Silent No More!

“Stand against the rising tide of evil with the good news of Christ and His resurrection power."

You are sitting at home in your basement mancave scrolling through the news of the day while taking in a football game when all the sudden you smell smoke. It catches your attention and causes you to be distracted for a moment. However, you know your wife is with the kids working on a craft upstairs, so you keep enjoying your time of solitude, that is until you hear screams followed by, “Honey!!” and then “Daddy, where are you??” At that point you run upstairs only to see the kitchen in flames burning through the second floor where your family is.

(Image by thoughtco.com) 

It would be absolutely crazy to imagine a parent ignoring something like that. No sane person would just sit in silence allowing a fire to tear through their house and take the lives of their loved ones.

This very hour the house of America is on fire with the seething flames of evil burning up the Judeo-Christian values our country was founded upon. Meanwhile, while millions of pastors, elected officials, parents and grandparents remain silent, choosing to ignore the blazing inferno.

God and His Word testify against this type of cowardly self-preserving passivism, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?” (Proverbs 24:11-12)

There was once discovered a deceptive plot to slaughter thousands of Jews in a barbaric-genocidal scheme. Mordecai told Queen Esther, his niece, of the imminent bloodshed. She resisted any involvement that would put her own life in danger. However, her uncle spoke sobering truth saying, “If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14-15)

Multitudes are keeping silent as America slowly burns. Boys are no longer boys. Girls are no longer girls. Marriage is optional and redefined. Taking life in the womb is a reproductive right. The bodies of women and children are for sale. Gross perversion is mainstream, defended and celebrated. Wrong is right. Evil is good. Immoral is moral. All that was once beautiful is now marred and unrecognizable.

Where are the courageous voices of truth pointing out sin, instructing on what is right and wrong and speaking for the voiceless? Like Queen Esther, the risks of doing such things are very real. Pastors could divide the church, lose some of their congregation, or possibly be fired. Elected officials could lose donors or be removed from office. Parents and others have similar concerns. This puts us at a crossroads. What is the answer? God says, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (James 4:17)

We are always divinely commanded to do what is right, no matter the cost. Jesus was our example. His gospel message confronted the souls of men and women with their evil ways, and called them to turn from their disobedience and believe in Him. Though His enemies sought to silence His powerful voice He ignored their threats. Instead because of love He pressed on with humility, boldness and wisdom. He risked His own life that others might be free, which eventually led to His death on the cross. Three days later, however, good triumphed over evil when Christ gloriously rose from the dead.

Jesus has risen! Do not fear! Stand against the rising tide of evil with the good news of Christ and His resurrection power, so that men and women can be freed from the evil that entangles them.

A prayer for you – Lord God, open our mouths that we would speak words of truth into the darkness. Let us fear nothing but you, and be courageous, standing for all that is beautiful and good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Modern Paganism and Witchcraft

“As Christianity has been declining in the United States paganism has been growing by leaps and bounds.”

Once I was visiting with a young woman whom I had lost contact with for several years. As we caught up about her family, work and faith she announced, “I’m a pagan.” It surprised me. However, after some reading, I came to realize that she is not alone by any means. Interest in paganism has increased over 185% since 1990. As Christianity has been declining in the United States and Europe for several decades, atheism, agnosticism, paganism and occultism has been growing by leaps and bounds. (Image by iStock)

Modern paganism is a broad term that includes many forms of spiritual-type rituals, practices or traditions such as Wicca, Druidity, astrology, tarot cards and more. According to the Pagan Federation, a pagan is “a follower of a polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion.” In simple terms, it is someone who believes in many gods and goddesses and deification of nature. There are a number of distinctions like nature worship, rituals, spells, magic, the use of witchcraft and exploring the supernatural.

Every October, many pagans celebrate one of their most sacred events – Samhain. When Americans are trick-or-treating on Halloween, pagans honor the dead through various rituals believing the supernatural veil that divides this world and the next can be crossed.

Paganism reveals a spiritual searching that has been common to the human race for centuries. Many have travelled the path seeking rest for their souls through the supernatural only to find emptiness at each turn. Why does it elude them? Because of its deceptive nature, believing that satisfying one’s own impulses and desires is the highest good. Because of the illusion that god is in everything, and everything is god. For thousands of years, humanity has been tempted by the lures of paganism, as it appeals to the exaltation of mankind’s own passions. Yet, the truth has been revealed to each one of us.

The Scriptures say, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:19-22)

The truth is, there is only one true God in all the universe. And He has revealed Himself to us through His divine Son, Jesus. He sent Him to us from heaven, to show who He is. Then Jesus went to the cross, to suffer, die and rise again, that we might be set free from the evil in our own hearts. And as we trust in Christ alone and walk faithfully with Him, when we face death, we will cross from the physical into the eternal and live forever in the presence of the Lord God.

Only Jesus can satisfy the longing of the soul. When He gave His life as a sacrifice on a cross then rose again from the dead, He ended the need for a man-made system of spiritual rituals.

Once a man was in a desperate place when he pleaded, “…what must I do to be saved?” which was followed by a simple answer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:30-31). No longer do we need to bear the burden of trying to do or say the right things to find rest for our soul. We just need simple faith combined with surrender wholly to Christ. We need to yield our allegiance to Him, who is Lord of all creation.

A prayer for you - Lord God, I pray you will bring people to turn from the worship of nature, communicating with spirits and using spells and magic to fulfill their desires, and toward you. Let them see that rituals and other forms of pagan practices will end only in their futility. May they call upon you and receive eternal life through Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.      

6 Issues to Consider in Your Vote for President

 “When it comes to voting, the most important piece of information is knowing a candidate’s position on the issues and what kind of policies they will potentially enact.”

When it comes to voting for the President of the United States what should be our guide? For some, it is simply about political party. They will vote down the ballot based on that alone. For others they are impacted by likeability, personality, communication and a candidate’s character. (Image by kp yamu Jayanath from Pixabay)

In truth, we are impacted by the whole package but knowing what a candidate will do once elected is vital. The most important piece of information is knowing a candidate’s position on the issues and what kind of legislation they will vote for, or policies they will enact. A winsome candidate can be a great communicator and very likeable but have dangerous policy positions. Someone running for office can also have questionable character, but a track record of legislation that benefited the country.

So what is our guide? Simple. Moral truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) And about the Bible itself, the Scripture says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Jesus and His Word is the standard by which we judge what is moral legislation or policy that will honor God and be best for the nation.

Here are issues to consider, which comes from the help of Decision magazine.

Freedom of religion. “’We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” (Acts 5:28-29) God tells us that believers in Christ are to speak of Him publicly, worship Him corporately and live for Him deliberately in all situations. Which candidate best protects a Christian’s right to live that way while running their own business, while at school, or while refusing to engage in certain things due to a violation of their conscience?

Free speech. “And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 2:7) God teaches that Christians are to speak the truth, which sometimes means standing for what is right by exposing evil, while at other times it means proclaiming the good news of Christ to those who are in need of Him. Which candidate best protects the voices of truth, without censorship or reprisal?

Sanctity of human life. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14) God teaches that all humanity is made in His image, from the unborn baby, to the disabled, sick and elderly. Which candidate best protects individuals at all stages of life?

Education. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (Proverbs 9:10) God teaches that true knowledge begins with Him and includes the reading and study of His Holy Word. Which candidate best protects the rights of students and teachers to pray and speak of the Lord God? Which candidate allows students the freedom of choice to attend public or private school or homeschooling?

Border security. “Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” (Psalm 122:7) God teaches that a nation has an obligation to guard its borders in order to protect its citizens. Which candidate will best protect America’s borders?

Family and parental rights. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) God teaches that parents have the primary responsibility over their children. Which candidate will best recognize and protect the rights of parents in teaching their children and making moral decisions for them?

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray for wisdom as voters they cast their ballots. Give them insight and knowledge in who best to vote for. Help them to sort through all the information and choose wisely. Lord God, put the person in office that will best carry out godly policies. In Jesus’ name. Amen.