Diamond Gems

Not matter what we are called to do, we are called to be faithful to the Lord. In small things or large things, it should be our goal to be found faithful. And, we can be confident in the Lord as we do His work. Isaiah 41 says:
8 "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Fear prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God. Fear twists our thinking and corrupts our souls, so that we miss out on what He has in store for us.  If we are afraid to be obedient, to submit wholeheartedly to the Lord, because of fear, we cannot experience the joy and satisfaction of following Him. So, it is incumbent on us to train our minds to think Biblically, to make sure that we are thinking with a mind that is "renewed," according to Romans 12, and "sound," based on 2 Timothy 1.

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In 1st Peter 5, the writer addresses how we can submit our struggles to the Lord and trust in Him, even when we feel weak, helpless, or even inadequate. We can read, beginning in verse 5:
5b Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Later, we see these words, in verse 10:
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

It's been quite the season for the Atlanta Braves - the team that was a perennial postseason presence back in the 1990's is back in the World Series for the first time this millennium. And, longsuffering Atlanta fans are enthusiastically supporting the team.

This year began with the death of Braves legend Hank Aaron.  His number, 44, is emblazoned on the outfield grass at Truist Park.  It was at the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in 1974 when Hammerin' Hank made history by breaking Babe Ruth's longstanding home run record.  One of his former teammates returns to Atlanta tonight as the manager of the opponents, Dusty Baker. 

Of course, this is all special to me, having grown up in the Atlanta area and listening to the Braves on the radio and watching the team on the old channel 17, which Ted Turner built into the Superstation, garnering the team a national audience. 

A few years ago, the Braves, having fallen on hard times, went through a total rebuild, the fruit of which is being seen today.  One of the additions was a young man from my hometown of Marietta - he attended the same high school that I did, that his parents did.  

That would be the former top pick in the baseball draft, Dansby Swanson, the shortstop for the Braves. You might say that he turned a corner professionally - and spiritually, prior to last year's shortened season.  According to the Sports Spectrum website, Dansby said: “I really felt this past offseason going into this 2020 season … I felt this calling that something was going to be different for me in my spiritual life..."  He even received special prayer through a Nashville church.

You could say it was a breakthrough year, but not without struggles. Swanson said:

“I was very paralyzed with fear, or whatever you want to call it,” he said. “I was having a hard time breathing. I was having a hard time speaking, moving. I had to, like, think about it to do it. It was very robotic.”

He said regular meetings with mental wellness coach Dr. Armando Gonzalez helped him get back into a routine of reading his Bible and meditating, and he started to feel more in touch with who God created him to be. Swanson described a conversation he had with God in prayer, saying, “You wouldn’t give these things to me if I couldn’t handle them or, like, really, really succeed at them.”

Swanson admits, “If anything, the lesson that I’ve learned was that you can’t go wrong trusting and growing closer to God.”

On the opposite side, a Christian believer named Jose Altuve plays in the Astros infield, at second base. in the devotional book, Dugout Devotions II, writer Del Duduit included a chapter about the 2017 American League MVP.  On his website, Del included part of the Altuve chapter in the book, quoting him as saying:

“My faith and my relationship with God just doesn’t happen because I am successful. It just doesn’t work that way,” he said. “And I know that’s easy for me to say because I’m playing in the majors, but I have gone through my share of struggles. But those don’t stand out. What does stand out is that my mom and dad made sure we followed God. They lived the life and we followed because we saw how God took care of our family.”

Duduit writes:

He reads the Word of God and prays each day.

“It’s what gives me strength,” he said. “It’s the main thing in my life.”

To Jose, the relationship he has with the Lord is real.

“I really, really believe it,” he added. “My faith is so important to me. I never want to step away from it, and I have no interest to know what life without God would be like.”

But, you may be asking how Altuve may have factored into the well-known cheating scandal involving the Astros. There is evidence related in a book that he did not.  A post on the Fansided website covered social media comments by New York writer Andy Martino, in “Cheated: The Inside Story of the Astros Scandal and a Colorful History of Sign Stealing," and the post stated:

Several Astros players have said publicly that Altuve didn’t participate in the sign stealing scheme and didn’t want to have signs relayed to him during his at-bats. This has been further confirmed, with Martino explaining that “MLB investigators had developed an understanding that he was not interested in having the signs” before anything was publicly reported.

That's the type of thing that can certainly tarnish a person's reputation, especially a believer in Christ. And, we should always make sure that we are living according to the Word, so that if we are alleged to be participating in activity that doesn't line up with Scripture, that perhaps people will give us the benefit of the doubt, so that the cause of Christ is not damaged.  We may also be called upon to take a stand.

Both these players have related their own struggles.  There is no doubt enormous pressure on a big league baseball player to perform at a high level day after day.  For instance, I cannot imagine the potential impact of 50 or 60 thousand hostile fans who are dedicated to seeing you fail.  But, we each have our own unique struggles, and can be inspired to submit our struggles - cast our cares - upon the Lord.

At the end of the day, we recognize that for each of us, it's not just about the stats.  Certainly, I believe that God is pleased when we do our work with excellence, as we should. That can sometimes be reflected in numbers; but the results for eternity are not solely reflected in the quantity of our work - it's really all about our obedience, allowing the fruit to be produced through us.

Exposed To the Word

In order to grow and be fruitful in the Christian life, it is important that we know God better; we do that by careful and regular time with God's Word. Proverbs 30 reminds us:
5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

Through relating to God through His Word, we allow Him to perform that purifying process - His Word is pure, as we read, and as we look into Scripture, we can find out who we truly are: He shows us our identity in Christ and exposes areas that need to be brought into submission to the Lord.  We also recognize from verse 5 in Proverbs 30 that He is our protector: He provides the resources necessary in order to stand strong against the deception of the enemy.  We can set out to walk in truth.

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We can see ourselves in light of who God is and who He has made us to be by looking into the Word of God. His Word provides instruction and directs us to the power we need in order to reflect Christ. James 1 states:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

With more time on our hands during the COVID pandemic last year, it appears that people were using that opportunity to spend time in God's Word.  But, there are still indicators that use of the Bible lags behind the use of a particular social media platform.

The Lifeway Research website reports:

According to the American Bible Society’s 2021 State of the Bible study, the percentage of adult Bible users saw a marked increase this year. The study defines Bible users as individuals who read, listen to, or pray with the Bible at least three to four times a year outside of a church service or event. In 2021, 50% of Americans were Bible users, amounting to 128 million people.

That's up from the 124 million registered in the summer of 2020, and a bit behind the highest mark in the last 10 years - 129 million in 2014.  Those seem to be rather robust numbers, but when you narrow it down to just Americans who "interact" with the Bible daily, only 11% actually registered a positive response.  14% say they have such interaction multiple times a week.  That's about half of the overall 50% who are considered "Bible users."

The Lifeway Research article notes that:

In June 2020, as COVID-19 began to spread in the U.S., the State of the Bible study noted a drop in the percentage of Americans who never engage with the Bible. It dropped from 35% in 2019 to 31% in 2020, before falling further in 2021.

When asked directly, 24% of Americans say their Bible reading increased in the past year. Most (63%) say it stayed the same, while 9% say it decreased.

The article also referenced Lifeway's own study from two years ago which showed that about a third of Protestant churchgoers read the Bible every day, with another quarter saying they read it once a week - add it together, and that's still under 6-in-10 Protestant churchgoers that crack the Bible weekly.

It also references a Lifeway Research survey from last year showing that 66% of evangelical Christians use Facebook every day.  By contrast, just under 4-in-10 use YouTube.  And, 32% of evangelicals open God's Word daily.

That's not enough. Not in a culture where information and entertainment sources are plenty and we become prone to get distracted.

This is a culture that undoubtedly needs a Christian witness - and we have to search the Scriptures and allow God to speak to us so that we might know who He is, recognize who we are in Him and what it takes to live the Christian life.  To be a doer of the Word takes dedication to following God's instructions and remaining tethered to Him - we can't do the Word if we don't know it.

Even though our time in our local church activities has been at a low ebb over the past two years, God was still at work and there was an opportunity to build time in God's Word into our altered schedules. And, some took advantage of that.  Now, we can evaluate how we can efficiently use our time during the "new normal," in order to build that time with God into our daily routine. 

King Jesus

When we accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives and are born again, we have a new identity, as new creatures in Christ, and a new loyalty - to Jesus as our King. Paul highlights this in 1st Timothy chapter 1:
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck...

The enemy is looking for opportunities to shipwreck our faith - it can be through a variety of forms of sin, including misplaced priorities.  We can become so distracted in pursuing the philosophies of this world that we lose sight of how God's Word should govern all the decisions we make and create within us a view of the world, a worldview, which becomes the standard for our thoughts and actions as we relate to the world around us.  We are here to glorify the King, the One true King, ruler of all!

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Paul wrote to Timothy about keeping the proper perspective on the preeminence of our Savior. In 1st 
Timothy 6, he wrote:
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.

There seems to be no shortage of material online that examines trends concerning evangelicalism in America.  And, I think it's good to look at ourselves in the Church - but for the sake of actually doing better by better representing Christ.

The journalist and op-ed writer tends to link Christianity to political involvement, but in a reverse way from the way that it not only should be, but that it may actually be.  The journalist and editorialist sees politics as a corrupting force on the Church, whereas the Biblical view is that all we participate in should be in submission to Christ.  Some see evangelical support for certain political candidates as being detrimental to the cause - but you have to wonder, is it that way because people declare it to be or because, in reality, it is?  

This leads to a nice summary piece by Richard Ostling, who has written for a number of publications, including GetReligion.org, where I saw this article.  He has acquired the moniker of "The Religion Guy." At the Get Religion website, Ostling highlighted a recent Meet the Press segment excerpted from a half-hour piece streaming on the Peacock channel about one of the media's seemingly favorite subjects: evangelicals and politics and the connection between them.

As Ostling describes it, the piece visited two churches in Knoxville, Tennessee - one of the churches was portrayed as being more "politically active" than the other, with one pastor stating, "we're trying to not fight the culture wars from the pulpit."

Ostling contends that this sort of posturing is playing out throughout the evangelical world, as evidenced by recent articles that have been written on major websites. He referred to a couple of pieces he had written exploring "...evangelicalism's growing internal rancor and the breach between grassroots populists and the 'elite' leadership's neutrality or hostility on the Trump phenomenon," a reference to the support that the former President received from evangelicals. Ostling, the self-styled Religion Guy noted that recently, an "odd new dispute has broken out in elite ranks that involves opinion pieces from two evangelical Trump critics."  He also linked those two pieces to an op-ed at The American Conservative, in which the authors said, "over the last year, the division between evangelicals and their leadership has only grown, raising the question of who is driving the movement..." This, according to the Guy, has produced "an identity 'crisis.'"

The division, as highlighted in these stories, seems to be centered on, as one group of writers said, "cultural accommodation dressed as convictional religion." In other words, as the former editor of a major Christian publication wrote recently, the publication was "all too anxious to win accolades from opinion-makers in a secularizing American culture who are anything but friendly toward conservative Christianity."  Can you say "people-pleasers?"

One of those indicted "people-pleasers," according to Ostling, has ramped up the rhetoric, writing about "reactionary politics and intolerant anti-woke militancy" within the Church, declaring, "A godless and hateful movement is taking root in all too many pews, often (and perversely) spread in the name of Christ."

We certainly have to be careful that we are not replacing Biblical fidelity with unhealthy political fealty.  Our political allegiances should be submitted to the Lordship, or Kingship of Christ.  Some would say that Christians should possess no political loyalties; I would contend that our loyalty should be to the truth - and those in the public square who uphold it, as long as they uphold it.

But, we ignore the cultural trends that are undermining our society at our peril.  As long as there is a spiritual battle going on, it will be expressed through what is commonly termed the "culture war." A big question is whether or not we are going to be so busy fighting each other as believers and over-analyzing political choices to the point that we do not discern and counter the activity of the true enemy who is infiltrating hearts and minds with ideas that do not line up with a Biblical perspective. 

But we have to learn to fight well, using Biblical methods.  We are not called to be so combative in our culture that we undermine the power of the message.  We are called, as Ephesians 4 directs us, to speak truth, but to speak truth with love.  Love is not compromising, love is not virtue-signaling, and it's certainly not staking out ground that marginalizes those that do not agree.  The gospel grows in soil that is tendered by compassion and conviction - we can declare Jesus in a manner that welcomes others to experience His love and truth. 

Who Will Lead?

Good leadership is important in carrying out the work of the gospel - and as Christians, we are all called to serve Christ, and to a certain degree, we have the capacity to lead someone else and should seek to model good Christian behavior. 1st Timothy 5 reminds us:
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
18 For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."
19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.

There's an element of respect with which we should treat those who are called to serve in spiritual leadership.  And, because they are public figures, in a sense, and even considered the "face" of the church, it can become easy to evaluate their performance by almost inhuman standards - if we place expectations on our pastors and church leaders, it can be detrimental to showing the proper respect for them and can even contribute to disunity in the body - so we have to make sure we are praying and controlling our tongue; or perhaps better said, praying by controlling our tongue.

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The author of Hebrews, in chapter 13, directs the readers to make sure they are showing the proper respect for leaders in the Church. In verse 7, the writer notes:
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

And, later in the chapter, we can read:
17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

In our mission statement, Faith Radio states our support for the local church.  It is not our desire to replace or supersede the work of the local church, but to strengthen the local church by providing teaching and encouragement for the members of it.  As I like to say, stronger Christians make for stronger churches, and that is a serious responsibility that we have as we present Christian content.

And, local churches come in, as the old cliche says, all shapes and sizes.  Some are independent, others are part of a denomination.  Even the denominational structures can vary: some implement a "top-down" structure with a great degree of governance from a central body, others have a "bottom-up" structure, with local church autonomy being front and center.

The largest Protestant denomination is the Southern Baptist Convention.  According to Lifeway.com:

According to the latest Annual Church Profile (ACP) report, the Southern Baptist Convention saw key metrics decline in 2020, including baptisms, membership, average weekly worship attendance, giving and total number of Southern Baptist congregations.

Southern Baptist membership, as of the end of 2020, was at 14 million congregants in almost 48,000 churches. In the midst of COVID, there was over a 15% decline in weekly worship attendance, down to 4.4 million in-person worshippers.  I believe you can safely say that there was a significant number of virtual worshippers, in addition to that.  So, numerically, the denomination remains quite formidable.

Unfortunately, there has been plenty of negative publicity for the Convention over the past few years: inner struggles with respect to critical race theory, the role of women in the church, and instances of and concerns about sexual abuse have rocked the denomination.  Leadership in the denomination has come under fire, and recent series of events regarding the handling of sexual abuse cases has led to the resignation of two major leaders from the SBC Executive Committee and around a dozen committee members.  I do find it interesting that for an organization based on local church autonomy, the committee charged with operating the convention throughout the year has been the prime focus regarding its handling of sexual abuse allegations. I do want to point out that local churches can and should be taking the lead in identifying and dealing with abuse in their midst. Sexual abuse is abhorrent, and the accusations and virtue-signaling that you see so often on social media about who is most concerned about victims is counterproductive to a unified and Biblical effort to minister to the survivors.

I came across a recent article written by the incoming President of the SBC Pastors Conference, Matt Henslee, who serves as Associational Mission Strategist of Collin Baptist Association in Texas.  No matter which side of the denominational tug-of-war one might find himself or herself, Henslee offers some great perspective, in my estimation. He writes at Religion News Service:

So, “Can anyone lead the Southern Baptist Convention forward?”

Yes. And they already are.

He specifies those "outside of the limelight," saying, '''They' are not the presidents of our seminaries, but the pastors, Sunday school teachers and volunteer age-graded ministry directors who are leading the Southern Baptist Convention."

...the SBC is not run by elites but, rather, by ordinary people who show up and lead. They unlock the doors on Sundays, brew the coffee, adjust the thermostat (much to the chagrin of Ms. Helen), teach a Sunday school lesson, rock a baby or preach a sermon. They go to the nations with the gospel or plant churches in hard-to-reach areas.

The true leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention are the ones leading their churches to give through the Cooperative Program to send missionaries and church planters and to train their future pastors (and more). The true leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention are reaching their communities, schools and neighbors for Jesus. The true leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention may not have a glossy business card with a fancy title or even have a title at all, but they are leading — now.

He wraps up by saying: "While entity heads and trustees are important, the true leaders of the SBC are already leading — now, right before your eyes."

The work of the Kingdom is powered by individual Christians operating out of and tethered to the local church.  God has a structure and a mechanism - Jesus is the head, and we are the body.  And, the body has its own uniquely gifted individuals to carry out the work of ministry.  And, whether a denomination is top-down or bottom-up, or there is no denomination at all, we can recognize the potential effectiveness for Christ that the local body represents.

We can also acknowledge that leadership is important.  The quality of visionary, Bible-centered leadership cannot be underestimated.  And, during October, Pastor and Staff Appreciation Month, we can choose to honor those who are called to served in those capacities, being mindful to pray for and affirm the spiritual leaders in our congregations.  Plus, each person can seek the Lord regarding how He might be calling him or her to lead. 

It's easy to get caught up in examining and even magnifying the shortcomings of leaders in the Church.  After all, they are targets - not only of those who feel it is their calling to scrutinize the actions of fellow believers, but also of the enemy, who would seek to bring them down. And, there has certainly been success in that regard.  Moral failures, errors in judgment, and poor decision-making, and the allegations thereof, can enter into our conversations, and the Internet and social media play a key role. While we can and should hold leaders accountable, we should also make sure that we are affirming faithful servants who lead their congregations day by day, navigating the challenges and proclaiming the truth of God's Word.

On Duty

We serve a God who is dedicated to restoration - to repair what is in a state of disrepair and to bring healing where there are wounds. Malachi 4 shows us a panoramic view of God's restorative desire:
4 "Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."

Our Heavenly Father has come to bridge the gap, to bring people through Himself, and He loved us so much that He was willing to send His only Son in order that we might be in right relationship with God in salvation.  The relationship was severed by sin, but we can know the One who has come to repair it. Jesus, who is now alive and at work as our Savior, is the reconciler: in our lives individually, as well as our families, and our churches and communities - we can trust Him to express His love through those He has redeemed.

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In Psalm 68, we find an expression of the goodness of God, our loving Father, who can fill the voids that arise in a fallen world. We can read:
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name Yah, And rejoice before Him.
5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.
6 God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Southwood High School in Louisiana had a problem recently - students were acting so unruly that there were 23 arrests in just 3 days related to fighting, according to a CBSNews.com report.  So, a group of fathers decided things had to change. The article says:

They formed Dads on Duty — a group of about 40 dads who take shifts spending time at the school in Shreveport, Louisiana, greeting students in the morning and helping maintain a positive environment for learning, rather than fighting.

Since their arrival on the scene - no incidents of fighting as of last Friday.  The fathers' presence has apparently made a huge difference. Michael LaFitte, who launched the group, said, "We're dads. We decided the best people who can take care of our kids are who? Are us..."  The dads keep showing up and for some become a fatherly influence. One of the quotes from the article is: "Because not everybody has a father figure at home – or a male, period, in their life. So just to be here makes a big difference..."  CBS stated that the school is a happier place, reporting: "...it's that perfect mix of tough love and gentle ribbing that dads do so well that has helped transform this school."

KTBS Television reports that:

Principal Kim Pendleton says that the students love having the dads around. Many of the dads are people they go to church with or live down the street from. Pendleton hopes even more parents can get involved.

We see here a group consisting of dozens of dads who are living out the concept of fatherhood in a greater scope than only in their own homes.  Film producer Stephen Kendrick and his brothers recently released a documentary about the power of fatherhood, called, Show Me the Father.  In a piece at Crosswalk.com, Michael Foust quotes Stephen as saying, "Fatherhood on Earth was created out of the Fatherhood of God," adding, "And He did not create it to replace Him. [Instead,] he created it to represent and then introduce Him to everybody."  The presence of a father, a role created by God, can be indelible and effective in impacting the lives of his children.

Remembering that God, our Heavenly Father, has instituted that role, means that fathers can rely on the power of the Lord to make a significant mark on the lives of not only their children, but to bring the reality of God into various spheres of influence.  It is not surprising that the principal of the school in Shreveport noted that at least some of the dads are from the local church. 

In a broken world, as Stephen Kendrick notes, we can rely on God's power to bring strength and stability; he said that the stories they have placed in the movie, Show Me the Father, "...reveal that in the midst of all of our human brokenness, and even with dysfunctional fathers, God still shines as the perfect Father that we all long for and need."  We can depend on the Spirit to open doors and reveal opportunities to demonstrate Godly character.

How Big?

God is calling us to be people of prayer, and the practice of calling upon the Lord can be second-nature to the believer in Christ. James chapter 5 states:
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

This is not a matter of saying the magic words and see good things happen.  Certainly God is faithful, but I don't believe He responds positively to flippancy.  He does want us to come into a deep, abiding love relationship with Him, in which we desire to please the Father and to honor our Savior. Prayer is the two-way method of communication that God has given to us, knowing we can come to Him, with the right heart and a faith perspective based on Scripture, confident that we will see Him move according to His will.

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Jesus said in John 15 that if we abide in Him and His Word abides in our hearts, then we can pray to Him, and He will answer our prayers. 1st John 5 offers a companion passage, which says:
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

We celebrate the gift of life and can give glory to the author of life when babies are born. Pastor João Prudêncio Neto and his wife, Karolinne, had experienced that - they were parents of one child, David, but it was apparent that they could not have another without special treatments; a recent Christian Headlines article spotlighted their story.

But, as the article notes, the pastor cried out to God, writing, beginning with Psalm 40:1, "I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard me when I cried for help...After I had our firstborn son David, I became infertile," adding, "My wife Karolinne Prudêncio was healthy and also dreamed of having another child. Until the Lord Jesus healed me, giving me life to produce another."  The article says, "Neto added that he and his wife prayed daily for a miracle and attributed glory to God for the answered prayer 'without any artificial procedure.'"

Karolinne did, in fact, give birth earlier this year, and Christian Headlines notes, there was a video of João and David holding the newborn baby girl, Giovanna:

According to CBN News, the original video was posted to Instagram on March 4 by the father, João Prudêncio Neto, after his wife gave birth to "their miracle" daughter. At the time of its release, the clip received over 48,500 views.

And recently, the @baby_adorable page shared the video. Christian Headlines reported that it received "more than 1,100 comments and over 70,000 likes," adding, "The response was overwhelmingly positive as users flooded the comment section."

Pastor João says: "Giovanna's birth is not only a blessing to our family, but also to all those who dream of one day experiencing the miracle that only Jesus can do..."

In processing this story, we can ask ourselves, what am I trusting God for?  For whatever reason, we may find ourselves underestimating the power of God and the largeness of what He wants to do in our lives.  We can pray and seek God, and allow Him to lead us in praying according to His will.  I think it's perfectly OK to not only pray to him in the small things, but the big ones, as well.  But we can be motivated to pray expectantly.

I believe that there is nothing too small to submit to God, nor anything too big to present before Him. The Bible tells us nothing is impossible with God, and that can encourage us when we consider that He is inviting us to come into His presence and approach His throne; Jesus has made that possible.  God delights when we come before Him and bring our requests to Him; He loves us and, if we are humble and not asking selfishly, we can be confident when we pray, desiring that He receives the glory.

Not-So-Super Morality

The Bible has a number of examples of people who exhibited bravery in the midst of opposition, when facing sometimes extraordinary challenges, but who were faithful to God and reliant on His power. Philippians 1 says:
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

That conduct described as "worthy of the gospel" is produced through our willingness to abide in Christ; as He taught in John 15, we are the branches who abide in Him, the vine. So we have to stay connected to Him and to one another, so that His power might be demonstrated through His people. There will be adversaries - sometimes human, often supernatural and unseen, but we can remember that greater is He who is in us, the living Christ, than the enemy who seeks to defeat us, and God's power is available to embolden us when we face those who are hostile to the message of Christ.  

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The changing of the guard was about to take place in the life of Israel - Moses, who had led the people in the wilderness, was handing the leadership role over to Joshua, and he made a public pronouncement that we find in Deuteronomy chapter 31:
7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.
8 And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

The announcement has come that another comic book hero will be engaging in immoral sexual behavior in upcoming installments - according to Faithwire, Superman, the Man of Steel, will be "depicting Jon Kent — the son of the original Superman, Clark Kent — as a bisexual man who strikes up a romantic relationship with male reporter Jay Nakamura."

A former television Superman disputes the creator's contention that this is a "bold" move.  The article notes that:

Dean Cain, who portrayed the Man of Steel in the 1990s television show “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” is calling out DC Comics for “bandwagoning” for depicting the latest iteration of the superhero as bisexual.

Cain contends that the direction is neither "bold" nor "brave."  The article goes on to say:

The actor asked “who’s really shocked” about the direction when other superheroes, like DC’s Robin and Marvel’s Captain America, are bisexual and homosexual, respectively.

Cain made his comments on Fox and Friends; related to Superman, he says, “They’re talking about having him fight climate change and the deportation of refugees and he’s dating a hacktivist — whatever a hactivist is,” Dean continued. “Why don’t they have him fight the injustices that created the refugees whose deportation he’s protesting? That would be brave, I’d read that.”  Cain contends, "There’s real evil in this world today, real corruption and government overreach, plenty of things to fight against. Human trafficking — real and actual slavery going on… It’d be great to tackle those issues.”

Earlier this year, The Christian Post ran a story about a film in which Cain starred; the article relates:

He stars in the new film “Trafficked: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare,” inspired by multiple true stories from American suburban families whose lives were uprooted after one of their children was abducted and trafficked.

"I just think it's a hugely important topic and subject for today that people don't really appreciate how dangerous it is, [and] how many predators exist out there for our children,” Cain told The Christian Post. “My son is 20 years old now but I've been having these conversations with him for 20 years, about the internet and people and safety and situational awareness and all these different things.”

The article also notes the role of the Church in fighting this activity, stating:

Cain, who is a professing Christian, said there are things people of faith can do to help combat this great evil.

“Trafficked” features a scene where a church gets involved and rescues a young lady being held as a prisoner. The actor called it "one of the most powerful moments" in the film.

"You have to talk about the ugliness of it, and you can get involved,” he emphasized. "You'd love to think that your faith could bring you to a place where you could be that heroic for someone.”

Cain noted his fondness for being involved in faith-based films:

"I like making movies of faith and discussing faith and showing faith in a positive light. I feel like there's been a real big-time attack on Christianity and morality in a sense recently, and I don't agree with it,” he states.

The Michigan native works regularly with a group called JC films that makes ministry films.

Dean Cain, as well as Antonio Sabato, Jr., who stars in the latest God's Not Dead film and has launched his own studio, are committed to being part of telling stories that influence culture with truth consistent with Scripture. Good for them, and good for anyone who wants to share stories that make an impact - consider the story God has written in your life can be influential in someone else's life. 

This is a time for bravery - the culture is moving in a direction away from God, and it could be very easy for people of faith to be spectators, watching this decline from the sidelines.  But, I believe Christ is calling us into the game, to see how we can reclaim our culture, in small and large ways, and point people who are seeking hope in the direction of our Savior, who is our living hope.

We recognize that not all of us are called to be Superman or Superwoman, but we can be a hero to people because we choose to follow the Savior with our whole hearts.  We can seek to be a hero in our marriages, our families, our churches, our workplaces, and our relationships.  Not because we are great in ourselves, but because we depend on our Savior, who is faithful to those who submit to Him.

Measures of Faithfulness

Even in a season of challenge, we can be confident in the Church, the body of Christ. And, one huge reason is because Jesus is confident about the Church. Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 1:
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Why can the Church be effective to do the work God has called us today, to live out our purpose?  It is because of the power and position of Christ relative to His Church, His body.  Jesus said if He is lifted up, He will draw all people unto Himself.  So we can consider whether or not we are lifting Jesus up, exalting Him in our actions and attitudes, displaying the love of Christ into a world that has a deficiency in hope.  The Church is powerful, and has great potential to impact this world for God.

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God has a glorious plan for His Church - we are the body of Christ, we recognize Him as the head, and where Jesus is exalted, we can see His mission carried out through His people. Ephesians chapter 2 states:
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...

For years, the Hartford Institute for Religion Research has provided statistics relative to church size, and it has just released its latest Faith Communities Today, or FACT, survey, from the year 2020, according to a recently published report at ReligionNews.com, which says that the Institute has been conducting these surveys every five years since 2000.

The overarching theme of the survey is decline in church attendance among Protestants, including evangelicals, and indicates some warning signs for small churches.  The article says that...

It found that mainline Protestants suffered the greatest decline over the past five years (12.5%), with a median of 50 people attending worship in 2020. Evangelical congregations declined at a slower rate (5.4%) over the same five-year period and had a median attendance of 65 people at worship. Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches declined by 9%.

That median of 65 is a drop of over half since the first survey in 2000, when the median evangelical church worship attendance was 137.  It was at 80 back in 2015. Religion News quotes Scott Thumma, director of the Hartford Institute, and the author of the survey, who said: “The dramatically increasing number of congregations below 65 attendees with a continued rate of decline should be cause for concern among religious communities.”  By the way, this survey was conducted prior to the lockdowns due to the coronavirus.  Overall, the decline of "religious congregations" in the U.S. is down 7% since 2015.

But smaller churches still have a chance of survival.  The article notes:

Allen Stanton, director of the Turner Center for Rural Vitality at the University of Tennessee Southern, said smaller congregations need to be judged on their own metrics.

“We’re asking rural churches to be more like large and suburban churches and they’re not designed to be,” said Stanton, author of “Reclaiming Rural: Building Thriving Rural Congregations.”

Thumma warns, though, that median-size churches have a challenge ahead, saying: “These congregations were built in the post-World War II era,” adding, “They’re struggling to have enough staff to satisfy everybody. And they don’t have all the programs of larger churches.”  Churches between 100 and 250 in attendance had a 12% median decline.

Another finding of this most recent study, according to Religion News: "Congregations are becoming more racially diverse. In 2000 only 12% of congregations were multiracial. In the latest survey, the figure climbed to 25%." A congregation is considered "multiracial" when 20% or more of participants are not part of the dominant racial group.

So, here are my takeaways:

First of all, there may be a scarcity of financial and human resources in churches today, but the good news is that God's resources are unlimited.  We can trust Him to provide His resources in order to further the ministry that He intends.

We also recognize that churches can determine how best to serve the areas to which they are called - for starters, serve the people.  We have each been given a mission, and He gives the power and direction in order for us, and the churches of which we are a part, to complete it.

Overall, from an ecumenical standpoint, median church attendance was down 7%.  That is certainly not a death knell, but numbers don't tell the whole story.  Numbers can be an indication of the health of a church, but if we are simply watching the numbers, we may be missing the point.  We are called to be faithful, and allow God to handle the results.

Where's Pete?

We have to make sure that we are exhibiting the principles of Scripture in the way that we live - our marriages should reflect the love of God and in our families, we should seek to exalt Christ. Our duty as believers is to obey the Lord and to shine His light to our culture. 2nd Corinthians 4 relates:
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Day by day, we can remind ourselves that we represent Christ - in the way we interact with others, in the way we conduct ourselves in the workplace, in the way we relate to one another in our homes. We have been given that capacity to uphold Biblical truth, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can glorify God in our conduct. The Spirit will direct us and remind us of who we are, so that we demonstrate Christ to our culture.

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The Bible is certainly clear about homosexuality, as well as so-called gay marriage. Some say Jesus did not teach on the matter; Jesus gave a clear picture in Mark chapter 10:
6 But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'
7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
8 and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

The picture seemed to be everywhere - and why not? The celebration of the birth of a child is something about which we should rejoice.  But, this black-and-white photo of the two parents and their twin daughters was certainly askew. 

As Katy Faust and Stacy Manning described it on the LifeSiteNews website:

More accurately, two men, who are biologically prohibited from “becoming” parents without the involvement and sacrifice of a woman or two, have acquired children.

Even more disquieting, their photo announcement featured the pair seated on a hospital bed, displacing the woman who carried these babies for nine months and labored to bring them into the world.

One of the men was the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who made headlines by running for President and then being nominated and confirmed as Secretary of Transportation, even though there were those who questioned his qualifications.  That would be Pete Buttigieg, he is married to Chasten, his husband, and they have adopted two children.

But, Pete and Chasten, in their efforts to flaunt their disregard for biology and sociology, have deprived these children of some important components, according to Faust and Manning, who write:

Lest you knee jerk and regurgitate the “research shows children with same sex parents fare ‘no differently’ than kids with opposite sex parents” line, here’s a little thought experiment. Anytime sociologists are studying family structures other than same sex-parenting, they overwhelmingly agree that:

1. Biology matters. Biological parents stack the deck in favor of child safety and thriving throughout their childhood.
2. Gender matters. Mothers and fathers offer distinct and complementary benefits to children.
3. Parental loss is harmful. Children experience diminished outcomes when they lose a parent to divorce, abandonment (even if subsequently adopted), death, or third-party reproduction.

So how could it be that same-sex parented kids magically fare “no differently” when, by the very nature of their family structure, they are always missing a biological parent, always deprived maternal or paternal love, and always arrive in their home via parental loss? The answer of course is that those “no difference” studies are methodologically flawed.

"Mayor Pete," as he was called during the campaign, hasn't been officially back to work since.  And, the announcement came on August 17.  Last week, the New York Post reported:

Besides several recent television hits, Buttigieg has been a stay-at-home dad Politico reported — out on paternity leave for nearly two months amid the spiraling crisis to spend time with his husband and two newborn babies. And the Biden cabinet secretary plans to continue to give them home support in the coming weeks, the report said.

The news of Buttigieg’s daddy day care comes as dozens of large ships remained stuck in a traffic jam near the Los Angeles coast for more than a month waiting to dock and unload goods including toasters, sneakers, bicycles and cars. A shortage of truckers has also prevented companies from distributing supplies across the country.

Congressional leaders were calling Buttigieg to get back to work.  The Post article points out:

Per the Office of Personnel Management, cabinet secretaries are not eligible for the same paid family leave benefits as other federal workers, making it hard to justify leaving for long periods of time. However, the president can “choose to allow him to take time off.”

While it is unclear if Biden approved Buttigieg’s paternity leave, the White House has called the secretary a “key member of the team,” saying, “We’re overjoyed for him and Chasten, and believe every American should have access to paid family leave.”

Actually, it may be a good thing that Secretary Pete is off the job.  Think about it - how did we get into this mess?  Is the supply chain messed up already due to government interference - paying workers to stay home, threatening companies who don't vaccinate their employees?  But, it is certain that we need help in getting products to their destinations, but until policies change, what can the inexperienced, unqualified Secretary of Transportation do?  Perhaps free market, private solutions and the removal of heavy-handed government policies is a better way forward, and let Pete and Chasten keep playing house.

And, by the way, you can also say that it is certainly not the role of government to interfere in private, conscience-driven health decisions.  In the interest of maintaining order and punishing evil, how about some relief for our law enforcement and first responders, who are now facing department reductions because of vaccine mandates and the pressures of trying to protect and serve in a cultural atmosphere that is biased against them.

We also should expect our leaders to respect a building block of our culture - marriage between a man and a woman.  However, that has not been the case for some time - Obergefell was a critical step along that timeline, and we are continuing to see the idea of same-sex marriage treated the same as marriage as it is defined by Scripture.  And, the idea of a same-sex couple adopting children still has its minefield - the Supreme Court only months ago ruled that an adoption agency did not have to place children in the home of a same-sex couple; critics have said that the decision is quite narrow, though.

Also, Fox Business reported that dozens of senators have decried a marriage penalty in the proposed infrastructure bill.  The article says:

Highlighting the financial imposition the bill places on married couples, the senators argued that federal policy "should be designed to foster strong marriages" and warned that the "harmful penalties for marriage" sends "the wrong message" to American families.

Flying Blind

There's a passage in Romans chapter 14 that provides some great perspective about our submission to Christ and how that produces a sense of freedom in our decision-making. We see these words:
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Our moral compass is determined by our devotion to Christ, and the certainty of our relationship to Him is our true north.  We know, within the body of Christ, that there will be issues over which we disagree, but we can be certain of the truths of Scripture concerning our salvation in Christ and His Lordship over our lives. We can agree as disciples, yet differ on how we live that out; we can consistently seek to be grounded in the teachings of Scripture.

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In 1st Timothy chapter 1, we find that Paul is encouraging Timothy to stand strong, and to, in essence, seize the leadership mantle God had placed upon him. We can read:
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 having faith and a good conscience...

As we wrestle with some of the economic numbers that have been released as of late, there are some glaring principles that emerge.  When facing a shortage of goods travelling to their destinations, you have to have the personnel in order to deliver the items.  For a few months, unemployment payments by the federal government, as well as states, provided disincentives to working.  So, people, faced with making more money by staying at home, exercised that option.

Now, with companies threatening to fire workers who do not comply with the government's threats to either mandate COVID vaccines for its own employees and to fine employers who do not force their employees to get the shots, there is a very real threat of a reduction of the workforce.  Rather than allowing people to make their own decisions based on their own factors, research, and conscience, we face the possibility of a greatly reduced workforce.

Recently, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, while missing the boat, or flight, in trying to punish the state of Georgia and city of Atlanta for their election reform laws, has labeled the threat of COVID vaccine mandates as "divisive."  In touting his company's 90% rate, according to Fox Business, he stated his view of the government's flawed philosophy:

"By the time we’re done, we’ll be pretty close to fully vaccinated as a company without going through all the divisiveness of a mandate," he said. "We’re proving that you can work collaboratively with your people, trusting your people to make the right decisions, respecting their decisions and not forcing them over the loss of their jobs."

The article said that, "Bastian acknowledged that there will need to be religious and medical accommodations made for those who wish to remain unvaccinated while avoiding having to threaten employment status."

Good for him - other airlines have not been so forthright, though.  Take Southwest, for instance, which has had troubled why it recently cancelled over 2000 flights over the course of a weekend.  According to a piece on the Standing for Freedom Center website, first it tried to blame the weather and issues with air traffic controllers.  But, other airlines did not face these issues, it seems.  The CEO of the airline seemed to be circling the airport in explaining what happened.  Finally, he stated his opposition to a mandate, but said the airline was trying to comply with the President's mandate that government employees be vaccinated by December 8 - you see, airline employees are considered to be federal contractors, according to Southwest's CEO.  But, just earlier today, the airline announced, according to CNBC.com, the following:

Southwest Airlines has scrapped a plan to put unvaccinated employees who have applied for but haven’t received a religious or medical exemption on unpaid leave starting by a federal deadline in December.

The Standing for Freedom website article says:

Fairly soon after the cancellations started piling up, it began circulating that the delays were in fact being caused by Southwest pilots “walking out” or calling in sick — on purpose. This “sick out” was an effort to protest the impending threat of losing their jobs due to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate (for a refresher on that mandate, see here).

Shawn Andrew Walker, ostensibly a pilot (captain) for American Airlines, issued a strong warning for everyone across America to stand up for freedom in the face of increasing mandates — before it’s too late. The video quickly went viral...

Oh, and of course, this tumultous weekend occurred after the Southwest pilots' union had filed suit against the mandate.

According to William Wolfe of the Standing for Freedom Center, this was a teachable moment.  He writes:

Americans are desperate for inspiration and longing for leaders — anyone — to stand up to the tyrants and defend their freedoms, to stand athwart history — this dystopian history unfolding before our eyes — and yell “stop!” Enough with the mandates. Enough with the madness. Enough.

For a moment, for a weekend, even as flights were grounded, spirits soared. Millions of Americans were inspired simply by the thought that a critical mass of employees took a stand against the unlawful, unconstitutional Biden administration vaccine mandates.

So, where do we stand?  People are leaving their jobs, either voluntarily or by force, because they are being coerced to make a private health decision. Is this a Biblical issue? David Closson of Family Research Council points out:

Christians believe that to willfully act against one’s conscience is sinful. Romans 14:23 teaches that “For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” This admonition seems especially pertinent when the action involves something as personal as injecting something into one’s body which, according to Scripture, is a “temple of the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:19). In other words, Christians believe it is sinful to do something that goes against their conscience; therefore, it is morally wrong to force anyone to do something that violates their conscience. In the context of the vaccine mandate, it seems appropriate to honor and respect those who have legitimate, morally informed reasons for receiving or not receiving a vaccine.

Let me say this, we should be thankful for the incredible governmental system that we have here in America.  And, I affirm the work of the thousands of federal, state, and municipal employees who go to work each day, faithfully perform their duties, and carry out the services that benefit our communities.

But, overreach - driven by a desire for power and control, can be counterproductive. The Bible has a prescription for the role of government, and while order is paramount, unhealthy control should be countered.  That's why this article from which I quoted from the Standing for Freedom Center at Liberty University is so accurate, I believe.   

As believers in Christ, we are called to liberty, and we can be inspired by those who are setting that example.  Freedom, as I have related before, does not give us the capability to do everything we want, but we certainly can have the capacity to do what we should.  For the Christian, we represent the Lord, and have willingly placed ourselves under His control.  So, day by day, we can make sure that we are seeking God in all our decisions.  And, in all things, we can be resolved to stand in His truth.

Focus in the Fire

We know that God loves justice, and we are called to obey our civil authorities - our culture is greatly harmed when lawlessness prevails. But, we can also recognize that those who have been convicted of crimes or who have committed sin can come to know the mercy of God, which is expressed through His people. Micah chapter 6 states:
6 With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

The last verse in the passage is certainly an attitude adjuster, isn't it?  We are called to pursue what is good - and we know that justice and mercy are both good.  When someone wrongs us, it is a human response to seek to exact revenge, to become angry and bitter, but the Scripture teaches against it.  We have a legal system that is established to bring punishment and we should use and respect that, but we can also recognize that we should seek to be people of mercy and compassion; to pray for those who do wrong to come to a saving knowledge of Christ; after all, we have done wrong, as well.  But, Jesus has died for us all.

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We know that our God is a God of ultimate, perfect justice, but we also recognize that He is full of mercy. As it's been said, justice would require that we die for our sins, but because of God's mercy, Jesus died in our place. So, even though laws might be broken and those who do so are brought to justice, we also recognize that we can show compassion for those who commit crimes, or sin. Isaiah 30 states:
18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you.

Several weeks ago, I shared with you about the act of vandalism that was perpetrated on a church in Nashville, and I related some of the comments of Axis Church pastor Jeremy Rose, from a Baptist Press article - he said:

“Our message to this perpetrator is, ‘Don’t come through the window, come through the door,’” he said. “Don’t feel like you have to break the window to get in.”

Rose added that whoever set the fire “could be one of our next elders or someone leading our women’s ministry, who knows.”

“We all respond in different ways carrying life’s struggle and burden,” he said. “This is the way this person responded. … I encouraged my people to see this guy’s not that much different than we are. It’s been beautiful to see our people respond with a Gospel shadow and Gospel reflex through the situation.”

From what I can tell, no one has been arrested in the crime.

An attack on a house of worship is certainly unnerving and offensive.  And, that occurrence hit closer to home not long ago, as Montgomery's First Baptist Church experienced an arson attempt.  A perpetrator set four fires in different areas of the church building after hours, including in a reception area and two sanctuaries.  There was significant smoke damage throughout the facility.

The event, and the church's subsequent response, have made national news, with CBN News reporting online about the fires and senior pastor Mark Bethea's urging on the day after the fire for congregation members to pray for the perpetrator, and his reiterating the call a few days later, according to the article:

The pastor told church members last week that an arrest had been made, then urged them to pray for the transforming love of Jesus Christ to surround the suspect.

"If I believe that Jesus saved a wretched sinner such as myself, then I believe He can save a church arsonist from their sins as well. Would you join me in praying for this person by name? Pray the Lord would open their heart to the transformative power of the Gospel."

The pastor has used this opportunity to share the gospel publicly, including media.  And, he is committed to carrying on the mission of Christ, saying: "I left the church last night more encouraged and ready to take the gospel forward than ever before," adding, "What man meant for evil, God is currently using and will use for good. I believe that with every fiber of my soul."

Jesus talked about praying for those who persecute us.  We know that He changes lives, and He can change the heart of even the most hardened sinner - that's His specialty. 

In Arlington, Texas, a shooter went in to a school and ended up injuring four people. According to Faithwire:

Just hours after tragedy struck, one 15-year-old student from Arlington, Texas, joined her community in prayer not just for the four people injured by a gunman who opened fire in her school Wednesday, but for the shooter himself.

“I want to pray for the shooter, Lord God,” said Ashlyn Henson, praying through tears. “That you’d touch his mind. Touch his heart, Jesus. That you allow him to see his wrong. That you allow him to feel that remorse and that pain he caused. And that he fixes himself in your eyes, Lord God.”

The 18-year-old suspect was taken into custody.

One of the notable storylines about all three of these incidents is the Christ-like compassion shown to the alleged perpetrators - by the respective pastors in the fires and a fellow student in the case of the shooting.  We certainly would seek justice for those who have committed crimes, but we can also desire to see those who are convicted come into a saving knowledge of Christ.  It might be counterintuitive to think about exercising compassion, especially when we have been wronged.  But, the Lord gives us the capacity to see others from His perspective.

And, we know that God's justice and mercy are perfect; in contrast to our own human ideas. I can imagine that is why Paul reminded the readers in Romans chapter 12 that the Lord says, "vengeance is mine."  For us, sometimes justice can mean settling the score or exacting revenge.  That is not the way of Christ - yes, we have laws that have been established and are enforced by officials. But, we also know God's ultimate aim is redemption, to offer forgiveness for sin, even though there are consequences for our indiscretions.

Warning: Satan is Real

In John chapter 10, Jesus is teaching about His sheep hearing and following His voice, and draws the distinction between His work and that of the enemy, saying:
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

Isn't it good to know that we have a "good shepherd" who accompanies us in our journey through this world?  David referred to the Lord as his shepherd, a concept he knew well - he related that because we follow the shepherd, He will satisfy us and will cause us to lie down in green pastures and be led by the still waters - that is a picture of the peace that God so wants to give us.  We have an enemy who wants to disrupt that peace and stability, and there will be struggles, but we can, as Scripture instructs, "put on" Christ and be clothed in His armor.

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In the book of Acts, we see instance after instance on how the Church advanced in Jesus and took ground from the enemy - spiritual warfare was evident, and Peter shared his analysis in Acts 10, referring to...
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 

39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,
41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

If you caught the recent Harvest Crusade from Anaheim, California, which was streamed live on the Faith Radio Facebook page, you may have seen clips from an interview with rock legend Alice Cooper. According to the website for Harvest Ministries, which is led by Greg Laurie, "Laurie received a warm applause from the crowd after announcing that the footage from the night would be featured in his upcoming film FAME, produced by the Erwin Brothers. Throughout the night, large screens displayed clips from the film, including interviews with rock icon Alice Cooper and former MLB player Darryl Strawberry."

Wait! What?  Alice Cooper - the purveyor of music that explores darkness, with a supernatural twist, that Alice Cooper. Yes, that one. Movieguide released an article recently about a conversation that Laurie had with the musical legend:

“Had an amazing time today with my friend, Alice Cooper in Arizona,” Laurie posted on Facebook. “Alice talks about the emptiness of the life of the pursuit of fame and how he found everything he is looking for in his relationship with Christ. There is a lot of lore told about Alice, some true, some fiction. But I can tell you, having spent time today and other times I have been with him, this guy knows the Lord!”

Movieguide said that Cooper "...quoted John 14:6 and said that he, his wife, and his children live their lives trusting that Jesus is the only way to salvation." He said, “Because ‘I’m the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one comes to the Father but by Me,’ those are the truest words ever spoken,” and added, “How can you deny that? So, as far as I’m concerned, my life is based on that now. It’s not based on my rock and roll, it allows me to be a rock and roller, but, ‘follow Me.'”

Regarding his practice of Christianity and his musical performances, CNSNews.com reported in 2015 that Cooper, "now warns that not only does Satan rule this world but many of the songs he wrote over the years were 'always warning about Satan' and 'God and the Devil, and Cooper advised 'don’t pick the Devil because it’s a bad idea.'” Using quotes from Cooper's appearance on a Christian TV show called, The Harvest Show (which is not related to Greg Laurie's ministry), the article relates that he commented on...

“The very fact that He [God] cared enough about me to save my life about 20 times, you know, and help me survive a million different things to put me where I am now. And then the challenge I have now, being a Christian in the rock business. You know, He kind of put me in the philistines, the camp of the philistines, which is okay.”

Commenting on the pressure of trying to be a faithful Christian in world of rock-and-roll music, Cooper said it is not easy because God puts “your soul at ease” but the day-to-day life “makes it harder, it makes your life harder.”

Back to Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries: it reported on its robust schedule for the next year or so and shared about these opportunities:

The first is a new “cinematic crusade” which tackles the topic of Fame. Featuring guest interviews with Alice Cooper and Darryl Strawberry, this is a film that explores the temptation of fame and points to the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Look for Fame in early 2022!

In addition, look out for a feature-length film, telling the story of the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and ‘70s. Jesus Revolution, a story based on Pastor Greg’s book of the same title, is planned for 2022.

And don’t forget: Now in theaters: The Jesus Music. Produced by the Erwin Brothers, this is a compelling film on the way music has impacted the church and the kingdom of God.

Finally, we are planning two in-person, evangelistic events. First, we are coming to Boise, Idaho with the Boise Harvest! More details to come as we get closer.

Secondly, we are excited to announce Jesus Revolution, a brand-new event with Pastor Greg Laurie, taking place at the incredible, 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, July 3, 2022.

The Bible tells us that Jesus did good and healed those oppressed by the devil.  The devil - Satan - is real, and the Scriptures tell us to not only resist him, but also inform us about the resources that God has given to us to do just that; those include:

• The Word of God, that Jesus used when tempted in the wilderness,
• The Holy Spirit, who we're told is greater than he who is in the world
• The name of Jesus, which is above every name,
• The armor of God, with which we can be clothed in order to be strong against the enemy.

I think it's important to analyze situations and determine if we are under spiritual attack - the enemy wants to distract and deceive us; he will whisper in our ear and attempt to infect our minds with wrong thinking, with lies (since after all, he is the father of lies).  We can counter his schemes by using the truth, and meditating on and even speaking the Scriptures can be incredibly powerful in contributing to spiritual victory. 

Jesus defeated the power of sin and death - the enemy would want to lure us to commit sin and the Lord gives us the power to stand against temptation; in fact, the Bible tells us that God has provided a way of escape in the midst of our temptation.

The Pursuit of Truth

God calls and enables us to be wise, people who love the truth and who pursue knowledge - of Scripture, certainly, but also, I believe, how Scripture affects the way we view the world around us and how it works. Proverbs 1 states:
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

If we want to be wise, not according to the definition of this world, but related to the truth of God, we should be committed to spiritual growth - to knowing Christ, to pursuing truth. A life built on the firm foundation of Christ will reflect our desire to know the heart of God and to follow in His ways.  The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts and will illuminate our minds through the careful appropriation of the Word of God, which the Bible describes as "living and powerful."  

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The writer of Hebrews was explaining some deep truths about the nature of Christ in the 5th chapter of that book, and the author calls out the readers, saying in verse 11 that they have become "dull of hearing."  Reading on, we see these words:

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Yesterday, I made some comments about the pursuit of truth, recognizing we have the Holy Spirit as our guide, who will give us discernment, which will increase as we seek God's face and increase in our knowledge of His Word.

There is polling data that shows Americans are concerned about misinformation. The Just the News website reported on the findings of a poll from The Pearson Institute and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.  The article relates:

According to the results of the poll, conducted in mid-September, 95% of Americans identified misinformation as an issue they consider when attempting to access information online.

Roughly half of those polled place a good deal of blame squarely on the shoulders of the U.S. government, while about 75% of respondents believe social media users and tech companies are to blame.

But, bad information is commonly shared on social media, but those surveyed did not think they were part of the problem, with only about 2 out of 10 Americans saying they had spread misinformation. But 6-in-10 are "concerned" to a certain extent that perhaps their friends or family members are doing it. 

TheHill.com quoted Sheila Kohanteb, the executive director of external relations at the Pearson Institute, who said, “Americans are more likely to blame U.S. politicians, social media companies, and social media users for the spread of misinformation than foreign governments,” adding, “The results show that the public believes the spread of misinformation is an issue that the American government, companies, and individuals all need to try to address.”  

The website noted that, "only 48 percent of respondents saw the U.S. government as responsible for spreading misinformation, and just over half saw the Russian and Chinese governments as culpable for this issue. Even less, around 40 percent, saw the Iranian government and other nations as responsible for misinformation online."

The article related that this comes on the heels of another survey by AP-NORC that indicated "75 percent of respondents said they were extremely concerned or very concerned about direct threats to the nation from the spread of misinformation, more so than issues including cyberattacks and domestic extremism."

You play a role in deciding what is or isn't true - and you have to be aware of editorial comments that may be embedded in an article that you might expect to be "straight news."  Sometimes activism masquerades as journalism. While there is a legitimate place for opinion journalism, even including content that is intentionally written from a Christian worldview perspective in distinctly Christian publications, you have to take into consideration that there are sites and publications that do present the news we consume that will often have a particular slant.  So, we have to square what we read, hear, or view with our Christian worldview and we should make sure we have an assortment of sources, so that we can skillfully process what we expose ourselves to.

And, we can also consider that the selection of stories that some media outlets make can contribute to a narrative that may not be accurate - the weighting of what's important is a manipulative tool to change public perception.  This has especially been true in matters related to COVID, where the bad news seems to outweigh the good, which can elicit a response that may not be based in fact.

God's Word is the standard for truth, the Holy Spirit is our guide, and our conscience, which should be developed through the absorption of Scripture, can be incredibly beneficial in navigating the current information age.  We should be clear-headed and grounded in Christ. 

Misinformed

The Bible instructs us to pursue what is true - not only should we strive to always tell the truth, but we are to be guided by the truth we find in God's Word. Jesus said in John 16:
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Philippians 4 tells us how to think - and we're told to think on what is true. We live in an age where there is an abundance of information.  And, not all of it is true - some will be used of the enemy to deceive us.  If we're not careful, we will make life-altering decisions based on false or distorted information. We have the Holy Spirit who can help us to use discernment in those decisions, and we can be careful to deploy the power of our conscience within, trained by the Spirit and the Word, to be able to tell right from wrong.  

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We have to guard against buying into information that is not true and even runs counter to the truth of Scripture. 2nd Corinthians 11 reminds us:
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

In our world today, it is important that we are able to discern fact from fiction, that we know what is true and what is not, and to actually discern misinformation from accurate information.

There was an article released recently by the MIT Technology Review, detailing some findings from a 2019 report by a former Facebook employee contending that after the 2016 election, the social media giant was taken to task for the way it processed the information shared on its platform.  The article stated:

Facebook failed to prioritize fundamental changes to how its platform promotes and distributes information. The company instead pursued a whack-a-mole strategy that involved monitoring and quashing the activity of bad actors when they engaged in political discourse, and adding some guardrails that prevented “the worst of the worst.”

The article contends that leading up to the 2020 election:

Troll farms—professionalized groups that work in a coordinated fashion to post provocative content, often propaganda, to social networks—were still building massive audiences by running networks of Facebook pages. Their content was reaching 140 million US users per month—75% of whom had never followed any of the pages. They were seeing the content because Facebook’s content-recommendation system had pushed it into their news feeds.

These farms were found to be operating out of Eastern Europe and ultimately reached half of all Americans prior to the 2020 election. A Facebook spokesperson said that the platform had taken action against some of these so-called "bad actors," but the Technology Review said that "The report found that troll farms were reaching the same demographic groups singled out by the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency (IRA) during the 2016 election, which had targeted Christians, Black Americans, and Native Americans." 

The article treated the combined reach of these troll farms page as a single entity, and said that they comprised "the largest Christian American page on Facebook, 20 times larger than the next largest—reaching 75 million US users monthly, 95% of whom had never followed any of the pages."

In October 2019, the top sixteen Christian American pages on Facebook were all run by these troll farms.  Not until you get to Guideposts' page at #17 do you find a legitimate page.  The top 5, all originating from troll farms are: Be Happy Enjoy Life, Jesus is my Lord, You Can, Speak Loudly, and Purpose of Life.  And, it's likely that it was shared with so many news feeds because Facebook will push content to people that did not "like" the page; pages that were shared or commented on would gain extra coverage, it seems.

The author of the report said, “Our platform has given the largest voice in the Christian American community to a handful of bad actors, who, based on their media production practices, have never been to church,” adding, “Our platform has given the largest voice in the African American community to a handful of bad actors, who, based on their media production practices, have never had an interaction with an African American.”

This illustrates what I have been saying for a while now: be careful - vet your sources.  I think we have to make sure that we are making our decisions based on good information, and unfortunately, in this environment, we have to do our due diligence, making sure that the information sources we use have a proven track record of reliability.  We should be people who are absolutely committed to truth.

We should do the research and utilize a powerful force God has given to us: discernment.  We can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, who governs our lives according to the truth we find in God's Word.  I believe there are times when certain statements or series of statements just don't feel right; we get a "check" in our spirit, as it's referred to - that could very well be God leading us away from deception.

Remember, we have an enemy who specializes in disinformation.  He will attempt to fill our minds with false narratives about God, ourselves, and the world around us.  We have the power to resist Him and pursue what is right and good.