The invitation has been extended - we are granted access to come before the Father, to worship Him and to express our adoration to Him.  We can draw strength as we enter into that Most Holy Place, the place where God dwells - but we also know that He dwells in our hearts, meaning that we can fellowship with Him, to commune with Him and to draw strength and comfort from being in His presence. We can enjoy the nearness of our Father.

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Jesus taught about the nature of true worship in the 4th chapter of John, when he said:
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

You may be familiar with the worship leader Sean Feucht, who has traveled the country with his Let Us Worship events, which are relatively spontaneous worship gatherings that he has described as "worship protests."  He has gone into areas, such as Seattle and Portland, where protests during the summer had reached a peak.  He recently organized a gathering in the nation's capital as well as other cities.  The gathering, while extremely passionate, have been criticized for lack of COVID protection and some have reportedly been carried out without a permit.

Feucht is planning to go into the Skid Row section of Los Angeles tonight and tomorrow night for special events, according to ReligionNews.com, which says:

Feucht’s Dec. 30-31 events in Echo Park and Skid Row, a 54-block area of downtown, are part of his national “Let Us Worship” tour that protests COVID-19 restrictions. The two days of outreach will culminate with a New Year’s Eve celebration from 9 p.m. to midnight at the parking lot of Higher Vision Church in the city of Valencia, more than 30 miles away.

One of the ministers who serves the homeless community in Skid Row is none too pleased that Feucht is coming to their territory. Stephen “Cue” Jn-Marie, founder of The Row, or “The Church Without Walls,” which operates in Skid Row. Jn-Marie said, “Skid Row is one of the most vulnerable communities in the nation,” adding, “It’s also a community with housed folks as well as gatekeepers.” Recently, he announced plans for a "car rally" that would keep people without masks from entering the area.

Feucht has also been in the center of a controversy in New Orleans, which is reportedly one of the sites for this year's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" event. It was reported that musical artist Lauren Daigle would be involved in the New Year's Eve event, which, according to Christian Headlines.com,  set off New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, "who criticized the inclusion of Daigle, which saying the singer had placed the city’s residents at risk of COVID-19 by performing at an outdoor worship protest with worship leader Sean Feucht. The worship service in the French Quarter was conducted without a permit, Cantrell said in a letter to Dick Clark Productions."  Cantrell is quoted as saying:

“She harmed our people, she risked the lives of our residents, and she strained our first responders in a way that is unconscionable – in the midst of a public health crisis,” the Dec. 9 letter said. “This is not who we are, and she cannot be allowed to represent New Orleans or the people she willfully endangered.”

The article says: 

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry defended Daigle, saying he was “shocked and dismayed” by Cantrell’s comments. Landry said Daigle had “encountered the protesters” while riding her bike and agreed to “sing one song with them.” Daigle is a Louisiana native.

“The Louisiana Legislature reinforced the rights of individuals to worship freely by adopting the Preservation of Religious Freedom Act,” Landry wrote in a letter to Daigle. “... State and federal law protect your right to assemble in a public square to worship and protest. United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch has recently explained that the ‘Government is not free to disregard the First Amendment in times of crisis.’ ... Additionally, you are entitled to protection from tortious interference with your private contractual relationships.”

So, the irony here is that Lauren Daigle, since she has received attention due to her blockbuster crossover hit, You Say, has distanced herself from the Christian music space, having told a radio host that she was unsure whether or not homosexuality is a sin, and stating that she does not wish to be known as a Christian music artist. CBN.com had reported:

In an interview with 104.3 FM, the host asked Daigle if she considered herself a Christian artist, even though her music is becoming more and more mainstream.

“I feel like those labels get put on you by other people,” Daigle said. “I was reading articles, I read them here in there, and one of them said Christian artist and the other ones said just artist. But I think part of me is just an artist because it encompasses everything. That’s kind of how I see myself.”

Now, she is involved in a fight for religious freedom.  But she apparently doesn't want to be.  Compare that previous quote with this portion of her statement regarding the Sean Feucht/Let Us Worship row, published at the WDSU Television website:

"...I was asked to sing. To me, that is the very moment when music serves its higher purpose. It’s what gives people encouragement, hope for a better future, and it’s what can usher joy into their hearts. My involvement was focused on lifting spirits, providing hope, and encouragement, during these polarizing times.

"I’m disappointed that my spontaneous participation has become part of the political discourse and I’m saddened by the divisive agendas of these times. I would have been, and still would be, honored to represent our city on New Year’s Eve and although I was aware of discussions regarding my involvement, an offer was never made. I have wept, pleading for this chaos to dissipate and for harmony to return. We need unity when people are desperate, suffering, starving or out of work.

I agree, there are divisive agendas, but I believe this was a one-way street; I guess Ms. Daigle did not want to be critical of the Mayor of New Orleans, even though I think she may have been more prone to placate the mayor than be associated with Feucht.  And, just so you'll know, she also said, "To be clear, I had no part in creating or planning the event that took place in the French Quarter last month. I was not scheduled to perform, and I was not a part of its promotion."

What the Attorney General saw as a religious freedom issue, Lauren saw as a source of division.

There are complicated issues here - following public health regulations, trying to be a source of healing and unity, and trying to do what is in the best interest of one's career and ministry.  While you and I may disagree regarding Feucht's worship protests in response to unrest in America's cities and perhaps do not agree on Daigle's response.  We can be reminded of how spontaneous worship can be a part of our Christian life and discipline.  We can certainly worship in the corporate setting, even though it has looked different over the past few months, but wherever we are, wherever God is, we can know we can come into His presence.  

Music can certainly be a tool in order to bring us into God's holy presence, and when we surround ourselves with good Christian music, such as what you'll hear in excess of 15 hours per day on Faith Radio, we can be drawn to verbally express our love for the Lord - He promises to inhabit our praises and that can provide strength as we experience His nearness to us.

A Place to Call Home

Throughout the Bible, we see that God has determined places for people to live - He arranged for the children of Israel to go from point A in Egypt to point B in the promised land, and He put the various 
tribes in certain regions; some Israelites even requested to be on the other side of the Jordan River. In Acts 17, Paul, in his dramatic Mars Hill address, stated:
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

And, God our Father, in His lovingkindness, also promised provision for the poor, and His expectation is that those who have been blessed by Him can in turn take those resources and bless others. We all need a place to call home - physically speaking, a place where we can be anchored, and spiritually speaking, we need to find our identity and our sense of belonging in Him.  Through Christ, we can find a source of security, knowing that He is incredibly concerned about the course of our lives.

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Perhaps before, during, and even in this season after Christmas, you have had the opportunity to spend time with family and friends - maybe that gathering looked a bit different this year due to COVID, still we can appreciate time with people who are special to us, maybe welcoming them into our homes or traveling to theirs.

Most people across our land have a place they can call home.  But, there are scores of people who do not, which gives the Church a tremendous ministry opportunity, not to just provide temporary shelter for those in need, but to help them experience the stability and security of Christ in changing their course.

The apostle Paul addressed generosity in Philippians chapter 4:
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

A church in Spartanburg, South Carolina has decided to tackle the issue of homelessness in its community head on. ChristianHeadlines.com reports on a project that intends to provide what are called "tiny houses" for homeless women in the area. The article says: "The project, led by First Baptist Spartanburg, involves the construction of 20 tiny houses plus a commons building. The church plans on holding a meeting with local government boards next year as they hope to start construction in 2021."

The piece goes on to state:

In an interview with The Christian Post, Steve Wise, who serves as the missions minister at First Baptist, shared how this project came to be.

Wise explained that the church was seeking to expand their homeless ministry and had received requests from local groups.

Wise explained that the church has been “very much aware of the problems our homeless face and the problems in the city of meeting homeless needs for a while.”

“Together with what we already knew about homelessness, conversations that were going on in our city with a homeless task force and others, that’s how we came to make that decision,” he added.

The church already owned property, which will be used for the tiny house village.  Since the houses are not built with "cooking and eating" in mind, residents will gather as a community for meals.  Volunteers will be involved in the construction.

Wise says, "First and foremost, God cares about everyone...He certainly cares about our homeless friends. We really think God can do something amazing here and can bring about solutions.”

The Christian Headlines article notes that The Christian Post also reported on a Lutheran church in Minnesota that was involved in building a tiny house village, to be called the "Sacred Settlement," providing housing for homeless veterans. The article says that the senior pastor, John Klawiter "told The Christian Post that the concept of the Sacred Settlement "matches the values of our congregation in many ways.'" He added, “We have a lot of members who have served or are actively in the military. We have a newly established veterans committee that will walk alongside any of the veterans that live in the Sacred Settlement..."  The church will be working with a non-profit organization that partners with churches to develop such communities.

Playing off what this minister says, we recognize that Jesus walks with us, and He will empower us to walk with those in need.  We can literally reflect the compassion of our Savior. We just have to get involved. 

These homeless communities are giving those without a home a place to call home.  We can rejoice in the stability that Christ brings.  But, these churches are not merely giving temporary shelter - they are bringing the people into a community.  In the context of that community, ministry can take place. 

As we see so often with charitable Christian ministries who deal in the housing arena, out of encountering the love and wisdom of Christ, people can walk the road to what can be termed, "self-sufficiency," which ideally could be more accurately defined as sufficiency in Christ.  He is the One who can communicate a sense of belonging, He can provide and equip people with the necessary skills to navigate this life.  Each of us are truly lost without Jesus - He calls us to be grounded in Him.

Advent-ure 2020 December 23: King of Kings (Caroling, Caroling)

We can rely on the power and wisdom of Christ, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and submit to 
His authority as we seek to express His glory. The book of Revelation tells the story of the triumph of our heavenly King, who will reign forever in a heavenly Kingdom. Chapter 17 includes these verses:
12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.
13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.
14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

Earthly authorities in the future will attempt to defeat this mighty King who rules and reigns over all the earth.  But, their plans will be unsuccessful.  Even in these days, you find officials in leadership who desire to silence the Church, to limit its power and influence, and to tell Christians we have to retreat from our culture.  But, God desires for us to advance His Kingdom on this earth - we have a King and we can follow and exalt Him in all that we do.

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We honor and proclaim the coming of our King, the one who will reign forever and who desires to reign in our hearts and usher us into the glorious Kingdom. In 1st Timothy 6, Paul writes:
13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing,
15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

The wise men went searching for the King of the Jews.  They came to Herod, who was the appointed ruler of the region of Judea.  He felt threatened by the thought of the existence of this new King, and he irrationally set out to take His life by killing all the boys two years and under in that region. Herod could not kill Jesus, and when His earthly life was taken according to God's timing, death could not hold Him. On this 23rd day of our 25-day Christmas Advent-ure, we celebrate our living Lord, who is called the King of Kings.  That is our name for today.

This Christmas season, there have been several instances where the age-old tradition of Christmas caroling has been used as an opportunity to proclaim this King, who is our ultimate ruler and judge, to whom we swear our allegiance.  Moms for America sponsored an event in Washington recently called, "Keep Christmas" event, which featured Christmas carols and speakers, testifying to the greatness of our God, and sending a message that the Church will keep singing, even though you have some leaders who would want to silence that voice.  Speaker Rose Tennent was on the program to preview that event.  The event was livestreamed, and you can find it at KeepChristmas.org. 

The same day, actor Kirk Cameron held the second in a series of Christmas caroling gatherings in California in a mall parking lot, in the state where coronavirus restrictions have resulted in churches shutting down and singing banned. The Christian Post reported:

The former “Growing Pains” star held his first caroling event on Dec. 6, which he pegged a “peaceful protest” and drew about 500 people to sing Christmas songs and celebrate the birth of Christ. On Dec. 13, Cameron decided to hold a similar event but this time he advertised it beforehand and drew huge crowds.

“We had the most amazing time this last Sunday,” he celebrated on Instagram after the first event. “It was a Christmas caroling peaceful protest.”

He posed the question: “Have you ever sung Christmas carols by candlelight at a time when your state governor has prohibited you from doing that? In America! Well, this is actually happening; you can’t make this up."

And, the Pro-Life Action League invites people to take part in its annual Christmas caroling event; its website states:

One of the Pro-life Action League’s favorite events of the year is our “Peace in the Womb” Christmas caroling day. The idea is simple: we bring the hope and joy of Christmas to one of the world’s darkest places—the abortion clinic—in hopes that the familiar sounds of Christmas carols will save a life.

The singing of carols draws people together and helps us to focus on the coming of our Savior. We celebrate His birth and reflect on the deeper meaning of why He came.  And, this year, there is a reminder to those who would want to restrict the freedom of religion that we have in this country that there is a greater King, the greatest King, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords whom we serve.

Nathan Busenitz, who is a dean at The Master's Seminary, wrote several years ago about the power of Christmas carols to spread the message of the gospel; he stated:

We call them "Christmas carols," but they are really Christian hymns celebrating the incarnation of our Lord and Savior. For a few weeks each December, these profound songs of worship become a ubiquitous part of the holiday atmosphere. Our society's pervasive interest in them provides us with a unique opportunity to share the gospel. It is the perfect time to explain the meaning of these songs to those who don't know Christ.

In the next few days, perhaps you will take part in a candlelight service where majestic and meaningful carols will be sung, maybe you will view an online worship experience, or turn Faith Radio on as we present our continuous Christmas music.  Soak it in, and allow the King of Kings to fill your heart with praise.  

Advent-ure 2020 December 22: Lion of Judah (Faithful As We Fight)

We have the power that originates from Christ, our strong and mighty Lion of Judah, the Savior who defeated sin and death and who has made us more the conquerors, to walk in victory in this life and to exemplify the presence of Christ in us. Proverbs 28 says:
1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; But by a man of understanding and knowledge Right will be prolonged.

That is certainly who I want to be as a child of God and servant of the Most High.  We can have boldness in the Lord to face the challenges in this life. He is the One who goes before us and is faithful to us in the battles we fight.  We can certainly fight the good fight as we rely on Christ our strength. The effective, productive Christian life is not lived through human power or ingenuity, but through reliance on our source of true strength.

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In Revelation chapter 5, we can experience another name of Jesus, as we continue to walk through our 25-day Christmas Advent-ure entitled, "Call His Name," the Faith Radio Advent Guide. In that chapter, the apostle John is writing about a heavenly scene: there is a scroll on the right hand of the throne of God, sealed with seven seals, but there was a problem - apparently, no one could open them. John writes:
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

The heavenly scene erupted in worship as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world, took the scroll. We read on...
9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

This is an awesome display of the might and majesty of our Great King - Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, born into the tribe of Judah, in fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the One who is able to unlock wisdom for us personally today.

In the Faith Radio listening area, we know that there are thousands of those who serve in our military who are based in the region.  Some will not be spending Christmas with their families.  There was a piece that ran on The Christian Post website that provides a reminder of their faithful service, as well as their challenges.  Gordon Groseclose and Margi McCombs, described as "a former Military chaplain and trauma healing specialist," write:

This December, millions of Americans will read and celebrate the story of Jesus's birth and experience the peace and hope that comes from this Scripture. But oftentimes for Service members, Veterans, and Military families, the holidays bring feelings of grief, social isolation, depression, loneliness, and anxiety. This is why, this holiday season, we have to consider not just the Bible’s stories of celebration, but also its stories of healing and comfort – and how we can get these stories into the hands of the people who need them most.

They go on to say:

Through our research at American Bible Society, we’ve found that frequency of Bible reading is correlated with a number of positive benefits, including feelings of hope, peace, and trust in God’s plan. Scripture can give Military members the foundation they need to face adversity and isolation with the gifts of hope and peace.

And, they referred to a survey conducted by the Society and the Barna Group, which "found that four in five Military members did not have a Bible when they entered the Military; but of those who received one during their service, 89% kept it. The survey also found that one-third of Service members and Veterans read the Bible at least once a week, with a particular interest in what the Bible says about pain, suffering, hopelessness and loneliness."

The families of these warriors encounter special challenges; the authors write that "Military families are incredibly resilient but are often overlooked during discussions of Military-related trauma...Some studies indicate that up to 30% of Military children will have difficulties during a parent’s deployment that include depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol use, or a decrease in academic performance."

The American Bible Society is involved in not only getting God's Word to those who serve, as it has been doing for over 200 years, but through its Armed Services Ministry and Trauma Healing Institute, helping these warriors to discover more about the application of the Word to their lives. 

The authors close by saying:

This holiday, we encourage Americans to support our Military by inviting Military families to virtual church services; praying for them; checking in on them, dropping off meals for them and extending other gestures of friendship; and supporting Scripture-related initiatives that serve the Military community with the hope of Jesus. As we celebrate Jesus’ birth, let’s also remember the goals of his ministry. As we celebrate Jesus’ birth, let’s share the joy of knowing him with those who have and continue to serve in uniform.

Those who serve our country live a different sort of life, and we can take time to honor those who are committed to defending our great nation and our freedoms.  They need to be strong for us, and it is important to support them, so that, if they haven't already, they can discover the One who is strong for them - the Lion of Judah, who is our mighty warrior.

For each of us, we can recognize that when we are weak, we can know the source of strength.  He can unlock the treasures of Godly wisdom and knowledge; He will teach us His Word so that we might live boldly for Him.  Christ, our Lion of Judah, who is full of majesty and power, will empower us to bring glory to Him.

The heavenly image from Revelation 5 reminds us of the power of the Lion of Judah and the presence of the Lamb of God, seated on the throne.  We have the invitation to come before Him even now - we are unworthy to stand before His presence, but clothed in His righteousness, we can certainly bow before the throne of God. 

Advent-ure 2020 December 21: Alpha and Omega (Always There)

God is present with us at all times - the One who was present at creation and with whom we will be present for all eternity. Jesus is called the Alpha and the Omega, and He promised to never leave us. Psalm 139 states:
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

Our Creator God, Maker of heaven and earth, has made us for fellowship with Himself, and sent His Son in order that we might come to know Him, that we may walk in Him and bring honor to His name. We are a reminder to the world of the love of Christ and we are called to reflect His faithfulness. We can demonstrate our reliance on Him and consistently be ready to call on His name, so that we might see Him do incredible works.

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We have reached Christmas week - yesterday was the fourth Sunday of Advent, and we continue to 
anticipate what God will do through us, His people. We are on Day 21 of our Faith Radio Christmas Advent-ure, and there is a passage in Revelation 1 in which the supremacy of Jesus is laid out for us - He is the Alpha and Omega. These verses say:
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

We think about Jesus, who was with God the Father in creation, and who will reign forever. We can remember the words of Abraham Kuyper, that adorn the home page of the Kuyper Foundation website: "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”  And, that can be the cry of our heart: to allow Jesus to be so in control of our lives that we reflect His glory.  He wants to sit on the throne of our lives as King and Lord.

There is a surgeon named who recognizes God's preeeminence over His creation. He is Michael Haglund from Duke University. There was a story at CBN.com recently about the doctor, which says that he is "considered one of the top cervical surgeons in the country." It recounts how a patient was being prepped for surgery, but his blood pressure was too high. He stepped up to pray for him. As the story goes...

"So, I go on, and I pray for him, and he calms down a little bit. It went from 220 down to like 170," says Mike. "We do his surgery, he does great, pain's gone, gets back to work in two weeks, I see him at six weeks, and he comes in. He goes, 'You know that prayer you prayed for me?' And I go, 'Yeah,'" says Mike. "He goes 'Something changed. Something's different.'" And so like right there in the clinic we like prayed, and he accepted Christ and, you know, that's what it's all about," says Mike.

The story includes his account of an encounter with a ten-year-old boy after Dr. Haglund and his wife accepted Christ: He said, "A young kid ten years old, bad snowboard accident, got air-flighted into Harborview Medical Center with a big epidural hematoma on his brain...If you can get it out quickly, they do really well, and they wake-up like right away after surgery, which is great, not like when you're in a bad car accident..."

The doctor said they removed the hematoma, but the boy didn't come out of his coma. Haglund sensed that God was leading him to go pray for the boy - in person. The doctor says: "...I just went up and laid hands on him and said, 'Lord, you know we've done everything we can do, we need you to do a miracle. Amen...'" 15 minutes later, he received word that the boy was awake.  Haglund went to tell the boy's father, an associate pastor, who showed the doctor that there were 30 people in the waiting room, people from the church, and they were praying, too!  That was over 30 years ago.

The article states that, "As a renowned surgeon, Dr. Haglund has not only been able to talk about prayer with his peers on a scientific level but on a personal, spiritual level as well," and shared the story of a lady whom the doctor led to Christ at a medical conference. She says that she was at a point of knowing that "something was missing" in her life and Haglund, "...began to help me connect those dots and just putting words to the gospel in a conversation was just so critical for me that somebody who didn't even know me would care to share that truth with me. It was just—it was life-changing, and I knew I needed to do something."

CBN.com relates:

As the top in his field, Dr. Haglund is well aware of the millions who've been helped through modern medical science. He also knows that it's the undeniable power of prayer that truly changes lives.

"Once you see how much God moves, you build that faith that He's there, He's ever-present, and He's walking through life with you. And you don't realize how many things He does if you kinda' look back a little bit," says Mike. "And, I think that builds your faith, right?"

Three admonitions for you today on reflecting the light of Christ to the world today:

First: Be ready...whenever He moves by His Spirit, we are to be obedient to Christ and to minister to someone in need.  We can be convinced of the availability of God's presence and call upon Him in prayer.  Our Alpha and Omega is always there.

And, we can be real - prayer is something that we can integrate into real conversations with real people.  We can show that He is real, that we are truly committed to calling out to Him and seeing Him do mighty things in our midst.

Plus, we can be reliant - the power of God is there, we can call out to Him in faith, recognizing that that we can be dependent on Christ at all times. Rather than be driven by the world, we can be motivated by the love of the Lord. As we use our gifts and perform the craft entrusted to us, we can be active in praying for our actions.

Advent-ure 2020 December 18: Prophet (Speaking Truth)

Jesus set a great example for us - He was empowered by God's Spirit and spoke His truth.  We have the 
Spirit of God inside of us, who will help us to speak the right words - God's words - at the right time to the right people. 2nd Corinthians 4, regarding the light of Christ, states:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

We are essentially containers for the presence of God.  He makes Himself known to us and calls us to make Him known to the world around us, as His ambassadors. The effective Christian is one who yields to the presence of the Spirit and doesn't attempt to live a holy life without the Holy Spirit; that is an impossibility.  Scripture foretold a great "Prophet" who was to come, and we can know and experience His presence to govern what we say, so that we represent Him in the way He intends.

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We are continuing our 25-day journey on Faith Radio, concentrating on the names of Jesus, which we find throughout the Scriptures. Today, Day 18, the name is "Prophet," and we go to chapter 18 of the book of Deuteronomy, which quotes the words of Moses...
15 "The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.'
17 And the Lord said to me: 'What they have spoken is good.
18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

Jesus came to speak the words of God; in fact, He is called the Word who became flesh - the embodiment of the truth of God.  Because Jesus is in us, He empowers us to speak His truth and to put it on display, to live it out.

There's a comedian who makes a living with his words...and he is also called to speak God's words as a pastor, to proclaim His truth.  The Christian Post published an article recently on Kel Mitchell - it said:

Even though he didn’t have a blueprint for how he would simultaneously navigate being a pastor and working in the entertainment industry successfully, the '90s pop culture icon — known for “All That,” Nickelodeon’s longest-running live-action series that ran from 1994 to 2005 and was recently rebooted, as well as popular spinoff “Kenan & Kel” — said he took the leap of faith into spiritual leadership last year, trusting that God's plan would work just fine.

He has also landed a new show on MTV called, Deliciousness, "in which he will be commenting on 'food blunders' and other culinary disasters."

Just over a year ago, he announced that he was licensed as a minister and would be the youth pastor at Spirit Food Christian Center in Los Angeles. The Post reported:

The actor, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised on the South Side, explained that even though answering the call to be a pastor was not an easy one, he was relieved when God showed him how he could live out his faith in both the church and the entertainment worlds.

“When you put Him in everything in your life, He helps you navigate and make the decisions in your life …. When I started to do that, doors started opening up in my life and it would be the things where God would go, ‘OK, yeah, go speak to this youth group, go speak to these children. Go speak even though you might not feel like speaking.’

And, Kel desires to be faithful in his church ministry, as well as being a light in the entertainment industry, he says: “It’s been miraculous to see the things that have happened within me answering that call, on both sides in my life — in my church and then also in the entertainment business where now when I go on set, I usually, I go on there, saying, ‘Who can I pray with? Why am I here? Who can I talk to about the Lord?'"

Even during the COVID pandemic, Mitchell says he has seen God use him:

“It has been awesome. Even during this pandemic seeing people within the entertainment business that I’ve known for years that are now knowing about my call, they are now calling me up and going, ‘Man, I need some prayer,’ or they are opening up about certain things that are going on in their life and it was just like, wow. I had no idea that that was even going on, but it’s been beautiful to connect to them in that way and connect them to the Lord and at the end of it all it’s really what it’s all about,” he said.

Mitchell is concerned about the mental health of people and admits, "This is spiritual warfare that’s going on. We have to realize that we’re all spirits. We have to look through the whole skin and anything — titles and all that stuff — and just really pull everything back and being transparent about it and understand that we’re all spiritual. And the thing about it is that we need to respond in love like our Lord and Savior..."

As we consider Kel Mitchell's life as a entertainer and a pastor, you do recognize that he's living in two different worlds.  That's our story, as well - we do have our belonging and service in the local church, but we are prepared and equipped to function in this world.  We have to get things in the proper order and understand God's ability to enable you to navigate your calling.  We are ambassadors for Christ first, and our involvement in the local church can help to prepare us for what we face in the world at large.  Faith Radio, as a support to the local church, can help you in that pursuit.

Each of us is placed into the Church, but we live in the world - and in all things, we can always speak truth.  The Bible helps us to see ourselves as vessels to be filled with the Spirit and reflect the power of God.

Advent-ure 2020 December 17: Prince of Peace (Careful!)

 Believers in Christ have a unique calling to be part of a family, of a glorious Church, the body of Christ - and we have to be very determined to maintain that sense of connection with our fellow brothers and 
sisters, which has been difficult in light of COVID. Hebrews 12 expresses how we need one another:
12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled...

Verse 14 contains two very important words that somewhat summarize this passage: "pursue peace." We are placed on this earth with people, people who behave and believe differently than we do.  Rather than ostracize others based on our differences, we can seek to reach out in love and to esteem them better than ourselves, as Scripture exhorts us. When we lay aside selfishness and put others first, building them up in the Lord, we can cultivate an attitude and atmosphere of peace.

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It's day 17 of our 25-day Christmas Advent-ure from Faith Radio, based on our Advent Guide, available free from our website, that highlights 25 different names of Jesus. We're back in Isaiah 9 today, and I have another name to share from this passage:
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Jesus, the Messiah and Savior who was to come thousands of years after this passage was written, is described as the Prince of Peace.  That word, "Prince," is a regal term, a royal term, a term that has a sense of officiality. We know that all things are under the sovereign hand of Almighty God, and Jesus is executing the plan of God in this world.  His government, which will ultimately bring peace, will know no end.

So, does that mean there is no role for human governments?  Absolutely not (to use a double negative)!  Daniel chapter 2, Romans 13, and 1 Peter chapter 2 all underscore the authority of human governments under that sovereign hand of God.  So, are Christians called to participate in human government, in the political realm?  Certainly - I believe we should be responsible to be involved, perhaps passionately so. There is a pejorative term that has been bantered about, and not in a positive way: Christian nationalism.  These presumed "nationalists" are accused of putting country over God, of idolizing politicians over their relationship with Christ. It's a divisive technique that has been embraced and enthusiastically spread by high-profile "leaders" in Christianity.

For some context, let's walk through where we are in the 2020 Presidential Election.  A number of so-called swing, or "battleground" states voted narrowly for former Vice-President Joe Biden over incumbent President Donald Trump.  The Trump campaign observed some overnight reports of votes from some of these key states that were concerning.  Other organizations and attorneys have become involved in challenging the results of the election in these states, which could affect the overall total of electoral votes. 

The basis of these lawsuits is that there were widespread instances of voter fraud that had been reported, including charges of fraud in the arena of mail-in and/or absentee ballots, as well as possible inconsistencies in voting machines in tabulating votes. There were also changes in voter laws prior to the election that were not carried out by state legislatures, as provided in the U.S. Constitution.  There have been a variety of court cases brought, utilizing these arguments.  So far, there have been very few court "victories" for those challenging the election, but there are legal challenges that are continuing.

Meanwhile, the Electoral College met Monday and cast their votes for Joe Biden.  However, in some states, an alternative slate of electors was chosen - that was reportedly in order that legal claims could continue to be pursued. Despite the media's lockstep reporting that claims of voter fraud are "baseless" or "without evidence," to me, there is widespread evidence of voter irregularities.

And, many Americans seem to agree.  According to a poll that was sponsored by four universities, Northeastern, Harvard, Northwestern, and Rutgers, 67% of those surveyed believe that Joe Biden won the election. 97% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans hold to that belief.  38% said they were not confident in the "fairness" of the election. 

In a Quinnipiac poll, 70% of Republicans surveyed said they do not believe that Biden legitimately won the election. Just over 6-in-10 of independents say they believe the outcome is "legitimate." Again, you have 38% who do not believe the election is fair. Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy said, "Was the election on the level? 'No way' say the vast majority of Republicans. The dearth of Republicans in the House and Senate willing to acknowledge the Biden win is in step with their base..."

And, just this week, Rasmussen stated that "36% of Likely U.S. Voters believe court challenges of election results in several states will result in President Trump’s reelection." 21% say that is "Very Likely."  57% of Republicans believe the challenges will result in the reelection of the President.

So, you're not necessarily an outlier if you have concerns about the outcome of the election. Many Christians, including a large crowd in Washington last weekend for the Jericho March and the thousands that gather on Facebook Live regularly to pray for election integrity, continue to pray in response to what they believe is an election that may not have been fairly executed and decided.

Well, Beth Moore has had enough. If you have followed her material on social media for the last few years, this comes as no surprise.  Religion News states:

...took to Twitter Sunday to voice her frustration and seeming bewilderment at the Christian zeal for Trump, saying that in her more than 63 years, she has “never seen anything in these United States of America I found more astonishingly seductive & dangerous to the saints of God than Trumpism.”

With a warning to her nearly one million followers that she would be blunt, the founder of Living Proof Ministries posted a thread in which she called on Christians to “move back” from Trumpism and insisted Christian nationalism “is not of God.”

There's that term: Christian nationalism. What does that even mean?  Well, I would imagine that would probably include George Barna's SAGE Cons, the Spiritually Active Governance Engaged Conservative Christians that turned out overwhelmingly for Trump.  According to Arizona Christian University website: "The survey from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University... found that this key group of voters distrusts the election results amid allegations of election fraud and voting irregularities, with a large majority (79%) believing there were 'numerous instances of abuse' in the election and a mere 1% believing the voting process was legally carried out and votes were accurately counted.

Todd Starnes was direct in his assessment:

Move back from defending unborn babies? Move back from peace in the Middle East? Move back from defending religious liberty? Move back from prison reform that unfairly targeted minorities? Move back from school choice? Move back from appointing constitutionalist judges?

Does Mrs. Moore take issue with President Trump providing financial aid to historically black colleges and universities? Does she take issue with the president protecting small business owners who simply wish to follow the teachings of Christ in their businesses?

Allie Beth Stuckey responded earlier this week on Twitter, saying:

Lots of Christians love their country. Lots of Christians believe that a president should prioritize the welfare of their constituents (just like a good mayor prioritizes the needs of his city). Christians, like all people, allow their beliefs to inform their views.They’re not CN

She added, "I’ve also seen a definition that says CN proponents encourage Christian discourse & engagement in politics & culture. Ok, so Christians are supposed to check their views at the door, but secularists aren’t?"  She added in the thread, "define your terms!" Almost in lockstep with the Moore Twitter activity, renowned never-Trumper David French, an attorney of whom it has been said that his hatred for Trump has clouded his judgment, released a piece referred to in the article:

David French published a column Sunday on The Dispatch titled, “The Dangerous Idolatry of Christian Trumpism,” maintaining that “the frenzy and the fury of the post-election period has laid bare the sheer idolatry and fanaticism of Christian Trumpism.”

And, the Religion News article noted that:

Karen Swallow Prior, an evangelical author and professor, tweeted Friday (Dec. 11) that she was ashamed to have voted for local and state GOP candidates, many of whom backed lawsuits challenging the election.

“What a bunch of money-grubbing, power hungry, partisan cowards who care nothing about conservatism,” Swallow Prior, a self-described life-long conservative, said in her tweet.

It seems as if one of the contentious areas had to do with the Jericho March, according to Religion News, which said, concerning Moore:

Her tweets came a day after thousands of pro-Trump protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., on Saturday for the “Jericho March,” with speeches by Catholic Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano and evangelical commentator Eric Metaxas, both of whom invoked their faith in support of President Trump and his allegations of voter fraud in the November election.

Eric's friend Rod Dreher over at the American Conservative wrote an article about the March, calling what he observed by watching online as "bonkers," and saying:

This phenomenon is going to matter. Divinizing MAGA and Stop The Steal is going to tear churches to bits, and drive people away from the Christian faith (or keep them from coming in the first place). Based on what I saw today, the Christians in this movement do not doubt that Trump is God’s chosen, that they, by following him, are walking in light, and whatever they do to serve Trump is also serving God. They have tightly wound apocalyptic religion to conservative politics and American nationalism.

I was disappointed at the the tone and name-calling of Dreher's piece - I have quoted from him before, and while I disagree with his concept of the isolation of Christians using the so-called "Benedict Option," still I think he has generally makes some good points.  This column was beneath him. 

Metaxas was not amused, tweeting out:

WHAT IN THE WORLD? What is so crazy about protesting and praying if you feel a presidential election was stolen? What am I missing? Seriously, what am I missing? Is it just that you have general contempt for all these people and are expressing that contempt? WHY???

Metaxas, who, along with Jim Garlow, have provided leadership in the regular online prayer meetings regarding the election, also tweeted:

Scores of millions of Americans are convinced this election was conducted improperly. So "we the people" -- who ARE the gov't -- cannot move forward w/this process UNTIL all legal votes are counted & we find out what actually happened. This is the American way. God bless America.

An article at The Gospel Coalition website went so far as to say that there is a "cult" of "Christian Trumpism."  The author, Michael Horton, is perhaps best known as a voice of the White Horse Inn radio program.

One note on the Jericho March: I have been a part of numerous "unity" events blending people together from a variety of backgrounds.  When you have people from a variety of faith perspectives trying to come together, you are going to likely encounter practices or expressions that you do not agree with or do not feel comfortable with.  In DC on Saturday, there was also the element of non-believers who were aligned who had a different agenda...that may have been a blind spot, certainly a flaw, but does not give Christian leaders a right to make generalized, blanket indictments of the motivation of the participants.

You may not agree, but I believe there is significant interest in being involved in the political process, even to the extent of supporting someone who many Christians view not as a saved man, but a man who is sympathetic to their concerns.  Christians who love their country and enthusiastically support candidates whose policies line up with their values.  But, to say their so-called "Christian nationalism" is a sin.  Wow - that is certainly beyond the pale.

The Bible lists the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5 - nationalism, in the sense of loving your country, is not there.  Yes, we are called to reject idolatry, but I am not sure how enthusiastic support of a political candidate and the questioning of the integrity of an election fits there. We don't have to agree all the time, but calling something sin without a Biblical basis for doing so is sinful in and of itself. hat's what the Critical Race theorists do, as well.  

We have to rely on our Prince of Peace - our supreme authority who comes to unify humanity ultimately around His principles and presence - to bring us together as one body under Jesus, which can help us to come together as one nation under God.

But, I will give one word of caution: we have to be on guard against anything that would distract from our principal mission, which is to love God and to love others.  And, that love results in our willingness to share what He has done in our lives.  Period. We have to avoid turning the "weapons of our warfare" on each other, recognize the true enemy, and seek to unite in order to be a faithful witness to the glory of God.

Advent-ure 2020 December 16: Wonderful Counselor (Show Us the Way to Unity)

Ephesians 4 directs us regarding how we are to strive to live as one body, united by Christ and in Christ, seeing one another through the eyes of love, as Jesus sees us. We can read these verses:
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

In order to achieve and walk in this unity, we have to set aside worldly philosophies and embrace Biblical principles. We can turn to Christ, our Wonderful Counselor, a term used in the 9th chapter of Isaiah, to show us how to live with one another in harmony, so that the body, the Church, can be a picture of the love of Christ.  The enemy is intent on rendering us ineffective, and division is a tool that he commonly will use - we have to be on guard and allow the Spirit to show us how we can move together in one accord.

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Life can be so frustrating, can't it?  Perhaps during 2020, especially, you have thrown up your hands, not in worship, but in woe.  Christians have the resources of the Scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us navigate challenging times, but we may find ourselves exasperated.  We need direction and we certainly need to know God's peace. The next two days, I want to spend time in this passage of Scripture, which speaks so powerfully to the times in which we live. From Isaiah 9:
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

In this translation, the New King James, we find a comma between the words "Wonderful" and "Counselor," so you could certainly separate these, but other translations do not contain the comma - yes, indeed, we have a Counselor who is "Wonderful!"  It's Day 16 of the 25-day Christmas Advent-ure on Faith Radio, as we concentrate on our Wonderful Counselor.

Today, I want to address how we can function in the body of Christ, in the face of tools and techniques that the enemy would use to divide us.  We know that he is actively trying to keep Christians apart based on race and culture. Thankfully, we have the Word of God and His love for each other that can bring us together.

The teachings of Scripture show us that racism is evil, it is not of God, it is - sin, and should be repented of.  Unfortunately, today, there is a robust debate about the technique of dealing with it.  One of those techniques, which is highly secular and contradictory to Scripture is "critical race theory." 

A resolution that described this philosophy was brought to the convention floor and passed at the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham.  It described CRT, as well as intersectionality, another form of identity politics, as "analytical tools" that should be used in subservience to Scripture.  Opponents claimed that these philosophies are totally contradictory to Scripture, and should not be used.  Baptist Press reported recently that, in observing the 20th anniversary of the latest version of the guiding principles known as the Baptist Faith and Message...

...the Council of Seminary Presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention has reaffirmed “with eagerness” the BFM’s status “as the doctrinal statement that unites and defines Southern Baptist cooperation and establishes the confessional unity of our Convention.”

In a statement adopted in the council’s annual session, the seminary presidents assert that as “confessional institutions,” the SBC’s six seminaries stand “together in this classic statement of biblical truth.” Additionally, the statement declares that while condemning “racism in any form,” the seminaries agree that “affirmation of Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality and any version of Critical Theory is incompatible with the Baptist Faith & Message.”

My summary: don't deal with racism with more racism.  However, some of these presidents have been chastised because it's contended they have professors on their staffs who are teaching CRT.  And, there has certainly been pushback on this statement, according to Baptist Press.

The Conservative Baptist Network, which was formed, in part to counter the infiltration of CRT and Intersectionality, applauded the statement, with encouragement to take action, saying:

Furthermore, we look forward expectantly to the presidents’ cooperation with us in rescinding Resolution 9 and to their taking concrete actions toward the elimination of these unbiblical doctrines and others like them, such as Black Liberation Theology, from our SBC seminaries.

The Daily Caller recently published an article on a Heritage Foundation report regarding CRT.  The article states:

The movement has its roots in the Frankfurt School, where a manifesto was created in 1937 that drew influence from Friedrich Nietzche, Georg Friedrich Hegel and Karl Marx. One of the core tenets of the school of thought was to tear down Western institutions, and it claimed that “traditional theory fetishized knowledge, seeing truth as empirical and universal.”

One of the ways critical race theory seeks to achieve these ends is through identity politics, the report said. By developing identity categories, each group has its own specific claims to victimhood, which “commands attention, respect, and entitlements, seen as compensatory justice.”

According to report co-author Mike Gonzalez, “It’s an unremitting attack, all out ceaseless criticism of the traditions and norms of the west in order to create a new social reality.” 

Regarding the concept of "intersectionality," in the report, the authors state: "CRT writers Patricia Hill Collins and Sirma Bilge explain that with intersectionality, 'people’s lives and the organization of power in a given society are better understood as being shaped not by a single axis of social division, be it race or gender or class, but by many axes that work together and influence each other...' In this way, write Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay, CRT results in people looking for 'power imbalances, bigotry, and biases that it assumes must be present,' which reduces everything to prejudice, 'as understood under the power dynamics asserted by Theory.' 

The article points out that:

It has found its way into k-12 schools, with some schools holding mandatory “white privilege” training sessions and “equity” audits to root out racism among faculty. The Trump administration drew national attention to it by issuing a directive banning it in federal agencies after news broke that white men in Sandia National Laboratories, which assesses the United States’ nuclear weapons, were being forced to attend race re-education classes.

Jeff Johnston of Focus on the Family, a guest on the program yesterday, wrote a piece at The Daily Citizen website that quotes from the Heritage report. And, there's information about the detrimental effects of CRT in the new parents' guide called, Back to School - for Parents, available through Focus and the Family Policy Alliance.  Jeff writes:

According to a new report, “Critical Race Theory, the New Intolerance, and Its Grip on America,” from Jonathan Butcher and Mike Gonzalez at The Heritage Foundation, CRT “makes race the prism through which its proponents analyze all aspects of American life.”

Johnston adds: 

Of course America has racism and bigotry in its past – and even today – as all countries and cultures do. But it’s not the only issue of importance in our history and society. Those who espouse CRT are dismissive of every aspect of American life and history – including the Constitution and civil rights, like those embodied in the First Amendment. They believe “that the gauge by which to judge America is equality of outcome [and] that speech and other rights must be suppressed in order to protect the marginalized.”

There are those that say that people are more concerned with criticizing CRT than eliminating racism. I believe this is patently false - simply put, you don't deal with racism by creating a presumed antidote that is steeped in it.  In the Church, when you see life through the prism of race and presume your fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord are racist because of the color of their skin, to me, that doesn't seem to contribute to the Biblical unity that Christ brings.  Racism is evil, it is sinful, and we must repent of its presence in our own hearts and see others the way that God sees them.

We have to learn to turn aside from worldly philosophies in order to try to deal with problems in human relationships. We must rely on our Wonderful Counselor to show us how we can love each other as Christ has loved us, so that we can function as a cohesive body of Christ, appreciating each other for who God has made us to be.

Advent-ure 2020 December 15: Our Hope (A Star in the Sky)

Our hope in the Lord, who is called our "living hope" in 1 Peter 1, can motivate us to act in obedience 
to Him and to love Him more deeply. In verse 3 of that chapter, we find these words:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...

Later in the chapter, we are told to...

13...gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
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."

Hope results in action - the Wise Men saw a star in the heavens, concluded, based on their studies of the stars that it was a sign of the Messiah, and didn't just say to themselves, this is a nice star, wow, look at that star, isn't that something?  No, they set out on a long journey to find the Messiah.  They even brought gifts!  During this season, as we think about the coming of Christ, who is shining His light in this world, we can either look from afar or we can come closer and see Him more clearly.

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We are now on Day 15 of our 25-day Christmas Advent-ure from Faith Radio...our free Advent guide, entitled, Call His Name, is now available thorough our website.  It's also found in the latest edition of the Faith Radio Ministry Magazine.  

In what has been an unusually challenging year for so many people, there are several very important, spiritually-charged words that have been used - faith is one, hope is another.  In 1st Timothy chapter 1, 
Paul uses this passage to describe Jesus:
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

In verse 1, he refers to Jesus as "our hope."  Don't we need that today?  We know that Jesus offers us hope in our most desperate circumstances; in fact, He is the embodiment of the hope that God brings to fallen humanity.  

In Matthew chapter 2, a sign of hope was given to some learned men from the East, known as the Wise Men or the Magi in the Christmas narrative.  They recognized that a star in the sky was a sign of this hope that a Child, a King of the Jews, a Messiah, had been born.  This star is a symbol of hope used during the Christmas season.

Now, what that star actually was or may have been is certainly an interesting topic - it could have resulted from a natural phenomenon orchestrated by a supernatural God at precisely His appointed time, or He could have just placed it there by a sovereign act.  But, I will submit that the Wise Men were certainly knowledgeable about the significance of it and knew to follow it.

There has been quite a bit of anticipation about a celestial phenomenon that will occur next week. A Forbes article reports on a unique positioning of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, stating in its 
headline: "A Spectacularly Rare ‘Christmas Star’ Is Coming In December As Two Worlds Align After Sunset." The article notes that:

The rare celestial event will be observable anywhere on Earth where skies are clear. The planets will appear low in the western sky for about an hour after sunset as viewed from the northern hemisphere, and though they’ll be closest on December 21, 2020, you can look each evening that week.

It's been a while since this occurred - Patrick Hartigan, astronomer at Rice University, is quoted as saying, "You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky.”

The piece also says, 

It’s thought by some—including legendary German astronomer Johannes Kepler—that the “star of Bethlehem” in the story of the Magi or “three wise men” could have been a rare triple conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn and Venus.

You certainly can't say for certain that was the case, and this phenomenon next week is not a recreation of the "Christmas Star," but it should be quite a sight. People may consider what the true "star" of Bethlehem might have been, and it may give an opportunity to think about the meaning of that star two thousand years ago and the hope that it communicated. 

This star was placed in the heavens as a sign and a guide for the Wise Men.  And, there is quite the progression here: the wise men saw the star with their eyes, they drew a conclusion with their minds, and they took action, perhaps fueled by a desire to actually experience history.  Out of that expectation, they brought gifts, and when they saw Jesus, they worshiped Him.

We can also process the data, the stimuli, that we accept into our senses.  And, there is plenty of it. Do we process what we see and hear with our spirits, with a renewed mind, or with human wisdom?  Using the Word of God as our filter and the discernment of the Spirit, we can choose to accept or reject the thoughts that come into our minds, and choose to act in obedience to God. 

Finally, a star in the heavens motivated the Wise Men to action - I would dare say they had a sense of expectation, perhaps even of hope.  Our hope in the Lord ideally should result in action for His glory. 

Advent-ure 2020 December 14: Chief Cornerstone (Real Estate and Real Change)

Jesus is described in Scripture as the Chief Cornerstone, whom some so-called "builder" rejected. We can strive to build our lives on His principles and His presence, as 2nd Timothy 2 directs:
19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

We have to consider how we are building our lives, how we are allowing God to govern our steps, our activities, and our desires. Jesus talked about two men - one built his house on the rock, the other on the sand.  The same stormy circumstances came, and the house built on the rock stand, the other collapsed. We have to avoid collapse by trust in the Lord Most High and making sure that the decisions we make and the direction we pursue are rooted in God's Word.

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On this day following the third Sunday of Advent, we continue our 25-day Christmas Advent-ure from Faith Radio - this year, entitled, "Call His Name."  We are exploring some of the names of Jesus, based on the free Advent Guide available through our website at FaithRadio.org and found in the latest Faith Radio Ministry Magazine.

The name of Chief Cornerstone is our focus today. This is a term that is used several places in Scripture, and in the guide, Ephesians 2:20 is one of the Scripture references - it is found in this passage:
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.

Another reference is found in 1st Peter 2, verse 6, which says in part, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." That is a quote from the 28th chapter of the book of Isaiah.

We have the opportunity to build our lives on the firm foundation of that Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ.  And, a church in Oklahoma has undertaken a real estate project that can lead to more lives being transformed by the Savior.

It is Transformation Church in Tulsa.  ChristianHeadlines.com states that "in the news last year for buying a huge event center for 10 million dollars, has now reportedly bought the entire retail center surrounding it for 20.5 million dollars."  The event center, by the way, was called the SpiritBank Center, and the church is apparently dedicated to allowing the Spirit flow.

For one thing, the church doesn't appear to be evicting the businesses; the article says that Pastor Michael Todd told News On 6: "This has been an unbelievable journey for us...There's over 34 businesses that function out of this area, and we get the opportunity to have great relationships with them and see the future grow in this community," adding, "We wanted this to be an investment for the long term of our church, that we could be able to get revenue to bless our community."

Christian Headlines reports that:

The hope is to use the funds from the retail center's profits to help the poor and do other philanthropic work. The retail center, called Post Rock Plaza, has 34 businesses in it and could be a serious source of revenue for the church.

And, one of the tenants seems to be happy with the new arrangement:

...Oklahoma Hand and Physical Therapy, was quite happy about the purchase. Business owner Rhonda Millet told News On 6 that, while the new owners will have no bearing on her day-to-day business dealings, she is happy the church bought the plaza. "They're going to do a lot of goodwill and the things we supply through paying our rent, I'm excited to see what they do," Millet told the news station.

I have to admit, this is a rather creative means to expand ministry - to raise funds by becoming an owner of real estate. As we consider Christ, our Chief Cornerstone, today, we can ask ourselves, "What are you building?"  We may not be called to be real estate investors or building contractors, but we each have something with which we have been entrusted, as stewards from the Father. So, what are we doing with it?  In the parable of the talents, Jesus taught about three individuals - one was given 5 units of currency and doubled it, and it was the case with one given 2.  But the person given one hid it in the ground, and was chastised for it.  We have to make sure that we are using what God has entrusted and are investing in Kingdom activities. 

We can also consider how we are attempting to build - we can either do it God's way or our own way. If we don't build it right, the whole work could collapse.  We have to remain obedient to the Lord and rely on Him to show us the way, rather than depend on our ideas.  We can be confident that God will inspire creative ideas through which we can spread His truth. 

Advent-ure 2020 December 11: Rose of Sharon (Coach's Counsel)

God has called us into a relationship that is based on His incredible, unlimited love for us, and we can respond to Him by entering into His presence and seeking His face. Psalm 27 says:
4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

We have been invited to come before His throne of grace, to enter into His presence, and to appreciate His love and His beauty.  Although we can't see Him now, but will see Him face to face, we can begin to understanding how amazing that He is, full of might and majesty, and be drawn to worship His name. So, we pursue intimate fellowship with our great Savior, who wants to spend time with us and invites us to spend time with Him.

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We can appreciate our Lord for His beauty - there are all sorts of references in the Scriptures that refer to His loveliness - one of which is found in Isaiah 33:
15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
16 He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off.

There is a term of endearment in Song of Solomon chapter 2, which is an extended love song, or poem, between a man, presumably King Solomon, and his intended bride.  When we consider the relationship between Christ and His Church, the reference to the "rose of Sharon" here can remind us of how we are to regard our Lord. The verse reads: "I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys."

Our 11th day of the 25-Day Christmas Advent-ure features the term from Song of Solomon 2:1 - the Rose of Sharon.  

I did some reading on that term, the "rose of Sharon," a reference to a flower growing on a plain area in Israel, and concluded that this term can refer to the beauty of the Lord, something we should affirm and adore.  He desires for us to honor and worship Him, to highly regard Him, and to know His abundant love for us.

In discovering more about our Savior and cherishing our purpose, we can experience meaning and satisfaction in our lives.  That's the essence of what championship head football coach at Clemson University had to say on a radio talk show the other night, as reported by ChristianHeadlines.com.  The article says:

...15-year-old fan, Jordan, asked the coach what he would tell 15-year-old Dabo Swinney what he had learned about life.

The Clemson Insider and Sports Spectrum each reported the comments.

In response, Coach Swinney said, "The most important thing is you were created on purpose," adding, "You have a thumbprint. There are billions of people in this world, and you are the only one with your thumbprint. And God intended it to be that way, so you are the only one that can leave the imprint that He has given you."  But, the coach was not finished.  He went on to say: "If you will build your life on a foundation of faith, then you will know true peace and happiness. If you build it on anything else, or seek happiness in anything else, then you are going to always be let down."

He went on to quote what he referred to as one of His favorite verses in the Bible:

...Jeremiah 29:11 says, 'For I know the plans I have for you.' Not that I think I know," Swinney said, according to The Clemson Insider. "God says, 'For I know the plans I have for — not everyone — for you.' Those are plans for good, not disaster. Plans to give you a future and a hope.

Dabo told the young caller:

"I love that Bible verse because if you really grab onto that, you are going to have some challenges, you are going to have some disappointments, you are going to have some setbacks, you are going to have some failures and you are going to have some successes, but if you can hang on to that, God never says, 'Oops!' God never says, 'My Bad!' Then again, if there is hope in the future, then there is power in the present to deal with whatever comes your way. There is nothing that is going to happen to you that you and God can't handle together."

In his concluding comments, he said that "the happiest people in the world...take what they have and do the best they can with it."

Jesus is likened unto a beautiful flower in Song of Solomon 2, the Rose of Sharon, as well as the lily of the valleys. We can remember to love and cherish God - His ways are right and His presence is beautiful.  Seek it out - come to know Him.  We can reside in a place of satisfaction, a place where there is an absence of fear and anxiety, where the peace of God is abundant.  In our valleys, we know that Jesus is right there with us.

We realize that we have been invited into a relationship with the God who sent His Son to lay down His life.  And, He did it for you!  Jesus came and died for you - we worship our beautiful Savior who died so that we might live.

In the beauty of Christmas, we can strive not to get so caught up in the celebration that we miss the One whom we celebrate - Christ, our Rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys. God wants us to enjoy His presence like a beautiful flower.  He is the One who brings meaning and purpose to our lives.