Thoughts from a Central Valley Pastor

Category: Common Sense (Page 5 of 6)

The Myth of Critical Race Theory

Many people refer to Derrick Bell as the father of Critical Race Theory (CRT). He worked tirelessly to promote a racially driven philosophy of law during his tenure as the first African American professor at the Harvard School of Law (1971-1990). He wrote books and articles. He spoke at conferences and even staged protests to seek to legitimize CRT in the American consciousness. Those who agreed to the presence of systemic racism in the United States were said to have “woken up” to the endless oppression of minority groups. Those who disagreed were dismissed as narrow-minded racists. 

One political scientist named Adolph Reed Jr. heard Derrick Bell speak at a Harvard conference in 1991. He remembered that Bell made the audacious claim that African Americans had made no progress in society since the end of the Civil War. Mr. Reed dismissed Bell’s comments as “more a jeremiad than analysis.” A jeremiad is a “long, mournful complaint” made against a perceived injustice. In Bell’s case his complaint was negated by the fact that he was a tenured African American Harvard professor. 

We shouldn’t be surprised that Derrick Bell’s teaching was lacking in logical clarity. You see the philosophy he believed in did not require it. Critical Race Theory is not like other social sciences that encourage analysis and critique. No, CRT is the opposite of analytical. It is subjective. It does not try to explain why something exists. It merely declares that systemic racism is real and then looks for ways to support it. Common sense is not needed with CRT. The only sense that is needed is one that looks for racism under every stone.  

The Oxford dictionary of Critical Theory defines the theory like this, “The word critical should thus be understood to mean the opposite of analytical. It refers to a set of concepts whose reach is always greater than their grasp. Critical Theory is interested in why human society failed to live up to Marxist enlightenment and became what it is today, unequal, unjust and largely uncaring.” This pessimistic perspective on society feeds off a victim mentality. As long as people buy into the myth of the oppressed and the oppressor it can survive, but when the bubble of critical theory bursts, the subjective foundation of CRT crumbles. 

The apostle Paul warned the church in Ephesus about false teachers who would promote “myths and endless genealogies.” He warned Timothy that they “do not understand either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1 Timothy 1:7 ESV) The Bible reveals CRT to be a myth because the Bible teaches all humans belong to one race, the race that God created in His image (Genesis 1:27). If proponents of CRT would accept the bible’s unifying outlook on humanity then the divisive worldview of CRT would come to an end. 

When Max Horkheimer (1895-1973) coined the term “critical theory,” Darwinian thought was very much in vogue. Race was not seen as a social construct, but as a scientific category that separated one group of people from another. Geneticists did not know that 99.9% of human DNA is shared by all humans, regardless of differences of skin color or ethnicity. The myth of racial division was maintained because people had been taught to think in terms of the color of their skin and not the content of their character. 

Thankfully, geneticists are now calling for “race” to be disbanded as a category. Michael Yudell, a professor of public health at Drexel University in Philadelphia wrote, “It’s a concept we think is too crude to provide useful information, it’s a concept that has social meaning that interferes in the scientific understanding of human genetic diversity and it’s a concept that we are not the first to call upon moving away from.” 

As with any myth, there comes a time when truth makes it fade away. I for one am tired of people referring to each other by the color of their skin. We need to realize race is not a helpful category for humans. Darwin had no problem referring to people by their skin color because he thought certain people came from chimps and others from gorillas! He promoted referring to people like animals because he thought that is where we came from! 

I won’t be surprised if evolutionists continue to use racist terminology to describe people, but Christians should not. According to the Bible, there is only one race, the human race. We believe humans are made in the image of God! Let’s honor Him by referring to his creation in an honorable way. That will help bring an end to the myth of Critical Race Theory by reminding everyone that we all come from one race, the race of Adam and Eve! 

Deepening Faith at the Grand Canyon

There are only a few places in the world that make you feel as small and insignificant as when you are standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon. As you stare down at the Colorado river your mind struggles to comprehend the grandeur of those majestic cliffs and sandstone spires. How was this formed? How could that little river create a chasm that is a mile deep, 18 miles wide, and 277 miles long? 

Our family recently visited the southern rim of the Grand Canyon National Park while on vacation. We decided to go away from the crowds so we turned east at the entrance and stopped at one of the trailheads. We met people who had come from all over America to witness the second most visited national park in the country (the first is the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee). We had brought along some bikes, so we had the privilege of cycling along the most picturesque path I have ever biked on. 

After we were done biking, we stopped and listened to a tour guide give an explanation about the Grand Canyon. She said, “The Canyon was formed over millions of years. The river slowly carved away at the limestone until it created the canyon we see today. The canyon is still expanding 15 inches every year. Water is not the only way the canyon grows. It also changes from wind, tree roots, and rocks that fall down the cliffs.” 

I was listening with my dad, wife, and kids. The adults kept giving each other quizzical glances as the tour guide continued her monologue. At the end of her evolutionary explanation she said, “Can you believe that?” I couldn’t keep my mouth closed any longer. I uttered a quiet “No!” and my dad said, “I’ve got to hand it to her. She has more faith than I do! It would take more faith to believe what she said than what the bible says.”

The book of Genesis describes the flood as a massive upheaval, which caused water to cover every piece of land in the entire world. Recent studies by geologists, such as Dr. Steve Austin, have presented compelling evidence that shows the formation of the Grand Canyon aligns with the biblical account of the flood. As the water rose over the North American continent it laid successive layers of dirt upon the granite basement rock, which some geologists refer to as the Great Unconformity. Once the water stopped rising, a huge amount of water was trapped above the current location of the canyon. When this natural dam broke the torrent rushed down through the newly laid sandstone layers and carved out the 18 mile wide canyon in the form we see it today. 

Dr. Steve Austin explained it this way, “It’s water on a colossal scale and that’s the story here in the Grand Canyon. It’s not a little water and a lot of time. It’s a lot of water in a little time.” As Christians, we know God is able to create the world in the time frame he desires. If he created it in a short amount of time, then why couldn’t the Grand Canyon be carved out in a short time as well? The next time you are at the southern rim of the canyon consider it for yourself? Was it formed by gradual erosion or by a sudden global calamity that coincides with the biblical account? 

I hope you will take the time to question the worldly philosophies of our time and always analyze our world through the clear, God-glorifying pages of Scripture. 

Surprised by the Narrow Gate

One of the most surprising conversations I’ve ever had was with a professing Christian who believed all religions lead to heaven. I remember it was my freshman year of college and I had travelled back to Thailand to visit my parents. As part of my trip I had to go to the immigration office and that meant waiting in a long line for the paperwork to get processed. While waiting I struck up a conversation with a self-described “seeker” who had traveled from the U.S. to southeast Asia on a religious pilgrimage. We talked for a long time about his travels and life. He told me about his fascination with Hinduism and Bhuddism. I asked him what he thought about Jesus Christ, and this friendly ex-pat told me he was a Christian. I remember being surprised because I had never met anyone who was so confused. He told me a phrase I have unfortunately heard many times since then, “I think all religions lead to God.”  

I wasn’t sure how to respond to such relativistic thinking, but I knew I had to say something. Looking back I think it would have been helpful to ask him a few diagnostic questions to show him the error of his ways, but instead I said, “Sir, I am a Christian and I know the Bible says there is only one way to heaven and that is through belief in Jesus Christ.” I wanted to press the point home so for the first time in my life I told someone to stop calling themselves a Christian. I said, “Please do us all a favor and stop calling yourself a Christian. You are only going to confuse other people and you are going to hurt the reputation of those who are true believers.” 

I thought he would get upset, but he didn’t. Clearly, he had never studied the Bible enough to know you can’t use it to create your own spiritual mash-up of religions. I’m not sure how many other people he had talked to about his views, but I wanted to make sure he didn’t leave our conversation thinking Christianity had room for his philosophy of life. 

As I reflect back on that conversation I know the most surprising part was not that he was a professing Christian, it was that I was emboldened enough to tell him he was wrong. I did not consider myself an evangelist or an apologist. I just wanted to make sure he knew he couldn’t get away with such intellectual dishonesty. 

I’ve prayed for the man and I have often wondered how God used that conversation in his life. I hope he was surprised enough to go back and study the Bible for himself. I hope he read Jesus’ teaching in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Or he could have read Acts 4:21, “Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

That conversation took place more than twenty years ago. Now, that man’s relativistic attitude has turned mainstream. I have heard dozens of people say they are Christians when the Bible would say they are not. They think they can be a Christian and say “All roads lead to heaven” because no one has shown them the folly of their ways. They need Christians to lovingly tell them about the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. You can’t create a piecemeal version of spirituality that adds other religions to the Bible. Other religions can add teaching under their umbrella of philosophy, but Christianity has no umbrella. There is a narrow gate that leads to life, and Jesus urged the crowds listening to him, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14) May we all strive to enter by the narrow gate to heaven which is only through Jesus Christ.

Who Of Us Is Not Worthy Of Protection?

Over the last eighteen months, we have experienced extreme actions to avoid the invisible and potentially deadly virus, COVID-19.  Masking and social distancing, economic lockdowns, and Operation Warp Speed were implemented to “flatten the curve” and potentially save lives.  Doctors and scientists worked tirelessly figuring out ways to prevent as many deaths as possible.  Special precautions were enacted to protect the most vulnerable: the elderly, minorities, and the economically disadvantaged.  

One lesson COVID-19 taught us is this:  While we know death is inevitable, we are willing to go to great lengths to protect life. Have you ever thought about the myriad of ways that life is defended and protected? 


Consider our five military branches that defend life from an enemy’s fatal threats and attacks both at home and abroad.  The Secret Service protects and defends the lives of both former and sitting Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and their families.  Law enforcement protects and defends the lives of its citizenry.  Security guards are present in federal, state, and local government agencies who serve to protect against any threat to life.  Prison guards protect the lives of employees and inmates of every prison/jail facility in the nation.


We install security systems; we put up walls and fences around homes, gated communities and schools for extra security and protection.  Many citizens acquire concealed carry weapon (CCW) permits to protect their lives and those of others.    
Why do we do this?  To protect and defend life from anything and anyone that threatens its destruction.   It’s interesting that all of these efforts are legal and no one questions the logic of implementing these life-preserving safeguards. 
Tragically, there is one class of people that falls outside the legal realm of security and protection:  The unborn. 


Human beings in the womb are the only class of people that are not afforded legal protection as “persons” under the 14th Amendment.  This is eerily similar to slavery when it was legal in this country.  Sadly, slaves were seen as “subhuman,” and therefore did not have any rights or legal protection.  The battle for their emancipation and legal status as persons was finally won in 1865.


We are in the same battle for the unborn.  


 The Science:  We have heard for months how we “need to follow the science” and to “listen to the experts” when it comes to COVID-19.  Yet, why don’t we apply this same logic to medical science of human development?  


Medical science has confirmed that life begins at conception when a man’s sperm enters a woman’s egg.   With advanced medical technology enabling us to peer into the womb with 3D and 4D ultrasounds, the evidence is irrefutable.  We can clearly see each stage of development of human life from within.  Dr. William Lile noted, “We treat the preborn as patients.  If they are a patient, they are a person.”   Isn’t it ironic that babies in the womb routinely undergo blood transfusions, heart and spina bifida surgeries as early as 18 weeks gestation, yet if a mother wishes to abort her baby for any reason, she has the legal right to do so?  But if that same pregnant mother decides to keep her baby and is murdered, her murderer would be tried for a double homicide.  Furthermore, there are legal cases which involve custody over fertilized embryos in divorce proceedings, as well as embryo adoption opportunities for couples who wish to give birth to their adopted child.   Courts have recognized these embryos are human beings worthy of custody litigation and adoption.   The laws pertaining to the unborn are inconsistent.  Is the preborn a human being or is it not?  If we “follow the science,” medical science has answered this question with a resounding YES!


Human life has always begun in the womb and always will.  Everyone reading this article began their physical existence in their mother’s womb.  We inherently know this, but since 1973, our society has ignored this truth and instead, tolerated the death of more than 60 million unborn at any stage of development for any reason under the philosophical guise of “my body, my choice” dogma, when, the baby being aborted is not a part of the woman’s body.  The baby is a distinct individual human being.  


Most importantly, ultrasound allows us to see the reality of what Scripture has told us for over 3,500 years.  Every human being is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), fearfully and wonderfully made, woven and knitted together by the hand of God in the womb of their mother. (Ps. 139:13-14)   As His image bearers, God has given children to us as a gift; the fruit of the womb is His reward. (Ps. 126:3)  God knew every one of us before He formed us in the womb. (Jer. 1:5)  
Every person has intrinsic value. Our value does not come from science nor does it come from man.  Our value comes from God Himself— He is the Giver of life, and the One who sanctifies life.


Because life is sacred, God commands us to “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back. If you say, ‘See, we did not know this,’ Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?”  (Prov. 24:11-12)


At Crossroads Pregnancy Center, we affirm that all human life is sacred and created by God.  Human life is of inestimable worth including all unborn babies.  We provide women with free and confidential services which include pregnancy testing, options counsel, education, and tangible resources.  We are here to help her through her pregnancy and parenting journey through peer advocacy, parenting classes and support.  We offer post abortion counsel for women seeking emotional/spiritual healing from a past abortion.  


Life is sacred. Life is a gift.  Who is worthy of protection?  Every human being.  Just as we take countless measures to defend and secure our lives from all threats of harm, we must defend the weak, be a voice for the voiceless, and protect the most vulnerable and helpless among us:  the unborn baby.  

Kathryn Enloe serves as Executive Director of Crossroads Pregnancy Center in Hanford.  She can be reached at kathryne@crossroadscpc.com.  

Christians and Technology

I want to say right up, I am not against technology, but technology is either our greatest friend, or our worst enemy depending on how we use it. There is no greater example of its impact on our homes than what smart-phones are doing to our children. Digital addiction is caused when a teenager develops an unhealthy obsession with digital stimuli which begins to alter their body and brain chemistry and causes irritability, withdrawal, a mental dumbing down, and disinterest in socializing with real people or participating in real events. Our phone has become our idol, and we become very much like that which we worship.

Ask yourself honestly, are my kids obsessed with their smartphones? How much time daily are they on their phone on social media, YouTube, or gaming? Do you find they are easily distracted or struggle with not being able to think deeply? Is their memory sharp? How is their overall attitude? Can they read more than a few lines of text without getting bored or irritated? Think twice when you give your kids a smartphone or tablet, because once you give it, it is very difficult to take back.  The words of Gollum in Lord Of The Rings ring true… “My Precious…”!

Tony Reinke has written a great book,12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You (Crossway Publishing, 2017), where he addresses the cultural obsession with smartphones and how it is changing us forever. From 2007 to 2017, one billion iPhones were sold. As of 2015, 86% of 18 to 29 year-olds own a smart-phone.  36% surveyed admitted to being online almost constantly.  People check their phones every 4.3 minutes.Even when there has been no beep alert on our phone, we still check it anyway out of habit. 73% of Christians admitted they check their phone before they even open their Bible. Our digital addiction keeps us from things we ought to be doing. 

The more distracted we are digitally, the more displaced we become spiritually. Technology makes us think we can indulge in anonymous vices without any consequences. Smartphones make sexual sin more discreet. What people used to have to go to a bookstore to look at, now can be seen in the privacy of our own space. Out of 8,000 professing Christians who were surveyed between the ages of 18-29, 50% of the men and 10% of the women admitted to porn use on their smartphones. What happens on our smart-phones, is the true exposure of our own hearts. “As a man thinketh, so is he.”

Although technology is not in the Bible, the principles in Scripture on how to address this issue in our present culture are very applicable.  Psalms 101:2-4 says, “I will behave wisely in a perfect way… I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.  I will set nothing wicked (worthless) before my eyes… I will not know wickedness.” Psalms 119:37 says, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life.”

The New Testament also includes passages that are helpful for making decisions about technology. Luke 11:34-36 says, “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light, but when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.  See to it then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.”

What is the cost to all this digital magic instantly at our fingertips? Should we be concerned about our children? Yes, but maybe we should be more concerned about ourselves. How are our smartphones changing us forever?  Are we and our children becoming home made zombies without knowing its true effect?  May God give us righteous discernment as we walk the tight-rope of this technological age. May we seek His wisdom on how to live rightly during these challenging times. Through repentance and faith, may we gain a new heart and clean conscience before God trusting in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

Dale Payne has been the Family Pastor of Visalia Evangelical Free Church for the last 19 years. He has been married 34 years to Linda and has six grown children, two grandchildren with two more on the way. His passion is Biblical counseling with families with a focus on developing healthy marriages and joyful parenting, and building up godly men to lead their homes well.

What Makes a Great Parent?

I once read a bumper sticker that gave me pause, it read, “We send our dogs to training school while our kids run wild.” Think about that for a minute… How can we make sure to train our kids well? I want to show you what the Bible teaches about parenting by mentioning five gifts that every child needs to receive from their parents. They need a Godly example, the gospel, instruction, attention/affection, and discipline.

Every child needs an example to follow

To say it straight, hypocrites make the worst parents. Hypocrites raise angry kids. Instruction without example leads to frustration. One cannot lead another in the right way if one is not going that way himself. This is one of the ways a parent can produce unnecessary anger in a child. The apostle gave this prohibition to fathers, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4). It has been well said that instruction is the setting of the nail upon the wood, example is the hammer that drives it home! Having a Godly example is a wonderful gift that every parent should strive to model for their children. 

Every child needs to know the gospel. 

What is the gospel? The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ made a perfect payment for our sins! (John 3:16) He made it possible for every person to repent of their sins and commit their life to Christ. If you have children you know that they do not have to learn how to disobey. They are inclined to being selfish and proud, just like the rest of humanity. The sooner a child can be told about the holiness of God the sooner they will realize how sinful they are. This is a very healthy realization because it will help them appreciate the gospel. They will realize there is no other way that they can be saved from their sin. It is only through the saving work of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for their sin. (Acts 4:12)

Every child needs instruction on what is right

Kids need to be taught to make sure they are getting Bible knowledge into their little hearts every single day. Parents are supposed to tell their kids about God “when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). 

Every family will do this differently, but the main point is to get your family into God’s word. In our home we read the Bible around the dinner table. We are currently memorizing Matthew 5 as a family before dinner. We also let our kids listen to the Bible on CD before bed and again when they wake up. You cannot give them too much Bible. Their brains and hearts are sponges and they take it all in with joy and not complaint.

Every child needs to be loved and cared for well (Attention/Affection)

Kids know when they are being overlooked by your other interests. Kids need you tucking them in with prayer at night. Kids thrive on singular attention from you like having a game night during the week or engaging them in personal conversation in the car. Lately our kids are enjoying charades and Uno, coloring together and reading mysteries. Playing lava ball outside on the neighbor’s trampoline is alway a blast. Take dates with the girls and go on adventures with the boys—which for us can be as simple as driving home from church on the route my kids want, reading a Hardy Boys mystery together, or going out to McDonald’s for yummy French fries. Turn off the smart phone and give yourself to your kids.

Every child needs to be disciplined in love: Do you know where you find the unhappiest children? In child-centered homes. These are the homes where activity has replaced responsibility and parents have neglected to be parents. Children need God-centered homes. Using the book of Proverbs Peter Wegner outlines 6 levels of discipline.

Level 1. Encourage proper behavior: A wise parent encourages a child to behave properly (Prov. 1:8-9; 2:2-5; 3:13-15; 4:7-8). 

Level 2. Inform of improper behavior: A wise parent is proactive and addresses certain issues before the child might be confronted by them (Prov. 1:10-15; 3:31-32). 

Level 3. Explain the negative consequences of sin: A wise parent points out the negative consequences that lie along the path of life (Prov. 1:18-19; 5:3-6). 

Level 4. Gently exhort: Wise parents will, on an ongoing basis, advise and exhort their children against sin that can easily become a pattern and encourage them to use wisdom (Prov. 4:1-2, 14-16). 

Level 5. Gently rebuke or reprove: The wise parent knows when to use rebuke properly (Prov. 3:12; 24:24-25). 

Level 6. Punishment that does not cause physical harm: A wise parent knows when and how to use punishment (Prov. 19:18; 13:24; 23:13-14; 29:15).

Conclusion 

Children are a gift from the Lord, the heritage of God (Ps 127). The gift of children therefore is the responsible stewardship of parents or guardians to be carried out before the Lord (Eph. 6:1-4). These precious gifts are not to be held at arm’s length. They are to be nourished and cherished. We need to give them our heart and our life. We must bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 

Will Costello is the Senior Pastor at Visalia EV Free Church. You can contact him at willc@visaliaevfree.org

How God Saves Criminals Today

Prison is a gloomy, hopeless place for many. Prisoners often live their lives without friends, without family, staring at the prison bars and feeling guilt and anger burning in their hearts. Spouses, parents and relatives of the incarcerated often “do time” right along with their loved ones, feeling alone and guilty. Christians have a glorious gospel message “to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1). It is the message of the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

When Jesus Christ was being crucified, two criminals were also condemned next to him, one on either side. They were receiving what they justly deserved. Yet God in his free and sovereign grace rescued one of them. In the salvation of that criminal, I want to note four truths that stand out.

First scripture tells us of this criminal’s character. “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.” (Luke 23:39) “Malefactors” is an evil doer, a worker of evil. He was a criminal, one who committed gross misdeeds and serious crimes. He is called a “thief” in Mark and in Matthew’s gospel. “Thieves” translates lēstēs in the original Greek language, which denotes a brigand who plunders as he steals. This man was not a petty thief or even a common robber, but a cruel bandit who took pleasure in tormenting and abusing his victims.

Second scripture tells us of this criminal’s condition. Luke 23:40-41 records that he was suffering a just punishment for his crime. God instituted the death penalty in Genesis 9:6. “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” (Romans 13 affirms that it is still binding today). Not only was he suffering the death penalty justly but he was totally helpless. He could do nothing to help himself physically or spiritually. Scripture reminds us that every person is lost without Christ. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). What a terrible condition this criminal was in. The same is true spiritually speaking for all people who have not repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus Christ. 

Third scripture tells us of this criminal’s companion. “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.” (Luke 23:39) The question was asked in a manner that was mocking, sarcastic, and taunting. He had no fear of God or of future judgment. He died just as he lived, an unrepentant rebel.

Forth scripture tells us of this criminal’s conversion. “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42–43) This criminal could do absolutely nothing to save himself or change his own wicked heart. His feet were nailed so he could not run and go to church or a synagogue. His hands were nailed so he could not go and do some good works to earn salvation. Yet God sovereignly saved him! 

What happened to him? God the Father drew him to Jesus Christ! As Jesus had said earlier,  “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) The thief went from being a Curser to a Convert! From a Blasphemer to a Believer! From a Criminal to a Christian! This conversion took place without raising his hand, without walking an aisle, without any sacrament or without any good works! “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) What amazing grace.

Jesus said to the repentant thief “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42–43)  Our Lord assured him that today—that very day, after they breathed their last—the criminal would be with him in paradise. The criminal may have lived an evil, vile, lawbreaking life that had resulted in execution, but as he faced death, by God’s grace, he turned to and believed in Jesus Christ. This is authoritative proof that Jesus Christ has come for the purpose to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

What Jesus did in saving that criminal He is still doing today. In prisons throughout our country and even around the world, the gospel is being faithfully proclaimed. As the good news is preached, God is faithful to save criminals, bringing them to “repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21) 

As a pastor of over 18 years and serving in prison ministry over 20 years, I can testify to the reality that God can and does save the worst of sinners. God does what no man can do; He saves and sanctifies lost men and women. He brings not only outward reformation but also true inward transformation. He turns unproductive criminals into productive law-abiding citizens; He transforms selfish fathers into loving self-less fathers who love and lead their families.

I hope this is a small encouragement to know that biblical faithful ministry is happening behind bars and God is transforming lives. All to the glory of His great name! Let us support biblical prison ministry and make an impact for eternity. Soli Deo Gloria.

When Obeying God Requires Disobeying Government

Several weeks ago a pastor named James Coates was arrested for holding services inside GraceLife Church, located in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada. Imagine my surprise when I recognized the photo of pastor James! He was a fellow student from when I was enrolled at the Master’s seminary. I was deeply moved as I read the article. What a joy to know that this brother in Christ is faithfully preaching the word of God “as a dying man, to dying men.” 

If you listen to his last sermon you can tell he understood the weight of the situation. The sermon was titled “Directing Government to its Duty” and was taken from Romans 13:1-4. In it he argues that civil disobedience is necessary for Christians in three areas. 1) When the government forbids what God commands. 2) When the government commands what God forbids and 3) When the Government commands what isn’t theirs to command (i.e. giving orders outside of their jurisdiction). 

In the case of GraceLife Church, civil disobedience is justified because both the first and third infractions are being done by the government. Alberta Health Services (AHS) has publicly declared that churches are not allowed to legally gather indoors at more than 15% building capacity. GraceLife Church has been disobeying that rule for an extended amount of time. On January 29, AHS stepped up their enforcement by sending an executive officer order, which states that the church must immediately close to public access and remain closed until the premises are in compliance with the orders issued on December 17, 2020 and January 21, 2021. 

It is clear that the Alberta government is forbidding what God commands. The government is saying it is wrong for people to attend church indoors at more than 15% of capacity. Those attending the church disagree with the government’s definition of right and wrong. The Christians believe it is actually good behavior for them to gather because they believe God’s word says it is good (Hebrews 10:25). The members of GraceLife believe they are compelled by their consciences to obey God’s command to gather together, even if that means running the risk of interacting with a virus or being arrested by the government, or both! 

The government is also overstepping their jurisdiction. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that everyone in Canada has the fundamental freedom of peaceful assembly. If the government tries to halt its citizens from peaceful assembly then it is clearly overstepping one of the rights it was established to defend. This is why even though pastor James has been arrested the rest of the church has been able to continue worshipping in the building. The AHS recognizes how difficult it will be for them to win a case in a Canadian court because the law stands in opposition to anyone trying to stop peaceful assembly. 

As Christians we need to be aware of these issues and we need to be concerned about them. We need to pray for Pastor James and his family as he continues to serve the Lord in jail. We need to pray for those in the congregation who are continuing to meet indoors without their pastor. He was offered bail, but he did not accept because the terms of bail stated that he could not teach at GraceLife Church. His conscience did not allow him to leave under those conditions so he is still in jail and will remain there until the judge allows his release. 

A trial date has been set for May 3, but his lawyer, James Kitchen, said his firm plans to appeal the bail conditions so their client can leave jail before then. It is also interesting to note that the AHS may lift restrictions as early as March 1, so the government may decide to make what is currently illegal legal again. We will wait and pray and be encouraged knowing that God promises to honor those who honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30). 

Upgrading the American Dream

Becoming a Christian changes the way you think. You no longer look to the American dream to guide your decisions because it has been replaced with a heavenly reality. Jesus Christ put it like this, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) 

When someone comes to Christ they begin to realize that the riches of this world can only imitate the treasures of eternity. When compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits Christians in heaven, the riches of this world look more like imitation trophies made of hollow plastic. This hit me the other day when I was looking at the only trophy I saved from my childhood. From a distance it looks like a bronze trophy set on a marble stand, but in reality it is almost entirely made of plastic. The only metal it contains are the screws that hold it together. 

That trophy used to mean a lot to me. I still remember winning it back in the 6th grade. It had value because my world was small and my perspective was limited. As I grew older my understanding changed and matured. When I came to Christ my taste for the things of the world changed as well. I realized I had to rethink many of the assumptions that had filtered into my worldview. I realized I had been suckered into pursuing Malcolm Forbes’ often quoted motto, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” My desire for more things and nicer things was not grounded in Scripture. It was coming from the world. The more I read God’s word the more I realized how much I needed to be set free from the imitation riches of this world. 

Jesus was interested in the heart issue of laying up treasures in life. He said, ““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” He wanted people to see the motives behind their decisions in life. Did their actions show love for God or for this world? This is one of our Lord’s most famous quotes because people still struggle with it today. Many of life’s daily decisions come down to a choice between God and money. Are you going to take a job that requires you to spend less time with the body of Christ? Are you going to work overtime if it means you spend less time with your family? Is Christmas more about gifts than worshipping our Savior? We are supposed to ask these questions all the time. 

The heavenly economy is completely different than our world’s economy. It doesn’t look to the material world, but to the immaterial. It asks the question, “How rich am I in the agape love of God?” That is the currency of heaven. That is how we can store up riches that will stand the test of time. We must think in terms of the love of God. How can we grow in our understanding of God’s love? How can we become more loving people? How can we show the love of God to others? If we can taste that kind of love we will never settle for the knock-off lust that the world has to offer. 

C. S. Lewis was a British atheist who came to Christ later in life. He understood the difference between what the world had to offer and what God has in store. He wrote this, “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” 

That should shake us up. I know it does for me. That means the American dream is a mud pie in dirty slum. It is selfish and godless. The heavenly reality is a vacation at the sea. Why does the world settle for making mud pies? They know no better. Why do Christians settle for mud pies? They may have never really understood what Jesus meant when he said, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Operation Truthguard

Imagine if a public relations firm started a national campaign to change the way our society thinks about math. Instead of thinking 1+1=2, the campaign would enlist progressive mathematicians who would introduce a new way to interpret the basics. The new formula would be 1+1=3. These woke mathematicians would argue that the old symbols have been misunderstood and repressed for thousands of years. Now people need to be set free to understand how math was supposed to be understood all along. The public relations firm would just plug it into their propaganda formula. News agencies would print it. Scientists would argue it is better because it is more inclusive and allows each digit to reach its full potential. If enough people were convinced then schools would begin teaching the new math and soon the government would have to change its formula to match the people’s new understanding. 

Seems too far fetched? It’s possible if people could be convinced to interpret reality differently. It would be like switching from inches to centimeters. The actual distance measured would still be the same, but they way we think about it would be different. 

We are seeing this done in our society with a whole list of issues. We have been told that gender is fluid. Someone can identify as male or female regardless of whether he or she was born male or female. Marriage is fluid. It can be defined however you want as long as you don’t say it is limited to one biological male and one biological female. Beliefs that have been held as true for centuries can be dismissed as outdated because they don’t fit with the new way of thinking. 

But there is a funny thing about truth, it doesn’t change. You might interpret things differently, but reality is pretty stubborn about staying real.

The principles that govern the universe are timeless. They are not dependent on human interpretation because they were not created by man. They were created by God and he never changes. He created the world without asking for permission. He created the world the way he wanted and humans don’t get to tell him how to interpret the world. He tells them how things are supposed to be.

We know this is true because of the Bible. The Bible contains the truth of who God is and how humans are supposed to live and it has a stubborn way of not going away. People have been trying to get rid of it for thousands of years, but it is still around and it isn’t going anywhere. It can’t be removed because the Bible is the way God lets humanity know what is right and wrong. The Bible explains to the world what truth is. When governments realize they can’t destroy the Bible they switch tactics. Now many in the government want us to believe that the  Bible is outdated. They want it to be ignored, but we know that strategy is bound to fail as well because God has promised to preserve his word and he has given the world a group of people to act as the safeguards for the Bible. 

That current group of people is called the Church. They are the Christians for whom Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave. Jesus Christ said, “I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18). He promised to ensure the continual existence of the Church for many reasons, but the one that is most pertinent to this article is this. The church is the safeguard of the truth. One of the most important jobs of each local church is to protect the teaching of God’s word. This is done by the leaders of the church faithfully passing on the truth to each generation until Christ returns. 

Our church recently started a preaching series on Paul’s first letter to Timothy. The series is called “Operation Truthguard” because Paul makes it clear that one of the most important roles of the church is to be the “pillar and support of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15). Do you see what a pivotal role that is? The church is to guard the truth. This is a privileged position and one that comes with great responsibility. Praise God the church is not required to do it alone. God himself promises to help the church in this task and that gives the Christian confidence. That gives the Christian courage to stand firm in the midst of a culture that wants to break truth down. 

One encouraging thing about the cultural wars in America is that we know who is going to win. The society may try to cancel out the truth. People will try to pressure the government to make churches close, but we know local churches are not going away. The last century proved that no matter how repressive the regime, God was always faithful to protect a remnant of Christians who were able to outlast those who fought against God. The prophet Isaiah knew what he was talking about when he wrote, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” As Christians we should not lose heart. Our culture will try to cancel out the truth, but we know God’s word will always continue to be preached by those who are faithful to guard the truth. 

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