Home Archives for facebook

They Called Jesus and His Followers Names Too!

6

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!

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

August 8, 2022
Return to top of page

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

5

If you follow me regularly, you know I blog every Monday Morning, unless I announce I’m taking some time off. If you’ve signed up to have the blog come into your email, it’s there waiting for you when you turn on your computer, IPad, or phone on Monday mornings. But not last Monday!

I did everything as usual to post the blog, but it didn’t transfer from WordPress to Mail Chimp, which sends it out to my email list?! We put out an SOS to my sweet angel web designer, who has since retired from designing but graciously comes to our rescue when we encounter a problem we can’t troubleshoot. But Holly had COVID and was in that stage where you can’t think clearly and have no energy, but she said she would try to help us when she felt better.

Let me back up to the wee hours of the morning that the blog was supposed to post to email. I always program the blog to post on WordPress at 3:30 AM, and then it goes to Mail Chimp at 4:00 AM and out to all who receive it by email. At exactly 3:30 AM, I awoke from a sound sleep and immediately felt a sense of oppression and anxiety. I knew it was coming from Satan, but I couldn’t pray away the heaviness. I also knew, and almost expected, retaliation from Satan because the title of the blog was We’re in a War of Words with the Devil and I hit him hard!

My apprehension was confirmed when I saw that the blog didn’t go out to email and there was nothing my husband or I could do about it. I want to clarify I wasn’t canceled because it posted to my website, Facebook, and Twitter. No, this was something else. A sinister force trying to show me he thought he was in charge . . . Satan.

Even though I know Jesus who lives in me is greater than he that is in the world, I couldn’t shake the oppression all day Monday that I had felt during those early morning hours. 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John 4:4 NLT

I was confident that I would eventually be victorious, yet still I began to question if it was time to stop blogging? Was anyone being helped by my words? Was I just preaching to the choir who already knows everything I’m writing about? Are any lives being changed by me spending my weekends researching and writing blogs? And on it went!

I know you’ve been where I was. Maybe you’re there now. Perhaps you thought I’ve never had those moments of doubt or despair, but I do just like you. I’ve learned that I just need to address them head on with something you’ve heard me write and speak about many times, the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18. I prayerfully put on my spiritual armor every morning, and I’ve often commented I would probably be dead by now if I didn’t! I take it that seriously. Our pastor just finished a series on the armor of God, and he discussed a separate piece of armor each Sunday. I appreciated that he gave it the same significance in our Christian life as Dave and I do.

So suited up in my Spiritual Armor, I did just what the Scripture says, I took a stand against the enemy, prayed, and did everything I could to network the blog on social media. People were finding it, reading, and commenting on the blog at my website.

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Eph. 6:10-12, 18 NLT

I knew I had hit the enemy’s vulnerable weak spot with my David-like stone, a blog, and I wouldn’t be shaken. I had actually written in the blog that I wouldn’t succumb to the cancel culture tyranny, and I certainly wasn’t going to let Satan sideline me.

On Friday, Holly started feeling better and within 10 minutes had the blog emailed out to all of you who receive it by email. Holly discovered that a “pause” had been placed on the blog in Mail Chimp?! Neither Dave or I had even been in Mail Chimp! When I asked Holly how that could’ve happened, her response was “I have no idea, but I suspect it’s the enemy!” Meaning you know who, the devil.

Yes, the devil is real. I try to never ever forget that but sometimes I guess the Lord thinks I need a reminder.

I’ve had so many encouraging comments and emails about the sidetracked blog. Many came from strong Christians like Kathy telling me how she needed the reminder of how the culture is trying to change the meaning of words through intimidation. Kathy wrote, “We absolutely agree with your assessment and perspective. A year ago, I knew nothing about all of this. I’m sure there are still many who are uninformed like I was, and you are helping to enlighten.” The Lord used Kathy’s comment in particular to remind me that as He opens my eyes, I’m opening the eyes of fellow believers, as well as those who might be seeking, uninformed, or confused.

Even as I was struggling to get the blog out that unveiled the satanic Marxist manipulation of our language, the Biden administration was trying to do another word churn to redefine recession to cover up their sheer incompetence. As if they could gaslight all of us who are living through this inflation/recession nightmare!

An article reviewing this “word churning” referenced a Washington Post columnist Megan McCardle. Considering the Washington Post is left leaning, she hit the target! “The Biden administration has spent a lot of energy trying to manage perceptions of the economy,” the columnist observed. As an example, she reminded readers, “Remember when inflation was going to be ‘temporary?'”

 “You can’t message people out of thinking their economic circumstances have gotten worse — or out of worrying that this portends ill for the future.” She concluded, “So all the spin efforts are likely to come to naught.” The columnist added “it’s emblematic of a dangerous tendency on the left to believe they can control reality by controlling the words we use to describe it.” She then elaborated on “the left’s full-time obsession” with semantics. “It is the left that has put us on a never-ending euphemism treadmill, transforming ‘illegal alien’ into ‘illegal immigrant’ and therefrom to ‘undocumented worker’ and so on,” McArdle cited as one example.

McArdle wrapped up the column by offering this advice to Democrats, “Sure, you can’t really blame the Biden administration for trying to put a positive spin on things. But the rest of us — and Democrats especially — would be better off if the left spent less time looking for better phrasing and more time finding solutions.” Recession ‘word churn’ from Democrats is not working, warns Washington Post columnist | Fox News

Ya think?! They can’t fool us who are living through the mayhem and crises created by this administration.

The Christian Life is A Wild Adventure Today!

While I said in the title of this blog that it’s hard being me, and sometimes it is, I’m so glad to be a servant for Christ devoting my life to ministry and wherever the Lord leads for the time He’s given me here on earth.

I, like many of you, feel the Lord is using the current worldly turmoil to sift out who will succumb and submit to the enemy’s tactics and who will stand against the attack on the church and Christians. We each have a God-given purpose and God has a plan for our life. It’s not to cower in fear and trepidation, but to stand firm with courage and boldness sharing the saving Gospel and exemplifying a life lived intentionally for Christ.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Rom. 8:28 NLT

We need to encourage each other. What we’re experiencing is nothing new. The early church was always vacillating between revival or riots, and nothing has changed. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and always, yet Satan has not yet lost his power and he’s trying to use it with a heavy hand against any blinded by his darkness or not firm in their faith. Until his final demise, he’s not going down without a fight.

But as believers, Jesus told us, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Matt. 5:14 NLT

We bring light to the darkness if we’re willing to be aware and awake (not woke) with a fire burning intensely for God in our spirit. The crises we’ve been in from the pandemic to the current financial catastrophe, the border invasion, and political lunacy has allowed us to see who will stand and do what God calls them to do. Who will not fear man or the enemy? It’s true, that when you stand up for Christ, you’ll probably pay a price, but it seems a minor consequence when you’re doing it for the Lord.

I want to give a shoutout to Christian soccer player Jaelene Daniels who sat out her game because she chose not to wear a “gay pride” jersey. She also turned down an offer to play on the US national team in 2017 because again she refused to wear a pride jersey. This time her team Courage was actually sponsoring a “Pride Festival” before kickoff. Daniels said, “I remain committed to my faith and my desire for people to know that my love for them isn’t based on their belief system or sexuality,” she wrote. ” I pray and firmly believe that my teammates know how much I cherish them, respect them, and love them.”  NWSL player Jaelene Daniels sits out over refusal to wear pride jersey | Fox News [Jaelene is featured in the opening picture]

I love this quote from Eric Metaxas who cautioned that some have been living in a Christian bubble, but “The Lord in his mercy shoves us out to uncomfortable places where you believe, but now you have to live your faith.” Christ puts us in a place where we have to exhibit the kind of faith that shows we really do trust the Lord. Just like Daniels and me, we’re all being shoved into that place right now. Every believer is being tested in a world that’s going against everything we believe. Will we succumb to pressure to conform, or will we stay strong with the Lord’s courage?

 I was shoved into that uncomfortable place twenty-seven years ago when I clearly heard the Lord tell me to “feed my sheep.” I soon learned the call initially meant starting the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, which continues to bless women in churches around the world. Then it was feeding his sheep through my About His Work Ministries writing books and speaking, and today I feel my call is a willingness to discuss the hard issues (even sadly many pastors avoid) to prepare and ready the church for eternity. Yes, ready!

That we would not to be found cowering in fear and compromised faith, but boldly proclaiming my Savior lives and I can face tomorrow because He lives within my heart!

Revelation 21:7-8 NLT is clear that in eternity we won’t be accountable to the media, the trolls, politicians, or those groups that oppose us, we will only be accountable to Jesus. Let’s live our lives today like we believe this to be true!
7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. 8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

We will put into practice Romans 12:21 NLT, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We will pray to God, Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil. Ps. 119:133 NLT

We will remember that, Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. 6 Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. 7 They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. Ps. 112:5-7 NLT

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Tim. 1:7 NLT

God honors those who honor Him! Let none of us be found lacking when the trumpet calls.

10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,

“It has come at last—
    salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Christ.[a]
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters[b]
    has been thrown down to earth—
the one who accuses them
    before our God day and night.
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
    and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
    that they were afraid to die.
12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!
    And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!
But terror will come on the earth and the sea,
    for the devil has come down to you in great anger,
    knowing that he has little time.” Rev. 12:10-12 NLT

6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Phil. 1:6

PS If you haven’t read last week’s blog that set Satan on the warpath, here it is. We’re in a War of Words with the Devil.

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

August 1, 2022
Return to top of page

We’re In a War of Words with the Devil

14

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

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

July 25, 2022
Return to top of page

Our Forever Valentine: Jesus, Our First Love!

4

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

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

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

February 14, 2022
Return to top of page

6 Ways to be ‘Slow to Anger’ in Today’s Crazy World

6

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

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

January 17, 2022
Return to top of page

We’re Focusing Too Much On Vaccines & Masks and Not Enough on Jesus & Prayer!

8

Have you noticed that in the last week the public conversation and news cycle has turned from racism to vaccination? Rising crime to mask mandates. Even though Covid cases/deaths are decreasing, government control is increasing!

It’s hard to participate in a conversation, even among Christians, without the topic turning to those who believe in the vaccines and those who oppose them. Those already wearing masks again versus those who refuse to ever wear one again.

People justifiably have strong opinions and often want to impose them on others. Disagreements divide when we can’t agree to disagree. Is it really worth it?

The purpose of this blog is not to take one side or the other. I have my personal opinion and distrust much of the information we’re hearing. One side presents the opinion of their “experts” as factual and “scientific” while the other side has “experts” with directly opposing opinions.

When the so-called experts can’t agree, we know that either there’s no definitive answer or it’s all just being politicized. We’re being played. Regardless, we need to let God, the real expert, guide our decisions.

I’ve started wondering lately why Christians aren’t as vocal about the biblical truths of Jesus, who we trust and believe, as we are about what we hear from strangers in the news, on a podcast, or opinions on social media and websites? People are trying so hard to convince others how to save themselves from Covid when it’s obvious no one really knows for sure.

What you and I do know for sure is the saving power of Jesus Christ. Yet, I dare say there are more Christians talking about Covid, vaccinations, and masks today than are talking about how Jesus saved their life!

In an interview with Jon Voight, Tucker Carlson expected to talk about Voight’s political views, but Jon skillfully turned the conversation to sharing his testimony about how everything changed in his life when he realized that God was real!

You can view the interview here, and I hope you will. We can do the same thing. Turn political or controversial conversations into spiritual opportunities.

As Christians, we know that Jesus is in complete control. He tells us in Scripture not to live in fear but to be alert for the early signs of His return and to be ready.

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 21:9-12 NLT

Jesus forewarned there would be plagues so Covid is no surprise to Him. But notice there will also be “great miraculous signs from heaven.” We see those miraculous signs all around us and we need to keep our focus on God and not the government.

My opening article in the AHW Ministry July newsletter is “Are You Aware of When Satan is Hijacking Your Thoughts?” I hope you’ll take a moment to read it. I talk in that article about how I almost missed attending Sean Feucht’s Let Us Worship revival in Boise. I’m so glad I didn’t let Satan hijack me because I did see miracles happening at that revival. People were being freed from addictions, suicide, hang-ups, and hurts, and surrendering their life to the Savior, Jesus Christ. It was a small glimpse of heaven as a large crowd freely worshipped together.

Sean didn’t shy away from talking about the persecutions his ministry has encountered. He like many pastors persevered, even some going to the Supreme Court, for the right to minister and worship during the imposed lockdowns on churches. He told his story with humor and joy that nothing was going to stop him from continuing to go into the hardest places like Portland, Seattle, New York, Chicago, LA, DC and over 50 cities with more to come sharing the gospel and leading people to Jesus!

Sean lives in California and had an unsuccessful run for Congress wanting to make a political difference, but it’s evident that God wants him in the streets and parks of America making a spiritual difference because people need the Lord. Many came to the revival with darkness in their souls and left with the light of Jesus in their hearts.

I’m not saying that we don’t take precautions to avoid getting sick and staying healthy, but I am saying spiritual sickness is more threatening in our world than any plague and we know the remedy.

Our churches need to be hospitals for the sick at heart, mind, and soul and we need to be more worried about convincing those who don’t know Jesus to come into a relationship with Him than spending our time trying to outguess or outsmart what the latest cure/prevention/protection is for Covid. Or letting Covid divide us as believers with differing opinions. We need to stay united in the only thing that actually matters for eternity: salvation of souls.

Mario Murillo put it like this in his article Tearing Away the Evil with Increasing Power:
“Every Christian and every church should be studying the authority over evil that we have in Christ. It should be blazingly clear by now that we are going to get exactly nowhere in this depraved, addicted and demonized society, without supernatural power and authority over Satan.”

I’m frustrated just like you at the way Satan seems to be succeeding in our government and it’s easy to think there’s nothing we can do about it. In fact, I was asked this question recently on a Facebook post: “Given where we are now, what is the best action for a person to take for the future?”

My answer: Such a good question. We vote the socialists, Marxists, Communists out of office for starters. We don’t live in fear and we pray for God’s wisdom and discernment about how He wants us to live out our faith in Him and NOT the government no matter who is in power.

We pray for revival. Only Jesus is going to save us, not a mask, a vaccine or a government and certainly not the very confused CDC. God’s up to something so how can we work with Him to save as many people as possible for eternity?!

Reply: Thanks. Good positive focus.

I believe we need to keep our focus positive, hopeful, and faith-filled! I always say: follow God’s leading and calling as to where He wants you to go, what He wants you to do, and what He wants you to say. Then go, do, and say it!

This morning while reading my devotional, The One Year Salt and Light Devotional by Chris Tiegreen, and praying about what to write this week, I was reminded that Jesus is our only hope out of the distressing times we live in now. They may even get worse, but Jesus only gets sweeter. Here’s what Chris said for July 30:

“We are called to learn the language of heaven and speak it into people’s hearts. That means replacing all complaining, gossip, frustration, and attention to problems with encouragement, affirmation, blessing, and attention to solutions. Instead of crying out for help, which always begins with a problem, we praise the majesty of God, which always begins with the answer. As holders of the truths of God’s Kingdom, we have an amazing opportunity to shape our environment with them—if we are intentional about putting a Kingdom angle on everything we see.” [I would add, on everything we say!]

I don’t know about you but I’m tired of the conversation being about vaccinations and masks. Let’s starting talking about Jesus! That’s where I want my focus to be; I hope you agree!

14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 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. 1 Peter 3:14-15 NLT

Here’s my latest Crosswalk article: 6 Reasons You Should Participate in a Prayer Group.

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

August 2, 2021
Return to top of page

We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore!

0

Last week, Facebook limited access to my blog The Battle Belongs to the Lord. I don’t know why. It’s never happened before but in spite of their efforts to subvert this article many of you shared it. Thank you. If you didn’t read it, you can now and, yes, please share.

Because of the censoring on traditional social media sites, many of us aren’t gonna take it anymore. We’ve established profiles on Parler (similar to Twitter) and MeWe (similar to Facebook), which are both free and don’t censor or fact check (with liberal bias) your posts. You have freedom of speech and no advertisements that I’ve seen so far and you can choose who follows you and who you follow.

You can connect with me on MeWe, which is free and user friendly to start your own account. Find me at mewe.com/i/janetthompson29.

You can connect with me on Parler with my name Janet Thompson. Here is a short interview with the CEO John Matex. Dan Bongino is also a co-owner. John and Dan saw an influx of new participants right after the election.

I originally joined Parler Free Speech Social Network in July when I saw many conservative communicators and pastors were moving there because Facebook and Twitter were censoring content or freezing their accounts. I didn’t do much with it then, but as I’ve watched “Big Tech” interfere with the election and our President censored on Twitter, I’ve joined the migration to posting on Parler.

I read that one million Facebook users switched to Parler in one day!

For now, I’m still on Facebook with my personal and author pages to stay connected with all my friends and will continue my presence on Twitter.

My husband and I also switched from primarily watching FOX News, which has sadly taken a definite liberal turn, to now enjoying conservative NEWSMAX (216 on DISH). On the “Stinchfield” program, he mentioned they’ve had 2 million downloads on the NEWSMAX App in two weeks!

I realize you’re not all fans of social media, but as we watch the signs of socialism, Marxism, and government control invade our personal lives, I feel we need to find safe ways to stay in communication with each other.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito sent all Americans a warning last week, as he intervened in the voter fraud taking place in Pennsylvania. But he also sent another dyer warning that confirms what I’ve been saying since the closing of churches over Covid, Alito: Religious Liberty is in Danger of Becoming A Second-Class Right.

When I shared Alito’s loss of religious liberty article from Franklin Graham’s Facebook page, three disclaimers popped up from Facebook!!

Why Am I Making These Changes?

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Pr. 16:18 NLT

There’s a reason for the term “Big Tech.” What started out as a friendly free way for friends and family to communicate and stay in contact, morphed into a lucrative financial empire affording the opportunity of the wealthy liberal progressive Silicon Valley owners to exert political influence. They’re using their power to control what their users see and think.

Sounds an awful lot like mind control propaganda!

Big Tech took our contact information and sold it to businesses who know what we Google and even browse for on Amazon. Have you noticed ads suddenly appearing on your Facebook feed when you research an item? Yep, they’re all connected.

While Big Tech censors your free speech, they’re pouring money into the left to control the political agenda in their favor. This was never more obvious than in the recent election where they favored the Democrats and Biden while locking down accounts of Republicans, conservatives, and even the President.

In the media, a loyal conservative audience grew FOX News to top billing over mainstream media. Then with just a few exceptions like Tucker Carlson, Hannity, Mark Levin, Judge Jeanine, Jessie Waters, and Steve Hilton, there was a liberal shift never more evident than on election night.

FOX has begun to sound almost like CNN! It’s obvious. Liberals have apparently invaded their boardrooms and many of us have turned to other channels for our conservative news.

And FOX is feeling the burn.

Can you see the pattern emerging in all these situations? Pride and power. They’ve forgotten who their audience is that made them successful and erroneously think that we’ll tolerate censoring, attempted brainwashing, and information control. And it’s true, for many years, we’ve looked the other way because there weren’t alternatives. Now they have competition.

So again, we’re not gonna take it anymore!

These organizations don’t seem to appreciate or understand that conservatives have convictions, beliefs, values, and ideals! We’re not going to follow them like sheep down the progressive path to destruction.

We have a choice of where we get and give our information. I believe it’s extremely important that we stay informed. I know you might want to pull the covers over your head and make the world stop, but until the rapture, which could be very close, we need to stay engaged.

Communist countries control all information sites and only want their people hearing government approved propaganda. America is sadly teetering on the brink of losing our First Amendment rights that differentiate us from those countries.

It’s obvious that people were persuaded to vote for Biden by listening exclusively to mainstream liberal media when many now seem shocked that he might enforce another lockdown or mask mandate. Where were they when he said exactly that during an interview?! President Trump said many times that was Biden’s plan.

And will they be shocked when he curtails fracking? Raises taxes? Opens borders? Implements the “New Green Deal”? Allows millions of babies to be murdered?

It’s our job as responsible citizens to do our homework before we vote and to understand the consequences of the platform we’re endorsing.

It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. 1 Peter 2:15-16 NLT

One Platform Never Changes

Regardless of who becomes our 46th President, God is still our only Lord and Savior. He created the Earth, He created you and me, and He has given us a timeless Word that sadly many are trying to corrupt and change to be politically and socially correct. But those who add a word to God’s Word will be held accountable.

18 And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. Revelations 22:18-21

In a recent Bible study group, a member summarized a point I’ve made repeatedly in my articles. As Bible-believing Christians, we Pray, Read our Bibles,* and Obey whatever God calls us to do.

I can’t remember who said this, but it’s so applicable: “God holds us responsible for what is happening in heaven!”

We aren’t just God’s robots nor are we to defer to our circumstances. We’re saved to make a difference for God in the world. It’s not all about us and how we’re affected personally, but how we can personally affect the world for Christ!

We get our marching orders through communing with God in prayer, studying His words written directly to us in our Bibles, and then asking, “Lord what do you want me to do?”

Brave and bold we follow through and obey.                                                                 

That shouldn’t sound too esoteric or beyond reach. It’s the heart of the Christian life.

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.” Isaiah 6:8 NLT

For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:13

*A New Bible I Recommend

I’ve always loved the NIV Study Bible for conducting research and context so I was thrilled when Zondervan updated to the NIV Study Bible Fully Revised Edition. As a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid, I received a free copy to review and I was not disappointed.

This Bible is stunningly gorgeous in full color! To facilitate the study of the Scripture passages, the notes have a brown “trowel” icon to point out archaeology information to passages, a green “seedling leaf” calling attention to practical principles for personal application, and a “profile” symbol in front of Scripture references providing descriptions and/or characterization of a person or a people group.

It’s sad for me to retire my old study Bible, but this new one now sits on my desk for easy reference and reading. If you’re looking for a user-friendly study Bible, I highly recommend this one. It is packed with so much information that it’s a little heavy so might not be one you carry with you to church but is an ideal addition to your library for readily available study and deeper research. There is also a personal size available.

The NIV Study Bible Fully Revised is available on Amazon.

Do you spend as much time in God’s Word as you do in Satan’s world? Just a thought.

You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. Psalm 119:114 NLT

As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Ps. 119:143 NLT

My Prayer for You

16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom[a] and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.[b]

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Eph. 1:16-20 NLT

November 16, 2020
Return to top of page

Have We Willingly Forfeited Our Privacy and Freedom to Big Tech?

0

I remember well attending a writer’s conference with a friend in the mid-nineties and the speaker said he would periodically check his email to take a break from writing.

I naively asked my friend, “Why does anyone need email? Who has time to sit and read it?”

She looked at me incredulously and said something to the effect that once you have it, you’ll love it.

She was instrumental in helping me set up my first email account and then sent me emails nonstop. At first, I looked at them as an intrusion in my life. This was before IPhones and my computer was upstairs so it wasn’t convenient or important for me to run up and down the stairs to see if anyone had sent an email.

My friend and I used to talk a lot on the phone or in person, but then our mode of communication became almost exclusively email. I also learned that our words could be misconstrued and misunderstood on the computer screen and our first disagreement came via an email message.

Next, came Facebook which again seemed like a major intrusion in my life but when my daughter moved from California to Idaho and she set up a Facebook account, we became “Facebook friends” so I could see what was going on with her and the young grandchildren.

And hey, it was free as opposed to long-distance phone calls, even though I still preferred hearing her voice and seeing the hard copy pictures she sent in the mail.

Soon, I was Facebook friends with many people I recognized and many I didn’t! It was a fun way to stay in contact and connected. But again, it meant climbing the stairs and sitting at the computer a big chunk of time.

Later, as my writing and speaking ministry was flourishing, I attended another writer’s conference where I took a workshop on how to use “Twitter.” That seemed much more complicated and had a number of steps to actually set it up and use effectively. Maybe I’d work on it later.

I progressed to a Blackberry and a laptop so I no longer had to climb the stairs to my office to engage in email and social media. It was accessible 24/7!

Book publishers expected authors to have a social media presence and it was advantageous to have numerous followers.

Social media began to consume a big part of my waking hours.

I long sometimes for the days when I asked my friend, “Who has time for this?”

We’ve Lost Our Privacy

Like many of you, I’ve begun to see social media acting like Big Brother. If I Google or look on a website for an item, I suddenly see ads for it popping up on Facebook. It almost seems that if I even just say I might need something, ads appear for it.

Just yesterday, I was talking face-to-face with someone in the privacy of my home asking about carpet cleaners in our area. Last night, while scrolling through Facebook, there was an advertisement for a local carpet cleaner!!

Coincidence or is Facebook somehow listening to my conversations if my IPhone is near?!

No, we don’t have Alexa. I’ve read Alexa does listen in on conversations in your home.

Years ago, my daughter told me, “Mom, just Google anything you want to know. It’s all there.”

She’s right and actually it’s quite helpful when I’m doing research for a book, even if I’m looking for a Scripture on a topic.

But there’s a downside to all this “free” technology that we’ve ignored.

Big Tech knows way too much about us and we’ve let them.

Big Tech knows where we are, where we live, where we go, what we buy, and maybe what we say and think.

Big Tech has all generations addicted to electronic devices, which have become a necessity rather than a luxury. We’re hooked!

And we’ve ignored Big Tech’s personal invasion into our lives.

Now Big Tech has us just where they want us so they can control what we see, read, and think.

We’ve Lost Our Freedom of Speech

There is no question that Facebook, Twitter, and Google are biased and loyal to the liberal left. Their goal in this election, and universally, is to squelch and censor any communication that does not fit the Democrat and liberal talking points and agenda.

Our President, his campaign, the White House, conservatives, Republicans, and Christians are having their social media accounts censored, locked, and closed, including by YouTube owned by Google.

Even though Congress and the Senate have themselves been censored if they’re on the wrong side politically of Big Tech, they’ve done nothing to stop this communist type censorship.

We’ve heard the stories of China and Russia censoring what people can say and hear in their countries and we said this could never happen in America, yet here we are.

It’s not Russia interfering with the election. It’s the Big Tech conglomerates who can shutdown anything that doesn’t support their liberal platform, beliefs, and candidates.

And we let it happen. We’re sacrificing our freedoms for what they dangle in front of us as free convenient communication while they censor and control us!

I’ve watched Congress and Senate bring the heads of each of the Big 3 into question them, and things only get worse. After the election, next month the Senate is questioning Facebook’s Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Dorsey on alleged censorship, but the damage is already done for this election.

Will they be held accountable? Will anything change? I’m doubtful.

When I saw many in China forced to wear masks and locked into their homes, I thought that would never happen in America. But it did!

Would you have ever thought schools would be closed in America?

Churches closed?

Neighbors encouraged to snitch on each other?

Support for defunding the police and the Pentagon?

Socialism/Marxism/Communism on the ballot?

There are substitutes for Facebook available, but none are very effective.

I’m speaking to myself when I muse whether God is telling us to use the time we spend on social media to instead communicate with Him through His Word, not the world’s ways and words.

I’m going to write more about that last thought next week.

Social media definitely has its rightful place in our society. It can be used for good.

I’m just considering how it’s also being used to manipulate and distract us from good.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

As you prepare to cast your vote in a week, consider which party supports freedom of speech?

  • Which party is using Big Tech to control what you hear and say?
  • Why don’t they want you to know and share the truth?
    What would America look like if they won?

Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—
    leaders whose decrees permit injustice?
21 They gang up against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord is my fortress;
    my God is the mighty rock where I hide.
23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them.
    He will destroy them for their sins.
    The Lord our God will destroy them. Psalm 94:20-23


I would enjoy hearing your thoughts.

October 26, 2020
Return to top of page

God Will Not be Silenced So Why are His People Being Silent?

1

Every time I hear the term “Silent Majority,” I cringe. I cringe because they’re talking about conservatives, especially conservative Christians.

I wonder: If we’re in the majority, why are we silent?

If we know the Truth and truly believe that the Truth will sustain and maintain righteous freedom, why are we silent?

If we’re in the majority, what are we afraid of? Why do we let the vocal minority claim the public square?

If God is on our side, who should we fear?

If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Rom. 8:31 NLT

Why are we cowering and not only staying silent but letting ourselves be silenced, dismissed, opposed, mocked, and marginalized?

It’s clear that mainstream media really has no idea who we are or the grit in our soul . . . maybe because we don’t tell them!

We let ourselves be referred to as living in “fly over states.” “Middle America.” “Kitchen table people.” Even “smelly Walmart shoppers.” “Blue collar workers.” Suffering from “cognitive dissonance.” “Deplorables.” Illiterate “credulous rubes.” And more . . . .

“People who love your guns and love your Bibles.” As if that’s a negative.

Many times the “silent majority” defamation is spit out with disdain unless a politician is trying to win our vote.

Politicians know we’re not silent when we go to cast our vote. And cast our vote we must!

The “silent majority’s” voice is “heard” loud and clear at the ballot box but why not also on the soapbox?

Why Wait Until Election Day to Give God a Voice

No matter what your political persuasion, if you watched the Republican National Convention, you saw everyday people speaking out and taking a courageous stand for their faith, their beliefs, and their aspirations for our country. They were not afraid!

Many of these men and women probably never read a teleprompter before, but they spoke clearly, distinctly, and passionately looking straight into the camera and letting their voices be heard across America. They were NOT silent!

I applauded each one who took such a brave and bold step. I kept wondering what the rioting minority might do to try to disrupt their life. Because that’s what bullying, abrasive, mean-spirited people do who can’t make their point in a civilized way or win by fair means.

You’ve read in past blogs how troubled I am when churches acquiesce without even a fight and close their doors. I don’t think Jesus would have done that nor would his disciples and apostles. They were not silent!

I wrote about that last week, Why Watching Church Online is NOT a Substitute for Attending in Person.

When I wrote the book, Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith, I became familiar with many biblical verses and circumstances where God knew we would need His support to be brave and not give a foothold to the enemy.

Yes, Satan is the one who really wants to silence us!

“Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.” 2 Sam. 10:12

As we watch civil law go counter to God’s laws and rampant tolerance for everything except Christianity, we’re under intense pressure to comply with the culture. God says, “Stand firm in the faith” and don’t crumble.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Cor. 16:13

Courage is faith that calls on God to help us speak when we have the opportunity and remain silent when the time is not right.

We will not be silenced by those who oppose us and try to suppress us. Instead, opposition gives us a platform to show who we are in Christ and for Christ!

God tells us we can trust Him to stand right beside us! Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Ps. 31:24 NLT

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NLT

Jesus also warns us . . .

But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Mt. 10:33

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Tim. 1:7

How and When Should We Speak Out?

We have so many opportunities to give God the glory in our life for the little and big things He does every day.

If you’re on social media, you have a constant platform to speak truth. It’s not a place to get into arguments trying to prove your point as you’ve probably already learned. But it is a place you can “speak” and defend your beliefs. Expect that you might get pushback, but ignore it. If someone is debating you, it means they heard you.

Again, the point isn’t to prove you’re right but maybe to encourage others to bravely speak their views. You never know who might be persuaded by something you say. That goes for conversations also.

Being a kind and considerate person can win over many people or they might at least be willing to consider your opinions.

It’s sad when I hear people say to be careful what you say because someone might hurt you. Is that the world we want to live in? Intimidated by bullies and thugs?

I don’t know where God wants you to speak out in your life, but I would ask you to pray about it.

For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21 NLT

People often thank me for not being silent about God and the conservative Christian agenda. But my response is that speaking out at appropriate times for what you believe shouldn’t be unusual. Everyone should!

We can’t be silent at a time when evil is flourishing all around us!

Saying nothing is saying something!

Silence is deafening!

Women wouldn’t have the vote today if the suffragettes had stayed silent.

Don’t let the culture cancel your voice or your right to speak or your courage to speak.

We speak the truth in love but we speak!

Pray before you speak, then speak the words God gives you.

Except for the part about being too young, I relate to the prophet Jeremiah when I don’t know what to say in a blog every week. When Jeremiah questioned God about what he should say, God said:

“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”

7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah 1:6-8 NLT

Let us be known as the majority who speaks up courageously and graciously for moral values, truth, faith, patriotism, and Almighty God!

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
12 That my [a]soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Ps. 30:11-12 NASB

As the Lord encouraged Paul so should we be encouraged that the majority of Americans agree with us. Let’s not be silent or silenced!

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” Acts 18:9-10 NLT

A True Story

After I had this blog ready to post, I saw this story below of a pastor’s response to someone who sent him a private message to please stick to preaching and stay off politics.

“I responded graciously and thanked her for her thoughts. [Then I wrote] I only talk about Jesus Christ and His Kingdom on Sundays. However…. I am an American citizen. I pay taxes. When I write on my personal page, I am writing only my thoughts and represent only what I think. You are free to disagree with me and I will respect you, honor you, and encourage you to speak your disagreement freely!

But I do not write in a vacuum. I know history. I understand philosophy. I know the principles upon which this great country was founded. Historically, I’ve been called a “classical liberal” because I’ve advocated for the abused, stood up to those in power, preached the equality of women and all ethnicities, and encouraged people to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

That said, I can and will no longer remain silent when it comes to our nation. I’ll talk about Jesus with you all day – and if you come to Emmanuel on Sunday mornings or Wednesday night – that’s all you will hear me talk about – the Savior and the Scriptures. But on my personal social media accounts, the Spirit has prompted me to begin speaking up, and the more people write me telling me to “stick to preaching,” the more I’ll write. :)” [Emphasis added]

August 31, 2020
Return to top of page

Why Watching Church Online is NOT a Substitute for Attending in Person

3

“15 Days to Slow the Spread” seemed doable when the Coronavirus Task Force first asked everyone to shelter-at-home. Churches complied by shutting their doors to protect their parishioners. Those who already had online services expanded access and those like ours who didn’t already video messages started videoing.

Then 15 days morphed into 30 days, which segued into 45 days and churches are still told today that they’re not essential and mandated to stay closed or open with tyrannical restrictions.

A number of pastors across the United States are rightfully questioning this discrimination against the church when liquor stores and casinos are considered essential. So they’ve begun finding creative ways for their churches to meet, even under penalty of fines and threats of imprisonment. Hard to imagine that would happen in America!

Other churches remain closed today. One mega church announced they plan on staying closed until 2021?!

The purpose of this blog is not to discuss why churches need to open NOW because I’ve covered that extensively in previous blogs. I’ll list a couple at the end of this article.

But I do want to talk about why it’s important for believers to not become accustomed to sitting at home in their recliners in pj’s with a cup of coffee watching a sermon online and calling it church.

Why We Go To Church

One winter Sunday morning, hubby was sick! If our steep driveway wasn’t covered in ice, that wouldn’t be a big deal. I’d hop in the car and head off to church by myself. But I hadn’t driven our new car in snow and ice and didn’t want my first off-roading attempt to be without him.

I could stay home and watch church online or on television. I’d done that for more Sundays than I’d care to remember when a concussion, kidney surgery, three eye surgeries, and a broken wrist had kept me home. I was desperate to go to church.

Whew, friends with a jeep rescued me that Sunday.

Why was it so important to go to church? While homebound, I’d watched a number of excellent church services online and on TV . . . but it’s not the same as worshipping together with my church family.

When our Governor in Idaho announced that churches could open in COVID Phase One of reopening Idaho, our church literally opened the doors May 1 with all the recommended precautions.

As I walked through the church doors that first Sunday, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. I immediately realized what had been missing watching services at home.

People were missing. My brothers and sisters in Christ were missing.

Singing, worshipping, and praying together were missing.

Seeing each other’s smiles and yes, sometimes, tears were missing.

Church is not just the sermon. Church is the gathering together of God’s people!

Yes, believers have our personal relationship with Jesus which we experience wherever we are, but we don’t experience the Christian life alone. That’s why God said it’s not good to be alone and there are so many Scriptures reminding us to encourage and support each other.

Online church absolutely is a tremendous benefit for people who can’t attend church because of physical or transportation issues, out of town, working, or need to stay home with a sick child or family member. It’s a wonderful tool in an emergency like Covid was in the beginning or for anyone who is high-risk.

Online church also is an outreach opportunity for those who are hesitant to walk into a church.

But for those with no restrictive issues, here are five reasons I feel God wants us to worship together in His house and follow the example of the first church.

“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place” (Acts 2:1).

5 Reasons to Meet in Church Together

1. Fellowship and Relationships

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals . . . with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42, 46-47)

The early church, a template for today’s church, understood that the meeting together of believers creates community. We need each other to uplift our spirit when we’re sad and rejoice together when we’re glad.

You can find good teaching and truth online, but you need to be in church to experience the fellowship of fellow believers and develop relationships within the church body.

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11)

2. Celebrating Communion, Worshipping, and Praying Together

“All the believers devoted themselves to . . . sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. They worshiped together at the Temple each day . . . all the while praising God . . . . (Acts 2:42, 46-47)

You share communion, the Lord’s Supper, together in church. Our church also has a time of Prayer, Praise, and Share every Sunday where the congregation can ask for prayer and share praises.

Many churches list in the bulletin or announce those in need of prayer so the church can pray for each other and celebrate praises together. “But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him” (Acts 12:15).

God instructed the congregation to sing in church because it is a unifying expression of worship. What a joy to worship and sing praise songs to the Lord in unison.

“Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts” (Col. 3:16).

“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:1-4)

3. We Are the Family of God

And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. (Acts 2:44-45)

Watching church is like being an observer instead of a participant.

We need each other. We are one body, the Bride of Christ.

The church needs us to serve. Church isn’t taking in selfishly; it’s giving out selflessly. We don’t attend church solely for our own benefit. We’re also there to serve the body of Christ, our spiritual family. Christ wants us to care more about others than our own convenience or inconvenience.

We are to use the spiritual gifts and talents the Lord has given us to benefit the church. (1 Cor. 12:12-22).

“Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body” (Col. 1:18).

“All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Cor. 12:27).

4. Accountability and Mentoring

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.” Colossians 3:16

There’s always going to be a time when we can’t make it to church, but it should be the exception, not the rule. The tendency today is to isolate ourselves in front of electronics where we interact with a screen instead of each other. A clicker or mouse replaces friendly face-to-face interaction.

I’ve heard testimonies of people saved by watching a preacher on television or online, which is wonderful. But one of the surest ways to stay true to your faith as a believer is joining a church to spiritually grow and mature with other believers who encourage us and keep us accountable.

Church is more than listening to a sermon; it’s an experience and an exchange with other believers. It’s where you help others grow, partake in ministries, serve, give of your talents and spiritual gifts, mentor, and receive mentoring.

“2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.[a] Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes,[b] to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.” (Titus 2:2-5)

5. Setting the Example for Children

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

It takes more effort to get dressed and drive to church than to flip on the computer or television screen. Your children and grandchildren are learning by your actions what takes priority in your life: God’s house or your house?

Teach by example that church is a privilege we should never take for granted and we should never let it be taken away from us. If we can go to Costco, shopping, Walmart, Home Depot, and even “peacefully protest” in the streets, we can go to church!

So yes, you can watch a service online anonymously and probably get something out of it, but what are you putting first in your life that seeks out convenience instead of commitment?

If your church hasn’t opened back up for services after COVID closure, I encourage you to remind your pastor that church is an essential part of every believer’s life and worth fighting for your 1st Amendment right to meet.

It wasn’t easy for the early church either and often the disciples and apostles were thrown into jail for gathering people together to share the Gospel, but we’re reminded of what Peter said when he met opposition from the authorities.

24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”

26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. Acts 5:24-29 (I would encourage you to read the entire passage Acts 5:12-41)

Sadly, many governing officials act from an ungodly worldview. If the government contradicts God, we answer to God alone.

As a child, I remember in Sunday school intertwining our fingers on the outside of our hands, putting our forefingers together, and opening our hands, saying the jingle: Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the door, and where’s all the people? But intertwining fingers inside our hand and opening: Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the door and there’s all the people!

 “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

*All Scriptures are from the New Living Translation, with emphasis added.

Note: A true story of what can happen when the church stays silent! From the Facebook of Worship Leader Sean Feucht

Pastor Joseph Bondarenko (the KGB’s most wanted) was jailed for 10 years, tortured & told every day his entire family would die because of their faith. He refused to deny Jesus. Many of his friends were martyred but God spared his life. His story of boldness has now circled the globe.

For the American Church he warns:

“Don’t they realize what is happening now in America is exactly what happened to us in communist Russia?? It started with ‘Don’t gather. Don’t sing. Spread apart. Listen to the government.’ Then it quickly turned into full on persecution and the church did not wake up in time.

I am here to beg you to call the church to WAKE UP, STAND FIRM, CONQUER!”

The Rant, a Rave, and a Primal Scream

How is Home Depot More “Essential” than God’s Home?!

If God is Pulling Back the Veil on Evil, How Should the Church Respond?

August 24, 2020
Return to top of page
« Previous Page
Next Page »
Return to top of page · Copyright © 2024 Crown Laid Down Designs All Rights Reserved · Our Privacy Policy