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You Were Born For Such A Time As This!

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Yesterday, April 9, 2023, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb. A day revered by believers and denounced by unbelievers for centuries, still it remains one of the most significant days in history. As I mentioned in last week’s blog, the day you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior should be the most significant day in your own personal history. A day that should’ve changed everything in your life and set you on a path of living for Jesus and discovering the purpose and plans He has for you.

If you’ve allowed the world’s situation or your personal situation to distract you from letting your light shine for Jesus, Easter is always a good time to reflect and re-center on making sure every decision you make and every breath you take glorifies Jesus. That sounds like a big undertaking, and it is. It’s not something we could ever do on our own. But the Holy Spirit is everywhere residing in each Christian’s heart and mind always guiding and directing us to do the next right thing, even with all the distractions and obligations. It’s especially difficult with the arrows continually directed at us from the enemy who seems to become bolder and crueler daily.

Many think that the blatant visibility of Satan in a culture that labels Christians the enemy if we don’t agree with sin, suggests the eminent return of Jesus. It’s true, Jesus could come back for His people at any time, but until that glorious day, He has each of us living at this very moment in history for a specific purpose. It isn’t random that we’re alive while evil is called good, and Satan is trying to silence the church and take our children into his clutches.

Twice in the past week, I’ve heard a speaker refer to Esther whose fellow Jews, including her, were facing extinction by evil Hamen. Queen Esther’s uncle Mordecai pleaded with her to help save her people, even though it could mean immediate death just by asking for an audience with King Xerxes. Her uncle challenged, “And who knows but that you have come to your position for such a time as this.” After three days of fasting and prayer, Esther courageously said, “If I perish, I perish.” The King gave her an audience and she ultimately saw Hamen hung on the gallous that he had built for her uncle.

Esther was willing to set aside her queenly luxury to get involved in the politics of the King’s court to save not just herself, but her people. She risked her life to take a stand against injustice, immorality, evil, and extinction and God put her in the perfect era and place to do exactly that. God has done the same for you and me to be born right now for such a time as this. It’s exciting and exhilarating when you look at the world through that lens.

My birthday this year was on Easter. That’s only the second time in my lifetime; the first time I was three. This year, I felt God’s reminder that I’m still alive for a purpose. He’s helped me survive three breast cancer battles, a congenital malformed spine, and numerous other health and personal issues so I could devote my remaining time and talents to sharing the goodness of God and encouraging people to turn from the destruction of following the evil deceiver, Satan. That’s not always comfortable or easy, but like Esther, it’s worth the risk.

As Aware Christians, We Can’t Avoid Getting Involved!

Last Sunday, Dave and I attended the second free AWARE Biblical Citizenship & Liberty for Idaho Conference hosted by Mountain Heights Calvary Chapel in Meridian, Idaho. I want to share the encouragement and call to action we received that day. It was such a blessing to be in a room with several hundred like-minded Conservative Christians eager to learn more about how we could make a difference in our community for morals and justice to prevail.

In past blogs, I’ve mentioned the Values Advocacy Council (VAC) ministry, which helps Idahoans know what’s happening politically in our state and how we can get involved by contacting our legislators, school boards, and governor.

Last session, the Idaho Legislators passed the Child Protection Act to stop gender mutilation surgeries and opposite-sex drugs given to minors, but our Governor was threatening to veto it depending on how many calls he received supporting or protesting the bill?! The VAC gave us the numbers to call, and 19 Pastors went to the governor’s office with a petition with 5000 signatures telling him NOT to veto it and the rest of us called and emailed the Governor’s office.

We had a victory, and the Governor signed the bill so no longer can doctors and hospitals perform these barbaric “sex-reassignment” surgeries or give cross-sex hormones or puberty blocking drugs to gender-confused children in Idaho! Praise God!!

Another politically involved ministry, The Idaho Family Policy Center, sent out an encouraging email, “We can’t overstate the importance of this victory—and we definitely owe it in part to your biblical citizenship and your support of this ministry.”

Did you notice that these are both ministries involved in politics. The Idaho Family Policy Center ministry drafted the Child Protection Act four years ago. It’s the third legislative session they’ve introduced the bill and championed it. Idaho’s children will be protected because ministries got involved in politics!

One of the speakers at the AWARE Conference, Neil Mammen, is the President of Values Advocacy Council, and has written a book Jesus Is Involved in Politics! Why Aren’t You? Why Isn’t Your Church? The premise of his book is that you can’t separate politics from Christianity and the church. We don’t want a Christian government; we want Christians in government. Christians getting involved to protect God’s laws just like Christians and pastors did with the Vulnerable Child Protection Act here in Idaho.

As Christians, it’s our duty and obligation to remind the government that their job is to enforce God’s laws, not create laws that go against the biblical foundations of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which lists what government can’t do to us, not what they can.

Just because I live in a red state doesn’t mean I can be complacent, actually just the opposite. Satan doesn’t like red states and he’s using his henchmen, including the Democrat party which has turned Marxist, to try and turn conservative red states into tyrannically governed blue states.

In Idaho, and other states, Christians and churches are fighting back, and our Idaho children will be protected from this child abuse atrocity, but for sure, there will be future battles. The Governor vetoed another bill protecting children from pornography in libraries and schools and the legislators failed by one vote to overturn his veto. But it’ll be on the docket repeatedly until it’s passed. Christians know how to persevere.

I’m reading Jesus Is Involved in Politics! Why Aren’t You? Why Isn’t Your Church?. Here’s a synopsis from the author’s brochure.

“If you say Christians, churches, or pastors should not be involved in politics, you are essentially saying that child sexual abuse should be legal. It sounds harsh, but the truth is much harsher, because if you take a stance against being actively involved in politics, then you are basically also saying that death games & forced temple prostitution should still be legal.

Here’s just a partial list of abuses Christians and churches in the past have helped to overcome: slavery, racism, segregation, kidnapped brides, death games, gladiatorial combat, infanticide, child labor, child abandonment, child prostitution, child sexual abuse, child marriage, the superstitious killing of twins, elder abandonment, widow burning, cruelty to prisoners, & cruelty to animals.”

“Every one of those practices and thousands of others in history were made illegal only because pastors and elders got their congregation involved in politics and started changing laws in their nation and also in other nations.”

“How heartless, cruel, & mean spirited can we be to say Christians should not be involved in politics? Is this really the stance we want to take? Is this Christlike in any shape, fashion, or form?”

Jesus confronted the Sadducees, Pharisees, and elders who were like the Senate, Congress, and White House of our day. Jesus loves the little children, and He has compassion for a woman worried about her pregnancy, but He would NEVER tell her to kill her baby. He would expect the church to offer her alternatives, protection, and care for herself and baby.

Jesus is not ok with children being sterilized, mutilated, sexualized, and lied to that they can become another sex. He’s not ok with two men or women marrying. These are not political issues; these are biblical moral issues so why is the church silent? Why are so many Christians afraid to speak the truth? The Bible isn’t silent!

The Gospel and Jesus tell us that the truth will set us free. Don’t we want others to be free from the sin that so easily entangles and the lies that are ruining their lives?!

The church and Christians should be taking an active role in helping confused, scared, and mentally ill people. Imitating Jesus by confronting the issues with compassion, love, solutions, and most importantly, the truth so that no one will become a victim to Satan’s lies.

Our Christian Republican Congressman Russ Fulcher was one of the speakers at the AWARE Conference and took questions from the audience. He said when he walks into the Congressional chambers in Washington D.C., he feels the spiritual battle enveloping the room, but he also can sense the prayers of his constituents. He told us the best way to support him is in prayer. So pray for your federal and local officials. Not just the ones you agree with but pray for everyone to have a spiritual awakening.

Rick Green of Patriot Academy and Wall Builders reminded us of our biblical citizenship responsibility. 40 million Christians do NOT vote! Faith without works is dead.

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 2:14-19

We don’t want politicians in government; we want patriots! So we need to do our homework and research the voting records of the people we’re electing.

 Green also cautioned the church has lost our commission to go beyond the church walls and take the Gospel to the world. We’ve stopped making disciples.

We need to remember that our freedom comes from God who is in every aspect of our life, yes even politics. There is nothing in our life that God isn’t Lord over! Everything is under His jurisdiction. The church must be salt and light, but our culture is spoiling because there’s not enough Christian salt preserving the country we love.

 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matt. 5:13-14

Pastor Marty Yost of Mountain Heights Calvary Chapel who hosted the conference also echoed Rick’s message reminding us that yes there are Rinos in politics, but there are also what he calls “Binos”—Believers in name only—who have forgotten the Great Commission which Jesus appointed to every Christian.

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 28:18-20 NLT

Jesus didn’t say Christian believers, disciples of Christ, have the authority to go into every part of the world except politics. Jesus said go everywhere that He is, and He is everywhere.

If you’re still uncomfortable with the word “politics,” focus on how God wants you to get involved in fighting immorality and unrighteousness in places where you can have a godly influence and pray for those in government.

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17

If you received this article by email, please go to the blog on my website and leave a comment. I reply to all comments and appreciate hearing your thoughts.

April 10, 2023
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Yes, He Gets Us, But Jesus Doesn’t Want to Leave Us How He Found Us!

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By now, if you watched Super Bowl, or even if you didn’t, you’ve probably heard about the “He Gets Us” campaign. I’m often asked my opinion. Let me preface by saying, I’ll present what I’ve learned and discerned and then you can prayerfully form your own opinion of whether this campaign accurately glorifies Jesus. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

As I researched and prayed asking Jesus to give me wisdom, here’s the first three things I learned.

1. The originators’ motivation is to give Jesus what they refer to as a better “image” or “brand” than they think the church and Christians are portraying. They want to reach the younger generation with a “Jesus of love and understanding.”

2. Their website, offers choices like reading about Jesus in the Bible using You Version reading plans, which I’ve used too. I do much of my scriptural research on Biblegateway.com and they endorse He Gets Us.

3. There’s also a link on the He Gets Us website to join a chat group, but it doesn’t say who you chat with or who’s leading those groups. You can connect to a church, but what’s the criteria for belief statements of the churches? Can any church with any beliefs be on that list? You can also text for “prayer and positivity.”

I wasn’t impressed with the two commercials on Super Bowl. They seemed directed to a social justice Jesus who loves everyone, which is true He does, but Jesus does not love everyone’s sinful actions. Jesus hates sin that destroys the people He loves. That’s why He went to the cross to offer us redemption, forgiveness, and salvation from our sins. Sin separates us from God; reconciliation brings us back into a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

The caption on the black and white Super Bowl commercial. “Jesus loves who you hate,” made it sound like we all hate someone. But disagreeing with someone’s actions isn’t hate. Jesus’s message was hate the sin, love the sinner enough to free them from their sins.

22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 8:22-23

As a believer in Jesus Christ of the Gospel, I found the commercials confusing and not true representations of Christ, although the first one was endearing. We should come to Him as children.

There is an argument in favor of the campaign because it was Revealed: Hobby Lobby founder behind $3 billion effort to ‘rebrand Jesus’ (msn.com) and how could he be part of something that isn’t spiritually authentic? Here’s what he had to say about it . . . .

Green discussed his involvement in the campaign, and the Super Bowl ad spots, during a November 2022 interview with conservative talk show host Glenn Beck. “We are wanting to say — ‘we’ being a lot of different people — that he gets us,” Green said. “[Jesus] understands us. He loves who we hate. I think we have to let the public know and create a movement.”

Again, who is David Green talking about that we “hate?”

What’s Missing with the ‘He Gets Us’ Campaign?

The “About Us” page on the He Gets Us website opens with: “He Gets Us is a movement to reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible and his confounding love and forgiveness. We believe his words, example and life have relevance in our lives today and offer hope for a better future.”

The word missing in that introduction prior to forgiveness is “repentance.” I also question the use of “reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible” because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and always, He doesn’t need a choreographed reintroduction.

The campaign founders describe themselves as “a diverse group of people passionate about the authentic Jesus of the Bible.” Who are these “diverse” people? Since “diverse” is a buzz word for CRT and DEI, what kind of diversity? They don’t explain.

They say, “We [who is we?] simply want everyone to understand the authentic Jesus as he’s depicted in the Bible—the Jesus of radical forgiveness, compassion, and love.” Which is true, but again confession and repentance of our sins comes before forgiveness.

They gloss over the actual Gospel with “Jesus is the son of God, who came to Earth, died, and was resurrected, then returned to heaven and is alive today.” What’s missing is the heart of the Gospel: how and why Jesus died a brutal horrific death on a cross to offer forgiveness of our sins by His blood shed for us. I don’t see sin, repentance, or the Cross mentioned anywhere on the website, which appears to be more a depiction of a feel-good Jesus.

Then again, the “diversity” element: “We also have included many voices in our work here—welcoming diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences to help us address the many concerns and issues we all face.”

What I’ve concluded, along with others, is they’re describing a Universalism “religion” where Jesus loves everyone so no matter what kind of life you’re living, it’s okay with Him. All people will be saved because there is no hell! Heretical. NOT biblical.

Jesus was human so yes, He does get us, but He was not one of us. He was God. That’s the Deity of Jesus I see missing in He Gets Us Campaign.

“The Father and I are one.” John 10:30

Natasha Crain wrote an insightful article I encourage you to read 7 Problems With the He Gets Us Campaign. In her article she writes, “Jon Lee, one of the chief architects of the campaign, says the team wanted to start a movement of people who want to tell a better story about Jesus and act like him. Lee states, “Our goal is to give voice to the pent-up energy of like-minded Jesus followers, those who are in the pews and the ones that aren’t, who are ready to reclaim the name of Jesus from those who abuse it to judge, harm and divide people.”

“But in today’s culture, there’s a popular notion that Jesus was the embodiment of love and all things warm and fuzzy, whereas His followers who talk about judgment, sin, objective morality, the authority of Scripture, and so on, are hopelessly at odds with what He taught. The He Gets Us campaign plays straight into that misconceived dichotomy.”

Crain continues, “Christians who adhere to clear biblical teachings on hot topics like the sanctity of life, gender identity, and sexuality, for example, are consistently accused of “harming” others by even holding those beliefs. Those who speak the truth about what God has already judged to be right and wrong are accused of being “judgmental” themselves. Those who understand Jesus to be the Son of God—the embodiment of truth, not warm fuzzies—are accused of being divisive when rightly seeking to divide truth from error as the Bible teaches (1 John 4:6).”

She then asks, “So my question is, when Lee says that he wants to rescue the name of Jesus from those who “abuse it to judge, harm and divide people,” does he mean that he wants to give people a more biblical understanding of Jesus, or does he want to rescue an unbiblical, culturally palatable version of Jesus from followers who proclaim truth that people don’t want to hear?”

When I [Janet] researched Jon Lee, I found an article that describes his goal and premise: “Jon Lee has some words for evangelical leaders who argue that Christian ethics like kindness, honesty, and loving your neighbor don’t apply to culture-war politics. “Good luck,” said Lee, a principal at Lerma, a cross-cultural advertising agency based in Dallas. Lee is one of the chief architects of the “He Gets Us” campaign, a $100 million effort to redeem Jesus’ brand from the damage done by his followers, especially those who say one thing and then do another.”

I personally don’t know of any evangelical leaders who don’t believe in “kindness, honesty, and loving your neighbor.” This only reinforces to me, as Natasha Crain determined, that this campaign led by Lee is trying to paint Bible-believing Christians as not portraying Jesus. We are the “oppressors” against killing babies, gender manipulation, mutilating children, and same-sex sexual relationships.

But wait a minute . . .

Jesus loves the little children!

But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matt. 18:6

Jesus loves the two genders He created and affirms that marriage is strictly between a man and a woman!

 4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’[a]” 5 And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’[b] 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Matt. 19:4-6 NLT

Lee and those with him are confusing and confounding Jesus’ perspective on sin and the sinner. When Jesus met the woman at the well, He gently called her out for having five husbands and the man she was currently living with was not her husband. He didn’t say I love you so much and understand how hard it is to be a single woman so it’s ok that you’re living in sin. No, He told her she had found the living water in Him, so go and sin no more. (John 4:1-30)

Jesus loved her to salvation when He told her every sin she had ever done but offered her repentance, forgiveness, and freedom from her sins!

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[c] So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. Romans 8:1-8

In Mark 9:40, Jesus said, “Anyone who is not against us is for us.” I encourage you to read some of the links I’ve presented and make up your own mind, but it seems like the He Gets Us campaign is falling in line with the liberal government’s attempt to criminalize biblical Christianity, although many liberals were really upset about the Super Bowl commercials.

The good news is He Gets Us is getting people talking about Jesus. Not often do you see the name of Jesus during a football game! You usually hear His name said in vain! We can hope and pray that people will seek out the true Jesus of the Bible and not just someone’s interpretation of who He is.

Satan tried to tempt Jesus in his humanness, but Jesus NEVER sinned in His holiness. Not one of “us” can say that.

Jesus was perfect as a human. Not one of us is perfect.

So, trying to make Jesus our buddy who gets us is blasphemy because it removes His Deity. He does understand us, but He loves us so much He wants us to live holy lives. He doesn’t want us living harmful sin-filled lives.

15 For we do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15

The Younger Generation Is Not Seeking a “He Gets Us” Jesus

The He Gets Us movement claims their goal is to reach the younger generation but when we watch the grassroots revival that started at Asbury University almost two weeks ago, there was no “rebranding campaign.” It was unscripted. The Holy Spirit prevailed and these young people see and feel the presence of Jesus. Thousands have been drawn to Asbury to be a part of a real Jesus movement as I wrote about last week, Revival is Necessary for Survival of the Church.

Even Tucker Carlson took notice and interviewed the student body president on his show last week. But when the Carlson producers wanted to send a film crew to capture what was happening at Asbury, they requested them not to come. They didn’t want media publicity or any commercialization of what was happening in the Spirit. They didn’t want marketing. They want to stay humbly and purely seeking Jesus. Tucker Carlson was surprised, but also in awe at the authenticity of what is taking place at the revival.

On June 18, 2018, I wrote a blog on my website Why Is the Church Going Dark? I also write for Crosswalk.com and they read my blog and asked if they could post it, so I gave permission. They’ve run that article almost quarterly ever since and posted on Facebook. It continues to receive thousands of views and comments. An oft repeated claim is that dark churches better reach the next generation. Yet we’re watching an amazing revival in a well-lit chapel with stained glass windows in a university filled with young people. No loud bands or famous speakers. The Holy Spirit leads and as of this writing, it’s spreading to other college campuses.

This revival started with a young man suddenly standing up in chapel confessing his sins, repenting, and asking for forgiveness. Only Jesus! No “branding.” No marketing. No pyrotechnics. No tolerance of sin. Only organic repentance and recognition of the need for forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with our Great God. As one professor at Asbury University described it, “A chorus of forgiven sinners crying out in thanksgiving to an almighty God!”

That’s what I feel is missing with the He Gets Us Campaign.

Jesus so gets us that He seeks after each one of us so that none will be left behind. He loves us but He doesn’t want us to stay where He found us wallowing in our sinful life. He offers us a new beginning and new life in Christ. The old shall pass away and the new life abound. That my friends is the Jesus of the Bible so easily found by simply opening our Bibles.

I want to close with a firsthand account from a friend who visited the Asbury Revival. She couldn’t even get in the chapel or auditorium the line outside was so long so she sat on the grass under a tree and could hear the music and the testimonies over the sound system. Here is an excerpt of what she heard about our Jesus.

I heard this during a brief period of testimony. “We are not only the object of Jesus’ affection. We are the agent of it.”

That’s the message. Go. Show. Love.

In a world that screams hatred, we crave what’s holy.

We found it, finally, and it’s spreading. Thank goodness.

Hope and relief. That’s the best way to describe it, and the hills were singing their song.

Definitely worth the trip.

Go. Show. Love. That’s the message. May it spread across the world.

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NLT

I would love to hear your comments and opinions, even if you disagree with me! If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

February 20, 2023
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Revival Is Necessary for Survival of the Church!

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Sorry, there was no blog last week. Hubby and I both had Covid again. I had brain fog along with all the other symptoms. I couldn’t even read so writing just wasn’t going to happen.

There are so many topics I’ve been praying about it’s hard to narrow down to just one. I agree with Anne Graham Lotz who opened her newsletter recently, with these words:

“As 2023 begins, the news headlines remind us that we are living at a time of spiritual darkness and oppression. Traditional values of integrity, morality, and common decency have been discarded, while faith in the one, true, living God is derided and even despised. As a nation, when we desperately need stability and unity in the midst of a world that is careening out of control, we are left without a foundation. As followers of Jesus, we are a remnant. A minority. But the Light in our lives shines even brighter in contrast to our surroundings.”

We certainly don’t have a firm worldly foundation to steady the downward spiral of our crumbling cultural foundation. And sadly, true Bible-believing and Gospel-living Christians are slipping into the minority. Many Christians try to precariously balance following Jesus while still keeping one foot in the world. Wanting to be accepted by a world gone woke, they sacrifice faith to the idol of going along to get along.

That’s an impossibly uncomfortable and immoral line to walk and one that leads to a life of confusion, compromise, and separation from the Lord. Jesus clearly told us that we must leave our old life behind to take up our cross and fully follow Him. No reservations, no turning back. We’re in the world but not of the world.

There’s no question that Jesus specifically says life won’t be easy here on earth for Christians, but this earth is not our permanent home. We’re just passing through to spread His Light.

Committed Christians do have a solid foundation built on biblical Truth and belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That foundation will never let us down or disappoint. But we must choose.

There is no such thing as:

 A “woke Christian” only a fallen Christian.

A “woke church” is a false teaching church.

Why? Because the woke agenda is tolerant and accepting of murder, evil, and sin and has been hijacked by all those who want to live a life opposite of what God teaches in the Bible.

For example, the recent Grammy Awards not only featured evil devil worship, but awarded the performance with a Grammy and a standing ovation to the first man impersonating a woman to receive the idol!

I know there were nominated Christian musicians in the audience. I hope they kept their seats and hands in their lap, or better yet walked out, during that horrific display of debauchery. Or did they feel pressure to rise with the crowd and reward Satan? Did anyone watching on television turn it off or keep watching to see how bad it could get? I’ve actually seen some Christians on social media justifying the performance and you can be sure Satan is clapping.

The culture and our government are trying to commercialize, sexualize, and normalize Satan.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord, but We’re His Mighty Warriors!

I read something recently that made me ponder and put the world’s happenings into perspective. The author was saying the moral demise in our government and the world must happen according to prophesy before Jesus’s return. Many refer to what we’re experiencing as birth pangs that we can’t actually stop because they will usher in the rapture of God’s people. But we aren’t to sit by silently and wait either. Instead, we work diligently and urgently to share the Gospel so more unbelievers will be saved before Jesus returns.

8 He [Jesus] replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’[a] and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them. 9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10 Then he added, “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. Luke 21: 8-12 NLT

We’re watching this Scripture passage come to fruition today.

Covid was certainly a worldwide plague. While we haven’t experienced famine in America, we’ve seen food shortages and empty shelves, even of essentials like baby formula.

NEWSMAX, one of the few Conservative media stations, was dropped by Direct TV and AT&T, cutting transmission to eleven million homes. While the secular CBS network tweeted before the devil’s Grammy presentation, “Let us worship.”

The devastating Turkey-Syria earthquake occurred the day after the Grammys, February 6th!

Thursday, February 9th, an FBI whistleblower leaked a memo that the FBI is targeting Catholics as criminals. Here’s a quote from the former FBI agent who unveiled this information on Tucker Carlson.

An internal document from the bureau’s Richmond, Virginia, field office allegedly vowed to spy on “radical traditionalist Catholics and their ideology.” “They have found a gateway in what they think is fringe Catholicism in order to move into Christians in general and declare them to be the actual criminals in this country or the potential terrorists,” federal whistleblower and former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin said. 

Seraphin continued that the whistleblower who brought the information to him is not a Catholic, but knew it was problematic. “He or she stated the very simple statement, which is that if they’re going to go after radical, traditional Catholics, then radical traditional Baptists are next and radical, traditional evangelicalism and anybody else that espouses essentially what is radical, which is just a Christian faith and that is dangerous apparently in this country.”

Fortunately, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and 19 GOP state attorneys general are demanding answers from the FBI and Justice Department and threatening legal action after this leaked internal FBI memo revealed that the agency had efforts underway to identify and treat Catholics as “potential terrorists.”  Miyares and his colleagues, told the FBI and DOJ to “desist from investigating and surveilling Americans who have done nothing more than exercise their natural and constitutional right to practice their religion in a manner of their choosing” and asked that they “reveal to the American public the extent to which they have engaged in such activities.”

“Anti-Catholic bigotry appears to be festering in the FBI, and the Bureau is treating Catholics as potential terrorists because of their beliefs,” the AGs wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. “The targeting of Catholics for treatment as ‘violent extremists’ because of the language in which they pray or because of the beliefs to which they subscribe is unacceptable, unconstitutional, and deeply un-American,” they said.

So we’re watching Luke 21:12 lived out in an attempt to persecute the church.

Do you find it odd that the FBI would go after Catholics when the President and Pelosi claim to be “faithful Catholics”? I’m going to speculate that you won’t hear Biden speak out against this FBI travesty against the Catholic Church, as he rightly should.

Biden has touted his Catholic faith for most of his political life and opposed abortion until the Democrat party decided to support it. Now with this overreach and politicization of the FBI, he and Pelosi could justify supporting abortion by claiming they’re not “traditional radical Catholics,” which have criticized both of them! Now, they can justify selectively choosing the parts of their faith they politically agree with and attacking the rest. Sick. Twisted. Demented.

I also believe the FBI started with the Catholic Church because they are the largest denomination, with few exceptions, to devoutly remain opposed to the travesty of abortion and same-sex marriage. Sadly, that can’t be said about all Protestant Christian denominations. Some are either silent, as when Roe v Wade was overturned, or refuse to universally unite against murdering babies or unequivocally profess the sanctity of marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Too many churches and Christians are afraid to take a public stand against evil.

What does that say? Protestants aren’t as big a threat to the evil invading our culture as the Catholic Church? Unfortunate and unforgiveable. We need to be boldly firm about the Bible’s teaching or don’t call yourself a Christian church because you’ll be misrepresenting Jesus and His Word.

True Christians follow Jesus even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, and not popular . . . especially then! We’re not obnoxious, we’re bold. Sometimes all we need to do is ask questions to make our point.

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh silenced a Tennessee lawmaker this week with one simple question about transgender surgery for minors.

“Do you think a 16-year-old can meaningfully consent to having their body parts removed?” Walsh asked. “Do you? No?”

What followed was more than 10 seconds of silence. Hemmer never answered the question. Instead, he appeared to protest to committee chairman Cameron Sexton (R) that Walsh, a witness at the hearing, asked a question.

You can watch this encounter and more of Walsh’s defense of exposing Vanderbilt Hospital for promoting transgender surgery on minors at this link Matt Walsh sends Dem lawmaker into verbal paralysis with one simple question about gender surgeries on minors – TheBlaze

Revival before Rapture

I want to leave you with hope and encouragement that even though the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, a spiritual revival has been going on for days at Asbury University in Kentucky. Interestingly, it started last Wednesday, February 8!

To recap, the devil worshipping Grammy’s aired on Feb. 5. An earthquake in Turkey-Iraq on Feb 6th. A leaked FBI assault on the Catholic Church on Feb. 9th and in the middle of all that, the Holy Spirit poured out a revival on college students on Feb. 8, and as I write on Feb. 12, the Holy Spirit is still leading the revival!!

Here’s a quote from an article written by Clayton Bullion in Outreach Magazine about this amazing spontaneous youth revival that is now attracting all ages. I encourage you to read the entire article.

 “I got to the auditorium late last night and the stage and carpet were still damp from tears…”

“These were the words of a campus minister in Kentucky describing Hughes Auditorium at Asbury University the evening of February 8, 2023. Revival has come to Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. On February 8, 2023, during a routine Wednesday morning chapel, the Holy Spirit fell, resulting in continuous worship, praise, and confession over the past days.

On January 24, 2023, Dave and I heard Dutch Sheets share on Flashpoint and amazing vision he had while speaking in Boise, Idaho right after 911 of revival coming to the youth on college campuses. God’s timing is always so perfect. Even though that vision was over twenty years ago, Dutch felt led to share the vision shortly before the revival broke out at Asbury University. Let’s pray that Dutch’s vision of this college revival spreading across the nation is for such a time as this. I encourage you to listen at this link.

I’ve been saying that revival will happen in the next generation and God is fulfilling that word He gave me. I recently did a podcast interview with Meredith Schoeller where I tell my testimony of God calling me into the ministry of one generation teaching and training the next. Here’s the link if you would like to listen to it.

The following quote is referring to the revival at Cambridge with D.L. Moody in 1885: “The heart of the older generation turned towards the younger generation and the younger generation went on to change the world.”

May this be said of us in 2023 too! The survival of the church could depend on it.

Psalm 145:4 NLT “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.”

The opening picture is from the Asbury Revival with credit to the photographer Sarah Thomas Baldwin.

PS. See Pastor Greg Laurie’s movie Jesus Revolution opening in theaters February 24 for a limited time. It’s about the hippie Jesus movement of the 70’s when Pastor Greg was saved and Pastor Chuck Smith opened up Calvary Chapel to the movement of God. This film is so timely! I can’t wait to watch it.

PSS. I apologize for the length of this blog. I’m just making up for last week lol.

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February 13, 2023
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Are We Going to Surrender to Christ or the Culture?

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If you watched Tucker Carlson’s interview last week with Kanye West, you heard a man who has become a Christian yet is still struggling with the lures of fame and fortune. Professing to be a believer in the liberal world of his music and fashion businesses is courageous but the atheists consider him “crazy” and a threat. He’s viciously pelted with criticism, lost his family, and is a target for the political left who find it offensive that a black man would wear a tee shirt proclaiming, “White Lives Matter.” The left will try to cancel and censor anyone who says, “All Lives Matter,” which they do to God and should to everyone. Both slogans are an affront to the BLM scam and how dare a black man be bold enough to point that out.

I’m not a fan of West or rapper music, but I do see a brother-in-Christ struggling to live in two worlds. The Bible tells us we must live logistically in the world, but we’re not to succumb to the world’s ways spiritually, ethically, or morally. (John 15:18-19; 17:14-15)

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matt. 6:24 NLT

Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Ps. 119:36 NLT

I especially appreciated Jason Whitlock’s commentary right after Tucker’s interview. Whitlock is a born-again Jesus follower and always laces his comments on any topic from a Christian perspective. The next day, he wrote in his column in The Blaze, Kanye West remains dangerous, disgusting, and harmful to demonic leftists. “Kanye West is not as confusing as he often sounds. His outlook on life stems from a defined set of values spelled out in the Bible. His actions and words often conflict with his outlook . . . He produces an album titled “Jesus Is King” and then collaborates with Lil Nas X on the song and video “Industry Baby,” which depicts gay prison sex.”

“He’s normal. Every human being struggles to align their values and deeds. The difference between West and most human beings is the transparency of his failures . . . We’re in a battle of good vs. evil. Kanye is one of the good guys. He’s trying to be on the right side of God rather than the history left-wing atheists plan to write.”

It’s Not Easy Letting ‘Jesus Take the Wheel’ In Our Lives!

In the Tucker Carlson interview, West said he performs for an audience of One, God. I truly believe that is his sincere desire and goal, but like all of us, he often falls short by trying to remain relevant rather than reverent.

The popular adage, ‘Jesus take the wheel,’ originated with a song written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, and Gordie Sampson recorded by Carrie Underwood. The ballad tells of a mother deep in thought about her difficult year while driving too fast on a snowy Christmas Eve when the car spins out on black ice. Unable to control the car, she throws her hands in the air and cries out for Jesus to take the wheel and help her and her baby in the backseat. When the car finally rests on the side of the rode, she ultimately realizes she needs to restore her faith and let Jesus take control of all her life.

The song Jesus Take the Wheel resonated with many who have tried to live their life on their own terms, often with devastating results. Maybe they had never given their heart to Jesus, or at one time knew the comfort of surrendering to Jesus then snatched back control to navigate life themselves. Traveling through life on our own terms will always end in a crash either emotionally, physically, or mentally, but always spiritually.

The true Christian life is one of constant submission of our ways to the Lord’s ways. It’s often a tug-of-war between letting Jesus take the wheel and wrestling it away from Him thinking we know better than He does what’s best for us. We know there can only be one person in the driver’s seat, but we’re not always willing to let that person be Jesus. We’re often backseat drivers trying to argue with Jesus or we push Him completely out of our life and take over the wheel on our terms.

The struggle for my husband during his two knee replacement surgery recoveries was letting me drive without repeatedly giving his opinion and directions from the passenger seat. We had many discussions that he had to relax and just let me drive. I was the only one who could safely get us to our destination. I needed his confidence, encouragement, and prayers. He literally had to surrender the wheel and trust me with his life.

 It’s just as hard for us to trust Jesus to safely get us to our destinations in life, as Kanye West and many others find when they’re not quite ready to surrender every area of life to Christ. Yet, that’s the only true place of peace and security in this world, regardless of what the world tells you.

How Do We Surrender to Christ in a Culture That Calls Us the Enemy?

Just like my husband continually struggled with giving up control to me every time we got in the car, giving up control to Jesus is a lifetime daily struggle. It doesn’t come easy and it’s not instant the moment we become Christians. Being a Christian and living by biblical principles is a continuous evolving process as our faith matures and we learn to trust that God wants the best for us, even when we can’t visibly see or even sense it and the culture is working against us.

Jesus knew our humanness would make it difficult to surrender our lives completely to Him when we couldn’t see Him visibly and faced opposition, so He made sure we had ways to communicate with Him in our Spirit.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Heb. 11:1 NLT

  • Establishing a Daily Prayer Life is Essential

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jer. 29:11-13 [emphasis added]

Jeremiah 29:11-13 outlines exactly how to know what God’s plans are for us so we can trust that He’s looking out for our best interests when He’s at the wheel navigating us through a world that doesn’t want or understand Him as Savior or us as His followers. God says call on me, come and pray to me then you’ll find me. But He also adds that we must be sincerely searching for Him with all our heart, not holding anything back, even fortune, fame, and success as West is still learning.

A daily time with Jesus is essential to Christian life. That means setting everything aside like phones, computers, TV, and noise. Even getting away from people to a quiet place where you can commune with Jesus with no distractions so you can hear His answers to your prayers. I create a special Jesus spot in our home. I’m distracted easily, so I have my quiet time out on our deck in nice weather or in the winter, my prayer closet is the loft outside my office. I also love to talk with the Lord on a morning walk or even in the shower!

Maybe for you it means getting up earlier than the family or before you get ready for the day. Establish a place and time where you can be alone with your Lord and prayerfully ask Him questions and be still to listen while He answers.

  • Studying the Bible

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Jesus speaks to us through His Word, the Bible. It’s impossible to be a faithful Christian and not read your Bible. If we clocked the hours we spend browsing social media or the internet, we would probably be astounded and alarmed at how much time we devote to taking in the world’s words instead of the Lord’s Words.

Do we want the world or Jesus to take the wheel? We would probably say we want Jesus, but does our life reflect that answer? It will if we soak in His wisdom and guidance by reading His Love Letter and following His Road Map every day.

  • Mentoring

 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Tim. 2:2 NLT

Sometimes we’re sidelined in our spiritual life by thinking we don’t need anyone else. We can handle everything life throws at us by ourselves. But we’re made for community. God said in the first Book in the Bible that it’s not good for man to be alone. (Gen. 2:18)

When we need help with our car or around the house, we seek expert advice or at least we should. We need to do the same with our spiritual life. We can’t go it alone and expect to grow and mature spiritually. We need to talk with others who have gone before us in the faith and have experienced life. A mentor with wisdom and spiritual maturity can guide and direct us and someday we can be a mentor to others.

Every Christian is in a continual process of learning and growing in the knowledge of Christ. But until that day we meet Him face-to-face, we who are further along in our walk with the Lord or have navigated a curvy and bumpy road through a life season, must be willing to intentionally share with others what we do know and what the Lord has done in our lives when we let Him take the wheel.

I sign my book Mentoring for All Seasons with ‘Be a mentor, find a mentor.’

Let Go and Let God!

We hear this saying often in sermons and read in blogs and articles and it seems so easy in theory, but we all know how difficult it is when life happens. We want to do something, anything, to feel like we’re making a difference. Do what we want to do. Yet, we stand in church on Sunday morning singing, “Jesus, I surrender all!”

It’s exhausting trying to always be in control. Jesus wants us to rest in the assurance that He has everything under control. God is our hope and promise. He is concerned about our daily needs, as well as our problems and the condition of our culture today. He sees the big picture and the road ahead and knows what’s best for us in our daily lives, but also how we can contribute to changing our culture. We need to rest in Him, obey Him, and seek His will daily. We need to give up our tight grip and let Jesus take the wheel.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil. 3:20-21

In closing, I want to share with you three encouraging stories that show we the people can make a difference when we take a stand and pushback against the evil so prevalent in our culture today. They all have hyperlinks. I hope you’ll read the full articles.

Story #1 A state refuses to abide by evil federal mandates, even under the threat of losing federal funding. Attorney General of Alabama, Steve Marshall writes, Biden administration demands Alabama embrace genderless schools or else, but we aren’t giving in. Alabama’s federal funding could be stripped away by Biden administration over trans bathroom demands. I encourage you to read and pray for their success in this legal battle between good and evil for the protection of our children.

Here’s a quote. “Undeterred by repeated losses, the Biden administration’s war on red states and our “Neanderthal thinking” rages on. This month, my colleagues and I are fighting Biden and his comrades at the United States Department of Agriculture in court to protect the right of states to run their public schools as they see fit. This time, the fight isn’t over curriculum or masking — it’s whether states still possess the paltry authority to require boys to use the boys’ bathroom at school. The United States Constitution leaves no doubt as to the states’ broad authority over their own public schools, but the Biden administration supposes that everything — even schoolchildren — has a price. 

The Biden administration’s actions seeking to impose the left’s gender identity agenda on schoolchildren are illegal and unconstitutional. But even if they were not, and federal funding was at risk, the duty of state leaders is not to dollars. We are meant to serve the interests of the people of our states — and the people of Alabama have clearly spoken, through their elected representatives, that they do not wish for sexual politics to be thrust on their children by the far-left in Washington. While I hope to preserve every penny of federal funding being threatened by this administration, Alabama’s sovereignty is not for sale.“

Story #2 Parents and communities take a stand for a Christian biology teacher who refused to succumb to evil mandates, even at the threat of losing his job!

Pennsylvania biology teacher suspended for refusing to follow pronoun policy, reinstated after backlash. Last month, Virginia parents and teachers sued their school district over its mandatory pronoun policy. Pennsylvania teacher Daren Cusato of the South Side Area School District was suspended last week after he reportedly told school officials that he would not follow a new district mandate requiring teachers address students by their preferred pronouns, because it violated his religious beliefs. A Pittsburgh-area school district reversed course after receiving backlash from the community and students for suspending the high school biology and anatomy teacher who refused to comply with the school’s preferred pronoun policy. 

Story #3 BREAKING: Oklahoma Gov. Just Signed Bill And It’s BLOWING UP

Governor Kevin Stitt signed SB 3XX which blocks funding to prevent gender transition services for minors at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital at OU Health. The bill went into effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.

Pray for the boldness and courage of more Governors to protect the children of their state from this child abuse and mutilation.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

I apologize last week’s blog had a glitch getting to everyone on Monday. I had to resend it on Tuesday and some may have received it twice! Praying everything works this week correctly. There will NOT be a blog Monday October 17, but I’ll be back God willing October 24.

October 9, 2022
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When Did Bible-Believing Christians Start Being Labeled “Right Wing”?

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The title of my September AHW Ministries newsletter’s opening article is “Lord, Bring Our Prodigals Home!” I wrote that article because of the recent interest and activity around a book I wrote almost fifteen years ago as a memoir of being a prodigal mom raising a prodigal daughter, Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents. My daughter Kim shares her journey during that time too and each chapter also includes the story of other moms with a prodigal daughter and some of those daughters share their story.

The key to praying for my prodigal I discovered was praying and personalizing Scripture. Praying God’s Word back to Him for my daughter. Instead of just praying my will, I prayed for His will in her life. The back of the book has a section 40 Days of Praying Scripture for Your Daughter and this can also be applied to prodigal sons or grandchildren.

In the past few months, the Lord has brought Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter to my attention in a variety of ways. One of the contributing mothers in the book sent me a praise for her daughter’s return to the Lord and to her family after 10 years of praying. A few days later, another mother emailed me that she had just read the book and it was helping her in communicating with her daughter. Sales on the book have suddenly increased noticeably. A couple who has a podcast, “It’s Not How You Start But How You Finish,” contacted me for an interview on the book, which you can listen to here.

Again, I hope you’ll read the full article in my AHW Ministries newsletter of what God is doing with this book and listen to the podcast because I don’t want to repeat it all here for those of you who already read my newsletter. If you don’t receive my newsletter, you can sign up on my website or let me know and we’ll sign you up.

But here’s what I do want to talk about in this blog. Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter has been out since January 2008, so I hadn’t looked for a long time at the comments on Amazon. I’m not an author that is always checking my reviews because I’m usually on to writing the next book or article, but with all the activity lately, I decided to take a look. God wanted me to see a comment which was right on top.

At first, I chuckled, but then I was sad for the mother. It was the best “worst” review I’d ever had.

The reviewer returned the book, gave me only 1 star, and headed her comment “This book is for the deeply and devoted right wing Christians.” This was startling since it was my first time being referred to as a “right-wing” Christian. I’m always clear that I’m a Bible-believing Christian and in today’s culture that can set you apart because anyone can say they’re a Christian, but fewer and fewer people are connecting Christianity with the Bible and that’s a real travesty.

Here’s the first paragraph of the reader’s comment. I would encourage you to go to the page on Amazon if you want to read the remainder because it makes it even clearer why she thought my book was only for the deeply devout Christian and yet I ask: how can you be a Christian and not be devout?

“I have no judgment for the author or the tone of this book. For Christians who are devoted to God and extreme in their beliefs, this book is for them. My own struggles with my prodigal daughter led me to buy the book with hope to help guide me through my pain. However, the book is not so much about daughters coming home to their family as it is daughters coming home to Jesus. Over and over again, the dilemma was about the prodigal daughter coming back to Jesus and religion.”

I was elated that she got my point in the book that the answer to any prodigal’s life-changing return is first their return to Jesus! But I was deflated that she rejected this truth as too “right wing.” She added the term “religion,” but I talk about a relationship with Jesus NOT a religion.

My Thoughts on Being Called Right-Wing Christians

I don’t receive or acknowledge “right wing” as an acceptable term for Christians. I find it offensive to make it sound like we’re eccentric or on the edge to be extremely in love with Jesus and the inerrant Word of God, the Bible!

I don’t accept “Cultural Christian” or “Progressive Christian” as a description for any Christian because you’re either with the culture or with Christ. There’s no in between. The Bible is clear that we will have to be in the world while we’re alive, but we must not become of the world. Christ came to change the culture and turn people away from sin, not embrace sin as acceptable because it makes them feel good.

Christ came to make us holy NOT happy! What so many don’t understand is that when you let go of the secular culture and grab the hand of Jesus, you will be happy for eternity.

14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:14-17 NLT

I had a Facebook “conversation” where someone told me God did not create her or the climate. So I asked well then who did? She said that I needed to study biology instead of the Bible, which she referred to as “fantasy.” I said, well one thing the Bible and biology both agree on is that we’re all going to die and I know where I’m going to spend eternity. Do you know where you’re going when you die? The conversation ended.

The Bible tells us this world is but a bleep in the big picture of our life. Attempting to be a Christian who thinks that Jesus died on the Cross so that we could keep on sinning because He loves us so much or that the Bible doesn’t apply to today’s world is left-wing, wrong-wing, believing Satan-infused-demonic wing progressive lies and rationalizations.

Every Christian must make the decision to remain Christ-like and be a Bible-Believer no matter what names they call you. In fact, if someone isn’t calling you a name in today’s culture, you might not be wearing Jesus on your sleeve, and I’m not talking about a t-shirt.

Christians are not left wing or right wing, we’re under Jesus’s wing!

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Ps. 91:4 NLT

In Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, my daughter, Kim, came to the realization that being a Christian cannot be inherited or passed down through your family. Living in a Christian family doesn’t make you a Christian. It educates you and certainly wraps you in Christian love, but choosing Christ as your Lord and Savior is an individual decision only you can make.

Kim wrote about an experience she had in the Bible-based premarital course Dave and I gave her and Toby as an engagement gift, which they didn’t appreciate, but that is where they were both saved!

“Pastor Pete made it clear we couldn’t get to heaven on our parents’ faith—something I had been counting on—it had to be our own personal decision and relationships with Christ. That really got us thinking. I know that because we committed our lives to Christ, God has blessed our marriage.”

You’re either Holy Spirit-filled, or you’re not. I think God is putting the pressure on currently for the true Bible-believing Christians to step forward. The words I wrote in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, still ring true today because they were based on the premise that Jesus is the Only way, a truth that never changes.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Phil. 1:9-11

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Note: Dave and I saw the movie SuperSpreader about worship leader Sean Feucht’s journey in starting the ministry Let Us Worship during a time when Covid was closing churches and not allowing people to sing in church. A powerful movie only in theaters until 10/6 so I hope you’ll find out where it’s playing in your area. Sean lives out Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.” (NLT)

My book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter is also available on my website signed and personalized.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

I apologize if you receive an email of this blog twice, but we’re having problems with MailChimp our delivery mechanism and it didn’t send out the blog to the majority of our mailing list the day it posted so we’re reposting it again.

October 3, 2022
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Only Jesus Can Cancel the Debt that Saves Your Life!

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Biden has created quite an uproar, and rightly so, by claiming he has the power to cancel college loan debts to the tune of 500 billion dollars by charging taxpayers, many who either have paid off their own college loans or never accrued them. He’s not even going full socialist by taking from the rich to give to the poor; he’s going true communist by taking from everyday Americans and in some cases giving to the rich who could pay off their own loans.

The timing is obvious as his poll approval is in the tank and this is a last-ditch effort to buy votes before the November elections. But so many people are enraged at this political ploy, that I’m sure it will backfire with lost votes because it doesn’t matter what political party you support, the 89,000 armed new IRS agents are coming for you and your money. It’s estimated this college loan forgiveness sham will cost every American family $2000. I wonder if that includes the students receiving the loan payoff since they’re taxpayers too!

I had already decided to write on a similar topic, when Biden just confirmed I was on the track God wanted me on.

Originally, I was going to write on cancel culture and how God isn’t worried about it because He was the originator of cancel when He sent His Son Jesus Christ to the Cross to cancel our sin debt. But there’s one important stipulation—you must believe that Jesus not only died on the Cross, He also arose three days later and returned to Heaven to prepare a place for all who would believe and follow Him.

There is no charge to you.

There is no charge to anyone else.

There is no price you must pay for forgiveness of your sin debt.

Your slate is wiped clean! You’re free to live a life honoring Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Such a hard concept for many to grasp and yet so many need to hear this Good News.

For those who are foolishly comparing corrupt Biden unjustly wiping away college debt to Jesus Christ being nailed to a cross in a bloody gruesome death to justly wipe away our sin, I say blasphemy. Anyone who would even try to compare the two is not a Christian and knows nothing about becoming a Christian, but this is certainly an opportunity to inform them of the biblical facts of salvation.

Going to college and incurring enormous loan debt is a choice. It was not forced or imposed on students. It was a life choice, a commitment, and a responsibility they accepted and willingly agreed to pay back.

Jesus went to the cross willingly to offer everyone the choice of accepting Him as their Lord and Savior without imposition or coercion. It’s a choice with no payback. You cannot pay for or earn salvation by good works or effort. You simply trade in your sin-filled life by surrendering your heart to Christ to receive the gift of eternal salvation and eternal life. It’s a commitment. It’s free. It’s available to everyone!

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 6:23 ESV

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9 ESV

16 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. John 3:16

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Rom 10:9 ESV

For those who make the life-saving, life-changing choice, Jesus has already paid the price. No one can make the choice for you or wipe away your sin debt, only Jesus.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Is. 1:18

Why Has College Become So Expensive in the First Place?

One of the things I’ve said about this ridiculous and unrighteous attempt to make innocent people pay for the college debts of others is that the Biden Administration loves to talk about getting to the “root cause” of issues like the outrageous onslaught of people flooding over our borders from other countries. The obvious root cause: Biden is inviting them here!

Why don’t the liberals investigate the root cause of exorbitant fees to attend colleges? Why don’t they investigate the tuitions that require college loans? Many colleges are already receiving federal subsidies. Who holds them accountable for what they’re charging students? These same over-priced institutions are the beneficiaries of all this government bailout and will only be encouraged to raise the tuitions even higher. The root cause: College administrators are also usually large Democrat donors with a huge liberal lobby.

The Biden Administration thinks they’ll win favor with the public by just throwing money at the problem and appeasing their donors and college lobbyists. Sad that college has now become a political tool and students and their families the political football. And we the taxpayers are being tackled and squeezed to pay for debts we didn’t incur.

What Are Others Saying?

I was interested to read what Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey had to say about this latest maneuver from the White House. Here are some of his comments.

“This is so intellectually dishonest.”

He added, “If [student loans] are so bad that you have to cancel them, then why are you continuing to make them? You should at least stop making them before we start forgiving them,” he added of student debt arrangements.

“It’s an obvious political ploy.”

He called the student loan industry “predatory.”

“If you are a $10,000 student loan person and you make less than $125,000, and [your loan] is getting ready to be forgiven — we’re happy for you. We want good things for you,” he said, referencing the notion of getting out of debt as quickly as possible. However, he said, “we’re also simultaneously angry on behalf of the people who paid off their loans and feel screwed — and you know why they feel screwed? Because they got screwed. That’s why.”

So, everyone out there “just paid off all of these other people’s student loan debt, and your grandkids paid them off.”

“This slide toward socialism … is out of control. This is a failed presidency,” he said.

Ramsey also said of the student loan handout, “What about the guy who takes out a student loan next week? What [is Washington] going to do to help him?”

Dave Ramsey reacts to Biden’s student loan handout: ‘Obvious political ploy’ | Fox Business

Former Secretary of Education William Bennet told FOX Business host Maria Bartiromo . . .

“This is a terrible, terrible, idiotic idea.”

“College charges and university charges have gone up so much higher than the rate of inflation — and we will see another increase now by the people who run these institutions.”

Bennett added, “We just keep chasing our tail. Keep increasing the grants, the loans — and they will keep increasing the charges. As soon as the money’s there, they will find a way to charge you for it.”

“The people who paid down their debt — they get nothing out of this. The people who never had debt — they get nothing out of this. The welders, the hairdressers, so many others — they get nothing.”

“So here you are, making a move that’s very bad for the economy, in terms of inflation,” said Bennett. 

“You’re favoring an already advantaged class over others,” he said. 

“You’re violating a basic contract agreement and obligation — when you take on debt, you should pay it back. You signed the paper — you took it on. And you’re not helping people who did the honorable thing.”

The “moral hazard here is pretty obvious,”

And “the only reason we can think that a person would advance this,” Bennett said, “would be for political purposes. They’re hoping that the people who get this [loan handout] will vote for Biden. That’s the only conclusion you can draw.” William Bennett on Biden’s student loan handout plan: ‘Terrible, idiotic idea’ | Fox News

Susan Rice’s response to those who have paid off their debt: “Yes, those who have paid their loans back deserve to be credited, that’s fantastic. That’s to their credit.” What a tone-deaf statement. Is she talking about crediting them back all the money they paid to fulfill their contract? No, I didn’t think so!

While Pelosi admits their going to selectively “relieve people of their obligation.”

How Will God Use This for Good?

The Democrat party has become godless and evil. But let me encourage you that God is bigger than all of this! He sees everything.

Biden doesn’t have the authority to cancel college debt with the stroke of a pen on an executive order. He’s not a king. He’s a President that must follow the Constitution and present this proposal to Congress, which he’s choosing to bypass. So far, they’re letting him, but we can only hope there are soon legal challenges to this obvious pay-for-votes bribery scheme. The Bible warns . . .

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Pr. 22:7

Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings does have authority to cancel our sin debt and just like I did in this article, the discussion about this unjust extortion by the Biden Administration opens the door for us to discuss the free salvation available through a relationship with Jesus.

We simply turn the conversation to sharing our testimony and the Gospel with those who haven’t yet asked Jesus to forgive their sin debt.

We present the living Word, Jesus Christ, to a dying world.

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom. 10:13

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August 28, 2022
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They Called Jesus and His Followers Names Too!

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In my last two blogs, I’ve talked about the goal of the left, especially the left-leaning media, to create words and redefine others and the latest assault is “Christian Nationalism.” Oh, and they usually put “white” in front of that slur so they can somehow tie it to “white supremacy.” I’ve also mentioned that the goal of Marxism is to destroy the family and the church to ultimately destroy and control the country.

They’re attacking the family through the LGBTQABC and transgender movement invading our schools. The DOJ calls parents domestic terrorists for wanting to stop their children’s indoctrination with racism and sex grooming. The left wants to eliminate parents from knowing what’s happening without their permission in the schools.

The church is also under siege. The left has tried to use the racism card but when that failed, they’ve come up with calling us names like labeling patriotic Christians who love God, family, and country as “Christian Nationalists” and then equating that term with the Taliban! Notice a theme here. You fall into this category by their definition if you maintain that America was founded on Judeo Christian principles and profess there’s nothing in the Constitution or Bill of Rights that says there should be a separation of church and state.

Do you see how they’re also subtly trying to silence teaching American history and sharing the Gospel with these outlandish claims?

Liberals who haven’t accepted that abortion is NOT a right given in the Constitution have now segued to the absurd accusation that the conservative majority in the Supreme Court that led to the overturn of Roe v Wade is a result of the “Christian nationalist movement!”

If you want to know what they mean by “Christian nationalism,” Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism conveys the following radical propaganda: “The term ‘Christian nationalism’ is not a word game . . . It is descriptive of an ideology as well as a political movement engaged in an organized quest for power.”

Absurd! Deceived! Demonic! Name-calling! Yes, Word Games!

They want to force us to denounce our flag and patriotic views! To be afraid to say what we all know is true that the further our country moves away from God, the closer we get to destruction. To put blinders onto the moral deprivation, lawlessness, and decay of our culture we can all see for ourselves as God was removed from our schools and our government. Silence us from saying our country was founded on Judeo Christian values for fear of being called a “Christian nationalist.”

It won’t work! They can’t intimidate us! We already have the power of the Holy Spirit living in us. We’ll keep singing songs like “Proud to be An American” by Lee Greenwood and “Same Power” by Jeremy Camp. I love both those songs!!

We’ll also sing God Bless America because God cares about our country just like He cared about giving the Israelites the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 26:15, Moses told the people to pray “Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

But Moses also warned them not to forget the Lord’s ways, “Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.” Deut. 8:1

Just like America has forgotten God, the Israelites failed. So, God told them what they needed to do. It’s the same thing our nation needs to do now as I wrote about in Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chr. 7:14

Calling us Racist Didn’t Work and This Latest Name-Calling Attack Won’t Either.

Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, addressed this issue in a recent sermon where he said he wasn’t a “Christian nationalist, but insisted the United States was founded as a ‘Christian nation’.” He pointed out that a perversion of the Constitution by progressives, atheists, and others has led to the creation of a secular nation now defined by a culture that is both tragic and decadent.

He pointed out that, “Today, over 10 million teenagers in the U.S. drink alcohol regularly; 20 percent engage in binge drinking; 2,800 children die each year as a result of gun violence; another 14,300 are injured. Nearly 1 million babies were murdered in the womb last year, and one in four women in the U.S. will have aborted at least one of their children by age 45. On and on and on it goes. Are these tragedies just a coincidence?” he asked.

“Now, just consider the warning that God gave to His own people Israel. In Hosea 4:6, He said, ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being My priest.’ Listen to this: ‘Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children,‘ Jeffress said.

“He’s given us so much. You can see His hand in the founding of our country. But in the final analysis, God is no respecter of people or nations. Any nation that reverences God will be blessed by God, and any nation, including the United States, that rejects God will be rejected by God,” he rightly emphasized.

“America was founded predominantly … by Christians who wanted to build this Christian nation on the foundation of God’s will,” he said. “And furthermore, these men believed that the future success of our country depended upon our fidelity to the Christian beliefs. And that’s why we can say, though it’s politically incorrect to do so, we say without hesitation or apology that America was founded as a Christian nation, and our future success depends upon our country being faithful to those eternal truths of God’s Word.”
Robert Jeffress rejects ‘Christian nationalist’ label | Church & Ministries News (christianpost.com)

I hope you, like me, agree with Pastor Jeffress and those beliefs alone can now get you labeled as a “Christian Nationalist,” a “threat to democracy.” I’ve been thinking of appropriate responses.

1. Like Dr. Jeffress, we reject this label’s definition and evil connotation, but adamantly and vocally stand by our Christian beliefs and patriotism.

2. We remember our first allegiance is to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, not a government, an official, a president, or people calling us names!

3. We ignore the slanderers and continue living our lives as honorable Bible-believing, born-again Christian American citizens.

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT

Their Goal is to Divide and Weaken the Church

And it’s working. There’s even a group called Christians Against Christian Nationalism that completely distorts and insinuates being a Christian who loves Jesus, the Bible, and country is somehow a power grab and evil?!

I see confusion and misunderstanding all over social media. It broke my heart to read a comment on Facebook that the writer who had been a Christian for many years was now afraid to refer to herself as a Christian because “Christians are giving Christianity a bad reputation.” This is exactly what the devil and the Marxists hope will happen. That Christianity will become so distorted and tainted that the core TRUTH of the Gospel and the Cross will fall under the weight of slander and misrepresentation . . . eventually silenced.

Here’s just one example of how this confusion is generated in the public arena.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who calls himself a Christian, accused his Republican colleague and sister in the faith Rep. Lauren Boebert of advocating for “the Christian Taliban, after she spoke in a church and said she is “tired of this separation of Church and state junk.”

Boebert, a born-again Christian, argued that the principle of separation of Church and state is not in the Constitution and was only in a letter that “means nothing like they say it does.” Boebert was likely referencing an 1802 letter from President Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Church Association in Connecticut stating that the First Amendment has “a wall of separation between Church and State.”

In context, Jefferson was referring to the fact that the government can’t establish a universal religion or interfere in the church. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution “prohibits the government from making any law respecting an establishment of religion” and “government actions that unduly favor one religion over another.” It also prohibits the government from “unduly preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion.”

The purpose was always to keep the government out of the church, like they unconstitutionally did in forcing churches to close during the pandemic, not to keep the church out of government. Say that truth today and you’re labeled Christian Taliban.

As opponents often use the term “Christian Taliban” or even “Christo Fascists” to demean conservative Christian policy stances, conservative radio host Larry O’Connor reminded Kinzinger that he, too, was once branded as “Christian Taliban” before he was elected to Congress in 2010.

“All of us at Breitbart helped you win in 2010 when the protesters in the streets were calling YOU Christian Taliban and Nazi. Remember all the posters of you and Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin with swastikas?” O’Connor noted. “You’ve become the very people we fought against to help you get elected.” Adam Kinzinger slams Boebert’s call for Church to direct gov’t | Politics News (christianpost.com)

Names the Government and Religious Leaders Called Jesus

The Pharisees were the religious government of the day and they even accused Jesus of doing miracles in the name of Satan. They labeled Him a blasphemer and demonic.

Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” 3But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”

32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed. 34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.” Matt. 9 1-3; 32-34

When He called them out for their hypocrisy, they tried to trap Him.

But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you’….

One of the experts of the law (Scribes who were mostly Pharisees) answered him, ‘Teacher, when you say these things you insult us also.’ Jesus replied, ‘And you experts of the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them’….When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say.” Luke 11:37-41, 45-46, 54

As followers of Christ, none of the attacks on Christianity should come as a surprise or discourage us. They only come after us because we represent a formidable and effective threat to tyrannical control of our country and attempts to destroy our culture. I heard a pastor (who BTW is black) say, and I agree, that his biggest sorrow is that his children and grandchildren are not enjoying the America he knew growing up. One that never would’ve allowed the degradation of morals and cultural demise we’re watching today, much of what I’ve written about in previous blogs.

Who could’ve imagined men would be allowed to participate in women’s sports, locker rooms, showers, and bathrooms; pronouns we learned in English now discarded with new ones made up every day; children encouraged to change to 101 different genders; the definition of marriage between a man and a woman discarded, and on and on.

We must not adapt to this immoral society. As Bible-believing Christians, we live unequivocally by God’s Word and set examples for the next generation to follow. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1

The world didn’t accept Jesus and His followers either, so let’s not be naïve and think everyone is going to accept Christ-followers. But the only acceptance we seek is that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We remember that this world is not our permanent home; we’re just passing through. But while we’re here, we seek to fulfill the purpose God has for each of us to be About His Work! We occupy and stay engaged until Christ returns for us.

“Grace lets us live as godly, loving Christians, even when politics fails!” Pastor Brian Smith

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:18-19

14 For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven. 15 With Jesus’ help we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of his name. 16 Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to him. Heb. 13:14-16 Living Bible

The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. Ps. 119:160 NLT

The last two blogs I referenced in the opening paragraph are:

We’re in a War of Words with the Devil

It’s Not Easy Being Me, But I’m So Glad God Chose Me to Be About His Work!

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August 8, 2022
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We’re In a War of Words with the Devil

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Have you noticed how many new words and terms suddenly and slyly invaded our cultural vocabulary? Most do not reflect conservative or Christian values and yet we find ourselves using them because the left has done a very good job of normalizing them.

I heard a statement recently that jarred my thinking: “Marxists makeup words and their own definition to create a narrative, then those words become mainstream!” Yes, mainstream even among Christians. Marxism attempts to brainwash the population into subconsciously accepting their terms and narrative.

George Orwell said, “The best way to control a society is to control its language first!”

Think about some of the words and narratives introduced into everyday conversation and given new meaning. Here are just a few:

Abortion, the killing of unborn babies in the womb, is redefined as “healthcare.”

Marxists’ goal is depopulation. Fewer babies born, less people to have to worry about converting and controlling. The Old Testament describes evil enemy invaders opening up the bellies of pregnant women to kill their babies. Today with modern science, they just kill the baby in the womb. The Marxists have convinced enough people that this is a good thing, that they’re rioting and protesting in the streets that unborn babies must be killed!

Anarchists are vandalizing and attacking pregnancy centers devoted to helping mothers carry and deliver their babies, even with Socialist members of Congress like Senator Liz Warren incredulously demanding that pro-life pregnancy centers should all be destroyed! Don’t let babies be born and their mothers cared for after birth, but only give women a choice to kill their babies! How barbaric and yet revealing of the progressive left’s agenda.

The Marxist narrative around abortion has led to terms like “Pro Choice,” which should actually be “Pro Murder” because the baby certainly has no choice to live. Pro Choice makes murder sound righteous. Marxists are anti-family and killing the next generation of babies certainly reduces the number of families and the population.

We counter Pro Choice with “Pro Life,” but we should actually say “Pro Babies” or “Pro Babies’ Life.” Or Pro-family! We need to clearly articulate what lives we’re talking about and why they must be saved from slaughter.

Black Lives Matter or BLM came into prominence during George Floyd’s death. A criminal and drug addict was suddenly immortalized with statues and because of the bad acts of several policemen, all police were demonized. BLM is a self-described Marxist organization that professes in their manifesto that they want to dismantle the traditional family and what better way to gain control than to eliminate law and order. Large corporations and private citizens blindly contributed to this Marxist organization. You were criticized if you said the reality that All Lives Matter or pointed out that BLM has done nothing for the black community!

How did a Marxist group get so much power in America? Brainwashed Americans gave it to them.

Defund the Police and reimagine the police became the motto of left liberals and radical activists. When did you ever think you would hear that being a battle cry? What happens when there are no police? Crime escalates while domestic terrorists like ANTIFA and BLM rule the streets in a Marxist takeover of society.

Woke wasn’t a real word until 2017 when it was actually added to the dictionary meaning a slang word for social justice, another Marxist term. Both concepts came from the BLM movement. Woke is now mainstream indicating politically left-leaning ideology.

Stay woke has become words of action. Woke activists call on others to stay woke. Wokeness has now invaded every area of our life, starting with the White House and throughout government, the media, corporations, and education.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Systemic Racism theorists erroneously argue that American social life, political structures, and economic systems are founded upon race, which (in their view) is a social construct. Systemic racism, in the eyes of critical race theorists, stems from the dominance of race in American life. https://criticalrace.org › what-is-critical-race-theory

In announcing a legal coalition, Conservative Chris Rufo rightly explained that “Critical race theory is a grave threat to the American way of life. It divides Americans by race and traffics in the pernicious concepts of race essentialism, racial stereotyping, and race-based segregation—all under a false pursuit of ‘social justice.‘” He continued: “Critical race theory training programs have become commonplace in academia, government, and corporate life, where they have sought to advance the ideology through cult-like indoctrination, intimidation, and harassment.” What is critical race theory? | Fox News

CRT or racism is also invading the military and being taught to our children in schools that some are the oppressed and others are the oppressors, determined by the color of your skin. What better way to take over a population than to divide them by race and have them attack each other.

What does God say? There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28

Transition is a new favorite word from the left. They never clearly articulate what we’re transitioning to but it’s clear by their actions that they’re attempting to transition America from a democratic Republic to tyrannical Marxism.

Then we come to the homosexual movement, which is not only being normalized, but also legalized and accepted. Sadly, many Christians are okay with that. Well God isn’t! You won’t find any of the following terms in the Bible, but He does give His thoughts on homosexuality.

Gay and Gay Marriage–never sanctioned or intended by God. We even let them hijack our blessed rainbow.

4 “Haven’t you read,” he [Jesus] replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? Matt. 19:4-5

Gay pride—God hates pride, especially when you’re proud of your sin.

Transgender, cisgender, binary and whatever else they come up with—God made two genders, male and female that’s it. Everything else is concocted by man’s confusion or evil desires.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Gen. 1:27 ESV

Drag Queen Crossdressers—there’s even a verse in the Bible against this demented practice, which is now also being used to groom young children.

A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this. Deut. 22:5

As if it wasn’t enough that this ungodly movement has been normalized in our society, they’re now invading our schools teaching sinful lifestyles to small children. We can’t teach the Bible in schools, but the left is eager to teach Satan’s sexual perversion to impressionable children.

Are you seeing a theme here? When my grandson was only nine-years-old, he said it was obvious that we were not supposed to be homosexuals because how would we repopulate the earth?! He knew that it takes a male and female to have babies, even though the crazy liberals would have you believe that men could get pregnant.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen. 1:27-28 ESV

The homosexual agenda and all its variants are designed by Satan to create confusion and normalize demonic practices and policies to destroy the American Family and the population.

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 1 Cor. 14:33

Notice the new plague Monkey Pox is transmitted through homosexual men having sex with each other, especially those with multiple partners. That’s exactly how AIDS was first transmitted. Do you think God is trying to get our attention that our society is blindly falling into Satan’s web?

What’s a Christian to Do and Say?

Another new term that stops many people from speaking the truth is cancel culture. If you mention any of the points I made above, you risk being canceled, maybe from social media (another new term) or from your liberal friends or family, but other times your job may actually be at risk if you refuse to accept the craziness or use the wrong pronouns.

I was alarmed that so few Christians and churches were celebrating the overturn of Roe v Wade! Were they afraid to actually admit that they were opposed to murdering babies? We should’ve heard an eruption of praise and joy that reached the heavenlies, yet I didn’t even see many professing this amazing act of God among my Christian friends on social media. Does Facebook and Twitter hold so much power that we don’t speak openly for fear of being canceled? If you follow me, you know I won’t succumb to that kind of tyranny. None of us should!

We have a choice as Christians. Do we tolerate this insanity, or do we refuse to be indoctrinated and dominated by satanic demonic ways of life? Do we go along to get along or do we boldly stand for truth and what we believe, even when it’s uncomfortable and yes even when it’s with family members. Their eternal life depends on it.

We all have different styles of communication and God will give us the words and the timing if we let Him.

I recently heard this interesting quote, “Nice is not a fruit of the Spirit!” If you were facing Satan face to face, you wouldn’t conform and be nice to him. You wouldn’t nicely give him an audience, so he could try to tempt you like he did Eve or intimidate you from speaking truth.

As Bible-believing followers of Christ, we aren’t mean or unkind, but we are unashamedly bold and brave! We don’t back down from speaking and standing up for God’s truth! If not us, then who?!

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Cor. 13:6

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.
16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. Ps. 34:15-16 NLT

Jesus was not nice to demons and did not tolerate sin or evil. He boldly spoke the truth and called the Pharisees just what they were, vipers.  

34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. Matt. 12:34-35

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Matt. 23:33

And Paul wrote in Romans 1:24-27 to those who wanted to live intentionally sinful lives.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

And for those who are championing the murder and sexualization of children, Jesus didn’t hold back.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matt. 18:6

God couldn’t be any more direct: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Is. 5:20

I’m writing a blog for Crosswalk “What Is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles.” When it posts, I’ll share it with you. But for now, pray about what God wants you to do in this rapidly changing social environment.

In summary, let’s stop using Satan’s words and ideologies and just call it what it is, evil. Another writer asked me once if they could reprint a blog I’d written about abortion murdering babies in the womb, but she asked if she could change the word murder because it might offend some. You can imagine my response was that the article needs to stay as written or don’t use it.

That’s exactly my point: Don’t be so afraid of offending others that you stop opposing evil!

So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. Acts 14:3

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July 25, 2022
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Our Forever Valentine: Jesus, Our First Love!

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Since my Monday Morning Blog is posting on Valentine’s Day, I thought it was only appropriate that we talk about love. Typically, we think about romantic love on this day, but there are so many different aspects to love.

Remember in grammar school sharing Valentine’s cards with classmates. You might’ve had a crush on one of them, but mostly you were trying to collect as many cards as you could that day. I’m not even sure kids still are allowed to share Valentines today but it’s a fun memory for many of us. It wasn’t about love, but more about friendship and camaraderie.

February is the month of valentines, but it’s also National Heart Health month, and a good time to reflect on your diet and exercise regime. At least, be sure if you’re eating chocolates today, it’s dark chocolate! At our house, we’re hoping the snow will start melting and there will be glimpses of spring and warmer weather.

When I think about true love, my mind always goes to Jesus. Yes, my husband and I make plans to do something special to celebrate our love on Valentine’s Day, but we both know that Jesus is our First Love. We wouldn’t have made it these twenty-nine years through the stresses and trials of a blended family and other devastating life issues if we hadn’t put Jesus at the center of our marriage, but most importantly, at the center of each of our lives. We don’t want to ever forget that Jesus Christ is our First Love!

In Revelations 2:2-4, Jesus admonishes the church in Ephesus that even though they were a dutiful church following all the religious rules and ceremonies, they had forgotten who they were serving and why they were even a church. They weren’t showing or exemplifying the love of Jesus.

 I [Jesus] know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Removing the lampstand meant they would stop being an effective church. And if we’re not careful, the same thing could happen to us in our personal lives too! When we forget the love of Jesus that burned in our heart when we first gave our life to Him, Jesus says . . . no matter how many Bible studies we attend, how perfect our attendance is at church, or how much we volunteer and tithe. . . none of it matters if we’re motivated by duty and not love.

A pastor once asked the children how we know Jesus is alive today. Their answer was He lives in each of our hearts. That’s true love!

So whether you’re single or married, I want to share three important points about what love has to do with our witness for Jesus, especially as we look at the tumultuous times we live in today.

Christians Need to Love Each Other

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17

Jesus was talking to his disciples here and we are Jesus’s disciples now. God chose us to bear fruit and we can’t have a message of love if we don’t love each other. We can’t have dissention in the church or among church members. Sadly, Satan has used the current political and pandemic unrest to pit brothers and sisters in Christ against each other. In the Bible, there are no Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, Liberals, Conservatives, vaxxers or anti-vaxxer, maskers or anti-maskers.

There is only One timeless Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb. 13:8

There is also only one kind of Christian: “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3

As born-again Bible-Believing Christians, we’re appointed to go out and bear testimony to the world together. We should unite as one front! Whatever allows us to share the Good News that Jesus saves, we’re for; whatever prohibits that freedom or tries to silence us, we’re against.

Whatever upholds the teachings of the Bible, we’re for; whatever prohibits or alters those teachings, we’re against.

We stand together for the sanctity of human life, marriage between a man and a woman, God creating us as men and women, and we’re not afraid to lovingly bear that fruit for Jesus.

Anything separating us on those issues isn’t from God!

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22

Christ Loves Us with a Never-Ending Love

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38-39

Sadly, we see divided churches, families, friends . . . all proclaiming to be Christians yet separated by issues where there should be unity, and Satan wins because our witness is compromised. That’s a shame! There is a lost world that really needs to see the love of Christ displayed through a body of Christ that shows the love of Christ and agrees on what it means to be a Christian. But we know today that’s not the case. The good news is that nothing we do can ever separate us from the love of God for those who have truly accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I had a man on Facebook tell me once that he had been a Christian for 50 years, read the Bible numerous times, been to church, talked to pastors, attended Bible study groups, but now has decided Christianity is a farce, doesn’t work for him anymore, and told me I needed to know that Jesus is not returning. Two things came to mind: (a) You can leave Jesus, but He will never leave you. (b) You can be a Christian in name only, but never have experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ, your First Love, which I wrote about in last week’s blog, A Society Crumbles That Doesn’t Recognize Sin. His words were so harsh I fear he was in the latter group.

I remember singing a song as a little girl, maybe you remember it too: “I have the love of Jesus love of Jesus down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart to stay.”

How Much Love Do You Have to Give?

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-18 The Message

Do You Love Jesus Enough to Share Him with Others Or Are You Keeping All the Love To Yourself?

Another woman on Facebook wrote this:

FB woman: There are many other religions who do not make Jesus/Satan part of their belief system. All destined to damnation? It’s a big world out there and much of it overcomes the negative.

Me: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

FB woman: Written by John a century later, an evangelist trying to convert the world to his new religion. PBS and History Channel do wonderful educational shows on the origins of the Bible. Check them out. I have read the Bible extensively Janet, I just haven’t drawn the same dark conclusions. And the shows I mentioned are created by scientists and historians with no agenda but discovery. I wouldn’t want to rest my eternity on what someone else says.

This woman was very confused, but I was able to talk with her a little and point out that John was actually with Jesus during His ministry, not a century later, and she was resting her eternity on what scientists and television said rather than letting God speak to her through the Bible. Maybe I made some headway. My heart breaks for those misled by the liberal progressive godless agenda with their many “belief systems,” and for Christians who have forgotten their First Love.

Love says we will take the time to share the truth, wherever and whenever we have the opportunity.

I often have to remind myself that Jesus died for the liberal mainstream media and the godless radical progressives. It’s my job to let them know the gospel in a loving way. It’s up to them to make the choice. I don’t try to convince them, because you can’t reason with someone blinded by evil.

If they’re not following God, they’re following Satan. Those are the only two roads; there is no middle path. But now they’re accountable for knowing there is another way and maybe someone else will share a little more love down the road. Who knows, they just might decide that heavy load of anger, bitterness, revenge, meanness, bullying, lies . . . whatever has turned their heart so hard . . . just isn’t worth carrying around anymore.

No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
    but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

4 Show me the right path, O Lord;
    point out the road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:3-5 NLT

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Cor. 13:4-5

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You might also enjoy another blog How to Have a Date with Jesus!

February 14, 2022
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6 Ways to be ‘Slow to Anger’ in Today’s Crazy World

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My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19

Our nation seems to be teetering on the brink of its own destruction. The news is full of smash and grab theft, car jackings, senseless killings, criminals allowed back on the streets, illegal aliens bused and flown into our communities, government tyrannical mandates and lockdowns, an ongoing politicized pandemic, boys allowed in women’s sports, nonsensical defund the police campaigns, and now even an after-school “Satan club” in Illinois just to name a few of the atrocities and assaults on our peace. Daily we’re bombarded with contesting angry voices deluging the airways, media, public, and even private discourse.

You might feel your anger swelling up just reading the opening paragraph!

Undoubtedly, we’ve all experienced anger in our personal lives too! Someone says or does something we don’t appreciate. The car won’t start. Our child throws a ball through the neighbor’s window. A prodigal makes bad choices. Spouses get into a tiff. Our candidate loses.

Often, anger turns inward at ourselves. Maybe we didn’t get the job promotion. We failed the test, made a bad decision, or didn’t perform up to our own expectations . . . .

Anger bubbles up when we feel out of control. Occurrences like a pandemic that we can’t change make us anxious and mad.

Sometimes, we’re even angry with God. Perhaps for the loss of a loved one, a troubled marriage, a devastating health diagnosis, infertility, or God not answering our prayers the way we want.

Anger can range from annoyance and strong displeasure, to actual hostility that could lead to violence and bodily harm. Some people become so upset that it results in physical symptoms or panic attacks. Their face might turn red, neck vessels bulge, clenching of fits, pounding heart, sweating, muscle tension, blood pressure rises, ulcers, and even tremors or twitches.

Frequent uncontrolled anger can damage your health. Anxiety weighs down the heart. Proverbs 12:25

Many horrific acts occur and hateful words hurl in a moment of anger. You can’t retrieve actions or words. Uncontrolled raging anger makes us, and everyone around us, miserable. Repressed anger eats away at us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Anger is a legitimate emotion felt in the moment that requires quick resolution, which is why James warns us to be “slow to anger.”

What Does Being ‘Slow to Anger’ Mean Biblically?

Anger can be a root and result of conflict; and left to fester, it opens the door for potential sin. Anger isn’t necessarily a sin, but how we handle it can lead to sin: “in your anger do not sin” (Eph. 4:26).

The world is watching Christians to see how we react to unfavorable situations. Do we have the peace that passes all understanding that helps us express our emotions in a Christ-like way or do we react the world’s ways.

Are we able to show restraint and respond with the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, or do we explode with a temper tantrum during adversity?

The Greek word for self-control is sophron meaning, “to be of a sound mind, sane, curbing one’s desires and impulses, temperate.” Our witness to our family, friends, community, and most importantly unbelievers that God is in control can be tarnished with one fit of rage.

The Context of James 1:19

James addresses his letter in 1:1-2 “To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds.”

Commentators believe he was writing to fellow Jewish Christians from the early Jerusalem church, who were scattered to other areas after the death of Stephen (Acts 8:1) and were encountering hardships as they relocated and sought safety.

James’ theme relates to practical ways to maintain and display faith as a Christian while experiencing trials, temptations, and persecution. He gives us tools and reasons for keeping the lid on anger that could so easily arise: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” (James 1:19-20)

Why Did God Give Us Anger?

Notice that James isn’t telling us never to be angry, but to be slow to anger. Anger shouldn’t be an instant go-to response.

James specifies that “human” anger isn’t a righteous retort for Christians. In the Greek, and in some translations, it says, “a man’s anger.” Human anger usually has a self-centered motivation of how something affects us personally. It’s often accompanied with hurtful, even vicious words and can resort to inflicting harm.

Conversely, we might be righteously angry that someone we love turns their back on a relationship with Jesus because we know they will be lost for eternity. Or they choose a sinful lifestyle that will only bring them pain. But our anger should spur us on to persistently pray for their salvation and change of heart not berate them.

Mark 3:5 shows Jesus’ anger and grief because the Pharisees did not believe he was the Messiah. He was concerned over their lack of faith and their example to others. “He looked around at them [the Pharisees] in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts . . .”

When Jesus cleared the temple of the moneychangers and animal sellers (Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:14-17), His anger stemmed from the lack of respect for God and His Holy temple. He also reprimanded sinful behavior from those who were taking advantage and gouging people who had come to Passover and needed an animal to sacrifice. And it was taking place on God’s holy ground!

He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” Matthew 21:13 (NLT)

Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.” John 2:17 NLT

Jesus became angry for the right reasons but was never malicious, hurtful, or hateful.

We can and should have righteous anger over evil like abortion, child trafficking, and injustice, but just being angry serves no purpose other than a display of emotion. We can let our anger lead us to asking God what He wants us to do to stop evil. Then obey and do it.

Scriptures to Help Manage Anger

God knew that in our humanness, we would experience anger and so He gave us a number of ways to restrain from acting inappropriately. Here are just a few Scriptures addressing managing anger.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. Psalm 37:8

People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. Proverbs 14:29 NLT

A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. Proverbs 15:18

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. Proverbs 22:24-25

Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. Proverbs 29:11

An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins. Proverbs 29:22

Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool. Ecclesiastes 7:9 NLT

As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger! Proverbs 25:23 NLT

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT

The Benefits of Being Slow to Anger

Unbridled anger unleashes an offensive attitude that often expresses itself in a barrage of vile words and/or aggressive behavior. While there may be a quick release of angry emotion, others may become victims of the residual fallout.

If we internalize and bury anger without dealing with the root cause, bitterness festers and our heart hardens.

Learning how to follow the smart advice of James to listen carefully before speaking and respond slowly while controlling our emotions could be the answer to many of our physical, social, and relational concerns.

6 Ways Christians Can Respond to Anger Today

1. Turn off Mainstream Media

Did you know the media outlets design the news to raise your blood pressure, anxiety level, and anger meter? The media wants you to engage angrily with the person or situation their reporting on—they want you mad. Occasionally, they’ll throw in a feel-good story, but usually it’s a series of “breaking news” that’s not substantiated or factual . . . just hearsay, opinions, or “maybes” . . . and you walk away worried . . . angry. Maybe even yelling at the screen!

The media purposely creates headlines to generate a negative response and the more salacious the title, the more people read the article. Even as Christians, we’re being conditioned right along with everyone else.

Dave and I like watching NEWSMAX and Flashpoint because they present current events from the perspective of how we as Christians should respond.

Keep current but not conflicted.

2. Refrain from Heated Discussions

We’re all guilty of saying to someone, “You make me so angry!” Maybe that person does typically irritate us, but it’s our choice whether or not we give into our anger.

If you find yourself raising your voice, change the subject. If you can’t debate without being disagreeable, don’t forge on trying to win the argument. It’s not worth it.

3. Don’t Engage on Social Media Over “Hot topics.

People feel free to express their anger on social media with words they probably would never use in person. I’ve experienced angry, vulgar, mean, vicious lashing out comments on my blogs, Facebook, and Twitter posts. It’s alarming that people live with such angry, bitter thoughts in their minds and hearts and use hurtful, X-rated words in their daily lives.

Ignore them. Engaging online with someone you may not even know isn’t a good use of time or energy. Avoid following people whose posts and comments tend to annoy you.

4. When Possible Take Positive Action

We may think that we can’t make a difference or change circumstances that upset us, but often we can. When you’re doing something about a situation and you feel a sense of hope and purpose . . . your anger subsides.

5. Recognize Your Angry Signs

Next time you’re starting to feel angry, notice your trigger body and mind reactions. Acknowledge that you’re getting angry. Stop, take a deep breath, and if possible step away from the source of anger. If you’re in the midst of a heated discussion, let the other person know you’re not walking away in a huff; you just need to take a break.

6. Release Your Anger to God

Pray and ask God what you should do regarding the source of anger. Defuse and release your anger to God. You’ll feel a sense of peace.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Let’s Pray

Father, I know I grieve You when I respond harshly in anger. It seems I do this most often with those close to me where I feel comfortable letting my emotions show unchecked. I need Your help to make me aware of the trigger signs that my anger is rising to a level where I’m going to verbally attack someone instead of taking the time to consider what I’m about to say and how it will be received.

I want to be a good example of Christian love to my family and those in my sphere of influence. I know that angry words and a mean demeanor is not the Christian image that I want to portray. I can’t speak of the love of Jesus and later act unkindly towards someone.

Please help me develop patience and learn how to channel my emotions in directions that are pleasing to You. When presented with ways I can rectify injustice or evil so prevalent in our world today, give me the courage and boldness to take actions that are helpful but not hurtful.

Lord please remove any unrighteous thoughts from me and use me to Your glory. In Jesus name I pray, Amen

We live in a fallen world. This isn’t Paradise yet. So there will always be something or someone in the world that could be a source of our anger. But remember: Jesus didn’t display “man’s anger” but the righteous indignation of God! Let us go and do likewise.

Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime. Psalm 30:4-5

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January 17, 2022
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