Proof

In 1st Peter chapter 2, we can read about our identity in Christ and the purpose to which He has called us:
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

We are created for and called for a purpose.  And, the foremost call that we have is to come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  We have been offered the invitation to come into fellowship with Him, and when we accept that and are saved, then we are called to live a life that pleases God and to view life as a series of opportunities to bring honor to our Savior.  We are called by His name, and we are empowered to exalt His name, that He might be known in the earth.

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1st Corinthians 10 gives some insight into our motivation for doing what we do:
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,
33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

We are living in an era where young people need to be inspired to be better, to do better, to set and achieve big goals.  When we sometimes lose faith in adults to do the right thing, perhaps we can have hope in the next generation to actually demonstrate godly character.

There's a 9-year-old boy named William Maillis who has some rather lofty goals for his life. People.com did a feature story on him recently.  This past May, William graduated from high school and is now a college student already working on his own theories of how the universe was created. The article points out that, "Most other 9-year-olds are in fourth grade."

William lives in Penn Township, Pennsylvania, and is said to be among the youngest people ever to attend college.  He is attending Community College of Allegheny County, where he is taking a full load of classes.  He is easing his way into life as a college student and plans to enroll next fall at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.  That's according to his father, Peter Maillis, who is a Greek Orthodox priest.

He already has some goals set: he wants to study the physics and chemistry of space, earn a doctorate degree, and work as an astrophysicist. The story says that he "is at ease tossing around concepts like 'displacement of space-time' 'singularity' and 'pure gravity...' He also discussed why black holes aren’t “super massive,” a concept put forward by "other brilliant minds as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking."

The bottom line, according to William:

“I want to prove to everybody that God does exist,” he says, by showing that only an outside force could be capable of forming the cosmos.

The story concludes by saying:

Through it all, Maillis says his son remains grounded. “I just want him to appreciate the gift he has, which I think he does,” Maillis said. "I tell him, ‘God gave you a gift. The worst thing would be to reject that gift and not use it for the betterment of the world.’"

What a great story of ability and accomplishment - a young man who wants to do great things, motivated by a desire to excel in the scientific realm, consistent with a desire to show the world that God exists.  Certainly, he doesn't believe there is a disconnect between science and religion.

And, neither should we.  As believers in Christ, hopefully with a high view of Scripture, we can look at the scientific evidence and be encouraged that it points to the work of a Creator, a Designer, rather than random acts that somehow occurred, resulting in the formation of the earth, nature, and the universe.  God set certain laws of nature in motion that are tested and true and cannot be superseded.  Those in intelligentsia have attempted to provide explanation for how the earth was formed, yet the Scriptures are very plain - "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Of course, as it's been said, if some people were to acknowledge God, they would then have to submit their lives to Him.  They might think that it is easier to say that there is no God so that there is no obligation to follow Him than to admit that He exists and struggle with having to conform to His requirements.  Unfortunately, there are many that say God exists, and even give lip service to Him, without walking in obedience to His ways.  The acknowledgement of God's existence ultimately requires an answer to the question, "so what will you do with Jesus?"  We, of course, have to evaluate our own lives to determine the ways we are not walking in obedience to the One in Whom we say we believe.

A final thought: we can encourage our young people to apply their gifts - helping them to recognize that they are created by God for a purpose.  There is more than just human achievement - for the Christian, we can consider that there is the business of following God's will; using God-given ability to give God the glory.

The Peril of Polarization

Christ died for all, so despite our differences and the artificial divisions that we create in our own humanity, God calls us to see every person through the eyes of grace, just as He sees us.  Romans 10 says:
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

In a sense, we are all different - each person, with a unique DNA, a pre-determined gender, as well as physical and emotional makeup, is unique.  This is our God-given wiring, if you will, and you were "created" as a human being of great worth.   But, in a sense, we are all the same - part of the family of humanity, but also sinners in need of a Savior, because our inner nature has to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, because we were born into a fallen world, born of the flesh.  As we are made alive in the Spirit, we recognize the commonality we have with other believers in Christ who have experienced that same transformation, and we can do mighty things together.

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In Colossians 3, we can see a passage that illustrates how the presence of Christ has the capacity to erase the differences that humans can use to create division:
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Against the backdrop of a new wave of racial tension in America, a new movie called, The Birth of a Nation, debuts in theaters today.  It tells the story of a slave who lived in Virginia named Nat Turner, who led a rebellion of slaves against their white slavemasters.  In the incident, according to a piece by Adelle Banks at Religion News Service, at least 55 whites were killed over the two-day period. After that an estimated 200 blacks, some free and some enslaved, were executed.

Turner was apparently influenced by the Scriptures. The story quotes Karl Lampley, author of the book, A Theological Account of Nat Turner: Christianity, Violence and Theology, who said, “He believed that Jesus is coming back, like right away."  He adds, "So he believed that he needed to fight on Christ’s side for this new age. And so he sort of believed in a new age of freedom for black slaves.”

Turner is credited with writing the spiritual, Steal Away.  His Bible is preserved at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. “It was his deep faith that allowed him to do what he did,” said Rex Ellis, the museum’s associate director for curatorial affairs. Of course, Turner's rebellion did nothing to improve conditions. Lampley says that laws were passsd in Virginia after the rebellion preventing blacks from gathering or having their own preachers.

So, here's a man who apparently used the Scriptures as justification to commit violence, but the movie about the incident is intended to challenge our culture today to consider the Scriptures in an effort to bring racial healing.  That's the contention of the filmmaker, Nate Parker.  In an interview with Alissa Wilkinson of Christianity Today, he responded:

You used the word healing—it's spot on. That is my main motivation with the film. Any psychologist will tell you that healing comes from honest confrontation with our injury or with our past. Whatever that thing is that has hurt us or traumatized us, until we face it head on, we will have issues moving forward in a healthy way.

I challenged my pastor to do something during opening week—and this is something that I would love to inspire across the country: that pastors be held accountable to reaching out to churches that we'd consider either black churches or white churches, and doing congregation swaps, where they send half their congregation to the other church and the other church do the same.

Can imagine the dialogue that would inspire nationally and globally? What if we could use this as a launchpad toward recovering and healing from the injury of the past that we didn't create, but we've inherited? Imagine if every church in America made a goal to be integrated over the opening weekend, and then after church just simply engage as they would when church is dismissed like they would at their own church.

Parker elaborated on the church stepping up to address issues of race:

Will we as Christian people be able to stand up for Christ rather than choosing to be red or blue and politicized? It should be a call to action for all of us.

When you look at the Civil Rights Movement, you look at the Revolutionary War, you look at any of these instances where America was put at a crossroads and then had to either grow or shrink—the church stepped up.The church was always the first responder to tragedy, to sin, to injustice, to racial disparity.

He said, "I would pray that this film will be an opportunity for us people of faith to come together in a way that is real and honest, in a way that is uncomfortable."

Just a couple of notes: the film is rated R.  Also, Parker has faced criticism because of an arrest that took place many years ago, for which he was apparently exonerated.  He has expressed regret for the incident.

Some takeaways as we reflect on the movie and the state of race relations today.  For one thing, polarization prevents healing.   Benjamin Watson of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, who has become an outspoken proponent for healing of racial tension from a Christian perspective, appeared on The Kelly File on the Fox News Channel in the aftermath of recent shootings in Tulsa and Charlotte. From the FoxNews.com website, we can read:

"One of the biggest things that we have to be able to do is handle conflict and handle it correctly," Watson said. "[When] we're able to look at our biases, look at our frustrations, look at our sin in this area, our pride and our selfishness, it allows us to move forward."

He explained that when people divide themselves up into groups and call each other names or engage in violence, it doesn't help anyone.

"What we're seeing here in Charlotte is wrong," Watson stated. "There shouldn't be any looting or anything like that, but what we're seeing is a lot of frustration."

He said that America can only move forward with a nationwide change of heart, and there's only one way to achieve that.

"Obama can't save us. Mrs. Clinton can't save us. Mr. Trump can't save us. The only one who can change the heart of man is the Lord."

This leads to another point as we consider Biblically responding to issues of race in our communities. In a much-publicized Facebook post in the aftermath of the grand jury decision in Ferguson to not prosecute the police officer who shot and killed an African-American man in that city, Watson said on Facebook, among many other things:

I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.

Watson has a book out entitled, Under Our Skin: Getting Free from the Fears and Frustrations That Divide Us.  

I believe another key point is that we have to examine our own hearts and think critically, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, about incorrect ideas we possess about race and those of a different racial makeup than we.

Finally, we must make sure that we are lining up our messages and methods with the Scriptures. There are issues that need to be addressed, and we have to guard against acting or communicating in a counterproductive way.  Our hearts may be in the right place, but we have to be so sensitive to the Holy Spirit to direct us into effective ways to respond.

Pursuing the Basics

We have to guard against the influences of this world that would corrupt our knowledge of God's Word. Colossians 2 says:
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

I think that belief in the teachings of the Bible and regard for Biblical authority have been diminished in our culture today.  We have to make sure that we don't say we believe the Bible and adopt teachings or philosophies that contradict it and undermine our Christian witness.  In our desire for acceptance, some have abandoned basic teachings - to their peril and to the peril of an effective Christian influence.  The Bible is our authority for life, and is totally sufficient - it is not to be watered down in order to make its truth more palatable for a relativistic culture.

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In 2nd Timothy 2, Paul admonishes Timothy to hold fast to the authority of God's Word:
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
(17a) And their message will spread like cancer.

God wrote the Bible - that's some encouraging news from a new survey released by LifeWay Research, in partnership with Ligonier Ministries - that is the ministry founded by R.C. Sproul.

But, unfortunately, it seems to go downhill from there, and if you need evidence of a church in decline and why we may not see the impact on our culture that we'd like, here are some signs - that is, if you think that belief translates into behavior.

According to a report on the survey at the Baptist Press website, 64 percent of Americans say God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Twenty-four percent disagree. Twelve percent are not sure. 48 percent of evangelicals - just less than half - adhere to this view.

40 percent of Americans say those who don't believe in Jesus will go to hell. 84% of those who hold evangelical beliefs say hell is a place of eternal judgment, where God sends all people who do not personally trust in Jesus Christ.

60 percent of Americans say heaven is a place where all people will ultimately be reunited with their loved ones. A slightly higher percentage - 64% - of evangelicals hold this view.

And, how about salvation?  Well, evangelicals by definition believe that salvation comes through trusting Jesus Christ alone as their Savior. Just over half of Americans, 54%, say only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone receive eternal salvation.

Regarding the Bible, 58 percent of Americans say God is the author of the Bible. Just under that, 52%, say the Bible alone is the written Word of God. 64 percent of Americans say the biblical accounts of the physical,, or bodily, resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate. Almost all of those with evangelical beliefs - 98 percent - agree.

According to the Baptist Press article, Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research says "most Americans still identify as Christians. But they seem to be confused about some of the details of their faith."  The story continued: "For example, he said, about two-thirds of Americans believe Jesus is God while half say Jesus is a being created by God. Those two beliefs don't seem to match, he said."  McConnell is quoted as saying, "Contradictory and incompatible beliefs are okay for most people."

My conclusions from this data, comprised from the answers to 47 questions?  Well, for one thing, people don't really seem to have thought through their theology, and the Bible is not the sole authority for their basic theological views.  You can claim to believe the Bible, but if you have not accurately incorporated its teachings into your life, you can come up with some contradictory ideas.

And, this is not a phenomenon for non-believers or even non-evangelicals.  There are some squishy views out there regarding heaven, hell, the authority of God's Word, and other questions, even among those considered to be "evangelicals."  We are called to "accurately handle" or "rightly divide" the Word of truth, according to 2nd Timothy 2. It is critical in order to grow spiritually that we devote ourselves to opening the Word - with the intent of understanding what it says and how it applies to our individual lives.  The Bible is more than a book we read; rather it is a living document that can shape us to conform to the image of Jesus.  And, a review of the basics can be helpful in developing a greater understanding of His truth.

Laws, Legalism, and Liberty

God desires to do an inner work in our hearts that is manifested in our outward behavior.  2nd
Corinthians 3 says:
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.

If we try to modify our behavior without the power of the Spirit, that can lead to frustration.  We can become so intent on trying to do all the right things in order to feel good about ourselves and even to make people with whom we come in contact think that we are doing OK.  This is legalism, and it is destructive.  God wants us to dip into the reservoir of His kindness and mercy, to discover His resources to live the Christian life, to stop trying to keep a set of rules that will ensnare us and keep in step with the Spirit.

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In the 23rd chapter of the book of Matthew, Jesus calls out the practices of the religious leaders of His day, those who had apparently gone way beyond the Law as prescribed in the Old Testament and
entrapped the people within an extreme form of legalism. We can read where Jesus said:
(2) ..."The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers
5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'

There does seem to be more than enough legalism to go around.   The Daily Signal has a story about a freelance reporter who was arrested on the New York City subway.  It says:

This “criminal” had the audacity to put her foot up on an adjacent, empty subway seat. That’s right, a woman was arrested and spent four hours in a holding cell for conduct that interfered with no one.

The article points out that:

The New York City Transit Authority’s rules of conduct specifically forbid one from placing “his or her foot on a seat on a station, platform or conveyance,” under Section 1050.7(j), along with a host of similar misbehaviors. While it is unclear whether the reporter was familiar with Section 1050.7(j)—which details “disorderly conduct” on the subway—New York City police officers sure are.

The story says that a 2012 report showed that over 6000 tickets were handed out the previous year, with 1600 people arrested for violating Section 1050.7(j).  The article went into some other instances where people were arrested for seemingly harmless crimes, like a New York City guitarist who was strumming on a subway platform or a Washington, D.C. 12-year-old who was eating a french fry at a transit station.

That D.C. incident actually went to the D.C. Circuit Court, where then-member John Roberts, our current chief justice, according to The Daily Signal, upheld the constitutionality of the arrest: The story says, "Roberts correctly implied that just because a law is unprincipled or draconian does not mean it is an unconstitutional law that courts are equipped to strike down."  That D.C. ordinance resulting in the arrest has been modified.  And, the mayor of New York has signed an act reducing penalties on those who commit small offenses.

Jesus took aim at the laws that were imposed by the religious leaders of his day.  He accused them of enacting laws that they themselves would not follow, accusing them of doing public works in order to be seen of men.  He accused them of prideful activities, possessing corrupt hearts while attempting to make an outward show of their piety.

But, to bring this home, how often are we guilty of doing something very similar?  We can become so trapped in our legalism that we fail to experience the liberty of Jesus Christ.  We can examine our actions to see if we are really doing what we do in order to obey and honor God, or so that other people can see what wonderful Christians we are.  Sure, He intends for us to exhibit holiness, but that starts with the inward cleansing of the Holy Spirit, not acting holy for the crowd while our hearts are not in sync with the Spirit.

Motivation is a key.  If we are acting like a Christian for show, perhaps we are not really showing the love and character of Christ.  Our activity should be driven by love and released by the Holy Spirit.  If we are merely playing to the crowd in order to make people think that we are something that we are not on the inside, then we are missing the point.  We can set up elaborate rules for ourselves that result in our being religious without truly living from the heart.  Legalism is destructive and suffocating - living in the Spirit is freeing!

No Sympathy for the Devil

As Jesus taught the Jews, as we see in John 8, he taught about the power of the enemy to challenge
and influence their - and our - thinking:
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

The devil - is a liar - and he desires to fill our minds and our hearts with ideas and ideals that are in stark contrast with the truth of God's Word.  The enemy will distort our view of God our Heavenly Father, about the sufficiency of Christ and our identity in Him, and plant thoughts in our consciousness that, if acted upon, will cause damage to our walk with God.  We have to make up our minds to resist the enemy and renew our minds to the truth of the Scriptures.

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In 1st Peter 5, the devil, the enemy of our souls, is identified, and we are given instruction on how we are to respond to him:
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

In a Front Room commentary back in April, I talked about plans to build a replica of the arch of the Temple of Baal in New York City and London.  Well, the New York City replica has now been erected, not at Times Square, as originally announced, but in City Hall Park.

A WND story sets up the background of this structure:

The arch erected in City Hall Park recently was a recreation of the Arch of Palmyra, destroyed in August 2015 by ISIS when it took control of the Syrian city, once a Roman settlement. The arch was re-created by the Institute for Digital Technology and UNESCO. It was created by robots following a 3-D model constructed from photographs taken of the original arch before it was destroyed. After being displayed in London and now New York City, the arch is going to be displayed in Dubai as part of a worldwide tour.

New York City Mayor William de Blasio called it an act of “solidarity” with those “lost in Syria,” and Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen said the arch was “a symbol of freedom.”

In the article, Messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn, a recent guest on my radio show, The Meeting House radio show, said "it was anything but a symbol of freedom. He noted the Arch of Palmyra originally led to the Temple of Baal."  The story points out, "It fits precisely into what Cahn calls 'The Harbinger' template of a nation consciously turning away from God despite warnings. And just like the ancient Israelites, the United States of America honored Baal."

Cahn says it is particularly shocking to see the monument in the same city where the 9/11 attacks occurred. He told WND, “When I spoke on Capitol Hill I was led to speak of Baal as the incarnation of America’s apostasy,” adding, “So now to see the actual manifestation of Baal on American soil is stunning.”

Another WND story highlights an embrace of Satanism in our nation and it quotes Cahn as saying, 

"In the judgment template of ‘The Harbinger,’ when ancient Israel turned away from God, it turned to the god Baal. One of the names of Baal was ‘Baal Zevuv,’ or ‘Lord of the Flies.’ When that Hebrew name was translated into Greek and then English, it became ‘Beelzebub’ – the name of Satan. So it is no accident that we are now seeing in America the same thing. When one drives God out of one’s life, when a nation drives God out of its national life – it opens the door to the devil.”

Pastor Carl Gallups is also quoted in the article, which states that, "Gallups says there is a link between the increasing secularism of American culture and the rise of demonic activity." He is quoted as saying, “As the culture of the United States, the largest Christian nation the planet has ever known, becomes increasingly secular, and as much of America’s church slips progressively into apostasy, the intensity of demonic activity will only increase,” adding, “This is not only a biblical prediction, but also a current reality that, with growing frequency, is reported upon practically every week.”

The pastor also says: “There can be no doubt that the Word of God speaks of a demonic outpouring occurring in the days just before the return of the Lord...The implication of those prophecies is that the deluge will be on a global scale. Although we have always had the influence and impact of the demonic realm to deal with, never before has that sphere of existence had such a platform from which to manifest itself and to so boldly proclaim its seductive message. The intense focus given to this ‘Satanic Temple’ is just another example."

Now, the article points out that the Satanic Temple says it does not literally worship the devil, but that Satan and demonic imagery are used as a “formidable weapon to fight for separation of church and state.”  The so-called "Temple" has attempted to establish after-school clubs to counter legitimate Christian clubs at schools, and it has established a headquarters in Salem, MA, site of the famous witch trials.

We have to recognize that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare, and as the Scripture teaches, the devil is real.  He is called the "father of lies" by Jesus, and his ambition motivated him to rebel against the person and plan of God.  If we don't admit the reality of the devil, then we cannot effectively wage war against Him.  And, if we don't have the power of Christ in our hearts and put on the full armor of God, he will destroy our Christian witness.

Not only is the devil real, but we know from 1st Peter 5 that the devil is roaming.  In his state of denial, he has his sights set on the throne of God, to wrestle the authority over the world away from the God who created it.  And, he does operate in the dominion of the world, activating the flesh and attempting to thwart the plan of God by adversely affecting the people of God.

So the devil is real and he is roaming.  Finally, we acknowledge that the devil is roaring.  And, he and his cohorts, the demons are attempting to infiltrate our consciousness by speaking lies into our minds, presenting tempting scenarios in the effort to get us off track in our relationship with God.  If we are not pressing in to Christ every day, we leave ourselves vulnerable to the devil's schemes.  We have to resist him by meditating on God's Word, calling on Him, availing ourselves of His resources, and taking every thought captive to the authority of the Word of God.

Always Hope

There is a passage toward the end of 1st Thessalonians 5, in which Paul is offering a "lightning
round," sort of speak of brief, yet powerful, principles that can strengthen us in our Christian walk. I want to pick up with verse 18:
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.

God wants us, no doubt, to possess thankful hearts.  We give Him the praise in the good times we experience, as well as the midst of the trouble we encounter, knowing that even in the trials we may be facing, God is there with us and will use those difficulties to produce in us fruit for His glory. And, even in those hard times, if we listen and trust, we can gain a sense of His message to us and release His peace into our hearts and minds.  God is with us - at all times - we have to learn to listen to Him as He directs and as He comforts.

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In Psalm 106, the Psalmist reminds us that there is much for which to give God praise:
1 Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise?
3 Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!
4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people; Oh, visit me with Your salvation,
5 That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance.

Baseball's regular season has now concluded, and what has been for most teams a 162-game marathon has now been boiled down to 10 teams who are vying for the title of World Series champion.  Unfortunately, last year's champion, the Kansas City Royals, aren't in the mix, but the champions two years ago, the San Francisco Giants, are back, continuing their every-other-year success.  In the National League, the Cubs are the winningest team, while over in the American, the Texas Rangers have the best record.

And, the New York Mets, last year's representative from the NL, are back in the postseason.  By the way, they have a prospect in their instructional league - maybe you've heard of him?  That's right, the former Heisman Trophy and National Championship-winning quarterback, and SEC studio analyst, Tim Tebow.  Did you hear about this?  His very first pitch as a professional baseball player...a home run.  USA Today reports that Tebow said: “It was fun. I just wanted to have the approach that I was going to be aggressive,” adding, “That’s something that we’ve been talking about here every day and practicing it.”

This took place in Florida, Tebow's home state and where he played college ball at the University of Florida.  Meanwhile, a little further down the coast, Tom Sileo tells the story of a moment that took place in Miami at Marlins Park.  This article appeared at TheStream.org.  He wrote:

Jose Fernandez, the brilliant 24-year-old Marlins ace who fled Cuba to pitch in a land of freedom, was killed in a boating accident early Sunday morning. The two-time All-Star’s death stunned baseball and sports fans around the world, especially in Miami’s heavily Cuban-American community.

After a full Sunday of pain and disbelief, Fernandez’s Miami teammates somehow took the field on Monday night against the New York Mets. Every single one of them wore Fernandez’s jersey, which will never be worn again by a Marlins player. The pregame ceremonies were moving and pitch perfect, particularly considering the emotional duress under which they were planned.

Sileo told of a dramatic moment in the bottom of the first:

To lead off the bottom of the first, second baseman Dee Gordon, a left-handed hitter, stepped into the right-handed batter’s box wearing his late friend’s batting helmet. He took the first pitch to honor Fernandez as the crowd clapped and cheered. After composing himself, Gordon switched helmets and got into the correct batter’s box.

Two pitches later, Gordon hit a fly ball to deep right field. Incredibly, the ball carried all the way to the right field seats. It was Gordon’s first home run of the entire 2016 season.

By the time he made it around the bases, Gordon and many Marlins players and fans were crying. Even though the opposing team is in the middle of a playoff race, several New York Mets players couldn’t hide their emotions, either.

The headline described the Gordon homer as a "Monday Night Miracle." Gordon is quoted as saying, "If y’all don’t believe in God, you might as well start."  Sileo described what he saw as "divine."  It was certainly amazing, in light of the Fernandez story - the story of a young man who had saved his mom from drowning as they fled Cuba.  A player who inspired the writer of the article with his "love for liberty."

Moments - life is comprised of them.  And the moments of the past can give us hope for the future.

Tebow and Gordon hit dramatic homers at opportune times.  But, how about the "homers" that have come for you at opportune, perhaps even miraculous or strategic times in our own lives.  We can think about the messages that God has sent to or through us in our own personal moments. Perhaps we have rejoiced in a personal achievement or the success of another person - in those times of triumph, we can offer thanks to God.  Maybe in dark hours of your life, in the midst of trouble, God has sent His message to you, telling you to keep going, that He is with you, maybe through another person or through that still, small voice, speaking encouragement to your spirit.

You see, God is walking with us, and we do well to identify the evidence of His hand, how He has shown up in our lives.  If we are dedicated to following Christ and walking with Him with a pure heart, then we can possess an expectation of how He will work - that will help us to quickly attribute what we see occur to Him and to give thanks to the Lord, exalting Him that He loves us so much that He wishes to be active in our lives.  To use a baseball analogy, some of those incidences will be "home runs," but in the everyday, we might see Him in small ways, the "singles" of life, or the "fielder's choices," that help us advance in the Christian life.

Guardians of the Faith?

We are called to honor God for His mighty works. In Exodus 15, during a time following a great victory, we find these verses:
1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!
2 The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him.

In all of our trials, challenges, and opportunities that we encounter in our lives, we are called to exalt the Lord.  And, I think it helps to build our faith and grow in our appreciation for the Lord as we come before Him with thankful hearts, hearts full of praise for how we have seen God move in our lives.  We can look for ways to identify what God has done, as He writes His desired story through us.

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In Psalm 34, we read this passage that can inspire us to lift up the Lord:
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

Actor Chris Pratt seems to have few qualms about bringing God into a conversation, and apparently on Easter weekend, he was involved in helping to display the most visible symbol of Christianity.

The Relevant Magazine website reports that Pratt, who is known for his work in the movies, Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, and who is currently in The Magnificent Seven, was on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he was asked about a series of Instagram pictures he posted this Spring.

Seems that on Easter weekend, Pratt posted several pictures showing him and two friends erecting a giant cross somewhere in the desert.  He told Colbert that on the Saturday before Easter, he went to visit a few friends who own a ranch in Texas, who told they were planning to build a giant cross on the property. Pratt said:

They had this big cross. It was on a Saturday, the day before Easter, and they said, ‘You know, we got this big cross. We gotta bring it up this great big hill at some point.’ I said, ‘Let’s do it right now … I want to do it. And, it’s Saturday before Easter, if you think about it, that’s what Jesus was doing 2000-something years before on a Saturday before Easter, was carrying a cross up a hill!' … It took us like two days. The thing was super heavy, and it was like just so rewarding and awesome.

Pratt has a history about speaking out regarding faith.  A People.com story recounted about the son born to Pratt and wife Anna Faris in 2012.  He was born nine weeks premature in August 2012, and, according to the story, "the couple felt a helplessness with which many parents are all too familiar." Pratt said, "We were scared for a long time,” referring to the month that his first son spent in an intensive care unit, adding, "We prayed a lot.”

He said the experience “...restored my faith in God, not that it needed to be restored, but it really redefined it,” adding, “The baby was so beautiful to us, and I look back at the photos of him and it must have been jarring for other people to come in and see him, but to us he was so beautiful and perfect.”

Meanwhile, a young man who professes to be a Christian but who obviously has struggles living it in the spotlight just put another mark in the public faith column...according to ChristianToday.com, recently, "...Justin Bieber surprised fans by slipping a well-known '90s worship song into his live show. The committed Christian performed an acoustic version of I Could Sing of Your Love Forever on a sofa during the Paris leg of his Purpose Tour, and fan videos of the event have quickly surfaced on social networks and video-sharing sites such as YouTube."

The article describes the performance:

The pop star's cover is more passion than polish, and as yet it's unclear whether his sudden public display of faith was planned or impromptu. What is clear from the videos however, is that the crowd clearly loved his choice of song, and within moments joined in with its simple, God-praising chorus.

These two instances remind us that God uses anyone to testify to Him - sometimes that may be high-profile, such as an actor or a sports figure.  Other times, it may be a husband, wife, mom, or dad, even a child.  What He is looking for is someone who is willing to exalt His name and be bold to testify of what He has done in our lives.  We can be inspired by high-profile individuals who dare to refer to God and seek to honor Him.

And, by "anyone," that really means anyone - despite the flaws or the struggles.  While it's easy to point fingers at a Justin Bieber for his duplicity: testifying to Christ while seemingly embracing the world, don't we struggle with that same grand conflict?   There is duplicity in our lives; we suffer from wanting to do what God doesn't want us to do.  Or as Paul laid in Romans 7, the good we want to do, well, we don't do it.   We are all saved sinners being sanctified, or, as it's been said, we are saints who sin.  None of us is exempt from the power of sin, and the challenge is to exercise the mastery over the Holy Spirit over the temptations we face.