All Four Him

We are called to be shining examples of the light of Jesus Christ and His presence in our hearts - we can adopt and maintain the mindset that our lives are to be lived for His glory. Colossians 3 says:
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

This passage describes what I would call a "visible expression" of God's glory in our lives.  So, by how we live and what we say, we are actually calling attention to not only the existence of God, but the activity of the Lord.  If we are born again, if we have been saved, God has done a magnificent work in our lives that we could not do ourselves, and by so doing, He has placed His Spirit within our hearts so that we might live by the Spirit and not by what would popularly be called, "human nature."

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Because of the presence of the risen Lord in our lives, are mouths can be activated to proclaim His truth and testify to His greatness. Psalm 40 states:
7 Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."
9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.

The NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four is set to tip-off in just a matter of minutes, and LSU is one of two SEC representatives left in the tournament, the other one being undefeated South Carolina.  The Tigers square off against Virginia Tech, and I would imagine that Angel Reese is nearing the completion of her pre-game routine.  Sports Spectrum reports that it goes something like this:

She prays and does a devotion every morning, prays with assistant director for women’s basketball operations/recruiting Chante’ Crutchfield, prays by herself again, and then prays one more time before the game.

The article says that she outlined that in a postgame press conference last weekend.  

Angel transferred to LSU from Maryland, and the article notes:

“This year has been something that I’ve been a lot closer to God, and I think that’s why I’m here right now in this position,” she said. “A year ago — it’s crazy how my life changed in a year. I was back home by this time.”

Reese is not shy about sharing her faith on social media either. She posted a picture on Instagram of her holding the regional championship trophy with the caption, “God specializes in things that don’t make sense. GOD DID.”

The Tigers defeated Miami to earn their berth in the Final Four.  The Sports Spectrum article said:

“A fresh start, that’s what I came to LSU for,” Reese said after the Tigers’ 54-42 win over Miami on Sunday. “I just wanted a fresh start. I’ve done things in my past that I kind of regret. I mean, there’s things that I’ve done. But I came from Maryland and I succeeded at Maryland, but I wanted more. And more was to get better every single day and then cut down nets one day.”

Reese stuffed the stat sheet against the Hurricanes with 13 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks, leading the Tigers to their first Final Four appearance since 2008. She is averaging 22.3 points and 17.3 rebounds during LSU’s NCAA Tournament run, and Sunday’s double-double was her 32nd of the season, which set a new SEC record.

Nick Boyd is heading to the Men's Final Four, a member of the unlikely semifinalists, the Florida Atlantic Owls.  After their dramatic first-round victory over Memphis, Sports Spectrum reported this:

Asked about his game-winning shot in the postgame press conference, Boyd was quick to give the glory to God.

“I’m feeling blessed. I thank God for this moment,” he said. “I don’t even know how to really describe the moment, what I was feeling. I don’t know. A lot of emotions. I told coach in the timeout, I said, ‘Coach, I got it.’ I don’t know why I was feeling that way, but I just said, ‘Coach, let me get the ball.'”

Boyd also thanked God in an on-court interview with CBS Sports’ Jamie Erdhal. Niko Panous — Boyd’s coach at Don Bosco Institute in Crown Point, Indiana — tweeted a recording of the interview and a series of compliments for his former player.

“I can’t really explain,” Boyd told Erdhal. “I’m just having fun. I’ve got to thank God. I’ve been waiting for a moment like this my whole life.”

Like Angel Reese, Boyd has been giving glory to God on social media. The article notes:

Boyd’s public expression of his faith is also evident on his Twitter and Instagram accounts, which include numerous references to God. He proclaimed that “God is good!” while celebrating getting to play in March Madness in a tweet...

It also says:

Recent Instagram posts include a mention of the “peace that Christ gives you,” an encouragement for people to celebrate God’s blessings and a declaration that he is “God’s child.”

Angel Reese and Nick Boyd reminds us of the opportunity, and I would dare say, the necessity to testify to God's greatness.  We can evaluate whether or not the way we live, the way we speak, even the way we post on social media reflects the presence of Jesus in our lives.  What has God done in your life?  Whatever it is, don't keep it to yourself.

We also can recognize that the Bible's definition of "winning" might be different than ours. While we can certainly seek to win the "big game," the bigger picture is that whatever we do, we are to do for God's glory. We should always do our best, by His strength. Our ultimate victory is in Jesus Christ, and we are living for Him.  .

And, when we see God work in our life - and we can be careful to look for it; it's certainly not hiding - we can be thankful.  

Freedom to Share

Because Jesus lives in us, we are to display His love and communicate His hope. In a world where despair is all-too-common, we can be sustained by the hope that comes from the Lord. Paul wrote this in Romans 15:

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Later in the chapter, we can read these words:

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In those times where we feel distressed or confused, we can know that God's hope is available to us.  And, as Hebrews 11 teaches us, if we embrace His hope with faith, we can experience amazing things in our lives. 

This week, Christian communicators are gathering near Andalusia at Blue Lake Camp to be encouraged and equipped by leading Christian authors and by one another.  We need the message of the gospel that brings hope to our world today - and believers have been uniquely empowered to demonstrate the presence of the Lord all around us.

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Even though we may encounter those who reject our faith perspective, we can still be diligent to live out the Christian life, exhibit His compassion, and radiating a sense of His hope. Romans 12 offers some guidelines for our relationships, including with those with whom we don't see eye-to-eye:
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

The rise of what is termed "cancel culture" has created an atmosphere in which people do not feel free to express their opinion in the workplace, a phenomenon that certainly has a chilling effect. And, a recently released Ipsos survey, which was commissioned by Alliance Defending Freedom’s Viewpoint Diversity Score initiative, indicates that this is being experienced by a majority of the employees surveyed. 

The Christian Post reported on the "Freedom at Work" survey; the article states: "Among their findings...researchers found that three out of five respondents said it was 'likely or somewhat likely' that 'respectfully expressing religious or political viewpoints would' result in 'negative consequences at work.'

The article goes on to say:

Additionally, one in four respondents said they knew “someone who has experienced negative consequences for respectfully expressing their religious and political viewpoints.”

ADF Senior Counsel and Senior Vice President for Corporate Engagement Jeremy Tedesco was quoted in the announcement as saying that “these survey results show that a significant number of employees” are afraid “their religious or political views could cost them their job.”

“We created the Viewpoint Diversity Score Business Index to help companies measure and improve their respect for religious and viewpoint diversity,” stated Tedesco.

The summary of the report relates that almost half of respondents "say their companies could make important progress by adopting policies that protect viewpoint diversity in the workplace and the freedom of employees to engage in political activities on their own time without fear of repercussions at work."

Back to the Christian Post article; it also notes: 

Other findings of the report included 54% of respondents said they believed sharing political content on their own social media accounts could result in negative consequences at work, and 42% of potential job seekers said they were less likely to apply for work at a company that had a work culture that was hostile to their religious or political views.

A Summit Ministries/McLaughlin and Associates report from last year showed that "42 percent of American voters say they are hesitant to share their opinions on important cultural or political issues for fear of backlash from family, friends, or coworkers."

Also, the Summit poll found that "31 percent of American voters are concerned that their personal opinions and beliefs could cost them their job."

But, a large majority of respondents indicated that they believed in freedom to share religious beliefs in public; the survey summary noted, "79 percent of American voters believe people who adhere to values found in the Bible have the right to express their religious beliefs publicly."

These poll results actually highlight a situation that should not exist.  But, if, as Christians, who seem to face our share of intolerance in culture, are to embrace the concept of religious freedom and sharing religious ideas, we have to make sure that we are living Biblically-informed lives. 

For one thing, we have to make sure that we exhibit conviction without confrontation.  If our stance is argumentative, then we run the risk of alienating those we are sent to in order to make an impact for Christ.  We should always strive, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to bring a sense of the hope of Jesus into the interactions we have.

We should strive to be peacemakers, which means that we should walk in compassion without compromise.  In other words, we should live out our faith and speak of our faith, but to communicate it in the right way.  That also entails listening to the points of view of others - strong in our own convictions, not allowing ourselves to be unduly influenced, but building a bridge through which we can share what God has taught us. 

Spiritual Dynamics

We are in a conflict with an unseen enemy who is manifested through sinful actions. His influence is profound, and can be deadly - spiritually speaking, certainly, but through physical manifestions, as well. 2nd Corinthians 10 states:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

What we see and what we experience through our physical senses, the material world, is not all there is.  There are forces arrayed around us that we cannot see - there is the Holy Spirit, at work in this world, and there are the angels of God who do His bidding.  And, there is the devil and those spirit beings who are aligned with him. They are at work and they are at war, and it's a warfare in which we are all involved.  We have to careful to be prayerful and cognizant of the power of evil, recognizing that God is greater.

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When we consider the heinous event in the Christian school in Nashville, we cannot ignore the spiritual dynamics at play. James 4 states:
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
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.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! 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.

The heinous act of a woman armed with three weapons breaking and entering a Christian school during the school day has sent shock waves through the Nashville area and throughout the nation. The school, The Covenant School, is a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church.  

We think of a church or religious facility as a safe space, a place where God is exalted. And, we have too often over the last few years seen instances of people walking into churches intent on doing harm, some brandishing weapons, others committing acts of vandalism that are meant to intimidate churches who stand for life.

We know that murder is a violation of God's commandments.  The state of a person's heart or mind that has been corrupted to such an extent that he or she would want to commit such an act is clearly influenced by demonic forces.

And, I believe this is amplified in the case of the young lady who walked into a Christian school building and took the lives of three children and three adults.  It has been reported that she was a biological female who identified as male.  She would be considered a transgender individual - and in this age of seemingly increasing acceptance of this type of "transition," combined with an exposure of what the agenda is all about in promoting surgical and hormonal alterations in a person's body and soul, this only goes to highlight the twisted nature of what is being promoted.

The shooting comes just days before something called the "Trans Day of Vengeance" this weekend.  According to The Daily Wire:

A group of transgender activists is planning a “Day of Vengeance” in Washington, D.C., for March 31-April 2 while raising money for firearms training this week, according to its online materials.

The Trans Radical Activist Network (TRAN) said on Twitter that “The time is now, enough is enough,” and uploaded posters to TikTok that said, “We want more than visibility. Trans Day of Vengeance. Stop trans genocide..."

The article also mentioned that one of the group's co-founders had, in a TikTok post, "called on transgenders to take part in a 'day of trans joy and rage' on March 10 in Sacramento to drown out the voice of detransitioner Chloe Cole."

It is unnatural for a person to attempt to change their biology and begin to identify as another gender, and while these individuals believe they are victims because people have not readily accepted these actions, certainly they are in need of mental and emotional care; and not the so-called "gender-affirming" care that results in drastic, and perhaps permanent, biological alterations. 

Make no mistake, just like extremists on the pro-abortion side who have unleashed their fury on multiple pro-life pregnancy resource center and churches, there are trans activists that are advocating violence to advance their cause.  And, the Nashville shooter was apparently influenced by similar impulses.  And, this type of behavior is never acceptable and the deception of the enemy regarding the sanctify of life and the viewpoint of sexuality has been extended to include violent acts. 

According to The Washington Stand website, a Tennessee state representative, Tim Burchett, said to Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, “Obviously, it’s a mental health issue, and it’s just a complete and total tragedy,” adding, “I honestly feel like this is some sort of demonic possession that has gotten into our world today. And it’s become accepted...” he continued.

He went on to say, “This country needs this revival, Tony,” adding, “All the laws and all the politicians pontificating back and forth are not going to solve it. Until we have a revival in this country, I’m afraid this is going to be more the norm than the exception.” The article concluded by stating:

...Christians should look beyond issues of gun distribution and police response time, to the deep recesses of the heart, said Perkins. “We need God in America again,” he concluded. “And this is further evidence that, as we’ve moved from His truth and from His ways, we suffer the consequences.”

Recognizing that we are engaged in a spiritual war, Christian leaders have announced opportunities to pray.  Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California posted on Facebook:

I am inviting all of you to join us ONLINE OR IN PERSON, Wednesday evening March 29th at 7:00 pm Pacific, for a time of national prayer for the victims, the families, and the community of Nashville, Tennessee.

Our nation has certainly lost its way and we may be lost as a nation, even as our enemies are at the gates. However, as a people of faith, we can choose to turn back to our nation’s beginnings and to Him who is mighty to save.

As a people, we must receive the conviction of sin and offer to God a heart of repentance so that we might turn to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

By God’s grace and invitation, we can stop this. Together as a people, let us rend our hearts, asking God to forgive us of our sins and pray that God would forgive the grievous sins of our nation. It is now incumbent upon me to ask you to consider joining us live Wednesday evening March 29th at 7:00 pm Pacific time as we dedicate our service to praying for our nation and seeking God for His mercy.

And, already scheduled for this Saturday was a prayer and worship gathering at the State Capitol in Nashville, another stop in the Kingdom to the Capitol tour, co-sponsored by Let Us Worship and Turning Point USA Faith.  Sean Feucht, who leads the movement, said on Twitter:

It is divine timing that we have a permit for the capitol of Tennessee this Saturday at 5pm. 

Only God can heal the city and bring hope in the midst of such an evil tragedy. 

We’re calling the whole state to join and pray...

Erick Erickson, Atlanta talk-show host and commentator, wrote this:

In fact, time and again, the press increasingly has found ways to excuse or explain away leftwing violence like this. The evil actor was, in fact, the victim constantly becomes the theme.

Sadly, these conversations turn political. Should guns be banned? Should we fund mental health more? Should we hire or fund security for schools to stop shooters? All these are political and political policy positions.

What happened was evil devolved from a spiritual problem running amok in our society.

Transgenderism is not normal. It is a mental health issue. Its activists are increasingly violent. More and more have declared their intent to be violent. They shout down, bully, harass, and attempt to cancel others.

He goes on to say that "this shooter goes beyond all that" and notes:

Evil is not generated by God or caused by God. Evil is the absence of God. A society that has driven God out of its conversations, thoughts, and institutions is a society that must deal more and more with evil in the Godless vacuum of moral relativism. It is in that vacuum of relativism that society begins its war on truth and its embrace of evil.

Remember, we do not know the full extent of what motivated Audrey Hale to do what she did, although we do see a troubled individual who not doubt had mental issues who carefully planned an attack on the Christian school she once attended.  Somehow, rather than stick to the clear narrative of the shooting NBC News ran a story painting the LGTBQ community as victims.  It opened by saying:

Shortly after news broke Monday of a fatal shooting at a private Christian Nashville elementary school, police said the suspect was transgender. This detail, according to trans people in the state, has poured fuel on an already combustive environment that has led many of them to fear for their safety.

The article said:

“We are terrified for the LGBTQ community here,” Kim Spoon, a trans activist based in Knoxville, Tennessee, said. “More blood’s going to be shed, and it’s not going to be shed in a school.”

It goes on to say:

Aislinn Bailey, the acting president of Tri-Cities Transgender, a trans-led support and advocacy group based in Johnson City, Tennessee, said her initial reaction to news that the suspect was transgender was fear.

“I knew that as soon as anyone mentioned that, it was immediately going to become the center focus instead of what should be the focus, and that’s gun violence in this country,” Bailey said.

Actually, the focus should be on a shooter, who apparently had mental issues, walking into a school and killing three children and three adults.  A Christian school.  Christians targeted and losing their lives. The motive of the shooter has not been absolutely determined as of yet, but Audrey Hale's gender identity could have been a factor.  But, yet NBC News describes public health and safety legislation as somehow "targeting" the LGBTQ+ community, stating:

Over the last several years, historic numbers of bills targeting LGBTQ people have been introduced in state legislatures across the country, including in Tennessee’s. This year, state lawmakers filed more than 400 such bills — more than half of them targeting trans people specifically — according to the American Civil Liberties Union and a separate group of researchers who are tracking the flow of legislation.

So far this year, Tennessee lawmakers passed two bills targeting LGBTQ people...

Six people are dead in a Christian school, yet the shooter and LGBTQ people are the victims. What a mixed-up world we live in.  A world in which evil is called good. 

Make no mistake; violence is a work of the enemy.  And, our position as Christians is not to be angry and hostile toward those with whom we disagree, but to stand on truth, to exercise conviction with compassion.  And, we recognize that it is immoral to try to alter biology in order to try to change God's created identity.  To speak that truth is honorable and godly and may be hard for people to accept. Yet, it is rooted in the Scriptures.

And, we can't ignore the spiritual dynamics at play.  The enemy will deceive people into not accepting the way they were created.  And, he will fuel the flames of anger, which results in taking hostile, hateful action, even death.  Some would blame the guns, the weapons - but in most cases, someone who shouldn't be brandishing a weapon is using it to harm another.  What happened at The Covenant School was an act of pure evil, and it appeared to be an act of hostility toward the faith community, a symbolic gesture of some sort, perhaps.  But, Christians are not the enemy.  There is an enemy, and we have to pray and take our Biblical authority in resisting him in prayer and by not giving in to hostility, hatred, or anger.

Home Away from Home

We can be mindful of the challenges that those who are called into pastoral ministry face and be diligent to pray for those in spiritual leadership. 1st Peter 5 states:
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.

This is a word of encouragement to those servant-leaders in the local church, called by God and placed in leadership by Him.  He is the One who provides the power and wisdom. We can recognize these gifted individuals who are a gift to the body of Christ and the local church, and take time to pray for and encourage them.  We are nearing Holy Week next week, and it's a time in which there are perhaps additional services and duties - there will perhaps be more people coming to church, and this gives a pastor the opportunity to share a life-giving message of hope. So, I would encourage you to be in prayer for our spiritual leaders.

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We can be reminded of our place in the local church, to which we are called, and to uphold those whom God has placed in authority. 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 states:
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

Even when we have departed from this earth, the seeds we have planted can have the potential to bear fruit for Jesus Christ.  We should live in a way that we impact those who are still here when we are gone. I think that's really part of living for eternity - what are we doing for Christ here on earth that can make a lasting impact?

Well, no doubt the ministry of Billy Graham is continuing to touch lives for the Lord.  Through the continued ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and unique outreaches such as its internet evangelism wing, with which Faith Radio partners, and its Rapid Response Team, which brings the light of Christ to disaster area, the love of Christ is continuing to touch millions.

Now, the former home of Billy Graham and his wife, Ruth, in Montreat, North Carolina, will be used to provide a place of rest and refuge for pastors.  The Christian Post reported recently on Billy's Home Place; according to the article, quoting from the website for this new ministry:

It “offers several experiences designed to rejuvenate pastors and help believers discover God’s will through diving deep into God’s Word,” it says, adding, “If you serve as a vocational missionary or pastor with 20 or more years, take a few moments and fill out the Pastoral Rest and Sabbatical Form. There is no charge for pastors or missionaries who stay at Billy’s Home Place.”

According to the website, Stephen L. Thomas, who is described as a "Charlotte businessman," actor Kirk Cameron and the Graham's third daughter, Ruth, "joined together to make it possible..."  The house had been used as a vacation rental.  The article says: 

About two years ago, the original family home of Billy and Ruth Graham in Montreat was put up for sale, listed at $599,000, as their daughter sought to raise funds for her own daughter’s medical treatments. The property was sold for $750,000 on Sept. 1, 2021, according to Redfin.

Ruth Graham, whose daughter was suffering from a multisystem disorder that affects different areas of the body, told The Christian Post in a statement at the time that her parents purchased the home in the late 1940s.

“It was selected because it was right across the street from my grandparents,” she said. “I was born during the time my family lived in the house. The Los Angeles Crusades and [my father’s] tour of England happened during those years. … it is where it all began.”

The Grahams moved from the house in 1957 but remained in Montreat.

The Billy's Home Place website notes:

Billy’s Home Place co-founder, Stephen L. Thomas shared why his passion to continue Dr. Graham’s legacy was so strong. He explained “Many fail to believe that God has a deep call on our lives ; that he wants to use His people in special ways. Failure to be used by God is never because of God’s idleness towards us but because our neglect in pursuing him. We often believe God will take something away from us or worse, call us to a place that we are not prepared for!”

You don't have to look far to see that the challenges facing pastors today is huge. 

Today, we think about a pastor in Nashville who lost his 9-year-old daughter in a shooting at a Christian school.  The alleged shooter is a transgender individual - a woman attempting to transition into being a man. 

These are unusual times, and I believe there is a spiritual component at play.  We need to pray for our pastors that they would have God's strength and wisdom to navigate the clash of worldviews that is present and to boldly proclaim the truth of Scripture.

Pastors have been leading congregations through a pandemic that resulted in church closures and reduced attendance for in-person gatherings - rebuilding is continuing to occur.

The pandemic has produced a generation of young people who are struggling with mental issues, and are in need of pastor care and counseling. 

And, one of the critical weeks in the life of a pastor and church staff arrives this Sunday, with Holy Week, a time in which I believe people are more sensitized to spiritual things, a time in which there may be more services than you would find in an average week, and I would encourage you to be in prayer for those in spiritual leadership in your congregation. 

So, these three individuals are to be commended for arranging to have a place of solace for pastors and those serving in ministry. Our Lord Himself, in His earthly ministry, took time to be alone with His Father and to pray.  

Taking the time to rest - spiritual and physically - can help us as we carry out what God has called us to do.

Free Man

The power of anger is quite destructive - if we give it safe haven in our hearts, it can damage us in so many ways, and when it flows out from us, it can be hurtful to those on the receiving end. Ephesians 4 states:
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

We are called to be kind, to exhibit the presence of Christ in us. And, the power of His Spirit can help us to overcome the angry or resentful tendencies that do not glorify God. When we encounter those harmful emotions, we can meditate and rely on the Word of God, applying His principles and releasing His peace.  As those verses teach us, we can replace emotions such as bitterness or anger with kindness and forgiveness.  God's resources can truly set us free.

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As a believer in Christ, our responses to negative circumstances should be proper and not sinful, including reacting in anger, as James 1 instructs us:
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.
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Sidney Holmes is a man from Florida who, according to the New York Post:

...was accused in 1988 and later convicted of an armed robbery at a Broward County gas station involving two victims.

He was linked to the crime because his brown Oldsmobile Cutlass was similar to the description of the vehicle driven by the suspect, the Innocence Project said.

Despite Holmes’ alibi and the differences between his vehicle and the one seen at the scene, Holmes became a suspect. He was subsequently identified in a second photo line-up — even though he was overlooked in the first array of images.

Holmes was sentenced to 400 years in prison.  But, that's not the end of the story. 

The Post article says that "The Broward County State Attorney’s Office’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU) began investigating the circumstances of Holmes’ conviction in November 2020 and encountered several inconsistencies in the evidence leading to his conviction." It goes on to say: "Investigators ultimately concluded that 'the totality of this evidence suggested that Mr. Holmes was a victim of eyewitness misidentification and was likely innocent.'"

CBN News stated that Holmes "left prison a free man...after prosecutors looked into the circumstances around his conviction and determined it was on shaky ground, CBS News reported." CBN reported that "Holmes contacted the State Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit in November 2020 to declare his innocence over the incident on June 19, 1988." The CBN story continues:

But it’s what Holmes said after his release — a forgiving response after decades of being separated from his friends and loved ones and prevented from having a career or life of his own — that truly stands out.

“What would mad do for me?” Holmes told WPLG-TV. “With the Christian faith I have, I can’t have hate. Just have to keep moving.”

The article adds:

“I know this day was gonna come sooner or later, and today is the day,” he told WPLG-TV. “I can’t put it into words. It’s overwhelming.”

Holmes, too, cried earlier in the day when a judge cleared the way for his release.

His ambition now is "to open a food truck business," according to CBN.  

Sidney Holmes after decades in prison asked the question, "What would mad do for me?"  He said that with his "Christian faith," that he "can't have hate."  We can ask a similar question: What does "mad" or "hate" do for me?  This speaks to the insidious nature of anger.  We have to guard against allowing deep-seated resentment and bitterness - the root of bitterness, as Hebrews 12 calls it - from become ingrained within our nature.  The power of indwelling sin - including anger, can be expressed outwardly, and hurt others, as well as ourselves.

Holmes' story can also speak to the futility of "blame."  It is so easy to adopt a "victim" mentality, which can lead to mental, emotional, and spiritual paralysis.  Sometimes negative consequences will result from our own misdeeds; other times they will happen due to the mistakes of others. But, it is not productive to possess the wrong attitude toward those we think have wronged us.  We can instead turn to the Lord and entrust our lives to Him and His plan for us going forward. 

Embracing Freedom

Christianity is not a set of rules that we feel we must keep in order for God to like us; no, it's a living relationship with a loving God who gave Himself for us so that we might be free from sin and empowered by His Spirit. 2nd Corinthians 3 says that Moses "...put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away."

Reading on, the text says:
14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Observe the contrast here between law and liberty.  Now, God gave the law in order to reflect His heart and to reinforce the promise of redemption through the coming Messiah. But, Galatians describes the law as a "tutor" to lead us to Christ.  In other words, we learn about God's justice through the Law, but His mercy and grace are seen through the coming of our Savior.  Now that we are under grace, we are to become reliant on that grace - Jesus conformed to God's standards and . now enables us to love and serve Him in the power of the Spirit.

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The vibrant, abundant Christian life is not one that is lived out of fear, and when the Word of God is regarded as merely a rulebook rather than a playbook for life, then we can miss the freedom that Christ has for us. Galatians chapter 3 states:
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

The saga of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their houseful of kids has been well-documented; week after week, the reality show centered on the Arkansas family presented their adventures and their practice of the Christian faith.  Even after 19 Kids and Counting left the air, a sequel series, Counting On, continued to follow some of the family members who had grown up Duggar and started their own families. 

But, all was not perfect in the Duggar home, as in any Christian family.  Perhaps the most glaring chink in the armor was the indiscriminate behavior of their son, Josh, who is serving a 12-1/2 year prison sentence for child pornography, which was just extended by two months recently, according to the New York Post.  

But charges of legalism in the family have been swirling, as well, with daughter Jinger Duggar Vuolo sharing about her own struggles in a recent book, called Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear.

Vuolo has been especially critical of the Institute in Basic Life Principles and the teachings of Bill Gothard, who left the ministry he founded in 2014 under a cloud of suspicion in the face of allegations that he abused women; these are teachings that have influenced scores of people and impacted Jinger in a negative way.  A Christian Post story relates:

With guidance on everything from avoiding music with a “worldly beat” and band T-shirts to the finances and the family structure, Gothard’s teaching offered the same promises the “health and wealth” gospel promotes: "Follow these rules, and your life will be richly blessed by God."

The article goes on to say:

In her 20s, Vuolo began to question the ideologies she was raised with, largely due to the influence of her brother-in-law, Ben Seewald, and her now-husband, Jeremy Vuolo. That first step of questioning her childhood beliefs and realizing that Gothard’s teachings were not only warped but entirely unbiblical, she said, was scary.

“That first step of like realizing, ‘Oh, this is not true’ — it's scary because you're told not to question it. You're told not to think for yourself, you're told what to think. And so once you stop and say, ‘Is this really what the Word of God says?’ And you realize it's not, it feels like your whole foundation is shaken.”

But, Jinger stresses that she is not "deconstructing" her faith - the Christian Post article states:

“Deconstructing is pulling apart everything and tearing it all down to the studs, never to build it up again. And that's just not what I'm doing, and that's not my story,” she said.

“Mine has been one of disentangling, which is pulling apart. It's a slow process, pulling out the error, and examining everything according to the Word of God. It's much harder to do, I'm sure, than deconstructing, because people who deconstruct just throw it all out there, like, 'I'm done. I’m going to live my life how I want to.’ But that's not true freedom. True freedom is not found in throwing off all the strings, all rules. It is found in knowing the person Jesus Christ, and coming to the Word of God.”

Certainly, Mr. Gothard is someone who has not finished well, and the allegations resulted in his removal from his ministry.  The Institute in Basic Life Principles is still in existence. But, if the Bible is taught or accepted as merely a series of do's and don'ts and produces a sense of legalism and a regard for God as a demanding taskmaster rather than a loving Heavenly Father, then things get out of balance.  We always have to search the Scriptures and compare the teaching we receive to the Word of God.

Currently, the Vuolos are attending Grace Community Church, where John MacArthur is the pastor.  The Christian Post article also notes:

Through sharing her story, Vuolo said she prays others can know the joy found in Jesus alone and “set aside limiting roles and the world’s perspective.” And to others who might be struggling with their faith due to a difficult upbringing or have been hurt by the Church, she offered a word of encouragement:

“Run to God. Run to Him alone, and quiet your heart before Him and say, ‘I'm confused. I don't understand,’ and go to the Word of God and read it in its context. … Go into a church that's teaching the Word of God carefully. … It's so helpful because you start to see the beauty of who Jesus really is. And amidst all that pain and stuff you're working through, Jesus is our only hope.”

So, please let me be clear: We have to compare whatever teaching we receive to Scripture. To do that, we have to study and know the Scriptures.  I am thankful for the teachers that we present on Faith Radio, who have proven themselves to be reliable in their exposition of the Word of God. And, Faith Radio desires to be a trusted source of information that is consistent with Biblical truth. But, thinking about the words of Kay Arthur, we have to study God's Word for ourselves. 

It's important to recognize where legalism has crept in - legalism chokes out freedom.  Seeking to conform our lives to God's standards, well, that's a good thing.  But, crafting a system of rules for ourselves can be harmful and produce a sense of fear and even compulsion, when we begin to think that God will punish us for not following every rule to the "nth" degree.  We can choose to focus on the love of God and our freedom in Christ, following the leadership of the Holy Spirit and not try to serve God out of human effort. 

Explaining the Unexplainable

The apostle Paul was forthright in declaring that even those who claim to preach the gospel embrace the philosophies of the enemy; he said in 2nd Corinthians 11:
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Satan is the great deceiver, and when you consider the very small percentage of Americans who hold to a Biblical worldview, according to George Barna's research, you can see that he is having success.  And, Barna shows that just over a third of pastors have such a worldview!  There is teaching that is out there that sounds full of light, yet is deceiving people and leading them into darkness.  We need the illumination of God's Word, not the false light of New Age ideologies that are counterfeits of the reality of His truth. 

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We are instructed to walk in the light of God's truth, basing our lives on the teachings of the Scriptures, as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. 1st John chapter 1 contains these words:
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

But, we have to discern light - God's light - from darkness.  I heard a sermon recently referring to a survey that was conducted by YouGov, which concluded that Americans by and large embrace at least some of the teaching of the New Age Movement.  An article at the YouGov website said that the poll...

...finds that nearly all Americans hold at least one belief associated with the new-age movement, or have engaged in practices associated with it. Beliefs that emphasize the interconnectedness of humanity — like karma or the view that everything happens for a reason — are among the most widely held. Goals that emphasize the interdependent relationship between mind, body, and spirit — such as living in harmony with nature and seeking spiritual growth — are also seen as at least somewhat important to most Americans.

Out of total of 20 beliefs that were listed for the respondents, "Nearly nine in 10 Americans — 87% — say they believe in at least one of the 20 polled, and almost half (45%) say they believe in at least five."

The most popular is the idea of "karma," which, according to the article, "is generally perceived as the notion that a person's actions in life influence what happens to them in the future (or, in some versions, in future lives)."  55% believe in this idea.

41% of those surveyed believe in hypnosis, with 39% embracing the concept of extraterrestrials or UFO's.  Other popular ideas, polling at around a-third of respondents, include spirit possession and what is termed, manifesting, or the law of attraction. 

The survey asked about various beliefs or mottos of New Age spirituality.  The article relates:

The assertions with which the largest share of people strongly or somewhat agreed with are that "everything is interconnected" and the related principle that "everything happens for a reason" (69% and 68%, respectively).

While a majority also believe that "we create our own reality" (65%) and 52% say "nothing is as it seems", these statements don't evoke as strong of an agreement as do the ones about connectedness and everything happening for a reason.

Some of the ideas almost sound Biblical, such as the cliche, "everything happens for a reason."  That's a cheap imitation of Romans 8:28, which says that everything works together for the good, but it specifies that this is intended for those who love God and are called by Him.  The karma, or interconnectivity of the universe that people believe in, is not the same thing as the providential working of God in our lives.  One might attribute positive events in his or her life as "good karma" or "bad karma," but you certainly can't trust in the concept and it is a belief system that denies God and upholds some type of mystic spiritualism.  

What is termed "New Age" could be described as a man-made attempt to explain the unexplainable - why not go to the source, to the Creator, to give us understanding regarding how creation works? But, since people do not want to submit to a God who they mistakenly think will try to run or ruin their lives, they have invented human explanations and by so doing, opened themselves up to spiritual forces that are not aligned with Jesus. 

Yes, there are spiritual forces at work, and believers in Christ should make every effort to resist their influence. New Age spiritualism replaces God with "other gods," essentially, such as worship of nature or reliance on spirits that are not of the One True God. It's a dangerous mix, and it is concerning when you see that an overwhelming majority of Americans - almost 9-in-10, hold to one of these beliefs.  We have to go the Word of God and build our beliefs on His truth. 

Purge

As God's people, we have an enormous duty to represent Him in a responsible and compelling manner, allowing the presence of Jesus Christ in us to flow out from us. Colossians 1 states:
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Christians are called to reject darkness and embrace light.  The darkness can certainly be tempting, but, with our eyes focused on Jesus and our hearts rooted in His Word, we can reject that temptation and know what is consistent with His light.  When we face opposition because of our faith, we can turn to the Lord and find strength in Him, relying on His direction to live in the way He desires.  In His light, we can see how we are to walk. 

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We are called to shine the light into the darkness that seems to be so prevalent in our world today - and by walking in the light, we can believe that others will be drawn to it. Ephesians 5 says:
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

The distinct trend that we see in pockets of culture to suppress or eliminate, or "cancel," the influence of Christianity has affected a Christian university in Arizona.  FoxNews.com opened up a story on the incident this way:

An Arizona school board member wearing cat ears during a meeting said she would oppose having a contract with a Christian university over the religious and Biblical beliefs they espouse, Fox News Digital found.

I don't know what's up with the "cat ears," but it is certainly clear what the ambition of this school board member is; the article continues:

The Washington Elementary School District, which serves students in the Phoenix and Glendale areas, had an ongoing contract with Arizona Christian University for five years, enabling their student teachers to be placed in its schools for field experience. The contract opened up opportunities for recruitment and hiring.

On Feb. 23, the board agreed on a motion to dissolve the partnership with the Christian university.

The cat-eared woman, Tamillia Valenzuela, spoke out in that board meeting, Fox said that she "...blasted the university over its Christian beliefs and said she was 'disheartened' to learn about the contract that had been ongoing for five years.  It goes on to say:

Valenzuela describes herself as "a bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent Queer Black Latina… who loves a good hot wing (but only with the right ranch) and things that sparkle."

The school board told Fox: "The board’s decision to discontinue its partnership with Arizona Christian University was based on the board’s commitment to create a safe place for our LGBTQ+ students, staff, and community. This includes not knowingly entering into partnerships with any organization that explicitly discriminates against protected classes covered by our nondiscrimination policies."

But, wait, so, in the name of "nondiscrimination," it seems that the school board, and the three LGBT members, are discriminating against Christian student teachers who wish to train in the school district. Valenzuela stated, regarding ACU:

"Part of their values is... [to] ‘transform the culture with truth by promoting the Biblically-informed values that are foundational to Western civilization, including the centrality of family, traditional sexual morality, and lifelong marriage between one man and one woman,'" she said.

"I want to know how bringing [teachers] from an institution that is ingrained in their values so directly brings impact to three of your board members who are a part of the LGBT community."

So, this district is essentially requiring prospective student teachers to possess a certain ideology - Christian worldview not allowed?!?

Well, ACU has cried foul and sued the school district, which serves over 25,000 students, according to Ministry Watch; it reports: "in a lawsuit filed by the university...Arizona Christian says the school district was motivated by anti-religious bias, charging that the district has violated the university’s constitutional rights as well as Arizona’s Free Exercise of Religion Act. The suit names the district’s board members as defendants as well as the district."  The article points out:

According to the lawsuit, the district has hired at least 17 Arizona Christian education students over the 11 years the program has been in operation. The suit claims the district has never made a complaint about an Arizona Christian student or alumnus.

A quote by Religion News Service by Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Jake Reed is included in the article; he said, "“What happened here is students are losing out on opportunities, and they’re frankly being punished because of their religious beliefs..."  The article also notes:

Linnea Lyding, dean of the Shelly Roden School of Education and the School of Arts, Science & Humanities at ACU, said in a press release that the university’s education students bring respect and kindness to the classroom: “We certainly hope we can continue our partnership with this district for the benefit of the elementary children in our community and for our student-teachers.”

Here is another example of a school district that has leaders who are pushing a radical social agenda that is inconsistent with Christian values.  This is the type of behavior that has resulted in school boards being visited by concerned parents who do not appreciate the agenda that is being pushed by some in authority.  

Another flashpoint at a school board meeting occurred recently in Maine.  It was reported on by Faithwire, which said: 

An 11-year-old boy from Maine confronted the people who lead his district last month, reading aloud an excerpt from the “pornographic” content on the library shelves at Windham Middle School.

On Feb. 15, Knox Zajac told the Windham Raymond School Board he checked out “Nick and Charlie” by Alice Oseman. He found the book, he recalled, on a display stand on a shelf in the library.

Knox proceeded to read from the book, which described a homosexual encounter.  His father spoke afterward.  The article reported:

“This is the smut that he is finding,” the father said of his young, impressionable son. “I don’t care whether it’s gay, straight, bisexual — whatever the terms are for all this stuff — [it] doesn’t need to be at our school. It doesn’t need to be at my 11-year-old’s library.”

Adam Zajac, who also has a high schooler, shifted to talk about the controversial book, “Gender Queer,” which, as CBN News reported, has been stripped from some school libraries due to its vulgar content.

He condemned educators and administrators who believe it is them — rather than parents — who know what is “best” for the children sitting in their classrooms.

“Listen to the parents,” he admonished district authorities. “[I] will be more than happy to focus my time and effort to the security of my child and children in this school.”

The Zajacs are certainly on the right track: purging offensive material from the 11-year-old's school. The Arizona school board is attempting to purge the wrong things: excluding prospective teachers because of their Christian beliefs.

I have to admit, some things deserved to be canceled, such as promoting porn to minors or telling them that they were born in the wrong body and need surgery to fix it.  These are way outside Biblical views and are damaging to our children's minds and bodies. But, Christianity and Christian expressions should not be on the chopping block. The Bible never instructs us to "live and let live;" rather, we are taught to take action in obedience to God, to show love to all, and to possess the best interest of our culture. 

Unfortunately, in culture today, the wrong things are being canceled - and do keep in mind that we are not called to cancel people, but we are called to present better ideas.  The Bible offers the prescription for an abundant, fulfilling life - through a discovery of the love of God through Jesus Christ.  So, when we encounter ideas that are not consistent in a Christian worldview and are destructive, I believe we have a duty to present God's truth.  We are not called to fight out of anger, but to make our case out of love and share the truth found in the Scriptures.  

But, the mischaracterization of religious practice, and specifically Christianity, is a trend that has devastating consequences. Teachers who are committed to live their lives and regard the students entrusted to them from a Christian worldview perspective should be lauded in our culture, not ostracized or cancelled.  But, this is symptomatic of the rejection of God and the warped sense of what is really beneficial - understanding that, we should dedicate ourselves to living and speaking truth.

Hope in Turmoil

In the book of 1st Peter, Peter addresses those who suffer and highlighted the recognition of the presence of God, even in adversity. We can find these words in chapter 1:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ...

James echoed a similar theme in chapter 1 of his book, instructing us to "count it all joy" when we encounter trials.  When we suffer, we can look to the power of God and we can rejoice that He is with us. He does not abandon us when we encounter trouble; no, He is there with us, comforting us, giving us strength, and producing His fruit and character through our times of suffering.  No wonder we hear of the growth of the Church when persecution is occurring. 

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Jesus has taught us and shown us that He is with those who suffer and walks with us in our times of trial; 1st Peter chapter 4 relates:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

Afghanistan was already a place where Christians faced danger, and with the return of the Taliban to govern the war-torn nation in the summer of 2021, concerns were heightened about the treatment of Christians.  For the first time in two decades in early 2022, that country topped Open Doors' World Watch List of the leading countries persecuting Christians. 

North Korea returned to the top of the list this year, with Afghanistan falling to #9. But the concern is certainly strong. The Open Doors website states:

More than a year after the Taliban's takeover, any promises they made about recognising freedoms have proved to be false. Following Jesus remains a death sentence, if discovered.

The rigid form of society imposed by the militant group leaves no room for deviation, meaning Christians – almost all of whom are converts from Islam – must keep their faith secret. Leaving Islam is considered shameful and punishable by death under the prevailing Islamic law. Consequently, Christian converts face dire and violent consequences if their new faith is discovered, even from family members who must save their so-called 'honour' by getting rid of them.

A recent Faithwire article featured comments from David Curry of Global Christian Relief; it stated:

“The Taliban seized control of the government,” he told CBN’s Faithwire. “It’s been 18 months of the Taliban returning to a very draconian, medieval rule.”

Curry continued, “Their theology drives the way they see the world. It’s a medieval interpretation of Islam. Women can’t go to school, can’t hold jobs, females’ faces are covered.”

And that’s not all. Curry said there are “extreme, bizarre, brutal punishments” being waged against anyone who challenges Islam or the Taliban, with other extremist groups like the Islamic State trying to push the Taliban to even more depraved behavior.

Curry is quoted as saying: “We’ve got to start thinking about what we can do to help get Christians solidified, stabilized in the country, and maybe even think about how can we help and go into this country, this difficult area, and try to build the church and try to build our influence in the name of Jesus.”

He added, “A lot is going on that’s both brutal and bizarre...And we need to do everything we can to strengthen the church.”

But there is hope for the people of Afghanistan; the Faithwire article said:

Release International, a U.K.-based group monitoring Christian persecution, marked the first anniversary of the Taliban’s harsh rule with a news release indicating its belief that, despite severe and even deadly restrictions, Christianity could exponentially expand.

Despite noting “the persecution of Christians is continuing unabated,” Release International also stated that “there are early signs that the Christian faith could be growing among Afghans despite — or because of — violent persecution.”

And, according to Shoaib Ebadi, president of Square One World Media, young people there "...are eager to hear about new things because their way of life that has continued for centuries has not brought peace or forgiveness, and the people are not prospering,” he told Voice of the Martyrs Canada, according to Faithwire, adding: “It’s always fighting and revenge. They are questioning everything: their own faith, their past, their present, their future.”

It is important that we are consistently aware of the plight of Christians who are facing severe persecution, even to the point of death, in countries around the world.  But, we can also rejoice in that Jesus is building His Church.  Even out of the fires of affliction.  And, strong faith is being produced in the crucible of suffering. 

We can also remember that wherever there is Jesus, there is hope. He is the One who brought life out of death, and can produce His new life in the hearts of those who would believe on Him, even in times of difficulty.  There is assurance and comfort in our trials through the presence of Jesus...

...and the power of prayer.  No prayer - no power.  But, with awareness, we can respond prayerfully to those who are suffering, recognizing that prayerful response can produce dedicated, God-inspired action.

Back to Life

Our God, the One whom we serve, who has provided salvation for us through His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus, is the One True God, and Psalm 85 states:
8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Your works.
9 All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.

I'm reminded of Psalm 20, which says in verse 7: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God."

So we can consider this - in whom do we put our trust?  Are we trusting in human strength or ingenuity or placing our trust in what we idolize, which cannot save.  We can be reminded to call upon the Lord in Jesus' name whenever we face danger or tragedy, uncertainty or indecision. When we need healing - physical, emotional, or spiritual, we can call upon the One who makes us whole, who, because He loves us, makes His power available to us. 

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In a prayer at the end of Ephesians chapter 3, Paul reminds us of the matchless power of God - he prays for the readers, that they:
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Last August, the Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Ryan Marlow, was hospitalized with a listeria infection, which led to an injury of his brain, according to a story at The Christian Post, which recalled that his wife, Megan, released a Facebook Live video on Aug. 31 and said, “The doctor came out [of husband’s hospital room] with about 20 other people as my witness and said your husband has clinically passed. He is clinically deceased. He has passed away. He has suffered neurological death..."

But two days later, she received a call from the doctor saying that he was not brain dead, after all, but he was in a coma and that he would not be able to live without life support.  The next day, his organs were due to be harvested, but the article says:

Meghan Marlow said when she arrived at the hospital her niece, who was in the room with her husband that Tuesday, saw Pastor Marlow moved his feet while she played videos of his three children singing.

Meghan Marlow was so confused at the news, she said she went to her husband’s room and asked everyone to leave.

And then, as she relates: “I told Ryan all the things that I wanted to tell him. That I loved him, people were taking care of me, that God was gonna make sure our babies were taken care of and it was gonna be alright. And at the very end I tell him, ‘If you’re inside of there and you can hear me, I need you to fight. I need you to fight like crazy. Because I’m about to stop this process of organ donating and we’re gonna get some tests done because I don’t know what’s going on...Long story short, he’s not brain dead my friends. The doctor would not even do the brain death test because they said that there is brain activity.”

Just a few weeks ago, Ryan Marlow returned home, greeting hundreds of well-wishers. Megan, posting on a Facebook page called Ryan’s Recovery, stated:

“Ryan was just shocked at all the love that was shown. For the last six months, I’ve been able to see all the messages and the comments and the support and the prayers. But he has seen just glimpses here and there which is what made yesterday that much more amazing. For three hours Ryan waved, smiled and interacted with hundreds of people. I’m so proud of him, I know he was exhausted..."

Last Thursday, Megan posted on Facebook: "This morning he signed to us that he needs us for everything. And then shook his head in agreement that it made him feel bad...I told him we were all happy to be there and we were just thankful we had him to take care of. But that it won’t be like this forever and to use that as motivation to work on getting stronger. He firmly nodded his head and signed he’s ready to work!!

The Christian Post article noted:

In celebration of National Brain Injury Awareness month in March, Meghan Marlow called her husband her “hero.”

It quoted from the Facebook page: "He was living a beautiful and healthy life and then something as innocent as eating supper turned his world upside down with an Acquired Brain Injury from listeria...He is a fighter. He is the strongest man I know. He is my hero.”

This is certainly an inspiring story, and can remind us of the power and faithfulness of God. Pastor Ryan Marlow was declared to be brain dead, within hours of having his organs harvested - but God intervened!  Now, people are praying for his recovery, because there is a still a long road back. 

This story can help us to remember to pray when we are facing seemingly impossible situations.  The devastating medical diagnosis, the financial misfortune, the broken relationships - no matter what may seem impossible, we know that we serve the God of the possible - who is able to do, as the Scriptures say, exceedingly abundantly beyond what we can ask or think. 

God has brought us out of death to life, and He is more than capable of bringing what is dead to life - He is the God of resurrection; Jesus said that He is the "resurrection and the life."  So, for whatever may seem dead or hopeless in our lives, we can call upon the one who brings abundant life. 

Father of Our Country

The Lord, by His Spirit, has given us the capacity to be an influence for Him in the places we are sent by Him. 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 states:
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Yes, even the way we respond to trials can demonstrate to the world around us the presence of Jesus in us. We can make a responsible statement about our devotion to Him as we show that we love and trust Him - and that we possess a God-given love for others.  We can be so forthright in our obedience that people experience Him when they interact with us. So, we can be mindful of our opportunities to be influential for the sake of the gospel. 

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The Bible speaks of influential Christian believers in 1st Peter chapter 2, where we can find these words:
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.

On this St. Patrick's Day, it's a great time to reflect on how each of us can be a person of influence,  whose faith impacts the people to whom we are sent, those we are called to serve, relative to some comments I made yesterday.  

I came across an article recently that featured some comments who has been sent to the entertainment industry and has had a tremendous Christian impact. His name is Chuck Norris; yes, that Chuck Norris. Just last week, Chuck turned 83 years old.  U.S. Veterans Magazine, to honor his 80th, shared some favorite Chuck Norris jokes:

• Chuck Norris was once bitten by a cobra. After days of excruciating pain, the cobra passed away.

How about this one:

• Few people know that Chuck Norris has a diary—it’s called the Guinness Book of World Records.

Or, this: 

• Chuck Norris has never had to put gas in his tank. All of his vehicles run on fear.

And...

• When life gave Chuck Norris lemons, he squeezed the lemons and made orange juice.

Well, Chuck Norris loves God and loves America - and you can certainly do both! Movieguide reported on how Chuck Norris extolled one of the founders of our country in a column at WND.com recently, stating:

Norris wrote about Washington’s accolades as a soldier, leader and president, adding that he was a “constant” attendee at church throughout his life.

The actor also cites a video presentation at Washington’s home, Mount Vernon, that details his faith.

In that video, it quotes Washington as saying, "...every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshiping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.”

The video also notes:

It is clear in Washington’s writings that he was a deeply spiritual man, with a strong belief that a benevolent power was acting in his life and in the founding of the United States: “Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”

Chuck Norris' response?  

“Wow!” Norris marveled. “Does all that sound like it could have come from a deist, who didn’t believe God intervened in the affairs of men? Just the opposite. If only today’s presidents and government officials were as religiously devoted as Washington!”

Movieguide also related: 

He shared Washington’s devotion to praying every day, and Dr. George Tsakiridis, Ph.D, professor of religion at South Dakota State University, even said that Washington did “personal devotions” every morning and evening.

Norris then encouraged his readers to pray the prayer Washington wrote for our country and that Americans still read every day at Mount Vernon’s public wreath-laying ceremony at his tomb...

So, today, we've already covered Chuck Norris, George Washington, and of course, we recognize the contributions of St. Patrick, a man who fulfilled his call to share the gospel.  And, added to the list of influencers - you and me!  We're on the list, so we have to then recognize how God would use us to impact society for the sake of gospel, to do good and glorify God.  

We bring our Christian faith into the areas where we are sent.  Yesterday, I shared from an article that seemed to diss political candidates who embraced their Christian faith.  Again, we need more parents serving on our school boards and attorneys who run for judicial offices - Jason Yates of My Faith Votes illustrates that need on today's Meeting House program.  We need believers who will be salt and light in the workplace, people who follow Christ's instruction to love our neighbor, who will put the needs of their customers foremost, unlike those bankers that put a social agenda over the concerns of their stakeholders.  We need people of influence in every realm.  We can step up and stand strong in the Lord. 

Be Ye Separate?

Because we know Jesus, we can be confident that we have been called by God and given a purpose - we have been sent in order to bring Him glory wherever we are. Isaiah 42 states:
5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

Jesus, as THE Light of the World, told His disciples that we are the light of the world - so wherever we are, we are directed and empowered to shine His light. I believe that means that we are not only to interact with people one-on-one and share our faith, but also to impact the society in which we live. He gives us the capacity to be people of influence, to bring Christian principles and presence into public settings, in matters of practice and policy.  

+++++

The apostle Paul gave some insight regarding where we live and how we live in Acts chapter 17, when he proclaimed:
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.'

While Christians are instructed by Scripture to be separate, and some are taking that principle to another level - actually moving to an area that seems to be more sympathetic to their faith and values.  

The place is Northern Idaho, and recently, Religion News did what could be considered a work of opinion journalism on what is occurring in the city of Moscow.  The story related:

North Idaho has long been known for its hyperlibertarians, apocalyptic “preppers” and white supremacist groups who have retreated to the region’s sweeping frozen lakes and wild forests to await the collapse of American society, when they’ll assert control over what remains.

But in recent years, the state’s existing separatists have been joined by conservatives fleeing bluer Western states, opportunistic faith leaders, real-estate developers and, most recently, those opposed to COVID-19 restrictions and vaccines. Though few arrived carrying Christian nationalist banners, many have quickly adopted aspects of the ideology to advance conservative causes and seek strength in unity.

The article goes on to highlight Chris Walsh of Revolutionary Realty, who said...

...that the latest, and by his estimate the largest, concentrated wave of newcomers came during the pandemic.

“The COVID thing really drove a lot of people to get out of Portland, Seattle, San Francisco — anyplace where the government was acting very tyrantlike in terms of lockdowns,” he said. “Up here, we locked down for about three and a half weeks.”

The article notes that:

Many churches in northern Idaho refused to close even as the pandemic peaked here. In September 2020, at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, founded by Reformed pastor Douglas Wilson, members staged a protest outside City Hall, singing Psalms maskless in defiance of local ordinances, resulting in three arrests.

And, the Religion News piece says: "Far from shutting down, Wilson’s congregation has doubled over the past four years. 'A lot of the fomented discontent of the last two years, I would say, is 80% of the reason people come here,' said Wilson in a recent interview in his office."  I certainly understand the sentiment of Christians desire to settle and raise a family in safe spaces, spaces that reflect our deeply held values.  You have to go where God has called. 

But, the force of "Christian nationalism" is strong there, according to the article, which noted: "Congregations such as Pastor Tim Remington’s The Altar Church, in Coeur D’Alene, regularly host forums for right-wing candidates, and since the pandemic they increasingly, and dramatically, espouse Christian nationalist ideas." What did Pastor Tim do, for heaven's sake? Well, he "welcomed into the sanctuary a slate of 15 candidates for state and local office...most made a point to connect their campaigns to their Christian faith, and four noted they were members of Altar Church. When they finished, Remington asked for a show of hands of those who intended to vote for 'biblical values' while in office. All 15 lifted their hands."

And the problem with that is...? So, Christians who want to live out their faith, love their country, and desire to experience the freedom that was envisioned by our founders are "Christian nationalists?" But, of course, and the Public Religion Research Institute indicates you could be one, if you love God and your country.  

Last month, Religion News ran a story about a recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute; it said that the survey...

...finds that 10% of Americans are avowed Christian nationalists, what the survey calls “adherents,” while an additional 19% are sympathetic to Christian nationalist ideals.

That's a pretty broad statement - so one must ask, well, what are the "qualifications" for being a Christian nationalist, as defined by PRRI.  It seems that the initial premise is off and the survey results are manipulated in order to derive a conclusion.  

What?  What sort of "extreme" ideas are being held by this group?  Well, you could be a Christian nationalist if, according to the PRRI survey summary, you score 50% or more across a total of five questions.  You could be an "adherent" or "sympathizer."  The summary says:

Respondents were asked whether they completely agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree, or completely disagree with each of the following statements:

• The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation.
• U.S. laws should be based on Christian values.
• If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country anymore.
• Being Christian is an important part of being truly American.
• God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.

And, PRRI contends that this philosophy is being taught in our churches: Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI, is quoted as saying: “There’s a strong positive correlation between frequency of church attendance and likelihood of being a Christian nationalism adherent or sympathizer,” and “Christian nationalism adherents are more than six times as likely as Christian nationalism rejectors to attend church weekly.”

It could be an interesting study to discuss all five of these principles that comprise the "Christian nationalist" score, but I would submit that PRRI's tactic here is to identify people's viewpoints toward God and country and define them in a negative manner.  

Suffice it to say, the evidence is overwhelming that our founders established this nation on Christian principles, consistent with the Bible. Even the U.S. Supreme Court used the phrase "Christian nation." And, I would submit, to use the that term is not to say that people of other faith perspectives are unwelcome.  It's the principles, not the population.  These are foundational, and the Bible is clearly the influence for our laws and the fabric of our country.  Now "Christian" and "American" are not necessarily synonymous, but it has been contended that what makes one a good Christian makes him or her a good citizen. 

I do submit that God has called us to have influence in whatever sphere he has called us - if we are a Christian, and live in America, then we should work - and vote - according to those deeply held Biblical beliefs.  And, why should a Christian who loves God and wants to impact culture not run for office and seek to have influence?  Unfortunately, Christian ideas have been suppressed in our public discourse and there are legitimate threats to Christians expressing our faith - how's that working out?  I would submit we need more Christian influence, not less; call it what you will, but we need to be impacting our society for good, for God's glory.  

I do appreciate the sentiment of those who want to move to areas where there is a better atmosphere to practice their Christian faith.  That may be the right choice for some; for others, it may seem like it's separating from the world too greatly. Regardless, we should submit the decision about where we will live and other decisions we will make, according to the will of God for us.