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Looking For the Blessings in the Middle of Crisis

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First, if you missed my blog last week, we were setting up a new computer my loving husband surprised me with, but the changeover didn’t go smoothly or easily. I did make the pronouncement at one point that this would be my last new computer EVER in my lifetime! What an ominous task.

Well, I didn’t actually perform the transition from the old computer to the new one. I just answered questions, agonized, and provided water bottles as two dear friends from church, Cathy and Scott, devoted many late and long hours to helping us go from a 12-year-old desktop with Windows 10 to a new desktop with Windows 11 and recapture everything on my very old computer, which included all my 20 books and reams of files and pictures.

It was complicated and stressful! I have to admit, I had a few meltdowns.

Now, I’m in the learning curve of writing on a system that at the moment is completely foreign to me. I’m not a techie; I’m just a writer. I realized how as an author I actually had a relationship with my old computer. I knew how it worked with all its quirks and yes freezing on me continually. But as I held my breath in anticipation, it always came around to eventually unfreezing and started responding to my mouse and keyboard clicks and off we would go writing together . . . until the next freeze. We worked well in tandem for twelve years.

Everything about this new computer is unfamiliar and I’m learning different routines while trying to locate where things are that I used to previously know instinctively. Instead of being my companion and friend that I breathlessly and prayerfully waited each day for the black screen to pop up with my familiar opening page, this new computer almost seemed like my enemy for a while. But through it all, I had two amazing and gifted friends who kept reassuring me that I would once again be able to find all my old files and pictures and continue writing new material.

Today, on this gorgeous Saturday before Mother’s Day, I’m giving it my first attempt. I’m distracted easily, so when I write I need to stay focused and not wonder what tab or icon to open or will I lose everything I just wrote. It’s been difficult staying quiet with everything happening in our culture that I wanted to write about, but God had me in a holding pattern where I was forced to wait on Him and the expertise of those who understood the intricacy of making such a momentous change in operating systems.

I’m sure any of you, especially writers, who’ve been in my situation understand exactly what I’m talking about and what I’ve experienced. If you’re not a writer, think of something you depend on every day that’s suddenly malfunctioning or broken, and you don’t know how to fix it. Or its replacement requires knowledge to operate properly that you don’t possess.

In the midst of all the computer chaos, I also had an article due for Crosswalk.com that had to be finished so they could post before Mother’s Day: 7 Best Ways to Pray for Your Mom!

More pressure. More stress. More prayer.

What Were the Positive Blessings?

As I lamented the disruption to my writing life and ministry, Cathy, the dear friend who was so willing to help me with her vast knowledge of computers, continuously reminded me to be patient always assuring me everything could be “fixed” eventually. She also reminded me of the many blessings I was overlooking when all I could see was chaos and confusion. Here were some of her wise words.

“I know all this has been very stressful and I truly understand. Please try to look at all the positives.

  1. You have a loving husband that tried to ensure you had a better computer for your work.
  2. You did not miss your deadline.
  3. You have easy access to all your files & pictures, and you have learned a lot (way more than you wanted to). 
  4. Who knows, with this experience you may be able to help someone else now. Even if it’s just to calm them down …knowing that even in seemingly impossible life challenges, trusting in God’s guidance and support ‘fixes’ things we didn’t even know needed fixing. 
  5. I think you will grow to enjoy your new computer… especially when it does not freeze up, which will make you even more productive and give you some free time.
  6. I promise to continue assisting you get to that ‘happy place’ with your new computer. I am blessed to have you as such a loving friend. Thank you for trusting me to help you -through God’s guidance.”

Sweet Cathy helped me put everything back into perspective that I know God wants us to apply to every crisis in our life.

  1. There are people in our lives who love us and want to help us.
  2. God will help us achieve what He feels is important.
  3. Every crisis is an opportunity for learning something God wants us to know.
  4. We can use our experiences to help others who are going through something similar in the future. That’s the tagline for my About His Work ministry: “Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness.”
  5. We can maintain our joy, even in crisis, because “the joy of the Lord is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10b.
  6. It’s a blessing to others when we let them help us.

Cathy was so right that this experience is something I need to share with you. Even though I serve the Lord in ministry and try to convey in my writing the thoughts and words He gives me, I will still have times in my life when I need to depend on others and remember to put my trust in the Lord to work things out in His timing and in His way. We all do.

My heartfelt gratitude goes out to my loving husband Dave who actually gave me this new computer to help make my writing life easier, which I’m sure eventually it will be. I’m not there yet, but with his encouragement and the Lord’s guidance, I’m hopeful.

We’re so blessed to have a church family willing to use their gifts and talents to help others. When my second screen wasn’t compatible with the new computer, Scott gave us an extra screen he wasn’t using that works perfectly! Cathy had an external hard drive that helped us transfer data. Now every time I look at that screen and hard drive, I give thanks for Scott and Cathy and say a prayer for them!

Scott and Cathy selflessly gave of their time, expertise, and Christian love to help Dave and me in our time of need. I pray we will always be available to do the same when we learn of others who we can help.

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Cor. 1:3-4 NLT

There won’t be a blog next Monday. Not because of the computer, but we’re blessed to have our daughter from Illinois and son from North Carolina come for a visit to help us get our garden ready for planting. Again, we not only have church family, but our personal family offering us a helping hand.

Praise You Lord for family and the family of God!

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May 15, 2023
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Three Lessons Beyond the Story of His Only Son!

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Last week, Hubby Dave and I saw the latest movie from Angel Studios, His Only Son. I was thrilled that just like Jesus Revolution, this new Christian movie stayed in theaters long after its Pre-Easter release and the five day expected showing. That’s because many Christians poured into theaters to support His Only Son.

When I looked over at Dave during the movie to see if the sounds he was making meant he was falling asleep, I discovered to the contrary, he was crying. The story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac brought my tenderhearted husband to tears more than once.

If you haven’t seen the movie, I don’t want to give away too many details, but it’s the familiar story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his long-awaited son, Isaac, born to elderly parents. The son that God had told Abraham would bring descendants outnumbering the stars in the sky. It’s a beautifully filmed movie with superb acting as it brings the Bible story of Genesis 22 to life. If you haven’t seen it and it’s still in your theaters, I encourage you to go, enjoy, and maybe cry at a father’s love for his son, but his even greater love for the Father in Heaven who Abraham trusted and obeyed, even when asked to perform a seemingly impossible sacrifice.

Interwoven into the story was a brief glimpse of Sarah’s servant Hagar when Abraham and Sarah attempted to go ahead of God. In today’s blog, I want to fill in some of the blanks with lessons from the story of Hagar and Ishmael, discussed in conversation during the movie if you listen closely, but not depicted.

We can learn from the consequences of Abraham and Sarah’s poor decision about using Hagar to circumvent God’s plan. Consequences still felt in the Middle East today.

Who Was Hagar?

When we first meet Hagar in the Bible, she’s an Egyptian maidservant to Sarai (later called Sarah), the wife of Abram (later called Abraham). Sarai was infertile and desperately wanted a child. God had told Abram that he would have an heir, a son, and yet as time passed the aging couple still didn’t have a baby (Gen. 15:2-5).

Mistakenly, Sarai thought the Lord had kept her from having a baby so she came up with her own plan to give Abram a family. (Gen. 16:2) In those days, a maidservant had no rights and was required to comply with whatever her owners told her to do. When her barren and desperate mistress Sarai decides to use Hagar as a surrogate to provide her husband Abram with a child, Hagar has no option but to obey. Abram agreed and slept with Hagar and she became pregnant.

The movie alludes to this, but tastefully never shows Abram and Hagar in any sexual scenes, not even an embrace. This seems like an odd practice to us today, but it was actually an ancient custom in biblical times to ensure the birth of a male heir.

What Happened Next to Hagar?

When Hagar learned she was carrying Abram’s child, she felt superior to Sarai and the Bible says she “began to despise her mistress” (Gen. 16:4). Maybe Hagar was upset that her mistress forced her husband on her, or she felt rejected that Abram didn’t treat her as a wife, and she took her frustration out on Sarai. Whatever the reason, she wrongly thought that her pregnancy empowered her to treat Sarai with contempt.

When the relationship between the two women deteriorated and became hostile, Sarai complained to her husband. Abram told her that this had been Sarai’s idea in the first place and Hagar was hers to do with what she wanted. He wasn’t going to get involved with their dispute. Sarai took that as permission to mistreat Hagar, so pregnant Hagar ran away into the desert. But what she didn’t expect was an encounter with God, which we don’t see in the movie.

7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. 9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” Gen. 16:7-9

The angel of the Lord also told her she would have a son and name him, “Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.” (Gen. 16:11)

So obediently, Hagar returned, gave birth to her son, and stayed on as Sarai’s maidservant. Sixteen years later, Sarai, renamed by God, Sarah, finally had her own miracle son as God had promised, but like any older brother, Ishmael started teasing his little toddler half-brother Isaac. Sarah was having none of this and demanded that her husband, now called Abraham, send Hagar and her son away . . . this time permanently. The movie eludes during a conversation that this took place, but we don’t see it happening. We hear about Ishmael, but never see him.

The child [Isaac] grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” (Gen. 21:8-10)

Abraham, now the father of both sons, protested but to his surprise, God intervened and incredulously told him to let them go. Listen in the movie for when Abraham discusses why he let them both go.

11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring[a] will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” (Gen. 21:11-13)

Reluctantly, Abraham agreed and sent Hagar and Ishmael out into the desert with food and water.

14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. (Gen. 21:14)

God has lessons for us to learn from every biblical story and He tells us the story of Hagar in the Bible so we can apply what she learned to our own lives. Here are three important life application lessons.

Lesson #1: God Never Rejects Us

Hagar must have lamented her painful mistreatment and abandonment. Why was all this happening to her? When her hurt and despair sent her fleeing into the desert the first time, she was surprised but also very relieved and blessed when God met her there. She realized that even in her lowly position in life, she was important to God and He hadn’t rejected or forgotten her.

It was hard to hear God wanted her to go back to Sarai and endure abuse, but then God gave her a name for her son, Ishmael. God said He would even multiply Ishmael’s descendants. Wow, that was quite a promise, which God did fulfill in later years.

Hagar agreed to God’s plan and called the Lord, “The God who sees me, for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Gen. 16:13)

God heard her cries of affliction. Amazingly, a slave girl was the first recorded appearance of God face to face in Scripture. Others had heard His voice or seen visions, but here was God in person.

Like Hagar, when it seems like others are rejecting you, God sees and hears you. Don’t let rejection define you; allow it to refine you. Hagar had the confidence and security in God to humbly return to Sarai and Abram and fulfill her role in biblical history.

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (Ps. 66:20)

The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. (Ps. 94:14 NLT)

Lesson #2 God is Near to the Brokenhearted

When Abraham sent Hagar and her son Ismael into the desert, it looked like they would surely die when the supplies Abraham had given them were exhausted. Now her precious son who God had given her and even named would starve to death. It was too much for her to bear. She couldn’t watch as he curled up in a fetal positon under a tree, but she couldn’t block out his starving moans and wails.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she[b] began to sob. (Gen. 21:15-16)

But, what was she hearing now? Could it be a second encounter with God?! Yes, He had heard the cries of her son and asked her what was wrong? The Angel of the Lord spoke to this distressed mother yet again and reassured her not to be full of fear or sadness. Just as He had promised, God reaffirmed that her son’s legacy would be a great nation.  

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” (Gen. 21:17-18)

When we’re in deep despair, our tendency often is to shut out the world, and sometimes that includes shutting out God. But God is the one who understands our distress like no human can. Sometimes He will put people in our life and speak through them to comfort us, but what He longs for us to do is bend our ear towards Him and listen. Let His presence comfort you with the hope that He’s going through this with you and He always has a plan if we open our eyes to see our opportunities and listen to the wisdom He whispers in our prayer time.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Ps. 34:18)

Lesson #3 God’s Plan Is Always the Best One to Follow

When Hagar opened crying eyes, to her astonishment there was a well of water in the middle of the desert. Only God! She ran to fill her wineskin and gave her thirsty son a refreshing drink.

19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. (Gen. 21:19)

Bravely, Hagar believed God and trusted that even as a single mom rejected and stranded in the middle of nowhere, if God said it was so, then she would trust Him and obey again. God was faithful to His promise.

20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. (Gen 21:20-21)

While we often focus on Abraham and Sarah, God has a powerful lesson in the story of Hagar. Through no fault of her own, she became entrenched in the couple’s contrived plan to fulfill God’s promise themselves instead of waiting for God’s perfect timing and plan. We can’t outsmart or outdo God. His plans always are for good and will prevail, but we’ll pay a price when our impetuous and prideful thinking is that we know best.

22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.[a] 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. (Gal. 4:22-23)

Just as God promised, Ishmael became a great nation but to this day, his descendants continue to be in conflict with the nation founded by his half-brother Isaac.

Everyday Brave Hagar

I include Hagar in Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith because she didn’t let the hard life that she encountered defeat her. She had a personal experience with God and He protected and provided for her. She courageously understood that God was the One she could depend on and trust. He would make a way when circumstances seemed impossible.

Even when we don’t see God face-to-face like Hagar did, or maybe have trouble feeling His presence, our faith assures us of the truth that we’re never alone. God has promised to never leave or forsake us even when others disappoint or even abandon us. God is always just a prayer away.

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5b)

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April 17, 2023
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You Were Born For Such A Time As This!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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April 10, 2023
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It’s Holy Week and Our God Still Reigns!

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It was difficult deciding what to write as we start Holy Week before Easter with such sadness and turmoil in our world. But as I prayed about whether I should focus on the evil we’re all watching take place or the God whose only Son went to the Cross under evil circumstances to offer us a way out of personal sin and guilt, I quickly knew the answer when God gave me several clues as He always does.

First, as I posted on Facebook the pictures of those six precious innocent Chrisitan children and adults at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn. gunned down by a mentally ill suicidal transgender woman who looked into the eyes of those three children, a substitute teacher, the custodian, and the head of the school. . . then pulled the trigger . . . I saw the epitome of evil.

Evil begets evil!

There is an evil belief system infecting our culture that people can play God and become their own gods. Doctors who should be helping troubled gender dysphoria patients receive treatment to learn how to live in the bodies God gave them are instead lying to them that they can become the opposite gender by being pumped with hormones and sterilizing drugs and mutilated with irreplaceable castration, hysterectomies, and mastectomies at ages when children often think they can fly too.

Those doctors, medical professionals, and facilities are as evil as the ones killing unborn babies. Instead of offering redemptive healthcare, which they take an oath to perform, they’re participating in child abuse and infant genocide. And as evidenced by the militant attitude of the trans movement and pro-abortion advocates, no one is happy or successful in trying to play God.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1

As I changed my Facebook cover photo to the pictures of those six who were mercilessly gunned down, God prompted me to also change my profile picture to the opening picture of this blog. He was guiding my hurt, heartbreak, pain, anger, and frustration back to focus on Him, the One and Only true God.

Then the title of this morning’s (3/31/23) Our Daily Bread was “Rest Assured in God” with the verse from Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Karen Pimpo wrote in the accompanying article, “When our world is troubled, how can we find rest? The Bible’s clear: there’s peace for those who trust in God, regardless of their circumstances.”

While browsing through Facebook before I sat down to write to you, I came across a post from Fox & Friends on their Faith & Friends concert series of a performance with Phil Wickham of his new song “This is Our God.” I’d seen that post several times, but this morning I opened it up weeping as I listened to the timely words of the song. I hope you’ll go to the link and worship too.

It was clear God was reminding me that our only hope is belief in our Comforter and Savior, Jesus Christ, and nothing should distract us from this truth. With so many being lied to and even murdered because of Satan’s lies, our mission is to tell everyone of God’s overriding truths. The families burying their loved ones this Holy Week will mourn the loss of their loved ones while celebrating that they are in the arms of Jesus. Heavenly joy, but earthly sorrow for now.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Cor. 15:55

Good Begets Good and Our God is a Good God!

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Is. 53:5-6

Isaiah 53:5-6 is the message of Easter we can’t ever overlook in the tragedies and unjustness of our culture. J. J. Packer said, “We are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it.”

What is happening in our world doesn’t distract Jesus. He cares about what is happening in our heart!

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.—Ezekiel 36:26

What should we do this Holy Week to prepare our hearts for an Easter celebration?

1. Fill your mind with Words from the Lord and not from the media.

Let’s take a break from the biased media and focus our minds on the reason our Lord and Savior went to the cross—to offer us eternal life regardless of what happens in this life. We don’t want to die, but if Jesus is in our heart, we have the assurance that we will be alive with Jesus for eternity. That should calm our hearts and comfort those who have lost loved ones or maybe just received an unwanted diagnosis.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.—Romans 12:2

I heard Pastor Greg Laurie say once in a Palm Sunday message, “There are five gospels . . . you’re the 5th! You are the temple of God.” Read the four Gospels, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Get to know Jesus up close and personal. Walk with Him in His shoes; listen to His words and stories.

  • What was He trying to get people to understand?
  • What does He want you to understand?
  • Look for His personal message to your generation and how to influence the next generation for Christ.
  • What does He want you to do during the crises in our country? In our world?

If you were giving the sermon this Easter, what would you include?

2. Tell people what Jesus means to you. Why you love Him. That even while you were a sinner, He still loved you enough to die for you!

Our church has a Cowboy Breakfast as an outreach for the community on Easter Sunday, and Facebook just reminded me that I was the speaker 10 years ago. It was my privilege to share the Gospel and I didn’t worry what faith or lack of faith in those attending. Easter is about salvation through belief in Christ Jesus and that was my message.

My then 6-year-old granddaughter, Katelyn, shared the microphone with me to recite John 3:16. I was so proud of her! The next year she told me, “Grammie, I want to share John 3:16 at the Cowboy Breakfast again.” Since I wasn’t the speaker, she didn’t get that opportunity, but I pray she never hesitates to share the Gospel message.

God blessed Katelyn and me with a boldness that Easter morning to share the Gospel unashamed of our Savior with gratitude for His sacrifice and rejoicing at His resurrection. Here’s what one attendee wrote to me later:

I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your message at the Cowboy Breakfast. It was clearly presented and probably the best explanation that I have heard so that people are not confused about making a commitment to Christ. So often people are afraid to say what is needed because they are concerned about offending their audience. It was important that you were clear on what sin is and how to make a personal commitment. I also received feedback from members of our Vineyard Home Study Group that were pleased that the truth could be so clearly spoken.

Thanks again for the time and effort that you put into preparation for those who needed to hear this message.

Other years, members of our church share their testimony with friends and neighbors who attend the breakfast. My husband Dave gave his testimony one year.

When is the last time you told someone your testimony of surrendering your life to Christ? It’s hands down the most important and meaningful day in your life. Yes, it’s greater than the day you married, gave birth, bought your dream house, or signed that important contract. Your rebirth in Christ should top them all!

Yet, we eagerly tell the story of these less significant events in our life, but often are reticent to tell the story of Jesus coming into our life.

We know He is with us every day, but do we give Him the credit and the glory for the things we know He has done and is doing in our life?

This week ask yourself why you don’t talk more about Jesus?!

Then share your salvation story with someone! Reflect back on the day the death and resurrection of Jesus really meant something to you. Tell people why it still does.

There is no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what he has done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal experience.

Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you.

Your testimony simply shares your life before Jesus. How he changed your heart and spiritually, maybe literally, saved your life.

God has given you a story to share, so seize every opportunity to tell it.

Sometimes, God redeems your testimony by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future.

Who needs to hear this Easter what Christ has done for you and could do for them?

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.—Titus 3:3-7

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.—1 John 5:11-12

You might also enjoy an article I wrote for Crosswalk, 5 Refreshing Ways to Welcome Renewal Beyond Easter.

Have a blessed Easter the way the Lord leads you to celebrate this glorious day and honor the sacrifice He made for each of us who believe in Him to have eternal life forever!

No matter what happens in our world, remember that Our God Reigns!

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Rev. 19:6

If you received this blog in your email, please leave a comment here. I reply to all comments.

Also, if you don’t receive my monthly newsletter you can sign up on my website. Here’s the link to the March Newsletter with the opening article, “Are Your Women’s Ministries and Your Hearts Open to Teens?” I would appreciate receiving your response.

I also want to make you aware of a free e-book to share with parents and grandparents by Brandon Showalter and Jeff Meyers, Exposing the Gender Lie: How to Protect Children and Teens from the Transgender Industry’s False Ideology.

April 3, 2023
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What is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles?—Part 2

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Last week, we looked at the lies being told and sold to our culture, but especially to our precious children. If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, here’s the link. I want to also add an update to that blog, What is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles—Part 1.

As a recap, in the previous blog, I talked about the pushback Kirk Cameron was receiving at libraries when he requested to read his new children’s book As You Grow about the Fruit of the Spirit and how in Arkansas, trans protestors showed up to heckle him and those attending. What I didn’t know at the time of that writing was that the protestors also had to listen to a former transgender woman, Laura Perry Smalts, read aloud Brave Books’ Elephants Are Not Birds authored by Ashley St. Clair.

The title of the article, which I hope you’ll go to because it includes some amazing pictures and a video is “Former Transgender Person Reads Anti-Trans Book to 500, Including men in Drag: ‘I Want Kids to Hear the Truth!’”

A synopsis of Elephants Are Not Birds is the message “Most can see that there is a distinct difference between an elephant and a bird but in this story, we’ll see that even those lines are blurred when the lies of Culture the Vulture are accepted as truth by Kevin the Elephant.”

During the story hour, the crowd also heard Smalts’ testimony of how she used to find it difficult loving herself the way God created her, but faith had a huge effect on her journey. The presence of trans activists, men dressed in drag, actually drove home Smalts’ story to everyone in the room, especially the children.

Here’s the full comment about the event from Kirk Cameron.
“The small group of protesters, which included some grown men wearing silly makeup, dressed in skirts and heels, pretending to be women, listened to the reading of a kids’ book about God’s view of gender called, “Elephants Are Not Birds.” At the close of this sweet and funny story of a singing elephant named Kevin who was tricked by a vulture named “Culture” into thinking he might be a bird, the reader [Laura Smalts] then asked the 300 children, “Do you think elephants can be birds, even if they strap on silly wings and a beak?” In unison, and with great laughter, all 300 children confessed with gusto, “No!” I felt sad for the men in skirts. As it is written, “You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly. May their example shame and silence your enemies.” (Psalm 8:2).

Today, I want to explore four truths regarding genders and explore what God says in the Bible about His creation of humans and the plans He has for them. I hope you’ll ponder the Scriptures I’ve selected to support each of the four truths. First, let’s look at some of the misinformation spreading about the two genders and their roles in relationships.

What Do We Get Wrong About Biblical Gender Roles?

When I married my husband 30 years ago, I had recently rededicated my life to the Lord at a Harvest Crusade. I committed to God to live the rest of my life as a biblical Christian, wife, mother, and now grandmother. My daughter was not a Christian at the time and was appalled that her once independent successful businesswoman mom was now in her words, “Going to be a doormat.” She was skeptical of Dave, who actually is a gentle, kind, godly man, but she feared he was going to dominate me.

It wasn’t until she became a Christian several years later when she and her fiancé accepted Christ in a biblical marriage class that she had an awakening regarding the truth behind biblical gender roles

Many people and some churches have misconceptions about biblical gender roles. The attempt by culture to redefine genders has invaded every area of life. Wokeness discards and dismantles biblical and biological truths and tries to normalize lies. I’m not a biologist, but I do know what a man and woman are and I’m sure you do too.

Gender isn’t defined by how someone thinks, “identifies,” or chooses to act. God’s beautiful design for humanity is only two genders, which He calls male and female, or man and woman. You won’t find in the Bible “transgender,” “cisgenders,” “binaries,” “gender identity,” “drag queens,” “queer” “gay” or any of the manmade genders or pronoun reassignment allegories. God didn’t use those terms and we shouldn’t either.

Here’s the truth about what God says regarding the two biblical gender roles that should guide the thinking and actions of every Christian and pastor.

Truth #1 God Created Only Two Genders!

As substantiated by biology and the Bible, gender is determined at birth as male or female by observable genitalia. Yet, today we live in a world where gender identity has become a fluid concept and at last count, the delusional believe there are 81 genders and growing. That absurdity seems laughable and yet the woke culture is on a mission to not only spread that lie, but enforce it in laws attempting to erase the reality of God’s two genders: male and female.

At birth, God designed each human cell to contain 23 pairs of chromosomes. Twenty-two pairs look the same in both males and females. The 23rd pair, the sex chromosomes, differs between males and females. Females have two copies of the X chromosome while males have one X and one Y chromosome, thus determining their sex. That’s a scientific and biblical undeniable, unalterable fact!

Even infamous atheist scientist Richard Dawkins declares there are only two sexes as a matter of science: “That’s all there is to it.” Dawkins added that those who have tried to cancel JK Rowling for making the same point are “bullies”!

Once again, science agrees with Creation and confirms God is the Creator of two genders and only two!

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.” Jer. 1:5

One revealing article admitted we’re born male or female, but erroneously added you can then learn to be whatever gender you want. Mind and emotional control is at the center of this demonic lie causing confusion and even bodily mutilation in young children and people of all ages.

Confusion or ambiguity is not from God. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 1 Cor. 14:33

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

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. Gen. 5:1-2

Truth #2 Marriage Is Between a Man and a Woman

God designed men and women to unite as one in marriage with the capability of creating new life. They become helpmates, each spouse using the gifts God gave them.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper for him.” Gen. 2:18 

“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

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. 1:28 ESV

God gave women the blessing of carrying and giving birth to babies when that’s possible. Clearly only women can get pregnant and anyone who thinks otherwise is deceived or delusional.

11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. 1 Cor. 11:11-12

Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? Job 31:15

The husband’s role is spiritual leader of the home protecting and loving his wife while wives acknowledge his leadership and both husband and wife submit to following Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word. Eph. 5:21-26

7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Pet. 3:7

Truth #3 Sex is Between a Man and a Woman

God uniquely and deliberately created man and woman to fit perfectly together sexually. He clearly states that sex is between a heterosexual husband and wife. We must not be afraid to proclaim and live by this truth! Anything else is an abomination to the Lord.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Rom. 1:26-27 ESV

 22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable’”. Lev. 18:22

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

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality. 1 Cor. 6:9 ESV

10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[c] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. 1 Tim. 1:10-11 NLT

Truth #4 Parents Are a Male and a Female

Parents consist of a male father and a female mother, not two fathers nor two mothers, although there often are single parents for a variety of reasons. When there are two parents, Dad is the head of the family but both Mom and Dad work together as a team raising the family.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—so it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth. Eph. 6:1

She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. 28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: 29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Pr. 31:27-29 NLT

Sexual and Gender Distortion is from Satan, the Father of Lies!

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

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. 5:2

Often, we’ll hear that the Bible doesn’t speak to gender or sexual issues, but that’s lying misinformation straight from Satan. Christians must address the gender crisis today speaking the truth with clarity and authority from God’s perspective as stated in the Word of God, the Bible.

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. Eph. 5:11

Silence in the face of Satan’s lies conveys condoning and apathy to the many who will face eternity separated from God in hell. We could make an eternal difference in their life by sharing God’s truth. I wish more pastors understood the mantel God gives them to speak out against evil. That’s not political; it’s biblical! People need to hear where their sin leads.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6:9-10 ESV

4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? 5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. Rom. 2:4-11 NLT

“We love to tell people that God loves them and has compassion on them. And of course, that is true. Yet we are reluctant to say they are sinners who are separated from God. We need to tell the truth. Our culture needs to hear the truth. Yes, it’s easier to blend into the background and avoid offending anyone. But do we want to offend God? If we don’t tell the whole truth, then we will.”—Pastor Greg Laurie

I’m happy to report that our Idaho Governor, Brad Little, just joined two other state governors in signing a bill barring transgender students from using any school facilities like bathrooms, locker rooms, or overnight field trip facilities not consistent with their biological gender, regardless of their “gender identity.” Many Idahoan Christians, churches, and advocates like the Values Advocacy Council made their voices heard in getting this bill passed and signed.

Biology and morality should always triumph over confused “identity.” You are the gender God made you to be!

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment on the post. I appreciate hearing from you.

March 27, 2023
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What Is the Biblical Truth Behind Genders and Their Roles in Society?—Part 1

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When I started writing, I had so much to say, or I should clarify the Bible has so much to say, and I wanted to include evolving current events . . . I decided to break this blog into two parts. So, we’ll get started this week and finish with Part 2 in next Monday’s blog.

Today’s liberal culture is trying to blur the lines between genders by encouraging young children to be discontent with the way God created them. There’s a small but vocal demonic force attempting to cancel and silence anyone who says the truth that men cannot be women and women cannot be men. No matter how many surgeries or hormones someone takes or how they dress in the opposite gender’s clothes, men are still men and women are still women.

Not that long ago, those wouldn’t be controversial statements, but because the alphabet community has tried to legitimize a Sodom and Gomorrah culture, young children are victimized with false and explicit sexual indoctrination and grooming with the legal approval of many city, state, school, and government officials.

Pornography is now included in school curriculum and flaunted in libraries. There was a time when those with child pornography on their computer were arrested as pedophiles, but now perverted men dressed outrageously as women can provocatively dance and gyrate in front of young children and anyone who complains is canceled or called intolerant or even a “hater.”

But complain we must regardless of what names we’re called or lies said about us. God is clear that we shouldn’t tolerate perversion. We should hate the sexualization of young children and we should protect them!
6 “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. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! Matt. 18:6-7

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Ps. 97:10

Here are some of the books that Gov. Ron DeSantis was criticized by the left for pulling from Florida schools and are widely distributed in other state schools and libraries like in California. Are they in your children’s schools or libraries too?

  • Gender Queer: A Memoir – an explicitly pornographic book showing sex acts and marketed for grades 7-12. 
  • Flamer – a graphic book about young boys engaging in various sexual acts at a summer camp. 
  • This Book Is Gay – a book containing instructions on “the ins and outs of gay sex.” 
  • Let’s Talk About It – a book that contains graphic depictions about how to masturbate for males and females — as well as encouraging youth to use the internet to talk to strangers about sex.

Are you shocked? I hope so! These sexually explicit and graphic books encourage children to talk to strangers and seek out more sexual information and connections on the internet! Others tell them to keep secrets from their parents. Yes, these are in public schools and libraries!!

Libraries and schools used to be a safe neutral space for children, but no longer. Many Democrat progressive liberal librarians, teachers, and school board councils are adopting evil deviant propaganda, curriculum, and policies to inflict on innocent children. But praise God for those Governors, parents, child-protection advocates like California Reform, Christians, pastors, and even some celebrities willing to confront evil with good.

Christian actor and author Kirk Cameron’s children’s book “As You Grow” is about the fruit of the spirit:  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23).

So the protests and pushback against him reading his book in libraries is satanic because who else wouldn’t want children to know about those virtues? You can read here about the harassment he and Missy Robertson from Duck Dynasty, who also has a Christian children’s book, received at a library in Tennessee. A few days later in Arkansas, ghoulish dressed drag queens attended a library reading event to interrupt Cameron and harass those attending.

Cameron, who was turned down by 50 libraries, some of which hosted drag queen story hours, labeled the disruptors as a “small group of protesters, which included some grown men wearing silly makeup, dressed in skirts and heels, pretending to be women.”

Brave Books chief of staff Zac Bell said, “In coming to Fayetteville, Arkansas we expected to get a ton of supportive Christian and conservative families to show up. What we did not expect was for a group of drag queens and activists to attend and walk up and down the event giving the children in attendance the creeps.”

Christian Chaya Raichik, creator of “LibsOfTikTok” which exposes the liberal TikTok videos especially of teachers, also authored a Christian children’s book “No More Secrets: The Candy Cavern.” She planned a story hour in New York as a rival event to New York lawmakers, including Attorney General Letitia James,’ drag queen family story hour on Sunday March 19 sponsored by “The Pride Center of Staten Island, Queens Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Destination Tomorrow, a grassroots, LGBTQ event.”

To advertise her family story event, Chaya tweeted on her LibsOfTikTok account the website to her publisher Brave Books (also the publisher of Kirk Cameron’s book) and added, “Help kids be able to spot predatory behavior. Such an important message!”

James’ drag story event went on as scheduled, but Chaya’s publisher canceled her story hour due to threats of “inappropriate and unsafe behavior” of protestors planning to attend. Brave Books felt with children being involved “we don’t want to take any chances.”

These disturbed twisted protestors aren’t happy just having their own inappropriate events. No, they want to prevent appropriate events from offering wholesome family experiences. So, for anyone defending the trans and drag agenda, think about that for a moment.

The Truth is Never Afraid of Lies, but a Lie Can’t Survive the Truth!

I recently heard a pastor say, “Speak the truth. Don’t leave your faith at the curb!”

Don’t be silent when confronted with lies. Now is the time to speak truth to evil as those subverting righteousness try to silence us. If Christians ever stop speaking The Truth, our society will quickly crumble. In our own state of Idaho, it’s been the pastors and Christians of the Advocacy Values Council who’ve taken the lead in being present and vocal in stopping absurdities like trying to kill unborn babies, letting men invade the privacy of girl’s bathrooms, or mutilating young children in local hospitals.

One of the things I do when asked to fill out a form, maybe at a doctors’ office or an enrollment form, if it lists more than male or female as selections (like the opening picture), I let them know that’s offensive to me and remind them that there are only two genders. I do the same thing if the form asks what pronouns I want. Often, I’m told it was some new electronic form and they didn’t even know other options were listed and they’ll register my complaint.

We must diligently work to combat the agenda of the current administration. Biden called it “sinful” that Governor DeSantis is prohibiting gender mutilation of minors in Florida and Biden’s male dressed as a woman Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Richard Levine promised that medically changing kids’ genders will soon be normalized and has the highest support of the Biden Administration!

I hope you’re saying with me, “Not on my watch as long as God gives me breath!”

So, what’s the biblical truth behind gender roles? Next week, we’ll take a close look at Scriptures that provide truth for you to share from God’s perspective when faced with cultural lies and distortion.

We can’t lose hope, but we do need to pushback against the lies of the devil.

We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength and courage!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

But remember . . .

 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:7-9

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Note: After this blog published, Breitbart posted a more complete article about Kirk Cameron’s story hour at the library in Arkansas. The article was titled “Former Transgender Person Reads Anti-Trans Book to 500, Including Men In Drag: ‘I Want Kids to Hear The Truth'” . I’ll be writing more about this in next week’s Part 2 blog. But I encourage you to go to the link now and see the pictures, video, and more of Kirk Cameron’s comments and those of this brave former transgender woman, Laura Perry Smalts, who tells her story of how faith had a huge effect on her journey of loving herself the way God made her as she reads her book Elephants Are Not Birds.

March 20, 2023
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Words Do Matter! Go to THE WORD for Wisdom!

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Over the years, various professional groups have changed their “acceptable” terminology. For example, I remember when flight attendants were referred to as Stewardesses, but they prefer “flight attendant,” so we all changed our terminology to accommodate them.

Hairdressers now prefer to be called hairstylists. Beauty parlors are now hair salons.

Those were easy adjustments for us all to accommodate and respect the changes.

I’m old enough to remember when “black” was not an acceptable word to describe ethnicity. Until they started calling themselves black and it became an acceptable term. But even today, you see people struggling with using black and will instead say “people of color” or “African American.” I’ve heard some blacks offended by that last term protesting they weren’t from Africa they’re simply Americans.

Sadly, we’re often denoted and divided today by the color of our skin instead of our integrity and character. That’s racism. God and the Constitution say we’re all equal. Not equity, but equal!

Queer became an offensive word for that community who decided they were “gay.” But now, they’ve started calling themselves queer so it seems to be acceptable again along with letters of the alphabet they’ve adopted and terms they’ve created like “transgender” for cross dressers and a myriad of different gender terms, none of which you’ll find God using in the Bible.

The woke word police have bumped up vocabulary changes to the point that people can lose their jobs or be socially attacked if they use the wrong term or pronoun.

There was no universal agreement that certain people groups could change our language to the point where a minority of the population holds the majority hostage to their grammar and vocabulary rules because “someone” might be offended.

And for a reason I can’t quite understand, the majority are not speaking out that they’re offended by the woke word police. As a Christian, we should all be offended by any acceptance of actions or terminology that goes against God’s plan for men and women and adamantly offended when this tyranny is inflicted on our children.

You may have heard of Stanford University IT’s attempt to label words like “American” and “Hispanic” as harmful. After great pushback, they did remove American from their harmful list, but this means that students going to this university will come out brainwashed in woke permissible language and philosophy.

According to a report, “the list is a product of the “Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative,” which aims to “eliminate” words that may be deemed “racist, violent, and biased,” the document reads. The index lists a wide variety of words — some of which are commonly used — and provides an alternative word and an explanation of why the language may be harmful. There are ten “harmful language” sections outlined in the document including: ablest, ageism, colonialism, culturally appropriate, gender-based, and biased (e.g., disability bias, ethnic bias, ethnic slurs, gender bias, implicit bias, sexual bias) language. Stanford University Attempts To Ban ‘Harmful’ Words, List Includes ‘American’ | The Daily Caller

USC prohibits the use of the word “field” calling it racist.

The CDC has even come up with Preferred Terms for Select Population Groups & Communities. Where it might’ve been a one word description, they’ve written a paragraph for categories like, Criminals, Disability, Drug/Substance Use, Healthcare Access & Access to Services and Resources, Homelessness, Lower Socioeconomic Status, Mental Health/Behavioral Health, Non-U.S.-born Persons / Immigration Status, Race & Ethnicity (instead of Caucasian they want “white person”), Rural, Elderly, Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (you can only imagine the long list there including pronouns).

How Do We Respond as Christians?

In July 2022, I wrote a blog titled, We’re In A War of Words with the Devil! That war is escalating and every day we’re challenged to take up our cross and defend our faith in new ways.

The woke agenda is not biblical; it’s political and diabolical and designed to force us into a mold of their making, whoever they are whether it’s the liberal universities or the Marxist government. We need to resist for as long as we have free speech guaranteed under the First Amendment.

For example, the Bible does not use the terms “gay” or “transgender” or alphabet initials, it uses homosexual, immoral, perverted, abdominal to describe anything other than God’s plan for only two genders, male and female, to have married sexual relations with each other! They reproduce baby girls and boys exclusively. No variations! So why would we verbally indulge the Devil’s work by using his terminology to acknowledge behavior and words we know are wrong.

God says,

 “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.” Leviticus 18:22 NLT

8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.[a]

9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6:8-10 NLT

9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[a] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. 1 Tim. 1:9-11 NLT

There is nothing “gay” or expressing “pride” about sexual sin in any of those verses. Gay pride is not to be celebrated, yet we have an entire month in America dedicated to this sin!?

Why would we let the liberal government or Marxist woke groups dictate, even legislate, terms and words? As Christians we remain kind and respectful, but we shouldn’t be manipulated, coerced, or forced into reciting from a script we reject. Because trust me, when we do acquiesce, it will never be enough.

For example, the baker in Colorado who won his case that went all the way to the Supreme Court when he refused to make a cake for a homosexual wedding, is now back in court because he won’t make a cake for a gender change party. You know they’re taunting and harassing his faith and Christian beliefs.

Satan never gives up. He’s never satisfied until we comply and bend to his will; but Christians follow God’s will exclusively! At least we should, no matter the cost or pressure. We don’t bend and we don’t break! And when Satan whispers in our ear like he did to Eve, “Did God really say that?” we boldly confirm, “Yes He did!”

Please pray for baker Jack Phillips as he faces yet another legal battle to honor his faith and morals.

The Only Way to Know God’s Will is to Stay in THE WORD!

27 As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”

28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Luke 11:27-28

If you’re not in your Bible daily, yes I mean daily, you’re going to be battered and bruised by the culture and the world. It will be hard, maybe impossible, to stay true to your faith and your Heavenly Father unless you talk to Him every day and listen to Him talk to you through His written Word and His still small voice. The voice that the culture wants to drown out with the noise and chatter of a world gone woke and wild.

It takes discipline to read your Bible daily, but you’ll be devoured by this world if you don’t. There are so many Bible-reading plans available. Maybe you don’t think you can read the Bible in a year, so just read a chapter or two a day. Or even just a single Scripture that accompanies a devotional you might even receive online. Find a way. I’ve used YouVersion, CBN.com, Our Daily Bread, and Daily Walk.

A friend emailed me just this morning “As I read the New Testament, I see God’s hand all over those lovely scriptures . . . I was a bit down and not until I immersed myself in study later in the morning did I feel the grayness go away . . . it happens to us all . . . but we can feel the Savior’s love through prayer and study and help lift us up in joy.”

Isn’t that beautiful! My friend experienced the world falling away as God’s Word filled her heart and mind.

Having a Word to Guide You Helps Too!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that every New Year, I pray for God to give me a word of His choosing to guide me through the coming year. A dear friend and I compare notes and then remind each other throughout the year of how God is using our word in our lives. There’s always confirmation from the Lord and a verse to memorize.

As I prayed and read my Bible asking God to give me a word for 2023, I saw “wisdom” everywhere. As you can imagine, when I searched for wisdom in the Bible there are 219 references listed. But what finally confirmed that it was my 2023 word, was a small plaque that our son’s family gave me for Christmas with Psalm 90:12, Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. [opening picture]

When I opened that present, I knew God was telling me I would need wisdom in the coming year. Wisdom would be my 2023 word and Psalm 90:12 would be my verse!

You and I don’t know how many days the Lord has allotted us, but we do know they’re not infinite. Much of what we do and say during our lifetime may be forgotten by many, but may it be said of each of us is that we loved the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and words.

If you don’t receive my monthly newsletter, here is a link to the January issue. My opening article “God Will Save Our Children, But we Must Do our Part!” encourages that the next generation is going to be the generation of revival. We need to pour our words and love into them. You can sign up for my monthly newsletter and to receive this weekly blog at my website www.womantowomanmentoring.com or send me your email and we’ll add you to the email list.

Following are some previous blogs I’ve written about my annual “word” and the importance of not allowing Satan or the government to hijack our godly words, thoughts, or actions.

2022 Trust  In a Word: TRUST God! — https://womantowomanmentoring.com

2021 Resilience (didn’t blog about this word)

2020 Glorify  God Wants a Word with You! — https://womantowomanmentoring.com

2019 Joy (mentioned in other blogs)

2018 Calm  How Can A Word Change Your Life — https://womantowomanmentoring.com

2017 Hope https://womantowomanmentoring.com/2017/05/i-didnt-see-this-coming/

PS We went with our seventeen year-old granddaughter this weekend to see Left Behind—The Rise of the Antichrist. I highly recommend this updated version, which is so applicable to today!

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January 30, 2023
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What Our Culture Doesn’t Understand about Christ’s Love!

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My first career was as a Registered Dietitian. I went to college for four years at Cal Poly University and then another year of internship at the VA Hospital and UCLA in Santa Monica. I had grandiose visions of being the Florence Nightingale of dietetics! I would devote myself to helping people learn how to experience a healthy nutritional way of life. Maybe even save lives by teaching them how to eliminate foods contributing to their illnesses and replace them with foods that their body needed to heal and stay well. In my altruistic vision, they would be so grateful that I was part of their medical team working to restore their health and help them remain in good health.

Then I went out into the real world of hospital dietetics and my idealistic aspirations met resistance reality. Instead of welcoming my guidance in food restrictions and replacements that could possibly save their life, they would rather take a pill and hope for the best. How could I expect them to sacrifice their favorite foods they “loved,” almost more than life?! They were angry, disgruntled, or dismissed me for even thinking they would make lifestyle changes to give them a better quality of life.

When I tried to engage wives to help their husbands, they also resisted that I was asking them to remove foods he “loved”! I could see in her eyes as she shook her head that she wasn’t about to tackle changing her husband’s diet. It wasn’t worth the battle and often her way of showing love was to make all the foods he loved. I literally watched wives love their husbands to death rather than love them enough to learn how to nutritiously lengthen their lives by changing their diet.

I wasn’t trying to ruin these people’s lives; I was trying to save their lives. I didn’t hate them. I loved my fellow men and women enough to help them fight for their life, often as I watched the same patients return with the same health and diet-related issues.

Eventually, the rejection and frustration became more than I could envision for the rest of my life, and I changed careers. But once a Dietitian, always a Dietitian and I practice good eating habits for my family and myself. I try to get my husband to limit his intake of “junk food” and keep his weight down, not because I hate him, but because I love him!

I want my husband to be healthy and live a long life. There are certain foods I know will harm him. I want him putting into his God-given body foods that will build him up and not tear him down. I’m not always successful in convincing him, but I love him enough to keep trying.

This is exactly the same love that Christ shows to us! He doesn’t tell us to avoid sinful actions and thoughts that will harm us because he hates us; it’s because He loves us! He wants the best for us. God sent His only Son to die on the cross to give us an opportunity to turn from our sinful ways not to revel in them.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. John 3:16-19 NLT

There’s a false argument that lovers of sin try to use against Christians: “God loves me just like I am.” That’s Satan’s lie. Jesus never said that. Jesus does love everyone, and He accepts us where He finds us, BUT he loves us so much, He doesn’t want to leave us how He found us . . . sinning. Like the woman at the well, He tells us to go and sin no more!

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Gal. 6:7-8 NLT

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:1-3 NLT

Paul cautioned the church in Corinth:

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Cor. 6:18-20 NLT

Paul didn’t hate the Corinthians or any of the churches when he told them that homosexuality and sexual immorality was an abomination to God and detrimental to their own bodies. Paul loved them and that’s why he was warning them to repent from their sins.

Peter told those who repented of their sins and asked God’s forgiveness that they would receive the Holy Spirit to help them live a life pleasing to God.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

The World’s Futile Attempt to Redefine “Love”!

Today’s culture has tried to twist the truth into attacks on anyone who doesn’t go along with abortion, LGBQT, sexual immorality, transgenderism, or now the next level of perversion is brainwashing young children into believing God made them wrong and they can be whatever gender they choose.

Liberals or “progressives” try to bully us calling us haters or not good Christians when we don’t agree to their lifestyle choices, but it’s the exact opposite. It’s out of love and wanting people to experience eternity someday and God’s plan for their life while they’re here on earth that we refuse to agree with sin or be pressured into the world’s decadent mold.

Often, they try and use God’s Word against us, especially this verse: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31. What they don’t realize is Christians are experiencing the joy and peace of repenting from our sins and receiving the forgiving love of Jesus in our life and we want it for them too. That’s truly loving your neighbor.

Parents who love their children try to protect them from harm and now the culture is even attacking parents who will not acquiesce to the world’s perversion. Schools used to be a safe and trusted place, now every day we see videos of liberal school boards and teachers trying to confuse and indoctrinate young children with harmful evil beliefs and values.

Parents tell children “No” often as they’re growing up and sometimes the children resist and might even yell, “I hate you.” That’s hard to hear as a parent, but we know it’s a childish reaction when we’re stopping them from doing something harmful or sinful. They may later thank us for loving them enough to protect them from harm or evil.

Parents who are championing or tolerating their children’s waywardness are not helping them. That’s not love, especially when we know it will lead to heartache and maybe even a separation from God. Defending evil just because our children might be indulging in it is the furthest thing from love. As I wrote in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, we love our children unconditionally, but it doesn’t mean we love everything they do or try to justify wrongful behavior, just because our child is doing it.

God doesn’t rewrite the 10 Commandments when His children break them. He doesn’t change His views on sexual immorality, even when a government wrongfully legalizes it. He doesn’t decide that He made a mistake creating a little girl or a little boy or that He shouldn’t have designed sex and marriage to be between a woman and a man.

No matter how distorted our culture becomes God always stays the same. The Bible is His timeless guide for life until He returns to rescue us because He loves us and wants everyone to be with Him in heaven.

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

It’s God’s will and His ways that should guide our life and that we should relentlessly defend regardless of those who bully us, call us names, or try to intimidate us. Our response should always be that we didn’t make up how God wants us to live our lives, God did, and He wrote it all down in the Bible.

I was so impressed with the Philadelphia Flyers hockey defenseman Ivan Provorov, who stood firm by his Russian Orthodox faith, and declined to participate in a “gay pride” event where the players wore gay pride jerseys with gay flags wrapped around their hockey sticks. The media went crazy and bullied him, many saying he was “hiding behind his religion.” He wasn’t hiding; he was staying steadfastly true to his beliefs.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov recently infuriated sports journalists when he refused to wear a rainbow jersey for warmups during “Pride Night,” citing his Russian Orthodox faith. “I respect everybody and I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion.”

I wonder how many Christian players succumbed to pressure and chose culture over Christ.

We’ll all have to answer to God for our actions someday and there will be no excuses or any people we acquiesce to now present then to defend us.

Jesus said Christians should be glad when we’re tormented and called names for our beliefs because the world hated Him, and they’ll hate us for being His followers. In today’s world, we should wear it as a badge of honor.

Not agreeing with someone’s sin does not mean we hate them; we love them enough to want them to turn to Jesus and not the world. Those calling us “haters” are actually haters of Jesus.

16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

The World’s Hatred

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 . . . Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures[a]: ‘They hated me without cause.’ John 15:16-25

I often say that being an evangelist is a lot like being a Dietitian. God does have a sense of humor since He didn’t let me get away from sharing a message that isn’t always popular or appreciated. But now God is asking me to help people have a healthy spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that will lead to eternal life in heaven instead of eternal life in hell. That’s what love does, and that’s what I’ll do as long as I have breath. I hope many of you will join me. The eternal life of someone dear to you could depend on it!

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:12-14 NLT

13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 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 3:13-15 NLT

You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant. 2 Tim. 4:3-5 The Message

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January 23, 2023
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Has the Church Forgotten We Are the Conscience of the Government?

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First, let me say Happy Blessed 2023 to you all! I took a break during the holidays from writing my Monday Morning Blog, and that break was extended by an injury to my right eye that took time to accurately diagnosis and get correct medication. I’m still using steroid drops so I’m going to try and make this blog short . . . well shorter than usual.

So many topics of discussion have been in our news lately that it’s taken great restraint not to break my writing sabbatical and pour out thoughts to you. Even today, it’s hard to narrow down my topic but I recently heard Eric Metaxas as a guest on Flashpoint, and he repeatedly made the statement: “The church is the conscience of the government.” When I researched that quote, I learned it was originally made by Martin Luther King Jr. and how timely that his birthday is January 15 as I write this blog to you.

“The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.”― Martin Luther King, Jr.

Metaxas is the author of the book Bonhoeffer who also pointed out in his day that the church was avoiding taking a stand against the evil that was right before their eyes in the 1930’s when the Nazis were methodically and mercilessly taking over Germany. We know the atrocities that developed into World War II. The church chose to just sit it out rather than get involved and millions of innocent Jews were arrested and annihilated . . . exterminated. The Nazi’s were proficient at anesthetizing the church, and when the church finally woke up, it was too late.

Anyone who grew up hearing Pastor Billy Graham interact with many Presidents during his lifetime, knows that he never backed down from confronting government with the Gospel and the Truth of the Bible. Many of those Presidents considered Graham their confidant and pastor.

Even still, we saw horrific laws passed like Roe v Wade, which again annihilated millions of innocent lives. The extermination of children went from being a moral issue to a political football that the church for the most part decided to also sit this one out.

Many Christians and pro-life organizations continued to fight for every life and miraculously after almost fifty years, we saw Roe v Wade reversed by the Supreme Court, and yet still most churches stayed quiet. There was no dancing in the streets, confetti, cheers, or celebrations of our victory because protecting life had somehow turned political and many churches erroneously thought they shouldn’t get involved.

They forgot, and still forget, that the church is to be the outspoken and visible moral conscience of the government not the reverse where the government dictates the morals and the church acquiesces, which is where we find ourselves today as the woke agenda is coming for our children with brainwashing and evil intent. Still much of the church is either quiet or even worse embracing wokeness that contradicts God’s Words and His ways.

The Devil is Drawing His Line in the Sand and Christians Must Choose Who They Will Follow

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability. Pr. 28:2 NLT

1 John 5:19 lays out the situation today. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” Jesus confirmed the devil’s power over this world. He called Satan “ruler of this world” in John 12:31, 14:30, and 16:11. John 10:10 refers to the devil as “the thief” who comes to “steal, and kill, and destroy.” Satan’s ways lead to destruction. If our culture doesn’t change soon, it will be the demise of our country. But there is hope and that hope is found through Jesus Christ in our personal lives and in our government.

The new Republican led Congress just passed a Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act and all but two Democrats voted against it!! 210 members of Congress voted for infanticide, that a baby who survives an abortion should be left to die if that’s what the doctor and mother decide.

Two Democrats were brave enough, and perhaps triggered by their conscience, to not vote against the bill. One voted for it, and one said “present.” We need to pray more Democrats listen to their conscience.

I applaud the Catholic Church who wasn’t afraid to express their support of the bill and condemnation against those who voted against it. Catholic Bishops Celebrate Born-Alive Act Condemn 210 Democrats Who Voted Against It.

“We commend the House of Representatives for passing legislation to protect innocent children from infanticide, and urge the Senate to follow suit,” said Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington in Texas. Burbidge is also chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Pro-Life Activities. The bishop previously sent a letter to House members urging them to vote for the legislation. “Babies who are born alive during the process of an abortion deserve compassionate care and medical attention – just the same as any other newborn baby,” Burbidge added.

But where was the Christian and Evangelical church? Crickets!

This life-saving bill is expected to die in the Democrat-controlled Senate. How did life versus death become a Republican vs. Democrat political issue instead of a Bible-based moral issue?

Why do Democrats vote against allowing a born baby to live? Because voting for it would be admitting that an unborn baby is a human that is being murdered during an abortion. How many of those Democrats sit in churches on Sundays and claim to be a Christian? How many of their pastors are willing to talk about the horrors of abortion and the sanctity of life and call out their Democrat parishioners or any parishioner who would choose to kill babies?

We know many Democrats choose politics over faith just like Pelosi who always touts her “strong Catholic faith” and does everything “for the children,” but she was one of the 210 who voted to allow a live baby to die!

Democrats call it “extreme” to give medical care to a baby born alive!!! Every doctor takes an oath to do exactly that! I’ve said it before that these people have let the Devil influence their words, minds, and actions. They’ve sold their souls to a radical evil agenda. They’re blinded to human decency. Willing to sacrifice children on the altar of politics!

There are many so-called “political” topics, which are actually “biblical” topics, the church seems afraid to address. We’ve let the moral downfall of our country happen while Christians go to church every Sunday but often don’t hear how to apply God’s Word to the world they’re living in today.

Here are just a few sermon topics that come to my mind that every pastor needs to be addressing. If he doesn’t, he’s complicit in allowing the government to define our morals or lack of instead of encouraging parishioners’ consciences to take a righteous stand for good against evil!

  • Thou shalt not murder!
  • Thou shalt not lie!
  • Thou shalt not commit adultery!
  • Homosexuality is abominable to the Lord!
  • Marriage is between a man and a woman!
  • Only women have a womb to carry a child! Only women can have babies!
  • God only created two genders, man and woman!
  • All lives matter!
  • Every child from the moment of conception has a right to life!
  • Robbing the innocence of children is a sin. Better to be thrown overboard with a milestone around your neck!
  • Parents teach your children how to live godly lives in an ungodly culture.

We’re seeing some turnarounds like the reversal by the Supreme Court of Roe v Wade and Coach Joe Kennedy winning his case for prayer to be allowed back into schools. But how many schools are actually allowing prayer? Instead, we see school boards more concerned with allowing a few sexually misguided children to be indulged at the expense of all children instead of receiving the counseling and help they need. Many parents are speaking out against this travesty, but again I ask, where is the church?

A few pastors are willing to take a public stand against tyranny and two of those are Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills and Pastor Dave Ax of Calvary Chapel here in Star, Idaho. Pastor Ax, along with Jack Hibbs, made a video encouraging parents and the community to go to the School Board Meeting in Caldwell, ID where they were proposing that “transgender” children be allowed to use whatever bathroom and locker room of their choice.

Many from the community showed up that night and when the audience applauded speakers who were speaking against this insane policy, the school board shut down the meeting. My point though is where do those school board members go to church? What are they hearing or not hearing from their pastors if they are church members?

I follow a Values Advocacy Council in the Boise Idaho area and here is an example of the urgent email they sent out about this meeting. If you scroll down in the email, you’ll hear the two pastors I just mentioned, with their plea to the public, especially parents, to attend the Caldwell School Board meeting. They were so successful, the School Board couldn’t deal with it!! Do you have anything like this in your area where the church is taking the initiative to enter the political arena and protect our children from evil lunacy? To be the conscience of the government?

Kudos to Pastor Hibbs and Pastor Ax! If you have a pastor who understands the important role of the church in this fallen culture, praise God! If not, talk to your pastor and remind him that the role of the church is to be the conscience of the government, the state. We’re seeing progress as we chip away at the evil, but there’s so much more for each of us to do in our own spheres of influence. God is giving us the opportunity to save America and it starts and ends with the sharing of the Gospel in and out of the church.

You and I, every Christian, are the ‘church.’ God gave each of us a conscience and the Holy Spirit speaks in and through us. I hope that you’ll listen to that still small voice that is challenging you to take a step of faith and go where He leads and follow the example of Jesus and His followers like the disciples and Paul who understood that God is the head of the government and were not afraid to proclaim that truth.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Is. 9:6 NLT

9 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.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God. Acts 18:9-11 NLT

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

Abortion survivors blast Democrats for opposing Born-Alive bill: ‘Disingenuous’ | Fox News

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January 16, 2023
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Democracy Is Alive When You Freely Vote On Your Ballot!

5

You’ve undoubtedly heard Biden and the liberal media pundits falsely lamenting, “Democracy is on the ballot.” Or “Democracy will die and autocracy begin if you don’t vote for Democrats.” That’s not true. They need to go back to civics 101.

Democracy is not on the ballot; democracy is the ballot. The right we still have as Americans to vote in fair and free elections for whomever we want to govern our country, states, and cities is democracy alive and well.

However, attempts at autocracy started January 20, 2021, when Biden sat in front of a stack of executive orders and one by one with the stroke of a pen, started the destruction of America along with many lives, jobs, and the freedoms we had enjoyed under a democracy. He is a Democrat President with a Democrat controlled Congress and Senate and together they set out to “transition” democracy in America into Marxism where the rights and concerns of ALL Americans are NOT represented, only those the elite liberal woke left determine are worthy.

On Biden’s first day in office, the White House made insane decisions to stop oil production in America when we were energy dependent for the first time in history. Open up our borders to change the profile of our country. Worship earth instead of God and act as if they could control the climate forcing gas prices to skyrocket, diesel and baby formula to become sparse, the cost of everything to explode causing average Americans to have trouble feeding their families as elder Americans on fixed incomes watch their retirement funds vanish. Many Americans will freeze or use their life savings just to stay warm this winter.

The Democrats created a woke culture to promote and endorse drag queens and queers over hardworking families and protecting our children from pedophiles, grooming, and evil ideology. They fabricated the illusion of multiple genders to confuse children while telling you to follow the science and get an experimental drug or lose your job or right to attend school, and criminalize anyone who speaks out against the insanity.

I could go on but you’re living in this autocratic takeover, more specifically dictatorship, right now and they desperately want to retain their undemocratic power so they lie, intimidate, and infiltrate the judicial system.

Have you ever been in a situation where the other side accuses you of exactly what they’re doing but you never would’ve thought of doing? That’s called hypocrisy or gas lighting. The left assumes Republicans must be thinking of doing the atrocities they accuse us of because it’s what they’re doing. We have an autocracy/dictatorship at this very moment and Biden has the audacity to say if he loses any power at all in the Congress or Senate that we’re going to become the very autocracy he’s created and forced on an unwilling population.

As he ridicules and even jails the election deniers, he should just look in the mirror because claiming that he won the presidency is the biggest election denial of all!! A man who sat in his basement the entire campaign knew he didn’t have to extend any effort because the machine was already in operation to assure he won at any cost, even fraud and deceit.

Horrifically the conservative patriotic producers of the movie 2000 mules, True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht and colleague Gregg Phillips were both arrested last week for not revealing their sources. How often does the mainstream media get away with “anonymous sources” and even impeach a president using them and yet these two people investigating the 2020 election are arrested right before the next election! They’re both honest patriotic Christian conservatives that do not deserve this treatment. I’ve heard them both speak on Flashpoint and Tucker Carlson who reported last Friday on their unjust incarceration.

Just tonight as I prepared to post this blog, I received and update that Catherine and Gregg were released from prison. Praise God! Our church prayed for them this morning. Tonight, Catherine wrote, “Those who thought that imprisoning Gregg and I would weaken our resolve have gravely miscalculated. It is stronger than ever. The right to free and fair elections without interference is more important than our discomforts and even this detention, now reversed by a higher court. We are profoundly grateful for that. We will continue to protect and defend those who do the vital work of election integrity, and we will make sure that their findings become a matter of public record.”

Do Not Be Fooled

I want you to read a portion of a statement made this past weekend that completely encapsulates what’s happening in our country and finally a Democrat Senator is saying what we all know. In case you didn’t see this article, here’s part of it.

Sen. Joe Manchin Saturday demanded President Biden apologize for saying coal plants “all across America” will be shut down, in a scathing statement just days before crucial midterm elections. 

“President Biden’s comments are not only outrageous and divorced from reality, they ignore the severe economic pain the American people are feeling because of rising energy costs,” Manchin, D-W.Va., said. “Comments like these are the reason the American people are losing trust in President Biden and instead believes he does not understand the need to have an all in energy policy that would keep our nation totally energy independent and secure.”

Manchin added: “It seems his positions change depending on the audience and the politics of the day. Politicizing our nation’s energy policies would only bring higher prices and more pain for the American people.”

“Let me be clear, this is something the President has never said to me,” Manchin said of the Biden comments. “Being cavalier about the loss of coal jobs for men and women in West Virginia and across the country who literally put their lives on the line to help build and power this country is offensive and disgusting.

“The President owes these incredible workers an immediate and public apology and it is time he learn a lesson that his words matter and have consequences,” Manchin said. 

Yes words do matter especially when you read the Press Secretary’s response to Manchin’s long overdue reprimand of Biden. Notice her last line.

Jean-Puerre responded: “The President’s remarks yesterday have been twisted to suggest a meaning that was not intended; he regrets it if anyone hearing these remarks took offense. The President was commenting on a fact of economics and technology:  as it has been from its earliest days as an energy superpower, America is once again in the midst of an energy transition.”

There’s that word transition again. None of us voted for or asked for an “energy transition” and definitely not a transition into Marxism! But that’s why they’re pushing electric cars, reduction of fracking, coal, and fuel production. Biden lied about all of this when he was running and said he would never do it.

This is an extreme transition ideology from the woke liberal left. We the people did not ask for, vote for, or want!! That’s what’s on the ballot.

The only way we’re going to stop this trajectory transition they’ve fabricated and forced on Americans is to take back the Senate and Congress and prevent more craziness until we can take back the White House and transition back to a free, fair, and energy independent country again.

Finally, someone in his own party has called Biden out but it would take hours and hours for Biden to apologize for all his outrageous comments and lies! I heard someone on TV say what I’ve been saying all along, “Biden is a pathological liar.” I’ve known one personally and I spotted it in Biden from the beginning, and those types of liars believe their own lies. It’s not just the dementia or senility; he’s been a liar since he first entered politics!

Just like Machin said, he says what fits the audience and concocts a story that’s all about himself for the moment. The media writes them off as “Joe stories” or gaffs but they’re lies. Words matter and lies shatter!

On November 8, We’re Voting to Take Our Country Back and Replace Woke Autocracy with Common Sense Democracy!

Here’s an example of how the Democrat machine works. They don’t care if a candidate can talk, hear, or respond without a stenographer and large screen by his side; they just want a body that will always vote their way. Yes, it’s sad that Fetterman running against Oz in Pennsylvania had a stroke, but it was early in the election process and the party and his wife should’ve pulled him out of the race. Just like Jill Biden knew that Joe had dementia and was not capable of the highest office in the nation, she wanted the power and Fetterman’s wife does also. She’s outgoing, attractive, and very vocal and is actually the candidate behind the candidate who won’t be able to hear or understand anything happening on the Senate floor. But that doesn’t matter to the Democrats, they just want his thumbs up or down however they command.

Why would Oprah speak in Fetterman’s support at the last minute, when she is the one who introduced Dr. Oz to the world? Because Oz is his own man and didn’t follow the liberal Democrat party line, he chose to run as a respectable conservative Republican candidate. Oprah couldn’t have that; after all she’s the one who also introduced the world to Obama. Yes, she helped push him on an unsuspecting country and I’m sure she would’ve done the same for Oz if only he capitulated to the Democrat’s agenda. That alone should tell Pennsylvanians why they should vote for Oz. He’s his own man not influenced by intense pressure from the opposition; he’ll do what he’s promised for his constituents.

Oprah while hosting a virtual conversation on voting said before going on to urge listeners to vote for Democrats running for governor and Senate in various states. “I said it was up to the citizens of Pennsylvania and of course, but I will tell you all this, if I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons.”

What are those “many reasons” Oprah would vote for Fetterman? Could it be that he is a further left socialist than Bernie Sanders. That he wants to release 1/3 of all Pennsylvania prisoners, including murderers and violent criminals and eliminate cash bail. Supports Philly being a sanctuary city or else you’re xenophobia. Endorsed the excessive spending that led to inflation. Supported cancelling Keystone Pipeline and banning fracking. Even though he blatantly lied in the debate and kept repeating that he’s always supported fracking. He’s behind raising taxes. Oh yes and wants to codify Roe v Wade and abortion up until the day of birth.

So, Oprah, were those the “many reasons” you support Fetterman or now the clearly radical Beto O’Rourke in Texas? Please do not be persuaded by these liberal Democrat progressive celebrities who do not share our values or beliefs.

Some of you will have abortion on the ballot or candidates saying it’s a woman’s human right, completely ignoring the human right of the precious baby. As a Christian you cannot vote or support abortion. That we would choose to kill our own children never entered God’s mind!

They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! Jer. 19:5 NLT
They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek, though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind—that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin. Jer. 32:35

Let’s Pray Together

Let me pray for you before you go out and vote this Tuesday, November 8th! Remember this is God’s country and we should consider voting as a sacred trust the Lord conveys to His followers.

Lord, I pray that every man and woman reading this blog would pray and vote what You want for America. Let us know what’s on Your mind. Flood the polling centers with people using their pen or pencil and filling out a ballot for who they think is the best person to serve with integrity, dignity, righteousness, honesty, and Your will Lord.

Fill their minds with wisdom and I pray they won’t be influenced by commercials, campaigns, celebrities, or commentary but only by You Lord. You gave us the opportunity to live in this amazing country, Lord, please let us vote for people who will put You and Your values back into the public square. Give us courage, tenacity, and desire to not only vote, but pray for each candidate who is willing to serve America, not destroy America. Thank you for loving us enough to give us life and help us live it to the fullest as men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.

Psalm 51:1-12 The Message

Listen, God! Please, pay attention! Can you make sense of these ramblings, my groans and cries? King-God, I need your help. Every morning you’ll hear me at it again.
Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend.

You don’t socialize with Wicked, or invite Evil over as your houseguest. Hot-Air-Boaster collapses in front of you; you shake your head over Mischief-Maker. God destroys Lie-Speaker; Blood-Thirsty and Truth-Bender disgust you.

And here I am, your invited guest—it’s incredible! I enter your house; here I am, prostrate in your inner sanctum. Waiting for directions to get me safely through enemy lines.

Every word they speak is a land mine; their lungs breathe out poison gas. Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mudslides. Pile on the guilt, God! Let their so-called wisdom wreck them. Kick them out! They’ve had their chance.

But you’ll welcome us with open arms when we run for cover to you. Let the party last all night! Stand guard over our celebration. You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers, for decking us out in delight. Psalm 5:1-12 The Message

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November 7, 2022
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