Something Wrong

There is great moral evil that has been sold to people around the world - that somehow the taking of human life in the womb is something beneficial. It's certainly not; consider even those who think it should be legal want restrictions on it. I would contend that maybe they realize something is seriously wrong here. In Psalm 106, there is a stern pronouncement of God's judgment on His people:
36 They served their idols, Which became a snare to them.
37 They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons,
38 And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds.
40 Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people, So that He abhorred His own inheritance.

Taking the life a child in the womb would certainly be shedding innocent blood! Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood director, who is now a strong pro-life voice, said: "The recovery room in abortion clinics is quite possibly the saddest place on Earth. And women don’t deserve that. They deserve better than abortion and that’s what my own ministries have been working towards for many years and will continue to do so now that the fight over abortion is moving to the states - instead of one fight, we now have 50. But there is nothing greater to fight for than the lives of the innocent.”

The "lives of the innocent" - the "Imago Dei," the image of God.  Who are we to determine who lives and who dies?  That is the prerogative of our Creator.  He alone is in the position as Ruler of the Universe to ordain life and the days He has entrusted to us.  Our responsibility is to be obedient to Him and to respect the life He has created.

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There is a passage in the 11th chapter of Ecclesiastes that can serve as a warning to those who wish to play God with regard to the taking of human life in the womb. We can read these words:
5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.

The ink on the Dobbs decision from the U.S. Supreme Court is barely dry and the response has been strong in the pro-life community, with a breathtaking commitment to continuing to show compassion for unborn children, as well as women in crisis pregnancies.  On the pro-abortion side, the decision has been met by inflammatory rhetoric and a high degree of gaslighting about what the ruling actually means.  

There has been plenty that has been spoken, but what is happening among the American public regarding this decision?  One of the earliest polls that I have seen is a Rasmussen poll, which shows that among likely voters in the U.S., 50% approve of the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, while 45% disapprove.

The decision on Roe means that each state has the right to decide its own abortion policies. A few weeks before the decision, a Convention of States Action/Trafalgar group poll showed that, according to a summary: "41.4 percent of American voters say they most trust their governor and state legislature to decide the laws governing abortion." The survey summary went on to say that, "18.1 percent of American voters say they most trust the federal government to decide laws governing abortion." 7.4 percent said they most trusted the federal courts, and around a third of respondents were unsure.

Another Convention of States Action/Trafalgar group poll from the same time period showed that, according to its summary, "11.6 percent of American voters believe that abortion should be legal up until the moment of birth, including partial birth."  This survey is consistent with others that have shown that Americans favor restrictions on abortion.  The summary states: "57.6 percent of American voters believe that abortion should only be legal in specific circumstances," and goes on to enumerate:

• 24 percent say illegal except in the case of rape, incest, or the life of the mother.
• 13.9 percent say illegal except in the case of the mother.
• 19.7 percent say illegal after a fetal heartbeat can be detected...

In the first two-thirds of May, Gallup also did an abortion survey. It asked the question: "Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances or illegal in all circumstances?" 35% said legal in all circumstances, while 13% said illegal in all.

But, Gallup also found that half of Americans responded that abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances.  

The ruling by the Supreme Court declared that there is not a constitutional right to an abortion on the federal level.  So, the decision is back to the states, which are free to reflect the wishes of their citizens by passing laws that protect life to some degree or protect abortion to some degree.  In a constitutional republic, it's up to the voters and their elected representatives. 

In the religious community, there is s striking and disappointing level of support for abortion. Pew found that, overall, in a 2022 poll: "61% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 37% say it should be illegal in all or most cases." Broken down by religious affiliation, according to a summary of polls from the Forbes website, "Pew found Americans with religious affiliations are far more likely to oppose abortion than the nonreligious (82% of whom believe abortion should be legal), but with the exception of white evangelical Protestants (77% of whom believe abortion should be illegal), a higher share of every religious group polled...favor abortion rights."

So, there's work to do with educating people of faith. But, this is consistent with large percentage of people responding to surveys from George Barna that a small percentage of the population, including professing Christians, hold to a Christian worldview.  That worldview includes a high view of the sanctity of life, created in the image of God. 

A summary of the data I've presented shows that there is widespread support for legalized abortion, but half or more of Americans do not believe that it should be unfettered - that there should be restrictions.  Why do you think that is?  I would contend that there is a sense that abortion is morally wrong, even though some would contend that it is not.  It's a controversial issue because of the moral implications and a general knowledge that something is not right.  Even though Forbes reported that, "The share of Americans in Gallup’s poll who say abortion is morally acceptable reached a record high of 47% in May," I would think that most Americans know better - that's why they're generally not in favor of unfettered abortion.  I believe that even today, the Spirit of God is moving among people to show them the truth about life in the womb, and He can use believers in His Word to carry the message.

A Blessing from the Lord

Throughout the Word of God, we see the common theme of the sanctity of life, the story of God's plan for humanity to be propagated throughout the earth. We see that He is the God who ordains life and He has a purpose for every human being. Isaiah 44 states:
2 Thus says the Lord who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you: 'Fear not, O Jacob My servant; And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring...

The Scriptures underscore the concept that every life is precious, and that God is our Creator.  Each of us, according to the 139th Psalm, is "fearfully and wonderfully made."  Each of us is unique, a reflection of God's intent. When we recognize the intricacies of the human body and the complexity of the human soul, a soul meant to commune with its Creator, we can respond to His great love for us, the One who cares greatly for His creation.

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The Scriptures express the concept of the absolute pleasure of bringing children into the world that He intends; we read in Psalm 127:
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.
5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

A teenager in Texas learned she was pregnant, and was considering having an abortion.  According to Christian Headlines, referencing a story in the Washington Post: "The story noted that Alexander learned she was pregnant 48 hours before a Texas law went into effect that prohibits abortions if an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detected. The story ran under the headline, 'This Texas teen wanted an abortion. She now has twins.'”

The young lady, Brooke Alexander, recently launched a GoFundMe page in order to try to raise $50,000.  She says, according to Christian Headlines: "her husband is also 18 and recently left for basic training." She says, "I’m worried I won’t be able to provide for us,” she writes. “The funds will be used to buy diapers, wipes, formula, etc. We will also use the funds to help pay for bills such as my car payment, insurance payment, phone bill, etc. We are struggling to get by, and any donation helps. Thank you.”

Pro-lifers began to step up to help provide for the needs of the small family, including Lila Rose of Live Action, who, according to the article, "had been highly critical of the Washington Post for the article, calling it a 'cruel, condescending piece.'" She tweeted out: “You objectified her & her beautiful girls for your own pro-abortion ideology..."

Another Christian Headlines piece noted that the Post unwittingly made the case for life.  For instance, again, referring to the Washington Post story:

The story included multiple photos of the twin babies, Kendall and Olivia, including a close-up picture of Kendall's tiny feet. It quoted a pro-life pregnancy resource center's warnings about the potential complications and side effects of abortion. It also quoted the woman's mom as calling the babies a "miracle from the Lord."

The Christian Headlines article said that: "The story described how her first ultrasound took place at a pro-life pregnancy resource center. The ultrasound was free. She took a free parenting class. Pregnancy center workers followed up with Brooke via text, although she decided not to go back." Brooke admitted that she would not have the twin babies without the Texas heartbeat law.

The Washington Examiner contrasted the Post story with another story that ran at LifeNews.com.  As the writer, Esther Wickham, points out: same facts, but a different perspective.  She says:

...the Washington Post titled their story, “This Texas teen wanted an abortion. She now has twins.” In contrast, LifeNews 's headline is “Texas Teen Who Wanted Abortion Now Blessed With Twin Babies: ‘A Miracle From the Lord.’” Both news organizations have the exact same story and facts, but it's clear to see which organization views the birth as a burden and which one sees it as a blessing.

Julia Duin at GetReligion.org had noted the Examiner report, and points out the Post story was written according to an agenda, portraying the crisis pregnancy center as a villain.  She writes:

What is happening at this point, in terms of basic journalism that attempts fair-minded, accurate coverage of the views on both sides of this debate?

For example, this story was crying for a quote from an ethicist. Is aborting twins worse than aborting one child? Would Brooke have kept the pregnancy had there been only one baby? It’s never really clear if the Post interviewed workers at the crisis pregnancy center.

Duin concludes:

What was missing in this article was a basic question: If two lives are worth saving, why isn’t one?

She likes having her children now, inconvenient as they may be, but readers are told that she still mulls over whether killing them would have been the better option?

I know you can’t research every angle in a story, but there are so many holes in this story, so many unasked questions, so many missing voices.

And, as Duin also points out, Brooke had dropped out of school at 15, had engaged in sex outside of marriage early in their relationship, and her then-boyfriend had wanted her to have an abortion.  

The Post apparently attempted to portray Brooke Alexander as a victim of the pro-life "villains" in the story; for them, it didn't matter.  They showed unconditional love to her; regardless of those who would accuse pro-life people as being pro-birth, this saga actually paints a different, and more accurate picture.  And, an observant Julia Duin also poses an important question:

...there’s a photo of the two children sitting in a stroller set made for twins while the father skateboards in the background. Such strollers are expensive and I’m guessing that the bride –- who wouldn’t even spend $30 for her own wedding dress –- didn’t buy it. So, who did?

Crisis pregnancy centers are quite generous with baby clothes and supplies and expensive things like strollers, for which they get zero credit. If the much-villified pregnancy center supplied such a nicety to the couple, I hope the reporter would have told us so.

Now, people who are pro-life are helping out by participating in Brooke's fundraiser. Because that's what pro-lifers do.  Motivated by the love of Christ, there are those who believe in the sanctity of life, according to Scripture, who are devoted to saving babies, but also realizing that a crisis provides a perfect opportunity for people to come to Christ. 

We also have to be cognizant of the agenda that will no doubt be on full display in the weeks and months to come. But, the love of Christ enables us to present a different story.  As Esther Wickham notes in the Examiner story: "...you can't take away a right that was not yours to begin with," and says, "Alexander's story highlights what it truly means to give a voice to the voiceless."

Both articles end on very different notes, taking the same woman and story and producing very different versions of her life postpartum.

The Post story, written by Caroline Kitchener?

“Time to grab some lunch and head home; the babies would be hungry,” Kitchener concludes. The article ends by displaying this miserable teenager now stuck as a mother with burdensome twins. She could have been living a happy teenage life, child-free, if it weren’t for the Texas law.

But, the LifeNews story...

LifeNews concludes with Alexander saying, “I think they can smell me. And that makes me feel so special.” This features a young woman stepping into her newfound role as a mother. Even through the difficulties, she recognizes the babies' need for their mother and her need for them.

We can consistently give God the glory for His wonderful gift of life, and continue to be devoted to saving the lives of the unborn, continuing to educate people, especially those who support abortion, about the science surrounding the subject, and display compassion toward women, their babies, and their families.

Restored Right

The Bible calls us to a walk of humility - that means that when we depart from the ways of God, we can get back on course by confessing our sins and depending on Him. James chapter 4 states:
(4) Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

God is the source of grace for us, but in order to receive it and walk in the fulness of it, we have to humble ourselves in order to place ourselves in a right position with Him. When there is error in our lives, we can depend in the instruction of God's Word and direction of the Holy Spirit to take the necessary steps to correct it. That involves putting aside pride and adopting a mindset of humility, walking according to His ways.

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As we prepare to celebrate American independence this weekend, we can marvel at the wisdom of our Founders, as well as their boldness to carry out a plan to establish a new nation, under the direction of God, I believe. They humbled themselves and depended on Him; the Bible says in Proverbs 16:
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

In the words of the Declaration of Independence, we find these powerful phrases that echo through the annals of time:

"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--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed…"

Wanda Franz of the National Right to Life Committee included those words in a piece she wrote over 15 years ago, in which she stated: 

The right to life is a "self-evident truth;" it is not based on the speculations and shifting opinions of men.

The right to life is "unalienable" and an essential part of us. It exists independently from what others want. It is not a grant from government. It exists, whether there is a government or not. And it certainly can't be ruled out of existence by unelected judges.

The government derives its "just Powers from the Consent of the Governed," namely us. The Founding Fathers believed in "the capability of a people to govern themselves," as Abraham Lincoln put it.

The reason for government is "to secure these Rights." So the Constitution is, to use the words of the political scientist Paul Rahe, the "instrument for the im-plementation" of the Declaration of Independence. Thus, judges are not free to ignore the principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence.

She goes on to say:

Instead of being guided by the Declaration of Independence, the pro-abortion majorities in the Supreme Court's abortion cases since 1973 have blocked out the bright light of the Declaration and groped around in the resulting "penumbra" and made up a new "right" to suit their purpose. To grasp how far down we have come from the rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence, try fitting this new "right" of a mother to kill her unborn child to the concepts of a "self-evident truth" or an "unalienable right."

Michael Farris, President and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom, commented at the Newsweek website on the restoration of a Constitutional perspective on abortion represented in the majority opinion in the Dobbs case.  He said:

Justice Samuel Alito's thoroughly researched opinion makes it abundantly clear that Roe was an act of raw judicial power—which simply means that the Supreme Court made a policy decision on abortion rather than duly applying the language and meaning of the Constitution.

He went on to commend the Court, saying... 

The Supreme Court acknowledged that it improperly seized the power of the people and their legislatures half a century ago. Now it has relinquished that power and given it back to the people. That's a marvel worth celebrating.

So, it's not a matter of taking away a so-called "right" to terminate a pregnancy and by so doing, taking a life.  It's a matter of restoring the right of citizens to make decisions - it's, as it's been said, "We the People."  Now, the question of abortion has been returned to each state.  In 2018, the voters of Alabama approved a Constitutional Amendment affirming the right to life; the Insider website reported:

Alabama's ballot initative, Amendment 2, passed with 60% of the vote. The amendment proclaims to "recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life" in the state.

This was a direct action by the voters of the state of Alabama on this issue. Consistent with that, the following year, the elected representatives of "We the People" passed the Human Life Protection Act, prohibiting most abortions in the state. After the Supreme Court ruling on Friday, that was allowed to go into effect. This is democracy in action, and the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the democratic process that was established in our Constitution by allowing the people, through their elected representatives, and perhaps even by amendments to their state constitution, to set abortion policy in their states. In a stunning, sweeping, and divisive act of judicial activism in 1973, the nation's highest court imposed federal law in a matter that was not addressed in our Constitution. On Friday, the error was corrected.

I would imagine that more than a few Americans felt like that error could never be corrected - that it was settled for perpetuity.  And, some wished it were.  But, those in government, and in our individual lives, can realize that, when possible, when we realize that a mistake was made, we can make necessary steps to correct it.  

There is certainly a spiritual application: God has given us a method through which we can correct our mistakes - Christ atoned for our sins and by owning up to those sins and confessing them to Him, we can receive forgiveness.  The problem comes when we don't identify and take necessary steps to correct our errors.  

That goes back to governmental leaders.  How often do you see politicians admit their errors and attempt to correct them?  Sometimes there will be apologies on personal matters and moral failures in order to save face.  But, when there are policy directions that need to be corrected, how often do you see mistakes of the past repeated?  That is why we need to pray for our leaders.  An exaggerated sense of one's own ability - the Bible calls it pride - can lead to destruction.  We have to constantly check ourselves and stay in a state of humility. 

Greater

Because we are in Christ, we have been freed from the power of sin, that carries with it a death sentence. But, Jesus died in our place, so that we could experience salvation and victory. In 1st Corinthians 15, we can read these words:
55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
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.

The Lord is full of might and majesty, and enables us to overcome the power of the enemy.  The devil, as Jesus taught, comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ has come to bring us abundant life. So, no matter what devastation the enemy has wrought in our minds and in our hearts, we can experience true forgiveness and victory in the Lord.  He provides His strength, through the Holy Spirit, to stand strong in the face of discouragement and despair.

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Because we have called on the name of Christ and have been saved, we have, in essence, "enlisted" in God's army. Before we were saved, we did not belong to Him and were held captive by Satan. But, now we are on God's side.

But, we have to be equipped and aware: there is spiritual warfare, and there is a real enemy. We can read in Luke 10:
17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."
18 And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

So, the main thing, as Jesus pointed out, is that we belong to Him.  But, because we are saved, we can triumph over the power of the enemy.

And, our strong God invites us to experience His overcoming power through Christ. 

Jennifer Bonnette had parents who forced her, as CBN.com reports, to participate in "satanic rituals, which included being raped often by a close relative. By eight years old, Jennifer was cutting her body in hopes the abuse would stop, but it didn't." In fact, she was tormented by voices telling her that even God rejected her - she said, "In my mindset I thought that I was this huge mistake and...God was trying to take me out. And I was going to beat him."

The CBN article goes on to say:

While the abuse had stopped by the time Jennifer was nine, she would carry the pain and scars for years to come. She was a troubled, rebellious teen who got pregnant when she was 16. It was then her mother made Jennifer get an abortion and kicked her out of the house.

"And told me to never contact her or anyone in the family. It did something to me. Like with all that anger and hate, it's like it pumped me up to survive, to make it. It's almost like it motivated me. 'I'll show you!'" Jennifer shares.

She moved in with her boyfriend's family and they married. For the next 16 years, Jennifer lived her life addicted to alcohol and drugs. Her husband abused her physically and sexually, at times beating her unconscious.

Finally, when she was 34 and a mother of four, Jennifer had had enough. She left the abusive husband and went temporarily to a woman's shelter.  But, she spent 10 more years continuing to use drugs, homeless for part of that time, which also included periodic stays in psychiatric hospitals or rehab locations.  The article continues:

Then, at 44 years old, living in her car and working as a waitress, she met a Christian woman who told Jennifer she believed God wanted her to move in with her.

Jennifer shares, "For her to say what she said, that God sent her in there, I felt like maybe He's trying to save me..."

She said, "So after all I've been through in my life, I thought I could give it a try." After one last try at rehab, which still didn't work, she turned to something that would. Jennifer related, "'And I was on my knees actually shooting up. I started crying. And I said, 'If there is a God, and you are real, I need you...Cause I can't stop. Please you've got to help me.'"

She ended up in the Christian rehab program, Teen Challenge.  After two months, she gave her life to Christ. She participated in a year-long discipleship program.  Jennifer said:

"From the drug use, Jesus delivered me completely from that as soon as I walked through the door, so that I could focus on him and get free from all the pain and suffering that I was in. I was in a lot of torment; I had a lot of oppression. They helped me through the process, of releasing my fear and anger. From beating and rituals, the self-hatred I had. They helped me go through the pain and releasing that."

The article notes that she is married and now "works with women in a Christian addiction recovery program." She says, "Everything that I've been desiring for my whole entire life, I'm experiencing that in Jesus Christ and the freedom that I have in Him, and the peace that I have...He's the only one that can save you and free you and deliver you. There is hope, it's Jesus Christ."

We acknowledge that God's Word is powerful, and you can trust Him in the struggles. Even when there is a past history of drug use, illicit sex, abortion, and participating in Satanism, there is freedom. And, even in this time period following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, which opened the floodgates to so many women terminating the lives of unborn children, and with it opening the door for women to suffer from that guilt and shame, there is healing through the power of Christ.  Women who have had abortions can experience forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus.

We can acknowledge that the power of the enemy is real, and can imprison even Christians.  One of the tools that he uses is to remind a believer of his or her past sins, and to bring condemnation and despair.  But, no sin in the past can keep us from the experience of knowing the Lord in the present and the future.  And, we can recognize who we are in Christ: our sins are forgiven, we are made new, and we can triumph over the enemy's power by embracing the love of God.

Beyond

God is our Creator, and He has ordained human beings to function in certain ways; He call us to be obedient to His principles, so that we might enjoy the life to which He has called us. The enemy wants to pervert God's standards for human relationships, but Paul cautions in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4:
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God...

There are clear distinctions between what pleases God and what does not.  He gives us the capability to not only know the truth, but the ability to walk according to that truth. But, we have to be determined that we will be grounded in that truth, that His Word is the foundation for our lives. The world and its ways, we're told in Scripture, are passing away, but His Word will last forever.  We can seek eternal principles to build our lives on and enjoy the knowledge of God, or reject His ways and face the consequences.

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There is spiritual blindness that is out there these days, and we have to be careful that we are walking in and radiating the light of Christ. 2nd Corinthians 4 reminds us:
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.
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.

You know the slogan, "to infinity and beyond!"  If you are a fan of the Toy Story movies or that was part of your young or younger children's entertainment, you easily recognize that phrase, spoken by the one and only Buzz Lightyear, the toy friend of Woody and Jessie, the main characters of the successful movie franchise.

Well, Buzz is back on the big screen, but it's just not the same, apparently.  The long-time voice of the mechanical superhero, Tim Allen, has been replaced by Chris Evans, the actor known for playing Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe of movies.  While Evans' movie character is quite likable and a capable symbol of virtue in much of his Marvel content, the real Evans, well, isn't really that likable.

Especially when he is calling people idiots!  Like who?  The Christian Post reported that, "Earlier this year, Variety reported that the film “Lightyear...” would feature a female character who was in a relationship with another woman as well as a same-sex kiss between the two. While the scene was initially deleted from the film, outrage from LGBT-identified employees at Walt Disney Co. prompted the restoration of the same-sex kiss in the final cut."  It goes on to say:

Actor Chris Evans, who plays the titular character Buzz Lightyear in “Lightyear,” responded to a question from a Reuters reporter asking him to address the “pushback” surrounding the effort to increase “representation or diversity” in the film in a June 9 interview published on YouTube Wednesday.

“The real truth is those people are idiots,” he said.

After describing “the human story” as “one of constant social awakening and growth,” Evans remarked that “when that happens, there’s always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before.”

The actor suggested that “those people die off like dinosaurs,” adding, “the goal is to pay them no mind” and “march forward and embrace the growth that makes us human.”

The article also notes:

Keke Palmer, the actress who plays the LGBT character in “Lightyear,” replied to the same question by urging critics of the same-sex kiss scene to “refurbish your idea of tradition” and “understand that it’s ... to infinity and beyond” now, referring to the character of Buzz Lightyear’s signature catchphrase.

So that's now the "beyond" part in the familiar cry?   Well, you might say that people are steering "beyond" the local cineplex where "Lightyear" is playing.  Variety stated in a recent story after the film's release:

To infinity and beyond? Not exactly…

“Lightyear,” a spinoff story set in Pixar’s “Toy Story” universe, fell short of that boundless milestone in its box office debut, collecting a lackluster $51 million from 4,255 North American theaters. Family audiences, the movie’s prime demographic, haven’t returned to theaters in full force since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even so, those ticket sales are disappointing for a brand as recognizable as Pixar, the home of “The Incredibles,” “Finding Nemo” and “Up.” It’s particularly problematic given that “Lightyear” cost $200 million to produce and tens of millions more to market.

Movieguide related:

In a recent article published by The Atlantic, writer David Sims notes that “LIGHTYEAR is the origin story that no one needed.”

Sims went on to call the movie “formulaic to the point of dullness,” and “while all of the film’s visual excitement is handled with Pixar’s usual polish, the intrigue is only surface-level.”

The Movieguide article also stated:

But if a bland story wasn’t enough to discourage avid TOY STORY fans, the movie’s ideological and worldview issues should.

According to Movieguide®’s review, “Buzz isn’t really the hero of this story. His lesbian friend, Alisha, is the real hero. Eventually, it’s her life that inspires Buzz, her granddaughter and everyone else.”

“Thus, the whole movie becomes a validation of LGBT ideology and an attack on masculinity and the biblical view of family. LIGHTYEAR also taints the TOY STORY franchise, because it says the politically correct movie became Andy’s favorite movie.”

The more recent article included a link to a previous Movieguide piece, which said that, "...it is clear that Disney is finally folding under internal and external pressure from the LGBTQIA+ community," adding, "While Walt Disney Company held its ground to focus on story versus sexuality in the past, LIGHTYEAR could mark a significant turning point." That article also noted, "...by catering to a small minority of moviegoers, Disney would ostracize one of their largest audiences: Christians who believe in biblical truth."  It also said:

According to Gallup, 7% of Americans identify as something other than heterosexual. Gallup also reported that in 2021, 69% of Americans identify as Christian. From a logistical standpoint, it makes sense that studios want to target the largest audiences.

One could contend that the same-sex relationship portrayed in Lightyear is insignificant.  You could say it's mild compared to some fare that you see in entertainment media these days.  I would say that it is a sign: of several things.  One is the capitulation of Disney higher-ups to employees who are dedicated to this agenda.  But, there are people in influential positions in the company who are promoting this agenda, as well.  

In the excellent Christian Post piece by Brandon Showalter at The Christian Post, he cautioned against concerned parents being "gaslit" by those who would say that attempts to influence young people regarding sexuality, including the LGBTQ+ agenda, are nothing to worry about; he writes:

Evidence continues to pour in that insidious, widespread sexualization of children is taking place.

As a journalist who has tracked some of this over the years, I have heard from parents whose political and religious views span the spectrum. Many contact me and are enraged, fuming over what they see happening to their kids. Such parents feel like they are going crazy. I usually assure them that, no, they are not being paranoid. What they are watching unfold with their very own eyes is real.

Brandon spoke with me about the article, which you can find in the Media Center at FaithRadio.org or MeetingHouseOnline.info.  He concludes the article by saying, "Please, let kids be kids. Stop sexualizing them. And for the love of God and all that is decent, quit gaslighting their parents."  Parents can decide not to allow charges that they are overreacting to the furtherance of sexualization in the culture discourage them from being diligent to teach their children the principles of God regarding sexuality, in the appropriate way in an appropriate time. 

Chris Evans has called parents who are determined to protect the hearts and minds of their children "idiots" who, like "dinosaurs," will go extinct eventually.  That's certainly a technique to marginalize Christian parents and those who are like-minded on these matters. We have to be careful we don't allow criticism to marginilize us. The lack of respect for the viewpoint of Scripture is chilling, and it's a poor move on his part to chastise people who you would think he would want to go see his movie.  

The Word of God is powerful; God's principles are perfect, and offer a clear and compelling way to live. His is the way of love - not the "love is love" nonsense of the gay advocates, but the love that gave of Himself, a love that draws us closer to a loving Father who wants the best for us through obedience to His ways.

Believe

Our belief in God through Christ will result in a changed life, emanating from the presence of Jesus in our hearts. It's not a matter of placing what I call a "God-stamp" on your life and actions, saying or thinking, "yes, I believe in God," but not truly believing that Jesus is risen and confessing our faith in Him. Ephesians 2 states:
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

In John 11, Jesus gave some insight to Mary and Martha about the resurrected life and His coming resurrection. He said:
(25) ..."I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

Do. You. Believe. This.  That is a good question for each of us.  And, from there, we can consider the extent that we are showing the degree of our faith by wholeheartedly following Christ and allowing His Word to live in our hearts and govern our actions.  What we say we believe will be reflected in how we behave - there is a connection!   It's not enough to merely give lipservice to some vague religious concept or far-off deity; no, God wants us to draw close to Him, and Jesus has provided the way to do that.

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There are many these days who claim to believe in God, but by their confession and their actions, deny that they do. Romans chapter 4 speaks of the true God who...
(17)...gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did...

The passage references Abraham...
18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."
19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

It's a simple question, really: "Do you believe in God?"  Rather general, don't you think?  No specificity, no reference to the one true way to God, the Lord Jesus.  No talk of world religions or Christian denominations. No reference to what that actually means.

It's a view of God that society can get its arms around.  In 1944, the Gallup organization first started asking that very simple question. The summary on the Gallup website notes:

Gallup first asked this question in 1944, repeating it again in 1947 and twice each in the 1950s and 1960s. In those latter four surveys, a consistent 98% said they believed in God. When Gallup asked the question nearly five decades later, in 2011, 92% of Americans said they believed in God.

The latest survey, conducted in May of this year, shows that the percentage of those giving a positive answer is lower than ever; the summary says:

The vast majority of U.S. adults believe in God, but the 81% who do so is down six percentage points from 2017 and is the lowest in Gallup's trend. Between 1944 and 2011, more than 90% of Americans believed in God.

And, even among those who say they believe, they don't seem to think that He is listening when we pray.  The summary relates:

A follow-up question in the survey probed further into what Americans' belief in God entails. Specifically, the question asked whether God hears prayers and whether God intervenes when people pray.

About half of those who believe in God -- equal to 42% of all Americans -- say God hears prayers and can intervene on a person's behalf. Meanwhile, 28% of all Americans say God hears prayers but cannot intervene, while 11% think God does neither.

It notes: "Nearly three-quarters of the most religious Americans, defined as those who attend religious services every week, say they believe God hears prayers and can intervene."

I think you can safely say that there are untold millions of people this very moment who say that they have a belief in God, but they do not know the one true God.  Why, James 2 tells us that even the demons believe in Him - and they tremble!  You have those who believe in a higher power and maybe even call out to Him when they get into a tight spot or when things don't go their way.  But, that's not the relationship into which Christ has called us.

On one hand, I am thankful that you still have 8 out of 10 Americans who believe in God - but as George Barna has found repeatedly, very few, with percentages measured in the single digits, have a Christian worldview.  It is simply not enough to say you believe in God or even truly believe in a nebulous deity; Jesus told us (and as it's been contended, who are we to argue with Him) that there is one way to that one true God - He is the passageway into eternal life. 

The survey shows that only around half of these "believers" actually believe that God answers prayer and can "intervene."  What kind of faith is that?  I am thankful that the God of the universe, the holy and exalted One, sent His Son to earth to die for my sins, to take my place on a cross, so that I might come to know Him, to fellowship with Him, to have the Holy Spirit to live in my heart and walk with me daily.   God wants us to come to Him truly, in faith, and believe in the risen Savior.

Jumping the Shark

It has been said that nowhere in the Scriptures is homosexuality placed in a positive light - actually, the contrary is true, such as we find in this passage from 1st Timothy 1:
8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,
9 knowing this: that 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.

The word "Sodomite" is a reference to homosexuality, which was commonplace in the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Again, this practice is not endorsed by Scripture - it is actually described as sinful, repeatedly.  But, there are those that want to twist the Bible into saying something else, and to try to replace its narrative with a more accepting one regarding LGBTQ matters.  Don't fall for it - Jesus died to save sinners and to free us from sin; He calls us to holiness, meaning we can overcome sinful desires and practices.

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The book of Jude in the Bible describes a particularly evil age and traces the progression of evil even into the Church; it could have been written yesterday. It says:
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.

If you are a fan of the classic television show, Happy Days, you may be familiar with an event that was depicted on-screen that was perhaps a foreboding moment for the future of the show.  That moment was described on the Mental Floss website:

For most viewers of Happy Days, the wildly popular ABC sitcom of the 1970s and early 1980s, the sight of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli jumping over a shark on water skis during the September 20, 1977 episode was not a momentous event. It was simply agreeably silly—a result of the Fonz taking up the challenge of a local beach bully to endanger his life with an ocean predator. Yet the Fonz’s machismo would come to define a moment in pop culture when a once-beloved creation takes a noticeable dip in quality.

That television moment gave rise to a phrase: "jumping the shark."  The article explains:

It wasn’t until 1987, when University of Michigan college student Sean Connolly coined the phrase “jumping the shark” to describe a particularly outlandish turn of events that Fonzie’s beach exploits started to take on a new meaning. Their circle of friends used the expression for years. In 1997, Connolly’s college roommate Jon Hein started the website JumptheShark.com, which chronicled the moments when beloved television shows took a sudden and alarming dip in quality.

The brilliant commentator Jay Richards, director of the DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family at The Heritage Foundation, has used a variant of that phrase in an article at The Daily Signal called, "Pride Month Jumps the Shark." He makes this contention: "This year, however, the pushback seems stronger and more diverse than in previous years. What accounts for that?"

His conclusions: 1) "For one thing, the sexualization of young kids seems to have moved from the fringe to the mainstream. It’s not just in random gay bars and schools in San Francisco. It now seems to be official policy." 2) "...Pride now seems less about gay and lesbian inclusion and more about abolishing the difference between males and females, and between adults and children."

He notes:

Somewhere between the “B” and the plus sign, Pride Month jumped the shark.

This targeting of children gives the sea of rainbows a much more sinister hue. The pride-signaling on corporate logos, map and exercise apps, public school hallways, TV networks and streaming services, Google doodles, even on Major League Baseball fields and jerseys, feels ever more oppressive.

He notes: "even some who identify as gay and lesbian have had enough." An example?

On Twitter, Storm Robinson observed: “As a gay man, I can’t understand why a parent would take their child to a drag queen story hour. Why does this even exist? … Drag is not for kids. The end.”

The corporate world is taking notice, as an article at The Washington Stand website notes, referring to the gay advocacy organization, the Human Rights Campaign:

Some CEOs have given up the thankless work of being HRC’s proxies, recognizing (finally) that the mob will never be satisfied. Exxon banned the pride flag. Netflix told employees who didn’t like free speech to find the nearest exits. EA Sports’ parent company, Electronic Arts, asked to review all June posts, insisting that they “may not be political in nature.” Slowly, companies are coming around to the fact that pride really is a presumption. Why step out on a limb to make an absurd point that there is zero market demand for?

The writer, Suzanne Bowdey, notes that companies are tired of being strong-armed by the HRC:

As a thank you to companies who’ve spent the last 20 years turning themselves inside out for their extremist causes, the country’s biggest LGBT advocate is demanding more. Much more. It’s no longer enough to sell rainbow merch, offer benefits to same-sex spouses, pay for transgender treatments, open your bathrooms to both sexes, and hire diversity officers. It’s time, HRC’s interim president says, to go “beyond HR plans and benefits.” From now on, if companies want a high score on HRC’s “Best Places to Work” index, then it’s time that they “do even more,” Joni Madison argues. It’s time they take a stand in the public square.

To get into the LGBT movement’s good graces, CEOs will have to politically kamikaze, speaking publicly “against elected officials harming LGBTQ+ youth.” Like Lucy with the football, HRC is ripping the rug out from under Fortune 500 companies that have spent two decades ingratiating themselves to their cultural hostage-takers. Now, after more than proving their loyalty, the Left is raising the ransom.

Bawdey closes out by saying: "In almost every poll (including Family Research Council’s latest), large swaths of Americans want companies to stay out of politics...Add that to the economic crunch some of these outspoken brands are feeling (Target’s chest-binders aren't exactly boosting shares), and the strongarm tactics of the Left are in for a real challenge. When HRC puts on the squeeze, companies will have to choose. Will they profit or pander?

And, keep in mind the words from Twitter that Richards included in his article from an attorney, Candice Jackson; he wrote: "In one representative tweet, she says that “‘LGBTQ Pride’ is a spiritual cult that’s anti-reality, anti-civil liberties, targeting children for fantasy-based rites of body sacrifice to liberate ‘gender souls’ & ‘queer’ sexualization.”

One of the things that came to mind from the words of FRC's Suzanne Bowdey has to do with the nature of evil.  The enemy of our souls has an insatiable desire to thwart the work of God, and in his harassment of believers, he continues to move the goalposts and trick us into thinking that we can never be satisfied, never do enough good works, never be clean enough, in order to satisfy a demanding deity.  While God wants us to rest in Him, the enemy wants to make us restless.  Seems these companies are on that same trajectory - they can never do enough to satisfy the LGBTQ overlords.

While it seems that even some of those who have made the unfortunate choice to practice homosexuality just want to be left alone.  The "loud and proud" transgender people might be more suited to suffer in silence.  I respect their right to privacy and don't believe they should be trying to force those who don't embrace that philosophy to endorse their behavior.  And, perhaps through non-explosive relationships and interactions, they can discover a Savior who promises them a life that is grounded in His true, authentic, and unconditional love.   

We also have to guard against being conditioned to the culture. While LGBTQ people and symbols are all around us, we don't have to buy in or try to accommodate the gay agenda into our churches and affirm those who identify as gay in their behavior.  God calls us to a higher standard and makes it possible for all of us to reject sin and walk in holiness.

Provision

In the book of Proverbs, we find a passage that underscores the notion of God's sovereignty and His control in the decisions we make and the events in our lives. Proverbs 16 contains these verses:
3 Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.
4 The Lord has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.
5 Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
6 In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
7 When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice.
9 A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

In our walk with Christ, we can have a sense of expectation that He is with us, guiding us by His Spirit and intervening, even interrupting our lives for His glory.  If we are devoted to seeing Him move in and around us, we can experience His wisdom and can be confident in His direction. We can be careful to interpret even everyday actions through the prism of God's faithfulness and know that He is with us and is fulfilling His purposes through us as we are willing to serve Him.

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Our God is a giver - that's His nature; He gave His Son to die so we might live, and He enriches our lives by giving to us. James 1 states:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Ava Guan is a waitress at the HoShun Restaurant in New Orleans.  One night, she received a very unusual tip - it was more than 10 times the amount of the bill - $777!   The Christian Headlines website reported that:

According to The Christian Post, Guan had visited her church just before starting her night shift on June 4. While at the church, she prayed that God would send help to repair the church building and its A.C. system. Despite donating $300 out of her own pocket, it still wasn’t enough to cover the cost of repairs.

That’s when the tipper, later identified as 31-year-old businessman Abdul Hamideh, came into play. Hamideh left Guan a $777 tip on a $63 bill as well as a message encouraging her to “take the night off.”

“He gave me the big tips. I don’t know why. It’s so crazy. A surprise for me,” Guan said, adding that it was a blessing from God.

The man owns several restaurant franchises and was celebrating the opening of a new location, so he wanted to "pay it forward," according to the Christian Headlines article.

According to a picture posted at Fox8Live, the man wrote "Take the night off" on the back of the check.  But, Ava had other plans.  God-inspired plans.  The television station's website notes:

Before Guan’s night shift on Saturday, June 4, she went to her church, Olive Church, off David Drive in Metairie. She said it is a small church in desperate need of repairs and new air conditioning. She prayed help would come soon.

She said those repairs come with a hefty price tag, and members of the church started to donate their own money, Guan included. She said she donated $300 out of her pocket to help, but it wasn’t enough to cover costs.

So she donated her large tip to the church.

But, that's not all - Christian Headlines relates:

As The Christian Post reported, after Hamideh heard that Guan had donated the tip money to her church, he vowed to make sure the air conditioning system was fully repaired.

Alex Yang, a leader of Olive Church, was thankful for Hamideh’s act of kindness and agreed with Guan that the tip was divine intervention.

“This is what they call God doing miracles,” Yang told NOLA.com in a statement. “We think God has sent this gentleman to tell her that Christ is here and in control.”

There are some wonderful points to consider here.  First of all, you have a lady who demonstrated her love for Jesus and her church but taking a financial gift and not using it for herself, but donating it to the church. She saw the huge tip as a sign of God's provision.  We can rely on God to give us wisdom on how to use the resources He has provided.  I think of Jesus instructing Peter in Matthew 17 to go fishing - the first fish he caught would have a coin in its mouth - that was God's provision for the purpose of paying a tax.  We can look to God as our provider and use what He has provided for His purpose.

But it didn't stop with Ava's tip - the tipper was moved by her kindness and went further by making sure the church's AC was "fully repaired."  We can recognize the power of kindness can be contagious.  Our willingness to show the love of Christ can move the hearts of those with whom we interact. 

And, a further note: it was reported the man who gave the tip thought that 777 was a lucky number; Ava saw it as divine intervention.  Sometimes we attribute occurrences around us to luck or coincidence, but for the child of God, we can be careful to give glory to God and recognize that it is His hand at work. 

Free

This is a federal holiday that marks a celebration that has been observed in many localities throghougt the years - at the core, there is the topic of freedom. We can read in 2nd Corinthians 3:
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Two weeks from today, we will be celebrating our independence as a nation; today, we think about an outgrowth of those initial principles, freedom from slavery. God does not want us to be enslaved to anyone or anything on this earth; He wants us to be devoted to Him. He has purchased us with a heavy price - with His own life, and because we belong to Him, He grants us true freedom - the freedom to overcome our sins and to live forever in Him.

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In the last four verses of Galatians 4 & the first of Galatians 5, we read about the freedom we have in Christ - remembering that God's chosen people, the children of Israel, were recipients of freedom from bondage, and we can walk in His freedom for ourselves. We can read these words:
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

In 1863, then-President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which was intended to put an end to the enslavement of black people in the entirety of the United States, even though part of the nation had seceded.  In those days, communication was limited.

A piece on the Calvary Chapel website notes: "Juneteenth (June + nineteenth) celebrates the date in 1865 when the last stronghold of slavery in the Union, Texas, received a formal decree to liberate all slaves. Though the Emancipation Proclamation had been in effect for nearly two and a half years, many thousands of black slaves remained in bondage."  On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and issued an order that "all slaves are free."  As the writer of the piece, George Scanlan notes:

He proclaimed that the freeing of slaves "involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves..." Finally, as General Granger read aloud "General Order Number Three," the last outpost of slavery within the United States was confronted with the biblical truth of the Imago Dei: all people are equally created in God's image, and deserving of dignity. 

Scanlan highlighted the views of Christian leaders regarding the topic of slavery, writing:

After experiencing a radical conversion to Christianity and having sought the counsel of John Newton about whether to remain in public office, a young William Wilberforce resolved to "commit his life and work to service of God" and to remain in politics with "increased diligence and conscientiousness." His later meeting with Rev. James Ramsay would prove momentously significant, as he heard firsthand of the horrifying conditions and treatment of slaves on British sugar plantations and transport ships. With a strong desire to put his Christian principles into action and serve God with his public life, Wilberforce soon began a quest that would outlive him, but would eventually result in the abolition of slavery in most of the British Empire.

Charles Spurgeon also championed an anti-slavery, abolitionist message from his pulpit and published works. He made his position on the equality of slaves plain by regularly receiving ex-slaves into his Pastor's College and his pulpit. He articulated well his feeling toward slave owners when he wrote: "I do from my inmost soul detest slavery . . . and although I commune at the Lord's table with men of all creeds, yet with a slave-holder I have no fellowship of any sort or kind. Whenever one has called upon me, I have considered it my duty to express my detestation of his wickedness, and I would as soon think of receiving a murderer into my church... as a man stealer."

Dean Nelson of the Frederick Douglass Institute and the Human Coalition wrote this at the WORLD Magazine website:

Slavery was a terrible stain on the United States for the first 87 years of its history. As the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass observed, the peculiarly evil institution not only brought unspeakable suffering to the slaves themselves but was also toxic to the moral health of slaveholders. It was at odds with the principles of our Declaration of Independence. Ridding America of legal slavery was the beginning of a long cleansing process that has made the country better and set an example for many other nations to follow.

Juneteenth is not a celebration of American perfection, because nations are never perfect. But it is a right and good celebration of our ongoing commitment to strive toward perfection, by admitting our sins and seeking to overcome them.

On this day, we can choose to embrace the narrative of freedom, of a country founded in a manner consistent with Biblical principles that paved the way for people previously enslaved to be free.  We can choose to be revisionist and divisive or choose to be reflective and unified.  

Last year, the Faithlife website published a piece by Tony Evans, who is heard weekday mornings at 9:30 on Faith Radio.  He wrote about Juneteenth and tied it to freedom in Christ:

We were acting like slaves because no one had told us we were free. In fact, we were so glad that someone finally told us, we made that date a holiday, and African Americans celebrate Juneteenth every year. Thank God, someone told us! If no one had ever shared the good news, then we would have stayed in slavery much longer.

Jesus Christ, on Calvary 2,000 years ago, signed your Emancipation Proclamation. He declared that you are free, but Satan is trying to keep it a secret from you. He’s trying to keep you from coming into the realization that you don’t have to stay tied down.

You don’t have to say “Yes, sir” to his control of your life any longer. You can now put down that plow and move “North.” You can now take the freedom that has been offered to you and act on it.

Just last year, the third Monday of June was designated as a Federal holiday to commemorate what had already been observed to some degree throughout the country.  There are several concepts here to consider.  One is the trajectory toward freedom.  This is a concept that is consistent with the Scriptures - we see how God freed the Israelites from bondage and how Jesus purchased our freedom from sin and death through His own death and resurrection. 

We see that freedom was built into the concepts of the founding of our nation. Craig von Buseck, writing at the Focus on the Family website, quoted from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, which "expanded the notion that 'all are created equal.'"  The former President said: "…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom…"  von Buseck writes:

This new birth of freedom expands the original founders’ vision. This phrase captures the significance of that vision: “all are created equal” to people of every color, nation, tribe, and tongue. Finally, this hallowed concept has spread around the world. It lit the torch of freedom everywhere.

We can also consider what Dr. Evans said about being free in Christ, yet not living in it.  Through our knowledge of the Scriptures and our surrender to the Lord, we can discover what Jesus has done for us.  

I also think about how God empowers us to deal with delay.  I think about a prayer of Daniel and his encounter with an angel, who had been hindered from bringing an answer because of the barrier of the "king of Persia."  That was not a physical king, but a spiritual stronghold.  Impatience is not a spiritual virtue: when we perceive that there are hindrances or delays in our prayer life, we can continue to be persistent and trust God to bring the answer in the right time and the right way.

Path to Purity

Because of the grace of God, it is possible for a human being to be saved from eternal punishment and to have the presence of Jesus to live with our hearts. By responding in faith to His invitation, we can have eternal and abundant life. Titus chapter 2 says:
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

The 12th verse tells us that it is possible to turn away from what the verse calls "ungodliness and worldly lusts."  We recognize that we have the power in order to do that and to live a life described as sober, righteous, and godly.  It's more than just following rules, but to rely on the Spirit who enables us to live a life of triumph, so that we may know Christ and that He might be seen in us.  He gives us the capacity and the motivation to obey Him.

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In Hebrews 12, we read about the potential that a Christian believer has to walk in a victorious manner, to overcome sin - but it takes determination. We can read these words:
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Throughout our society, we see instance after instance of people behaving badly - the concept of marriage has been trampled in some circles, and the proliferation of immoral relationships has set a poor example about how people should ideally treat one another.

The trial of Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard featured a display of two broken people who may have said they loved each other, but certainly did not honor one another, and a conflicted jury granted each of them financial settlements - Depp more than Heard, but the truth is, how much money does it take to ease the pain?  1 million, 10 million, 100 million.  Putting a price tag on emotional stability is an exercise in futility, and as I fear Southern Baptist leadership may learn soon, and to a limited extent, have already learned, paying off victims of alleged sexual abuse may bring the satisfaction of punishing the offending party, but can it bring the peace and healing of Christ?  And, covering up reported instances isn't a solution, either. 

One thing that seems to be missing in our discussions of misbehavior has to do with personal responsibility.  The Bible provides a clear and effective roadmap for fleeing temptation, and we have to take the "way of escape," as 1st Corinthians 10 puts it - where there is the opportunity to compromise, you have to look for the exit ramp.  

But, a reverence for and adherence to God's standards is extremely important.  For each Christian believer, personal holiness and a commitment to purity is paramount. There are those that state that what has come to be known as "purity culture" is essentially obsolete and was a manipulative failed experiment to keep young people from engaging in illicit sexual activity, but we can't ignore the Bible's clear instruction to be pure.  

Recently, second-generation Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson Huff spoke to that issue.  The Movieguide website reported:

In a recent episode of her WHOA, THAT’S GOOD podcast, Sadie Robertson Huff discussed purity and waiting until marriage, something she and her husband Christian practiced before they got married.

“It really is worth it,” she explained. “I would just encourage you: Anytime you open that before it’s meant to be open, there tends to be shame, guilt, insecurity, self-doubt, all this stuff. But within marriage, we found that to be a beautiful gift. And so it’s definitely, definitely worth the wait. And you’ll see why it’s intended for marriage. It’s intended for two becoming one.”

She related that she and her now-husband, Christian, said to each other prior to their marriage: "‘We want your plan, God, not our own. We want to see your planning come to life in our relationship.'" The article continued:

While Huff encouraged her listeners to practice celibacy before marriage, she also had a message of forgiveness and grace for those who have fallen short of that goal.

“If you’ve already had sex before, you’re not alone,” Huff shared. “We had both had pasts before we met each other that were not totally pure. [But] then meeting each other, we decided we wanted to pursue purity together. And so we did.”

Even in 2014, this was a message that Sadie was championing, even to the secular press, like E! Online, which said:

In her new book, Live Original: How the Duck Commander Teen Keeps It Real and Stays True to Her Values, the Duck Dynasty reality star is sharing her personal advice for other teenagers about how to stay pure in romantic relationships and avoid premarital sex.

In fact, during an interview with Inside Edition, the 17-year-old revealed three specific tips that she follows to remain chaste: Don't stay home alone together, stay out of each other's bedrooms and pray together before dates or "whenever you need to."

That's some great counsel within a dating relationship, and a variation for all adults, regardless of martial status, is what is known as the "Billy Graham Rule."  Even though there has been widespread criticism of the principles, it is straightforward and Biblical, I believe.  At BillyGraham.org, there was an excerpt from his autobiography, Just As I Am, that included this simple explanation of the concept, which was codified by several team members in Modesto, CA in 1948:

We all knew of evangelists who had fallen into immorality while separated from their families by travel. We pledged among ourselves to avoid any situation that would have even the appearance of compromise or suspicion. From that day on, I did not travel, meet or eat alone with a woman other than my wife. We determined that the Apostle Paul’s mandate to the young pastor Timothy would be ours as well: “Flee … youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 1:22, KJV).

The Bible teaches us how we are saved, and then provides the roadmap for a fruitful Christian life that glorifies God.  But, personal holiness is more than keeping rules - it flows from a heart with a desire to please God.  Jesus has set us free from sin and empowers us to live a victorious life.  As we talked about earlier this week, we can know the right thing to do, but it we fail to act, then it is sin.  And, sin leads us away from Christ.   

So, the power is there, but we have to have the right heart.  We have to guard against corruption at every turn.  Hebrews 12 talks about a dedicated fight against the desires of the flesh, and fortunately, we have the power of the Spirit, who cleanses us and teaches us how to walk in the ways of Jesus.

The Proclamation from the Pulpit

There is an enormous responsibility for spiritual leaders, and as congregation members, we can be careful to affirm whom we have chosen to lead us. 1st Timothy 5 states:
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.
21 I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.

We see in this passage of Scripture a sense of accountability for those who are called to spiritual leadership. Spiritual leaders should be devoted to adhering to God's truth, proclaiming and living out the Scriptures; and those under that authority should also be growing in the Lord and in a position to hold them accountable.  There are many ideological winds that are swirling around these days, and it is important that the Church hold fast to a Biblical worldview.

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The apostle Paul wrote about the role of spiritual leaders and issued a challenge that we find in 1st Peter chapter 5:
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. 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."

While we should certainly not exalt to celebrity status our preachers and teachers of God's Word, we should show them respect and honor, for they occupy a critical position in the Church. And, they are accountable to God for the actions - and their proclamations.

So, it can be troubling when you consider that just over a-third of self-identified Christian pastors in America do not possess a Biblical worldview, according to recent release from the 2022 American Worldview Inventory, from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.

George Barna is director of research at the Center, and, according to The Christian Post, "just 37% of Christian pastors bring a biblical worldview with them to their pulpits." It goes on to say:

The nationwide study of about 1,000 Christian pastors conducted between February and March found that 57% of pastors leading nondenominational and independent churches held a biblical worldview, which researchers called “Biblical Theism.” Nondenominational and independent churches were even more likely to subscribe to a biblical worldview than leaders of Evangelical churches, 51% of whom abide by biblical theism in their daily lives.

Barna noted, "With barely half of Evangelical pastors possessing a biblical worldview — and that number continuing to decline — attending what may be considered an ‘Evangelical’ church no longer ensures a pastoral staff that has a high view of the scriptures.”

The article also noted:

The research also examined the worldviews of pastors based on the size of the congregation they serve. In churches with an average of 100 or fewer adults attending weekend services, 41% of the pastors were designated as “Integrated Disciples,” meaning that they have a biblical worldview that has been successfully translated into their daily behavior.

Larger fellowships with 101 to 250 adults fared even better, with 45% of their pastors holding a biblical worldview. However, just 14% of pastors leading mid-sized churches of between 250 and 600 people possessed a biblical worldview, while 15% of pastors of congregations with more than 600 adults were considered integrated disciples.

Barna is quoted as saying: "You cannot give what you do not have, so it is plausible that pastors of some large churches attract people by teaching a cultural standard rather than a biblical standard,” adding, “There are obviously some great Bible teaching churches and pastors among the nation’s largest congregations, but the data suggest it is more common to find pastors with a biblical worldview in smaller churches.”

It's a sobering look at the state of the American pastorate - and let me just say that I appreciate the diligence of pastors throughout our listening area who love Jesus, are dedicated to their congregations, and devoted to truth.  And, that is the key determinant of a church's effectiveness: its desire to glorify God by adhering to Biblical truth and acting accordingly - not the size nor the ethnicity, not the label, not the demographics that are most important.

The challenge is there for all us - we should make it our aim to be those "Integrated Disciples" about which Barna speaks: seeking out and incorporating the truth, as well as living it out daily.  We can also be discerning about our spiritual intake. Faith Radio is dedicated to offering you a lineup of Bible teachers who have a track record of proclaiming the truth of God, and we want to be a complement to the local church and your own walk with the Lord.  We should submit ourselves to trusted sources for truth, including our submission to pastors who faithfully proclaim the Scriptures in a bold and accurate manner.