What's Right for Parents

Jesus taught His disciples how to walk in truth and challenged them to be bold in living out His principles, by the power of the Holy Spirit. In John 16, He also teaches that the Spirit will give us direction:
12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

We can exhibit reliance on the Spirit so that we will know the life-changing, freedom-inducing truth of Scripture - Jesus said that you will know the truth, which will set us free. We can experience confidence when faced with the world's ideologies that seek to hold us back from a productive Christian life and speak boldly in accordance with Christ's teachings. Our knowledge of Scripture equips us well to navigate the chaos and confusion that seems to characterize so much of our world today.

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As Christ-followers, we have the calling to be truth-tellers, devoted to living out and speaking our convictions. In 2nd Timothy 2, we can find a passage that warns against ideology that doesn't line up with Scripture - it says:
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

It has been said that elections have consequences, and the policies that are embraced by our political leaders can dramatically affect our lives - for good or for harm. That is why Christians should be involved in the selection process, because, flawed as it may be, it is the system under our Constitution that we have in order to make a bold statement of our Christian ideals.  

While we focus so often on our federal and statewide offices, we can also recognize that local races are also very important.  That includes places on boards of education, especially with the spotlight shining on concepts that are being taught in schools that run contrary to our Christian beliefs.

The Daily Citizen ran an article recently on a shift in the ideological makeup of school boards across the country, reporting:

Moms for Liberty and the 1776 Project Political Action Committee (PAC) are two new groups pushing back against schools that sexualize and confuse children and indoctrinate them into woke ideology.

Both organizations supported school board candidates who want to protect children and affirm parental rights. Both saw victories in races across the country on November 8.

The article stated:

Moms for Liberty was founded in January 2021 by Tiffany Justice, wife and mom with four school-aged children, and Tina Descovich, a wife and mother with five children. In less than two years, the group has grown to 240 chapters in 42 states, with more than 100,000 members.

Both women had served on school boards in Florida and grew concerned about parental rights in education, mask mandates, and inappropriate, explicit sexual materials in schools. They were also concerned about huge political spending by teachers unions, most of it going to leftist politicians and causes.

And, the track record, so far, seems to be exemplary; the Daily Citizen pointed out:

Moms for Liberty mobilized quickly, vetting and endorsing more than 500 school board candidates who support parental rights in 2022 elections. Before the November 8 midterm election, they’d already notched 105 wins.

For the midterms, the grassroots parents organization endorsed more than 270 candidates in 15 states. The Daily Caller reported that of “the seats open in Florida school board elections, Moms for Liberty candidates won 41 of the 67 seats available.”

In Berkeley County, South Carolina, not only did new school board members win their elections, they began to take action at the very first meeting.  According to an NBC News article, six new members were sworn in and immediately replaced the school board chair, the superintendent and the school district's attorney. The article notes that the board also voted to "ban critical race theory and set up a committee to decide whether certain books and materials should be banned from schools."

Writing for WORLD Magazine, noted Christian speaker and podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey stated:

“We do not co-parent with the government” has become the rallying cry of a new generation of moms and dads committed to fighting for parental rights, better curriculum in public schools, and against the restrictive COVID policies hindering kids’ ability to learn and thrive.

She mentioned:

In July, I had the pleasure of delivering the keynote speech at Moms for Liberty’s first national event in Tampa. They gathered to celebrate the work they’d done and to support each other in the face of the relentless pushback they receive from their opponents. The theme for the conference was “such a time as this,” inspired by Esther 4:14. These women are convicted by God’s calling on their lives to stand in the gap for their children and their communities, and I assured them that we would stop at nothing in our fight for what is good, right, and true.

In that August article, Stuckey noted some of the flashpoints which essentially have fueled the parents' rights movement, which has been joined by concerned Christians:

The Biden administration heeded a plea from the National School Board Association and labeled parents speaking up at school board meetings as potential domestic terrorists. At school board meetings, parents who attempt to read aloud the pornographic material available to students in their school libraries have been shouted down and removed. Moms for Liberty has been labeled a “fascist” group and “a threat to democracy.” Twitter just suspended the organization’s account for criticizing California’s radical “gender transition” bill, which removes the rights of parents who want to prevent their child from traveling to California for puberty blockers, mastectomies, or castration.

Speaking of California's gender transition bill, an article at the Washington Examiner noted this about the bill, signed by Governor Newsom in late September...

It’s not alarmist to say the new law is a twofold nightmare: first for how it affirms in law the idea that children need gender intervention by way of social transitioning, cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and sex reassignment surgery, and second for its blatant effort to empower courts to unravel the fabric of families and the decision-making power of parents, particularly those parents who may be divorced or parents of children struggling with gender dysphoria, the idea that their gender and feelings don’t align.

Writer Nicole Russell notes: 

Under S.B. 107, if a parent doesn’t agree with his or her child transitioning, that parent may be denied information about his or her own child’s health. The law gives courts the ability to strip parents who reside elsewhere, meaning in other states, of their parental rights if their children travel to California claiming they’ve been denied gender intervention healthcare and are seeking it there. The bill, by design, overrides the legal jurisdiction of a child’s home state, all in the name of radical gender theory and gender-intervention methods masquerading as healthcare.

We recognize that, according to the Scriptures, parents have been given the responsibility by the Lord to train their children.  We may subcontract to schools, church ministries, sports leagues, and other entities, but ultimately, parents are called upon to direct their children's education.

But parents have to act responsibly.  Where there are legitimate cases of abuse, negligence, or instance where laws have been broken, there should be a civil accountability structure that should be implemented - not executed in a spirit of harassment or the pursuit of political or ideological aims.

And, therein lies the problem: we are finding that "the state" has become so entangled in trying to raise children - as Moms for Liberty says, "co-parent" that the lines have been blurred.  And, the end result of this chaos is typlified by the California law, which supersedes the rights of parents based on the dangerous LGBTQ+ ideology. 

It is high time that parents, including Christian parents, not only seize their God-given responsibility, but participate in the process of making sound policy - of bringing sound, Biblical ideas into public forums, adhering to truth and devoted to protecting the hearts and minds of children from exposure to harmful ideology.  

Crime and Punishment

In Romans 7, Paul delivers a striking analysis of the inner struggle between the flesh and the spirit, the battle between desires to do evil and to do good, and ultimately, the source of our victory. Here is a sampling:
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Because we have been born again, we have a new spirit, we are declared to be new creatures in Christ Jesus. We are not born good, we are born with a propensity for evil - we need the redeeming power of a Savior.  Jesus came to transform the human heart - to give us a new nature and then to enable us to walk in that new nature. We can know proclaim our victory in Christ and walk in the new life that He has provided; rejecting the power of sin, that leads to death, and embracing the power of Jesus Christ, who gives us eternal life.

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In the 17th chapter of Jeremiah, we can see a comparison between the power of the evil heart and the power of God's Word that can change it:
7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

It seems all too common these days - public areas that are threatened by people who are intent on doing harm.  Over the last year, there have been several instances of violence occurring at a celebratory community event - a parade. That hit close to home with me recently, as shots were fired and one person left dead and another injured near the conclusion of Dothan's National Peanut Festival Parade, in a location past which I had driven only minutes before.  We remember the Fourth of July Parade in Highland Park, Illinois, which left six people dead and dozens injured. 

Last year, just over a year ago, a man drove an SUV into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and six people lost their lives and many were injured.  The man convicted of this deadly act, according to the Post Millennial website, was sentenced "to six life sentences, to be served consecutively without the possibility or eligibility for extended supervision."

The article also noted that the man, Darrell Brooks was also "sentenced to 17 and a half years for each of the 61 counts of reckless endangerment, 25 years for each of the six counts of hit and run, six years of two counts of bail jumping, and nine months for one count of battery, all to be served consecutively." There was also financial restitution that was ordered.

The judge in the case, Jennifer Dorow, presented an exemplary amount of moral clarity in her comments. She reportedly told the defendant, "to order anything other than what I have done, sir, would be to unduly depreciate the seriousness of these offenses. It is needed, although largely symbolic given the number of years that I have imposed here today, because frankly, you deserve it."  The article also noted:

Shortly before the sentencing, Dorow explained why she stated that mental health issues "did not cause him to do what he did on November 2021, and frankly, did not play a role," reading out reports from experts.

"In the last year and a half alone, this court has ordered many competency evaluations, presided over a number of contested competency hearings, and ordered many, many evaluations for the special plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect."

"And the bottom line is for this court, Mr. Brooks does not present as a person who is either not competent or not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect," Dorow continued.

The judge was unrelenting in characterizing Brooks' actions as "evil," stating, "...there are times when evil people do bad things. There is no medication or treatment for a heart that is bent on evil."

She also stated:

"It’s very clear to this court that he understands the difference between right and wrong, and that he simply chose to ignore his conscience, fueled by anger and rage. Some people, unfortunately, choose a path of evil, and I think Mr. Brooks, you are one of those such persons."

What an astonishing presentation of the clear distinction between right and wrong, good and evil, the characterization of acts as "evil," and the defendant's choice, in her estimation, to ignore the "conscience."

Dorow is, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "a graduate of Marquette University and Regent University School of Law."  Regent, is a Christian-based law school in Virginia Beach.

In the judge's comments, you can recognize some clear Biblical concepts that need to be talked about these days. We live in times when those who are responsible to uphold the law abdicate that responsibility - in some areas, we hear and see reports of crimes do not receive the punishment they deserve.  Criminals who should be receiving punishment, it seems like, are receiving a free pass. And, with Americans on edge regarding crime statistics, I think you have to admit that there is a problem with people recognizing right from wrong, distinguishing good from evil.

There is a spiritual problem and a departure from the clarity of the Scriptures.  The Bible teaches us the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil.  It also points to the existence of the conscience, an inner sense, even a moral "voice" in our hearts and minds that help us to recognize those differences.  But, if we are not born again, we don't have the capacity to adequately train that conscience by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.  Now, we cannot be good in and of ourselves - we are born to be evil, that's the result of the Fall - and even those who do not believe in Christ can at least recognize the difference between good and evil.  But, even though someone may know the right thing to do; but if he or she doesn't do it, the Bible clearly tells us that it sin.

The really, really good news is that we can be redeemed.  No one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are all sinners, yet because of God's grace, He has determined that we can come into a relationship with Jesus, who can forgive our sins and set us free from the power of sin.  In our flesh, we have the propensity to do evil; through the Spirit we can overcome. 

Milestones

We are recipients of the love and grace of God, and are called to be stewards of what He has entrusted to us. 1st Corinthians 4 contains these words:
1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
4 For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

Because we belong to Christ, we have the tremendous responsibility to function according to His ability working through us.  He has loved us, and He empowers us to act according to that love in ministering to others, being aware of the needs around us and sensitive to the direction of His Holy Spirit. Because Jesus has been faithful to us, we can be motivated by His love to be faithful to Him by allowing His Spirit to flow through us for His glory.

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We can be careful to acknowledge our awareness of God's work in our respective areas, as well as our nation and the world. We are each called to do the work of His ministry, so that Christ can be made known. 2nd Corinthians 4 provides this reminder:
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.

There are tremendous tools that God has used in order to bring people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  One is the Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) movie, the Jesus film. According to Baptist Press, "Since its release in 1979, it has been viewed by billions of people around the world and resulted in more than 600 million decisions for Christ, according to statistics on the film’s website."

The story notes that the Guinness Book of World Records says that the film is the "most translated film" in the world. And, the film just celebrated a milestone - its 2000th language. The Baptist Press article related that, "Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary student Mang Siing recently became a part of history when he served as the narrator for the Zo language translation of the world-famous Jesus Film." The article says:

Siing, who is from Myanmar, said Zo is one of more than 50 different dialects of the Chin people group, and was of the last of the Chin languages to receive a biblical translation. The New Testament translation of Zo was completed about 10 years ago, followed by the entire Bible in 2018.

It notes that: "The role Siing played with the voiceover was providing the lines for the film’s narrator. He also enlisted 28 other people from the Zo community in Fort Worth to provide voices for other characters, including Jesus, Mary and several children’s voices. The full recording process took around 16 hours for Siing, and a full week of days and nights overall...The local Zo community was so excited about the project that they partnered with both Southwestern and representatives from the Jesus Film to host a premiere showing on the school’s campus in October."

Another worldwide ministry has reached a milestone - the 200 millionth shoebox, to be distributed by Operation Christmas Child, an outreach of Samaritan's Purse. It was packed by a former shoebox recipient and will be delivered to a child in Ukraine. 

Elizabeth Groff, according to the Samaritan's Purse website, "received a shoebox gift years ago as a lonely child in an orphanage in Ukraine." She spent a week traveling to several locations across America - from Denver to the Chicago area to Nashville, and ending up in Punta Gorda, Florida, where the ministry is providing relief for victims of Hurricane Ian. At each stop, she added a gift, chosen by an social media poll.

The final stop is coming up this week: at the Charlotte Processing Center on Saturday, where Samaritan's Purse President Franklin Graham will insert the last gift. Then, according to the website: "Elizabeth’s adventure will culminate when she finally delivers the celebratory 200 millionth shoebox to a young girl in Ukraine affected by the ongoing war." She relates: “I pray that this child realizes and understands that they aren’t alone. With everything going on Ukraine, it must be so difficult for them,” adding, “I want them to know that there is the hope of Jesus.”

So, we celebrate with these two enduring, impactful ministries.  But, we also realize that each encounter with the Savior, each meal served during Thanksgiving, every family in need touched by believing Christians during the Christmas season, and the ongoing work of ministry is a milestone in and of itself. 

We continue to observe and to report to you how God is at work in our area, around the nation, and throughout the world.  We are grateful for the churches and ministries in the Faith Radio listening area who are obeying Christ and spreading His love. We can be thankful for the ways that God chooses to use each of us and be willing servants following His direction.

Survivor

God doesn't want us to feel helpless - in fact, He has given us His power and His promises to rely on so that we might possess confidence in Him. 2 Peter chapter 1 states:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Jesus is sufficient - He is all that we need; that is a point that we'll be discussing a bit later on during today's Meeting House program.  Because we have Jesus, we don't have to fend for ourselves - we don't have to be lost, because, as the old song reminds us, we have been found.  We have direction for our lives because of the power of His Word.  His Word, as I read, contains these incredible promises, which can sustain us and remind us that we belong to Him and that He has our best - which is His best - in mind.

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We can be thankful to God for how we have seen Him be faithful to us and we can know Him more fully as we spend time learning His Word.  God's Word is our key to spiritual survival. James chapter 1 states:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

In the late 70's, in the midst of the disco craze, a woman boldly declared, "I Will Survive."  The recording artist on that song could certainly be termed a "survivor," and she has found the strength that has enabled her to persevere - the power of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  On this day before Thanksgiving Day, I think it's appropriate to reflect on how God has rescued us, perhaps enabling us to survive difficulties by His faithfulness.

Her name is Gloria Gaynor, and, at a party after I Will Survive had become a hit, God worked dramatically in her life. A Movieguide article quotes her:

“Years ago, right after ‘I Will Survive,’ I was riding high and my and my ex-husband and I had given a party and we’d invited these people and long story short, I was about to indulge in drugs because I felt that if I didn’t, my husband was going to be left with all these women and I was going to be asleep because I wasn’t indulging and as I was about to do it,” she recalled.

“God literally grabbed me by my collar; ‘That’s enough.’ And I was visibly shaken,” she added. “Got to the bathroom as quickly as I could close the door and I was standing there shaking..."

The article notes that, "Gaynor revealed that the close call made her realize her need for Jesus and God’s message of joy."

Perhaps in order to process what was happening, she went to the source of truth, God's truth - the Bible. Gaynor said, according to Movieguide: “I had to really go a different way...So I sat down in my house, grabbed a Bible that someone had given me thinking I was religious. I’m like, ‘I wasn’t thinking about that Bible.’ But I had it when I needed it. And so I took it, blew the dust off it, sat down with him. I was like ‘okay, God, show time. Who is this Jesus person?’ And He said, ‘open the book.’"

This is what she discovered:

“I opened it and on one side of the page was a list of prophecies of the forthcoming messiah that would save us from our sins,” she explained. “And the other side of the page was a list of scriptures showing how Christ fulfilled those prophecies. I was done. I was so done. I was crying. I was penitent. I’ve been following Him ever since, never regretting a moment. Always just so grateful. Just ever so grateful.”

She is a cast member of a movie called, The Thursday Night Club.  Movieguide printed a summary on its website, which says: “When a young woman filled with the Christmas spirit suffers a devastating loss, her four closest friends work to bring the spirit back to her by helping others. The Thursday Night Club is an inspiring movie about a group of friends who listen to God’s calling to serve others in unique ways.”

This article portrays the pop singer as someone in whose life God was working, but she seemed to resist turning her life over to Him.  But, the seeds that had been planted, at some point, began to bear fruit.  And, that's how it is; Jesus taught about the seed of God's Word and how it can bear fruit if we do not allow ourselves to be distracted or deceived.  We can be convinced that, as Isaiah says, God's Word will not "return void."

We can recognize the work of God in our own lives.  We can give Him the glory for how He has shown up in and around us and how He has demonstrated His faithfulness.  We know that the Spirit of God is working on our hearts in order that we might see clearly our need for a Savior and then to lead us into a deeper walk with Him. We can be thankful that God has not left us to fend for ourselves, but He walks with us.

Gloria Gaynor's life shows how we can be a spiritual survivor.  It takes the willingness to hear and believe the Word of God - to really study the Word and seek God's direction.  We have to do more than just merely read the Word, we have to be willing to act in accordance with it. 

Thanksgiving To Whom?

The Bible tells us that God has ordained countries, nations of the earth, and we have been placed in certain locations in order that we might exhibit a Christian testimony and stand for His principles. In Acts 17, Paul states:
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

The Bible shows us how we are to regard the country in which we live - we should always desire for the people around us to come to know Christ, and for God's principles to be exalted in our land. It is sad to see how some have sought to suppress the Christian influence in our nation.  But, while we are not called to worship a nation or a symbol of it, that doesn't mean that we should not possess concern for our country, exalting God first and desiring to see Him exalted in all that we are involved in.  During this season of Thanksgiving, we can be grateful for the rich history of our nation and the influence of the Scriptures on our founding.

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Because we love God and He is active in our lives, we can radiate an attitude of thanksgiving to Him for who He is, what He has done in bringing us salvation, and what He continues to do in and around our lives. 1st Timothy chapter 4 states:
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;
5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

This coming Thursday, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day - it is a Federal holiday, and while the original meaning of the holiday has been somewhat diluted in some circles, it's important to remind ourselves of how that first Thanksgiving came to be.

J. Warner Wallace, writing on his website, ColdCaseChristianity.com, highlighted that among those who came to the New World seeking a new life, there was a significant number of members of the English Separatist Church, which he describes as "a Puritan sect of Christianity."  He writes that...

... They fled their homeland so they could pursue God in a way they considered to be truer to the teaching of the Bible. This group successfully escaped religious persecution from the Church of England, but eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life. They observed the lifestyles of those around them and believed they were in an ungodly land. So once again, they pushed on toward a new place where they could both worship the Biblical God of Christianity and live in a way honorable to this God.

He notes there were also other Christians on the Mayflower, but not necessarily Puritans. He writes:

Whether they were part of the Puritan group or simply along to assist them and make a new life for themselves, everyone shared a fervent and pervasive Protestant faith permeating all aspects of their lives. So, when the pilgrims made ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11th, 1620, they were also grounded in their faith as Christians. In less than a year, they suffered the loss of 46 of their original 102 members, but they never lost their faith.

At the end of the harvest of 1621, the pilgrims decided to celebrate. The pilgrims brought with them both religious and secular customs from their homeland. Among these customs were the tradition of a secular harvest festival and the tradition of a religious holy day of thanksgiving. These were two separate celebrations for the original pilgrims, but both celebrations had strong religious overtones.

So, the first Thanksgiving on this continent was a significantly religious occasion. So were subsequent observances; Wallace says, "Thanksgiving celebrations followed for many years, and often became part of the political and corporate life of larger groups as the colonies grew and formed in the New World. On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, met to decide how to best express their thanks to God in a corporate celebration of thanksgiving." He also notes that the original colonies celebrated a day of Thanksgiving in 1777, for their "first joint thanksgiving holiday." Presidents Washington and Lincoln also proclaimed days of Thanksgiving, with Lincoln establishing an annual day of Thanksgiving in November.

Wallace, the cold case detective, also wrote this: "Regardless of how people may feel about the Thanksgiving Holiday, one thing should be obvious to even the most casual observer of history: Thanksgiving was (and still is) founded on the Christian notion we have something to be thankful for and someone to be thankful to."

So, it is clear that Thanksgiving is a distinctly religious holiday, centered on giving thanks to the God of the Bible.  In a day in which you have some who would want to separate Christianity from our practice of patriotism, this reminds us that we can and should give God praise for His blessings on our nation. Now, it has become popular - and misguided - to brand Christians who love their country as "Christian nationalists."  There's even a group called Christians Against Christian Nationalism. 

Pushback against that insulting term, the definition of which seems to be a moving target, occurred at the Family Research Council's Pray Vote Stand Townhall in Virginia a few months ago. An article at The Washington Stand notes that a panel of guests commented on the Biblical role of Christians in national life.  One of them was Mark David Hall, a past Meeting House guest who is a professor at George Fox University.  The article noted, concerning the term, "Christian nationalism:"

If it truly is a misnomer intended to shame believers who are bringing biblical hope and truth into a dark world, Hall says Christians ought to simply identify as followers of Christ.

“I think we, as Christians, should be first and foremost in addressing these in our own lives and the lives of our churches and the lives of our community,” he said. “Maybe many of these problems are best addressed without political institutions, right, through churches and voluntary organizations and that sort of thing.”

Dr. Stephen Coughlin of Unconstrained Analytics, "dissected how the term has been wielded by critics and political counterparts." He added: “Patriotic Christians will become now Christian nationalists, and it will be defined negatively.”

Former member of Congress Michele Bachmann stated: “It’s highly consequential when the Word of God is pervasive in a nation,” adding, “What does a godly pastor do? What does a godly church do? They inform the faithful, and they inspire the faithful to bring biblical values into their own lives, into their family’s life, into their business’s life, into their community’s life, into the political life of the nation, and that is how a nation can be a nation that serves the Lord ...”

So, the question is, on this Thanksgiving Day, which falls this year just over a month before the celebration of the birth of our Savior, are we allowing God's Word to be, as former Rep. Bachmann says, "pervasive?"  Are God's Word and the presence of Christ central to our identity, or merely sidelights that we attempt to embrace when it may be advantageous to us?

For many of the celebrants of that First Thanksgiving, their devotion to Christ influenced them to the degree that they were willing to leave one country and sail across an ocean in search of religious freedom.  We can consider whether or not our approach to our Christian faith really moves us. It's more than just wearing a label, it's living a life. And, when we see God move through us, we can give glory and honor - thanksgiving - to Him!

The Perfect Match

Our loving heavenly Father desires for us to bring our requests to Him, so that He can show us the nature of His love. Psalm 37 provides a great reminder:
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

We do have to be careful - our God is not some sort of vending machine or genie whom we can expect to do whatever we command Him to.  But, He has given us His Word to direct us - and as we are humble before Him and seek His will by spending time in that Word and surrendering to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, our desires can actually conform with His; in fact, I recall hearing that He will actually create desires with us - giving us the desires and granting them. Through our relationship with God, we can discover how we can pray specifically, so that His will might be expressed.

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In James chapter 4, we find a pattern for effective prayer. We are not called to pray out of selfish desires, but God does want us to humble ourselves and ask according to His will. In that chapter, we can read these words:
2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

15 years ago, Lynell Lovinggood was in a bad place - her family had been going through what was termed by an article at The Baptist Paper as "a difficult season," and the midst of it, more bad news came. 

Even before her kidney transplant in 2007, there were trouble signs.  The article related that even back in the 1990's...

...her rheumatologist saw some things he was concerned about. He thought they might be dealing with lupus, though Lovinggood didn’t have some of the primary symptoms.

It wasn’t long before they found lupus lesions on her kidneys. She began two years of chemotherapy.

“As the lesions were being destroyed, the kidneys were also, and the function started going down,” Lovinggood said.

Fast forward now - the article states that "she went to a service specifically geared to prayers for healing, and the stranger prayed for a perfect match for her. Some friends from her church — Shades Mountain Baptist in Birmingham, Alabama — had suggested she go." She experienced the compassion of her church family, saying, “It was a sweet time of ministry from my church.”

The manifestation of the answer to prayer came in August of 2007 when the call came. A 27-year-old had passed away, and that person's kidney was made available to Lynell. The article says that, "she...knows that in the midst of that donor’s death, God worked a miracle — the kidney was a six-out-of-six antigen match, a rare occurrence outside identical twins and some siblings."

After the transplant, she remembers that...

...the worship leader and his wife came over to sing her favorite song — “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” — over her.

And in the days that followed, cards flowed in. She taped them all around her door so she could see them every day. Food came at the same rate. Two months later, meals were still showing up at her door.

She said, "It was a beautiful picture of God’s people over and over again...It was overwhelming. Sometimes I would just cry. I don’t know if there’s anything like it, to see God work in so many specific ways through different people.”

15 years ago, that transplant is a testimony to God's gift of health to her and a reminder of the love of God's people and her three children. 

From this story, you can see that no doubt the kidney was a "perfect match," an answer to prayer from a stranger, but she also discovered another "perfect match" - the matchless love of Jesus that she saw over and over again from her church family. 

During this season of Thanksgiving, we can be very mindful of the blessings that God has given to us - sometimes those blessings will be huge, like a second chance at life, perhaps even a medical miracle.  But, there are answers to prayer that occur that we should acknowledge, and those instances of answered prayers can be motivational for worship and for testifying to the greatness of our loving God.

And, we can be encouraged by the specificity of that one prayer - a prayer for a perfect match. Sometimes we can be generic or general in our prayers, and perhaps God is calling us to reach out in faith and pray specifically as He leads us.  We are taught that we have not because we ask not, and since we serve such a wonderful Lord who is full of love and power, we can bring the desires of our heart to Him, not demanding or not in presumption, but in humility and a sense of trust in a God who can do beyond what we ask or think.

Getting and Giving

As we prepare to enter the week of Thanksgiving, we can be reminded of what God has provided for us: He has brought us salvation through His Son, and we can recognize the financial resources that He provides for us, as well. Romans 13 states:
7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

We have been called to be stewards of all that God has given to us - He is our provider, and we can trust Him to meet our needs...and to use us in order to help meet the needs of others, as well.  We can take our eyes off ourselves and put them on Him first, and then do as He directs, recognize the opportunities around us to serve Him by serving others. We can rejoice in the Lord as we see Him minister to others as we're yielded to Him.

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There is a passage in Proverbs that can inspire us with respect to setting priorities and honoring God - in Proverbs 3, we see these words:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

When Rick and Melissa Hinnant met, they certainly didn't represent a sound financial template for a successful marriage.  According to CBN.com, "Melissa was in real estate. Rick had been living on credit cards, trying to start a number of businesses, and was $80,000 in debt."

But, Rick started from where he was financially to try to work his way out.  The article relates:

Rick admits, "I ended up knocking on people's doors to ask them could I mow their lawn, could I pick their weeds? Pretty humbling."

Before long, Rick's landscaping business took off, and the newly married couple started working their way out of the red. "I was doing everything possible to annihilate that debt and as quick as I could," Rick says.

All the while, the Hinnants were tithing. Rick explains, "God says, 'Test me' and I love the challenge, and so if God says, 'Test me', I'm going to sign up."

Melissa adds, "Even during our hardest financial times, we still always gave because I know if God is going to bless us, we have to be faithful to continue to give."

Rick added installing Christmas lights to his business, and things really took off.  Melissa turned her knitting hobby into an income source, as well.

All the while, the couple struggled with God's purposes for their financial resources. The article notes that...

...she was convinced that money was mainly a tool to help the needy. "If money can make me have more of a difference, then that's great, but I didn't need it," she explains.

Rick admits, "There was this civil war inside. Yes, I wanted to give more money, but did I want to make more money so I could have more material things? I simply asked God, 'Do I have money before you?' And what I heard was, 'Yes, you do.' I asked God to forgive me instantly. I told God, 'Whether I make a lot of money or not, I'm done striving.' Instead of 'What can I acquire? It became about 'How can I help the kingdom?' When I surrendered to God, my landscape company exploded."

The Hinnants decided to go on Shark Tank with Melissa's socks, which she had begun to sell online; after the program, they did a million dollars in sales overnight.  

The company is called Grace and Lace, and Rick and Melissa cite their faith in God as the reason for their financial success. Rick says, "We ended up with a $3 million year," adding, "It was like God saying, 'Look, I can do things that will blow your mind, like that.' And now, we've got goals of doing around 15 million this year. But I don't know that we would have seen the success that we have if we weren't giving, if we weren't tithing."

CBN and its outreach arm, Operation Blessing, have been beneficiaries of God's blessing on the Hinnants. The article also notes that:

Today, Rick and Melissa have three children and choose to live way below their means so they can help the poor. They've already built 13 orphanages and a Freedom House in India.

The article says, "For those who want true financial freedom, the Hinnants suggest living to give, not get." Rick says, "I would challenge anyone out there to put God first...Where you are giving, you are blessing, you are helping, and you are changing the world for the good."  Melissa states, "God isn't looking for people who are like, 'Give me, give me, give me!' Everyone has to start somewhere, and it doesn't have to be big. It comes from the simple place of, 'God, I want your will done in my life.' You might be going through a hard financial time, but God still wants your purity of heart in giving."

Want to be great the Kingdom of God?  Come to Jesus as a little child.  Humble yourself before the Lord.  If you're selfishly trying to "get," you will get what you deserve.  If you're selflessly trying to "give," you will see the hand of God.   

We can also recognize that God honors those who dedicate their lives to doing His will.  Rick Hinnant was deeply in debt, but he took a first step and started going door-to-door, asking people if he could do yard work. He wanted to be an entrepreneur, it seems, but things didn't work out. He surrendered his plans and decided to get in conformity with God's will.  What a wonderful example of humility!  And, a reminder that things may not go how we plan, but we can seek to get in sync with His plan.

Christians and Power

We are called to be Christ-followers, and that may put us at odds with the world around us. Some have developed such a hostility toward Christians that they have become hostile and sought to exclude Christian people or Christian thought from the area of public opinion. But Proverbs 14 states:
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.

We should be so committed to living righteous lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we become shining examples of the love of Christ and the reliability of Scripture. We should never use our faith to suppress other people or to manipulate them to see things our way; rather, we should, as Ephesians directs us, speak the truth of God in love, exuding a confidence in His ways, submitting to His power and control.

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We are called to rely on the power of God through the Holy Spirit in order to be a strong example of Christ's presence and love to the people around us. 1st Peter 2 reminds us:
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,
14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.

A recent article appearing at the FiveThirtyEight website asked a provocative question in its headline: "How Much Power Do Christians Really Have?"  It was part of a series called, "Invisible Divides."  Based on one key paragraph in the article, you might say it portrays an "imaginary" divide.  By the way, the name, "Five Thirty-Eight," denotes the number of electors that are provided for in the Constitution - 270 are required for election.

But, let's just dig a bit on that question posed in the headline.  This website is a political site and relies on polling data to drive its stories.  So, the "power" referred to here is political power.  While our allegiance is primarily to the Lord Jesus Christ, our ultimate authority, we can recognize that God will place His people in places of influence - you could call it power, I suppose - in order to accomplish His purposes and uphold His principles.  

Our laws have a foundation in the Scriptures - what the Bible calls right and wrong shows up in the legal principles that we follow.  That's not always the case, but I believe that we live in a nation that has been founded on Biblical principles and the influence of Scripture, you could say, is still present today.

Should a Christian seek political power?  Well, our system of government is set up where we have leaders on multiple levels.  Same as companies, churches, even our families.  Entities have leadership structures; why not government?   If a believer wants to bring his or her expertise and the principles of Scripture into such a position, why not?  

But, ultimately, what you could say is that our "power" comes from the greatest source of power in the universe - the One who created it!  So, essentially, we have unlimited power, the power of the Holy Spirit - but we are taught in the Scriptures how to use it.  It is not to subjugate people, but to lift them up; not to settle scores, but to wield it to defeat spiritual enemies. 

So, one should not be afraid of a Christian influence, but we have come to a point where there are people in power that are not reverential about God and the teachings of His Word, and not respectful of Christians.  The FiveThirtyEight story tries to advance a theory about the role of faith and the practice of Christianity in our nation today, stating: "There’s a sense...that the country is in the midst of a reckoning over what it means to be Christian in America...On one side, there are the people who see Christians as the victims of a successful campaign to infuse the country with secular values, forcing Christians — particularly conservative ones — to accept values they violently disagree with. But many Americans think Christians occupy a very different role. In their version of the country’s current drama, Christians are the villains, ensconcing their own beliefs in law and politics even as their numbers dwindle. There’s a thread of unease on both sides — as if the one thing everyone agrees on is that these two ways of thinking about Christianity in America simply can’t coexist."

The article provides data from a A FiveThirtyEight/PerryUndem/YouGov survey of "likely voters." It says, "...we found profound disagreements about how much power Christians really have, and the role they should play in the country’s politics and culture."

This paragraph offers a summary of the findings:

Are Christians victims? It depends on who you ask. Nearly half (46 percent) of survey respondents told us that discrimination against Christians is a problem in American society today, while a majority (54 percent) think it’s not.

It also notes, "They were also divided along similar lines about whether far-right Christians are trying to impose their beliefs on other people: A majority (56 percent) agreed they are, while another 33 percent disagreed, and 10 percent weren’t sure."

All right, let's pause for a minute.  Were there any qualifiers on that survey question?  Or did the surveyor merely use the pejorative term, "far-right Christians" and leave it up to the respondent to determine what that meant? You have to define terms.  There is a move afoot to describe Christians who believe the Bible, who take a stand for life, for marriage as defined by the Scriptures, who believe that God made two genders, and who cherish religious freedom and desire to see Biblical principles influence our society as "extremists."  So, you have to be careful when you start haphazardly assigning labels. 

The summary also says, "A minority of Americans support views that could be described as Christian nationalist, an ideology defined by social scientists as the belief that the U.S. is a Christian nation, and should be returned to its Christian foundations — by force, if necessary."

Whoa, whoa, wait a minute.  Where did that add-on come from?  "By force, if necessary?"  Who believes that.  The bias is clear - if you believe that America was founded as a Christian nation, you get the label.  But, where did the "force" part come from?  That is an outrageous contention.  This may be an attempt to extrapolate what seems to be a significant Christian presence in rallies in Washington on or near January 6, 2021 to the lawlessness inside the Capitol that day.  But, it is certainly not representative of the Church as a whole.

Reading on, we see these words:

According to our survey, only 27 percent of respondents agreed that the “government should favor Christianity over other religions,” and even fewer (22 percent) said that “God has called on conservative Christians to take control of our politics and culture.”

Furthermore, "Only 13 percent said that 'the federal government should advocate for Christian religious values,...' and 19 percent said that 'the federal government should stop enforcing separation of church and state.'”

I think the whole tone of this survey shows a gross misunderstanding of what the majority of Christians believe regarding involvement in our government.  Let's take the question about whether or not the federal government should advocate for Christian religious values.  The fact is, that everyone has a worldview - a view of the world.  That view should inform all that we do.  So, when you elect politicians that do not possess a worldview that is rooted in the Bible, they are going to act accordingly. You have seen that over the last few days in the vote on the so-called Respect for Marriage Act. You can advocate for Christian values not because you want to consolidate power or suppress other people-groups, but because you believe that God's ways are best and reliable for governing a people; after all, as John Adams said, the Constitution was made for a "moral and religious people."  Take out the morality, that in so many ways reflects Judeo-Christian principles, and you have an ideological free-from-all.  

Our desire as Christians should be to win...win people to Jesus Christ.  When you depend on people with unchanged hearts to make decisions that reflect God's ways, it is an exercise in futility. But, we should vote for people and advocate for policies that reflect Christian values, because we love God and we love people and believe that the Bible offers a sound way for individuals to live and thrive in a society.  As we embark on Thanksgiving, we can reflect on how God has blessed our nation.

Holding Fast

In Revelation chapter 3, to the faithful church at Philadelphia, the Lord offers these words of encouragement:
8 I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

God is calling us to be tenacious for our faith, and in verse 11, He uses the phrase, "Hold fast..." The passage mentions the church's "little strength."  Paul writes that when we are weak, God is strong in us. So, we might feel weak, we may experience discouragement, but we can continue to hope in the Lord. When we encounter opposition because of our faith, we can continue to rejoice in God and to continue to seek His face, recognizing that He is with us.

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In the nation of India, and other nations of the world, Christians are looked down upon and face opposition and even punishment for practicing their faith. James 2 calls out partiality, beginning in verse 1:
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Verse 9 states, "...if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors."

A birthday party is generally a happy occasion, but for a 7-year-old boy in India, his family, and some of their friends, it has become something much less - in fact, it has become a time of trouble.

A group of what Morning Star News terms "Hindu extremists" invaded the event, which was quite sizable, and six women, including the boy's mother, were arrested. The extremists were "accusing Christians of using the event as a cover to fraudulently convert people."

The father, Mahendra Kumar, was quoted by Morning Star News as saying: “We face threats every day and do not know what will happen tomorrow.”  His wife, Indrakla, was one of the six women arrested under this false conversion charge - only 4 of the 6 were actually Christians.

The article gives an account:

Indrakla was getting her son ready for the party at about 1:30 p.m. on July 30 while three Christian women sang worship songs in an area near the house under a tent cover, she said.

The family had invited around 600 people, including 300 church members. About 150 guests had arrived when someone informed Indrakla that a group of men had arrived, arguing and objecting to the gathering.

When Indrakla told the intruders, members of the VHP, that they were gathered only to celebrate her son’s birthday, they accused her of luring people to convert under guise of the party. Police soon arrived, and in their presence the VHP members continued to harass her and her husband, she said.

“I stepped forward and tried to reason with them that it was my son’s birthday, and if there is nothing wrong with Hindus performing Hindu worship during their family birthday celebrations, what is wrong if we sing Christian choruses and pray before we eat?” Indrakla said.

The Hindu extremists refused to heed or answer her, she said.

“The atmosphere of celebration soon changed into despair as the police and Hindu extremists denigrated us,” Indrakla said. “They termed our birthday celebration as a ceremony for luring Dalit masses into becoming Christians.”

Police arrived and arrested the 6 women - the 2 who were not Christians are the owners of the house where the celebration occurred.  Those arrested are Dalits, who have been regarded as the "untouchables" in India's caste system.

This happened July 30; Indrakla was released on bail on September 1. But, the harassment doesn't seem to have let up. The article notes that "on two occasions assailants deliberately rammed a car into Kumar while he was on his motorbike with his son, and the family has received several threats, he said."  On October 21, they were woken up in the middle of the night by people "banging on their door."

Mahendra and Indrakla, in addition to the attacks they have faced, have also seen their standing in their community diminish.  The owners of their house have been attempting to force them to leave, and even family members will not take them in.  He has been unable to work as a food vendor, and supplies that were either borrowed or rented were stolen, and people are demanding they be returned.

The couple is fighting back; the article relates:

On Sept. 4, Kumar and Indrakla filed a private court complaint under the Code of Criminal Procedure over the attack and harassment they have faced.

They have also filed complaints to Scheduled Caste-Scheduled Tribe commission offices in New Delhi and Lucknow, as well as to the district superintendent of police, said Dinnanath Jaiswar, a Christian leader and social activist in Uttar Pradesh.

“Since these Hindu extremists came to know about the counter-complaint, they have targeted the family many times,” Jaiswar told Morning Star News. “Now the court has directed the police to investigate the threats and intimidation of the victims.”

The article says that Jaiswar had noted that "Christian families who are Dalits...face double discrimination for being both low status and followers of Christ."

In the face of pressure and opposition, we can hold fast to practicing our faith.  There is certainly concern in the Christian community about trends that could result in greater opposition to Christians practicing our deeply-held, Biblically-based beliefs.  Today, in fact, the U.S. Senate held its vote on legislation that would not only affirm what the Supreme Court did seven years ago regarding the definition of marriage, but go way further and set up regulations that would punish those who disagree.  While it is important to pray for our lawmakers, we can certainly continue to espouse and stand for the Biblical view of marriage.

This series of events also points out the antiquated caste system in India and it places people in certain classes; it's essentially a ranking based on social and economic factors.  Some people are more highly regarded than others - it's a contrast from the Biblical viewpoint that we are all equal in the sight of God, made in His image.  We should never look down on another person, but we should always be cognizant of loving others and seeking to affirm and encourage them, not endorsing bad behavior, but offering them the presence of Jesus, who can change a person from the inside.

God's Specialties

It's called the Golden Rule: you know, do unto others before they can do it unto you. No, that's not right; neither is "he who has the gold rules." The Golden Rule, as taught by Jesus, is found in Luke 6:31, and here is that verse, as well as some subsequent ones:
31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32 But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

If we only lived that way - the Church and its witness would be strengthened; our culture would be marked by goodness and unselfishness.  Because, God's principles can also be beneficial for those who do not know Him. But, we can become so self-absorbed that we lose sight of what - or who - is around us. We can develop a sensitivity to the people around us, and recognize that God may be leading us to meet their needs, not expecting anything back.

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We can experience the hand of God flowing in and through us in order to accomplish His purposes. As we open our eyes and our hearts, we can recognize how He is working. 2nd Corinthians 9 highlights His overall template for ministering to people:
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God...

For those who are without, God can use those who know Him to help provide for their needs. For those who are without a home or short on daily provision, this is an important concept to grasp - throughout the year, but it is intensified during the holidays and the winter months.

Norma Thornton of Arizona, who is 78 years old, believes that God wants to use her to help the homeless in her area. And, she was actually arrested in a city park for doing it, according to a story appearing on the Faithwire website. 

Say what? The story says that Norma "...made headlines after she was arrested in March for giving food to the homeless at Bullhead City Community Park, a place she had been going to almost daily for four years."  The article relates:

It is reportedly illegal to give out prepared food in the park for “charitable purposes” without a permit. A permit, though, only allows one feeding for a two-hour period once a month — and is expensive.

The article says that:

Thornton has since moved her ministry to a private alleyway, which isn’t precluded by the city ordinance. She’s grateful for the space but worries it isn’t ideal for those who desperately need food.

“God bless the man that lets me use his property, because it’s private property, so it’s OK,” she said. “We’re out of sight of the main public. It’s just a dirt alleyway. … I serve up their food as they come by, and they just sit on the ground. There’s no water, there’s no restroom facilities.”

Despite being grateful, she said it’s “dehumanizing” to make people sit on the ground, lamenting the loss of the benches and spaces where people previously could sit and eat in the park.

But, Norma Thornton is adamant, she will continue to follow God's direction and minister to the homeless.  And God has been faithful.  She relates: 

“Every time I’m in doubt, something happens … suddenly there’s a box of food or a bag of food or whatever it is I need,” she said. “Blankets showed up here at my doorstep just a few days ago. The temperature dropped quite a bit [and] many of the people were very cold.”

Also, as the story states, "... she’s also taking legal action against Bullhead City, Arizona, over the ordinance at the center of her arrest." Thornton says, “The number one motivation is my Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Father. We are told repeatedly, the first and most foremost commandment is love,” adding, “Love thy neighbor. Love your fellow man. He [said] several times, ‘What you do to the least of my people, you so do to me.’ That’s basically my motivation.”

God specializes in providing open doors - Norma could have shut things down after her arrest, but found another path to continue her mission.  And, she is appealing to local authorities to change the laws preventing her from carrying out her ministry in the place she desires. 

We can also now that God specializes in providing resources.  This is something that we see in this story, as well.  Others have partnered with her to bring various types of food and supplies to distribute. This is an example of the Lord working through His people to help others as they do His work.  He is identified in 2nd Corinthians 9 as the one who gives "seed to the sower."  We can consider, what has God given me in order to help meet needs?

God specializes in providing the right heart or attitude.  Norma Thornton talked about her "motivation," rooted in what Jesus said about reaching out to "the least of these." As we embark on this year's Christmas season, perhaps we can be reinvigorated in recognizing the attitude we should possess as servants of the Most High and allow His love to well up and flow through us.

His Presence in Their Absence

When our minds are full of questions and our hearts are wounded and it seems that hope has been lost, we can turn to the Lord, who gives us His Holy Spirit, described by Jesus in John 14:26 as our Helper, or as it's also been translated, "Comforter." 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 says:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Our hearts may be weighed down by the pain of grief or loss, or we may have experienced woundedness of various sorts, but we can continue to hope in the Lord.  He desires to do a deep work in our hearts and give us a fresh realization of His presence. Throughout weaknesses, as Paul wrote, also in the book of 2nd Corinthians, we can be strong.  When it seems that the burdens of the day ahead may be too great to bear, Jesus is there to carry those burdens and gives us the assurance of His presence.

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In our struggles, when we experience disappointment or walk through the depths of grief, we can turn to the Lord, who walks with us. Psalm 34 states:
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
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.

Brooke and her husband were experiencing what she calls a "sweet season of life." They were enjoying having a new addition in their family - a son approaching his first birthday.  

According to her account at The Christian Heart website, she says, "I felt led to pray for my husband before I left for the day."  He had been experiencing stress at work, and she reached out to him via text. But, there was no response.  All day long.

She writes:

When I got home and he wasn’t there, but his car was, I knew something was going on and immediately called the police. After two days of searching and praying, there was a knock at the door. The officer said that they had found him, that he wouldn’t be coming home, and that it looked like suicide.

Brooke says that, "There was no inclination that suicide was on my husband’s mind...I’ve tried looking back to see what I had missed, but at some point, I had to decide to stop trying to figure it out. I’ve concluded that I will not ever fully understand suicide or mental health. I decided to turn my gaze to Jesus and the Word for truth."

The Lord met her there, she describes what she learned:

Life comes with trials and heartache but in our faith, we would lack nothing. God’s Word reminded me in my grief that I am being made more complete. Though I tragically lost my husband, I will lack nothing because of Jesus’ work in me.

Not too long after his death, she went on a retreat with other young moms who had lost their husbands. God stirred in her a desire to help other widows, and she launched the ministry called, Songs in the Night; she says that "we host retreats and offer discipleship relationships for widows." Its website notes: "We believe that with the support of a faithful community, the depths of grief can propel us into even deeper places with God. Tragedy is somehow a catalyst for rich transformation as disciples of Christ."

The ministry offers one-on-one and group discipleship, as well as a variety of resources.

I think it's important to recognize that the experience of loss can be intensified during the holiday season.  Memories of past joys with family members conflict with the realization of their absence. I think the Church has a real opportunity to reach out to those who are walking through grief and reach out with the love and companionship of our Savior.

We can also recognize that the realization of God's faithfulness can result in a deeper walk with Him. In our times of loss, grief, and disappointment, we can know that God meets us in those difficult places.  And, while we may not understand everything that has occurred, we can all have the assurance that He is walking with and in us.

These can be challenging times for so many people, and it is a time to become more sensitized to our own mental health and the struggles of others in that arena.  And, when we struggle, we can know that we have a Savior who loved us so much that He was willing to lay down His life in order that we might experience His love and have a changed heart.  

Self-Destructing

Veterans Day gives us a cause to reflect on the people who have served in our military, the sacrifices they have made, and the bravery they have shown. They have contributed significantly to this great nation. But, the freedoms we have been given - in civic matters, as well as spiritual - should not give us an occasion to behave inappropriately. Romans 14 states:
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.
14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Freedom is tempered by love.  Believers in Christ are called to self-discipline.  We should be so devoted to Christ that we allow His Spirit to control our actions and to govern how we think and how we speak. We can have our eyes open to our sinful tendencies, and shore those areas up through careful application of the Scriptures and prayer.  All of us can fall prey to self-destructive actions, and we have to walk with the self-awareness through the Spirit who convicts us and enables us to see ourselves and to make necessary correction.

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We have freedom in Christ, and the Bible teaches about using our freedom wisely in accordance with His teachings. Paul writes in Galatians 5:
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

On this Veterans Day, we remember those who have served in our armed forces, who have been willing to devote their lives to strengthen our nation and to preserve our freedoms.  We are grateful for our First Amendment guarantees, including freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

But, just because we are free to speak or act in a certain manner doesn't mean that it is the wisest thing to do. 

In the entertainment culture, there are numerous people of influence who are unfortunately "discipling" the fans who choose to follow them, and in many cases, it has a devastating effect.  In the Christian sphere, it does seem that throughout the years, we have embraced people who talk about Jesus, but then do something or somethings that make us scratch our head, even wonder, how we could be deceived.

For instance, just within the last month, there was no doubt jubilation when a certain pop music icon, who has professed a Christian conversion, even to the extent of holding Sunday services peppered with "A-list" celebrities, who made a strong pro-life declaration in an interview with Tucker Carlson.  The New York Post said:

Kanye West slammed New York City’s abortion rights Thursday — expressing concern about the number of “black babies being aborted” in the Big Apple.

The rapper and fashion designer, 45, declared he is “pro-life” in a sit-down with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson as he wore a photograph of a baby’s ultrasound around his neck.

“It’s a photograph of a baby’s ultrasound,” West told the host about the image on a lanyard he was still wearing from Monday’s Yeezy fashion show in Paris.

“You designed that. Why? What does that mean?” Carlson pushed the “Gold Digger” rapper, who now legally goes by the first name Ye.

“It just represents life. I’m pro-life,” West explained.

Also, in the interview, Ye said, "...I perform for an audience of one and that is God."

That was published October 7. Three weeks later, The Christian Post reported:

A private Southern California Christian school launched by Kanye West is reportedly closing for the school year as the rapper has drawn much scrutiny for anti-Semitic remarks that Jewish advocacy organizations warn have been embraced by extremist groups.

In an email obtained by ESPN Thursday, Donda Academy principal Jason Angell said the decision to close came from West but assured the school would reopen in September 2023 and "begin afresh."

The article points out:

The rapper, who appeared to liken himself to Moses after launching the academy earlier this year, has received criticism in recent weeks for anti-Semitic statements he's made in interviews and on social media.

The remarks have prompted various brands to sever ties with West, who legally changed his name to "Ye." Additionally, Jewish advocacy groups have raised concerns about how known anti-Semitic groups have glorified West's comments.

Earlier this month, West shared a screenshot of a text with rapper Diddy on Instagram, saying he would use him "as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me."

In a now-deleted Oct. 8 tweet, West declared: "I'm a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE."

Ye found himself banned from Instagram and Twitter, JP Morgan sent him looking for a new bank, and Adidas cut off a profitable endorsement deal.  CBN.com reports that Kanye has apologized, but the damage is done. 

Words matter. While we may disagree with others on issues, viewpoints, and life choices, it crosses a line when we defame and criticize people for immutable characteristics or because they belong to a certain group.  Especially when that group happens to be God's chosen people, a people about whom His plan has not changed.  While we find some being cancelled for their religious views, which is of concern, you could say it is justifiable for a company not to fund a spokesperson who uses inflammatory language.  I would contend that Ye is not a victim of cancel culture, rather a victim of his own carelessness. 

I am certainly not placing myself in a position to judge Kanye West's walk with the Lord.  But, I think we all could stand to consider the consequences of this cautionary tale.  We have to be so careful with our words, so that we do not participate in self-destructive speech and action that can be harmful to not only ourselves, but also the cause of Christ.  There is a difference between standing on truth consistent with Scripture and lambasting other people-groups simply because of their heritage.  We are right to call out sinful behavior, but we have to be so careful not to call out someone for his or her racial or cultural background.   Christ came for all, He died for all, and we can be mindful that we serve the Savior who died for the whole world.

Christian Nation

Our lives should be so devoted to Christ that when people see us, they actually see the presence of the Lord. 1st Peter 2 talks about the power of our Christian influence:
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

We are instructed in Scripture to walk in the Spirit - by so doing, we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh. We are empowered to be separate and distinct from the world, while still living in the world. We live in essentially two kingdoms - we have been brought into the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, but we are also citizens of earthly kingdoms, as well, and those should be regarded in that order. When we exalt earth over heaven, we run into spiritual trouble; we are called to take the principles of heaven and live them on the earth.

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We are placed on this planet in order that we might come to know Christ and to be a strong Christian influence through sharing our faith and shining our faith. 1st Timothy 4 states:
8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

In the 1892 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case, Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, Justice David Josiah Brewer, writing for the majority, stated, according to William Federer's American Minute:

"While because of a general recognition of this truth the question has seldom been presented to the courts, yet we find that in Updegraph v. The Commonwealth, it was decided that, 'Christianity, general Christianity, is, and always has been, a part of the common law ... not Christianity with an established church ... but Christianity with liberty of conscience to all men.'

Federer also quoted from Brewer's book, The United States-A Christian Nation," in which the judge wrote: "This republic is classified among the Christian nations of the World. It was so formally declared by the Supreme Court of the United States ..." He added, "We constantly speak of this republic as a Christian nation in fact, as the leading Christian nation of the world.

And, almost half of Americans believe that America "should be" a "Christian nation," according to Pew Research in a recent poll.  The survey summary notes:

Most U.S. adults believe America’s founders intended the country to be a Christian nation, and many say they think it should be a Christian nation today, according to a new Pew Research Center survey designed to explore Americans’ views on the topic. But the survey also finds widely differing opinions about what it means to be a “Christian nation” and to support “Christian nationalism.”

To drill into the numbers, the summary says: 

Overall, six-in-ten U.S. adults – including nearly seven-in-ten Christians – say they believe the founders “originally intended” for the U.S. to be a Christian nation. And 45% of U.S. adults – including about six-in-ten Christians – say they think the country “should be” a Christian nation. A third say the U.S. “is now” a Christian nation.

One of the authors of the survey, Greg Smith, quoted at Religion News Service, says that the interpretation of what it means to be a "Christian nation" is "nuanced." The article states:

Smith stressed that some respondents who expressed support for a Christian nation “do mean that they think Christian beliefs, values and morality ought to be reflected in U.S. laws and policies.” But many respondents “tell us that they think the U.S. should be guided by Christian principles in a general way, but they don’t mean that we should live in a theocracy,” he said. “They don’t mean that they want to get rid of separation of church and state. They don’t mean they want to see the U.S. officially declared to be a Christian nation. It’s a nuanced picture.”

But, as RNS points out, "Most (67%) say churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters, with only 31% endorsing faith groups’ expressing views on social and political issues."  That indicates to me, some murkiness - people are generally favorable toward the influence of Christianity on this nation, which is a historical fact, I might add.  But, churches should stay out of "politics."  I think you could regard that as a contradiction.  Fact is, as I see it, the Church is an institution through which people not only grow in their faith, but also learn to take their faith outside the church into the culture. So, if we are truly following Biblical direction, we should impact every area of society with the principles we espouse.

Then, there's the problematic term, "Christian nationalism."  In the Pew poll, only 45% had at least heard of it, and 24% of respondents had a negative view of it.  But, in the mainstream media and some religious circles, that has become a major issue.  

The Washington Stand ran an article recently about a candidate for office in Michigan who was branded a "Christian nationalist" because of her views on abortion, about which she had written.  The article includes these words:

Christian leaders have long held that the Left coined the term “Christian nationalism” as a pejorative to stop believers from speaking about national issues. “They are stretching that term to suggest that anyone bringing faith into the public square is advocating for ‘Christian nationalism,’” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins at the October 12 Pray Vote Stand townhall on the topic. Christians should recognize the term “Christian nationalism” as a part of a “campaign designed to delegitimize you,” Stephen Coughlin of Unconstrained Analytics and a Lincoln Fellow at the Claremont Institute told the townhall. “It directly attacks American Christians for being American Christians, for being politically active. As such, it’s an attack on identity. It denies your right” to express a faith-informed point of view.

The question I posed leading up to the election was, "what kind of nation would you want to live in?" Our views on that question, informed by Scripture, can guide us in our choice of leaders. While most Americans, do not want a theocracy, as Christians, we should want a nation that respects religious freedom - no state church, but freedom from the state's influence on the Church.  That doesn't mean the Church, and each of us individually, should not be influential on our society.  We should want a wholesome and safe place to raise our children, where corrupt influences are minimized and respect for Biblical values are maximized.

We find that many of our laws are based on Christian principles and the Founders exhibited a deep reverence for the service of God.  These principles regarding how we treat one another can be, and in the case of this nation, are intended to be useful in crafting a society that reinforces Biblical morality, which can lead to such things as public safety and governmental responsibility.  

Since by and large, defining "Christian nationalism" has been a moving target. Basically, we are placed in a country - we should want our Christian influence to impact that country and love religious freedom.  In the eyes of some, that might make one a Christian nationalist - I would say that would make someone a good citizen - of the Kingdom of God and the earthly nation in which he or she is called to live. We should never idolize our country, but we should love it because God loves it and has a plan for our nation - something we can see when we delve into American history.