Perception Vs. Reality

Paul commended the church at Colosse for being devoted to Christ and allowing the Spirit of God to bear fruit through them. In Colossians 1, we can see these words:
3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth...

There was a tangible expression of faith in the lives of the residents of this area who belonged to Christ. They were grounded in faith, love, and hope - and fruit was being seen. We can be challenged to grow in our faith and to bear the fruit that Jesus wants to express through us.  We can be steadfast in the gospel and not distracted or deceived by cultural trends that would discourage us and demotivate us in our spiritual walk. 

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The Bible speaks to our steadfastness in this world, and we should continue to take refuge in the Lord against challenges, real or imagined. Psalm 112 says:
5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.
6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

There is some new survey data that is out that deals with perception vs. reality.  People were asked a basic question about a number of sociological groups, and were asked to complete this statement: "If you had to guess, what percentage of American adults..." The summary of this polling data by YouGov, states:

When it comes to estimating the size of demographic groups, Americans rarely get it right. In two recent YouGov polls, we asked respondents to guess the percentage (ranging from 0% to 100%) of American adults who are members of 43 different groups, including racial and religious groups, as well as other less frequently studied groups, such as pet owners and those who are left-handed.

An interesting trend emerges when you follow the data: in a number of cases in which you have small actual percentages - under 50% - people tend to perceive a higher number.  Conversely, in cases where you have over 50%, respondents tended to guess under the actual number. Why is that?  The summary projects:

One recent meta-study suggests that when people are asked to make an estimation they are uncertain about, such as the size of a population, they tend to rescale their perceptions in a rational manner. When a person’s lived experience suggests an extreme value — such as a small proportion of people who are Jewish or a large proportion of people who are Christian — they often assume, reasonably, that their experiences are biased. In response, they adjust their prior estimate of a group’s size accordingly by shifting it closer to what they perceive to be the mean group size (that is, 50%).

The higher estimates for certain groups can be informative regarding relevant cultural trends.  Here is an example: we are inundated by the presence of the so-called "transgender agenda;" it was a topic on The Meeting House program recently.  Well, get this: in the YouGov survey, respondents guessed that the percentage of the population who were transgender was 21%.  However, the actual number is 1%.  A note from the summary: "True proportions were drawn from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and polls by YouGov and other polling firms."

Percentage of Americans who are gay or lesbian?  Those surveyed said 30%, the actual percentage: 3%.

With regard to religion, the real percentage of professing Christians in the population is 70%; however, survey respondents perceived the number to be 58%.

Only one percent of the population has a household income of $500,000 a year, but the survey showed that those surveyed thought over a-quarter of the population reached that level.  

The summary states that, "When people’s average perceptions of group sizes are compared to actual population estimates, an intriguing pattern emerges: Americans tend to vastly overestimate the size of minority groups." That includes "religious minorities," as well as "racial and ethnic minorities."

These are interesting numbers, and it appears that the conductors of the survey are a bit baffled by the outcome - there has been conventional wisdom that the size of groups are overestimated because of fear, but that does not seem to be the case overall, according to the summary.  But, in the area of the LGBTQ concerns, I would submit that there has been such a emphasis in media outlets on that agenda that people attribute a greater level of importance to it.  It is concerning to think that people who practice sexual deviancy contrary to God's ways receive so much attention, even to the point of the Supreme Court legalizing and attempting to legitimize same-sex marriage. 

And, I don't think you can put the label "sexual minorities" on a group of individuals and treat them the same as religious or ethnic ones.  For the believer in Christ, I think we can conclude two things: the population is generally dismissive of the strength of the Church and the population elevates the strength of groups that do not represent a Christian perspective.  Good example: in the YouGov survey, respondents believe that 33% of the population is atheist - the real number is 3%.

We always have to be careful that we deal with objective facts rather the subjective feelings.  Ultimately, we are called to make decisions and make responses based on the Word of God, the source of absolute truth.  It is easy to jump to conclusions, and by so doing, we reduce our credibility.  Our position should be to not react to cultural trends in fear or anger, but to respond with clarity and compassion. 

Goats in the Church

David wrote the immortal words in Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd." Jesus, in John chapter 10, described Himself as the "good shepherd," teaching...
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

Later in the chapter, Jesus says:
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
30 I and My Father are one."

Jesus, here in His earthly ministry, was teaching His disciples that He would lay down His life for those He loved.  He pointed out some of the dynamics of that relationship that we, as His sheep, have with our shepherd:  we are known by Him, we hear His voice, and follow Him. We can be challenged to recognize His love for us and authority over us; we can listen for Him and follow as He leads - our hearts can be right before God and devoted to loving our shepherd.

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In Matthew 25, we find a sobering description of two groups of people - those who are the "sheep," the obedient ones, and the "goats," those who disobeyed God, perhaps even pretending to be what they are not. Jesus taught regarding the sheep...
34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

Those described as the "righteous," the sheep asked when they had done these things, and we read later in the chapter:  
40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

Conversely, the "goats" are told they did not do these things, and the King said to them,
(45) 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Today I want to share with you the story of a church burglary and the rather unusual perpetrators. But, there actually is a spiritual takeaway from it.  

There were no arrests in the crime, even though the guilty parties were caught in the act.  It occurred in Autauga County at Bethesda Church. WSFA reported that the Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene to find the front door, a glass door, shattered.  

And, they encountered the culprits in the church kitchen - the story says that "One was standing on top of a freezer while the other was wondering around the room."

Sound a bit odd?  Why, of course, until you realize that the perps, the criminals - were two goats!!

The television station's website related a post from the Autauga County Sheriff's Office, which said:

Goats Need Jesus Too!

Yesterday Autauga County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to an alarm call at the Bethesda Church off Co Rd 33. When deputies arrived they thought they had a burglary because the front door glass of the church was broken. Upon performing a search of the premises....two goats were discovered in the kitchen. The owner was notified and the goats were wrangled up and taken back home. We have to say this is a First here in Autauga County to find goats in a church!

There was even visual evidence posted on the Facebook page.

Goats in the Church?  Actually, it's a spiritual concept.  In Matthew 25, Jesus shared a parable about the coming judgment, in which people throughout the earth will be separated into 2 categories: sheep and...goats.  Which is which?  It's all determined by obedience.  The sheep exercised the love of the shepherd; the goats did not.  This can be a reminder that we can all stand to examine our fruit and consider how we are reflecting the character of Christ.

The goats of Autauga County did actually break through the threshold of the church building - they did very little harm, but they could have.  We can make sure that we, the temple of the Holy Spirit, are not breached by factors that are potentially harmful.  The enemy is trying to steal, kill, and destroy - that's his job description.  If we let him in, just for a what might seem harmless or fleeting, we open ourselves up to the destruction that he wants to bring about in our lives. 

What the Gospel Looks Like

There is no shortage of fear-producing material that is available online and through the media, and if we're not careful, we can be blinded and paralyzed by fear. But God calls us to respond in faith and place our hope in Christ. In Romans 15, we can read this:
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

It is our hope in Christ and faith in the Word of God that can lift us up and free us when we are weighed down by the concerns of this world.  In Mark 4, in the parable of the sower, Jesus teaches us that the cares of this world will make the Word unfruitful.  So, we have the daily choice to be consumed by cares or consecrated to Christ.  And, if we are surrendered to Him, we can experience incredible joy and can display to a world that is burdened the love and power of a Savior who saves and sets free.

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The Bible shows us again and again that we can have hope in the Lord, even in our despair, and those who draw near to God in humility can experience the power of His presence. Psalm 34 states:
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.

The continued war in Ukraine and the attempts by Russia to subvert this nation, which was once part of the Soviet Union, have become worldwide issues of concern and have presented opportunities for the gospel.  There was a piece I came across at the Christian Today website by someone who has worked in the Ukraine for the past 28 years, the last eight of which he has described as "war."

His name is Wayne Zschech, and he is the Fields Leader for Operation Mobilisation in Ukraine, who writes:

Along with planting churches and other projects, we have been actively involved in the birth of the now officially recognised chaplaincy programmes - programmes for those affected by the ongoing war over the last eight years. This ministry to the war-affected was literally established while under artillery and mortar fire. But now? Now we are providing food and shelter for thousands of people fleeing their homes. Families fleeing cities under siege.

When he first arrived, he found the Ukrainian people, who had become an independent country just a year and a half earlier, were "people used to being abandoned, used to being in dire straits."  He says that over the last 100 years...

"After years of abuse and instability there was a deep-rooted fatalistic mentality. The attitude was pretty much summed up as 'we're all going to die anyway so what's the point?'. There was no faith or pride in the community. Don't stick out, don't take risks.

I found myself pastoring a church with an unemployment rate of nearly 100 per cent within the congregation. No stability. No income. No hope. People were feeding themselves from the potatoes they grew in their garden, with no money to pay for heating when winter came.

But, things changed - the people entrusted to him began to experience the love of Jesus, and they began to experience economic self-sufficiency, growing food and providing employment.  But, in 2014, with what he describes as the coming of war to the nation, things changed.  The pastor relates:

The "Revolution of Dignity" of 2014 was a major catalyst of change in the minds and hearts of the Ukrainian people. It was like the embodiment of rebirth of the modern Ukrainian nation. The country began to have a sense of pride, a pride that hadn't been in evidence for decades. People weren't afraid of being punished any more. They were willing to stand up for their freedom.

And, the receptivity to the gospel waned. But, as before, the church asked the question: "OK Lord, what does the gospel look like...?"  Zschech says:

War arrived and we asked the same question. The answer wasn't long in coming. There is desperate need all around us. People who have lost everything. People are being confronted with death and separation every day. Heaven is never far from their minds, and it is never far from our hands or our lips. We are doing everything we can to provide for their physical needs and we are holding out the hope of the gospel even as we cling to it ourselves.

One principle that we can embrace is that out of despair, there is hope in the Lord.  According to Mission Network News, that is what Kent and Inga Friesen of TeachBeyond are communicating in their ministry to Ukrainian children.  The MNN report states:

Before the war, students would tell Inga, “‘God isn’t real; I don’t need God, I don’t believe in God.’ I’ve always told students that you need God; God is good, and we can’t live without Him. We can’t process things without Him,” she says.

Today, those students want the peace they see in Kent and Inga. “Even though they don’t believe in God, they still call me to say, ‘Can we pray? Can you tell us more?’” Inga says.

This is yet another example of God's hope that is available in despair - the hope that is available to each of us in our desperate times.  The hope that can cause us to reach out for the hand of Christ, take a step out in faith, and allow Him to lead us by His Holy Spirit.  

Sometimes people can become so self-reliant that they don't admit their need for God. We can perhaps rely on the Lord for things we don't think we are capable of accomplishing.  But, that is only partial surrender - God wants our whole heart, and if we demonstrate that wholehearted desire for Him, we can experience the fulness of His love and joy.  

In following the call of God to do ministry, we can ask that question that Wayne Zschech posed: "what does the gospel look like?"  Where there is despair, in the midst of deep need, we can follow the direction of the Savior, who showed His love for us by dying on a cross, who recognized our need for redemption and did what it took in order to bring us into a right relationship with God.  The gospel points people to a loving Savior, who shows up even in our darkest moments.

Special Stories of Life

In times of challenge and times of triumph, we can be joyful in the Lord. As we are faithful to follow in His ways, we can have a sense of expectation of His love. Psalm 16 states:
8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Jesus said that He has come to give us abundant life.  That abundance results from having a relationship with Him through salvation - He has come to transfer us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of life, so that we might know Him and have eternal life. He has ordained our days on earth and gives us our very breath - and the cessation of life on this earth means that we can experience Him even more personally with Him in heaven.  We can rejoice in the author of life!

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When we are confronted with difficult choices, the Word of God is a beacon that God gives us. We are told that the Scriptures offer us the way to life. In Deuteronomy 30, we can read these words:
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

We are continuing to pay attention to the U.S. Supreme Court, as it considers the Mississippi abortion law, with the possibility of overturning the precedent it set when Roe v. Wade was handed down in 1973. And, this week, Senators have been hearing from a prospective justice who, in addition to being unable to define what or who a "woman" is, even though she is one, gave a murky answer on her view on the sanctity of life.  Family Research Council stated:

"When does life begin, in your opinion?" Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) asked. The judge answered, "Senator, I don't know. I have personal religious and otherwise beliefs that have nothing to do with the law, in terms of when life begins." When she's ruling on cases, Jackson added, she sets those views aside. Kennedy tried a different approach, inquiring if Jackson believes equal protection of the law applies to human beings. "I actually don't know the answer to that question," the nominee told him. "I'm sorry." Not as sorry as the millions of unborn humans who thought that truth was "self-evident."

Supreme Court justices should consider accurate scientific research when they make decisions, but not try to be scientists themselves.  The Charlotte Lozier Institute stated in a recent press release:

Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson today answered, “I don’t know,” when asked by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) if an unborn child can feel pain at 20 weeks gestation.

According to modern, peer-reviewed science, her answer should have been, “Absolutely, yes.”

The pro-abortion American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as well as lawyers working on behalf of the abortion industry, regularly cite a 2010 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists report as indisputable evidence against fetal pain prior to 24 weeks. The report was co-authored by Dr. Stuart Derbyshire, one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, who for many years was considered a “leading voice against the likelihood of fetal pain.”

However, after objectively considering the growing body of scientific evidence, Dr. Derbyshire changed his long-held position in 2020 and published a peer-reviewed paper in BMJ’s Journal of Medical Ethics concluding that the cortex is not necessary for pain perception, and that “the evidence, and a balanced reading of that evidence, points toward an immediate and unreflective pain experience mediated by the developing function of the nervous system from as early as 12 weeks.”

A professional singer named Keke Wyatt has produced a refreshing, straightforward contrast to the content emerging from the Senate Judiciary Committee.  A Faithwire article says that Wyatt is expecting her 11th child, who has been diagnosed with a genetic condition called Trisomy 13.  She made the announcement at a concert and posted the clip on Instagram - she said that she desired to "encourage other women that might have to face this battle.” But, not all were enthused about it. She responded:

“For all of the disgusting people out there that are wishing ill on me and my baby, say what y’all want about me, I’m use[d] to it,” she continued. “No weapon formed against me will prosper, anyway. BUT a[n] innocent unborn baby?? Be careful putting your mouth on people. I pray that God gives you grace when Life comes knocking on your front door and you won’t reap what [you] are sowing. For all of the POSITIVE stories, emails and support I’m getting THANK YOU! I will not let the negativity drain all of my positive energy. I work hard and my husband and I take care of ALL our children with NO help but GOD’S, OK.”

The article notes that:

In fact, during a 2017 interview with The Christian Post, Wyatt recalled that, at the start of her career, she was encouraged to get an abortion.

She got married to her second husband, Michael Ford, and launched her music career at the same time, she said, adding, “The people I was working with tried to get me to get an abortion and I was like, ‘Excuse me?’ They were like, ‘It’s going to end your career.”

Wyatt absolutely proved her critics wrong.

“So,” she said, “I gave birth, and after I gave birth, I was Keke Wyatt, and I’m still Keke Wyatt.”

Keke's story can be an inspiration to women and their families regarding the sanctity of life. Even though she and her husband made this discovery, they have made the decision to choose life. The world would attempt to devalue this child, but we can recognize the incredible value that each human being has before God. 

And, you have probably heard testimonies of parents of special needs children who speak of the extraordinary love and the abundant grace that God has given to them in what can be a very challenging situation. We know that God has given us the grace and supernatural ability to handle the difficult situations that we may face in following His direction. 

We can also admit that there are those with special needs who have grown up and led incredible lives, testifying to the grace of God. And, even for those who spend very little time on this earth, we can hear stories of how their impact has been amazing on their families, as well as those who are familiar with those stories.  All in all, God is showing Himself to be faithful to those who choose life. 

Right By God's Standards

The enemy would want to lull us to sleep as believers in Christ, not staying spiritual sharp, becoming complacent in our walk with the Lord. This is not the time to adopt that pattern; Romans 13 declares:
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

What does it mean to "walk properly," the words used in verse 13?  I believe that we are to make sure our lives are built on the foundation of the truth of Scripture, that we are personalizing the Word and applying it to our thoughts and our actions. Through the Word, our minds are renewed, and if we have sharp minds, trained by the Spirit, we can make Biblically-informed decisions that show we love Christ and are devoted to following Him.

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Perhaps you're familiar with the passage in Romans chapter 1 about proclaiming the truth of the gospel - Paul writes:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

The Church is facing a time of challenge, as it seeks to navigate a permissive and a progressive society that is seemingly rushing to reject truth.  And, there is a tug-of-war in progress: will the Church impact the culture and proclaim truth to the extent that it results in changed lives?  Or, will the culture impact the Church and successfully infiltrate it with its ideas so that there is little difference between Biblical Christianity and social religion?

Delano Squires wrote a piece recently for The Blaze in which he called for Biblical truth to trump political ideology.  That is not to say that Christians should not attempt to influence politics - we should bring His truth to every area of our personal lives and to our culture.  But, he derided people across the political spectrum for the embrace of popular LGBTQ ideas.  He wrote about...

...an announcement from Dave Rubin, political commentator and BlazeTV host of "The Rubin Report," that he and his husband are expecting to become parents in August and October of this year.

I have no expectation that a classically liberal, gay, pro-choice former atheist who grew up in a secular Jewish household in New York would hold himself to biblical sexual ethics. The issue for a lot of Christian conservatives was the reaction from people and groups we saw as brothers in arms, who never actually claimed to be brothers in Christ.

He wrote:

For Christians who hold to a biblical worldview regarding SSMF, seeing fellow conservatives celebrate the creation of children to fulfill the desires of adults apart from God’s design for the family was a painful, but necessary reminder that conservatism and Christianity are not the same.

SSMF stands for "sex, sexuality, marriage, and family."

Squires also noted a conservative leader's tweet about transgender swimmer Lia Thomas which said, “No matter what one thinks of Lia’s ability to swim with women her story deserves our compassion. It will be interesting to hear Lia’s pov in 30 years.” (pov=point of view?)

Delano Squires offers this analysis:

The truth is that the entire country has become more accepting of every deviation from biblical teaching regarding sex, sexuality, and family. We went from tolerance and “hate the sin, love the sinner” to affirmation and “love is love” in a single generation.

The left celebrates these changes because they see the LGBTQIA+ movement as a powerful political force. The right tolerates them because non-religious conservatives are functionally libertarian when it comes to matters of personal behavior. Christian conservatives reject them because we know any society that rejects God’s design for mankind and any limitations on human behavior cannot have true freedom.

The left is motivated by political power, conservatives by constitutional rights, and Christians by biblical order.

We have a higher calling, and our allegiance to God should supersede loyalty to a political party or ideology.  Consider that you have some who would be termed the political "right" in Alabama who have been pushing unbiblical ideas such as the expansion of gambling and the continued permissiveness regarding the use of marijuana.  It's not about the letter beside your name, it's a matter of the letters to which you adhere - the Word of God.  I believe it was Jim Garlow who said that it's not about right or left, but right or wrong.

Recently, Mark Devine, who teaches at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, lamented how, in an effort to win more "progressive" communities, the Church ended up co-opted by the ideologies of those communities. Writing for The Federalist, Devine states:

What counts as winsomeness in any community is determined by that community, not by those looking to be found winsome to them. In blue communities, partisan political preferences proved increasingly non-negotiable.

Since 2014, the so-called Overton Window has repeatedly lurched left and altered blue community sensibilities in the process. Named for the late policy analyst Joseph P. Overton, this “window” designates the range of politically acceptable views held within a given community at a given time.

This resulted, according to Devine, in an "accommodation" of progressive ideas and "un-winsomeness to the un-woke."  So, one particular evangelical leader who had called for a winsome witness to more liberal communities ended up taking more liberal positions, such as:

...charging conservatives with living by fear, of making an idol of conservative political loyalties, and of his recent commendation of conservative-bashing comedian Stephen Cobert’s musings on how his faith influences his work.

The article seems to illustrate how the Church has been pulled by the culture, in this case, communities that it purports to reach.  Our aim is rooted in the power of the gospel, which can change individual hearts and impact culture for good.

The warning is clear - we have to be so grounded in Scripture that we are not pulled in the direction of the communities we are called to reach.  We don't have to water down the clear message of the gospel in order to make it more palatable to the cultures to which we are sent. 

We also have to realize that those that many Christians consider cultural allies do not necessarily share our values in all areas.  And, there are those that we consider to be theological allies that may not be rooted in the historic traditions of the Christian faith.  That is why discernment is necessary and the knowledge of Scripture is key.  While there will be disagreement even among Christians among some issues, we have to make sure that we don't depart from the basic, "first-tier" premises upon which our faith foundation is built.

While we can affirm and respect our fellow human beings, we also recognize that we should be standing for truth. In an age in which the teachings of Scripture are being distorted, our beliefs should reflect a serious contention for its message.

Created by God

God has intent and purpose for our lives - He has created us and ordained us to reflect His glory. In Ephesians 2, we can read these words:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Physically, we reflect the image of our Creator, and spiritually, He has given us the capacity to come to know Him through Jesus Christ.  But, we are born into a fallen world, and our spirits must be redeemed, transformed by the power of God, so that we can become His followers, His disciples. He has given us His Word and desires for each of us to know His truth.  We can rejoice in the God who has made us and invites us to experience eternal and abundant life.

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We cannot deny that each of us represents the work of Almighty God, born with a physical body that reflects incredible intricacy and designed to function according to His intent. Psalm 139 states:
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

The publication USA Today has announced its "Women of the Year," and one choice seems to be particularly, well, odd.  A Christian Post article states: that "The full list of USA Today’s Women of the Year...honors 'strong and resilient women who have been champions of change across the country, leading and inspiring as they promote and fight for equity, and give others a place to seek help and find hope.'"

That odd choice I mentioned is Dr. Rachel Levine, who is "trans-identified" and formerly known as Richard. The article says that, "In addition to serving as the assistant secretary of health, Levine leads the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps..."  The article notes:

When Levine became the first trans-identified four-star officer to serve in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy contended that Levine had also become “the first female four-star officer to serve in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.” This did not sit well with Rep. Jim Banks...

Banks tweeted out, “Calling someone that was born and lived as a man for 54 years the first ‘female’ four-star officer is an insult to every little girl who dreams of breaking glass ceilings one day.” Banks was suspended from Twitter for another tweet on the same topic.  This is reminiscent of the banning of The Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family for a similar incident.

Nicole Russell of The Washington Examiner, wrote:

USA Today isn’t the only one to compile such a list. Insider posted a list of record-breaking women that included the fact that Pose star Michaela Jae "Mj" Rodriguez was the first trans actor to win a Golden Globe. Insider also has a compilation of all the transgender politicians, including Sarah McBride , the first transgender state senator in U.S. history.

Women did not work tirelessly to achieve the right to vote ... and then the right to work on equal terms ... and then the right to get a credit card without a cosigner just so transgender females could best them in track , on the swim team , and in high-ranking government positions.

The Post article also mentioned University of Pennsylvania swimmer Will Thomas, who now uses the name, Lia, because "he" is attempting to transition to a "she."  It says:

Thomas’ strong performance, especially compared with the athlete’s mediocre performance when previously competing on the men’s swimming team, is reinforcing concerns that the biological differences between men and women give biological males an unfair advantage over their biologically female counterparts in athletics.

FoxNews.com reports on a another social media incident involving the Christian satire site, The Babylon Bee.  The Fox site states, "The Christian satire site The Babylon Bee is refusing to back down after Twitter locked its account over a tweet naming U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Rachel Levine the satire site's "Man of the Year" for 2022."  Twitter says that the Bee has violated its "hateful conduct" policy. 

The Daily Citizen reported on this development, with Jeff Johnston writing this:

Levine told USA Today of his concern for “the challenges women and girls face related to body image, saying “We need to be welcoming and celebratory for women of all aspects of all sizes and shapes.”

USA Today asked Levine, “What is your definition of courage?”

Dr. Levine responded, “I think my definition of courage would be to be true to yourself, be true to who you are and then to pay that forward, to work towards the common good. That’s what I have always tried to do.”

Rather than adhering to the anodyne cliché, “Be true to yourself,” with its individualized, changeable, internal definition of truth, Dillon and The Bee are holding to real objective truth: Men and women are different, men can’t change into women, and women can’t change into men.

The company was told by Twitter that its account could be re-opened if it deleted the post

The CEO responded, “We’re not deleting anything. Truth is not hate speech. If the cost of telling the truth is the loss of our Twitter account, then so be it.”

Seth Dillon is the CEO of The Babylon Bee.

Someone might say that the Christian community is making a big deal out of nothing - but what's really at stake here is the truth, as Jeff Johnston of Focus directly stated: "Men and women are different, men can’t change into women, and women can’t change into men."  As you'll hear on tomorrow's Meeting House program, a person's belief that he or she is in the "wrong" body is a dangerous deception and attempting to make changes is not the right course - for Laura Beth Perry, attempting to find satisfaction by changing her gender did not produce the satisfaction she sought - her identity as a woman was ultimately found in Christ. 

The notion that gender was "assigned" to a person is actually true - it was assigned to us by our Creator. To reject the way we were made is to deny the handiwork of Almighty God.  And, isn't it interesting that the LGBTQ movement has been declaring that people are "born that way" also say that gender is fluid. But sexual orientation is not?  Truth is that biology is another field of science that will ultimately lead us to explore that we as humans are fearfully and wonderfully made, as the Scripture says.  While our bodies are created by the hand of God, we also recognize that we were born into sin and need to be redeemed; when we know Christ, we can embrace His truth and allow Him to renew our minds so that we can walk in His image.

God Among the Fulani

We are called to take the light of Christ into the dark places of our world, and personally, we should ideally allow the light of Christ to shine in our hearts to eradicate the darkness that resides in us. He is the light of the world, and He calls us to follow and radiate His light. 1st Peter 2 says:
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

This is a critical message that we have been given to proclaim - Christ came into this world; He is God who came in the flesh.  He identifies with our sufferings, and suffered for us so that we might come into a relationship with Him.  In the midst of human travail, we can know His love and His hope; He gives us the power to endure and the wisdom we need in order to navigate the hostility of this world.  We are called to identify areas of suffering around us so that we can show His compassion.

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The Bible tells us that there will be suffering in this world. Because we live in a fallen world, ravaged by sin, there is hardship, yet, in the midst of it, we can radiate our hope in the Lord. 2nd Corinthians 4 states:
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.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

We are continuing to see the toll of human suffering that is occurring in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including thousands who are risking life and livelihood to flee the battlezone into neighboring countries; and there, the Church, through Christian ministries and local churches, is working feverishly to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  God is certainly at work in the middle of severe suffering in that region.

And, in Africa, we find that even among members of a group that has come to be known for its terror activities, the Spirit of the Lord is working.  Mission Network News reports that in the nation of Niger, "God is working among the Fulani and Tuareg tribes, predominantly Muslim groups that often attack Christians."  The article relates that, "These groups have often been used as pawns by outside political forces who want to promote radical Islam. Other attacks stem from the differing needs of farmers and herdsmen or different tribal disputes."

The article quotes Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs, who is heard on Saturday mornings at 11:30 on Faith Radio. He states, "There are converts, people who are following Christ, out of those tribes that are then literally going village to village. They are sharing the Gospel and finding great fertile soil for the seeds of the Gospel that are being planted.” Nettleton adds, "Don’t fail to remember that God is at work among the Fulani. I’ve seen some amazing pictures of Fulani in their full tribal regalia, with their headcovers, being baptized into the kingdom of God.”

Samaritan's Purse is a ministry that has been working in the nation of Niger.  It posted a report from last summer regarding a May attack in which, "Militants vandalized walls, burned hymnbooks and vestments, and turned their guns on churchgoers."  The report said:

These attacks, targeting Christians in the days following the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, left at least five people dead, some of the victims murdered within sight of their families. Since January, more than 300 people in the region have been killed in such attacks. The United Nations estimates more than 10,000 people fled over two days from the Tillaberi region in western Niger.

Samaritan’s Purse ran agricultural and livelihoods programs in the area in the past; we also rebuilt a church in 2019. Violence in the region has been ongoing in recent years, a tragedy that has now created a community of displaced families in Niger’s capital, Niamey. Today Samaritan’s Purse is again helping in Jesus’ Name, providing relief to scores of struggling people as they arrive in the city without any resources.

Between 2015 and 2019, the ministry built 66 churches in the country. Its website related: "God has worked mightily through Samaritan’s Purse and local church leaders to restore and rebuild. In total we’ve built 66 places of worship in areas surrounding the capital, Niamey, and in other locations. These structures serve to remind the people of Niger that God is still at work in their country. The new buildings have also become hubs for ministry, evangelism, and discipleship."

We can be thankful for the sensitivity of so many Christian ministries to the human suffering that is occurring on our planet.  Jesus suffered for us and is certainly acquainted with the depths of what we suffer - and even in the midst of desperate times, He has come to bring hope to people - through the awareness of that hope, spread by those sent all around the world, people are coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. 

One of the ways in which our Savior can be seen is through the devotion of His people.  While you have some who chide Christianity for any number of reasons, including disagreements over or opposition to the teachings of God's Word, people can certainly be drawn to the Lord by the display of the love of His people.  The Church is a force for good in this world and we can continue to look for ways in which the Lord can use us to spread His compassion.

Declare

The choices we make should ideally reflect who we are in Christ. If we say we love Him and are His disciples, then, in the power of the Spirit, our actions should line up. Paul addressed this in Galatians chapter 6:
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

I would say that we can be empowered by the Spirit to do good and that can produce internal joy and strength because we have done what pleases our Savior.  Each day, we have the opportunity to sow to the Spirit or sow to the flesh, and God provides direction in His Word and the motivation to obey Him. Our actions should reflect the presence of the indwelling Christ, who will direct our steps and energize our minds and hearts.

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We can make our decisions based on the principles of God's Word. The Bible offers us incredible direction, and in Romans 8, we can read these words:
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

She played the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the movie, not the television series.  And, over the past few years, she has taken on an assortment of enemies in our culture.  Actress Kristy Swanson is a professing Christian, and is being featured in a new streaming series called, Sons of Thunder: Redemption.

According to Movieguide, Swanson appreciates PureFlix offering options for entertainment content, stating in a Fox News Digital interview:

“I think there could be more of a balance, you know? I mean, look, I’m 52. I grew up watching family-friendly shows like LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE and THE WALTONS,” she explained. “But I also watched ALL IN THE FAMILY. And even then, the message was clear on the show, which was how not to behave. There was more of a balance, and the message was always clear. Things have definitely changed over time.”

“I’m really glad we have a streaming service like Pure Flix where it offers more family-friendly programming. And look, I’m an actor and I make movies, but I don’t like horror or scary stuff,” she continued. “I’m not really into that. If my son and husband are watching that, I’ll go do laundry or something. I know it’s all art and as someone watching, you can pick and choose what you want to watch. But I also appreciate the fact that there are options out there.”

This option, Sons of Thunder: Redemption, according to Movieguide, is a 6-episode series in which "...the show’s focal character, Jacob Lewis, sets out to show and tell his life-changing conversion to Christ, experienced during a Texas prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, and simultaneous escape from his former membership in a notorious motorcycle club, The Devil’s Hand, Jacob rides off to California on his Harley to start a life of this second chance Jesus has given him. First thing on his bucket list? Asking forgiveness and making amends of the person he had emotionally hurt the most before his sentencing, Sandy Harding."

In an Instagram post several years ago, Swanson made this declaration:

...my goal in life is to take upon me HIS name and always remember him and keep his commandments. It makes me happy and brings me peace and joy. That is why this bothers me.....

On the "Today Show", Matt Lauer interviewed one of the wives of one of the Navy Seals killed along with the US ambassador in Libya. He asked what she would say to her children about their dad and how she would want them to remember him. Her answer, and I quote, "His love for Christ", and then continued on with a few other things. Throughout the day and on MSN homepage, replaying the story, they have edited the "Love of Christ" part out. Why? Because using the word Christ might offend someone! Well, I am a Christian and I am offended! I'm offended that they would edit it out. Offended that we as Christians are asked to tread lightly so as not to offend someone of another religion. This man loved his country and loved his God and gave his life for both, just as Christ gave His life for him.

This Founding Principle is actually embedded in our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

I hope every Christian who is offended will copy this and paste it to their status.....

She also included a quote from former President Ronald Reagan, "If we ever forget that we're one nation under GOD, then we will be a nation gone under."

In mulling over these aspects of the story, I think one thing stands out: Do not "edit" Christ from your life.  In Romans 1, Paul declared that he was not ashamed of the gospel.  Perhaps it can be challenging sometimes to boldly declare our faith, but when God is at work in our hearts, His nature is on display, and we can exhibit His love and share His truth.  We should be sensitive and look for ways in which we can interject the reality of Christ into our lives consistently.

We can be certain to live in a manner that gives testimony to His name.  Each of us has been given a story, a testimony, if you will, of what He has done in our lives. That is reality and can be a real component of the way we interact with others.  And, our choices, including our entertainment choices, can reflect our devotion to Christ. 

Pastors' Perceptions

God has given us a precious gift in the body of Christ; in addition to our personal study of God's Word and fellowship with Him, we have Bible teachers, including pastors and those teachers you hear on Faith Radio, to strengthen us in our spiritual walk. Ephesians 4 lays out their call and purpose:
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...

In verse 11, you see that list of those Biblical offices, including pastors and teachers, those who can teach us God's Word and enhance our personal study. You can find the lineup of Bible teachers on Faith Radio through our website at FaithRadio.org and through our app. We can actually pray for and receive from those incredible resources that God has given to us, so that we might receive direction, in order that we might grow in the Lord and to reflect His glory.

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There is a certainly a critical role for those who are called into pastoral ministry who serve in our churches and lead ministries. 1st Timothy chapter 5 states this:
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.
20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.

Believers in Christ ideally should reflect a sense of credibility and trust to the people around them. And, there's some new data from the Barna research group that shows that pastors are suffering in the area of credibility.  To me, this indicates a need to prayerfully support and encourage those who are called to spiritual authority in the local Church.

A Barna summary states that:

Recent Barna data collected amid the pandemic show that just 57 percent of all U.S. adults agree at least somewhat that a pastor is a trustworthy source of wisdom. Christians, naturally, are far more likely to agree (31% definitely, 40% somewhat), while non-Christians tend to disagree (18% not really, 29% definitely not).

The big takeaway, according to the summary: "Still, many Americans—including one in five Christians—admit feeling unsure whether pastors are trustworthy (24% all adults, 21% Christians, 31% non-Christians)."

But, pastors apparently don't take this trust factor lightly.  The summary relates:

While four in five pastors (82%) agree their local community "somewhat" views them as a trustworthy source of wisdom, just one in five (21%) states this is very much the case. On the flip side, all pastors say their congregants consider them to be a trustworthy source of wisdom, 67 percent of whom strongly affirm this.

This identifies the responsibility that each of us has to be people of credibility - and the pastors, as the people "out-front" in the community have a high standard to meet. It's a standard that cannot be met without the power of God and devotion to the Word.  So, again, we need to pray for our pastors to fulfill the calling that the Lord has placed upon them.

Just as Biblical principles can be applied to every area of life, those who are called into ministry are called upon to demonstrate a versatility to address various issues.  Among U.S. adults, 7-in-10 adults and 8-in-10 Christians see pastors as very or somewhat reliable in "spiritual matters." Regarding "relational matters," you see slightly lower percentages.

Pastors also see themselves as reliable in those general areas: 84% see themselves as very or somewhat reliable in the spiritual and 69% in the relational. But, there is a huge dropoff in pastors' self-perception in the political and cultural arena, with slightly less than one-third seeing themselves as very or somewhat reliable regarding their reliability as "sources of information and counsel for how Christians should inform our political and justice systems."

I would say there is little doubt that pastors have been through a very rough stretch over the last two years.  That can indicate to us the need to pray for those who are called to spiritual leadership over us. This poll shows that there is a sacred trust between the pastor, the congregation, and the community, and have an opportunity and obligation to represent our Savior well.  They are being looked to for leadership and influence.

But, while pastors see themselves and congregations see them as reliable in the "spiritual" and "relational" areas, there is that decline in the area where there are so many challenges today - what is referred to as political and/or the cultural.  The fact is, what is called "politics" is a simple matter of being salt and light.  All of us should be educated on these trends in our culture and show the world that the Bible has an answer to dangerous ideologies and a solution to the dilemmas we face.  We have the opportunity to show the world a better way.  Pastors and those in the pews can be challenged to use discernment to speak truth into our culture.

Pastors can be emboldened and supported by their families, as well.  This month has been designated as Pastors Wives Appreciation Month. Energize Ministries is doing a weekly drawing for a gift basket, and you can register at its website, EnergizeMinistries.com.  Faith Radio is also sponsoring another Pastors Prayer Time during Holy Week this year - mark your calendars: it's Tuesday, April 12 at 7am at Trinity Presbyterian Church - it's a special time of prayer during a time of year in which, I think, people are particularly sensitive to spiritual matters and pastors and church leaders have a real opportunity to affect people for the Savior who died and rose again.

Disney's Dilemma

The book of Jude in the New Testament upholds and reinforces the faithfulness of God, in light of the infiltration of unfaithfulness even within the Church. We can read this emphatic passage:
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

A couple of principles here: first of all, Paul directs us to "contend earnestly for the faith."  We have come into the family of God through salvation in Jesus Christ, and He calls us to provide for a bold defense of what we believe - it's so necessary in the times in which we live.  We have to be resolute in our thinking and the display of boldness in Christ.  We also see condemnation of those "who turn the grace of our God into lewdness."  Because grace has been extended does not mean that we go soft on sin; we have to recognize sinfulness, call it out, confess, and rely on God to walk in holiness.

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The apostle Paul writes about different forms of abhorrent behavior which contradict the teachings of Scripture - 1st Timothy 1 contains such a passage; it says:
(9) the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry...

The state of Florida has taken a bold, commonsense step to prevent the teaching of the concept of so-called "gender identity" to young children, and by so doing, to act in accordance with the rights of parents within the Sunshine State.

But, while LGBTQ activists and their allies across America decry what they call the "Don't Say Gay" bill, it's time to shine some sunshine on what the bill actually does. 

The Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family does that.  In a recent piece, it states:

The legislature passed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, which does several things. The legislation:

• Requires that school districts adopt procedures for notifying parents if there is a change in their student’s services or monitoring related to a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being.
• Ensures that all procedures adopted under the bill must reinforce the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children.
• Prohibits school districts from maintaining procedures that withhold information, or encourage students to withhold information, related to a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being from parents.
• Restricts discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity to only those that are age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate for students, while prohibiting a school district from encouraging discussions of these topics with children in kindergarten thru 3rd grade.
• Creates a cause of action for parents that permits them to enforce their rights through declaratory and injunctive relief.

In an age in which you have seen instances of students being encourage to explore their so-called "gender identity" and embrace homosexual or transgender behavior without the consent of parents, this bill provides welcome relief.

And, Governor DeSantis has been a strong ally of the legislation.

One of the leading corporate entities in Florida has not.  That would be the Walt Disney Company, whose CEO, Bob Chapek, said, according to a Fox News quote in the Daily Citizen article: “I called Gov. DeSantis this morning to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary, and transgender kids and families..." Not surprisingly, the CEO, according to the article, "announced...that Disney would be donating $5 million to LGBT-activist groups."

The governor publicly responded, saying: “When you have companies that have made a fortune off being family friendly and catering to families and young kids, they should understand that parents of young kids do not want this injected into their kid’s kindergarten classroom..."  That's a strong statement, but he didn't stop there.  DeSantis went on to say:

“You have companies, like at Disney, that are going to say and criticize parents’ rights, they’re going to criticize the fact that we don’t want transgenderism in kindergarten in first grade classrooms.

“If that’s the hill they’re going to die on, then how do they possibly explain lining their pockets with their relationship from the Communist Party of China? Because that’s what they do, and they make a fortune, and they don’t say a word about the really brutal practices that you see over there at the hands of the CCP.

And, it seems that for some LGBTQ Disney employees, the CEO's response was too little, too late. The website, Inside the Magic, states: "...many have been deeply hurt by the bill which has been passed through Florida’s legislature, and Disney’s long stint without comment. This has left the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, to come out publically on social media and offer refuge to LGBTQ+ Cast Members if Disney would allow workers to stay in California, and not move so much of the staff to Lake Nona in Florida."  Newsom tweeted out, "Disney, the door is open to bring those jobs back to California – the state that actually represents the values of your workers."

A group of LGBTQ Pixar employees sent a letter to Disney management after the company's recent shareholders meeting, which, according to the Los Angeles Times, included demanded that the leaderships of Disney “immediately withdraw all financial support from the legislators behind the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, to fully denounce this legislation publicly, and to make amends for their financial involvement.”

The article goes on to say:

During the shareholder meeting, Chapek said Disney was “opposed to the bill from the outset” but chose not to take a public stance “because we thought we could be more effective working behind-the-scenes, engaging directly with lawmakers.”

And, that 5-million-dollar donation? Well, that was set to go to the gay advocacy organization, the Human Rights Campaign. But, they apparently don't want it - at least without condition. The Times quoted from interim president Joni Madison, who said, “The Human Rights Campaign will not accept this money from Disney until we see them build on their public commitment and work with LGBTQ+ advocates to ensure that dangerous proposals, like Florida’s Don’t Say Gay or Trans bill, don’t become dangerous laws, and if they do, to work to get them off the books,” adding, “This should be the beginning of Disney’s advocacy efforts rather than the end.”

Oh, and the never-satisfied LGBTQ community is taking Disney to task, as Inside the Magic says: "All of this comes at a time when Disney and Pixar Animation rearrange the story of Turning Red to avoid various storylines that include LGBTQ representation."

Let's pause for a moment to consider the take-no-prisoners approach of the LGBTQ community - it's not enough for them to merely be tolerate or left to live their lifestyle; no, there is a vocal segment of the gay activist movement that wants you to enthusiastically accept their practices, at the expense of your faith perspective.  And, as Disney has learned, there is an insatiable desire to force those beliefs on the entire population, and especially those in the corporate sector.  

Do not be deceived by the lipservice being paid to this "Fairness for All" legislation that would somehow balance so-called "gay rights" with religious freedom - it really is an antithesis from the dominance they seek. It's not a matter of personal conscience; no, like so much it seems in culture today, they are so committed to a radical agenda that those who stand in the way of its advance are being coerced to submit or be brought under submission. It's the heart of progressivism - reinforce the dominant view and subvert all the others. And, that is being expressed in light of the "another view" that is being supported in Florida.

But, Christians don't have to fall for it. And, we shouldn't.  We don't have to be afraid of the advance of progressivism, but we should be aware.  We can be so convinced about the authenticity and power of the Scriptures that we can stand boldly in Christ and exhibit firm conviction.  Cancel culture tells us that our views are no longer valid and that action should be taken against people of faith; but our Savior tells us to go into the world and share Him, and to be of "good cheer" because He has overcome.  We can stand in the strength of the Lord.

Denial of Rights

The Bible establishes the concept of the sanctity of human life, and the book of Proverbs speaks for those who are endangered, stating in chapter 24:
11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

Jesus, our rescuer, calls us to seek out and speak for the vulnerable among us. Unborn children cannot speak for themselves, but their very existence, ordained by God, speaks to us and calls out for defenders. All of us were made in the image of God, and as Psalm 139, we were knit together in our mother's womb, fearfully and wonderfully made. This can give us motivation to stand with them, as well as their mothers, in upholding their right to life. 

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Yesterday, I commented on Jesus our rescuer, and in continuing with the spirit of that theme today, I want to concentrate on an especially vulnerable class of human beings and our responsibility to speak for them - the unborn. Proverbs 31, prior to the familiar passage about the worth of women, says this:
8 Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Denver Post said this about a recent debate in the Colorado House of Representatives: "Roughly one full day in length, this is thought to have been the longest debate in this Capitol in at least 25 years."  At the end, the chamber took a voice vote to move legislation forward that would strengthen the state's stance on abortion. Final passage has occurred in the House and it goes on to the Senate, which is also expected to pass the bill. Here is the newspaper's language: "Their bill not only concerns the right to abortion, but also would ban local and state governments from interfering with that right, and prevent a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus from having independent rights under state law."  Essentially, the bill makes it legal under state law to terminate the life of an unborn child.

It's hideous, according to Jeff Hunt of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University. Writing at The Washington Times, he says that the bill "removes any restrictions on abortion from Colorado, including parental notification, and specifically bans preborn children from having 'rights under the laws of this state.'"  He states:

Although attempts to restrict abortion in Colorado have failed, this bill goes so far beyond what Coloradans are willing to support.

Americans are generally opposed to unrestricted abortion. Only about 1/3 of Americans want abortion to be legal under any circumstance. The remaining 2/3 either want abortion to be illegal in all circumstances or legal only under certain circumstances.

Hunt testified against the bill during hearings. 

Here's a key statement that he wrote:

Lawmakers introducing a bill to refuse rights to a class of human beings is shocking. Some of the worst moments in American history are when governments codify into law that classes of human beings are not worthy of rights under the law. This is an appalling first for abortion law in the state of Colorado.

He stated: "The quiet part is finally being said out loud in this bill. Lawmakers want vulnerable preborn children to be banned by law from having any rights in the state of Colorado."

A CBN News article related:

According to Colorado Public Radio News, pro-life protesters responded to the news by rallying outside the Capitol in Denver on Saturday.

"I think this bill is going way way way too far," said Carrie Kudrna of Broomfield. "I don't even want to live in this state if we do something like this. It's just horrendous. We can't promote that we're the destination abortion center. We just need to protect lives."

Several hundred pro-life advocates gathered, along with a small group of counter-protesters.

Rep. Dave Williams spoke to the crowd and said, "We've been fighting for 24 hours," adding, "We did this for you, we did this for the babies, we did this for the unborn children who are in the womb. We did what we could, but the fight's not over." He also noted, "This is literally a bill about life and death. The individual, that human being inside that womb is life, and that life should be protected."

In the pro-life arena, we are countering those who clamor about a so-called, mythical "woman's right to choose."  However, I contend that the right to life trumps that choice, because someone is terminating the life of another human being.  That is a God-given right, and mere humans should not place themselves in the position of countering that well-established right, codified in the 10 Commandments, which say that we should not kill. 

It is certain that Colorado is gearing up to be some sort of abortion safe haven when Roe v. Wade is overturned and states will have the freedom to set their own policies regarding life. Some states, like Alabama, will have strong pro-life laws, others, like New York and Colorado will show a widespread disregard for life. We have to understand that not only will the landscape of abortion change, but that as Christians, we can continue our work to not only protect the unborn, but to minister to the needs of women and their families.  For the misguided among us who try to mischaracterize people who defend the right to life as merely "pro-birth," we have real opportunities ahead to display the compassionate work of Christ through His church.

Rescuer

Even after humanity fell, there was still hope - God would bring a Redeemer. We can know this Redeemer and walk with Him, knowing and walking in the One who has rescued us. Romans chapter 5 states:
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

The sin nature passed down from generation to generation has the potential to keep us separated from God.  We need a new heart, we need to be regenerated and reconciled to God.  That is what Jesus has done for us.  We have no ability to save ourselves, but Jesus died in our place and rose from the dead so that we might come to know Him and experience the state of being rescued. And, in His love residing in our hearts, we can help to communicate that message by word and deed.

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Jesus is our rescuer, and He has brought us out from under the power of sin and death and has provided a way to walk in His forgiveness. Galatians chapter 1 says:
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Marco Sanchez was a prison inmate who was doing work detail at a factory in Kentucky in December.  That night, the unexpected occurred - a deadly tornado powered into the Candle Factory in Mayfield, Kentucky that night and destroyed the building.  A ChristianHeadlines.com story recounted Marco's role in helping people that night:

Initially trapped under the rubble, Sanchez managed to find a hole and push himself out from under it.

After freeing himself, Sanchez, who had a broken leg and cracked ribs, proceeded to pull other victims out from under the rubble. He then caught a ride with a volunteer firefighter and traveled to the emergency room with several other injured people.

Sanchez, who was in prison because of "a theft he committed while he was homeless," went back to jail after his hospital stay, and was lauded by the county sheriff's department for his bravery.  Sheriff Jon Hayden wrote on Facebook, "Mr. Sanchez had a lot of decisions to make that night. He could have made the decision to only save himself, but he didn't. His actions likely resulted in other lives being saved. The series of decisions he made over the next several hours were the right decisions, and we applaud you for that, sir..."

He was given the Sheriff's Meritorious Award and he is now a free man, having been released from prison earlier this month.  The Christian Headlines article goes on to say:

In an interview with KFVS 12, Sanchez attributed his ability to rescue the other tornado victims despite his injuries to God.

"This is really God," said Sanchez. "I've had time to evaluate what I went through that night and everything that I did, I can honestly say it was God."

The news of Sanchez being recognized for his actions caught the attention of his sister, Gabriela Matloub, who had not seen him in 15 years. Matloub, who lives in Arizona, traveled to the ceremony and surprised her brother.

She is quoted as saying, "The strength and the selflessness and just the thought of not thinking of him at that moment whether he was in pain or not, just to know that there was other people that needed him and find the strength to go back and help..."

And, to show appreciation, the Sheriff's Department is helping Marco out - the sheriff said, according to the TV station: "We need to try to help him you know, sometimes good people make mistakes,” adding, “Just because you’ve made a mistake in you into the criminal justice system doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a bad person. And I think people sometimes stereotype others. And this if there was ever an example, a good example of why you should never judge a book by its cover. It’s this situation right here.” Christian Headlines says that Sanchez has been helping the county out in moving administrative offices, and the sheriff's department has donated a car to him.

This story has several elements around the topic of rescue.  The obvious is that Marco Sanchez served in the role of a rescuer on that dreadful night in Kentucky in December. Despite his own injuries, he pushed through in order to help others. He attributed his own actions that night to the hand of God. Because God loves us, He has provided a rescuer, a Savior, One who faced death for us so that we might live.  And, He calls and empowers us to possess that same sort of love. 

But, there's another dynamic at play here - Marco himself needed to be rescued.  The sheriff in this county was willing to help Sanchez get back on his feet.  Sheriff Hayden said that you shouldn't "judge a book by its cover."  Marco made a mistake, it landed him in jail - now the real choice has come for him: will he be rehabilitated?  Or merely return to making another bad choice?  Or series of bad choices?  That's the story of all our lives: we can see that God will give second chances, but we have to rely on Him to take advantage of those opportunities to walk in them; Jesus has come to set us free, and we can hold on tightly to the promise of His freedom and the power to experience it.

One Step

The great Christian author and speaker Elisabeth Elliot had a phrase she used: Do the next thing." So often we can get caught up in trying to do so much that we lose sight of what's in front of us. The apostle Paul encouraged Christians to keep pressing on, to continue to look forward, according to Philippians 3:
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We don't have to be held captive by our past, and we can face the future with confidence in Christ - as He gives us leadership.  He is the One who sets the pace, He directs our steps, as we are told in Scripture.  We can rely on our loving Savior, who knows what's best, to lead us by His Holy Spirit, and to give us the resources we need to live each day for His glory.  Remember, the children of Israel received manna a day at a time, & twice on the sixth day, a reminder of God's watchcare for His people.

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God invites us to walk in the light of His love, and He has given us the Holy Spirit as a guide and the Word of God as the guidebook.  I've heard something to the effect of Him giving us enough light in order to see the path immediately before us - sometimes it's not as much as perhaps we want to see, but that's where faith comes in. In Psalm 36, we can read these words:
7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
9 For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
10 Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

A few weeks ago, centered around Valentine's weekend, the Tim Tebow Foundation held its annual "Night to Shine" event which allows young people with special needs to enjoy what can be described as a "prom night" of encouragement and fun. A FoxNews.com story recently related:

It's an effort to make the world a place where all people are valued and honored for their "God-given worth," Tebow has said.

"As I reflect upon Night to Shine 2022, I am once again reminded of the goodness of God," Tebow said in a new statement about this year's event shared with Fox News Digital.

"I'm amazed that even during an ongoing worldwide pandemic," he also said, "kings and queens were honored in more countries around the world than ever before. I am so grateful that He let us be a part of it."

He said that there were "host churches and volunteers" across 39 countries, and shared:

"They saw individuals whose challenges have significantly intensified throughout the pandemic, and they came together to serve them, to honor them and to celebrate them safely. I truly believe this is what the love of Jesus looks like."

I came across an inspiring story recently of someone with special needs who has overcome obstacles and achieved athletic prowess far greater than one might expect.  A young man named Chris Nikic, according to The Baptist Paper, "...exceeded everyone’s expectations at the age of 21 when he became the first person with Down syndrome to complete a full Ironman triathlon in 2020 in Panama City Beach, Florida. His father Nik chronicled his journey in the book, '1% Better: Reaching My Potential and How You Can Too.'”

Nik and Patty Nikic were determined to set the bar high for Chris as far as what he could achieve. The story states, "While Patty was involved with academics and care, Nikic concentrated on athletics, getting Chris into Special Olympics golf, track and basketball and developing a love for sports."  

The Baptist Paper article also says:

“1% Better” not only tells Chris’ story, but the principles Nikic used for triathlon training. Each day he would have Chris do “one more.” If he did five situps on Monday, Tuesday six were expected. Discouragement was lessened by making small changes, and Chris became stronger and more skilled each day.

“I have one verse framed at home: Galatians 6:9-10: ‘And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up,’” he said.

He noted, “Life is an amazing journey and with God anything is possible. He has taught me that our potential as humans is so much greater than anything we believe. He has also taught me to enjoy every moment and be thankful for my gifts.”

These inspiring stories can remind us that we all are created in the image of God.  We can trust Him to express Himself through us, and we can be sensitive to those with disabilities and provide affirmation and encouragement. 

Nik Nikic had a simple, yet effective plan for helping his son achieve in sports - it deals with the "one more" principle.  That can be helpful to each of us.  We don't have to necessarily see the endgame, but trust God step by step.  The Bible teaches the principle of being faithful in the little things, so that we can develop our trust in Him.

The apostle Paul experienced weakness in His own life, but He was emboldened by the presence of the living Christ. In his weakness, he discovered that God was strong.  When we recognize that we are weak in ourselves, we can experience His strength and ability.

Not Hidden

By God's help, we can effectively display our faith, showing the world that, in whatever circumstances, we are trusting in Him. 1st Corinthians 15 states:
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Wherever we are called, we can seek to be a powerful witness for Jesus. As we grow in our knowledge of Him and His Word, it will bring forth lasting fruit that can be seen.  When we combine our knowledge of God with the determination to seek Him and to obey Him, we can become the bold witness that He desires for us to be.  We do not hide our faith, as Jesus cautioned, but we allow His light to shine through us.

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We have the instruction of God's Word to build up our faith, and as we continue to trust Him, we can know that He will show Himself faithful. Jesus taught in Matthew 5, in the Sermon on the Mount:
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Perhaps you are familiar with the story of the so-called "Hidden Figures" in the U.S. space program in the 60's.  These African-American ladies worked diligently behind the scenes in an age where they had to use paper and pencil, or as the movie portrays it, chalk to chalkboard, in order to make precise calculations regarding the trajectory of a manned space flight.  Through incredible knowledge and application, this team, most notably Katherine Johnson, were instrumental in making sure that a man in space returned home safely without facing severe consequences upon re-entry.

A new CBN.com article portrays the woman who has been referred to as the fourth "hidden figure."  She had a fondness for math, and wanted to be a mathematician. The article says that at Hampton University, she "was undaunted as a student. Taking six math classes at one time, she was often the only woman in a classroom full of men. Her faith and determination pushed her forward." She said that, "Things in the Bible helped me live the life and believe that God can help me do certain things and work with me in certain ways," adding, "Well, how can I take six math courses?"

Her father suggested that she get a teaching certificate because he was concerned that she might not get hired anywhere as a mathematician because of her race. But she said, "I think my mind turned to people not hiring African American mathematicians, maybe because African Americans weren't becoming mathematicians."

That was the mindset of Christine Darden, the fourth "hidden figure," who would not allow color barriers to hold her back. She was a classmate of Katherine Johnson's daughter.  But, as CBN describes it:

Christine hadn't considered she could one day work at NASA. So, she graduated and began teaching mathematics.

"And the students tell me when I talked that they could hear the passion in my voice," she said.

Ultimately, while she was working on her Master's at Virginia State University, she found out from a woman in the placement office that NASA had been on campus - she was encouraged to send in her resume, and in 2-1/2 weeks, she had an offer.  The article relates:

Christine was among the last of the so-called "Human Computers," or data analysts, to be hired at NASA. It didn't take long before she wanted to do more.

"I brought up the issue of why the male with the math degree is doing the engineering, and the female with the math degree is drawing a curve, which is what I was doing at first," she explained. "And that was when I went to the director and said, 'Why is it that you're not treating the same backgrounds with the same kinds of jobs? You're giving the people who have pretty much the same background, but you're giving them vastly different jobs.' I left his office and that was when I got promoted, I got transferred."

Now an aerospace engineer, Christine became an internationally known expert in high-speed aerodynamics and sonic booms, specifically, by writing a computer program on sonic boom minimization.

A Movieguide article says that, "The 79-year-old Darden has acknowledged her indebtedness to the Bible, a testament to faith in the trials of life. Her thirst for knowledge has not changed much from that blunt curiosity she had in her youth, taking apart a doll to see what made it talk back." The article points out: "Though she wasn’t featured in the production, the biblical principles in the movie applied to her life, as well."

There are a couple of principles that come to mind when considering this story.  I think one of them has to do with faith and knowledge. Christine Darden acquired knowledge and she apparently was driven by faith in God.  Our dependence on God can help us to apply what we have learned to the challenges we encounter in this life.  Our reliance on Him can help to show us how we can apply the knowledge we gain.

Another principle has to do with faith and determination. This was one determined woman, and she actually overcame barriers having to do with race and gender in order to soar in the profession that she pursued.  We may face challenges in this life that threaten to block us from what God has called us to do. His Spirit will give us not only the knowledge and ability, but also the determination in order to complete the mission to which God has appointed us. 

There's also an element of faith on display.  She was known as a "hidden figure," working behind the scene to support missions to space.  But, what we are not called to do is to allow our faith in the Lord to be hidden; it should be demonstrated as we allow God to show Himself through us.  Our ambition should be to glorify Him in all things.