Boldness on Display

Because we have been born again, we can be assured not only that we are saved, but that the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, directing and strengthening us to do God's will. Jesus, before He ascended into heaven, having given His disciples the Great Commission to go into all the world, spoke to them one final time, according to Acts chapter 1, which says:
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

When we feel weak and powerless, just as Paul wrote about in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12, we can turn to God for the strength we need.  He gives us the love, devotion, and resources we need in order to live a life that pleases Him and to proclaim His truth. In faith, we can rely on God to show us what He wants us to do in fulfilling the mission He has for us. And, we can be confident that He will go with us to accomplish through us what He desires.

+++++

We have been directed and empowered to display the presence of God in a world that so desperately needs to know Jesus. Psalm 96 states:
3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

Later in that Psalm, we can read:
10 Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously."
11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.

According to a review that I came across about a film that is premiering in a selected, very small, number of theaters today, a friend of a missionary who lost his life said, "My friend did something stupid and courageous and bold,” adding, “I wish I was that bold.”

The film is called, The Mission, which was produced in accordance with National Geographic Documentary Films.  Alyssa Wilkinson, who has taught at The King's College in New York and now reviews movies for Vox, integrated her own spiritual journey into the review of two faith-related films.  Regarding this missionary to whom I referred earlier, John Chau, she mentioned the inspiration of the late Jim Elliot, who lost his life attempting to win a group in South America to Christ, she wrote:

Imagination, as it happens, is where a lot of would-be missionaries find their origin story. The subject of The Mission, John Chau, found his inspiration in figures like Elliot, who died in 1956 alongside several white missionaries when they traveled to evangelize the Huaorani of Ecuador. At 26, Chau followed in Elliot’s footsteps, journeying illegally in 2018 to evangelize the Sentinelese people on a remote island off the Indian coast, then making global headlines when his body was found on the shore.

Wilkinson referred to The Mission as "an exemplary, thoughtful film," and notes, "Empathetic and non-reactionary, the film weaves together perspectives from people highly skeptical of missions and those who are still true believers."

Voice of the Martyrs has recognized the work of John Chau.  Its website states:

...in November 2018, news outlets around the world were running the story of a 26-year-old American man who had been killed trying to make contact with a remote tribe on North Sentinel Island, a tiny speck in the Bay of Bengal between India and Southeast Asia. Many news reports and opinion pieces implied that John had been foolish to contact a people group known to be violent toward outsiders. What they didn’t know was that John had prepared for years to reach the Sentinelese with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

John spent almost a decade preparing to take the gospel to the Sentinelese, one of the last uncontacted people groups. His journey began in 2008, the year he turned 17, when he became what he described as “an apprentice to Jesus.”

After taking his first missions trip the following year, he began to pray about spending his life serving as a missionary. “I know that God used that time to mark my life,” he said later. In his prayers, John asked God where He wanted him to go, echoing Isaiah’s affirmation — “Here I am! Send me.”

Soon after making that prayerful commitment, John found information online about the Sentinelese people, who live on an isolated island and have never heard the gospel. He sensed that God was calling him to go to North Sentinel Island to share God’s love with them. 

And, after his death at the hands of Sentinelese fishermen, according to VOM:

The story of John the “adventure bro” quickly turned to John the misguided missionary, the colonizer, the thoughtless disease spreader. The mocking memes on social media and criticism in a variety of media came in waves. Some comedians even used the story of John’s murder in their acts.

More concerning was the criticism from Christians who attacked John’s perceived lack of preparation and insensitivity to the culture. Some even questioned whether the Great Commission might be outdated in 2018; perhaps, they posed, it doesn’t apply to tribes that have no contact with the outside world.

“I would say for me the only ongoing pain that I have about [John’s mission and death] is actually how Christianity as a whole treated John so poorly after he was so willing to give his life for Jesus,” said Pam Arlund of All Nations. “He was willing to give his life for a people group that he never actually got a chance to meet. … I wish that, I will call it Christendom, would have been kinder to him.”

Last year, John Chau was "honored" by Voice of the Martyrs for the Day of the Christian Martyr. The ministry partnered with Phil Cooke and Cooke Media Group to produce a video about John's life. John ministered with the missions organization All Nations, and was an alumnus of the Covenant Journey program, which is a sister organization to Liberty Counsel and offers young people an opportunity to take a 10-day journey to Israel in order to strengthen their Christian faith.

Covenant Journey's website noted this honor granted to Chau on its website last year, and stated:

His final letter, written to his family, states in part: “You guys might think I’m crazy in all this but I think it’s worth it to declare Jesus to these people. Please do not be angry at them or at God if I get killed – rather please live your lives in obedience to whatever He has called you to and I’ll see you again when you pass through the veil. “

John concluded by writing, “This is not a pointless thing—the eternal lives of this tribe is at hand and I can’t wait to see them around the throne of God worshipping in their own language as Revelation 7:9-10 states. I love you all and I pray none of you love anything in this world more than Jesus Christ.” He concluded with “Soli Deo Gloria,” and signed his name.

To outside observers, the story of John Chau may have seemed ill-informed, even reckless.  But, as Voice of the Martyrs has portrayed it, Chau was motivated by a desire to see members of this tribe won to Christ, much like the dedication of Jim Elliot, who was driven by the love of Christ to present His love to a remote tribe, the Aucas, in South America.  

You know, sometimes we have to go toward following and fulfilling God's will and away from the scoffers.  There will sometimes be those who don't understand, who don't really know what God is doing in someone's heart.  Through prayer, a devotion to God's Word, the leadership of the Spirit, and even the words of trusted counsel, we can ascertain the will of God and gain the strength to perform it. 

Jesus directs us in the Great Commission to "go."  Now, what that looks like will take different forms based on the individual instructions that the Lord has for us.  We should always be prepared to make good decisions, but what appears to be safe and even sane may not be the way we are being led by God.  

What It Constitutes

Believers in Christ, in a sense, have a dual citizenship - we are citizens of heaven and belong to Christ, but we are also placed here as citizens of earth, to represent Jesus here. So, we can apply our heavenly citizenship to live a strong Christian witness in this world. 1st Peter 2 states:
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.
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--
16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

We are called to respect the laws of our land and to exhibit a submissive heart toward those in authority, to the extent that we are called to pray for them so we can lead quiet lives. The parameters of governmental authority are clear in verse 14: punish evil and reinforce good.  How do we know the difference between good and evil; how are good morals reinforced?  Certainly, the Scriptures have been a foundation for many of our laws and provide a guide for good government.  And, they show us how to live in this world as citizens of another.

+++++

There is a passage in the 17th chapter of the book of Jeremiah that can be challenging to us, but can help us conform our lives to God's expectations. We can read these words:
7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

We, thankfully, are residents of a country that was founded on principles that are rooted in Scripture - history teaches us that our founders exhibited a faith in God, which has proven to be a source of guidance and strength throughout the establishment of our nation.  I believe that our Constitution is a document that contributes to our living morally and in unity, as well as our freedom to practice our faith.

There does seem to be a lack of understanding of Constitutional principles these days, and fortunately, there have been some court decisions over the past few years that represent a return to the basic freedom of speech and freedom of religion principles upon which our nation were founded. 

But, that lack of knowledge of these principles of the Constitution have the potential to have devastating consequences. The Daily Citizen from Focus on the Family presented results from a recent survey measuring the degree of Constitutional knowledge.  The article states:

The Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania has conducted its annual civics survey for the past 18 years. The survey focuses on civic knowledge and is released every year in time for Constitution Day – September 17.

The 2023 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey found disheartening statistics; many Americans are entirely unaware about the basic freedoms they enjoy and are ignorant about key facts of the U.S. Constitution.

The survey found that two-thirds of American adults can name all three branches of the federal government – executive, legislative and judicial. However, 10% can name just two; 7% can name only one; and 17% could not name any branches.

As the article points out, there are five rights "guaranteed by the First Amendment."  Only 5% of those surveyed could name all of them.  20% could not name a single one.  Almost half could name "one or two."

Here's the breakdown according to the individual rights:

• Three-quarters (77%) name freedom of speech.
• Less than half (40%) name freedom of religion.
• A third (33%) name the right to assembly.
• Just over a quarter (28%) name freedom of the press.
• And less than 1 in 10 (9%) know the right to petition the government.

The article goes on to say:

Respondents were also asked, “If the president and Supreme Court differ on whether an action by the president is constitutional, who has the final responsibility for determining whether it is constitutional?”

Barely half (54%) of respondents correctly said the Supreme Court; 21% said Congress; 4% named the president while 21% said they didn’t know or were unsure.

Zachary Mettler, the writer of the Daily Citizen article, quotes from two out of our first four Presidents, stating:

James Madison, the architect of the Constitution, recognized the importance of civic knowledge. Madison wrote in an 1825 letter to George Thompson, “The advancement & diffusion of Knowledge … is the only Guardian of true liberty.”

Likewise, in his Farewell Address to the nation given on September 17, 1796, former President George Washington extolled the necessity of the public’s civic knowledge. He wrote:

Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions ‘for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.

Mettler also notes:

Without knowledge of how our Constitution works, we cannot exercise our role in self-government in a prudent and wise way.

When it comes to educating the public in civic knowledge, as this year’s Constitution Day survey shows, there’s still much work to do.

I believe the U.S. Constitution to be an inspired document.  When you consider the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, which had essentially disintegrated until Benjamin Franklin called for prayer, I believe that you can see the hand of God manifested through hearts that were turned toward Him.  A piece on the Regent University website states: "One of the foremost constitutional theorists of the founding generation, John Adams, observed, 'Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.'”  It adds that, "Many of our Founders were men of faith or were influenced strongly by the Judeo-Christian tradition...They accepted the premise of mankind’s imperfect nature. They had experienced first-hand the oppressive dictates of Parliament and the Crown that led to the American Revolution. And they were rightly suspicious of the accumulation of governmental power by one person or a small body — 'the very definition of tyranny' according to Madison."

The website adds:

Consistent with these experiences and beliefs, the Founders imbued liberty-preserving principles into the very structure of the new government. They divided power between federal and state governments, apportioned federal power among three branches of government, and limited the power of the federal government to certain delegated functions. But the Founders also knew that these devices alone were inadequate to preserve and sustain our new nation.

It states, "Simply put, the Founders knew that government was downstream from culture. A virtuous people would courageously defend the rights endowed by their Creator and restored by the blood of patriots. But a fearful people would readily cede these rights in exchange for a fleeting sense of security."

That is a great analysis of our challenges today - when you have people who lack the virtue to live up to the ideals of the Constitution, then its effectiveness wanes.  You have people in America today that have been lured by godless socialism and reject the moral fortitude to live under this system.  When you have public officials that show disrespect to our Constitution, the fabric of our nation is torn.  But, the converse is true, which should give us hope.  In Christ and following the teachings of the Bible, we can become a more virtuous people.  But, we, the ambassadors for the Lord, are called to lead - by displaying the character that is consistent with Biblical ideals.  The Constitution does not create morality, that is a matter of the heart.  We can evaluate how well we are promoting the awareness of God in our nation.

Exodus

The apostle Paul, after informing Christians that we have access to the full armor of God, requested prayer for His work; Ephesians chapter 6 states:
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Centuries ago, God promised to give a land to Abraham - His covenant to His chosen people has not changed, and even today, a nation, called Israel, reflecting the name of Abraham's grandson, Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, occupies a sizable portion of the land entrusted by God. Those of us who are not Jews, by virtue of a Jewish man named Jesus, have been brought into a relationship with our Heavenly Father through Him.  We can stand with the original chosen people, as well as with those who have accepted Jesus as Messiah who are facing opposition. 

+++++

Certainly, the headlines emerging out of Israel and the brutality of the Hamas offensive against Israel are disturbing. And, we are reminded of areas of conflict and persecution around the world. In the midst of a turbulent world, we must respond with diligence and determination, as the book of Jude teaches:
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

You may be familiar with what is known as the Armenian Genocide, in which 1.2 million people in that country suffered death at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.  It started in the year 1915.  

Many Armenians, including Christians, are enduring another season of persecution today. Lela Gilbert, Senior Fellow for International Religious Freedom at Family Research Council, who has been a guest on The Meeting House, wrote a recent piece for the Religion Unplugged website giving an appraisal of the conflict taking place including this group of people.  She writes:

The small Armenian Christian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh — locally known as Artsakh — has long been part of historical Armenia. However, since December 2022, Artsakh has been under siege by neighboring Azerbaijan, and the world has largely ignored a prolonged assault on that peaceful community of 120,000 souls.

Gilbert notes that President Ilham Aliyev — a close ally and confidante of Turkey’s neo-Ottoman leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan — is responsible for this deadly aggression.

Gilbert writes:

And now, Artsakh’s Christians are being driven out of their historic homeland on a one-way journey to Armenia.

It is noteworthy that Armenia was the world’s first Christian nation, declared as such in the year 301. While the phrase “ethnic cleansing” is increasingly used to describe Artsakh’s plight, few, if any, major news sources have taken note of the religious persecution that fuels the Azeri blockage.

She adds, in a piece published on September 26:

Following months of siege, Reuters reported last week: “Azerbaijan sent troops backed by artillery strikes into Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday in an attempt to bring the breakaway region to heel by force, raising the threat of a new war with its neighbor Armenia.”

Once the Azeri military offensive was launched, thousands of terrified Armenian civilians fled their ancestral homes, seeking whatever shelter they could find — praying for rescue. Then, on Sept. 24, the Azeris finally opened the Lachin Corridor to evacuees, providing only a one-way journey to Armenia. In a matter of hours, hundreds of cars jammed the roadway. And most of those who left knew that they probably would never return.

This region has been the center of conflict for quite some time, dating back to the days of the former Soviet Union, to which Armenia and Azerbaijan both belonged. CBN News reported on that same day:

Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"This is an area of Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, that has been contested for many years," said Dr. David Curry of Global Christian Relief. "It has historically been filled with Armenians, Armenian cultures, the Christian faith."

While it's been internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, the area has been ruled by ethnic Armenians for three decades.

Two U.S. officials traveled to the region and met with Armenia's prime minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday. He told them ethnic cleansing is "happening right now."

A CBN article from last week estimated that some 100,000 "ethnic Armenians" have fled.  That article relates:

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan calls it "a direct act of ethnic cleansing." He says without concrete action soon by the international community, they are just "creating moral statistics for history."

"The exodus of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh continues as a result of Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing policy. Analysis shows that in the coming days there will be no more Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a direct act of ethnic cleansing and deprivation of a homeland, as we have been telling the international community for a long time," he said.

The article goes on to say:

Joel Veldkamp of Christian Solidarity International calls it a refugee crisis of immense proportions.

"Many of them are fending for themselves. Many of them we've seen are sleeping in their cars or sleeping in tents or sleeping in the streets of the city of Goris, which is close to Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia," Veldkamp said. "Armenia is not a rich country by any means. This is going to be an enormous refugee crisis, an enormous challenge for all the eight organizations working to help these people."

Furthermore, according to CBN: "There is a fear that Armenia itself, one of the oldest Christian countries in the world, is probably the next target for the Islamic regimes in Turkey and Azerbaijan."

Ideologically-driven, spiritually-centric violence is nothing new - yes, there is a spiritual component to conflicts that we see in many parts of the world.  Christian persecution is common throughout not only the Middle East, but in other countries, as well.   And, in so many instances, a radical view of Islam is driving the violence.  That is certainly true currently in and around Israel. It's the case involving Azerbaijan and the attempt to drive out people related to Christianity. It's a form of spiritual bullying and we have to be in prayer for the persecuted, for those being oppressed for their religion. 

While Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation, our goal is not to exterminate those who oppose us, but to win them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Our desire for their eternal souls should outweigh hostility that we feel or experience.  We must be intent on praying for those who are aligned with our spiritual enemy and to love them into the Kingdom.  We should also be steadfast in the Spirit and confront the forces of evil using the weapons of our spiritual warfare that God has given to us. 

Attack

In the book of Revelation, chapter 3, we read in the letter to the Church at Philadelphia, the faithful church:
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

When we see conflict between nations arising and prophecy that is being fulfilled, we can recognize that events are unfolding just as God tells us in the Scriptures. When the world descends into hopelessness, we know that the time set aside for the Church to ascend into glory is drawing near. We have to ascertain our readiness and live each day as if it could be our last on earth, and be filled with the hope and assurance of salvation that we can have through Christ.

+++++

Recent developments can certainly be yet another "sign" of the times in which we live, and when we see chaos, especially as it concerns Israel what I have referred to as a "barometer" regarding the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, we can be reminded of the future that God has predicted. In 1st Thessalonians chapter 4, we can read:

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

It was an attack that was so surprising in its timing, swift in its execution, and severe in its consequences.  As it's been pointed out, on almost the same day as a surprise attack 50 years ago in the Yom Kippur war, the terror group Hamas unleashed an attack on Israel from the South. CBN News reported: 

The attack comes at the end of the biblical Sukkot holiday. Known as Simchat Torah, it’s the day Jewish people celebrate the Word of God.

It also comes one day after the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War when Israel was taken off guard by a massive attack from an Arab coalition.

The article from CBN described the events of this past Saturday:

"Israel is at war," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced after Israelis woke up under attack by air, land, and sea on Saturday, their Sabbath.

Sirens blared as thousands of rockets launched at Israel from the Gaza Strip attempted to pummel the Jewish state, and Israelis ran for bomb shelters early on Saturday. By evening, Gaza terrorists had launched roughly 3,000 rockets at Israel. At the same time, a combined offensive including truckloads of dozens of armed terrorists infiltrated through the border into southern Israel by land, paragliders entered by air, and others by sea.

The account goes on to say:

From about 6:30 a.m., sirens blared first in southern Israel around the Gaza Strip and then in the Negev Desert, Tel Aviv area cities, and Jerusalem.

Many of the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome anti-rocket system. But there are reports of rockets having landed inside populated areas. Israel’s State-run public broadcaster KAN mentioned unconfirmed reports of Israeli soldiers kidnapped and taken into Gaza.

Media reports said dozens, dead or alive is unknown, had been taken hostage and carried into Gaza.

But, it did not take long for Israel to retaliate.  CBN News reported earlier today:

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday said they have finally secured the border with Gaza and found the bodies of 1,500 Hamas terrorists four days after they invaded southern Israel and killed or kidnapped more than 1,000 Israelis.

“In the last day, not a single terrorist entered via the fence,” said the IDF’s top spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.

Speaking in an address to the nation Monday night, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel is in “a war to ensure our existence, a war that we will win.”

“We have always known what Hamas is. Now the whole world knows. Hamas is ISIS,” Netanyahu said. “We will defeat [Hamas] precisely as the enlightened world defeated ISIS.”

The IDF has called up a record 360,000 reservists to prepare for what many expect is a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

So far, Israel has used its air power to "bombard Hamas targets inside Gaza." According to the article, "There are more than 160 hostages in Hamas' hands, and Hamas has warned they will kill one hostage on live TV every time Israel attacks 'without prior warning.'”

Joel Rosenberg, Editor-in-Chief for All Israel News, writes:

We don’t know what will happen to the hostages, and many fear they could be used as human shields, be used in a ransom deal to free jailed terrorists or possibly be murdered on camera in an attempt to destroy Israeli morale.

It is already clear that this was the deadliest day Israel has suffered in decades. If one would compare the number of victims in Israel in relation to the United States, it would be as if 26,000 Americans were killed in a day.

In another article at the All Israel News website, Rosenberg wrote:

Saturday, Oct. 7, was Israel’s 9/11.

It was Israel’s Pearl Harbor.

It was an attack so brutal, so bloody, and so unexpected that the entire nation is in shock.

We are grieving.

And we are angry.

Think about it - here we have an invasion of Israel by an opposing force.  It reminds me of my numerous conversations over the years with the late Jimmy DeYoung, who was a regular guest on The Meeting House.  He and I talked about an "alignment of nations," that is detailed in Ezekiel 38, that would come against Israel. And, indeed, when you consider the Hamas terror organization and the country that is enabling it - Iran, who is making deals with Russia and China, who is attempting to be the dominant force in the Middle East, even to the extent of trying to make peace with longtime nemesis Saudi Arabia, you can see the puzzle pieces coming into place, as Jimmy would say, "the stage being set" for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.

Greg Laurie writes at Harvest.org:

On the heels of the Holocaust, who would have ever thought that these Jewish people who lost six million lives to the Nazis would somehow regather in their homeland, but it happened, against all odds. And on May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation. I’m proud to say the United States was the first nation to acknowledge that.

But after Israel was regathered, the Lord said she would come under attack. Specifically in Ezekiel 37 and 38, the Bible speaks of the regathering of Israel, and then it speaks of a large force from her north attacking her. That force is identified as Magog. Who is Magog? Listen, no one can say with absolute certainty.

But many Bible students and prophecy teachers believe it’s modern-day Russia. I think you can make a very good case for that. If you get out a map of the Middle East and look to the north of Israel, you will find Russia. Why would Russia ever want to invade Israel? Well, there’s another thing the Bible says about Magog, if she is indeed Russia, and that one of her allies that will march with her is Persia.

Persia is the ancient name for modern Iran. So the Bible predicted hundreds of years ago that this large force from the north of Israel would attack her after she was regathered, and one of the allies that would attack Israel with Russia or Magog, whoever it is, would be Iran or Persia.

Not once in the past 2,500 years has Russia formed a military alliance with Persia, Iran, but they have recently developed a special connection. Russia has signed billion dollar deals to sell missiles to Iran, and the Iranians have helped the Russians, providing them with drones, weaponized drones to use in the Ukraine war.

And, as Laurie points out, the U.S. government has provided six billion dollars to Iran recently. 

So, how do we respond? Greg Laurie offers some suggestions:

Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28 NKJV). That’s what we need to be doing, looking for the soon return of Jesus Christ.

But we also need to pray. The Bible tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). We want to pray that they arrive at some kind of peace. We want to pray that this horrific terrorism stops, and that they’re able to get their hostages back. And we want to pray that God places His hand of protection on the nation of Israel during this unprecedented war.

We are certainly in the midst of "these things" to which Jesus is referring - a world in chaos and widespread conflict - I believe these are the signs that He will come soon to take His Church, and we will, as 1st Thessalonians 4 teaches us, meet Him in the air.  The world will descend further, into a time of Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will come, the wrath of God will be expressed, and ultimately, Jesus will return to earth and set up His millennial kingdom.  We can be convinced of that timeline, and we can also be determined to be people of hope.  Even when there is widespread darkness, we can be secure in Him.

Diamond Stars and Devoted Saints

Because we are in Christ, we have been given a new heart - we have the potential to think His thoughts and to allow His life to flow through us. Because we are forgiven, we can face the future confident in His love for us. Romans 6 states:
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Newness of life.  That means that the old is dead, the new is alive, and we can live in the power of that new creation.  But, the Christian life is not confessing Christ but living in our own strength. We have to recognize that we are incapable of living that life without the power of the Holy Spirit moving through us, empowering us from within.  Because our identity is wrapped up in Christ, we don't have to rely on ourselves any longer - He invites us to come into His freedom.

+++++

The apostle Paul had a clear understanding about the seasons of life: while we can rejoice in the good things that God has done in our lives in the past, and reject and reflect on the bad, we can make sure that we are living with a sense of satisfaction and expectancy in the present. He writes in Philippians 3:
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The Major League Baseball playoffs begin in earnest this weekend, and there really are some terrific matchups, including last year's playoff rematch between the 2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves and those pesky Philadelphia Phillies, who made it all the way to the World Series.  The Dodgers face divisional rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The upstart Baltimore Orioles square off against another surprising team, the Texas Rangers.  And, there are last year's World Series winners, the Houston Astros vs. the Minnesota Twins.

I came across an article recently that spotlighted major league baseball players who followed God's call into the ministry.  Some of them were notable players who faced competitive struggles - against themselves. One such individual is quite familiar to Faith Radio listeners.  According to the article on the Religion Unplugged website, three-time World Series champion Darryl Strawberry is someone who, while excelling on the field, battled internal, off-the-field struggles.  The article says:

Amid the adulation and success, Strawberry grappled with personal demons and addiction following a series of arrests. Strawberry recalls that it was during his darkest moments that his faith emerged as a beacon of hope and redemption. As a result, Strawberry’s Christian faith increasingly became a cornerstone of his journey toward recovery. He has openly shared his struggles and used his platform to raise awareness about addiction and the importance of seeking help.

He continues to be active in ministry to this day.

One of Strawberry's teammates on the 1999 Yankees who won the world series was Don Naulty.  The article notes:

During his time on the diamond, Naulty battled alcohol and drug addiction, which ultimately led to his early retirement in 2001. However, it was during this challenging period that he found a renewed sense of purpose and faith. After leaving baseball, Naulty turned to his Christian faith and began a journey of personal transformation. He found solace and strength in his relationship with God, which helped him overcome his addictions. Naulty went on to share his story of redemption and faith, becoming a motivational speaker and minister.

Another key individual who was highlighted in that article played for National League teams in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.  He was known for his speed, but apparently, his major league career was, well, underwhelming, according to another Religion Unplugged article.  He left baseball in the early 90's - that would be 1890, and by 1896, Billy Sunday was drawing "large crowds."  That article notes:

...Sunday is unique in that he exchanged his bat for a Bible and embarked on a career as a preacher, capitalizing on his time as a ballplayer to generate interest in his revivals. He would go on to became the most celebrated American evangelist during the early part of the 20th century. He didn’t just limit his preaching to rural towns, but also opened his mind to preaching in large urban centers like New York.

That was actually a stretch for Sunday, according to that article, which reported:

Sunday, at first, didn’t care for New York City — even calling it a “graveyard for evangelism.” In the end, he grew to appreciate New Yorkers: “I think New Yorkers are keener than country folk. They are more used to seeing and hearing new things; they catch on quicker. I couldn’t give them any Class B stuff; not even when I was tired or wanted to.”

The article continues: 

It was from April to June of 1917 that the Iowa-born preacher called New York his temporary home as thousands came to see the Presbyterian minister. He claimed that 68,000 people had become faithful Christians as a result of attending his revivals. He would go on to preach across New England, even holding crusades in Providence during the Spanish flu.

Billy Sunday's name really has become much bigger in the arena of preaching than it ever was in baseball, which is a testimony to the work of God in his life. 

These and other profiled by this website illustrate how God can take a life and, if we are surrendered, use it for His glory.  They are individuals who played baseball, but the product of their lives is not defined by baseball.  And, you hear sports figures time and again talk about how their identity is not wrapped up in what they do, but in who they are in Jesus Christ.  Because, whether baseball player, preacher, or any number of occupations - ultimately, you are who God made you to be.  If we get things out of order, then we find ourselves controlled by external circumstances rather than our internal reality and relationship with Christ. 

For these individuals, baseball comprised a "season" of their lives.  But, professional athletes should ideally realize that is not all there is.  Again, you are defined not by what you do but who you are.  Not, what you did, either.  I thinking of Uncle Rico in the movie, Napoleon Dynamite, who was haunted by his lack of stardom on the football field and is stuck in a loop.  We have to break free from the loop of past failures - and even past successes.  We can think about the apostle Paul's writings about pressing on, forgetting what is behind us.  These individuals I was referring to certainly saw that, with varying degrees of success on the diamond, were destined to do something more for God.  We have to be intent on finding the place where God wants to use us and content where we are this moment as we allow Him to work in and through us.

As For Me and My House

As we attempt to honor God and walk in obedience to Him, we can love what He loves and walk according to His ways; He has plenty to say about making sure that our family relationships are right. Proverbs 11 says:
27 He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.
28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.
29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

God has ordained marriage and the family for His purposes, and our homes should ideally be dedicated to bringing honor to His name.  We have to make sure that we are not doing as verse 29 cautions us against to "trouble" our own houses. That can be done in a myriad of ways, and spouses and parents can be challenged to make sure that we are surrendering to God and walking in the love of Christ, so that He can be seen at work through our homes. 

+++++

In Joshua chapter 24, as the Israelites entered into the Promised Land, Joshua addressed issues related to families serving the Lord together. He declared that that Lord said:
13 'I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.'

In light of the potential to experience God's blessings through surrender, Joshua said:
14 "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

When we think about God's order, His plan for humanity, we see that the family is a key foundational unit for a functioning society.  In the first two chapters of Genesis, we see that God ordained marriage as the union of a man and a woman - and out of that union defined by Him, He commanded them to "be fruitful and multiply."

So, we can expect that with the disintegration of the family, there will be dramatic negative implications for our society at large.

But, a new survey indicates that perhaps there are positive signs regarding the state of the family.  Focus on the Family's website, The Daily Citizen, reports:

...a major new report from the scholars at the Institute for Family Studies (IFS) demonstrates in persuasive detail that the married mother/father family is even more powerful today in providing essential goods to children that ever before. University of Virginia sociologist Brad Wilcox explained to The Washington Post that “Kids benefit even more today from two parents than they did 16 to 40 years ago.”

The article goes on to say: 

“The share of American men and women who think that marriage and a stable family are not important for children in our contemporary world is growing” and they attribute this belief to “increasing progressive ideas about family diversity” and those “who discount the unique value of marriage” for building strong families, healthy children and thriving communities. The data bear this out. In 2006, 76% of Americans thought it was important for unmarried couples who have children to “legally marry.” That number fell to 60% in 2020.

The Daily Citizen article examines the study's findings in two critical areas: education and economics. 

Regarding education, the article notes:

The report documents that differences between children from single-parent and married-parent families in critical educational outcomes have doubled and tripled over the last few decades.

This means all other things being equal, children raised by only one parent are walking with a substantial limp in their academic careers compared to their significantly advantaged peers living with married moms and dads. And again, this inequity is growing wider. IFS reports that scholars studying this divide “found no evidence that the link between family structure and student outcomes is diminishing.”

And, in the area of the relationship between children from stable families vs. unstable and the impact of economic success, the study finds:

“Almost four-in-ten Millennials (42%) from intact families are affluent by the time they are in their mid-thirties, compared with 24% of their peers from non-intact families.” This married-family premium has only increased over the decades, with Boomer peers having benefited by having married parents, but to a lesser degree compared with Millennials. This report explains, “The gap among Boomers is smaller, with 36% of Boomers from intact families and 22% from non-intact families reaching affluence by their mid-thirties.”

A word here for single parents in our listening audience, who may have found themselves in that situation through no fault of their own: you know better than most the challenges of raising children in a one-parent home; a condition that may be exacerbated by a less-than-optimal relationship with the other parent. There are greater challenges for children that can be overcome, but things can be tougher. That is why single parents need the prayer and support of family and friends and even the local Church, recognizing that the data is against them.

But, culture at large, as the data shows, has developed a more permissive, progressive attitude toward the importance of the nuclear family - those who reject God's design in the area of family and willingly rebelling against Biblical principles have adopted a cavalier attitude toward marriage, family, and sexuality which are reflected in many areas of society, from education, to economics, even to crime.  Indeed, the Bible is correct when it says that you reap what you sow. 

This recent data illustrates the importance of seeking to follow God's plan, to uphold His order - the pressures on the family are great, but we serve a God who is greater.  As this study indicates, there are great benefits to having a stable family situation, and recognizing this landscape can give us a greater appreciation of what the Bible has to say about marriage and family.

Don't Want to Go Home

If we want to adhere to God's Word and live a life pleasing to Him, we can expect that there will be occasions when our faith is tested, giving us an opportunity to either trust God or to trust in our own strength. Joshua, when faced with a new leadership mantle, was encouraged to make the correct choice, as we see in Joshua chapter 1:
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

We can be convinced that when we decide to be obedient to God, that He goes with us - and amazing things can happen to the person whose heart is totally, wholeheartedly devoted to Christ. And, our assurance that God's Word is true and our reflection on past experience can prepare us for obedience in the future. Even when some may say that we are not doing the right thing, in the midst of that opposition, we can trust God's Word.

+++++

The Christian life is marked by the display of and assurance of God's faithfulness. And, we will encounter challenges - opportunities - along the way for God to show us His love. Romans chapter 5 states:
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The deadline is approaching for a family who fled Germany in 2008 and has been living in America since then to leave.  

You may be familiar with the saga of the Romeike family, a Christian family, which, according to The Christian Post...

...garnered national headlines when they requested asylum status because they wanted to homeschool their children for religious reasons. Homeschooling is banned in Germany under nearly all circumstances, and any parents who refuse to send their children to school can face fines, imprisonment or even lose custody of their children.

The decision to homeschool came from what HSLDA calls a "growing concern that the content of the German public school's curriculum — particularly anti-Christian and sexual elements — threatened to harm their children."

The HSLDA - the Home School Legal Defense Association - reported that the family was told by their local office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in early September it had four weeks to leave the U.S. 

The article notes that:

Although the Department of Homeland Security granted the Romeikes asylum, officials overturned the decision, and the family was granted indefinite deferred action status in 2014 after years of legal battles, according to the HSLDA.

Over the last decade, the family has regularly reported to their local ICE office and has been allowed to work and homeschool their children.

ICE's decision to deport the family reportedly was announced during a routine check-in and came as a surprise to the couple and their seven children, two of whom are now adults and married.

The Romeikes' request for asylum had been rejected by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2013, and they have been living with visas to remain in America - until now.

The Washington Stand relates that if the family returns to Germany:

Since homeschooling remains as tightly restricted as when the Romeikes left Germany, the family of seven will face the same legal fines, and potential jail time, as before. “The persecution there is very real today, as it was 15 years ago,” said the family’s attorney, Kevin Boden. Since the family’s departure, teachings about alternate sexualities and genders have come to pervade German reading and math courses. “The idea is to show children that there are different ways to love and live,” an LGBTQ activist told the UK Guardian.

“The Romeike family should be able to stay in the United States and home educate their children,” said the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, Jim Mason, a staunch defender of the Romeikes. “America is a land of freedom and opportunity, and there are few freedoms or opportunities more important than the ability of parents to safely direct the education of their own children, without fear of punishment or persecution.”

The article notes:

The Romeike family’s deportation represents “a sad example of the perverse priorities of the Biden administration on immigration policy and nearly every other area of government” — a juxtaposition that “defies belief,” Meg Kilgannon, senior fellow for Education Studies at Family Research Council, told The Washington Stand. “Are we really living in a country with a border open to terrorists and drug cartels but that deports entire families who follow the rules to seek asylum on a claim of religious freedom?”

The family lives in Tennessee, and The Tennessean newspaper reports:

Since they were told they would have to leave, the HSLDA has set up a petition that has received just over 56,000 signatures as of publication.

The petition says it is addressed to the Biden administration, which it asks to reinstate the Romeikes’ deferred status and save them from deportation.

Also, the article states that: "Congress is considering a bill that would grant the Romeikes permanent status as legal residents, with a possible pathway to citizenship." It notes that Rep. Diana Harshbarger from Tennessee "filed the bill on Sept. 12, and it is being reviewed by the House Judiciary Committee."

This family wanted to come to America, which was described as a "land of freedom and opportunity." They wanted, due to their religious beliefs, to homeschool their children in Germany, but that was not legally possible.  So, they came - they have scratched and clawed and have persevered - 10 years ago, it appeared that, while not being granted full citizenship in the U.S., they at least were permitted to stay. But, yet, for inexplicable reasons, they now have to go.  

They have stood, and were rewarded - at least temporarily.  Now, there are more battles to fight. Fortunately, they are not alone.  There are thousands who are aware of their plight and have signed a petition, and I would venture to guess that more than a few of those individuals are praying.  Because we serve a God of miracles.  They have trusted the Lord so far, and now, they are not giving up.  This can be a reminder on our journey through life: we may have encountered a difficulty, a barrier, a challenge - but we can draw strength from the One who has sustained us and believe that, because we have seen His hand in the past, that He will be faithful to us in the future.  Taking a bold stand will often come with a cost, but we can know that His Spirit will be with us.