What is Mel's Passion?

The gospel changes lives, and I believe that exposure to the gospel has the potential to result in a positive outcome, because the Word will not return void. That is a concept found in Isaiah chapter 55, which says:
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

It is the highest-rated Christian-themed film in the U.S., according to Box Office Mojo, and it's not even close. Grossing over $370 million domestically and over $612 million domestically, The Passion of the Christ depicted, in realistic, graphic detail, the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.

The director of that film is one Mel Gibson, who was recently appointed by President Trump as an ambassador to Hollywood.  And, a while back, Gibson announced that he was planning to do a sequel of The Passion - now, due to circumstances in his life, he believes the time has come.  

A recent Faithwire story noted that Gibson had lost his home in Los Angeles due to the destructive fires in the area. In an interview with Raymond Arroyo, he said: “It was an odd mixture of sadness and a kind of a weird realization and blessing because they are just things,” adding, “Yeah, I’m going to miss some stuff. There was some valuable stuff, some personal stuff, but I feel like I’m being stripped down and prepared for something else. I feel like the Almighty is preparing me to do something big.”

Gibson went on to say: “You seek first the kingdom of God and you will always be ok," and noted,
“Honestly, I see it as a blessing and a purification. Yeah, you lose. Yeah, it’s going to be murder getting the insurance. It’s going to be a real cluster-buster. [But] I got a lot of faith… [and] not in our elected officials..."

The Faithwire article related:

Gibson says now is the perfect time to begin preparing for a new role in “The Resurrection of the Christ” – the sequel to the 2004 blockbuster “The Passion of the Christ” featuring Jim Caviezel as Jesus.

“Society is devolving…We need a reminder of the most basic things that form our civilization…Civilization (is) being threatened,” he said.

Gibson added, “I believe it’s not in my timing. Man, I thought, it’s too late. It’s been 20 years. I thought 20 years may have been too late, but now it’s perfect. And I have had all this taken and now it sort of frees me up to not worry about that stuff and just move ahead and do what I am being called to do. And I am being called to do it.”

Gibson also appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast recently, according to Faithwire, where, as the article notes:

Of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, Gibson said, “I think, if you ever hit on that subject matter, you’re going to get people going because, of course, it’s a big subject matter.”

“The idea was that we’re all responsible for this, that His sacrifice was for all mankind, and that for all our ills and all the things in our fallen nature,” he continued. “It was a redemption, so, you know, and I believe that.”

Rogan was described in the article as "agnostic," but apparently he doesn't have a problem talking about topics related to faith.   Rogan stated:

“Christianity is the one religion that you’re allowed to disparage,” he said, going on to describe Hollywood as teeming with “progressive, open-minded leftist people” who are open to other religious beliefs but view Christianity as “negative.”

The article went on to say:

He went on to say he believes in the truth of Scripture, in part because the disciples were willing to die for their faith. “Every single one of those guys died,” he said, “rather than deny their belief.”

“Who gets back up three days later after He gets murdered in public?” the actor asked rhetorically, referring to the resurrected Jesus. “Buddha didn’t do that.”

Rogan then turned the conversation toward evolution, asking the “Braveheart” star and director for his views on creation.

“I don’t really go for it,” Gibson said of the evolutionary theory, later adding, “Anything left to itself without some kind of intelligence behind it will devolve into chaos.”

There are a couple of things I'd like to consider.  One has to do with the importance of recognizing God's timing.  The idea of making a sequel to The Passion has been floated by Gibson and Caviezel for a few years now, but it has not taken off - yet.  Even out of a negative set of circumstances, God will bring his outcome.  We may have the right idea, but we have to wait for God's timing - after all, as Scripture teaches, His ways are higher than our own. 

And, we need to acknowledge His ways.  At one time, there was talk that Gibson and Caviezel wouldn't work again in Hollywood.  That certainly has not been the case.  Even though in some entertainment circles, Christianity is disparaged, yet, you continue to see evidence of Biblical messages being embraced by Hollywood.  You see high-profile entertainers making faith statements.  The evidence of God is all around us.  And, when we consider that He is our Creator and life should be lived to His glory and not our own, it communicates about the power of His truth. 

Reasonable

We are nearing the conclusion of January, which has been set aside as Sanctity of Human Life Month - it's a great time to reflect on our Creator and the value of all life, even those yet to be born. I think of the passage in Jeremiah 1, in which God reinforces the call He has placed on the prophet's life:
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
6 Then said I: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
7 But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

For years - and it seems to have become more prevalent following the overturning of Roe v. Wade - there has been a move to characterize the pro-life movement as somehow extreme because we dare to say that a baby in his or her mother's womb is a living human being.  

But, while you have politicians who believe that abortion should be available throughout the entirety of a woman's pregnancy and stand against proposed laws that would provide restrictions on abortion, that is out of step with the American people. 

And, again this year, a Marist Poll commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, indicates broad support for legal barriers to abortion.  A press release published by the Knights on the organization's website states that the study findings...

...show that 67% of Americans support placing legal limits on abortion, and that 60% support limiting abortions to at most the first three months of pregnancy. This survey, conducted by the Marist Poll and commissioned annually by the Knights of Columbus, also found that, for the second consecutive year, 83% of Americans support pregnancy resource centers, which offer support to mothers both during their pregnancy and after their baby is born. Additionally, the poll found that 62% of Americans believe healthcare professionals with religious objections to abortions should not be legally required to perform them, while 82% of respondents believe that laws can protect both the mother and her unborn child.

The website also indicates that 57% of those surveyed oppose or strongly oppose the use of tax dollars for abortion in America, and that number increases to 73% regarding using American tax dollars to fund abortions abroad.

The poll also measured attitudes toward abortion "exceptions:" in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mothers' life.  Only 12% believed there should be no exceptions.  

Overall, according to the Knights of Columbus website, 36% of those surveyed consider themselves pro-life, with 62% viewing themselves as pro-choice.  Yet 67% of Americans - so you could say that would include a significant number of pro-choice individuals, would favor some sort of restrictions.

I think that's telling - it shows that even Americans who are not necessarily pro-life believe there should be limits.  Why is that, if abortion is such a good thing?  Well, I believe that while you have large numbers of people who make their declarations about a so-called "woman's right to choose," or "reproductive freedom." But, deep down, there is something about the process that makes even those who support these ideologies uncomfortable.  This is why pro-life politicians should not back down from identifying the full-term, no restrictions crowd as the true abortion extremists.

But, there is certainly a need for education: about the nature of the unborn child, about the nature of the abortion process itself - surgical and chemical.  And, as a society, we should increase consideration of the sanctity of a human life, regardless of the circumstances of the pregnancy.  

And, we can continue the faithful work to affirm life - to protect babies, and to care for the souls and physical needs of women who are abortion-minded, which is why pro-life ministries are so important. Because a change in heart can produce a change in attitude, as those who love God and love life minister with compassion.

A Public Servant, not a Savior

The Bible is clear that the Lord works to place people in positions of authority in order to carry out His will.  Now, that does not exempt us from allowing God to use us in that process - including prayer and casting a ballot, since we have that God-given duty and responsibility as American citizens.  And, citizens of heaven. The book of Daniel, chapter 2, says this:
20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

It was only 10 days ago when Donald Trump took the oath of office for the second time to become the 47th President of the United States.  And, Christians were influential in putting him there.

To review, the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, where noted Christian researcher George Barna is the Director of Research, issued a post-election survey report, which said:

The one segment that has gotten virtually no attention from the media are Christians. Simply put, among self-identified Christians, President Trump won a 56% share of their vote.

The report also noted, “...Christians represented 72% of the voters who turned out,” and the Center indicated that segment's turnout in favor of Mr. Trump “...made the difference in the race.”

But, Christian turnout was lower than it had been in 2020.  The report said "...the pre-election research by CRC predicted turnout among Christians would fall below their 2020 levels. While that prediction clearly was fulfilled, its potentially devastating impact for the Trump campaign was blunted by the even lower levels of turnout among the Harris campaign's target segments."

Two days after Election Day, the New York Times ran a piece by two experienced religion writers, who stated: "...as Mr. Trump’s sweeping re-election victory brings them to new heights of power, they believe his return is more than an electoral mandate: they believe it is a divine one." They go on to say:

Mr. Trump has repeatedly invoked a religious anointing since he survived an assassination attempt in July. And when he claimed victory on Tuesday night, he did so again.

“Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason,” Mr. Trump told supporters. “And that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness.”

The article was laced with a variety of biased statements and cherry-picked quote to try to characterize the new Administration as some sort of Christian power trip.  Take, for instance, this paragraph:

While politicians have often invoked God or cited passages from the Bible to make their case, the country is entering a new landscape, one where Mr. Trump is not only the leader of the Republican Party but also the de facto figurehead of conservative American Christianity.

Well, I hope not.  Trump has a history of decisions that are favorable to the Christian community, including a video message at last Friday's March for Life, where Vice-President J.D. Vance was an in-person speaker.  But, he was not elected to be a Christian leader, and certainly not a savior. 

BBC ran an article in late November, with the headline, "'Anointed by God': The Christians who see Trump as their saviour."  News flash: that is true, but it does not and should not mean that Trump is a spiritual leader.  I think based on the book of Daniel, you could make the case that all leaders are at least "appointed" by God and blessed with a tremendous opportunity to lead and hopefully exercise godly wisdom.  They may even be called, "anointed," but they have to take advantage of His power. 

Now, regarding this "savior" mentality, here is some material from the BBC article, including comments from Franklin Graham:

“Church attendance is not going to go up next week because President Trump has been elected - but what I think it does mean is that legislation that we might have seen coming down the road that that would make it very difficult for people of faith will not come,” he says, referring to the idea of more progressive legislation around, for example, abortion and gay and trans rights.

“He will protect people of faith, he will protect religious freedoms in this country. I don't talk about just Christian religious freedoms… [but] all people of faith.”

Nashville businessman Peter Demos, who has been a guest on The Meeting House on Faith Radio multiple times, made this statement in a Christian Post op-ed piece:

While I deeply appreciate his policies, achievements and boldness in confronting challenges, Christians must maintain a clear distinction between political leadership and spiritual authority.

He goes on to say:

Trump has shown commendable leadership in areas such as defending religious liberty, appointing conservative judges and promoting values that align with Christian principles. These accomplishments merit recognition and support. However, viewing Trump as a divinely-anointed savior figure conflates his role as a political leader with spiritual authority — a dangerous and unbiblical misstep.

Demos offered a four-point prescription to provide the correct focus:

1. Keep Trump’s role in perspective: Trump is a political leader, not a spiritual one.

2. Look towards Christ as Our Lord and leader: Keep our ultimate hope and focus on Jesus, not on earthly rulers.

3. Hold leaders accountable: Expect Trump and his entire administration to uphold Christian principles while expecting them to make mistakes. They are human after all. 

4. Pray without ceasing: Pray for Trump, his advisors, and our nation, asking God for wisdom, guidance, and protection from Spiritual Forces of Darkness (Eph 6).

The results of the 2024 election, especially regarding Christian turnout, show there is much work to do regarding motivating believers to be involved in voting.  But, it's more than just a matter of turning out on Election Day - we have to practice a Biblical viewpoint on civic engagement.

For instance, according to Barna's CRC research, the Spiritually Active Governance Engaged Conservatives, the SAGE Cons that he has identified and studied for years, registered a 99% voter turnout, same as 2020.  Two-thirds of those who possess a Biblical worldview - the Integrated Disciples, as they're called - turned out with a 3-point rise.   

I believe there is a relationship between spiritual involvement and what we would call "political" involvement.  But, we must always allow the Bible to govern our political decisions and actions.  Otherwise, we run the risk of losing focus.  

Regarding the President and his Administration, we should always be diligent to pray for them and never to worship a governmental leader.  The President will have so many who will be desiring his attention, who would like to influence him to carry out their agenda.  If he is a man who truly believes God has spared him to lead our country, then we should always pray that he show himself to be pursuing that calling. 

Active Faith

The Bible teaches us not only how to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but it teaches and empowers us to behave in a manner pleasing to God. The Bible is more than just words on a page - it is an active document that produces responsible action for all who would read and apply it - no matter what age. Hebrews 4:12 states:
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The word of God is alive and will produce living fruit in our lives as we sow it in our hearts.

No matter what age - in fact, it's very important to get the Word into the hearts of children.

Brock Eastman is someone who believes that and acts on it.  I met him for the first time on an icy day in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Winter 2021 Christian Product Expo. You see, he portrayed a character named Dr. Fizzlebop.  Later, the "doctor" and I did a Zoom call from his video "lab."  He authored a book called, Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop: 52 Fizztastically Fun Experiments and Devotions for Families.  He has written a number of books and has been a writer for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines from Focus on the Family.

Well, Brock is still involved in sharing Biblical truth with young people, albeit in a different capacity - he works with the David C. Cook publishing company and is the brand director for The Action Bible.  

That's according to CBN.com, which says that:

A popular retelling of the Bible in comic book form just hit a major milestone, selling more than three million copies in the United States.

“The Action Bible,” first released in 2010, continues to dominate Amazon bookselling charts, remaining in the top 100 among all books.

Eastman is quoted in the article, which states:

“What strikes people that read ‘The Action Bible’ is just the beautiful, full action-packed [presentation] and our illustrations that really bring the story to life,” he said. “And we like to think about … bringing the Bible to life in a different way.”

Eastman continued, “For this generation, specifically, who is involved with graphic novels, this Bible appeals to them because they like that kind of, ‘Oh, I can see the images of the story moving,’ and there’s a narrative, like a paraphrase narrative of the Bible story that’s easy to understand and sounds like a conversation.”

I guess you could say is a "graphic novel" is a comic book, or like a comic book, only bigger. How big, in the case of The Action Bible?  830 pages and 230 stories from the Bible. 

CBN notes: 

As a dad of four kids himself, Eastman said, “The Action Bible” does two important things: it seizes upon the interest of youths in graphic novels while also delivering hope to youths who desperately need it.

And, as the article points out, this is especially important to Generation Alpha, defined as those born between 2010 and 2014.  Eastman says: 

“Something like ‘The Action Bible’ that has these graphics that the kids … are drawn to, telling this narrative of this beautiful story of redemption, of hope, of stories and the characters in the Bible that are just like them — people who struggled with things, who had fear but overcame it with courage because they were empowered by God,” he said. “These fantastic stories that kids are connecting to. They’re like, ‘I see myself in that story and I can be that.’”

While this Bible for younger readers has sold 3 million copies in the U.S., it has also acquired an international audience, translated into 180 languages; and Brock is quoted as saying that The Action Bible has sold over 1.1 million copies in the last four years around the world, in addition to the 3 million copies it has sold in the U.S. since its release.

And, Brock notes, "There’s a lot of careful effort put into not only the language and the words, but also the imagery that took those pages and basically … brought them to life..."

I believe we're in the midst of a Bible renaissance, with promising sales figures from 2024 being released recently, and research indicating a increased interest in Scripture.  But, another Bible in the house won't directly contribute to the knowledge of God.  An unread Bible cannot produce spiritual fruit.  We have to consider how we are absorbing God's Word.

Parents are in a unique position in that there is a magnificent amount of content available for younger readers.  Reading with children or recommending Biblical material for them to read can be an effective way for them to get the Word of God deep in their hearts, and that perhaps can lead to meaningful conversations - teachable moments - which can spur them to act on what they have read.

The Bible, in Deuteronomy chapter 6, speaks of teaching the words of God "diligently" to children. Our diligence can be contagious, and as we model Christ and demonstrate our love for Him, it can have an impact on generations to come.  

Remember, the Bible tells us that God's Word is "living and powerful." Some other translations use the word, "active."  The Bible is a book of action, and as we interact with the Word of God, we can find that our actions reflect the presence of the Lord in us. 

True Champions

Because we know Jesus Christ and have a relationship with Him, we can depend on Him to give us the ability and the opportunity to share and declare that faith. The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 6, asked for prayer that He would boldly proclaim the gospel, taking hold of his role as an, as he puts it, "ambassador in chains." Picking up in verse 17 of that chapter, we can read:
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.

Another chapter that God has written in His amazing move on college campuses across America has to do with the recently-concluded College Football Playoff.  A few months ago, there were reports of a sweeping revival on the campus of The Ohio State University, and what God has done in the lives of players for the Buckeyes football team have come into clearer view, with the team winning the national championship.

As Sports Spectrum related earlier this week:

Numerous players from last year’s team opted to put off the NFL Draft for a shot at a national title. Among that group are each of this year’s team captains — receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive end Jack Sawyer and linebacker Cody Simon. Many of those players also made it a goal to share the Gospel with as many people as possible.

“I can’t even put it into words,” Sawyer said Monday in a postgame interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever felt in my life. This is exactly what we had envisioned when we all decided to come back. To go out and do it this way and end on this note, we just thank God for giving us the ability to go out here and do it.”

“The Lord did something special on this team,” Simon said after being named the Defensive Player of the Game. “We’re just so thankful.” When asked moments later about the “spirituality” of this team, Simon said, “It brought us all together.”

The article said that: "In August, Egbuka and Henderson were two of the players who shared their testimony at an on-campus faith event that was attended by nearly 2,000 people. Egbuka said earlier this season on the Sports Spectrum Podcast that he felt God challenging him to use his platform this season to glorify the Lord and not himself." He said, "That was one of my prayers, just to be bolder this year with my faith, "adding that, “It’s nothing I can do. It’s all about the blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ, He really came in and saved my life.” Henderson, in a Sports Spectrum Podcast, said: “My purpose is to be here and to continue to lead others to Him, to continue to grow closer to Him, and spread His Word to others and lead others to Him, to Jesus, and to the Kingdom..."

Then, there's quarterback Will Howard, about whom Sports Spectrum related: "One of many Buckeye leaders who are guided by their strong faith in God, Howard gave thanks to the Lord immediately after the game, which he played with Proverbs 3:5-6 written on his wristband." The article says:

“First and foremost, I’ve got to give the glory and the praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” he told ESPN’s Molly McGrath. “I wouldn’t be here without Him. I wouldn’t be here without my teammates, my family. … I can’t believe God gave me the chance to be a Buckeye.”

And, the article stated:

Following each of Ohio State’s postseason wins, Howard made a celebratory post on Instagram that included a Bible verse in the caption. He chose Psalm 118:24 after the Buckeyes’ semifinal win over Texas: “The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.”

Over on the other sideline, Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard is someone who had made faith statements, as well.  Another Sports Spectrum article noted:

“I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me the opportunity to play in this game,” Leonard said as the first words of his postgame press conference. “I wrote on my hand Proverbs 27:17, ‘As iron sharpens iron, so shall one man sharpen another.’

“I think, like I said throughout the week, [Notre Dame] and Ohio State were the two teams who praised Jesus Christ the most, and I think that we strengthened each other in our faiths through coming to this game and competing against each other. I’m happy to see Godly men come out on top, no matter what the circumstance is. I’m very happy to praise Jesus in the lowest of lows, as well.”

It also said:

After his first-quarter TD run, with the TV cameras pointed at him, Leonard pointed to a wristband on his right wrist, which listed his favorite Bible verse: Matthew 23:12. It reads, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Leonard also sported a wristband with a cross on his left wrist, to go with the “Proverbs 27:17” written on his left hand that he mentioned in the press conference.

An op-ed piece by Jessica A. Johnson that ran in the Columbus Dispatch this week noted this:

This season, a revival occurred within the Ohio State University football team, which forged a resilient faith within a solid bond of brotherhood.

I knew something was different in a special way about this 2024-25 squad when fall camp began last August and players showed up rocking custom-made “Jesus Won” t-shirts.

The senior leadership of this team that included TreVeyon Henderson, J.T. Tuimoloau and Emeka Egbuka boldly proclaimed their faith in Christ, sharing testimonies in interviews and on social media.

But, these players - on both teams - were seeking a temporal victory on the field, but the victories in their hearts have made an eternal difference.  Those who play sports and see it as a platform for representing Christ are true champions.  Their mindset is different; their attitude is to glorify God, and win or lose, they are devoted to bringing Him glory.

Fact is, I believe that a Christian should be excellent in all that he or she does.  And, this thirst for excellence certainly manifests itself on a football field, a basketball court, or a baseball diamond. But, for those of us who don't participate in organized sports, we still have a responsibility to glorify God in the "platform" that He has given to us. And, we can ask ourselves how well we are representing Him in our homes, our churches, our workplaces, and through the interactions we have each day.  Do we show respect and kindness for our fellow human beings?  Do our decision reflect His principles?  We can rely on the Spirit of God to express His nature through us.

A Steady Diet of Scripture

News of Bible sales being up last year is certainly encouraging news, and a leading Bible app has reported a record year in "app installs and daily use." It is important that we are reading and studying God's Word, and the local church can play a significant role in that. Psalm 119 states:
103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
106 I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments.

Lifeway Research reports in an article on its website that...

...Almost all U.S. Protestant pastors (99%) say they encourage those in their church to read the Bible on their own using at least one of seven methods, according to a Lifeway Research study. On average, pastors say they use around five ways of encouragement. Less than 1% say they don’t use any or are unsure.

How is this done? Interestingly enough, as the Lifeway Research article states:

The most likely ways a pastor will work to spark individual Bible reading among their churchgoers is by providing free Bibles to those who need one (93%) and reminding them during sermons (92%).

Almost 3/4 of pastors surveyed say that Scripture is read during their services, which is "in addition to the passages used in the sermon."

Almost 6 out of 10 pastors say they make a printed Bible reading plan available to their churches, while over 1-in-3 offer a plan digitally.  

The use of some of these methods to encourage Bible reading is up from 2016 - as Lifeway Research reports that these include: "providing a free Bible to those needing one (up 7 percentage points from 86%) and reminders in sermons (up 6 percentage points from 86%)."

Dwayne Miloni is a North Carolina pastor who is quoted in the article; he has worked with a Bible publisher to create a Bible that offers a plan to read through the Bible in a year. He says: "As we’re preaching and teaching, it would be so much better if we knew our church members were reading and studying the Word of God on their own,” adding, “How much more glorious would the assembling of God’s people be if every day of the week our people were engaging God’s Word?” His church reads through the Bible together, and he relates: “It not only increases their knowledge of God but deepens their relationships...It helps a church grow closer to God and one another.”

I think we can ask the question: how do we discipline ourselves to spend time in God's Word on a consistent basis?  Then, once we get there, is there a systematic way in which we absorb the teachings of Scripture?  That is why having a plan is important.  Faith Radio, through our free app, offers a Bible, audio Bible, and Bible reading plan that you can use that will provide a template through which you can read God's Word.

But, a Bible reading plan is just the beginning - it's important that we study the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to direct us.  Perhaps a study Bible can be a valuable tool so that you can ponder some of the content of the Scriptures and read corresponding verses and passages.  Memorizing and meditating on Scripture can also help us to grow in our relationship with the Lord. And, the teaching of God's Word is a vital component, too - we can expose ourselves to the Word in our local churches - and Faith Radio offers you a lineup of quality Bible teaching each day.  

Just as our physical food can provide the necessary nutrients we need, our spiritual food, found in the Bible, can contribute to strength and growth in the Lord.  As we embark on a new year, we can consider how God might be leading us to deepen our walk with Him.

Steps in Which to Follow

Whenever we respond to deficiencies in our own lives by adopting the philosophies of this world, we run a risk become misguided and doing damage to our walk with God. The Bible warns us against placing the world's ideas over those of the Most High God. Colossians chapter 2 says:
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Men trying to find their way and to embrace a sense of completeless that can only be found in Christ has apparently led to these men, especially younger ones, finding their identity in those who do not represent Jesus.

A recent Christian Post piece by David Whited includes these words:

There is a generation of young men aged 16 to 29 that seem to find a missing nutrient in their development in the form of a 38-year-old former kickboxer turned internet provocateur/guru. Like sailors of old discovering that limes relieved their symptoms of scurvy, Andrew Tate presents himself as the cure to a world gone mad and driven by a politicized media and educational model fueled by angry women and weak men.

Whited notes, "His notoriety has been amplified by legal troubles, including allegations of human trafficking and other charges, which he has denied. These cases have kept him in the headlines and fueled debates about his influence and philosophy."  He describes Tate's population as part of a "perfect storm."  He cites a drop of testosterone in men that has been studied; he notes that fatherlessness is a problem, saying: "The book of Proverbs says to raise a child in the way he should go and when he grows up he will not depart from it. We are dealing with millions of young men that were never 'raised up'. There is no such thing as a vacuum. Stick your fist in a bucket of water and when you pull it out there is no hole." He writes:

Andrew Tate simply showed up on the scene at the exact right moment of this historically repeated cycle. The problem is that his version of being a “strong man” does not lead to “good times.” His version of masculinity is simply doing the things required to gain strength and power to be used for personal pleasure and sexual conquest. Not protecting and providing for those weaker than himself.

Whited goes on to say:

What young men actually need is an empowering, principle-focused worldview to rise up and scratch the itch that the Tates of this world are trying to satisfy but never can. We need both men and women to advocate for healthy masculinity, not less masculinity. The pendulum must slow down the swinging from two extremes to a biblically based true north — principled, strong men, who like a male lion can not only play with the cubs but are also celebrated when they fight for the pride.

Owen Strachan of the James Dobson Family Institute wrote on X recently:

Andrew Tate speaks powerfully, quickly, and confidently. He doesn't apologize for his views. Physically, he is tightly coiled; he looks like the kickboxer he was.

If you're trying to understand the phenomenon he represents, you can without too much difficulty. He's a picture of what many men naturally want to be. They don't want to be weak, cowed by feminism and leftism, unable to speak their mind, told they are "toxic," powerless, woefully out of shape, undisciplined, and unable to move ahead in life. It's right and wholly understandable to reject leftist culture's vision of manhood.

But, the picture is flawed - Strachan says: 

But while Tate gives men a pathway to power, discipline, and agency, he too sells a counterfeit. Leftism tells men that they will be men if they become more like women; Tateism tells men that they will be men if they effectively hate women. Neither approach is remotely that of Christ. Both are ultimately bankrupt, even as each system has an element of truth in it.

He says that Tate "does not deserve a platform" and holds out Jesus Christ as "the true man." He goes on to say:

Jesus Christ is the true man. He is the figure men need. He showed steely toughness and iron discipline throughout his life (John 2); he spoke truth without fear or apology. Yet Jesus was described as gentle, even meek, and displayed incredible kindness to people others disdained and ignored (Matthew 11:29).

A piece on the Summit Ministries website noted: 

Contrary to Tate’s macho bravado, godly men are called to be humble and kind, to live in service to others. Their strength is to be in their character and reliance on the Lord. Men are not to be womanizers, but to show self control, committing to one woman for life. Jesus did not secure the salvation of his people by defeating his enemies in battle, but by submitting to the will of the Father and allowing himself to be brutally beaten and crucified in our place. Jesus is the manliest man who ever lived, and he is the ultimate example of and for manhood, not any celebrity, athlete, or social media influencer.

And, there you have it - Jesus came to be our Savior and our model. 1st Peter 2:21 states: "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps..."  He showed us how to live a righteous life and, for the believer in Christ, we now have the power to live that life.  

Jesus is a man who offers a strong example for other men.  We have to be careful whose philosophies we buy into and who we emulate.  There are people who have influence in our culture today, but do not reflect the teachings of Jesus.  We can see in the Scriptures how He communed with His Father, how He responded to His disciples, the skill with which He taught, and the willingness to humble Himself in service to others, even to the point of death. 

It's that service component that is so important in an age in which influencers demonstrate for men a sense of dominance over leadership, of disrespect over compassion.  For men today, we have a Savior who shows us the way all believers should walk.  We must be determined to reflect Him in all of our pursuits.

One True Hope

This is the first full day of a new Presidency, and it is not only a significant day for Americans, but Christians possess a variety of hopes in the political realm over the next four years. But, hopefully, we have to continue to recognize where our ultimate hope lies. In Romans 15, Paul writes:
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Later in the chapter, we can read this verse:
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Among many in America, there is a sense of anticipation about the second Presidency of Donald Trump. He intentionally sought out the Christian vote, and in election polling, Christians were influential in bringing the former President a victory.  

Franklin Graham, in his prayer at the inauguration yesterday, according to The Christian Post, said:

“Mr. President, the last four years, there are times I’m sure you thought it was pretty dark, but look what God has done. We praise Him and give Him glory.” The article went on to say:

Graham’s prayer drew on verses from Psalms, Daniel and Samuel to emphasize God’s sovereignty over nations and leaders. He called on God to grant Trump wisdom and strength, likening Trump’s leadership to the biblical figure Moses: “You and you alone saved his life and raised him up with strength and power by your mighty hand,” Graham prayed.

The President himself echoed that sentiment in his Inaugural Address, stating, according to The Christian Post:

"Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and, indeed, my life ... I believed then, and I believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason."

"I was saved by God to make America great again," he asserted.

He also stated a theme that is rooted in Scripture, saying: "From today forward, it will be the official policy of the United States to recognize only two genders: male and female..."

The benediction was led by Lorenzo Sewell, Pastor of the 180 Church in Detroit.  The Detroit Free-Press reported:

In his benediction, Sewell spoke of a "millimeter miracle," referring to a would-be assassin's bullet that grazed Trump's ear at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last summer and prayed to God, "We are grateful you are the one who has called him for such a time as this, that America would begin to dream again."

"We pray that you use our president that we will live in a nation where we'll not be judged by the color or our skin but by the content of our character," boomed Sewell, invoking the words from King's speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. "We are grateful today that you would use our 47th president so we would sing with new meaning, 'our country 'tis of thee.' "

On Sunday, a Inauguration Praise & Prayer Convocation was hosted by Well Versed and Family Research Council. Those two ministries are headed by Faith Radio programmers Jim Garlow and Tony Perkins, respectively. At the event, according to The Washington Stand, Garlow stated:

“This is an event that is going to be primarily vertical. We’re talking to God, a holy, righteous, just God from a nation that desperately needs the touch of this God..."

He added, “If believers in America could see where our nation is spiritually, we would have had to have rented Northwest Stadium, which seats 91,000, for this prayer meeting. This is a time where a remnant has gathered here to intercede on behalf of our nation.” He also said, “This is not a hood ornament that’s on the car that looks nice but does nothing. Prayer is the guiding force.”

The article also noted: 

Perkins led those gathered in praying for God’s presence in Washington, D.C. and for elected leaders to be guided by courage and virtue. He began, “We want to right now welcome the presence of the Lord into this city. Jesus is Lord over this nation. Welcome his presence into Washington, D.C. He’s been driven out. Welcome him back. Lord, we welcome you.” He continued, “We invite your presence into every building, every agency. We invite you, Lord. You’ve been driven out. We welcome you, Lord Jesus. We welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit. We welcome you, Lord. This is your city. This is your nation. We open the door.”

Throughout yesterday, the new President signed a variety of executive orders, including two that were noted by the Alliance Defending Freedom as the "Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship and Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government" acts.

ADF CEO, President, and General Counsel Kristen Waggoner responded by saying that under the previous administration...

"...federal officials established a censorship regime that aimed to shut down so-called ‘misinformation’ and any other speech that is unfavorable to the government. It also weaponized the law against American citizens, including colluding with Big Banks to surveil Americans’ private financial data and target them as ‘threats’ based solely on their speech. President Trump’s call to dismantle these tools of repression is something every American—and every other freedom-loving person—should celebrate.

“Since its founding, America has been a beacon of liberty for the world. As governments across the West have increasingly succumbed to the ideology of wokeism, enforced by censorship, it is even more imperative that United States chart a different course.

“We hope this order will be the first step to restoring free speech as a core value of our constitutional republic—and of the free world.”

The Christian Post related that:

Trump called his inauguration “liberation day” and assured Americans “we will not forget our country, we will not forget our Constitution, and we will not forget our God.”

As we continue to hold on to our one true hope, we can pray for the President and his administration to follow through on that, exercising godly wisdom and being true the principles that are found in the Scriptures. 

While there was certainly a faith element in some of the proceedings yesterday, and high-profile Christian leaders were joyous participants, we have to remember that the President is under tremendous pressure - he needs our prayers. He will make decisions that do not line up with Biblical principles, and he should be held accountable.  And, Christians should anticipate that he will make decisions that affirm our deeply-held Biblical values, and we can rejoice.  With the weight of the world seemingly on His shoulders, we can pray that Mr. Trump will turn to the one who holds the earth in His powerful, steady hands. 

Awakened, not Woke

The enemy uses a variety of strategies to keep people divided. One of the truly hideous ways through which that we stay divided is through using race to show partiality, to typecast people, and to generate hatred because someone has a different appearance than another. James 2 takes a head-on approach to the partiality issue:
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well;
9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

Star Parker, President of CURE - the Center for Urban Renewal and Education wrote this last year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.  Referring to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., she stated:

America today is a far different country than the one where King led the Civil Rights Movement.

The language that King used to lead and animate his movement was the language of the Bible. He spoke as a pastor.

But in 1965, according to Gallup, 70% of Americans said religion is "very important" in their life.

In 2023, 45% of Americans say religion is "very important" in their life.

In this column, which can be found at Creators.com, Parker notes:

Over these 60 years since the Civil Rights Act became law, courts took the Bible and prayer out of public schools, legalized abortion and changed our legal understanding of what defines marriage.

The godless socialism of DEI — diversity, equity, inclusion — has replaced good and evil as our perspective on social justice.

As we have purged religion and replaced it with politics, we have lost the core of a religious world view. There is good and evil, and the Creator gave free choice and personal responsibility to choose to each individual.

Without this, the freedom we allegedly care so much about has little meaning.

She relates: "A movement informed by good and evil and personal responsibility has been replaced by politics, interest groups and victimhood."

In another column, found at the same website, Star Parker observes:

Unfortunately, rather than following through with the true biblical spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, the nation took the path of politics to implement justice, making our country less free, rather than turning to King's appeal to the Bible to improve our freedom, in the spirit in which the Constitution was written.

We might consider that moment, when politics took over, the birth of today's woke movement.

The result has been a vast politicization of our country and our culture.

Owen Strachan is the author of a book called, Christianity and Wokeness: How the Social Justice Movement Is Hijacking the Gospel - and the Way to Stop It.  John MacArthur wrote the foreword to it. Strachan is Senior Director of the Dobson Culture Center, an arm of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.  Recently, in a commentary that can be found at the Institute's website, stated:

It’s one of the best deals out there: a McDonald’s value meal. You get a burger, some fries, and a drink for only a few bucks. (The astronomical sodium comes free.)

For several years now, McDonald’s has been offering a combo of a different kind: woke DEI policy. DEI stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” In summary form, it represents the policy of social justice. When embraced by companies and institutions, DEI means that “race,” not merit, matters in hiring, pagan sexuality gets major support, and various quotas get installed in administrative leadership.

But, that combo has been reduced, according to Strachan, pointing out the company "...joins a rushing tidal wave of companies repealing woke policies. Wal-Mart, Ford, Boeing, and many other major American corporations have canceled or altered their backing of 'social justice."  He writes that "this commendable shift", reported in piece at Forbes magazine, includes:

- Retiring “aspirational representation goals”

- Pausing survey submissions to third-party groups, like the controversial Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index
- Ending its required DEI pledge for suppliers
- Changing the name of its Global DEI Center of Excellence to the Global Inclusion Team...

Strachan notes a reversal of trends, a "vibe shift," as it is called on social media.  He states:

DEI is out; athletes continue to eloquently praise God on national outlets; Joe Rogan is hosting conversations about the gospel on his podcast; believers are running for public office. Something is happening in America—something big.

We Christians have no idea what will play out in the days ahead. But we know this: A holy backlash is rising against woke leftism. It turns out that speaking up, voting, and holding companies to account still matter. As believers, we should recommit ourselves to such “salt-and-light” activities (Matthew 5:13-16).

Robby Starbuck, who is a Christian and has been conducting an effective effort to persuade companies to change these policies, noted this on X:

We’ve now changed policy at companies worth well over $2.3 Trillion dollars, with many millions of employees who have better workplace environments as a result. 

Our campaigns are so effective that we’re getting the biggest companies on earth to change their policies without me even posting a story exposing their woke policies first. Companies can see that America wants sanity back. The era of wokeness is dying right in front of our eyes. The landscape of corporate America is quickly shifting to sanity and neutrality. We are the trend, not the anomaly anymore.

So, today, as America celebrates the birthday of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., we have a unique opportunity - for Americans to see one another not as stereotypes or statistics, based on their racial or ethnic identity, but as people created in the image of God.  The Bible teaches against looking at outward appearance and to eschew partiality.  Christians are directed and empowered to put others first, and to view them not according to demographic identity, but through the eyes of the Spirit of God.

Star Parker, who heads the organization, CURE, has a "cure" for virtue signaling - to exalt Biblical wisdom rather than political folly.  Rev. Dr. King used the language of the Scripture, as she noted; yet, you have politicians steeped in worldly wisdom who want to use the language of the world.  Man's wisdom cannot bring about the fulfillment of the promises of God.  We should not be held victim to wokeness, but set free and awakened to the light of Christ.

Planting

Barry Meguiar, who is heard on the Ignite America feature on Faith Radio talks about helping to move a person who doesn't know God one step further to Jesus Christ.  Conversion experiences are different - while you might have some that come seemingly out of nowhere, others make a step-by-step journey to that moment of accepting Christ.  I think of King Agrippa, who was on the receiving end of Paul's testimony, as we find in Acts 26, where Paul had shared the details of his own conversion experience and its meaning; the text states:
25 But he said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.
26 For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe."
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."
29 And Paul said, "I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains."

Paul's persistent witness and the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart of this official, Agrippa, prompted his declaration. This can remind us that we may not see a person actually accept Christ, but we can be involved in planting or watering seeds, because we don't know how God might be working on a person's heart - He just calls us to be faithful.

Matt Rife is described by Faithwire as an "oft-raunchy" comedian.  But as a story on the website relates, his grandfather's death seems to have prompted a spiritual search.  It states:

After admitting he has “never been a super religious person” and finds church “excruciatingly boring,” the 29-year-old celebrity told “History Hyenas” podcast hosts Yannis Papas and Chris Distefano he “want[s] to believe in God.”

Serious about exploring religion, the Netflix jokester said he was baptized “in a dude’s pool” in August. While Rife did not grow up in a Christian home, he said he decided to take the plunge after occasionally attending church services with friends.

The impetus of his exploration, Rife said, was his grandfather’s death two years ago.

“I’ve never been a super religious person, but, when my grandpa passed away, something hit me that I was like, ‘I’ll never see this person again,'” he reflected. “So something has to exist. I skew Christian, so I started going to church a little bit more.”

In a moment of candor, Rife also noted, "I hate church; I find it excruciatingly boring. But I want to believe in God, and it’s obviously a huge part of the process.”  Well, hopefully, that will change. And, Rife will go "all-in" for the Kingdom, because it sounds as if he may be exploring the edges.

Distefano recommended, as he had done with talk-show host Bill Maher, that he read the book, The Case for Christ, which details the journey of journalist and attorney Lee Strobel from atheism to Christianity; Distefano had told Maher that it served to, according to the article, "deepen his own relationship with Jesus."

God Reports noted:

When his grandfather died, it hit home. Grandpa was his first and biggest fan. His best friends helped him overcome the grief by joking around with him, which was somewhat healing.

Going to church was also healing. Rife wise-cracks about pastors getting new material from him for Sunday services.

While he seems to make fun of everything, behind the humor, there’s a human being who longs for eternity. He wants to see his grandfather again.

So Rife took a step of faith and got baptized, and he’s not ashamed of it.

The big question is "what comes next?"  While he says, "I skew Christian," and that he has been baptized, one cannot truly know what is in his heart.  But, what we can know is that a raunchy comedian, or anyone else who is truly seeking God, is not beyond His grace.   And, even though life may be like a joke to Rife sometimes, he does seem to be dead serious about pursuing a relationship with God through Jesus.

There's also the element of the influence of believers on those who are not. Paul talked about the stages of the pre-salvation work in a person's heart, and that some Christians will plant seeds, in the form of sharing God's Word and work, and others will water, reinforcing God's truth in a person's hearts and helping those seeds to grow.  For instance, on that podcast, as Faithwire notes, the co-hosts were part of a faith conversation.  I saw that the other day, watching a segment of the Joe Rogan podcast, in which another podcaster actually talk to him about his walk with Christ.  Canadian apologist Wesley Huff has received kudos for sharing his faith with Rogan, who is admittedly not a Christian.  But, isn't it interesting that the subject keeps getting addressed?

So, I believe God is at work in comedian Matt Rife's life - and he used a moment of crisis to begin to open his eyes and his heart.  When things in life don't go the way we think they should, that can provide a moment in which someone can pivot and consider the source of true hope.  We can be dedicated to being those hope-bringers to those who are seeking to fill the void in their hearts. 

Life and Death

We recognize that death is inevitable, but the Bible cautions us against hastening death - the 10 Commandments are clear; "thou shalt not kill." God alone is the one who is the Creator of life, and human beings should not put themselves in a position of taking the life of another. In Deuteronomy 30, we can read the words of Moses:
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

So, what was the leading cause of death in 2024?  Was it cancer?  Heart attack?   Or, something more sinister, perhaps murder by gun violence?

Well, it's certainly a very sinister action that led the causes of death last year. A LifeSiteNews article stated recently:

...as Breitbart reported yesterday, abortion was the leading cause of death globally in 2024, “with a record 45 million unborn babies killed in the womb, according to data provided by Worldometer.” The numbers are excruciating and impossible to fathom: As of 12 p.m. on December 31, 2024, an estimated 45.1 million abortions were perpetrated throughout the year. For context, Canada’s entire population is 40.1 million.

The abortion death rate – or, more accurately, kill count – dwarfs every other number, including 8.2 million dying from cancer, 5 million from smoking, 1.7 million from HIV/AIDS, 1.46 million from traffic accidents, and 1.1 million from suicide. As Breitbart pointed out, the total of all non-abortion deaths is 62.5 million, “meaning that abortions accounted for just over 42 percent of all human deaths in 2024.”

As the LifeSite article points out, this has had an impact on how well the human race can replicate itself. It relates:

Throughout 2024, the mainstream press woke up to a brutal reality: Despite decades of sinister fearmongering about “overpopulation,” the world is experiencing a critical shortage of babies that will threaten our way of life in every way imaginable.

From The Guardian: “Birthrates are plummeting worldwide. Can governments turn the tide?” From the Globe and Mail: “Fewer babies are being born around the world, and not only in the places you’d expect.” From Euronews: “Greece confronts disastrously low birthrates in Aegean Islands.” From Politico: “The political shockwaves of America’s falling birthrates.”

Here is a sobering thought: "Based on an overview of the world’s 196 countries, the average population of a country is 40.96 million. This means that every year the equivalent of an entire country is killed by abortion."  And, LifeSite pointed out that a news outlet in France was just fined for actually reporting this truth. 

One particular news outlet chose to report on declining birth rates, but chose to look at immigration as the hope for stabilization, with nary a mention of the abortion crisis. Politico reported:

For the population to stay at steady state or growing levels, the fertility rate typically has to be at least 2.1 children per woman. But after peaking in the 1960s, for decades in the U.S. and many other countries the fertility rate has been falling.

In the United States, the number of births decreased 3 percent from 2022, according to the most recent data collected by the Centers for Disease Control, bringing the rate down to 1.6 births per woman over the course of a lifetime. That’s far below the rate needed to keep the US population at replacement levels.

The agenda here was to target plans to reduce illegal immigration.  But, with the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute reporting over 1 million "clinician-provided" abortions in 2023, presumably not including the rise in chemical, or mail-order abortions, this makes a significant impact on our population. 

But, let's not talk about that, the legacy media seems to say - after all, women have the so-called "right to choose."  But, that "right" has consequences on the population generally. And, I believe there are spiritual implications - concern has been expressed over how God could bless a nation that exterminates millions of its unborn children.  We must reject a "culture of death" that hides the true nature of abortion and promote the importance of life and protecting the unborn. 

So, in all this talk of reproductive rights, our nation should have a hard conversation about the number of deaths that are being taken by abortion. How our potential population has been reduced - this goes beyond the moral and spiritual, although those implications are important.  There are economic and sociological consequences of the termination of unborn life.  Because, when sin is tolerated, when we sow to ungodly actions, then we reap the effects.

Pushback

Creation reflects the hand of God; the Bible says that the heavens declare His glory. And, what He has done in creating man and woman, bringing them together in holy matrimony and ordaining and equipping them to have children and raise families, is a tremendous testimony to God's involvement in the human affairs. Jesus taught on this "created order" in Mark 10:
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."

The death knell of this misguided attempt to conflate gender identity with biological sex in the Title IX decision by a federal judge is symptomatic of what has been occurring throughout society.  The separation of sex from gender, moving from biology to feelings, has belied the way that God intended for humanity to operate. 

And, according to Jason Mattera, in an article at the website for the Standing for Freedom Center at Liberty University, there are numerous instances of the collapse of the seemingly invincible transgender agenda which was marching forward through our culture just a few short years ago.  He writes:

When it comes to the staying power of evil, it would be naïve to declare the grotesque push to mutilate and sterilize America’s youth under the guise of “gender-affirming care” completely dead. Evil doesn’t take coffee breaks. But if, five or ten years from now, we’re identifying the moment when the trans movement hit a brick wall, the year 2024 will be the clear frontrunner.

And, there were legacy media outlets that sounded the call.  Mattera states:

Let’s start with the progressive bible itself, the New York Times, which had long accepted and even pushed the “science” underlying transgenderism.

Cue Dr. Hilary Cass, a highly respected pediatrician in England and former president of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health. In 2020, the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) tasked Dr. Cass with conducting a review of its “youth gender treatments and international guidelines of care.” The catalyst for this intervention was mounting allegations that the country’s “youth gender clinic” was recklessly prescribing puberty blockers to children and only conducting “superficial” evaluations with patients.

He goes on to say, regarding the Times:

Here’s how they put it in May:

“Her final report, published last month, concluded that the evidence supporting the use of puberty-blocking drugs and other hormonal medications in adolescents was ‘remarkably weak.’ On her recommendation, the N.H.S. will no longer prescribe puberty blockers outside of clinical trials. Dr. Cass also recommended that testosterone and estrogen, which allow young people to develop the physical characteristics of the opposite sex, be prescribed with ‘extreme caution.’”

And, Cass was the subject of an interview.  Mattera writes:

They gave her a platform to shred America’s trans-industrial complex. During the one-on-one interview, Dr. Cass rebuked the American Academy of Pediatrics for “misleading the public” and said that their position was animated by politics rather than science.

Over at The Washington Post, he states that its "editorial board recently addressed the U.S. Supreme Court’s consideration of a Tennessee law that bars gender transitions for minors."  As he notes...

...the Post outlined how the initial Dutch studies that sparked the craze to medically “transition” young people were hopelessly flawed:

“Early studies from a Dutch clinic seemed to show promising results, but the research started with only 70 patients (dropping to 55 in a follow-up study) and no control group. Treatment results that look impressive in small groups often vanish when larger groups are studied. That’s why the Food and Drug Administration generally requires large, randomized controlled trials of drugs: to ensure that encouraging initial results aren’t mere statistical noise.”

The blows kept coming. They also slammed the lack of transparency among the trans activist researchers. They pointed to U.S. physician Johanna Olson-Kennedy, who, despite receiving taxpayer funding to study the effects of puberty blockers on minors, refused to release her findings, arguing she feared the data would be “weaponized.”

Mattera shares: 

In short, the Post conceded that “in the absence of clear data — and with the possibility of significant publication bias or researchers massaging their results — parents might not have adequate information” to make sound decisions for their kids.

While he believes that "progressives overplayed their hand." He contends that, "the moment the 'gender unicorn' started popping up in schools, with educators conspiring to trans kids behind their parents’ backs and doctors fast-tracking irreversible procedures onto confused children, the public’s tolerance evaporated.

And, just yesterday - and maybe you heard it on Breakpoint with John Stonestreet on Faith Radio - he shared a commentary about some positive trends out of Disney, saying:

A couple of weeks ago, Hollywood Reporter revealed that the animation giant Pixar’s new original streaming series Win or Lose “will no longer include” a planned transgender storyline. 

The commentary, written by Stonestreet and Shane Morris, went on to say:

According to Hollywood Reporter, Pixar decided to remove the trans subplot in Win or Lose about the same time as major layoffs in that studio and in its parent company. Those cuts followed a steady lineup of box office flops involving LGBTQ themes. In fact, Disney has been bleeding out financially for a while, with one news site describing how “high-budget movie failures, combined with challenges in their streaming and theme park operations” left the Mouse House in a “rocky” spot by the second half of 2024.

They also noted:

Perhaps the most important lesson to take from Disney’s and Pixar’s about-face is to soundly reject the “inevitability narrative.” Cultural degradation is not certain, and Christians do not have to perpetually retreat. Sometimes, pushing back makes a difference, especially for companies forced to feel the bottom line and for politicians forced to feel it at the ballot box. If enough people are willing to stand up and challenge powerful interests promoting perversion, history can appear to switch sides … or at least slow its march in the wrong direction.

Those of us who hold to a Christian perspective should not relax and savor our victories.  We are engaged in a spiritual battle, and the enemy has schemes to distort God's principles and deceive believers. As Jason Mattera at the Standing for Freedom Center notes, "Evil, particularly when it targets children, will always regroup and find new avenues. It does show us, however, that smart mobilization can yield results. The nation’s mood has shifted..."

But, the enemy has taken a shot at fundamental Biblical teachings - God's view of sexuality and the sanctity of marriage. Beneath the ideological cosplay lies empty promises that the world gives that someone can live a better life simply by changing his or her biology.  It's deception that produces despair.  The Church should become more well-positioned to counter the lies of the enemy and to teach people, especially young people, that your gender was not "assigned" at birth and that you were not born in the wrong body.  The fallacy of gender ideology has been exposed; now we can seek to fill the void with the truth of Scripture. 

Responding with the Light

In a world where there is evil that is prevalent, followers of Jesus can offer a sharp contrast and shine His. light. Ephesians chapter 5 states:
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

For years, in the United Kingdom, there has been talk of sexual abuse by groups of Pakistani Muslims, a subject that has recently been elevated to more public concern by Elon Musk.  The Daily Signal reported about a week and a half ago:

The United Kingdom’s Labour Party blocked an inquiry into Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s conduct as the head of the Crown Prosecution Service, which was charged with investigating a massive child-sex grooming operation in Oldham more than a decade ago.

That’s according to The Telegraph of London and other news outlets.

The story has been in the news as of late in large part because of Elon Musk, who has been posting about the numerous child-sex grooming operations conducted by Pakistani immigrants to the U.K. In many cases, British authorities ignored or refused to investigate the gangs for fear of being labeled “racist.”

In Parliament just last week, according to the BBC: 

An attempt by the Conservatives to have the government set up a national inquiry into grooming gangs has been voted down by 364 votes to 111 votes, a margin of 253.

The amendment was attached to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would have been killed had the vote passed.

Earlier in the day, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued the government risks fuelling accusations of "a cover up" by refusing an inquiry.

But Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer argued that several inquiries had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men and a new probe would only delay the action the victims wanted.

Another Daily Signal story noted: 

Starmer has been reduced to the laziest, played-out message; namely, that asking questions about the widespread pedophile rape gangs that operated for years as authorities looked the other way makes you a part of the scary “far right.”

Both Daily Signal stories were written by Jarrett Stepman, who said: "What Musk has done is essentially force an American-style political debate onto the U.K. and even more profoundly, onto a European continent that not only doesn’t have a long-standing free speech culture, but has actively tried to do more to censor their own citizens in recent years."

And, CBN News had this to insert: "CBN News was among the first news organizations in America to expose Britain's Grooming Gang scandal eight years ago."  It reprinted a 2016 article, which said, in part:

Some scandals are so massive that they're simply hard to believe. As many as one million white English children may have been the victims of Muslim rape gangs, better known as grooming gangs, in towns up and down Great Britain.

The 2016 article reprint stated: 

Former Home Secretary and Parliament member Jack Straw once said, "There's a particular problem involving Pakistani heritage men who target young, vulnerable, white English girls..."

At the time, CBN reported...

...calculations based on convictions show that a British Muslim male is 170 times more likely to be a part of a sex grooming gang than a non-Muslim. And there are no recorded instances of non-Muslims doing this to Muslim girls as part of a criminal enterprise. In one local jurisdiction, it was estimated that 6 out of 7 Muslim males either knew about or were part of a grooming gang.

Returning to current content, writer Dale Hurd noted:

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Starmer claims that when he led the Crown Prosecution Service it had the highest number of child sex abuse prosecutions on record.

And while there were indeed prosecutions, the grooming gangs were never effectively stopped, and the abuse continues to this day.

While Prime Minister Starmer and his supporters say, "there's nothing to see here," there are those that claim that the egregious behavior has never stopped and are shining the light of truth on a story involving events over a decade ago. 

We live in a broken world, and we see so many manifestations of evil - including sexual deviancy expressed in different forms, such as the "grooming" of young girls that is being alleged in the U.K., to rampant human trafficking, which is enslaving millions of children worldwide and threatening local communities, to other forms of sexual sin. 

It is so easy to become discouraged, but believers should never give up hope - we should be about the business of exposing evil, as Ephesians 5 exhorts us.  In our workplaces, schools, and even our churches, we should be aware of events that are taking place and have our eyes open to inappropriate behavior.  And, we should also be intent on confronting evil with the light of Christ - that means living out and sharing the gospel at every opportunity.  We may never comprehend how our witness will touch people for the Lord.

Christmas Break

We can possess the attitude that wherever God sends us, we will go. That mindset was reflected by the apostle Paul in Romans 15:
20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation,
21 but as it is written: "To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand."
22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.
23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,
24 whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

A college student could spend his or her Christmas break in any number of ways - maybe to head home and spend time with friends and family, perhaps a time to decompress, or work a short-term holiday job.  

An article published at The Baptist Paper reports that a group of students from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College traveled to Spain in December. The article relates:

The 12 students traveled to Madrid, Spain, on Dec. 6 for a week of evangelism activities. The trip was a sort of homecoming for team leader Amanda Williams, a master of arts in biblical counseling student who was born and grew up in Spain as the child of International Mission Board missionaries. The team worked with her parents, Dwight and Mara Williams, and other missionaries during the trip. Williams also is the staff photographer at Southwestern Seminary and was able to document the trip in photos.

The story, which is published in full at the seminary's website, quotes Amanda: 

“In a place like Spain, I have seen my parents measure success differently,” she explained. “If we adopted the same measurements other workers use around the world, ministry here could be considered a failure. That sounds intense, but that is what also makes the work here so beautiful.”

“Although God is able,” she added, “we cannot walk in expecting salvations left and right, but really have to ask ourselves, ‘Am I in it for the long run? Am I able to offer friendship for years, sometimes decades, before somebody becomes spiritually interested and, Lord willing, receives Christ?’”

Nelly Juarez, who is originally from Costa Rica, shared how she saw God move, even though the team encountered a lack of receptiveness to the gospel: “I was able to see God’s faithfulness in the way the church perseveres despite people’s hardness toward the Gospel,” she said. “Although sometimes the fruit is slow to reap, believers keep sowing and trusting God to bring His Kingdom to Spain. I also learned the importance of building long-lasting relationships in order to reach Spanish people and gained a deeper understanding of God’s love for the lost.”

According to the article, "The students conducted evangelism activities in area parks and assisted in events for the local church including a Christmas party for students who were learning English. They also helped with the women’s ministry Christmas party."

Alyssa Espinoza and fiance Toby Dingler went to Spain as part of the missions effort.  The article noted that they plan to serve the Lord together once they are married - they had a unique encounter in Madrid one night in a store.

“Toby and I were speaking in English, so the cashier heard us and took it as an opportunity to practice his English,” she said. As the two men began talking, Dingler shared his faith and they exchanged numbers to hopefully meet up later in the week, she added.

“Toby met with him for coffee a few days later, then the day before we left, I was able to join Toby and the cashier and the cashier’s wife as we had intentional time with them,” Espinoza said. “Toby was able to share the Gospel and challenge the cashier’s beliefs and they developed a sweet friendship in such a short time!”

Toby noticed something about the culture there; he said: “I was blown away by how much the people of Spain valued being with others,” adding, “Everywhere I went I saw people together, talking and having a good time. I couldn’t help but see this piece of Spanish culture as a way for God to reach Spain with His good news.”

The article described the nature of some of the encounters that team members had with local people. Amanda shared: "...time and time again, He brought people that seemed to need a friend right at that very moment. The team was able to form connections and friendships that I’m not sure would have happened otherwise. I know I speak for my parents in saying that we are incredibly grateful for the team, the joy they brought and the encouragement they left to long-term workers [in Spain].”

This story really drives home the point that we should always be willing to go where God sends us at the time He ordains.  We have to guard against allowing excuses to prevent us from doing His will: such as the wrong circumstances, the wrong time, or a deficient amount of finances.  Where God calls, He provides. 

These students utilized a break in the schedule near Christmas to share the gospel - they went to a nation where they were expecting some resistance, based on the experiences of Amanda's parents.  But, they were faithful, and encountered open doors, divine appointments in order to share the gospel. They didn't allow preconceived notions to hold them back from being faithful. 

We can make sure that we recognize that yes, we are sent.  People with a mission who have been commissioned to go into the world.  We are placed here for a purpose, and we can make sure our hearts are open for whatever God desires for us to do.