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The Bible Is Offensive to Those Who Tolerate Sin

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Have you ever been in church and felt like the pastor was talking just to you? You wonder how he knew what you were going through or what sin you were wrestling with in your life. Probably he didn’t know, but God knew. He breathed out the words of the Bible to guide, counsel, encourage, scold, convict, and offer help to those who hear or read it. Hopefully, your pastor was preaching accurately from a passage that spoke to your situation.

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:15-17

The Bible wasn’t written to condone our actions, but to teach us right from wrong and how to lead a holy and righteous life. Since we were all born with a propensity to sin, only the Holy Spirit living in our hearts can help us overcome sin and choose God’s good in our life. Many people are good, but God wants redeemed people, not just good people. I’ll say it again, without God, you can’t be or do good as God defines good. That statement might offend some of you right now so let’s look at what the Bible says.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph. 2:8-9

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. Rom. 5:7-9

So you may be wondering if I’m saying that anyone who hasn’t accepted Jesus and received the Holy Spirit will lead a sin-filled life? Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying and that’s going to be offensive to every nonbeliever. Without God, there’s no plumb line of God’s expectations for His people and their spiritual alignment with His Word. That’s why it’s so important when you read the Bible to know the context and whether it’s directed to the believer or unbeliever.

So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. 7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Heb. 4:5-7 NLT

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

Pastors’ Challenge

Today, many pastors acquiesce to the secular culture’s demands to be “inclusive.” In an attempt to not be offensive, they avoid preaching on biblical sin. The Bible calls that a false teacher. A pastor’s godly commission is to counter cultures’ lies with biblical truth. The righteous pastor tells the truth in love. If he doesn’t share the truth, he isn’t loving his congregation.

A pastor who avoids boldly covering the hard offensive places in the Bible is looking for the congregation’s affirmation not God’s confirmation. You can’t teach the Bible without offending someone. The Bible is clear on what is sinful and why we should strive to not sin. Believers don’t expect our sinful choices to be excused or legalized but instead confessed and forgiven. Unbelievers who might be in the congregation need to hear that Good News and believers need to live by it.

God is not “inclusive.” He’s actually very exclusive. All are welcome to spend eternal life with Him and His Son Jesus Christ, but there’s a qualifier. Only those who believe Jesus Christ died on the cross, rose again three days later, as we will celebrate on Easter, and confess their sins, ask for forgiveness, and turn from their wicked ways will be saved.  (John 3:16)

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

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

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. Rom. 3:23-25 NLT

The entire concept of salvation is confessing and repenting of our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The word “sin” is used 1,364 times in the NIV Bible translation, but when’s the last time you heard a pastor preach about sin, even though forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ is the foundation of our faith? Think about it. Paul understood the importance of us recognizing our sins.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5:18-21 NLT

 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. . . Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. . . 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Rom. 1: 24-27, 29-30

We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. 1 Tim. 1:9-11 NLT

Jesus talked about sin.

He [Jesus] went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” Mark 7:20-23 NLT

Satan is using the secular left to legalize and champion sinful lifestyles and intimidate and silence the church on the one thing Satan uses to destroy God’s civilization—sin. I grew up going to church and I knew from a very young age what was sinful versus what was pleasing to God. In my backsliding days, while I might’ve been resentful of anyone calling out my sin, I knew I was breaking God’s heart because in my heart I knew I was sinning. How many people are sitting in woke churches today living under the lie that if culture says it’s okay and my pastor doesn’t call it wrong, it can’t be all that bad.

Have you heard a message in your church lately on why abortion, the murder of unborn babies, is sinful and wrong? Pastors often don’t teach on the sin of abortion because it might offend someone, so they skip over the Old Testament sacrificing of children to Baal and Moloch. Today, babies are burned or dismembered before they’re even born. With 1 out of 5 pregnancies ending in abortion, there probably will be a family touched by abortion in the congregation, but what if that pastor had been speaking all along about the sanctity of life and why God wants every baby He creates to receive the gift of life. Pastors could be saving babies’ lives. And for those women suffering with the guilt of killing their own child, the pastor could help them find comfort and forgiveness from Jesus. When pastors are afraid to touch that sinful painful subject, babies keep dying and women keep suffering.

Or has your pastor approached the subject in a sermon of why men should not be competing in women’s sports because no man can ever be a woman? Has he talked about what the Bible says about homosexuality, perverse sexual lifestyles, and exposing young children in school to this sin? No, you say. Well, why not? The Bible has a ton to say about it and because pastors don’t discuss it, the number of children experimenting with the rainbow mafia has skyrocketed. Children believe the devil’s lie that they can change their sex surgically or medically, when girls’ genetic XX chromosomes and boys’ XY chromosomes will NEVER change. These children will become patients for life instead of receiving help from Bible-believing pastors, psychologists, and counselors.

Or what about the mutilation and sterilization of children. Has your pastor talked about the deception of parents allowing young children to make such life altering permanent changes to their body that will NEVER change their God-given sex? Someone is probably dealing with this right now in your church.

God’s church can’t and shouldn’t avoid difficult issues. It’s a sin!

I know it sounds like I’m putting the onus for much of the culture’s woes on the church and actually that’s exactly what I’m doing. No one should leave a church sermon with a warm fuzzy feeling that nothing needs to change in their life. That’s a milk toast church. Pastors should be teaching what the Bible says about evil and sin. While it might be offensive to some, God’s Word is the ONLY way to eternal life with Him.

 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Heb. 5:12-14

Many people wrongfully think that politics and spirituality should stay separate and that’s a lie straight from the enemy. Politics has invaded the church by normalizing or even legalizing what we all know is sin. Gay marriage. Abortion. Sexual perversion. Child mutilation. The war against women.

No one is perfect. We see many pastors falling in their personal lives. They’re tempted by sin like any of us. Maybe if they were studying the Scriptures and preaching accurately about overcoming sin, they too would be convicted to live by all of God’s Word. Pastor Jack Hibbs advises pastors, “You don’t avoid the difficult Scriptures, you look for Jesus in them!” The Apostle Paul gave a commission to every pastor.
 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know. 28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. Acts 20:27-28 NLT

The Lord appears to every believer through His Word, the Holy Bible, and unbelievers can meet Jesus there. Don’t rely on your pastor; rely on your Savior.  You might be offended by what you read, but God loves you enough to tell you the Truth.

This morning in church, we heard a message on 1 Samuel 3 and we sang in church the old hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.” I’m closing with 1 Samuel 3:21 and a stanza from the song.

The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. 1 Sam. 3:21

“My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

Please let us know if your pastor helps your church family in overcoming the sins of this world, even when it’s offensive. Leave a reply here.

April 7, 2025
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We Need to Outsmart and Out Pray the Devil!

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Today’s Monday Morning Blog will be briefer than usual even though this has been another packed week of events and emotions in our country, I’ve been sick all week. The kind of sick where my hubby willingly had to scrounge up his own dinner while I moan and blow my nose on the couch. I know many of you understand since there are bugs going around that have many of you commiserating with me. And yes, I take a slew of vitamins and elderberry daily and have been doing the iodine nasal spray when I’m around crowds and sick people, but my body was recovering from a skin cancer surgery on my face and I think it was just my time.

So, if you’re sick too or have been recently, you know the drill where you wake up every morning praying that you’re going to feel better and then you don’t. This too will pass. But being sick has allowed me to watch the coverage of many of the Trump cabinet Senate committee “interrogations” in real time and not just clips.

I’ve absolutely been appalled at the anger, yelling, rudeness, attacking, interrupting, lies, taking quotes out of context, projection, hypocrisy, and disrespect spewed from the Democrat Senators against the qualified candidates that President Trump has chosen to work with him in eliminating the atrocities inflicted on our country by the last administration. And here’s the rub. Those screaming Democrat Senators are railing against common sense values and policies that the majority of Americans voted for while voting against the Dem’s unjust woke policies.

Fear is motivating the Democrats hateful unprofessional accusations and verbal assaults. Fear that they’ll be found out for their own actions and personal gain while shamelessly destroying our country. Fear that whatever God is doing in our country will jeopardize their stranglehold on the government. Watching their contorted faces, they looked and sounded demonically possessed. As if they’ve sold their soul to the devil for power, prestige, and position with no real concern for the life of everyday American citizens. I couldn’t help but wonder what type of person votes for these people?

If you watch any of the senate committee sessions, I often refer to as hearings or interrogations, you’ll notice the Democrats were united in their disgusting vile attacks. They had prepared and planned and were unified in belligerent bullying. They’ll also be unified in partisan voting against every qualified Republican candidate who wants to restore power to the people. It was amazing to watch the cabinet candidates for the most part remaining calm and respectful while being verbally assaulted and insulted

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:11-12 NLT “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. 12 If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.”

Angry lying fools and advisers is exactly what these Democrat Senators portray. Their godless way of dealing with temperament is rooted in pride. The Democrat Senators who can see their grip on power slipping from their grasp weren’t yelling for the benefit of America, but for self-preservation of their party and more important to them, their own personal power. They’ve learned nothing from their loss and what the American people said they wanted in this last election.

The Democrat minority leader Hakeem Jeffries called for violence at a press conference saying that, “everyday Americans are under assault by an extreme MAGA Republican agenda. We are going to fight it legislatively. We are going to fight it in the courts. And we’re gonna fight it in the streets.” Is he trying to emulate President Trump’s iconic, “Fight, fight, fight”? If so, it fell flat. Now they’re going to take to the streets in violence?! How exactly is that going to benefit them or the American people? Another example of “fools venting their anger.”

The new Democrat party leader Ken Martin’s first priority is to set up a “war room” to message against Trump, who he once called a “traitor,” and his posture will be “aggressive against Trump and leading Republicans.“

We need to stay wise and vigilant because we’ve seen that the left does not play fair. These are the same people who mercilessly and unjustly jailed peaceful J6ers. They jailed peaceful pro-life advocates for praying while the Democrat party supports and receives funding from Planned Parenthood that calls “praying violence” and condemns Trump’s pardons of Pro-Life Americans.

The Democrats can’t accept that the MAGA agenda is exactly what millions of “everyday Americans” voted for! Instead, they’re trying to inflict a coordinated systemic attack to block Trump’s nominees to the detriment of the country. They want to delay the government for the people by the people from being able to function. Since the Democrats are in the minority, they’re using rules of the Senate to try to stymie Trump’s agenda. They’re playing a vicious and diabolical game with our government.

A Reoccurring Theme!

The Democrat agenda isn’t about how they can do a better job for our country, but rather what can they do to take down Trump and his supporters. Even Robert Kennedy Jr. in his confirmation hearing pointed to all the Democrat Senators and said, you were all my friends before I supported Trump. Now you’re all against me because you’re against anything Trump does.

They’re blinded by this singular focus as was evidenced with their attempts to take President Trump down before the election. But God spared him from every assault including an assassin’s bullet and Trump knows he was saved for such a time as this. So should we know this as we pray for his protection and godly guidance daily. If God is for him, pity the person who is against him.

As I prayed and pondered about all of this, I realized I was watching the spiritual battle occurring in the heavenlies playing out before my eyes in real time. Satan wants to destroy everything good that God has created from mankind to government to the world. The devil is using lost souls to do his dirty work. All the tragedies we’re watching in shock daily from devastation in North Carolina to apocalyptic fires in California to the horrific plane crashes in DC and Philadelphia to the daily murder of innocent babies have the stamp of the devil written across them.

Sadly, the devil is smarter than most Christians are, even though we know he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Many Christians, including pastors, have actually joined the culture instead of taking the culture back for God. They’ve gone along with tolerating sexual perversion as a person’s “right” while thousands of young children are being groomed on social media like TikTok and even in our schools and surgically mutilated and castrated by “doctors.” If a male decides he’s a female, we let him invade women’s sports, locker rooms, and private spaces and even call him by his pseudo woman’s name and pronoun. We’ve tolerated gay marriage, an abomination to God.

We’ve cried over babies being murdered in the womb but haven’t been willing to join the fight to protect them. In some cases, the Biden government’s DEI programs have demanded compliance and even prosecuted brave people for objecting to evil wokeness.

How Do We Know What to Speak Out Against and Reject?

Answer: Anything that hurts God’s heart! Period.

We need to be as united in truth as the other side is united in lies and deception. We don’t agree with the devil, ever. If and when we do, we give the devil license to unleash his evil decadence and chaos here on earth as we’ve watched our culture deteriorate. Now we have a chance to take America back not only for common sense conservative values and laws, but more importantly, for God’s biblical values and laws. The left is terrified of this, but God is on our side.

There is power in unity, both for evil and good. It’s time Christians stop fearmongering and stand up for their faith. Anyone who is standing with the Democrats who want to go back to the Biden era are like the Israelites who wanted to go back to Egypt where they were slaves after God set them free! We need to stay involved, stay united, serve where we feel led, and pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom. 12:21

Note: I chose the opening picture because it’s snowing as I write.

Please leave a comment here.

February 3, 2025
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God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust. A Must See Movie for EVERY Christian!

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You’ll be surprised that this week’s Monday Morning Blog will be brief, but I pray impactful. At least, that’s my plan as I sit down and write to you my trusted readers during a time of great turmoil and difficulty in my family when I considered not taking the time or energy to write a blog this week. But the Lord, gave me one of those “ah ha” moments I’m always writing about, and I knew I must share it with you. I’ll also close with a personal prayer request, which I don’t often use this platform to do.

My husband and I enjoy watching the weekend Mike Huckabee show. Last Saturday night, Huckabee introduced the movie, “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust”, the 5th in the God’s Not Dead franchise. I was shocked that this was the first time I heard about it since it releases in theaters September 12! Then Huckabee interviewed the stars of the movie, David A. R. White and Scott Baio. Even Huckabee has a cameo role. When they revealed that the theme was about Christians and politics, I knew exactly why social media had silenced it. My ears perked up.

If you’ve read my recent blogs, which I list at the end of this blog, you know I’m a firm believer that it’s our Christian duty to vote our faith beliefs, support Christians running for office, and maybe even run for office ourselves if the Lord leads.  

The movie mirrors exactly what’s happening in our culture today where as many as 40 million Christians don’t want to be involved in politics or vote. Alarmingly, only 1 in 3 Christians vote! Many Christians consider politics “dirty” and subscribe to the myth that the Gospel and politics should be separate. Yet, if those 40 million Christians would vote their faith, every election would turn out different. Our country would be different. Our schools would be different. Our families would be different. Our schools would be different. Our laws would be different. Our media would be different.  It’s a travesty that more Christians don’t see that.

Christians don’t run from opposing views; we run to them with the Gospel! We confront issues with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Heb. 4:12

In the movie, White plays his reoccurring “God’s Not Dead” role of Reverand David Hill who grapples with throwing his hat and Bible into the political arena where his arch nemesis is running on stamping out God in the culture and public square. Does that sound like our culture and political world today?

Scott Baio, who typically plays a good guy, plays a bad guy plotting against Pastor Dave’s campaign. The movie depicts what I’ve said so many times: the real battle we’re in right now is not just political it’s spiritual. God doesn’t tell Christians to retreat from a spiritual battle but to suit up in our armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and enter the battle. Not avoid or ignore it. Not be complacent with an “I don’t want to get involved attitude.”

God’s timing in releasing a powerful film like “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust” at such a time as this before the important November election, is as always, perfect! White said it’s almost like God-breathed it purposefully. The film depicts our current culture with what Christians need to see and understand. Huckabee agrees that American Christians must see the film because it inspires us to know that our vote really does count and makes a difference.

The internal battle Pastor Dave goes through in the movie is whether there’s a godly way to enter the political arena. We see and feel his struggle.

Scott Baio says he believes in the mission of the movie. He bravely and boldly spoke at the 2016 Republican Convention knowing that Hollywood would blackball him, which they did. He said he was OK with it because, “My country is more important than me.” He went on to say, “My daughter is more important than me. I will do whatever I can to keep my country what I remember it as, which was a God-fearing, respectful, law-abiding country.”

I agree with Huckabee who said that people who don’t want to get involved in politics, don’t want any of that “political stuff because it’s just dirty,” need to go see the movie.  Then decide whether you should vote and support those Christians who are willing to step into the lions’ den of politics.

Faith begins where your comfort zone ends!

Huckabee and His Daughter Sarah Understand the Importance of Christians Being in Politics!

Mike Huckabee is a familiar face in political commentaries and circles today, but many people forget or don’t know that he was a pastor who preached for 12 years in Arkansas pulpits before he became a governor and, later, a 2008 and 2016 presidential candidate. While he was governor (1996-2007), he maintained his pastoral instincts.

“I think it’s the greatest preparation that a person can have for public service,” he told Religious News Service in a 2007 interview. “Somebody says they want to talk about the issue of the elderly, I’ve dealt with those folks. I’ve dealt with a 14-year-old girl who’s pregnant and hasn’t told her parents yet. I’ve talked to the young couple who’s head over heels in debt. … I think it gives you a real perspective about people and what they’re going through that’s important.”

While he was pastor of Beech Street First Baptist Church in Texarkana, Ark., from 1986 to 1992, Huckabee was the youngest president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, a job that helped prompt him to think about switching from pastoring to politics. Pastor David Uth, the leader of First Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla., told RNS that in that post, Huckabee worked to calm differences between moderate and conservative Baptists in his home state.

Pastor turned politician Mike Huckabee’s Christian daughter Sarah Huckabee Sanders followed her dad’s interest in politics and was President Trump’s press secretary for two years and then went on to become the youngest and first female Governor of Arkansas. Like her dad, she governs from a biblical conservative Christian worldview. Aren’t we glad that Christians like the Huckabees are willing to take their faith into the public square and make a difference in politics and government.

Mike Huckabee said he still misses his congregants, but he views his move to politics as an extension of what he’s done before: “It is in itself a ministry.”

Like the Huckabees, Hal Lindsey emphasizes why it’s so important that Christians get involved in the political government even if just by voting our faith.

“Politicians decide the laws that we must all obey. They set up the bureaucracies that create the millions of pages of regulations that we must also obey. They decide things that have an enormous influence on how we live our lives. They tax us, and they send our children to war.

“As their name implies, politicians set policies. Those policies have a powerful influence on things like inflation. Government policies can destroy jobs and even whole industries. Those policies can be the difference between full grocery store shelves and empty ones. They also have a vast influence on the abundance or scarcity in your own cupboard! We vote on the people who decide the curricula of our children’s schools. Politicians and their policies can be the difference between safety in the streets, or chaos. These things are enormously important. We should vote and be involved.” Hal Lindsey

It’s true that the “deep state” doesn’t have more power than the Lord God who is omnipotent, but God gave us the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells in the heart of every Christian. God expects us to tap into that power and use it in the spiritual cultural war of good versus evil. There is no such thing as a powerless, ineffective, complacent Christian, only those who may choose to suppress their God-given right and responsibility to apply that power in the public square with a simple but powerful vote!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Eph. 3:20-21

My Faith Votes! Does Yours?

Each of us has the power and ability within us to make a difference in this world. As you’ve read before, like Mike Huckabee I see being involved in the political arena as a ministry. God has led me to be an Idaho Area Coordinator for My Faith Votes, a ministry that encourage Christians to vote their values and their faith and help turn this country back to God. I believe it’s our civic, Christian, and patriotic duty and responsibility to vote, not just for ourselves, but for generations to come including those innocent voices that are being silenced in the womb before they even have a chance at life.

Pastor/Governor Huckabee is an Honorary National My Faith Votes Chairman. Dr. Ben Carson is the founding My Faith Votes Chairman and Dr. David Jeremiah, President of Turning Point Ministry, is an influential voice supporting My Faith Votes. Pastor Allen Jackson gave an interview on The Church’s Role in Shaping America. These Christian stalwarts do not see a wall between Christianity and politics, but instead an opportunity to bring biblical worldview back into government.

For the upcoming election, My Faith Votes has an easy yet powerful way you can get involved in this election right from your home. Write Now is a movement encouraging Christians in swing states who are registered but haven’t voted in recent elections, to cast their vote for biblical values in what might be one of the most important elections in our lifetime that could literally decide if we become a Communist country or remain free! Won’t you please check it out. All you’ll need to do is provide stamps and envelopes. You’ll receive a list of names and addresses and a template letter to print out, pray over, and mail. You can specify how many names you want. All of mine happen to be in Arizona!

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. Ps. 119:165

Be sure you watch the trailer for God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust and find out more about the film and where to buy tickets.

If you haven’t read my previous blogs this month, I hope you’ll read them now.

Jesus the Great Divider

The Lies Satan Uses to Deceive Christians and Churches

When Did Normal Become Weird?

Personal Prayer Request. Almost 6 weeks ago, when my husband Dave and I returned from a wonderful trip to see a grandson get married in North Carolina, Dave started experiencing pain in the back of his thighs which quickly moved up to his lower back. He’s lost strength in his legs and can’t walk without a walker and extreme pain. We’re waiting results of an MRI. Our prayer request is that they will be definitive and wisdom for the doctors and us to determine a course of treatment. Thank you for your prayers. Sorry this blog wasn’t as short as I promised you.

Please leave a comment here and I’ll reply.

August 26, 2024
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The Lies Satan Uses to Deceive Christians and Churches

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You’ve heard it said, maybe you’ve said it yourself, “Christians and the church should stay out of politics.” Satan has used that lie effectively to transform America from a country that honored God and godly principles to electing a current administration that bows to evil demonic ideologies. It’s been a steady progression to a tipping point of a 2024 American presidential ticket with two progressive extreme left neo-Marxists! Both of the candidates on that ticket have demonstrated a lack of integrity, honesty, and morals, while embracing Marxist ideologies that attempt to replace God with government.

By trying to become gods without submitting to the God, they rebel against Romans 13:1-2. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (vs. 1).  We’re only to honor government that acknowledges its authority comes from God. Those currently in power, and seeking to keep power, fall under the second verse.  2 “Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority [of God] is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

God has more to say to governing rebels about their insolence.

There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, 18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. Pr. 6:16-19 NLT

How did these kinds of people get into power? We let them! Christians and the church, which should’ve put on their armor of God to speak loudly and boldly against evil and demonic inroads in our government, instead chose complacency, apathy, and silence. What are some of those evil principles you might be asking. Here’s just a few demonic travesties the progressive liberal left champions . . .

  • Federally codify as a “constitutional right” the savage and barbaric murder-on-demand of human babies in the womb, even after birth, calling it “healthcare” or “women’s reproductive rights.” Some blue states, including Minnesota under Governor Walz, have already codified this in their state constitutions and at least two babies in Minnesota were left to die after birth. The destruction of human babies during abortion would be vehemently condemned on rats, but if you speak or pray too loudly to protect human babies from being viciously murdered, you might be arrested.
  • Allow malpractice doctors to hormonally and surgically mutilate and castrate minor children deceitfully calling it “healthcare.” Walz deemed Minnesota a “sanctuary state” for this atrocity on children. Walz will take your children from you if you don’t agree to letting your child’s body be permanently altered and made infertile.
  • Allow unvetted illegal aliens to invade our borders, obtain citizen benefits, vote in elections, and thereby facilitate child sex trafficking and smuggling of drugs killing thousands of children and adults. Harris, the “border czar” for the past 3 ½ years, encouraged and facilitated this invasion.
  • Voter fraud.
  • Incarcerating political prisoners, conducting legal warfare against political opponents, while letting criminals go free.
  • Children taught perverted sex practices in school starting in kindergarten.
  • Children brainwashed and indoctrinated in schools to believe the lie that they can change their gender and parents coerced into agreeing with it, never told, or threatened with loss of parental rights if they don’t agree.
  • Children exposed to obscene and pornographic books in school and public libraries.
  • Forcing people to take an experimental vaccine or lose their job or military status and closing churches, which Walz did in Minnesota during Covid.
  • Allow men to compete in women’s sports, undress and shower in women’s locker rooms, and use women’s bathrooms in schools where governors like Walz put feminine hygiene products in boys’ bathrooms.
  • Pro-Hamas, anti-Israel protests encouraged not condemned, while pulling back support for Israel.
  • Promoting and financing a “climate change” “green new deal” scam/hoax.

You might think what decadent country would allow such evil? You’re living in that country right now! Everything on that partial list is allowed and legalized, either federally and/or in blue Democrat run states.

Yet, how many of you have heard a sermon on any of this evil? How many of you have spoken out against it? How many of you realize that every moral issue we hold dear as Christians is being politicized because Christians stayed silent and let it happen while falling prey to the lie from hell that Christians shouldn’t be “political” or participate in government. That’s like saying Christians shouldn’t be emotional, logical, moral, or take a stand against evil. Instead, Christians should relinquish religious freedoms of their families, friends and neighbors to the diabolical policies of an anti-God government without objecting. Wrong!

Lies straight from the pit of hell. Satan wants Christians to cower as he exerts his authority and power on the world with no pushback from those who have the Holy Spirit’s power inside but fail to tap into it. Just like when the serpent taunted Eve with the famous question that led to sin creating death for us all, “Did God really say that?”

Yes, God told us to combat evil wherever and whenever we see it manifested in our own lives, in the lives of others, and in the public square. Christians have civic duties and responsibilities. The lie that the church should restrict itself to solely preaching the Gospel, but not teach how to take the Gospel into the world to combat evil is from Satan’s playbook, not God’s Holy Book.

God is in Politics!

God created government and politics just like He created every element of our lives and the world. God and godly men got involved in politics throughout the Bible!

From Genesis to Revelation, we see the history of good and bad governments and the destruction of society when an evil regime is in power. Often, a prophet of God gave wise godly political council to leaders like Moses whose father-in-law Jethro told him to establish a government structure. God gave Moses the 10 Commandments laws to govern the people. Daniel and Joseph found themselves in ungodly governments, but didn’t acquiesce or stay silent. Each spoke God’s truth to those in political power and ended up in high positions in government serving righteously. The prophet Samuel anointed Saul as King, but later spoke God’s truth boldly against Saul’s misdeeds. The prophet Nathan confronted King David about using his power in government immorally and Nathan counseled David’s son, King Solomon.

I could go on with biblical examples throughout history. Here’s the point: we need godly men and women today who are willing to serve in government. We need churches encouraging Christians to get involved in developing and supporting righteous laws and combatting evil however and wherever the Lord leads, but especially using their God-given right to vote. There is nothing prohibiting a pastor from telling his congregation to vote their faith and biblical beliefs. He should be discipling and guiding them in what biblically based faith looks like. He can do that in a nonpartisan biblical way.

God didn’t create us to be puppets at the mercy of whoever is in power when they’re evil. God is the ultimate power, but He gave us responsibility and authority to occupy this land until His return. We’re not one-dimensional human subjects or slaves to whomever is in charge. We the people are the government and with prayer and research, we determine who we want to oversee the government structure that works best for the citizens. We’re actually the boss, not the White House.

Political Engagement is An Important Stewardship for Christians!

We’re to infuse God and His ways into every area of life from the family to the frontlines of government. Nothing in the Bible tells us to stand down and submit to evil. Instead, we’re to take our biblical worldview into every corner of the earth and every activity under heaven, including politics and government.

Many argue that politics is divisive and we only want unity in the church. People will always have different opinions over everything from the music to the color of the carpet or maybe even no carpet. It doesn’t mean we don’t talk about our differences and work them out and the same should be said of political views.

The unifying factor is always the Bible. What does the Bible say about all the issues I’ve mentioned in this article? That’s what pastors and congregants should be talking about. Do we just acquiesce to the culture or do we use the Bible and biblical principles to create a revival in culture?!

We’re in our current cultural evil wokeness because of apathy, crowdedness, fear, lack of knowledge, and unwillingness to get involved. The Bible counters every one of those weapons of Satan. In Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith, I give examples of fifty women in the Bible and twenty-eight modern-day brave women who understood how to put their faith into action and change history for the good of their families, communities, and in many cases, their nation.

Pastor Jack Hibbs Gets It!

I was thrilled to read in The Christian Post that Pastor Jack Hibbs at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California, one of the bluest and most progressive liberal governed states in the union, is implementing exactly what I’m discussing in this article. He’s not afraid and he refuses to back down and let California be consumed by the anti-Christ spirit that’s been ruling my birth state for far too long. Pastor Hibbs’ church is conducting a “Comeback California Tour” that seeks to equip churches legally and effectively to get involved in the political process ahead of the November general election.

“For several months, I would say at least … four, five months, we’ve been putting our plan together, actual details, inviting the churches where we’re actually stopping, talking to the pastors,” Gina Gleason, who leads the church’s Real Impact ministry that’s devoted to equipping churches “to stand for righteousness in the public square,” told The Christian Post. Churches will also be able “to obtain voter and church-compliant election resources” and interact with local candidates.

“California is at a crossroads, urgently needing the Church’s influence to reverse the moral decline and stand in the gap for our children, families and communities,” the website states. The events are an effort to “unite Christians to bring the values of Scripture and the light of Christ to our state, helping us rebuild and restore our communities,” it adds. 

The “Comeback California Tour” is part of a broader effort by the California megachurch to get churches involved in the political sphere.

That’s what I’m talking about! God created culture to be intertwined with the church. God created politics. Satan is using another lie to separate the Gospel and politics, which aren’t exclusive of each other. They’re dependent on each other. Many people still labor under the lie that the Constitution sets them apart but the Constitution and Bill of Rights were based on the Bible. Only man has tried to separate them. God established the law in the very beginning of time!

I believe the coming election in November will determine whether America experiences God’s grace or judgement. Freedom or Marxism. I believe He’s looking to see how many good men and women there are in the church who aren’t afraid to mix the Gospel with government the way it was always meant to be.

A false Christianity says we’re not to take politics into the church and Christ into government. There’s a mantel on believer’s today just as there was on Elisha, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, all the Old Testament Prophets, Deborah, Esther, Daniel, Joseph, David, John the Baptist, the disciples, and of course, Jesus Christ to witness to all people everywhere whether in church or the public square, “Thus sayeth the Lord. . .”

Jesus didn’t solely preach the Gospel. He covered all of life including sex, marriage, family, gender, lying, finances, health, work, business, children, babies, prodigals, adultery, sin, government . . . everything!

As Christians, we must be part of God’s solution to our nation’s problems, not cower as a silent majority letting our country be destroyed as our failed legacy to our children and grandchildren. We have a moral and spiritual obligation to speak out against evil and share the truth. Would we have been silent about slavery as so much of the church is silent about murdering babies or mutilating children?

What gospel are we preaching when we let evil prevail? Silence actually enables evil. We’re complicit with evil when we do nothing. Because we know who God is, we need to care who the President of our country is because he or she will determine if we’re a country under God or under Satan! Morals or evils will rule in our land!

You can be sure the other side is not going to stay silent. They’re going to get involved in the spiritual and political battle. I know what side I’m on and how I’ll be involved promoting good versus evil in this election, which will determine if we remain a free republic. Please pray for God to lead and guide you where He wants you to go and what action He wants you to take. If we don’t do something together, we’ll lose this nation we love and want to pass on to the next generations.

 O my people, listen to my instructions.
    Open your ears to what I am saying,
2     for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
3     stories we have heard and known,    stories our ancestors handed down to us.
4 We will not hide these truths from our children;
    we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
    about his power and his mighty wonders.
5 For he issued his laws to Jacob;
    he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
    to teach them to their children,
6 so the next generation might know them—
    even the children not yet born—
    and they in turn will teach their own children.
7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
    not forgetting his glorious miracles
    and obeying his commands.
8 Then they will not be like their ancestors—
    stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
    refusing to give their hearts to God. Ps. 78:1-8 NLT

I hope you’ll listen to this short interview with Jason Yates of My Faith Votes and Eric Metaxas author of Letter to the American Church and the movie by the same name. Check out My Faith Votes to see how you might get involved in your state and the free video series Think Biblically for your small group, Bible study, or Sunday school class.

After finishing this blog, I read the article by Mark Gerson: “The Solution to Woke Insanity Can Be Found in an Unexpected Source. Moses and Joseph both needed to be publically truthful and that’s what woke insanity also needs.” I didn’t want to make my article any longer by quoting this excellent article, but please take the time to hit on the link and read it. God just confirmed to me that my blog today was exactly the one I was supposed to write to you. Take your time. Read them both and then pray about what you’ve read.

Please leave a comment here and I will reply.

August 12, 2024
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Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Nurturing Lifelong Faith in a Turbulent World

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As you’ve read in my previous blogs and newsletters, I have a heavy burden for protecting our children and grandchildren from the wiles of the evil one. Satan is no longer sneaky and sly in his tactics. He’s open, blatant, and ruthless in going after our children in the schools, libraries, entertainment, games, sports, sexualization, gender confusion, and child-sex trafficking, while liberal “progressive” politicians on the left and media are complicit with the devil’s evil demonic ways. As a grandparent, I find it horrifying to watch the legal system working as accomplices to the breakdown of the family and taking away the rights of loving parents.

Satan had a minor setback with the overturn of Roe v Wade, so he’s now targeting his evil attacks on the children given precious life.

Children Are A Gift From God

Children shine with exceptional and extraordinary worth that exceeds all other God-given blessings. These priceless souls arrive in our arms as eternal treasures bearing the very image of God. As stewards of these divine gifts, we have a duty to equip ourselves for their proper care. It sounds like such a daunting task, and at times, it can seem overwhelming. We need tools and insights steeped in Scripture and spiritual wisdom that will empower us when we feel inadequate to guide our children towards a lifelong commitment to Christ.

The Bible does tell us that parents bear a sacred responsibility when it comes to nurturing children in the ways of the Lord. Joel 1:3 instructs parents to impart the truths of their faith to their children, who in turn, will pass on this sacred legacy to future generations. The Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry and platform God entrusted me with almost 30 years ago is exemplified in this verse.

Tell your children about it in the years to come,
    and let your children tell their children.
    Pass the story down from generation to generation. Joel 1:3 NLT

This cyclical transmission of faith serves as the bedrock upon which the continuity of Christianity rests, echoing the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19–20. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, 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.”

Lee Ann Mancini Wants to Help Parents!

A book from an author friend of mine has come along at the perfect time to help parents and grandparents raise and nurture children for Christ and not the culture. Today’s Monday Morning blog is featuring author Lee Ann Mancini’s new release Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God. (No relation to my daughter Kimberly Mancini) Let me share with you some thoughts about Lee Ann’s book because we all have children in our family and community. We all should care about their souls.

Our culture’s current trend toward moral relativism amplifies the urgency of instilling a steadfast faith in our children. Lee Ann Mancini provides the solutions we need in her new parenting guide. Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God offers invaluable insights drawn from both scripture and cutting-edge research in childhood spiritual development. As the CEO of Raising Christian Kids and a distinguished professor, Mancini emphasizes the vital role of parental guidance rooted in love and joy, safeguarding children from the perils of faithlessness.

I often ask audiences when I’m speaking on mentoring, “Are you the men and women you want your children to become?” “Do you have the marriage you want your children to have?” “Do you have the faith you want your children to live out?”

Lee Ann also recognizes parents are the primary educators and spiritual mentors in the lives of their children. She stresses that the way we live proves the most significant character lesson we teach. Lee Ann says that our actions and attitudes serve as the blueprint upon which our children model their own beliefs and behaviors. Her book shares insights on how to exemplify a life centered on the Word of God so we can provide a living testimony of Christ’s transformative power. Faithfully measured, our personal steps will lead our children and grandchildren towards a deep and abiding relationship with their Savior.

Lee Ann emphasizes the cornerstone of parental efforts must rest upon the unwavering truth of God’s Word. Just as Jesus is the living Stone chosen by God, so too must His teachings form the solid foundation upon which our children’s, and grandchildren’s, faith is built. Amidst the storms of life, anchored in Christ, they can stand firm unwavering in their devotion to Jesus and unyielding in their faith convictions.

As many of us know so well, the journey of raising children in the faith comes with a myriad of challenges. In a world hostile to Christian values, we must remain vigilant in equipping our children and grandchildren with the spiritual armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) necessary to withstand the onslaught of worldly temptations. Through prayer, guidance, and unwavering commitment, we can nurture within them a love for God and His Word thus empowering them to become beacons of light in a world shrouded in darkness.

Lee Ann esteems the calling to raise godly children as sacred, but she also shares her parenting advice with the hope of grace. It is never too early, nor too late, to inspire our children to love Jesus and develop a passion for His Kingdom. With fresh insights and transformative strategies, she welcomes us to embark on a journey of faith, nurturing the next generation of believers and disciples.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ serves as a wise and powerful companion as we navigate parenthood or as grandparents. The crises and shadows of life in this world will threaten to shake its youngest souls. Our children need the hope only Christ can offer. With a strong foundation, this generation can transform the future.

As we embrace our role as stewards of His precious gifts of our children, may we rise to the challenge with unwavering faith and steadfast resolve. We can depend on experts like Lee Ann Mancini to come alongside us in raising kids to follow Christ. Together, we can fulfill our true purpose and enjoy our greatest reward of raising a generation to love and follow Christ Jesus as their personal Savior.

An Overview of the Treasures Found in Raising Kids to Follow Christ.

In Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God, Lee Ann Mancini inspires parents, grandparents, teachers, and others to teach their children essential Christian principles to enable them to navigate the world with grace, integrity, and an unbreakable bond with their heavenly Father.

This book goes beyond surface-level advice, delving into the intricate matters of children’s hearts and minds and offering a blueprint for nurturing a deep and unwavering faith in Christ.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ offers:
• Decades of personal experience and training based on key essential principles in Scripture
• Practical strategies for addressing doubts, fears, and questions that arise in today’s culture
• Ways to help children control their emotions and actions in various situations
• Suggestions from some of today’s brightest Christian minds in children’s spirituality
• Empowerment for parents to become their child’s spiritual champion
• Easy-to-understand apologetics for children and adults
• Fun ways to connect your child’s heart to Christ

Raising Kids to Follow Christ is a collaborative journey inviting parents to learn, grow, and flourish alongside their children as they become bold in their witness and committed to their faith rather than the secular culture.

About Lee Ann Mancini

Lee Ann Mancini is the award-winning author and executive producer of the Sea Kids series, which can be viewed on Answers.TV, Pure Flix, Right Now Media, and Minno. Lee Ann earned Master’s degrees in Theological Studies, Christian and Classic Studies, and Biblical and Theological Studies. She serves as an adjunct professor at South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary and hosts the award-winning podcast, Raising Christian Kids.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God would make a great Easter or Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or any day gift for the parents in your life. The children of today are the future of tomorrow. Let’s be sure they’re spiritually prepared to win the battle for their souls and for our world.

Please leave a comment here. I always reply.

March 4, 2024
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10 Ways to Share the Gift of Jesus This Christmas

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If you go online and search lists of words that best characterize Christmas, you’ll find words like gifts, family, friends, decorations, busyness, happy, magical, celebration, dazzling, lights, baking, winter, shopping etc. Those are all appropriate words that apply to Christmas, but sadly when most people think of Christmas, they don’t think in biblical terms unless they’re Christians. Even some Christians busily preparing for Christmas don’t readily consider the foundational reason for Christmas. Instead, many first think of words that describe the commercial, cultural, and even secular aspects of Christmas.

Some people, like the Pro-terrorists-Hamas activists at New York City Rockefeller Center’s tree lighting ceremony, are suggesting that Christmas be canceled this year! How dare they? How quickly they forget that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus! Or could it be because Jesus was a Jew that’s exactly why they want it canceled?

Christmas is also a federal holiday formally recognized in the United States by the House of Representatives, the Senate, and President Ulysses S Grant who signed a bill designating Christmas into law as a legal holiday in 1870. It’s actually the only federal Christian holiday, even though it has become greatly secularized. So to even suggest Christmas be canceled, you know it’s the work of the enemy trying to deny the Christian celebration of our Lord and Savior’s birth, a Jew born in Judea in the city of Bethlehem.

Federal businesses have attempted to prohibit employees from showing any Christmas displays because “it might offend someone who doesn’t believe in Christmas.” Denying Christmas is offensive to me! It’s a weak excuse that should offend every Christian and be illegal.

Christmas is a federal holiday whether it offends someone or not. Post offices, banks, schools, federal offices close on Christmas. Secularists in schools now call Easter a “Spring break” and since it falls on Sunday, they’ve gotten away with minimizing the Christian significance. But not so with Christmas and we must not let them. Every employee in every business should be allowed to decorate their desk or work area for Christmas.

As we watch the Islamist countries joining against the tiny country of Jews in Israel, God’s chosen Holy Land, while activists and protesters threaten Jews in America, you can be sure that Christians are next. We must never bend or succumb to any attempts to change language or prohibit the public celebration of our Savior’s birth or His resurrection. Even though the Christmas tree isn’t biblical, it’s associated with Christmas even at the White House, so Christmas trees and manger scenes should be allowed in public places.

BTW—the heart of the word Christmas is Christ! The English term “Christmas” comes from the combination of the words “mass” and “Christ. Never forget that it’s CHRISTmas!

What Can Christians Do to Remind People of the True Meaning of Christmas?

Unfortunately, this year Christmas won’t be celebrated as usual in Bethlehem. The city’s municipality announced the traditional Christmas decorations and lights in Manger Square “will not be put up in an effort to show solidarity with those suffering in Gaza.” Bethlehem Pastor Stephen Khoury doesn’t agree with the decision. “So if they want to not do the light celebrations, that’s fine. I don’t like it, but it’s a decision. They’re not holding us back from doing prayer services and doing a Christian religious service. They’re not holding us back or stopping us from doing that.”

In a CBN article by Chris Mitchell, “As Christmas Decorations Go Dark in Bethlehem, Pastor Shines Light of Jesus with Tent Display,” Pastor Khoury outlined his plan to keep the focus of Christmas on Jesus. “So, here’s what we’re doing: where we tell people to let the lights go out, but let the light of Christ shine, let the decorations be taken down, but let the symbol of Christ’s promise be heard, and stand – what we’re doing in the month of December, and probably till the early January is, we’re going to set up a tent.”

 “We’re going to call it the nativity encounter Christmas tent, the Hope tent,” Khoury told us. This nativity encounter tent is, we’re going to get people to walk through this tent . . . And it’s a Bible discovery experience. And people can feel –touch something – dealing with what it would have looked like during Christ’s days in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. And they walk out the other side getting the message that the miracle has happened here.”

“We are bringing it back to ground zero and that the Christmas season, it’s about Jesus. He’s the reason for this season. And that’s what I plan to do throughout Christmas. And we invite the world to pray, to stand and to come volunteer with us at this tent,” he said.

That started me thinking about ways Christians could keep the focus on Jesus Christ this Christmas. I love how Samaritan’s Purse, who does the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, sends their teams to help in areas of crisis, disaster, and pandemics like Covid, always making it clear they’re helping and serving in the name of Jesus Christ as they share the Gospel wherever they go. Even the shoeboxes include the Gospel message.

How can we imitate a similar outreach as individuals this Christmas and openly share the true reason for Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His birthday should be a reminder of the reason He humbled Himself to come into the world as a baby to die on a cross to offer forgiveness and eternal life to you, me, and everyone who believes in Him.

Following are 10 ideas to share the gift of Christmas with others, remembering that helping others actually helps us. I’m sure you can think of more.

  • Give the Gift of Encouragement. Instead of writing letters to Santa, have children write letters to people who need encouragement this Christmas or include them in your Christmas card list. For example: military, first responders, police, medical staff, nursing home residents, or hospital patients. Be sure to include a Scripture or two from the biblical Christmas story.

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

  • Give the Gift of Hope. Adopt a disadvantaged family in your church or community. Bless them with Christmas presents like age-appropriate Bibles, Christian authored books, personal necessities, toys, or provide a special meal. Include a Gospel track* with the food and goodies. Ask if you can pray with them for any prayer requests.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. Eph. 1:18 NLT

  • Give the Gift of Joy. Find simple ways to bring a smile to someone’s face during the Christmas season. For example, pay for the car behind you at a drive-through and give the cashier/server a Gospel track* to include with their order. Give an extra track to the server and be sure to leave a nice tip.

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Ps. 16:11 NLT

  • Give the Gift of Kindness. Offer your time and energy to someone in need. Hang lights for an elderly neighbor or help decorate their house. Wrap presents for an overwhelmed new mom or someone recovering from an illness or surgery.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Col. 3:12 NLT

  • Give the Gift of Words. Speak words of affirmation and affection to your friends, family, customer service, waiters/waitresses, store employees . . . Take time to write a personal note in your Christmas cards or Christmas letter.

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Pr. 16:24

  • Give the Gift of Faith. Read the biblical Christmas story with your family. If you read a chapter in the Book of Luke starting December 1, you’ll finish on Christmas Eve. You still have time to catch up. Look for opportunities to talk about what Christ’s birth means for your life today.

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. Heb. 11:1-3 NLT

  • Give the Gift of Peace. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, and the unsettling news reports, set aside at least one “silent night” a week for the family to be home. Light a fire if you have a fireplace, curl up with cups of hot chocolate or tea, play worship Christmas music, and take a few moments to rest and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

  • Give the Gift of Hospitality. Invite someone to your home who may not have family close by or host a Christmas open house for your neighbors, friends, family, fellow workers, or Bible study group.

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 1 Pet. 4:9 NLT

  • Give the Gift of Time. Help nursing home residents write Christmas letters and read the Christmas story to them from the Bible. Offer to baby-sit so busy parents can go on a date or Christmas shopping together. Spend a few hours volunteering at a shelter. Help with Christmas festivities or services at your church or community.

Serve one another humbly in love. Gal. 5:13

  • Give the Gift of Love. Presents under the tree won’t make you or anyone else happy for long, but the presence of Jesus will! The happiest Christians are evangelistic all the time, not just at Christmas. Engage people with the love of God.  

“Love is never wasted for its value does not rest upon reciprocity.” C.S. Lewis

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12 NLT

*You can purchase Gospel tracks from places like Christianbook.com, but I also found a Souls for Christ Ministry that offers free printable tracks to make yourself.

If you missed my November newsletter, the opening article is “An Urgent Message of Christmas” and includes my Christmas poem “Time to Sit with You.” Here’s the link.

Please leave a comment here and share your thoughts and ideas with others. I reply to every comment.

December 4, 2023
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Is Giving Thanks a Lost Tradition?

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This week is Thanksgiving when many of us will gather with family and friends to eat a big delicious traditional meal. Maybe watch football, play games, fellowship, and hopefully say a prayer thanking God for the many blessings we enjoy in our life. Often, the only time we really focus on the true meaning of Thanksgiving is during that prayer before the meal we’re all anxiously awaiting with anticipation and appetites! If you’re looking for some ideas of how to offer a Thanksgiving prayer for various circumstances, I wrote a Crosswalk article on that topic—4 Prayers to Say At the Thanksgiving Table.

Last week, I learned a term that was new to me. As Dave and I were shopping at Trader Joe’s a full week prior to Thanksgiving, the aisles at this store and Costco were jam packed with shoppers. I commented to the Trader Joe’s checker that I was surprised people were shopping so early for the big meal a week away. Both she and the bagger simultaneously said, “Friendsgiving.” I didn’t hear what they said, so they repeated it several times. When I had a questioning look on my face, the checker said many people get together for a meal with their friends the weekend prior to having a family Thanksgiving celebration later in the week.

I love that idea. We’ve done that in the past too, as well as invited friends to the family dinner. But I’d never heard it called “Friendsgiving” before. When I posted about Friendsgiving on Facebook, I received many comments from people, including my daughter, who said it wasn’t a new term. Just new to me, I guess.

Thinking about Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving brought to mind a thought I’ve had for quite a while. Are we raising generations that have forgotten the courtesy of expressing gratitude not only to God, but also to others? Let me explain. I’m a boomer. My generation was born between 1946-1964. As soon as I could print, or even scribble, the expectation was that when I received a gift from someone, especially for birthdays or Christmas, I sent a thank you note to the gift giver whether it was family or friends.

When I was married, part of the shower and wedding preparation was ordering thank you notes to send out for the gifts we received. And when I was pregnant and received shower and baby gifts, as crazy as it was being a new working mom, it was a given I would make the time to send thank you notes.

I’m finding this thank-you etiquette courtesy is now a lost tradition. Yes, today it might be an email or text instead of a mailed thank you card, but often those aren’t sent either. Somewhere along the generational sequence, one generation didn’t pass down to the next generation the importance of showing gratitude for the gifts they receive. And we wonder why we’re watching generations of entitled children and adults today who expect someone else to pay for college loans they willingly took out and then complain about having to work 9-5 jobs!

Author Carol Roth says Gen Z’s (1997-2012) woes with fulltime work stem from “their parents failing them.” Here’s a quote from her article. “While it’s easy to dunk on these young people, I really blame the parents. This hurts, because Gen Z is being raised in large part by Gen X [1965-1980], which should make the kids awesome and self-sufficient.” She goes on to say that “young people consuming Marxist propaganda online and even in school it’s not surprising they want to do as little works as possible while still expecting food, clothing, shelter, entertainment and more will just fall from the sky for them.” I was happy to see she suggested mentorship as a solution.

But an even sadder consequence of not feeling compelled to be grateful to those who sacrifice their money and time on a gift or providing a college education or offering them a job, is we now also have a generation that has forgotten to say thank you for the sacrifice Jesus made to give them the gift of salvation.

It only takes one generation failing to pass down their faith, traditions, work ethic, or even the courtesy of showing tangible gratitude for a gift, for these things to be forgotten or eliminated from a culture, as we’re watching today with the void of Christian beliefs in government and in families.

Make This Thanksgiving a Wake-up Call in Our Life and Families

Even more important than thanking each other is to give thanks to God who is the provider of every good thing in our life.  I like how Dr. David Jeremiah presents the importance of experiencing continuous daily thanksgiving in his November 18-19, 2023, Turning Points Magazine weekend devotion titled “Thank Goodness!”

“Thanksgiving is understanding that blessings are hiding all around us, and we must find and focus on them. It’s the attitude of knowing we have a God in charge of all. It’s the habit of pausing to whisper, ‘Thank you Lord,’ throughout the day. It’s finding good times even in bad times and rejoicing even in sorrow. It’s noticing the color of flowers, the shape of clouds, the smell of fresh bread, and the comfort of a soft pillow at night.”

“Gratitude leads to ‘glad-itude.’ Counting our blessings is a positive step toward erasing our heartaches. The psychology of thanksgiving comes from the very mind and heart of the God who told us to be vigilant in thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2) and ‘in everything give thanks; for this the will of God in Christ Jesus for you’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18).”

With the birth of Christ, there were no longer Old Testament feast days of thanksgiving. All the ceremonial celebrations of Israel were fulfilled in the Messiah.  Instead, we’re told to give thanks in and for everything—the good and the bad times. As we gather together to celebrate our American holiday of Thanksgiving rooted in the harvest celebration of the Plymouth Pilgrims in 1621, let’s be reminded to give thanks in everything and to everyone—today and every day.

I personally want to thank each of you who take the time to read my weekly blogs and monthly newsletters. I appreciate your comments on the blogs and also for those who share on social media or forward them on email. We really are blessed to live in a time when we can freely communicate with each other across the miles and expand our friendships even to those we’ve never met personally. It’s a blessing I don’t take for granted and a ministry I take very seriously.

As the apostle Paul would say, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Cor. 16:23-24 NLT

Have a blessed and grateful Thanksgiving from Dave and me.

PS There won’t be a Monday Morning Blog on November 27, but I’ll be back December 4. Can you believe it’s almost December?

Please leave a comment here and I will reply.

November 20, 2023
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Time is Short! We Need to Live Like We Believe It!

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First, I apologize that last week the link to leave a comment was not working on the blog Who Is the Real Threat to the Soul of Our Country. If you weren’t able to leave a comment or didn’t get a chance to read the blog, just click on the link above and it should work fine. I do thank those of you who did find a way to leave a comment or emailed a response. The blog resonated with many.

This week’s blog is focusing on our personal souls and the souls of those who don’t yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We recently attended the memorial of an extended family member who might’ve not been saved. My grief was mixed with guilt that I could’ve tried harder and put more effort into sharing the gospel. Why didn’t I visit more? We don’t live near, but we could’ve made more of an effort when we were in the area to spend time with her? Even just sit and read the Bible as her mind wandered.

We prayed for her throughout her illness, but we could’ve done more.

Have you been where I’m at right now? Are those same nagging feelings tormenting you? We can’t go back and change things and we know that God gives free will to everyone to make their own decision about their faith. But maybe reading this might bring to mind someone God wants you to visit now before it’s too late. The pastor’s closing prayer in the memorial will haunt me for a long time. Referring to the deceased he said, “Wherever you are now.” He didn’t know and I don’t know. Only God knows.

We know that guilt is not from God; it’s Satan’s way of keeping us feeling bad about ourselves. Yes, we could’ve done things differently and maybe better but we can’t go back, only forward. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Is. 6:7 ESV

God wants us to ask Him what we should learn from our mistakes or mishaps and how we can do better next time. Then do it!

For example, we’ve all experienced sadness and sympathy for others and compassionately said or posted on social media, “I’ll pray for you,” when we hear of someone’s traumatic or devastating event or loss in their life. Maybe it’s a death, diagnosis, divorce, job loss, illness, surgery, prodigal children, financial loss, consequences of inflation, and the rising cost of essentials. Many people are hurting today and suicide is at an all time high.

Yes, countless things to pray about and we know that we should, but then we struggle with what and when to pray. We don’t always follow through on our offer to pray, which the other person receives as a promise to pray for them. It’s not intentional, in fact, we have good intentions to pray or visit or call, but then we don’t.

I have a friend who actually writes a sympathy prayer in the comments on social media. Instead of saying she’ll pray, she does it in the moment. Others of you might do the same or in person. My husband is good about doing that and I’ll often walk into the room and hear him praying over the phone for someone who he knows is hurting or needs prayer.

What Other Actions Can We Take?

Become Comfortable with Expressing Sympathy!

Maybe we’re not comfortable with the word sympathy because we associate it with pity or only applicable when there’s been a death, but there is a plethora of synonyms for sympathy that we often find used in the Bible such as, comfort, support, encouragement, compassion, kindness, tenderness, tender-heatedness, concern, caring, warmth.

Sometimes we don’t say anything because we don’t know what to say but the Bible instructs us: Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters] Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 1 Peter 3:8 NLT

Other times, we so closely empathize with those who are hurting that we cry with them, and that’s okay. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:15 to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who mourn.” It lets them know we understand their pain and we care. When people saw Jesus crying, “Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” (John 11:36)

Don’t be Hesitant to Share Your Testimony!

When Jesus revealed to the Samaritan woman at the well that He was the living water and she would never thirst again, and revealed to her that He was the Messiah she ran into town and told everyone, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?”

The Bible says the Samaritan men followed her to see this Messiah because of her testimony and the change they saw in her. She believed, and she didn’t care who knew. Because of her brave, bold sharing of her newfound faith in Jesus Christ the Bible says that many more in her town came to hear and believe that this really was the “Savior of the World!”

I tell my testimony often of rededicating my life to the Lord at a Harvest Crusade when Pastor Greg Laurie asked if we were ready to die tonight. I knew I wasn’t and surrendered my life totally to the Lord that night which led to God using me in full time ministry.

Be Open About Your Faith

While browsing through clothes at COSTCO, a woman came up and commented about the pretty colors of the shirts in the display where I was looking. We started chatting and then I noticed her cross necklace so I did what I often do, I asked if she was a Christian. “Absolutely!” was her response. We talked for a while about the status of our country and were we getting close to the rapture. Even though we were perfect strangers, I gave her a hug as we parted. She looked a little surprised but we were sisters in Christ.

4 Prayers for Someone Who is Hurting or Needs to Know Jesus Loves Them

Here are 4 prayers to help guide you in praying for specific situations, or if you’re in this situation, please personalize and pray them for yourself. Pray for whomever God brings to mind. I hope they help.

In Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey and Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents, I encourage the reader to personalize Scripture as if God wrote it just for them. We can do the same when we pray for someone who is hurting or who might not know Jesus. We don’t always need to come up with the perfect words to say to someone because God already has. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry. (Ps. 10:17)

People don’t need us to fix things for them or give ideas they haven’t thought of before. When they’re hurting, they want a shoulder to cry on, an arm around their shoulder, and our company in the darkness of their soul. There might be a time later when we can sit down over a cup of coffee and help them work through details of their situation, but for the moment, they just need to feel God’s closeness and comfort in and through us.

#1 Prayer for Death of a Loved One

Father, we pray for those suffering the loss of a loved one or someone close to their heart. The hurt runs so deep and grief so all encompassing, their mourning is palpable, especially if they’re not sure where their loved one will spend eternity. They’re inconsolable: “You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.” (Ps. 88:18 NLT)

While they may celebrate the life of this loved one, they’re left here alone wondering how life can go on without this precious person. Sadness and regret seems all consuming. Only you Lord can bring light back into their life and wipe away the tears. “You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.” (Ps. 18:28 NLT)

You promise that someday mourning will turn to dancing again when those of us who know you as our Lord and Savior will all dance together before your thrown. We know Lord that only you can fill the void left in a broken heart. Only you understand the depth of grief and pain. Only you can help the grieving ever smile again.

Father, please flood their mind and heart with sweet memories when thoughts wander into hopelessness and the pain seems overwhelming, especially on birthdays and holidays.

Remind the grief-stricken that Psalm 116:15 (NLT) assures them “The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.” And you, Lord, care deeply when we’re sad. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle You have recorded each one in your book.” (Ps. 56:8 NLT) Amen

#2 Prayer for When Disaster Hits

Heavenly Father, you promise that “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” (Ps. 9:9) You know the trouble that surrounds anyone experiencing a disaster when everything seems so bleak. Help them trust that you will show a way out of this dark hole when there seems to be no visible way. Guide the many decisions, show the paths to take in moving forward when they just want to sit down in despair and cry or turn to drugs, alcohol, or harmful behavior.

You knew hard times would come and you will use this disaster to accomplish your perfect will in their life. Give them courage not to fear the future with you by their side. Help them to remember, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam, let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” (Ps. 46:1-3 NLT)

Bring those to their side who will help in the areas where they’re so needy by showing your love in tangible ways that expresses, “My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.” (Hosea 11:8 NLT) Amen

#3 Prayer for Illness

Dear Lord, let our hearts hurt and cringe with those who have received a harsh diagnosis or are in the throes of a painful illness. Remove platitudes and trite comments from our mouth and give us an ear to hear and feel their pain. Father, even if we’ve had a similar illness ourselves, we can’t fully understand their experience. Give us a kind, caring, and loving presence to let them pour out their heart.

Father, you promise in Joshua 1:5 that you will never leave or forsake any of us, so we pray your presence surrounds anyone with an illness whether in the doctor’s office, the hospital, or the sick bed at home. Provide friends or family to hear their cries of pain and soothe their trembling body from fear or illness symptoms.

We pray Lord for all the physicians and medical professionals they’ll encounter in their journey who will be a healing balm for this time of sorrow and pain. We thank you in advance for providing the human comfort as well as the Holy Spirit’s constant soothing for physical, emotional, and spiritual pain.

You, Lord, are the great healer the Great Jehovah Rapha. Only you can ease pain. Healing comes from your power working through doctors, treatments, and medication, but we pray Lord that you will not give anyone more than they can bear.

Provide the suffering with your constant comfort and peace knowing, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Is. 41:10 NLT) Amen

#4 Prayer for Loss of a Job or Provision

Lord, it’s devastating not being able to provide financially for family or loves ones. Fear of the unknown of where to turn or what to do next to find a new job is overwhelming. Many find themselves in this position today and it can be paralyzing and depressing.

Father, we pray that doors would open maybe in a different profession. This loss might be a time to pursue new opportunities. Lord please provide the wisdom, direction, courage, and humbleness to reach out for help in the interim and let others be responsive. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)

You tell us to be aware of those who are in need, that the body of Christ is benevolent and ready to help our fellow brother and sisters so please surround those in economic loss with others who have extra to share. “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!” (Pr. 19:17 NLT)

Please guide all who find themselves in this position to seek help even though it’s humbling, you love when we are humble. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:10 NLT) Provide employment, replace lost possessions, and help families pull together not be pulled apart.

Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. (Ps. 10:17 NLT)

Jesus is the Answer!

We all need prayers sometime in our life, and when we see those prayers answered, God wants us to reach back and help others who are going through something similar. Today we pray for those who are hurting and someday we hope that others will pray for us. It’s God’s way and plan for his people.

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)

We never know if God is going to heal our hurting here or in our heavenly home, but He does promise for all who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior that . . .

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev. 21:3-4

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September 18, 2022
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Don’t Just Be an Admirer of Jesus Be a Follower!

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In last week’s blog, Yes, You Can Be Biblical and Political, I mentioned that our Couples’ Group is studying Dr. David Jeremiah’s new book, Where Do We Go From Here? In Chapter One, “A Cultural Prophecy—Socialism,” Dr. Jeremiah had a section that resonated with my spirit, Resolve to Follow Christ and Not Just Admire Him! Take a minute to reflect on that concept.

What differentiates a follower of Christ from an admirer? Words we associate with a Christ-follower are self-sacrifice, service, surrender. We can observe outward reflections of a follower of Jesus by their life-style, countenance, choices, actions, language, inner joy, love, and willingness to profess their faith in Christ and belief in the Gospel at all times under all circumstances.

An admirer might be in awe of Christ as an example of a good and moral man and the sacrifice He made for us, but they’re not willing to actually follow in His footsteps. They claim to be a Christian, but they’re not willing to completely surrender their entire life to Jesus when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. The fruit isn’t there. They may go to church every Sunday, serve on church committees, sing in the choir, take communion, and intellectually understand faith, but don’t let faith and the Bible define their life.

Dr. Jeremiah quotes Soren Kierkegaard who put it this way: “The admirer never makes any sacrifices. He always plays it safe. Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how he praises Christ, but he renounces nothing, will not reconstruct his life, and will not let his life express what supposedly he admires. Not so for the follower. No, no. The follower aspires with all his strength to be what he admires.”

I think about Biden meeting with the Pope last week and claiming that the Pope told him he was a “good Catholic.” What does that mean anyway? Who determines what’s considered good? By whose standards?

Jesus doesn’t care if we’re a “good” Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, non-denominational, or a member of any organized denomination. Following Jesus is not about a specific church, religion, theology, or doctrine. He’s looking for one thing in His followers: a changed and surrendered heart. Salvation. Have you given your whole heart to Jesus? Have you received the Holy Spirit? Do you live out your faith everywhere and anywhere? Are you willing to pick up your cross and follow Jesus?

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. Luke 9:23-24 NLT

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 NLT

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

What It Looks Like to Follow Jesus

When we’re truly born again, we’re a new person. We’re granted a new life in Christ and everything changes, if we’re willing to be a follower and not just a sideline admirer of Christ. Paul explains the life of a Christian best in Colossians 3:1-11:

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Maybe Biden, who I’ve only ever heard speak of himself as a Catholic not a Christian, and liberal progressive Democrats who claim to be Christians, admire Christ but not enough to follow Christ and make the political sacrifice of turning the Democrat party away from supporting and financing the murder of babies! Not enough to acknowledge that God only made two genders. Not enough to admit that God said marriage is between a man and a woman. Not enough to stop lying! Not enough to surrender their life to Holy Jesus, instead of the idol of political power!

Any politician, regardless of party affiliation, who is willing to be a Christ-follower will be hated and persecuted by the world but he or she will not back down because they understand that their authority comes from the King of kings and the Lord of Lords, not the government, and they will govern accordingly.

Here’s how Jesus put it:  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. John 15:19 NLT

Biblical Examples of Christ-Followers

In Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith, Chapter 17 “Brave Loyalty,” I offer examples of women willing to follow Christ no matter what the cost. Here is the opening to that chapter:

“In our current culture, it’s no longer cushy and easy being a Jesus-follower or loyally defending Jesus. Standing firm in our faith takes grit, determination, and fierce loyalty. When society tries to dissuade and discourage us from remaining true to Jesus, we must stand firm with bravery and courage, even it if means standing “alone”—God is always with us cheering us on.

Jesus was followed by many courageous women disciples, like Joanna, Susanna, and others who also went against the cultural norm to loyally support Jesus’s ministry, even as it became more and more controversial and his life, therefore theirs too, was in eminent danger. We can look to these women disciples as prime examples of faith and devotion to Christ and emulate them in our own lives as believing disciples today, regardless of daunting circumstances.”

Here’s a quick review of these women, which you can read about in Matt. 27:55-61; 28:1-10; Mark 15:33-16-8; Luke 8:1-3; 23:44-24:11:

Joanna was a wealthy woman accustomed to the glamour and prestige of living in Herod Antipas’s court as the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward and manager of his vast estate. When doctors couldn’t help her, she sought out Jesus who healed her and she became a devoted Jesus-follower joining a group of women who followed him on his journeys and financially supported his ministry. We don’t know what her husband or Herod thought of this, but she took the risk and joined Susanna and Mary Magdalene and a number of other women who traveled with Jesus during his ministry and became part of his inner circle.

These women bravely went against cultural norms to care faithfully for Jesus and the disciples. They selflessly gave of their time, energy, and resources to serve and support Jesus’s ministry, even though everyone knew the Pharisees threatened to expel Jesus’s followers from the synagogue. This didn’t deter them. They were committed Jesus-followers not mere admirers.

Current Example of Christ-Followers

If you’re not familiar with In-N-Out Burger, like Chick-fil-A, they are a Christian owned restaurant chain with Scriptures printed on all their cups and wrappers! I encourage you to read this article where the Jesus-follower owner, Lynsi Snyder, shares her faith and her testimony. Here’s the opening paragraph of the article: “In-N-Out Burger hasn’t necessarily been secretive about the fact that it’s a Christian establishment. It has printed John 3:16 on the bottom of its cups. However, like Chick-fil-A before it, the owner and heiress of the burger chain, Lynsi Snyder, is letting everyone know just how much Christ means to her publicly.“

Sometimes we need to engage in righteous rebellion. It is God and not the government that we obey when there is a moral conflict between the two. You may have read recently that several In-N-Out Burger restaurants in California were shut down because they refused to be vaccine police. Here is their statement:

“The reason for the closure is that In-N-Out Associates were not actively intervening by demanding COVID-19 vaccine or testing documentation and photo identification from each dine-in Customer before serving them. Rather than acting as enforcement agents, our Associates were allowing our Customers to be responsible for their own compliance with the divisive local regulations,” In-N-Out Chief Legal and Business Officer Arnie Wensinger said in a statement.

“We refuse to become the vaccination police for any government. It is unreasonable, invasive, and unsafe to force our restaurant Associates to segregate Customers into those who may be served and those who may not, whether based on the documentation they carry, or any other reason,” Wensinger said in a statement.”

In a tweet the Chief legal and Business Officer also wrote:
“We fiercely disagree with any government that dictates that forces a private company to discriminate against customers who choose to patronage their businesses. This is clear governmental overreach and is intrusive, improper, and offensive.”

We Must Live As Jesus-Followers, Not Mere Admirers!

I’ll leave you in closing with another quote from Dr. Jeremiah:

“To persevere in an increasingly socialist culture, you’re going to have to decide whether to be a Christ-follower or merely a Christ-admirer. . . . Set your mind fully on the hope you have in Christ, and be ready to pay any price, challenge any foe, and confront any lie for the sake of the Gospel . . . At any moment, Jesus Christ will descend from heaven for His people. We haven’t long to wait. But until then, we need to understand what the age requires—and we need to do what the Lord commands.”

When Christ returns . . .
the government will be on his shoulders. . . .
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this. Isa. 9:6-7 NLT

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November 1, 2021
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Take the Spiritual Battle Seriously Don’t Become a Casualty!

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When my prayer warrior hubby, Dave, hears about a Christian going through a tough time, he always asks, “I wonder if they’re prayerfully putting on the armor of God everyday?”

Anyone who knows us well knows that Dave and I have prayed the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18 daily since the beginning of our twenty-eight years of marriage. We know that spiritual warfare is real; it’s not a myth! It’s a reality that the Lord speaks of clearly and often in the Bible. Yet, many Christians don’t realize that not only is this spiritual battle going on in our world, it’s also going on in our personal lives. It’s the battle between good and evil, Jesus and Satan, which will continue until the time of Jesus’ return.

When we take that first step of faith as believers, we automatically enter into the battle raging in the heavenlies and become Satan’s target. Satan hates Christians and the influence we can have on the culture so he does everything in his power to neutralize our influence and the role we allow God to play in our lives.

I’ve said many times that Satan wants our children and grandchildren, and we’re watching how openly and aggressively he’s going after them in the schools today. He knows his time is short, but he can do a lot of damage during whatever time he has left if we don’t stand in his way!

We shouldn’t let him intimidate us. Don’t succumb to his crafty wiles. Never give up or give in! Instead we take up the spiritual weapons our Great God has provided and implores us to use in victory over the enemy. Yes, you and I have assignments in God’s battle plan!

Praying the Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:10-18, the apostle Paul penned a prayer of protection known as the armor of God. Dave and I pray these verses every morning, which by now we have memorized, because we know that as Christians the enemy is going to put obstacles in our way and try to take us down. You’ve surely experienced some of those obstacles yourself, but verses ten to eleven encourage us to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (NLT)

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us of something we often forget: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (NLT)

The good news for every believer is that we have access to a hedge of protection against Satan’s schemes, “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Verse 17 NLT)

God assures us that we can trust him to fight the spiritual battle for and with us, we just need to engage and do our part and not be passive bystanders or victims.

Rather than trying to solve problems ourselves or find ways to combat what we might be experiencing in the earthly realm, our role is to call on God. “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Verse 18 NLT)

When we’re feeling fearful, worried, threatened, or stressed, we can prayerfully search the Scriptures to discover that God has already provided a safety hedge or shield of protection around those who trust and believe in him. It doesn’t mean the enemy won’t try to weasel into our life, but we know how to prevent his feeble attempts from penetrating our mind, heart, and soul.

Imagine yourself with a hedge of spiritual swords pointed up and surrounding you against any attempts of the enemy as you open your Bible to read God’s Word and pray each day.

Here are four hedge-of-protection prayers and sword-of-the-Spirit Scriptures to fend off and shield us from Satan’s schemes. Remember that verse 18 instructs us to “pray for all believers everywhere,” not just for ourselves.

1. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Thoughts

Lord, you know how my mind wanders with what-ifs and should-ofs. These nagging thoughts keep me awake at night worrying and wondering about circumstances over which I have no control. I’m often angry and frustrated with world events and find myself brooding or depressed.

Father, please help me to focus on things that are lovely and beautiful. Let me see the good in people and not corrupt my mind with the discourse and divisive voices on social media or the news. Guard me against spiraling into the abyss of sinful harmful thoughts.

In your name, Lord Jesus, I prayerfully secure over my mind the “helmet of salvation” from Ephesians 6:17 and claim a hedge of protection against any lies, thoughts, and/or emotions inserted in me by Satan or his followers. Let me be exclusively open to your voice and available to do your will alone.

Guide me in seeking the mental hedge of protection from the Holy Spirit as he fills my mind with peace, joy, righteousness, compassion, and love. Amen

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:19 NLT

Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

2. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Actions

Oh Lord, I want my actions to be pleasing to you. My desire is to reflect the Holy Spirit residing in my heart. But I regret to admit that I don’t always think clearly and rationally before I act. When I rethink what I’ve done rashly, impetuously, or selfishly, I want a redo, but it’s too late. I can’t rewind or erase my actions.

I admit that my wrong actions are actually a sin against you Lord. I pray you will have mercy on me as you did on King David and teach me to walk in your ways so that I can say of you as David did in Psalm 62:6 (NLT), “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.”

Lord, I pray that I would consider how my actions appear to others, especially the ones who look to me for direction and wisdom. Do they see you in me or is my pride and self-absorption more evident? I desperately want your light to shine through me. So Lord when I’m about to act in a way that is not loving or respectful, I beg you to give me a check in my spirit.

Protect me Father from temptation and falling into old patterns of behavior. Surround me with a hedge of caring people who will lovingly point out when I’m acting in a way unbecoming a Christian. Remind me that I am a new creation in Christ and place barriers to prohibit me from acting in a way that would grieve you. Amen

Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Psalm 119:5 NLT

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 NLT

3. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Speech

Father, I want my words always to be pleasing to you, but I know when I speak impetuously or sharply you are not pleased. Oh, Lord, I need you to guard my tongue, even though James 3:8 (NLT) warns, “No one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.”

I know what James says is true Father. I often seem to lack control over what comes out of my mouth. Only you can place a sentinel around my tongue to guard what I say and when I say it.

Lord, you gave me the gift of speech, which I watch brighten a face when I choose my words wisely, but I also see it bruise an unsuspecting victim when it cuts like a knife.

Your Word says that what comes out of my mouth, forms first in my heart so I need a hedge of protection to filter what’s allowed to take residence in my heart. Give me patience not to speak impetuously and wisdom to speak appropriately.

Weed out of my vocabulary ungodly words filled with poisonous vengeance, anger, meanness, harm, or pride. Fill me with grace, kindness, compassion, understanding, and love. Help me choose words and intonation worthy of being a Jesus-follower. Amen

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Proverbs 4:23-24 NLT

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Psalm 5:11

4. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Circumstances

Father, our universe is changing rapidly. Everyday circumstances subject us to what feels like an unstable insecure environment. We deal with issues we could’ve never imagined even six months ago. It seems like the world, and thus my life, is spiraling completely out of control. Each morning presents new calls for restrictions that would separate us from each other and the stability and freedoms we once knew.

Lord of Creation, I want to be brave and courageous, especially for those who depend on me to be strong and dependable, but I admit that I am fearful watching the norms I once took for granted crumble into chaos.

Help me find solace in turning each new day over to you. Remind me that nothing catches you by surprise. Just as your eye is on the sparrow, you watch over my loved ones and me. I know that you might not remove me from uncomfortable circumstances, but you will go through them with me. You promise to always be holding onto me with your righteous right hand and shielding me. Even as I walk through the darkest valley, your rod and your staff will protect and comfort me.

How fortunate I am to have a God who loves me beyond my expectations and imagination. Open my eyes Lord to visualize your spiritual hedge of protection like a solid wall surrounding me that Satan cannot penetrate or destroy in any situation or circumstance.

With you at my side and on my side, what can man do to me? Why should I fear? Thank you Lord for being my Rock, my Shield, my Refuge, my Hiding Place, my Fortress, my Protector, my Savior! Amen

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 NLT

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2 NLT

Be Not Afraid

God stands ready to protect us against what the Bible calls the world: a culture, way of thinking, and world system controlled by Satan. Since we must live in this world, we continually ask God to protect us from the way the world thinks, speaks, acts, and the ensuing circumstances of an evil culture.

It’s a continual process of separating God’s ways from the world’s way. We can never let down our guard or spiritual hedge, but when we trust omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent almighty God, he will lead, guide, and direct us. God stands ready with a spiritual hedge of protection to shield us from the world and to keep us from letting the world seep into our life.

How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. Psalm 31:19 NLT

“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” Numbers 6:24–26 NLT

For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us. Is. 33:22 NLT

Note: Dr. Charles Stanley wrote a daily prayer, Dressing in Your Spiritual Armor, you might want to print out and incorporate into your daily quiet time.

Portions of this blog appear in a Crosswalk.com article I wrote August 5, 2020 4 Powerful Ways to Pray for a Hedge of Protection

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August 9, 2021
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