Resistance

We certainly need way more purity displayed in our culture. In a porn-steeped society, Biblical values are the best values, and we can strive in all we do to exemplify Christ. 1st Thessalonians 4 states:
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

It could have been a serious overture, but it appears to be a total setup by an overzealous content creator for the website, OnlyFans, which is regarded as a pornographic site. But, a restaurant cashier was devoted to glorifying God and, as the cliche says,  "caught on tape" doing that.  Here's the backstory, from The Western Journal:

A viral clip circulating on the internet earlier this month showed what appeared to be a young man resisting an OnlyFans content creator’s advances at work while citing his Christian faith.

The video, shared via X on Jan. 6 by a user claiming to be the young man in the clip, showed a Five Guys employee working the cash register when he is approached by a blond woman.

The article states: 

“I just wondered, I can’t see it on the menu, but where do I get the five guys from?” the OnlyFans pornography creator asked.

The young man was at first confused, yet as the remarks became more assertive and targeted at him specifically, he was flustered but nevertheless started to resist.

“I’m a Christian man, and I’m waiting ‘til marriage,” he replied.

The writer of the article, Ben Zeisloft, stated:

In a world where pornography and sexualization are increasingly ubiquitous, the response from this young fast food employee was not only deeply Christian, but deeply countercultural.

With the advent of smartphones and the breakdown of fatherhood, young men are exposed to online pornography at disturbing levels.

The writer went on to note that, according to a survey conducted by the Survey Center on American Life, around 75% of young men between 18-29 years of age and 88% of men 30 to 49 have viewed pornography at some time in their lives. 44% of those in the younger age group and 57 of the 30-49 group have viewed it just within the last month.

The moral of the story?  Zeisloft notes:

A man who controls his flesh in accordance with his submission to Jesus Christ, therefore, stands out in the best possible way, especially as most in his generation succumb to temptation.

The young man in the video indeed brings to mind the extensive warnings passed down from the author of the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Proverbs to his son, cautioning him to stay far away from the adulterous woman, the deception she employs, and the spiritual and eternal death she causes by her waywardness.

There were kudos on X from those that approved of the young man's response.  One said: “Handled it really well! Praying that many more young men grow in steadfast faith in Christ! Stay strong and follow Christ!”

For each of us, man or woman, young or not-so-young, we can consider how we are going to handle temptation.  Because it will come.  It came to this young man, and when the pressure came, the Word of God controlled His response.  The analogy has been made that pressure will reveal what's inside - when we're tempted, will we do the right thing?  Being prepared in advance - perhaps not knowing the nature of the temptation, but having the Word of God in our hearts - will increase the likelihood that we will respond in a Christian way.

We also can know that the Holy Spirit is in us to empower what we say and do. We can seek each day to develop a greater reliance on Him.  If our desire is to glorify God, then we will dig deep down in our hearts and experience the power of the Word and the Spirit, enabling us to resist the overtures of the devil to take us down.

What To Pray

There is plenty of direction in Scripture that can serve to remind us about the importance of prayer, as well as what we should pray for. Romans 8 identifies that we will encounter times in which we don't know what to pray, but we can rely on God's faithful provision. It states:
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

And, there's this powerful passage from James 5:
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

We can rely on God's direction in our prayers.  A recent CBN.com article related that the daughter of Anne Graham Lotz, who is heard on Living in the Light, Sunday evenings at 6:30, had a powerful experience with that.  The story relates:

She didn't know all the details, but the Lord led her to pray for an English-speaking man to come up to the Doyle brothers and pull them out of the dangerous area they were in. And God answered her prayer exactly as she had prayed it.

The Doyle brothers are Josh and Tommy Doyle - their parents are Tom and JoAnn Doyle of the ministry, Uncharted, who have been guests on The Meeting House program.  Josh hosts a podcast called, No Longer Nomads.  Rachel Ruth Lotz Wright was a guest recently.  As CBN shares:

...they recalled together a precise answer to one of her prayers and how it literally saved Doyle's life several years ago.

It took place when brothers Josh and Tommy Doyle were serving as missionaries in Turkey and got lost. They suddenly found themselves at great risk of being captured and killed by ISIS.

"As we go deeper into the market, we see more faces popping out that are ISIS fighters," Josh recalled. "At this point, I would say that we were starting to have a panic attack."

"No one spoke English, anywhere we went, asking for help from shopkeepers," he said. "We felt like we were truly in the lion's den."

The story goes on:

The Doyles put out an urgent request for prayer, and halfway around the world Rachel Ruth got the message and prayed specifically that God would send an English-speaking translator immediately to help the Doyle brothers escape to safety.

That's exactly what happened next.

Doyle explained, "All of a sudden, out of a sea of people, some guy comes directly up to us and speaks perfect English. And he goes, 'Are you guys lost?'"

The man then guided them to safety.

Rachel Ruth said: "This is crazy... just to show y'all who are listening how unbelievable the Holy Spirit is," adding, "All those years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom... and I get a text from Josh's mom, and she said 'pray because they're surrounded by ISIS.'"

It occurred to me that we may be called into dangerous places.  Danger may mean to go into or live in a part of the world that is hostile toward Christianity.  And, those who do so don't face these challenges alone - there is the prayer of believers, there are angelic companions, and most of all, there is the presence of the Holy Spirit who goes with believers who desire to follow Christ. 

But, danger might have a different meaning: we may be called to leave our comfort zone, essentially to stare down what we fear.  Because we live in a state of spiritual warfare, with forces aligned with the devil who want to take us out - to follow the enemy's mission to, as Jesus said, steal, kill, and destroy.  That's a real danger: spiritually speaking, and there may even be manifestations in the physical or emotional realms. But, we can be confident in the Lord.

And, we can be confident in Him, to depend on Him to show us how to pray.  While I think it is important to pray specifically, sometimes we may not have the complete knowledge of a situation, but we can rely on the Spirit to take our words and direct them, so that the will of God will be fulfilled.  We don't have to be uninformed or insecure in our prayers - we can rely on God's strength.

Wait

When we encounter unanswered prayer in our lives, it could be that God is not saying a hard "no" to us, but that He is showing us that we need to be patient and wait on His timing. And, He may just have a better answer than the one for which we are asking. 1st John 5 gives us some powerful and practical prayer instructions:
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.

Emily Alabi has just joined FBI.  That would be the television series, not the actual federal agency.  But, the actress had to wait for the role.  She had auditioned for a part in the series, but had been rejected.  Now, in retrospect, she sees God's perfect timing at work, according to a Movieguide article, which says:

The actress posted about her FBI role on Instagram, writing, “God’s timing. With overwhelming gratitude in my heart, I don’t know where to begin in expressing how much this opportunity means to me because of the journey God took me on to get HERE.”

“I wanted to share a little of my story to inspire others to trust God’s timing. I tested for FBI at the beginning of Season 7 for another role, and what an amazing experience that was, but we got the news that they were going in a different direction. I was heartbroken but fully surrendered to God’s plan,” she continued. “I never stopped working, and I never stopped trusting Him.”

Alabi continued, “Turns out, 4 months later, my Dad was diagnosed with leukemia, and because I wasn’t in NYC filming, I was able to be with him throughout his chemo treatment and journey to recovery, which was more important to me than anything else. God knew that I needed to be with my Dad. Now that my dad is home and on his way to a full recovery, it’s crazy to see how God brought this back around but now, at just the right time.”

The article notes that, according to the Deadline website, Alabi will be joining the television series for Season 7, and, perhaps could become a regular for the following season. 

At the beginning of 2025, the actress had posted on Facebook:

Starting off 2025 more #grateful than ever.

My dad is finally going home! After an intense and emotional month, our hearts are filled with so much gratitude. Day after day, we witnessed God do what only he can do: heal, restore, and renew. Our focus was on conquering each day, taking it step by step, and putting one foot in front of the other. And by faith, my dad walked and put in the hard work.

We stopped focusing on the problem and focused on the promise. “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11.

So, while Emily trusted God for an acting role, she, as she said, was "fully surrendered to God's plan." And, the rejection turned out to be a blessing, because she had the opportunity to spend time with her dad in his battle with leukemia.

The Bible teaches us in Isaiah 40 that there is strength in waiting.  We may not see the answer that we pray for at the time or in the way we think we should.  Those seasons can provide an opportunity for our faith to grow.  As we wait, we can continue to seek God's will, and stand fast or perhaps even refine our prayers.  We can continue to pray according to His Word and our faith becomes strengthened, as we recognize that His ways are higher than our own. 

So, when we become discouraged when it seems like God has not heard our prayers or that we may have prayed erroneously, we can continue to stand strong in faith.  We can be confident that He knows what's best for us and continue to build our lives on His promises.

Listening

God will use music that is devoted to Him to carry His message and to help people enter into His presence. I believe that He has created the concept of music and song to be used for His purposes. Psalm 92 states:
(1) ...It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night,
3 On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound.
4 For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

FoxNews.com has reported on Facebook that, "The growth of Christian music among millennials and younger listeners increased by 45% last year."  Christian artist Brandon Lake was a guest on Fox and Friends recently in advance of the Grammy Awards - he was nominated for his album, Coat of Many Colors.  He stated that people are "sick of fake and they're sick of something that's just getting them by. They want something that's gonna make them alive and fully alive and that's Jesus Christ."

In December, the website, Rapzilla reported on a study by the Gospel Music Association about Christian/Gospel Music. It quoted from a GMA press release that said, "With 54 million Americans tuning in weekly, the genre continues to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for a diverse and loyal audience."

Some of the findings include:

• 54 million adults listen to Christian and Gospel music several times a week or more, according to GMA, making it one of the most popular genres in the country.
• 40% of listeners identify as part of an ethnic minority, reflecting the genre’s inclusivity and cultural relevance. Gender representation is almost balanced, with 52% female and 48% male listeners.
• The majority of listeners (62%) are under the age of 50, with Millennials (22-36 years old) and Gen X (37-55 years old) making up a substantial portion.

Brandon Lake is also quoted in a recent piece at Relevant Magazine.  He commented on collaboration with other artists, which can lead to more impactful music.  The article relates:

Worship collectives have seen a massive emergence in this decade, and many of today’s biggest artists got their start in a collective. Even as these artists venture out on their own, the desire to collaborate remains at the core of what they do.

Take Brandon Lake, for example. Once a staple of Maverick City Music, Lake is now touring as a solo artist, but his favorite tour each year is co-headlining with Phil Wickham. For Lake, working alongside other worship artists isn’t just fun for audiences — it’s vital for the Church as a whole.

“The Kingdom is present when the table gets wider,” Lake said. “The positive side of having more people at the table is that there are more perspectives of who God is—not a different truth, but just a different side of His face.”

Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan have a Hillsong background, and they are collaborating to share what God is doing in their lives and music. Fielding says: "The scriptures tell us the church is like a body, with many different parts,” he said. “It’s easy to think worship songwriters are all hands, doing the same thing. But this emerging generation of songwriters and worship leaders is enriching the church by taking unique approaches. We’re all better for it.”

Another group of Christian artists that we have featured on Faith Radio is One Voice Worship, out of Seattle. One Voice Worship. The Relevant article says:

The group never expected a worship movement to emerge from the Northwest, but they’ve discovered a real hunger for authenticity. And what’s more authentic than genuine worship?

“We’ve gotten to speak to so many artists who encourage us to stay true to our vision,” said Cole Hastie, a founding member of One Voice Worship. “It can be tempting to do what someone else is doing, but we know we’re here for a reason, and we’re sticking to that plan as best we can.”

He added, “If we had mapped this out ourselves, we’d have messed it up. God was doing something all along, and now we just get to be part of it.”

Worship leader Anna Golden also shares about the authenticity with which artists are attempting to communicate. She notes that worship music has "evolved," and states: "It’s necessary for people with a biblical base and a Jesus perspective to make music for a wide audience...It brings a healthy perspective to genres that might otherwise lack it.”

Joel Houston, a founding member of Hillsong United, shared his perspective on what God is doing in Christian music: "As Christians, we should champion people trying to break the mold because the creative spaces are a mission field,” Houston said. “Good art has the ability to enter our soul without our permission and draw people into the presence of God—even if they don’t know what it is. As an artist, it’s not my job to write music that’s going to save the world. My job is to bring what I’ve got as an offering and put it out there..."

Christian music has become the soundtrack for so many people's lives.  Faith Radio is committed to not only sound Bible teaching, but also uplifting music that glorifies God and helps to bring you into an awareness of His presence.  Through music that honors Him, we can maintain an awareness of God and be reminded of who He is and what He has done.

Brandon Lake also underscores the importance of authenticity in music.  As contemporary Christian music began to gain a foothold, there was a season, I believe, of struggling for relevancy.  There were tremendous singers and musicians who were using their talents for the Lord, but they were struggling to be heard.  God was moving, but following the Jesus Revolution, was the world listening?  So, there became a performative element to the music, a packaging and even a commercialization of the genre.

But, I believe the Lord was bigger than all that.  Christian music can stand on its own, and that is reflected in these statistics. Now, He is calling singers, songwriters, and musicians to follow His direction, to inspire creativity, and to surrender to His direction.  Through collaboration and not competition, Christian musicians are helping to make one another stronger, and we, the listeners, are better for it. 

Freed Up

Davos is a place in Switzerland that once a year becomes a playground for the world's elites, people who are determined to tell the people of the world what's good for them. It's a globalist party, full of the unaccountable and those who are unconcerned about the right things. Davos represents the setup for a one-world government and powerful leader that is described in Daniel 8:
23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 "Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.

So, into Davos comes the new American President - even though he has enormous wealth, he doesn't quite seem to fit with the globalist titans.  His slogan is, "America First." You might say that he's the anti-globalist.  And, he had some choice words for some who control the flow of financial wealth.

CBN.com reported on the festivities.  It stated: 

As CBN News has reported, an increasing number of Christian leaders and conservative groups say their accounts have been closed in recent years, payment processors turned off, or have been placed on a donor "blacklist," by some of the nation's top lenders.

I have reported to you about the ability of some to participate in financial activities because of...ideology.  And, President Trump called out that practice - to those gathered at Davos, where those who desire to control the flow of resources in our world gathered.  CBN noted:

Trump took a moment during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to blast CEO Brian Moynihan, of Bank of America, and CEO Jamie Dimon, of Chase, over "woke capitalism."

"I hope you start opening your bank to conservatives because many conservatives complain that the banks are not allowing them to do business within the bank," he said via videolink from Washington, D.C. "They don't take conservative business."

The president was responding to a question from Moynihan on his latest executive orders and the US economy.

The article noted that former U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback was among those who experienced a practice that has been called "de-banking."  CBN said that Brownback, "...chairman of The National Committee for Religious Freedom (NCRF) said in 2022" that Chase "decided to 'end their relationship' with his group and closed the account after only three weeks."  Brownback related:

"When our executive director called to see if this was an error, he was informed that 'a note in the file read that Chase employees were not permitted to provide any further clarifying information to the customer,'" he explained.

"Why the cancellation? Why the secrecy and lack of transparency? Why was Chase hiding its reasons and intentions for closing the account of a client that seeks to serve the public good and defend religious freedom for every person in America," Brownback questioned.

As CBN noted:

Last year, a House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government was given a report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and Global Disinformation Index titled "Bankrolling Bigotry: An Overview of the Online Funding Strategies of American Hate Groups."

The list "draws a false equivalency between certain conservative civil society groups and the American Nazi Party and the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, suggesting FinCEN views them equally," said the House Select Subcommittee.

FinCEN stands for "Financial Crimes Enforcement Network."

Business Insider reported that:

State attorneys general in 2024 alleged major banks canceled accounts of people with conservative views. Last April, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach accused Bank of America of canceling accounts of gun manufacturers, Immigration and Customs Enforcement contractors, and Christian ministry groups.

"Bank of America's practice of cancelling the bank accounts of conservatives and even turning over information about customer's purchases to federal law enforcement undermines free speech, religious freedom and the right to privacy," Kobach said in the letter. "It's discriminatory and likely illegal. As state attorneys general, we will vigorously defend the constitutional rights of all Americans when they are threatened by big business."

Also, in his speech via teleconference to the Davos attendees, the President encouraged investment in America, and highlighted his commitment to freedom, stating, according to the White House website:

I’m pleased to report that America is also a free nation once again. On day one, I signed an executive order to stop all government censorship. No longer will our government label the speech of our own citizens as misinformation or disinformation, which are the favorite words of censors and those who wish to stop the free exchange of ideas and, frankly, progress. We have saved free speech in America, and we’ve saved it strongly.

With another historic executive order this week, I also ended the weaponization of law enforcement against the American people — and, frankly, against politicians — and restored the fair, equal, and impartial rule of law.

To those who desire to control and manipulate financial factors in this world, this dose of freedom talk might be a bit jarring.  But, for Christians, if there is follow through, the restrictions and harassment that some people of faith have experienced over the past few years has the potential to open doors for us to share our faith boldly.  We have to take advantage of the opportunities that may occur. 

But, we recognize that there are powerful forces who want to silence the voice of the Church. Some are elected, some are appointed, others have acquired power and control through worldly wealth and influence.  So, we recognize that the teachings of Scripture do not comport with the philosophies of this world.  We can be strong in the Lord and rely on Him to lead us into His truth.

Waking Up

There is national consideration that is taking place right now in areas of employment, of corporate culture, and the values which corporate entities will embrace. And, a shift is occurring. The Bible teaches that we are to judged by righteous standards, not showing what James 2 calls "partiality," and that the Kingdom is predicated not on outward appearance, but on inward character. Galatians 3 states:
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

A piece at The Washington Stand published just over a week ago highlighted the decision of a major retailer to reverse a trajectory it had been on for over a decade.  The article, by Suzanne Bowdey, related:

People had been taking aim at Target’s iconic bullseye as far back as 2014, when the retailer became the corporate champion of same-sex marriage. Their support led to a chain reaction, providing cover for other major brands to wade into this brave new world of sexual radicalism. Under the leadership of leftist CEO Brian Cornell, they were one of the first businesses to sign onto legal briefs arguing for the redefinition of marriage, one of the first to open women’s restrooms and fitting rooms to biological men, and — in a move that few shoppers forgave — one of the first to sell chest-binders, packing underwear, and “tuck-friendly swimwear” to confused, trans-identifying kids.

But, the chain has made a change.  Bowdey writes:

Now, more than a decade into this social experiment, headquarters is throwing in the towel. Joining titans like Walmart, McDonalds, Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Polaris, Indian Motorcycle, Lowe’s, Ford, Coors, Black & Decker, Jack Daniels, DeWalt tools, Craftsman, Caterpillar, Boeing, Toyota, and Nissan, the retailer hopes that relenting on some of its most offensive campaigns will put it back in Americans’ good graces.

Christian commentator and activist Robby Starbuck has been leading the charge against corporations who embrace a corporate culture that has been counterproductive to Target's bottom line.  He posted the latest bombshell on X:“Recently executives at Target found out I was doing a story on wokeness there. When we learned they were prepared to make changes, we shifted our focus to those changes instead.” The Stand piece said, "He posted a list of moves the company has committed to make, noting, 'I have to give their executives credit for making these changes, because it will send shockwaves in certain sectors of corporate America.'"  According to Starbuck, there will be no more kow-towing to the pro-LGBT Human Rights Campaign by reporting to its "woke Corporate Equality Index or any other DEI index."  No more marketing of Pride merchandise to kids. And, a rethinking of its actions concerning, diversity, equity, and inclusion, a concept that is under the microscope these days.

There are laws that affect the American workplace - from safety standards from OSHA to employment practices governed by the EEOC.  So, for government to attempt to produce change and conformity in the private sector is not a foreign concept.  Recently, President Trump issued an Executive Order, entitled, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.  The order stated:

Yet today, roughly 60 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, critical and influential institutions of American society, including the Federal Government, major corporations, financial institutions, the medical industry, large commercial airlines, law enforcement agencies, and institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) or “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) that can violate the civil-rights laws of this Nation.

The order goes on to say: "The Federal Government is charged with enforcing our civil-rights laws. The purpose of this order is to ensure that it does so by ending illegal preferences and discrimination."  He has empowered federal agencies to address discriminatory practices under civil rights law.  

However, the warehouse shopping store chain, Costco, has decided to draw a line in the sand.  Another op-ed at The Washington Stand, also by Suzanne Bowdey, stated:

It’s a shrinking club, but there are still headstrong CEOs who refuse to bend to the anti-woke winds. None have grabbed more headlines than Costco, the big box holdout who’s clinging to DEI while a stampede of businesses run the other way. After voting down a shareholder resolution last Thursday to return to neutral, the heat is on. And if consumers won’t change the company’s mind, maybe 19 state attorneys general will.

The AG's said: "Although Costco’s motto is ‘do the right thing...it appears the company is doing the wrong thing — clinging to DEI policies that courts and businesses have rejected as illegal. Costco should treat every person equally and based on their merit, rather than based on divisive and discriminatory DEI practices. That reflects President Trump’s executive order encouraging the Private Sector to End Illegal DEI discrimination and Preferences.”

With Costco, according to Bowdey, "...the Free Enterprise Project, which is an arm of the National Center for Public Policy Research, offered an anti-DEI resolution that was voted down by 98% of the shareholders after the board frantically lobbied people to vote no." Stefan Padfield, who led the "project that offered the resolution," is quoted as saying: “Fortunately, the truth about DEI is being exposed as never before, and it is only a matter of time until DEI’s inherent shareholder-value-destroying nature forces even managers like those at Costco to get back to neutral and focus on creating value by providing great products and services rather than engaging in neo-Marxist and neo-racist social engineering projects..."

From a Biblical perspective, these ideas that are rooted in partiality, which lead to division and to the embrace of ideas that are not grounded in fairness and justice. In a country that is predicated on individual freedoms, to try to discourage achievement in favor of manufactured standards that circumvent the worth of the individual and his or her God-given abilities can cause damage in workplaces and in relationships. 

We are called to be people who pursue peace with others - it does not build peace when the privacy of girls in their private spaces is threatened.  It does not produce peace when matters of race and sexuality become flashpoints that divide.  In the best interest of our nation, and in the promotion of Biblical ideals, we can be the people who walk in the love of Christ, our Savior who does not see partiality, who invites all to be part of His Kingdom.

Reversal

When we depart from following God's laws and upholding His creative order, there are consequences for our rejection of His ways - that is the story that we find throughout the Old Testament, as God continued to hold out His hands to restore the people of Israel who had rebelled against Him. In His mercy, God sent a Savior, a Messiah, to show His people the way to Himself. Isaiah chapter 1 says:
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.
19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword"; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

He was a Navy SEAL and made a drastic decision - he attempted to change his gender.  He became a spokesperson for the presence of LGBT people in our military.  But, he made a turnaround.  That's according to a God Reports article, which stated:

But then Chris Beck came back. He found healing in Jesus for the childhood traumas that plagued him behind the public’s eye and led him to “destroy” his life.

“It was a mistake. It wasn’t right,” he says on Shawn Ryan’s podcast. “It’s something that never should have happened. I’m not a female, was never a female. A male can’t be a female.”

His comments mark a stark contrast with declarations on CNN in 2012: “No one ever met the real me. I would put nail polish on. I could have, you know, a pair of my sister’s shoes on,” Beck said. “It was like a reset; it was like a vacation for me. So I had my vacation away from Chris.”

Chris grew up on a farm - his father was a stern taskmaster who assigned Chris burdensome chores - chores his sister did not have to do. Out of that envy, he began to cross-dress.  He also encountered sexual perversity at the hands of a pedophile.  The article relates:

Aside from the childhood traumas, he sustained PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Through the Veterans Administration, he was prescribed opioids and antidepressants.

He encountered "gender dysphoria." 

He seemed to be a model SEAL - the article says: "At SEALs, he gave, in his own words, 150% all the time, earning wide respect and sometimes resentment. He participated in seven combat deployments and six non-combat deployments. He fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, often using cutting-edge technology in new ways that led to new strategies (such as aiming mortars with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to see forward targets). His nickname: Caveman."  Back issues became a catalyst for Chris to be involved in technology for the military. 

Then, Chris Beck moved into retirement.  The article says:

Retirement presented the opportunity for him to explore things he’d denied himself, so he would not run afoul of military doctrine. At the time, the military adhered to the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for homosexuals and other paraphilia.

The combination of all factors was the cocktail for him to try transgender, but the decisive blow was a VA psychologist who was supposed to help him. Recommended by a combat buddy, the psychologist had impressive credentials and had helped others with PTSD.

But, the psychologist seems to have not helped Chris; he recommended that he write a book about his experiences. Chris also attempted to change his appearance through treatments and surgeries.  As Chris became more well-known, his inner life was a mess. He decided to reject the trans lifestyle.  God Reports states:

He had two divorces. He got frozen out of Pentagon development projects and consultation. He let his contracts slide. He went from a high-flying lifestyle to unemployment.

He started studying to earn a master’s degree in mental health – to help fellow veterans and to help himself. But he became disillusioned when he realized that psychology had been taken over by woke ideology.

The article says:

He found God. “I wear the armor of God,” he says. “I wake up every morning, I read my Bible for an hour. We are created in the image of God. This body that I have was given by the grace of God. I think we need to stop all this damage.”

And, he warns parents about taking their children to drag performances, saying: “If you’re a parent bringing your kids to these drag shows, you’re messing you kid up...You think you’re being all compassionate to the drag queens… They’re giving kids the same pharmaceutical they used to give to pedophiles in prisons to chemically castrate them. That’s criminal.”

Chris tried to become Kristin, and he has rediscovered whom God has made him to be.  The presence of Jesus can provide stability for our hearts and minds and enables us to stand against the misguided ideas of this world.  A penalty for rejecting His ways is instability, and when you have people who have embraced unstable, unreliable ideologies, the consequences for our society are dire.

We can look to God to show us who we really are - we should never try to be someone or something else, but content within our own skin, people created in the image of God.  We can reject the notion, and teach our kids to reject it as well, that we were born in the wrong body or someone "assigned" us the wrong gender.  And, when we chase unfounded ideas, we can return to the timeless truths of the Scriptures, upon which we can build our lives.