Freedom

In the 6th chapter of the book of Micah, the prophet is exploring matters of sacrifice, stating:
6 With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Please observe the contrast between religious practice and Biblical justice. We can be devoted to our churches - as we should - claiming to be people of faith and doing the right "religious" things. But, not addressing the evil and injustice in the world.  Verse 8 reminds us that we are to be people who are concerned about justice and mercy, exhibiting the presence of Christ in us; bringing God's love into a situation and adopting a perspective of involvement rather than inaction.

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When we become aware of injustice in our world, that may represent an opportunity to inject the light and love of Christ into a situation about which God has made us aware. He is the righteous Judge, the purveyor of true justice, and we find His principles in Isaiah 1:
16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

There is much about a recent movie phenomenon that defies description.  It opened on the Fourth of July and instantly became the #1 movie in America.  It is still performing admirably, and has now surpassed $100 million at the box office.  According to its distributor, it has sold almost 9 million tickets - dwarfing the original reported of 2 million.  Some of those millions of box office dollars came from people buying tickets through an innovative Pay it Forward program. 

This movie was originally slated to be released, apparently, by one major studio that was bought by another, and the project was put on hold because of COVID, according to a Newsweek story.  Then, another studio, which had been powered by its crowdfunding, ended up distributing it. 

You're apparently not going to be dazzled and amazed by superheroes traipsing across the screen or CGI wizardry. No, it's a movie that is raw and based on a true story.  Meg Kilgannon of Family Research Council writes at The Washington Stand: "I really didn’t want to see this movie. Does anyone want to see a movie about horrific crimes against children and the systems that support or fail to stop child sex trafficking?"

Focus on the Family's Plugged In calls it "a brutal film to watch." It adds, "But it also might be the most important movie you see this year." Reviewer Adam Holz states: "Sex trafficking, we hear in the film, is the fastest-growing international crime network the world has ever seen." He adds that the film, Sound of Freedom is a...

...movie you buy a ticket to because you’re willing to enter into the ugliness of this societal scourge. It’s a movie you give consent to shock you out of complacency. It’s a movie that can’t help but light the fuse on the question, “What can I do?”

Sound of Freedom is a movie that defies description, apparently. It's being received well by the faith community, but with 100 million at the box office, it's certainly attracting more than a Christian audience.  Christian or faith-based films do not often go over that mark; in fact, Box Office Mojo reports that only 4 movies marked "Christian Theme" have. And, Sound of Freedom is not listed in that category.

A movie featuring its star, though, is. That would be Jim Caviezel of The Passion of the Christ, who plays the role of Tim Ballard in Sound of Freedom. He was formerly with the Department of Homeland Security and founded an anti-trafficking organization called Operation Underground Railroad.  Plugged In notes:

It’s clear, then, that Tim is motivated at a deep level by his faith. Anyone researching Tim Ballard’s life will find that he’s a Mormon, though the film never references his particular faith explicitly.

We repeatedly hear the phrase, “God’s children are not for sale.”

But, as Adam Holz notes, "There’s not a ton of overtly spiritual content here."

Caviezel told Movieguide, though, that, “It’s a biblical story...I love this story because it was like a modern-day part of the Gospel, of truth that has been so watered down and butchered…you walk into this movie, your hair’s gonna stand up. It’s highly entertaining, it’s adventure.”

I'll be honest, I do think we should be aware of the faith connection with Ballard and the Mormon-owned Angel Studios (yes, that's the people who bring you The Chosen).  It is troubling that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or LDS, align themselves with evangelicals and act as if they are "one of us."  Mormons are not Christians.  They serve a different Jesus and the tenets of their faith do not line up with the truths of the Bible. But, that's a different conversation. 

Furthermore, Ministry Watch has revealed information that Operation Underground Railroad, the organization founded by Ballard, has become quite profitable monetarily and the organization's tactics have been called into question; one example: working with traffickers to bring children into OUR sting operations, which "seemed to actually encourage trafficking behavior in some instances, sources said."

But...and I want to be very clear: the shortcomings of Operation Underground Railroad and the faith practice of Tim Ballard really should not mute the message that Sound of Freedom brings - human trafficking is real.  And, some in the media are attempting to discredit the film because of either its message or the perceived ideological bent of those involved in the film; for example, there have been fraudulent attempts to link it to the conspiracy theory known as QAnon, which claims there is some sort of child pedophile ring operating out of Washington, DC. 

Caviezel, in a FoxNews.com story, took aim at media criticism of the film: "They’re scared. Quaking in their boots. And it’s because the public are listening to their hearts, which is what this film tells you to do..."  He added, "This is just appalling. The moral depravity is such now that people are willing to live with this. That’s why we did the film."

The Christian organization, ZOE International, which is involved in the fight against human trafficking, states on its website, "Human trafficking is believed to be the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprise and is an estimated $150 billion-a-year global industry."  It relates that over 40 million people are "enslaved today" across the world, with between 14.5 to 17.5 thousand "victims are trafficked into the U.S. annually."  25% of those are children.

There are a number of Christian organizations who are involved in not only rescuing sex trafficking victims, but providing needed support for victims once they have been freed.  I think of Victor Marx and All Things Possible, a ministry that goes into difficult places to do the work of Christ in bringing freedom. Samaritan's Purse is also involved in providing assistance. 

Meg Kilgannon of FRC writes how the knowledge of this scourge of human trafficking, could propel Christians to action:

Each of us is called to combat the sex industry, whether through promoting organizations like Covenant Eyes that guard against pornography, by speaking out against endeavors to normalize pedophilia, or simply by living a life that upholds the dignity of every male and every female as a human being — not objects for exploitation.

There's an adage: if you see something, say something.  Sound of Freedom and Operation Underground Railroad have raised the awareness of human trafficking.  My radio program has brought awareness of what is occurring in that arena.  So, we are not uninformed.  Culture is not uninformed.  With education comes responsibility.  We can consider what God wants us to do with the information we have received - in every area of life. 

Because there are real crises in our nation and around our world.  While we can enjoy our life here on earth and worship and fellowship with God, having been saved through Jesus Christ, we are called to serve Him by serving others.  Through our relationship with Christ and our obedience to Him, He produces fruit, lasting fruit, through us.  

Christian parents can also make sure their children are protected.  Not isolated, but taught Christian values and principles in order to make themselves less vulnerable, as John DiGirolamo discussed on The Meeting House just this week.  Pornography is pervasive and predatory behavior is commonplace - but God has chosen to place us into this world into this period of time in history to shine the light of God's truth; to break the hold of darkness, and to shine the light of His freedom.

Not Rage, But Love

Why do you suppose that we see people frequently who are in favor of abortion, the taking of human life, acting angrily? Perhaps it's conviction, maybe they don't want to admit that what they support is wrong, maybe it's just flat-out hostility. James 1 states:
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

A recent article highlighted a decline in what is called "rage giving" to organizations that support abortion.  Yes, there is anger over the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the decline in the number of abortions, in which people of faith are rejoicing.  And, on my radio program, I have documented the acts of violence that have been committed against churches and centers that support life. We are called to love even those with whom we disagree, and we can display a sense of conviction, tempered by peace, not being consumed by our temper to lash out in an ungodly manner.

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The difference between acting in rage and acting in peace is found in Psalm 37, where we can read:
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret--it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

One U.S. Supreme Court decision has made a major change regarding the abortion issue - that, of course, is the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade.  The polling website, Five Thirty-Eight, reported:

New estimates provided exclusively to FiveThirtyEight by #WeCount — a national research project led by the Society of Family Planning, a nonprofit that supports research on abortion and contraception — indicate that there were 24,290 fewer legal abortions between July 2022 and March 2023, compared to a pre-Dobbs baseline.1 These people might have remained pregnant or obtained an abortion outside the legal system, which would not be captured in #WeCount’s data.

The article said that: "There were an estimated 93,575 fewer legal abortions in states that banned or severely restricted abortion for at least one week in the nine-month period after Dobbs...The number of legal abortions in states where abortion remained mostly available did rise by 69,285 in the same period, signaling that many people did travel and successfully obtain an abortion within the U.S. health care system."

Of course, this tells us that there is still much work to do for the pro-life movement, which has been faithful in education women and their families about abortion and doing good work to reduce chemical, or "mail-order" abortions.  There is certainly a front on which the distribution of the abortion pill has to be challenged.

And, there are encouraging signs on the financial front; the website, Ministry Watch, published a story recently that started out this way:

Recently, the Chronicle of Philanthropy published an article saying that “rage giving” to abortion advocacy groups after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 has dropped off.

Ministry Watch contacted several pro-life ministries, and the results are encouraging.  One example:

PreBorn! had a banner year of giving in 2022 with giving up 33%. Based on giving so far this year, it expects to receive $40 million in contributions, up from $27 million last year.

The article notes that, "PreBorn! partners with over 170 pregnancy centers across the nation, especially in states where abortion is more available."  Meanwhile, Care Net offers some encouraging signs, as well; Ministry Watch notes:

Care Net, which was established in 1975 not long after the Roe decision, saw an uptick in giving after the Supreme Court returned the issue to the states in its Dobbs decision last year. Since then, giving to the pregnancy center network has remained steady.

“If you are giving out of rage rather than out of love, it is not sustainable,” CareNet President and CEO Roland Warren said. “We offer compassion, hope, and help. That is compelling. It is more of a transformational request.”

He said Care Net is seeing an increase in the number of lower dollar donors along with re-engaged donors who had lapsed in their giving.

The website also contacted two smaller pregnancy centers, both of whom reported an increase in giving over the past year. 

So, contrary to media information that abortion is winning, it seems that, based on financial giving, the initial emotion of the Dobbs decision has waned, and that pro-life giving is even stronger.  And, with the report that a net increase of 25,000 lives have been saved in the year after Dobbs, this can bring hope - recognizing that thousands are still losing their lives in abortion clinics and through chemical abortions every single day.  But, we should still be righteously indignant about the mass termination of unborn life through abortion, but our emotions should be governed by the presence of Christ, not human, fleshly rage.

We can continue to pray that in the current landscape, that women will make an informed decision to choose life and recognize that there are Christ-centered ministries that are willing to stand with them, to provide not only education with tangible support.  And, if they choose to have their child - and we hope they will - they can find the avenues through which they can pursue the route to adoption. Each of us individually and collectively through our churches, we can seek ways in which we can be involved in affirming life. 

Remaking Christianity?

We have to be so convinced of the truth of the gospel that we can recognize the counterfeits - the distortions of Biblical truth, that seem so commonplace in our world today. Galatians 1 states this:
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

The Church at Galatia had allowed other ideas to creep in and distort their thinking - there were those who had apparently embraced a doctrine of works-based righteousness, and Paul was calling them out. There are those who want to "deconstruct" from Christianity when the fact is that they have not been practicing true Christianity.  People want to "remake" Christianity in their own image, rather than to walk in what reflects the true image of God. 

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Throughout human history, humanity has attempted to construct religious systems based on false gods - "graven images," that do not reflect the image of God. Exodus 20, in the leadoff to the passage containing the 10 Commandments, we find these words:
2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

It's no secret, the Chinese Communist Party is devoted to world domination - economically, militarily...and spiritually.  In fact, a Chinese pastor with the state-sanctioned "Three-Self" movement has said that the CCP wants to "change the face of world Christianity," according to a recent report on The Christian Post website. 

The article cites recent coverage by the magazine Bitter Winter, stating:

According to the report, the "Training Meeting for Key Pastors of the Northeast China Christian Region" held June 27-30 in the northeast Jilin province was the launch of a "grandiose" plan from Chinese President Xi Jinping and the CCP.

As part of the nationally-broadcast conference, Pastor Kan Baoping of the China Christian Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee and Pastor Shan Weixiang of the China Christian Council were reportedly among the speakers at the conference.

The Christian Post article goes on to say:

In his speech centered on "Christianity adapted to a socialist society," Kan predicted the Three-Self Movement would help amplify the message of "the successful experience of the Sinicization of Christianity."

"We will change the face of world Christianity," Pastor Kan reportedly told the conference.

While the term "sinicization" has been used by CCP authorities to describe bringing Christian groups in line with cultural and historical Chinese traditions, critics argue that the "fundamental purpose of the Sinicization of Christianity is to transform and alienate Christianity."

The article references the Christian group, China Aid, which has said that the CCP "hopes to reduce Christianity to the point that it operates as a tool, turning it into 'Pseudo-Christianity.'"

Sorry to say, this phenomenon is not limited to Chinese officials.  There seems to be plenty of "face-changing" of Biblical Christianity to go around.  And, that is why we have to have a strong, operative knowledge of the Scriptures, so that we follow the Word rather than the whims of religious types who want to change the meaning of what it means to be Christian.

We have traditional confessions of our faith, such as the Lord's Prayer, the Westminster Confession, and the Apostles' Creed.  But, now a progressive "minister" has developed the Sparkle Creed, born not out of divine inspiration, but out of a voice-to-text experience.  The Washington Stand has this:

“Let us confess our faith today in the words of the Sparkle Creed.” Thus Pastor Anna Helgenled the congregants of Edina Community Lutheran Church, an ELCA member in a Minneapolis suburb, which has been “LGBTQIA+ inclusive” since 1985. “I think it’s a stretch to call this a church,” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, because “to be a Christian is to follow Christ.” While historic creeds distill the Christian faith to clarify truth and error, the “Sparkle Creed” is neither historic nor Christian. It is, however, clarifying.

The Sparkle Creed was drafted during June 2021 by Rachel Small-Stokes, a queer-identifying minister of the United Church of Christ (which, despite bearing Christ’s name, now has little to do either with him or its New England Puritan roots). Small-Stokes explained its backstory, “I was voice-to-texting ‘the Apostles’ Creed’ to a colleague, and it translated as ‘The Sparkle Creed.’ I decided that’s exactly what we need for Pride Month. So here’s my first jab at it. Feel free to share if it moves you.” Since then, it has evidently exploded in popularity among progressive congregations. 

So, here is "The Sparkle Creed:"

“I believe in the non-binary God whose pronouns are plural.

“I believe in Jesus Christ, their child, who wore a fabulous tunic and had two dads and saw everyone as a sibling-child of God.

“I believe in the rainbow Spirit, who shatters our image of one white light and refracts it into a rainbow of gorgeous diversity.

“I believe in the church of everyday saints as numerous, creative, and resilient as patches on the AIDS quilt, whose feet are grounded in mud and whose eyes gaze at the stars in wonder.

“I believe in the calling to each of us that love is love is love, so beloved, let us love.

“I believe, glorious God. Help my unbelief.

“Amen.”

Tony Perkins is quoted as saying: “When Christian denominations reject the word of God … you can end up anywhere,” adding, “This is the extreme, but it is the logical conclusion of those who reject God as the Creator, making boys and girls, boys and girls, and creating us in His image.” Perkins called it “blasphemous” and “modern idolatry, where we create God in our own image rather than seeking a relationship with the one who created us in his image.”

Meanwhile, Todd Starnes reports that the Archbishop of York, in the Church of England, has decided that he has an issue with Jesus and the patriarchy of the church. In a recent message, he said: “For if this God to whom we pray is ‘Father’ — and, yes, I know the word ‘father’ is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us have labored rather too much from an oppressively, patriarchal grip on life,” and added, “Then those of us who say this prayer together, whether we like it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not, even if we determinedly face away from each other, only turning round in order to put a knife in the back of the person standing behind us, are sisters and brothers, family members, the household of God.”

Starnes quotes Canon Chris Sugden of the conservative Anglican Mainstream group, who asked, “Is the archbishop of York saying Jesus was wrong or that Jesus was not pastorally aware?” and stated, “It seems to be emblematic of the approach of some church leaders to take their cues from culture rather than Scripture.”

Starnes referenced a report from The Guardian, stating: "Christians have recognized since ancient times that God is neither male nor female,” the Guardian reported the church saying in a statement announcing the creation of a commission to study gendered language. “Yet the variety of ways of addressing and describing God found in Scripture has not always been reflected in our worship.”

It seems to be quite popular these days to try to "remake" Christianity, to do, as the Chinese overlords desire to do, "change the face of world Christianity."  But, Christianity doesn't need to be "re-made" and those who desire to do so attempt it at their spiritual peril.

But, we are finding in our world today people who want to make Christianity in their own image - to either distort the basics and add humanistic or secularistic elements, or to take a progressive platform and put a "God-stamp" on it to make it seem Biblical.  That's why Christian believers need to know the truth and incorporate it into their lives.  We have to discern between good and evil and be diligent to allow a Christian worldview to be the basis of our thinking and acting.  We have to be aware of "false gods" and "graven images" that are inconsistent with the truth and image of God.

Long-Term

He had one job. King Saul, about whom we read in 1st Samuel 15 was to defeat king Agag and the Amalekites and to utterly destroy their belongings. But he didn't. So, we read this pronouncement to the prophet Samuel:
10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel:
11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.

Samuel confronted Saul, who claimed he did what God had told him to do. But, in verse 14, Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”

Later in the chapter, we can find that the prophet said this to the king:
22 But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”

To obey is better than sacrifice.  We may think that our idea of what God wants is best, that we have legalistically done something good, something noble, even godly.  But, the key is obedience.  We are called and empowered to be faithful to God, and our hearts should ideally be set on doing His will.  He wants us to walk in complete faithfulness, possessing a willingness to bring Him glory, according to His direction.

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We can be diligent in allowing God to do His work through us, and that produces faithfulness, even in the small details. Jesus taught in Luke 16:
10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

After a whopping 74 years, a 90-year-old Texas woman has decided to retire from her job.  A CBN.com report related that Melba Mebane, who had worked in the retail sector, left some words of wisdom to those younger than she.  The story says:

When asked to advise those just starting in the business, she encouraged people to be faithful.

“Come to work, never see it as a paycheck,” she told Fox News. “Stay where God planted you.”

And, come to work, she did - Melba Mebane did not miss a single day of work during those 74 years. The CBN article states:

Her stunning career that began in 1949, when she operated the elevator and extended through her official retirement last month. Mebane made a lasting impact on many lives throughout the decades, spending most of her time selling cosmetics for the store.

The store manager...

...told Fox his former employee set the “tone for everything, every expectation, every customer service quality.”

“She provides all of it to the team,” he said. “Can you imagine how many people she coached and taught and trained to aspire to be more? It’s just amazing to think of how many people’s lives she touched.”

He went on to call Mebane — a single mom who never called in sick or missed work — far more than a mere employee, explaining she’s “amazing” and has offered guidance to so many over the years.

Melba endeared herself to the manufacturers of the products she sold, to the extent that she shared them with others, including her pastor; according to her son, Terry, who said: “Our pastor called her the cosmetic bootlegger, because, on the way out of church, she would hand him samples as he was taking her hand and telling her to have a good day,” adding, "She loved getting him ‘fixed up.'”

A famous baseball player can remind us of the power of longevity.  A Forbes article quoted from long-time Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken: “You can’t accomplish anything unless you’re willing to show up,” adding, “You want to be counted on. There’s a term in baseball called ‘gamer.’ All that means is that you’re willing to come show up and try to meet whatever challenge it is today.”  Ripken set the Major League Baseball all-time consecutive game mark - 2632 straight games; he earned the title, Iron Man.

The article, published last week, stated:

While Ripken, who entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007, is obviously proud of the streak, he doesn’t consider it as merely an attendance record. “You have to be deserving, and you have to put your time in, and the manager chooses you,” he says. “People look at the streak in a way where it’s a principle,” he continues. “It’s a value. People are proud of not missing a [workday] in 31 years. It’s not necessarily just the attendance but the willingness to go do it. The willingness to show up.”

Ripken spent 21 seasons with the Orioles and made 19 All-Star games; Baltimore won a World Series while the two-time MVP played there. 

Melba Mebane spent 74 years in retail, and has just recently retired. There are three principles that the CBN article highlighted; you might called them, "Melba's Maxims:"

* Come to work.  There is something to be said for faithfulness, for regularity - rejoicing in opportunities that await us, rather than relating excuses for not doing our best. In order to glorify God, we should be known for our work ethic and the excellence that we bring.  We should show up, and allow Him to show up through us. 

* Never see it as a paycheck. Mark Twain is credited as saying to find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.  Certainly, our occupation is a tool through which God provides for us financially.  But, there is a greater purpose.  We should be looking for that place to which God has called us, to do work we enjoy, so that our focus is on glorifying Him. And, trust the Lord to provide our needs.  And, that leads to maxim #3...

* Stay where God planted you.  Jesus taught us to be faithful in the small things.  And, while we may have big dreams for our lives, we also recognize that obedience will produce the fruit that God desires. Our call is to faithfulness, and we can remain steadfast to where God has called us until we enter the next chapter. 

Another Dispatch From Revival

In the 15th chapter of the book of Romans, Paul reminds the readers that Jesus is our source of hope, and has come to bring hope to the world today for those who would call upon His name and be saved.  Romans 15 contains these words:

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Later in the chapter, we can read:

9b ...it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name."
10 And again he says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!"
11 And again: "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!"
12 And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope."
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This presents a stark contrast to a prevailing attitude of despair that we can identify in the world today. But, God offers a way out - through identifying with His only Son, who loved the world so much that He was willing to die for fallen humanity so that in Him we might experience His life and encounter His hope. In Him, we can rejoice; in the Lord, we can know the reality of His hope and have joy and peace through faith in Him, according to verse 13.

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In a world where you find that even those who have named the name of Christ have declared that they now reject Christ, I believe you are seeing a tangible wave of people who have discovered the real, vibrant, living, authentic Jesus for themselves. John 6 states:
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

One could make and support the claim that 2023 has been a year in which we have seen the Lord show up in powerful ways through the gathering of His people and the move of His Spirit.  I have reported on the Asbury revival, or "Outpouring," in which a spark of revival was lit in the hearts of college students, a spark that actually was seen on other campuses, as well.  The Jesus Revolution brought a 1970's revival to movie theaters in America and around the world, as well as to homes.

And, I became aware recently through a CBN.com article that a city in Louisiana has been experiencing revival for over eight months now.  It's occurring near the city of Hammond, and the story relates:

What started as a four-day revival event at a local church last fall in the Hammond, Louisiana area, is still going strong under a blue tent.

As CBN News reported in March, it started on Oct. 16, 2022, at the Old Zion Baptist Church located northwest of Hammond on Highway 442.

On the first night of the revival, there were only about 125 people in attendance. But 34 people gave their hearts to Jesus Christ. By the fourth night, the gymnasium was packed.

Then evangelist David R. Harrison of Voice of Hope Ministries set up his 2,500-seat tent in Hammond in order to help accommodate the large crowd.

And, as the story states, "...people kept coming..."

The article goes on to say: "Pastor Harrison updated CBN News in an email that worship services are still taking place under the tent some eight months later." In an e-mail, he said: "The Awakening in Louisiana has truly been life-changing. When God sent me there on October 17, I never would have dreamed we would still be there! It has been the most supernatural event I've ever seen..."  He added:

"Has there been many battles along the way? Yes! But, it truly has been worth it all just to see the thousands of lives who have been changed! I'm so thankful and humbled that God would allow me and my family to experience such an amazing move of the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory, great things HE hath done..."

Meanwhile, the effect of Jesus Revolution continues to progress.  A few weeks ago, I had reported on a mass baptism at Pirates Cove in Southern California, which is where people were baptized during the 1970's Jesus Movement.  Greg Laurie and his wife, Cathe, both experienced that, and another mass baptism occurred at Pirates Cove a couple of weekends ago.  Greg Laurie tweeted out:

Yesterday, we held the Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate’s Cove. 

This of course is the Site of the Baptisms of the Jesus Movement. 

I was Baptized there 50 Years ago, as was my wife, Cathe. 

But we never had a baptism like what happened yesterday. 

We baptized 4500 people! 

There was a line of folks waiting by the seawall. People Came from all around the Nation and World! This may be the largest baptism in American history, maybe world history. 

God Knows, but it was AMAZING! 

We give Him all the Glory. 

“Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.” (Acts 2:41)

This came on the weekend following the latest Harvest Crusade, which took place at the Honda Center, an arena in Anaheim.  The Harvest ministry reported in a press release:

Honoring the theme “Jesus Changes Everything” the outreach event drew over 32,000 people in-person and 215,000 streamed online. This was Harvest’s first-ever crusade at the Honda Center in Anaheim where attendees enjoyed two nights of performances from award-winning Christian artists.

Those artists included: Phil Wickham, Passion, Taya, Chris Tomlin, and Michael W. Smith. 

It goes on to say: "Nearly 7,000 people dedicated their lives to Christ over the two-day worship experience. Of these, more than 3,700 professions of faith were in the venue, and over 3,000 were online."

Greg Laurie reported: “There was an electric, revival-like atmosphere in that room both nights. You could sense God’s presence...I want to thank all of those that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this as many described it as the best Harvest Crusade of all time.”  And, while 32,000 people filled the arena over the 2-night event, Laurie related that thousands were actually not able to get in.

The ways of this world are not working for so many people.  There is discouragement, fear, and anger all around us.  Mental health issues are on the rise, family cohesiveness is on the decline.  These conditions, I believe are motivating people to seek something more.  Jesus gives us reason for hope, because He is the source of hope.  He came to earth, identified with fallen humanity, became our substitute, took our punishment, and rose from the dead!  He offers a love that is sacrificial and secure.

No wonder people are coming to Him - when people are willing to set aside their own ambitions, their own human wisdom, and look to someone greater than themselves, incredible things can happen. And, certainly the numbers are impressive - to the extent that they demonstrate what God has done. And, we can rejoice that He is working and make sure that we are open to the working of His Spirit in our hearts. 

Our Father

In Luke chapter 11, in response to the request of one of the disciples to teach them to pray, Jesus related a similar prayer template to the one he related in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. We can read in that chapter:
1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."

Later in the chapter, Jesus said:
9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

I believe that God instructs us to be very diligent in our prayers, calling upon Him specifically and praying in specific areas.  Jesus was actually praying when He was approached by this disciple in Luke 11 - He invites us to follow that model.  Jesus took time away from other people to spend time in prayer, in communication, with His Father.  We are invited to come before Him and present our requests and to know Him better.

+++++

The Lord's Prayer, which was included in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew; in Luke, was the response by Jesus to a disciple's request to teach them to pray. In Matthew 6, he provides some parameters for prayer:
5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

And, so begins what is known as The Lord's Prayer, which you would think has become very popular within and outside the Church.

But for three contestants on the game show, Jeopardy!, recently, well, not so much.  FoxNews.com had this to say about a recent sequence in an article published June 14:

"Jeopardy!" contestants made an error of biblical proportions on last night's game show.

Fans were enraged Tuesday after all three contestants failed to answer what many believed to be a very easy question about the Lord's Prayer.

Host Mayim Bialik read a clue that began, "Matthew 6:9 says, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven, [THIS] be thy name.’"

When the camera cut to Laura, Joe and returning champion Suresh, not one contestant buzzed in with a response.

The article notes:

Fans began tweeting their disdain for the religious blunder, with one writing "Today, 3 Jeopardy contestants did not know the first line of the 'Lord's Prayer!' Sad. Our Father, who art in heaven, ________ be thy name; They didn't know the answer: ‘Hallowed.’ Pathetic," they wrote.

Another said, "Sad world we're in..."

Franklin Graham tweeted out a link to the Fox article and included these comments:

Twitter erupted with @Jeopardy fans who were surprised that 3 smart contestants were unable to fill in the blank with a word from the Lord’s Prayer. We have lost so much Biblical literacy & basic awareness of the things of God’s Word. This moving away from Biblical values will equal double jeopardy for our nation.

CBN.com noted that one social media influencer published on Twitter: "This was a clue on Jeopardy last night & not one contestant got it right. This may seem like a silly example of cultural decay. But my 5-year-old knows the entire Lord's Prayer and loves to recite it at dinner time. Parents can change the world with how they raise their children."

And, then, apparently you have those that question why the game show would have a Bible question anyway...CBN said:

Some users questioned if Jeopardy! writers had been adding too many questions about the Bible to the game show in recent years, despite the fact the Bible is still the most popular book sold in the world today.

The discussion was also the subject of the Jeopardy! Reddit forum, where one user claimed, "Christianity/biblical categories get too much space," on the game show.

One person explained a teacher had once told the user "that to truly consider yourself well-read (by U.S. standards), you need to be passingly familiar with Greek mythology, Shakespeare, and the Bible. Between those three, you can find almost every archetype that Western stories are built on."

One person, who claimed to not be religious, responded, "I'm not religious but think it's undeniable that the Bible had an absolutely enormous impact on Western civilization, architecture, literature, art, and politics. Yes, it's featured more, but it's also had a greater influence."

And, there is a point well-taken: the Bible is still the most popular book in the world - and it has been influential in a variety of sectors in American society.  One would expect game show contestants to know that "What is hallowed?" would be the correct response. But, Franklin Graham is right: this is a reminder of a decline in Biblical literacy in our world today.

For the believer in Christ, it's about more that just being "literate" in the Bible and knowing The Lord's Prayer or the Apostle's Creed.  Those are important, but we have to ask ourselves if we are living according to the principles we find in The Lord's Prayer.  Are we praying as He taught His disciples?  How important is our prayer life to us?

We can also evaluate the degree to which we are incorporating the Word of God into the way we live our lives.  God's Word can help us to renew our minds and provide direction for us as we seek to navigate this world.  When the Word is part of us and governs our thinking and acting, we draw closer to God and produce fruit to His glory.

Together

Jesus stated some basic core principles about gender, sex, and marriage in a passage from Mark chapter 10; he said:
6 But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'
7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
8 and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

This is very plain, and thought leaders and social media influencers ignore them at their peril.  Jesus taught that:

1) there are two genders - verse 6

2) a man will "leave" his father and mother and "be joined" to his wife - verse 7 - underscoring the incredible institution of marriage

3) marriage is a "one-flesh" relationship - verse 8

4) it is a sacred union joined together by God intended for permanence - verse 9.

These are very simple and profound principles and remind us that marriage is God's idea and if we operate in it according to His ways, we will see the power and blessing of God flow in our homes and families, which has a definitive impact on our culture.

+++++

Following the creation of the universe and the placing of a man on the earth, we read this verse in Genesis 2:18:
18 And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

In verse 21, we pick up where God actually fulfilled this:
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

A few weeks ago on The Meeting House, I featured a conversation with J.P. DeGance of the organization, Communio, which is devoted to helping strengthen marriages through empowering the Church to champion marriage.  Based on a study it had released, he lamented the decline of marriage, which has led to more loneliness, as well as fatherlessness, which has implications for passing faith to future generations.

What you could regard as a survey that is compatible with the data shared by Communio was commented on recently by professor and author Alex Chediak in a recent article on The Stream website.  He wrote, "As of 2021, one quarter of 40-year-olds in the United States had never married. That’s a record high, according to a Pew report...It’s up from 20% in 2010. In 1980, it was only 6%."  He posed this question and answer: "Are folks living together instead of marrying? In some cases, yes. But for the most part, no. As of last year, only 22% of never-married adults ages 40 to 44 were cohabiting."

He then related this sobering statistic: "...only about one-in-four 40-year-olds who had not married in 2001 had done so by age 60. Meaning most had not married."  

The implications, according to Chediak?

So, to put it bluntly, if you’re not married by 40, the odds are even that you never will be.

That’s concerning. Marriage goes along with higher levels of happiness, longevity, health, and wealth. Especially for men. Married households also provide the most stable environment for raising kids. Given the steep decline in marriage, it’s not surprising that we’re at just 1.7 births per female. That’s well below the replacement rate of 2.1.

But why?  He offers this:

But what’s up with the 42% drop in the marriage rate? Yeah, we can talk about birth control or the loss of Christian cultural influences. These have contributed to the decoupling of sex and marriage. There’s also the acceptability of cohabitation — even though social science data shows it’s more of a breeding ground for divorce than a preparation for marriage.

But behind these trends is a complete shift in mindset that puts marriage into a “someday, maybe” category as opposed to a goal worth pursuing with intentionality and care. We are rejecting God’s good design for our species.

The noted researcher Dr. Brad Wilcox was quoted; he said: “Young adults today are putting a lot more focus on education and work than they are on marriage and starting a family.” Chediak adds: "They know that the former will affect their success. But they don’t connect the dots on how a lifelong commitment to one person will be the single greatest predictor of their long-term happiness."  He wraps up the piece by saying:

There is a power within marriage to form us into the men and women that God designed us to be. Many have noticed that marriage revealed to them a level of selfishness they never knew they had. There’s an enormous, positive, character-shaping influence that comes from having another person intimately involved in your life. The intertwining of the two lives forces each to give at a deep level, and in giving, to receive. As C.S. Lewis once said, “I become my own only when I give myself to another.”

We need to speak of this power to the young adults in our circles, to celebrate strong marriages, and to help more households be formed and formed well.

The markers are there: marriage is related to success and long-term happiness.  But, as the writer of this piece relates, there is a worthwhile cost: one must give up his or her independence and freedom in order to experience the blessings of loving and being united with a mate for life.  

That has certainly been my wife, Beth's, and my experience over almost 33 years of marriage, which we celebrate in less than a month!  Through our love for God and each other, through our shared experiences, and through the pursuit of His best - together - we have seen the Lord move in powerful ways in and through us.  I believe I am a better person because of her; I can't imagine not having her in my life! 

But, the sense of rugged individualism that is prevalent in our society causes one to think he or she is better alone.  But, in Genesis, God said that was not good.  In fact, the article referenced something J.P. DeGance did in our conversation: the U.S. Surgeon General's recent findings on loneliness. The name of the report? Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. Now, there are those that have a Biblical call to remain unmarried, as Chediak points out.  But, by and large, marriage is an institution, a concept ordained by God that He intends for our good.  The column states three "blessings" of it: 

One, a measure of protection from sexual immorality. Two, deep companionship in together reflecting God’s image as a male-female, one-flesh union. Three, the gift of children, at least in most cases. These children can be raised to love Jesus, bless society (contributing to the tax base), and take care of Mom and Dad when they’re old.

Marriage is intended for our good and for the good of a working society and it is the concept through which we grow in numbers - right now, we're below the "replacement rate."  The Church has a responsibility to help the culture change its thinking about this essential institution, which has been described as a building block.