Pandemic Regimen

We have been blessed with the opportunity to serve God wholeheartedly and to bring Him glory in our endeavors. Our prayers, time in the Word, and fellowship with Him give us the direction and strength that we need in order to navigate this world. Psalm 31 states:
14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies' sake.

Think about that phrase, "My times are in Your hand." That can bring us tremendous comfort; we can draw strength from the daily knowledge that He is with us and will determine and direct the steps that we take. He gives us the resources we need in order to make good decisions and to walk in clarity and confidence, dependent on the teachings of Scripture and the power of the Spirit.  We can declare and reflect that He is our God.

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Colossians 3 gives us some perspective and motivation as we recognize our call to live for Christ.  We can read:
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

An organization that is devoted to making sure that faith-friendly workplaces are created and sustained, the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation (RFBF), is, according to a CBN.com report, touting the findings of the Pew Research Center, which has found that "55% of US adults, totaling 115 million men and women, have regularly turned to prayer during the COVID-19 pandemic."

CBN says that the RFBF believes this is "good news as it also points to the importance for employers to include faith as a part of their resources for employees as businesses try to navigate the workplace in the present coronavirus world." The story adds that, "Many industries are realizing that faith-friendly environments mean better workplaces and ultimately better businesses." Companies with such environments apparently include Intel, American Express, American Airlines, Salesforce, and DELL Technologies."

While you can conclude that some people are making prayer a part of their pandemic regimen, it is by no means the most popular.  As CBN and the Pew summary relate, 89% of those polled are watching television or movies on a daily or weekly basis.  The Pew summary notes that 73% responded by saying they watch TV or movies every day, with 57% saying that they spent time outdoors daily.

CBN also states:

Many Americans (84%) are also spending free time outdoors or talking to family and friends using the phone or video (70%).

Scripture reading was reported among the less common coping activities. Three-in-ten US adults say they read scripture at least weekly, and a quarter meditate each week to cope with the pandemic, according to Pew.

But, the Pew survey does report that some Americans have been involved in a charitable activity during the COVID-19 crisis; its summary says:

U.S. adults have spent time or money helping others during the pandemic in a variety of ways. Four-in-ten say they have helped friends or neighbors by delivering groceries, running errands or helping with childcare. Three-in-ten report having volunteered or donated money through a nonreligious charitable organization, and 18% have done the same through a religious organization.

We are called to be excellent time managers and take the necessary steps to glorify God in our lives. We also have to be so careful what we take into our consciousness. When entertainment takes precedent over our spiritual activity, including prayer and Bible study, our lives can begin to reflect what we take in. 

The COVID-19 crisis has given many people more time on their hands.  The question really becomes if and how we have managed that time and have we managed it well.  We can rely on the Holy Spirit to help us use our time wisely and to show us how we can maximize our time with Him. It's not a matter of "making time" for Jesus, but allowing Him to govern the time that He has given us.

It mentioned the organization that is attempting to put a greater priority on faith in the workplace. It is heartening to see that some companies draw a line from, not between, faith, morale, and performance. Christians who are praying and living according to the Word are capable, by God's power, of making a strong impact in the work to which they are called.

Back to, Well, School

Weekly on Faith Radio, our Director of Ministry Relations, Billy Irvin, presents a "ministry update" for us.  In 1st Corinthians 16, we find that the apostle Paul gives an update on his ministry, sharing what 
you might call a "status report" of his activities. We can read this:
5 Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia).
6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.
7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.
8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Two key phrases in this passage - in verse 7, he writes, "if the Lord permits."  The other is in verse 9, where Paul refers to a "great and effective door."  We can make sure that we are seeking and doing the will of God; we might develop plans, but we have to make sure that the affirmation of the Spirit is upon them.  When God opens doors, we can depend on Him to direct us and sustain us, even though there may be, as Paul notes, "many adversaries."

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We can be sensitive to the doors that the Lord is opening around us, having our spiritual sensitivity 
trained for Biblical response. Colossians 4 states:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

This year, as students return to classes, they may not be returning to a school building, per se. School will certainly be, for many, where they are.  It could be a home, a dorm room, or...a church.

The Religion News website reports:

From Connecticut to Hawaii, congregations are seeking ways to support families still smarting from last spring’s sudden adjustment to home-based learning during the pandemic lockdown. They’re exploring how underutilized church buildings might be put to a new use that allows education to continue while freeing up parents to work and attend to other responsibilities.

Proposals range from hosting students during online classes to providing study hall space for them to work independently.

The article points out:

The churches in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that were planning, as of late July, when this article was released, to provide "remote-learning" sites for groups of students.  At one church, according to the article, "Church volunteers would enforce health protocols, tutor and lead prayers to begin and end the day."  A church leader also cited socialization as a key element.

Churches in a rural North Carolina county that had been involved in feeding students during the spring, who were granted several wi-fi hot spots and charted a course for 40 hours a week of study hall.

In Connecticut, over a dozen churches were preparing host sites for children to learn virtually. The article says that the school district "found that thousands of students were not engaging in school virtually from home. Among the reasons: no internet at home or no parental oversight of the learning process."

The article relates that these sorts of ideas present opportunities in ministry, quoting Angela Gorrell of Baylor University, who said, “This is a way of reimagining children’s and youth ministry during a pandemic in a really amazing way that serves families and meets concrete needs,” adding, “You can connect with kids in your neighborhood who might not otherwise be a part of your children’s and youth ministry.”

Now, this is by no means simply a matter of opening the doors in order for churches to bring in children during a pandemic.  Religion News says:

There are some challenges to hosting students in churches, from extra sanitation requirements to liability concerns, but optimists believe those can be managed by following guidelines from governments, denominations and insurers.

Still, some faith leaders regard it as too risky for their congregations to undertake.

This is certainly a conversation starter that can help us to think about ministry in our communities and neighborhoods.  The idea of schools and churches partnering together is not new, and there seem to certainly be new avenues here in the midst of the pandemic.  I think of the Adopt-a-School program that Tony Evans and his church have had in motion for years.  Moms in Prayer International, formerly Moms in Touch, has been involved in praying for schools - which is a worthwhile pursuit for anyone to do - in a formal or informal manner.

Now, there are health protocols that have to be considered before a church accepts anyone, including school children, into its building.  But, where there is willingness, we can trust the Holy Spirit to show us ways in which we can do ministry and alleviate barriers to it.  In His wisdom, He will direct us.

Down the Amazon

There is a distinct contrast between the ways of the world and the principles of Christ, and we know that the gospel thrives when worldliness is diminished. We should place our trust in God, who calls us to a higher standard. 1st John 2 states:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

The ideologies of this world that are centered on human endeavor and wisdom are going to be in stark contrast to the principles of Scripture.  The Word of God is a reminder of not only the love of our Creator, who designed human beings to function best when submitted to Him, but a reminder of the devotion that He requires and the consequences of disobedience. Those who choose to reject those ways are somehow thinking that mankind can supersede the all-powerful God.  We have to make sure we are not blending worldly thinking with the mind of Christ.

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The 4th chapter of the book of 1st Peter, which was contained in my daily Bible reading yesterday, is centered around the Biblical view of suffering and specifically suffering with Christ.  Consider these 
words:
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

Later, Peter writes:
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

The Amazon River in South America has acquired quite a reputation for its danger - those who attempt to navigate it have to be aware of the pitfalls that await.

And, an adventure through the mega-shopping site of the same name can sometimes be less than a pleasure cruise. The site has acquired a reputation of removal of material that reflects a Christian worldview.  

For example, just last year, Anne Paulk, the leader of Restored Hope Network, who has been a guest on The Meeting House program, discovered that her book, Restoring Sexual Identity, had been banned by the retailer; that's according to an article on The Stream website, which related that: "In early July, Amazon quietly removed more than a dozen books from the world’s largest e-commerce marketplace. The titles, most by Christian authors, address issues of same-sex attraction and homosexuality from a faith-based perspective."  Anne Paulk, a former homosexual, says her book, "is designed to help women who struggle with unwanted same-sex attraction and want to leave homosexuality."

A couple of weeks ago, Faithwire published a story about a pro-life film that had been removed from Amazon Prime.  The article stated:

Amazon has removed a pro-life film from its platform, citing poor customer reviews as a primary reason for the action – the only problem with this claim is the movie had mostly 5 star reviews.

“It has over 340 reviews on Amazon, most of them – 90% – are five star reviews,” filmmaker Marcus Pittman said. ‘I was trying to figure out what about the reviews would make them determine it was not suitable for Amazon Prime..."

Pittman is described as "an advocate of the ministry End Abortion Now, which equips churches in the fight against abortion." The film in question is called Babies are Still Murdered Here. It "released in October 2019 and made its way onto Amazon Prime Video by December 2019. It’s the sequel to the film Babies are Murdered Here, also by Pittman."

Pittman believes that the key words included in reviews caused the movie to be pulled; he says: “Some of those key words were words like pro-life, end abortion, pro-life movement. That, to me, is the only reason why they would remove the movie.”

And, days ago, John Stonestreet of the Colson Center and Breakpoint tweeted this out:

Just received from @amazon: “We are writing to let you know that the following detail pages have been removed from our catalog:

Title: Growth into Manhood: Resuming the Journey During a review, we found the subject matter of your book violates our content guidelines for books.”

As Stonestreet later clarified, he did not write the book; it was one he was trying to sell. But, the point is made: a book that offers a Christian perspective faced restrictions because of so-called "content guidelines."  Reminds me of the former Atlanta Fire Chief,  Kelvin Cochran, who was fired because of the book he wrote offering a Biblical view of manhood.

Truth is, the messages of the Scriptures may not be the most popular, but are certainly the most powerful. But, in order for them to be effective in a person's life, he or she has to surrender and commit to laying down one's self.  That's certainly not the way of the world these days, it seems. Well, the world's independent spirit is driven by submitting to something else - a perspective that leaves out the ways of God.  Just like the Bible said it would be.

But, that doesn't mean that we do not contend for the presence of the Christian message in the marketplace of ideas.  Which makes what Amazon and other media giants despicable.  Why, even yesterday, the brilliant Christian satire site, The Babylon Bee, was banned from Twitter!  A really creative bunch that uses the literary device of satire to help us confront the truth about ourselves and our culture...banned for some sort of "violation."  We are not necessarily trying to win a popularity contest or rise in the polls, but we are acting in order to please, as Big Daddy Weave puts it, an "audience of one."  That means we continue to stand for Him and disseminate His truth however we can.

Delivery

The message of salvation has come to us, sent "special delivery" by Jesus coming to earth, in the form 
of a man, so that He could die in our place and bring us to Himself. 1st Thessalonians 2 states:
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;
11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,
12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Christ came to proclaim the message of salvation, to illustrate our need for a Savior and to give His life in order for that to come to pass.  We were in no position to save ourselves and did not even have the means to do so. But, God in His mercy saw us in our sin, and provided the sufficient substitute - Jesus came to pay our penalty because we could not.  Out of His great love, God has saved us and commissioned us to share what He has done for us.

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God has brought the message of salvation to us, sending His Son to die so that we might live - and we are called to deliver His message through our obedience to Him. Romans 10 says:
13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

The coronavirus crisis has dramatically altered a variety of areas in which we live our lives. For instance, in the restaurant industry, dine-in has been replaced by such notions as home delivery and curbside pickup. The availability of products and services delivered to our homes was already established prior to the pandemic, and delivery systems continue to make sure that these things we need or desire are coming to our homes.  And, worship services are being delivered to us through online and other platforms.

A major Southern Baptist conference center in Oklahoma that is accustomed to having between five and eight thousand students attend its summer camps had a dilemma going into the summer of 2020.  Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center decided that since the students couldn't come to camp, they would take camp to the students, in the form of 14 Falls Creek Road Shows, according to an article on the Baptist Press website. 

Program Director Todd Sanders stated, “I thought the whole Road Show experience was really positive on a number of levels,” adding, “All of us coming together as Oklahoma Baptists made a well-rounded event a success.”

Over 3,000 people attended the 14 events, with over 400 total decisions being made, including 120 professions of faith in Christ. Plus, a Virtual Falls Creek was offered, that still remains online, which, based on Sanders' comments, "includes group Bible studies, sermon and worship set videos, breakout video content and other resources to help churches have a student camp event."

The article relates that:

In March, when the pandemic was beginning to affect the whole country, Sanders and other group leaders, as well as Hance Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer for Oklahoma Baptists, and other leaders began planning what to do if the Falls Creek summer weeks could not happen.

“Dr. Dilbeck presented the idea of the Road Show, and that is what stuck,” Sanders said. “I don’t think we referred to it necessarily as ‘Road Show’ at the time or even knew what that meant.”

So what about the content for these Road Show experiences?  Baptist Press quotes Sanders as saying, “We wanted to platform the Gospel and offer an invitation. We also wanted to offer students an opportunity to connect with missions and ministry.” It goes on to report:

Sanders said what helped students answer the call to ministry was hearing Caleb Freeman’s testimony. The 19-year-old, along with his father Jeremy Freeman, pastor of First Baptist in Newcastle, Okla., shared how he miraculously recovered from a severe car accident in December 2017.

The Road Shows also shared a video featuring two Oklahoma Baptists who are now serving in international missions. Brian Baldwin, student evangelism and missions partner for Oklahoma Baptists, gave a missions mobilization emphasis at each Road Show.

And, there was a special presentation for graduates: "U.S. Senator James Lankford, former Miss America Lauren Nelson-Faram, North American Mission Board leader Shane Pruitt, as well as state pastors and Falls Creek worship leaders and speakers gave encouraging messages for the Class of 2020."

So, it was all wrapped up and delivered to students across the state.

This is yet another example of how ministry continued in a creative and effective way, even in the midst of a pandemic.  And, there are several lessons for each of us.

This Road Show concept demonstrates out-of-the-box thinking.  The leaders, faced with the cancellation of a summer of activities, looked for ways for ministry to go on.  So, they took to the road, delivered to students across the state - and they took it to the stream, by offering a virtual option.  When we encounter a barrier to what God has called us to do, it's helpful to know that He is a source of wisdom, and we can seek Him for direction; after all, it's His work, and He is very good at providing ideas and resources.  

We can consider how we can get the gospel to people.  Sometimes we expect people to come to our church or ministry activity, and certainly these are effective models.  But, we can consider how we can get the message to the people, outside the traditional church structure.  After all, isn't that what Jesus did?  He went to where people were in need, they assembled - out of doors, in many cases - and He preached to them.  He even provided food in miraculous ways.  And, He continues to get the gospel message to us, a message of a God whom we could not reach because of the barrier of sin, who reached down to us, who came to us by sending His Son, so that we might know Him. 

God has "delivered" us.  He brought the message of salvation to us through Jesus, the Word who become flesh, and He has now delivered us, according to Colossians 1, out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  He is our deliverer, who is actively working in the lives of His people today.

Leadership Lessons From Liberty

Ephesians 5 tells us to be "imitators of God," and a few verses later, Paul writes these challenging words:
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

1 Thessalonians 5 challenges us to avoid even the appearance of evil.  Appearances can be deceiving, so it is said, but we have to try, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, to steer away from situations that could reflect poorly on our Lord.  As the Bible teaches, we should not be a stumbling block to anyone and we don't need to give ammunition to the devil to destroy our reputation.  So, we have to watch how - and where - we walk.

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We have to watch how we walk as believers, because you can be reasonably assured that perhaps someone else is watching how you walk.  We are ambassadors of the Most High God and should take 
that responsibility seriously. Ephesians 5 says:
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit...

You might say it was bound to happen - speaking here with a sense of irony, a high-profile college administrator used his "liberty" to bring dishonor to the school that was established by his late father, to the family name, and to the name of the Lord.  Not a major moral failure, but a series of small indiscretions that ultimately led to Jerry Falwell, Jr. to be placed on a leave of absence from Liberty University, which has been hailed as one of the largest, if not the largest, Christian universities in the world. The local newspaper in Lynchburg, Virginia, where the university is located, the News and Advance, offered this about the most recent developments at the school:

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. is taking an indefinite leave of absence starting immediately, the university announced Friday.

In a statement, the university said Falwell agreed to step aside after the executive committee of Liberty’s Board of Trustees requested he take a leave of absence.

In a statement issued late Friday night Jerry Prevo Chairman of the Liberty University Board of Trustees noted the growth and success the college has experienced since Falwell Jr. took the helm but said “Unfortunately, with this success and the burdens of leading a large and growing organization comes substantial pressure.”

Prevo asked for prayer for Falwell so that, as he put it, "he may be able to fulfill God’s purpose for him.”

A picture was posted on Instagram of the university president with his arm around a woman other than his wife, with both their midriffs revealed, and his - and her - pants partially unzipped.  The incident that spurred the action had to do with a costume party aboard a yacht, which featured a video parody of a video series called, "The Trailer Park Boys." He went on local radio and apologized, saying that the woman in the picture was his wife's assistant and she was pregnant and his pants were too tight, blah blah blah.  Not a good look for a man in his position.  Not a good look for a professing Christian.

But, this was what you might call the proverbial "last straw" for Falwell.  The News and Advance says:

Last fall, he was accused of leveraging the university’s business interest to enrich himself, family members and friends. In the spring, he faced a fierce backlash — and a class-action lawsuit — for his decision to invite students to return to campus dorms after spring break amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In recent months, he has battled accusations of racism after posting a tweet invoking Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal to mock coronavirus-related restrictions. The ensuing scandal prompted several prominent Black student-athletes and faculty members to leave the school and provided fuel for riotous activity in downtown Lynchburg.

Emma Green, generally an even-handed reporter on matters of faith, did a summary story for The Atlantic.  She mentioned that Falwell...

...laughed the incident off: “I promised my kids I’m going to try to be a good boy from here on out,” he said. But alumni and staff who had previously expressed their concerns about Falwell in private began openly calling for his resignation, including Representative Mark Walker of North Carolina; many of them noted that any number of Falwell’s actions would have gotten a Liberty student written up.

She contends that the photo mocking Virginia's governor may have the precursor to the latest action, writing:

Enough of Falwell’s supporters saw that photo as a debatable political stunt that the controversy dissipated. But it was still a turning point—a moment when pastors, alumni, and board members began questioning whether Falwell should stay in his role.

“It was just particularly disturbing,” Ike Reighard, a pastor and Liberty board member, told me. “Every leader carries two buckets in their hand. One bucket has water. One bucket has gasoline. And the test of leadership is to know when to throw which bucket.”

Reighard also told Green, “Years ago, I promised the founder, Jerry Falwell Sr., that I would serve on the board as long as I was asked to continue to do so, and to help try to be part of the spiritual barometer that he always wanted,” noting that Falwell's son's actions demonstrated “some lapse in judgment.” The pastor also said, "Character is a lot easier kept than regained,” adding, “I’m praying that the character can be regained by everyone that’s involved.”

There is also concern about the effect of Falwell's antics on evangelical Christianity in general.  Green writes:

Even within the Liberty world, alumni worry that Falwell’s name has become synonymous with the word evangelical, and see the association as misguided. “To say that Jerry Jr. speaks for evangelicalism is a misnomer, because he himself did not want to wear that mantle,” Brandon Pickett, a pastor and Liberty alumnus who is the associate executive director of the Southern Baptist Convention in Virginia, told me. “As Jerry himself has said many times, he is not a pastor, and he is not the spiritual leader.”

But, the fact is, we are all called to be spiritual leaders, in a sense, setting an example for others to follow.  One of things that comes to mind for me is how we carry ourselves as a believer.  Humor or attempts at humor can be a double-edged sword.  Humor has its place in life, but I have made feeble attempts at humor, only to wonder why I said or did something in the first place.  I am sure the people on the yacht thought this whole idea was funny, as did Jerry Jr., but it certainly backfired.  Scripture has plenty to say on that matter.  But, we always should consider how we are reflecting on our Lord and making sure that how we act is consistent with who we are as a Christian.  I think that the dignity that we exhibit can be a powerful example of the presence of Christ within us.  It's been said that Liberty trains "champions for Christ" - a champion for Christ represents Him well.

I think you also have to be very cautious about your social media postings.  Apparently, Robert Downen, the Houston Chronicle reporter who wrote the series exposing abuse in a number of Southern Baptist churches, is the one who discovered the provocative photo and distributed it more broadly on social media.  The picture in question was deleted, but its effect continues.

The apostle Paul taught on Christian "liberty."  As the Scriptures say, all things are lawful, but not all are profitable. Certainly the Falwells were free to host this party, which featured behavior that students could get suspended for, such as the fake "smoking" of cigarettes or even alcohol use. But, in our liberty, we have to make sure that we are not engaging in behavior that is dishonoring to the Lord, which can cause others to stumble.

Ultimately, Falwell's accountability structure worked.  Now, he has been under criticism for years for questionable statements and behavior.  I do not know what the Board of Trustees has perhaps said or done in its dealings with Mr. Falwell. But, we do see that ultimately, action needed to be taken.  God calls us to accountable relationships - to Him, certainly, but also to human authority.  It's healthy and Biblical.

Prayer Changes

As we walk with Jesus, we can know that He has so much in store for us.  We can recognize His 
presence with us, even in challenging times. Psalm 91 states:
14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."

It is reassuring to know that God is with us.  He loves us so much and has called us into a relationship with His Son. We can bring our needs before Him with confidence that He hears our prayers, as we bring our requests with a pure heart. We have been given the invitation to come before His throne and to spend time with Him.  And, we recognize that prayer is two-way communication - we speak to Him and He directs us by His Word and His Spirit.  

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We can be convinced of the power of prayer and the faithfulness of God. 1st John chapter 5 says this:
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

The occasion of the coronavirus has certainly resulted in shifts in the way that we live - and according to a new survey, the way we pray.  According to a survey commissioned by the Presidential Prayer Team, which has offered perspective on radio in the midst of the crisis, "...in the initial weeks of the pandemic half of all adults (49%) indicated they prayed more than usual in response to the pandemic while just 4% prayed less and four out of ten (41%) did not change their normal prayer practices."  That's according to a press release at the Christian Newswire site, which reported on the findings of the survey, which was conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University - that's where George Barna is currently at work; he actually was in charge of this survey.

The research found that three-quarters of American adults pray at least once in a typical month, with two-thirds praying at least once a week.  Only 15% do not pray at all.  Two-thirds of those who pray weekly actually say they pray each day.

The survey dug into the mechanics of prayer, as well.  The summary says:

Among the seven out of ten American adults who consider themselves to be Christian, three out of four (76%) believe that God hears prayers. However, there is a range of ideas concerning how God responds to the prayers He hears.

About 4-in-10 of these "self-identified Christians" believe that God hears and answers every prayer, even when He answers, "no."  One out of five Christians believe he hears, but will still do His will, regardless of what is prayed.  14% of those Christians pray but do not know if God responds or how that He does.

The survey also measured why people pray.  Almost two-thirds of all those who pray at least once a month said that prayer is their way of communicating with God, with just under 6-in-10 saying that is "a way to worship God."  The same percentage viewed prayer as "central to their relationship with God." There were other reasons, including reducing stress and anxiety, a response given by just under half of those surveyed.  But less than a third believe that prayer actually has influence over what God does.

What are people praying for? Three-quarters of those praying once a month said they were praying for "family, friends, co-workers, and people in the community."  6-in-10 are praying for our country, but less than half said they prayed for the President.

The survey summary quoted James Bolthouse, President and CEO of The Presidential Prayer Team, who said: "Americans pray. And that is a good thing...How much they understand about communicating with God, how they approach Him, and what they expect from it, was surprising. It was heartening to know that Americans do pray for the government and our leaders, as we are instructed in the Bible to do. But we also know there is a demographic that isn't sure about the value of praying and whether it would change anything even if they prayed..."

When we pray, we accept God's invitation to align ourselves with Him. He desires to show Himself faithful to His people, and when we show that we trust His Word, we place ourselves in a position to see Him do incredible things.  He calls us to walk in faith, so that in all things He may receive glory.  When you consider that less than a third of those who at least once a month don't believe that prayer has influence on God, you have to admit that is a low view of prayer - I believe that expectation is a key element of our prayers.

We can be confident that prayer changes things.  We can call upon the God of the universe, Maker of heaven and earth, and ask for His power to be released in our lives.  And, even when we don't see the answer in the way we think we should, we can still accept the answer and admit that prayer changes us.  In our prayers, we unify in agreement with the Father, so that ultimately He gets the glory.

We know that prayer is the way through which we communicate with God.  We can bring our burdens and our cares, as well as our petitions, before God and know that He loves us and hears us when we pray.  When we pray Biblically and earnestly, we can know that He is with us and we can know Him better.

2+2

It is a futile pursuit to seek for answers in sources that are contrary to or exclusive from the Word of 
God. 1st Corinthians chapter 1 contrasts the dependable, authoritative teachings of Scripture with the non-reliable philosophies the world offers:
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

So, we can ask ourselves, upon what do we build our lives?  Jesus told the story of two men: one built his house on the rock, another on the sand - both experienced storms, and the house built on the rock survived.  We are in a dramatically shifting culture and there are storms that we are facing; we have to question where we are turning for answers - are we relying on the infallible sacred texts of Scripture or the insecure secular teachings of this world?

+++++

Observe the contrast between the firm foundation of God's Word and the weak foundation that the world offers in this passage from Colossians 2:
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
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.

I remember growing up hearing about the so-called "new math;" now, I can't quite say what that was, but I would imagine that it has something to do with the way that solving mathematical challenges may have changed over time.  I know that, as a parent, in helping with math homework, my methods of problem-solving were not exactly consistent with what was taught in school.

But, regardless of the method, you like to think that the outcome was the same.  Now, in this hyper-sensitive age, even the dependable, authoritative math answers have come under scrutiny and deemed to be politically incorrect.

Take, for instance, 2+2.  We all know the answer is 4, right?  Well, except maybe in George Orwell's 1984, according to a recent article at the Campus Reform website. The article says: "Math professors and educators at leading American universities have taken to Twitter in order to debate whether math is racist," and goes on to say, "The debate itself was rooted in George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, in which citizens of a fictional totalitarian state believe that 2 plus 2 equals 5 as a result of government propaganda."

The article relates:

Laurie Rubel, who teaches math education at Brooklyn College, says that the idea of math being cultural neutral is a "myth," and that asking whether 2 plus 2 equals 4 "reeks of white supremacist patriarchy."

“Y’all must know that the idea that math is objective or neutral IS A MYTH,” she tweeted.

Then there's this:

Kareem Carr, a Ph.D. student at Harvard University, weighed in with, "People say it's subjectivism to ask if math is Western. I don't get that. It's an objective fact that some groups were more involved in the creation of modern math than others. They may have been *trying* to make it objective but it's not stupid to ask if they actually succeeded!"

I found more on Carr's point of view in an article at, of all places, the Popular Mechanics website, in which he is quoted as saying:

In his original thread, Carr points out some simple, but provocative truths about the world. “Our numbers, our quantitative measures, are abstractions of real underlying things in the universe and it's important to keep track of this when we use numbers to model the real world,” one tweet reads.

Carr grounds it in the real ways statistical models are being used to harm, for example, marginalized groups across many parameters: “Whenever you create a numerical construct like IQ or an aggression score or a sentiment score, it's important to remember that properties of this score might not mirror the real things being measured.”

So, now it appears the debate has shifted from pure mathematical facts to the application of facts, then inserting that application to try to discredit and delegitimize the original conclusion.  But, the objective truth of 2+2=4 has not changed, as I see it.

The Washington Examiner reported that:

One academic, James Lindsay, pushed back against Reubel’s tweets, saying that the simple math equation of 2+2=4 helped lead to significant scientific feats.

“It’s certainly the case, and the Woke need to be held firmly to the point, that feats of engineering like space travel and rocketry utterly depend upon accepting stable meanings of mathematical statements like 2+2=4 as objectively true, not mere accidents of culture,” Lindsay tweeted.

Lindsay is an atheist, but has joined forces with evangelical Christians in combating critical race theory and was featured in the film, By What Standard?

This kerfuffle over basic math reminds me of a concept on a grander scale - of how much we need absolute standards for our lives and for our society.  The academicians are trying to change basic principles - in math, certainly, but also in the way we live!  Likewise, you have those who believe they know better than God and are trying to minimize or outright reject His truth.  And, in the interest of making the time-honored, inspired, infallible teachings of Scripture more "culturally relevant," they have attempted to lessen their authority.

Truth is, we need absolute truth - God's truth gives us the moorings and direction we need in order to successfully navigate life in this confused world.  By attempting to retrofit Scripture to align with human understanding, those who do so exhibit a propensity to, in essence, make up their own truth.  That doesn't work; it may seem to, but when we need a solid foundation, human wisdom is not where we turn.  When we desire to find peace and satisfaction for our souls, the world does not offer the answers that can meet the needs of the human heart.