Billboarding Truth

The Bible has much to say about our speech - we are to speak truthfully, in a manner that is constructive, and produces fruit for the Kingdom of God. We should always strive to speak in a way that glorifies our Savior, and the Bible warns us about the importance of taming the tongue. I believe these concepts extend to other forms of communication, as well, including what is written. This passage from Luke chapter 12 was included in my daily Bible reading recently - these are the words of Jesus:
8 "Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11 Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.

Chris Elston is a man who speaks the truth, so much so that he is known as "Billboard Chris." I interviewed him at this year's National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Dallas.  Alliance Defending Freedom International states online: 

Chris Elston (known as “Billboard Chris”) is a Canadian father of two. He is best known for wearing sandwich boards to express truths about gender ideology and spur conversations with people about these messages. It is his mission to speak the truth about gender ideology to protect his children and children around the globe by raising awareness of its harms.

But his mission—and his freedom of speech—saw a challenge in Australia.

This ADF International article goes on to say:

In February 2024, Billboard Chris created a post on X criticizing the World Health Organization’s appointment of Teddy Cook, a female who identifies as a male, to a global transgender policy advisory board. However, a complaint by Cook to Australian authorities ultimately led to the post being geo-blocked in Australia by the government eSafety Commissioner. Billboard Chris, with the legal support of ADF International and the Australian Human Rights Law Alliance, and alongside Elon Musk’s “X”, appealed the violation of his right to peacefully share his convictions.

Earlier this month, according to The Christian Post:

The Administrative Review Tribunal held a week-long hearing in Melbourne beginning March 31, where it reviewed whether the post constituted cyber abuse. This week, the Tribunal ruled that the Commissioner had erred in classifying Elston’s expression as abusive and formally set aside the removal order.

Deputy President O’Donovan, who presided over the Tribunal, cited Elston’s testimony at length. Elston had stated that he would not use pronouns inconsistent with a person’s biological sex, calling it “untrue” and arguing that doing so “has implications for the rights and safety of women and children.”

The ruling acknowledged Elston’s consistent use of sex-based pronouns as a reflection of his beliefs rather than a form of targeted harassment. The tribunal concluded that Elston’s post did not meet the statutory threshold for cyber abuse under the Online Safety Act and should not have been subject to regulatory action by the commissioner.

ADF International related:

Billboard Chris’s win is encouraging for two reasons:

• First, this victory sets a positive trajectory for free speech amidst a growing trend of censorship. While global and digital censorship are attempting to restrict speech across borders, this win is an effective pushback against it, setting an important precedent to protect free speech from encroaching governments.
• Second, it shows that ordinary people can make a difference. Billboard Chris, a Canadian dad, exercised his freedom of speech for positive change, meaning other regular citizens around the world can do the same. The right to speak freely is fundamental. When ordinary people like Billboard Chris are willing to take a stand, not only can their speech be protected, but this helps open dialogue to flourish everywhere.

It also notes that, "Billboard Chris’s win shows that free speech can be protected and thrive around the world when we stand up for our rights. As governments seek to widen their censorship laws, they can see Billboard Chris’s case as a reason to protect freedom rather than restrict speech."

I want to concentrate on those 2 items that the legal organization noted.  First, we recognize that there is an authoritarian trend, and there are those who desire to silence voices with which they do not agree. Under the guise of "misinformation" or the more serious and subjective charge of "hate speech," these true censors exalt their own point of view while denigrating voices that do not comply.  Those who speak Biblical truth can find themselves in the latter category.  But, we must be bold to speak truth anyway, despite possible negative ramifications. 

Also, we may think that we're insignificant and have nothing worthwhile to say.  That is a deception from the enemy.  Chris Elston shows us that an obedient man with an unusual method of communication can be used of the Lord to touch lives - after all, he stands on street corners with a sandwich board that relates God's view of gender.  We can consider how God can use us as vessel of His love and truth.

From Another World

He came to earth from another place; he humbled Himself so that humanity might be saved. Sound like a line from a movie trailer? Well, it's actually the essence of what has been called "the greatest story ever told." And, His story can impact our lives every single day. Philippians chapter 2 states that Jesus Christ...
...(6) being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

There is a movie in theaters about a man from another world who came to earth and went about doing good.  And, despite some early comments that the movie might suffer at the box office due to some woke comments from the director, Box Office Mojo reports that Superman is now north of $150 million at the American box office and over $250 worldwide. 

A Movieguide article, commenting on the pre-release buzz, noted:

“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character?” former Superman Dean Cain asked. “Why are they going to change these characters [to] exist for the times?”

Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro released a video titled: “Superman is Going WOKE – You Know What That Means…”

To be fair, many of these comments feel justified given that SUPERMAN Director James Gunn said, “I mean, Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”

Gunn clarrifies, though, “On another level it’s about morality. Do you never kill no matter what — which is what Superman believes — or do you have some balance, as Lois believes? It’s really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart.”

Movieguide goes on to say:

“Ironically, the scenes with Superman’s father contradict the movie’s politically correct pro-immigration theme, which has been touted by Gunn and his movie’s star, David Corenswet, who plays Superman, in recent press interviews,” according to the Movieguide® review.

But the review also states: “In the movie, however, a twist reveals that Superman’s parents had some ulterior, negative motives for sending their son to Earth. Not only that, but it turns out that Superman’s positive values and compassionate instincts to help other people come not from his biological parents from a foreign planet but actually come from the American parents who adopted him! Thus, the movie actually reveals there are good reasons for people to be concerned about the impact that immigrants can have on their homeland. It also reveals that the American heartland has a culture that fosters good values in the people who live there and in the children who are raised there.”

That is a theme that is explored by Paul Batura over at The Daily Citizen, the news website of Focus on the Family. 

It wasn’t merely Superman’s geographic location that made him who he was – it was his parents, who instilled in him a moral compass. That foundation allowed him to utilize his powers for good.

That’s the beauty and gift of adoption. Only in real life, boys and girls don’t grow up to become superheroes, but everything else. Children otherwise destined to suffer and struggle in a broken and unsafe environment hit the proverbial jackpot when they’re welcomed into loving forever homes.

Mothers and fathers may not possess otherworldly powers or “leap tall buildings in a single bound” – but they still might be viewed as superheroes of a sort by children they might foster or adopt.

Superman might well come from another planet, but thanks to his mother and father, that planet became home to him. Rather than politicizing the Superman franchise, its director would be wise to highlight how adoption made Kal-El – and how it can also save and make children’s and parents’ dreams comes true.

Kal-El is the Kryptonite name of Superman.  Batura does point out:

Over the years, some have suggested that the Old and New Testaments helped inspire the Superman franchise, specifically likening Kent to either Moses or Jesus. It’s sometimes pointed out that the suffix “El” in “Kal-El” means “of God” or “voice of God.”

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the strip’s original creators, were Jewish and were said to pull from some Old Testament heroes, but they didn’t have any spiritual agenda in doing so. Stephen Skelton, author of “The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero,” says Siegel’s main inspiration stemmed from the murder of his own father in the depths of the Great Depression and the world bracing for war.

Skelton noted, “They were looking for a savior figure they could relate to, they could envision, something to give them hope, inspire them..."

Movieguide also noted: "Despite what SUPERMAN’s crew may say the movie promotes, the message that shines through is one that celebrates a 'Strong moral pro-life worldview with a light redemptive tone promotes doing the right thing, compassion, justice, fighting and overcoming tyrannical evil, setting the captives free, and protecting and saving lives.'” Commentator Samuel Sey wrote, "Since it’s faithful to the Superman story, it’s subtly pro-life, pro-adoption, pro-fathers, pro-family."

When considering the Superman story, and specifically the new movie, it does seem as if these reviewers agree that there are positive messages consistent with Scripture.  And, these are messages that should be reinforced in our culture. 

These are messages that parents can teach to their children - these include, as Scripture teaches, putting the needs of others above our own and seeking to, as Movieguide relates, do the "right thing."  Even though we can become discouraged by actions and messages in our country today that contradict our Judeo-Christian heritage as Americans, there is still an innate search going on for home and meaning in life.  A relationship with Jesus Christ can provide the hope they're looking for. 

We can place our trust in the One who is not of this world, but came to earth to seek and save the lost - that's you and me - and to instill His hope in our hearts.   

Proud To Be an American

As we have left our annual celebration of Independence Day in the rear-view mirror, I think it's important that we consider what it means to be a Christian living in America: how we are to regard our country and how we can be faithful citizens in the Kingdom of God while recognizing that God has placed us in the United States for His purpose. I think of the words of the apostle Paul in Acts 17:
24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

At the end of June, there was an article that ran at the Newsweek website.  It reported:

Only 58 percent of Americans reported feeling very or extremely proud of their country, according to a Gallup poll conducted from June 2 to June 19. That's the lowest point since 2001, when the pollster began asking the question in its surveys.

The article went on to say:

That drop is largely fueled by Gen Z voters, only 41 percent of whom said they are proud to be an American in an average of polls from 2021 to 2025. This compares to 58 percent of millennials, 71 percent of Gen X, 75 percent of baby boomers and 83 percent of the Silent Generation.

The article quotes Jeffrey M. Jones of Gallup, who said, "At the beginning of the 21st century, U.S. adults were nearly unanimous in saying they were extremely or very proud to be Americans. But that national unity has eroded over the past 25 years due to a combination of political and generational changes." And, that's a problem, according to Costas Panagopoulos of Northeastern University, who stated: "It's quite worrying in part because America is what it is because of our ability historically to come together as a nation to solve national and even global problems. And if we cannot unite as a country to do that around our identity as Americans, it is problematic."

The same day, FoxNews.com published not only a story about the Gallup poll, but an article about its own Fox News poll - interestingly enough, the headline result was identical. The article stated:

Fifty-eight percent say they are proud of the country. That’s up 13 percentage points since June 2024 and the highest since 2011 when a record 69% were proud. By contrast, 41% are not proud. The survey was completed before recent events in the Middle East, including U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and President Donald Trump brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

80% of white evangelical Christians indicated that they were proud of their country. 

Pollster Daron Shaw noted: "Although pride in the U.S.A. seems like it should be above partisan wrangling, that’s only partially borne out by the data..."  

The Fox poll also found:

A 68% majority of voters also agrees the U.S. is the best country in the world to live in (30% disagree). While that’s roughly where sentiment has been for the last four years, it doesn’t match the 8 in 10 who felt the same in 2015 (83%) and 2011 (84%) when the question was first asked.

But over 8 out of 10 expressed concern over the country's future. 

Two surveys, same results, different reference points on the major headline: almost 6 out of 10 people are proud to be Americans. 

Believers in Christ are not citizens of this world - we are part of a heavenly Kingdom.  And, where our Kingdom mentality intersects with the earthly kingdoms, nations of the world, we can find room for God to work in our lives.

So, we can recognize that we have been placed here by God.  And, we can rejoice in our God-ordained location. I believe He wants us to be good stewards of our role as residents of this nation, as well as our state, county, and city, if that's applicable.  It is certainly appropriate for Christians to express love for and even gratitude for our country, but we must always remember to love God first. 

Because of the calling placed on our lives, we have opportunities to serve the Lord in civic life.  We can certainly pray for our nation and pray for its leaders.  We can remember the Biblical principles upon which our nation was founded, including freedom to practice our faith, and we can be thankful.

And, out of that thankfulness, we can look for ways to be salt and light, to integrate the principles to which we adhere into the direction of the political sphere.  We can vote according to the dictates of our conscience, informed by the Scripture, and exercise our Christian and civic duty to select candidates who best reflect our deeply held beliefs.  We can reach out to lawmakers and those involved in the realm of policy in order to influence their decisions, and pray that they would receive and exercise godly wisdom.  We can be devoted to bring our heavenly citizenship into our earthly activities. 

Diminished Pride

In an age when people who celebrate immorality are extolled and those who don't are labeled as intolerant, we must believe the Scriptures. What God calls sin, we should to - and we should be determined to call out sin, not because we're being judgmental, but because, as I've noted, the most loving thing you can do for a person is to point out his or her sin. 1st Corinthians 6 states:
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

At the end of June, WORLD Magazine declared:

This year, many corporations scaled back Pride Month advertising, merchandise, and community events in response to pressure from consumers and the Trump administration. Experts and insiders say the shift reflects a broader corporate pivot away from taking open stances on politically controversial topics, although many Fortune 500 companies may continue quietly supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

The article noted:

Merchandise displays at the Target in Johns Creek, Ga., this month featured American flag-inspired tank tops and baseball caps where, in recent years, customers may have instead encountered a rainbow flag–themed collection of cross-gender swimsuits. This year, shoppers looking for Pride Month merch would have had a harder time locating those items.

WORLD cited research from Gravity Research, stating, "...roughly 2 out of 5 corporations planned to reduce Pride Month engagement this year while zero respondents said they would increase it." Based on the article's reporting, it seems that after a increase in pandering to the LGBT crowd in the name of diversity during the early 2000's, the Dylan Mulvaney controversy brought the rush to diversity crashing down. As recently as 2021, "9 out of 10 major companies felt pressured to comment on social issues, up from 60% in 2016, according to the D.C.-based Public Affairs Council."

The article analyzed the Mulvaney effect:

Following a Bud Light boycott in 2023, prompted by the brand’s brief partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, parent company Anheuser-Busch may have lost as much as $1.4 billion in sales, according to some estimates.

When Target released its Pride Month collection in 2023, many conservative shoppers stopped buying from the retailer. In the second quarter of 2023, Target’s in-store and online sales dropped 5% and 10%, respectively. By that August, Target’s stock value had dropped 27% from the previous year.

Many executives now cite such consumer backlash as a reason for scaling back Pride Month engagement, according to the April report from Gravity Research.

The LGBT crowd has definitely overplayed its hand - and now it has been questioned whether or not the family-friendly Magnolia brand has sold out to a declining agenda by Chip and Joanna Gaines' decision to feature a same-sex couple on their latest television project; it's even been likened to a Dylan Mulvaney moment. 

But, the brainwashing of corporate America, albeit seemingly temporary, had led to greater acceptance of gay marriage and so-called "LGBT pride."  Now Americans need to be told that this was a passing fad - and the Church can double down on the Biblical truth of two genders and one type of "marriage."  There are even credible moves taking place to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell from 10 years ago - just 10 years ago.  Think about that. 

Now, the Church has to release itself from believing the lies that we should accept the LGBT lifestyle or affirm those who are intent to declare their same-sex attraction, without emphasizing the freedom that is offered through Jesus Christ.  In the name of "welcoming," we have to be careful not to affirm behavior that does not line up with Scripture.  Marriage is a basic building block of a healthy society, an institution ordained by God, and we must be vociferous champions of this incredible gift from God.

Nothing to Gaines

In an age of doublespeak and compromise, we can find that Scripture offers clarity. Some will rationalize and speak an abundance of words in order to justify a non-Biblical position. We must not try to approve of what the Bible does not. 1st John chapter 3 tells us:
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

The year was 2016 - a couple that specialized in renovating homes and spotlighted their endeavors through an HGTV show called, Fixer Upper, encountered a bit of controversy.  At the time, Buzzfeed published this paragraph:

They are also, as they detail in The Magnolia Story, devout Christians — Joanna has spoken of and written about her conversations with God. (God told her both to close her store to spend time with her children, and then to reopen it a few years later.) Their church, Antioch Community Church, is a nondenominational, evangelical, mission-based megachurch. And their pastor, Jimmy Seibert, who described the Gaineses as "dear friends" in a recent video, takes a hard line against same-sex marriage and promotes converting LGBT people into being straight.

The article highlighed the Biblical views of pastor Seibert.  But, it posed this question:

So are the Gaineses against same-sex marriage? And would they ever feature a same-sex couple on the show, as have HGTV's House Hunters and Property Brothers? Emails to Brock Murphy, the public relations director at their company, Magnolia, were not returned. HGTV's PR department did not respond to initial emails and calls. Two days after this story was published, they released the following statement: "We don’t discriminate against members of the LGBT community in any of our shows. HGTV is proud to have a crystal clear, consistent record of including people from all walks of life in its series."

Well, fast forward to almost nine years later, and we have an answer, and yes, Chip and Joanna Gaines, in their new series on HBO Max, , have indeed featured a same-sex couple. And, Chip is on social media vociferously defending their position.

At the Crossmap website, Elizabeth Prata wrote:

Chip and Joanna Gaines are executive producers of “Back to the Frontier,” a Magnolia Network show which debuted July 10 featuring families living without modern amenities. Controversy arose over including a homosexual couple with surrogacy-born twins, prompting criticism from those who see it as an affront to the traditional values the Gaines’ claim to uphold, and a misleading portrayal of family.

She did not mince words when she turned the Gaines' words back on them:

No, Chip, we are not “loving this”. No, Joanna, it is not “family time” well spent. The broadcast/promotion of sodomite couples, the idea that you can rent a womb and take the children away from the mother, the notion that raising these boys in a homosexual home is OK, a home that according to many news stories frequently leads to pederasty…it’s all an abominable sin.

The Google dictionary defines pederasty as "sexual activity involving a man and a boy or youth."

The backlash against the Gaines in the Christian community has been strong, and Chip has come back strong, as well - and not in a good way.  He posted on X:

Talk, ask qustns, listen.. maybe even learn. Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never

It’s a sad sunday when “non believers” have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian

Prata responded to that post by stating:

I was glad to see @chipgaines respond to the controversy they have made, but disappointed. It's the usual answer when folks retreat into their sin: "everyone's so judgy", "everyone is so hateful", "listen and learn", 'be compassionate', 'let's love', 'God is love' and so on

Katy Faust of Them Before Us posted on X:

Can you "revere Christ as Lord" while normalizing a household where children will never be able to obey the 5th commandment because two men: - bought their genetic mother - rented their birth mother - are starving them of daily maternal love

It's not the Internet to whom you will need to give an answer, Chip.

This was posted in response to one of Chip's responses, that said:

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15

I really felt the hope, and gentleness and respect here..

You know, the Bible is really clear and really simple in so many cases. Franklin Graham had posted on Facebook:

I hope this isn’t true, but I read today that Chip and Joanna Gaines are featuring a gay couple in their new series. If It is true, it is very disappointing. While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God’s Word. His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.

So, this was not some act committed in ignorance; no, the Gaines made a decision to feature a same-sex couple with children.  This is wrong on so many levels, yet, in the eyes of Chip Gaines, the audience that he and Joanna had attracted, are the ones who are out of line.  Say it isn't so.  But, when you are trying to rationalize the promotion of sin rather than the unambiguous teachings of the Word of God, seems you have to resort to some name-calling and unbiblical virtue-signaling. 

We have to make sure that we are not allowing compromise to enter our activities and associations.  Do our practices demonstrate that we are compliant with the teachings of Christ?  Or are we willing to fudge a little - or perhaps a lot - in order to gain worldly acceptance or worldly gain?  Chip and Joanna Gaines are being called to repentance - they are rightly being called out and they have a choice to make.

Like we all do.  While we are called to love all in the name of Jesus, we are not directed to accept sinful behavior. And, as it's been said, the most loving thing we can do for a person is to tell him or her the truth.  That is what we are empowered to do.  We should always speak and act without compromise, and that can be done in a compassionate way through Christ. 

Hope After Suicide

When faced with unspeakable loss and grief closes in, we can go to the Lord, whom we recognize is the One who brings comfort, healing, and restoration. As we press in to Him, we can discover His goodness and faithfulness as He brings peace to our souls. Psalm 73 states:
25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Within a period of eight months, a contributor to The Christian Heart website had experienced the suicides of two individuals that he had known. 

One was named Andy. The writer, out of Indiana, relates: 

I learned how to drive in his Chevy Blazer when I was just twelve. I went on dates with my future wife in that car. It was more than just a vehicle—it was a part of our story.

After Andy died by suicide, I found myself needing something to hold on to. Something tangible. So, I bought a Blazer just like his. It was my way of staying connected to a piece of him that I couldn’t let go of yet.

The other's name was Nathan, a friend of the writer's daughter.  They had been friends since they were in elementary school.  They had "reconnected" in eighth grade, not long before he took his life. 

She was certainly upset about Nathan's loss, saying to her father, through tears: “Dad, people have already stopped talking about him. It’s like he never existed. We have to do something.”

But what?  He said that after exploring some ideas, they arrived on this:

We didn’t want Nathan to be forgotten. We didn’t want anyone else to feel alone in this grief.

That’s when the idea for the suicide awareness car build was born. Not to win shows—but to start conversations. To bring hope.

And, of course, the vehicle of choice was a Chevy Blazer - they hired a designer and a company that provides wraps for vehicles got involved.  The writer says:

The day the designer finished our meeting, he learned his cousin had died by suicide. Another person on the team was already in therapy for suicidal thoughts. The connections were everywhere. The pain was shared.

The story continues:

Wrapping on the Blazer includes hand-selected Bible verses about hope, purpose and peace. We want people to ask about them, to be curious. Because the Word is the seed. All it needs is soil.

Talking about suicide is hard. I’ve been going to funerals since I was a kid—my dad’s a preacher—but nothing prepared me for this. As a society, we’ve avoided these conversations for too long. But the healing starts with a conversation.

It is helpful to be aware of the questions that arise following a suicide and rely on God to walk with us through grief.  There may even be a sense of remorse, perhaps wondering what you could have done to prevent it. 

And, as a result of the pain, we can gain a greater sensitivity to those who are hurting - we can heed the warning signs displayed by those who are close to us.  And, we can make ourselves available to listen, and to share the love and truth of Christ.   We can also be communicators of hope - and point people to where they can find help.

If life seems overwhelming to you today, you can take to heart these words from Max Lucado:

Suicide victims battled life’s rawest contests. They often faced a mental illness or illnesses and felt the peril of mental fatigue. What you and I take for granted, they coveted. Optimism. Hope. Confidence that all would be well, that she would be well. Their clouds had no silver linings, their storms had no rainbows.

If that describes the way you feel, can I urge you to consider one of the great promises of the Bible? The promise begins with this phrase. “Weeping may last through the night” (Psalm 30:5).

Of course, you knew that much. You didn’t need to read the verse to know its truth. Weeping can last through the night. Weeping may last through the night, and the next night and the next.

This is not new news to you.

But this may be: “Joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Despair will not rule the day. Sorrow will not last forever. The clouds may eclipse the sun, but they cannot eliminate it. Night might prolong the dawn, but it cannot defeat it. Morning comes. Not as quickly as we want. Not as dramatically as we desire. But morning comes, and, with it, comes joy. Joy comes!

This is the reminder of hope in our loving God - the hope that the father and daughter whom I mentioned earlier desired to relate to their community, to start conversations, to not be silent about a very real issue in our society today. 

Not a Game

God can reach into the dark places and shine His light. And, we can make the choice to walk in the light of Jesus Christ - that involves renouncing the darkness and refusing to participate in sinful behavior that can weigh down our souls. When we are burdened, weighed down by sin, shame, and guilt, we can release it to Jesus, who will "light"-en our load. Ephesians 5 instructs us:
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."

He is approaching 24 million subscribers on YouTube, with over 19 million followers on Twitch. In the world of gaming, he is a superstar.  

His name is Tyler Blevins - he is a work in progress, spiritually speaking, but the light of the Lord is seemingly breaking through in his life.  A Christian Post article highlighted elements of his journey, stating:

Streamer and professional gamer Tyler Blevins, better known as "Ninja," recently told viewers during a Twitch livestream that he and his wife have been attending church weekly and striving to become more authentic and disciplined — both on and offline.

"We're going to church every Sunday," Blevins said, referring to himself and his wife, Jessica. "Jess and I are going through this journey, where, you know, our relationship with God and Jesus."

The article goes on to say, "During a stream...titled 'NEW FORTNITE SEASON | God is great!' Blevins opened up about his evolving spiritual life and personal goals." He is quoted as saying, "I'm just trying to be a better person, dude," adding, "Trying to walk the walk and not just talk the talk."

This past March, Blevins declared online, "Jesus is King."  And, he seems to be evaluating his life in light of the truth he has been experiencing.  That includes behavior that the article describes as "explosive."  Ninja expressed his disdain for hypocrisy in his life, and he struggles to live Biblically while still hurling insults.

And, he's trying to stay away from negativity.  The Christian Post relates that Blevins "quit playing the game 'Marvel Rivals' citing the toxic community" and "said he is learning to step away from negativity rather than retaliate." He says, The point I'm trying to make … it's a lot easier to combat negativity with negativity and just roast these people that are roasting me back. … You know what I mean? But I just don't want to do that anymore."

Certainly, Ninja is being transparent about his spiritual life and his struggles.  The Christian Post article says: 

"We don't need something like the threat of the end of times to start becoming better humans and developing a relationship with the Lord," Blevins told his followers earlier this year.

One habit he said has helped improve his mindset is prayer. "I can confidently say I feel like I'm all-around a better person and in a better mindset since I started praying every night," he said.

You may not identify with a person with an enormous online platform who is closely tied to the gaming community, but you can possibly identify with the challenges of living the Christian life and trusting God to overcome sinful patterns in our lives.  Each day, we face the pull of the flesh from within and the temptation of the enemy from without.  And, each day, we have to die to self and live to Jesus, reliant on His power.  As Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 15, "I die daily."

Apparently, Tyler Blevins is still working to tame his tongue, a concept that is alluded to in James chapter 3.  And you know, that's an ongoing battle that many of us face, right?  We allow ourselves to become consumed in the moment, and we say what's on the forefront of our mind and the tip of our tongue.  Actually, Jesus said that we speak out of the abundance of our hearts.  So, we have to get our hearts right - we have to renew our minds with the word of God and recognize the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who gives us the power to live the Christian life productively and effectively.  We can draw closer to Him and seek to bring honor to our Savior. 

Wrong Kind of Fun

There are many voices which are trying to get our attention, and Faith Radio desires to be a voice for you that proclaims God's truth. While people seek answers in sources that are not consistent with the teachings of Scripture and seek after spirits that are at odds with the Holy Spirit, we can continue to listen for the voice and direction of God. Here are some sobering words from Isaiah 8:
19 And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
21 They will pass through it hard pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
22 Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.

There is no hope in seeking the ways of the world and the deception of the devil.  Yet, as a Pew Research study shows, there is a significant number of people who are fascinated by and participating in occult practices.  A Faithwire article stated:

“A fall 2024 Pew Research Center survey finds that 30% of U.S. adults say they consult astrology (or a horoscope), tarot cards, or a fortune teller at least once a year, but most do so just for fun, and few Americans say they make major decisions based on what they learn along the way,” Pew reported.

Some of the other takeaways: 27% of U.S. adults believe in astrology — that the position of planets and stars can impact people’s lives. This proportion is much higher among women between the ages of 18 to 49 (43%), with the proportion going down to 27% among women 50 and older.

Not too long ago, I shared about the life story of Jenn Rizza, who is a former psychic and now hosts a podcast called, Ex-Psychic Saved.  Her response to the Pew numbers, according to Faithwire: "“I thought it was horrific, to be quite honest with you, but I can’t say that I’m completely surprised..."

And, even though most of the one-third of Americans who say they engage with these occultic practices do it just for fun, the fact is it's serious business. Pew says, "Most Americans who engage in astrology, tarot cards, or fortune-telling say they do it for fun, rather than for insights or guidance on life decisions,” adding, “Overall, 20% of U.S. adults say they engage in at least one of these activities mostly ‘just for fun,’ while 10% say they do them mostly because they ‘believe the practices give them helpful insights.'”

But, Rizza poses some important questions: "As a former psychic, how sure are we that they don’t believe a little bit? How do we know that, when they go for that reading, it’s not like, ‘Oh, I wonder what they’re going to say or what’s gonna come out for me in the cards or the astrology chart?'” She stresses: 

“Whether you believe or not and you’re just doing it [or it is] for entertainment, you’re opening a demonic door, which is so heartbreaking,” she said. “That’s just the truth of it. If you’re going to use a tool of divination, you’re going outside of God’s boundaries.”

The Bible speaks multiple times about "divination."  A Christianity.com piece stated:

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Divination is “the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers.”

The article continued by saying: 

Divination in any manner is sin, as a corrupted seeking of spiritual knowledge. The practicing of divination will deceive you and separate you from the wisdom of God. Christians should avoid all endeavors related to divination, including fortune-telling, astrology, witchcraft, tarot cards, and spell-casting. The spirit realm is real, but it is not harmless. As taught by Scripture, spirits that are not the Holy Spirit or angelic beings are malevolent spirits.

The Bible tells us in 1st John 4 to "test the spirits."  There will be spiritual influences that do not line up with Scripture, influences that, if pursued, will lead a person away from the teachings of Scripture and weaken his or her relationship with God.  The old cliche, "all that glitters is not gold."  The Bible says that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So, if someone or something seems enlightened, that doesn't mean that the presence of God is there.  We have to follow the true light, as directed by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. 

Someone might dabble in occultic practices as a parlor game - just for fun, as people in the Pew survey indicated. But, seeking spiritual guidance outside of God-approved practices will open a person up to the influence of the devil. The devil is real, and he is bent on your destruction.  But, the Bible instructs us to resist Him and we can be confident in the great power we have in order to stand strong against him.

Outright Evil

The Bible identifies the wickedness of the human heart - and we have to admit that we are not basically good, but that we are sinners in need of a Savior.  We may think that our sins may not be as grievous as the next person, but when it comes right down to it, the sinfulness of our hearts is an affront for God and we 
need an antidote, an advocate who will cleanse us from our sins - every single one! I want to return to Scripture in Jeremiah 17, which says:
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

This is pure evil - the death of a pastor in Arizona who was literally crucified at the hands of someone who had a grand plan to take out 14 others.  The Christian organization, International Christian Concern, reported:

A man has publicly confessed to the murder of 76-year-old Pastor Bill Schonemann of New River Bible Chapel in New River, Arizona, in new jailhouse interviews. The pastor was found dead in his bed with his arms open wide and affixed to the wall.  

The article referenced a piece at the Arizona's Family website, which stated:

The man accused of brutally murdering a pastor at his northern Maricopa County home in a religiously motivated attack sat down for a jailhouse interview with True Crime Arizona correspondent Briana Whitney on Monday, where he admitted to the crime and told her he had other targets.

During the interview, 51-year-old Adam Christopher Sheafe confessed to crucifying 76-year-old William Schonemann at his New River home nearly two months ago. Schonemann was found dead in his bed, covered in blood, on Monday, April 28, as deputies conducted a welfare check at his home on Cavalry Road near 16th Street.

“I drove from there (Phoenix) to Bill’s house, like two in the morning on a Sunday night, and I executed him,” Sheafe said.

Sheafe then described how he allegedly killed Schonemann before placing a crown of thorns on his head.

Sheafe had identified pastors across the country whom he intended to execute, including one in Mobile, Alabama, according to the article.  He said he felt no remorse and that God would forgive him because of these heinous acts, that he believed was some sick form of judgment on church leaders.  

ICC reported that, "According to Fox News, Sheafe’s motive was that 'churches were leading their congregants astray by teaching them to follow Jesus, whom he says is a false God.'”  The website went on to say:

During an interview with True Crime Arizona, Sheafe stated that he has no sense of guilt or contrition about the murder.

“Not only do I have zero remorse,” he said, “(if given the chance) I will execute every single priest and burn every church to the ground.”

This is pure evil, but is an indicator of the hatred that Satan can stir up in human hearts. In this case, there were plans for a murder spree of religiously-inspired violence, violence that the suspect believed was a righteous cause - to the extent that he believed God would forgive him.  We recognize that the devil is stirring the hearts of people to persecute the Church and individual believers.

We can also be reminded that the enemy desires to destroy our lives, as well.    And, he can do it in any number of ways.  He will tempt us to do wrong, to activate the evil that is resident within our own hearts, to commit acts against the Most High God.  Even though we are born-again, we are still prone to the impulses of the flesh.  So, we have to use our spiritual resources, to take the necessary measures in order to crucify the flesh and live in the power of the Spirit.  

We cannot breeze thoughtlessly through life as a believer in Christ, thinking that we are not vulnerable to temptation, that we are not capable of sin, even heinous sin.  We must crucify even the impulses, the thoughts, that would be used to lead us astray.  Jesus purchased our victory over sin through His death and resurrection - we can be motivated to act according to that reality in our own lives. 

Changing Course

The Lord Jesus promises to us freedom from the soul. Though imprisoned by our sin, a relationship with Christ can unlock the doors to love, joy, and peace through Him. 2nd Corinthians 3 reminds us of the promise of freedom that the Lord has come to give us:
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

John Robert Hill Jr. was in prison for a litany of offenses, as CBN.com relates, "for hit-and-run charges, gun charges, and narcotics possession."  Hill went to prison in 2018, and his wild life, documented publicly, caught up to him.  The article states:

...he turned his reckless behavior of vandalism, theft, and robbery as a teen into a budding social media gig that boasted five million followers at the time.

"All you got to do to make this much money is to be a fool and act reckless...I could do that," he recalled. "I started being a nut."

The article says that his "...content of vandalism, robbing stores, and jumping on people's cars began to go viral, granting him fame and recognition among celebrities, but it also led him to a dark place."

Hill shared these comments with the God Behind Bars podcast.  He is better known these days as Holy Gabbana, and he discovered true freedom even while in prison. The article goes on to say:

His cellmate, Joshua, he asked Gabbana a simple question when they first met.

"He was like, 'Do you believe in Jesus?' I'm like, 'Yeah.' For that man to ask me, do I believe in Jesus? That lets me know that God was always thinking about me. Anybody else could have been my cellmate," he shared. "In that moment, God reached me through my cellmate."

He continued, "When I went to jail, Jesus wasn't on my mind, because to be honest. I wasn't thinking about Jesus when I went to jail. You may not be thinking about Jesus, but he is thinking about you. But God was literally setting me up so I could have an encounter with him."

Gabbana says his cellmate began to minister to him and show him the love of God.

"In jail, I encountered Jesus," he told God Behind Bars. "A lot of people they don't understand that God speaks through people... in that moment God reached me through my cellmate."

CBN reports that Holy Gabbana "said his life has completely turned around in the last several years. He now preaches the Gospel in prisons, juvenile detention centers, schools, and colleges." He relates, "I'm not dependent on drugs anymore. I've been sober for four years now. I don't even have a desire to get back on drugs or anything. The emptiness that I was feeling, the void that was within me could only be filled by Jesus..." The article notes that, "He also raps to share about the love of Jesus Christ."

Here is a young man, still only 27 years old, who has experienced so much out of life - much of it not good.  But, he has experienced the power of God in his life and has been radically saved.  He was physically incarcerated, but his soul was in jail, as well.  The presence of Jesus for Holy Gabbana, as for us, will totally change our lives and set us free.

He demonstrates Romans 1:16 - he is not ashamed to share about what Jesus has done for him. And, neither should we be ashamed or hesitant to tell our story. If we have been saved, born again, God has changed the course of our stories and is continuing to write an incredible testimony of His faithfulness - that's our story; as it's been said, no one can take it away, and we can be devoted to telling what Jesus has done for us - how He has brought us from death to life, from darkness to light. 

Staring at Death

The death toll has now exceeded 90 in the sudden floods that ravaged the Hill Country of Texas. A significant number of the victims -  now over 25 - are associated with an all-girls' Christian camp called Camp Mystic.

We live in a fallen world, and tragedy will come. The world is full of death and destruction, but there is hope in our Savior, who sustains us and comforts us, even in our struggles. Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 4:
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

In times of tragedy, while some ask, "why?"  We can ask a better question: "who?" Greg Laurie, heard weekdays at 2:00 p.m. on A New Beginning, wrote this on Sunday on Instagram:

What can you say in a moment like this?

There is no greater pain than for a parent to lose a child. That’s not theory for me—it’s personal. Our son Christopher was unexpectedly called home to Heaven 16 years ago, and the grief still runs deep.

Sometimes the most honest and comforting thing you can say is simply,
“I’m so sorry. There are no words.”

As Christians, we can be quick to try to explain the unexplainable. But I’ve learned that when I don’t know why, I pivot back to Who.
And by “Who,” I mean—Who do we turn to in moments like this?

We must turn to God. He is our ultimate source of strength.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
—Psalm 34:18

He concluded the post by saying:

Let’s continue to pray for the first responders still searching for the missing—and for the families facing unthinkable sorrow.

Lord, be near.

On Sunday, Franklin Graham, on Instagram, included that same Scripture reference in a post, which stated:

Texas Governor @GovernorAbbott declared today a day of prayer for all of those affected by the Texas Hill Country flooding disaster. The death toll is now more than 50 with dozens still missing. Let’s join together in prayer for these families and for the ongoing search efforts. There is so much loss and devastation and so many are hurting.

We have @SamaritansPurse staff and @BGEA Rapid Response Team chaplains on the ground looking at how we can minister to these communities both physically and spiritually in the aftermath.

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted…” (Psalm 34:18).

In the face of torrential rains and flooding, the people along the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country of Texas, according to Fox Weather, "had little indication of the upcoming destruction or much time to act. A cluster of thunderstorms sat parked over the region Thursday night into early Friday morning, dumping 12-15 inches of rain in just hours around San Angelo and triggering a Flash Flood Emergency. Mason reported 15.60 inches while San Angelo registered 12.72 inches."

The article went on to say:

Heavy rains crawled to the south and east, eventually pouring 5-8 inches of rain across the Guadalupe River basin, sending torrents of water downstream.

"Automated rain gauges indicate a large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River," the National Weather Service (NWS) warned in issuing their Flash Flood Emergency Friday morning. "Flash flooding is already occurring. This is a Flash Flood Emergency for the Guadalupe River from Center Point to Sisterdale. This is a particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!"

River gauges showed incredible rises in water levels along the Guadalupe. The surge measured 20 feet in just an hour at Kerrville and nearly 27 feet in Comfort, Texas, in just 45 minutes, taking the river from normal levels to historic levels not seen in nearly a century before many had time to react.

But, there were many that did react.  And, some were dedicated to serving others.

Todd Starnes, on his website, related a heroic story:

A United States Coast Guard petty officer, on his first rescue mission, been credited with saving 165 lives in the Texas Hill Country, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Petty Officer Scott Ruskan “directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas,” Noem wrote on X.

“This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene,” she said of the 26-year-old New Jersey native.

Ruskan, who previously worked as an accountant, before joining the Coast Guard, was in charge of triage at Camp Mystic, the Christian summer camp for young girls that was devastated by the floodwaters.

The outcome from one of the camp owner was quite different; People Magazine reported:

Richard "Dick" Eastland, a father of four and the owner of Camp Mystic — the girls' camp on the Guadalupe River which was hit by catastrophic flooding in Texas on the Fourth of July — is among those who have died, according to Texas Public Radio, The New York Times and other reports.

"[H]is last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers," a friend, Paige W. Sumner, wrote in a tribute to him in the local Kerrville Daily Times.

Those along the Guadalupe River were essentially staring at the face of death - devastating, catastrophic flooding.  A force of nature.  And, natural disasters give us an opportunity to consider the presence of God.  God used a flood to judge a world that had departed from Him, and promised that He would not do the same thing again. But, we do live in a fallen, sinful world - we do not inhabit paradise.  

And, disasters will occur.  Sometimes God will intervene, sometimes He will not, at least in the way we think He should - but we can never lose faith and hope that He is still working, even in the midst of catastrophe.  Someone on social media called attention to the massive number of people in Central Texas who escaped this unthinkable weather event.  There are stories of heroes, more of which will likely emerge over the next few days, and we can be assured that Christian ministries like Samaritan's Purse and others will go into these areas and remind people of a loving God, who sent His Son to suffer and die, not that we would be spared from suffering, but to know that when suffering comes - and it will - we have someone who will walk with us through it.  In our challenges, we can hold on tightly to the faithful hand of God. 

A Product of Christian Principles

With recent polling data showing that religion could be making a comeback, we can continue to reinforce the notion that religion has been a sustaining force in our nation throughout its almost 250 years of existence and that the teachings of Scripture have been foundational in its founding. Proverbs 29 recognizes the role of faith and corporate morality in the strength of a nation; it says:
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

The summary of a recent Gallup poll on the research giant's website notes:

Thirty-four percent of U.S. adults believe religion is increasing its influence in American life, similar to the 35% measured in December but up from 20% a year ago. The majority of Americans, 59%, continue to say religion is losing its influence on U.S. society, but that is down from 75% a year ago.

These recent shifts represent a departure from the trend over the past 15 years that has generally seen larger percentages of Americans saying religious influence is decreasing rather than increasing.

The summary also notes: 

All major subgroups are significantly more likely to believe that religious influence is increasing, with most showing double-digit shifts. Subgroups showing smaller increases.

Now, about one-third of Protestants and a third of Catholics believe religious influence is growing.  That up 16% and 17%, respectively, from a study that was conducted between the years of 2022-24. 

I have reported to you in the past about a Pew study, which shows this specifically about Christianity: "After many years of steady decline, the share of Americans who identify as Christians shows signs of leveling off – at least temporarily – at slightly above six-in-ten..."

I believe America thrives when religion is celebrated. We are a nation with a rich, religious heritage - and I would dare say that Christianity has been a major influence. Rob Pacienza, Founder of the Institute for Faith and Culture, Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL and the CEO and President of Coral Ridge Ministries, wrote at the Institute for Faith and Culture website:

Which Christian principles shaped the Founders’ thinking? Four stand out:

First, the Founders believed that humans are created in the image of God. This belief caused them to view humans as reasonable beings who can discuss and debate social and political issues. It also informed the conscience of early opponents to slavery.

Second, they believed that human beings are inherently sinful (Federalist 51). This belief informed their view that humans will never arrive at a governmental utopia, and thus will always need laws, law enforcement, and a system of checks and balances.

Third, they believed that God is the source of moral standards and that legislation should be in agreement with moral law. True freedom could be exercised only within the bounds of the moral law; any other type of freedom was, ironically, enslaving. Thus, nearly every Supreme Court justice before John Marshall argued that the Court would strike down any law that conflicted with the moral law.

Fourth, they believed that religious liberty is a God-given right and must be protected. As Christians, they believed that the gospel is freely given and freely received, and thus God is opposed to governmental religious coercion. God, alone, is lord of the conscience—not the state.

The concept of and laws governing our nation have roots that can be traced to a Christian belief in the Bible having authority in matters of principle and practice.  In this period culminating in a celebration of Independence Day, we can celebrate the presence of Almighty God in our individual lives and corporately in our nation. 

We need the influence of Biblical Christianity in our nation. Because the Bible offers hope to people that are searching for answers - answers that can only be found through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our governing principles of religious liberty open the door for Christians to freely live and share our faith, and we should leverage what God has granted to us in order to demonstrate that message. 

So, we can celebrate and enjoy the festivities, and realize that there is a divine power at work who has established our nation, who has a plan for America, and desires for us, as His people, to live out our heavenly citizenship as responsible and compassionate servants here on earth.

Separation

As we look into our founding documents and principles, I believe that the teaching of Scripture is readily apparent. Because our early leaders, and some today, realize the Bible is at the core of laws that are in place - just take the 10 Commandments - laws on stealing and murder are based on a clear understanding of right and wrong. What pleases God can show us the basis for an orderly and moral society. In Isaiah 33, we can read:
15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
16 He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off.

Later in the chapter, we read this declaration:
22 (For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us)...

John Adams understood that the survival of our nation and its Constitution depended on the morality and spirituality of its people. According to the National Archives, he stated, "Because We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by...morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition [and] Revenge or Galantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other..."

I came across a Biblical reference regarding the separation of powers, which is a foundational principle of our Constitution and our system of government. The Wallbuilders website notes: "According to the Bible, man will only begin to do what is good when God changes his heart...Without a life changed by God, mankind is naturally inclined to do what is wrong." It goes on to say:

The Founders firmly held this Biblical view. They therefore constructed government fully expecting the worst – expecting that the people leading all three branches would become corrupt. Fifty-five hundred years of recorded history prior to the Founding Fathers had demonstrated that as the pattern of every human government that had ever existed. Understanding this, the Founders made specific plans to help limit the inherent corruption of man and they sought ways to prevent all three branches from becoming wicked at the same time. They wanted a fail-safe so that if one did, then perhaps the other branches could restrain it or drag it back to its limited function. The result was the various clauses providing and enforcing Separation of Powers.

Jeremiah 17:9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" The Wallbuilders article, in quoting from The Founders' Bible, stated: " The Founding Fathers understood the import of this verse and openly cited it..."  The essay goes on to relate:

The Biblically illiterate believe in the innate goodness of man – that man will naturally do what is right, but experience regularly affirms the opposite: without a heart regenerated by the power of God, man will routinely do what is wrong. Adams specifically rejected any notion of the innate goodness of man, especially when it came to government:

To expect self-denial from men when they have a majority in their favor, and consequently power to gratify themselves, is to disbelieve all history and universal experience – it is to disbelieve revelation and the Word of God, which informs us ‘the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked’ [Jeremiah 17:9]. . . . There is no man so blind as not to see that to talk of founding a government upon a supposition that nations and great bodies of men left to themselves will practice a course of self-denial is either to babble like a newborn infant or to deceive like an unprincipled impostor...

That is from Adams' A Defense of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America.

The issue of separation of powers among the three branches of government was central to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.  CBN News reported:

The Supreme Court has ruled on a complicated case with broad implications for disputes between the federal judiciary and presidents, reining in the power of federal judges.

The Trump administration had asked the court to put an end to nationwide injunctions issued by lower federal courts – an issue that came up during the legal fight over President Trump's attempt to challenge the issue of "birthright citizenship."

The actual executive order about citizenship was not officially the subject of this particular ruling. Instead, the high court was focusing on whether lower federal courts can issue rulings that assert power over the president, overturning actions of the Executive Branch.

In a big win for President Trump, the high court ruled that individual judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions, as several federal judges have tried to do this year.

The article goes on to say:

Court analysts, discussing the case on SCOTUSblog, report that Justice Barrett wrote the opinion for the Court in the 6-3 ruling.

She wrote, "Federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them. When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too."

Justice Clarence Thomas issued a concurring opinion, clarifying that the Court "today puts an end to the 'increasingly common' practice of federal courts issuing universal injunctions."

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said that the majority's opinion was "an existential threat to the rule of law." Barrett stated:

"We will not dwell on JUSTICE JACKSON's argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries' worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself. We observe only this: JUSTICE JACKSON decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary. No one disputes that the Executive has a duty to follow the law. But the Judiciary does not have unbridled authority to enforce this obligation—in fact, sometimes the law prohibits the Judiciary from doing so."

I remember the words of former Alabama and U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, who would describe judge's job as calling "balls and strikes."  Constitutionally speaking, regarding the three branches of government, Congress makes law and sets parameters, the Executive Branch carries out those laws based on the Constitution, and the Judiciary is there as an arbiter when there is a dispute about the content or intent of those laws.  

The Founders got it right, and there was apparently Biblical inspiration for that system, recognizing as Wallbuilders pointed out - human beings are not naturally good, rather they are naturally sinful. If, for instance, one branch of government goes south, if you will, the chance of catastrophic harm to our government is reduced by having checks and balances. 

As Wallbuilders states:

Under the Progressive belief, if man shoots someone, the problem is with the gun; since man is instinctively good, it can’t be his fault that something bad happened, so we need to regulate the gun, not the man. Or if someone gets drunk and abuses his spouse, it is because man has a medical disease beyond his control – it’s not his fault, for he is inherently good. Or if someone fathers a dozen children out of wedlock, it is because he was not given enough condoms in school. In short, under Progressivism, if man does something bad, there was some outside cause for it, for man is inherently good.

We are responsible for our behavior, and we need the power of the Holy Spirit in order to walk in a way that pleases God.  Humanity is basically evil - that is why we need a Savior.  Time and time again, we see our Founders as men who spoke of a reliance on Almighty God.  As we reflect on God's hand on our nation, we can be thankful for the evidence of divine inspiration upon our system of government. 

Patriots and Christians

We know that the teachings of Scripture and the practice of Christianity can provide a strong foundation for not only our individual lives, but for corporate entities - such as churches, businesses, and governments. Our Founders did not exhibit the hostility toward religion that some display in our nation today, and it's important that faith in our nation remains vibrant. 1st Corinthians 3 states:
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.

Yesterday I shared about the first meeting of the Religious Liberty Commission, established by an executive order by President Trump.  One of those testifying before the committee is Mark David Hall - he's been a guest on The Meeting House and is a member of one of the Advisory Boards for the commission.  He is on the faculty of Regent University.  His testimony was included on the Anchoring Truths website.  Hall stated:

America’s founders did not want Congress to establish a national church, and many opposed establishments at the state level as well. Yet they believed, as George Washington declared in his Farewell Address, that of “all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports.” Moreover, almost without exception they agreed civic authorities could promote and encourage religion, and that it was appropriate for elected officials to make religious arguments in the public square.

While there have been some who have decried the very existence of a commission to study ways to reinforce religious liberty, even going so far to say that it is devoted to promoting what is known these days as "Christian nationalism," Hall has been an outspoken critic of this negative characterization of Christians who want to live out their faith publicly. In an interview piece at the website, Christ Over All, he states, regarding the term:

In 2006, it began to be used by critics who said, “Oh my goodness, there are these theocrats out there that want to take over America for Christ and oppress racial minorities and women. And maybe only Protestants will be put on the very top. This is horrible. It’s scary. We should be very, very afraid.” It’s an extension of the literature criticizing the religious right of the 90s and early twenty-first century. So beginning in 2006, almost every other year a book would come out. Most of them were polemical authors saying we should be very, very, very afraid.

Hall offers this response:

I would say, look, conservative Christians should simply reject that label and say: We are Christians. We are followers of Christ. We have an obligation to be salt and light in the city and we are going to be politically active and we are going to make the arguments that we want to make. And if we want to make biblical arguments, we’ll make them. And certainly, there’s nothing constitutionally to prohibit us from doing so. But perhaps if we’re trying to reach people besides Christians. We might make moral arguments, arguments based on social science, arguments that we think will be effective.

 In a piece published by the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, Hall wrote: "By the founding era, virtually every civic leader embraced the view that religious liberty should be robustly protected. The United States Constitution specifically banned religious tests for federal office, and its oath provisions included a religious accommodation to permit Quakers and others who have religious objections to swearing oaths to affirm them instead."  He related that at the conclusion of what he terms the "Revolutionary era," each state protected religious liberty in a "significant way."  

He went on to say, "The federal Constitution of 1787 did not, but only because its supporters believed the national government did not have the delegated power to pass laws interfering with religious belief or practice. In the face of popular outcry, the first Congress proposed and the states ratified a constitutional amendment stating that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…'”

He went on to say, in a point that he also relayed to the Religious Liberty Commission, "To be sure, the freedom of religious minorities was not always respected, but Christian civic and religious leaders continued to be leaders in the fight to protect the ability of all citizens to act upon their religious convictions..."

He also states:

There are excellent reasons for Christians to reject both what the critics call Christian nationalism and what its proponents call Christian nationalism. Instead, Christian should be patriotic, and we must bring our faith into the public square to advocate for liberty, justice, and equality for all. We cannot let critics shame us into privatizing our faith and abandoning our responsibility to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7).

There is a role for the Christian in upholding religious liberty, not only for ourselves, but for other faith groups who wish to operate, in a legitimate and lawful manner, according to their faith. Are there limits?  I believe so - we should not act in an irresponsible manner and attempt to place a faith stamp on bad behavior.  We can recognize that reliance on a higher power, whom we recognize as God our Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, can be incredibly beneficial, even in a society that has shown signs of rejecting God.  We should know our history and practice our faith vibrantly.  

And, we should not back down from loving our country - but we should always be careful to love God first.  Our country consists of principles and people - principles, many of which are consistent with Scripture.  And, people, those who we are called to love, our fellow citizens, our "neighbors."  We have been brought together for this time for divine purposes, and we are called to live out our faith in God so that we can have a better, more cohesive country - but we have to be unified by something, and it can and should be moral and spiritual in nature.