To the Sidewalks

The Holy Spirit will open up doors through which we can share our faith and He can provide us with creative ideas in order to communicate His truth. Colossians 1 tells us that the saints of God, those who know Christ, have been given an important message - it says:
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Students at Western Kentucky University were inspired to communicate the gospel in a creative way recently.  According to Crosswalk.com:  "A group of Christians at Western Kentucky University recently took the biblical call to spread the gospel to a new level recently, writing the entire book of John in chalk across the campus sidewalks."  

It was organized by three campus ministries and "involved writing all 21 chapters of John’s Gospel in vibrant chalk colors across the pathways where students walk each day. According to the College Heights Herald, the project took approximately two and a half hours to complete."

Around 70 students were involved in this chalk project. The Vice President of Baptist Campus Ministry, Luke Alford, noted: “People look for answers in a lot of different things, and I think it’s really good to have answers right in front of them..."

Crosswalk noted:

The students came together for the project on a cool evening around 9:30 p.m. on March 11 and wrapped up around midnight. They drew the verses on a popular path that extends from Grise Hall to WKU Health Services and the Raymond B. Preston Health & Activities Center, Here Bowling Green reported.

The article included a quote from student Ryan Cantabeni, who had spoken with the Herald, saying: “It’s my goal for the year, to get more connected with God," adding, “It’s really nice to have some kind of sign showing me [to] keep doing this.”

Embedded in the Crosswalk piece was a Facebook post from Christa Frost, who said:

CHECK THIS OUT… last night someone(s) wrote the entire book of John in chalk on the campus of WKU!! Wow!! I want to see it! It stretches from Grise hall all the way down to Preston center. Fall Holy Spirit…You say your Word does not go out and return void! Let fresh oil pour out over this land!! I’m Jesus name, Amen!

Please SHARE!! I made it public…get the WORD out!

She shared a post from a WKU graduate named Graham Martin, who said:

There is a movement spreading across the college campuses of America over the past few months. Where students have been writing the book of John stretched across campuses all over the US. (Mainly towards the end of 2024). A few weeks ago I had the thought on why can’t we do that at the college where I graduated. So late last night with 50-60 people spread across 4-5 campus ministries we came together with $60+ of chalk and spread the 879 verses in the book of John across the campus of WKU in just over 2 hours. The purpose of this is to evangelize and share the true gospel and make Jesus known to all the college students across WKU and be a light to all. It was so much fun to be able to have a part in this opportunity!

There's actually an Instagram page called "gospelchalkmovement," where there are accounts of various campuses where this has been done.  Schools include UAB, N.C. State, Appalachian State, and others. 

Talk about taking the gospel to the streets - literally - on the sidewalks of various college campuses. This illustrates a creative mean that students are using to share their faith.

The question each of us can ask concerns how God is calling us to share our faith.  It may be through a one-on-one conversation, and perhaps the display of the love of Christ with someone in need. We should always be on the alert to the leading of the Holy Spirit into divine encounters.  

In two and a half hours on a campus in Kentucky, dozens of students were intent on making their faith known, and we can be confident that the Word will not return void, as the Bible says.  And, as students walk, literally, on the Word, we can be reminded how we are called to walk according to God's truth.

Divine Consequences?

The Bible teaches us that sin has its consequences. We have all sinned and continue to do so although a Christian believer, while not sinless, as it's been said, should sin less. We have an advocate when we do sin, but sin has its consequences - the Bible also says that as we sow, we shall reap. That is true certainly individually, but I think we should consider that collectively that is so, as well. Galatians 6 says:
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

A recent piece at The Western Journal by a C. Douglas Golden opened this way:

On Jan. 5, the Golden Globes took place in Los Angeles. Hollywood royalty arrived to be roasted by host Nikki Glaser, to see and to be seen, and to hopefully pick up a trophy on the way.

About halfway through the ceremony, Glaser noted who’d gotten thanked.

Most often: cast and crew. Second least-often: Mario Lopez of “Access Hollywood.” Least-often: God.

Glaser noted, “It’s no surprise in this godless town..."  Obviously, that was played for laughs.  But, when you think about it, it is no laughing matter.  The article points out:

On Jan. 7, the California wildfires started, burning down the homes of thousands of residents, but — unusually for natural disasters — seeming to target the rich and famous particularly.

Coincidence?  Maybe, maybe not.  Consequences?  Divine judgment? X users chimed in to offer that possibility. Well...here's what Golden had to say:

The morally unhinged “Emilia Pérez” — about how a Mexican drug lord basically became a secular saint merely by identifying as a transgender woman — won “Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy” over pictures like “Anora” and “The Substance.”

I mention those two because the fact they both earned R ratings as opposed to NC-17, proof the Motion Picture Association of America has just given up trying at this point.

This is what we might call a conversation starter, so the writer has given us something to think about.  Golden wrote:

Now, whether or not this was some sort of divine plan — I doubt God was simply provoked by Glaser’s words, not having realized the state of California was a modern Babylon, but it could be a not-so-gentle reminder that God shall not be mocked — is way above my pay grade, as they say.

Golden also stated:

...it’s worth noting that the four major fires formed a semicircle around the Beverly Hilton, where the awards were held.

And it’s worth noting that Hollywood is a town that consistently thumbs its nose at God — which, well, we’ve seen how that worked out for Sodom and Gomorrah.

We love to talk about the love and grace of God, and we can be thankful that He sent His Son to die for our sins to spare us from the wrath of God.  But, it doesn't mean that the wrath of God isn't real, and for those who are unrepentant sinners, they are unprotected from God's mercy, even though it is available.  That should produce the fear of God in a person's life and drive him or her to believe on Jesus and repent.  

Erwin Lutzer was a guest on The Meeting House just yesterday.  Regarding the book, The Eclipse of God, he told WORLD Magazine:

I was motivated by an article in The Economist that said God is becoming more liberal: He is beginning to approve of same-sex marriage. It said almost nobody believes in the “smitey Almighty” of the Old Testament. In other words, the God we used to believe in is irrelevant. What I do in the book is to help people understand where this eclipse of God, this darkness, came from, and why we have to get back to the Biblical concept of God and not the gods of popular culture.

Lutzer adds: "In America today, even among evangelicals, God has been domesticated. He’s been brought down and made much more sin-friendly. Americans don’t mind saying that they believe in 'God' as long as they can choose the god in whom they believe. And oftentimes this god turns out to be their own consciousness."

And, regarding the wrath of God, he shares: "We have essentially said that in the New Testament era, it is safe to sin because we live under grace and not under law. It’s an overemphasis on the love of God, which needs to be preached, but where’s the wrath of God? There are two doctrines that destroy the church: the essential goodness of man and the endless tolerance of a nonjudgmental God. I think in some instances, those doctrines have come into the evangelical church, and when they have, the essence of the gospel is lost."

So, God has not changed - and God will not be mocked.  One way that I believe that we see the judgment of God is that he turns people over to what is called in Romans 1 - New Testament - a "debased mind," or as other translations say, a "reprobate mind."  The consequences of their choices; the victimization of their own self-pursuit.  And, perhaps even our choices, as Bible-believing Christians, can cause us pain when we don't submit ourselves to Almighty God.  

The principle of sowing and reaping is certainly alive and well, and while we should always love God and devote ourselves to Him, we should be mindful that we were under judgment for our sins, and a God who is active in the operation of humanity is certainly capable of making Himself known, even in unpleasant ways, for the disobedient.  The Old Testament reminds us that even though His own people disobeyed Him and rebelled against Him, He did not completely forsake them, and to this day, He reaches out in His mercy, so that human beings would come to know Him.

Disconnected

Despite the evidence of God all around us, there are many who do not believe that He even exists, according to a recent survey. The Bible shows us how God has worked throughout the ages and is an authoritative and reliable source to show us that indeed He exists and is actively working in the world today, including through the lives of His people. Here are three verses in Hebrews 11 about possessing faith in this wonderful God:

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

The Christian Post reports that, according to a new survey...

The research found that overall, 60% of Americans do not believe God exists or that He “affects lives.” Nearly half of self-identified Christians (47%) and a slightly smaller share of theologically identified born-again Christians (40%) said the same.

That data is from the American Worldview Inventory 2025, published by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, where George Barna is Director of Research.

Barna says, according to the article: “The more time you spend thinking about what this research tells us, the more you are likely to conclude that nothing short of sweeping national repentance and spiritual renewal can save America from itself.”  The article goes on to say:

He added, “It seems obvious that political, economic, legal, or institutional improvements are not what America needs most desperately today. Those cultural arenas merely provide prescriptions that address the symptoms, but not the disease."

The report, he said, is evidence that God has been “reconfigured into our own image in order to fit within our personal comfort zone.” 

And, even among that 40% of Americans that believes that God exists and affects lives, "a plurality (38%) defined God as the 'most important element' in their lives, while 23% described God as 'extremely important' in their lives, and 18% characterized God as having a 'very important' influence on their lives."

The survey summary notes that among certain groups of Christians, between 40% and 47% of whom do not believe in the existence of God nor His affecting of lives, 40% of self-identified Christians and 52% of theologically identified, "born-again" Christians say that God is the "most important element" of their lives.

Even among so-called "Integrated Disciples," just under three-fourths cite God as that most important element.

Furthermore, according to The Christian Post:

Just 20% of “those who believe the God of the Bible exists and affects lives” told pollsters they had “an intimate and interactive spiritual relationship with Him, with constant two-way communication.” Another 45% classified their relationship with God as “close,” defined by frequent prayer and trust in Him to “do what is best and right.”

George Barna says that this data indicates "the list of startling insights into a Christian faith that bears little resemblance to biblical teaching and to God’s intent could continue.”

In Luke 6, Jesus asked the penetrating question: "...why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?"  This research shows an ignorance, even among Christians, of what it truly means to be a Christian - a Christ-follower.  Obviously, there are those that claim to have had an experience with God but have a warped understanding of how He works in our world today and in individual lives. And, even though someone might say he or she believes, that doesn't translate into a vibrant, close relationship with Him. 

So, there's the disconnect - and it is incumbent upon us who claim the name of Jesus to allow the light of truth to shine in each of our hearts in order to determine the degree to which we truly act in a manner that is consistent with the teachings of Scripture, reflecting the presence of Jesus.  Because we are all vulnerable to the influences of this world and the temptation of the enemy, we have to stay connected to our Lord and grow in our faith in Him.

Mockery

There is an enemy, who rebelled against God, has fallen from heaven, and is intent on stealing, killing, and destroying, as Jesus said in John 10:10. His aim is to somehow diminish the work of God on the earth and throughout creation. We should not be ignorant, as the Bible instructs us, of his evil schemes. Ephesians 5 states:
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

The enemy and his followers have decided to make a mockery of religious ritual in which they call a "Black Mass" this Friday at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka.  The Topeka Capital-Journal  reports that a group called the "Satanic Grotto" applied for a permit to stage it, and the outlet says:

The group’s application to hold an event on March 28 at the Kansas Statehouse was approved, but Gov. Laura Kelly later directed the protest be outside. The state is prohibited from denying event applications due to religious affiliations.

Kelly cited health and safety as the reason. So far 44 people indicated they will attend on Facebook, but counter-protests are also being organized.

The state's House of Representatives has already passed a resolution denouncing the gathering. The resolution attempted to affirm a constitutional right to free speech, but went on to say:

“The planned satanic worship ritual is an explicit act of anti-Catholic bigotry and an affront to all Christians. It blasphemes our shared values of faith, decency and respect that strengthen our communities..."

The local Archdiocese of the Catholic Church had claimed that the Satanic group had stolen unleavened bread blessed by a priest; the official filed a lawsuit, it was dropped after the Satanic Grotto head testified in court that it had been legitimately purchased. Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference responded by saying: “This alleviates a major concern. It is still sad that a group can get permission for the use of Statehouse grounds when their sole purpose is the mockery and denigration of not just Catholics, but people from all denominations."

Rep. Ken Rahjes said: “We again, fully support, and many of us I’m sure would defend, your right to say what you will at a peaceful assembly. But a satanic ritual goes against what many of us believe, and beyond simply a matter of peacefully assembling..."

Not the Bee said that the planned Kansas meeting is similar to one held last year in Oklahoma City last year; its article said:

A Black Mass inverts the Catholic Mass, focusing the Latin Liturgy on Satan rather than God and requires a consecrated host to be stolen from the eucharist and destroyed.

On a side note, it's a little odd to hold one in March, as usually these things happen during October — around Halloween.

But the Grotto isn't affiliated with other Satanists, so maybe they just don't know. (It's a non-denominational church of Satan.🤣)

Satanic Grotto founder Michael Stewart provided some insight into this event; NewsNation noted:

...Stewart says the event will take place inside the capital even if it means being arrested by the police. He says the group will be protesting “oppression” and religious people imposing their faith on others.

“What we’re going to do is heavily lean into the four blasphemies, kind of representing an alternate to the stations of the cross,” Stewart said.

The New York Post related: "Stewart...brushed aside virulent reactions that his group’s plans for the March 28 Black Mass — a sort of inverted Catholic service he described as 'a cathartic expression of sorrow, rage, and healing' — have inflamed." Stewart said, "You’re going to see a book get torn, a cross get broken, a cracker get crunched, and wine get drunk, and that is the scariest bit of what we were planning to do..."

Not to mention that the group plans on breaking the law to carry out this treachery, and disregarded the requirement that the bread be stolen; apparently, as Stewart said, they got it from "Pope Amazon."

What a piece of work.  While news reports say this bunch doesn't worship the devil, by making a mockery out of organized religion and practices that are, at their core, based on Scripture, they are standing with Satan and carrying out his mission.  While Jesus builds up, the enemy tears down.  Those aligned with the enemy of our souls glorify evil and denigrate the good. 

The good news is that this gathering looks to be small - less than 50, at the time of the Topeka outlet's story a few days ago.  So, we don't want to give it more attention than it deserves.  And, this "Grotto" seems to love attention - just look at all of its news coverage.  But, it does serve as a reminder of a sense of irreverence in our culture that would take aim at Christians, to even make fun of our walk with God and how we carry that out.  But, we need to talk about the nature of evil and continue to be a force for good through the power of the Lord.

Thus Saith the Lord

The Lord will speak to us in so many ways - the question is, are we listening? God has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit will bring that word to light in our hearts. In fact, multiple sources say that the phrase, "Thus saith the Lord," appears over 400 times in the King James Version of the Bible.  Jesus taught in John 10:
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Cameron Cortman is now 24 years old, and due to what was thought to be an ear infection at the age of one, he may not have been alive. The story is told at the CBN website.  He is quoted as saying: “I got sick with an ear infection in the hustle and bustle of moving,” adding, “My mom took me to the doctor. She thought it was just a routine ear infection. I had been getting them a lot lately.”  The article goes on to say:

But Cortman’s mom felt deep in her gut that something else was going on. In fact, after the doctor prescribed antibiotics, she paused to share something she experienced on the way to his office.

“[She said], ‘Actually, on the way over here, the Lord spoke to me and told me that something is seriously wrong and that we need to go to the hospital,’ which is just a wild thing to say to a doctor,” Cortman recounted. “But, thankfully … the doctor was a Christian and he said, ‘Who am I to really argue with the Lord? So we can send you to the hospital.'”

CBN continues to relate the story:

“They start to run pretty much every test imaginable, and they come back a few hours later and say, ‘We’re so sorry, 95% of your son’s blood cells are leukemia. He probably won’t make it through the night,'” Cortman said.

The shocking news, which upended the family’s lives, confirmed everything his mother had felt.

“As you can imagine, it’s just a mix of utter disbelief, and shock, and starting to grieve, and really just confusion of what to do,” Cortman said. “And I think you kind of immediately go into a mode of, ‘OK, let’s figure out next steps.'”

So, as a 1-year-old, Cameron Cortman began chemotherapy.  The family trusted God and prayed through four years of treatment.  Then, the cancer disappeared.  Cameron calls it "miraculous," and says: 

“What’s crazy about that situation — other than the fact that I was completely cured from cancer — is they said to my parents, ‘Although he is cancer free, he’s not out of the woods. So there is a very good chance that he’s not able to speak like everyone else would. He might not be able to walk. He might not be able to talk,'” Cortman said, noting these dire effects could have come from the chemotherapy.

Cameron went on to play collegiate sports and now works in marketing for a Christian media company. His parents' reaction to his illness provided a strong source of inspiration for him.  He says:

“So much of my faith … I credit to them because I think most people in situations like that, it’s very easy for them to turn against God, turn against each other,” he said. “The fact that they relied on God through that and then came out on the other side stronger … their marriage is still very strong and that their faith is still very strong — I don’t think that I would have the same faith that I have today had they not responded the way they did through that whole journey.”

But, keep in mind, the journey really began with what seemed to be a doctor's appointment to treat an ear infection.  Cameron's mother experienced one of those "Thus saith the Lord" moments.  Whether it was audible or just a prompting in her spirit, she knew that God was speaking to her about her son's condition. 

Not only did she hear, but she listened and acted on what she had heard, boldly asking the doctor for additional testing, which revealed Cameron's leukemia.  

We may not hear the audible voice of God, but we know that God is always speaking. His primary mode of communication is the Bible, the Word of God - but as we study and meditate on Scripture, the Holy Spirit will show us ways in which the Word can apply to our own lives.  The word, "quicken" has been used to describe the experience of a verse or passage essentially jumping off the page and into our hearts, our spirits, which are connected to the Holy Spirit because we know Jesus. 

There will also be instances in which we can discern what is described as a "still, small voice" that will guide us in our decision-making.  We may not know literal words, just a sense of knowing the right thing to do, or perhaps avoiding something harmful.  God speaks to us through our conscience, that knowledge of right and wrong.  Some relate having a "check" in their spirit - the experience of God directing us to walk in a different direction, perhaps.  And, we can also be intent on allowing God to speak to us through the proclamation of truth - at Faith Radio, we desire to be a conduit through which God will speak to you: through solid Bible teaching throughout the day and uplifting music that can draw you into His presence, we hope that you will have a greater sense of God's work in your life. 

Thankful in Tragedy

We can consider how quickly we respond to the Lord in thankfulness and praise when we see Him move.  Perhaps it is something huge, even miraculous.  Maybe it's something that could be considered a small thing. But, through large and small, we can be attentive to the way that the Spirit works in, through, and around us. 

Here are some verses from Psalm 107 that contain some helpful reminders for us:

1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy...

The Psalmist then mentions the wandering of God's chosen people in the wilderness, stating:

6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses.
7 And He led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Christina and Brett Clardy are thankful today - Christina is a teacher at Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin.  Their teenage son, River, is a student.  Both are survivors of a shooting in December at that school that left three people dead and five injured, according to The Christian Post.  

Christina was in her classroom and took steps to protect the children in her classroom.  She told a local television station, WMTV, that she then connected with her daughters, and the three were concerned about River. Turns out he was severely injured and had been transported to the hospital with multiple wounds. 

The station's website quotes from Adam Brinkman, who is the medical director of pediatric trauma care at UW Health’s American Family Children’s Hospital. He said, "River was losing a lot of blood from injuries to his neck, to his throat, to his hip to his hand,” adding, “His skin color was very pale. His heart rate was very high. Blood pressure was very low. All the clinical signs that he was very close to dying.”

He had five surgeries and things were touch and go for a while. Christina said, “I was praying the whole time.”

Brett, his father, said it was over a week before he was convinced that River would make it.  But, even though his condition was life-threatening, he came out on the other side, and had to go through therapy to complete even routine tasks, such as swallowing, brushing his teeth and hair, and tying his shoes. 

His mom, Christina said: “River is a kid who is a perseverer. He’s a hard worker,” adding, “We believe that God is a huge part of his healing through natural means like through the body healing itself and through some things that you know aren’t explainable to us. But he is, he’s done better than he should have.” 

Forty-six days after entering the hospital, River was able to go home.  Brinkman counted 263 hospital staff members who were part of the healing process, and hospital employees lined the halls of the facility to send him off. 

Christina offered this perspective: “It’s important to give thanks for the good in our lives. And to recognize, you know, the good around us, like in the people in our community. When our circumstances aren’t good, those things, those are things that are good.... I do have moments where I’m like, I can’t believe he’s alive, you know? I’m just really grateful.”

In the midst of an unspeakable tragedy, here is an instance of finding the hand of God. It truly is unthinkable that someone would go into a school meaning to do harm, and when you consider this was a Christian school - a school representing the presence of Christ in this world - well, it hits close to home. But, as you would expect, there was faith demonstrated in response to River's being shot and almost losing his life.  

In the troubles of life, we can be inspired by Christina Clardy's example to keep praying; 1st Thessalonians 5 reminds us to pray without ceasing.  And, when we see the Lord do something in our lives or the lives of those around us, big or small, we should be quick to thank Him.  Growing in gratefulness can help us to appreciate and adore the Lord even more. 

We can also recognize that God will often surround us with other people to walk with us through a tough journey. And, when we have the opportunity, we can make the effort to say thanks. Our verbalization to the Lord about how grateful we are, as well as to people whom He used to produce an outcome for His glory, can help strengthen us and to remember in all things to recognize the presence of God who is with us and who is moving according to His purposes.

Wrong

One of the key characteristics of a devoted believer in Christ is to admit when we are wrong. We actually did that when we first got saved, admitting that we were a sinner and needed a Savior. We also are directed to confess our sins and to receive forgiveness from the Lord. The Bible tells us in 1st Timothy chapter 2 that Jesus our Savior...
(4) ...desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle...

You may have never heard of him, but you probably have used the website that he co-founded. His name is Larry Sanger.  He is co-founder of Wikipedia.

A Faithwire story quotes from one of his blog posts, in which he declared: "It is finally time for me to confess and explain, fully and publicly, that I am a Christian..."

The Faithwire article goes on to say:

Sanger told CBN News the skepticism he held for most of his life went back to his childhood and his unsure perspective on all religions. Despite that reticence, he did dabble in attempts to communicate with a Higher Power.

“I wasn’t necessarily praying to God, per se, but I had a sort of internal dialogue,” he said. “And sometimes, I even wrote it out …. with some supremely wise being, and, sometimes, I would even call that being ‘God,’ not that I believed that that was God, but in order to just sort of clarify my thought.”

The article also notes, including quotes from Sanger:

“I had a lot of roadblocks in the way to coming to believe that God exists and … that the Christian God exists, and being a Christian,” he said, noting he had to shed presuppositions and ideologies that conflicted with these worldviews, including notions about being driven by self-interest. “When I had children and when I got married, I’d reflected that, ‘Well, I would die for these people.’ So, of course, I put their interest ahead of mine.”

Faithwire says:

This challenged any sort of ideology about putting the self first. Then, he began to become “very disillusioned” by fellow unbelievers — especially the “mocking skeptics.”

He began "thinking deeper, reading the Bible," and ultimately, he began to look toward the truth of the Scriptures, stating: “There was a period of time in which I knew things were changing, but I can’t pin it down to a particular moment when I just decided I now believe that God exists,” adding, “There is a moment when I said, ‘OK, I have to admit that what I’m doing now is praying to God,’ and there also was a moment when I prayed something like the Sinner’s Prayer after, I guess, two months or so into reading the Bible.”

He is apparently learning more and more about walking with Jesus. The article reports: "Like many, Sanger had a litany of questions as he read Scripture and he relied on commentaries and biblical resources to help him navigate and learn. As he studied, he ultimately came to the conclusion that Scripture is true, validated, and provable." And, that is producing life transformation; Larry Sanger says, "The answers are out there...The Bible withstands scrutiny, which was a great surprise to me. I thought it couldn’t. I was wrong." He says, "I've changed a lot."

So, check out the timeline of transformation: disgruntled by the skeptics around him, he began to question his own views of God; ultimately, he was drawn to the Bible, and God spoke to Him. Larry Sanger surrendered his life, and he is now on a road to spiritual growth.  He is seeing the fruit of the presence of God in him - he is experiencing life change through Jesus.

That's a great indicator of how submissive we are to the Spirit - we can consider how we have seen and continue to see change in our lives, in our attitudes, our behavior, and our relationships. We can think about the degree to which we pursue the things of God.  And, as we maintain an attitude of who we are in light of who He is, we can recognize by the Spirit those areas that are not pleasing to Him.  Realizing that He loves us, we can confess our sins and experience true forgiveness - as we are willing to admit we don't have all the answers, that we are "wrong," we can see the presence of Jesus expressed through us. 

Stabilized

Recently, I shared some results from a new Pew study that shows that an apparently years-long decline in the percentage of Americans claiming to be Christians has leveled off. In this case, stability is better than continued decline, but we certainly need to reverse this trend. In our own lives, we shouldn't be satisfied with standing still, although it's only slightly better than the alternative of regression. Paul wrote about this in Philippians chapter 3:
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We should always take steps toward spiritual growth, and the Church should be on the forefront of facilitating that. 

I spoke a couple of weeks ago about new data released by Pew Research in another edition of the Religious Landscape Study.  The survey summary said that in this most recent study, conducted over a seven-month span in 2023 and 24: "62% of U.S. adults identify as Christians. That is a decline of 9 percentage points since 2014 and a 16-point drop since 2007."  But it adds, "...for the last five years, between 2019 and 2024, the Christian share of the adult population has been relatively stable, hovering between 60% and 64%. The 62% figure in the new Religious Landscape Study is smack in the middle of that recent range."

There are other areas of spiritual practice that have stabilized among American adults, as well. The summary relates:

• Though down significantly since 2007, the share of Americans who say they pray daily has consistently held between 44% and 46% since 2021. In the new RLS, 44% say they pray at least once a day.
• Similarly, since 2020, the percentage of U.S. adults who say they attend religious services monthly has hovered in the low 30s. In the new RLS, 33% say they go to religious services at least once a month.

The summary also notes:

Moreover, the survey shows that large majorities of Americans have a spiritual or supernatural outlook on the world.

For example:

• 86% believe people have a soul or spirit in addition to their physical body.
• 83% believe in God or a universal spirit.
• 79% believe there is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if we can’t see it.
• 70% believe in an afterlife (heaven, hell or both).

These are not necessarily Biblical beliefs, but do point to an awareness of some sort of spirituality - that there is more than just what we experience in our natural realm. 

One troubling sign is that Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 are far less likely to engage in religious practice than those 75 and up.  For instance, only 46% of these younger adults identify as Christian vs. 80% of the older ones.  Just about a-quarter of younger adults pray daily & attend religious services monthly.  That contrasts with 58% of those 75+ who pray daily and around half of that age group who attend religious services at least once a month.  That is a major issue that the Church is grappling with these days. 

This spiritual stability can also be described as spiritual stagnation.  And, that is detrimental to a culture and to an individual Christian.  Our challenge in the Church is to find ways to generate an upward trend in a society that claims to be spiritual generally, but, in practice, possesses less than half its population that prays on a daily basis and about a-third who go to church.  

A good sign is that there is a widespread belief in the supernatural - that's a good starting point, a potential building block. But that general belief has to be transformed into a specific practice - a shift from murky beliefs to concrete action.  Just as James said faith without works is dead, belief has to be lived out. 

This can cause us to examine our own lives: are we pressing on, as the apostle Paul declared?  Or have we pressed "pause" in our lives.  Are we seeking the Lord more diligently and faithfully than we used to or have we allowed complacency to set in?  Then, there's that other choice, in addition to forward movement and stagnation - have we regressed? The apostle John wrote to the Church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, calling it out for losing its first love. If that is the case, you can recapture that devotion - come before the Lord, repent, and, as Scripture says in Revelation 2, verse 5: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent."  A life of keeping short accounts before the Lord can result in a pliable, repentant heart and a life that reflects spiritual growth rather than regression or standing still.

Not of this World

The Bible instructs us that believers in Christ are not of this world and should not follow the ways of this world. That doesn't mean that we are victims of this world, but we are called to live as victors in it, despite opposition that we may face. Jesus taught in John 15:
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

I don't know the faith practices of one Christopher Thevanesan of Rochester, New York, but according to The Western Journal:

He’s suing Starbucks and five of his former colleagues after experiencing what his legal complaint called “extreme and outrageous” harassment merely because he is straight, according to a Thursday report from The Independent.

The article notes:

The lawsuit described Thevanesan as a “model employee who performed the essential functions of his employment in an exemplary fashion.”

But he allegedly endured a “hostile” work environment since his coworkers apparently targeted him because of his “gender typicality and sexual orientation.”

After complaining to management, Christopher was fired.  The article's writer, Ben Zeisloft, relates:

The broader homosexual and transgender movement usually characterizes itself to the public as loving, inclusive, and tolerant.

But if this disgruntled Starbucks worker is to be believed, that community is actually highly spiteful, exclusionary, and intolerant.

That's been the experience of author and Bible teacher Christopher Yuan.  The Christian Post reports that Yuan's non-profit organization, Holy Sexuality "has filed a lawsuit against a California-based technology company, accusing it of religious discrimination."  The article goes on to say that the organization has "filed a complaint" against Asana, Inc. in a federal district court in San Francisco. The article states: "According to the lawsuit, Asana refused to give Holy Sexuality a 50% nonprofit discount for the company’s project management software due to the religious nature of the organization."

The Christian Post also noted that the suit, filed by Alliance Defending Freedom "cited an entry on Asana’s website which excludes from their discount 'organizations that exist to solely propagate a belief in a specific faith or do not provide services to people outside of a specific faith.'" Furthermore, according to the article:

Asana also bars from the nonprofit discount any hospitals, credit unions, educational institutions, and any groups “that advocate, support, or practice discrimination based on age, ethnicity, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.”

Yuan was quoted in a press release issued by ADF, saying his belief that our country “was founded on the principle of the free exercise of religion — a cornerstone of our democracy.”  He went on to say:

“Yet some corporations, emboldened by intersectional ideology and anti-Christian sentiment, choose to unlawfully discriminate based solely on religion,” stated Yuan. “This must stop. California law protects all religions from discrimination. Equal treatment is the bedrock of our society.”

Yuan is described as formerly an "agnostic homosexual;" now he is a Christian theologian.

These examples show that among those that preach "tolerance," there is a certain intolerance toward those who disagree.  In the case of Christopher Thevanesan, it resulted in bullying at work and the loss of a job.  In Christopher Yuan's situation, he faced economic intolerance - not being allowed a certain discount for non-profit organizations because it is religious in nature and viewed as discriminatory.

The world does not understand a Biblical worldview on sexuality and you have those, as I was talking about with Nader Maurice of KDEC church in Egypt, people are afraid of those who are different. I would submit that Satan also uses an unhealthy fear of what is not understood.  And, you find people who don't understand Christianity - because of our differences, they become hostile - and perhaps even afraid.  And I think there are those who don't want to be reminded of their own sinfulness. 

Fact is, Jesus said that we would be hated by the world - so when we run up against opposition, we can wear that as a badge of honor.  Now, we should not generate hate and damage our witness by displaying unchristian behavior. But, if we are living in the light of the Lord and are rejected for it, we can continue to abide in Christ and allow His love to touch the people with whom we interact through our witness to His presence. 

Guard Your Heart

During the COVID pandemic, you heard doctors and other medical professionals say, "follow the science." I don't quite know who popularized the term, but sometimes science is used to pursue ends that are not scientific and not reflective of the principles set in motion by the Creator, the One who originated science in the first place.
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet...

The nation is a step closer to having a new director of the National Institutes of Health - just last week, a Senate committee approved, by a narrow margin, the nomination of Jay Bhattacharya. FoxNews.com reported, "A physician, Stanford professor of medicine and senior fellow at the university's Institute for Economic Policy Research, Bhattacharya was a leading voice during the COVID-19 pandemic against lockdown measures and vaccine mandates."

The article went on to say:

Bhattacharya was notably a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, a document published in October 2020 by a group of scientists advocating for an alternative approach to handling the COVID-19 pandemic. It argued largely against widespread lockdowns and promoted the efficacy of natural immunity to the virus for low-risk individuals, suggesting the vaccine may not be the best course of action for everyone.

The confirmation of a new leader at NIH is imminent, and there are a couple of articles I came across that have explored the unholy alliance between a former NIH head, Francis Collins, and so-called "evangelical leaders." A piece at the Center for Baptist Leadership site by Nick Spencer, who is the Director of Public Policy for The Family Foundation of Kentucky, noted that:

When Dr. Collins took to the stage at the “Stand Up for Science” rally on March 7th, 2025, I was not expecting to hear a folk song about how cuts to scientific research would deprive “all the good people” of answers.

About the rally, which was organized to protest proposed government funding reductions, Spencer went on to say:

...the exact language Collins used to describe his own side of the debate betrays an underlying conflict of worldviews, which is ultimately hostile to the core truths of the Gospel.

As stated above, Collins describes those on his side of the funding divide as “the good people.” The same “good people” that Collins funneled millions of dollars to in order to harvest the organs of murdered children, fund “transgender” studies on teenagers that resulted in suicides, and worked with Anthony Fauci to slander and discredit Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (who Trump has now picked to lead NIH) during COVID.

 But, Collins has received support among high-profile "Christian leaders;" Spencer says:

...one ought not be permitted to appeal to orthodox Christian concepts to justify their saving knowledge of Christ while at the same time behaving in a manner contrary to the Gospel. Whether that is denying biblical inerrancy by undermining Scripture’s clear witness on issues of faith and practice or supporting and directing research on the bodies of dead children, just because you say something conservative about yourself does not make it true.

The men noted above are, in many ways, a case study in Matthew 12:22-28. Their actions betray the fact that they are divided against themselves. In one breath, they are committed to Christianity, while in another, they seem open to the ways of the world. Some claim Christ when it suits them and profit off of aborted children behind the scenes. Others profess conservatism when they desire, yet undermine the polity of the SBC in the name of “keep[ing] the main thing the main thing.”

Seth Gruber, writing at Clear Truth Media last year, provided a look at how Collins promoted unbiblical ideas and actions under the guise of Christianity:

On August 17, 2009, Barack Obama appointed Francis Collins as the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Lauded as a hero of the faith because he professed belief in God while leading the Human Genome Project some years prior, Collins became a link between Christian institutions and the scientific establishment. As association with Collins meant a pastor couldn’t be accused of being some backward-thinking fundamentalist, Collins’s image became synonymous with a more nuanced, reasonable faith – perhaps even a faith that was academically robust.

A year after taking the helm of NIH, Collins reportedly believed that “it is not possible scientifically to settle precisely when life begins.” In fact, before taking over NIH, Collins had already praised eugenic abortions ( when one prenatally tests the baby to see if they’re “fit” or “unfit” and disposes of them if they aren’t up to scruff) as something people “in our current society… are in a circumstance of being able to take advantage of” and something “we have decided as a society… needs to be defended.” And shortly after his confirmation at NIH, Collins said that establishing a new human embryonic stem cell registry was one of his high priorities.

Gruber goes on to say:

By the start of 2022, many believers had come to realize that Francis Collins either presided over, ordered, funded, or indirectly participated in the following while leading NIH:

· Record-level spending on scientific experimentation performed on fetuses obtained from abortions.

· Endorsement of unrestricted funding of embryonic stem cell research.

· Millions of dollars in taxpayer grants spent on transgender research on minors.

· Opposite-sex hormone treatments given to children as young as eight years old.

· Mastectomies performed on girls as young as thirteen years old.

· Millions of dollars in grants to an app program that tracked teenage boys’ homosexual activities including anal sex, all without parental knowledge.

This is the legacy of Frances Collins.  And, you had high-profile evangelicals propping him up.  Gruber and Spencer named names. Megan Basham of The Daily Wire wrote a piece about this support, asking five evangelicals about their support of Collins in light of his treachery.  Gruber notes:

...after Megan Basham’s Daily Wire article that caused Big Eva to start collapsing in on itself like a dying star, Daily Wire reached out to those five men to ask if they had changed their views on Collins given these revelations. NONE OF THEM RESPONDED. And that remains true to this day. None of these supposedly godly Christian leaders has anything to say about his “brother in Christ” funding the live dissections of infants for fresh organs, sexualizing teenage boys, carving the breasts off of healthy teenage girls, chemically castrating children, praising eugenic abortions, and buying the organs of our preborn brothers and sisters.

We live in an age in which discernment is necessary, because there are those who, for whatever reason, be it money, power, control, or fame, have decided that their love of the world and acceptance by it is greater than their love of God. Romans 16 says to "note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."

That is why we must guard our associations and, by so doing, guard our hearts.  And, you can tell a lot about a spiritual leader by the people with whom he or she associate.  Faith Radio desires to be a trusted source for you in order that you may grow in the Lord and not be influenced by entanglements that we find so common among present-day evangelicalism. It's not a matter of Christ-plus, we must hold fast to Christ alone! We need to be in the Scriptures consistently, so that God's Word will give us the discernment we need in order to exhibit growth in the Lord. Proverbs 4 states: "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life."

Spread

God uses individual Christians and the Church as a whole to present a powerful witness to the world about His love, grace, and faithfulness. And, through the obedience of each and every Christian, the work of God is carried out throughout the earth. We can read this in 2nd Corinthians chapter 2:
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Keith Getty, in an article published several years ago at Baptist Press, discussed the album that he and wife, Kristyn, had recorded called, Confessio, the title of which, as the article notes, "is a reference to a written work by Ireland’s Saint Patrick."  During the COVID pandemic, the Getty family spent an extended period of time in Northern Ireland, which is where Keith and Kristyn are from.  The article states:

Keith said the album was heavily influenced by his family’s time in the Ireland, where the couple had the opportunity to travel around teaching their children about their family heritage, as well as the way Christianity has been spread around the world from the country.

“I was honestly overwhelmed with going back to Ireland and realizing that in 17 centuries of Christianity since Saint Patrick came, just how Christianity has gone around the world from that country,” Getty said. “There is also a very emotional desire that my own children will know something of the heritage of their faith, and the great hymns of our faith.”

Certainly, the legacy of St. Patrick has not been forgotten, in that there is a day that has been named in his honor. While some St. Patrick's Day revelry does not strike a Christian or even reverent tone, we, as believers, can reflect on this man's contribution to the spread of the gospel.

Paul Batura wrote a piece a while back at The Daily Citizen from Focus on the Family.  He related some lessons that can be learned from the life and ministry of Patrick.  One is that "Good things come from tragedy."  Batura writes:

When he was just sixteen, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold into slavery. He worked for six years herding sheep in horrible conditions. He was often cold, isolated and alone.

How did he handle his fate? Accord to Patrick himself, he prayed up to one hundred times during the day and another hundred times at night. He reported that an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him, “You have fasted well. Very soon you will return to your native country.”

Nobody likes to be in exile. Perhaps you’re struggling during this season of your life and you’re somewhere you don’t want to be. Just remember how Patrick’s prayer life exploded during his captivity and how yours might also as you plead with the Lord to help you.

Another is "It’s never too late to pursue your calling."  The writer notes that Patrick walked over 200 miles back home to Britain after he was in slavery. He spent an astounding 15 years in seminary and went into the ministry at the tender age of - 46.  Then he returned to Ireland to preach the gospel.

Patrick also spoke truth to power, and Batura notes that another lesson from Patrick's life is that "Righteous anger is healthy and consistent with the Christian faith."  Batura writes:

Long settled in Ireland, Patrick wrote a scathing letter to a British tyrant named Coroticus and lambasted him and others for murdering and kidnapping Christian converts. Along with his autobiography, it’s one of just two remaining pieces of literature from Patrick.

Patrick called Coroticus to repentance. 

That autobiography is called, Confessio, to which I referred earlier, which the Gettys named that album inspired by their Irish retreat during the pandemic. You can actually find it at the website, Confessio.ie.  He starts by saying, "My name is Patrick. I am a sinner, a simple country person, and the least of all believers. I am looked down upon by many." He wrote that he totally surrendered to God while in Ireland in captivity.  He wrote, "He guarded me before I knew him, and before I came to wisdom and could distinguish between good and evil. He protected me and consoled me as a father does for his son." He adds, "That is why I cannot be silent."

St. Patrick, whose life we observe on this day, is someone who can serve as an example. He faced trials, yet He came to know the God who showed Himself to be great in the midst of those troubles. He pursued God and devoted himself to evangelism as a middle-aged man.  And, he spoke out against injustice against fellow Christians, even calling a fierce leader to repentance.  

We can always learn something by observing people who know Christ and have allowed Him to live through them.  We can also consider what God has done in our lives - St. Patrick wrote his Confessio.  If you were to write such a document, what would it say?  What story has the Lord produced through your life?  None of us are called into a life of insignificance - God has placed a tremendous call on each of our lives. 

The Right Way

We have been empowered to live life the right way - in a way that pleases God. That does not exempt us from hardship, but it does provides for us a sense of peace and satisfaction as we glorify Him and bear fruit. And, that includes how we operate in the context of human relationships. Hebrews 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?"
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

As SEC fans gather in Nashville this week for the men's basketball tournament, I want to go back to one of the most unusual questions perhaps ever asked by a journalist at the SEC Media Days event, which is held prior to the start of football season. The question: "Are you saving yourself for marriage?"

That question was jarring, perhaps out of context - didn't have to do with the regular stuff.  And, turns out, the journalist, who was working for America Online at the time, had a method to his madness.

From the website for Outkick, the company founded by that questioner, Clay Travis, we can read this:

Clay fired up his computer the next day to explain to the AOL FanHouse community why he asked the question.

“I asked because I believe it’s newsworthy and because, believe it or not, I thought Tim Tebow would answer the question by saying: “Yes, I am.” Which is exactly what he did," Clay told his audience.

“Why did I believe this? Because Tebow lives his faith. And I believe that living his faith is not artificial, he’s not pretending to be something he’s not. Further, I don’t believe that saving yourself for marriage is something to hide from. Not in the evangelical Christian faith that Tim Tebow practices in a Southern church and not in the evangelistic Southern church where I was raised.”

Travis has gone on to be not only one of the preeminent voices in sports media, as well as talk radio. Tebow, already a Heisman Trophy winner at the time, has played professional football and baseball, is also a leading personality in sports media, and a leading proclaimer of the gospel of Christ. 

Tim Tebow has done things the right way.  He has been blessed with wife Demi-Leigh, and now, they have been blessed with a child.  That same website, Outkick, devoted coverage to an event in the Tebows' lives recently. The article said that Tim "tied on a blindfold, grabbed a paint brush alongside his wife and started slapping paint on a canvas...," adding, "Then, the blindfolds were removed, and we had ourselves a Tebow baby gender reveal."

The Instagram post, including a video of the event, was embedded in the article.  Demi-Leigh wrote:

Our greatest blessing. We’ve been praying for her long before we knew her, and we’re beyond grateful that God chose us to be her parents. We can’t wait to meet you, baby girl! 

To create a meaningful piece of art for the nursery, we decided to find out the gender through painting! We chose two Bible verses—one for a boy and one for a girl—to add to the canvas once it was complete. The verse we want to speak over our baby girl is Psalm 25:4-5:
“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
We pray that she always finds her identity in Christ and places her hope in His love and truth.

The writer of the Outkick piece, Joe Kinsey, said: "The Tebows get to keep that canvas as a keepsake." He adds: 

Let's face it, the Tebows will be incredible parents. They seem like the nicest people. They have cool dogs. They don't do much these days to be celebrities, which is refreshing. Tim still doesn't curse. He is still holier than thou. The guy is just pleasant.

And then there's Demi-Leigh. She comes over from South Africa, becomes a Great American citizen and does things like write children books and supports kids with disabilities alongside her husband.

So, here you have two sports journalists who are impressed by the witness of the Tebows.  And, even an unlikely source such as Clay Travis, recognized the importance of doing family the right way.  I think of my conversation with Delano Squires of The Blaze at NRB recently - we were talking about the way that relationships have developed these days, with men and women having sex and living together, perhaps even having a child or children before they even get married.  That's not God's plan.

He has given us a path to follow and an instruction book that provides the principles for living a life of obedience to Him.  Tim Tebow has done things the right way - and things have not always gone the way it seems that should.  He was not the greatest pro football player; I'm sure minor league baseball was hard. And, I'm sure he learned through what he endured.  But, there are more important things in life - and that is living for Jesus and enjoying the satisfaction that comes from knowing and following Him. 

Spreading the Word

Do we want our thoughts to conform with God's thoughts? It's possible - 1st Corinthians tells us we have the mind of Christ. Romans 12 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The Scriptures produce that type of mindset as we study and meditate on Scripture. Isaiah 55 states:
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.
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.

I reported to you not that long ago about an increase in Bible sales during 2024.  I believe there is a thirst for knowledge in our world today - there is confusion and we need to figure things out.  So, why not go to the authoritative, reliable source of truth, the very words spoken to humanity by its Creator?

Digital Scripture has also been on the rise.  A Christian Post article related:

The YouVersion Bible App saw 798,000 installations on Jan. 5, the largest single day of installs for the phone app in its history.

Bobby Gruenewald, founder of YouVersion and a pastor at Life.Church, told The Christian Post on Thursday that the app “saw 18.2 million people engage in the Bible and more than 798,000 installs” on Sunday.

This broke the record previously set on the first Sunday of last year, while New Year’s Day was the third-highest single-day number of installs in the history of YouVersion, Gruenewald added.

He noted, “We tend to see a seasonal uptick in Bible engagement at the beginning of the year as people start new habits and are interested in reading the Bible for the first time,” and added, “What’s interesting to us is that this year’s increase is even higher than this same time last year, and it’s a trend we’re seeing globally.”

How's this for "globally?" The article noted these snapshots from other parts of the world: "...a 198% increase in activity in Ethiopia, a 94% increase in Egypt, a 74% increase in Turkey, a 65% increase in Ghana, and a 48% increase in Pakistan. Overall, Northern Africa saw a 297% increase in activity, while the Middle East saw a 166% increase."  Some of these are nations that are not traditionally associated with Christianity and the Bible, another encouraging sign that God is moving in the Muslim world.

The Christian Post article concluded by saying: "At the end of last year, YouVersion reported that the app had, on average, 11.2 million new device installs each month in 2024 and approximately 14 million people engaging in the Bible each day."

That can't help but have an impact - and we can be confident that these seeds being planted have the potential for dynamic growth, producing fruit for God's glory.  The Word certainly will not return void. 

But, it has to be acted upon. James 1 talks about being not only hearers of the Word, but doers as well - what we read, we are instructed to obey.  Otherwise, as that passage states, we don't experience the true life change that God desires.  So, praise God for the way that people are exposing themselves to the Word of God; now we can pray that it will bear fruit as they read and apply it - day by day, moment by moment.

We need to keep the Scriptures foremost on our hearts, so that we can experience the power and presence of God.  There does seem to be an unprecedented thirst for the Word of God, that can bring nourishment to the souls of people.  We can turn to the riches of God's wisdom by turning the pages - literally or digitally - via the word on the page or the word on the air - so that we can grow in the knowledge of God.  Faith Radio is here to encourage you in walking according to the principles of Scripture through solid, high-quality Bible teachers and to inspire you through uplifting music.  

ID'ing the Drift

The Bible teaches us that because we belong to Christ, we are not of this world and are citizens of heaven. That does not preclude us from being good and active citizens here on earth, bringing our Christian principles into the discourse in which we participate, remembering these words of Philippians 3:
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

It is common for institutions of higher learning to recognize the achievements of their alumni.  But, to one once proud Christian school, the recognition of one of its own has brought dishonor to the college in its walking that recognition back.

I touched on it several weeks ago: a graduate of Wheaton College, Russell Vought, someone whose Christian faith had been ridiculed and challenged in a Congressional hearing when he was up for the position of Deputy Director of Management and Budget a few years ago and who ultimately served as OMB Director, was named and confirmed to that position again.

The Western Journal reported that the school had congratulated Vought on that high honor, noting:

Vought is a conservative evangelical Christian and is hardly known for attracting controversy. Wheaton’s post was apolitical in nature and simply offered him prayers and support.

The article went on to say:

But Wheaton, apparently pressured by a small subset of progressive alumni, shortly thereafter deleted the post and apologized.

That incident was a wake-up call to thousands of alumni, students, and parents, who signed a letter addressed to the members of the Wheaton College Board of Trustees and President Philip Ryken voicing concern about the woke direction of the institution.

Excerpts from the letter were included in the Western Journal article, including these statements:

“As alumni and parents, we have sensed Wheaton’s drift for some time,” the letter said.

“We’ve exchanged anecdotes with each other from our time on campus and from our children currently enrolled,” the document added. “Many of us have brought our concerns privately to President Ryken and to you, the trustees, hoping to have our concerns resolved privately.”

The letter stated a belief that they had not been heard in their calls Biblical fidelity and said: 

“As such, we are now compelled to publicly air these concerns and take additional steps in the hope of seeing necessary change,” the letter continued. “We are not doing this out of anger, frustration, or spite, but out of deep love for Wheaton College and the profound good it has done in countless lives, and can still do.”

Among the suggestions is to make sure that all faculty and staff adhere to a Biblical statement of faith. 

Former alumnus Eric Teetsel of the Center for Renewing America was involved in drafting that letter. According to a Christian Post article, reporting on a conversation that Teetsel and fellow alum Daniel Davis had with William Wolfe of the Center for Baptist Leadership, Teetsel said:

"The problem is people who intentionally undermine orthodox Christian teachings as affirmed in Wheaton College's Statement of Faith, which every faculty member, staff member and student is required to sign," he said.

"Those are guerrilla warriors for a progressive agenda. They are knowingly and intentionally and willfully undermining the Statement of Faith in their classrooms, and they tend to close the door just before they do it, because they know they're doing it."

Their subversive attitude seeps into their views and teaching on sexuality, gender identity, race and even the nature of God Himself, Teetsel said.

Davis "told Wolfe he believes the school's handling of the Vought incident 'really encapsulated, I think, the rot in the leadership at Wheaton that I have seen since my time on campus 10 to 15 years ago, which has only born more and more bad fruit in recent years.'"

And, there is a competing letter that has been signed by former students, who said, according to The Wheaton Record: "We publically [sic] distance ourselves from Russell Vought’s work and reaffirm our commitment to the Gospel’s radical call to justice, mercy and humility...Silence in the face of such an anti-Christian vision is complicity.”

One student thought that the statement by the college was political in nature. She said: “I beg to differ. If, for example, a Wheaton alum became executive director of Planned Parenthood, would they have posted a congratulations then? I sincerely doubt it.”

OK, so now you have a student who drawing some sort of moral equivalency between the work of a Christian leader who has been placed in a high and influential position in government to a person who takes human life through his or her work with Planned Parenthood?  Enough, already. 

Ryken is quoted in the article, as well, admitting that the statement, which he believed was tied to praying for leaders was misinterpreted and that because of the pushback, it became a "distraction."

Again, what did Russell Vought do that was so hideous, so offensive?  Have we really gotten to the point that a person who desires to display a Christian faith perspective in a position in government is ostracized by a Christian institution or the students thereof?  Well, I'm afraid so, and these alumni and parents who have signed on to the letter calling out the school for its "drift" are rightfully making their voices heard.

We have to be cognizant of areas of drift throughout the Church and in culture.  And, it starts with us - in our own quiet time, our time of prayer and Bible study.  We have to allow the Holy Spirit to point out what's in our own heart and allow the cleansing work of the Spirit to take place, confessing our sins, receiving forgiveness, and receiving more of the Word in our hearts to do its work. We also have that responsibility to hold others accountable, and to be discerning about what may be happening in our own churches and governing structures, as well as ministries that we are involved with. We should make sure that we are upholding Biblical standards individually and collectively and guarding against drift that can be so subtle, yet destructive.

What's in a Name?

The Bible tells us that each human being is made in the image of God - and He knows everyone, even those who have not given their hearts to Him. But, if we belong to Jesus, we have a new name, a new identity, a new meaning for our lives, and new power to live each day. In Isaiah 43, the Lord is speaking to the redeemed, stating:
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior...

What's in a name? Well, if you have received the computer-generated name "Unakite Thirteen Hotel," there has to be something more, well, personal that can be done.  Unakite, by the way, according to Geology.com is...

...a pink and green metamorphic rock composed of pink orthoclase, green epidote, and colorless to milky quartz. These colors have helped Unakite become a popular lapidary material.

Definitely not on the list of leading baby names, right?  Well, Not the Bee, the website that is a companion to The Babylon Bee, that features stories that are not parody or satire, but could be, reported on the naming of this child from Nebraska, quoting from NBCNews.com:

A Nebraska man is fighting to get a Social Security number and valid birth certificate for his toddler, Caroline — whose name is incorrectly listed in state records as "Unakite Thirteen Hotel."

Jason Kilburn, who lives outside of Omaha, has been desperately trying to obtain a Social Security card and a useable birth certificate for Caroline. Without these documents, he said, he has been unable to get any services for her, from health insurance to child care, because they all require a Social Security number to verify her identity.

Not the Bee relates this:

To be sure, the young lady's early life has been a bit chaotic. She was born to a mother in Iowa who immediately gave her up to foster parents; she was ultimately placed with Kilburn, the father. He and the mother "had dated on and off for several years but were not together when she gave birth."

Evidently, in the time leading up to her placement with foster parents, "instead of a birth certificate, the girl had received only a certificate of live birth," with the bizarre name on it. Kilburn's lawyer said the process is "a circuitous, bureaucratic loop."

The story says that in order to get the little girl a corrected birth certificate with a real name, "the bureaucracy said it needed to use the girl's fake name to get her a real name."  According to the story, "The government did indeed issue the birth certificate with the bogus name, but..."the agency never followed through with getting her a Social Security number." A court subsequently denied Kilburn's request to reopen the matter."

So, what do you make of this?  It's one of those snafus that has proven to be frustrating, but Jason Kilburn knows what his daughter's given name actually is.  

Talk about "assignments" at birth - parents are given that responsibility, yet in this case, a computer-generated one was given.  And, just to be clear, a "gender" is not "assigned" at birth - the only assigning comes from God through biology, not through some doctor's random decision.  But, I digress.

What occurred to me here is that not only do we have a given name, but we serve a God who knows each of us and desires for every single person to experience a relationship with Himself.  As believers in Christ, we have been given a new name, a new identity in Him.  That can determine our attitude and our expectations.  

We can walk with confidence in our Savior because we know that Jesus lives in our hearts.  We can depend on Him to give us meaning and purpose - to know who we really are and who God has intended us to be.  When we recognize that we are loved by our Heavenly Father and have been saved, redeemed, and empowered, we can learn to live our lives as a born-again child of God.

Leisure Time?

We are called to be good stewards of our resources - and our time. I believe that each of us can consider how God might be calling us to make a choice to do something meaningful for His Kingdom; something that may even be counterintuitive - such as traveling on a missions trip rather than a vacation. The Bible tells us in 2nd Corinthians 9:
8 ... God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
9 As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever."
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

Sysouk Vongphasouk was born in Laos, but came to America as a child. He and his wife Nancy are quite well-off, you might say. A God Reports article says: "He designs layouts for medical equipment in hospitals. She’s an architect. They make enough money to afford a high-end vacation."

But, instead, as the article notes, they have spent vacation time building playgrounds for children in Thailand, some of whom have been trafficked. He says: “The reaction of the kids is priceless. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when you see these kids who don’t have a home, don’t have a family, and they’re trying to find some love in the world, when they are able to see a playground that’s big for them brings them great joy..." He adds, "You get a little tired from building, but seeing the kids so excited gives you back 10 times. When they finally get to play on it, they have just pure joy.”

Sysouk works for a company that not only allows its employees to take time off to go on missions trips, but actually sponsors its employees to do so. 

The CEO, Suzanne Kowarsch, "went on a life-changing short-term mission trip to Rwanda in 2008, shortly after the tribal genocide." Suzanne had become a Christian through an invitation by a friend to come to church, and the article relates: "the Rwanda trip gave her a focus beyond the materialistic side of the American dream." She notes: “It rocked my world,” adding, “I felt a complete and deep sense of love and belonged to this church (in Rwanda). I couldn’t explain why except that it was implanted in me.”

Suzanne adds: “As the sole shareholder of the company it’s easy for me to not answer to anybody but the Big Man upstairs,” adding, “I choose lower profits and to spread the money around.”  She was part of a team, along with the Vongphasouks, to build playgrounds in Thailand for trafficking victims.  The article notes:

Suzanne says the trip to Thailand to build a playground for formerly trafficked girls cut her heart.

“All of us on the team were deeply hurt by the knowledge” of how sex trafficking works, she says. “You can’t unlearn it.”

The article relates: 

Shockingly, Sysouk says, most of the sex trafficked were sold by their own family members. They were not kidnapped. One case was a pair of daughters whose parents died; their uncle was heartless and sold them.

Our Heavenly Father, as James 1 tells us, is the giver of all good gifts. We can think about the spiritual blessings that God has bestowed on us.  We can also recognize that He gives financial resources to be used for His glory.  And...He has given us the gift of time.  Suzanne Kowarsch gives her employees time and material resources in order to help others - it's informed by her Christian faith.  We can reflect on time that God has given to us in order that we might bring Him glory.  We can make sure that we are stewarding that time in an honorable way.

Now, there's nothing wrong or even selfish with a vacation, even a "high-end vacation," that the article I cited refers to. But, there may be instances where God is directing us to take what could be used as "leisure time" in order to take part in a missions project.  Perhaps making a choice to engage in Kingdom work locally or even internationally.  Our actions, what we choose to participate in, should reflect our desire to glorify God.

A Safe Environment

Families that are built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ have the potential to create an atmosphere that nurtures the children and helps them grow spiritually, physically, and emotionally, and provides a tremendous blessing for parents. And, that can apply to areas of adoption and foster care. Psalm 127 offers this insight:
(1) Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
It goes on to say:
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.

Other translations say that children are a "gift" from the Lord.

Actress Jen Lilley and her husband certainly believe that, and realizing their home is built on Christ, they can provide a loving environment even for children whom they choose to foster.  That's based on a CBN article, which relates that her exposure to foster care started when she was young - the article quotes her as saying:

“My parents were kind of what I call unofficial foster parents. My dad was a judge and my mom was a director of a women and children’s charity.”

Because of these roles, the family couldn’t legally foster children, but that preclusion didn’t “stop them from having compassion,” she said.

“Our home was kind of a rotating door at times for people that maybe just needed help transitioning and bridging in their life,” she said. “So, the idea of a child living in my home who wasn’t in my immediate family was not scary to me.”

She and her husband Jason embarked on the fostering journey by taking a little girl into their home; CBN reports:

The actress said her Christian faith motivated her to foster and adopt.

“When love is your motive, you have to look at these kids,” Lilley said. “You can’t look away.”

She is especially troubled, though, that the state of Vermont has shut the door on Christian parents adopting.  The article states:

Lilley also spoke out against Vermont reportedly blocking Christian families from adopting over their biblical beliefs — a story that made headlines last year after two families filed a lawsuit.

At the time, the actress warned the decision by Vermont’s Department for Children and Family Services to ax two families’ licenses was a constitutional violation.

“This action not only violates our constitutional rights but also jeopardizes the well-being of children in dire need of safe, loving homes,” she said. “The government is deciding that it’s safer for a child to remain in a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation than to live in a home with Christian beliefs? Make it make sense.”

A statement from the Department for Children and Families expressed concern that Christian parents would not affirm a foster child's sexual orientation and/or gender identity.  The CBN article adds that Lilley has a strong message for the Church:

Lilley doesn’t know where the issue will go or what will unfold but added that the church needs to think deeper about the next steps, especially if Christians are de-licensed.

“Maybe that looks like the church stepping in before the government, opening up their homes as safe homes — that’s a thing,” Lilley said. “And how beautiful would that be if single moms, single dads, families that are going through crisis say, ‘I don’t have the ability to safely provide for my child,’ and the church steps up and says, ‘We have five homes within our church, how can we wrap around you? How can we serve you? How about we take care of your children and actually provide them love, stability, and safety?'”

There are two issues here - one is the bias against Christians in Vermont who have desired to foster, yet they have been prevented from adopting, reportedly due to their Christian faith.  That is another situation of calling good, evil, and prevents qualified, loving parents who are called by God from living out their faith and providing a safe, nurturing environment for a child.   

We can also recognize that there are children who are needing that loving environment, either through adoption and/or foster care.  Sometimes, foster care will lead to adoption.  Christian parents can be selected, trained, and equipped in order to provide a loving, Christ-centered home and become part, at least for a limited period of time, of that family.  We can also choose to walk in love and consider how God might use us to share His love.