Not a Club

The Lord Jesus desires that we experience all that He has in store for us - He knocks at the door of our hearts, and as we have received Him, we can allow Him to do His work in and through us. Revelation 3 states:
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

God has so much in store for us - He wants us to abide and grow in His love and to walk in the fullness of His presence.  He calls us to lay down our old lives and walk in His new life - to become part of the body of Christ and the family of God.  He is knocking...we can evaluate the degree to which we are listening and opening the door to His Spirit.  Jesus is calling each of us to a deeper relationship with Himself - He invites us to respond.

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We know that Jesus died for all, and He is inviting to all, and gave the invitation to those of us who have been saved, and by our response, we now have entered into a relationship with Him. His inviting nature is expressed in Matthew 11:
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Having just returned from this year's National Religious Broadcasters Christian Media Convention in Dallas, I had the chance to sit down with a variety of Christian communicators for interviews and to observe a host of communicators at work.  In addition to my work on the floor of the Exhibit Hall in the Faith Radio booth, I spent time in the NRB Press Room, where there were numerous radio, TV, and podcast hosts hard at work to bring inspiring content.  And, elsewhere in the convention throughout the week, there were seminars that informed and taught communicators about technology that is available in order to more effectively spread the gospel message.

CBN.com recently published a story about a new platform that has attracted Christian participants.  It's called Clubhouse, and according to the article:

It's an invitation-only audio chat app that launched just over a year ago and is quickly growing. Social Media Today reported during the month of March alone, Clubhouse was downloaded by 13 million new users with nearly a third of those in the U.S.

The article notes that, "Clubhouse is different from other social media platforms because it's live and in real-time. Churches can even host small group meetings or open discussions." The article notes that its popularity grew during the COVID pandemic and relates that "Clubhouse lets users start or listen into conversations on a whole host of topics, ranging from sports and parenting to religion and more."  Again, its invitation-only.

One particular ministry leader said:

"We started having altar calls. And so, when we started having altar calls, we've had over 600 people get saved so far. So we've formed a network. Once they get saved, I form a team that will follow up and then they will tell us what country they're from, what state they're from, and then we will assign them a local church. So it's causing churches to grow, ministries to grow."

One of the first takeaways from this story is the concept of being inviting.  Clubhouse is an invitation-only platform, but it can give Christians the opportunity to invite people to come and experience their content. We can consider who we are inviting to hear the gospel.

We can also be reminded of the way that God is using technological advances for His purposes.  Sure, there are concerns about social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that have censored content that is consistent with Scripture.  However, there is still an amazing amount of material that exalts Christ that is allowed to be posted; therefore, while we can advocate for more open expression, we can use what is available in order to share His truth.

The platform is named, "Clubhouse," and thankfully, the body of Christ is not a "club."  Everyone is invited - the gospel is available to all.  We just have to let Christ speak and live through us in order to send that message.  We have to make sure that we do not possess an air of exclusivity about the gospel; after all, we were not excluded from His good news.

Things That Divide Us

The apostle Paul was certainly concerned about the unity of the Church - but unity does not mean to compromise the teachings of Scripture, but to unify around them. Ephesians 4 says:
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.

This shows us that even in our individuality - the grace given to each of us - we can build unity, keeping in mind that oneness we can have in Christ.  But, that unity is to be built on the truth of God's Word, and when there is disagreement, we can go to the Word, not as a tool of division, but a tool to bring unity. When we gain a sense of our belonging to Christ and to one another, we will see His presence expressed through His people as a witness to the world.

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The enemy would like to exploit our different ways of viewing the Scriptures, and one of the key components of withstanding him is to stand on the truth. 1st Corinthians 1 states:
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."

Believers in Christ are first and foremost people who have committed their lives to Jesus Christ and have been born again by the Spirit of God.  That is the central focus - the message of the cross and the power of the resurrection.  Adherence to that truth about what saves us is a powerful uniting force, certainly.

But, where we go from there has become a bit, well, murky.  You have some theologians and commentators that begin to describe certain issues as "gospel" issues, but they are ancillary to the gospel itself.  But, that doesn't mean that we should not apply Biblical truth to a variety of issues in our culture, and that is something that The Meeting House is intended to do - to provide content that can inform and challenge Christians to apply a Christian worldview perspective to the world around us.

While each of us may have private interpretations on certain matters, still it should be our goal to apply the Biblical standards to govern our beliefs and if we come to different conclusions, to disagree charitably.

We're not seeing that in the Church, though, especially as it's displayed on social media.  We hear the term, "evangelical," and there are spirited debates about what that has come to mean. And, again, we should be driven by a high view of Scripture. 

There was a blog post making the rounds on social media recently that caught my attention - it divided evangelicalism into six different categories, and seemed to gravitate toward one.  It was posted on the Mere Orthodoxy website, and written by Michael Graham, with Skyler Flowers, who are both in pastoral ministry and possess Masters degrees from Reformed Theological Seminary. 

The authors put forth this hypothesis:

The reality is that while many in the evangelical movement thought their bonds were primarily (or exclusively) theological or missional, many of those bonds were actually political, cultural, and socioeconomic. These political, cultural, and socioeconomic differences have always been there beneath the water line but what has occurred over the last 5-10 years has been the extent to which those values are expressed has been exposed.

I am not necessarily endorsing this article or its analysis, but it does give some food for thought.  It offers six classes within evangelical Christianity, yet three of them are not really in that space. 

Category 1, presumably moving right to left, is the Neo-Fundamentalist Evangelical.  It is defined in this way: "Concerning threats within the church, they have deep worries with the church’s drift towards liberalism and the ways secular ideologies are finding homes in the church. Outside the church, they are concerned by the culture’s increasing hostility to Christianity, most prominently from mass media, social media, and the government." But, in this, the authors contend, there is a "co-belligerency with Christian Nationalism," which is defined as "...a syncretism of right wing nationalism and Christianity..."  Unfortunately, these "fundamentalists" that even some so-called conservatives decry are thought to put love of country or involvement in politics, i.e. "Christian nationalism," above their love for God or fulfillment of the Great Commission.  For it is the enlightened ones over in Category 2 that seem to have the corner of the evangelistic market. 

Category 2, the author's choice, is Mainstream Evangelical.  The implication here is that to be fundamentalist is to not be mainstream.  I think it's clear where the authors stand.  They write:

Historically this term has been Protestants who hold to the Bebbington Quadrilateral of conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism. The emphasis for this group is on the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Concerning threats within the church, they share some concern for the secular right’s influence on Christinaity, including the destructive pull of Christian Nationalism, but are far more concerned by the secular left’s influence and the desire to assimilate since the world still remains so hostile.

Then you have the third category, Neo-Evangelical. These individuals could be considered missions-minded, yet shy away from the term, "evangelical," and are concerned that the Church doesn't handle "race and sexuality in helpful ways," whatever that means.  I suspect that this would include the adoption of critical race theory and LGBTQ acceptance. 

I think this article may reflect a common perception of Christianity in these times, and can also give us understanding of the tension in the body of Christ, especially between the 1s and 2s, even though the authors seem to think that the 1 vs. 3 tension is more pronounced. 

There are a lot of terms here, but let's get to the bottom of today's commentary - we should not be known by our labels, but by our devotion.  We have to stand against social influences on the Church that are not Biblical and embrace the teaching of Scripture to determine our worldview and response to the world.  

And, the world and the media are amplifying the conflict between Christians.  News reporting on the latest Southern Baptist Convention meeting, even in the Christian space, says that the Convention was saved from a "takeover" from the hard right.  I see it as an attempt by those who would be called "fundamentalist" to prevent a theological drift - there are debates occurring within churches across America concerning how to deal with racial issues, with some embracing the tenets of critical race theory, which is undergoing a societal rejection in some areas.  There are debates about the role of women and the degree to which women should serve in church leadership.  There are debates about the devotion to country and the degree to which Christians should participate in politics.  

One thing we must recognize - we have to reject ideas and worldviews that do not have a basis in Scripture.  And, we have to seek to unify around Scripture's authority, even if we may have some points of disagreement.  Unity in the Church doesn't come through being nice to one another, although charity and compassion are characteristic of the presence of Christ; unity comes through our adherence to the head and refusal to allow secondary issues to divide us.  The enemy is working overtime to hurt the witness of the Church, and we have to be known by our willingness to surrender to Christ, to love Him and to love other people.  There was a phrase used during the recent SBC: "the world is watching."  And, I'm not sure if what they saw in some instances was compelling.  I also submit that the cause isn't helped by attendees going to secular media and spotlighting the division and differences within the Convention and perpetuating an "us vs. them" mentality.  We should be more concerned with positioning the sufficiency of our Savior rather than promoting our particular theological stance.

Rescue

The cross is a reminder of the peace that we can experience - knowing we can be right with God, and appropriating His peace for our troubled souls. In Colossians 1, we find these words:
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled...

Four strong words for us: Now. He. Has. Reconciled.

Now - meaning, this moment, we can experience the love of God.  We can know that He is near and reach out to Christ, calling on His name, and knowing that He loves us and wants to change our hearts. 

He - it is in Christ that true peace with God is found...eternal life is available to the person who would cry out to Him.

Has - the work has been done on the cross at Calvary and we have been raised to new life in Christ.

Reconciled - our sins have been forgiven, and we have been rescued from the power of sin and delivered from eternal separation from and punishment by God.  We can know the peace of being right with our Heavenly Father by accepting what our Savior has done.

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Christ has come to rescue us from the power of sin and death, and we have been empowered to communicate that powerful message. 2nd Corinthians 3 reminds us:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Having just returned from a major city where we were dependent on Google Maps and large highway signs to get us to our destinations, we can recognize how valuable those big green signs are to us.  But, do you ever think about the structures that hold them up?

Such a structure came into play on a Tulsa interstate recently as a man climbed on to such a structure over the highway, apparently to jump and take his own life.  In a stunning piece of video from NewsChannel 8, there was footage of the man on the sign, as well as a brief interview with a bystander who decided to deliver a message to him.

Rick Jewell said, "I stayed over here and prayed for 15 minutes when I first got here, and then my son says, 'Look over there Dad, there’s a cross right behind him...'"  That's a reference to a large cross that is lit up for the holidays.  

Out of the camera shot, Rick approached the man and started yelling to him on the sign. The news report quoted him as saying: "I just started talking to him and I told him there was more to life than what he was doing and that God loved him. He looked at me and I told him to throw me his cigarettes, he threw me those, I said throw me that rope, he threw me that rope, and I said now get down from there. I said they’re going to help you. He headed down. Simple. It’s crazy. But I also told you what I did for 15 minutes over there before you showed up, I was praying. So, that had a lot to do with it, I’m sure..." Witness Trei Jackson confirmed it, saying that Jewell "...told him that Jesus loves you basically...to come down, just ask for help. He came down..."

That news story was referenced by ChristianHeadlines.com, which reported:

According to News On 6, Tulsa Police said that the department is relieved that the man climbed down from the sign on his own, unhurt after nearly spending seven hours. The man reportedly climbed up to the sign at around 9 am and climbed down at approximately 4 pm.

Tulsa Police Officer Andre Baul explained that the man had prior contact with negotiators in a separate incident and noted that he was in distress because of ongoing legal issues in his life.

"He was scared about the future, about what he was going to be facing once he came down," Baul said.

NewsChannel 8 stated:

A confluence of events; a man in distress, a well-placed cross, an inspired do-gooder intervening for a troubled soul, and a final message to the masses for action.

"I think as a state, as a whole, we need to find something for mental illness for people and have more resources," he said.

God bless Rick Jewell - and how Rick blessed a man in need.  Rick can inspire all of us to make sure that when we see others in trouble that we pray, and then, as God leads, we respond by acting according to His direction.  The Holy Spirit will give us the boldness to speak out and to do the right thing.  

We can be reminded that when we are at the "end of our rope," that Jesus is our rescuer.  When we feel hopeless, He is our source of hope.  When life can be overwhelming, He steps into our brokenness and brings healing.  He loved us so much that He was willing to die for us so that we can experience that unfailing, unconditional love.  

Yes, the Tulsa incident occurred near a giant cross that is familiar to area residents.  But, the cross is more than a symbol - as we realize what Jesus did for us on that cross, giving His life for ours, we can experience His peace in our lives: peace with God and peace with ourselves, peace to calm the turmoil within brought about by the circumstances of life. 

Crossing Over

Our proclaimed faith in Jesus Christ is intended to produce fruit to the honor of His name. As James puts it, good works proceed out of our relationship with Jesus. James chapter 2 says:
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.

There is no amount of "works" that can result in our being ushered into the Kingdom of God - except one...that is, the accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives.  That's it - we cannot earn the grace of God nor work our way into salvation. But, once we are saved, we are called to be His disciples, placing ourselves into His hands and allowing the Holy Spirit to do Christ's work in our hearts and through our lives. 

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1 Peter chapter 4 contains some powerful words that can influence our mindset as servants of God. We can read:
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The Southern Baptist Convention occurred recently in Nashville, and while procedures and policies, which are very important, mind you, received the lion's share of attention, there was a component of the Nashville gathering that was consistent with the moniker that the Convention is using that declares that they are "Great Commission Baptists."

The work of evangelism has traditionally been a key aspect of the SBC, and at the annual meeting, for a number of years, there has been an event called, Crossover.  This year, according to the Tennessee Baptist newspaper, the Baptist and Reflector:

Crossover Nashville featured a wide variety of large-group gatherings, with churches in Middle Tennessee hosting block parties, concerts, outdoor worship services, ice cream socials, family movie nights and other events.

The report went on to say that:

Mark Miller, baptism/discipleship team leader and Sunday School specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. “We are so thankful for the churches who participated, and we were glad that Middle Tennessee was saturated with gospel conservations.”

Miller said the final numbers from the week had not yet been tabulated, but said the early returns from Crossover Nashville showed more than 100 professions of faith and 150 additional decisions. It is estimated that more than 3,300 gospel conversations took place.

Roy Vargas was one of the participants, along with almost 100 other seminary students.  He was quoted by Baptist Press as saying: “People were just at the place where we could see that the Holy Spirit had been working in their lives...As we were sharing the Gospel, people were getting convicted of their sinful nature, and they were coming to Christ. My team was able to share the Gospel and see the fruit of eight different conversions for the glory of Jesus Christ.”

The article notes that a collaborative effort was taking place "between national, state and local Southern Baptists." Churches that held special events included Shelby Avenue Baptist Church and New Season Church. The article relates:

Shelby Avenue hosted local vendors and provided food for those in their community as members of FAITH Riders, a national group of Southern Baptist motorcyclists who share the Gospel across the U.S., assisted the church.

In East Park in Nashville, New Season Church partnered with the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists (COSBE) and the Nashville Baptist Association as they set up inflatables and invited those in the area to attend. COSBE president Richard Hamlet presented the Gospel and invited people to put their faith in Christ.

New Season held a baptism service on Sunday morning, and the church "went out into their community" after its conclusion.

This is a prime example of the church going into the world.  In the city of Nashville on Saturday, June 12, churches were going into communities, setting up where the people are, in order that Christ would be exalted.  We have to make sure that we are not complacent, expecting people to come to us.  We can realize that we have been sent, we have been dispatched, to be a shining light for Jesus in this world. 

While our church buildings can serve as "ministry centers," equipping and edifying believers and sharing the love and truth of Christ with unbelievers, it can be unrealistic to think that people will necessarily come through the church doors. That why the idea of the Church being "sent" or "on mission" is so important.  

And, we ourselves have to be careful not to completely be consumer-minded in our interaction with the local church.  Our position as members of the body of Christ means that we not only receive from the Lord and grow in Him, but to not keep that to ourselves, to realize that He gives our lives meaning and purpose, and we can derive satisfaction through service to our King.

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David made a bold declaration regarding the content that he wished to allow into his heart and mind; we can read in Psalm 101:
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

We have the capability to control what goes into our hearts and influences our spirits.  We are told in Proverbs to guard our hearts.  So, we can erect filters around our minds, using the Word of God as our standard, in order that we are not negatively impacted by the pollution of this world.  We can make sure we keep our minds as pure as possible, so that the love of Christ flows out of us, so we can be encouraged and encouragers.

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The Bible provides a prescription for how we should speak and act, and what we feed into our souls can be a determinant of what comes out. Ephesians chapter 4 states:
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Our social skills can be severely warped if the core of our interaction is social media.  Behind the technological curtain, I guess people feel free to say or type things that they would never say to a person in their presence.  It can be downright mean on social media, even among believers, with Scriptural violations left and right - name-calling and motive-questioning, disregard for another person's dignity. 

And, Americans are taking note of the potential harmful effects of social media.  Faithwire published a story recently saying:

A new survey of American adults found the majority believe social media platforms do more harm than good.

The NBC News survey, conducted in mid-April, showed 64% of the 1,000 respondents said social media does more to divide Americans than bring us together, while only 27% said it brings us together.

The Faithwire summary goes on to note:

Among those who utilize social media at least once per day, 49% said it enhances their lives, while 37% said the behavior worsens their lives. Thirty-two percent of all respondents claimed social media makes their lives better, while 24% said it makes their lives worse.

And over half of parents indicated that the pandemic has increased their children's screen time. The article also notes:

Nielsen, which tracks media trends, found in April 2020, just one month after the lockdown measures were put in place, that social media usage exploded — a spike that came just as more tech companies were grappling with the damage of social media overuse.

I think that increase could be an ominous sign of greater negative interaction online. 

And, generationally, respondents noticed the ramped-up rhetoric, with "61% of young adults and 71% of seniors" indicating that "social media sites are doing more to fracture the country than bring it together."

I think a critical question is: Where do you go for information?  We have to make sure that we have developed a list of trusted sources from which we can consume our news. And, an even more important question is, "Where does the Bible fit in?"  We rely on the Bible to govern our view of the world and to provide the lens through which we can see and interpret the news and information we consume.

We can also be devoted to encouragement and edification.  There is certainly a human tendency to go negative in our thoughts and statements.  We can certainly become discouraged with trends that we see in the world today.  Nevertheless, we are called to be people who radiate the love of Christ and we can seek to edify fellow believers and expose ourselves to words that will build us up.

Act of Charity

We are called to reflect the presence of Jesus in us by loving others unconditionally - not reacting in kind when we face disagreement or hostility, but responding in love. Romans 12 gives insight into that concept:
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We can consider the path to peace - that doesn't mean that we should compromise our Biblically-consistent values in our human interaction, but we should be grounded in truth and to be able to speak and live that truth in a manner that represents our Lord.  We can develop and maintain charitable hearts, being willing to minister to even people with whom we have disagreement.  In the midst of the devil's division, we can seek to activate the love of Christ.

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Jesus spoke to the topic of Christian charity in Luke 6 as he challenged the hearers of his message to love even those regarded as "enemies." He taught:
25 Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 2:
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

The Bible doesn't quite use these words, but I think that we can seek to have a drama-free life.  Often - and I think this has intensified with access to social media - we allow our thoughts and feelings to flow in a steady stream that don't necessarily glorify Christ or edify others. And, if we're not careful, we can give in to the tendency to exaggerate situations and subtly stretch the truth, with an end result of calling more attention to ourselves but not adding to our credibility.

There is more than one member of Congress that certainly would fit some aspects of that description. The House member from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the gold standard for political drama. And, in a recent instance, her bluff was called.

The Washington Examiner reports that Ocasio-Cortez recently, "shared a photo of her grandmother’s home in Puerto Rico, which she said was destroyed by Hurricane Maria.' She tweeted out, "Just over a week ago, my abuela fell ill. I went to Puerto Rico to see her- my 1st time in a year+ bc of COVID. This is her home..." But the report turned quickly into a rant, as the Congresswoman said:

"Hurricane María relief hasn’t arrived. Trump blocked relief $ for PR. People are being forced to flee ancestral homes, & developers are taking them," she said. "We immediately got to work reaching out to community advocates and leaders and following the money. What’s happening to Puerto Ricans is systemic. Much of it can be traced to La Junta, aka the Wall Street-connected fiscal control board that the US gave power to over the island."

How much of that is true is anyone's guess. But, upon hearing of the plight of the grandmother, Daily Wire columnist and professing Christian Matt Walsh came up with an unusual idea - why not help the grandmother out?  So, he organized a GoFundMe campaign which, according to the Examiner, raised in excess of $100,000!  However, Walsh received an e-mail from the GoFundMe Trust & Safety Team. The article says that:

In the email, the company said it had communicated with the "beneficiary's family," who declined the funds. The fundraiser topped $104,153 in less than 12 hours before donations were halted.

Walsh responded by saying, “Tragically this charitable effort has been sabotaged by forces outside of our control. Still I’m grateful for the outpouring of support for abuela, even if AOC isn’t. But questions remain: Why didn’t AOC help her own abuela? Why was our help turned down? We are left to speculate.” He went on to say, “In the end, our campaign raised 100 thousand dollars and could have solved a problem in ten hours that AOC couldn’t solve in four years. We can all be proud of that,” adding, “As for abuela, all we can do now is pray..."

I'm not sure this was true charity or an attempt to bring clarity to hypocrisy.  But, it does offer us a chance to consider how we respond when we receive news of a need.  Oh, by the way, the Daily Mail sent a team to Puerto Rico to follow the grandmother's story.  The article says:

DailyMail.com tracked down 81-year-old Clotilde's home to a quiet community just outside the picturesque coastal city of Arecibo - located 40 miles west from capital San Juan - on the island's beautiful north coast.

And when we politely approached the two-story flat-roofed residence, we were met by a woman who told us emphatically after viewing AOC's tweets: 'I am her aunt. We don't speak for the community.'

The aunt also gave a different political viewpoint than her niece, saying: "It's a problem here in Puerto Rico with the administration and the distribution of help. It is not a problem with Washington. We had the assistance and it didn't get to the people."

Again, one could say that the columnist was attempting to embarrass the Congresswoman, but there is a lesson for us here. If the effort had succeeded, a family member of someone who represents a different ideological or political perspective could have been assisted.  We have to be careful in the Church to not just reach out and help those who are of our theological or ideological camp.  Tribalism can prevent the common work, the hard work, of living out the gospel.  And, our hearts can be open to help those in need, regardless of their political stripe.

The fact is, we are called to minister to the entire world.  We are to love the least and the lost, and when there is lack, we can respond in love to provide physical and spiritual resources in the name of Christ. I came across an example recently of a Georgia church that saw a need in its community and generously set out to address it.  ChristianHeadlines.com reported that...

...Wesley United Methodist Church of Evans delivered the donations to Macedonia Church of Grovetown after the food and funds were collected during Lent.

In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Milledge Austin, communications director at Wesley UMC, explained that the donations included 8,100 pounds of food and $10,456.83.

"At the beginning of the new year, a group of our staff brainstormed ways that our church could have an impact on the local community," Austin told the outlet.

The church recognized that during the summer, families were without breakfasts and lunches provided during the school year by the respective schools.  With that outlet no longer being available, the church stepped in to try to bridge the gap.  

This is yet another example that communicates to us how we can develop charitable hearts, seeking to demonstrate the love of Christ and interact with the people around us. 

Changed

Even though we have been redeemed by Christ and are declared to be new creations in Him, there is the pull of the old nature, the flesh, activated by the power of the enemy. We have to regard sinful thoughts and behaviors from the past as being under the blood of Christ and seek to walk in the newness He promises. 1st Corinthians 6 says:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

We are known by God - He has loved us greatly and sent His Son so that we might be redeemed. So, there is ideally a break from the actions of the flesh - we are told to put off that old nature and embrace the new.  Even though one or more of these areas of sin that Paul outlined in that passage may show up, we have to realize that they are still problem areas and deal with them with the resources of the Spirit, not embrace them as part of our new nature. 
 

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The apostle Paul offers insight and understanding into the working of our mind in Christ and how we can regard and reject the entrapments of the flesh. Galatians 5 states:
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

The presence of Christ through salvation releases us from impulses and actions that are not pleasing to God and brings us into a state of freedom in Him.  Through His work in our hearts, we can truly experience change - and that change is not beyond the grasp of any human being, as long as he or she is willing to surrender to the cleansing, empowering work of Christ within.

Recently in Washington, DC, people who have experienced the power of God to set them free from the lifestyle of homosexuality gathered to send a message to lawmakers to reject the so-called "Equality Act," because, in essence, the law would deny people who wish to receive freedom from the LGBT lifestyle a legal means to receive the counseling that is helpful in producing that life change.

Dozens of members of what is called the "Changed" movement met at the U.S. Capitol recently to declare that their identity is in Christ, not in their past patterns of homosexuality. A LifeSiteNews article quoted Tamika Sanders, who is the founder and executive director of Coming Out, Inc. She is quoted as saying: “legislation that says that change is not possible says that we don’t exist,” and she adds that such a law “forces individuals to remain trapped."  The article goes on to say:

Legislation that bans “any attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression will force individuals to remain silent, with no voice, with no one to talk to about their internal conflict and struggles, and absolutely nowhere to find healing and wholeness,” asserted Sanders. 

The article quotes from a co-founder of the "Changed" movement: 

“Changed has come to DC to appeal to our President and to Congress to focus on human dignity apart from identity politics,” said Elizabeth Woning of California, co-founder of the Changed movement and a former lesbian, now married to her husband for 15 years.  “America deserves to know there’s more to the story when it comes to LGBTQ experience.”

Jason Maxwell is a man from Arkansas who has experienced transformation in his life. He said: “I am a survivor and overcomer of LGBT indoctrination that many in our country and churches have falsely partnered with, that says, ‘I was born that way.’” He went on to say, “Other LGBTQ don’t have to choose to find healing from sexual and emotional childhood trauma...but I want to make sure that they have the freedom to make that choice if they want to,” and have the option to seek “pastoral care, lay counseling, and professional counseling.” 

A pastor from Oregon named Drew Berryessa, said, "equality is never achieved by silencing another community.  It’s never achieved by persecuting another viewpoint, specifically people of faith and conviction.  The Equality Act does that."

One of the key words here is "freedom."  The message that these individuals is speaking is one of victory, of overcoming through Christ.  It is not a message of accommodating same-sex attraction or the gay lifestyle, trying to attach the word "gay" as an adjective to try to complement one's Christianity.  And, they recognize that this proposed federal legislation would prevent people from access to the Christ-centered care that they need in order to help them overcome.

The message of the gospel is that Christ has come to make us new.  The numbers show that the dominant sin in your life is not related to homosexuality, but there is one. The question is whether or not you are living with it, tolerating it, even feeding it from time to time, or allowing the power of Christ and the transformative nature of His Word to help you to truly walk in victory.  

We also have to ask ourselves, "do we want to change?"  We should be totally satisfied with who we are in Christ, and that means we can be dissatisfied with the sinful patterns and impulses that tempt us and weigh us down.  Our identity is in Him as a new creation, and unbiblical thoughts and behavioral patterns that are inconsistent with who He says we are can be dealt with in the Spirit.  It's not a matter of toleration or accommodation; it's all about freedom in Christ. 

Under His Flag

This is Flag Day, and we can recognize the message that the flag carries - not only the 50 "United" states symbolized by the stars, but the 13 original colonies that the stripes represent.  As believers in Christ, while we can celebrate our great country, we recognize that we are citizens of another Kingdom, a heavenly one, and we represent our Lord. Jeremiah 50 offers some thought-provoking words:

2 "Declare among the nations, Proclaim, and set up a standard; Proclaim--do not conceal it-- Say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed. Merodach is broken in pieces; Her idols are humiliated, Her images are broken in pieces.'
3 For out of the north a nation comes up against her, Which shall make her land desolate, And no one shall dwell therein. They shall move, they shall depart, Both man and beast.
4 "In those days and in that time," says the Lord, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the Lord their God.

The standard - the banner - the flag, if you will, according to the prophet Jeremiah, communicated a message of God's faithfulness. When you look at the American flag, I believe that you can also reflect on how God has established a nation that is based on freedom and the principles that all are created equal, with rights granted by our Creator.  Ultimate victory, though, is in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are called to display His character in the way we allow His life to flow through us...we wave His banner through the way we live.

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On this Flag Day, 2021, we're going to trace some American history, but the landing spot for me today is to recognize the ultimate banner under which we serve - our Lord Most High. Exodus 17 says:
13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."
15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner..."

This is the day that is set aside to celebrate the history of the United States flag, and the origins of this commemoration actually go back to 1777, less than a year after the 13 original colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.  

The History Channel website reports that:

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress took a break from writing the Articles of Confederation and passed a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

Over 100 years later, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson marked the anniversary of that decree by officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day.

While Wilson implemented the celebration, it is reported that the original idea came from a teacher from Wisconsin named Bernard Cigrand, who proposed the idea back in 1885; the website says, "That year, he led his school in the first formal observance of the holiday."

Flag Day was also the day that two very important words were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. According to an article at the Business Insider website, a minister named Francis Bellamy originated it in 1892, and in 1948, the addition of the words "under God" occurred.  The website reports:

Then, an attorney from Illinois, Louis Bowman, shook the wording up a bit. At a meeting of the Sons of the American Revolution in 1948, he added "under God," claiming Abraham Lincoln used the same phrase in his Gettysburg Address. Almost all reported transcripts from the speech do include "that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom."

Fast forward to 1953 - a resolution introduced into Congress failed. But, President Eisenhower, according to the website, had been "Recently baptized as a Presbyterian." He had "...heard a sermon, arguing the words 'under God' from Lincoln's speech set the United States apart from others as a nation. At the time, the Cold War was gaining steam, and Eisenhower was fighting communism across the globe." He encouraged Charles Oakman to re-introduce the bill concerning the Pledge and it was passed and signed into law on, you guessed it, Flag Day 1954. The article says, "A story announcing the news in the Washington Post quoted him as saying the new version would add 'spiritual weapons which will forever be our country's most powerful resource.'"

Throughout the years, people have stated that connection between our nation and the hand of God, and we need to continue to honor Him. Unfortunately, there is a battle of ideas that is occurring, ideas that are not compatible with a Christian worldview, that are being commemorated by...flags.  Family Research Council commented recently, on Thursday, June 3:

The Pentagon, which is so busy grand marshalling the president's Pride parades that it barely has time for real work, announced Tuesday that it might consider allowing rainbow flags to be flown on installations along with the stars and stripes. It would be a dramatic departure from the Trump administration, which banned bases from flying anything but Old Glory and the POW/MIA colors. Apparently, the White House wants to add to the controversies it started in the State Department by unfurling the rainbow at embassies around the world where the symbol is seen as offensive.

Fortunately, the day after that was written, the website Stars and Stripes said that the military would not expand its policy on flags to be flown at its installations, which would include the so-called "pride" flag. 

Based on this information, we see that there has been a spiritual connection to this day - the Pledge of Allegiance having been written by a minister, as well as a teacher and President championing the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge. 

In thinking on Eisenhower's words, we can certainly look around and ascertain that we need spiritual weapons, in reality, in our land today.  He was using those words relative to the Cold War and the fight against Communism, but we are fighting against a variety of ideologies today that do not square with the Word of God.  We have to push back and stand strong against "every high thing," as I talked about last week that is exalted over the Word of God.  

We are placed on this earth - with a mission: to share and live out the gospel.  Jesus has called us to go into all the world and share our faith and make disciples.  That is key.  Changed hearts mean changed conditions in which we live. A by-product of our faithful service to God will be a change in the moral climate.  We have to make sure that we get that progression right, though - we are first and foremost servants of God, and we carry the banner of the cross.  As we advance, and as God brings people into a relationship with Himself through Christ, change occurs - inside the human heart and throughout our country.

Driven By Faith

There is nothing we can do to work our way into heaven; the misnomer that we get into heaven because our good outweighs our bad is a dangerous, errant concept. We are called to follow Christ through salvation - once we're in, He calls us to obedience. 1st Corinthians 3 says:

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

We have to guard against developing a mindset of works-based righteousness.  Our relationship with Christ is made possible because of the free gift of His grace; there is nothing we can do to earn it. But, once we're in, Jesus does call us to, as He says, take up our cross daily and follow Him - we are to die to self in order that we might live for Him.  And, the life of Christ flowing through us produces fruit for His glory, fruit that is described in Scripture as "fruit that will last."

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We have been placed on this earth for a season, but if our lives are truly hidden with Christ, we know that we have eternal life and will live with Him forever. 2nd Corinthians 4 provides these reminders:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

It was baked in to the life of this car-loving family.  Dad was a tire salesman, his son an aspiring race-car driver who competed in his first race at age 5.  He was a quarter-midget champion at age 12.  But, every Sunday, even if it involved a long drive through the night, the family was in church on Sunday.

That's according to a CBN.com story about one of NASCAR's emerging stars, who says, "I never got into racing because of fame or because of money or because of the perks that might come with it. For me it was all about going to the racetrack, competing, competing at a high level, and using the gifts that, you know, I had been given."

He continued to compete, but it became obvious that there was a steep financial cost involved. In fact, his parents came to a point where there was no more money to invest in his racing dreams.  But, Justin Allgaier was a young man of faith, so naturally, he called out to the Lord.  As the story relates:

Justin says he asked God for help and got an immediate answer. Before his next race, he was introduced to the director of competition at Penske racing, one of the largest teams in the sport of NASCAR.

"We went out, I raced and of all days, I ended up winning that day," says Justin. "It was a fantastic race for us. A racetrack that we shouldn't have won at, but I ended up winning that day. And 24 hours later, literally, 24 hours later I was sitting in Detroit, Michigan with Roger Penske, going over on a legal pad writing down different things that, you know, would ultimately end up being my contract and an opportunity to race full-time in NASCAR."

Allgaier is a driver in the Xfinity series, which is one step below the Cup Series of NASCAR. He now drives for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s team. He won a race in Atlanta this spring. And, he is obviously driven by his faith in Christ, saying, "I think what I want people to know is just that I'm a believer in Christ."  

So, Justin has won trophies, but he recognizes that they're just pieces of metal - the real trophies, as believers recognize come in the forms of crowns in heaven, given for faithful service to Christ. Allgaier says, "I have no reservations about where my talent comes from and the opportunities that I'm given, where they come from. You know, it's definitely a gift of God...when it's all said and done you have to be thankful for the opportunities and the people that you meet and the opportunities that you're given."

Allgaier definitely appears to be on the right road - the road to eternity.  We can view our life on this earth in light of what is to come.  We can recognize that the things of this world are temporary, but what is done for Christ is eternal.  This world will pass away, but God is infinite, and we will live with Him forever, if we have accepted His Son as our Savior.

Yes, the Bible teaches that we are to be faithful with the life and resources that God has given to us. He expects us to use the gifts that He has bestowed upon us for His glory. There are rewards in heaven stored up for believers for obedience, and it's been said that we lose rewards for disobedience. But, ultimately, our entrance to heaven is determined by one thing: whether or not Jesus is our Lord and Savior, whether or not we have trusted Him with our lives.  We can be confident of our place in His eternal kingdom because of that faithful choice we have made. 

Every High Thing

There is a spirit at work in the world today that is in opposition to the Holy Spirit - this is not a conspiracy theory, mind you, but it is a fulfillment of the words of Paul in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, where he writes:
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

When you hear political leaders take ideological stands that are in opposition to Scripture, this is evidence of this "mystery," and we have to possess discernment in order to know what is working, what is being perpetrated in the name of power and control...Christ stands for freedom, our Constitution stands for freedom, but there are those who want to use the government in order to bring people under its subjection.  That is why Christians should not sit out the epic spiritual battle that is occurring today. 

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There are spiritual forces in the world today - some at work to confirm and further the work of God, others to thwart His plan. We have to be aware of supernatural elements in the world in which we live and make sure that we are grounded in God's truth. 2nd Corinthians 10 states:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

The continued attempt to paint evangelical Christians with a broad, negative brush has continued by a number of organizations who either don't understand Christianity or are outright hostile toward it. And, there are those in mainstream media who appear to be obsessed more by this QAnon conspiracy than those who are said to be embracing it. 

CNN.com recently ran a story about evangelical leaders who are trying to root QAnon out of their churches. Granted, believers should be devoted to not embracing worldviews that are not grounded in Scripture. The story centered on an American Enterprise Institute survey that attempted to examine the influence of this Q conspiracy theory on the events of January 6, in which a relatively small number of people out of the thousands there, including evangelicals, actually went inside the Capitol building and threatened lawmakers.

The centerpiece of the survey is a statement that encapsulates the beliefs of the Q conspiracy; respondents were asked to respond to this: "Donald Trump has been secretly fighting a group of child sex traffickers led by prominent Democrats and Hollywood elites." Only 1 out of 10 white evangelicals said that believed that statement was "Completely Accurate." 17% of that group said it was "Mostly Accurate."  While that is certainly a concern, one has to wonder how many churches have Q devotees lurking inside of them. 

But there is more. In its summary, it included this sweeping paragraph:

What’s more, white evangelical Protestants who report being members of a local church are generally more likely to believe in conspiracies than those who do not. For instance, 62 percent of white evangelical Protestants who belong to a particular church believe a group of unelected government officials had been conspiring against Trump, a view shared by less than half (43 percent) of those not formally connected to a church. There is an important exception: White evangelical Protestants who belong to a church are roughly as likely to believe the QAnon conspiracy is mostly or completely accurate as are those who are not members (27 percent vs. 25 percent, respectively).

The first part of the paragraph is consistent with Trump support that has been demonstrated by evangelicals in the past. And, admittedly, with Trump out of formal office, I think you could find areas of concern with the direction of our government and even wonder the extent to which unelected officials are pushing an agenda that is contradictory to the Christian principles upon which this nation was founded.

And, that's where the CNN article drifts deeper into the false labeling of Christians who love their country as being "Christian nationalists."  The story even interviews a granddaughter of Billy Graham, Jerushah Duford; she is quoted as saying, referring to her grandfather: "I think he would've spoken out against it. He was very true to God's word," adding, "It was just Gospel and scripture. And you can't do that and believe in QAnon."  I agree with that - the Bible speaks of casting down every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God - that is QAnon, critical race theory, the gay agenda, and secular humanism - all of which have roots in our churches, because churches are made up of people, people who, if not grounded in Scripture, can be led astray.  But, CNN takes it a step further:

QAnon ties back to the movement, known as Christian Nationalism, that seeks to declare America a Christian nation and privilege Christianity within it, according to Duford.

Duford, along with more than 200 other prominent evangelicals signed a letter denouncing Christian Nationalism and the role it played in the attack on the capitol.

"The term Christian nationalism, in and of itself, is ironic because there's nothing Christian about nationalism," Duford told CNN Business. "I hope that it will be looked at like an extreme portion of our faith. Not our faith as a whole."

I went to the website, I looked at the names - I'm not sure that you could find very many "prominent" evangelicals there.  I did see some people whom you could consider to be of the more "progressive" wing of Christianity, including one person, a musician, who recently declared himself to be an "exvangelical."

But there are those who want to try to stain the name of Christ by tying Christianity into the abhorrent, lawless events in the Capitol on January 6.  There were Christians and Christian banners on the outside, but out of the large crowd, I don't think you should draw the conclusion that there were very many, if any, Bible-believing Christians on the inside. 

Regardless of what theories about the world you may believe, our starting point should be a Christian worldview perspective.  There may be elements about which you have drawn conclusions that Scripture doesn't speak to - that's where we should be careful to be reasonable, to seek out good sources, and to stay grounded in reality.  

And, there may be things you believe, especially about the last days, that others may dispute. A non-believer may find much of what you believe as conspiratorial.  Actually, the whole idea of a man dying on a cross and raising from the dead might be a foreign concept to someone who does not know Christ. But that's the foundational truth of Christianity, and it's real not only because the Bible gives an account, and that's enough, but scholars by and large believe the fact of a resurrection, and we can testify to the power of the resurrection in our lives.  We also know that He is coming for His Church, and that events unfolding on the earth today are right in line with the proclamation of God's Word.  That is why we should study prophecy, so that we can know and understand what is transpiring and be able to identify forces at play that are consistent with the establishment of a global, one-world government, headed by the anti-Christ, whose work is in the world today.  Conspiracy?  Yes, in the eyes of some.  But reality according to God's Word.

There is a Savior

In our lives on this earth, we have a choice to make - we can surrender to our Savior, Jesus, who gave His life and lives again so that we might come to know Him or we can reject Him and rely on human devices, left to deal with this world according to inadequate human wisdom, without understanding of the higher things of God. Romans 6 says:
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin separates us from God; sin robs us of the life that God intends for us.  But, knowing Christ means that we can have a true relationship with Him, that our hearts can be made right with Almighty God and we can truly have a new life.  The fruit of that life includes the knowledge of Christ's love, the experience of the reality of peace with Him, and the joy and satisfaction that can only be gained through knowing Him.  That adventure starts as we allow Christ to come into our hearts.

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In Psalm 14, we find a passage that outlines the predicament of human beings without a knowledge of God:
(1) The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
3 They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.

Seth Mahiga is a Kenyan man who recently professed his faith in Jesus Christ. An organization in which he served in leadership, in a press release, stated: "We wish Seth all the best in his newfound relationship with Jesus Christ.”

We should treat conversion as a magnanimous, life-changing event.  What is remarkable about this public proclamation is that Mahiga was the Secretary of the Atheists in Kenya Society.  Christian Headlines.com included content in this press release in its recent article, including these words: “This evening, regretfully, the Secretary of the Atheists in Kenya Society Mr. Seth Mahiga informed me that he has made the decision to resign from his position as Secretary of the society...Seth’s reason for resigning is that he has found Jesus Christ and is no longer interested in promoting atheism in Kenya..."

You think? And, the AIK press release and social media accounts also showed a video of Mahiga in a church setting, stating, "I’ve been going through some difficulties in life. … I’m so happy to be here.”

Days later, according to Christian Headlines...

...the Atheists in Kenya Twitter account was back to advocating for atheism, posting in a tweet, “Remember that it is only when people are free to think for themselves, using reason as their guide, that they are best capable of developing values that succeed in satisfying human needs and serving human interests.”

Baptist Press offered some insight into Mahiga's public proclamation of faith at Life Church International in Nairobi.  It stated:

As the church prayed for Mahiga, Pastor Mark Mutinda described Mahiga as “a point of contact (for) all those people who are in darkness and all the atheists who say there is no God,” and encouraged prayer that “the grace of God reach out to wherever they are.”

As Mahiga prayed the sinner’s prayer, led by a member of the church’s pastoral staff, he described himself to God as “a new creature no longer doubting about your existence. Indeed you are my God, and I will forever confess you are God. In Jesus’ name I accept you and I give my life to you.”

Christian Headlines states that the Atheists in Kenya Society was launched in 2016 "to advocate for secularism, non-religion, and the belief that 'the universe is a natural phenomenon with no supernatural side,' according to its website. It is a member organization of Humanists International." Baptist Press relates that AIK was "suspended for two years after Christians complained. It regained active status in 2018 and describes itself as an organization of secularists who believe no deity exists."

The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God - there is none righteous, Romans 3 reminds us, "no not one."  But, Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead so that those who were apart from Him, alienated by sin, could come into a relationship with Him through accepting Him as Lord and Savior.  No one is beyond the reach of our magnificent Savior.  Not even a seemingly hardened atheist.  Not the scheming politician.  Or the entertainer who seems dedicated to self-gratification and hostile to God.  Nor the atheist leader who has promoted a different ideology and practice.

Because everybody has a need within to be loved, accepted, and affirmed. The joy and satisfaction that brings hope in life can only be possible through Jesus Christ. In those quiet times, alone, when a person is willing to evaluate his or her life, they can understand that something is missing.  This self-evaluation comes as people, as the atheist organization's mission statement suggests, are "free to think for themselves, using reason as their guide." Faith and reason are sometimes incompatible, but if we open our minds to consider the claims of Christ, we can discover that we can make a reasonable decision to follow Him.

A critical first step in the salvation process is to realize the need for a Savior.  After admitting one is a sinner, he or she can reach out and put their faith in Jesus, believing on Him, as we find in Romans 10: if a person confesses the Lordship of Jesus and believes God has raised Him from the dead, i.e., that He is alive, that person will be saved.  A person then, confessing Jesus, also confesses his or her sins.  You can make that decision today - there is no need to delay; now is the day of salvation.

In the Face of Evil

It is sometimes asked why a loving God would cause bad things to happen. Fact is, we live in a fallen world, a world where sin and evil are all around us. Jesus is our Redeemer, and He will bring His glory, His good results, even out of adversity. We have to maintain the proper attitude when we are tried. James 1 states:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

It is so critical that we maintain the proper attitude when things don't go our way; even in the face of evil, there is an opportunity for God to be exalted through us.  His steadfast love will sustain us when we are challenged and He gives us the inner fortitude to stand strong in our trials. And, those trials are being used by Him to develop His work in our hearts and to provide an outward expression of His faithfulness, a testimony to those who are watching to see how we respond. 

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When we come face-to-face with evil, we can remain steadfast in what 1st Peter 1 states is our "living hope," that is, our hope in Christ. Picking up later in the chapter, we can read:
(6) now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.

Yesterday, I discussed God's Word in the battles we face.  We can know that His Word is available and sufficient when we face spiritual challenges.  But, we have to put it to work for us - when we are tempted and tried, He is with us and we can continually rely on Him.

In real-life situations around the world, believers in Christ are facing stiff opposition - with the threat of arrest and even death simply because they have professed faith in Christ.  Yet, in the middle of these fiery trials, God is faithful and Jesus is continuing to be exalted.

David Curry of Open Doors USA, which advocates for the persecuted Church, was on The Meeting House last week and shared about the Church in Iran and the perseverance of Christians in that majority-Muslim country that is run by a group of Muslim clerics. 

There have been reports recently out of the African nation of Mozambique, where the situation is dire. ChristianHeadlines.com spotlighted the work of an organization called Iris Global, which is headed by Heidi Baker.  The article reports that "Since 2017, ISIS-linked militants have killed over 2,600 people and displaced 700,000 more in their invasion to establish an Islamic caliphate in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Province. Al Shabab, a militant terror group, is responsible for the dozens of terror attacks on churches in the region." The country is described in the article as "one of the world's poorest and most dangerous countries."

The U.S. State Department reports, according to the article, that in March, Al Shabab attacked the city of Palma, which, according to Faithwire, resulted in the deaths of "dozens of civilians." It was described as "one of the bloodiest Islamic terror attacks in southern Africa."

This incident, as well as the threat that I would imagine is pervasive, could bring discouragement and fear. Yet, Baker says that God is working powerfully in these adverse circumstances, relating that, "I'm telling you in the midst of the tragedy, God is doing the most incredibly beautiful things, and He's wiping away the tears..."  But Baker's attitude is forthright; the Christian Headlines article says:

But Baker just wants to keep preaching the gospel, even amid the militant terror group. "Al Shabab, they are a frightening bunch. I'm not going to be phony, I don't want to get chopped up, I don't want to be kidnapped, I want to continue to preach this glorious gospel for many more decades." But she also said, "If you are a believer in Jesus, you are one of the first who is right on the list."

This is an example of how militants in Mozambique, as well as persecutors of Christians in other parts of the world, are operating. You don't agree with them and harm could come to you - it was reported in the article that crops and houses were being burned, children being taken.  Yet, through it all, and above it all, God is being glorified.  The bad things that occur are not signs that God is mean and uncaring; He is the One who goes with us and stands with us in the face of evil.  He doesn't prevent calamity, but He is our companion through it.  

We can also be challenged to continue to pray for those around the world who are being persecuted.  And, to be mindful of Christians in our nation who are receiving opposition because of their faith.  We can respond with bitterness and anger at how believers are being tried, yet we can be mindful that these moments and seasons of tribulation provide opportunities for God to be glorified and the gospel to be shared. 

The Word Through the Ages

God accompanies us in the battles we face and provides powerful resources that we need. When we make His Word a priority, we can experience His wisdom and strength. In 2nd Chronicles 20, King Jehoshophat and his army are preparing for battle and a certain priest speaks up, saying:

(15) "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you."

Indeed, as Jehoshophat and his troops went into battle, bringing praises to God, they were victorious! In the pages of Scripture, we can receive the reminder that God is with us, and by absorbing His words, we can develop our strategy for navigating this life. We can hold His principles to be relevant and powerful and trust in His wisdom rather than the frail wisdom of this world.  We can choose to serve and follow Christ and stand strong in His truth.

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The Bible is our training manual for the battles we encounter, and the principles of God produce strength in our hearts. Psalm 144 states:
(1) Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle--
2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.
3 Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
4 Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.

Last week, I talked about how the founding principles for our nation are consistent with Scripture and that our Founders were inspired by the Word of God.  I believe that faith and patriotism are compatible, as long as we are careful not to prioritize our country over our love for God.  God will certainly use the political realm to establish His will, but we have to be careful that politics does not become our God - a careful evaluation of how we spend our time and the information we consume can tell us quickly whether or not we are doing that or are in danger of doing so.

We recently commemorated Memorial Day, which is one of three major patriotic observances during roughly a month-long period, including Flag Day on June 14 and Independence Day on July 4.  Plus, yesterday, there was the anniversary of D-Day, a major turning point in World War II. CBN.com reports that Museum of the Bible in Washington observed Memorial Day by displaying Bibles that were present in times of war.  

There is a letter from 1917 on display from President Woodrow Wilson, as the article says, "encouraging soldiers to read their Bibles." Jeff Kloha, the museum's chief curatorial officer, said, "This proclamation would be printed inside these little pocket Bibles which would be distributed to soldiers..."

The exhibit contains Bibles dating back to the Civil War, including one written in German from that conflict. Kloha asked, "You see that stain there?" He added, "That's almost certainly blood that ended up on the Bible and left this stain from the Civil War. So again, it shows the price of war and the cost people paid to maintain our freedom."

There's also a display of items from George Rome, ("room") of the 55th Massachusetts regiment, described as "one of the first African American regiments." The story relates that, "Rome's items include a tin photograph of himself, his satchel, and his sword case."

  

Also, Kloha shared with CBN a World War II-era Bible that belonged to his grandfather - he said: "This was given to him by his pastor...It's a leather cover and you can tell it's quite worn. He must have carried it all over in his battle gear."  

The Museum display also includes an original copy of the Battle Hymn of the Republic and Bibles owned by past Presidents.

Museum of the Bible is committed to showing the role of the Bible in history and its profound influence.  This story can remind us of the enduring nature of God's Word.  The Bible is inspired by God and its principles are timeless - it has survived thousands of years of history, and God still speaks to us through His Word.

We can also find encouraging hope in the words of Scripture.  In the battles we face, we can keep the Bible close to us and turn to the Word of God to encourage us and direct us. 

And, as so many have discovered over the past year and a half, there is excessive comfort in the companionship of Christ.  He is our all-sufficient Savior, and the pages of the Scriptures remind us of who He is and what He wants to bring into our lives.  

God Bless the USA

As citizens of this earth, we recognize that ultimately, we, as those created by God, are witnesses to the work of His sovereign hand in establishing and judging the nations. Acts 17 states:
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.'

If you reflect on American history, you can see instances in which God's hand is extremely evident - He has established and protected us, and you could say that we are a blessed people.  Not a perfect people, not a "perfect union," but as it's been said, the implementation of our founding principles can provide solutions to the problems we encounter.  So, we can love our country, but we have to be careful to love God more and recognize He is our ultimate authority. 

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As Americans, we stand on the shoulders of those who built this nation, and recognize that the Judeo-Christian principles they embraced have served us well and can continue to serve us as we navigate a challenging season. But, we have to turn to godly wisdom, as Psalm 33 suggests when it says:
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

The song may not be counted at the level of enduring patriotic songs such as Battle Hymn of the Republic, America the Beautiful, or The Star-Spangled Banner, but the song originally recorded by Lee Greenwood, God Bless the U.S.A. has certainly earned its place among beloved songs that extol the greatness of this incredible country.

Recently, it was announced that the song would provide inspiration for the development of a new Bible, combining the Scriptures with inserts of founding documents of the United States.  A remarkably positive article about the proposed Bible ran at The Tennessean website and also appeared in the Montgomery Advertiser.  The article reports:

The new Bible is a project of Elite Source Pro, a marketing consulting company in Wilson County that approached Greenwood about signing onto the project.

The singer-songwriter said he thought the custom Bible was a grand idea. Greenwood said readers can refer to the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance located at the back of the Bible and know the country got its start not by escaping religion, but by escaping persecution.

The Bible is due out around the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks later this year, according to Hugh Kirkpatrick of Elite Source Pro. The article states: "The goal was to commemorate the milestone anniversary and inspire unity, he said."  It goes on to say:

The "God Bless the USA Bible" was born out of conversations he had last year with friends in the music industry about division in America, Kirkpatrick said.

He said, "We put all that together in our thinking cap and we came up with a custom, unique, limited edition 'God Bless the USA Bible,'" adding, "It's the Holy Bible. It just leans toward you're American and maybe you need to understand the documents behind America and what did these people believe?" The Tennessean also reported:

Kirkpatrick said he does not see it as an example of Christian nationalism, a cultural framework that wants a politically and religiously conservative expression of Christianity to have more access to power.  

He said, "We don't believe in Christian nationalism at all," adding, "We really didn't worry about an extreme left or extreme right being upset … I think most people that we talk to they just want to live and love and go to work and live life."

So, full speed ahead, right?  Well, since the publication of the article, the pushback that Kirkpatrick thought might occur has occurred. 

Religion News reports that:

Hugh Kirkpatrick of Nashville-based Elite Source Pro said he had reached an agreement with HarperCollins, whose subsidiary Zondervan is licensed to publish the NIV, to produce 1,000 copies of the Bible and already had more than 500 orders.

After news about the Bible was reported by ReligionUnplugged, an online magazine, several Christian book authors published by Zondervan objected. More than 800 people also signed an online petition as well.

But was it because of the pushback from a small number of progressive authors and less than a thousand signers on a misguided petition?  The manufacturer issued this statement to Religion Unplugged:

“Zondervan is not publishing, manufacturing or selling the ‘God Bless the USA Bible’,” the statement emailed to Religion Unplugged reads. “While we were asked for a manufacturing quote, ultimately the project was not a fit for either party, and the website and marketing of the NIV project were premature.”

The story goes on to say, 

In the end, HarperCollins decided to halt production of the “God Bless the USA” Bible. They worked “very graciously” with Kirkpatrick, he said, to give him digital files of the Bible that he plans to print with a King James translation that is not copyrighted. The whole ordeal only set him back a few hundred dollars, he said.

So, it appears the project is moving forward.  Kirkpatrick said

Kirkpatrick also believes the nation’s Founding Fathers were inspired by the words in the Bible and that it will be helpful to have both the Scripture and the Constitution in the same book.

Kirkpatrick believes America was once a Christian country but it has been “sliding away from that.” And he does worry about the future.

“The Bible and the Constitution someday could be a banned item in the United States,” he said. “That sounds odd even to say but there are other countries around the world that you can’t have a Bible.”

How ironic - since there are what would be termed "progressive" authors in the Christian space who don't care for the mix of Christianity and patriotism and wanted to ban the project. 

Love of God and love of country - the welding of those two concepts has actually generated controversy in some circles.  I believe that Christians can do both, as long as love of country does not exceed our love for God.  But, there are those that, because of America's shortcomings, have decided that it is not right to love America - I would submit that because of the principles, consistent with Biblical truth, upon which this nation was founded, we can effectively address the challenges we face and move toward "a more perfect union."  In our Christian foundation, we can have hope.

That doesn't mean our Founders wanted a theocracy.  And, we certainly don't look like a Christian nation these days.  But that doesn't mean that the American ideals that have guided us throughout the years are to be discarded.  

William Federer, on his American Minute website, points to the writings of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Brewer, who wrote in his book, The United States-A Christian Nation, which was published in 1905:

"While the separation of church and state is often affirmed, there is nowhere a repudiation of Christianity as one of the institutions as well as benedictions of society.

In short, there is no charter or constitution that is either infidel, agnostic, or anti-Christian.

Wherever there is a declaration in favor of any religion it is of the Christian ...

I could show how largely our laws and customs are based upon the laws of Moses and the teachings of Christ;

how constantly the Bible is appealed to as the guide of life and the authority in question of morals."

Federer also points out that President Truman said to the Pope in 1947: "As a Christian Nation our earnest desire is to work with men of good will everywhere to banish war and the causes of war from the world whose Creator desired that men of every race and in every clime (region) should live together in peace, good will and mutual trust ... that mankind shall live in freedom, not in the chains of untruth nor in the chains of a collectivist organization."

That doesn't mean that everyone in America is required to be Christian or that somehow Christians are to have special rights in America.  But, it does mean that the principles of Scripture held significant influence over the Founders of this country and those principles are reflected in our founding documents.  And, Christian people do not always embrace Christian principles.  But, it is irresponsible to reject our rich history and to characterize those who love America because of what it stands for and its rich Christian tradition as "Christian nationalists," which has come to be used in a pejorative way. 

God Bless the USA?  Certainly - he has.  And, we can expect that He would like to continue. That's up to us, if we are willing to walk in obedience to Him.  Remember, the term, "separation of church and state" is not a constitutional one, and it is my understanding that it was written by Thomas Jefferson to  a group of Baptists affirming that the Church should be protected from the state.  The First Amendment was never intended to remove the influence of religion from American life.