Exploited

When we are tempted, when we experience weakness and are having trouble resisting the enemy, we have a powerful friend who is described as an "ever-present help in time of trouble," according to Psalm 46. Hebrews 4 states:
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Remember, the temptation is not the sin - the response could be!  Bondage to the strongholds of the enemy does not occur overnight, it builds and builds as we fail to respond correctly to his schemes.  So, while it is most effective to resist the initial temptation, once a stronghold takes shape, we still know that the tools of the Lord are powerful to bring it down.  But, we have to take the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, in order to respond to his lies with God's truth.  We replace the thoughts that the enemy has planted and we have received with truth that God has provided.

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The enemy is destroying minds through the exposure to material that perverts God's perfect plan for sexuality.  And, what I am going to be covering today will not be appropriate for young children.  So...let me share a Scripture, then I'll share some statistics on this Survey Thursday.

This is from Philippians 4 and should describe a filter for what we allow into our minds:
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

I quoted from Penny Young Nance of Concerned Women for America yesterday in my commentary.  She had quoted some statistics about the harm that is done by exposure to pornography.  She linked to a piece that ran on the Huffington Post website back in 2014, authored by Elwood Watson.  Two statistics to which she referred:  the article says, "90% of young boys and 60% of young girls have been exposed to pornography before they reach the age of 18."  Also, as Nance noted: 50% of religious men have indicated they are addicted to pornography.

The HuffPost article also says that 20% of religious women are addicted to porn.

The prevalence of this material is staggering: at that time, the estimate was that it was a 13 billion dollar industry!  The article also states:

In 1994, now the recently revived Promise Keepers organization conducted a survey that revealed that 50% of the men who attended their rallies engaged themselves with porn within one week of attending the event. That was two decades ago. The fact that a considerable percentage of religious people have been affected by pornography causes many astute individuals to sit up and take notice.

A 2015 blog post on The Gospel Coalition website from Jared Wilson quoted from Steve Farrar's book, Finishing Strong:

A number of years ago a national conference for church youth directors was held at a major hotel in a city in the mid-west. Youth pastors by the hundreds flooded into that hotel and took nearly every room. At the conclusion of the conference, the hotel manager told the conference administrator that the number of guests who tuned into the adult movie channel broke the previous record, far and away outdoing any other convention in the history of the hotel.

Wilson quoted from Justin Holcomb, who had interviewed hotel managers about consumption of adult material surrounding conferences.  Holcomb said that managers reported that porn use goes up during conferences in general, and that usage seems to be "the same or a bit more" coinciding with Christian conferences.  He wrote:

One manager was a Christian and he said a line I’ll never forget: “Unfortunately, ‘they know you are Christians by your…porn consumption’ is more truthful than ‘love’ when it comes to this.”

Back to the HuffPost article (and you have to consider that the website pushes a liberal agenda, so it may not be considered Christian-friendly), but as Ed Stetzer says, "facts are our friends."  The article states that:

A recent survey conducted by the Barna Group found that approximately two-thirds (64%) of U.S. men view pornography at least monthly. Moreover, the study revealed the number of Christian men viewing pornography virtually mirrors the national average broken down by age...

Watson also notes in the article: "Patrick Means, author of Men’s Secret Wars, revealed that 63% of pastors confirmed that they struggle with sexual addiction or sexual compulsion."

As I mentioned yesterday, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, once known as Morality in Media, has described pornography as a public health crisis.  It's certainly a moral and spiritual crisis, and it points to a double life that is being lived by a significant number of Christians.

Our takeaways: as Christians, and especially as Christian men, we are better than this. Not that we in and of ourselves have power to resist the temptation of the enemy and to stand strong against his schemes, but that we have the power of Almighty God, who enables us to seek the good and reject evil.  This...is evil, and it could be considered a spiritual crisis.

The devil has brought this fight to the doorstep of the church.  But, it appears, based on the data, that too many are giving in.  I commented yesterday on the way of escape that the Lord has provided for us, but we have to not gladly accept what the enemy is trying to sell us, for his intent is to harm us personally and our family relationships, as well.

I remember a message at Promise Keepers one year; I believe it was Steve Farrar.  He mentioned how character is defined by what we do when no one is looking.  Well, we always know that God sees - and when we stumble, we have to remember to run toward Him, not try, as Adam and Eve did in the Garden, to run from Him.  Jesus was tempted in all things, we are told in Scripture, and He will give us the strength to stand.  But, we have to make up our minds to renew, purify, and cleanse our minds, not allowing ourselves to become polluted and corrupted by the images that the enemy would want to engrave on our consciousness.

Objectified

The strong warning is given in 1st Corinthians 10:12: "...let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

The next verse provides some insight into overcoming temptation:
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

God, in His matchless love and grace, has provided a way through which we can escape temptation. Jesus, in Matthew 4, when He was tempted, resisted by using God's Word to resist the lures of the enemy.  Scripture plays a huge part in our victory; as we apply truth to the lies of the devil. Sometimes, like Joseph, you may have to flee the source of temptation - if there's a problem area, don't go there; depend on God to help you take the escape route.  No matter what form that escape might take, we have to make sure to look for it when we identify that we are being tempted.

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We have to release the power of God to enable us to overcome temptation, recognizing our
vulnerability, realizing the progression, and standing strong in the Spirit. James 1 says:
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

The mindset is destructive and patently unbiblical - yet, it permeates so many areas of American society.  Hugh Hefner certainly did not invent the "objectification" of women, but, according to a recent article, he contributed to the mainstreaming of it.  Harvey Weinstein, who is currently making headlines for his lecherous treatment of women in Hollywood, based on recent allegations, most certainly bought into it.

Penny Young Nance of Concerned Women for America, writing for FoxNews.com, said about
Hefner: "While many in the press are hailing Hugh Hefner as a pioneer in his day — championing abortion rights and breaking the shackles of an oppressive sexual culture — the man represented a lifestyle and business that was in no way, shape, or form helpful to women."  She described the Playboy founder as "the force behind the mainstream objectification of women."

Nance continues:

Porn is everywhere and easily accessible which is different from the days when boys hid coveted copies of Hefner’s magazine under their beds. An astounding 90 percent of boys and 60 percent of girls have been exposed in some way to pornography before they turn 18. Over half of men look at porn frequently and, sadly, 50 percent of religious men say they are addicted to pornography.

She also cites research about the prevalence of pornography and its negative effects of marriages. The seed of the enemy planted into people's minds can grow and result in destruction.

Patrick Trueman of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, in a piece on the Washington Examiner website, writes that Hefner's "plan to mainstream pornography worked well. Too well, in fact. In the end, the advent of the Internet created a direct portal into the homes of America, something Hefner's competitors moved fast to exploit. The quick and easy access to copious amounts of pornographic material eventually made Playboy obsolete."

He continues by describing the littered landscape of pornography:

With an unlimited supply of pornography on the Internet, a myriad of harms have taken the country by storm: sexual addictions and disorders, damaged and broken relationships, sexting, child-on-child sexual abuse, revenge porn, increased rape on college campuses and the military, rampant sexual objectification of women in popular culture, psychological effects such as anxiety and depression, and the list goes on.

Our culture is broken; Hefner has contributed, so have entertainment moguls who flash images before the eyes of an unsuspecting public.  In a piece on the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Jim Denison writes at the Denison Forum website:

I don’t expect ever to meet Harvey Weinstein or the actresses he reportedly abused. But in a nation where one in five women has been raped and one in three has been a victim of physical violence, in a society where child abuse is reported every ten seconds, I won’t have to go far to find someone who needs my help. Nor will you.

Martin Luther King Jr: “The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'”

When you meet someone in need today, which question will you ask?

Dr. Denison describes the brokenness in our culture, but he also highlights the opportunity - a powerful reminder that Christ has come to heal the broken.

Craig Gross of XXXChurch, a ministry to those in the porn industry, writes on the Relevant website about someone devoted to bringing Christ's healing to the broken - by working "undercover," in a sense, in the Playboy Mansion.  Gross related about an e-mail he received, which stated, in part:

What is really cool, is that for the past few months God has really impressed on my heart that I would be meeting up with many who also are called to be a ‘Lights in Darkness.’ I use this phrase because these were the words He spoke to me as He opened the door for me to step into my gutter.

So if you will look at my personal email address it will explain who I am and where I work. Yes, I work at the Playboy Mansion. Talk about living in a gutter that has opened my heart to His heart for all that walk in and out of this place.

Gross said that his friend had seen the book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren on Hefner's bookshelf.  Craig stated:

In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick asks the most basic question everyone faces in life, “Why am I here? What is my purpose?”

Rick Warren says the starting place must be with God and his eternal purposes for each life. Real meaning and significance come from understanding and fulfilling God’s purposes for putting us on earth.

I wasn’t shocked that Hugh Hefner was reading that book.

Porn leaves you on empty. Everyone who watches it can agree.

So, why wouldn’t the guy creating it feel the same exact way?

ChristianHeadlines.com reports that noted Christian author and apologist Lee Strobel actually visited with Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion, thanks to a connection that he had.  Strobel spoke with The Billy Hallowell Podcast.  He said that Hefner seemed "genuinely curious" about what he had to say.  Strobel said, "He was quite engaging in terms of the conversation. We talked about what he believed and he had a very minimalistic, deistic view of God," adding, "He said he has a minimal belief in God."

The article also states:

Strobel said Hefner especially “perked up” when it came to discussing evidence for the Resurrection.

"He saw the relevance of the resurrection, he saw the significance of it," said Strobel, adding that he was able to share the evidence for the Resurrection with Hefner, and also to present the Gospel to him.

Who knows, other than the Lord, what effect that conversation had on this notorious man?  But, we have to recognize that no one is beyond change.  The man who did "undercover ministry" at the Playboy Mansion believed it, and was attempting to share the gospel under adverse conditions.  Jim Denison also challenged readers to look for opportunities to share the love of Christ with the broken - no one is too far away from the grace of God.

And, for those who are trapped in addiction to pornography - there is help available!  God has provided powerful resources that can help to appropriate overcoming power in order to establish a pure heart and a pure mind.

In our own way, as Christian men, we can also guard against the temptation to objectify the women in our lives - and, of course, that includes the husband-wife relationship.  Our wives are gifts from God, and we are to honor for who they are, loving them with God's love, and working unselfishly to extol them and affirm them.  I think of the Smallbone brothers from for KING & COUNTRY, who did the book, movie, and song, Priceless, emphasizing the need to treat women in a way that reinforces their worth.

Going back to a theme from yesterday, we need to learn and demonstrate respect for other human beings, affirming their value as those who have been created by God.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

In Romans 12, we see words of encouragement as we seek to honor and respect one another, and to
display respect in our culture:
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord...

Words such as "honor" and "respect" could actually stand to become more prevalent and widely used in our culture, not to mention more dramatically demonstrated.  We see a penchant toward dishonor, and I believe we, as the children of God, could lead the way in practicing civility.  Sure, there are times when we will disagree with others, but we have to be careful not to demonize and repel, rather to reflect Godly character.  And, we can be challenged to be listening and loving, even toward those that show hostility to us.

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1st Peter 2 gives some direction regarding respecting others, including those who are in authority:
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,
14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.

Later in the chapter, we see this verse:
17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Many have been inspired by the story of a young man who was shot in the Las Vegas massacre over a week ago.  Thomas Gunderson was involved in helping to get other people to safety, in the midst of the hail of gunfire at that concert site.  According to a piece by Todd Starnes at FoxNews.com,

In the midst of the chaos and carnage, Thomas kept wondering if what was happening was really happening.

"We heard the rounds going off but we kept thinking, it's fake, it's fake," he said.

A split second later, a bullet plunged into Thomas' leg.

"I went straight to the ground. It didn't hurt. My body numbed up," he told me. "I was covered in a pool of blood -- it was shooting out. It was literally everywhere."

Thomas said he dragged himself behind a row of bleachers.

"I was getting scared at that point," he said. "I thought I might bleed out."

In a matter of minutes, two young women came upon Thomas and administered life-saving first aid. One of the women wrapped a belt around his leg, while the other got some men to carry him to safety.

In the hospital, Gunderson received a visit from President and First Lady Donald and Melania Trump. Thomas said it was "one of the greatest moments in my life..." And as Starnes writes, "...even though he was in severe pain, Thomas was determined to stand up and greet the president." He told Starnes,
"I told my family that I was going to stand up and shake my president's hand - out of respect for him and our leaders and our nation..."

Embedded in the article is a link to Gunderson's Facebook video of the encounter. It has received some 25 million views.  Thomas wrote, "I will never lie down when the President of this great country comes to shake my hand! There may be plenty of issues in this country but I will always respect my country, my president and my flag. Shot in the leg or not, I will stand to show my President the respect he deserves!"

The headline states: "Vegas survivor: Shot in leg or not, I'm standing for my president."

Whether or not you support or oppose the President, this is an inspiring story that illustrates the importance of respect.  And, in the aftermath of this Columbus Day weekend, it's a Biblical lesson that bears some contemplation.  There are stories of precautions that were taken yesterday to keep vandals from defacing statues of Christopher Columbus, a man, someone who was certainly imperfect, as we all are, but who set out on a journey, inspired by the Holy Spirit.  According to the Institute for Creation Research website, the Book of Prophecies by Columbus contained these words:

"At this time I have seen and put in study to look into all the Scriptures, cosmography, histories, chronicles and philosophy and other arts, which our Lord opened to my understanding (I could sense His hand upon me), so that it became clear to me that it was feasible to navigate from here to the Indies; and He unlocked within me the determination to execute the idea...

And, one could consider the shortcomings of Columbus, as did he:

I am the worst of sinners. The pity and mercy of our Lord have completely covered me whenever I have called (on Him) for them. I have found the sweetest consolation in casting away all my anxiety, so as to contemplate His marvelous presence.

I have already said that for the execution of the enterprise of the Indies, neither reason, nor mathematics, nor world maps were profitable to me; rather the prophecy of Isaiah was completely fulfilled...

So, perhaps he regarded himself a tool through which prophecy would be fulfilled.  Again, an imperfect man, but his legacy has been honored and appropriately memorialized for a number of years.  Unfortunately, there are those that would want to minimize or erase that legacy, resorting to destruction of property - is that appropriate?  Certainly not.

The issue here is that people have the right to disagree with one another - but, should always do so with respect.  The article does not give us information on Thomas Gunderson's political views; but he chose to, regardless of injury, stand up and respect the President.  He showed respect for his office.

I have shared about the seeming lack of respect in so many quarters of society today.  People are prone to physically deface property and to verbally destroy people.  We are called to a higher standard as citizens of our great country and specifically as members of the body of Christ and His representatives.  Is protest acceptable?  In some cases, of course.  But, our public disagreement should always be in a civil manner.  And, if we have we should always strive to work out our differences with individuals in private.

I think we can also reflect on respecting God and His Word.  I have been reading recently in Ezra and Nehemiah, books dealing with the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity and the rebuilding of the wall around the city.  When the wall is dedicated, there is a massive worship service.  We read in Nehemiah 9 that the people gathered together in fasting, in sackcloth and ashes.  For one-fourth of the day, the Book of the Law was read; for another fourth, the people confessed and worshiped.   In verses 5 and 6, we see that the priests called out:

(5b) "Stand up and bless the Lord your God Forever and ever! "Blessed be Your glorious name, Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.

I was struck by how the people gathered together and honored God's Word - the previous day, Ezra, the priest, read the Word of God for long periods of time.  We have to make sure that we have not become so consumed with desiring the things of this world and caught up in its distractions that we do not show the proper respect to the things of God.  If we develop a more respectful attitude toward Him, I believe that has the potential to influence the way that we regard other human beings.

On the Inside

What we exhibit in external behavior is related to what's on the inside. Jesus taught in Luke 6:
43 "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

What we say we believe is reinforced by our actions; and as a Christian, our actions are governed by the presence of the indwelling Christ.  God changes our hearts and makes us new creations in Christ, according to 2nd Corinthians 5, and He instructs us to live a life of holiness - this is impossible in the power of the flesh, based on human effort.  But, from the inside, out of a strengthened spirit, we can connect with the resources that enable us to live a life that pleases Him.

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In Mark chapter 8, Jesus identifies what is important, which can aid us as we set spiritual priorities:
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Last night didn't go well for the Bronx bombers - after a thrilling victory in the American League wild-card game, the New York Yankees were shut out by the defending AL champion Cleveland Indians.

The hero of the Yankees' 8-4 victory over the Twins on Tuesday night is someone who is electrifying crowds for the men in pinstripes.

His name is Aaron Judge, and when he made his major league debut in August of last year, he stepped to the plate and hit a home run, according to a Business Insider story that says: "in early June, Judge hit a 495-foot home run — the longest since ESPN began tracking distances in 2009. The dinger set a record for exit velocity in the Statcast era, according to MLB.com, coming off his bat at 121 mph."

In the Tuesday game, according to MLB.com:

After setting a record for Major League rookies with an AL-leading 52 homers during the regular season, Judge cracked his first career postseason home run in the fourth inning on Tuesday, a two-run shot off Jose Berrios that extended the Yankees' lead to 7-4.

But, as the Business Insider story states:

A devout Christian, his character and humbleness in the face of great success stems from his faith and the supportive upbringing his parents provided him. "I'm blessed," Judge said of his adoptive mother and father. "I feel that God was the one that matched us together."

Eric Metaxas, in a Breakpoint commentary from the summer, said:

It’s difficult to read a profile of the Yankees outfielder without coming across words like “humble” and “unselfish.” Former big leaguer and now baseball analyst Eduardo Perez told MLB Radio that he was impressed by Judge’s humility and kindness.

His manager, Joe Girardi, paid him the ultimate compliment when he said “He is a little bit like [Yankee legend Derek] Jeter for me . . . He has a smile all the time. He loves to play the game. You always think he is going to do the right thing on the field and off the field.”

He's called a "gentle giant" by Yankees legend Reggie Jackson in the Business Insider article.

Eric says that these words, "humble" and "unselfish" "should prompt the question 'why is Judge humble and unselfish?'"  He goes on:

For the answer, look no further than Judge’s Twitter feed. The first words you read are “Christian. Faith, Family, then Baseball.” Scroll down a few tweets and you will read, “Happy Easter to Everyone. He is Risen!”

The nexus between Judge’s faith and family is apparent when you read what he has to say about his parents. He says “I’m blessed.” “My parents are amazing, they’ve taught me so many lessons . . . I honestly can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for me.’’

He then goes on to relate the adoption story.

Tipping the scales at 280 pounds, this 6'7" player is in a position to have a giant impact on the game - not only in the hits and home runs, but in the area of character.  In an age when we need to point to inspiring people in our culture, Judge has a giant opportunity.  I think the progression is key to look at here: what contributes to the external character traits of humility and gentleness?  It seems to be what's on the inside.

We can think together about how character is expressed based on who we are on the inside.  Those of us who are Christians have a new heart, we have a spirit that is shaped by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If we want to have a giant impact on the people and world, we can be challenged to allow God to grow big within us.   That comes through death to self and living unto the Lord.

Finally, here is a young man whose Twitter feed demonstrates his priorities. The cover of the feed is graced by the Scripture verse, "For we walk by faith, not by sight" ~ 2nd Corinthians 5:7. Our devotion to Christ and willingness to walk by faith in Him can determine what's important to us - he lists "Christian. Faith, Family, then Baseball" in that order; perhaps illustrative of His priorities.  How we act, how we spend our time, can demonstrate what our priorities are.

Remnant

Our God is the one who revives, who restores, and who resurrects - He brings us from death into life, and will breathe on us so that we may draw near to Him. In Isaiah 57, we can read:
15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

The book of Acts speaks of times of refreshing coming from the Lord; members of the early Church were referred to as those who turned the world "upside down."  So, we have to consider: are we satisfied with the status quo in our spiritual practice, or do we want to experience a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit?  We have to be careful not to decry the state of culture today without realizing that we, empowered by the Spirit of God, can actually participate in addressing it - including our willingness to be used of God to model His character, so that hearts can be changed, starting with our own.

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The time of the early Church was a time when many turned to Jesus, but there was conflict that abounded, too.  But, the book of Acts illustrates for us that the world as they know it was being
turned "upside down." That phrase is actually used in Acts 17:
5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king--Jesus."

Certainly these who opposed the early Christians did not completely understand what was transpiring.  This passage illustrates a countercultural season, and the early believers were recognized for turning the world "upside down."

In 1971, the cover of Time magazine called attention to "The Jesus Revolution." The following year, 80,000 young adults came to Dallas for Explo 72, during which Billy Graham spoke - Newsweek quickly dubbed the gathering the "Christian Woodstock."

Those are some facts included in the opening of an article on the Christian Examiner website, which states about this spiritual explosion in the early '70's:

The more popular term is "Jesus Movement," a revival involving youth and young people in the 1960s and 70s that was so significant it caught the attention of mainstream media, which apparently was shocked that a large number of young adults were challenging the sex-and-drugs culture of the day.

The article actually centered on a movie about what was going on in Birmingham during roughly the same time period; a series of events that were depicted in part in the movie, Woodlawn, when God moved in the life of a football team in the middle of a turbulent time of racial strife.  Jon and Andy Erwin, the directors, wanted to capture the spirit of the time and perhaps spark a spiritual awakening in a culture struggling with many of the same issues.  The piece states:

Director Jon Erwin said the Jesus Movement was partially the result of desperation, when young people failed to find fulfillment in temporary pleasures. He senses America is at that moment again, and he hopes the film can help spark another spiritual awakening.

Jon points out: "To see us wrestle as a culture and as a nation with some of the same things we wrestled with then [in the 1970s] and to be able to tell this story – that the Gospel and the love of Christ can and did overcome hatred and racism – that's a pretty powerful thing and a pretty universal truth. And it's exciting to see it be so relevant. History does indeed repeat itself."

You can trace the roots of the "Jesus Movement" to a series of events that occurred a few years before - in 1967, the so-called "Summer of Love."  A Religion News Service article opens with these words:

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the “Summer of Love.”Popular culture remembers the tens of thousands of joyous young hippies that descended upon San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district to celebrate personal expression, drug experimentation and easy sexuality.

But, there was a counter-movement that began to arise: as the article points out:

As many became disillusioned with life in Haight-Ashbury, a new set of hippie “Jesus freak” evangelists appeared in the Bay Area, urging people to follow Jesus Christ and forsake drugs and promiscuous sex. Key to this new presence on the streets was Ted Wise, a drug-using sailmaker, who in late 1965 was “saved” after one of his numerous LSD trips.

Along with his wife Elizabeth and several other hip couples, Wise began attending a local Baptist church.

Despite differences of expressions of faith, the Wises and the established church family learned to coexist.  And Wise wanted to do ministry to the thousands who were streaming into San Francisco. He urged pastor John MacDonald to help, and together they established a Christian coffeehouse called, "The Living Room."  Others, such as former Meeting House guest Kent Philpott and friend David Hoyt opened a shelter called, "The Soul Inn."  By 1971, when the Time article hit, the new Jesus Movement had spread - characterized by a rejection of the sinful elements of hippie culture, the presence of coffeehouses and communal living, outdoor baptisms, and a love of modern music that eventually morphed into what was called "contemporary Christian music."

In a sense, there is a principle at work; certainly it took place in the late 60's and early 70's; you can also see it in countries where there is persecution or challenges for the Church.  Last week, I talked with Joe Savage about God at work in Ukraine, a country at war, where hundreds of thousands hit the streets of Kiev for a Day of Thanksgiving, a gathering with its roots in evangelical Christianity.  I think there might be a spiritual correlation to Newton's Third Law of Physics - to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  The pushback to moral decay is spiritual awakening.  You could also say that the search for meaning through the absence of God can be used to produce the presence of God.

That, of course, is not glorifying sin, but the realization and acknowledgement of our sinfulness will produce conviction, which produces sorrow that leads to repentance.  The spiritual emptiness, or put more accurately, the absence of God, produced a realization that the hippie culture, the drug culture, was not yielding satisfaction - so the "opposite reaction" became a new movement of people who were sold out to Christ, yet expressing their love for Him in ways that were fresh and unique.

Now, we fast forward to today.  Cultural decay should ideally force us to consider answers that will produce a spiritual harvest.  It is the Biblical reaction to insufficiencies in human understanding and action.  But, the Church also has to confront spiritual malaise - the consumer mentality that has crept in has produced, in some cases, a passive stance, rather than a motivation to be active in pursing Christ and being good ambassadors.

There are pockets of revival, and many of them not on U.S. soil, but we, as the American Church, can be challenged to move beyond a Christianity that is content with the status quo and respond to the culture with radical, abundant love for Jesus. We have to do more than just decry the state of our nation, we can be challenged to shape our nation.   The Jesus Movement people, I think, understood that status quo was no longer acceptable, and they began to turn the world upside down.

Equipping the Body

It is amazing to see way that God orchestrates the various parts of the body of Christ, to function as a
whole - and He has set leaders in that body to equip us as we grow and serve. Ephesians 4 says:
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...

During Pastor and Staff Appreciation Month, we can consider the notion of calling.  We have people that have leadership roles in the body of Christ, who serve on church staffs, who have enormous responsibilities, but there is the potential for enormous satisfaction, as we'll discuss later.  Each of us can play a role and experience the blessings of obedience, including the joy of the Lord, as we operate in our giftedness and support our leaders in response to their equipping us to serve.

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We regard our pastors and spiritual leaders in the church as possessing unique callings and gifts, to be used to strengthen our congregations.  It's a pleasure to see these gifts used for God's glory, and satisfaction will be produced as the result of this obedience.  Consider this passage from Romans 12
about the functioning of the body:
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them...

With regard to information on pastors and various elements of their lives, you might say that the hits just keep on coming from the Barna Group, which released an exhaustive study of pastors, conducted with Pepperdine University and published earlier this year.  The website continues to produce a flow of information based on that study.

A recent post dealt with the satisfaction and what you might call state of mind for these valued leaders.  The survey indicates that 91% of pastors indicated they were satisfied with their quality of life, rating it "excellent" or "good."  This compares with 78% of practicing Christians and only 62% of all adults in America.

Almost 9-in-10 pastors view their spiritual well-being as "excellent" or "good," just a point higher than practicing Christians in the spiritual category.  Only 6 out of 10 U.S. adults viewed their spiritual well-being in those ways.

85% of pastors and 79% of practicing Christians rate their emotional well-being as "excellent" or "good" vs. 63% of American adults.

Not so much in the physical health category - only two-thirds of pastors think that area is "excellent" or "good."

And, pastors are apparently feeling motivated and energized: 73% said they were frequently motivated to become a better leader - this stands in stark contrast to the 22% of U.S. adults who regarded themselves in that way.  And, comparing working pastors to working Americans, 60% of pastors said they were frequently energized by their work.  Only 24% of U.S. adults felt that way.

The fault lines are showing, though, when you consider that with regard to feelings of inadequacy, 12% of pastors frequently and 45% sometimes have those feelings.  By contrast, 70% of U.S. adults surveyed never have those struggles.

And 75% of pastors either frequently or sometimes have feelings of exhaustion; but the good news is that only about 2-in-10 face those frequently.

So, there you have the profile - high satisfaction, relatively high motivation and a good level of energy.  But, feelings of inadequacy and exhaustion are areas of concern.

This is good information, as the survey summary points out, during this time set aside to honor spiritual leaders.  Even though there are some good numbers here, it certainly should not serve to exempt those of us in the congregation from showing honor toward them.  A willing and supportive congregation can be critical in a pastor's maintaining of job satisfaction.

I think you could also expand these statistics and really consider the potential for satisfaction in service.  Our pastors labor long and hard, you might say - Barna describes the position as "one of the toughest jobs around."  But, even though the challenges can be daunting and the responsibilities serious, pastors are on the front lines of spiritual activity in our culture today.  They are among the most visible in the church and our communities, and when they see God move, I would think that it would be absolutely thrilling.

But, each of us, as we are called to serve and use the unique giftedness the Lord has granted to us, can be involved in performing the work of the ministry.  We can develop an eagerness to serve and experience the energy, motivation, and satisfaction as we walk in obedience to Him and see Him work through us.  And, a highly effective congregation can be a blessing to a pastor - and we remember that the work is not simply the domain of the pastor - the pastor leads, but also equips the congregation.  Together, we testify to the greatness of God.

Prayer and Premises

Jesus has promised to be with us - we can be assured that He will walk with us through good and bad
times, triumph and defeats, and give us internal peace despite the external circumstances.  In John 14, we can read:
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

When we are left wondering about our lives, our relationships, or situations that may be perplexing or overwhelming, we can know that God has provided His Holy Spirit to us.  He goes with us and the knowledge that He resides in our hearts can result in peace.  Even when inner conflict may rage and despair sets in like an unwelcome invader, we can turn to the Lord and call on His name, so that we might experience a measure of His perfect peace, the peace that passes all understanding.

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In John 16, Jesus taught His disciples about troubled times that were coming, and He provides insight for the challenges we encounter:
32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Verse 33 is, according to a story from which I will quote, a prevalent verse that shows up in search patterns centered around some tragedies.

The headline screams out what many perhaps are feeling today. It reads: "Vegas shooting: The land of the stars & stripes has become a country of stress & strife."  It contains a line from a column on the USA Today website, but it's not your average political commentary or editorial piece.

The writer continues:

Do you ever just feel worn out? Ready to check out, you turn off the TV, shut down your phone, pull the blanket over your head and hope it will go away by morning?

He says that it could be chronic anxiety and that, "Anxiety is a thief, taking our sleep, our energy, our well-being and our peace."  He relates that:

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are reaching epidemic proportions. In a given year more than 50 million Americans will feel the effects of a panic attack, phobias, or other anxiety disorders. The United States is now the most anxious nation in the world.

The author is none other than Max Lucado.  He encourages prayer in the face of anxiety.  He says:

Pray immediately. Don’t stew over the problems that are besetting you or your neighbor. Ask God for help as soon as you identify a need.

Pray specifically. When we boil our concerns down to a specific request, they become right-sized. Vague threats loom larger than concrete challenges.

Pray for and with others. When we consider the problems of others and enlist their help with ours, our concerns become more manageable.

Pray with thanksgiving. Anxiety and gratitude cannot occupy the same space. When we catalog what are thankful for, our list of challenges grows less powerful.

He says: "Let’s invite God to reframe the way we face our fears and win the war on worry. With his help, we can find calm in a chaotic world."   He has written a new book on the subject, called, Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World.

It's good direction for us - prayer is an excellent response to the anxieties, the anger, and the desperation we face.  And, in the aftermath of the Vegas tragedy, people are searching the Scriptures.  

According to a Christianity Today article, "Bible Gateway analyzed search patterns surrounding Sunday night’s concert shooting as well as 18 other major incidents of violence over the past decade..." The article says that, "Among the site’s 150 million-plus visitors a year," four verses "saw distinct spikes in readership around those shootings". Those were:

• John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
• Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
• Romans 12:19: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
• Psalm 11:5 “The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.”

The article states, "Overall, these go-to verses address God’s deliverance from the brokenness of the world—a condition many onlookers feel acutely during times of national tragedy."  It points out that the President used Psalm 34:18 in his post-tragedy comments; so did Louie Giglio, Christine Caine, and David Platt.

The time-honored elements that can bring peace after a tragedy, personal or collective, continue to be prayer and the Word.  And, we can be sure to integrate the Word into our prayer life, recognizing that the strength of our prayers is cemented through our awareness of the promises and premises of the Lord.

We can also recognize the sensitivity that people have in the aftermath of a tragedy.  They search for answers, but they don't come - and even though we may not completely understand why suffering occurs, we can reflect on and relate about the strength and presence of a God Who cares.   

And, one more thing - we have the capacity to triumph over anxiety and fear.  God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind, according to 2nd Timothy 1.  When our minds are weighed down by the burdens of this life, we can look to the Lord to provide hope and strength.