This is one of the most sacred of weeks in the Christian calendar - a week in which we at least pause, if not come to a complete stop, and remember the suffering and death of our Savior. And, for our Jewish friends, Saturday will make the first day of Pesach or Passover - a time of remembrance of God's miraculous sparing of their lives moments before they left the slavery of Egypt behind; yet remembering also the sacrifice of an innocent lamb whose blood was applied to the door frames of homes, thus sparing them from the ravages of death. Jesus Christ was the ultimate sacrifice - as we hear those words from John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
I know that there are a lot of news stories I could cover this week - and they are important stories that impact our lives. But I want to focus our thoughts for a few moments on Holy Week. Perhaps it is because I had the privilege Sunday of preaching the "Servant Songs" in Isaiah that I am conscious of the events in those final days and hours of Christ's life.
The physical suffering of Jesus almost overwhelms our souls. No other person has suffered as did Jesus. His was a violent death that came as a consequence of hatred being poured out upon Him. The Jewish leadership truly hated Jesus. They hated His person. They hated His actions. They hated His words. So, when Jesus surrendered to their authority, that hatred was heaped upon Jesus. Isaiah portrays that hatred with these words: "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting" (Isaiah 50:6). And that was just the beginning. The Gospel writers tell us that Pilate had Jesus flogged - an act of violence that often led to death. A whip with pieces of glass and iron and stone was lashed across the back, but often the thongs would wrap around a person's chest and waist. The glass pieces would cut deeply tearing away the flesh, often exposing the deep muscular structure and even internal organs. Friend, the miracle was that Jesus survived that flogging.
Suffering from acute blood loss and dehydration, Jesus was forced to carry the cross-beam to the place of execution. His physical strength was nearing the point of complete exhaustion. Jesus stumbled and fell and so another was commanded to carry the cross piece for Him. Arriving at Golgatha, the hands and feet of Jesus was nailed to the cross - the Romans doing it in such a manner to create the most excruciating pain imaginable. And then the cross was hoisted into place, dropping with a thud into the hole. When that occurred the shoulders separated creating even more pain.
Friends, Isaiah states something about the appearance of Jesus upon the cross that staggers us: "Just as many were appalled (a better translation of this word is "shocked") at him - his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness" (Isaiah 52:14). Did you grasp the magnitude of Isaiah's words? As Jesus hung upon that cross He was barely recognizable as being a human. Hatred had done its awful work! The body of Jesus was ravaged in a way no other person ever has been.
And then there was the emotional pain. The voices spewing hatred continued almost unabated. The leaders were not satisfied with a horrific death. No, they heaped words of hate upon Jesus as well. And finally there was the spiritual pain. Darkness enveloped that scene of death and we hear those anguished words of Jesus, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" It was for that very moment that Jesus had come to this earth. It was for that very moment that Jesus had committed Himself before the foundations of the world were laid. It was at that moment Jesus became "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." All the hatred, all the evil that this world could create was placed upon the shoulders of one whose physical strength and emotional strength were nearing an end. Yet the spiritual strength, although wavering, held strong. Satan had accomplished his work. Yet, listen to those final words of Jesus: "It is finished!" This is not the cry of defeat; it is the cry of victory. With that cry it is almost as if Jesus is anticipating the coming resurrection, the coming glory that would be His.
Friends, I challenged my congregation last Sunday to take some quiet time this week and reread Isaiah 53. Picture afresh in your mind the cross and Christ's sacrifice. Remember that He died for you. He took your place. It is then that we can sing "Hallelujah, What a Savior!"
I wish my Jewish friends a Passover filled with the joys of family. May your Seder be blessed by God. And I wish everyone else a happy Easter as we celebrate the foundation for our faith - the empty tomb. "He is risen! He is risen indeed!"
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
An Important Case Before the Supreme Court and Putin Wins Again
For the past few months I have been following a case that originated in California and yesterday found its way before the United States Supreme Court. The case is known as NIFLA v Becerra. NIFLA stands for the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates - a prolife organization. Xavier Becerra is the current California attorney-general who is defending the California bill that is being questioned.
Let me give a little background. In 2015, the California legislature passed a bill known as "The Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care and Transparency Act" which came to be known as the FACT Act. The reason for the law was that, it was believed, women who faced an unplanned pregnancy were not being given adequate information regarding the availability of no and low cost medical services, including abortion, which were available through the State of California. The FACT Act required that all crisis pregnancy centers post information regarding these services which the Sate of California provides and that such information be included in any advertisements for such facilities.
In other words, if I am operating a nonprofit, prolife crisis pregnancy center, the law now requires that I post on my office walls and also place within my ads that abortions can be obtained through the State of California. So, a woman who comes to my office seeking help must also be told, either verbally or through the postings, that abortion is an inexpensive option because the State will pay for it.
Several nonprofit centers decided that such a law was an infringement upon their rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. They had the right to not share with their clients that abortion was an option because they had taken the position that abortion was wrong. In 2016 the NIFLA sued the State of California on behalf of nonprofit crisis pregnancy centers claiming "that the law unfairly targets crisis pregnancy centers because it does not apply to clinics that perform abortions, and because it forces crisis centers to provide information they do not endorse" (www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/nifla-v-becerra-supreme-court-takes-both-abortion-first-amendment-ncna858056).
Yesterday the Supreme Court heard arguments from both sides and will make a ruling sometime in June. Each side had 25 minutes to present its case. The heart of the argument made by NIFLA is that the government should not force individuals, or in this case a crisis pregnancy center, to promote a message that contradicts their sincerely held beliefs.
What I find very interesting is that the California law does not require that state-operated abortion clinics post information within their offices nor to have it published on their advertisements telling women that there is another option beside abortion. No, this law seems to have had only one focus - upon those nonprofit crisis pregnancy centers, most of whom have some type of religious, prolife foundation. This is just another attempt by "big government" to curtail the freedoms and rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution.
I am grateful for the NIFLA and its willingness to take on this case. And I am grateful that the United States Supreme Court decided to add this case to its spring docket of cases. Now we just need to pray that, as they deliberate a decision, that they will be focused upon what is truly best for that mom and her unborn baby. I will keep watch and will let you know when the Supreme Court has reached its decision.
Meanwhile, President Putin has won another election in Russia. Of course there was little opposition - the recent assassination and attempted assassination of dissident Russians living in England testify to what potentially can happen when a person falls out of favor with Putin. Will Putin continue to bully his way with those Eastern European countries? Probably. Will Put continue to bully his way with the United States? Probably. But the Bible reminds us that as we near the end of the age, Russia will become stronger and will gather a coalition together to destroy Israel. Will Putin be the leader of this Ezekiel-described coalition? I can't speak with authority that he will, but I can state that the leader described in Ezekiel 38 will be someone with the nature of a Putin. Wow1 Are these exciting times in which we live! I am grateful that my hope is placed on the solid Rock Jesus Christ.
Let me give a little background. In 2015, the California legislature passed a bill known as "The Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care and Transparency Act" which came to be known as the FACT Act. The reason for the law was that, it was believed, women who faced an unplanned pregnancy were not being given adequate information regarding the availability of no and low cost medical services, including abortion, which were available through the State of California. The FACT Act required that all crisis pregnancy centers post information regarding these services which the Sate of California provides and that such information be included in any advertisements for such facilities.
In other words, if I am operating a nonprofit, prolife crisis pregnancy center, the law now requires that I post on my office walls and also place within my ads that abortions can be obtained through the State of California. So, a woman who comes to my office seeking help must also be told, either verbally or through the postings, that abortion is an inexpensive option because the State will pay for it.
Several nonprofit centers decided that such a law was an infringement upon their rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. They had the right to not share with their clients that abortion was an option because they had taken the position that abortion was wrong. In 2016 the NIFLA sued the State of California on behalf of nonprofit crisis pregnancy centers claiming "that the law unfairly targets crisis pregnancy centers because it does not apply to clinics that perform abortions, and because it forces crisis centers to provide information they do not endorse" (www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/nifla-v-becerra-supreme-court-takes-both-abortion-first-amendment-ncna858056).
Yesterday the Supreme Court heard arguments from both sides and will make a ruling sometime in June. Each side had 25 minutes to present its case. The heart of the argument made by NIFLA is that the government should not force individuals, or in this case a crisis pregnancy center, to promote a message that contradicts their sincerely held beliefs.
What I find very interesting is that the California law does not require that state-operated abortion clinics post information within their offices nor to have it published on their advertisements telling women that there is another option beside abortion. No, this law seems to have had only one focus - upon those nonprofit crisis pregnancy centers, most of whom have some type of religious, prolife foundation. This is just another attempt by "big government" to curtail the freedoms and rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution.
I am grateful for the NIFLA and its willingness to take on this case. And I am grateful that the United States Supreme Court decided to add this case to its spring docket of cases. Now we just need to pray that, as they deliberate a decision, that they will be focused upon what is truly best for that mom and her unborn baby. I will keep watch and will let you know when the Supreme Court has reached its decision.
Meanwhile, President Putin has won another election in Russia. Of course there was little opposition - the recent assassination and attempted assassination of dissident Russians living in England testify to what potentially can happen when a person falls out of favor with Putin. Will Putin continue to bully his way with those Eastern European countries? Probably. Will Put continue to bully his way with the United States? Probably. But the Bible reminds us that as we near the end of the age, Russia will become stronger and will gather a coalition together to destroy Israel. Will Putin be the leader of this Ezekiel-described coalition? I can't speak with authority that he will, but I can state that the leader described in Ezekiel 38 will be someone with the nature of a Putin. Wow1 Are these exciting times in which we live! I am grateful that my hope is placed on the solid Rock Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Dr. Hawking - A Man Who Missed God
One of the headlines today is that of the death of Dr. Stephen Hawking. Dr. Hawking was one of the greatest thinkers of our time, especially in the realms of cosmology and quantum physics. Dr. Hawking taught for many years at Cambridge University. He specialized in the study of black holes. While a graduate student at Cambridge, he was diagnosed with ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. His doctors gave him two years to live, yet he lived with the disease for 55 years. When asked how he coped with his disease after the diagnosis, Hawking said, "Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up." Well, Stephen Hawking did not give up.
Dr. Hawking was not a believer in God. He once said, "There is probably no heaven, and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe, and for that, I am extremely grateful." (www.aol.com/article/news/2018/03/14/stephen-hawking-dead-famed-scientist-dies-at-76).
In one of his last interviews before his death, Dr. Hawking stated that he had discovered what happened before the dawn of time. (www.foxnews.com/science/2918/03/05/stephen-hawking-says-knows-what-happened-before-dawn-time). Allow me to quote briefly from this article, as I found it fascinating. "'The boundary condition of the universe...is that it has no boundary,' Hawking tells the National Geographic's Star Talk show this weekend. In other words, there is no time before time began as time was always there. It was just different. He tells physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson that amid the almost infinitely small quantum foam of the singularity before the Big Bang, time existed in a 'bent' state. It was distorted along another dimension - always getting fractionally closer to, but never becoming, nothing. So there never was a Big Bang that created something from nothing. It just looks that way from our point of perspective."
So, how did Dr. Hawking discover this 'different form of time?' "Quantum theory introduces a new idea, that of imaginary time. Imaginary time may sound like science fiction, and it has been brought into Doctor Who. But nevertheless, it is a genuine scientific concept. One can picture it in the following way. One can think of ordinary, real, time as a horizontal line. On the left, one has the past, and on the right, the future. But there's another kind of time in the vertical dimension. This is called imaginary time, because it is not the kind of time we normally experience. But in a sense, it is just as real as what we call real time."
So, according to the late Dr. Hawking, there has always been time, but just of the imaginary type. So, there really could not have been "a beginning." That seems to make the very first statement in the Bible to be false. Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." This verse seems to strongly indicate that, at some moment in eternity past - before there was time - God created the universe and the world around us. There was a moment when we can say, "This is when it all began." Some will say that that moment is known as "the Big-Bang." But, that theory is fraught with problems and questions: Where did the materials come from that will explode and become the universe and our world? Where did the energy come from that caused the explosion? Who or what caused the explosion to occur? The better alternative, it seems to me, is to believe what the Bible states so confidently: That God caused everything to come into being at a moment known as "the beginning." This is very straight-forward and answers those questions raised by "the Big Bang" theory.
But, of course, Dr. Hawking could not travel the Genesis 1:1 pathway because he denied the existence of God. And so he has to create a concept known as imaginary time. How can one prove the existence of imaginary time? How can one observe imaginary time? What are the laws that govern imaginary time? How does imaginary time differ from our real time? It seems that, because Dr. Hawking has denied the existence of God, that he has to create some type of hypothesis - even if his hypothesis does not seem to have logic.
Dr. Hawking was a man of strong resolve; how else can one explain living with ALS for over fifty years. Dr. Hawking was a man with a keen intellect which he used to advance the field of quantum physics and cosmology. But, Dr. Hawking was a man who lacked any relationship with the living, holy, amazing God. When he passed away yesterday, Dr. Hawking came to realize that, although he knew many things, he had failed to know one thing that would have changed his life - he had failed to know the Lord Jesus. I believe Dr. Hawking illustrates those words of Jesus: "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" (Luke 9:25).
What a contrast between Billy Graham and Stephen Hawking. Both men influenced a generation. Both men sought to help men to understand the world around them. Yet, Billy Graham did something that Dr. Hawking could not do - he shared with people that the only way they could understand the world around them was to understand their need for a relationship with a holy God through His Son, Jesus Christ. One will hear those amazing words - "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of your Lord", while the other will hear those words of judgment - "Depart from Me, for a never knew you." How do you want to be greeted by our Savior?
Dr. Hawking was not a believer in God. He once said, "There is probably no heaven, and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe, and for that, I am extremely grateful." (www.aol.com/article/news/2018/03/14/stephen-hawking-dead-famed-scientist-dies-at-76).
In one of his last interviews before his death, Dr. Hawking stated that he had discovered what happened before the dawn of time. (www.foxnews.com/science/2918/03/05/stephen-hawking-says-knows-what-happened-before-dawn-time). Allow me to quote briefly from this article, as I found it fascinating. "'The boundary condition of the universe...is that it has no boundary,' Hawking tells the National Geographic's Star Talk show this weekend. In other words, there is no time before time began as time was always there. It was just different. He tells physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson that amid the almost infinitely small quantum foam of the singularity before the Big Bang, time existed in a 'bent' state. It was distorted along another dimension - always getting fractionally closer to, but never becoming, nothing. So there never was a Big Bang that created something from nothing. It just looks that way from our point of perspective."
So, how did Dr. Hawking discover this 'different form of time?' "Quantum theory introduces a new idea, that of imaginary time. Imaginary time may sound like science fiction, and it has been brought into Doctor Who. But nevertheless, it is a genuine scientific concept. One can picture it in the following way. One can think of ordinary, real, time as a horizontal line. On the left, one has the past, and on the right, the future. But there's another kind of time in the vertical dimension. This is called imaginary time, because it is not the kind of time we normally experience. But in a sense, it is just as real as what we call real time."
So, according to the late Dr. Hawking, there has always been time, but just of the imaginary type. So, there really could not have been "a beginning." That seems to make the very first statement in the Bible to be false. Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." This verse seems to strongly indicate that, at some moment in eternity past - before there was time - God created the universe and the world around us. There was a moment when we can say, "This is when it all began." Some will say that that moment is known as "the Big-Bang." But, that theory is fraught with problems and questions: Where did the materials come from that will explode and become the universe and our world? Where did the energy come from that caused the explosion? Who or what caused the explosion to occur? The better alternative, it seems to me, is to believe what the Bible states so confidently: That God caused everything to come into being at a moment known as "the beginning." This is very straight-forward and answers those questions raised by "the Big Bang" theory.
But, of course, Dr. Hawking could not travel the Genesis 1:1 pathway because he denied the existence of God. And so he has to create a concept known as imaginary time. How can one prove the existence of imaginary time? How can one observe imaginary time? What are the laws that govern imaginary time? How does imaginary time differ from our real time? It seems that, because Dr. Hawking has denied the existence of God, that he has to create some type of hypothesis - even if his hypothesis does not seem to have logic.
Dr. Hawking was a man of strong resolve; how else can one explain living with ALS for over fifty years. Dr. Hawking was a man with a keen intellect which he used to advance the field of quantum physics and cosmology. But, Dr. Hawking was a man who lacked any relationship with the living, holy, amazing God. When he passed away yesterday, Dr. Hawking came to realize that, although he knew many things, he had failed to know one thing that would have changed his life - he had failed to know the Lord Jesus. I believe Dr. Hawking illustrates those words of Jesus: "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" (Luke 9:25).
What a contrast between Billy Graham and Stephen Hawking. Both men influenced a generation. Both men sought to help men to understand the world around them. Yet, Billy Graham did something that Dr. Hawking could not do - he shared with people that the only way they could understand the world around them was to understand their need for a relationship with a holy God through His Son, Jesus Christ. One will hear those amazing words - "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of your Lord", while the other will hear those words of judgment - "Depart from Me, for a never knew you." How do you want to be greeted by our Savior?
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Why Young People Are Leaving the Church?
This past Saturday, the Minnesota Star-Tribune published an article written by Jean Hopfensperger. The article was titled, "A Look At Why Young Catholics Leave." I found the statistics offered in this article very interesting. They follow a trend that has been observed within all churches the past ten years or so. The basic theme from several surveys, including this one, is that young people are leaving the Church today in droves. Few have any intent of returning. George Barna observed this several years ago. Others have done similar studies. And, it is found that young people are "checking out of" the church at an earlier age.
"They stopped believing in God. They saw a disconnect between what Catholics say and what they do. They disagreed with the church's stance on social issues such as homosexuality and birth control." With these words, the author begins her piece. "They are the growing numbers of young Catholics living the church - the focus of a new national study to examine why they're departing and where they're landing. It's an issue that worries church leaders across the country." To be honest, it should worry not just Catholics, but all of us. Why are young people leaving the church? And why are they leaving at such an early age?
The article continues: "'Leaving the [Catholic] church crosses all age groups, but the fastest-growing demographic is age 18 to 29,' said John Vitek, president of Saint Mary's Press in Winona, which commissioned the study. 'Our data shows the median age for leaving the church was 13 years old,' he said. 'That was a surprise to everyone...and something we really have to take note of.'"
"The survey found that the biggest reason young Catholics bailed was that they no longer believed in God. One in five cited that lack of faith." The author quotes from a young woman who said, "'I would like to believe that something happens when you die, that you don't just rot in the ground, but I don't know.'"
"Another 16 percent said family experiences shaped their misgivings. Divorce, death, illnesses and perceived 'hypocrisy' were cited. 'Although my grandparents took me to church every weekend...we found out that my grandfather was having an affair,' said another respondent. 'I don't think that's part of the Catholic faith.'"
"Among other findings: Three in four said they stopped viewing themselves as Catholics between age 10 and 20; Nearly half said they were searching for spiritual practice in tune with their beliefs; About a third said they are 'done' joining churches."
Friends, the results of this Catholic survey should give us a "wake-up" call. The church continues to fail the next generation. According to another report I read last fall, although still being brought to church every week, a number of young people in the 6th grade had already decided that, when they left home, they would leave the church. One has to ask the question of "why?"
First, I believe that hypocrisy with the home is a leading reason why young people are leaving the church. They have watched mom and dad go to church every week, but when they are at home all they do is argue with one another by yelling and screaming. Forget about "loving your neighbor as yourself" when love is absent at home. What is said and done at home is completely different from what is said and done while at church.
To counter this reason, many churches have become very active in a reformation-type movement to minister to parents so that they can disciple their own children. It is known as Faith@Home or D6. But the focus is to help parents model 24/7 their faith before their children and grandchildren. We have been modeling this for the past six years and have seen some incredible turn-arounds within families attending our church. It does work!
Second, I believe that the lack of relevancy between the Gospel and contemporary culture contributes to young people leaving the church. They have witnessed a disconnect between the Scriptures and culture. I believe today's young people are looking for some anchor for their lives. They want to know that the Bible has the answers. A watered-down Gospel does not satisfy those needs. It is time to rediscover the power of the unadulterated, passionate, authoritative teaching of God's Word.
The focus in the past within youth ministries was to "have fun." There is still a need for that today, but there is a greater need to teach truth. The very future of the church depends upon it.
"They stopped believing in God. They saw a disconnect between what Catholics say and what they do. They disagreed with the church's stance on social issues such as homosexuality and birth control." With these words, the author begins her piece. "They are the growing numbers of young Catholics living the church - the focus of a new national study to examine why they're departing and where they're landing. It's an issue that worries church leaders across the country." To be honest, it should worry not just Catholics, but all of us. Why are young people leaving the church? And why are they leaving at such an early age?
The article continues: "'Leaving the [Catholic] church crosses all age groups, but the fastest-growing demographic is age 18 to 29,' said John Vitek, president of Saint Mary's Press in Winona, which commissioned the study. 'Our data shows the median age for leaving the church was 13 years old,' he said. 'That was a surprise to everyone...and something we really have to take note of.'"
"The survey found that the biggest reason young Catholics bailed was that they no longer believed in God. One in five cited that lack of faith." The author quotes from a young woman who said, "'I would like to believe that something happens when you die, that you don't just rot in the ground, but I don't know.'"
"Another 16 percent said family experiences shaped their misgivings. Divorce, death, illnesses and perceived 'hypocrisy' were cited. 'Although my grandparents took me to church every weekend...we found out that my grandfather was having an affair,' said another respondent. 'I don't think that's part of the Catholic faith.'"
"Among other findings: Three in four said they stopped viewing themselves as Catholics between age 10 and 20; Nearly half said they were searching for spiritual practice in tune with their beliefs; About a third said they are 'done' joining churches."
Friends, the results of this Catholic survey should give us a "wake-up" call. The church continues to fail the next generation. According to another report I read last fall, although still being brought to church every week, a number of young people in the 6th grade had already decided that, when they left home, they would leave the church. One has to ask the question of "why?"
First, I believe that hypocrisy with the home is a leading reason why young people are leaving the church. They have watched mom and dad go to church every week, but when they are at home all they do is argue with one another by yelling and screaming. Forget about "loving your neighbor as yourself" when love is absent at home. What is said and done at home is completely different from what is said and done while at church.
To counter this reason, many churches have become very active in a reformation-type movement to minister to parents so that they can disciple their own children. It is known as Faith@Home or D6. But the focus is to help parents model 24/7 their faith before their children and grandchildren. We have been modeling this for the past six years and have seen some incredible turn-arounds within families attending our church. It does work!
Second, I believe that the lack of relevancy between the Gospel and contemporary culture contributes to young people leaving the church. They have witnessed a disconnect between the Scriptures and culture. I believe today's young people are looking for some anchor for their lives. They want to know that the Bible has the answers. A watered-down Gospel does not satisfy those needs. It is time to rediscover the power of the unadulterated, passionate, authoritative teaching of God's Word.
The focus in the past within youth ministries was to "have fun." There is still a need for that today, but there is a greater need to teach truth. The very future of the church depends upon it.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
To Control Guns or Not to Control Guns - Ah, That's the Question
I am not sure you have heard that over the weekend the Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed its doors in Jerusalem. This is perhaps the most sacred of all the Christian sites in Jerusalem - at least to most people. It is purported to be the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. But its halls were silenced over the weekend in a dispute between church officials and the officials of the city of Jerusalem concerning taxes. I do not fully understand all the reasons for the shut down, but just found it interesting that even a sacred site, can be used as a pawn in a political game. I think Queen Helena might roll over in her grave if she knew. I will be in Jerusalem in a few weeks, so will give a full report of what I find.
We continue to see the uproar caused by the Parkland, Florida, shootings. There are loud cries to take away guns. I recently read an article, written by Michael Swartz, and published on the Patriot Post website on February 23. You can find it at: www.patriotpost.us/articles/54357-the-youth-massacre-outside-florida. Allow me to quote from this article: "The tragic loss of 16 students and one coach from one high school in a single incident is bound to dominate the news for days. But who knew that the five cities with the highest number of murders in 2017 combined to match that terrible total in just three days? Chicago led the way with 650 murders last year, and while Baltimore was second with 343, its per capita total of 55.8 per 100,000 residents was the highest in the nation among its 50 most populous cities.
"Bear in mind that many of these cities have stringent gun laws. But while the Left's answer is to blame guns, there's truly much more to the story. One key element is the issue of gangs: 'Some young men take precautions appropriate to Beirut, circling their home block three or four times in search of any person or car that is out of place, before they will park,' writes Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson. 'Others must be smuggled out of the city to avoid revenge killings,' A lucrative drug trade and a lack of respect for human life are clearly fertilizing these killing fields."
The author, Michael Swartz, then proceeds to describe the real problem - and it is not guns. He continues, "Yet too often among these 'war zones within the borders of America,' young men grow up without a dad. Whether that's because the father has left the mother voluntarily (or was never really 'with' her in the first place), has since been imprisoned, or was a victim of violence himself doesn't necessarily matter - the issue is the lack of positive male influence in these children's lives.
"As marriage and family expert Suzanne Venker points out about divorce, 'More often than not, children lose contact with their fathers - for two reasons. One, mothers remain the default custodial parent in the average American divorce and thus retain most of the control. Second, it is usually women who consider themselves the aggrieved party, as evidenced by the fact that wives initiate 70 percent of divorces.' She continues, 'The unfortunate result is that some divorced mothers use any opportunity to undermine their children's relationship with their father or, if not that, dismiss the significance of a father's role.'" I would encourage you to read the full article.
The Patriot Post posted another article, written by Jordan Candler, on February 20. You can find it at: www.patriotpost.us/articles54242-the-anti-religious-agenda-behind-gun-control. "After every mass shooting, America succumbs to recycling the same old tropes, a process that inevitably devolves into social media attacks, public shouting matches, vitriol and polarization. The subject, regardless of which side of the debate you're on, always ends up revolving around guns because even those who believe there are evil outside forces at work when mass shooters commit their carnage are faced with dispelling the shortsighted and erroneous notion propagated by the Left - namely, that the culprit is guns.
"The Left's plea for gun control stems largely from its refusal to acknowledge the connection between cultural depravity and America's throwing away Christianity. The reason organizations like the Freedom From Religious Foundation are so successful is because too many Americans share the view that God is either nonexistent or is ill-suited to fulfill our idea of what faith demands.
"Both America's long relationship with guns and 'toxic masculinity' are scapegoats the Left uses because it objects to moral changes. On the issue of gun control, for all the talk of how conservatives don't offer ideas to curb violence, the truth is that we do; they're just meaningful and religious-oriented ones leftists reject. ... If America wants to see an end to mass shootings, it's literally impossible to do so without a return to the moral standards set forth through Christianity. Most leftists believe in a lot of coincidences - the big bang, for example - and their argument against guns implies that the lack of mass shootings before God was stripped from schools is also coincidental. In reality, its the unavoidable outcome of engendering a godless society. Our national discussion must take on and rebut the secular approach to stop the bloodshed. Otherwise, our rights will continue to be undermined with absolutely nothing to show for it."
The problem is not strictly guns - although I have often wondered why people need such high-powered weapons. But, then again, I have never had any desire to own a gun. But I know men within my church who own several guns, but use them for hunting and recreational purposes. I have even been invited to one of their "shootings" but could not hit the "broad-side-of-a-barn." I go now just for the food! Friends, a gun is no more dangerous than is a car. In fact, more people are killed every year with automobiles than guns - yet there is no rush to control automobiles. The problem is the people who shoot the guns, the people who drive the automobiles. And, when you talk about a people problem, you inevitably have to focus upon a moral problem - more particularly, the lack of morals. And, whenever you begin a discussion of morality, you are driven to the ultimate question - what is right and wrong? And, that question will bring you to the penultimate question - who decides what is right and wrong? The answer to that question, as we know as believers, is God Himself. But, we don't want to travel down that road, so it is much easier to say it is a matter of guns. And so the debate will continue. Bills will be introduced into both state and national legislatures. Executive orders will be executed. Stricter controls will be mandated. But, the killings will continue - just look at what is happening in Chicago, a city with some of the most strict gun control regulations in the country. It is not a gun problem. It is a heart problem. And, until we stop and admit to that side of the issue, there will be more Parkland shootings.
We continue to see the uproar caused by the Parkland, Florida, shootings. There are loud cries to take away guns. I recently read an article, written by Michael Swartz, and published on the Patriot Post website on February 23. You can find it at: www.patriotpost.us/articles/54357-the-youth-massacre-outside-florida. Allow me to quote from this article: "The tragic loss of 16 students and one coach from one high school in a single incident is bound to dominate the news for days. But who knew that the five cities with the highest number of murders in 2017 combined to match that terrible total in just three days? Chicago led the way with 650 murders last year, and while Baltimore was second with 343, its per capita total of 55.8 per 100,000 residents was the highest in the nation among its 50 most populous cities.
"Bear in mind that many of these cities have stringent gun laws. But while the Left's answer is to blame guns, there's truly much more to the story. One key element is the issue of gangs: 'Some young men take precautions appropriate to Beirut, circling their home block three or four times in search of any person or car that is out of place, before they will park,' writes Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson. 'Others must be smuggled out of the city to avoid revenge killings,' A lucrative drug trade and a lack of respect for human life are clearly fertilizing these killing fields."
The author, Michael Swartz, then proceeds to describe the real problem - and it is not guns. He continues, "Yet too often among these 'war zones within the borders of America,' young men grow up without a dad. Whether that's because the father has left the mother voluntarily (or was never really 'with' her in the first place), has since been imprisoned, or was a victim of violence himself doesn't necessarily matter - the issue is the lack of positive male influence in these children's lives.
"As marriage and family expert Suzanne Venker points out about divorce, 'More often than not, children lose contact with their fathers - for two reasons. One, mothers remain the default custodial parent in the average American divorce and thus retain most of the control. Second, it is usually women who consider themselves the aggrieved party, as evidenced by the fact that wives initiate 70 percent of divorces.' She continues, 'The unfortunate result is that some divorced mothers use any opportunity to undermine their children's relationship with their father or, if not that, dismiss the significance of a father's role.'" I would encourage you to read the full article.
The Patriot Post posted another article, written by Jordan Candler, on February 20. You can find it at: www.patriotpost.us/articles54242-the-anti-religious-agenda-behind-gun-control. "After every mass shooting, America succumbs to recycling the same old tropes, a process that inevitably devolves into social media attacks, public shouting matches, vitriol and polarization. The subject, regardless of which side of the debate you're on, always ends up revolving around guns because even those who believe there are evil outside forces at work when mass shooters commit their carnage are faced with dispelling the shortsighted and erroneous notion propagated by the Left - namely, that the culprit is guns.
"The Left's plea for gun control stems largely from its refusal to acknowledge the connection between cultural depravity and America's throwing away Christianity. The reason organizations like the Freedom From Religious Foundation are so successful is because too many Americans share the view that God is either nonexistent or is ill-suited to fulfill our idea of what faith demands.
"Both America's long relationship with guns and 'toxic masculinity' are scapegoats the Left uses because it objects to moral changes. On the issue of gun control, for all the talk of how conservatives don't offer ideas to curb violence, the truth is that we do; they're just meaningful and religious-oriented ones leftists reject. ... If America wants to see an end to mass shootings, it's literally impossible to do so without a return to the moral standards set forth through Christianity. Most leftists believe in a lot of coincidences - the big bang, for example - and their argument against guns implies that the lack of mass shootings before God was stripped from schools is also coincidental. In reality, its the unavoidable outcome of engendering a godless society. Our national discussion must take on and rebut the secular approach to stop the bloodshed. Otherwise, our rights will continue to be undermined with absolutely nothing to show for it."
The problem is not strictly guns - although I have often wondered why people need such high-powered weapons. But, then again, I have never had any desire to own a gun. But I know men within my church who own several guns, but use them for hunting and recreational purposes. I have even been invited to one of their "shootings" but could not hit the "broad-side-of-a-barn." I go now just for the food! Friends, a gun is no more dangerous than is a car. In fact, more people are killed every year with automobiles than guns - yet there is no rush to control automobiles. The problem is the people who shoot the guns, the people who drive the automobiles. And, when you talk about a people problem, you inevitably have to focus upon a moral problem - more particularly, the lack of morals. And, whenever you begin a discussion of morality, you are driven to the ultimate question - what is right and wrong? And, that question will bring you to the penultimate question - who decides what is right and wrong? The answer to that question, as we know as believers, is God Himself. But, we don't want to travel down that road, so it is much easier to say it is a matter of guns. And so the debate will continue. Bills will be introduced into both state and national legislatures. Executive orders will be executed. Stricter controls will be mandated. But, the killings will continue - just look at what is happening in Chicago, a city with some of the most strict gun control regulations in the country. It is not a gun problem. It is a heart problem. And, until we stop and admit to that side of the issue, there will be more Parkland shootings.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Of Billy Graham, Justice Thomas, and the Barna Group - Important Lessons to Learn
Just heard the news this morning that Billy Graham entered the portals of heaven yesterday. What an incredible legacy that man has left behind. Perhaps no other person, since the time of the Apostle Paul, has had such an impact upon the world for Christ. Every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, has been touched with the message that flowed from the heart of Billy Graham. Men and women of influence across the globe sought his wisdom and advice. Few of us will forget the powerful message he delivered at the national day of remembrance for the victims of 9-11. I remember seeing him totter up those steps, but once he was in the pulpit, the fire of heaven flowed through him. Just as there was only one Apostle Paul, I believe there will be only one Billy Graham. He was God's man for the time in which he lived. The world will miss his voice, but heaven is celebrating the homecoming of a giant of faith. Thank you, Billy Graham, for the legacy you have left behind.
Over the weekend I was privileged to hear portions of the speech that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made at the Library of Congress. (www.patriotpost.us/articles/54241-thomas-issues-his-cultural-ruling). Three thoughts grabbed my attention. First, he said, "At some point, we're going to be fatigued with everybody being the victim." Think about that statement for just a few moments. We are victims of race. We are victims of gender. We are victims of sexual choice. We are even victims of religious preferences. It seems that everyone is going around carrying the wounds of victimhood. We report people who cause us to have negative feelings. We crawl into our "safe spaces" where no one can touch us. I believe what Justice Thomas was saying is that as long as we are all victims, there will never be any healing. And healing begins when we can sit down and have a civil conversation about ideas without feeling offended. Such conversations are a rarity in our age.
Second, Justice Thomas expressed great concern over the intensity of the confirmation for both judges and other political appointments. He said, "This is not the Roman Colosseum. We're not gladiators. And I think we're going to lose some of our best people who choose not to go through the ordeal. They don't want to have to fight the lion in order to be a judge or to be in government. And I think it's our own fault for allowing this to happen." Yes, there needs to vetting for the offices of judges and other governmental leaders, but it seems that the vetting process today is almost like a witch-hunt.
And, third, Justice Thomas quoted from his grandfather: "Old Man Can't is dead. I helped bury him." I heard my grandfather say the same thing to me many times, especially when I expressed why something could not be done. We tend to give up too easily today. Things are too hard, so "I quit" becomes our escape. Perhaps we need to resurrect that thought from our grandparents' generation. As believers we know that nothing is too difficult for God. And since God is for us then we should remove those words - "I can't" - from our vocabulary. Instead we should proclaim, "With God's help, I can..."
I close today with referencing a new study that the Barna Group has produced. You can find this study at www.barna.com/research/gen-z-questions-answered. I found this article an important one. Gen Z is identified as those born between the years 1999 to 2015, so this group is now between the ages of 3 and 19. The Barna Group worked with teens aged 13 to 18 for this study. "One of the main findings from the study is that the problem of evil is a major barrier to faith for non-Christian teens (29%). Other reasons nonbelievers provide as common barriers to faith include "Christians are hypocrites" (23%), "I believe science refutes too much of the Bible" (20%), "I don't believe in fairy tales" (19%), "there are too many injustices in the history of Christianity" (15%), "I used to go to church but it's just not important to me anymore" (12%), "I had a bad experience at church / with a Christian" (6%).
"When it comes to church specifically, non-Christians and self-identified Christians have different reasons for why they believe it is unimportant. Among those who say attending church is not important to them, three out of five Christian teens say "I find God elsewhere" (61%), while about the same proportion of non-Christians says "church is not relevant to me personally" (64%).
"One of the biggest and most surprising shifts is that family is not a major priority for Gen Z. For instance, personal achievement, whether educational or professional (43%), and hobbies and pastimes (42%) are more central to Gen Z's identity than family background / upbringing (34%). ... Another interesting finding is that two-thirds of Gen Z want to finish their education (66%), start a career (66%) and become financially independent (65%) by age 30, while only one in five wants to get married by then (20%). However, they do still seem to value their family's authority or insight: When asked who they most look up to as a role model, half say their parents and one in seven says another family member."
Friends, this is a very important study. Gen Z includes my grandchildren and their peers. What is truly important to them? What does faith mean to them? Can they articulate clearly what they believe? These are questions leaders within the Church need to be asking. This is that generation the Church needs to be investing its best people and its resources into not only helping them to understand the significance of the Gospel, but of how they can grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Friends, God is still on the throne. He is still "in charge." All may not be well with the world, but I can say, "It is well with my soul." I trust you can say that as well.
Over the weekend I was privileged to hear portions of the speech that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made at the Library of Congress. (www.patriotpost.us/articles/54241-thomas-issues-his-cultural-ruling). Three thoughts grabbed my attention. First, he said, "At some point, we're going to be fatigued with everybody being the victim." Think about that statement for just a few moments. We are victims of race. We are victims of gender. We are victims of sexual choice. We are even victims of religious preferences. It seems that everyone is going around carrying the wounds of victimhood. We report people who cause us to have negative feelings. We crawl into our "safe spaces" where no one can touch us. I believe what Justice Thomas was saying is that as long as we are all victims, there will never be any healing. And healing begins when we can sit down and have a civil conversation about ideas without feeling offended. Such conversations are a rarity in our age.
Second, Justice Thomas expressed great concern over the intensity of the confirmation for both judges and other political appointments. He said, "This is not the Roman Colosseum. We're not gladiators. And I think we're going to lose some of our best people who choose not to go through the ordeal. They don't want to have to fight the lion in order to be a judge or to be in government. And I think it's our own fault for allowing this to happen." Yes, there needs to vetting for the offices of judges and other governmental leaders, but it seems that the vetting process today is almost like a witch-hunt.
And, third, Justice Thomas quoted from his grandfather: "Old Man Can't is dead. I helped bury him." I heard my grandfather say the same thing to me many times, especially when I expressed why something could not be done. We tend to give up too easily today. Things are too hard, so "I quit" becomes our escape. Perhaps we need to resurrect that thought from our grandparents' generation. As believers we know that nothing is too difficult for God. And since God is for us then we should remove those words - "I can't" - from our vocabulary. Instead we should proclaim, "With God's help, I can..."
I close today with referencing a new study that the Barna Group has produced. You can find this study at www.barna.com/research/gen-z-questions-answered. I found this article an important one. Gen Z is identified as those born between the years 1999 to 2015, so this group is now between the ages of 3 and 19. The Barna Group worked with teens aged 13 to 18 for this study. "One of the main findings from the study is that the problem of evil is a major barrier to faith for non-Christian teens (29%). Other reasons nonbelievers provide as common barriers to faith include "Christians are hypocrites" (23%), "I believe science refutes too much of the Bible" (20%), "I don't believe in fairy tales" (19%), "there are too many injustices in the history of Christianity" (15%), "I used to go to church but it's just not important to me anymore" (12%), "I had a bad experience at church / with a Christian" (6%).
"When it comes to church specifically, non-Christians and self-identified Christians have different reasons for why they believe it is unimportant. Among those who say attending church is not important to them, three out of five Christian teens say "I find God elsewhere" (61%), while about the same proportion of non-Christians says "church is not relevant to me personally" (64%).
"One of the biggest and most surprising shifts is that family is not a major priority for Gen Z. For instance, personal achievement, whether educational or professional (43%), and hobbies and pastimes (42%) are more central to Gen Z's identity than family background / upbringing (34%). ... Another interesting finding is that two-thirds of Gen Z want to finish their education (66%), start a career (66%) and become financially independent (65%) by age 30, while only one in five wants to get married by then (20%). However, they do still seem to value their family's authority or insight: When asked who they most look up to as a role model, half say their parents and one in seven says another family member."
Friends, this is a very important study. Gen Z includes my grandchildren and their peers. What is truly important to them? What does faith mean to them? Can they articulate clearly what they believe? These are questions leaders within the Church need to be asking. This is that generation the Church needs to be investing its best people and its resources into not only helping them to understand the significance of the Gospel, but of how they can grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Friends, God is still on the throne. He is still "in charge." All may not be well with the world, but I can say, "It is well with my soul." I trust you can say that as well.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Some Good News, Israel and Iran, and Blaming God - Stories of the Week
I want to begin this week with some good news. It seems that those stories don't occur as often as they should. The article titled, "Torte Reform? CA Baker Wins First-Ever Case", can be found at the Family Research Council website - www.frc.org. "Here are three words you don't usually see in the same sentence: 'religious liberty' and 'California.' But thanks to Superior Court Judge David Lampe, that's exactly what one Christian is celebrating in a battle over religious freedom and wedding cakes. For the first time ever, a court ruled in favor of the baker, Cathy Miller, for turning down an order for a same-sex wedding because her faith 'will not allow me to participate in things that I feel are wrong.'
"Facing the loss of her bakery, she and the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund fought back. Although the odds were stacked against her, the law was not. In a powerful rebuke of the status quo, Judge Lampe rejected the Left's argument that personal offense trumps conscience. The right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment outweighs` the State's interest in ensuring a freely accessible marketplace,' Lampe wrote. 'The right of freedom of thought guaranteed by the First Amendment includes the right to speak, and the right to refrain from speaking. Sometimes the most profound protest is silence.'
"Obviously, he explained, no one can refuse to sell something to a customer out of prejudice. But, he reminds everyone: 'The difference here is that the cake in question is not yet baked. The State is not petitioning the court to order defendents to sell cake. The State asks this court to compel Miller to use her talents to design and create cake she has not yet conceived with the knowledge that her work will be displayed in celebration of marital union her religion forbids... Such an order would be the stuff of tyranny.' What's more, he points out, Cathy - like the Kleins, Jack Phillips, and Barronelle Stutzman - not only offered the women something from her display case, but 'provided for an alternative means for potential customers to receive the product they desire through the services of another talent' by recommending another bakery."
Remember, this is a decision from a California judge! A judge who upholds the integrity of the Constitution, no less. A judge who is not swayed by the mass hysteria of our culture. A judge who was able to look at all the facts objectively. May there be more judges like him who are willing to stand up for the freedoms offered in the First Amendment. We need more judges like David Lampe within our judicial system.
Over the weekend tensions increased in the Middle East. An Iranian made drone launched from inside Syria, was shot down over Israeli airspace. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled and destroyed the base from which the drone had been sent. On the return flight a Syrian missile shot down one of the Israeli warplanes, but it was able to crash land within Israeli territory. In an article published by the World Israel News (WIN), Steve Leibowitz writes, "The decision by Iran to send a drone into Israeli airspace and the subsequent punishing air strikes by Israel targeting Iranian military facilities in Syria on Saturday amounted to a marked escalation in Iranian-Israeli confrontation. Indeed, it was the first direct military clash between the two nations, enemies since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. But neither side appears to want a full-scale war right now.
"Middle East analyst Amotz Asa-El told WIN, 'There is every reason to suspect that this drone was a premeditated act on the part of Iran. They want a confrontation in order to distract from their own domestic problems, including the acute economic chaos resulting in the recent upheaval and now the women's protests. A confrontation with Israel is a good distraction. Strategically, Iran is committed to "imperial Persian expansion," and that includes an overland corridor stretching from the Iranian border to the Syrian and Lebanese coasts. Israel's strategic interest is simply to keep the enemy far from the borders,' Asa-El said.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put it this way: 'Israel wants peace, but we will continue to defend ourselves with determination against any attack on us and against any attempt by Iran to entrench itself militarily in Syria or anywhere else. Our policy is absolutely clear: Israel will defend itself against any attempt to harm our sovereignty.'"
I am working on a message that I will be preaching later this spring from Ezekiel. As one focuses upon those nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39, it hardly escapes one attention that three of those nations cited by Ezekiel are presently within Syria: Iran, Russia, and Turkey. Is this just a coincidence? Or is this part of God's strategic plan? We know that the ultimate goal of the Iranians is the complete destruction of the State of Israel. Could the war that Ezekiel saw in his vision over twenty-six centuries ago be on the brink of becoming a reality? If it is then we know how that war will end for the text of Ezekiel 39 makes that very clear. Please don't take your eyes off what is happening in the Middle East. It truly is the key to understanding God's plans.
Next, I read a very interesting article from the Christian Post, written by Michael Gryboski, and titled, "Millennials Who Attended Evangelical Protestant Schools More Likely to Marry, Have Children: Study.: You can find this article at www.christianpost.com/news/millennials-who-attended-evangelical-protestant-schools-more-likely-marry-have-children-study-215814. Allow me to quote from this article: "Generation X and the millennial-aged adults who attended evangelical Protestant schools are more likely to get married and have children than their peers who attended public schools, according to a recent study. In research conducted by the Canada-based think tank Cardus that was released Tuesday (January 30), found that among young adults aged 24-39, 'EP schoolers are more likely to be married, and less likely to cohabit. By guiding graduates toward traditional marriage and family, evangelical Protestant schools may set up structural constraints and opportunities that encourage evangelical religious orientations and practices,' explained the report. The report also found that young adults educated at evangelical Protestant schools are more likely to read the Bible, attend worship, and pray that those who attended public schools."
One does not have to question the validity of these results. All one has to do is to look at what is happening within the modern school system. It is not important that our children understand their math tables, but it is important that our children understand that they don't have to be a boy or girl - they can be whatever gender they desire, and that desire can change from day to day. It is not important that our children understand the religious and historical framework upon which our nation was established. But it is important that our children understand that our Founding Fathers were white, racist, homophobic, misogynistic, Islamophobic men. Is it any wonder that our children are growing up confused as to what truth really is? Is it any wonder that they are turning away from the Church because even the church has watered down truth?
I need to share one final article that really got the blood-pressure to rise even higher. The article was posted on The Patriot Post website: www.patriotpost.us/articles/54055-eve-the-first-number-metoo.
The article was written by Thomas Gallatin on February 9. "This story highlights a classic example of how leftist feminist ideology attacks straw men by unabashedly distorting the facts. An article was recently published in The Forward and provocatively titled, 'The First Story in the Bible Was the First Case of #MeToo.' Written by Tamara Kolton, who identifies herself as a '47-year-old rabbi and psychologist,' she asserts that God perpetrated 'the first sexual assault of a woman.' She writes, 'The founding myth of Judeo-Christian religion, the story of Eve, granted generations of men permission to violate women. It teaches us that women are liars and sinners. Even if 'She' is telling the truth, she deserved it. God told her not to eat that apple, or wear that skirt, or go out after dark, or be pretty, or desirous, or in that bar or on that street or in that car or born a girl.'"
Have you ever heard anything so blasphemous as to accuse God for the attacks upon women, in fact, to accuse God of initiating that first assault upon a woman? But this happens whenever a person casts aside the belief in an inerrant, inspired, authoritative Word of God written through the power and influence of the Spirit of God. The Bible just becomes a series of myths and legends that have no moral authority at all. So, the #MeToo movement is all because of God's assault upon Eve there in the Garden. All I can say to Rabbi Kolton and to her kind is "Wow! You actually believe that!" How sad!
Friends, can it be much longer until the trumpet blows? I see how clearly the pieces are coming into better focus. It is time to "look up" because "our redemption soon draws near." Amen!
"Facing the loss of her bakery, she and the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund fought back. Although the odds were stacked against her, the law was not. In a powerful rebuke of the status quo, Judge Lampe rejected the Left's argument that personal offense trumps conscience. The right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment outweighs` the State's interest in ensuring a freely accessible marketplace,' Lampe wrote. 'The right of freedom of thought guaranteed by the First Amendment includes the right to speak, and the right to refrain from speaking. Sometimes the most profound protest is silence.'
"Obviously, he explained, no one can refuse to sell something to a customer out of prejudice. But, he reminds everyone: 'The difference here is that the cake in question is not yet baked. The State is not petitioning the court to order defendents to sell cake. The State asks this court to compel Miller to use her talents to design and create cake she has not yet conceived with the knowledge that her work will be displayed in celebration of marital union her religion forbids... Such an order would be the stuff of tyranny.' What's more, he points out, Cathy - like the Kleins, Jack Phillips, and Barronelle Stutzman - not only offered the women something from her display case, but 'provided for an alternative means for potential customers to receive the product they desire through the services of another talent' by recommending another bakery."
Remember, this is a decision from a California judge! A judge who upholds the integrity of the Constitution, no less. A judge who is not swayed by the mass hysteria of our culture. A judge who was able to look at all the facts objectively. May there be more judges like him who are willing to stand up for the freedoms offered in the First Amendment. We need more judges like David Lampe within our judicial system.
Over the weekend tensions increased in the Middle East. An Iranian made drone launched from inside Syria, was shot down over Israeli airspace. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled and destroyed the base from which the drone had been sent. On the return flight a Syrian missile shot down one of the Israeli warplanes, but it was able to crash land within Israeli territory. In an article published by the World Israel News (WIN), Steve Leibowitz writes, "The decision by Iran to send a drone into Israeli airspace and the subsequent punishing air strikes by Israel targeting Iranian military facilities in Syria on Saturday amounted to a marked escalation in Iranian-Israeli confrontation. Indeed, it was the first direct military clash between the two nations, enemies since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. But neither side appears to want a full-scale war right now.
"Middle East analyst Amotz Asa-El told WIN, 'There is every reason to suspect that this drone was a premeditated act on the part of Iran. They want a confrontation in order to distract from their own domestic problems, including the acute economic chaos resulting in the recent upheaval and now the women's protests. A confrontation with Israel is a good distraction. Strategically, Iran is committed to "imperial Persian expansion," and that includes an overland corridor stretching from the Iranian border to the Syrian and Lebanese coasts. Israel's strategic interest is simply to keep the enemy far from the borders,' Asa-El said.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put it this way: 'Israel wants peace, but we will continue to defend ourselves with determination against any attack on us and against any attempt by Iran to entrench itself militarily in Syria or anywhere else. Our policy is absolutely clear: Israel will defend itself against any attempt to harm our sovereignty.'"
I am working on a message that I will be preaching later this spring from Ezekiel. As one focuses upon those nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39, it hardly escapes one attention that three of those nations cited by Ezekiel are presently within Syria: Iran, Russia, and Turkey. Is this just a coincidence? Or is this part of God's strategic plan? We know that the ultimate goal of the Iranians is the complete destruction of the State of Israel. Could the war that Ezekiel saw in his vision over twenty-six centuries ago be on the brink of becoming a reality? If it is then we know how that war will end for the text of Ezekiel 39 makes that very clear. Please don't take your eyes off what is happening in the Middle East. It truly is the key to understanding God's plans.
Next, I read a very interesting article from the Christian Post, written by Michael Gryboski, and titled, "Millennials Who Attended Evangelical Protestant Schools More Likely to Marry, Have Children: Study.: You can find this article at www.christianpost.com/news/millennials-who-attended-evangelical-protestant-schools-more-likely-marry-have-children-study-215814. Allow me to quote from this article: "Generation X and the millennial-aged adults who attended evangelical Protestant schools are more likely to get married and have children than their peers who attended public schools, according to a recent study. In research conducted by the Canada-based think tank Cardus that was released Tuesday (January 30), found that among young adults aged 24-39, 'EP schoolers are more likely to be married, and less likely to cohabit. By guiding graduates toward traditional marriage and family, evangelical Protestant schools may set up structural constraints and opportunities that encourage evangelical religious orientations and practices,' explained the report. The report also found that young adults educated at evangelical Protestant schools are more likely to read the Bible, attend worship, and pray that those who attended public schools."
One does not have to question the validity of these results. All one has to do is to look at what is happening within the modern school system. It is not important that our children understand their math tables, but it is important that our children understand that they don't have to be a boy or girl - they can be whatever gender they desire, and that desire can change from day to day. It is not important that our children understand the religious and historical framework upon which our nation was established. But it is important that our children understand that our Founding Fathers were white, racist, homophobic, misogynistic, Islamophobic men. Is it any wonder that our children are growing up confused as to what truth really is? Is it any wonder that they are turning away from the Church because even the church has watered down truth?
I need to share one final article that really got the blood-pressure to rise even higher. The article was posted on The Patriot Post website: www.patriotpost.us/articles/54055-eve-the-first-number-metoo.
The article was written by Thomas Gallatin on February 9. "This story highlights a classic example of how leftist feminist ideology attacks straw men by unabashedly distorting the facts. An article was recently published in The Forward and provocatively titled, 'The First Story in the Bible Was the First Case of #MeToo.' Written by Tamara Kolton, who identifies herself as a '47-year-old rabbi and psychologist,' she asserts that God perpetrated 'the first sexual assault of a woman.' She writes, 'The founding myth of Judeo-Christian religion, the story of Eve, granted generations of men permission to violate women. It teaches us that women are liars and sinners. Even if 'She' is telling the truth, she deserved it. God told her not to eat that apple, or wear that skirt, or go out after dark, or be pretty, or desirous, or in that bar or on that street or in that car or born a girl.'"
Have you ever heard anything so blasphemous as to accuse God for the attacks upon women, in fact, to accuse God of initiating that first assault upon a woman? But this happens whenever a person casts aside the belief in an inerrant, inspired, authoritative Word of God written through the power and influence of the Spirit of God. The Bible just becomes a series of myths and legends that have no moral authority at all. So, the #MeToo movement is all because of God's assault upon Eve there in the Garden. All I can say to Rabbi Kolton and to her kind is "Wow! You actually believe that!" How sad!
Friends, can it be much longer until the trumpet blows? I see how clearly the pieces are coming into better focus. It is time to "look up" because "our redemption soon draws near." Amen!
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