It Was Prayer

We can sometimes really grasp that reality that we are strangers in this world, aliens who are really not of this world. Jesus prayed for us in John 17, reminding us that we are in good company:
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

It's been said that the world is not our home, that we're "only passing through."  We can look around and recognize that, well, essentially we don't belong here.  Jesus did say, after all that we are not of the world.  Our stay here is temporary, and we will be with him in eternity.  So, recognizing that heavenly identity, we can decide not to hang too tightly on to the things of this world nor embrace its ideas. But, we can be devoted to fulfilling the mission that God has given to us, and grow in our relationship with Him each day.

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Jesus, as He taught His disciples, explored the root cause of hostility that we may encounter in this world - some are hostile, others simply don't choose to understand. Jesus taught in John 15:
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

There is was - a glorious victory in the U.S. Open tennis tournament by a young lady named Coco Gauff. FoxNews.com reported that "Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2," and then, ESPN displayed a picture with a dubious caption - the article says, "the 'SportsCenter' account wrote that the tennis phenom 'took a moment to soak it all in after winning her first Grand Slam title.'

Former NFL coach and current NBC analyst Tony Dungy took aim at the verbage, stating: "I hate to break this to you SportsCenter but Coco Gauff was not ‘soaking it all in’ at this moment. She was praying. She has been very open about her Christian faith in the past. It seems pretty obvious what she is doing here..."

The Fox News article says:

Gauff spoke about her faith after winning the first Grand Slam title of her career after she was asked what it meant to her to win the title on home soil.

"Oh my goodness. It means so much to me. I feel like I’m a little bit in shock in this moment," Gauff said. "That French Open loss was a heartbreak for me. I realized God puts you through tribulations and trials. This makes this moment even more sweeter than I could imagine.

"I don’t pray for results. I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all. Whatever happens, happens. I’m so blessed in this life. I’m just thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words for it, to be honest."

She is the youngest American, male or female, to win a US Open since Serena Williams did so at age 19 in 2001. (Williams also won two years prior when she was 17.) Gauff also joins Williams and Tracy Austin as the only American teenagers to win the tournament.

For some background, the Sports Spectrum website provided some history, reporting:

Gauff broke onto the professional tennis scene in May 2018 and the age of 14, and since then she’s never shied away from talking about how important her faith in God is for her everyday life and her tennis career. As Sport and Faith reported, Gauff has done numerous interviews where she’s talked about how her faith has helped her stay humble as her fame has grown, and how she’s used her platform as an avenue to share about God.

In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, Gauff said she and her father pray before every match.

“Before every match since I was 8, my dad and I say a prayer together,” she said. “We don’t really pray about victory, just that me and my opponent stay safe. After the match, I was just thanking God for this opportunity.”

It’s no different on her social media pages, where she often talks about God...

Well, this was certainly not the first time that Dungy has shown support for the public expression of faith.  The Federalist ran a story a few months ago documenting some of these instances, including at this year's March for Life; even though Coach Dungy faced blistering comments from fellow journalists, he took to the podium and issued these words in the aftermath of Damar Hamlin's collapse on the football field:

“An unbelievable thing happened that night. A professional football game with millions of dollars of ticket money and advertising money on the line – that game was canceled. Why? Because a life was at stake, and people wanted to see that life saved,” Dungy said. “That should be encouraging to us, because that’s exactly why we’re here today because every day in this country, innocent lives are at stake. The only difference is they don’t belong to a famous athlete, and they’re not seen on national TV. But those lives are still important to God and in God’s eyes.”

The Federalist also points out:

In 2018, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach caught flak for saying on live television that then-Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles would play well in the Super Bowl “because his Christian faith would allow him to play with confidence.”

“Nick Foles told me last week that he felt the Lord had him in Philadelphia for a special moment and he played like it tonight,” Dungy added in a tweet following the Eagles’ victory over the New England Patriots.

A particular journalist criticized him, and as the article noted, Dungy fired back; on Twitter, he wrote:

NBC pays me to express my opinion. And it was my opinion that Nick Foles would play well because his Christian faith would allow him to to play with confidence. And that he’s a good QB. I think I was right on both counts.

The writer of the Federalist article, Shawn Fleetwood, stated:

At the end of the day, Christians can’t leave it up to one or a few individuals to be lone voices publicly standing for their faith. In many respects, the surrender of our beliefs — in large part, to avoid scrutiny from fellow sinners — has further enabled the sinful rot plaguing the nation’s devolving culture. If Christians want America to rediscover its biblical roots, it’s going to require all of us to take a page from Dungy’s playbook and place our love for God above our fear of the mob.

So, kudos to Coco Gauff, Tony Dungy, and the journalist Shawn Fleetwood by providing some reminders for us to be bold in our faith.  And, I think, regarding Coach Dungy's "clarification" about what Coco Gauff was actually doing after winning that tennis championship, we have to recognize that ideally, we should have one another's backs.  If we're not careful, we can become so critical and cynical that we fail to recognize that we are part of a glorious body of Christ who are called to encourage one another - now that doesn't mean that we don't point out and confront sin and error, but we should be quick to defend the actions of our brothers and sisters when they face criticism from a world that doesn't exactly understand or embrace people of faith. 

We mustn't be intimidated - there may be mockery for our beliefs.  We may face ridicule from the world, but that doesn't make us victims.  Because we are victors in Jesus Christ.  We are children of the Most High God, followers of the Savior of the World, endued with the power of the Holy Spirit.  We can be confident in Him and not be ashamed to call on His name.

Perception v. Reality

We cannot work our way into the Kingdom of Heaven, but once we have accepted Christ and become part of His Kingdom, the Holy Spirit will produce fruit through our lives - if we allow Him to. James addressed issues relative to faith and works in chapter 2 of his book:
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

We can agree that works cannot save us - we come to God by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, confessing with our mouths that He is Lord and believing that God raised Him from the dead, according to Romans 10. But, now that we are saved, we are instructed to live an obedient life - that obedience keeps us firmly planted in the will of God, as we produce fruit for His glory. And, that obedience shows the world that Jesus lives in us - our works impact the world for Him.

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We are called and empowered to be excellent representatives of the One who has saved us, allowing the life of Jesus to be displayed through our lives. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 contains these words:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

The Bible tells us that we are not to be consumed with pleasing people; rather we are to please God.  But, the way we are perceived or regarded, as people of God, is very important - we want to be good ambassadors for the Kingdom.

There's a new Pew Research poll that actually measures how various faith groups are perceived.  The survey deals with the most wealthy nations of the world, according to the World Bank, and the summary relates:

A global median of 23% of adults say the U.S. is more religious than other wealthy nations, according to a Pew Research Center survey of 23 countries conducted this spring. Far more adults in these countries say the U.S. is either about as religious as other wealthy nations (a median of 41% say this) or less religious than other wealthy nations (a median of 26% say this).

In fact, as the summary notes, "In some countries, large shares say the U.S. is less religious than other wealthy nations. Nearly half of adults (48%) say this in Mexico – one of nine surveyed countries in which at least 33% of adults say this."

But in the survey universe, perception does not equal reality; for instance, as Pew states:

Looking at the high-income nations included in the Center’s spring survey, U.S. adults are more likely than many others to say religion is very important in their life. Around four-in-ten Americans (41%) say this – almost twice as many (21%) as the median share for wealthy countries surveyed. 

The top 5 countries with this response are: the U.S. at #1, followed by Greece, Israel, Italy, and Poland. 

The summary also relates:

But the U.S. is more similar to its wealthy peers in its shares of religiously affiliated adults. About 70% of U.S. adults say they belong to some religion – compared with a median of 64% in the other high-income countries included in the spring survey.

So, there are indicators that the U.S. is a religious nation, based on survey data, but people in other countries don't necessarily see it that way.  Overall, about a quarter of those surveyed, on average, see the U.S. as "more religious" than other nations in the group of wealthy nations.  A slightly higher percentage see the U.S. as "less religious."

There is a disconnect here, and I think it can teach us collectively and individually.  Collectively, the United States is not seen as religious as its citizens see themselves.  That perception could be due to any number of factors, but I think it would be helpful to examine the image that we are exporting - after all, we were founded as a bastion of religious freedom; it's woven into our Constitution, but it may not be demonstrated the way it once was.   

We can also consider how we live our lives for the sake of Christ.  We may have been saved and have a personal walk with God; we might be doing the right things, the "religious stuff," if you will.  But, if people cannot see that demonstration of the reality of the new birth, we are not doing as we should.  We can rightly decry legalism and recognize that our salvation does not come by works; but as James says, we show our faith by our works.  So, we should be demonstrating a vibrant, living faith in Christ that causes the perception on the outside to be lined up with the reality on the inside. If we claim to know Christ, then we have to make sure that we are not short-circuiting our witness by living in a way that does not reflect His presence within.

Sex = Gender?

God's created order is affirmed by Jesus as He taught in Mark chapter 10; we can find these words:
6 But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'
7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
8 and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

There is so much about God's plan for sexuality that is related by our Lord in these four verses. 1) We are told that there are only two sexes - two genders, in the traditional sense of the word, not by the modern definition that relates gender to feelings rather than biological fact. 2) We see God's plan for marriage - husband and wife in a one flesh relationship, and 3) His intent is for marriage to be a permanent arrangement; not a short-term contract. The Bible lays out a good plan for our lives, and we can center our decisions on what He teaches us.

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We serve a Creator God who made the heavens and earth, as well as those who inhabit the earth, including human beings. In Colossians 1, we can read what Paul wrote concerning Jesus:
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.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Last week on The Meeting House, I featured a conversation with Christian apologist Greg Koukl, who heads a ministry called, Stand to Reason, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.  I came across a piece recently by one of his associates that can be helpful when attempting to navigate the language surrounding gender.  It was published at The Stream and written by Alan Shlemon.  He writes:

I’ve stopped using the word “gender” unless I qualify it. If I’m talking to someone about transgenderism (or a related subject), I’ll either say “biological sex” or “gender identity.” Biological sex refers to a person’s biology (chromosomes and sex organs). Gender identity refers to a person’s internal psychological perception of whether they are a man or a woman (or something else). I never want to use the term “gender” without qualification because it’s ambiguous.

In the interview aired last week, Koukl talked about asking good questions in order to have a productive conversation.  Shlemon employs this technique when discussing the word, gender.  He writes:

If someone else uses the term “gender,” then I always ask them to explain what they mean by the term (the first Columbo question). I think it’s essential to define your terms before you continue a conversation. Otherwise, it’s likely you’ll talk past each other.

He goes on to say:

For example, if someone tells me that “gender is fluid,” I might reflexively respond with, “No, it’s not.” After all, in my mind, gender is synonymous with biological sex, something that is not fluid. They, however, might be using “gender” to refer to “gender identity,” a person’s psychological state, which is fluid (not that I’m agreeing it’s normal if your gender identity is incongruent with your biological sex). Our conversation is already off to a bad start with confusion and unnecessary disagreement.

Shlemon writes: 

A better approach would be to clarify the meaning by asking, “What do you mean by ‘gender?’” Even if I don’t ultimately agree with their point, at least I’ll understand what they mean by the term, which increases the chances the conversation will be more fruitful.

Word meanings change over time. That’s unavoidable. The word “gender” has been infused with all kinds of new meanings in the last couple of decades. That’s why I never use the word on its own or leave it undefined if someone else uses it.

We have to recognize how language has been changed, and in some cases, weaponized in order to represent a meaning that is not necessarily consistent with the original use of the term. And, a top U.S. health agency has highlighted what it claims are differences between sex and gender; at its website, the National Institutes of Health states: "Gender can be broadly defined as a multidimensional construct that encompasses gender identity and expression, as well as social and cultural expectations about status, characteristics, and behavior as they are associated with certain sex traits....Understandings of gender vary throughout historical and cultural contexts.

So, there you have it - it's termed a "construct." It goes on to expand on the agenda:

A person’s gender identity (e.g., woman, man, trans man, gender-diverse, nonbinary) is self-identified, may change throughout their life, and may or may not correspond to a society’s cultural expectations based on their biological sex traits. For example, a person with typical female (sex term) sex traits may or may not be a woman (gender identity). Although gender is often portrayed and understood in Western cultures using binary categories (man or woman) and is often assumed at birth based on a person’s sex traits, many cultures throughout history have recognized a diversity of forms of gender identity and gender expression (how a person communicates their gender to others through behavior and appearance).

Some of that NIH information is taken from a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Pastor and author Costi Hinn at the For the Gospel website relates:

The culture you live in regards truth as relative — not absolute. The problem is, by saying there are no absolutes people are claiming an absolute. When people say, “I don’t feel like it’s my right to tell someone if they’re wrong,” what they aren’t saying is that they would, of course, tell someone who said that gender was “absolute” that they are wrong. Perhaps more than any other topic, the truth about your gender is under assault from the culture.

He states, "...while sex is scientifically and biologically verified to be 100% genetic — as in, binary and set — modern culture has now chosen to work around that truth."  Hinn writes:

Sin is sick. The twisted ploys of the Devil will go to any length possible to assault God’s design for His creation. The goal of the kingdom of darkness is to put out the light of God’s plan and purposes. The Devil wants men acting like women, women acting like men, men cowering and abandoning their role, women succumbing to societal pressure, and dangerously broken people who need the gospel identifying as whatever they want to harm others. Think about this: if you can destroy the family you can destroy the epicenter of the Christian life where primary discipleship and training take place. Ultimately, you can destroy the church because we aren’t a building — we are people!

The twisting of language to satisfy a more progressive agenda seems to be everywhere.  FoxNews.com recently reported:

A leaked Department of Veteran Affairs video showed efforts to promote abortions and more "medically accurate" terminology such as "person who is pregnant" over pregnant women.

The article stated that one of the slides in the presentation...

...offered a "guide" to "language and abortion" to offer to veterans potentially seeking abortions. The language included using "embryo or fetus" instead of "baby or unborn child," "embryonic or fetal cardiac activity" instead of "fetal heartbeat," "veteran or person" instead of "mother" and "pregnancy options counseling" instead of "abortion counseling."

Christ-followers do not believe in relative truth - we believe in absolute truth.  That belief brings clarity to our lives and our language.  But, to some in our culture, saying the right words and changing the definition, or attaching a stigma to words that were once acceptable are ways to alter people's thinking and behavior.  We must strive for clarity, not confusion, and recognize when concepts are being redefined in order to retrain people's thinking.

And, as Koukl and Shlemon from Stand to Reason highlight, asking good questions are powerful tools that can be used to provide greater understanding and more productive conversations. We can't be lazy and assume these days that words are being regarded in the way they once were.  So, a "what do you mean..." approach can be very useful.  And, we should be able to answer those types of questions for ourselves, rather than lazily and irresponsibly embracing what the culture has to feed us.

Fly the Flag

The people of God, as we're told in 1st Peter chapter 2, have been called and set apart in order that we might proclaim His praises. Isaiah 62 states:
10 Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples!
11 Indeed the Lord has proclaimed To the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.' "
12 And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; And you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

So, how are we lifting up a banner for the people around us, those to whom God has sent us to proclaim His glory?  We can confidently testify to the presence of Jesus within us and show that we love Him by the way we speak, the way we act, including how we love others unconditionally.  We have been given the gift of salvation through what Jesus has done for us, and we are directed to lay down our lives so that He will be exalted through us.

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We can celebrate what God has done and use the opportunities we have in a free society to give testimony to His name. Psalm 20 says this:
5 We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

There was a flag-raising ceremony in the city of Torrington, Connecticut recently - over 200 people of a gathered as the Christian flag was hoisted into the air, according to the newspaper, the Register Citizen.  The mayor, Elinor Carbone, attended, and she was quoted as saying, "I feel fulfilled...These are the very things that a mayor in a city wants to gather together; what our churches do for our community is so important. In every emergency, the churches are there. I'm so thankful."  The article notes:

The Christian flag, with a white ground and a simple cross, was raised to show unity, according to the Rev. Steve Darr of the First Congregational Church of Torrington. "We are here for the city, the state and the nation," he said.

The event occurred the third weekend of September, and a local Messianic rabbi who leads two congregations blew a shofar to commemorate the fall feast of Rosh Hashanah. 

The newspaper article also noted:

Associate Pastor Michael Ambrose from Northwest Hills Community Church said Torrington was founded around the Christian faith. "This is an opportunity to recognize who came first," he said. "It's a recognition of our faith and a chance to pray together."

The First Congregational Church of Torrington was founded in 1741. "We've been in Torrington for 282 years," said Darr. "We baptized (abolitionist and city resident) John Brown; we've been here a long time. The Christian community provides a steadfast anchor within the city."

But, it doesn't look like that type of amazing display of unity and affirmation of the influence of the Christian faith will be taking place in Montgomery, Alabama anytime soon.  The City Council had been asked to pass a resolution recognizing American Christian Heritage Month and to allow the Christian flag to fly at City Hall.  In the September 5 meeting, according to the Montgomery Independent, the resolution was originally passed, but then was reconsidered after concerns were expressed.   The Council decided to table another vote until the September 19 meeting - last Tuesday.

At that meeting, the Council determined to table the proclamation of September as American Christian Heritage Month and tabled another resolution that provided that, according to 1819 News, "only the flags of the United States of America, of the State of Alabama, or of any United States or State military organization may be flown or placed upon any of the city of Montgomery's public properties..."

One of the proponents of the proclamation for a Christian Heritage month and flying of the Christian flag, William Green, reminded the Council that since the city of Montgomery has already taken a step to fly pride flags during June, which the Independent noted was done by an executive order by the mayor, it opened the door to flying the Christian flag.

The 1819 article quoted from Harold Shurtleff of Camp Constitution, who was denied the right to fly a Christian flag at City Hall in Boston and won a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision which stated that the city had erred in denying his petition on religious grounds while other applicants were approved.  The article states:

Shurtleff told 1819 News recently, "I agree with the city attorney that letting the Christian flag fly would open it up to other groups, some good and maybe some not so good. He is correct, and our attorney Matt Staver mentioned it in his oral argument to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the city has already done so by flying the Rainbow flag."

"So, either fly all flags that are requested by local groups or only fly the U.S., State, County, POW-MIA and City flags which is what many towns and cities around the country have been doing in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision," Shurtleff said.

Green told the Council:

"All I'm asking from the city council is to allow me and other Christians that feel this way is to get our time to fly our Christian flag as others have already been given that."

He referred to the Supreme Court decision in the Shurtleff case and shared that the city had already "established a precedent." 

There are similar controversies in other parts of the country.  The LGBT Pride flags, according to a FoxNews.com article, that had been flown in Hamtramck, Michigan will no longer be allowed to be displayed.  And, according to television station ABC 10, in El Dorado County, California, lawmakers voted to reverse an earlier decision to proclaim July as American Christian Heritage Month.

So, what do we make of all this?  Well, please allow me the opportunity to tie this all together. The Camp Constitution Supreme Court victory was a triumph for free speech and advanced the idea that religious expression is not to be treated in a discriminatory way.  And, as Mr. Shurtleff pointed out, municipalities are now having to deal with compliance, some by limiting any other flags except for perhaps national, state, municipal or military flags.  That would eliminate gay pride flags, which is a severe blow to politicians who have been all-too-ready to embrace this harmful agenda.  So, it's a mixed bag here. But, it may, in fact, represent more pushback to the advancement of the LGBT agenda, which is a good thing. 

While some want to back down or back off from the Christian heritage of our nation, you can't rewrite history, as some are prone to do.  The founding documents show a trust in and allegiance to a sovereign God.  We recognize that God works in the affairs of nations, and it's important for Christians to acknowledge His hand.  In the name of so-called "separation of church and state," certain officials have determined that the recognition of religion in a civic capacity is to be frowned upon and deemed to be illegal. But, even our First Amendment, in addition to the Establishment Clause, has a Free Exercise Clause, and that means American Christians should be free to live out their faith in a public setting, or as it's been called, the "public square."  We can depend on God to show us ways in which we can testify to the Lordship of Jesus, not merely in the four walls of our homes or churches, but to proclaim His truth boldly and robustly. 

Opportunity for Change

The presence of Christ has flooded our lives and made it possible for real, lasting change to occur, because of the power of a heart that has experienced God's transformation. We're reminded of that in Ephesians chapter 4, which says:
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

We were once apart from God, but now we have been set apart by Jesus from the things of this world, granted a pardon for our sins and set free from the power of sin and death.  We have the possibility of change because Jesus lives in us. So, each day, we can choose to walk the crucified life - recognizing that the old, corrupted person we once were is dead and we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. So, we can turn aside from the past and live in the hope of a glorious present and future in Him.

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The apostle Paul experienced the patience of God - he was exhibiting strong opposition to the Lord Jesus and His Church, but God did not give up on Him, and showed Him abundant mercy, about which Paul wrote in 1st Timothy chapter 1:
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Roderick Duncan is the owner of a gym in Memphis, Tennessee - it's called God Body.  And, according to CBSNews.com, "Duncan says real change never happens overnight — but it always starts in an instant."

It featured a story about one particular instance in which a cup of "instant coffee" began that process.  An article on the network's website related:

A few months ago, Duncan said he noticed someone behind his gym, sleeping in one of his old cars.

"Homeless guy, had to have been," Duncan said.

Duncan approached the car, with his cell phone camera recording, and told him to get out of the vehicle. The car doors don't lock, though, so the next day, Duncan had the same problem. It repeated the next day, and the next day, and the next day — until Duncan tried a different approach.

Duncan invited the 24-year-old man, Bryan Taylor in for a cup of coffee and began to "build a relationship." The article notes:

He learned about Taylor's troubled childhood and drinking problem. Their relationship grew, and soon, Duncan was taking Taylor to get a new ID and driving him to job interviews, while Taylor crashed on his couch.

It hasn't always been smooth sailing for the duo. Whether it's been violating trust or not following the rules Duncan set, Duncan said there have been many times where he's told the 24-year-old that it's "the last straw" — but every time, he gives Taylor another chance.

Already, you can see how Roderick displayed the love of Christ, a love that had been shown to him.  Our God of second chances is incredibly patient with us.  And, even when we may think it's our "last straw," we can confess our sins, receive forgiveness, and set a new course.  But, we can't do this by ourselves, and that's why God brought Bryan (sp?) to the God Body Gym.

An article published at The Christian Heart said that Brian had been staying at the gym with Roderick for nine months - he had told him he would allow it for a year.  Roderick Duncan, in first-person, shared:

I’m taking the opportunity to mentor and hopefully mold this young man into the man God wants him to be. I want to provide good motivation for him, something he’s never had. I tell him to look at how far God has brought me. I was getting into trouble, and God took me and made me into a totally different person. You have to let God lead you. Sometimes He’ll lead you to places you may not want to go. But you have to really listen to the Holy Spirit.

It’s been an up and down process with Brian, and it can be very frustrating. He’s had two jobs and he’s been fired from both of them. But I’m trying to be patient with him, and do my best to help change his life. I’m letting God work through me.

If I can help Brian, isn’t that what God would want me to do? It’s not going to hurt me to help someone to try to get better. And it may have an eternal impact on him.

And, as Roderick notes, it's all part of God's plan: "I can now see why God sent me to cooking school, why I gained weight, why I got into working out, and why I got into training others on diet and exercise. And how that all led to meeting Brian. God’s plan is amazing."

There are tremendous principles that we can learn from this interaction.  First of all, we can know the Holy Spirit will lead us sometimes into difficult places, and we may resist.  But, we have to submit ourselves to God and demonstrate a willingness to do what He has given us the capacity to do.  Our motivation?  The love of Christ.

And, that's a second point: God has been merciful to us by sending His Son to die for us so that we can have a new life.  But, we recognize that we might not be as charitable as He.  We have to rely on the presence of God's love within our hearts in order to see it expressed toward another.  And, as the Bible says in 1st Corinthians 13, love is patient.  Another point: Think about the patience of God, who does not give up on us when we falter or fail, when we do unholy things that contrast with His holiness.  Roderick Duncan has not given up on Brian Taylor and is continuing to be patient, even when he messes up.  At this point, there is a place to come home to.  But, Brian recognizes there are limitations - he has a year to get his life right.  And, there may come a time when Roderick exercises tough love.  But, he has planted the seeds and taught the principles - we become accountable for what we know, and God will always be drawing us back to Himself.  

Finally, it's always helpful to look back and see how God has brought us to this point in our lives. We can see how God has, as the Scriptures refer to, ordered our steps.  We can be emboldened and know that, as He has been faithful to us in the past, we can rely on that faithfulness for the future. 

Fear, Climate and Corruption

It's described as the "dominion mandate," which illustrates a powerful dynamic about our presence here on the earth. We find it in Genesis chapter 1, which says:
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Henry Morris of the Institute for Creation Research wrote, "This was God’s first commandment to the man and woman He had created. They were to exercise dominion 'over all the earth' (v.26); not a despotic dominion, as some have insinuated, but a responsible stewardship."

Christians should be exercising this stewardship, not in a worldly fear, but through an informed faith. There are those with an authoritarian bent that have used climate as a tool to subvert individuals to bow to their wishes - not out of respect for God's creation, but out of a desire for power and control, using the weaponization of fear to scare people in submission.  Christians should always be submissive to God first and foremost and reject the tactics that would place us under an unhealthy captivity to fear.

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The Bible tells us that planet earth's days are numbered.  But, it's not because of human destruction, but of God's judgment.  And, believers can actually be emboldened by the promise of a new heaven and a new earth and eternity with Jesus.

Jesus taught in Luke 21:
25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

I thought about verse 26 earlier today - people's hearts, we're told, during this time of tribulation on the earth, will fail.  Fail.  From what? Fear.  The enemy uses fear as a powerful tool - and "scared to death," in some cases, may not be merely a misnomer.

And, even in these days, people, especially young, are in panic mode. A popular narrative has apparently taken root in the hearts and minds of young people.  According to a recent edition of the AMAC Magazine, published by the Association of Mature American Citizens, a survey taken late last year shows that "nearly 60 percent of Americans between the ages of 16 and 25 said they were 'very worried' or 'extremely worried' about climate change." It notes, "That figure was even higher among kids aged 7 to 12."

The article goes on to say:

It seems stoking fears over climate change is yet another tool for the left to co-opt a generation of American youth to advance their own political aspirations, no matter the disastrous effect it may have on the mental health of youths.

The headline for an opinion piece by economist Stephen Moore, writing for the Washington Examiner, says, "Stop scaring our kids to death." He writes: 

When I speak to kids on high school and college campuses and ask what the greatest threat is to their generation, the answer isn’t China’s aggression. It isn’t a drug abuse problem that is becoming the leading killer of our children. It isn’t the failed schools or the corrupt government or the more routine violations of freedom of speech. It isn’t the $32 trillion national debt soon headed to $50 trillion. (I always remind the kids, I won’t be paying for this Mount Everest-sized debt burden. You will.)

He goes on to say:

No, they almost all raise their hands and moan that they are most worried about global warming or “climate change.” We are raising a generation with millions of Greta Thunbergs. A Daily Telegraph poll found that more than half of teenagers surveyed believe that the world “may end in their lifetime” because of climate change. No one has ever told them that the climate has been changing for as long as the plant has existed. They’ve never heard of the ice ages, apparently. The Earth has gone through centuries of warming — and that was before air conditioning — which the climate czars want to take away from us to combat warming. Figure that one out.

A Blue Shield of California and Harris Poll, according to the Fierce Healthcare website, "...shows that nearly nine out of 10 people in Generation Z, or people aged 14 to 25, are struggling with mental health on a regular basis."  The article states:

Gun violence ranks as the top concern, as 84% said they experience negative mental health impacts and 69% responded they are “very concerned.” Sixty-eight percent of people said hearing about or experiencing climate change also caused mental health issues.

I reported to you a few weeks ago about a survey of adults in the U.S. and a handful of other countries.  Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis wrote:

Of the 5,000 parents surveyed, 91% said they are “concerned about the climate crisis.” How concerned are they? Well, over half—53%—shared that their apprehensions about the future of earth’s climate “ha[ve] impacted their perspective on having more children.” Yes, people are choosing not to have children because they are concerned about the physical climate of the world their children will grow up in.

But, Ham offers insight into how this paralyzing fear has taken root, stating:

Now, for those of us who understand that climate alarmism is driven not by raw, scientific data, but by a specific interpretation of the evidence and computer models based on assumptions, parents deciding not to have more children because of their climate fears may seem very shocking. But I also shake my head because non-Christians believe that when you die, that is the end of you. So why even care about what happens in the future anyway? Secularists believe the whole universe will die eventually, so ultimately everything is meaningless.

But I wonder how many Christians are doing the same thing regarding having children based on their fears about the future and what we could call “spiritual climate change”?

He relates, "It’s easy to feel discouraged and for Christians to think, 'How can I bring children into a world that’s so dark and depraved?'"  He cautions:

Don’t let fear keep you from enjoying the blessing that children are. This world will continue to groan (sometimes seemingly louder than at other times!), but God will continue to build his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

And, fear has the potential to cause people to do things that may not be rooted in Scripture.  Just look at how much people were willing to give in, reacting to fears over COVID.  And, perhaps fear of a changing climate will produce the corrupt fruit of surrendering one's personal freedom to an authoritarian government that wishes to subvert the will of the people. 

Fear short-circuits the way that God intends for us to live.  Throughout the Bible, we are told not to fear.  But, there is an exception as Cal Beisner of the Cornwall Alliance wrote for Answers in Genesis: "Fear of environmental catastrophe grows out of the lack of the fear of God. That, I would argue, is the real root of the environmental scares that have plagued the modern world..And such fears will continue — with or without scientific basis...until people repent and fear the Lord."  We have to make sure that we are rooted in faith in Christ and not held in bondage to fear.  And, we can show other individuals the way to possessing peace with God through Jesus.

We certainly are to be good stewards of the environment that God has made.  But, as it's been pointed out, the heavens and earth, made by the breath of God and crafted by the hand of God, is being sustained by the greatest power in the universe.  We cannot and should not reduce the creation of God to something that can be so easily destroyed by human carelessness - this exalts humanity and attempts to reduce God's supremacy.  

Not a Ban

The Bible instructs us to make sure we keep watch over our own hearts and souls, not allowing thoughts and impressions to take root in our minds that would damage our walk with the Lord. Psalm 101 says this:
(1) I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O Lord, I will sing praises.
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

And, I believe that for parents, the responsibility for our own souls also extends the souls of our children. The Bible establishes that as an expectation and we should be careful to make sure that we are training them in accordance with Biblical values and protecting them from influences that could be harmful. That will perhaps sometimes involve having a discussion about cultural trends and messages that are contrary to Scripture, making sure that the Biblical worldview is exalted and established.

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In the second chapter of the book of 1st Peter, the writer explores the proper, Biblical role of government. We can read these words:
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.
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--
16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

Unfortunately, you have those who will use "free speech" as that "cloak for vice, where people cry "censorship" when objectionable material available to children becomes publicly exposed.  Concerned parents and lawmakers are continuing to highlight content in libraries that would be considered to be objectionable due to its obscene content.  I have been shining the spotlight on local efforts not to "ban" any books, but to place certain books in a reserved section of a local library where they are not accessible to children without parental supervision.  

The fight over books even reached a Congressional committee the other day.  According to CBN News, in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, some lawmakers "argued for age-appropriate protections against some books, highlighting the explicit nature of some books available to children in public schools and libraries."

In the hearing, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias stated, "Book banners say they want 'local control,'" adding, "What's more local than controlling what takes place in your own household?" To which Sen. Lindsey Graham said, "Are you telling taxpayers of this country to shut up?" The article notes that, "Graham said governors, local leaders, and parents have a right to make sure 'agendas are not being pushed' on children.

Sen. John Kennedy "read some select pages from a couple of explicit books into the congressional record, including a paragraph from the books All Boys Aren't Blue and Gender Queer: A Memoir, which have been opposed by parents' organizations all over the country." Giannoulias said that, "Those words are disturbing coming from your mouth."

This is a similar reaction to instances in which parents have read objectionable passages in public meetings and attempts have been made to silence them.  So one has to wonder why parents are being told to be quiet, yet this material is OK to be available to kids without parental consent in a local library. 

Recently, according to 1819 News, the Alabama Public Library Service board attempted to address the issue.  Board member John Wahl...

...brought a motion to allow APLS to collate a list of books that may contain sexually explicit material to be available to local libraries. The list would not dictate what books a library may use. Instead, Wahl said it would prove guidance. The vote passed unanimously.

The article continued:

"We're at a time in history where it's important that we do protect our children," Wahl said after the meeting.

He continued, "Good government represents the people. And I think that's one of the areas that was very important. This is a common sense issue. There's always been inappropriate material for children. We rate movies. We rate video games. And this is just one of those areas where we are looking for a way to be able to share with local the libraries that there may be inappropriate material in books, and flag it for them so they have some guidance as they're looking at their collections."

Wahls also said the board was still waiting on an opinion from Attorney General Steve Marshall's office to find further what authority APLS has in policing this issue.

But, while some are characterizing parents desiring action from officials regarding books containing obscene material from being readily available to children as "banning books," the truth is, according to a study from earlier this year, conducted by the Heritage Foundation, that is simply not the case.  Jay Greene of Heritage wrote at The Daily Signal:

“What we’re seeing here is a resurgence of widespread censorship in America,” Nadine Farid Johnson recently told The Wall Street Journal. Johnson is the Washington director of PEN America and co-author of its report claiming to identify 2,532 books banned in public schools during the 2021-2022 school year.

But, Greene exposes this and similar claims as promoting a false narrative, writing:

It is simply false that 2,532 books were removed from schools during the 2021-2022 school year. We know this is false because we examined online card catalogues and found that 74% of the books PEN America identified as banned from school libraries are actually listed as available in the catalogues of those school districts. In many cases we could see that copies of those books are currently checked out and in use by students.

Greene also noted:

...many of the books we were unable to find in card catalogues were works that would strike most reasonable people as unlikely to be age-appropriate for school libraries. Works like “Gender Queer,” “Flamer,” “Lawn Boy,” “Fun Home,” and “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health” either contain images of people engaged in sex acts or graphic descriptions of those acts.

People who don’t want these books available to children in school libraries aren’t book banners. And people unwilling to defer to the unilateral authority of teachers and librarians to decide what children should have access to without democratic oversight or parental input are not fascists.

Determining what books are age-appropriate and educationally valuable enough to be purchased and kept in school libraries is inherently contentious even among well-intentioned people. But having a productive process for adjudicating these disputes is rendered impossible by false and hysterical claims from organizations like PEN America that there is “widespread censorship in America.” The vast majority of books allegedly banned from school libraries haven’t been banned at all.

According to CBN, at the Senate hearing...

...In his opening statement before the committee, Max Eden, a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said, "To put it bluntly, books aren't being banned..."

"The media keeps using the word 'banned,' but that word doesn't mean what you think it means. In common usage, 'banned' means 'made unavailable.' Yet the most banned Gender Queer is still available on Amazon. The same can't be said for Ryan Anderson's When Harry Became Sally. Only books on one side of that issue it seems, actually get banned," Eden explained.

"Rather, this conversation focuses on school library availability. If ban means made unavailable, then virtually every book ever published has been effectively banned in school libraries. But that's not even what this word means here," he said. "Indeed, a book can be both banned and totally available in a school library. That's because the media has accepted the expansive definition of ban offered by Pen America."

I am thankful for those who are involved in bringing this problem to light.  Yes, parents, according to Scripture, should be responsible for their overall training of their children.  How can they fulfill this when material that is in conflict with their values is made available without restriction to children in public libraries and school libraries.  So, when activists contend that parents have the final say - I agree with that, by the way - their solution, unfortunately, is to respond by saying public officials should not have a role in protecting children.  I say this is an important role that they have, in order to empower and partner with parents, informing them about influences that would be harmful to their kids. 

Attempts to hold public officials accountable for library content are being made all over America - in Alabama, you have certain lawmakers that have shown a healthy interest in this issue.  Governor Ivey has requested some answers from the director of the Alabama Public Library Service, who has reportedly issued a response.  The group, Clean Up Alabama, which grew out of an ongoing library controversy in Prattville, is continuing to call for a relocation of objectionable material and for Alabama to follow the lead of four other states in withdrawing from the American Library Association. 

The government is charged in Scripture with maintaining order and punishing evil.  To market sexually explicit material that can corrupt young minds is irresponsible, and parents are right to speak out and appeal to their authorities, who have a God-given responsibility that is hard-wired in the U.S. Constitution - it's responsible action within the context of a democratic republic.  We can be grateful that people are listening.

Harvest

The apostle Paul was totally yielded to the movement of the Spirit of God, and He recognized the importance of prayer in seeing the power of the Lord expressed. In Ephesians 6, he writes:
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

We can rejoice that all around the world, God is moving in the hearts of people who are open to what He would desire to do in their hearts. Some need salvation, others need to experience God's healing and restoration in a variety of areas of their lives. He will also use those who already know Him to facilitate ministry to those who don't.  Our motivation to serve the Lord can be increased because of how we see Him at work.

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In John chapter 4, Jesus is responding to the people's request for physical food - He adjusts their thinking to examine things spiritually. We can find these verses:
34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

The impact of what occurred less than a week ago on the campus of Auburn University is certainly continuing to reverberate, and there is rejoicing about how God is moving in the hearts of young people. It was seen and experience at Asbury and other college campuses.  We are seeing God inviting people to come to know Him; and that's a challenge that people of any age can embrace.

What has been occurring, I believe, is part of a greater move of God that is taking place around our world.  This Friday on The Meeting House, you will hear from James Davis, who leads the Global Church Network, which is training and equipping Christians to go, as Jesus directed, into all the world, with a strategy designed to fulfill the Great Commission.  It's powerful stuff.

And, we serve a God who invites us to come to know Him by accepting His Son.  When people respond, sometimes it can be with great fervency and volume.  Such is the case in an obscure African nation called Guinea Bissau.

A CBN.com article by David Hoffman says:

Guinea Bissau is a northwest African country with a population of 2 million people. Somewhere near 70% of the population is Muslim, and in recent years, Islam has been gaining more and more ground. Only 11.7% of the country identifies as Christian. Right now, in Guinea Bissau, Islam is making a strong push for religious and cultural dominance, but at the same time, God is moving powerfully.

Very recently, World Harvest, a ministry led by Evangelist Jacob Ebersole, held several outreaches across Guinea Bissau. I became aware of this recently through a social media video of thousands of young people storming the streets and singing praises to Jesus.

Hoffman writes:

A large portion of Guinea Bissau has not yet been reached by the Gospel. The nation falls within the 10/40 Window which is a geographical area of countries that are the "most unreached with the Gospel". An unreached nation is one in which many of its inhabitants have never had someone share the Gospel with them.

With the current "Islamic evangelization" push into Guinea Bissau, Christianity, already a minority in the country, could begin to diminish. Christians in the nation are taking this very seriously and are beginning to rise up in boldness to proclaim the Gospel like never before while they still have the opportunity and freedom to do so.

One example of this occurred after a simple prayer meeting on the crusade field when thousands of teenagers spontaneously began to take to the streets in the capital city of Bissau. They proclaimed the Gospel and sang worship songs from one end of the city to the other. The young people in the nation are on a mission to take their nation back for Christ.

Through the crusade events in this country, over 18 thousand people accepted Christ as their Savior.  Energized young people went to other cities to organize crusades.  An associated crusade by World Harvest in Zambia resulted in some 45,000 salvations.  World Harvest also conducted a crusade in Peru.

Now, as CBN and The Christian Post report, the ministry is planning an outreach in the United States.  The Christian Post said:

Jacob Ebersole, founder and president of World Harvest, told The Christian Post in an interview that his organization has been planning to hold the upstate South Carolina event for over two years.

"The team already formed for this is pretty significant," said Ebersole. "In Jesus' name, we're going to see a move of God start there that will spread through the whole state of South Carolina. What happens beyond that, I'll leave up to the Lord."

Ebersole added: "We try to make sure we do everything with excellence, and I think what's happening is people are starting to notice, and they want to be a part of it. And so, our team is growing, and now it's like, people from all around the world that are coming on board to be a part of what God is doing through World Harvest."

But, just like Auburn Men's Basketball chaplain Jeremy Napier told us last week, prayer and local church involvement are key elements in seeing the hand of God move. He responds to the prayers and faithfulness of His people. The Christian Post quotes Jacob Ebersole of World Harvest, who said, "We're handing the fish over to the local church." He added, "The key to it, though, is the work that we do with the Church leading up to the crusade...So it's six months of time with the pastors preparing them for this harvest and that's really the follow-up system. We come in with the infrastructure, but it's the heart cry that the pastors have to follow up with these people that we care about."

We can also examine our own level of devotion and expectation.  We can be open to responding to God as He calls us and provides opportunity for us to be involved in His work in bringing people to Himself.  Reports of God at work can inspire us and motivate us to be willing to obey Him. 

Toward a Fairer Workplace

Because Jesus lives in us, we can reflect His presence and speak His truth with boldness. The example of Peter and John in Acts 4 can provide great encouragement for us:
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Each day, we can be reminded of the presence of the Lord in and through us - He gives us direction and wisdom and even prepares the way we are to walk; the Bible tells us that the steps of a good person are ordered by the Lord.  So, when we feel we lack boldness to speak the truth of God or courage to walk according to His ways, we can draw on the living water of the reservoir of the Holy Spirit in us and allow Him to flow through our words and our actions. 

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We are children of God, born of and empowered by His Spirit, and called to live out our faith in whatever circumstances to which we are called. 1st Peter 2 says:
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.

Charlene Carter was a long-term flight attendant for a major airline - she had joined the Transport Workers Union and, even though she left the union, she was still forced to pay dues as part of her employment. That's according to CBN, which reported that:

In January 2017, Carter learned that TWU Local 556 president Audrey Stone, and other officials, had used union money to attend the Women's March on Washington, D.C., which endorses abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood.

The flight attendant denounced the union's attendance at the event on social media and sent messages to Stone about a recall effort against her.

Southwest managers met with Stone regarding her social media posts and questioned why she posted them.

Southwest authorities claimed that Stone considered the social media comments to be a form of harassment toward her, and the airline company subsequently terminated Carter's employment.

Charlene filed a lawsuit, and she was awarded 5.3 million dollars by a jury, which was reduced to the limit under federal discrimination law of just over $800,000.  She was also ordered to be reinstated.  

However, in January of this year, she filed another suit against the airline; CBN reported:

Charlene Carter's latest motion calls on the District Court to impose sanctions against Southwest for releasing a misleading "Recent Court Decision" notice to its roughly 17,000 flight attendants, arguing that the notice minimizes the airline's significant rights violations found by the Court.

The CBN article also says:

The notice states that Southwest "does not discriminate" against its employees based on religious belief, despite the Court's finding that Southwest did discriminate against Carter on religious grounds. The motion also says Southwest's notice fails to make a court-ordered announcement that the airline is forbidden from discriminating in the future.

According to a commentary at Breakpoint.org, the judge took significant action against the airline.  The commentary, written by John Stonestreet and Timothy Padgett, said:

...a U.S. District Court ruled that Southwest Airlines violated Charlene Carter’s rights when they fired her for posting pro-life opinions on her personal social media. The ruling also declared that Southwest notify their flight attendants about protections for their religious views. Southwest did not follow through, and instead notified their flight attendants that the company policy did not violate their religious freedom. To say the least, the judge wasn’t happy, ruling that more training was in order and that ADF was the group to provide it.

That's right, the Alliance Defending Freedom has been appointed to provide this training, about which Forbes reported, stating:

Three senior attorneys for Southwest Airlines have been ordered to take an eight-hour religious liberty training offered by the conservative Christian group Alliance Defending Freedom after a judge said they failed to follow his orders following a flight attendant’s free speech case.

Of course, the airline is appealing the directive by federal district judge Brantley Starr. Breakpoint notes:

Not surprisingly, Southwest appealed the decision while media outlets feigned disbelief and expressed outrage. Hopefully the inconsistency will be obvious to everyone.

The commentary linked to a Reuters story on NBCNews.com, which said:

Judges often require employers to take steps to remedy discriminatory conduct, such as training workers and adopting new policies, but it is unusual for them to order company officials to undergo training conducted by specific groups. Starr cited older rulings requiring lawyers to attend continuing education or ethics training.

The ruling may be unprecedented, and the choice of ADF to conduct the training is troubling given its history of advocating a conservative Christian viewpoint, according to David Lopez, who was general counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) during the Obama administration.

Religious freedom, as I talk about frequently on this program, is a cornerstone foundational principle of the founding of our nation.  Yet, you have people in power that frown upon the actual expression of principles that are consistent with a person's personal faith. As we saw in the 303 Creative case, a business owner should not have to communicate a message that is inconsistent with or violates his or her deeply held beliefs.  And, certainly an employee of an organization should not be forced to endorse a position that he or she disagrees with in order to maintain employment.  Now, discretion can be helpful, because one does want to have a cohesive working environment - so one should not gain a reputation for being confrontational or undermining morale, so reliance on the direction of the Holy Spirit is key. 

This is what Charlene Carter encountered, and her employer seems to be content with setting the table for a similar occurrence to take place.  That's why a refresher course, or additional training is needed; so good for the judge who has ordered it. And, while there are those that disagree with ADF from a legal or religious perspective, it's hard to argue against the reputation of that organization, which has been enormously successful in defending Christians whose religious rights have been challenged. And, we hear about sensitivity training that reinforces progressive, even unbiblical ideas - I say, why not make sure that people in authority possess respect for religious viewpoints, even if they don't agree with them?

With Us

Jesus came so that we might have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. In John 1, the writer points out that Jesus was and is the True Light. He goes on to say:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

It's quite simple - if we receive Him, if we believe in the name of Jesus, we can become a child of God. Jesus, described as "the Word," came to earth, He, as verse 14 says, "dwelt among us."  John, the author of this book of the Bible, walked with Him and saw His glory.  The invitation has been given: Jesus calls everyone to receive Him, to come into a saving knowledge of Him, to know Him daily, moment-by-moment companionship, to know that truly He is Emmanuel, which means, according to Matthew chapter 1, "God with us."

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We can be assured that our Lord is with us and resides in our hearts, which has dramatic implications for how we live. Consider these verses from Isaiah 41:
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'

Buyer beware!  Last week, the Hallmark Channel premiered what Yahoo! News calls a "very gay entry in its “Fall Into Love” program. Luke Macfarlane stars in Notes of Autumn, which involves his character making a move to the "big city," "giving him the opportunity to meet Ellie’s friend Matt (Peter Porte) who helps to open him up to new writing possibilities and love..."

The phenomenon of an unsuspecting viewer who wants to sit down and enjoy a Hallmark Channel movie and not be offended is, quite frankly, over.  And, there are alternatives, as I have pointed out.  Great American Family has now acquired some of Hallmark's talent, and through its partnership with Pure Flix, these films are now available for streaming.  In fact, just this week, it was announced that Pure Flix will be rebranded as Great American Pure Flix. 

Jill Wagner is another Hallmark star who has begun to do projects for Great American Family, including an upcoming Christmas film set to debut in just over a month.  Movieguide recently ran an article about her faith perspective, which included a link to a Facebook video of Wagner's baptism - in the caption, she stated:

There was a time in my life I felt alone, sad, distant , like there was nothing left to fight for .... then I looked up , asked for help and HE came . I made the decision to get baptized not because my friends or family told me I needed to, but because I wanted to make that offering to GOD for all he had done for my life . I know religion is a rocky subject for some people but I wanted to share this moment with you guys because I am proud of my choice . I don’t pretend to know everything about GOD or the Bible or all that being a Christian entails . I just know that someone once led me to him and HE saved me . I hope if you are having a rough time in your life that you may give God a shot at trying to help you get it all together again...

The Movieguide article relates that she said, “On paper, my life looked perfect. I was this actress, and I was traveling all around, and everything was exciting. But really all I wanted was stability, and I wanted a family, and I wanted a husband, and I didn’t quite understand what was wrong with me and why couldn’t have those things..." She added, “So, I started talking to God and I started telling God, ‘Here’s my problems. Here’s my issues. Here’s what I need in my life’ and then letting go of it all..." She says that she experienced a "...feeling that no matter what, with or without a husband or family or anything that, I was loved, and I was going to be okay."

And, then something else amazing happened, according to the article:

“A month later, my husband comes back into my life,” she shared. “And there’s a long story there because we actually met when I was 17. But that’s a whole other video. He comes back into my life, and we both actually found our faith again and realize how important it is in our relationship and not just…our personal relationship with God but our relationship with one another. And we put that first now in our marriage.”

The most recent article included content from a story released earlier this year, which said:

In a new video for Great American Family, Jill Wagner shared her thoughts on signs from God and the personal signs she’s received from Him through the years.

Wagner said she started to have a “real” relationship with God in her “mid-to-late-30s.”

“It was like my eyes were open all of a sudden,” she shared.

“I started to see signs all around me, and God was talking to me every single day, whereas before…I didn’t have the lines of communication open up there,” the actress said. “But they’re there.”

Great American, you see, has a site called Great American Community, which features a number of videos, including interviews. 

Here is an actress who testifies to the presence of God in her life. And, one thing she has apparently discovered is that He is with us - and we are never alone!  And, that's a great reminder for us today: we can know that, because we have been born again, the Spirit of God lives within us, and we can fellowship with God daily.  We can recognize that we can communicate with Him, and that He is communicating with us.  

Jill Wagner talked to God, and made a very important decision: to relinquish her struggles to Him; as she said, she told Him, "‘Here’s my problems. Here’s my issues..."  We have to consider whether or not we are willing to surrender to Christ in every area of our lives.  If we declare Him to be our Lord and Savior, then we can recognize what Lordship means - that we allow Him to control every area, not holding anything back. If we're willing to do that, then we can see Him do amazing things in our hearts. 

Sad Song Playlist

If we have been born again, we can walk in the assurance of the abiding presence of Jesus within us. We can recognize that He goes before us and with us, and that can result in joy in our hearts. Psalm 16 states:
8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

So, we can ask ourselves each day how we are experiencing the presence of God.  Certainly, that comes through making time available to seek Him through His Word and in prayer.  But, as we walk day by day, we can seek ways through which we can remain in a state of knowing that He is with us.  Faith Radio can certainly provide that reminder through Bible teaching and uplifting music, and we can be drawn to worship Him in response to the knowledge of Him.

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The awareness of God's presence can bring us peace and joy and cultivate in our hearts a desire to pursue a deeper walk with the Lord. Proverbs 4 instructs us:
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Faith Radio provides you with all-Christian programming to the glory of God 24/7 through a number of ways - on-air with our 9 broadcast outlets, as well as online through our website and our app for smartphone and tablets.  One component of our program schedule is solid Biblical teaching by well-known, well-respected Bible teachers.  Another is the uplifting music that we share each day - over 15 hours a day on average for over 100 hours per week.  Our music is oriented toward Praise and Worship, lifting up Jesus and reminding us of who He is and what He's done. 

Interestingly enough, a new survey shows that the younger generation, Generation Z, is attracted toward songs that are not uplifting.  An article on the Movieguide website notes:

A new report from Spotify found that Gen Z is actively seeking out sad music.

“‘Sad’ is the most-searched term for Gen Z listeners on Spotify globally,” the streaming platform wrote, adding that they are listening to Spotify’s “sad” playlists “more than any other age group.”

Krista Scozzari, the North American Marketing Lead at Spotify, said, “There’s something really unique about this generation. They embrace their feelings so much. They’re really flipping the stigma of vulnerability. Gen Z has brought a raw, authentic new reality to expressing their emotions, and we’re seeing that in how they listen.”

Gen Z'ers are generally thought to be those born in the mid-1990's to early-2010's, meaning that you have a number of tweens, teens, and young adults who are part of this generation.  And, apparently they are being conditioned toward sadness, which really says a whole lot about the mental condition of many in that generation. 

The Spotify website notes: 

On Spotify this summer, sad songs are getting us in our feels, thanks to our listeners who are unapologetically expressing their emotions. “Sad” is the most-searched term for Gen Z listeners on Spotify globally, and they’re tuning into our sad playlists—including pop-infused sad hour, R&B-inspired All The Feels, rap-heavy tear drop, sad sierreño, sad girl country, and sad girl starter pack—more than any other age group.

Scozzari is also quoted as saying, "With this campaign, we really wanted to celebrate how sharing sad music helps us feel more connected,” adding, “Our listeners want to feel seen and heard, and to help normalize their feelings and humanity, hopefully helps them feel all that.”

The Movieguide article quotes from Simon McCarthy-Jones, described as "a professor of clinical psychology at Trinity College Dublin;" the article relates:

“When people listen to sad music, only around 25 percent say they actually feel sad,” he said, per Relevant Magazine. “The remainder experience other, often related emotions, most commonly nostalgia. This feeling of nostalgia can help increase our sense of social connectedness, mitigate feelings of meaninglessness and reduce anxiety.”

While teenagers listening to sad music isn’t necessarily a sign of deeper issues, experts recommend that parents talk to their children if they have concerns.

It went on to say:

Dr. Brian Primack told NPR. “Sometimes the signs and symptoms in adolescence are different. Maybe there’s more irritability as opposed to sadness.”

Primack explained that your child’s music might be a clue that they need help but stressed that parents should see their children’s music choices as an attempt at “solace” rather than a “cause of the mental illness.”

And, as Movieguide notes, it "previously reported on external influences that can impact your child’s mental health, including social media..."  It related:

Teenagers who spend more time on social media have increased depression, according to recent studies. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study placing suicide as the second leading cause of death amongst individuals aged 10-34.

Social media is not the direct cause but rather the correlation between the spike in depression and its use. The basic human to human interaction has been lost on many levels through social media.

I do believe that the influences to which we expose ourselves can have an impact not only on our moods, but also on our spiritual health.  That is why when Christians listen to music, music that exalts Christ should be part of one's playlist. We have to make sure that our hearts and minds are guarded, and God has ordained music to be a powerful tool to bring people into His presence - conversely, the enemy will pervert that purpose to adversely affect us.  

And, that is especially important with our young people, who are especially vulnerable to mental health issues. While experts don't necessarily think a propensity for those in the younger generations to listen to sad music is a problem, it certainly can be an indicator of the condition of the soul.  

God wants to bring us in to a place where we experience His presence and the Bible teaches us that joy comes from being in the presence of the Lord. He wants to usher us into a place with Him where we can be encouraged and aware of His being with us.