thestream--2020-11-07--Christians Must Demand Justice in Election Crisis

As the election crisis drags on and the news is filled with widespread reports of voting irregularities and fraud , confusion and chaos reign .
America needs help , and yet people of faith are almost entirely asleep at the wheel .
Many feel they did enough by voting .
I ’ ve seen countless people post the meme “ God is in control ” on their social media pages as if to say , “ I did my part .
Whatever happens next is God ’ s business.
” This is bad citizenship and even worse theology .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your vote does not get you across the finish line .
It gets you to the starting line .
We have a solemn duty to demand that our government officials stand for truth and honesty .
Saying God is “ in control ” is bad theology as well .
“ Control ” is an accounting term for everything being perfectly in its place .
The Bible does not describe God as controlling .
Rather , it tells us God is wholly sovereign .
He has created a dynamic environment in which we humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stand for truth and fight against evil and injustice .
In short , God has given us eyes to see what He sees , ears to hear what He pays attention to , and hands to do what is right .
To then say , “ God will handle it ” and walk away is to ignore our design and surrender to fate .
God doesn ’ t give us the option to turn our backs .
Right now , the difference is a matter of life and death for our Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week should chill you to the bone no matter how you voted .
Things don ’ t add up and we all know it .
Everyone reading this has encountered credible accounts of multiple ballots received , more votes than there are registered voters , discarded ballots , and more .
Scripture calls us to take a clear-eyed view of such happenings : we are to speak the truth and oppose lies .
A Judeo-Christian worldview stands alone in this .
Some worldviews , such as Marxism , do the opposite .
Marxism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is whatever advances the revolution .
As Andrey Vyshinsky , Stalin ’ s foreign minister , explained , “ There might be collisions and discrepancies between the formal commands of laws and those of the proletarian revolution .
… This collision must be solved only by the subordination of the formal commands of law to those of party policy.
” Other worldviews such as secularism and postmodernism assert that absolute truth does not exist .
When people who don ’ t believe in truth tell you that they know the truth about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Judeo-Christian faith should be different .
As God ’ s image-bearers , we show love for Him by acting on principles that flow from who He is .
According to both the Torah and the teachings of Jesus , one key way we do this is by loving our neighbor .
Loving our neighbor does not mean merely offering a friendly wave .
Rather , the bedrock of loving our neighbor is the pursuit of justice and righteousness .
In the Torah , before God gave the command to love your neighbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked like : “ You shall do no injustice in court .
You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great , but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor .
You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people , and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor : I am the Lord.
” Loving your neighbor does not mean being nice and hoping that they like us .
Rather , it is protecting justice for them as well as for ourselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we don ’ t just avoid harming our neighbor ; we are to go out of our way to ensure their wellbeing .
Proverbs 24:12 says , “ If you say , ‘ But we knew nothing about this , ’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it ?
Does not he who guards your life know it ?
Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done ?
” Justice and righteousness bring life ; they allow the human spirit to flourish .
But when lawless deeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and death .
Not just physical death , but death of opportunity , death of vision , and death of hope .
This was the heart of King Solomon ’ s warning in Proverbs 29:2 , “ When the righteous are in authority , the people rejoice ; But when a wicked man rules , the people groan.
” The church is not the state , but the church does serve as a moral conscience that helps the state fulfill its responsibility to stand against corruption that puts our neighbors and communities at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our nation it should be churches and people of faith who stand firm , not for our preferred candidate , but for justice and the rule of law to be upheld in our communities and in our electoral process .
What specifically should we do ?
First and foremost , pray and fast to beseech God to intervene and restore justice in our land .
Then , take action by studying the issue of election integrity at a website and contacting your state ’ s election officials to ensure that your vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one where corruption is suspected , ask God for wisdom in how to hold your elected officials accountable .
If we stand on the sidelines now , while the fairness and integrity of our elections are at stake , what injustice will we ignore next ?
Thank God that people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer , Frederick Douglass , Martin Luther King , Jr. , Margaret Thatcher , and other leaders did not just say “ God is in control ” and walk away .
They accepted their divine mandate to insist on the truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in pursuing justice with the passion God expresses in the Bible .
In these perilous times , may we not squander our biblical mandate to seek justice and pursue it , and may God have mercy on our efforts .
Dr. Jeff Myers is author of 14 books and serves as president of Summit Ministries .

As the election crisis drags on and the news is filled with widespread reports of voting irregularities and fraud, confusion and chaos reign. America needs help, and yet people of faith are almost entirely asleep at the wheel.
Many feel they did enough by voting. I’ve seen countless people post the meme “God is in control” on their social media pages as if to say, “I did my part. Whatever happens next is God’s business.”
This is bad citizenship and even worse theology.
Bad Citizenship and Bad Theology
It is bad citizenship because in a republic your vote does not get you across the finish line. It gets you to the starting line. We have a solemn duty to demand that our government officials stand for truth and honesty.
Saying God is “in control” is bad theology as well. “Control” is an accounting term for everything being perfectly in its place. The Bible does not describe God as controlling. Rather, it tells us God is wholly sovereign. He has created a dynamic environment in which we humans — His image bearers — are called to stand for truth and fight against evil and injustice.
The voting irregularities we are seeing this week should chill you to the bone no matter how you voted. Things don’t add up and we all know it.
In short, God has given us eyes to see what He sees, ears to hear what He pays attention to, and hands to do what is right. To then say, “God will handle it” and walk away is to ignore our design and surrender to fate. God doesn’t give us the option to turn our backs.
Right now, the difference is a matter of life and death for our Republic.
Speaking the Truth and Opposing Lies
The voting irregularities we saw this week should chill you to the bone no matter how you voted. Things don’t add up and we all know it. Nearly everyone reading this has encountered credible accounts of multiple ballots received, more votes than there are registered voters, discarded ballots, and more.
Scripture calls us to take a clear-eyed view of such happenings: we are to speak the truth and oppose lies. A Judeo-Christian worldview stands alone in this. Some worldviews, such as Marxism, do the opposite. Marxism declares that what is “true” is whatever advances the revolution. As Andrey Vyshinsky, Stalin’s foreign minister, explained, “There might be collisions and discrepancies between the formal commands of laws and those of the proletarian revolution. … This collision must be solved only by the subordination of the formal commands of law to those of party policy.”
Other worldviews such as secularism and postmodernism assert that absolute truth does not exist. When people who don’t believe in truth tell you that they know the truth about this election, be suspicious.
Loving Our Neighbor
People of a Judeo-Christian faith should be different. As God’s image-bearers, we show love for Him by acting on principles that flow from who He is. According to both the Torah and the teachings of Jesus, one key way we do this is by loving our neighbor.
During this critical time in our nation it should be churches and people of faith who stand firm, not for our preferred candidate, but for justice and the rule of law to be upheld in our communities and in our electoral process.
Loving our neighbor does not mean merely offering a friendly wave. Rather, the bedrock of loving our neighbor is the pursuit of justice and righteousness. In the Torah, before God gave the command to love your neighbor, He first laid out what that looked like:
“You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Loving your neighbor does not mean being nice and hoping that they like us. Rather, it is protecting justice for them as well as for ourselves. The biblical principle of shalom says that we don’t just avoid harming our neighbor; we are to go out of our way to ensure their wellbeing.
Proverbs 24:12 says, “If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?”
Standing Against Corruption
Justice and righteousness bring life; they allow the human spirit to flourish. But when lawless deeds go unchecked, it brings about oppression and death. Not just physical death, but death of opportunity, death of vision, and death of hope.
This was the heart of King Solomon’s warning in Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”
In these perilous times, may we not squander our biblical mandate to seek justice and pursue it, and may God have mercy on our efforts.
The church is not the state, but the church does serve as a moral conscience that helps the state fulfill its responsibility to stand against corruption that puts our neighbors and communities at grave risk.
During this critical time in our nation it should be churches and people of faith who stand firm, not for our preferred candidate, but for justice and the rule of law to be upheld in our communities and in our electoral process.
What specifically should we do?
Pray, Fast and Take Action
First and foremost, pray and fast to beseech God to intervene and restore justice in our land. Then, take action by studying the issue of election integrity at a website and contacting your state’s election officials to ensure that your vote was counted. If your state is one where corruption is suspected, ask God for wisdom in how to hold your elected officials accountable.
If we stand on the sidelines now, while the fairness and integrity of our elections are at stake, what injustice will we ignore next?
Thank God that people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Margaret Thatcher, and other leaders did not just say “God is in control” and walk away. They accepted their divine mandate to insist on the truth. They fought tirelessly, risking all in pursuing justice with the passion God expresses in the Bible.
In these perilous times, may we not squander our biblical mandate to seek justice and pursue it, and may God have mercy on our efforts.
Dr. Jeff Myers is author of 14 books and serves as president of Summit Ministries.


thestream--2020-11-07--In the Aftermath of the Election, Do We Still Believe God is Sovereign?

Theologian R.C .
Sproul once said , “ God doesn ’ t roll dice.
” Nothing ever happens by chance .
Scripture makes this clear .
Consider Ruth in the Old Testament .
Ruth “ happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz ” ( Ruth 2:3 ) .
A more literal translation of the Hebrew would actually read , “ Her chance chanced upon , ” or , as we would say today , “ By chance she accidentally stumbled into the part of the field belonging to Boaz.
” This is written to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance .
They believed God was sovereign in all things .
In this passage , the author of Ruth is using this exaggeration as a figure of speech .
It wasn ’ t meant to be taken literally .
It was meant to convey the same idea stated in Proverbs 16:9 : “ The mind of man plans his way , but the Lord directs each step.
” While God could certainly rule and govern the earth without our participation , he has chosen us to join him in ruling and governing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brings us back to fulfill our original calling as described in Genesis 1:28 : “ God blessed them and said to them , Be fruitful and increase in number , fill the earth and subdue it.
” We must take this responsibility to act in God ’ s providence as “ secondary means ” very seriously .
The Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians , “ For we are God ’ s workmanship , created in Christ Jesus to do good works , which God prepared in advance for us to do ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good works are not just the things we do in church .
They consist of all the work we do in our families , our communities , and especially our vocations .
The late James Montgomery Boice wrote : Scripture is clear that God does not compel anyone to do anything that is contrary to their own desires , but instead uses their free decisions to bring about his glorious will .
After the Election , Do We Still Believe God is Sovereign ?
The popular vote did not surprise God .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is not God ’ s first rodeo .
The prophet Daniel writes that God , in his sovereignty , determines our leaders : As those who serve the King of the Universe , we need to be reminded of three things , especially on today of all days .
• While God is sovereign , we are still responsible to live out our calling based on his design and desire .
Because of God ’ s providence , we can rest assured that our work is not in vain ( 1 Cor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working out everything ( even elections ) for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose ( Rom .
8:28 ) .
• We need to earnestly pray for our president , whoever that may be ( 1 Tim .
2:1-3 ) .
In Daniel 4:34-35 , Daniel writes about the last days of another ruler : At the end of the days I , Nebuchadnezzar , lifted my eyes to heaven , and my reason returned to me , and I blessed the Most High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives forever , for his dominion is an everlasting dominion , and his kingdom endures from generation ; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing , And he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none can stay his hand or say to him , “ What have you done ?
” After this crazy election cycle , we all need to return to our reason and read this passage not as the conversion of a pagan king @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own easily-distracted hearts .
We need to cut through all the noise of television pundits and social media soothsayers and remember God is on his throne .
None of us can say to him , “ What have you done ?
” This post was previously published on Nov. 9 , 2016 .
This article is republished with permission from the Institute for Faith , Work & Economics ( www.tifwe.org ) .
IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society .
Visit https : //tifwe.org/subscribe to subscribe to the free IFWE Daily Blog .

Theologian R.C. Sproul once said, “God doesn’t roll dice.” Nothing ever happens by chance. Scripture makes this clear.
Consider Ruth in the Old Testament. Ruth “happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz” (Ruth 2:3). A more literal translation of the Hebrew would actually read, “Her chance chanced upon,” or, as we would say today, “By chance she accidentally stumbled into the part of the field belonging to Boaz.” This is written to an original audience that did not believe in chance. They believed God was sovereign in all things.
In this passage, the author of Ruth is using this exaggeration as a figure of speech. It wasn’t meant to be taken literally. It was meant to convey the same idea stated in Proverbs 16:9: “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs each step.”
God’s Sovereignty
Kevin DeYoung writes:
The story of the Old Testament is nothing if not a story of divine providence. On every page, in every promise, behind every prophecy is the sure hand of God. He sustains all things, directs all things, plans all things, ordains all things, superintends all things, works all things after the counsel of his will.
While God could certainly rule and govern the earth without our participation, he has chosen us to join him in ruling and governing his creation. We often say our salvation brings us back to fulfill our original calling as described in Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it.”
We must take this responsibility to act in God’s providence as “secondary means” very seriously. The Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10). These good works are not just the things we do in church. They consist of all the work we do in our families, our communities, and especially our vocations. The late James Montgomery Boice wrote:
The providence of God does not relieve us of responsibility. God works through means (the integrity, hard work, obedience and faithfulness of Christian people, for example). The providence of God does not relieve us of the need to make wise judgments or to be prudent.
Scripture is clear that God does not compel anyone to do anything that is contrary to their own desires, but instead uses their free decisions to bring about his glorious will.
After the Election, Do We Still Believe God is Sovereign?
The popular vote did not surprise God. The results have not derailed his providence. This is not God’s first rodeo. The prophet Daniel writes that God, in his sovereignty, determines our leaders:
He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding (Daniel 2:21).
As those who serve the King of the Universe, we need to be reminded of three things, especially on today of all days.
While God is sovereign, we are still responsible to live out our calling based on his design and desire. Because of God’s providence, we can rest assured that our work is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).
God is working out everything (even elections) for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28).
We need to earnestly pray for our president, whoever that may be (1 Tim. 2:1-3).
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In Daniel 4:34-35, Daniel writes about the last days of another ruler:
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, And he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
After this crazy election cycle, we all need to return to our reason and read this passage not as the conversion of a pagan king, but as a reminder of our own easily-distracted hearts. We need to cut through all the noise of television pundits and social media soothsayers and remember God is on his throne. None of us can say to him, “What have you done?”
This post was previously published on Nov. 9, 2016.
This article is republished with permission from the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics (www.tifwe.org). IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society. Visit https://tifwe.org/subscribe to subscribe to the free IFWE Daily Blog.


thestream--2020-11-07--Why It’s Logical, Christian, and Charitable to Suspect the Election Was Stolen

Periodically I check in on the dialogues between a white female Democrat , “ Karen , ” from New York City , and a white male Republican from Texas , “ Obadiah.
” This is the latest of their exchanges .
Imagine it taking place on Twitter , in the wake of the recent , disputed election .
KAREN : I assume as a patriotic American you ’ re going to accept the results our national election , and accept the peaceful transfer of power .
Or are you going to crouch on the White House lawn with your assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 82nd Airborne from dragging Trump out of his hole like Saddam Hussein ?
OBADIAH : It ’ s right nice to hear from you again .
I hope you ’ re doing well , too .
And the answer of course , is “ No , nope , and hell no.
” It ’ s reassuring to hear that you ’ re fantasizing about hanging the president , though .
KAREN : Why am I not surprised ?
You angry white males have been willing to tear America apart before .
I remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election of Abraham Lincoln .
OBADIAH : If you mean by “ my kind ” Democrats , you ’ re way off the mark .
It ’ s your party we have to thank for the Indian removals , the Civil War , Jim Crow , lynchings , filibusters of the Civil Rights Act , and more black kids aborted than born every year .
But go on ahead and ride that high horse down the Yellow Brick Road to the Land of Oz .
KAREN : So you don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to cancel the votes of millions of Americans of color ?
OBADIAH : Despite everything thrown at him , Trump got a higher share of the non-white vote than any Republican in decades .
This after four solid years of the media bleating lies about him being a white supremacist , and all his supporters either Nazis or Uncle Toms .
But no , I don ’ t think it hurts the country in the long run to demand a clean election .
Not when there ’ s every reason to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Democrats were likely to steal it .
When someone shows you by his actions he ’ s a liar , a thief , and a cheat , it ’ s only good manners to believe him .
KAREN : That ’ s an ad hominem argument .
It ’ s a logical fallacy .
Ever heard of those ?
OBADIAH : Yes ma ’ am .
They ’ re the go-to comebacks for every half-educated know-it-all on the Internet .
Most of whom haven ’ t actually taken a logic class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An ad hominem argument can be a fallacy , if the character flaws you ’ re citing about a person aren ’ t relevant to the conclusion .
So if I posted a recipe for Bolognese Sauce by Mario Batali , someone like you might say that I shouldn ’ t , because of the # MeToo charges that he harassed his waitresses .
That would entail a fallacy , since a man ’ s morals don ’ t vitiate his command of pasta sauce .
They might mean you don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his restaurant .
But he can ’ t grab your behind from between the lines of his cookbook .
But what if Mr. Batali had published a book for dads on how to raise their sons ?
Or a book on how to manage restaurant staff ?
Maybe a marriage manual ?
That would be a horse of an utterly different feather .
If you recommended such a book , I ’ d be right to wave you off .
You ’ d be citing him as an authority on a subject where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His character would matter there .
That ’ s a completely legitimate argument against his “ Ethos , ” or moral character .
Anyway , that ’ s how Aristotle put it , but I doubt he even managed a Greek diner , so maybe we shouldn ’ t trust him .
The Democrats ’ Four Years of Dishonesty KAREN : And how have “ the Democrats ” ( since we ’ re lumping people together ) proven that they ’ re “ liars , cheats , and thieves ” ?
OBADIAH : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because we don ’ t have all day , I ’ ll confine myself to the past four years , starting on Election Night , 2016 .
First Democrats claimed that Russia had somehow hacked the U.S. voting machines , to help Trump win .
When that strand of spaghetti slid right off the wall , they declared themselves “ The Resistance , ” making Trump and his people … the Nazis , marching into Paris .
That was nice .
A real civic-minded , patriotic approach to losing an election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” March on Washington to counter the inauguration .
Again , keeping things classy .
Then Democrats in the FBI entrapped Gen. Mike Flynn , trumping up charges that he ’ d violated the dead-letter Logan Act ( never enforced against anyone else in 200 years ) by taking a normal phone call from a Russian official .
This to get him out of office , so he couldn ’ t clean up the Deep State .
Then Democrats in that same FBI used information from illegally unmasked wiretaps that Obama had put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a story that Trump had somehow colluded with Russia .
James Comey went from meeting with Obama and Biden to meeting with President Trump , and lied to him about the FBI ’ s investigation of him .
Then he leaked the meeting to the press .
Democrats leaked , and treated as credible information , the made-up Steele Dossier , a campaign document Hillary Clinton ’ s machine had paid for .
They managed to hornswoggle Jeff Sessions into recusing himself , so more Democrats in the Justice Department could drag out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culminated in the Mueller Report , which amounted to a whole lot of nothing .
But the Justice Department did manage to wreck the lives of George Papadopoulos and Carter Page , for the crime of joining the Trump campaign .
The DoJ sent commandos to arrest Roger Stone and Paul Manafort , who had nothing to do with Russian collusion , since it didn ’ t exist .
Their real crime ?
Daring to work for an outsider like Trump .
Democrats in the media tried to wreck the life of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for showing up at pro-life rally , and smiling while white .
Democrats sandbagged Brett Kavanaugh , and wrecked Mark Judge ’ s life along the way , for made-up , baseless , totally unsupported charges of running a teen rape gang .
This to keep a pro-life judge off the court .
“ Believe women !
” they screamed , “ except when they ’ re named Tara Reade.
” Democrats impeached President Trump for making a single phone call to Ukraine , looking into Joe Biden ’ s corruption .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had Hunter Biden ’ s laptop the whole time .
It proved that Trump ’ s investigation was perfectly legitimate .
But Democrats in the media refused to report on it , as if they were Soviet state media hiding the dirt on Josef Stalin .
What about when Joe Biden slipped up and bragged that he had the “ most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics ” ?
Or when he said he didn ’ t need the voters to put him office ?
If Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about “ my close collusion with Vladimir Putin , ” would people like you have written it off as a gaffe ?
I guess Biden gets the senility discount , though .
So in the light of all of that , even if we didn ’ t have video of election officials faking ballots , and bizarre discoveries of thousands of ballots just in time to flip close states to Biden , and Democrats in the media prematurely calling states for him but not for Trump , I ’ d assume the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats , and that ’ s what you people do .
Let the New “ Resistance ” Begin But by all means , let President Trump ’ s team move past such prejudices , and just dig up the evidence .
I ’ m sure it ’ s thick on the ground .
See you in court , sweetie .
And if you people get away with this , I promise you that “ people like me ” will treat your illegitimate fake “ President Biden ” with all the respect and cooperation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , you ’ ll probably have Twitter ban me .
Or maybe you ’ ll get in touch with Antifa and send some rioters to my house .
But remind them I have an AR-15 , and I know how to use it .
Karen blocks Obadiah and reports him to Twitter for making “ threats of violence.
” He gets banned for seven days , and decides to permanently delete his account .
But no rioters show up at his house .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

Periodically I check in on the dialogues between a white female Democrat, “Karen,” from New York City, and a white male Republican from Texas, “Obadiah.” This is the latest of their exchanges. Imagine it taking place on Twitter, in the wake of the recent, disputed election.
KAREN: I assume as a patriotic American you’re going to accept the results our national election, and accept the peaceful transfer of power. Or are you going to crouch on the White House lawn with your assault weapon? Maybe try to stop the 82nd Airborne from dragging Trump out of his hole like Saddam Hussein?
OBADIAH: It’s right nice to hear from you again. I hope you’re doing well, too. And the answer of course, is “No, nope, and hell no.” It’s reassuring to hear that you’re fantasizing about hanging the president, though.
KAREN: Why am I not surprised? You angry white males have been willing to tear America apart before. I remember when your kind wouldn’t accept the election of Abraham Lincoln.
OBADIAH: If you mean by “my kind” Democrats, you’re way off the mark. It’s your party we have to thank for the Indian removals, the Civil War, Jim Crow, lynchings, filibusters of the Civil Rights Act, and more black kids aborted than born every year. But go on ahead and ride that high horse down the Yellow Brick Road to the Land of Oz.
Damaging and Dividing the Country?
KAREN: So you don’t think it damages and divides the country to try to cancel the votes of millions of Americans of color?
OBADIAH: Despite everything thrown at him, Trump got a higher share of the non-white vote than any Republican in decades. This after four solid years of the media bleating lies about him being a white supremacist, and all his supporters either Nazis or Uncle Toms. But no, I don’t think it hurts the country in the long run to demand a clean election. Not when there’s every reason to assume, right off the bat, that the Democrats were likely to steal it. When someone shows you by his actions he’s a liar, a thief, and a cheat, it’s only good manners to believe him.
KAREN: That’s an ad hominem argument. It’s a logical fallacy. Ever heard of those?
OBADIAH: Yes ma’am. They’re the go-to comebacks for every half-educated know-it-all on the Internet. Most of whom haven’t actually taken a logic class, or read Aristotle’s Rhetoric. An ad hominem argument can be a fallacy, if the character flaws you’re citing about a person aren’t relevant to the conclusion. So if I posted a recipe for Bolognese Sauce by Mario Batali, someone like you might say that I shouldn’t, because of the #MeToo charges that he harassed his waitresses. That would entail a fallacy, since a man’s morals don’t vitiate his command of pasta sauce. They might mean you don’t send your daughter to work in his restaurant. But he can’t grab your behind from between the lines of his cookbook.
But what if Mr. Batali had published a book for dads on how to raise their sons? Or a book on how to manage restaurant staff? Maybe a marriage manual? That would be a horse of an utterly different feather. If you recommended such a book, I’d be right to wave you off. You’d be citing him as an authority on a subject where he’d clearly disgraced himself. His character would matter there. That’s a completely legitimate argument against his “Ethos,” or moral character. Anyway, that’s how Aristotle put it, but I doubt he even managed a Greek diner, so maybe we shouldn’t trust him.
The Democrats’ Four Years of Dishonesty
KAREN: And how have “the Democrats” (since we’re lumping people together) proven that they’re “liars, cheats, and thieves”?
OBADIAH: I’m mighty glad you asked. Because we don’t have all day, I’ll confine myself to the past four years, starting on Election Night, 2016.
First Democrats claimed that Russia had somehow hacked the U.S. voting machines, to help Trump win. When that strand of spaghetti slid right off the wall, they declared themselves “The Resistance,” making Trump and his people … the Nazis, marching into Paris. That was nice. A real civic-minded, patriotic approach to losing an election. Then they held a “Pussy Hat” March on Washington to counter the inauguration. Again, keeping things classy.
Then Democrats in the FBI entrapped Gen. Mike Flynn, trumping up charges that he’d violated the dead-letter Logan Act (never enforced against anyone else in 200 years) by taking a normal phone call from a Russian official. This to get him out of office, so he couldn’t clean up the Deep State.
Then Democrats in that same FBI used information from illegally unmasked wiretaps that Obama had put on the Trump campaign to gin up a story that Trump had somehow colluded with Russia. James Comey went from meeting with Obama and Biden to meeting with President Trump, and lied to him about the FBI’s investigation of him. Then he leaked the meeting to the press.
Democrats leaked, and treated as credible information, the made-up Steele Dossier, a campaign document Hillary Clinton’s machine had paid for. They managed to hornswoggle Jeff Sessions into recusing himself, so more Democrats in the Justice Department could drag out this nonsense investigation for years. That culminated in the Mueller Report, which amounted to a whole lot of nothing. But the Justice Department did manage to wreck the lives of George Papadopoulos and Carter Page, for the crime of joining the Trump campaign. The DoJ sent commandos to arrest Roger Stone and Paul Manafort, who had nothing to do with Russian collusion, since it didn’t exist. Their real crime? Daring to work for an outsider like Trump.
Democrats in the media tried to wreck the life of a high school boy named Nick Sandmann, for showing up at pro-life rally, and smiling while white.
I don’t think it hurts the country in the long run to demand a clean election. Not when there’s every reason to assume, right off the bat, that the Democrats were likely to steal it.
Democrats sandbagged Brett Kavanaugh, and wrecked Mark Judge’s life along the way, for made-up, baseless, totally unsupported charges of running a teen rape gang. This to keep a pro-life judge off the court. “Believe women!” they screamed, “except when they’re named Tara Reade.”
Democrats impeached President Trump for making a single phone call to Ukraine, looking into Joe Biden’s corruption. Now we know that Democrats in the FBI had Hunter Biden’s laptop the whole time. It proved that Trump’s investigation was perfectly legitimate. But Democrats in the media refused to report on it, as if they were Soviet state media hiding the dirt on Josef Stalin.
What about when Joe Biden slipped up and bragged that he had the “most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics”? Or when he said he didn’t need the voters to put him office? If Donald Trump had “misspoken” and bragged about “my close collusion with Vladimir Putin,” would people like you have written it off as a gaffe? I guess Biden gets the senility discount, though.
So in the light of all of that, even if we didn’t have video of election officials faking ballots, and bizarre discoveries of thousands of ballots just in time to flip close states to Biden, and Democrats in the media prematurely calling states for him but not for Trump, I’d assume the Democrats were cheating just because they’re Democrats, and that’s what you people do.
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Let the New “Resistance” Begin
But by all means, let President Trump’s team move past such prejudices, and just dig up the evidence. I’m sure it’s thick on the ground. See you in court, sweetie.
And if you people get away with this, I promise you that “people like me” will treat your illegitimate fake “President Biden” with all the respect and cooperation you offered President Trump.
At this point, you’ll probably have Twitter ban me. Or maybe you’ll get in touch with Antifa and send some rioters to my house. But remind them I have an AR-15, and I know how to use it.
Karen blocks Obadiah and reports him to Twitter for making “threats of violence.” He gets banned for seven days, and decides to permanently delete his account. But no rioters show up at his house.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


The Un-Evangelistic Evangelical

Lord lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me , And may I ever do my part to win that soul for Thee .
— gospel song by McKinney/Tucker If I say I believe something , you ’ ll expect me to express that belief and to act on it .
There should , after all , be some evidence to back the claim .
If there isn ’ t , then you ’ ll probably draw one of two conclusions : I don ’ t really believe what I say I believe , or I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very important .
Which brings to mind what can be a disconnect between belief and expression among Evangelicals .
The word itself needs to be revisited , because these days it ’ s applied too easily , and is often misunderstood .
In response , the National Association of Evangelicals and LifeWay Research developed a four-point definition in the Fall of 2015 , which I ’ m pretty comfortable with .
According to this definition , an Evangelical would state : • The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior .
• Jesus Christ ’ s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin .
• Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God ’ s free gift of eternal salvation .
That works .
The Bible cited in Point 1 makes Points 3 and 4 clear , so if I believe Point 1 , then Point 2 is my logical response .
Cue the tension music .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , intentionally sought out a non-Christian friend , neighbor , or loved one , to share the gospel with ?
Jesus words to the Church at Ephesus stand out to me : “ Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen , and repent.
” ( Revelation 2:5 ) They stand out because when I was a young Christian , personal evangelism was more the norm than the exception .
Certain things were business as usual , among them daily Bible reading , frequent fellowship , a robust prayer life , expectation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course , witnessing .
( That ’ s a quaint little Boomer term for “ evangelizing ” in case you ’ re wondering . )
In those days , certain things were clear .
People were saved or unsaved , doctrine was sound or false , a believer was spiritual or carnal .
Granted , it ’ s wrong to see our own “ good old days ” as the standard other generations should be guided by .
But those four Evangelical defining points aren ’ t meant to be generational .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ believer should have clarity about the human condition , which is dead or alive , depending on that human ’ s relation to Christ .
If that matters to me ( God help me if it doesn ’ t ! )
than no matter what else I ’ m doing with my life , I ’ ll find time for communicating the only way to salvation to the people I know who are in need of it .
Now I ’ m just talking to myself , so if this isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But I am seeing more clearly than ever how settled I am within the Evangelical community , and how many of my efforts these past 30 plus years have been towards upbuilding , and even protecting the interests of , my own community .
Nothing wrong with that .
The apostles and pastors and teachers Paul described in Ephesians 4 were appointed by God for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ .
( Ephesians 4:11-13 ) So putting effort into the welfare of the Church is nothing to apologize for .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are listed in Ephesians 4 as well , and while most of us aren ’ t called to be a Greg Laurie or a Franklin Graham , it ’ s noteworthy that members of the early church , not just its leaders , preached the word wherever they found themselves .
( Acts 8:4 ) I find myself largely speaking to believers , and it ’ s an honor I love .
But I ’ m challenged to remember the life or death status of all people , and in response , maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new behaviors to our routine .
Among non-believers , you can freely share what you did over the weekend or what you spend your free time doing .
If church life figures largely into that , there ’ s a nice opening for you to casually mention the sermon topic you heard Sunday , or the person you prayed with , or the project you ’ re supporting , or whatever .
There ’ s nothing intrusive or overbearing about that ; it ’ s just a way of sharing who you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I believe , starving to be heard .
Really , that ’ s one of the greatest and most often unmet emotional needs folks have .
If by asking questions and listening carefully , you ’ re able to convey to someone your genuine interest in them and their life , that alone can open some awfully wide doors .
I ’ ve come to think , in fact , that our ears are two of our best evangelistic tools .
Let ’ s try showing the people in our lives that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by showing interest in them , then by listening actively and carefully when they respond .
In this relentlessly stressful season of waiting to see who the next U.S. President will be , people are anxious .
A listening ear can be one heck of a balm .
I find when I do witness ( not nearly enough which is my whole point here ) that I don ’ t get far repeating doctrinal points .
But when I talk about the Man Jesus Christ , who lived here and felt and wept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words , quite human , I get somewhere .
Plenty of people like to talk about Jesus when they don ’ t feel there ’ s a sales pitch coming on , and I know that my own tendency to want to “ close the deal ” by getting them saved right now might get in the way .
So it helps when I communicate not as someone who ’ s trying to manipulate a decision , but as a genuine witness who is testifying about Someone he knows and whose life he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of prayer and waiting , hoping whatever seeds were planted will come to fruition , and trusting God to do the convicting , enlightening , and faith imparting that we of course can not do .
This , to me , is simple but urgent .
I don ’ t want to be an un-evangelical Evangelical , nor to lose my edge .
Certain truths , if they ’ re important and clear , need to guide my actions .
Just like they used to .
So in this case , regressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad idea .
Joe Dallas is the Program Director of Genesis Biblical Counseling and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors .
His daily blog is Joe Dallas Online .
He is the author of Desires in Conflict , The Game Plan , and When Homosexuality Hits Home .
His latest book is Five Steps to Breaking Free from Porn .
Follow him on Twitter at @ JoeDallasTGP and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

Lord lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me,
And may I ever do my part to win that soul for Thee.
— gospel song by McKinney/Tucker
If I say I believe something, you’ll expect me to express that belief and to act on it. There should, after all, be some evidence to back the claim.
If there isn’t, then you’ll probably draw one of two conclusions: I don’t really believe what I say I believe, or I don’t think my belief is very important.
Which brings to mind what can be a disconnect between belief and expression among Evangelicals.
Meaning What?
The word itself needs to be revisited, because these days it’s applied too easily, and is often misunderstood. In response, the National Association of Evangelicals and LifeWay Research developed a four-point definition in the Fall of 2015, which I’m pretty comfortable with. According to this definition, an Evangelical would state:
The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe. It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin. Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.
That works. The Bible cited in Point 1 makes Points 3 and 4 clear, so if I believe Point 1, then Point 2 is my logical response.
Cue the tension music. When’s the last time I prayerfully, intentionally sought out a non-Christian friend, neighbor, or loved one, to share the gospel with?
In Love, On Fire
Jesus words to the Church at Ephesus stand out to me: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent.” (Revelation 2:5)
They stand out because when I was a young Christian, personal evangelism was more the norm than the exception. Certain things were business as usual, among them daily Bible reading, frequent fellowship, a robust prayer life, expectation of the Lord’s coming, and, of course, witnessing. (That’s a quaint little Boomer term for “evangelizing” in case you’re wondering.)
In those days, certain things were clear. People were saved or unsaved, doctrine was sound or false, a believer was spiritual or carnal. Granted, it’s wrong to see our own “good old days” as the standard other generations should be guided by. But those four Evangelical defining points aren’t meant to be generational. They’re eternal.
Seriously?
Any serious believer should have clarity about the human condition, which is dead or alive, depending on that human’s relation to Christ. If that matters to me (God help me if it doesn’t!) than no matter what else I’m doing with my life, I’ll find time for communicating the only way to salvation to the people I know who are in need of it.
Now I’m just talking to myself, so if this isn’t applicable to you, ignore me. But I am seeing more clearly than ever how settled I am within the Evangelical community, and how many of my efforts these past 30 plus years have been towards upbuilding, and even protecting the interests of, my own community.
Nothing wrong with that. The apostles and pastors and teachers Paul described in Ephesians 4 were appointed by God for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13) So putting effort into the welfare of the Church is nothing to apologize for.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
But it’s not enough. Evangelists are listed in Ephesians 4 as well, and while most of us aren’t called to be a Greg Laurie or a Franklin Graham, it’s noteworthy that members of the early church, not just its leaders, preached the word wherever they found themselves. (Acts 8:4)
I find myself largely speaking to believers, and it’s an honor I love. But I’m challenged to remember the life or death status of all people, and in response, maybe you and I both could add three new behaviors to our routine.
Talk About You
Among non-believers, you can freely share what you did over the weekend or what you spend your free time doing. If church life figures largely into that, there’s a nice opening for you to casually mention the sermon topic you heard Sunday, or the person you prayed with, or the project you’re supporting, or whatever. There’s nothing intrusive or overbearing about that; it’s just a way of sharing who you are and what you do.
Talk About Them
People are, I believe, starving to be heard. Really, that’s one of the greatest and most often unmet emotional needs folks have. If by asking questions and listening carefully, you’re able to convey to someone your genuine interest in them and their life, that alone can open some awfully wide doors.
I’ve come to think, in fact, that our ears are two of our best evangelistic tools. Let’s try showing the people in our lives that we want to know them, first by showing interest in them, then by listening actively and carefully when they respond. In this relentlessly stressful season of waiting to see who the next U.S. President will be, people are anxious. A listening ear can be one heck of a balm.
Talk About Him
I find when I do witness (not nearly enough which is my whole point here) that I don’t get far repeating doctrinal points. But when I talk about the Man Jesus Christ, who lived here and felt and wept and rejoiced and was, in other words, quite human, I get somewhere.
Plenty of people like to talk about Jesus when they don’t feel there’s a sales pitch coming on, and I know that my own tendency to want to “close the deal” by getting them saved right now might get in the way. So it helps when I communicate not as someone who’s trying to manipulate a decision, but as a genuine witness who is testifying about Someone he knows and whose life he’s studied.
Then comes the time of prayer and waiting, hoping whatever seeds were planted will come to fruition, and trusting God to do the convicting, enlightening, and faith imparting that we of course cannot do.
This, to me, is simple but urgent. I don’t want to be an un-evangelical Evangelical, nor to lose my edge. Certain truths, if they’re important and clear, need to guide my actions.
Just like they used to. So in this case, regressing to old behaviors might not be a bad idea.
Joe Dallas is the Program Director of Genesis Biblical Counseling and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. His daily blog is Joe Dallas Online. He is the author of Desires in Conflict, The Game Plan, and When Homosexuality Hits Home. His latest book is Five Steps to Breaking Free from Porn. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeDallasTGP and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
Originally published at JoeDallas.com. Republished with permission.


thestream--2020-11-08--Is the Bible Still Relevant Today?

Is the Bible Still Relevant Today?

Have you ever read verses like these and wondered just what it has to do with us ?
Um , we should not expect Timothy to show up anytime soon , nor is Epaphroditus on his way .
So what does it have to do with us then ?
Is the Bible stuck in a specific time and place ?
From verses like these , it sure looks like it is speaking to a time and place far from us !
Does this mean the Bible is irrelevant to us ?
How does the Bible work anyway ?
What the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we learn what the Bible is not .
Many Christians assume that what we have in the Bible is God speaking directly to the writers saying “ write this ” and they do so obediently .
It is as if we expect God just took control of the hands of the writers to jot down what we all need to know without the writer ’ s mind being involved in the process .
That is not what the Bible is .
Nor is it what the Bible says about itself : The Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is not God dictated .
It is , however , God-breathed .
From verses like those that mention Timothy and Epaphroditus we learn what the Bible is .
It is evidence of people responding to real events .
It is the evidence of God ’ s relationship with humanity , and how it works out in the lives of real people .
It is evidence of the reality of that relationship .
It includes all the twists and turns in that relationship .
It includes all the joyful moments , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes all the drama you will find in any relationship .
The clue is in the words “ testament , ” as in Old Testament , and New Testament .
The Bible is the testament , the testimony as to what our relationship with God has looked like over many centuries .
It is the testament of how God related to a specific people he called in order to bless all peoples .
It is the testament of how God revealed himself supremely through Jesus and how that revelation of himself played out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A key part of that testimony is that God created humanity for a love relationship , a relationship he was committed to despite our rebellion .
This was all done out of love .
“ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son ” ( John 3:16 , NIV ) .
Because God so loved the world that he would come to it in Jesus , it is reasonable to expect that he also so loves the world that he is not going to let the record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Therefore it makes sense that the Scriptures are “ God-breathed.
” They were written by people responding to various and specific events and circumstances , but God is in it , ensuring the testimony not be wrong .
What is written passes through the minds of the writers , yes , but it also comes from the heart of God .
This means that we can trust that God was involved in the creation of the Bible , from the situations that inspired the various writers , to the actual writing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some of the writings , to the collecting together of some writings together in volumes ( like the Book of Psalms ) , to the collecting together of all the Scriptures into one collection known as the Bible .
This all took a very long time .
We can expect that God was in it for the long haul .
To summarize , the Scriptures were not written to us , but they were written , collected and kept for us .
The Bible is an accurate testament to God ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a relationship that continues on to this day .
Knowing what the Bible isn ’ t and what it is , how do we read it today ?
• We read the Bible as deep and deepening people .
We read it prayerfully and expectantly .
We read with a desire to grow deeper in our relationship with God .
We read with a desire that the Holy Spirit would be as involved in our reading , as the Holy Spirit was involved in the writing .
• We read the Bible with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dive .
There are things that we instinctively know as we read .
For example , as we read the verses from Philippians quoted above , we don ’ t expect Timothy and Epaphroditus to show up .
There are things , however , that we don ’ t instinctively know .
For example , we may not know how slavery worked in ancient times .
Indeed some have used the Bible in an awful promotion of slavery because they have not read deeply and understood the context .
We also may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Testament times , and I could go on .
• We read the Bible with humility .
Because we don ’ t always have the background knowledge of specific situations , customs , and ways of thinking of the ancient peoples , we may not have the best interpretation of what we read .
There are words used in the original languages of Hebrew and Greek that even scholars are unsure of what they mean .
It is perfectly normal and appropriate for us to sometimes say “ I may not be understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bible with confidence .
Looking at the Bible from a “ secular ” perspective , we have the testimony of many people over many years , in various times and places , which all comes together in a remarkably unified testimony to the reality of God .
From the perspective of faith , when we trust that God loves us , we can trust that the Scriptures are worthy of our trust .
God would not go to great lengths in loving us , namely though Jesus and the cross , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error .
• We read the Bible with an eye open for “ training in righteousness ” ( 1 Timothy 3:16 , NIV ) .
Since we are in a series on Philippians , I could have preached a sermon on how there are people , like Timothy and Epaphroditus , who are good examples of those who have the mind of Christ .
Though there are many lessons to learn we don ’ t want to always be looking in the Bible only for the “ moral of the story , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Bible is much bigger than that , so … • We read the Bible with both eyes on the full story , the true story , the love story between God and humanity , the love story which we are invited to live into and become part of .
That Paul intended to send Epaphroditus , and later Timothy , to Philippi might not seem that relevant to us right now .
That is a very specific situation that already happened nearly two thousand years ago .
The fact , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sin has not changed .
The fact that Jesus is Lord and Savior has not changed .
The fact that we are invited into relationship with the Creator of the universe has not changed .
The Scriptures are “ able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus ” ( 2 Timothy 3:15 , NIV ) .
That also has not changed .
Therefore the Bible could not be more relevant to us today !
When we come across very specific and personal details in the Bible , we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bible were not written to us .
But they were written for us .
They couldn ’ t be more relevant to us in our day !
Clarke is the pastor of Calvary Baptist in Cobourg , Ontario .
He blogs at clarkedixon.wordpress.com .
Originally published on Clarke ’ s blog .
Reprinted with permission .

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you. … Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus — my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, your messenger and minister to my need (Philippians 2:19, 25 NRSV).
Have you ever read verses like these and wondered just what it has to do with us? Um, we should not expect Timothy to show up anytime soon, nor is Epaphroditus on his way. So what does it have to do with us then? Is the Bible stuck in a specific time and place? From verses like these, it sure looks like it is speaking to a time and place far from us! Does this mean the Bible is irrelevant to us? How does the Bible work anyway?
What the Bible is Not
Through verses like these we learn what the Bible is not. Many Christians assume that what we have in the Bible is God speaking directly to the writers saying “write this” and they do so obediently. It is as if we expect God just took control of the hands of the writers to jot down what we all need to know without the writer’s mind being involved in the process. That is not what the Bible is. Nor is it what the Bible says about itself:
[Y]ou have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, NIV, emphasis added).
The Bible itself confirms what the Bible is not. It is not God dictated. It is, however, God-breathed.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
From verses like those that mention Timothy and Epaphroditus we learn what the Bible is. It is evidence of people responding to real events. It is the evidence of God’s relationship with humanity, and how it works out in the lives of real people. It is evidence of the reality of that relationship. It includes all the twists and turns in that relationship. It includes all the joyful moments, and tragic moments in that relationship. It includes all the drama you will find in any relationship.
The Testament
The clue is in the words “testament,” as in Old Testament, and New Testament. The Bible is the testament, the testimony as to what our relationship with God has looked like over many centuries. It is the testament of how God related to a specific people he called in order to bless all peoples. It is the testament of how God revealed himself supremely through Jesus and how that revelation of himself played out in the lives of real people.
A key part of that testimony is that God created humanity for a love relationship, a relationship he was committed to despite our rebellion. This was all done out of love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16, NIV). Because God so loved the world that he would come to it in Jesus, it is reasonable to expect that he also so loves the world that he is not going to let the record of his love be false or lost.
Therefore it makes sense that the Scriptures are “God-breathed.” They were written by people responding to various and specific events and circumstances, but God is in it, ensuring the testimony not be wrong. What is written passes through the minds of the writers, yes, but it also comes from the heart of God.
This means that we can trust that God was involved in the creation of the Bible, from the situations that inspired the various writers, to the actual writing, to the editing that may have happened in some of the writings, to the collecting together of some writings together in volumes (like the Book of Psalms), to the collecting together of all the Scriptures into one collection known as the Bible. This all took a very long time. We can expect that God was in it for the long haul.
To summarize, the Scriptures were not written to us, but they were written, collected and kept for us. The Bible is an accurate testament to God’s relationship with us over many centuries, a relationship that continues on to this day.
Knowing what the Bible isn’t and what it is, how do we read it today?
We read the Bible as deep and deepening people. We read it prayerfully and expectantly. We read with a desire to grow deeper in our relationship with God. We read with a desire that the Holy Spirit would be as involved in our reading, as the Holy Spirit was involved in the writing.
We read it prayerfully and expectantly. We read with a desire to grow deeper in our relationship with God. We read with a desire that the Holy Spirit would be as involved in our reading, as the Holy Spirit was involved in the writing. We read the Bible with a thoughtful reading, with a deep dive. There are things that we instinctively know as we read. For example, as we read the verses from Philippians quoted above, we don’t expect Timothy and Epaphroditus to show up. There are things, however, that we don’t instinctively know. For example, we may not know how slavery worked in ancient times. Indeed some have used the Bible in an awful promotion of slavery because they have not read deeply and understood the context. We also may not know how apocalyptic literature worked in New Testament times, and I could go on.
There are things that we instinctively know as we read. For example, as we read the verses from Philippians quoted above, we don’t expect Timothy and Epaphroditus to show up. There are things, however, that we don’t instinctively know. For example, we may not know how slavery worked in ancient times. Indeed some have used the Bible in an awful promotion of slavery because they have not read deeply and understood the context. We also may not know how apocalyptic literature worked in New Testament times, and I could go on. We read the Bible with humility. Because we don’t always have the background knowledge of specific situations, customs, and ways of thinking of the ancient peoples, we may not have the best interpretation of what we read. There are words used in the original languages of Hebrew and Greek that even scholars are unsure of what they mean. It is perfectly normal and appropriate for us to sometimes say “I may not be understanding this correctly.”
Because we don’t always have the background knowledge of specific situations, customs, and ways of thinking of the ancient peoples, we may not have the best interpretation of what we read. There are words used in the original languages of Hebrew and Greek that even scholars are unsure of what they mean. It is perfectly normal and appropriate for us to sometimes say “I may not be understanding this correctly.” We read the Bible with confidence. Looking at the Bible from a “secular” perspective, we have the testimony of many people over many years, in various times and places, which all comes together in a remarkably unified testimony to the reality of God. From the perspective of faith, when we trust that God loves us, we can trust that the Scriptures are worthy of our trust. God would not go to great lengths in loving us, namely though Jesus and the cross, and then allow the testimony to be full of error.
Looking at the Bible from a “secular” perspective, we have the testimony of many people over many years, in various times and places, which all comes together in a remarkably unified testimony to the reality of God. From the perspective of faith, when we trust that God loves us, we can trust that the Scriptures are worthy of our trust. God would not go to great lengths in loving us, namely though Jesus and the cross, and then allow the testimony to be full of error. We read the Bible with an eye open for “training in righteousness” (1 Timothy 3:16, NIV). Since we are in a series on Philippians, I could have preached a sermon on how there are people, like Timothy and Epaphroditus, who are good examples of those who have the mind of Christ. Though there are many lessons to learn we don’t want to always be looking in the Bible only for the “moral of the story,” for lessons on how to live. The Bible is much bigger than that, so …
(1 Timothy 3:16, NIV). Since we are in a series on Philippians, I could have preached a sermon on how there are people, like Timothy and Epaphroditus, who are good examples of those who have the mind of Christ. Though there are many lessons to learn we don’t want to always be looking in the Bible only for the “moral of the story,” for lessons on how to live. The Bible is much bigger than that, so … We read the Bible with both eyes on the full story, the true story, the love story between God and humanity, the love story which we are invited to live into and become part of.
That Paul intended to send Epaphroditus, and later Timothy, to Philippi might not seem that relevant to us right now. That is a very specific situation that already happened nearly two thousand years ago. The fact, however, that people are separated from God through sin has not changed. The fact that Jesus is Lord and Savior has not changed. The fact that we are invited into relationship with the Creator of the universe has not changed. The Scriptures are “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15, NIV). That also has not changed. Therefore the Bible could not be more relevant to us today!
When we come across very specific and personal details in the Bible, we are reminded that the writings that make up the Bible were not written to us. But they were written for us. They couldn’t be more relevant to us in our day!
(The full reflection can be seen as part of the “online worship expression” from October 4.)
Clarke is the pastor of Calvary Baptist in Cobourg, Ontario. He blogs at clarkedixon.wordpress.com. Originally published on Clarke’s blog. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-11-08--God Will Have the Last Laugh

God Will Have the Last Laugh

This past Saturday , I took a break from writing and glanced at some online college football scores .
It was then that I learned that Liberty University was playing , tied 35-35 with Virginia Tech , with only seconds remaining .
Liberty was 6-0 and ranked 25th nationally , quite an accomplishment for this growing program .
And since our eldest grandchild , Elianna , is a sophomore at Liberty , I decided to watch the closing seconds of the game .
So , I clicked on a link on my screen which took me straight to the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointing .
Somehow , although Liberty had the ball only moments before , the score on the screen told a different story .
VT was leading 41-35 , with almost no time left .
What happened ?
Then I saw the replay : Liberty tried to kick a long field goal , but it was blocked and returned for a touchdown .
Then , suddenly , the screen changed , and it was back to 35-35 .
How could this be ?
It was as if time was being reversed .
What happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal attempt , the coach of VT called a timeout , nullifying the play that followed .
Moments later , Liberty had won the game , 38-35 .
They got a second chance .
The bad ending was reversed .
A Lesson Here for Us A few days ago , there were massive , pro-Trump crowds , celebrating at his raucous rallies in anticipation of his impending victory .
On Saturday night , crowds were dancing in the streets , jubilant over Trump ’ s defeat .
God will have the last laugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties and even politics itself .
Psalm 2 describes a dramatic scene , as the kings of the earth plot their revolt against God and His anointed king ( which Christians apply to Jesus ) .
“ Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain ?
The kings of the earth set themselves , and the rulers take counsel together , against the LORD and against his Anointed , saying , ‘ Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.
’ “ He who sits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holds them in derision .
Then he will speak to them in his wrath , and terrify them in his fury , saying , ‘ As for me , I have set my King on Zion , my holy hill.
’ ” ( Psalm 2:1-6 ) .
That ’ s why I ’ m not moved by massive crowds for a candidate I voted for .
Or discouraged by dancing crowds celebrating that candidate ’ s defeat .
These are but tiny blips on the massive arch of history .
These , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the present elections , the end of the Liberty-Virginia Tech game could be repeated .
The score , so to say , could be reversed .
The victory could change to defeat .
Blue could flip to red .
Or things could remain the same .
Joseph Biden could be sworn in as president in January .
Kamala Harris might one day succeed him .
This , too , is not the end of the world .
This , too , is just another chapter in a much longer story .
God will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Worst Comes ?
And what if our worst fears are realized ?
What if years of pro-life progress are undone ?
What if our religious liberties are really attacked ?
What if the nation lurches towards an anti-God socialism ?
What if our policies prove disastrous for Israel and the Middle East .
That would be truly dreadful .
That would be a painful , tragic scenario .
That would be terrible for the generations to come .
But God will have the last laugh , since our hope has never been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party .
Perhaps the unveiling of the left will be its undoing .
Perhaps the Democratic party will experience an awakening ( stranger things have happened ) .
Perhaps conservative people of faith will learn to trust God more than the Republicans .
Perhaps , if the courts agree that Biden has won , we will look back to the Trump defeat as something positive in the long-term .
However things play out , I know that God is working out a multi-generational plan .
That means we should be people who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the entirety of our lives .
More than 1900 years ago in Rome , a common prisoner was put to death by a crazed emperor .
Paul was beheaded by Nero .
Centuries later , as one author pointed out , people named their dogs Nero and their sons Paul .
God always has the last laugh .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter or YouTube .

This past Saturday, I took a break from writing and glanced at some online college football scores. It was then that I learned that Liberty University was playing, tied 35-35 with Virginia Tech, with only seconds remaining.
Liberty was 6-0 and ranked 25th nationally, quite an accomplishment for this growing program. And since our eldest grandchild, Elianna, is a sophomore at Liberty, I decided to watch the closing seconds of the game.
So, I clicked on a link on my screen which took me straight to the game, but what I saw was really disappointing.
Somehow, although Liberty had the ball only moments before, the score on the screen told a different story. VT was leading 41-35, with almost no time left. What happened?
Then I saw the replay: Liberty tried to kick a long field goal, but it was blocked and returned for a touchdown.
Game over. VT wins.
Then, suddenly, the screen changed, and it was back to 35-35. How could this be? It was as if time was being reversed.
What happened was that, immediately before the field goal attempt, the coach of VT called a timeout, nullifying the play that followed.
Moments later, Liberty had won the game, 38-35. They got a second chance. The bad ending was reversed.
A Lesson Here for Us
A few days ago, there were massive, pro-Trump crowds, celebrating at his raucous rallies in anticipation of his impending victory.
On Saturday night, crowds were dancing in the streets, jubilant over Trump’s defeat.
What will happen tomorrow?
God will have the last laugh, and that laugh will transcend political parties and even politics itself.
Psalm 2 describes a dramatic scene, as the kings of the earth plot their revolt against God and His anointed king (which Christians apply to Jesus).
“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’ “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’” (Psalm 2:1-6).
That’s why I’m not moved by massive crowds for a candidate I voted for. Or discouraged by dancing crowds celebrating that candidate’s defeat.
These are but tiny blips on the massive arch of history. These, too, will pass.
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In terms of the present elections, the end of the Liberty-Virginia Tech game could be repeated. The score, so to say, could be reversed. The victory could change to defeat. Blue could flip to red.
Or things could remain the same. Joseph Biden could be sworn in as president in January. Kamala Harris might one day succeed him.
This, too, is not the end of the world. This, too, is just another chapter in a much longer story. God will have the last laugh.
What if the Worst Comes?
And what if our worst fears are realized? What if years of pro-life progress are undone? What if our religious liberties are really attacked? What if the nation lurches towards an anti-God socialism? What if our policies prove disastrous for Israel and the Middle East.
That would be truly dreadful. That would be a painful, tragic scenario. That would be terrible for the generations to come.
But God will have the last laugh, since our hope has never been in a political leader or a political party.
Perhaps the unveiling of the left will be its undoing. Perhaps the Democratic party will experience an awakening (stranger things have happened). Perhaps conservative people of faith will learn to trust God more than the Republicans. Perhaps, if the courts agree that Biden has won, we will look back to the Trump defeat as something positive in the long-term.
However things play out, I know that God is working out a multi-generational plan.
However things play out, I know that God is working out a multi-generational plan. That means we should be people who have persevering faith – a faith that endures through the entirety of our lives.
More than 1900 years ago in Rome, a common prisoner was put to death by a crazed emperor. Paul was beheaded by Nero.
Centuries later, as one author pointed out, people named their dogs Nero and their sons Paul.
God always has the last laugh.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-11-08--How to Biblically Handle Your Post-Election Triggered Self

I called the outcome of election night well before election night .
Well , at least the non-outcome of it .
If someone like myself could figure out months before election day the race wouldn ’ t be called decisively , surely state governments could have done something to get all legally cast votes counted on time ?
Seriously , spare us the drama .
The last thing this country needed was a chaotic election on top of a chaotic year .
Many of us find ourselves reliving the PTSD emotions of earlier 2020 days .
Remember those nagging feelings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right after WHO declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic ?
Throw in a smattering of frustration and suspicion and that ’ s where I was the day after the election .
2020 has taught me some invaluable life lessons that only come from going through various trials .
Now post-election , those lessons are being put to the test .
I completed this real-life crash course during COVID lockdowns , but I guess I needed a refresher .
A tweet forwarded to me purported that the night after the election , Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its tally without a single vote for Trump .
I believed it .
Why ?
It was in line with my bias .
Because Trump is so hated by the Left , powerful forces behind the scenes will do anything to cause him to lose this election , even if by criminal means .
The lesson here is while our biases may have truth in them , they can also cause us to see incoming information from only one perspective .
That can be dangerous , divisive , and misleading .
Turns out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error and corrected it .
In the words of writer James Geary , “ The mind revels in conjecture .
Where information is lacking , it will gladly fill in the gaps.
” How easy is this to do when there is partial understanding or missing facts !
As post-election events unfold , let ’ s ask God in faith for supernatural wisdom to be able to maturely respond , so that we might find ourselves anchored in one place , not tossed by the driving waves and steering winds around us ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solomon , one of the wisest men to have ever lived , urged us : “ Get wisdom ; get insight.
” Wisdom “ will keep you .
Love her and she will guard you ” ( Proverbs 4:5-6 ) .
In retrospect , I realize I was angry at a perceived injustice ( potential voter fraud ) .
In my anger , I hastily ingested information , that while validating my perception , quickly proved false .
Make Your Appeals Known to God But certain injustices are worth the anger and action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaints ?
The heaviness and worry we feel in our hearts is real .
The “ what ifs ” weigh on us much like carrying around 50 lb .
bricks all day long .
Add in the realization of how divided we are as a nation , and we find ourselves experiencing bouts of sadness for an America that we don ’ t see coming back , no matter how this election turns out .
We have a decision to make : Do we feed ourselves more social media posts , more news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears ?
Or do we do the opposite of what we feel ?
Do we pull away and aside to prayer , airing it all out with God ?
Obeying Philippians 4:6 makes it so anxiety doesn ’ t win as we take thoughts , concerns , and conjectures to God in prayer , believing He hears and answer us in faithfulness .
This practice promises peace , and one that we possess even though it makes no sense to have it , guarding our hearts and insulating our minds .
Understand Where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our natural default mechanism is fighting our battles out of what we see and assess in our circumstances .
But Paul tells us the battle is above us , not beside us .
“ For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood , but against the rulers , against the authorities , against the cosmic powers over this present darkness , against the spiritual forces in evil in the heavenly places ” ( Ephesians 6:12 ) .
In II Chronicles 20 , after feeling overwhelmed by advancing enemy hordes , King Jehoshaphat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Do not be afraid , for the battle is not yours , but God ’ s ” ( 20:15 ) .
When we understand who we are really fighting against and Who is fighting for us — and where this battle is taking place — our perspective is forever changed .
It ’ s changed from temporal to eternal , from seen to unseen , from our strength to God ’ s .
This understanding empowers us to be unlike those around us : grounded in faith , confident in affliction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the story ends : God wins and we ’ re on his team .
That makes us winners , too .
In the end , this is how we should carry ourselves no matter the election outcome : as victors in Christ .
Our eternal victory through Christ transcends this election , this year and carries us all the way to our heavenly finish line .
Annemarie McLean is a four-girl mom , freelance writer , and co-founder of Brave & Beautiful , a ministry focused on challenging young women to live purpose-driven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while developing Christ-centered inner beauty .
Annemarie holds a journalism degree from Oral Roberts University , with graduate work in organizational leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University .

I called the outcome of election night well before election night. Well, at least the non-outcome of it. If someone like myself could figure out months before election day the race wouldn’t be called decisively, surely state governments could have done something to get all legally cast votes counted on time? Seriously, spare us the drama.
The last thing this country needed was a chaotic election on top of a chaotic year. Many of us find ourselves reliving the PTSD emotions of earlier 2020 days. Remember those nagging feelings of fear, anxiety, and helplessness right after WHO declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic?
Throw in a smattering of frustration and suspicion and that’s where I was the day after the election. 2020 has taught me some invaluable life lessons that only come from going through various trials. Now post-election, those lessons are being put to the test.
Be Slow to Make Assumptions
I completed this real-life crash course during COVID lockdowns, but I guess I needed a refresher. A tweet forwarded to me purported that the night after the election, Michigan added more than 138,000 Biden votes to its tally without a single vote for Trump. I believed it.
Why? It was in line with my bias. Because Trump is so hated by the Left, powerful forces behind the scenes will do anything to cause him to lose this election, even if by criminal means.
The lesson here is while our biases may have truth in them, they can also cause us to see incoming information from only one perspective. That can be dangerous, divisive, and misleading. Turns out, upon fact-checking, tabulators made an error and corrected it.
In the words of writer James Geary, “The mind revels in conjecture. Where information is lacking, it will gladly fill in the gaps.” How easy is this to do when there is partial understanding or missing facts!
Supernatural Wisdom
As post-election events unfold, let’s ask God in faith for supernatural wisdom to be able to maturely respond, so that we might find ourselves anchored in one place, not tossed by the driving waves and steering winds around us (James 1: 5-6). King Solomon, one of the wisest men to have ever lived, urged us: “Get wisdom; get insight.” Wisdom “will keep you. Love her and she will guard you” (Proverbs 4:5-6).
In retrospect, I realize I was angry at a perceived injustice (potential voter fraud). In my anger, I hastily ingested information, that while validating my perception, quickly proved false.
Make Your Appeals Known to God
But certain injustices are worth the anger and action, so where do we take those complaints? The heaviness and worry we feel in our hearts is real.
The “what ifs” weigh on us much like carrying around 50 lb. bricks all day long. Add in the realization of how divided we are as a nation, and we find ourselves experiencing bouts of sadness for an America that we don’t see coming back, no matter how this election turns out.
We have a decision to make: Do we feed ourselves more social media posts, more news, and more information, stoking our fears? Or do we do the opposite of what we feel? Do we pull away and aside to prayer, airing it all out with God?
Obeying Philippians 4:6 makes it so anxiety doesn’t win as we take thoughts, concerns, and conjectures to God in prayer, believing He hears and answer us in faithfulness. This practice promises peace, and one that we possess even though it makes no sense to have it, guarding our hearts and insulating our minds.
Understand Where the Real Battle Is and Fight There
Our natural default mechanism is fighting our battles out of what we see and assess in our circumstances. But Paul tells us the battle is above us, not beside us. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces in evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
In II Chronicles 20, after feeling overwhelmed by advancing enemy hordes, King Jehoshaphat was encouraged by Jahaziel who said, “Do not be afraid, for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (20:15).
When we understand who we are really fighting against and Who is fighting for us — and where this battle is taking place — our perspective is forever changed. It’s changed from temporal to eternal, from seen to unseen, from our strength to God’s. This understanding empowers us to be unlike those around us: grounded in faith, confident in affliction, persevering in hope. We know how the story ends: God wins and we’re on his team.
That makes us winners, too. In the end, this is how we should carry ourselves no matter the election outcome: as victors in Christ. Our eternal victory through Christ transcends this election, this year and carries us all the way to our heavenly finish line.
Annemarie McLean is a four-girl mom, freelance writer, and co-founder of Brave & Beautiful, a ministry focused on challenging young women to live purpose-driven lives full of courage and character, while developing Christ-centered inner beauty. Annemarie holds a journalism degree from Oral Roberts University, with graduate work in organizational leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University.