Conquering

It's more than just a slogan, one that was used by Faith Radio during the pandemic: Faith Over Fear. We remember that the Bible says that greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world. We will be beset by fear, but we can turn to that greater power, as 2nd Timothy chapter 1 reminds us; it says:
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...

Jesus calls us to abide in Him and to abide in His peace - He tells us that we are to anxious for nothing, but seek first His Kingdom.  When we are afraid - and I believe we will be from time to time - it gives us the opportunity to look to our powerful and loving Savior, who has made us more than conquerors, who has defeated the power of sin and death, who enables us to walk in victory.  When fear comes - and it will - we can be confident in the presence of our Lord.

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No doubt the psalmist David struggled with fear - with his life in danger, pursued by a powerful enemy, he was honest about his fears and the power of Almighty God. Psalm 27 contains these words:
1 A Psalm of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident.
4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

The day that has come to be known for gouging on candy and preying on fears has arrived, and it gives us a chance to reflect on the rather "scary" world in which we live.

The fear of worldwide catastrophe has been ratcheted up as the result of a brutal attack on Israel by a terrorist group that has taken lives, including those of children, in unspeakable ways, with the perpetrators still holding upwards of 200 hostages.  Large nations in the region, from Iran to Turkey, have participated in threats against Israel, which is dedicated to ridding this evil from its midst.  These are unstable times in the Middle East.

And, in the aftermath of a mass shooting rampage in Lewiston, Maine, last week, in which 18 people lost their lives, residents are breathing a sigh of relief that the perpetrator, who had a history of mental illness, has been found dead.  But, the grieving period has really just begun.  Television station WGBH offered this description:

While the search was still underway, some residents said they were scared, sad and even frustrated that yet another mass shooting has killed so many — and shattered their assumptions about a place they thought was insulated from such violence.

The story goes on to say:

Early afternoon Friday, Jen Mason and her 12-year-old son were unloading groceries from their car on Main Street in Lisbon Falls. The street was deserted with most storefronts closed under shelter-in-place orders that were not lifted until late Friday afternoon. Just a mile away, police were searching the Sabattus and Androscoggin Rivers for clues to the alleged gunman’s whereabouts.

“A lot of sadness and just [being] unsure of where he is. I want to know. I want more than one update a day [about the manhunt],” said Mason, when asked about the mood of her community. “I don’t like being a prisoner in my home. It’s a nice day, and I want to go outside.”

They had driven 27 miles to a grocery store, because the local stores were closed. So were the schools. She missed her shift at a local restaurant. The article states:

The Rev. Daniel Greenleaf, pastor at Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, hopes to hold church services this weekend — with added security.

“We’re sort of in this holding pattern with a lot of grief that can't get expressed because we can't get together. We can't open up the doors. We can't have a vigil. We can't hug each other,” he said.

The article described Greenleaf as "overwhelmed," even more than during the COVID crisis.

There are so many things that can make us afraid, more than those things that "go bump in the night," which in and of itself could produce a very real fear.  And, we can confront the fears we face with faith in God.   The Lewiston tragedy reminds us that the fear of the unknown is powerful and that you have people who have become so deceived, so despondent, so mentally unstable, that they become vulnerable to the manipulation of the enemy in order to do people harm.

There is certainly help and hope for those who have mental illness, I think you can at least talk about the spiritual dynamics that are at work that could result in a person acting irrationally.  The enemy, who is bent on destruction, as Jesus said, uses the power of suggestion in order to control a person's thoughts and actions.  Left unchecked, those deceptive thoughts can grow and become strongholds that will adversely affect a person's power to reason.  The presence of fear can become an incubator in which poor decision-making can grow.  We need the clarity and the power of the truth of Scripture to break through.  

While this time of year, we seem to be inundated with images that are designed to scare us and that glorify dark forces, we recognize that tomorrow, the focus shifts to a season of hope.  That speaks powerfully, I think - we have to move beyond and conquer our fears by trusting in the One who came to earth, died on a cross, and rose from the dead, who conquered sin and death.  He comforts us in our struggles, He teaches us how to have peace in our minds, and He provides His Holy Spirit so that we might live in the victory that He has obtained over the power of the enemy.

A Symbol of Hope

God sent His Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. We can be thankful that our Savior died for us and rose from the dead so that we can walk in that resurrected life. 1st John 5 states:
11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

The cross stands as a reminder of God's love for us - Jesus gave His life so that through His death, He took our sins upon Himself and because a substitute for our sins. He took the penalty so that we did not have to.  Death could not hold Him, though, so that we might have life, eternal life with Him, by believing upon Him, believing that God has raised Him from the dead and confessing His Lordship.  Jesus came in human flesh so that He could redeem us from sin's power.

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We can recognize that God is with us - He has extended His grace to each of us and made available His salvation. Titus 2 reminds us:
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Last week, I talked about our being sensitive to the reminders of God's presence with us.  He speaks to us in so many ways and we can be careful to affirm our faith and maintain an awareness that He walks with us. 

This is so very important when we are faced with loss and the resulting grief.  Movieguide published a story recently of a display in Maui, Hawaii, the site of those devastating fires a few weeks ago that took the life of over a hundred people and cause vast property destruction.

The article states:

Following the Maui wildfires in August, two friends erected crosses to bring hope to their community and create an area where people could mourn.

“We just needed a place to gather and catch our breath and hold each other,” Sunya Schlea told Good Morning America.

“[It was] a place where people could just go and put flowers and just go there and grieve and just have some place to give reverence to their loved ones,” added Schlea’s friend Shawneen.

Sunya's husband and others began to erect the crosses, located on a hill in Lahaina where the fires originated.  The article relates:

Since then, it has become a full-blown memorial, with hundreds of yellow bows tied near the crosses representing the missing people. Others have also erected crosses of their own, some of which represent pets lost in the fire. Others are decorating the crosses with beautiful flower leis.

“We were in such grief and such shock and such trauma, and nobody really knew what to do. Working together as a family and as a team, it made us feel like we were giving back to the community,” Schlea explained. “And so even though we were in grief, it was a healing process.”

With over 100 dead, it has become "the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over 100 years," the article said. And, there has been over $6 billion in property damage.

The article also referred to previous coverage of the way that an outreach of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Maui has stepped in to provide hope in Christ, utilizing a quote from Pastor Greg Laurie, who stated:

“The church is here for such a time as this. And I think there’s hope for the people here, but the hope is in God and you know, hope actually grows in the garden of adversity and I believe that our church reaching out and other believers living as they should as Christians, we will be able to bring help and hope to the people of Maui,” Laurie said, per CBN.

The sight of a cross, or multiple crosses, can remind people of the nearness of God's presence. Crosses are used to signify and memorialize those who have passed from this earth - multiple crosses have been used in various locations to demonstrate the cost of the millions of unborn lives who have been taken through abortion.  And, ultimately the cross represents the Savior who gave His life on a cross so that fallen humanity might be redeemed.

And, because Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead, we can recognize that His Church, built upon a living Lord, is, as Greg Laurie stated, "...here for such a time as this."  We can admit our need for Him and experience His peace in times when we feel desperate or even abandoned.  From Lahaina, Hawaii to Lewiston, Maine, God is moving through His people.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas and to communicate its true meaning, Faith Radio again this year will be distributing our 7-foot wooden "Christmas Crosses."  These crosses, displayed at Christmas, can help people reflect on why Jesus came to earth - He was born as a baby, grew into a man, lived a sinless life, and by so doing became the perfect sacrifice for our sins, dying on a cross and being raised from the dead.  That's the redemption story - and the story of Advent - the "coming" of Jesus.

Also, Faith Radio's Advent Guide will be contained within the pages of our forthcoming Ministry Magazine - it's 4 pages and centered around the theme, "Because of Jesus," with a principal focus being on the forgiveness that He brings to us and how we can forgive each other. It's strategically placed inside in the center of the magazine so you can remove it and place it in a location where you can use it individually and/or with your family to focus on what He has done for us. 

A Good Thing

Culturally speaking, the institution of marriage seems to be in a state of decline. But, Biblically, the institution is rock-solid; unfortunately, in practice, people do not hold a high view of this gift. Hebrews chapter 13 states:
4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Verse four upholds the standard and then provides God's viewpoint of sexual immorality.  Single people stay pure, married people stay faithful - that's what God intends.  He does not want His people to long for what is not theirs, and He gives us the power of His presence to remain faithful in what He has called us.  He is our helper, and He has provided graciously for us.  So, we have to reject evil desires and uphold the good that He brings.

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In the book of Genesis, we see the origination of the institution of marriage, an expression of God's perfect plan for humanity. In Proverbs 18, we find a statement of blessing on the marriage relationship:
22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.

Not long ago, noted theologian and social commentator Owen Strachan was on The Meeting House and lamented the state of manhood in America and how a Biblical viewpoint can bring a recognition of the proper role of men and how that can be beneficial to society. The book he has written is called, The War on Men: Why Society Hates Them and Why We Need Them.

Well, this is not to minimize the importance of single men, but an article on The Daily Citizen website seems to indicate that marriage can be beneficial in improving the lot of men.  Writer Zachary Mettler says:

There’s a growing trend – on both the left and right – that sees marriage in a negative light. Some claim that marriage is a harmful arrangement, particularly for men.

In a recent interview, Andrew Tate – a disreputable womanizer and faux masculine “influencer” – said, “I don’t think many men actually benefit from marriage as a relationship anymore.”

YouTube commenter and “anti-feminist” media personality H. Pearl Davis has described marriage as “a death sentence for men.”

But, as Mettler relates: 

Marriage has always been – and remains – good for men. This fact is well documented in studies, articles, books and the research literature for decades. Fostering a well-informed opinion on this issue requires we look at that data.

Now, marriage also has been – and remains – good for women too.

Citing research from a book by Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher, called The Case for Marriage, Mettler lays out this evidence, saying that men who are married...

• Live nearly 10 years longer than their unmarried peers;

• Are about 50% less likely to die – at any age – than unmarried men;

• Are less likely than singles to suffer from long-term chronic illnesses or disabilities;

• Are about 30% more likely to rate their health as “excellent or very good” than unmarried men;

• Drink about half as much as their unmarried peers of the same age;

• Are less likely to smoke, drink and drive, drive too fast, get into fights, or take risks that increase the chance of accidents and injuries.

The authors also relate that there are financial benefits and earning potential that are afforded married men. 

And, from a mental and emotional perspective, there are benefits to married men and women, as well; Mettler relates:

Contrary to the popular notion that marriage makes dads unhappy and prompts burnout, numerous studies – including the gold-standard General Social Survey (GSS) – tell us that married women and men who are mothers and fathers report the highest levels of being “very happy.”

Regarding men, he states, "The GSS found that 35% of married men with children report being 'very happy' compared to married men without children (30%), unmarried men with no children (14%) and unmarried men with children (12%)."

But, fewer younger people are taking advantage of this glorious opportunity - Mettler writes:

...statistically, marriage is far and away a net positive for men and women.

However, this reality has not seeped into our popular culture, in part, thanks to the foolish advice of commentators like Tate and Davis. Many young Americans today are delaying or forgoing marriage altogether. The national median age of first marriages is now 29 years – its age 30 for men and 28 for women. The average number of marriages has been decreasing for 20 years.

I remember my conversation with J.P. DeGance of Communio, whose organization, which is very, very pro-marriage, has released research that shows the decline of people getting married and the contribution of that phenomenon to loneliness, fatherlessness, and the passing of faith to the next generation. 

So, the Church should be in the business of promoting marriage.  An article at the Institute for Family Studies website, featured an interview with Seth Kaplan, author of the book, Fragile Neighborhoods, in which he was asked about the work of Communio, which he highlights in the book.  Some encouragement that he offered for churches was:

...I would, of course, make strengthening marriage a higher priority and proactively learn from those doing good work in the field. Despite consistently emphasizing the importance of social ties—particularly marriage—few churches currently have a coherent strategy for strengthening those ties among members. And for those who make an effort to strengthen marriage, too often their approach is scattershot, with a limited understanding of what works or doesn’t and short-term timeframes. Churches don’t need to reinvent the wheel; they can learn from each other about what kinds of marriage initiatives have lasting results.

Earlier this week, Hillary Morgan Ferrer of Mama Bear Apologetics was on the program, and we were talking about God's perfect plan for sexuality.  The fact is, God has great plans for our lives, and if we conform to His principles, He will be glorified and we will be at peace because we are aligned with what He desires.  Certainly, as the apostle Paul wrote, single people can be used mightily of God. But, He has a plan for those of us who are married, as well.  And, there are distinct benefits for those who follow Christ into marriage, from the choosing of a mate through the building of a home. 

And, based on what Zachary Mettler points out, this could have an impact in repairing broken masculinity.  A man who finds a wife, the Bible says, finds a good thing - I know that from personal experience!  In my life, my wife, Beth, not only loves me unconditionally, but has been an incredible support for me in this ministry.  And, vice versa, as I support her in following God's call on her life.  Out of that love for one another, consistent with the love of God, great things are in store for those who surrender their marriages to the Lord. 

"Christian Tourism"

Throughout this life, we can be confident that we walk with God and He is walking with us. We can seek to know Him, and He speaks to us through creation, through His people, by His Spirit, and in the many ways that He is manifested. In Isaiah 40, we find this passage that can remind us that He goes with us:
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

He does call us to know Him, to seek His face, to grow in His truth. We can develop a sense of spiritual awareness so that each day, our understanding is alive and our spirits and inspired by the knowledge of His presence.  Even creation speaks to the existence of God.  And, even through the spoken words and other creative expressions of our fellow human beings, we can be encouraged in the hope of Christ. We can certainly desire to minister to and encourage one another in our faith.

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Faith Radio is here to be a companion to you as you desire to abide in Christ.  We can be one of the many reminders of God's presence and we can be sensitive to where He shows up. Psalm 33 states:
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

A photographer has posted a collection of pictures that can be viewed online - kind of like going to a museum without leaving your home. But, the subjects actually have to do with places that you can actually go - places that have a religious element.  A significant number of them, it seems, are Christian.

The New Yorker published a story on Jamie Lee Taete's online exhibit called, "Christian Tourism." Writer Casey Cep begins his article by referring to the Sight and Sound presentation of "Moses" that his aunt was going to be attending in Pennsylvania.  Cep writes:

A theatre ministry in Ronks, Pennsylvania, that started with only a slide projector, Sight & Sound now regularly stages what it calls Biblical productions—theatrical performances that run to two or three hours, with orchestral soundtracks and dozens of actors in elaborate costumes on Broadway-like sets, plus live animals.

Sight and Sound, which has been featured on The Meeting House, has two theaters, with the other being in Branson, Missouri.  It has also opened up a film wing and streaming channel.  Taete apparently saw a billboard for the Noah presentation from Sight and Sound and that became a springboard for the "exhibit," which seems to be a collection that presents a more cynical and jaded approach to church signs that seem to get posted here and there.   Cep writes: 

It was a billboard in Branson for “Noah” that caught the British photographer Jamie Lee Taete’s eye, with the patriarch’s name floating beside his gopher-wood vessel, both framing some relevant, if irreverent, information: “BACK FOR ONE SEASON ONLY!”

The article continues:

Taete’s “Christian Tourism” series is filled with images as playful and provocative as that advertisement for Sight & Sound. In one picture, taken backstage at the Great Passion Play in Arkansas, a laser-printed sign of the kind made by passive-aggressive office managers and printer-happy teen-agers everywhere marks a door: “Not an Exit Jesus Only.” In another, a hotel plaque, at a Hampton Inn & Suites in Arizona, directs passersby to a smorgasbord of possibilities: “Guest Rooms / Avis/Budget / Bible Museum / Fitness Center / Guest Laundry / Elevator.” These are the sorts of details that Taete’s skeptical eye noticed at more than a dozen modern sites of religious tourism, mostly in the United States but also in Hong Kong—where he found a Noah’s Ark almost as big as the “life-size” one at Ark Encounter, in Kentucky—and in the United Kingdom, where he visited another creation museum, in Portsmouth.

And, apparently, there was an element that stood out to the writer of this New Yorker piece; Cep writes:...even with my familiarity with the kind of religious touristing that some others might scorn, I was surprised by all the dinosaurs in Taete’s series."  He adds:

Someone once told me that there’s nothing in this world more secular than a dinosaur, but clearly the Cretaceous period and what came before it is of great concern to creationists, who rise to the challenge of defending their literalist readings of Genesis from the fossil record but also seem to understand that children like reptiles, the bigger the better.

Cue Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis, which built and operates that "life-size" Ark Encounter, who is quite good at responding Biblically to news stories and cultural trends. Ham writes:

Yes, the “Cretaceous period and what came before it” is a subject we frequently write and speak about because we want people to understand how the Bible’s history applies to the world around us. This author doesn’t seem to understand that the battle is not over the evidence (like dinosaurs or fossils) but rather over differing interpretations of the evidence because of two different starting points: the eyewitness account of history from God’s Word or man’s opinions. The evidence isn’t the problem!

So are dinosaurs really “secular”? Well, nothing is secular—the world, and everything in it, ultimately belongs to the Lord. There is no neutral position, so secular really means “anti-God.” And the idea that a dinosaur can “belong” to the secularists (atheistic evolutionists, really) flows from the idea that the battle is over the evidence, not over differing interpretations of exactly the same evidence. So yes, we use dinosaurs (and lots of them!) to teach children (who, yes, really do “like reptiles, the bigger the better”) and adults the truth of God’s Word, beginning in Genesis.

He says he has referred to the dinosaurs as "missionary lizards...because we can use something that is typically presented through the lens of evolution and millions of years to help people understand the true history of the world and the gospel."

These Christian attractions, such as Sight and Sound, the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum, and Museum of the Bible, along with numerous others, are appealing because I would think that we want to be affirmed - and strengthened - in our faith.  In an age in which our senses are bombarded with forms of entertainment that do not conform to our Christian ideals, we can look for things to do that are consistent with our faith perspective. 

And, we can be inspired and attentive to expressions that bring us hope.  For instance, we can certainly see God's handiwork in the beauty of creation.  And, beauty shows up in so many ways.  In an age in which our lives seem so fast-paced, we can slow down and observe the evidence of God's presence and the work of His hands.

The New Yorker writer, Casey Cep, points out:

Previous generations of believers evangelized in whatever way they could, not just with epic films but frescoes, lyric poetry, and radio programs, so the modern move into roadside attractions and theme parks shouldn’t be so jarring. But it is, as Taete shows us over and over again in “Christian Tourism.” He captures some of the ways that these sites and the people who staff them can’t help but break character: a crucified Christ is overshadowed by a transmission tower and tangle of wires, a young actor in a helmet and tunic eats a slice of pizza, an oversized highway cross is dwarfed by a Phillips 66 gas-station marquee.

Of course, in a sense, Christianity, at least as some of us understand it, is always jarring when it makes itself truly known: generous when the world would be selfish, sincere when the culture prefers irony, loving even in the face of hostility. The cheap and easy way to look at “Christian Tourism” is with amusement and self-confident condescension; no doubt many will gaze at it with judgment and disdain. But there’s a different way, one I think the photographer himself experienced in at least a few of these tourist traps, which is to take seriously the fact that they are meaningful to the majority of people who visit them. Looking at the pictures—or, for that matter, the world—that way might be the most truly Christian kind of tourism, and you can do it without leaving home.

I remember how Ken Ham has related to me that Ark Encounter and Creation Museum are not "amusement parks," but "themed attractions."  And, based on Beth's and my experience this past summer, they do it very, very well. We are passersby in this world, "only passing through," as the old song says.   But, while we are here, we can allow God to speak to us and to reinforce the glory of His presence and truth of His Word, reminding us who He is and who we are in Him.

Word-Twisting

In an age in which people will use language to distort and deceive, we have to hold fast to what is true, which is found in the Scriptures. In Psalm 119, we can read:
159 Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
160 The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
161 Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
162 I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.

Isn't that indicative of the days in which we live?  In which we find ourselves ridiculed because of our faith and under threat of being shut down or shut up because we proclaim who Jesus is. People call evil good and good evil - they twist the language for their own purposes.  We have to make sure that we are committed to walking in and sharing the truth of the Scriptures.   We can indeed rejoice in the Word as we make it a priority.

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Jesus is the Word Who became flesh, according to John 1, and it is He who teaches us how to speak and walk in truth consistent with the Word. In John 16, He teaches us:
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

One of the threads in our culture about which Meeting House guests have been sharing has to do with the words that we use and how some words have been redefined to accomplish certain purposes that are inconsistent with Scripture and how new concepts have been introduced through the use of certain terms. 

In a recent article at The Stream, writer Tom Gilson discusses the distortion of the language and refers to what he calls "confusion" that is "beyond describing, in Christian ministry, in education, at work, at home, everywhere. I’m pretty sure confusion is part of progressives’ purpose. We speak the same words but for many, those words have taken on alien, pagan meanings. Is it time we gave up the notion that we speak a common language, and starting bearing more of the burden of translation?"

He relates:

If we could all agree on what “human” meant, we’d have an easier time with “male adult human” and “female adult human.” But when we have serious researchers calling for human rights for a lake, we don’t know what “human” means any longer. When people around the globe demand civil rights for trees and rivers and mountains and elephants, we aren’t elevating trees and bodies and waters and large mammals; we’re defining humanness out of existence.

He moves on to two other words that have experienced a redefinition; he writes:

It’s impossible to pinpoint where this started. Two early words to tumble were “tolerance” and “truth.” One used to mean treating others with respect when we disagreed with them. Then it became intolerant to disagree. Later it became “hateful.”

Later in the piece, Gilson references another Stream article that he had written; one centered on tolerance.  He writes:

“Tolerance” is no virtue, not the way it’s touted in our culture. It was supposed to draw the world together. Instead it’s tearing us apart. You see the effect of it in marriages. You see the same in our increasingly hate-filled politics.

Gay activists label any disagreement with them as “hate.” That’s cold rhetorical manipulation on their part — yet’s it worked. Why don’t people see through it? Because the activists are using the tactic in a culture that has no idea what it means to disagree productively.

And “tolerance” is to blame for much of it. It’s created a culture where hardly anyone develops the skill of disagreeing well.

He goes on to say:

The whole crazy, incoherent idea behind this new “tolerance” was that disagreement is wrong. We’re all supposed to regard every way of living, every idea, as equally valid and true.

Many commentators, especially Christian ones, have tried to explain how impossible that is. If “tolerance” means every idea is equally valid, what about the idea that this version of “tolerance” is wrong? That one’s off the table; it’s disallowed. It’s intolerable to tolerate disagreement with “tolerance.”

He calls this type of tolerance a "sham virtue." 

In the first Stream article, Gilson suggests that perhaps there needs to be a class on "English as the formerly-same language." The curriculum?  He writes:

In these classes we might teach that in their other-English, the word “love” doesn’t mean “treating others with their best interests at heart,” the way it does in our English. For them it’s more like “staying out of their way as they live the life they want to live.” (How love ever got equated with staying out of each others’ way, I cannot fathom, but that’s how it is.)

We would teach the how to translate old, useful, meaningful worlds like “safety,” “truth,” “wisdom,” “male” and “female” (of course), and the long-neglected “wisdom” into words our contemporaries could grasp. Above all we would show how to translate the name “Jesus” into terms they wouldn’t confuse with SJW/socialist/tolerant/fabulistic/whatever “Jesus.”

In a podcast discussion with Christian apologist Frank Turek, host of the I Don't Have Enough Faith To Be an Atheist podcast, Erwin Lutzer shares about a chapter in his book, No Reason to Hide, dealing with the subject of propaganda. He says:

In it, I give six or seven ways that language is used in propaganda. But one of them is this. I quote, a university that says that you need to have speech codes. You can't use the word freshmen. You can't use the word, you know, and it goes on listing the words that are appropriate. Recently, a university says you shouldn't use the word American, and it goes on and on and on. Now, Frank, I want to ask a question. Let's step back, take a deep breath and ask ourselves this. What in the world is going on there? The purpose of those speech codes is not to elevate the discussion. I point out the purpose is to silence the discussion. In other words, it has to do with censorship. 

Lutzer says, "The purpose of propaganda is to so shape people's view of reality, that even when confronted with a mountain of evidence, they will not change their minds. So, propaganda is what I like to call, cultural streams that are so powerful, they are picked up, of course, by the media. And eventually, they become so powerful that to stand against them is almost impossible."  He notes, "...you need an enemy to fear, and you need an enemy to hate. Hate is very important...You have to visualize an enemy out there that you have to demonize, no matter how inappropriate the demonization might be. 

Then,  he says: "...you need people who fear because there are consequences if they step out of line. And then you need such a barrage of cultural streams that you need slogans."  He goes on to say:

Then, of course, you know the meaning of the term gaslighting, where you create a reality that isn't really real, but nonetheless, it is created and so forth. The other thing that I point out in my book, "No Reason to Hide", is you win arguments, not by trading ideas. But what you do is, you make it a psychological issue.

Examples? "You know, you're Pro-Life, well you hate women. You are opposed to same-sex marriage, you're a bigot."

As Lutzer and Gilson demonstrate, language is being used to distort the truth and shut down discussion. Those perceived to be "in the right," the enlightened, progressive types, want to silence their opposition - essentially, there is an attempt to homogenize discussion.  We have to be firmly convinced in the superiority of the Scriptures and make sure that our lives are built on the foundation of Biblical truth. 

But, we have to make sure that we don't live up to the labels that are being thrust upon us.  We have to learn to disagree well - not with anger, but with conviction.  Not with attempting to silence, but with listening and then entering a discussion in which we present our Biblical viewpoint.  Because, our endgame is not to win arguments or demonstrate our moral superiority, but to win hearts to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  

Staying Safe By Staying Close

When we face trouble and trials, we can come to Jesus, our rock, our source of strength, our refuge. We can read in Psalm 142:
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me.
4 Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I.

We know that God is not surprised by our trials and that He wants to work in our hearts even through those times of trouble.  So, we can choose to reject His ways or submit to His love and recognize that He wants the best for us - for His glory!  We can draw near to the Lord, cry out to Him, and expectantly wait for Him to do His work.  We can regard Him as our refuge, the One who gives us strength, and hide ourselves in Him.

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In Deuteronomy 33, we can read a passage that contains some wonderful promises directed at Israel that can be applied to the Church, as well. We can find these words:
26 "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds.
27 The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!'
28 Then Israel shall dwell in safety, The fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew.
29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, The shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, And you shall tread down their high places."

It wasn't exactly the way that a church group from Fernandina Beach, Florida had anticipated its international trip.  In fact, Senior Pastor Zach Terry told Action News Jax: "It was a standard wonderful experience up until the 3rd day on the ground..."

Suddenly, their church group of over 50 people was experiencing something unusually, and potentially deadly - missile fire.  The pastor said: 

“We heard our first one coming into Jerusalem, we noticed people pulled over, ladies getting out of their car, ducking down and covering their heads. It didn’t occur to us what was going on,” he said. “We opened the door to the bus and we heard the sirens and we were like oh, there must be something in this region and sure enough within a 5-mile radius, two missiles hit.”

The article relates that "They were in Jerusalem for 3 days while the war was going on and then tried to safely move everybody across the Jordan border, but countless others had the same idea." Terry said, "Our original flights were gone...”

Essentially, they were trapped in what could be described as a "war zone." Their scheduled 12-day trip was extended to 16.  Eventually, they were able to make it home.

Another church group, from a church in Georgia, had a similar experience.  A CBN.com report said that:

Pastor Todd Cox of StonePoint Church in Cumming, Georgia had been in Israel for 7 days. During that time, he baptized 16 people in the Jordan River and also renewed his vows with his wife at Magdala. All was happening according to plan until Saturday morning October 7th.

"That's when we got the information that the war had broken out, that about 4,000 rockets had been fired in the south," Cox told CBN News.

The article continues:

Pastor Todd said his first instinct was to protect his people. "I was in the Coast Guard and so I'm a rescuer at heart and I'm a leader and take-charge guy. It certainly made me want to do something and to jump into action. But the good news is the Lord really just gave me a sense of peace and calm," he said.

The group was in Nazareth, which the article described as "safer," but they recognized the instability of the situation and began to search for a way to get back to the States.  Pastor Cox said, "We contacted, of course, the Embassy. We filled out paperwork with the State Department to let them know where we were so they could get in touch with us if there was an emergency. And there were some options to fly out of Tel Aviv and to Istanbul but those went away. And of course, people were a little worried about going down to Tel Aviv because of rockets..."  

The pastor had been using Facebook to share information and someone saw a post and "connected them with...Rep. Cory Mills of Florida."  The article quotes Pastor Cox as saying: "The next day he flew out to Jordan personally, flew out to Jordan, came across the border, made his contacts and met us in Nazareth and got on the bus with us in Nazareth, and escorted us all the way across the border...He personally took care of us and got us into a hotel in Amman, Jordan, where we were able to fly out the following day. I just truly believe that God used my friend and Representative Mills as his instruments to rescue us..."

Pastor Cox related, "If we're not close and we're not listening and we're not tuned into His voice, then we're going to miss it. And so, I just want to encourage people to be close to Him, to be in his Word, to be listening to His still small voice..."

The Baptist Paper ran an article that included the stories of several church groups that were adversely affected by the violence in and around Israel.  

We rejoice in those who were in harm's way but who have been brought out of dangerous situations. When we feel threatened, we can make sure that we recognize the presence of God's everlasting arms.  Fear can paralyze us, but faith in Christ can set us free. As Scripture teaches us, when we feel vulnerable and weak, we can rely on God's strength.

We can also be motivated to join with fellow Christian believers all around the world.  We can pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as the Bible instructs us. And, we can pray for God to use a devastating situation to bring glory to His name and bring those who don't know Him into a saving knowledge of Christ. 

Spreading the Light

There are some penetrating verses in Isaiah chapter 9 the point to the Light, the true Light, who came into the world. We can see these words:
2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

Later in the chapter, we see this familiar verse:
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus has come into the world, and we are about to embark on the season in which we celebrate His birth.  He came as a human being, as a man, so that He could redeem fallen humanity, qualified to die in our place.  Now, He has sent us into the world, to testify to His greatness, to tell the story of what He has done and to reflect the life change that He brings. We can consider how God would use us to tell His story in a compelling way, shining the light of His truth.

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As we see in Matthew 13, Jesus had just finished the parable of the sower, when he declared:
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

We then find:
10 ...the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

The Christmas story has been told in many ways throughout the years.  From Christmas cantatas in churches to movies that highlight the birth of Jesus, the expression His coming to earth has been communicated.

Well, enter a new way to tell the story - through a musical!  Full of original music.  

That's the concept of Journey to Bethlehem, which hits theaters in less than a month.  It's the brainchild of Adam Anders, who is no stranger to the musical genre.  Movieguide quoted him as saying, “Jesus is still alive, and this is where it all began,” adding, “You just pinch yourself, it’s a dream come true, walking around, this whole thing.”  Anders is director and producer of the film.  Another producer, Adam Powell, who is no stranger to Christian filmgoers, stated, "From the very beginning, how to learn to tell a story about the fact that God has bigger plans for us and even we have for ourselves. I hope that at the end of the fun and the music that they are reminded of that truth..."

A Christian Post article notes:

Nearly two decades ago, God put the idea for a live-action musical about the Nativity, from Mary and Joseph’s engagement until the birth of Jesus Christ, on Anders’ heart — but it wasn’t until recently that he felt called to put his extensive training toward a faith-based project.

“It’s been a process, and I've been working with the best for the best in the business for the last 17 years, and you learn things,” Anders reflected.

Anders shared:

“I was in school. Obviously, I was involved in many stories that weren't things that I would want to tell as a storyteller. But that's one of those things that we all deal with in all of our jobs: How are you in the world and not of the world? Nothing is more front and center than living in Hollywood and working as a Christian. You're kind of a man on an island. It's been hard at times, but I felt like that's where I'm supposed to be; I don't think all Christians should disengage from culture. I think if we can affect culture where pop culture is created, that's where we should be. But now, I’m at a part of a time in my life where I’m ready to tell my stories. And this is the most important story in my life.”

According to The Christian Post, Anders said: "I wanted to find a way to bring this story to people who maybe aren't believers and do it in a way that's not watered down, but also it's digestible for everyone. And that's a balance … I think music is a great way to do it.”

Adam Anders is an example of someone who wants to tell a story, and to do so in a fresh way.  As it's been said before, Jesus presented His story in a fresh way, through parables.  He believed that was a way to communicate truth to people that might not have a propensity to understand spiritual concepts. Anders' approach is to use the style of a musical, in which characters sing and even dance, in order to present the story of Christ's birth.  We can ask ourselves, "how are we telling the story?"  The story of what Jesus has done for us, that is.  Or, even a more basic concept, "are we telling the story?"  Perhaps, God can inspire a creative way for you to relate truth to others in a compelling and clear way.

Adam Anders has worked in Hollywood, apparently, for quite some time.  And, his desire is to shine the light of Christ into some rather dark places.  In fact, The Christian Post article includes this quote: “There's a lot of dark content being made in Hollywood. I love this as counterprogramming to that. I love that this brings joy and light, but number one, I want people to sit down every Christmas and go, ‘This is what we are celebrating...’”  We cannot always avoid the dark places, certainly, and perhaps, in partnership with the presence of Jesus in us, we can be used of Him to testify to His light.

Ink (10/27)

In Ezekiel 36, we find a series of verses describing the future of Israel, which can illustrate for us the work that God does in the human hearts. We can find these words:
24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Those who have believed on Jesus Christ have already experienced the new birth - we have been given a new heart - His Spirit lives within us.  As 2nd Corinthians 5 tells us, the old has gone, the new has come. God is able to radically, totally change the condition of our heart, and as we pray for lost people, we can do so with a sense of expectation that the way a person is now is not necessarily the way he or she will be in the future.  We can rejoice in the new heart that He is capable of crafting!

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2nd Corinthians chapter 3 describes the life change that occurs when a person allows Christ to come into his or her life. And, the language likens God's Word to be expressed in a unique way:
2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Katherine von Drachenberg knows a little something about ink, to say the lease, and has received quite a bit of "ink" recently - she is described as a "tattoo artist." She has been featured on a TV show called, LA Ink. Well, her recent baptism and professed life change has received quite a bit of coverage.  Newsmax made this announcement:

Former tattoo artist Kat Von D has been baptized a year after making dramatic lifestyle changes that included throwing out books on witchcraft, magic and the macabre.

Taking to Instagram, Von D posted a video showing her baptism, captioning it with a cross.

"Katherine von Drachenberg, upon your profession of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in obedience to His Divine command, I baptize you, my sister, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," the pastor said before submerging her into water. Von D is seen wearing a white robe.

The article notes, "In 2020, Von D started making changes in her life. She sold her beauty brand and began covering up her tattoos, as reported by Insider."  It goes on to say:

In July last year, Von D revealed that she was throwing out items from her old life that "don't align" with her anymore.

"I've always found beauty in the macabre, but at this point, I just had to ask myself what is my relationship with this content?" she wrote on Instagram at the time. "And the truth is, I just don't want to invite any of these things into our family's lives, even if it comes disguised in beautiful covers, collecting dust on my shelves."

She is quoted as saying, "...it's never been more clear to me that there is a spiritual battle taking place, and I want to surround myself and my family with love and light."

But, not all, it seems, have been enthusiastic about Kat Von D's profession of faith.  The Christian Post reported that: "In a video posted to Instagram...tattoo artist Katherine von Drachenberg (better known as Kat Von D) discussed the responses she had received after posting a video of her baptism earlier this month.

"It was an overwhelmingly beautiful amount of just positivity and just love," she said. "Me and my husband and my son, we'd go out to go get lunch throughout the week, and people would just come out of nowhere just wanting to give me a hug and congratulate me and welcome me to the family."

"It's been pretty awesome," she added.

The celebrity, who is known for her time on the TLC reality show "LA Ink," said she was "shocked" because she was "expecting to get so much hate for it."

"I know that a majority of my fans and my followers are not Christian, and so, like, I know that it's a turn-off to a lot of people," Drachenberg said.

But, there apparently was one particular group that was not necessarily enthusiastic about her baptism. The article stated...

..."there was this other side of the response that was just so awful," she explained.

"It wasn't my atheist friends. … You would think that all the hate would be coming from people who are … against religion or against Christianity and stuff," she said.

Aside from the "typical like dumb, mean like emoji comments" from atheists, "it was really the Christians who were the worst."

"It was just really like sad to see like this critical display of judgment from … Christians," she said.

"I don't understand what would inspire that aside from … something that's more egoic because that isn't Christlike … to judge people or judge people's journey," Drachenberg asserted. 

Von D said that since her Instagram wasn't monetized, that she wasn't just trying to generate social media traffic. She related, "There was like a lot of criticisms, weirdly enough, about like the way that I dress, the way that I look or the way that my friends looked in the video, and I think it's really insane that we live in a time where people still like judge a book by its cover. Like, I feel like, I wasn't aware that there's … a uniform that you're supposed to wear once you give your heart to Jesus."

It's not about outward appearance, it's an inward change.  So she may dress weirdly - OK. Some people may think that since I were plaid shirts and khaki pants, that I'm a bit stodgy in my dress.  Just don't get into dressing inappropriately. 

Writing for The Daily Citizen from Focus on the Family, Paul Batura says:

The baptism of “Kat Von D” is a reminder that the many personalities in culture are not playing a fixed role. Transformation is not just something we pray for – but it’s a prayer that God will answer.

We know that before he was Paul the great evangelist, he was Saul the persecutor of Christians. God can take the worst and make it the best.

We join in celebrating the conversion and baptism of Katherine von Drackenberg – may the Lord give her strength and continue to surround her with strong Christians who can disciple and help her deepen her faith in Him. 

I think that the story of Kat Von D can remind us of several concepts - one is that we should always pray expectantly, and specifically, pray expectantly for the lost.  Just because someone today does not profess Christ and may be plumbing the depths of wickedness does not mean that a turnaround is not possible - God specializes in transformation.  And, this young lady's apparent redemption story is a great reminder of His ability to change people.

Now, I said, "apparent."  You never know what's really in a person's heart, and I don't have a problem rejoicing in what appears to be true. And, there is a such thing, I think, as a healthy skepticism.  From where I sit, as a purveyor of Christian-related information, I guess I am more sensitive than many to being a "fruit inspector."  You can call it being overly sensitive, and I accept that.  But, what isn't OK, as she has related that some Christians are doing, is to berate a person who professes to be a new believer just because he or she doesn't do what you want him or her to do. We should be people of truth, but, in the spirit of God's love, can also be people of grace.

Standing with Israel

God's words to us are reliable and sure. Thousands of years ago, He made a covenant with a man named Abram, whose name He changed to Abraham. That covenant even extends to Israel today. Genesis 15 says:
5 Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
7 Then He said to him, "I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it."

Throughout the Old Testament, even though the descendants of Abraham rebelled against God, He continued to extend His love, to hold out His hand.  The Jewish people are a covenant people, and we read in Revelation that God will send out evangelists to reach out to His chosen people, to reunite them to Himself.  Israel has a special place in God's plan, and that is why Christians, who have been brought into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, are directed to stand with the Jewish people.  

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A significant passage of Scripture regarding current events in the Middle East can be found in Genesis chapter 12:
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

The PR campaign by Hamas to somehow show the false righteousness of their cause - case in point is the recent bombing of a hospital that the terror group tried to pin on Israel, with the complicity of a number of American media outlets; Israel has presented strong evidence that it was a bomb that was designated for Israel but went astray that resulted in lives being lost.  

Joel Rosenberg at All Israel News reported:

Without doubting Hamas’ words for a moment, most of the media ran with the terrorist 'spin' that Israel was the guilty party.

But, he adds:

It was a malfunctioning rocket fired by a terrorist organization in Gaza known as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or “PIJ.”

This morning, the Israel Defense Forces released incontrovertible proof showing that PIJ – not Israel – was responsible for the explosion.

Video from security cameras from a nearby building in Gaza clearly shows a salvo of rockets being fired at Israel and that at least one of the rockets malfunctioned and fell on the parking lot of the hospital, causing several vehicles to explode and catch on fire.

The IDF played audio recordings for reporters so they could listen to Hamas terrorists discussing that it was a PIJ rocket – not Israel – that caused the devastating destruction at the hospital, as you will see in the transcript below.

The false reporting has inflamed tensions in the Middle East, and even in the U.S., demonstrators in some major cities and on college campuses have bought into the narrative and responded with anti-Semitic expressions, showing favor and fervor toward the brutal actions of Hamas.

But, by and large, the polling data shows widespread American support for Israel.  For example, the New York Post reported on a recent Rasmussen poll, stating:

A majority of Americans stand strongly behind Israel over Palestinians in their bitter decades-long territorial conflict —while an even stronger 66% support a “complete eradication” of Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the terror group’s mass killings of civilians in the Jewish state, according to a new survey.

The Rasmussen Reports poll asked likely voters, “Which is closer to your opinion about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians: That Israel is mostly to blame, that the Palestinians are mostly to blame, or that both sides are about equally to blame?”

The article states, "53% of respondents said Palestinians were mostly to blame for the dispute, while only 10% said Israel was mostly to blame and 24% said both sides are about equally at fault."

This article was published on Sunday; so was an ABC News article reporting the results of another poll.  It said:

Forty-nine percent of Americans say the United States is doing "about the right amount" to support Israel in its war with Hamas, while 29% say the U.S. is actually doing too little, per the latest ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel.

Last Friday, there was an article posted at The Hill that featured the results of another survey.  The article related:

The NPR-PBS News Hour-Marist poll found that nearly two in three Americans — or roughly 65 percent — say the government should publicly support Israel. About 23 percent said the U.S. should say or do nothing related to the conflict, and 8 percent say the U.S. should publicly criticize Israel.

The Bible teaches about God's love for all people, but it illustrates for us His choosing of the nation of Israel and the covenant He has made with them. While the nation of Israel is certainly a secular nation, the roots of the Abrahamic covenant and promises of God run deep.  So, Christians recognize that Jewish people as people who have a spiritual heritage that is intertwined with our own.

Dr. Jürgen Bühler, President of International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, has written, regarding Christians supporting Israel:

There is no doubt that Israel enjoys growing support from the Evangelical movement today. At times this support is little understood, especially since the Church struggled for centuries to accept the Jewish people and even engaged in antisemitic actions against them. Many Church fathers taught that God was finished with the Jews, and left them in exile as a sign of their divine rejection. However, this all changed dramatically with Israel’s restoration as a nation back in its ancestral homeland.

Dr. Bühler affirms that idea of covenant in his article called, Ten Reasons To Support Israel on the ICEJ website.  He writes:

One of God’s main character traits is that He is a covenant keeper. In the past, some Christians insisted God had changed His mind about Israel, gave up on them, and established a new covenant with the Church – the ‘New Israel’. But that would be catastrophic news for every Christian believer today. With our every sin, lukewarmness or lack of commitment, do we need to fear that God will change His mind about us, too? No, for “even if we are unfaithful, He remains faithful; since He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13) Thus, the great hope for both Israel and the Church is that God always keeps His covenant promises – forever!

He also points out the teaching from Romans 11:

According to the Apostle Paul, Israel’s full restoration will release an unprecedented blessing to the Church. In Romans 11, Paul makes two most amazing statements: “Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” (Romans 11:12); and, “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:15)

Paul presents it as almost a mathematical formula. Looking at Israel’s stumbling and casting away, he still sees blessing released of “riches for the Gentiles” and “reconciliation of the world.” Then he looks to Israel’s future fullness and acceptance, and foresees an even greater release for the world of “life from the dead.”

John Wesley commented on these verses: “So many prophecies refer to this grand event, that it is surprising any Christian can doubt of it. When it is accomplished, it will be so strong a demonstration, both of the Old and New Testament revelation, that will doubtless convince many… It will release overflowing life to the world, which was dead.”

Bühler writes: "That means Israel’s restoration is key for everyone who thirsts for the outpouring which God still has in store for the Church. Or to put it another way: If you thirst for revival, pray for Israel!"

So, Christians in America, and America itself, founded on Christian principles, ideally should possess a favorable view toward Israel.  Politically, the nation has been a historical ally.  Spiritually, there is a kinship that exists.  

The regathering of Jewish people and the establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 has been described as miraculous.  It has also been regarded as a fulfillment of Bible prophecy - one example: when Ezekiel offers an account of a coordinated attack on Israel in the last days, that assumes that there is a Jewish nation to attack.  So, we are living in days in which Bible prophecy is unfolding, and we can continue to trust God to fulfill His plan and recognize that we are living in urgent times.  And, the times are growing short, so we should possess that sense of urgency in the way we live.

Inclusive?

In the second chapter of the book of James, the writer cautions the church about pre-judging others and underscores the fact that Jesus died for all. The invitation has been extended equally, without pre-condition. We can read these words:
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

In this case, James is pointing out how some have excluded others based on their economic standing. In other parts of the Bible, we see that salvation is available to all, regardless of their social standing or ethnic background.  So, if God does not discriminate, why should we?  We are so prone to be partial, to show favoritism to those who look like us or live like us - He wants us to be inviting to all to experience the love of God and come to know Him. 

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Peter learned a lesson about the inclusivity of the gospel, recognizing the availability of salvation to all. From a change of thinking, he spoke these words in Acts chapter 10:
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--
37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

It all sounds so noble and fair, but the warning signs are seemingly more common - organizations, which have been unduly influenced by a progressive agenda, have been hijacked by a philosophy that is summarized by three words: diversity, equity, and inclusion; DEI for short.  Fortunately, the National Religious Broadcasters convention this past year held a workshop addressing this issue, and I had several guests comment on this philosophy.

What happens is that in the name of "inclusion," is that some voices seem to be excluded.  Can you guess which ones?  Tyler O'Neil of The Daily Signal, who was one of my guests at NRB, covers the infiltration of these types of ideas in higher education in his home state of Virginia, writing in a piece that was also published at The Stream:

These DEI offices are the bureaucracy of the bureaucracy. They exist to push leftist ideology throughout the institution, hounding school administrators, staff, and professors to toe the line on “anti-racism” and gender ideology.

They represent a new priesthood pushing leftist dogma within noble institutions once dedicated to higher learning but increasingly acting as ideological factories that produce “woke” activists.

While corporate America has begun excising the DEI cancer, it has taken root and flourished in academia.

Case in point, as O'Neil relates:

Virginia Tech’s DEI director, Catherine Cotrupi, used her publicly funded email account to forward someone’s email pleading with readers to campaign against school board candidates the email branded as “hateful.”

Why did the candidates qualify as “hateful?” Because they support Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s commonsense policies on transgender issues.

O'Neil points out:

One of the targeted school board candidates said she was considering filing a lawsuit. The other candidate is a father who personally experienced the “transgender” nightmare of having a school tell him it knows better than him what is good for his daughter.

So, the philosophy that is present among Cotrupi's supporters: "...it is permissible for Cotrupi to use government funds to encourage people to campaign against these candidates— regardless of what the law or Virginia Tech’s official policy states."  O'Neil adds, "This defense reveals the underlying mentality of DEI and why these offices pose such a threat to open discourse in American universities."

He contends that the concepts represented by these three little words have been redefined, saying:

Americans support the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but the DEI movement defines these terms in divisive ways: Racial diversity counts, but ideological diversity does not. “Equity” translates to redistribution of wealth along racial lines rather than equal rules for everyone to succeed according to his or her effort and merit. “Inclusion” encompasses any sexual or gender “identity,” but rarely the Judeo-Christian principles that built the very universities these DEI offices subvert.

This type of twisted thinking has made it to a school district in the state of Virginia, in Albemarle County.  According to Alliance Defending Freedom's website, it represented a group of parents, described as a "religiously and ethnically diverse group of five families," that were on the wrong side of the issue, in the eyes of the school board. The case, unfortunately, was dismissed last year by a state court.

The website says, regarding the school district's policy that was challenged:

Everyone should stand against racism. It’s an unqualified evil.

But that’s not what the policy does in practice. Rather, the policy, which is rooted in critical race theory, instructs that students must be treated differently based on their race.

The website goes on to say:

To implement its new policy, the district turned to critical race theorists like Ibram X. Kendi and Glenn Singleton, who prescribe a regimen of disparate race-based treatment and racial stereotyping. In his book How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi argues for discrimination as the answer to past and present discrimination: “The only remedy to racist discrimination is antiracist discrimination. The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination.”

And, for what it's worth, Kendi is being investigated by Boston University, where his Antiracist Research Center is based.  The Washington Free Beacon states, in a September 21 article:

Kendi's center has raised tens of millions of dollars, including $10 million from Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and $140,000 from George Soros’s Open Society Foundation. But the Free Beacon reported on Wednesday that the think tank has hardly produced any research. A previous "antiracism" research center that Kendi ran at American University was similarly unproductive, the Free Beacon reported at the time.

This report was released just after Kendi "laid off much of the center's staff."

The Bible is clear that we are not to show partiality toward anyone.  That is a principle at the core of racism - showing preference or rejection toward a person based on his or her outward appearance. So-called "anti-racism" also treats people unequally based on immutable characteristics.  I cited some examples for you in higher education, as well as K through 12.  In essence, where there is racism, there is a commodification of people who are created in the image of God.

I think we could all stand to not reduce people to a product or a statistic.  We can appreciate the fact that God has created all of us and appreciate how we have been created.  Now, certainly, we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and we can see the people with whom we interact as brothers and sisters in Christ or others who don't know Him, but to whom we show love with the hope that one day they may accept Jesus as their Lord. Pre-judging people based on race is a harmful attitude and is inconsistent with the teachings of Scripture.

Making and Executing a Plan

The words of the King James Version in Proverbs 29 can be encouraging for us as we seek to follow God's principles and bring His truth into the areas of life to which He has called us. Proverbs 29 contains these words:
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Verse 18 in the New King James states:
18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.

God's Word can provide direction for us, and we can strive to allow the power of His truth to motivate us how we can be effective witnesses for Christ in whatever sphere He has called us - personal, professional, in the Church, and in the culture.  There is great criticism and cynicism regarding institutions in our nation today, and that provides an opportunity for Bible-believing Christians to inject truth, to be thoughtful and methodical in countering the unbiblical ideas that seem to be so prevalent.

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In our world today, we need to be people who are influenced and driven by a heavenly vision - a plan inspired by God - and develop the means, in partnership with the Holy Spirit, to carry it out. In the book of Habbakuk, chapter 2, we can read:
2 Then the Lord answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
4 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

Not surprisingly, the trust in our government is at embarrassingly low levels.  On its website, Pew Research summarizes its findings in that area:

Public trust in the federal government, which has been low for decades, has returned to near record lows following a modest uptick in 2020 and 2021. Currently, fewer than two-in-ten Americans say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right “just about always” (1%) or “most of the time” (15%). This is among the lowest trust measures in nearly seven decades of polling. Last year, 20% said they trusted the government just about always or most of the time.

No, it's not "Survey Thursday," but I wanted to share that in order to set up the subject of today's commentary.  With the U.S. House still trying to determine who its speaker will be, while governmental leaders craft a response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, and while so many challenges, domestically and internationally, are facing our authorities, some of which have what I would describe as having moral and spiritual roots, we need ideas.  Inspired ideas.

The Heritage Foundation has a few that caught my attention.  I actually came across an MSNBC article from last month that lambasted the plan, called Project 2025.  The article was written by Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, author of Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity.  That gives you an idea of where he is coming from.  He writes:

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts opens the book by prioritizing the securing of “our God-given individual rights to live freely” against a “woke” threat. “Today the Left is threatening the tax-exempt status of churches and charities that reject woke progressivism,” he claims without evidence. “They will soon turn to Christian schools and clubs with the same totalitarian intent.”

Notice how the words, "without evidence," are thrown around to denote a position that some progressives disagree with, whether or not that is truly the case.  

But I digress.  So, I went to a more reliable, trusted source for some clarity. I arrived at The Washington Stand, where Joy Stockbauer had released an article about Project 2025.  She had spoken with Paul Dans of the Heritage Foundation.  He said this:

Heritage did get on the map initially in 1980 by providing then President-elect Reagan with a policy book, agency-by-agency prescriptions of how a successful presidency could look. It was called “Mandate for Leadership.” And in 1980, Heritage was in its infancy, so the majority of that book, 400 contributors or so, came from outside of Heritage. And that’s proved a very helpful mechanism for a future president to kind of get on board, and Heritage has done that every four years.

But the realization with this election is that our republic is in such dire straits and the work here to be done is so great that not any one organization can do this alone. Our new president, Dr. [Kevin] Roberts, recognized that if we’re going to win in Washington, we have to do this and come together as a movement. We’ve been very excited when we’ve initially announced our conception and groups like FRC jump right on board..."

Dans elaborated on the "four pillars:" a "policy book," which is called, Mandate for Leadership.  There's also a "personal database" of ideologically-aligned individuals. The consortium plans "online training," and there's the establishment of "transition teams."

The Project 2025 website notes that more than 70 organizations have come on board with the plan, including a number which would be familiar to Faith Radio listeners. 

Kevin Roberts was recently given the 2023 First Freedoms Award by the National Religious Broadcasters organization during its Capitol Hill Media Summit in Washington, D.C. The NRB website quotes NRB General Counsel Michael Farris, who said that Roberts "...has led one of the nation’s most distinguished public policy organizations past its 50-year mark with an entrepreneurial vision for lasting impact...the article says that, "Farris praised Roberts’ commitments to championing pro-life, pro-family, and pro-marriage policies as bedrock commitments..., noting that Roberts has led The Heritage Foundation with 'backbone as a standard operating procedure.'"

NRB reports:

In an inspiring address to the summit, Roberts encouraged the religious broadcasting community in its Christian witness. “In my experience, spending time with religious broadcasters is like being transported back to the Acts of the Apostles,” Roberts said. “You’re surrounded by true disciples, joined in fellowship with men and women who take our Savior’s Great Commission so seriously that they’ve made it their life’s work.”

It is encouraging to see organizations, including Christian organizations, which are exhibiting clear-mindedness for the future.  We can sit on the sidelines and criticize the acts of those who govern us, or we can get in the game and allow God to use us.  I am thankful for those who serve in federal and state government who use their God-given skills and talents to be a witness for Christ, and grateful for their support of the ministry of Faith Radio through their fall charitable campaigns. 

But good government doesn't just happen - it is important to have a plan. If we are to counter the winds of socialism, secularism, and progressivism, people have to be mobilized.  Even in our individual lives and in our churches, if we are just drifting along hoping something will happen or maybe just simply adrift, we fail to fulfill the mission of God. 

The Bible talks about having a vision.  And, our vision as Christians is to be centered on a worldview - how do we see the world from a Biblical perspective, and how do we view our relationship to it?  And, if we work together with that common purpose, in significant numbers - many counselors, as the Bible says, then we can be effective for the Kingdom - ultimately, the heavenly Kingdom that we are part of because we follow Christ.

Taken Away

The apostle Paul related a proper attitude toward trial and weakness in 2nd Corinthians 12...faced with what he calls a "thorn in the flesh," his idea was to ask God to take it away. But, the Lord had other plans, as we read in the chapter:
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What we learn about life is that things will not always unfold in the manner we want them to. And, we can find ourselves powerless to do anything about that. But, we also recognize that in those difficult times, God is with us and He has a plan to work all things for our good as we continue to stay true to Him. He has given us grace - to come into a saving knowledge of Him and to experience the sanctifying power of His Spirit, and that grace, as Paul reminds us, is sufficient. 

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The book of Job describes the response of a man who experienced numerous instances of trouble to a God who operates according to His love for us in His perfect plan - it also show God's response to human beings trying to apply human understanding to the ways of God. In the first chapter of the book, we find these words after Job's realization that He had lost family and property:
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

It seemed as if it was a minor scratch, but developed into something much larger, resulting in a health scare and a lengthy ordeal for a pastor in Plant City, Florida named Nate Hille.

The Faithwire website published the story of what this pastor has gone through. The article says:

Pastor Nate Hille told WTSP-TV he lost his shoulder, arm, and nearly died after he fell off a step stool six months ago and scratched his elbow.

What should have been a minor injury turned into something far more troubling: necrotizing fasciitis, described by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a “rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body and can cause death.”

According to the pastor, he had his arm amputated and endured 12 surgeries over the course of 19 days; saying that he "lost my scapula deltoid, muscle, minor pectoral muscle, lymph nodes..."  The article notes:

Hille, speaking to media months after the ordeal, said he leaned heavily on his Christian faith despite facing unimaginable horror that placed innumerable pressures on him, his wife, and his family.

“Who am I to question the Lord?” Hille told WTSP-TV. “He gave me an arm, and He took it away. That was just kind of our attitude towards this — that the Lord gives and He takes away, and we are to bless His name regardless of what transpires in your life.”

And, in the course of this trial, Hille used it as an opportunity to share Christ with people; he said, according to the TV station, “I got to talk to people about the Lord that I never would have gotten to talk to otherwise..."  He also maintained a sense of concern for the well-being of his wife, Cassie, who said:

“He woke up from sedation, and his first concern was, ‘Are you taking care of yourself? Have you been eating? Have you had enough water?'” she told WTSP-TV earlier this year.

She had said earlier this year, "Even in the tragedy of all of it, there has been so much good..."

WTSP had reported that Pastor Hille would be leading a series of special services of thanksgiving last weekend at his church, Bible Baptist Church in Plant City.

Pastor Hille had referenced a passage from the book of Job when he said that "the Lord gives and He takes away."  And, we know that Job gave praise to God even though he had experienced great loss.  Now, as a result of this infection, this pastor is missing an arm.  But, we also know, and he realizes, it was part of God's plan for Him, and I believe, the Lord will use it for His glory.  We have to be careful that when we face trials, pain, and suffering, that we maintain a spiritual focus.  That doesn't mean that we are forbidden from crying out to God in our trouble - but we can also look past our trouble and see that God will use that for our good and His glory. 

We may not see the purpose, but we can always seek the purpose. For instance, Nate Hille used his time in the hospital to talk to people about the Lord.  Who knows how God will use the countless seeds that were planted during this time?  And, he has reflected an attitude of thanksgiving.  When all seems lost in our lives, we can look to the One who is our everything, our all in all, and recognize that He is with us, even in our most challenging times.