The Reality of This Fourth of July

As we near the Fourth of July weekend, it seems that our nation continues to drift further and further away from those principles that guided those men and women whom we honor.  I have often wondered at what those Founding Fathers and Mothers would think should they reappear.  I am guessing that in many ways this country would not be what they had envisioned.  Within their minds they pictured one nation that recognized those sovereign rights granted by the Sovereign God Himself.  In fact, they wrote those words within the first few sentences of the Declaration of Independence.  Yet today our nation has declared that God no longer matters; in fact, in the eyes and minds of many, God simply does not exist anymore.  Man is his own god.  Science, technology, power, sports, and entertainment are among the many gods who now lay claim to our lives.  Yet, those gods do not bring any peace into our inner being.  Those gods do not bring any hope for tomorrow.  All remains an emptiness within.

This past Sunday our church hosted the Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge Choir.  My heart was stirred once again with the stories of lives changed by the power of God.  Lives that were broken because of addiction were now healed by God's love.  Desperation had been replaced with hope.  Lives, once filled with drugs and alcohol, were now filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Yet, for everyone of these miracle stories, there are hundreds of others whose lives still are empty.  And our culture, today, continues to foster that emptiness.

For those of us who attended a Christian college or university, the following article is very disturbing, but, again, indicative of our changing cultural norms.  It was written by Todd Starnes and published at the Fox News website.  You can find it at: www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/06/23/democrats-lgbt-activitists-sinister-plan-to-crack-down-on-christian-schools.  The article begins, "If California Democrats have their way, Christian colleges and universities will no longer be allowed to require students to attend chapel services or require them to profess a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Senate Bill 1148 would close a loophole that lawmakers say allows Christian universities to discriminate against students based on their gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.  'All students deserve to feel safe in institutions of higher education, regardless of whether they are public or private,' said Senator Ricardo Lara, the author of the legislation.  'California has established strong protections for the LGBT community and private universities should not be able to use faith as an excuse to discriminate and avoid complying with state laws.'  The legislation has already passed the Senate and is expected to clear hurdles in the Assembly.  Thus far, Lara has refused to compromise with the state's Christian colleges and universities. ... If the loophole is closed, it would only exempt schools that prepare students for pastoral ministry.  'It discriminates against religious colleges,' said John Jackson, the president of William Jessup University.  'If we don't play ball with the state - the state will attempt to drive us out of existence.'"

The article continues, "Lee Wilhite, vice president of university communications at Biola University, said they, too, have serious concerns with the bill.  'It functionally eliminates the religious liberty of all California faith-based universities,' he told me.  'It really does infringe on how we carry out our mission. ... We would no longer be able to require a profession of faith for students.  That's something Biola requires of all incoming students.'  Schools would no longer be allowed to integrate faith throughout their teaching curriculum, he added.  Leaders at three universities I spoke to say that they would not be allowed to require mandatory chapel attendance or mandatory core units of Bible courses.  The legislation would also give students a right to sue if - for example - they were offended by a prayer in a class."

Friends, what is driving this "craziness?"  Let me again quote from the article: "Senate Bill 1148 would close a loophole that lawmakers say allows Christian universities to discriminate against students based on their gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation."  Wow!  The proclamation of absolute truth is being threatened because a "handful" of students are confused about their gender identity.  That which has been the heart and soul of a Christian university - that students identify with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord - is suddenly to be cast aside because some lawmakers do not want to offend a "handful" of students.  The Bible declares that in the last days, truth will be suppressed and people will believe the lie.  What is happening in California is certainly momentum in that direction.  And, unfortunately, what happens in California finds its way across our country. 

Let's shift to the east coast - let's say, the University of North Carolina.  Another article written by Todd Starnes and posted at: www. foxnews.com/opinion/2016/06/27/microaggression-madness-footwear-flattery-and-santa-cause-coed-kerfuffle.  'The University of North Carolina has been infected with a micro-aggression pandemic.  We are being led to believe the entire campus has been afflicted with this highly-communicable, politically correct malady.  University officials recently released online guidelines to employees on issues ranging from gender-neutral dress codes to casual conversations about ladies shoes - in hopes of staving off the spread of this heinous disease.  One of the guidelines posted on UNC's Employee Forum warned against complimenting a woman on her choice of footwear. To do so would be considered to be a micro-aggression meaning 'I notice how you look and dress more than I value your intellectual contributions.  How you look is really important.'  Campus Reform was the first to expose UNC's micro-aggression policies - that covered everything from Islam to transgenderism.  For instance, only having 'male' and 'female' as gender options on forms is considered to be a micro-aggression because it implies "you must fit in the gender binary and select among these predefined categories.'  UNC also frowns on dress codes that require men and women to dress differently - warning that not letting a man wear a sun dress and spanx could be a 'violation of anti-discrimination policies.'" 

I read articles like these several times a week and wonder how much longer before the Lord Jesus returns.  Every Sunday, as I stand behind the pulpit in my church, I am reminded of the incredible responsibility to proclaim ALL of God's truth.  I see young families with small children and think to myself - what an awful world my generation has created for them.  Are the sins of the fathers being handed down to the third and fourth generations today?  Are those decisions that our fathers so passively accepted in the late 1950's and early 1960's now the operative principles?  Why was there no outcry when Bible reading and prayer was excised from our public schools?  Why was there no outcry against abortion until after the Supreme Court ruled it the law of the land?  The timidity of the Church over the past decades against the rising tide of immorality and perversion is now reaping its consequences. 

Jesus said that it was TRUTH that set a person free.  Our culture today suppresses that TRUTH.  Instead, truth has become relative and experiential.  There are no longer any absolutes - except for those absolutes like those California lawmakers want to declare or those officials at the University of North Carolina want to declare.  Those become absolute statements whether they want to admit to that reality or not.

Friends, keep on clinging to Jesus.  I know of no other place to anchor my heart and my life these days.  He alone can give rest and peace in the midst of the cultural storms that surround us.  Yes, He is in control.  And to that truth we can all say, "Amen!"