Quote from President Cooledge

"Unless bureaucracy is constantly resisted it breaks down representative government and overwhelms democracy." President Calvin Cooledge

Man's Greatest Fear

Man’s Greatest Fear by Dr. D. James Kennedy “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain . . . But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:14, 20 Are you afraid to die? If so, you’re not alone. That fear is quite natural. But Jesus has solved this problem, the most incredible problem humankind has ever faced, generation after generation. Death has endured since humanity’s fall, and people have asked, “If a person dies, will he or she rise again?” By rising from the dead Himself, Jesus gave us irrefutable evidence that the answer is “yes.” But people have doubted the truth of Christ’s resurrection. Some of the most brilliant and skeptical minds of the last two thousand years have attempted to disprove it. But all those efforts have yielded nothing but the truth—that Christ rose from the dead. Let’s consider some of the facts that these skeptics have had to address. First, the Christian Church has endured and grown until it has become the largest organization on the planet today. That growth began in the first century, when the apostles began to preach that Jesus had risen from the dead. Next, to disprove the Resurrection, skeptics have had to explain the empty tomb; the broken Roman seal (if someone broke a Roman seal, he or she received the death penalty); and the Roman guards, who faced sure death if they left their posts or fell asleep on the job. Most important, skeptics have had to dispute Christ’s appearances after His resurrection. The people saw Him, heard Him, touched Him. He fixed breakfast for his disciples. He ate fish with them. He appeared to five hundred people at one time. Furthermore, the apostles were transformed. One day they huddled in an upper room fearing for their lives, but soon after that they boldly proclaimed Christ’s resurrection in public. And all except John died for what they proclaimed, sealing their testimony in their own blood. For these reasons and many more, we have a sure foundation for our faith in Christ’s resurrection. Because we know the Resurrection really happened, we know Christ has conquered death, and we no longer need to fear it.

Biden's Proclamation

Joe Biden issued an official proclamation declaring that transgender Americans "shape our nation's soul" and established a holiday relating to the group this week. Biden issued the proclamation Thursday to mark March 31, 2023, as the Transgender Day of Visibility, a day some transgender activists have renamed to "day of vengeance." "Transgender Americans shape our Nation's soul -- proudly serving in the military, curing deadly diseases, holding elected office, running thriving businesses, fighting for justice, raising families, and much more," Biden wrote in the Thursday morning proclamation. "Today, many transgender Americans are still denied…rights and freedoms," Biden's statement continued. "A wave of discriminatory state laws is targeting transgender youth, terrifying families and hurting kids who are not hurting anyone. An epidemic of violence against transgender women and girls, has taken lives far too soon." Biden's statement went on to tout what he outlined as his administration's efforts in supporting the American transgender community. Biden also pointed to his decision to allow transgender people to serve in the military once again, as well as his efforts to include what he described as "gender markers" on U.S. passports. Several states, including West Virginia and most recently Kentucky, have joined together with nine other states in banning or restricting transgender surgeries and other transforming procedures for minors — something Biden and his administration have attacked as being discriminatory and cruel. - Father we choose to respect the dignity of all people; but we will not accept lies and ridiculous statements, such as Biden’s latest, that contradict reality and our Christian beliefs and might cause some to stumble. God and Father, we humbly ask that You remove Biden and restore what the locusts have eaten in our nation and in Biden’s life, as we repent. We have no king but Jesus—it is He who truly shapes our nation’s soul. May He deliver us from evil. We praise You that eleven states have legislation banning or restricting transgender surgeries and other care for minors and that nearly two dozen other states are considering bills that would restrict or ban transgender medical treatments. May these bills be quickly passed to protect our children--families—society; and may the rest of our 50 states soon follow. Blanket our nation even more with Your word and Your salvation. May the truth be told and true justice reign. Thank You, Lord God, that by Your mercy revival is upon us in the midst of evil and chaos; and the harvest will be gathered in. - "He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

Beneath the Cross of JESUS

Beneath The Cross Of Jesus by Dr. D. James Kennedy “And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.” John 19:17–18 Did you know that the Jews have built a bus stop at the foot of Golgotha? Bus after bus lines up there, waiting for passengers. When a bus leaves, it passes right by the mouth of the “skull.” Once I was standing near the bus stop with a church tour group, and I pointed out the features of the skull. As I did so, four or five people not associated with our group came to see what I was pointing at. They couldn’t figure it out. To them Golgotha meant absolutely nothing. But it should mean something to all of us, because there all the ingredients came together for our salvation. The first ingredient is humankind’s sin. If people had never sinned, Christ wouldn’t have had to come to earth and die for us. The second ingredient is God’s justice. God must punish sin because His eyes are too pure to look upon it. If He didn’t punish it, He wouldn’t be God. Combining humankind’s sin with God’s justice always and inevitably produces Hell. Therefore, we need the third ingredient: the infinite, inexpressible unfathomable love of God. The Creator’s love for His creation compelled Him to die for the creature’s sin. How vast is the love God has for you and me, past our ever understanding it. Someone once said to a minister, “There are hundreds of religions in the world, and they all have their own ideas. How do you know yours is right?” He replied. “No, there are only two religions in the world. They are either ‘do’ or ‘done.’ The other religions in the world teach that man will be saved by what he does: Do this and don’t do that. But Christianity is the only religion that teaches ‘It is done.’ It is finished.” Which religion do you trust for everlasting life? Look toward Golgotha, where the three ingredients came together perfectly, providing for your salvation. There Christ proclaimed, “It is finished.” Thank God today for granting you eternal life because of what happened at the Place of the Skull.

New Scottish Leader

New Scottish Leader The new Scottish leader sides with Palestinians and his ties with terrorist groups. Humza Yousaf was confirmed as first minister of Scotland on Tuesday, becoming the first Muslim national leader in any Western democracy. The milestone comes five months after the UK got its first Hindu leader in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Britain’s capital city is headed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants. “There’s an expectation now, or a familiarity with diversity in British politics, that we don’t see in other European countries,” said Sunder Katwala of British Future, a think-tank that studies identity and race. Lawmakers in the Edinburgh-based Scottish parliament voted on Tuesday to confirm 37-year-old Yousaf as first minister, a day after he was elected leader of the governing Scottish National Party. Scotland, a country of 5.5 million people, is part of the United Kingdom, but has a semi-autonomous government with broad power in areas including health and education.

Kentucky's Godless Governor

Kentucky's Godless Governor by Bill Wilson There are a lot of bad things going on in this world. It is difficult to even fathom mankind’s cruelty to each other. The trend toward everything transgender in the United States is among the cruelest. To think that politicians would advocate for and even legalize the sexual mutilation of minor children is beyond good reason and decency. The LGBTQ+ community that has infiltrated America’s schools and is allowed unfettered influence in causing minor children to first think about their sexuality and then question it to the point of wanting to change their sex is a horrible sin. Even more so are the wrong-minded politicians that legalize such horrors. And it is even worse when they invoke God to justify these terrors. The Kentucky State Senate is comprised of 30 Republicans and 7 Democrats. The Kentucky State House is comprised of 80 Republicans and 20 Democrats. Both houses passed a bill along party lines to require schools to not allow students to a use restrooms, locker rooms, shower rooms that are reserved for students of a different biological sex; must provide parental notification and consent of any curriculum teaching human sexuality; prohibits such instruction in grade 5 or below; prohibits schools from providing medical or mental health services without parental consent; forbids health care providers from administrating puberty blockers to or altering the appearance of the sex of a minor. Kentucky’s Democratic governor Andy Beshear vetoed the bill. The legislature may exercise its right to override the veto by March 30. Beshear said in his veto statement that the bill “rips away the freedom of parents to make medical decisions for their children,” “turns educators and administrators into investigators that must listen in on student conversations and then knock on doors to confront and question parents and families about how students behave and/or refer to themselves or others,” and “my faith teaches me that all children are children of God and Senate Bill 150 will endanger the children of Kentucky.” He also cited that 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year and 20% of transgender youth attempted suicide. This alone should show that the unnatural and teaching the unnatural is a danger to minor children, but the worldly mindset is to enable this destructive behavior as a showing of empathy to underaged children. Beshear’s bio says he is a deacon in his church. Then he should know the words of Christ in Matthew 19:4, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,” and the Genesis 5:2 account of God making them male and female, indicating there are only two sexes. People teaching and encouraging minor children to question God’s creation and change their sex no doubt causes confusion of a suicidal nature. Governor Beshear is only trying to twist God’s word into something it is not. Schools are routinely encouraged to report suspected child abuse to local authorities, but in Beshear’s mind, schools should be discouraged from reporting sexual predation and mutilation by LGBTQ+ groomers. Many politicians like Beshear attempt to blame God for their actions. This is worse than godless shamefulness.

CHRIST Lifted Up

Christ Lifted Up “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:32 When you think of Jesus Christ lifted up on the cross, how do you want to respond? Christ’s crucifixion has a magnetic quality, drawing people to Him, and as long as we keep it centrally focused, people will continue to come to Christ. Some churches don’t understand this, attempting to attract people in other ways. Unitarians, who have denied and rejected the atonement of Christ and the deity of Christ, don’t have the power to attract people. One of their leaders in Birmingham, England, said that Unitarianism failed to “draw.” The English public will not attend their chapels. Though Unitarians seem bewildered by this, it’s no mystery. These churches don’t “draw” because they’ve thrown away the magnet. We don’t need big signs or flashy worship services to attract people to Him. Christ’s humble sacrifice has more magnetic power than anything any church could concoct. Let’s take a quick look at the immediate impact of the Crucifixion to catch a glimpse of its awesome power. At the cross, the centurion—who had nailed Christ’s hands and feet to the cross—saw darkness cover the sky, the sun cease to give light, the rocks quake, the earth tremble, and the tombs open. Upon witnessing all this, the centurion said, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). History tells us that this man went forth to follow Christ. A few weeks later three thousand more were drawn at Pentecost, then five thousand more, then multitudes of priests and elders and scribes were drawn, and then an exceeding great multitude were drawn, until finally the Roman Empire itself was overwhelmed by the magnetic power of Jesus Christ to draw men to Himself. Why does the Crucifixion have so much drawing power? Consider the agony Christ endured. Hanging, a firing squad, electrocution, the gas chamber—the pain of all these forms of execution could never compare to the excruciating pain of crucifixion. Jesus submitted Himself to a slow death by suffocation that could have taken several days. The Crucifixion shows God’s incredible love for us, the love of a Father who would give His only Son to endure the penalty for the world’s sin. Today, meditate on the Christ lifted up for your sake, and let the power of His crucifixion draw you nearer to Him in love and gratitude.

Prayer As Tornado Hit

‘Dear Jesus, Please Help Them’: Meteorologist Credited With Saving Lives After Viral, On-Air Prayer to God as Deadly Tornado Hit By Billy Hallowell It’s become the prayer heard around the world — a desperate and heartfelt plea to the Lord from a meteorologist stunned, beleaguered, and beside himself by the troubling storm report he was delivering. But WTVA-TV Chief Meteorologist Matt Laubhan’s now-viral invocation is also being credited with saving lives, as residents of the small town of Amory, Mississippi, heard it moments before a deadly tornado hit. “So, Amory, we need to be in our tornado-safe place. We’ve got new scan coming in here as we speak,” he said during an on-air report Friday night before pausing, looking down, and letting out a worried sigh as he saw the real-time severity. “Oh man, like, north side of Amory, this is coming in. Oh man.” Then Laubhan stopped to seek God in the middle of his report, proclaiming, “Dear Jesus, please help them. Amen.” Watch the stunning moment: The video of Laubhan’s prayer quickly went viral, but the impact is now getting increased attention, with some residents of Amory crediting the meteorologist with saving their lives. Leah Ann Hubbard told The Independent she’s used to tornado weather in Mississippi but that Laubhan’s report dismantled the typically “unfazed” feeling many have during these storms. His tone and tenor told Hubbard and others something was different from the norm. “He saved lives, for sure,” Hubbard told the outlet. “We knew it was coming, but you didn’t know if it was going to touch down. All of a sudden, Matt says, ‘This is a potentially deadly tornado.’ I just remember him saying ‘deadly’ over and over.'” The intensity of Laubhan’s words of warning led her to hunker down. She said the damage to the town, which she later surveyed, looked “like an apocalypse.” One person commenting on a YouTube video of the meteorologist’s prayer proclaimed, “This was the last thing my family heard from the storm shelter right beside the TV, then our power shut out.” Others commented on the prayer and its impact, thanking the weatherman for his care, compassion, and willingness to turn to the Almighty on behalf of others. “I may not be a Christian, but this was a heartfelt prayer from a [meteorologist] who knew this was possibly a mile wide EF-4 that had destroyed two other towns in the past hour,” Dean Hirasawa wrote. “I would like to think the people of Amory and all those in Mississippi in the 100 mile path of this monster tornado appreciated his prayer!” A man named Darin Hyden added, “We need more people like this in broadcasting. God bless you, sir!” As for Laubhan, he posted a Bible verse to Instagram Sunday along with an encouraging message to those hurting amid so much loss. The weatherman opened the post with ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬, which reads, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Laubhan continued, proclaiming, “The goodness of God WILL prevail.” So many are hurting tonight and my heart breaks for you. I was blessed to learn this “memory verse” with a bunch of kids, praising God and lifting up those who are hurting tonight in prayer. Things won’t instantly be better, but surrounded by the loud, young voices of these 3rd-5th graders, I know for a fact that God will be faithful in this time of great pain and heartache and that even though the damage is severe, the goodness of God WILL prevail. Tragically, the tornados Laubhan reported about ripped through various parts of Mississippi, killing at least 26, leveling at least one town, and leaving behind widespread havoc. Continue to pray for those impacted by the storms as they pick up the pieces of their lives. ***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.

Christ's Bitter Cup

Christ’s Bitter Cup by Dr. D. James Kennedy “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39 What was in the mysterious cup that appeared before Christ’s face there in the darkness of Gethsemane? First of all, the cup contained all the sin of the world. Imagine you’re visiting the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. You walk into a large, sealed room full of hundreds of vials containing diseases—cancer, AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea—every dangerous and foul disease known to man. You see a technician unstopping each vial, one by one, and pouring the contents into a large beaker. How would you react if the technician asked you to touch the beaker? And if the technician asked you to drink the contents, what terror would fill your soul? But all of that is nothing compared to the cup of sin which Jesus drank. The second element in Jesus’ bitter cup was God’s abandonment. By drinking that foul cup, Christ became the arch-criminal of the universe, full of sin. God, whose holiness prevents Him from looking at any sin, turned His back on Christ, His Son, leaving Jesus abandoned and alone. Third, since God must punish sin, He poured on Christ the great fiery cauldron of His wrath. More than that, Christ, rejected by humanity and abandoned by God, was then given over to the demons. He sank to the bottomless pit of Hell, where the demons fell on Him with fang and claw. All of this was in the bitter cup. But the most important thing about this cup is that it wasn’t Christ’s cup at all. It was ours. The sin was ours. The abandonment, the fiery punishment, the demons should have been ours. But Christ drank the cup for us. And because He did, today the cup of Christ is one full of blessings—love, pardon, peace, and joy. This is the cup He now offers to you and me. Take and drink of the love and freedom you can now enjoy because of the sacrifice Christ has made.

Gratitude to the SAVIOR

“Gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior” The next time it could cost you to share your faith, remember how desperately people need your Lord. The night before he died, Jesus prayed: “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Evangelism does not “impose” your personal beliefs—it shares the only path anywhere in the universe that leads to eternal life. The more people reject our Savior, the more they need our Savior. And the next time it could cost you to serve your Lord, remember the price he paid to serve you. Max Lucado wrote: “Worship is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior, by the healed to the Healer, and by the delivered to the Deliverer. If you and I can go days without feeling an urge to say ‘thank you’ to the One who saved, healed, and delivered us, then we’d do well to remember what he did.” If we can “go days without feeling an urge” to serve him by sharing his grace, we’d do well to do the same.

Guilty

“Jesus was silent in the face of His accusers precisely because He was guilty. But the guilt He bore was not His own. It was yours and it was mine.”

Quote from Pope Leo

"JESUS multiplied the bread by breaking it and increased it by giving it away.” Pope Leo

Christ Before the Supreme Court

Christ Before The Supreme Court by Dr. D. James Kennedy “And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.’” John 11:49–50 Have you ever considered the irony of Christ’s encounter with Caiaphas, the high priest of the Jews? Christ, the true high priest of God, stood before Joseph Caiaphas, the false high priest of God. And though Caiaphas and Jesus had different motives, they agreed with each other. Caiaphas believed that, in the best interests of the people, one man should die so that the rest would live. Christ believed the same thing. Caiaphas, the false high priest, said, “Let it be Him.” And Jesus, the true high priest, said, “Let it be Me.” The great contrast between Christ and Caiaphas was that while Christ came in obedience to His Father’s will, Caiaphas was motivated by expedience. Expedience comes from two Latin words meaning “to get your foot out of a trap.” Caiaphas tried to set a trap for Christ, but he fell into it himself. The false witnesses that he had arranged to testify against Christ had all contradicted one another, so he had no case against Jesus. In desperation, Caiaphas screamed at Christ, “Tell us if you are the Son of God.” He couldn’t have expected Christ to answer this, because Christ had remained silent up to this point and because this question was illegal. (Under Jewish law no one could force someone to testify against himself or herself.) When Jesus answered, “Yes, I am the Son of God,” Caiaphas shouted, “Blasphemy,” tore his robe at the neck, and declared Christ guilty. Caiaphas exemplifies many people we can describe in three words: "religious but lost." Caiaphas, a religious liberal, denied the great truths of the Bible. He didn’t believe in the Resurrection, the spirit, immortality, or angels. He supposed that his high position and his ritualistic practices would ensure his soul’s eternal well-being, but alas they did not. Instead, his eternal destiny relied on the Man who stood before him that day—the Christ, the Son of God.

JESUS Revolution -- Popular Because.....

Popular Because... Jesus Revolution, a movie about a spiritual awakening in California in the early 1970s, is nearing $46 million in box office ticket sales as of this morning. In so doing, it has matched or surpassed The Fabelmans, The Banshees of Inisherin, Tár, Women Talking, and Triangle of Sadness, combined. Why is the movie striking such a chord with so many millions of people? Rev. Greg Laurie, a California pastor and central figure in the movie, writes: “We were created to worship. And when you get down to it, every person on Earth does worship. We don’t all worship the God of heaven, but we all worship someone or something. It may be a sports figure, an entertainer, or someone else. It may be a possession. But everyone bows at some kind of altar.” The pastor continues: “Even atheists worship. Skeptics worship. Republicans and Democrats worship. Independents worship. Everyone, everywhere, worships. It’s the fundamental drive of life and one of the unique distinctions of humanity.” This is because, as Rev. Laurie notes, “God has placed eternity in the human heart (see Ecclesiastes 3:11).” Every person you know is looking for God in some way. Every person, whatever their public or private stance on faith and religion, is made by God for God. This is a fact beyond their control. It is a reality St. Augustine famously voiced sixteen centuries ago: “You have made us for Yourself, and restless are our hearts until they rest in You” (Confessions 1.1.1). As a result, no matter how dark the days seem to be, you and I should have an “abundance mentality” that expects the King of the universe to use us in making a transforming difference in our lost world. It is always too soon to give up on God. “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars” Evidence that biblical morality is best for us continues to grow. For example, the Wall Street Journal headlines, “For Long-Term Health and Happiness, Marriage Still Matters.” By contrast, studies have clearly linked premarital sex to divorce. While our secularized culture conflates success with happiness, another Wall Street Journal article reports the opposite: “We’re all sprinting on what psychologists call a hedonic treadmill. That is, we might get a hit of joy when we achieve something, but we eventually return to our baseline level of happiness (or unhappiness). Whatever heights we reach, we’re still, well, us.” This is because we are fallen people living in a fallen world. The annual “Stress in America Survey” reports that stress is “rising rapidly” as a result of escalating inflation, concerns about possible Russian cyberattacks or nuclear threats, fears that a World War III could break out, and worries about money and the economy. Unsurprisingly, 90 percent of US adults say the United States is experiencing a mental health crisis. The depressing news cycle exacerbates our angst. Bad news generates more interest than good news, contributing to a “negativity bias” that conditions us to pessimism about the world around us. As the axiom goes, “A pessimist is never disappointed.” However, as Helen Keller noted, “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.” Winston Churchill added, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Who was the first named disciple of Jesus? If I asked you to name the first named disciple of Jesus, whom would you nominate? Peter, the preacher of Pentecost? John, the “beloved disciple”? James, or Matthew, or Thomas? The answer is Andrew (John 1:40; John is the other disciple in the narrative, but he does not name himself). As soon as he began following Jesus, what did Andrew do? “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus” (vv. 41–42), thereby becoming the first evangelist in Christian history. Andrew later brought some Greek inquirers to Jesus (John 12:20–22), thereby becoming the first cross-cultural missionary in Christian history. He went on to plant churches across modern-day Ukraine, Romania, and Russia, making him the patron saint of all three nations and the 140 million Christians who are his spiritual descendants. Andrew was ultimately crucified for his Lord. However, according to reliable early tradition, he testified that he was not worthy to die in the same manner as did his Lord, so he was crucified on an X-shaped cross that is known today as “St. Andrew’s Cross.” But there was a time when Andrew was not so heroic. When five thousand families were following Jesus, he asked his disciples, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” (John 6:5). Andrew responded: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” (John 6:9). Jesus then turned that small boy’s tiny lunch into a feast for the multitude. “What are they for so many?” Andrew’s question is our question. We read of rising animosity against our Father and our faith, then we look at our capacities and ask, “What are they for so many?” We look at the spiritual, financial, and material needs of our day, then turn to our resources and ask the same question. In response, consider the counsel of Pope St. Leo the Great (died AD 461): “Do not be put off by a lack of resources. A generous spirit is itself of great wealth, and there can be no shortage of material for generosity where it is Christ who feeds and Christ who is fed. His hand is present in all this activity: his hand, which multiplies the bread by breaking it and increases it by giving it away.” Will you put your “lunch” in his hands today?

Christ in the Hands of Police

Christ In The Hands Of The Police “Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.” John 18:12–13 Have you ever pondered all the indignities and injustices that Christ suffered on our behalf? When you do, you’ll appreciate even more the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me. In the Garden of Gethsemane, after Christ had prayed, a mob came to arrest Him. About sixty-five men, brandishing torches, swords, and spears, came to take one man, Jesus Christ, away. Judas signaled to the mob which man was Jesus by kissing Jesus’ cheek. After rebuking Judas by saying, “Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?” Jesus identified Himself to the men and allowed them to bind His hands and lead Him away. Though mightier than Samson, He didn’t use His power to break free. First the mob led Him to Annas, the high priest, and then to Caiaphas, Annas’ son-inlaw. Both the Jews and the Romans tried Jesus, and both trials were farces. Scholars point out that, when trying Jesus, the Jews violated Jewish law thirty-five times, and the Romans violated Roman law thirteen times, making a total of forty-eight violations. Jewish law required that the people go to great lengths to find defense witnesses, but in Jesus’ case the judge found false witnesses and paid them to testify against Jesus. And when the Sanhedrin asked Jesus “whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God,” they forced Him to testify against Himself. The high priest declared Jesus guilty, and everyone began to spit on Him, tear His beard, and hit Him. Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that the name of the high priest, Caiaphas, means rock. And Peter, Jesus’ disciple, was called Cephas, which also means rock. So we have Jesus at the trial caught between two rocks—one in the courtroom accusing Him and one in the courtyard denying Him. Caiaphas’ heart remained a rock, but Peter’s heart broke, and Christ forgave Him. What a Savior we have. Our Creator submitted Himself to such humiliation at the hands of His own creation so that we might receive His forgiveness. Thank Jesus today for all He has done for you, especially for that day when He bore such degradation in our place.

JESUS REVOLUTION

Why is the Greg Laurie movie “Jesus Revolution” so popular? DENISONFORUM.ORG Why is the Greg Laurie movie “Jesus Revolution” so popular? Jesus Revolution, a movie about spiritual awakening in California in the early 1970s, is d

Running Mate?

Ron DeSantis Is Asked If He'd Be Donald Trump's Vice President. His Answer Is Telling. NEWS.YAHOO.COM Ron DeSantis Is Asked If He'd Be Donald Trump's Vice President. His Answer Is Telling.

CELEBRITY WORSHIP SYNDROME

“Celebrity Worship Syndrome” On a morning when the news is dominated by the Federal Reserve attempting to control the economy and the grand jury investigating Donald Trump, I wanted to focus on something more transcendent. To do so, however, I have to begin with the temporal. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s trial over a 2016 ski accident got underway this week. The actress is being sued by a man who alleges that she injured him after she crashed into him on a ski slope and sped off. Paltrow countersued, claiming that the man crashed into her. More than forty-eight thousand jury trials occur every year in the US, which works out to 192 per weekday. This, however, is the only one of which I am aware that is being streamed, pointing to the power of celebrity in our culture. In other news, Joe Exotic of Tiger King fame has announced that he is running for president. However, he is serving twenty-one years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot. But once again, we see the power of celebrity to make news. And Blake Shelton made headlines when he recruited his final contestant on The Voice this week. Shelton has announced his retirement from the singing competition. It is estimated that ten thousand people in the US reach the retirement age of sixty-five every day, but Shelton is the only “retiree” I have seen in the news today. Beware “Celebrity Worship Syndrome” One obvious reason Americans are so interested in celebrities is that the media makes them so ubiquitous. It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario: people get famous, which gets them in the news, which increases their fame, which makes them more newsworthy. A second is that many people live vicariously through the celebrities they follow. When I watch the Masters next month, I will be imagining myself playing on the most famous golf course in the world. When we read about Warren Buffett’s billions, we imagine ourselves with such wealth. Celebrities are famous because their followers want to be like them. This phenomenon has become so pronounced in recent years that psychologists have coined the name “Celebrity Worship Syndrome” (CWS). They warn that “CWS is an obsessive addictive disorder in which a person becomes involved with the details of a celebrity’s personal life.” Celebrity obsession is especially alluring for people going through difficult times or young people who are still establishing their identities. One psychologist said, “In our society, celebrities act like a drug. They’re around us everywhere. They’re an easy fix.” This addiction can lead to compulsive buying and other behaviors by which people try to emulate the celebrities they “worship.” Others use social media platforms to seek celebrity for its own sake rather than learning and using skills that contribute to society. “You cannot see something that is above you” This quest for celebrity speaks to something even deeper: there is hunger in each of us for significance that transcends the moment. We want to live beyond ourselves. We want to believe when our lives are over that they mattered, that we made a difference, that what we did was worth doing. This is one way we deal with the reality of death: if we believe others will remember us, we will “live on” in a sense. But even more, this quest for enduring significance is a God-shaped hunger for living eternally in the temporal. It is a “signal of transcendence” pointing from this life to the next. Here’s the problem: the quest for celebrity can leave us either frustrated that we are not who we wish to be or proud that we are. A psychologist notes: “If you look at the Halls of Fame and biographies around the world, there are perhaps only thirty thousand entries and of those, perhaps ten thousand are dead. So this leaves about twenty thousand slots” for fame seekers. How many US presidents can you name? CEOs? Movie stars? Great athletes? Out of a world population of 7.8 billion, how many would you call “great” today? If you do achieve celebrity that outlives you, beware of the pride that so often accompanies such fame. C. S. Lewis observed, “As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” “Jesus came to give us his own life” The most transcendent celebrity who ever lived was a man who lived in the most humble of ways. If you and I will follow Jesus’ example by focusing on the eternal in the temporal and seeking intimacy with our living Lord, we will experience and reflect his life to a culture in desperate need for what he alone can give. He testified: “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do” (John 14:12). This is because the same Holy Spirit who empowered Jesus now empowers us. He manifests the same “fruit” in our lives that he demonstrated in our Savior’s life (Galatians 5:22–23). And every day, by focusing on Jesus, we experience eternal significance that our world cannot begin to bestow or take. As usual, Henri Nouwen makes my point better than I can: “Our lives are destined to become like the life of Jesus. The whole purpose of Jesus’ ministry is to bring us to the house of his Father. Not only did Jesus come to free us from the bonds of sin and death; he also came to lead us into the intimacy of his divine life. “It is difficult for us to imagine what this means. We tend to emphasize the distance between Jesus and ourselves. We see Jesus as the all-knowing and all-powerful Son of God who is unreachable for us sinful, broken human beings. But in thinking this way, we forget that Jesus came to give us his own life. He came to lift us up into loving community with the Father. “Only when we recognize the radical purpose of Jesus’ ministry will we be able to understand the meaning of the spiritual life. Everything that belongs to Jesus is given for us to receive. All that Jesus does we may also do.”

Christ Betrayed

Christ Betrayed “Now as they were eating, He said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.’” Matthew 26:21 When you think of Judas Iscariot, what words come first to your mind? Perhaps “traitor”? “greedy”? “evil one”? Judas has never been one of the more popular disciples. In the Middle Ages, people considered Judas more of a villain than we do today. We can probably attribute the medieval attitude to the way Dante portrayed Judas in his Inferno, a great classic that takes us on a tour of Hell. In the deepest part of Hell, the gigantic fiend, Satan, has a man in his jaws. Satan has already chewed off and eaten the bottom half of this man, yet as the teeth chomp and tear, the man continues to live. The man in Satan’s jaws is Judas Iscariot. On the other end of the spectrum, some modern-day authors have portrayed Judas as a hero of sorts. But to determine Judas’ true character, we need look no further than the Bible. The Bible calls Judas a thief. Entrusted with the disciples’ money box, which contained money to help the poor and to meet Christ’s and the disciples’ daily needs, Judas regularly dipped into it for his own use. Jesus warned Judas a number of times, but Judas never straightened out his heart. Jesus said, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70). Judas was a man consumed by greed, and his greed led to his destruction. Judas was also a hypocrite. He appeared a practical man of sound reputation, which is why the apostles chose him as their treasurer. But he just played the part of a responsible man. When Judas said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” he didn’t really care about the impoverished. He just wanted more money to steal. Judas was a greedy, hypocritical person who met the fate he was due. Christ could have used him for good, but instead Judas frustrated the cause of Christ. We all sin; remember that Peter, like Judas, denied Christ. But, just as Christ forgave Peter and used him to spread the Good News, Christ will forgive us when we confess our sins. He’ll use us to further His cause to the ends of the earth. Today, check the state of your heart. Are you harboring any greed or hypocrisy? If so, avoid Judas’ fate; don’t betray Christ because of such hurtful attitudes. Like Peter, confess your sin before Christ, then move forward to further His kingdom in all you do.

Quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson

“What is success? To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate the beauty; To find the best in others; To find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quote from Napoleon

“I know men, and I tell you, Jesus is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist…There is between Christianity and whatever other religions the distance of infinity.” Napoleon

Behold Your God

Behold Your God “. . . Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!” — Isaiah 40:9 In one of his sonnets, Shelley tells of a traveler from Egypt who, in a trek across a desert wasteland came upon the remains of a marble statue. All that remained on the pedestal were two feet and the lower part of two gigantic legs. Nearby, lying in the sand, was the cracked remnant of what had been the head. The face had a cruel sneer on its lips. When the traveler rubbed the sand away from the pedestal, he found this inscription: “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” The traveler looked, and as far as the eye could see, there was naught but the sifting sand. Ozymandias bestowed upon himself the name “king of kings,” but whatever kingdom and glory he once enjoyed had disappeared. In contrast, the true King of kings was meek and lowly of mind when He came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday riding a donkey’s colt. Here, riding into town in great humility, was the King of kings and Lord of lords—the King of all creation! Napoleon observed at St. Helena, “Can you conceive of Caesar as the eternal emperor of the Roman Senate and, from the depths of his mausoleum, governing the empire, watching over the destinies of Rome? Such is the history of the invasion and conquest of the world by Christianity; such is the power of the God of the Christians . . . ” Jesus is the eternal King of kings, the Lord who reigns supreme. No other has ever been or ever will be greater. Behold your God!

Your Authority

The enemy doesn’t want you to know the truth about the authority you have as a believer, because if you did, you would have the weapons to have dominion over the kingdom of darkness. Thankfully, God wants you to understand what He has given you. You can learn the truth about your authority as a believer in the Word of God. Dr. Billye Brim teaches in her course, The Authority of the Believer, that the key to knowing your authority in Jesus is to receive revelation through prayer. More specifically, when you pray the Word of God over your life you will start to receive revelation of these truths. You must pray the Word! The Word is the sword of the Spirit, a powerful weapon that you can use against the enemy. Don't merely flail your fists helplessly at the challenges and trials that assail you! Pray the Word of God over your circumstances and watch them conform to the Lord's perfect will for your life!

The Purpose for Living

The Purpose For Living “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 What’s the purpose of life? That question was once asked in a high school English class of some twenty students, and not one single person came up with an answer that made sense. Do you know the purpose of your life? One time a young man who had just graduated from Oxford University approached a friend of the family, Prime Minister Gladstone, and asked if Gladstone would listen to the plan he had mapped out for his life. Gladstone said, “Fine. Tell me.” “Well, I have just graduated, and I intend to take the bar exam and practice law.” “That’s fine. What then?” “After some experience I hope to run for Parliament.” “That’s great. What then?” “I hope to make some contribution toward the betterment of our country.” “Excellent. What then?” “Well, after a while, I’ll retire.” “Very well. What then?“ ”Well, I guess someday, I’ll die.” “That’s right. And what then?” “Well, sir, I really don’t know. I never really thought about it.” Gladstone fixed his eyes on the young man and with a piercing gaze said to him, “Young man, you are a fool. Go home and think life through again.” Would you get the same response if you laid out your plans, your purposes, your intentions for your life before God? What is your purpose for living? If we don’t determine our purposes in life, we’ll come to the end empty-handed. God has placed us on this earth to bring Him glory. Our purpose in life should be to know God and to make Him known. Everything we do should flow from that purpose. How can you fulfill God’s purpose for you today?

Suffered Under Pontius Pilate

Suffered Under Pontius Pilate “Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.” Matthew 27:26 Do you know what the key to Jesus’ life was? He suffered. Biblical literature underscores the importance of Christ’s suffering. Paul, in his epistles, virtually ignores the ministry of Christ but reminds us of what He suffered. In the Gospels, one-third of Matthew, Mark, and Luke deal with Christ’s sufferings and death. One-half of John’s Gospel deals with the last week of Jesus’ life. The Apostles’ Creed, which affirms facts about Christ’s life, takes a tremendous leap from the birth of Christ to His suffering and death. It passes over His entire ministry. The creed says nothing about Jesus’ great teachings, about His marvelous example, or about the incredible miracles He performed. The focus of all these works communicates the tremendous importance of Christ’s suffering and pain. Christ came as the suffering Savior because our world suffers. It has always needed a suffering head who could empathize with its pains and agonies, and Christ completely fulfilled this need. He was betrayed by Judas, deserted by the disciples, tortured and killed by the religious leaders, and abandoned by God. He has felt our pain. Christ’s death was the greatest act and event of His entire life. He was born to die. Death did not end the work of Christ-—death was the work of Christ because through it He atoned for our sins. Three things made this atonement necessary: the abominable wickedness of our sin, God’s justice and holiness, and God’s love. When you think of Christ’s suffering and death, remember one thing: He came to die in your place. Oh, what love God has for you and me. Today and every day, thank Jesus for what He has done.

Isaiah 42:13

"The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloHe shall prevail against His enemies." (Isaiah 42:13)

Thoughts on the Apostles' Creed

The Apostles’ Creed “Lord, I believe . . .” Mark 9:24 “No creed but Christ” is what some people claim to believe today, and that may sound good. But they forget that “creed” simply means a statement of faith and that, therefore, developing one can be valuable in helping us define what we believe. One of the oldest and finest statements of faith is the Apostles’ Creed. Its roots go back to the early Church. Though not written by the apostles themselves, it carries the authority of eyewitnesses from the apostolic age. Virtually every group of Christians agrees upon this creed, so it unites us despite our doctrinal differences. The Apostles’ Creed expresses truth simply and clearly, setting forth a challenge. It is an affirmation, a declaration, a manifesto of a Messiah who has come to conquer the world. We should never mumble it or merely recite it. Because of the great truths it contains, upon which we must stake our lives, we should shout it with a fanfare of trumpets. Here are the words of the Apostles’ Creed. Today, will you recite it, pouring all your heart and soul into it? I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick (living) and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic [universal] church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Philippians Four (4)

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. Be United, Joyful, and in Prayer 2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 [a]And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your [b]gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Meditate on These Things 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 be any virtue and there be any praise, think on these things.

True Strength

True Strength by Dr. D. James Kennedy “. . . ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6 Some people have made the gym their second home. These people go to fanatical lengths to get their bodies in shape. I’m not devaluing caring for our bodies; in fact, I get my share of exercise. But some people make an idol of physical strength, cultivating beautiful bodies to glorify themselves. But which one of these persons do you think is better equipped to help others: a person who works out with weights all day, developing huge muscles, or a person who is poor, weak, frail, and unmuscular? The answer isn’t all that clear. A strong person may be more capable of helping people; for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger may be more physically capable of helping others than frail and tiny Mother Teresa. But it does not follow logically that he has acted to help more people than she. In fact, she has had an immeasurable impact on many people’s lives. Many of the world’s greatest people haven’t been strong, muscular, or even healthy. Nor have they had great wealth. But they have had to struggle with monumental problems, and through their struggles, they’ve learned to rely on the Holy Spirit for strength. Jesus tells us that “the meek shall inherit the earth.” Nowhere do the Scriptures say that the spoils go to the strong, to the cunning, or to the wealthy. In fact, they often say the opposite. Paul makes a similar point: “When I am weak, then I am strong” and “God has chosen the weak things of this world to shame the strong.” Why is that? When we rely on our own strength, then we get the credit and the glory. But when we are weak and helpless, we rely on God to work through us, and the results glorify Him. Acknowledge your weakness today, give up your efforts to succeed on your own, and allow the Holy Spirit to use you. As you do, you’ll experience true strength—God’s strength working through you.

Practicing the Presence of God

Practicing The Presence Of God by Dr. D. James Kennedy “. . . and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 Do you know that God is with you right now as you read these words? Do you experience His presence in everything you do? In seventeenth-century France, a humble monk named Brother Lawrence wrote magnificent letters to a friend, letters now compiled in a little booklet entitled Practicing the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence had learned to practice God’s presence in everything he did. He found perfect peace and tranquility in focusing his mind upon God in every experience, whenever his mind wasn’t focused on something else. He found that, during hectic times of kitchen duty and other chores, he experienced peace through focusing on the Lord through practicing God’s presence. We live in a very hectic and stressful era. But much of the stress we feel is determined by our reactions to the circumstances of our lives. And nothing puts life into perspective better than practicing God’s presence. For this reason, I think we should strive to continually incline our hearts toward God so that after our minds turn to other things, our thoughts will automatically return to God, just as the needle of a compass points north again after moving away from something that interferes with its natural bent. How do we continually incline our hearts toward God? Memorizing Scripture is a great start. Then, when not occupied with immediate issues, we can return our thoughts to meditating on God’s Word. We can also practice God’s presence by memorizing and singing hymns (even if only in our minds). The key is to constantly remind ourselves of His presence. So today, no matter how hectic your life may be, recognize the Lord’s presence within you. Practice His presence at all times…in the midst of stressful situations…between appointments…driving down the street…everywhere.

St. Patrick

St. Patrick by Dr. D. James Kennedy “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 St. Patrick, “the patron saint of Ireland,” has captured the fancy of millions of people through the ages. Even those who haven’t a clue what the man really stood for pay him tribute on this day by marching in parades and wearing green. Some people even get drunk to celebrate the occasion, but these people dishonor the memory of that great man who first brought Christianity to Ireland. Patrick, who was actually born in Scotland, was kidnapped as a young lad by a band of marauding pirates. These pirates bound Patrick, took him to Ireland, and sold him as a slave to a druid chieftain. Patrick said of this experience, “It was while I ate the bitter bread of that hateful servitude in a foreign land, that the light divine broke upon my benighted soul and I called to remembrance the holy things which I had been taught in my dear old home . . . ” Patrick’s heart was transformed, and he became a new creature in Jesus Christ. By faith in the Redeemer, by a trust in the blood shed for his sins, this young man in the depths and darkness of the forests of Ireland found the Savior of the world. After six years of slavery, Patrick escaped. But he had vowed revenge—the noble revenge of sharing the Gospel with the very people who had held him captive. Patrick believed that God had called him to return to the land of his slavery. The Encyclopedia Britannica declares that Patrick himself baptized one hundred and twenty thousand persons. St. Patrick—echoing the apostle Paul, who said, “For me, to live is Christ”—said, “For me, life is Christ.” If you would know life to its fullest, then you, too, would echo what St. Patrick came to learn—that to live is Christ—that life is Christ.

Come to Me and Drink

David Brainerd “. . . If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” — John 7:37 Have you ever felt intensely thirsty, so thirsty you thought you could drink a river dry? That’s the same kind of thirst we should cultivate for God. We have a great example of someone who had such a thirst: David Brainerd, an eighteenth-century missionary to American Indians. As a young lad, Brainerd’s soul was parched; he thirsted for the living God. He abandoned all of his sinful ways to pursue a religious life. He prayed, went to church, and read the Bible. But despite his pure lifestyle, he still found no peace with God. One day, he reread a text he remembered from his childhood: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” Brainerd drank deeply from that stream of the living water, Jesus Christ, and he was quenched. As he discovered the source of the living water, he realized that multitudes of people had the same thirst he once had, and he wanted to share with them the source he had found. Brainerd thought of all the Indians in the forests of New England and knew that they must hear the Good News of Christ. So he became a missionary to them. By the end of his ministry, David Brainerd had converted only a few hundred Indians, but perhaps his greatest ministry was the intensity of his own devotion to Christ. His love for Christ burned like a brilliant flame in the night sky, attracting others to Him and animating their lives. Brainerd began early in life to keep a journal, and the revelation of his heart, soul, and mind has transformed the lives of most people who have read it. In fact, that journal inspired many people to become missionaries, to share the living waters with others. Today and every day, seek to quench your spiritual thirst in Jesus Christ. Spend time with Him in prayer and in His Word. Then share the Good News with others so that they might never thirst again.

The Last Enemy

The Last Enemy “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:26 Did you ever have an appointment you dreaded so much that you tried to get out of it any way you could? Many people seem to face death with a similar dread but never admit it to themselves. In fact, many avoid thinking of death at all costs. The Bible says that Satan has kept the whole world in bondage throughout its history through the fear of death. Just look at the pagan cultures of the world, and you’ll see a pervasive, desperate fear of the black unknown. No wonder death is called the “king of terrors.” It wasn’t always this way. In the nineteenth century, people commonly discussed death. Many plays had deathbed scenes in them in which death occurred naturally. Talking about sex may have been taboo, but not discussing death. Today that is reversed. Everyone talks about sex, but nobody wants to talk about death. This attitude brings to mind a British king who charged that anyone who mentioned the word “death” in his presence would experience it shortly. People have flouted God’s laws since the beginning of time, and have always been afraid to face that great appointment with death. The Scripture says, “It is appointed for men to die once.” We all have our appointment with the king of terrors. Like it or not, we can’t postpone this appointment indefinitely. It’s unavoidable. But those of us who believe in Jesus Christ’s saving grace needn’t fear this appointment. In fact, we can look forward to it with great joy. The amazing grace of God transforms death into the very portal to paradise. Christ said, “He who believes in me has everlasting life.” What a glorious promise that is. The next time you ponder that great appointment when this life ends and eternity begins, you needn’t dread it. Instead, rejoice that death has been swallowed up in victory.

Psalm Three (3)

Psalm Three (3) Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”[b] 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 4 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. 7 Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Jesus Seeks the Lost

One of the things I love about the Gospel of Luke is how he presents Jesus in such a personal way. He includes a number of details and stories not found in the other Gospels that give us a glimpse of how Jesus personally sought after those around Him. As the only one to recount Jesus’ parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost (prodigal) son, Luke’s Gospel is filled with Jesus pausing from the crowds to go after the one. Along this vein, Luke uniquely includes Jesus’ statement on how He “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10)[1] and displays with added detail how Jesus embodied it. Luke shows us that Jesus’ personal pursuit of sinners continued even while He was dying on the cross and abandoned by His followers. As we consider these personal encounters, we see how Jesus graciously meets us in our sin, attends to our doubts, and turns our despair into joy. Jesus graciously meets us in our sin. Jesus Sees Us Although each of the Gospels record Peter’s threefold denial of Jesus, Luke uniquely recounts how Jesus locked eyes with Peter immediately after Peter disowned Him for the third time. In this little detail, Luke helps us feel the relational weight involved in the event, and ultimately of sin in general. “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62). Although we so often want to hide our sin and pretend it never happened, Jesus will have none of this. He sees through whatever facade we seek to erect and brings light to even the darkest recesses of our souls. While our sin grieves Him, it does not surprise Him. It does not repel Him. Rather, it is what initiated His journey to the cross in the first place. Within His piercing eyes is redeeming love. Jesus Forgives Us Luke is the only Gospel that includes Jesus’ words of forgiveness over the soldiers who just nailed Him to the cross: “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Even after receiving one of the most gruesome acts of torture, Jesus addresses His perpetrators with love and forgiveness. It was during humanity’s greatest display of hatred toward God that God showed us His greatest display of love. Jesus Promises Us A Future In The Gospel Of Luke While several of the Gospels mention the two thieves who were crucified next to Jesus, only Luke tells us about Jesus’ interaction with them: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:39-43). Although that thief next to Jesus continued to experience excruciating pain, he spent his final hours with a peace he never knew before. Even though he had done nothing to deserve such a promise, he would soon receive everything because of it. Jesus Attends To Our Doubts Luke’s depiction of how difficult it was for Jesus’ followers to grasp His death and resurrection is almost comical. Luke develops this theme by providing a number of unique details, but most notable is his extended account of those who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Even though they had given up on Jesus, He did not give up on them. He met them in their doubt and brought clarity to their confusion. “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. “He asked them, ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ “They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’ “‘What things?’ he asked. “‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.’ “He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. “As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’ “They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread” (Luke 24:13-35). Jesus journeyed with these discouraged followers in the messiness of their doubt. He opened the Scriptures to explain how everything that had happened was according to God’s long-foretold plan.[2] In doing so, He opened their eyes to see who He really was: their risen Savior. Jesus didn’t tell His disciples to stifle their concerns, but rather invited them to examine the evidence for themselves. Jesus Fills Us With Joy And Amazement With joy and amazement overtaking despair, Luke’s Gospel culminates with Jesus ascending into heaven. His disciples worship Him and then continue to praise God in the temple.[3] “When [Jesus] had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God” (Luke 24:50-53).[4] Joy is a key theme throughout Luke’s Gospel, and here again, we find Jesus’s followers bursting at the seams with joy and praise. This is what overtakes us when we encounter God and His salvation. As with the early disciples, may your Easter culminate in joy and praise. May you let yourself lock eyes with Jesus and hear afresh His words of forgiveness. May you bring your doubts and despair to Jesus and let Him speak to you through His Word. May you let Jesus’ work on the cross and His promise of spending eternity with Him sink deep into your heart. Jesus has paid for our sin and conquered the grave. Our Redeemer lives!

The Legend of the King and the Fisherman

The Legend of the King and the Fisherman The palace meteorologist assured him that there was no chance of rain so, the king and the queen went fishing. On the way, he met a man with a fishing pole riding on a donkey, and he asked the man if the fish were biting. The fisherman said, "Your Majesty, you should return to the palace. In just a short time I expect a huge rainstorm." The king replied: "I hold the palace meteorologist in high regard. He is an educated and experienced professional. Besides, I pay him very high wages. He gave me a very different forecast. I trust him." So, the king continued on his way. However, in a short time, torrential rain fell from the sky. The King and Queen were totally soaked. Furious, the king returned to the palace and gave the order to execute the meteorologist. Then he summoned the fisherman and offered him the prestigious position of royal forecaster. The fisherman said, "Your Majesty, I do not know anything about forecasting. I obtain my information from my donkey. If I see my donkey's ears drooping, it means with certainty that it will rain." So, the king hired the donkey. And so began the practice of hiring dumb asses to work in influential positions of government. And thus, the symbol of the Democrat Party was born. The practice continues to this day.

“THE SCARIEST PREDICTION EVER”

“THE SCARIEST PREDICTION EVER” On February 2, 1905, American philosopher and writer (Russian-born) Alissa Zinovievna, better known in the literary world as Ayn Rand, was born in St. Petersburg. She died in March 1982 in New York THESE WERE HER WORDS: When you notice that to produce you need to get permission from those who do not produce anything; when you check that money flows to those who do not deal with goods but with favors; when you realize that many become rich by the bribery and for influence more than by your work and that the laws do not protect you against them, but on the contrary, they are the ones who are protected against you; when you discover that corruption is rewarded and honesty becomes a self-sacrifice, then you can assert, without fear of being wrong, that your society is doomed

JESUS, the Servant of GOD

JESUS: THE SERVANT OF GOD by R. L. Wilson Jesus-Servant-of-god Each of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) focuses on Jesus from a slightly different perspective. They include or exclude details about His life as they paint their own particular picture of who Jesus is. It has been suggested by many scholars that the picture painted by Mark is of Jesus as the Servant of God, so let’s dive into what that means. As you read through the Gospel of Mark—and I highly recommend you do so; it will only take about one and a half hours to read it aloud—the picture Mark presents is hardly that of a servant, at least by the way most of us think of servants. I’ll just pick out a few things to make my point, although much, much more could be written. Mark clearly identifies Jesus as the Son of God. For example, Mark begins his Gospel by declaring, “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” Later in the Gospel we hear from God the Father: Mark 1:11 – And a voice came from heaven, “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 9:7 – Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Even the evil spirits recognized who He was: Mark 3:11 – Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” Mark 5:7 – He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” And at the end of His life, while He was on the cross, the centurion declared, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). Additionally, throughout the first half of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus clearly and repeatedly demonstrated His sovereign power. The list of events Mark includes could get overwhelming, so we’ll just list a few examples: In chapter 1, Jesus heals a demon-possessed man; Peter’s mother-in-law; and a leper. In chapter 2, Jesus heals a paralytic (and in the process demonstrates that He has the power not only to heal, but also to forgive sins). In chapter 4, Jesus demonstrates His power over nature (calming the storm) and over death (bringing a little girl back to life). Little wonder then, that “People were overwhelmed with amazement” (Mark 7:37). That said, I want to focus your attention on the single verse that, for me, perfectly exemplifies Jesus as the Servant of God. The scene should be familiar to you. Jesus has gone with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. While there He separates Himself and has a conversation with His Father. Mark 14:36: “‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet, not what I will, but what you will.’” He makes this request three times. So, was He asking that He not have to bear the pain and humility of death on the cross? Understand that Jesus was not only fully God, He was also fully human. He surely had a very good idea of the absolute physical torture His human body would have to endure over the next few hours. Rather than load you down with details, I’ll let Dr. Erwin Lutzer describe what He would face: “Imagine Him stripped and bound by the wrists to a column in Pilate’s court, then scourged with thongs containing balls of lead or bone chips. As they pound against His body, beads of blood form that with repeated blows break open into wounds. Then the crown of thorns is pressed into His head and blood mingles with His matted hair. He tries to carry His cross, but when He staggers, Simon of Cyrene is pressed to help Him. At Calvary He is stripped of His clothes and ‘excruciating pain, like millions of hot needles, shock the nervous system.’ Then He is hoisted onto the cross itself as the executioners pound long square nails into His palms. By having the great nerve centers wounded, He experiences ‘the most unbearable pain a man can experience.… Each movement of the body revives this horrible pain.’”[1] So it would hardly be surprising, from a human standpoint, that Jesus would ask that He be allowed to skip the cross. Except… Jesus was fully aware that His death on the cross was absolutely necessary: “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). This was God’s plan from even before the world was created. This was God’s plan when He substituted the lamb who was slain to provide coverings for Adam and Eve rather than striking them to death immediately, as they deserved (Genesis 3:21). This was God’s plan when He gave the Israelites a sign by preserving the firstborn son if they obeyed and spread blood on the doorposts of their homes (Exodus 12). (In fact, it was this event the Jews were commemorating at the time Jesus’ crucifixion took place.) This was God’s plan: “When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law…” (Galatians 4:4-5). Indeed, on Calvary, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). And there we see what I believe was the true source of Jesus’ agony, the true experience Jesus pled with His Father to let Him avoid. What happened when Jesus became sin on our behalf? You see, God is holy: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (Habakkuk 1:13). Evil is the very opposite of everything that God is. By taking our sin upon Himself on the cross, Jesus became the very thing that God hates most. Because Jesus became sin for us, the Father turned His face away from Him. As a result, in His greatest hour of need, He was totally abandoned by His Father. “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” I don’t think we can conceive of the utter pain, the overwhelming devastation, of that abandonment. Dr. Lutzer says, “The suffering of the Son was intolerable enough, but to endure it without the Father’s presence magnified the horror.”[2] But He willingly submitted to His Father, endured the cross, and took our sin upon Himself. The apostle Paul explains that Jesus, “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8) That is what it meant for Jesus to be the “Servant of God!” Jesus Himself said in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” However, that’s not the end of the story! Jesus died, and by dying He made a “once and for all” sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 10), and not ours only but for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). But death could not contain Him! The same Father who turned His back on His Son while He was bearing our sins raised Him to life once again, declaring Him “with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). Paul tells us, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) Understand that Jesus could have done as the crowd called out: “come down from the cross and save yourself!… He saved others,… but he can’t save himself” (Mark 15:29, 31). He could have responded by removing Himself from that cross. He had already demonstrated that He had that kind of power. But instead, He responded to a higher call. You see, His death was absolutely necessary for you and me: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:14-17) “Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Spiritual Snobbery

Spiritual Snobbery by Dr. D. James Kennedy ‘Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.’ Matthew 18:10-11 Do people at your church welcome strangers with open arms or spurn them with turned backs? It is tragic that many churches today display “spiritual snobbery,” rejecting those of questionable reputation or faith. And this is so wrong. This attitude prevailed even in biblical times. In fact, Jesus featured it in one of his parables. In Christ’s parable of the prodigal son, the older brother displayed a smug attitude toward his wayward brother. After the joyous return of the younger brother, who had strayed from his father’s house, the scene quickly changed from joy to jealousy. The brow of the older brother lowered; his face darkened; his lips curled in contempt. Inside, the house was ablaze with light and laughter. The sounds of music echoed the joy of the revelers, while outside a cold silence rested heavily on the fields, broken only by the grumbling of the older brother amid the gathering night. In a similar way, many Christians today don’t welcome prodigals into their circles. We love to have the respectable folks come into the church, the well-clothed and well-bred, but bring in the drug addict or the drunk from skid row, and some people raise their eyebrows. We invite sinners into the warm harbor of God’s love, but they run smack-dab into the iceberg of the older brother. When you really get down to it, many spiritual snobs don’t really believe in conversion. Talk to them about the thief on the cross, and they become very upset, even as some of the early Christians did not believe in Saul’s conversion. “But all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). None of us makes it to heaven except by God’s grace. Search your heart today. Do you find even a trace of spiritual snobbery there? Plan to welcome newcomers into your church, sharing God’s grace with all who need it. But for the grace of God there goes John Bradford. — JOHN BRADFORD (UPON SEEING CRIMINALS ABOUT TO BE EXECUTED)

Thought "Crimes" in UK

Thought "Crimes" in UK British police will continue to arrest Christians for the crime of praying within hundreds of feet of an abortion facility, after the U.K. Parliament voted down an amendment that would have legalized “silent prayer” — a situation Christians have described as a “dystopian” ban on pro-life “thoughtcrime.” On Tuesday, Members of Parliament rejected an amendment to prevent police from arresting anyone “engaged in consensual communication or in silent prayer” within 164 yards of an abortion facility in England or Wales. The amendment, offered by Conservative MP Andrew Lewer, failed 116-299. “The idea that we should interrupt the relationship between an individual and their God seems to me to be pretty monstrous,” said Sir John Hayes, a Conservative MP. “This is about freedom; it is not about the purpose of that freedom or the location of it. It is about the ability to think, speak, and pray freely.” - Lord, we pray that You release the UK from its foolish beliefs. Let Your Holy Spirit bring truth to all who have espoused the idea that silent prayer or “consensual” communication is somehow dangerous. - “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)

Vision of Revelation

Vision of Revelation Around the year 2000 a Bedouin man found a three-foot stone tablet in the Dead Sea area that many scholars believe foretells the death and resurrection of the Messiah. Known as Gabriel's Vision of Revelation, the words inked instead of carved on the tablet appear to refer to the Messiah rising three days after his death. Some say this is the "missing link" between Christianity and Judaism. Others argue the interpretation questions the veracity of the resurrection of Christ. Still others call into question the interpretation of the tablet because previous reports by scholars indicate that the words are indecipherable. This is a story worth relating as we approach Passover and holy days of Christ’s death and resurrection. A professor of Bible Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Knohl, said in 2008 that the tablet's inscription means that Christians adopted a widely held messianic story in Judaism and applied it to Christ. Knohl said, "Resurrection after three days becomes a motif developed before Jesus, which runs contrary to nearly all scholarship. What happens in the New Testament was adopted by Jesus and his followers based on an earlier messiah story." Perhaps Professor Knohl and others like him would like to live in the fantasy world that Christ did not exist other than as a mythical character who claimed to be the Son of God. There are many so-called experts like Professor Knohl who question the accuracy of the Bible, especially considering the death and resurrection of Christ. If they understood the context of Bible in its entirety, they would know that there are some 60 major Old Testament prophecies pointing to the Messiah—fulfilled by Christ--not just some--but every one of them. Several prophecies regarding the Christ are found in Isaiah 53. In particular, Isaiah 53:12 says, "...he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Zechariah 12:10 speaks specifically to the crucifixion: "...and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son." Isaiah 25:8 and 9 say, "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord has spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Why then do the likes of Professor Knohl not understand these things? The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3 and 4, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not." Do you have understanding? Do you believe?

Quote from Josh Billings

“It is much easier to repent of sins that we have committed, than to repent of those we intend to commit.” Josh Billings

The Slippery Slope of Sin

The Slippery Slope Of Sin by Dr. D. James Kennedy “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:15 Have you ever stood at the top of a slippery slope—perhaps a steep and icy driveway or even a hill of dirt that crumbles beneath your feet—-lost your footing, and slid down to the bottom? Sin is like that. We might justify a “tiny” sin to achieve a dearly desired goal. “After all,” we say, “a little compromise won’t hurt.” But one little sin leads to another, and before you know it, you tumble downhill, head over heels, out of control. We see this principle in action in a rather obscure story in 2 Kings 8, the story of Hazael. Hazael was a servant to the great king of Syria, Ben-Hadad, who had heaped upon Hazael many favors and honors. But the king fell ill, so he sent Hazael to the prophet Elisha to inquire whether he would recover from the illness. Elisha instructed Hazael, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the Lord has shown me that he will really die.” Elisha stared at Hazael until Hazael felt ashamed. Hazael knew that the prophet had seen into his heart, that he could not hide his evil plans from God. But Hazael loved his own goal, his own ambition, more than he loved righteousness. So Elisha began to weep, and Hazael asked, “Why is my lord weeping?” And he said, “Because I know the evil you will do to the children of Israel. Hazael wondered aloud, “But what is your servant—-a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” Hazael returned to the king and reported that the king would surely recover. But the very next day, Hazael suffocated him. And before long, Hazael invaded Israel and ravished its land and people just as Elisha had said he would. This story shows us the inherent sin that lies within the depths of each of our souls. For Hazael, what began as ambition led down the slippery slope to murder and later to genocide. Always be on guard. Never justify a sin, a slight wrong, or a white lie. If you do, you might find yourself sliding down that slippery slope of sin.

Firestorm

NYC Mayor Eric Adams provokes firestorm with comments on church and state March 9, 2023 A seismograph shows earthquake activity in front of a world map. © By Andrey VP/stock.adobe.com. Rabbi Shlomo Amar recently indicated that earthquakes in Israel are a direct result of the rise of LGBTQ rights in his country. New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks at the unveiling of the Gate of the Exonerated along a Central Park perimeter wall in New York City on Monday, December 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) NYC Mayor Eric Adams provokes firestorm with comments on church and state On January 1, 1802, President Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut in which he famously stated, “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.” Notice that Mr. Jefferson endorsed the “separation between Church and State,” not the separation between faith and state. Nonetheless, our secularized culture has become convinced that the former requires the latter. Look no further than the firestorm that erupted when New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated recently, “Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state. State is the body. Church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies.” Speaking at his administration’s annual interfaith breakfast, he added: “I can’t separate my belief because I’m an elected official. When I walk, I walk with God. When I talk, I talk with God. When I put policies in place, I put them in with a God-like approach to them.” Adams explained: “That’s who I am. And I was that when I was that third grader, and I’m going to be that when I leave government. I am still a child of God and will always be a child of God, and I won’t apologize about being a child of God. It is not going to happen.” “How I carry out the practices that I do” On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Dana Bash sought clarity from the mayor as she stated, “one of the fundamentals of the Constitution is a separation of church and state when it comes to governing.” Adams responded: “Government should not interfere with religion; religion should not interfere with government. That can’t happen and it should never happen. “But my faith is how I carry out the practices that I do and the policy, such as helping people who are homeless, such as making sure that we show compassion in what we do in our city. Government should never be in religion; religious should never be in government. And I hope I’m very clear on that.” Like Mayor Adams, I am convinced that a free church in a free state is both the biblical and the American ideal. Jesus’ timeless words, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21), set the model for us. However, Jesus never intended that Christians keep their faith private. To the contrary, he insisted that we “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). “A time when we need all the help we can get” Of course, to our secular critics we have very little “light” that makes a practical difference in our post-Christian world. Let’s consider a secular response to their secular claim. Writing for the Daily News, Bradley Tusk responded to Mayor Adams’ comments: “Government is not capable of solving every societal problem. Any institution with the kind of bureaucracy, governance, internal politics, and labor rules the City of New York faces is often going to be very limited in its efficacy.” He notes that “secular nonprofits help solve all kinds of problems from health care services to charter schools to better parks and playgrounds. But sometimes, religious institutions are better equipped to take on challenges.” Tusk references a soup kitchen overseen by St. George’s Church in New York City, where he volunteers every Thursday. He notes that this ministry serves people “at a fraction of the cost of what an equivalent city-run facility would cost . . . while giving our guests a place that enthusiastically welcomes them, a place that is inclusive, generous, compassionate, empathetic—all qualities not associated typically with government or for-profit services.” He argues: “Failing to meet the needs of society because of a fear of violating the separation of church and state doesn’t make sense. Especially now. Look at any poll or just ask anyone who passes you on the street—this is a very unsettling time to live in. We are highly fractionalized. Highly polarized. Extremely uncertain. People feel lost. Scared. Lonely. They need purpose. Structure. Hope. Community. Organized religion provides that for many.” Tusk concludes: “In decrying the mayor’s blurred lines between church and state, it’s easy to ignore all of the societal good that religious institutions can do and have done. And at a time when we need all the help we can get, let’s be careful not to let different—and often better—ways to help people slip away.”

Encouragers

Encouragers “But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him . . .” Deuteronomy 3:28 Have you ever had someone encourage you when you felt low or defeated? Remember how that encouragement rejuvenated you, giving you a fresh desire to persevere? Nothing could uplift us more than the encouragement of a friend or loved one. Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul. Having run two miles, a person may need to pause to catch his or her breath before running another two. Similarly, a person facing a formidable task or even the wearying routines of life needs to pause for encouragement before tackling the work ahead. Encouragement fortifies the laboring soul. In Deuteronomy, God instructed Moses to commission Joshua and to “encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see” (Deuteronomy 3:28). Why did Joshua need such encouragement? Because God assigned him the great task of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. God knew Joshua would need all the encouragement he could get, and He knew Moses could best give it. When Moses led the Israelites, he faced discouragement again and again: when he confronted Pharaoh, when he came to the Red Sea, and when the Israelites lamented their lack of meat in the desert. In desperation Moses cried out to the Lord, explaining that the people were too big a challenge for him. Having had these experiences, Moses readily obeyed God’s command to encourage Joshua for the task that lay ahead. Like Joshua, we all need encouragement, especially after our greatest defeats when doubt and discouragement set in. So be oxygen to the souls of those around you, strengthening them to persevere for the kingdom of God. Encourage others with God’s promise to work good in all things. Who can you encourage today?

Control and Wealth Redistribution

Control and Wealth Redistribution by Bill Wilson Communism and socialism are about control and wealth redistribution. There are leaders and there are victims. While the leaders of these systems always say they are upholding the rights of the minorities and marginalized (the victims), what they are really doing is robbing the victims blind and enslaving them. The goal is to make these victims believe and trust that the leaders are working on their behalf so there is this constant pressure applied by the leaders that gives the impression that the leaders are the saviors. But it really never gets better for the victims, they are just hoping it will. There are two main areas today that the leaders are pressing the victims—climate change and healthcare. We have seen the results of socialist healthcare as lead by the World Health Organization in partnership with the World Economic Forum. Millions lose their lives to medical protocols decided upon and dictated by health “administrators” rather than scientists and doctors. The leaders used fear and sold the victims on the hope that lockdowns, unsafe and ineffective vaccines, and demonizing alternative opinions as unscientific would save them. All the while, they were draining the victims of not only their lifeblood, but also their ability to financially sustain themselves. Currently, almost every claim the leaders made about COVID has turned out to be a lie, but it is no consolation to the victims. The damage is done. The wealth redistributed. Climate change is no different. Selling the victims once again on the fear that because of mankind, the planet will be destroyed due to weather changes, the leaders are at the best of their deadly game. Taxes will be used to save the planet from the weather. Electric everything will make a cleaner environment and save the planet. Wind will be a safe and effective way to generate electric. Leaders crisscross the world in private jets mongering the fear. Companies are started to make batteries, windmills, set up charging stations. Wealth redistribution from taxes, government contracts and backroom deals fund these efforts. Contracts with slavers in China and elsewhere mine the deadly battery ingredients. Entire industries are set up to exploit natural resources at the expense of human life and the environment. California is a great example. It made such a push for electric cars, then because it couldn’t handle its very basic electric demand, had to prohibit people from charging their cars due to rolling brown-outs. Windmills off the shores of New Jersey are reportedly damaging the marine life ecosystem to the point of causing massive deaths of whales and other fish, as well as birds. The very leaders who encourage victims with environmental lip service are the ones causing this new brand of environmental terrorism and modern slavery. They are pocketing the extra cash and thumbing their noses at the hapless victims. Ephesians 5:6 says, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Obey God not man. Be a victor not a victim.

Chris Rock Responds

Chris Rock Responds The ninety-fifth Academy Awards are this Sunday. If you remember nothing from last year’s Oscars, you undoubtedly know that actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage after the latter made disparaging remarks about the former’s wife. Later that evening, Smith apologized to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and to the other nominees, though not to Rock. The next day he utilized social media to issue an apology to Rock and to the Academy. Four months later, Smith posted a YouTube video in which he addressed the incident and said, “I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.” Apart from brief references to the incident, Rock did not respond publicly for nearly a year. Last Wednesday, he addressed the topic briefly during a standup show in Boston. Then, last Saturday night, he performed a live comedy special on Netflix in which he spoke at length about last year’s Oscars. According to the New York Times, Rock claimed that Smith’s slap was “an act of displacement, shifting his anger from his wife cheating on him and transferring his anger onto Rock.” The reviewer adds: “The comic says his joke was never really the issue. ‘She hurt him way more than he hurt me,’ Rock said, using his considerable powers of description to describe the humiliation of Smith in a manner that seemed designed to do it again.” “Anger is possibly the most fun” It is conventional wisdom in our secularized culture that Biblical morality is not just outdated and irrelevant but dangerous to modern society. Today’s discussion proves that the opposite is the case: it is secular morality that is dangerous to society. For example, refusing the Biblical call to forgiveness makes conflict more painful, more protracted, and more pervasive. If someone “slaps you on the right cheek” and you “turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39), you break the cycle of vengeance and escalation. If you strike back, however, you feed the fire of animosity and retribution. You may think your reaction harms the other person more than yourself, but you’re wrong. Frederick Buechner writes: “Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back—in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.” Imagine a society in which everyone chose to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). What would happen to crime and war? To human trafficking, racism, and poverty? To lying and deceit? Which ethic is dangerous to society: Scripture or secularism? How “morality works best” However, it’s not enough to believe that Christian morals are superior to other moral systems or even to practice such morality as an end unto itself. Michael Kruger, president of the Reformed Theological Seminary campus at Charlotte, explains: “To believe in Christian morals, without actually believing in Christianity, can only be sustained temporarily.” This is because “morality works best when it flows from a transformed human heart, not when it is merely forced by external laws.” Dr. Kruger adds: “That is not to suggest external laws don’t matter. We should still make good laws and enforce such laws. But the healthiest cultures are the ones where morality flows naturally and internally.” For example, the Pharisees ascribed to one of the most rigorous systems of morality known to the ancient world, yet Jesus told one of their leaders, “You must be born again” (John 3:7). It is only when we make Christ our Lord that we “become children of God” (John 1:12). It is only then that we become God’s “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10). The goal is not to try harder to be better. As Dr. Kruger noted, such self-reliant morality “can only be sustained temporarily.” It is to submit every day to God’s Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) so that the “fruit of the Spirit” flow through our lives, transfusing us with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). If every follower of Christ manifested the character of Christ like this, how could our culture stay the same? “The love we most long for” Henri Nouwen was right: “Jesus is the revelation of God’s unending, unconditional love for us human beings. Everything that Jesus has done, said, and undergone is meant to show us that the love we most long for is given to us by God, not because we deserved it, but because God is love.” As a result, according to Pope St. Leo the Great (AD 400–461), “Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won.” Will you win His victory today?