When people in authority acknowledge the hand of Almighty God and embrace His principles, it is something worth noting.  Even if their lives may not have exemplified an adherence to Christian principles.  We can be careful to pray for our leaders and pray that they will exercise Godly wisdom.  And, we can continue to give attention to the hand of God as He works in and among the nations.  In 2nd Chronicles 20 (ESV), we read the proclamation of King Jehoshophat just before the nation of Judah experienced a powerful victory:
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,
6 and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.
7 Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?

We are approaching the 250th anniversary of the separation between what is now the United States and England.  In the Declaration of Independence, we can read about our Founders' reliance on Almighty God in the face of tyranny, embodied in King George III. The grievances were many, but in the face of the authoritarian actions, the colonists declared their independence and stated their dependence on God.

King Charles III received a warm welcome in his visit to the U.S. recently, stood before Congress, with many in the audience supportive of the ideology associated with the "No Kings" movement, as it's been pointed out.  But, an actual king, well, he delivered an address that focused on shared history and shared religious practice.

The Christian Post reported:

King Charles III, whose royal titles include Defender of the Faith and head of the Church of England, spoke about the importance of his Christian beliefs in his address to Congress.

“For many here — and for myself — the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally, but together as members of our community,” he told those gathered.

“Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding, it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness which I have found confirmed countless times.”

It is true that the King of England does occupy a position of ecclesiastical authority, and I think that one could certainly question decisions and viewpoints in his personal and professional life.  He is correct when he speaks, ironically, of the concept of freedom. The article says, "Charles emphasized a common heritage of liberty, noting that English measures like the Magna Carta of 1215 and the English Declaration of Rights of 1689 influenced the U.S."

Some say that the King is not a political figure, but the office carries with it a close relationship with the British Prime Minister and considerable influence of British policy.  So, when you have a King who dedicated a sculpture last year paying tribute to LGBTQ+ veterans, it is worth noting.  And, his dogged embrace of climate change policy proposals is certainly troubling.  In his address to Congress, he stated, “Even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of critical natural systems, which threatens far more than the harmony and essential diversity of nature..."  

We don't have a King - even amidst people taking to the streets in protest calling for "No King."   The people of Israel wanted a King, even though Samuel insisted that the Lord was their King.  And, they suffered for it.  Throughout the writings of the Old Testament, we see a succession of kings - two sets of them, once Israel and Judah separated following Solomon's reign.  Some followed the Lord wholeheartedly, some perhaps half-heartedly, others didn't follow Him at all.  Jehoshaphat exercised dependence on the Lord, King Josiah actually publicly proclaimed the Word of God.  Others led their people in a direction away from God.

We serve the One True King, who is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and we can pray for the leaders over us to submit to His authority.   The Bible teaches that authority has given by God.  King Charles and leaders throughout the ages - from monarchs, to dictators, to democratically-elected Presidents and Prime Ministers, will all stand before the presence of the ultimate Judge.  And, so will we - we have to make sure that we are in right relationship with God through Christ.

In response to an Executive Order from President Trump, the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias was established in the Department of Justice, and just days ago, it released its findings, noting, according to a DOJ press release, "The report examines how the Biden Administration pushed its radical policy agenda, even when its actions infringed on Christian beliefs, free exercise, and on matters of deep personal importance to nearly every American: life, family, marriage, self-identity, education, medical decisions, and more."

The report was summarized in this way: "The report touches on a broad array of federal policies and programs, including conscience rights, the Johnson Amendment, fines against Christian universities, girls’ sports, vaccine mandates, and the exclusion of Christians from public programs, among many others."

Some examples given in the press release were as follows:

• President Biden pushed policies to eliminate statutory protections for religious Americans that interfered with his policy goals. Although he failed to change federal law, under his direction, federal agencies used policy and regulatory means to accomplish the same goals.
• The Biden Justice Department aggressively opposed concerned parents through the Garland School Board Memo and diligently attempted to use its enforcement authority against parents who defended their children’s safety at local school board meetings.
• The Biden Justice Department immediately mandated the adoption of gender ideology throughout the federal government far beyond the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County.

The example was also given that senior Administration officials regarded religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccine as “insincere” or “not religious.”
 
The DOJ stated: "While this report details the egregious actions of the Biden Administration against Christians, it also demonstrates how the Trump Administration is restoring the rights of Christians—and all Americans—to practice their faith without fear of retribution."

Kelly Shackelford, President, CEO, and Chief Counsel at First Liberty, on its website, is quoted as saying: “This report is shocking. The Biden administration’s record of hostility toward Christian Americans is despicable and should serve as a warning. We can never let this happen again. We are grateful to the current administration for recognizing that religious liberty is foundational to all of our Constitutional freedoms and for working to protect our first freedom.  All Americans should be free to exercise their faith without government intrusion in school, in the military, in the workplace, and in the public square.”

Ryan Gardner, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute, was a recent guest on The Meeting House on Faith Radio and provided comments and analysis of the report.

Meanwhile, last Thursday, another Federal agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a report detail its actions regarding religiously-oriented complaints. A summary on the EEOC website noted, "Since January 2025, the EEOC has filed 16 religious discrimination lawsuits and recovered over $63 million on behalf of religious workers via public and private pre-litigation voluntary resolutions, as well as litigation settlements." Chairman Andrea Lucas was a member of the DOJ's task force set up to study anti-Christian bias.

The report also noted: "In March 2026, the EEOC settled a $15 million public conciliation on behalf of dozens of (largely Christian) workers who were denied religious accommodations from COVID vaccine mandates, our largest publicly announced conciliation resolution in this space."  There were other vaccine-related cases that were settled by the agency. There were also actions taken against Anti-Semitism by the EEOC.

Rose Docherty is a Scottish woman who is pro-life.  But, Scottish officials brought criminal charges against her for standing outside an abortion clinic holding a sign.  The Christian Post reported:

Docherty was charged last December with violating Scotland's 2024 Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act by holding up a sign outside an abortion clinic that read, “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.” Authorities accused her of “influencing” people seeking an abortion within a 200-meter “buffer zone” around a medical facility.

The article notes that in a statement, "the nonprofit legal organization ADF International announced that a judge in Glasgow, Scotland, had dismissed charges" against Docherty, who had been arrested in February of last year holding the same sign, only to have the charges dropped.

The article quotes Docherty as saying, "'Buffer zone' legislation must be repealed in Scotland and across the U.K. to ensure it is not misused to target peaceful and lawful expression again in the future, as has now happened to me twice," adding, "The resources used by the authorities to target me, a 75-year-old grandmother, for offering to speak with people, have been totally wasted."

The article says, "ADF barrister and legal counsel Jeremiah Igunnubole said the U.K. has faced a 'deepening free speech crisis.'"

I remember telling my mother as she entered into her later years, even into her 90's, that God wasn't finished with her.  She spent quite a few years unable to walk without assistance, and certainly was not that mobile.  But, she could speak and do what she did for years: she was an encourager.   She did spend time working on a church staff, but the majority of her "ministry" was through her interactions with people.  Paul wrote in Romans 15 (ESV):
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

JP Spitz is someone who, throughout his career as a barber, and working in a number of ministries, shared his faith in Christ with people, leading them to the Lord.  A recent God Reports article related that JP is now 83 years old and doesn't drive any more.

But, his fervor to see people come to Christ is being expressed in another setting; as the article says: "he continues to witness to Uber drivers who pick him up for doctor appointments and other errands."   The article related a typical gospel conversation, which starts with a brief introduction, and then this question that gets right to the heart: "Are you a Christian?"  The article continues:

If the Uber driver says yes, JP asks a follow-up question. “When did you pray to receive Jesus as your savior?”

If the driver begins to waffle, he then explains the Good News:

“I want to share something with you, it’s called the gospel, it has four parts, and these are the four parts: God loves you. You screwed it up. Jesus fixed it, and you need to repent.”

After answering any questions about these points, he will ask, “Will you pray with me to receive Christ? Follow Me in prayer…”

Before JP is dropped at his destination, he usually gives his driver the tract called Steps to Peace with God by Billy Graham.

And, his desire to spread the love and truth of Jesus doesn't stop when he exits the Uber vehicle, the article says, "he will often witness to the receptionist, the people sitting in the waiting room, and the technicians who gave him his radiation treatment."  And, he also has shared a book that he and his wife, Diana, have written recounting some of their experiences in ministry, called, Cracked Vessels: True Stories of Real Life Restoration.

Talk about being "Uber"-evangelistic!!

Last year, JP took Ubers to radiation treatments for prostate cancer five days per week. What a wonderful door the Lord has offered to him to share what Christ has done in his life.

Because we know Christ, we have been given a testimony - a story of God's faithfulness, of "Jesus and His love," the hymn relates.  We can demonstrate to others about the life change that Jesus has made and share with people how they can experience the transformation we have.

JP discovered a new avenue of sharing his faith in Christ by engaging in a gospel conversation with an Uber driver.  It's certainly a unique one-on-one opportunity that God can use powerfully.  We can be sensitive to the doors that God may open for us, and the door opener may just be at our fingertips. 

Throughout the Scriptures, we can see instances of the practice of God's Word being read publicly.  I think of the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem in Nehemiah 8, where we read (ESV):
1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.
2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Bible Gateway recounts: 

In Exodus 24, Moses read Scripture to the Israelites on Mount Sinai.
In Deuteronomy 31:9-13, the Jews were instructed to read Scripture publicly every seven years at the Feast of Tabernacles.
In Joshua 8:34-35, Joshua read Scripture to the people of God as they entered the Promised Land.
In 2 Kings 23:1-3, the King Josiah read the Scriptures publicly and started a revival.
In Nehemiah 8:1-12, after the return from the Babylonian exile, the priest Ezra read the Bible publicly for hours each day for a week, which also started a revival.

Paul writes to Timothy in the 4th chapter of the book of 2nd Timothy (ESV):
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Movieguide published a recap of the recent America Reads the Bible event originating from Museum of the Bible in Washington:

After seven days and 84 consecutive hours of uninterrupted Scripture, America Reads the Bible concluded Saturday with the final words of Revelation proclaimed inside the Museum of the Bible and streamed nationwide on Great American Pure Flix.

Nearly 500 voices — pastors, worship leaders, entertainers, public servants and families — read the Word of God aloud from Genesis to Revelation during America’s 250th anniversary year. Millions engaged from homes, churches and communities across the country.

A press release appearing on the Christian Newswire site noted that "more than 3 million viewers tuned in to the historic weeklong Scripture-reading event livestreamed on Great American Pure Flix from April 18–25 in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. The 84-hour broadcast marked the highest-rated event in Pure Flix history, with thousands more attending in person at the Museum of the Bible, underscoring the unprecedented national engagement surrounding the initiative."

And, there's more to come.  There continues to be published reflection and consideration of the impact of that global event.  Movieguide also noted:

The conclusion of America Reads the Bible does not mark the end of the moment, it marks the beginning of a broader cultural effort. Alongside the weeklong Scripture reading, Great American Media has launched America Sings the Anthem, a nationwide invitation for families, churches and communities across all 50 states to submit their renditions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the country approaches its 250th anniversary.

National Spokesperson for the Bible-reading event, Candace Cameron Bure, posted this on Instagram:

What a weekend in Washington D.C. for the historic reading of the Holy Bible. Today we kicked off 7 straight days, 9am to 9pm, over 400 readers, 84 hours reading from Genesis to Revelation. I was honored to be the national spokesperson and read Genesis 6-8. You can live stream this event on PureFlix.com for free. Sit down with your families and watch it. From government officials, to farmers, pastors, entertainers, educators, and every day American moms and dads, and even the President. We are all united and reminded that we are equal in God’s eyes. God’s love for us is so patient. Let us be reminded of His wisdom and goodness for us when we repent and rend our hearts to Him.

Matt Friedeman of Wesley Biblical Seminary, writing for the Magnolia Tribune, offered a critique and call to action after the event concluded, writing that: "Public reading of Scripture is a worthy endeavor. But we also need leadership to affirm that if we truly intend embrace the Bible and worldview that made this country great, we would be wise to give sober assessment to the moral direction of our nation and the consequences that await without a course correction."  He noted: "The hope in all of this?  It is as true today as it was then:  'Humble ourselves…seek His face.'”

Franklin Graham wrote a piece in Decision Magazine recently that began like this: "On May 17, thousands of Americans are expected to assemble on the National Mall, in Washington, D.C., to participate in 'Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving.'”  He notes that, "Citizens from every state in the Union are expected to gather near the Lincoln Memorial to prayerfully give thanks for God’s blessings and providence for the United States since her founding in 1776. Americans will also be praying for God’s ongoing protection and direction for our country as well as seeking His forgiveness for our nation’s many sins."

He also encouraged readers to participate with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in praying each day from May 14 through July 4.  He stated: "Visit OneNationUnderGod.com beginning May 14 and for the following 50 days as a pastor from each state shares Scripture and leads a daily prayer for our nation."

We just celebrated the National Day of Prayer yesterday, and Franklin recalled how his father had encouraged President Harry Truman in the launch of a National Day of Prayer; the younger Graham said:

More than seven decades ago, my father held a peace rally on the east steps of the U.S. Capitol building to encourage President Harry Truman to establish a National Day of Prayer. It was a historic moment that had an immediate impact. Within two days, legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives and passed after committee action by unanimous vote. Truman signed the joint resolution into law in April 1952.

Will Graham co-hosted the national livestream last night to observe the National Day of Prayer.  

Prayer.  Bible reading.  Gatherings of believers.  These are all encouraging signs and can hopefully motivate Americans to turn to God - for each Christian to search his or her heart, to ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our sin and that cleansing power of Christ would purify us, and that His light, out of pure hearts, would overflow to the world around us.

We can exemplify what it truly means to seek God's face, to realize that His Word contains the answers to the manifold challenges we face as a nation.  God has had His hand on our nation, and we can pray that He will continue to show Himself to be faithful; yet, we must be faithful to call upon Him.

It is the 2026 National Day of Prayer, and this year's theme is: Glorify God Among the Nations, Seeking Him in All Generations."  The theme Scripture is from 1 Chronicles 16:24, which says, in the New American Standard: "Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples."

Following the completion of the Temple in Jerusalem, as well as his own house, the people of Israel observed a feast, then a solemn assembly, according to 2nd Chronicles chapter 7. We read in that chapter (ESV):
12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.
13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people,
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Today, I want to shine the light on a survey from the State of Discipleship survey from Lifeway Research.  The summary at the organization's website notes:

Seeking God is one of eight signposts that measure characteristics evident in believers progressing in spiritual maturity. The average churchgoer scores 78.5 out of 100 in seeking God, ranking it first among the signposts.

The summary goes on to relate: "Around 7 in 10 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (69%) say they set aside time for private worship, praise or thanksgiving to God at least a few times a week, with 40% doing so every day."

Furthermore, almost 8 in 10 in this group indicated that they pray "on the go;" again, 4 in 10 strongly agree with that.  The language of the article said: "praying at the spur of the moment."  So, it appears you have a minimum of an additional 10%, possibly higher, who are pray-ers, but perhaps don't do that in the context of a dedicated quiet time.  Make sense?

The survey summary goes on to say: "Whether intentional or impromptu, most churchgoers say they regularly, personally express praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is. Most (56%) say this is an everyday practice, while 22% do so a few times a week, 11% once a week, 6% a few times a month, 3% once a month and 2% rarely or never do so."

But, the practice of "seeking God" is at the top of the list of those eight characteristics in the overall survey.   So, you could reason that from that self-identified act of "seeking God," other characteristics don't necessarily trickle down.  Lifeway Research had reported on that list:

• seeking God (78.5)
• obeying God and denying self (75.1)
• serving God and others (73.1)
• exercising faith (71.6)
• Bible engagement (69.8)
• building relationships (64.0)
• and living unashamed (61.0)
• sharing Christ (54.8).

The headline for that article was "Lifeway Research Finds Discipleship Deficits Among U.S. Churchgoers."

So, we go back to 2nd Chronicles 7:14 - the four conditions for revival: humbling ourselves, pray, seeking God's face, and turning from our "wicked ways."  Faith will result in works - we need to be spending personal time with God, no doubt, but from that should flow a dedication to Christ, outward expressions of the inward work of Christ.  James taught in chapter one to be doers of the Word and not just hearers; in chapter 2, he wrote, "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

We should be people who seek the face of God - regularly - intentionally - with a time set aside to be with Him, to sit at the feet of Jesus, to talk to Him and hear from Him through His Word and the direction of the Spirit.  From these practices, we come to know God better, we grow in the Lord, and we show the world who Jesus is.  Faith Radio is here to help you in your spiritual growth, but our Bible teaching and worshipful music is not a substitute for your one-on-one time in God through a consistent quiet time and your communication with Him throughout the day.  But, we can help you keep focused on the things of God, and we encourage you to listen in regularly.

Too often, we see Americans demonstrably divided about a number of issues.  In some cases, I admit, rightfully so, people, including Christians, take positions that are in accordance with Biblical truth, and that will result in disagreement.  But, when anger and rage take over, when people protest, as it seems, just for the sake of protesting, perhaps even when a financial benefit is present, it becomes more of a show that an honest effort to express opinion.  And, when anger leads to violence that becomes very unacceptable.  We all have opinions, for sure; and believers in Christ should make sure that our opinions - and the expressions of them - line up with Scripture.  This passage really spoke to me recently, from Matthew 5 (ESV):
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’
34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

So, Jesus taught that we should be forthright in what we believe, and our allegiance should be to God and God alone.  We should not embrace positions that are not consistent with Scripture.  

After members of Congress who declare "No Kings" actually giving the standing O to a real King, King Charles, last week, another in a seemingly endless stream of people taking to the streets to protest who knows what occurred.  It always seems to center on opposition to the President, who was elected by a majority of Americans through one of our greatest forms of expressing opinions - the ballot box.  And, by the way, remember, you can make your voices heard by voting on Tuesday May 19 and selecting candidates who best represent your Christian values.

Now, back to the sea of protest; and by the way, public expressions of opinion are a legitimate activity protected by the First Amendment.  Christians have been know to gather publicly to express their views.  

There just seems to be a manufacture of division that is concerning.  Last Friday, on May 1, May Day, according to FoxNews.com just days before it:

Agitators and protesters are expected to gather in cities across the country Friday for May Day, boycotting work, school and shopping in demonstrations driven by the "Workers Over Billionaires" motto.

Nearly 500 organizations are planning more than 750 events, including roughly 200 virtual events, that will take place in New York, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles and other metropolitan cities.

"On May 1, 2026, workers, students, and families rally, march, and take action across the country to demand a nation that puts workers over billionaires, with many refusing business as usual through No School. No Work. No Shopping," May Day Strong, which is the main organizer of the demonstrations, describes the event.

How rich (pun intended)!  You have employees skipping work to protest the people who have the resources to hire and employ them.  Because they have too much.  How quaint - how Marxist.  Class warfare.  So, your employer has too much money?   Take a day off and protest that company.  A building owner in New York City has too much money, in your estimation?  So, do like the mayor did recently - announce you're going to tax him more, even though he's probably already paying a higher tax rate.  Sounds like unjust measures to me, which is something the Bible warns against in Proverbs 11.  The owner, who was planning a huge project that would employ hundreds of workers, is now considering taking the project elsewhere.  

The Fox article went on to describe the Marxist roots of May Day celebrations.  And among them, as Jeff Johnston of Focus on the Family pointed out at the Daily Citizen: The National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), who "are joining other leftist groups and encouraging members to celebrate May Day Strong National Day of Action with hundreds of rallies across the country."  Johnston describes how teachers were being encouraged to gather together before the school day:

Walk-Ins are 30-45 minute events before the school day where “parents, educators, and students, along with neighbors and community leaders” meet in front of their school for a rally. During school hours, teachers are encouraged to have students create artwork and write reports about the day.

Again, this is a political event, with teachers unions encouraging the indoctrination of children into Marxist and socialist ideologies.

So, many should rightly ask, "why?"  Because, despite the divisive rhetoric, by and large, there are disturbing trends in public education.  Johnston writes:

"Parents of children in public schools generally think their local schools are doing a good job. And, again, many schools and teachers do terrific work.

But national surveys demonstrate low academic achievement among most students. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card, fewer than two thirds of American eighth graders can do math (26%), read (30%), or do science (31%) at grade level.

Despite their rhetoric, teachers unions don’t advocate for students – they advocate for teachers. Perhaps if educators spent less time agitating, organizing and power-building, we would see students performing better.

More time teaching the basis, less time teaching ideology that flies in the face of people's deeply-held beliefs.  That is why there was a renewed emphasis on parents' rights following the pandemic, as virtual learning revealed concerns over what was really being taught. Parents were empowered by the U.S. Supreme Court decision last year allowing parents to opt-out students from LGBT curriculum material.  You have to wonder why that subject matter is even being taught in any school - but the answer is the public intimidation that LGBT activists are promoting.  So, in that sense, protest has worked, to a certain degree.  But, at what cost?

I believe that hundreds of organizations, whether it be May Day Strong or Indivisible, who run the "No Kings" protest, are chipping away at the soul of America, because they seem to believe that division makes us stronger.  The embrace of left-wing, even socialist policies does not contribute to a well-functioning society.  

Keeping people divided and fanning flames of hatred is contradictory to a society that reflects the ideals of our Founders - or the Scriptures.  But, you might say, well the Founders were protestors, weren't they?  But, look at the motivation - there were legitimate concerns over the tyranny of the Crown.  And, they, motivated by a deep-rooted faith in God, took steps to sever the relationship.  Unfortunately, it resulted in war and many lives were lost.  But, out of that furnace of affliction, a great nation was born that has survived the test of time, and we celebrate that faith-infused Declaration of Independence on July 4 this very year.  

From a Christian perspective, I do believe God is calling out to His people to draw near to Him.  There is certainly a "May Day" - a cry of distress, for help, a call to repentance and righteousness that is being sent out, found in the words of 2nd Chronicles 7:14 - surrender to God.  Even though there are many challenges we face as a nation, we recognize that our hope is in Him.

We have seen what has been called the "culture of death" advance throughout the last half-century, from the hideous Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, to the shift of abortion in surgical clinics to abortion at home.  Chemical abortion - using a two-pill regimen, including mifepristone - has become more common and not only babies, but women who attempt to take the lives of their unborn children at home, are paying the price.

After the U.S. Supreme Court whiffed on the opportunity to reduce the availability of the abortion pill, the state of Louisiana set out on its own course to eliminate abortion by mail. And, last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a ruling to protect the lives of women and unborn babies in the state.  Alliance Defending Freedom announced online: "The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration must restore the in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion drug mifepristone pending appeal. This ruling prevents pro-abortion activists and doctors from mailing streams of high-risk abortion drugs into states that protect the lives of unborn babies."

The Attorney General of Louisiana, Liz Murrill, in partnership with ADF, "asked the court to temporarily block the unlawful mailing of abortion drugs into pro-life states while the 5th Circuit considers Louisiana’s appeal from the district court’s denial of preliminary relief."

Lila Rose, Founder and President of pro-life organization Live Action, said the ruling was a "major step toward justice" and said: "This must be the turning point," adding, "We are calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Donald Trump to act immediately to take this dangerous drug off the market once and for all with a full and permanent ban."

However, it was announced earlier today that the U.S. Supreme Court has put that ruling on hold temporarily.  SCOTUS Blog reported: "In a brief order on Monday morning, Justice Samuel Alito, who handles emergency requests from the 5th Circuit, issued an administrative stay putting the 5th Circuit’s order on hold and temporarily restoring access to mifepristone by mail while the justices consider the drug companies’ request, and instructed the FDA and Louisiana to respond by 5 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 7. The administrative stay expires on Monday, May 11, at 5 p.m. EDT."

There was more news on the pro-life front, with action out of the U.S. Supreme Court.  The relentless opposition to the compassionate work of pregnancy resource centers, many of whom are based on Christian faith principles, has been manifested in a number of ways, from vandalism to verbal assaults.  In New Jersey, the Attorney General decided a way to hamper the work of these centers was to require information on their donors, which is a strategy that has been attempted legislatively against pro-life organizations in the past in order to silence them or reduce their impact.

As Family Research Council explains it, First Choice Women's Resource Centers were "targeted" by former New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin "...with a baseless, wide-ranging, and onerous subpoena that required the organization to consume its limited resources to produce extensive documentation--including donor information--or face legal consequences."  As FRC contends, "First Choice was targeted for being a pro-life religious organization."  

Last week, the high court issued a unanimous decision in favor of First Choice.  Tony Perkins, President of FRC, stated, "Thankfully, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down another blatant attempt to sideline Christian ministries by government officials. The Court's ruling that the former New Jersey attorney general illegally targeted First Choice Women's Resource Center is a major victory."  He added, "The former New Jersey attorney general targeted First Choice because he disagreed with their Christian-based, pro-life mission. In this country, Christians have the right to speak freely about their religion and to act on those biblical beliefs in the broader society."

As the SCOTUS Blog reported, "In a unanimous 22-page opinion on Wednesday, the Supreme Court reversed the lower court’s decision, clearing the way for First Choice’s lawsuit to move forward in federal court."  It noted that Justice Gorsuch, writing the majority opinion, "focused on whether First Choice had a legal right to sue, and in particular whether the group could meet the requirement that it have suffered an 'actual or imminent' injury as a result of the subpoena."  The analysis said: "First Choice, Gorsuch noted, argues that the state’s demand for information about its donors constitutes an 'actual or imminent' injury because it deters donors from associating with the group. Gorsuch agreed."

The issue of males playing in female sports is certainly a distortion of God's original design and intent with regard to matters of sexuality and gender.  While there have been efforts to promote this sort of activity, there has been clear pushback legislatively and culturally. Another flashpoint in this conflict has been occurring in the state of Vermont.

As a FoxNews.com piece reports, officials at Mid Vermont Christian School in 2023 "decided to forfeit a girls’ basketball postseason game against a team with a trans athlete."  In other words, a boy was attempting to play in a game presenting as a girl. Fox notes: "Within days of the forfeit, they learned the consequences escalated far beyond a single game. The Vermont Principals’ Association banned the school, not just from basketball, but from all athletics and a range of academic competitions."

But in 2025, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of the school.  The FoxNews.com piece states:

...the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ordered the school reinstated while the case continued — a decision that opened the door for students to return to competition.

The appeals court ruled in September 2025 that Mid Vermont Christian must be allowed to participate in state athletics, after two years of banishment had passed. The court then returned the case to district court for further proceedings.

The state's intransigence in the matter has now come with a big price tag; Fox reported, "State education agencies in Vermont have paid over $566,000 in damages and legal fees" to Mid Vermont Christian School and its legal representation, Alliance Defending Freedom.

The Bible instructs us to be people of integrity, who can be trusted.  We can make sure that we can be relied upon to tell the truth, building a commitment to honesty in our hearts and minds.  By so doing, we align ourselves with the One who said that He is the way, the TRUTH, and the life.  Proverbs 11 (ESV) states:
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

Jaydon Cintron is a teenager who works at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Kinston, NC.  In the restaurant's men's restroom, he found two envelopes.  According to Michael Foust at Crosswalk.com, "Cintron picked up the envelopes from the floor and soon noticed a detail of potential importance: logos bearing the names of financial establishments: First Citizens Bank and Truist Bank. Inside the two envelopes was enough cash to tempt just about anyone – nearly $10,000 total."

Finders keepers, right?  Not to young Jaydon; rather than enjoy a personal payday, he "turned it in," according to the article, which went on to say:

When asked by WITN why he didn’t keep the money, Cintron responded simply, “That’s not what Jesus would’ve done. That’s not what God would’ve wanted.”

Employees searched security footage to try and identify the owner – but to no avail.

Eventually, the owner came back to the restaurant, searching for the missing envelopes.

“A lot of people will … unfortunately, take that money and run with it,” Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette told WITN. “Kudos to that employee at Chick-fil-A. He definitely deserves a reward.”

The TV station also quoted the owner of the restaurant, John McPhaul, who said, "True leadership, you know, true integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching,” adding, “Jaydon did that in this case, and he should be commended for it.”   The owner also offered to give Jaydon $500, which he initially declined.

I thought I had seen some news a while back about a survey that presented a similar scenario.  On the website of Fox 10 Phoenix, I found an article, which said, "In a global study, researchers planted more than 17,000 'lost wallets' across 355 cities in 40 countries and kept track of how often somebody contacted the supposed owners. The unexpected conclusion was that people are more likely to return a lost wallet if it contains money."

Get this: the return rate for empty wallets was 40%; for wallets with around $13 cash - 51%. The researchers added even more money in the U.S., U.K., and Poland: $94.  The article says, "The response jumped to 72 percent for wallets containing the equivalent of about $94, versus 61 percent for those containing $13."

As the article noted, the study involved employees in a work environment, and said: "The key question was whether the employee receiving each 'lost wallet' would contact its supposed owner, whose name and email address were displayed on three identical business cards within."  

That article quotes one of the study authors, Alain Cohn of the University of Michigan, who had reported it in the journal, Science; he said: "The evidence suggests that people tend to care about the welfare of others, and they have an aversion to seeing themselves as a thief."  

In this wallet survey, a majority of people apparently have an aversion to feeling that they have stolen.  The teenage restaurant employee in North Carolina believed that Jesus would want him to return the money he found.

This is one of those Biblically-based values that contributes to a society that works, that is perhaps hard-wired into our culture.  Where do we learn that stealing is wrong?  How do we know we shouldn't murder?  Why, the 10 Commandments instruct us to that effect! Now, perhaps we need to work on the others, such as the command to have no other gods before us than the One True God.  

Interestingly enough, there are a variety of ways in which people steal from each other. Most people don't rob one another, but there are definitely more subtle ways.  When we work for a company and we don't give 100% of our time - and our effort, we are engaging in theft.  Same goes for padding expense accounts.  Robert Jeffress, in a piece found on the Pathway to Victory website, from a sermon called, "The Eighth Commandment: Respect the Property of Others," notes:

First of all, we steal by despoiling, or forcibly taking what doesn’t belong to us. It’s not just armed robbers who steal. Students who cheat on an exam, employees who take home office supplies, and people who claim others’ ideas as their own are also stealing what is not theirs.

Second, we steal through dishonesty, or misrepresenting the truth for our gain. In biblical times, dishonest merchants used false scales and balances. That’s why Proverbs 11:1 says, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” Today, stealing through dishonesty may look like a phishing email that tries to trick you into giving personal information.

Third, we steal by defaming, or robbing somebody of their reputation. That is such a serious offense that God devoted the ninth commandment to it, which we’ll discuss in depth next week.

Fourth, we steal by defrauding, or not giving somebody what we owe them.

I would also note that participating in gambling is a form of theft - you are essentially taking from others for your own promised financial gain; you win on the backs of the losers, many of which can't afford to gamble.  

So, we can be challenged to check our honesty meter - to please self, do we end up taking from others?  Do we benefit at others' expense?  And, does our selfish behavior lead us to shade the truth?  And, I would also challenge each of us to put ourselves in young Jaydon's shoes.

We have been called by God into a relationship with Jesus Christ and through that relationship, we can testify to His love for us and His greatness expressed through us. So, whatever He calls us to do, He gives us the power and will place us in locations so that we can express our love for Him and share it with a dying world.  The apostle Paul wrote in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 (ESV):
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...

The NFL Draft has become quite the occasion.  Strategically nestled between the Super Bowl and the start off fall camp, it helps to maintain the awareness of the National Football League as a year-round product.  And, with over 800,000 attending in person in Pittsburgh this year and millions tuning in over the three-day spectacle, people are able to see and hear from at least a few, probably, future stars of the game.

And, while it was largely expected and perhaps even anti-climactic that Fernando Mendoza from Indiana would be selected #1 by the Las Vegas Raiders, what perhaps no one expected was that Alabama's Ty Simpson would be selected, not by the Arizona Cardinals, as was anticipated by some pundits, but by the Los Angeles Rams, to join a quarterback room with the reigning MVP of the league, a former two-time collegiate national champion, and a player who has been to three Super Bowls, winning two as a backup and losing one as a starter.  Talk about a development.

But, there's something about Ty Simpson - a coach's son who waiting patiently at Alabama to start and who put together a nice, albeit disappointing season last year for Tide fans.  A recent Movieguide article opened this way:

Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson can take on the NFL with confidence, knowing his identity is secure in Jesus Christ.

“I know where I’m going,” he said on an episode of “The Walk” podcast. “I have full confidence knowing where I’m going. That’s how I see it. We’re His children, and we’re here to spread His Word because of what He did. But at the same time, if the Lord Jesus comes back tomorrow, like in Revelation, and the earth dissolves like that, I know what’s going to happen.”

“The question is, do you?” the quarterback asked.

The article talks about how his father, Jason, had sent him Scriptures in the morning on a regular basis, and how he has been a "spiritual mentor" to his son.  The article goes on to say:

His faith keeps him steady as he heads into the NFL Draft.

“I think it goes with my faith,” he said, per Fox News Digital. “My faith is very important to me. I fully believe that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins, and knowing that football is just a minor stepping stone in why I’m on this Earth, I feel like I’m on this Earth for a bigger reason: to get people together to spread the word. The fact that I can do that on a huge stage, the Lord has blessed me in so many ways, that just gives me confidence.”

A former Alabama player made an impact when his name was called, selected just before Simpson by the Dallas Cowboys.  An Instagram post related, "The NFL Draft turned into a moment of worship to the Most High when Caleb Downs chose worship music as he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys...In a moment the world celebrates status, he pointed it back to God. That’s what it looks like to keep your faith first, no matter the stage...Bigger than football."  That was on the Holy Athletes Instagram feed.

Sports Spectrum had reported about the Ohio State safety:

But Downs is more than just a football player. And he’s not shy in talking about what’s most important to him.

“There’s two things that are more important than me, more important than me playing football,” Downs told “The Walk” podcast in August as to why he wears No. 2. “My faith in Jesus Christ and my family. So those two things is what I wear on my chest every game and those are the two most important things in my life.”

His faith has been central not only to his personal life, but also to his platform at Ohio State. In 2024, several football players helped lead a worship gathering on campus that featured worship music, player testimonies and baptisms. When the event returned in 2025 — drawing an estimated 2,000 attendees, nearly double the previous year — Downs was among the players who spoke to the crowd.

After the event, Downs shared with ABC6 television, “God is good...I mean, I can’t take credit for it. None of my teammates can take credit for it. At the end of the day, His glory is above anything that we can do, but we know Jesus is real and we know that if you believe in Him, you will be saved.”

Listen carefully, and you will see and hear elite athletes living out their faith.  And at schools, on campuses, all around our nation, students are committing to live for Jesus Christ.  So thankful for the work of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and how they are training up young people to allow the Lord to live through them and to use the platform God has given them to testify to His love and greatness.  

As I read earlier, the Bible says that God has "saved us and called us to a holy calling."  So, not only have we been born again by Jesus, but He lives in us to empower us to live a life pleasing to Him, not in our own strength, but through the Holy Spirit inside. That means wherever we are, whatever we do, we can bring honor to His name.  Because He is in us.

And as we reflect on what Jesus has done in us, then we can humble ourselves before Him and allow Him to live and speak through us, so that in all things Christ can be glorified.

Can you feel it? Can you sense it?  There is something going on in America.  One could certainly say it's not all good, and I agree with that.  But, in the midst of what seems at times to be a massive battle between good and evil, when evil seems to be pervasive and good is sometimes overwhelmed, the Spirit of God is moving upon the hearts of people.  In the times of the apostle Paul, he wrote to Timothy in the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 3 (ESV).  Here are some snapshots:
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

He then discusses the types of behavior that would be carried out and pinpointing those who are "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth," he provides a template for resisting evil:
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

In the face of evil, the hand of God is on His people, and because Jesus has defeated the power of the enemy, even though he still roams about, we can be confident that He is with us, doing what He's always done -in Acts 10, Peter proclaims:
37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

So, in our society today, there is anticipation that the presence of Jesus, by His Holy Spirit, is doing that healing and redeeming work.   The website for the Barna research group states: "In a survey conducted in February 2026, nearly 3 in 10 U.S. adults (29%) say a spiritual revival could be coming, with Gen Z the most likely of any generation to anticipate such a movement (38%). These figures reflect Barna’s most conservative population estimates of renewal—and even at that level, they account for roughly 80 million revival-minded adults."

Please keep in mind, this is not a survey of self-identified Christians or evangelicals - these are adults in general, and even then, just about 3 out of 10 respondent said revival could be on its way - 4 out of 10 in Gen Z!

The survey summary continues:

When Americans who expect a spiritual revival explain why, they point to a mix of spiritual hunger and cultural hardship.

Across all adults, the top reasons are deeply spiritual in nature. Prayer leads the list, cited by 46 percent of revival-minded adults, followed by young generations turning toward God (44%), a search for meaning and purpose (41%), people experiencing God (39%), and hunger for God (37%). Miracles rounds out the spiritual category, cited by 30 percent of respondents.

And there's a time stamp here - the frame given is the next 12 months.  

Gen Z consists of those ages 14-29, and in this case, only adults in that category were polled, and regarding that generation, "Forty-two percent of Gen Z cite mental health challenges as a revival catalyst—the highest rate of any generation—alongside anxiety (35%)."

Barna CEO David Kinnaman is quoted as saying:

“The research doesn’t predict a revival. And respondents were not given a specific definition of revival, so we anticipate that people have a wide range of ideas of what that might look like. Yet, it reveals something worth paying attention to: a large number of Americans believe one is possible—and for younger adults especially, that belief is being forged in some of the most difficult circumstances of their lives.”

“That matters for Christian leaders. When a generation turns toward faith not out of tradition or habit but out of a genuine drive for something deeper—stemming from anxiety, isolation, and disruption—the Church’s response to that search may prove more consequential than any single cultural trend.”

The anecdotal data is certainly there - I read and share stories regularly about gatherings in which the Spirit of God brings people into a saving knowledge of Christ.   We see individual and community transformation.  People are testifying publicly to the existence and goodness of God.   Now, we have statistical data that indicates people think that some sort of non-descript "revival" could be - could be - on its way.

But, the clear indications of revival can be found in the familiar verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14, offering the prescription for revival and spiritual awakening in a nation.  And, it starts with the Church.  There are 4 conditions: 1) humility 2) praying 3) seeking God's face, and 4) turn from their/our wicked ways.   And, the result: 1) God will hear 2) God will forgive 3) God will heal.  That's the barometer right there.   I believe the degree to which we meet the aforementioned conditions determines the extent to which God promises to respond.

We can check our own hearts and collectively we can take the time and allow for the Lord to work in us...we are directed to humble ourselves before the Lord and certainly we are to pray.  But, there is an extension of that: to seek His face.  What does that mean?  I think you could start by examining the difference between calling out to God and communing with Him.  And, through communion-fellowship-intimacy, true repentance grows.  In the presence of God and His righteousness, repentance results, which produces righteousness in our own lives. 

You certainly can't believe everything you see or read these days.  That's why Faith Radio desires to be a trusted source of Biblical truth and information approached from a Biblical worldview perspective.  Gifted Bible teachers each day on Faith Radio open the Word of God to proclaim this truth.  Because powerful forces are present to push agendas that don't line up with Scripture.  And, we have to carefully process the information, and the way it's presented. In Philippians 1 (ESV), Paul states that he is praying for believers to have discernment:
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The headlines spread quickly of this news from last Tuesday, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice:

A Grand Jury in Montgomery, Alabama, today returned an indictment charging the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) with 11 counts of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.

That press release noted: "Between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC secretly funneled more than $3 million in donated funds to individuals who were associated with various violent extremist groups..."  Those groups included the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America, Unite the Right, and others.  The DOJ said, "According to the indictment, the objective of the scheme and artifice was to obtain money via donations through materially false representations and omissions about what the donated funds would be used for."

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, "The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence,” adding, “Using donor money to allegedly profit off Klansmen cannot go unchecked. This Department of Justice will hold the SPLC and every other fraudulent organization operating with the same deceptive playbook accountable. No entity is above the law.”  FBI Director Kash Patel described it as a "massive fraud operation."

Now, the case has to go to court, but, if true, these are powerful allegations.  As Tyler O'Neil of The Daily Signal, who is an expert on the ways of the SPLC, having written a book on the topic, stated, the SPLC claimed that that paying informants in these organizations was necessary for the purpose of safety.

In another article, O'Neil examines the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, VA, which inflamed racial tensions.  He says:

According to the Justice Department’s new indictment, the Southern Poverty Law Center—which raises money by presenting itself as the top opponent of “white supremacy” and trades on its history of suing the Ku Klux Klan into bankruptcy in the 1980s to smear conservatives today—paid one of the “Unite the Right” organizers no less than $270,000 between 2015 and 2023.

Not only was the SPLC paying the person—identified as “F-37” in the indictment—but the leftist group was also supervising F-37’s “racist postings” and helped F-37 “coordinate transportation to the event for several attendees.”

To call this explosive would be an understatement. A brief reminder: Biden said he decided to run for president after watching the events of Charlottesville. He repeatedly used the event as a cudgel to demonize Trump, and he mentioned going after “white supremacy” in his inaugural address.

He goes on to discuss the partnership that developed between the Biden Administration and the SPLC, which has long been known for its "hate map," including Christian organizations such as Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, and others.

And, in another explosive development about which O'Neil reported, Texas Representative Chip Roy wrote a letter of response to the indictments.  He has called for further action , including a Congressional select committee against groups perpetrating a Marxist, left-wing agenda.  Roy is quoted as saying: “We know that there are significant efforts underway across agencies to continue to root out not just SPLC but the vast array of Marxists and leftists that are actively engaging in this activity to undermine our society,” adding, “I think it’s important that the indictments are indicative of what we know of the SPLC but we also know that it’s a much bigger network and the administration does, too.”

The Christian Post stated:

The indictment comes six months after the FBI terminated its partnership with the SPLC. The organization has been criticized for labeling Christian conservative groups with traditional views on marriage and sexuality as “hate groups.” At the time, Patel claimed that SPLC "abandoned civil rights work and turned into a partisan smear machine" a long time ago, adding that “their so-called ‘hate map’ has been used to defame mainstream Americans.”

In a piece at The Washington Stand, the digital news website of Family Research Council, Joshua Arnold wrote:

Where the indictment broke new ground was in exposing the unseen double-face of the SPLC — with one half condemning “hate” while the other half bankrolled it. “For years, the SPLC has used its platform to label and target organizations with whom it disagrees, often blurring the line between legitimate concern and ideological attack,” exclaimed Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. “That kind of reckless characterization doesn’t just damage reputations, it has put lives at risk.” In 2012, a gunman inspired by the SPLC “hate map” opened fire at FRC headquarters in Washington, D.C., an incident for which the SPLC has never apologized nor been held accountable.

Again, there is a grand jury indictment based on these allegations, but the case has to be heard in court.  Nevertheless, these actions have shone a brighter spotlight on an organization that has misrepresented the actions of Christian groups as being purveyors of so-called "hate," just because they stand on Biblical truth.  In attempting to fulfill its stated goal to fight what it calls racism, as it's been pointed out, this organization has amplified it.

That seems to be the modus operandi of certain people and groups: they say there are fighting "racism,"  but they end up building it up; some have actually said they were fighting what they call discrimination by discriminating against other groups.  And, Christians seem to be on the receiving end.  For instance, in the name of so-called "inclusion," Christians become ostracized because they stand on Biblical truth on matters of sexuality.

The answer to racism is not creating more of it and it is certainly not solved by dividing people along racial lines.  It is a sinful condition of the human heart, and through submission of the heart to the love of God, who truly can change a heart, we can see others in the way God sees them.  The Church, as I have said previously, should be leading the way in addressing issues of race, because the love of God, as 1st Peter 4 says, covers a "multitude of sins."  The heart is desperately wicked, the Bible says, but God can give us a new heart and new eyes through Jesus Christ.

The Israelites entered the Promised Land, and proceeded by and large to do the will of God, to establish themselves in the place that God had ordained for them. They exercised faithfulness and experienced the provision of the Lord.  But, things changed quickly, according to Judges 2 (ESV), which states:
7 And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel.
8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years.
9 And they buried him within the boundaries of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.
10 And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.

One. Generation.  That's all it took.  That's why we must reach future generations with the gospel of Christ and testify to His faithfulness.

Johann Klaassen's grandson had, as CBN.com puts it, "expressed an interest in spiritual matters."   He began to think about what he could relate to his grandchildren for the future. He said, "I thought, you know, if I recorded the Bible, I could give it to him, and he would have grandpa's voice forever," adding, "We're only here for a short period of time, so what can we leave?"

So, each day for a year, he took a portable audio recorder and spoke God's Word. The article said, "Klaassen utilized a 'Read the Bible in a Year' plan and began recording his reading of scripture on January 1, 2025. That allowed to complete his project in one year.

Even though admittedly there were struggles to read the designated passage for each day, he didn't give up, didn't back off - kept his eyes on the goal!  The CBN story related:

After completing more than 500 recordings, Klaassen loaded the MP3 files onto colored flash drives, gift-wrapped them, and presented them to his five grandchildren on Christmas Day.

"They loved it," Klaassen said of his grandkids' reaction. "They were like, 'Whoa, dude, grandpa - go gramps.' They were fired up."
 
A family member recorded the touching gift exchange on video, which has now been viewed by millions online.

Klaassen commented on the online response: "Power of Christ. Power of the Holy Spirit. God works in mysterious ways, and this is pretty mysterious."  And, he desires that his family members and others will be impacted.

Just as I thought regarding America Reads the Bible last week in Washington, as the Bible tells us, the Word of God will not return void.  The truth of Scripture is a powerful force through which lives are transformed.  So, what this grandfather, in his early 70's, is leaving behind is timeless and priceless.

We can also consider what the Lord may be leading us to do in order to reach the next and future generations with His truth.  Faith Radio is in the midst of our "Reaching the Next Generation" campaign in which we are asking 350 people to give a thousand dollars for needed equipment upgrades on our facility at WLBF in Montgomery.  You can learn more through our website or app.

It's a sad account from the book of Judges.  After ALL that the Lord had done for His people, still a generation came that didn't know God; didn't even know about His faithfulness to Israel.  Verse 11 of Judges 2 says, "And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals."  We have to keep the Word of God flowing. We must be faithful to know His Word, speak His Word, and do His Word - shining the light of Christ!

And, please keep in mind, Johann Klaassen, read the Word out loud every day for a year. Every day.  What a reminder of the importance of consistent time in Scripture, regular time with the Lord.

I believe that God's Word is living and active.
I believe that God's Word brings light.
I believe that God's Word is the absolute truth.
I believe that the Word of God will not return void.
I believe that the Holy Scriptures are the authoritative, infallible Word of God.

The Bible contains the principles and proclamation of God's power.  And, there is power when they are read.

Psalm 119 opens up by stating (ESV):
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
    who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
    who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
    but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
    to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
    in keeping your statutes!
 
Picture this: 84 hours of Bible reading by some 400-500 Christian leaders, entertainers, lawmakers, and influencers.  Streamed live over a dedicated platform.  Originating from the nation's capital in Washington, DC.  

Great American Family, whose streaming platform, Great American Pure Flix, streamed the Bible reading, said in a press release:

Since launching April 19, millions have watched portions of the 84-hour, cover-to-cover Bible reading—held in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary—via Pure Flix or in person. Earlier in the week, a recorded reading by President Donald Trump from 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 marked a historic moment—the first time since Ronald Reagan that a sitting president has publicly read the passage.

The press release also noted, "Franklin Graham closed the week with a prayer of salvation, inviting viewers and those in attendance to personally respond to the Gospel and place their faith in Christ, bringing the national reading to a deeply personal and prayerful conclusion."

After reading the Bible with the Samaritan's Purse team earlier in the week, Franklin Graham was also in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner about a half-hour away from Museum of the Bible at the Washington Hilton, where shots were fired during the event, which was attended by President Trump, other Cabinet members, and members of the press.  Graham posted on X: "We are still learning details, but I am grateful to God that the President of the United States is safe and that no innocent people were harmed. It could have been much worse. I’m tremendously thankful for our Secret Service and law enforcement. It was incredible to witness these highly trained experts spring into action to get President @realDonaldTrump, the First Lady, and our nation’s leaders out quickly and efficiently...I thank God that America has such a great leader. Pray for our President."

And, just a note, in 1981, at the same hotel, the Washington Hilton, an attempt was made on President Reagan's life.  Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, who was murdered at a rally on a Utah college campus, was also in attendance, having read Scripture at America Reads the Bible the day before.

I have seen comments online about the occurrence of this mass Bible reading and assassination attempt occurring during the same week. That ballroom was about 30-minutes away from Museum of the Bible in the VERY SAME CITY.  Do you think that the enemy was pleased with Scripture being read over our country?  I say certainly not.  Could the actions of a potential assassin have been part of the enemy's response to America Reads the Bible.  And, consider this: can you imagine if the alleged perpetrator had been successful?  Do you believe that something worse could have been prevented due to prayer and faithful proclamation of Scripture?  Both of those components have been pointed out as contributing factors to the suspect's failure to breach the ballroom and take a single life.

The suspect, by the way, according to the New York Post, "...sent a chilling anti-President Trump manifesto to his family just before opening fire — calling himself the 'Friendly Federal Assassin'..."  The Post said that his "targets were “Administration officials (not including [FBI Director Kash] Patel)… prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest."  He also said: “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes..." The Post also related this about suspect Cole Allen:

Allen referred to his Christian faith several times in the document within a list of “rebuttals” to imagined objections to his actions. He also made mention of hot-button political issues like the Trump administration’s strikes on Venezuelan drug boats and the detention of illegal migrants.

“Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed. I’m not the person raped in a detention camp. I’m not the fisherman executed without trial,” Allen wrote in the deranged document, which a relative provided to police, officials said.

“I’m not a schoolkid blown up, or a child starved, or a teenage girl abused by the many criminals in this administration. Turning the other cheek when *someone else* is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes.”

I don't believe in coincidence, and we are in a period of time, I believe, of intensified spiritual activity.  There was a report of protestors outside the dinner calling for the death of "all of them."  It was reported that the President's motorcade was attacked.  I think that something was going on in the heavenlies last Saturday night.

So, how do we respond?  We need to pray like never before for the leaders of our nation. Not only are there domestic terrorists who are bent on doing violence, but we are involved in military action against a nation that has long brutalized its people under subjection to a violent ideology.  

The work of the enemy is certainly apparent.  But, the enemy himself has been brought under subjection under the feet of Jesus.  The battle is intense, and God's people stand in a position of responsibility to pray and submit to Scripture.  In our churches and in our homes. Each day, we should strive to communicate with Jesus by our prayers and listen to Him communicate with us through His Word and by the illumination of the Spirit in accordance with that Word.

The unprecedented event called America Reads the Bible took place all last week at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, culminating with the reading of Revelation 22 reportedly around the same time in which a would-be assassin attempted to breach security at the Washington Hilton about a half-hour away from the Museum.

The event was led by the founder of Christians Engaged, Bunni Pounds, and featured 84 hours of Bible reading by some 400-500 Christian leaders, entertainers, lawmakers, and influencers.  It was streamed live on Great American Pure Flix.  Its parent company, Great American Family, said in a press release:

Since launching April 19, millions have watched portions of the 84-hour, cover-to-cover Bible reading—held in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary—via Pure Flix or in person. Earlier in the week, a recorded reading by President Donald Trump from 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 marked a historic moment—the first time since Ronald Reagan that a sitting president has publicly read the passage.

The press release went on to say: "Franklin Graham closed the week with a prayer of salvation, inviting viewers and those in attendance to personally respond to the Gospel and place their faith in Christ, bringing the national reading to a deeply personal and prayerful conclusion."

A federal appeals court, in a ruling by the full court, decided by one vote, has ruled the Texas law mandating the 10 Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms across the state to be constitutional.  FoxNews.com reported: "In a 9–8 ruling, the 17-member Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held that Senate Bill 10, the law passed by Texas' ...legislature, does not violate either the Constitution’s Establishment Clause or the Free Exercise Clause."

Jonathan Saenz, the President of Texas Values, is quoted as saying: "Today’s ruling confirms that our state can honor the moral heritage that undergirds our legal system without violating the First Amendment," adding, "This decision makes clear that acknowledging the historical foundations of our laws is not only permissible—it is fully consistent with the Constitution."  

The Fox story also notes that, "...S.B. 10 requires that a 'conspicuous' copy of the Ten Commandments be displayed in every classroom in every public school and open-enrollment charter school in Texas. The court ruled that it was not bound by Stone v. Graham, a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court case in which the justices struck down a Kentucky law requiring public schools to post religious texts in classrooms."  Why? Because it relied on what was known as the Lemon test, which required a religious display to have a "secular purpose."  That was set aside by Kennedy v. Bremerton, as First Liberty President, CEO, and Chief Counsel Kelly Shackelford stated on the organization's website; he said: "As the Fifth Circuit correctly concluded, posting the Ten Commandments in schools clearly meets the Kennedy “history and tradition” test."

Jennifer Melle is a nurse in the U.K. who believes in taking her Christian faith to work with her.  She used male pronouns in reference to a convicted male pedophile who presented as a women, and was suspended from her job under threat of termination.  That's according to WORLD Magazine, quoting from the Christian Legal Centre, which announced that Melle's employer, St. Helier Hospital, had settled with her.

As the article notes and WORLD had reported, she had been restored to her job back in February after a hearing before the National Health Service.   She had been scheduled to testify at an "employment tribunal" earlier this month, but she did not because the settlement was reached prior to that hearing.  But, her legal issues are not over - there are pending investigations by the hospital over her use of male pronouns, as well as her speaking out to the media about her situation.

It is also striking that Melle was punished after, as BBC reports, she was "racially abused" by a male posing as a woman - after she addressed the man as "Mr."  Melle is quoted in the article as saying, "No nurse or other medical professionals should ever have to face what I have faced simply for telling the truth, doing their job, and reporting racist abuse and physical threats from a patient."

Consider what is occurring around us:
*Amidst positive economic signs, people are nervous about monetary issues and providing for their families.
*Mental health issues are more numerous.  Anxiety and depression are rampant.
*There is conflict all around the world.
*Anger is seemingly more intensified on social media platforms.

The list goes on and on.  There, I got that out of my system.  Wow, what opportunities we have to share the hope of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 5 (ESV):
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

He's a rising social media influencer - and how we need people entering that fray to shine the light of Christ, and recently he said this to CBN News: "There’s a hunger for things that are deeper...I think there’s a hunger for things that are meaningful. I think there’s a hunger for spiritual formation and walking in, I would say, the truest sense of reality.”

He also said, "Prior to COVID, we just kind of floated and did our own thing,” adding, “It reminds me a lot of the time right after 9/11 … there was this like clarity that seemed to have came over people and they were curious and interested.”  He also noted another cultural moment - the death of Charlie Kirk - which he believes has caused a "bump" in attendance at his church.

This influencer is known as Ruslan KD.  He's not from around here, telling CBN several years ago: "I’m … ethnically Armenian...My father is full Armenian. My mother is adopted by an Armenian family in Azerbaijan — Baku. So, that’s the city we come from is Baku, right in the Middle East, off the Caspian Sea.”

His family was adversely affected by the Armenian Genocide; his father left the family to go to Moscow for a season.  But, ultimately the family ended up in America.  But, his experience in church was negative and he encountered abuse.  He began to smoke and sell marijuana and break into people's houses. 

While doing community service hours, Ruslan heard the gospel for the first time.  The CBN story says:

...when Ruslan got his first job at Pizza Hut, his manager gave him a copy of Josh McDowell’s “The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict,” a book that gave him answers to his biggest questions.

“Fast forward, I end up fully surrendering my life to Jesus at the end of my junior year of high school,” Ruslan said.

The process of growth and learning continued, with Ruslan honing his music skills and becoming a popular Christian YouTuber.

He started on YouTube in 2015, but things kicked into gear during COVID.  He relates: “During the pandemic, people started asking my opinion on other things,” adding “They knew that I was a Christian, and so I was doing kind of like music reviews. I had seen some success as an independent musician, and people just started asking my opinions on other things.”  CBN reports: "Soon, his love for the Bible, teaching, and social media coalesced. Ruslan started taking his views on the issues — through a Christian lens — to YouTube, and the rest is, well, history."

In the most recent CBN story, Ruslan pinpointed cultural moments that have provided opportunities for the spread of the gospel: 9/11, COVID, Charlie Kirk.  But, Ruslan addressed what he calls a "hyper, hyper, hyper skepticism of all institutions."  The article says, "This has created a distrust that, at moments, might descend into unhealthy places — including 'a hyper conspiratorial rabbit hole,' as people are now more apt to doubt everything."

As Ruslan KD can remind us, in the midst of doubt and distrust, people are looking for something - or Someone - to believe in.  A hunger has been created, and they are seeking something real and authentic to bring clarity for our lives. Jesus promised to fill the hunger and thirst of our souls, as the Bread of Life who brings living water through the Holy Spirit.

We have to be careful to watch our response to cultural trends - we can easily become discouraged in light of world events.  Yet, if we are tethered to the truth of Christ, we can find stability and satisfaction in Him and see world challenges as real-world opportunities to testify to the reality of Jesus.

We continue to see the outward signs of God moving among His people, and bringing new people into the Kingdom of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The hope of the gospel is being demonstrated far and wide to counter a deep-seated sense of despair, and the presence of the Lord, as it always has been, is available to bringing hope and healing. The Bible says this in Malachi 4 (ESV), in the final chapter of the Old Testament:
1 For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

Can we confidently say that the sun - the Son - of righteousness is rising?  There are pockets of hope that indeed the Lord is moving in powerful ways.

And, as the Bible Society in the UK had said several years ago as the result of survey data, there is a "quiet revival" reported among young people in that country.  However, a promising 2024 survey conducted by YouGov has been withdrawn, according to The Christian Post, which said the survey organization said recently "that it had re-analyzed its data collection. The research group found that the data sample for 'The Quiet Revival' report contained 'a number of respondents who we can now identify as fraudulent.'”

A previous Christian Post article had reported that YouGov's "report indicated that the proportion of adults in England and Wales who both identify as Christian and attend church at least once a month had risen from 8% in 2018 to 12% in 2024."  Also, "Among 18 to 24-year-olds, the figure reportedly increased from 4% to 16%, with more than a fifth of young men in that age bracket reported to be attending monthly — a particularly sharp rise. Women of the same age group were also reported to have increased attendance, from 4% to 12%."

So was, or is, this "quiet revival" fiction?  Paul Williams, CEO of The Bible Society is encouraged by data from other sources; The Christian Post related:

“This wider picture is also supported by a number of other surveys, based on probability sampling, which point to an increased engagement in faith among young adults compared to older generations,” the Christian CEO said.

Williams pointed to research such as the Ipsos MORI 2023 Global Religion Survey, which found that, on average across 26 countries, 40% say they believe in God as described in holy scriptures. Twenty percent said they believe in a higher power.

“While religious identity overall is shifting from ‘Christian’ to ‘no religion,’ Christianity in Britain appears to be moving from a declining nominal faith to a committed and active one, as cultural shifts — especially among younger people — encourage a more proactive search for identity, meaning and purpose,” Williams said, directing people to Bible Society’s new report, “The Quiet Revival one year on: what's the story?”

That is from a statement by Bible Society CEO Paul Williams.

And, there are trends that have emerged that can bring hope.  That report, "The Quiet Revival one year on: what's the story?” summarizes trends that it has tracked or observed:

That 4th trend is especially important: there is "a decline in nominal faith, and a growth in active faith."  

So, in the remnants of the discredited YouGov study, there are still reasons to believe that God is at work in the UK - and around the world, including the US.  But, there is a dichotomy out there between the professing believers who don't necessarily hold to a Biblical worldview and those who are living out what is called in that report an "active faith." George Barna has released a copious amount of data showing the disconnect among people who are nominal Christians and those who are not.  

We should always make sure that our lives are heading in that positive direction.  We should certainly guard against regressing in our Christian walk, but standing still - marking time - can lure us to think that we are OK spiritually, when we really are not.  Each day, we should be striving for signs of spiritual growth, and that comes through our personal time with God, which consists of prayer, time in the Word, and listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit, so that we can reflect His presence in our lives.  Out of our "quiet time" can grow a "quiet revival" that will turn up the volume on our Christian witness.

The twisting of biology in our culture has led to some errant, even harmful, ideas with regard to gender.  Now, you have those who believe that a person can have a biological sex that was "assigned," presumably based on parents' or a doctors choice, and a different gender that is based on opinion, or feeling.  This leads to confusion and despair.  Jesus taught on gender, the definition of marriage, and the sanctity of it in Mark chapter 10 (ESV):
6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 
7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,
8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.
9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

The words of Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn have rung out throughout the last few years, since she asked prospective U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to define the word, woman.  As USA Today reported at the time:

Jackson, appearing confused, responded, "I’m not a biologist.”

Blackburn chided Jackson, claiming that "the fact that you can’t give me a straight answer about something as fundamental as what a woman is underscores the dangers of the kind of progressive education that we are hearing about."

This type of progressive mindset that was identified by Sen. Blackburn in that Senate confirmation hearing continues to flourish today.   The Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family spotlighted a controversy in the state of Florida, the fire of which was lit by a contestant in the Miss America pageant, Miss North Florida Kayleigh Bush.  The article relates:

On their respective websites, Miss America and Miss Florida require participants to be “female.” No additional language or imagery suggests “female” might refer to anything other than biological sex.

So thought Kayleigh Bush when she competed in — and won — the Miss North Florida pageant in late 2024. But when she leafed through her participation contract for the next stage of competition, the Miss Florida pageant, she found the agreement defined “female” to include castrated boys.

The Daily Citizen reported, "Bush, with Liberty Counsel’s help, tried to negotiate, arguing the contract’s definition of 'female' violated her religious belief that sex is binary and immutable."  But Miss America held fast to that definition, and Kayleigh withdrew rather than 'agree to compete against boys and promote sex rejecting surgeries.'"

Florida's Attorney General has written a letter to the Miss America Organization, in which he stated: "These organizations cannot operate under the false and misleading title of ‘Miss’ if indeed they are open to male participants,” adding, "By promoting their competitions as female-only and then surreptitiously allowing certain men to compete, Miss America and Miss Florida are engaging in a wrongful bait-and-switch advertising scheme targeting young women."

Well, CBN.com reports that the Miss America organization has made a revision to its policy; it says that, "This year, the law office for the Miss America Organization updated its definition of 'biological woman' as a person having 'two x chromosomes.'"

The CBN article stated:

Mallory Hudson, communications manager for Miss America HQ, confirmed the change to the Washington Times, saying, “The current eligibility policy as to gender was formally updated in the second half of 2024 and was revised again in 2026 to ensure consistency, transparency, and respect for all individuals who meet the qualifications to compete."

But, the attorney for the organization decided to take potshots at Kayleigh Bush and Liberty Counsel, basically saying that Miss America didn't do what it plainly did - Stuart Moskovitz stated, "To be clear, we have not altered our policy as the result of Kayleigh Bush's claims. We have merely clarified the language so there can be no doubt as to the intent of the provision. Both the original language and the clarification were designed to prevent men from participating in the competition..."

Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel is quoted regarding their expected endgame of this case, "Miss America should now reinstate the benefits of Bush's crown, including the scholarship that she rightfully deserves."

Beware of gaslighting - that's certainly what seems to be taking place here.  People will attempt to shade the truth by telling you that you did not see what you plainly did.  Or, try to persuade you that you saw something that wasn't there.

I think you could say this whole business of separating the definition of "sex" from "gender" is a form of gaslighting - people are being told their biological sex is different than what their feelings are telling them - now being referred to as "gender."  Feelings can be deceiving - we have to bring our feelings under the submission of the Holy Spirit. Feelings can be confusing, causing people to think they're born in the wrong bodies or that some unnamed someone, "assigned" them a gender.  Well, in a sense that's true, because biology - creation - is evidence of the design of God.  We can be encouraged to tell the truth and to not necessarily believe everything we see - or what we're told that we have seen.

We have to make sure that we are properly listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit and that we are properly placed in order to accomplish God's purposes.  He calls on us to take what He has given us, whether it be spiritual or natural abilities, or even financial resources, in order to help others.  In Acts 16 (ESV), we can read about a plea from a certain group of people:
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.  

According to the "Reach the Nations" blog from ABWE, "When the apostle Paul responded to this vision from the Holy Spirit (the “Macedonian call”) in God’s providence, a church was successfully planted, and the gospel spread."  The post added, "However, this famous call was not the last plea Paul received from Macedonia."  It quoted from 2nd Corinthians chapter 8, which says:
1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,
2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,
4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—
5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

Blog post author Lee Jantzen wrote, "The first call Paul received was for help, the second call was a plea to allow them to help others by including them in the offering Paul was collecting for the church in Jerusalem."  He asks, "When was the last time you or I 'begged earnestly' for the chance to give to the Lord’s work?"

There are number of factors that contribute to the progress of the work of God and the spread of the Word of God.  And, finances are a key part - the Macedonians, even though they were not people of "means," they were generous out of their means.

Cheryl Chumley of The Washington Times, who has been a Meeting House guest in the past, wrote this recently:

The New York Times just reported that the once-ballyhooed Giving Pledge that saw dozens of billionaires publicly promise to distribute half their fortunes to charities has fallen out of favor and now there’s a sort of backlash taking place — indeed, a sort of backtracking, where the promised distributions aren’t happening and the signatories themselves are removing their names.

Cheryl shared, "The Giving Pledge is a philanthropic endeavor founded in 2010 by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates to encourage fellow billionaires to give at least half of their money and possessions to various charities..."  She writes that the Times stated: “It was unmistakably fashionable [in 2010] to sign the Giving Pledge, which launched with [Charlie] Rose’s gauzy TV interview and a Fortune cover story. The project was born in an era when people like Mr. Gates epitomized a humanitarian culture that espoused both big capitalism and big philanthropy. Being seen as a good billionaire who gave back was important. … Now it’s stylish, in a Silicon Valley contrarian sort of way, to bash the Giving Pledge.”

Why has the pledge diminished?  Chumley contends, "That’s because to the joiners, the actual act of giving was always secondary."  

In the op-ed piece, she offers a Biblical viewpoint on charity, "True givers give in secret, expecting nothing in return, and even denying their giving in some instances. This type of giving — of giver — is once again biblical."

She also comments on a story from the Scriptures "...of the woman who was so touched by Jesus that she gave her last coins to the temple, and in so doing, traded her material poverty for spiritual and heavenly riches. Jesus said she gave more than the wealthy because she gave all and from her heart."

Kinda like the Macedonians, heh?

When giving is self-serving, it brings attention to the seemingly charitable or the philanthropic.  When it's from the heart, something - or Someone - is at work.

It takes money to do ministry, no doubt about it.  When a ministry - Faith Radio - is greeted with a challenge to raise $350,000 to replace aging equipment, we become aware of what it takes to reach the world.  We're thankful for people who have already become one of the 350 people to give $1000 to the cause.

But, also consider the resources held by the body of Christ in the world today.  You have wealthy people who are funding all sorts of unbiblical causes.  But, imagine if the Church not only tithed to their local church, but considered how God could use them to further the work of the Kingdom, what a different world it would be.  You might think a dollar or two can't change a heart, but think about how people's hearts have been changed in pursuing what is called the "Almighty Dollar."  

The Macedonians didn't seem to be millionaires, but they did want to be in on the work of spreading the gospel.  Earnestly.  They wanted to use what might be considered "loose change" for a billionaire and participate in God's plan.  When we operate from a Kingdom mindset, we can recognize that God takes all sorts of resources, including the financial resources to change lives.  We can ask the Lord how He would have us use what He has given to us in order to help ignite spiritual awakening around the globe. 

There is no doubt that the scales of justice had been unfortunately been tilted against pro-life people who have had their First Amendment rights threatened and found themselves arrested for engaging in peaceful protest.  The law responsible is the FACE Act, which stands for Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.  The U.S. Justice Department issued a press release last week, which said: "Based on a review of over 700,000 internal records, the report not only details specific ways the Biden Justice Department weaponized federal law, but also outlines the corrective action taken by the current Justice Department to make right the wrongs of the prior administration."

Concerned Women for America, in a press release, highlighted these aspects of the report:

1. The Biden DOJ violated the rights of Americans by its biased enforcement of the FACE Act. 2. The Biden DOJ collaborated with pro-abortion groups to track pro-life activists’ First Amendment activity. 3. Biden DOJ prosecutors engaged in inappropriate conduct and comments. 4. The Biden DOJ pursued more severe charges and significantly harsher sentences for peaceful pro-life defendants than violent pro-abortion defendants. 5. The Biden DOJ sought to provide funding to pro-abortion groups.

The release by the DOJ highlighted actions that it and President are taking, including: "President Trump issued full and unconditional pardons to many of the pro-life Christians unfairly targeted by the Biden DOJ," and "DOJ has settled civil cases to address the injustices and took personnel action against those responsible."  According to the report, "The Trump DOJ issued a directive that, moving forward, DOJ prosecutors may only bring abortion-related civil actions and prosecutions under the FACE Act in extraordinary circumstances or in cases presenting significant aggravating factors."

One pro-life individual who had been arrested in a pre-dawn raid at his home was Mark Houck.  The Christian Post reported last week that, "In a statement published Thursday, the pro-life advocacy group 40 Days for Life Institute of Law & Justice announced that pro-life activist Mark Houck won a settlement of over $1 million nearly four years after the early morning FBI raid on his home generated outrage." The article noted that Houck had been "charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act...in 2022."

It's become quite an issue across the nation as school officials are being directed to keep secrets about a student's gender identity from the child's parents.  And, it has cost a school board in Indiana.  The Christian Post reported that, "School counselor Kathy McCord sued the South Madison Community School Corporation after being fired for refusing to follow a policy that required staff to conceal from parents that their child identified as the opposite sex while at school."

McCord's issues with the school board began in 2021, when it issued a "Gender Support Plan" that, in and of itself, was supposed to be kept a secret.  The article notes: "In March 2023, the school board for the South Madison Community School Corporation decided to fire McCord for her public opposition to the plan."  McCord had been referred to in a Daily Signal article.  Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit after she was fired.  The complaint stated, “South Madison fired Mrs. McCord for exercising her constitutional rights. And even before its unconstitutional retaliation, it compelled her to speak a viewpoint that violates her religion..."  The school district has settled with Kathy McCord for almost $200,000.

Tommy Waltz is an evangelist with Gospel of God Ministries.  He and his ministry team have visited a number of public festivals in the Raleigh, NC area to share a message about Christ; they have found themselves being told to leave public areas.  Liberty Counsel has responded by sending a demand letter to the Raleigh Police Department; on its website, the Christian legal organization stated, "The letter, addressed to Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce, states that city police officers repeatedly ordered Christian evangelist Tommy Waltz and other ministry members to stop preaching, turn off its sound system, and leave public streets and sidewalks during several public events."

The website noted:

Streets and sidewalks are “undisputed quintessential public forums” with heightened First Amendment protection, wrote Liberty Counsel. Since the restrictions were not “content-neutral” or “narrowly tailored to a significant government interest,” nor did they “leave open alternative channels of communication,” they fail the “time, place, and manner test” for restrictions on public gatherings and speech.

Liberty Counsel states, "Raleigh police officers unconstitutionally denied access to public sidewalks, improperly relied on event coordinators’ objections, and misapplied local noise ordinances to curtail the ministry’s speech."  Liberty Counsel has asked for a response by this Thursday, April 23.

There is something very powerful that occurs when God's people come together and engage in corporate worship.  I believe that as we humble ourselves before Him and surrender to His presence, that the Spirit of God will move among us, and we can experience the touch of His hand on our lives - as Psalm 22 (ESV) reminds us:
3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

The King James says that God "inhabitest the praises of Israel."

On a Good Friday in Nashville each year for 10 years now, thousands have gathered at Bridgestone Arena for an evening of praise and worship, led by Chris Tomlin.  My wife and I attended last year and already have tickets for next year's event.  Honestly, it's a tough ticket - we waited too late to get tickets in the lower bowl for this year, so I was ordering 2027 tickets the night before Good Friday.  

The website Music Row quotes Chris Tomlin as saying, “I never would have dreamed we’d be 10 years down the road with this Good Friday Nashville concert,” adding, “It’s been quite a beautiful journey and something that I look forward to every year.”

The article goes on to say:

The roots of the event trace back well before its Nashville debut. Tomlin first experienced the impact of a multi-church Good Friday gathering while living in Houston, later continuing the model in Atlanta. When he relocated to Nashville, he saw an opportunity to build something similar, though he admits he didn’t anticipate its eventual scale. Over the past decade, Good Friday Nashville has grown into the largest ticketed Christian concert ever held at Bridgestone Arena, while also becoming the venue’s longest-running annual charity-related event. It now ranks among the most significant recurring concerts in the building’s history, tying with Taylor Swift for the second-most headlining appearances.

And, the proceeds benefit a ministry.  The article says, "Each year, proceeds are funneled back into the community, supporting initiatives tied to foster care and adoption through For Others, the nonprofit founded by Tomlin and his wife, Lauren. The organization has since grown into a national network connecting donors, nonprofits, businesses and government partners to address the foster care crisis."

The event has acquired a reputation for its special guests, and this year was no exception for the 10th anniversary.  Last year, Phil Wickham was among the guests.  This year, Michael W. Smith was part of the lineup, along with Hillsong's Brooke Ligertwood, Dwan Hill and The Choir Room, and an Iranian artist named Golnosh Khorasani, who gave thanks to participants on Instagram, including speaker David Nasser, perhaps best known for his years of service at Liberty University, who now leads For Others.  He also used to pastor in Birmingham.

It's incredible to be in the midst of 15,000 people lifting up praises to the Lord.  And, I believe that God will meet us in our corporate worship no matter the size of the room or the crowd.  We should ideally come into the presence of God with an expectancy that He will meet us that He will show up and do His sovereign work in our lives.

We can also reflect on how we commune with God each day.  It can be in a consistent quiet time, in prayer, calling out to God and listening to His Spirit, and in the reading and study of His Word.  Decide on how you want to read the Scripture, execute the plan, dig deep into His Words, and allow the Holy Spirit to show you fresh wisdom from the Word.

And, throughout our daily activities, we can maintain a sense of His presence.  That can even be through personal worship time, maybe even as we drive or walk. Please remember, listener-supported Faith Radio can keep you company with rich, solid Bible teaching and music that can usher you into the presence of God and remind you of His goodness and love.  You can listen on your radio, through your smartphone, on your computer, and in a variety of ways - through a live signal, live streaming, or on-demand at your convenience.

We have an assortment of amazing stories that we can find in the Bible, which all contribute to the overall narrative of God's interaction with humanity.  We find flawed individuals, sinful people, whom God uses to accomplish His purposes.  And, above and through it all, we find that we have a perfect Savior who perfectly executed God's perfect plan and became the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  In Hebrews 10 (ESV), we can read these words:
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

As reviewer Joseph Holmes notes at Religion Unplugged, one of the chosen Biblical characters in the recent Fox mini-series, The Faithful: Women of the Bible, may not have been perfect enough.  He writes in a review concentrating on the Sarah episode:

One of my favorite aspects of the film was Sarah’s perspective on Abraham’s relationship with God. If there’s narrative potential in focusing on the matriarchs of the Bible rather than the patriarchs, it’s this angle. What’s it like to follow someone who claims they’re following God and they keep doing crazy and unbelievable things?

The way the show portrays it, Sarah’s intense loyalty to her husband kept her following, but her doubts led her to find more “reasonable” ways for his promises to come true.
 
But the film also seems embarrassed that Sarah doesn’t have enough Hollywood heroic things to do. So they make a bunch of stuff up.

I understand why filmmakers, in dramatizing stories from the Bible, will sometimes take some creative license to adapt it for the screen.  For instance, I think Jon Erwin and his team have done an excellent job in magnifying the Bible character of David, who is caught in the treachery of the House of Saul in the streaming series, House of David.  Most Biblical dramas will tell the stories in a "well, it could have happened this way," mode.  But, we shouldn't miss the point of what the Scriptures teach us; as Holmes writes: "The Bible doesn’t airbrush its heroes' brokenness; it teaches us to confront our own brokenness and have empathy for the brokenness of others. Even while still holding ourselves and them to high standards. The Bible’s praise for its flawed heroes can give us courage that our flaws don’t bar us from admiration as well."

Meanwhile, Mel Gibson is telling the stories of Jesus through two new films set for release next year, sequels to his blockbuster movie, The Passion of the Christ.  Gibson told Joe Rogan, according to Variety, "My brother and I and Randall [a reference to co-writer Randall Wallace, who collaborated with Gibson on Braveheart] all sort of congregated on this. So there’s some good heads put together, but there’s some crazy stuff...And I think in order to really tell the story properly you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, you’re in another realm."  Variety reports that The Resurrection of the Christ Part 1 will premiere on Good Friday next year, which is March 26.  Part 2 releases 40 days later, on Ascension Day, May 6.

And, Jon Erwin is at it again with another Biblical epic - a three-part series called, The Old Stories: Moses, to be released by The Wonder Project, according to Movieguide.  The article quotes from Erwin:

“Moses is one of the most iconic figures in history, and his story still resonates with us today,” Erwin said in a press release. “We set out to tell THE OLD STORIES: MOSES with a cinematic awe and scale that feels both epic and personal. I am especially proud of the cast performances, and I can’t wait for people to see it on Wonder Project.”

Ben Kingsley will star in the title role in the mini-series.

The stories we find in the Scripture all are inspired and correlate with the overall story arc of the Scriptures, which deals with a perfect God loving and redeeming imperfect people. And, we are taught through the Bible how we, through accepting Jesus as our Savior, we can live a holy life, not out of our own strength, but through His.

As it's been said, we're part of His story.  Even though the writing of the Scriptures is complete, their work is by no means finished.  Because the Lord is working in us by His living Word and by our knowledge of Christ, the living Word, who lives in our hearts and produces fruit, the fruit of righteousness, through those who choose to follow Him.

We grow in our faith as we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts through His Word - the proclamation of truth can be a powerful force in transforming our minds, thinking Godly thoughts, rejecting the ideas of the world, and walking in Christ's power.  We should powerfully contend for the truth in our lives.   Romans 10 tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  In the book of Jude (ESV), we can find these words:
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

We are all contenders for the faith, and Faith Radio is devoted to providing sound Bible teaching and uplifting music so that you can grow in the Lord.  We desire to be a trusted source for material that is consistent with Scripture.  And, our primary medium to do that is through radio - the transmission of the spoken word.

The Nielsen company has released a new report called,  “Audio Today 2026: How America Listens."  Inside Radio states, "The study finds that radio reaches 93% of all U.S. adults each month, making it the top-reaching media platform in the country...Even among the hard-to-reach 18-34 audience, radio reaches 89% of the population."

The article goes on to say that, "The medium also dominates ad-supported audio listening. According to Edison Research’s Share of Ear data cited in the report, radio accounts for 55% of daily ad-supported audio listening among adults 18+. Podcasts account for another 21%, while ad-supported streaming audio captures about 15% of listening time."  It adds: "Radio’s strength is particularly pronounced in the car, where it captures more than 80% of all ad-supported listening time. The report notes that nearly three-quarters of out-of-home radio listening during weekday morning and afternoon drive occurs in vehicles."

Here's another "radio" nugget: An FMR / Eastlan Ratings National Radio Listening Survey "reveals that 84% of adults 25-64 listen to Radio weekly. Radio has been remarkably consistent over the last five years, revealing stable dominance in the audio space."  In that age demographic, 63% listening to streaming audio and 40% listen to podcasts.  That's according to the RAMP24/7 website.

And, there's more good news.  Looking at just the media practices of the evangelical Christian audience, Christian Daily reports:

Nearly half of evangelical Protestants in the United States engage with Christian media on a daily basis, and more than two-thirds do so at least weekly, according to new national research released by Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research.

The study found that 48% of evangelicals consume Christian media daily, while 69% engage at least once a week — levels researchers say stand out at a time when many media platforms face declining trust and shrinking audiences.

According to the report: "Researchers examined 11 forms of Christian media and found that Christian music, radio and social media rank as the top three weekly touchpoints, each reaching more than half of evangelicals. These platforms serve as consistent channels for biblical teaching, encouragement and inspiration, according to the report."

We need to be encouraged in our walk with the Lord.   Radio, as a form of media that can go wherever you go, including into your vehicle, can be a tremendous resource for spiritual growth.  And, we see that even younger generations are engaging with radio.  We MUST be there for them.  You can find out more about our "Reaching the Next Generation" initiative through our website and app.

We live in times where there are significant numbers of media sources.  Our desire at Faith Radio is to be a trusted source, to which you can turn and hear Biblically-sound teaching and music that exalts the Lord.  We encourage you to make Faith Radio part of your daily spiritual habit through which you can grow.  Turn - to truth.

Today is known as Tax Day, the deadline for filing federal income taxes, and where applicable, state income taxes.  And, as it's been pointed out, when we owe taxes to our governing officials, we can actually celebrate God's provision - because He has blessed us with income.  Kinda changes the focus, doesn't it?  And, our taxes actually go into governmental coffers in order to hire employees who will implement the laws of our land. In Matthew 22 (ESV), we see a snapshot from the life of Jesus, where the Pharisees were attempting to lay a trap for Him - they said:
17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?
19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.
20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”
21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”
22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

In Romans 13, Paul writes in verse 7: "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed."  Various agencies of government, charged with making critical decisions every day, are funded by our tax dollars.

It was great to have Emily Washburn from The Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family on The Meeting House on Faith Radio recently to discuss the recent jury decision regarding irresponsibility on the part of social media companies.   Several weeks ago, she covered another story, this one having to do with the implementation of employment law.  She wrote about the The Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act, which has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives, "would prohibit the federal government from refusing religious organizations tax-exempt status or federal funding eligibility based solely on their beliefs about marriage and sexuality."

The article notes, "The act addresses legislative uncertainty caused by the Supreme Court’s infamous ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which changed the definition of 'sex' in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation and so-called gender identity." I will note that this decision became part of a plethora of attempts to change that definition in other areas of public life; for instance, allowing males to play in female sports is a result of a similar attempt to change it.  Washburn notes: "When the Supreme Court redefined sex in Title VII to include protections for sexual orientation and 'gender identity,' it didn’t just undermine Congress’ original intent — it gave left-wing idealogues legal power over religious employers."

As the Daily Citizen article states:

Justice Neil Gorsuch explicitly acknowledged the problem Bostock posed for religious organizations in his majority opinion, writing:

We are … deeply concerned with preserving the promise of the free exercise    of religion enshrined in our Constitution; that guarantee lies at the heart of
 our Constitution.

Though Justice Gorsuch went so far as to sketch out what religious exemptions to Bostock might look like —rooted in the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and existing legal exemptions for religious employers — the protections remained theoretical, and religious organizations remained on eggshells.

Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion in Bostock.  And, even the justice was aware of its implications.  And, even the EEOC has fought back; the article relates:

It was only this January that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to rescind its “Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace,” which would have forced federal and private sector employers — including religious employers — to abide by Bostock’s expanded definition of sex discrimination, including forcing women to share private spaces with biological men.

When the ruling was issued, Focus on the Family President Jim Daly was quoted by The Daily Citizen; he said: "There is only one word for what the Court has done today: legislation...Our concern now is for how future courts and public officials will apply this decision against people of deep faith who own businesses, run religious educational institutions and continue to adhere to the biblical definitions of marriage and family. I fear this increasingly legislative-oriented majority has sown the wind and now innocent people of good will and faith will reap the whirlwind.”

It's interesting how certain Supreme Court justices warned of negative implications toward people of faith in writing decisions that threatened them; Gorsuch did that here, then-justice Kennedy did it in Obergefell.  He wrote: "...it must be emphasized that religions, and those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned. The First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered."

Try telling that to Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who had an appeal of a court judgment against her turned back recently by the Supreme Court.  Or, others who have found themselves rhetorically - and legally - bludgeoned by the force of the LGBT forces.  In our country, we must continue to hold the practice of faith in high regard.  And, recognize that our nation was founded on principles that are consistent with the Bible. Bostock and Obergefell gave special rights to those who practice behavior that conflicts with Scripture, and we should pray and petition lawmakers to make amends for laws that violate our founding principles.

Kudos to the House of Representatives in Tennessee, which voted that "...same-sex marriages do not have to be recognized in the state of Tennessee," according to Nashville's News Channel 5.  This is commonsense legislation that would right an egregious wrong that has opened up the floodgates to the practice of homosexual and transgender activity.  

While we should certainly show the love of Christ to those in our neighborhoods and workplaces who do not hold to a Biblical view of sexuality, that doesn't mean that we should not speak and act according to the directives of the Scriptures.

Sometimes it seems that innumerable topics of speech are fair ground and perfectly acceptable in public settings.  But, let a Christian speak about his or her faith, and all of a sudden, there are issues.  Implications.  Loss of livelihood and dignity.  So many subjects to discuss, but one can sometimes be off-limits.  But, we know why, don't we?  They don't want to hear about and accept God's authority, otherwise they would have to obey it.  Paul and Barnabas experienced that, and in the book of Acts, in chapter 14 (ESV), we can read:
1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

College student Paige Rogers has encountered some "poison minds," working in a coffee shop where her supervisors believed she was serving up something poisonous, or at least they acted like it. First Liberty reported this:  "After being asked by a coworker about her views on marriage and other sensitive topics, Paige respectfully shared her Christian beliefs. Following this, Heine Brothers terminated Paige via text because of those Christian beliefs."

Just like that - talk about the weather, that's OK.  The latest pop star - no problem.  Even those "sensitive topics," if her views had made the "approved" list.  But, talk about Christ - a toxic brew!

Cliff Martin, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute, visited our booth at NRB with another First Liberty client, a teacher who had chosen not to teach LGBT-oriented material and was reassigned (the teacher was exonerated, by the way).  He said this about Paige's case: “The idea that an employer can fire an employee for simply voicing a religious belief, after being invited to do so, is chilling,” adding, “No employee should have to hide their faith in order to keep their job.”

Paige Rogers has decided to speak out in a more public forum than the coffee shop where she used to work in Louisville.  She wrote an op-ed for FoxNews.com, in which she said: "My Christian faith is a core part of who I am. My faith in Christ defines who I am and how I view the world. I am a sinner saved by grace and God has changed my heart. Ever since Christ saved me, I now seek to love others as Christ first loved us. That is my joy in life."

She related: "I’ve always been open to answering questions about my faith, so when given this opportunity to share my Christian views, I responded truthfully, respectfully, and only when invited to share."  She was fired - by text - a week later.  That was that - no due process, no chance to tell her side of the story, no sense of fairness.  The coffee company claimed they conducted an investigation, but Paige was not included.

First Liberty is filing a charge of discrimination before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  

And, for good reason - since Paige wasn't allowed a discussion with her former employers, she has sought a national forum in which to make her case, and the overall case for freedom of expression.  She wrote: "People might not agree with my religious beliefs, but alignment with my personal opinions is not the issue. The freedom for coworkers to voluntarily converse and share differing viewpoints without fear of termination is what’s at stake here."  

Plain and simple, as Paige Rogers wrote, "I was fired for my faith. Christians are called to speak the truth in love, and I firmly believe that is what I have done. I hope to encourage others going through a similar situation to stay firm in their faith and trust that God will do the rest."   She said, "My simple request is that Heine Brothers offer the same safe and welcoming environment to its religious workers that it offers to its customers."

Love and understanding grow as we engage in conversation.  But, there are those who don't want to converse, they prefer to silence.  And, believers in Christ have been on the receiving end of that treatment for centuries.  Jesus Himself experienced that pain of silence, which resulted in His death on a cross.  And, there will be times when we face hostility, ridicule, and persecution.  

But, that should not persuade or intimidate us to face a self-imposed silence.  Jesus said we'd face tribulation in this world, but we could maintain a sense of "good cheer," of joy in Him, because ultimately we know that we are not at home in this world, but that we have an eternal home in Him.  And, we should want to take as many people with us to that place; the place Jesus has prepared for those who call upon His name.  

Paige gets it - she believes in a view of the world that is not of this world.  And, that firm foundation in Christ governs her behavior, including the words of her mouth.  We can also speak the truth in love, respond to people in grace, and spread the sweet aroma of Jesus Christ, which is far more savory than anything that coffee shop can brew.  Because we have consumed His living water, we can spread the words of life.

We are fortunate as Americans, even though there have been challenges, to have a Constitution that provides for free speech and freedom of religion.  However, there are not only officials in the U.S. but in other countries as well who have a different idea about these cornerstone freedoms.

Take Canada, for instance.  As The New York Post published recently, from a Fox News piece:

Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, introduced by Canadian Liberal Justice Minister Sean Fraser, passed the House of Commons on March 25 and now heads to the Senate.

The measure would expand Canada’s hate speech laws, create a new hate-crime offense, and add penalties for intimidating or blocking people from accessing houses of worship, cultural spaces, schools, senior residences, and cemeteries.

The article notes that, "Christian and Muslim groups say the change could chill sermons, religious debate, and other faith-based expression, while the Liberal government and some Jewish advocacy groups say the bill is aimed at combating antisemitism, not criminalizing religion."  It quotes member of Parliament Andrew Lawton, who says: "the legislation could leave faith communities vulnerable to prosecution for sharing their beliefs or quoting Scripture."

Mission Network News reported recently on the court ruling against a member of Parliament in Finland who faces punishment for speaking out from a faith perspective. MNN quoted Floyd Brobbel of Voice of the Martyrs Canada, who stated: "The concern remains that the loosening of the definition of hate could, in fact, in the long run, do exactly what they say the bill will not do.”  

MNN said: "At a deeper level, the situation raises questions about how religious beliefs are interpreted in modern legal systems — whether they are assessed on evidence or increasingly through the lens of perceived offense. Some observers see parallels between the developments in Finland and what could potentially unfold in Canada."

While members of Congress are supporting a bill that would restrict the distribution of the so-called "abortion pill" by withdrawing approval by the Food and Drug Administration, state-level attempts to remove one way for women to terminate their pregnancies have been advancing.  Liberty Counsel reported on three states who have taken concrete steps; its website reports:

• "Mississippi legislators passed House Bill 1613, which amends the state’s overall drug trafficking laws, and classifies sending abortion pills into the state as a form of drug trafficking when prescribed without an in-person visit and with the intent to cause an abortion."  Also,
• "Tennessee’s House Bill 5, which advanced out of the state assembly’s House Health Committee to the state Senate, aims to hold out-of-state abortion pill distributors liable in wrongful death lawsuits if drugs mailed into the state caused the death of a unborn child." And,
• "...the Arizona House of Representatives advanced HB 2364 that would make 'providing an abortion-inducing drug via courier, delivery, or mail service' a felony carrying a prison sentence of up to four years. The bill would also make ordering abortion drugs—not just mailing them—a class one misdemeanor, which would carry a penalty of up to six months in jail or fines of up to $2,500."

And, recently, as Family Research Council reported, a federal judge declined to issue a stay in a case brought by the state of Louisiana against the distribution of the abortion pill, but issued a warning to the FDA.  FRC President Tony Perkins stated: "In deference to the executive branch, the court agreed to allow the FDA to complete the review it has promised, but the FDA has not even indicated whether this review has started to this day. The court has given the FDA no more than six months to report on its progress. The court's message seems to be 'we are watching!'"

Times Square in New York City has become one of those national gathering places where people gather in large numbers.  And, on the evening of Easter Sunday, thousands came out to worship the Lord and declare that Jesus is alive!  CBN.com reported that Pastor Mike Signorelli hosted the gathering, stating:

Thousands of people attended the services, packing the popular tourist destination while Signorelli proclaimed the Gospel. It was a moment motivated and inspired by prayer.

The service was also televised globally, with more than 40,000 people watching online. And Signorelli said his team received messages indicating more than 600 people made a decision to follow Christ during one part of the event.

The article went on to quote the pastor as saying, “I live in New York City with my family, so I’ve got two daughters, and my wife and I are just trying to be a light in the darkness,” adding, “And of course, New York City is getting incredibly dark, and whether it’s false religions, whether it’s witchcraft and … we’ve just seen politically it’s an incredibly dark place.”  The article noted, "Signorelli said he was praying about what he could do on Easter to help stem the tide of chaos and felt that doing a service in Times Square would be a powerful vehicle."

With approval from the mayor's office, the service went forward.  The pastor had said, "So I think God’s making a big statement. This is bigger than me, bigger than our church. I think this is really about Jesus Christ.”  He said, "I believe God divinely and supernaturally opened this door.”