On the Lord's Side

In our individual lives, in the Church, and in our nation today, we need the power and wisdom of Godly counsel; the application of the principles of Scripture is so vital in a day when worldly philosophies 
seem to rule the day. Psalm 33 states:
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Is God the Lord of America today?  We can certainly look back and see the influence of Christianity in the life of our nation. It is an imperfect history, but there is a desire that is prevalent in our land to serve and please God. Christian leaders are encouraging believers in Christ to seek revival and national restoration, which is tied into personal and corporate repentance in the Church. We know that God will show us the way, but we have to be dedicated to seeking His face and pursuing His principles.

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In the 29th chapter of the book of Proverbs, the Bible has some excellent guidance regarding 
government authorities; we see these verses:
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

4 The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

12 If a ruler pays attention to lies, All his servants become wicked.

14 The king who judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever.

The race for the Presidency, even though it has been tamped down by physical isolation and the standard campaign stump speeches and rallies are not prevalent, is continuing to intensify.  And, you can expect that religious faith will be a component of the race.

A preview erupted last week.  In one day, the former Vice-President Joe Biden spoke at a virtual religious gathering, in which he quoted Scripture, and that afternoon, he addressed a convention of minority journalists, in which he said, according to ReligionNews.com: "as president he would insist people refrain from holding large gatherings in places heavily impacted by the ongoing pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus — an issue facing many religious communities as they grapple with whether to hold in-person worship." Biden is quoted as saying: "There should not be congregations of more than 10 people.”  

Also that day, according to the article: "President Trump declared in Cleveland that his Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, would create an America with 'no religion' if elected, adding that Biden would 'hurt the Bible, hurt God' because 'he’s against God.'” Now, that's not exactly the way I would have expressed it, but as I'll share later, I can understand the sentiment.

Forbes reports that: "The Biden campaign refuted Trump’s assertion that Biden is areligious, with rapid response director Andrew Bates saying, 'Joe Biden's faith is at the core of who he is; he's lived it with dignity his entire life, and it's been a source of strength and comfort in times of extreme hardship.'”

Last week, there was a Believers for Biden event led by the former Vice-President's wife, Jill, and an Evangelicals for Trump gathering in Las Vegas that was held in a casino rather than a church because the restrictions on gathering size were more, well, charitable.  

The Biden campaign has hired a faith outreach director and is apparently determined not to make the mistakes of Hillary Clinton in 2016, in which there was seemingly little to no outreach to the faith community.  And, as it was commonly reported, over 8-in-10 white evangelicals cast their ballot for Trump.  

Biden, according to the article has "made faith central to his campaign, often telling voters he wants to restore the 'soul of America.'" Forbes goes on to say:

In an op-ed for Religion News Services in December, Biden wrote “my faith teaches me that we should be a nation that once again welcomes the stranger and shows a preferential option for the poor,” adding that Trump “doesn’t understand these things, because he... doesn’t know what it means to live for or believe in something bigger than himself.”

So, it's all hands on deck, it seems from the Biden campaign - the Forbes article also cites a Pew Research poll in which, by a 20-point margin, Biden is seen as more religious. I can certainly understand that - even though Mr. Trump has introduced policies consistent with a pro-life perspective and a support for religious liberty, he is not characterized as being a particularly religious man.

But, I believe that evangelicals who voted for Trump by and large were not voting for him based on his religious faith, but on his respect for theirs. Several weeks ago, The Christian Post published an article featuring Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; it said: "In an op-ed posted to the FRC website, Perkins, who has participated in events at the Trump White House, called Biden’s new strategy of trying to attract faith voters an ambitious strategy that involves 'trying to win over a group of people [he’s] spent the last several years insulting.'”

Perkins went on to say, “This is [a] man running on a vision, not only of abortion-on-demand, but abortion right up until — and perhaps after — birth,” adding, “To cap it off, for those Americans who do have a biblical or moral objection to abortion, he says they should still have to pay for them with their tax dollars. How does he square ‘authentic’ faith with those radical positions?”

But he was only getting started: “He told nuns they'd have to fund birth control, churches they'd have to cover abortions, and U.S. taxpayers that overseas abortion would be our newest export...Someone please explain how this is a candidate that can connect with Christians ‘through a shared worldview?’” The article states:

He went on to voice concern with Biden’s “radical LGBT advocacy” that he fears could “gut religious liberty” and greatly impact the freedom of Christian schools, Catholic hospitals and faith-based nonprofits to uphold policies consistent with their beliefs on sexuality and marriage.

And, Perkins noted Biden's support for the so-called Equality Act, which, according to Perkins, "hunts down and punishes the same evangelicals whose vote [Biden] claims to want! One that also ends women's sports, girls' and boys' bathrooms, Christian counseling, privacy laws, conscience protections, millennia of biology, medical ethics, parents' rights.”

But, there is a concerted effort to motivate Christian voters to ditch the President in favor of the former Vice-President.  The Post article said:

One Republican organization is spending millions in 2020 on advertisements seeking to convince conservatives and faith-based voters not to vote for Trump, even running a TV commercial that tells Christians that Trump is “using” them.

In June, a new book edited by longtime progressive evangelical leader Ron Sider was released. It features the essays of 30 evangelical Christians explaining why Christians should not vote for Trump.

Part of the strategy, I have observed, involves trying to lessen the effect of the abortion issue on a Christian's vote.  One way that has been done is to broaden the definition of "pro-life," which includes a liberalization of immigration policy, even an embracing of the concept of climate change. 

This is likely not the last time that there will be a faith thread expressed in the Presidential campaign. And, it is certainly an area that raises my antenna.  I think of the quote from Lincoln, according to Our Daily Bread:

In the heat of the American Civil War, one of President Lincoln’s advisors said he was grateful that God was on the side of the Union. Lincoln replied, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”

Christians have to make sure that we are attuned and involved in not only Presidential politics, but other races as well.  It is not a sin or a distraction to participate in the political realm.  Now, if it spills into the area of becoming an idol, that's a problem. But, I believe the selection of leaders is a responsibility that we have been given as citizens in this country, and should not be taken lightly.

It is certainly a responsible practice to pray for the upcoming election. These are areas in which I believe that the Lord is interested.  We can discern what the Bible says about important issues and become informed about where the candidates stand. We can ultimately pray for God's will to be done. We can allow the authority of Scripture to guide us as we select who will be in authority in our government.

There are clear issues that continue to be important, as well as some that have emerged over the past few years: of course, the abortion issue is paramount - life, meaning the right for all human beings to live.  There continue to be threats to the institution of marriage, and to these new social concepts of gender identity, including transgenderism. Matters of justice are certainly at play, and how those would be addressed in a manner that is consistent with a Biblical worldview. And, the nature of America itself, founded on Judeo-Christian principles as a Constitutional Republic, is at stake, especially with the rise of socialism. 

Revival on the Coast

From the beginning of the earthly ministry of Jesus, we see that repentance was a dominant theme.  John the Baptist preached the message of repentance, and in Matthew 4, we can read:
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

God is drawing people to come into a relationship with His Son, Jesus, and desires for those who would call upon His name to grow deeper in the Christian life.  Repentance is a key element of experiencing that depth - because Jesus died to set us free from the power of sin and death, He calls us to repent from our own sins and embrace what He has done for us through the cross and empty tomb.  He gives us the power to triumph over temptation and to walk in victory.

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In the first chapter of the book of Romans, the apostle Paul presents an expose of sinful practices; in the second chapter, he provides the antidote:
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

The attempt by government officials to regulate worship in California has been met with a variety of responses.  Some churches have defied the edicts of civic leaders and gathered for indoor worship.  Others have opted for outdoor venues.  A vast majority are continuing to offer worship in a virtual setting.  

There are creative means through which churches and their leaders are participating in worship.  Pastor Shane Idleman has originated what has come to be known as The Stadium Revival in Lancaster, California.  He wrote at The Stream two weeks ago:

Although the event was primarily for our local body as a way to come together, word quickly spread, and over 1,000 people showed up. We are not taking an offering, collecting names for a database, or trying to elevate our church; it’s simply a time to elevate Christ. We witnessed salvations, recommitments and powerful personal testimonies under the prayer tent. It showed how hungry people are to be encouraged and uplifted and even convicted.

At that point, he announced these services would continue through September.  He did a follow up report on August 2 at The Stream.  He wrote: "This second weekend we witnessed even more salvations, recommitments, and powerful personal testimonies leading to 30 baptisms, 29 of which were spontaneous."

Idleman, not to be confused with the Not a Fan author and Louisville pastor Kyle Idleman, says that "My messages are focused on the simple message of repentance. It’s a call back to God … back to truth, holiness, and the fear of the Lord. As a matter of fact, if God doesn’t change my plans, next week’s message is: 'There is No Fear of God in This Place.'" He says: "I have one desire: To see the Spirit of the living God revive dead churches and convict causal bystanders. To encourage believers and convict sinners, and to build the local church."

The pastor deals with the question of whether or not what is taking place could be considered to be genuine revival.  Idleman writes:

Christians can embrace one of two extremes concerning the word “revival.” At one extreme are those who embrace pure emotionalism and hysteria — “if it’s odd it’s God” — all weird behavior is excused. The other extreme lacks a living, vibrant spiritual life. The church feels dead, cold, and lifeless. Talk of reviving the things of God (revival) is either dismissed or ridiculed. Both extremes can hinder the work of the Holy Spirit and genuine Christian growth. Those truly filled with the Spirit reflect the personality and nature of God. Someone truly filled with the Spirit though bold, is often not bizarre.

We cannot dismiss the truly miraculous works of God that happen daily, nor can we minimize the incredible power of God to radically change lives through the power of the Spirit. However, in our zeal and excitement we often minimize the need for discernment. A discerning person considers supernatural experiences in light of God’s Word, nature, and character.

The report of the call to revival in California can cause us to consider a personal response and say, "What does revival look like for me?"  We can allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate areas of our lives that are not pleasing to Him and rely on His power to destroy the old work of the enemy and create a new work of the Spirit.  It can be a difficult task - Jesus described it as "taking up" your cross - daily.  

So, how do we get there? We can be challenged to adopt an attitude of surrender, which leads to the act of repentance, as well as a devotion to the study of God's Word.  Prayer, discipleship, the practices of the faith, are components that lead to revival.  So, we can examine our hearts - do we want to change?  Are we open to allowing God's Word and the Holy Spirit to expose what does not please Him?  We can check our hearts and make sure that we are truly repentant.

Worlds Apart

There is a profound statement at the beginning of Psalm 19, and these opening verses can remind us of the majestic handiwork of our God:
(1) The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun...

God is revealing Himself each day, every moment.  We just have to be dedicated to looking for Him. The entirety of His creation shows His glory, and that includes each of us. As humans, we can attempt to create and achieve, but ultimately our wisdom is inferior to that of the one who made us. But, we can rejoice that we can know Him, that we can be inspired to think godly thoughts and to be led of the Spirit of God.  He calls us to avail ourselves of His wisdom.

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We can trust in the power of a wonderful Creator, who made us in His image and who has made a universe that testifies to His greatness. Psalm 147 states:
1 Praise the LORD.How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

Within the past few days, not too far from here, in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico off the coast near Pensacola, the Space X vessel returned from its journey.  It was a mission that was originated with private investment in partnership with NASA.  It was quite the historic moment.  

The project was the brainchild of Tesla founder Elon Musk, and The Christian Post reported:

In remarks after the Dragon Capsule completed a splash landing in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, bringing home two U.S. astronauts, the chief engineer and CEO of SpaceX, said at one point during his speech: “You know, I’m not very religious, but I prayed for this one.”

But at the very core, Musk believes human space travel is an "achievement of humanity," relating, “I think this is something that the whole world can take some pleasure in...These are difficult times when — you know, there’s not that much good news — and I think this is one of those things that is universally good no matter where you are on planet Earth, this is a good thing, and I hope it brightens your day.”  He also thinks that transporting humans to Mars is a possibility, 

Certainly, Musk is an innovator, a true science guy, who dabbles very lightly in religious matters.  He was apparently originally on board with Kanye West's quixotic run for the Presidency, tweeting out support after Kanye announced it.  And, in 2018, according to the BBC, Musk said that he was inspired by West and Fred Astaire; the article says that in 2015, he wrote:

"Kanye's belief in himself and his incredible tenacity - he performed his first single with his jaw wired shut - got him to where he is today. And he fought for his place in the cultural pantheon with a purpose.

"Now that he's a pop-culture juggernaut, he has the platform to achieve just that. He's not afraid of being judged or ridiculed in the process. Kanye's been playing the long game all along, and we're only just beginning to see why."

But does that mean he will invest his riches in Kanye's flagging campaign?  A campaign marked by some erratic behavior?

Premier Christianity had some interesting comments regarding Musk from a 2017 article:

Musk doesn’t claim to have any religious beliefs. In an interview with Rainn Wilson (Dwight from the US version of The Office) when asked if science and religion can coexist, Musk replied, “Probably not”. To the next question, “Do you pray?”, he answered, “I didn’t even pray when I almost died of malaria.”

Yet, despite his lack of faith in God, there is much that the Church can learn from someone like Musk. While his fears about the dangers of Artificial Intelligence may seem like the stuff of sci-fi films let’s not forget that Musk has already displayed a remarkable knack for anticipating where our tech is taking us.

The article contends that Musk "does have a faith" and relates: "Musk’s faith is in ourselves to save ourselves. With all his dedication and determination to seeing humanity overcome its own propensity for self-destruction (especially his dream to transcend our place in the universe by colonising Mars) perhaps Elon Musk is prompting onlookers to ask important questions that we as Christians can help answer."

But as the article, written by Tim Bechervaise, states:

Fixing the world is one thing, fixing the people who live on it is another. As Christian preacher Adrian Rogers put it, “The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.” Even if humans do end up living on Mars, they will still need saving from themselves.

Elon Musk is a smart and talented guy, but his wisdom is limited; yet God's wisdom and power are unlimited.  We have to recognize that answers lie beyond this world and beyond the realm of human understanding - the Lord has given us incredible clues through His creation - the Scriptures say that the heavens declare the glory of God. The order and majesty of the universe testify to the existence of and the profound activity of a Creator.

We also recognize that technology can help or hurt, but cannot replace God-given human creativity. And, it certainly is incapable of truly mining the depths of the human heart. It still takes the knowledge of humanity to program or to build a computer - but, wrong data put into a computer will still yield errant results. 

We can examine what we have our faith in.  Elon Musk apparently doesn't believe that science and religion can co-exist; there are Christian believers see who see that scientific discoveries are consistent with the presence of creator God.  We can settle for less by placing trust in human understanding, or we can go deeper by acknowledging and seeking out God's understanding - while we cannot begin to comprehend all that is in the mind of God, He has given us His Word as a foundation to discover and to know Him.

God and Morals

We can trust the Bible - not as merely a work of classic literature, even though it is.  Nor merely as a book of history or instruction.  It is God's authoritative, infallible, inspired Word - in it we find the truth of God, which He intends for us to know and apply. 2nd Peter 1 states:
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Without reliance on God, culture goes adrift.  Without our personal dependence on God, our lives go out of control.  Part of the sinful human condition is an attitude that we are able to do it ourselves, that we are able to navigate the decisions of life without the inspiration of the Lord.  That is a struggle for disciples of Christ, even.  That is why we need our minds renewed and need to adopt the position that we are nothing without Him without Him, we can do nothing.

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God's truth is absolute, and He has shown us in His Word the way that we are to live. Hebrews 1 states:
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high...

When you have more than half of people in a significant number of nations in the world say that you do not have to believe in God to have good morals, I think you have a problem.  Without having the authoritative belief in the one true God, what is the definition of "morality" anyway?

That statistic is from a Pew Research study on how people relate to God.  Now, keep in mind that this is a survey of a variety of religions, so it's not limited to Christianity. Now, the survey summary states that "Across the 34 countries, which span six continents, a median of 45% say it is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values."  51% percent say that belief in God is not necessary.

And, regarding belief in God, the summary says:

Despite variances in religious observance, a median of 62% across the countries surveyed say that religion plays an important role in their lives, while 61% agree that God plays an important role in their lives and 53% say the same about prayer. Since 1991, the share of people who say God is important to them has increased in Russia and Ukraine, while the opposite has occurred over the same time span in Western Europe.

In Western Europe only 22% say that belief in God is necessary for good morals and values. And, from 2002 to 2019, the percentage in the U.S. that agree with that statement has declined from 58% to 44%.

And, not surprisingly, the survey shows that those with higher income are less likely to view the necessity of God for good morality.  Same for higher education levels.  That makes sense, because you could say - generally speaking - that trust in money or knowledge could lessen one's dependence on God.

A smaller percentage of those surveyed in these countries said that prayer was important; the Pew survey summary relates: "Across 34 countries, a median of 61% say that God plays an important role in their lives, compared with 53% who say that prayer is important in their daily life." And, there is a stunning inverse relationship between income and prayer - the summary states: "while a median of 41% across these advanced economies say that prayer is an important part of daily life, 96% of those in emerging economies say that it is."  In the U.S., 72% of those surveyed responded by saying God is important in their lives vs. 67% who say prayer is important.

Just a random sampling of social media will illustrate this overriding truth: We need God. Period.

The presence of God and the teachings of Scripture should profoundly determine our moral beliefs, our deeply held convictions.  And, prayer enables us to live them out.  We need to be talking with Him - and allow Him to renew our minds.  

It is interesting and a bit convoluted: Over 70% of Americans say that God is important, but fewer say that communicating with Him is important.  This is a bit of a disconnect; prayer, Biblical prayer, keeps us on track.  A healthy relationship cannot be sustained without consistent, two-way communication.  It's more than just telling God what we believe, it's earnestly seeking His face.

This survey shows that people are willing to go to other sources for a determination of morality. But, if you reject God's authority and His principles for human behavior, where do you turn?  To a subjective source - the opinions of others or your own opinion.  Your own truth, as it's been said.  The lack of an absolute authority creates inner turmoil and cultural chaos.  Hello?  Are we there yet?  The answer, as it always has been, is to recognize the truth that has been given to us by God and embodied in Jesus Christ. 

Find the Church

We are called to be agents, or ministers, of reconciliation, proclaiming the good news that God sent His son to earth so that in Him people may know peace. In Hebrews 12, we find these verses:
12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled...

If we look around, we don't have to look too far to see anger, tension, conflict - bitterness. Stories of increased crime and destruction.  There is an antidote - it's the healing salve of the presence of Christ; it's the transformative power of the gospel.  Through Christ, through the changed heart, people can experience His hope and find the love they are seeking. Jesus brings people to Himself, unites us with the Father, and equips us to unite with one another.

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The Word instructs us about the way that we are to carry ourselves in this world, walking in the love and peace of the Spirit and being prayerful in how we walk. Psalm 34 states:
12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.

Certainly, there is concern over what is occurring in the city of Portland, as apparent nightly gatherings have a violent edge to them.  The Federal government, until a few days ago, was dispatched to the city to protect government buildings - now the responsibility has fallen to state police, as the result of a negotiated agreement.

What we see on our television and computer screens originating from Portland and other cities that are beset by unrest can cause us to ask a very important question: where is the Church?  We don't commonly think of the Pacific Northwest as a bastion of church activity, but God does have His people, and it turns out that local churches are working in the midst of the civil unrest.

Aaron Bennett is a pastor of a church in downtown Portland called Garden Church.  In a Baptist Press article, he is quoted as saying:

"I really encourage people, 'Don't see the entire world through the political agenda,'" Bennett said. "I believe it's so important to be engaged in civic life, however, we have to believe in Portland and that there's a greater kingdom we are called to, that there is a greater sense of government under the Prince of Peace that we are called to reflect."

Bennett says, "Don't give up on Portland." He also states: "This city is visible and sometimes becomes the staging ground for political theater. Some of us suspect that a lot of the protests we see may not even be people who live in Portland." The article goes on to say:

Bennett, along with some other local pastors, has participated in prayer walks, both during the day and at night, as well as other community outreach endeavors. Bennett said his desire is to establish a calming presence in the midst of the unrest, because that reflects the presence of God.

The article also quotes Clay Holcomb, who is with the North American Mission Board as a Send City missionary.  He related that the biggest prayer need in the city is for a "dispelling" to the nightly violence.  He states:

"There needs to be peace on the surface, but the greater issue is peace in people's hearts," Holcomb said. "We're dealing with situations that everybody's dealing with, they're just at a heightened level here. The fear and anxiety in the minds of many northwesterners is at an incredible rate."

So, one might say that these visible expressions are indicators of invisible turmoil. Holcomb would seem to agree, saying, "My prayer is for peace...but then also for Gospel conversations. I think about God's concern for us, and the Gospel message, and that this area needs to hear it. That's a message of hope and that's what our planters are trying to maintain."  He says those conversations are taking place.

Chuck Holton of CBN News quoted pastor J.W. Matt Hennessee from Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church Portland; Holton wrote: "Tensions eased somewhat over the weekend as federal agents were replaced by...police officers who must follow much more restrictive rules of crowd control measures. He added:

But that didn't stop protesters from burning American flags and even Bibles. How that relates to racial justice wasn't immediately clear. But Pastor Hennessee says there is a role for Christians to play. 

"We need to pray for the ability to listen, to learn and to find out how God wants us to engage and to do that in a very, very like, intentional way for us to be able to be used by God, as instruments in this space," Hennessee said.

Prayer is certainly a key to unlocking the remedy to the tension and unrest.  A local pastor, Keith Jenkins, led a prayer walk last Saturday  Pastor Jenkins' church has announced it will be prayer walking each Saturday through September 12.  Another group called, MorePrayer, has been staging events in the city, including one this coming Saturday.  Certainly, if you look, you can - and should - find the Church.

And, as the one pastor says, we can seek the Lord for direction on how to engage in difficult situations.  We carry the presence of God into a world who needs to see and know our Savior, and being people of peace is critical, as well.  Listening and learning are acts of love that can help us to understand others and to be able to communicate God's love and truth well.

Preservation

Jesus died for all sinners and He has established His Church. He continues to demonstrate His love for us.  His relationship to the Church is symbolized through the relationship between husband and wife, and there is a great passage on which we can reflect in Ephesians 5:
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

I have been given a wonderful gift in my wife, with whom I celebrate 30 years of marriage today!  We have developed a deep love for one another, and it is predicated on the love of Christ, which is a sacrificial love; in fact, the whole Kingdom of God is founded on the principle of servanthood - in a marriage, we are called to serve one another, we are directed to walk in humility.  And, God will be exalted in a home as we are willing to adopt His mindset.

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In the book of Proverbs in the 18th chapter, we find two verses that I believe go quite well together. I will read them in reverse order. First, it's verse 22:
22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.

That is a great reminder about the importance of marriage, ordained by God, and how we as men can regard our wives as a gift.

Now, one of the tremendous ways that everyone can show our spouses our love for them is to remember to communicate properly. The preceding verse states:
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Today is a day of celebration - in my marriage to Beth, we have celebrated quite a few wedding anniversaries, and we have reached one of those milestones today. 30 years of marriage! I am truly a blessed man - to have a beautiful, godly, incredible woman to stand with me and walk with me for these many years whom I love so very much. So, we do give glory to God for what He has done!

As you may know, I write a monthly column for River Region's Journey Magazine, and on the occasion of 25 years, I wrote a piece of reflection on what has contributed to a marriage that has worked.  The main points were:

1) You have to make sure that you are dedicated to make a marriage last.

2) I also think that you have to be intentional in communication.

3) We have to be intentional in communication - with God.

4) Recognize in our marriages that we are called to serve one another.

5) I think it’s important that we recognize God has called us together as a team.

I also said that, "We also recognize the spiritual elements that can be detrimental to a marriage. Satan is devoted to dividing and bringing discord. We have to recognize when our homes are under attack and take the necessary steps to see God’s victory released in our homes."

But, I do believe that the pressure that is brought to bear on a marriage can certainly serve to make it stronger.  And, perhaps couples like never before, in the midst of this pandemic, are experiencing enormous pressure and difficulty.  It could very well be that the enemy is working overtime to destroy marriages.  I had a guest, Darren Carrington, from the Rock Church in San Diego, who was on the program just last week to discuss these "pandemic pressures."

Carlos Santiago of FamilyLife wrote a relevant piece for FamilyLife recently, in which he recounted a time a few years ago when the department for which he worked was determined to be "non-essential." He writes:

In this environment, small cracks in our relationships can easily widen and large ones feel insurmountable.

When I first was laid off, our marriage was in a good place. But my presence began to upend the routine and rhythm of our home. After a while, I started to sense an unspoken “I’d prefer it if you weren’t here.”

I knew my wife loved me, but I struggled to find a place in my own home. 

His first point: Don't take it personally.  He writes, "That snippy tone coming your way is probably not about you. Be patient while you find yourself confined."

He adds, "Instead of responding negatively, take a moment to recognize the stress your spouse is feeling. And if you want to disarm the situation, offer to help."

Santiago, like Carrington, does observe that a timeout may be in order. Santiago even says that, "Preemptive time outs are an excellent way to relieve pressure and stop a fight before it starts."  He also encourages couples to "make memories" together and to use this time during the pandemic to "invest" in your marriage.  The Santiagos began to have a daily "coffee time" together, a practice that they have continued.  Beth and I have set aside "special time" each day when I come home from work to reconnect - even when we had kids in the house, that was a time that we made a priority; they would just have to wait!

In summary, in navigating the challenging road that marriages can face, we have to remember who called our marriage into existence, who actually came up with the concept - God Himself, the One who is able to sustain our marriages and to bring incredible love and fruitfulness to our homes.  We can rely on Him to help us navigate the inevitable challenges that we will encounter. Keeping focused on Him is paramount to seeing Jesus glorified in our marriages. 

Coming Out...for Christ

In the spiritual sense, when we speak of victory, we are referring to the finished work of Christ through His death and resurrection, defeating the power of sin and death and conferring upon us, as
believers in Christ, the ability to live an overcoming life. In 1st Corinthians 15, we find these verses:
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

We still have the capability to sin because we are in our earthly bodies, we are in the flesh.  And, we live in a fallen world.  But, we have the ability to experience Christ's victory.  The Bible teaches us how we can resist temptation and how we can exercise His victory over the sins that we are tempted to commit.  We can put to death our sinful patterns, renew our minds, confess our sins, and appropriate His victory.  We can walk in triumph!

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Our Savior came so that we might be free, so that we can enjoy a right relationship with God and His
victory over sin. Colossians 1 teaches us:
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

In an age where social media platforms are attempting to eliminate the compelling stories of those who have experienced God's transformation in overcoming homosexuality or same-sex attraction, the stories keep coming - His truth will not be silenced, and we can be thankful for those who are speaking out about what God has done in their lives.

Kylie Delia from Malta is one such person, according to ChristianNews.net.  The story relates that, in a YouTube video...

Delia explained that she was raised in a home marred by violence and drug abuse. She herself became involved in drugs at 13, and as she was surrounded by an atmosphere of “dominant” men, she viewed herself as needing to protect women from men. Delia soon took on a masculine appearance as seeing herself as feminine made her feel like she was weak and subject to abuse.

She looked for "happiness" in alcohol.  And, at the age of 15, she "became involved in her first same-sex relationship."  But the satisfaction she sought for her soul was elusive, as she relates:

“As time went on, in those relationships I found there was a sense of [a] deep void in my life and I was searching for fulfillment in these relationships and other things in life,” Delia outlined. “But it seems as if I never found that sense of fulfillment, that sense of satisfaction, and I longed in my heart for more and more.”

Ultimately, Delia's parents underwent a transformation in their own lives.  She relates: “[W]hen I saw my father quitting drugs and my parents became both radically saved, and the atmosphere of the whole house changed and shifted in such a miraculous way, that’s when the journey for me began to start [thinking] about my faith..."

She began to encounter people who would share with her about Christ, and finally she attended church. She came to Christ, and says:

“I had to find that place of being whole just in Christ because another person doesn’t make you whole, irrespective of gender,” she said. “God had me in this season, where I was just immersed in His presence and just focused on who He says I am and building myself up as a woman in Christ.”

God showed Kylie that homosexuality was not in His will, and she no longer saw it as a "fixed identity."  He began to give her a fresh view of men.  She relates: “He started to take me through seasons and challenges of forgiving the people who hurt me and actually going and seeking reconciliation, and I had to do that step with my father,” she recalled. “And once I was doing these things, God was restoring the way that I viewed men. And I kind of realized that men aren’t [all] abusive, obviously.”

She is now bold to share her story and is part of an organization called, X-Out-Loud, which is based in Europe and encourages those who have experienced freedom from the gay lifestyle to speak out boldly.

What has God done in your life?  We know that because we have been saved, we have been transferred from one kingdom to another - from the kingdom of darkness into His wonderful light. And, even though we are vulnerable to temptation from the desires of the flesh, we have the capability in Christ to overcome them.  We are no longer identified as what we were but by who we are. We have been declared free from sin, holy and righteous - now it's a matter of walking in that new life.  And, we can reflect on how we have seen God's faithfulness expressed in our lives.

What has God done in your life?  We can define it and we can distribute it through the proclamation of our testimony.  We are not called to keep it to ourselves, but to live it out and to share it with people who need to know Jesus.  Kylie Delia is a great example of the transformative power of the gospel - but her story is essentially each of our stories; her dominant sin was homosexuality and she was able to overcome it.  But, all of us have a common story: we have come to Christ as sinners, each of us have had and continue to struggle with sins which can seek to recapture us.  But, God doesn't leave us without resources - we are free in Him and by His Spirit, emboldened by His Word, we can continue to live that out.