Micah 5:2  “But as for you Bethlehem Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel.  His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

As Christmas carols ring in our ears and are welcomed into our thoughts and hearts this time of the year as this little town of Bethlehem is brought to mind once again. We imagine the shepherds watching over their sheep right outside the town that night, when suddenly an angel appears announcing the birth of the Messiah.  Then suddenly multitudes of angels joining in the celebration surrounded by a great light contrasted against the dark sky.  Fear is their first emotion, but the angel quiets their hearts with the words “Do not not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manager”. 

Lets stop for just a moment and take a closer look.  A little history in regard to the shepherds allows us to know that shepherds in general were not allowed to graze their flocks anywhere near a city because of the smell. But yet we are told in scripture that these shepherds were right outside Bethlehem with their flocks.  It appears in the Jewish Mishnah and other early historical sources, that the Shepherds of the Annunciation were different than other shepherds.  Pasturing their flock in close proximity and at prescribed distances from Jerusalem, this unique group had the responsibility of raising sheep that would be destined to be sacrificed at the Temple in Jerusalem about six miles away. And if so, they would have been well versed in the ritual requirements, and well practiced at providing lambs without blemish for the sin offering of Israel.  It would have been these shepherds that were the first ones to encounter “The Lamb of God”.

 It would be Bethlehem, (in Hebrew “The House of Bread”), that would behold “The Bread of Life”.  Just a coincidence or providential you might wonder.  Bethlehem was the place of David’s birth. He had been a shepherd in those same fields.  It was the place where Samuel, the priest and prophet, anointed David to be the King of Israel.  There is in fact to this day a crumbling watchtower still intact there named “Migdal Eder”.  Hebrew for the “Tower of the Flock” mentioned several times in the Old Testament and thought to have been built to guard the sacred flocks that grazed nearby against robbers or animals or anything that could cause a blemish. It is located within 1000 paces on the outskirts of town where it has been placed by tradition since the time of Jerome.

What an amazing possibility.  Bethlehem would be the most significant place for Jesus to be born, among the sacrificial lambs and the message brought to these lowly shepherds who because of their very profession were barred from participating in the religious activities of their own faith. The Bible account does not seem to show that they thought it unusual to find a baby in a manager or had much trouble finding him there.  It would be the perfect place, the perfect setting announced to a group of shepherds that understood the sacrificial system and were awaiting their Messiah.  Does that not amaze you that God in all His majesty planned an event so grand in a place such as this to reveal the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

So this Christmas, I have determined to take time to look a bit closer at the shepherds on that greeting card.  I won’t rush past the display on my neighbor’s

front lawn and I will experience a little more reverence when singing “While shepherd’s watch their flocks by night”.  The bottom line:  With a wider perspective on the issues of forever, I will ponder the idea that God’s plan is ultimately more perfect than I can possibly imagine. That His attention to detail is superior to NASA and that there is a good reason why the King of all Time and Space has no need to consult us humans for strategy or advice.

Lets worship Him with a deeper understanding of who He is and for the amazing plan of God before the foundations of the world was set into place.  If He can orchestrate such things does He not have a plan for you and me and will He not faithfully oversee its completion as we allow Him entrance.

May you be richly blessed this Christmas season expecting God to show up in the most simple and surprising ways.

Luke 24:44 “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me

Paul Stanley 
November 29, 1941—Thanksgiving Day 2020

And the servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient. 2 Tim 2:24

I met Paul Stanley in the early 90’s after moving to Colorado Springs with the ministry of Every Home For Christ.  He stands as one of the most amazing men I have ever had the privilege to call my friend.  What drew me to him was his dedication to building leaders—Paul demonstrated through his life what it means to be a servant leader in ways I had not previously seen.  I call it Inside-Out Leadership.  The kind of leadership that emanates from a tender heart submitted to the greatest leader of all time—Jesus.

Around 2008 I was tasked with producing a plan for ministry to men in the local church that would serve as a model for a local mega church here as well as a templet that could be used by churches anywhere.  My plan was to extend an invitation to eleven other men who would form a team of twelve that consisted of three men for each of four different life-stage age groups.  The plan was to meet weekly for at least one year before putting our plan on paper.  I wanted us to become to each other first what we intended to reproduce.

Paul Stanley was an anchor for this team.  We met every week for a year and then went away for a powerful three-day retreat into the local mountains to put our plan together.  To this day that plan is being used by countless churches virtually around the world.  It has life because it was birthed organically and not organizationally.  I still remember leaders who were blown away by listening to Paul’s segment of our roll-out presentation.

Then, late Winter/early Spring 2010 I was putting together a major men’s ministry leadership conference in Colorado Springs for the National Coalition Of Ministry To Men (NCMM) at Glen Erie, headquarters for The Navigators where Paul worked for so many years.  I will never forget this event.  Over 100 of the most noted men’s ministry and denominational leaders from around the world were there.  We were even hosted by Dr. James Dobson at Focus On The Family for a special luncheon.  That led to our doing back-to-back broadcasts on their radio program the following week.

Because I was coordinating the event I asked Paul Stanley to be our opening plenary speaker.  That opening morning was so very special on so many levels.  I arrived late as I was visiting my wife at her rehab center that morning.  Just a few weeks earlier after spending several months in intensive care we were told that Cindy would not survive.  I remember on this morning having some hope for the first time.  Her recovery was a true miracle.

So, after some opening remarks and welcoming, I had the privilege of introducing my friend Paul Stanley.  I assumed not many of those in attendance knew Paul.  However, as Paul walked up after my intro I noticed some strange murmuring and body language from many who were in the audience.  It was a reaction I was not able to understand until after Paul was done and one of the most powerful illustrations of leadership I have ever witnessed.

You see, unknown to me, when most of these leaders entered the Great Hall that morning they had already met Paul.  Paul greeted everyone who entered as he set up virtually all the chairs in that ballroom.  He never mentioned who he was other than to give his name.  He simply kept on setting up chairs and engaging these men in meaningful conversation as he did.  Most of these leaders thought Paul was part of the facility setup team or on the janitorial staff.  When they observed this precious man moving toward the podium to deliver the opening message they were blown away.

It was not until after Paul finished and many of these leaders approached me that I discovered what really happened.  These men were not impacted by the powerful message that Paul brought, though it truly was.  They were impressed by Paul.  You see, on that morning Paul Stanley was a man who needed no introduction.  He was already known.  Not by accolades or his resume, but rather, who he is.  Paul’s talk that morning was on leadership.  His audience experienced the essence of his message long before he uttered his first words from that podium. 

Look again at our opening verse, 2 Tim 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.  To these leaders it was obvious that Paul was gentle, obviously able to teach and most of all, patient and kind.  The introduction was not necessary nor was it called for on Thanksgiving Day when Paul approached the throngs in Heaven around God’s Throne who were applauding and welcoming him into the presence of his King.

My prayer for all of us is that we can take away from this incredible man’s story some implications for us.  Are we becoming the kind of men and women that need no introduction?  Or, do we need to remind people of our resumes and accomplishments?  For me, the desire of my heart is to become the kind of man, like my friend Paul, who demonstrates the life and love of Jesus to everyone I encounter.

Where do we go from here?

Have you ever noticed that a staggering number of the Kings referenced in the old testament were wicked?  Over and over we read the words, and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord.  Of course we know that there were good Kings too.  There is something else we should note that is the most important part of this amazing unfolding of human history…God is there at every step of the way.  It is by far the most marvelous and important part of the story.  It is the truth that gave hope then and that hope continues to this day.

So dear ones, our opening question, where do we go from here has an obvious answer.  Forward!  Forward with the knowledge that God is still on the throne and still involved in the affairs of man.  Forward with the peace and certainty that He loves us and that His important mission for us has not changed, His Kingdom come.  Forward in the way that the great Apostle encourages us in Philippians 3:13-14,  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

For some time now I have been saying that this election is not a referendum on Donald Trump or Joe Biden, but rather, on the church.  As of this writing it appears that Joe Biden is being declared the winner, not with-standing a number of legal challenges which could reveal major corruption.  No matter what happens, or your preference here, let us for the purpose of this conversation assume this is the case and Biden is our new President.  I am persuaded that we are entering into an opportunity for our witness to have power it has not had in our nation to date.

This power can only be manifest if we, as the Body of Christ, raise up and respond in a way that demands an explanation.  Not unlike Paul and Silas singing spiritual hymns in the jail when an earthquake busted the doors open, and deciding not to leave when a normal person would have.  Do you remember what happened?  The jailer was so blown away by their response that he asked, sirs, what must I do to be saved.  The result?  He and his whole family were ushered into God’s Kingdom.  All because he saw something in Paul and Silas that confounded him…this is what the world needs to experience from us right now.

What many people are expecting is what they witnessed after the last election.  Years of whining, crying, complaining, lying and bickering.  This would probably be normal to most.  That is exactly why we cannot go there—we are NOT normal.  We are called to be a counter-culture, set apart and different.  Jesus wants us to maintain a positive and loving attitude toward everyone.  He would want us to pray as fervently for Joe Biden as we might have for Donald Trump. My friends this may be the greatest test of the Church in America in our history and the spiritual condition of our nation, and perhaps the world, is on the line.  What will history record?

My great concern right now is not where our nation may be headed but rather where what we refer to as the Church of Jesus Christ may be going.  This is a defining moment.  Are we going to be the real church and focus on what Jesus is calling us to do, or are we going to try to just get back to business as usual?  My friends, business as usual did not work and may be the single biggest contributing factor to why we find ourselves in the condition we are in today.

Please understand that I am not being naïve here.  Do I expect that religious freedoms may be challenged and we could experience heightened levels of persecution…yes.  It may happen at speeds that are dizzying.  We need to expect push back—Jesus did.  We also need to be thoughtful in planning out our future in the light of these new realities.  It is time for all of us but especially Pastors and senior church leaders to go to the whiteboard and prayerfully lay out new strategies for our missions.

I want to put forth some questions to ponder both personally and as church leaders as we go through this next challenging but exciting season:

• Am I, are our people truly prepared for the persecution that is coming?
• Are we as a church willing to preach the truth of the Word of God even if threatened with serious fines and prison? (it has, and continues to happen today in many parts of the world)
• How do I, the church respond to the loss of our tax exempt status?
• Do I, we need to reconsider how resources are being used? (perhaps building expansions or purchases need to be delayed or cancelled)
• Are there activities, church programs that need to be re-evaluated moving forward?
• Should there be an increased effort to expand home groups or house churches? (might this become a forced reality?)
• Should we get more serious and invest more strategically in mechanisms for digital teaching?
• Should we be seriously considering becoming The Amazon Church? Reversing the big box attraction model in favor of bringing the product into the community/neighborhood. (article on this forthcoming)

I know that in my church our Pastor and entire leadership team will be entering into a time of strategic prayer and lengthy discussions regarding our future.  Every ministry and current strategy will be on the table for adjustment.  We are excited and believing that we are here—right now—for such a time as this. 

As I close I would ask you to ponder these words found in Amos 5:21-24 (NLT) 

I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won't even notice all your choice peace offerings.  Away with your hymns of praise! They are only noise to my ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry.

This will be my last communication with you before our 2020 national election.

As I write this TargetPoint we have less than four weeks before the most important election in the history of America.  Even as I say that, there are those who would say I am exaggerating.  Let’s take a look.

What Donald Trump and the Republican party stands for:
(Excerpted from a letter to an anti-Trump Christian friend by Professor Wayne Grudem)

• Originalist judges, pro-life policies, a stronger military, a free-market economic system, lower taxes, fewer government regulations, strong support for Israel,  clearheaded recognition of the economic, military, and information threat of China, a high value placed on human freedom, personal accountability for committing crimes, good jobs and school choice as the best way to help the poor, a strong border wall and a secure border, followed by a comprehensive reform of our immigration system, careful extraction and clean use of carbon-based fuels (coal, oil, natural gas).
• Freedom of conscience (government should not force Christians to use their artistic skills to convey a message of approval of same-sex marriage or to use their medical skills to perform an abortion, or to use their pharmacies as the distribution point for drugs that cause abortion) 
• Greater availability of tax-supported school choice in low-income neighborhoods, economic growth resulting in more and better jobs, an increase in safety through an increase in police presence, medical marijuana should be allowed (with a prescription from a doctor) but recreational marijuana should be prohibited.
• Restrooms, locker rooms, and single-gender sports teams should be restricted to people of one biological sex or the other.           

What Joe Biden and the Democrat party stands for:

Starting with pretty much the opposite of the entire list above here are some additional considerations to think about:

• They will nullify the Senate filibuster rule (both Obama and Biden have recently spoken about this) so that all legislation can be passed with only 50 senators plus the vice president casting the tie-breaking vote. 
• Support the rising influence of judges who are not constrained by the original meaning of the words of the Constitution or of the laws, perhaps even adding six additional seats to the Supreme Court in order to be able to give the court a new 10-5 majority of such justices (this could be done with control of both the House, the Senate, and the presidency).
• Grant statehood to both Washington DC and Puerto Rico, thus adding four more Democrats to the U.S. Senate.
• Support draconian laws that compel an artistic professional or a professional counselor to affirm the validity of same-sex marriage even when that is contrary to the professional person’s conscience.
• Reinstate the Obama-era guidelines that required schools to allow biological males who claim to be transgender females to use girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers (the guidelines were canceled by Trump). 
• Allow biological males to compete in women’s sports, setting new statewide records in women’s track events and other sports.
• Pass multiple new, extremely strict green energy laws that will massively increase energy costs and therefore will also increase the cost of everything that is made or transported with the use of energy.
• Seek to defund the police (to be precise, Biden has said he favors “redirecting” some police funding to other programs, which is a partial “defunding” of police, which will lead predictably to a substantial increase in crime).
• Use violence and intimidation to nullify freedom of speech (in practice) for those who disagree with them politically.
• Support open borders and sanctuary cities in defiance of the law.
• Promote a complete federal government takeover of our healthcare system.

Anyone with a modest degree of discernment and a basic grasp of human history can see where we are headed—socialism followed by outright communism.  Please understand that there are a lot of people who truly believe this is the best for America.  They have been persuaded that the great American experiment is a failure.  It began almost a century ago and has continued as a deliberate attempt to overthrow everything our great nation was built upon.

We have allowed Marxist, Leninist professors to infiltrate our educational institutions and brainwash our kids.  I remember the words of the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in the early 60’s:  We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism, until they suddenly awake to find they have communism. 

He went on to say, we will bury you from within.  That is exactly what will happen dear ones if we do nothing.  NOT VOTING IS NOT AN OPTION—IT IS THE OUTRIGHT SURRENDER OF OUR NATION.

Have you ever wondered how our society arrived at this challenging and tumultuous time?  Follow the trail and learn how our enemy has leveraged the human condition to suit his purposes and destroy our world.

It all began with his famous words from the Garden, Surely God would not… This is still being used today—challenging our view of God and questioning His moral code for living.  Well, Adam and Eve fell and sin entered our world.  Before this they had the perfect situation.  God created the perfect ecosystem and relationship covering which brought about what He knew man needed—peace and security.

After their sin that all changed.  They now found themselves out from underneath the covering of their heavenly Father.  They are now dealing with fear and insecurity for the very first time.  Though underserved, God in an amazing display of grace and compassion puts in place a way for them to recover that peace and security through what we know as the sacrificial system.

That system went on throughout the old testament history up to the time of Christ.  Then, God did the most incredible thing—He sent His Son Jesus to die on a cross for us, eliminating forever the need for sacrifices by becoming the ultimate one.  We now have everything we need to recover that sense of peace and security through our intimate relationship with our loving Father.

In addition to this God also knew that man needed some earthly institutions in order to help secure and maintain their sense of peace and well-being.  There are three, the family, church and government.  When these institutions work the way God intended we are blessed and protected—when they fail we fall back into fear.  My friends, today we can see that all three of these are seriously broken.

The family was designed to produce the most important earthly institution for our growth and well-being.  Today the nuclear family has been attacked and devastated.  Fatherlessness is the number one cause of most of our social ills.  The church, perhaps the last bastion left for security and a sense of family has all but abandoned her main reason for existence—preaching the gospel and making disciples.

The government, designed to establish moral principles and protect, is truly missing in action.  The enemy has successfully infiltrated all three of these institutions and created havoc.  It is, and always has been his plan.  The result of all of this is exactly what we are seeing today and totally predictable—FEAR!

The breakdown of our institutions, challenges being put forth by our culture regarding the existence of God, and Marxist/Creative Theory teachings, have combined to produce at least three generations of people who are fearful, insecure and lost.  The Media, Hollywood, our schools and big business have merged their messaging to create hatred among divergent groups by convincing people they are oppressed and reminding them who their oppressors are.  The result…ANGER.  You are seeing it everywhere.

Psychologists tell us that anger is nothing more than a mask for fear—I am convinced this is true.  Because of institutional breakdowns and mass brain-washing we find ourselves with large numbers of people who are living out their fear manifesting anger, rage and unfortunately violence. 

The systemic issues today are not racism or intolerance—they are ignorance (not knowing the truth) and stupidity (denying the truth).  The latter is sadly the case with many today who call themselves Christian.  We are failing to see the big picture and the true nature of this spiritual battle.  Instead of focusing on our real enemy and battling on that front we find ourselves getting angry as we view the people who are acting out.

There are only three ways humans deal with anger, they internalize, vent or control.  Internalized anger hurts us physiologically and emotionally and if not checked can lead to suicide, a real epidemic today.  Venting is what is so prevalent right now and it is extremely dangerous.  The Bible says we can be angry and not sin.  It is the idea of being under control.  Unfortunately this is almost impossible without God and sadly that is where many people are right now—without God.

Please here me dear ones—these are people loved by Jesus every bit as much as you and me.  Maybe we need to go back and revisit what Jesus said from the midst of complete pain and agony hanging on that cross…Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34

He was talking about people who were doing way worse things than most of the rioters we are seeing on the news.  We must remember that what we see on our streets today are people living out of their life experiences—lost people who desperately need peace and security which can only come from our Redeemer.  We must pray and seek God’s perspective and learn to separate what people are doing from who they are in His eyes.

I want to close with two practical things I believe we can do as believers:

First, pray for these people with the understanding that they really do not know the truth.    Pray this way, Lord you have given us the keys to the Kingdom—you say that whatever we bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven and whatever we loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven.  Lord I bind the spirit of unbelief, fear, anger and violence and I loose the Spirit of belief.  I pray they find you Lord and that you guide them to Yourself so they would be able to sense the true peace they can only find in You.  Help them become the men and women you intended them to be.

Finally, don’t flee from these people.  I am not saying confront them or put yourself in harms way.  Rather, ask God to show you how to engage them peacefully, in love, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the right words to speak.  Jesus would never flee—He would go right at them—isn’t that what He is calling His church to do?

Col. 4:5-6   Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Some quotes from people who call themselves Christian—

I cannot vote for Donald Trump because he has an immoral and sordid past, don’t like his tweets and he doesn’t wear a mask. 

I can’t vote for Joe Biden because he seems confused, can’t focus and may have done some dishonest things in the past.

People say all the time that this is the most critical election in the history of our nation.  I am persuaded that it may be.  However, when you typically hear their reasons why, they usually focus on the two candidates and their obvious flaws and quirks.  They both have plenty—believe me (pun intended).  Donald Trump and Joe Biden are just two imperfect men but this election has very little to do with them.  It has everything to do with their respective ideology and their ability to deliver on it.

Most of the media and powerful institutions in our society would have us focus on these men and their character rather than on where their presidency’s would take us as a nation.  This is deliberate and an attempt to hide what is really at stake.  Very few people will have us focus on the real issues before us.  Clarity is the only cure for the most dangerous virus impacting our culture right now…stupidity.

My friends make no mistake—the stakes are very high and we have a clash of two powerful, yet diametrically opposed worldviews.  We also must understand that God loves every person no matter their view.  As followers of  Christ we must see the coming choice through His lens and be serious about our responsibility to weigh in.  Please hear me—NOT VOTING IS NOT AN OPTION!  Deciding not to vote is actually voting.  You are giving place to someone with the opposite or less desirable world view to have a voice in our future.

What is at stake:

• Replacing God with atheism
• Challenging our religious freedoms making Bible teaching “hate speech”
• Eliminating 1^st and 2^nd amendments
• Questioning the validity of our Constitution
• Defunding police/releasing prisoners
• Eliminating the Electoral College
• Brainwashing our kids regarding our western history and convince them we are a racist nation
• A rapid move toward socialism/communism/one world government
• A continued openness to the Muslim religion and Sharia Law
• Disrespect for traditional nuclear family
• Caving in to the communist Chinese agenda to destroy our nation
• Giving illegals free health care, welfare and voting rights
• Opening borders/Sanctuary Cities/Illegal safe havens
• Abortion expanding to full term or after delivery
• Using taxpayer money to promote abortion, LBGT and homosexual agendas around the world
• Affirmation of homosexuality/gender confusion and teaching it to our kids beginning in kindergarten
• A softening toward pedophilia

Here is what you need to know about this list.  The Democrat Party believes in most, if not all of this—it is the direction we will go if they return to power.  The Republican Party would represent the opposite course in each and every one of these agenda items.  If you agree with this list you need to vote for Joe Biden.  If you think most of this is not the right direction you need to vote for Donald Trump.  It really is that simple!

I encourage you to get your eyes off these men and look very hard at what they represent.  To do anything less is irresponsible.  We are called to confess Jesus.  Here is a definition of what that looks like that I read just this morning in a devotional:

We deny Jesus when we (1) hope no one will think we are Christians, (2) decide not to speak up for what is right, (3) are silent about our relationship with God, (4) blend into society, (5) accept our culture's non-Christian values.  

Jesus was very specific about this in Matthew 10:33: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

By contrast, we confess Him when we (1) live moral, upright, Christ-honoring lives, (2) look for opportunities to share our faith with others, (3) help others in need, (4) take a stand for justice, (5) love others, (6) acknowledge our loyalty to Christ, (7) use our lives and resources to carry out His desires rather than our own. 

Let me close by saying this;  We have been praying for some time now that God would help us discern what is going on by revealing the dark and hidden agendas.  As of this writing Black Lives Matter protesters and rioters burned Bibles and the American flag in front of a federal courthouse in Portland.  You heard me right—burned Bibles.  This is a first in the history of our country.

If you still think this is about police brutality or any life really mattering, you are living in a fantasy world.  This is about destroying western civilization and America as we have known it.  The implications are profound and serious.  What country do you want your children to inherit?

There will be a lot of deception and misdirecting for sure.  Please pray God will give you wisdom and discernment as we move toward the November election. 

As I write this Cindy and I are celebrating our 55^th wedding anniversary.  As we consider the many wonderful years we have experienced together we are also mindful of the struggles and challenges we are currently facing in our world.  Today, we find ourselves living in the most tumultuous time in our lifetime—perhaps in our history.  As followers of Christ we must discover the proper way for us to respond.

In my last TargetPoint, Theology VS Ideology, I unpacked what I believe are some of the underlying issues giving rise to where we find ourselves today. A few days ago, as we were praying with our small group for protection over our city and region Cindy’s prayer was one of, if not the most anointed I have ever heard from her. In her prayer, she revealed something God had given her during the week.  In this edition I want to have Cindy share what God had given her which I believe is profound and timely for all of us who are followers of Jesus: What follows are a few things God put on her heart:

As I was doing my devotions and  praying for our nation the Lord put three words on my heart, Peace, Purpose and Provision.

I felt like God was impressing on me that the peace we are all seeking is not to be found in the things of this world, but in Him only can we find and abide (abide in Greek is “monai”, meaning to be at home) in the peace that passes all understanding.  John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

He says in His Word He invites us into that secret place of sweet fellowship and peace.  Song of Solomon 2:13-14Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.  O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and your face is beautiful.

Then the word purpose came to me.  I felt like we needed to be reminded that we are not here by mistake in this time and place in history.  Young or old, He has a purpose and a destiny for each of us.  We need to keep our eyes upon Him and follow His leading not being hamstrung by the circumstances that surround us. Let’s ask Him what He has purposed for us.  In Revelation 3:8 the Lord says, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut!  If we are not spending time with Him we will never understand our purpose or what God has put in our hand. We need to rise up together and be people of purpose in this day and hour.

Lastly, provision.  He reminded me that He will always provide all we need to accomplish the plans and purposes He has ordained for us.  That may seem like a big assignment at times but He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.  We have been given the Holy Spirit and all the resources of the Kingdom. Abraham named the place after God provided a ram to sacrifice in place of his son Isaac “Jehovah-jireh” meaning God provides.

Abraham along with many others in the Bible repeatedly show us how God provides when we are obedient to His call.  Let’s believe God for big things!

So dear ones, in the midst of our present circumstances I believe God wants us to seek Him diligently in order to experience His peace.  As we rest in His peace He will confirm His unique purpose for us.  And finally, our all-powerful and omnipotent Lord will bring the provision necessary for us to be victorious through His almighty power.

Dear Lord, give us greater faith each day to bring Your Kingdom wherever our foot treads.  Let us learn to hear Your voice above all others.  Oh Holy Spirit fill us afresh each day with Your overcoming power, peace and love.  May the joy of our Lord be our strength.

Since the fall of man there has been a war raging for the souls of all human beings.  The Church is God’s chosen instrument in that war.  Today the Church faces what may be its most serious and difficult battle…we are standing on a precipice…the stakes are high.

the·ol·o·gy—the study of the nature of God and religious belief. 

i·de·ol·o·gy—a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.

If theology is not taken seriously…ideology will rule the day

I will never forget the day.  It was November 2008 and I was at The World Prayer Center in Colorado Springs, CO for an intense time of prayer and crying out to God.  I must admit sadly that I do not hear Him very often in this way through no fault of His.  On this occasion He gave me the most clear and profound word/impression I have ever heard…My people are not prepared.  That’s it—five words.

I remember thinking at the time, what does this mean?  As I began to unpack this powerful proclamation a couple of things hit me.  First, He began with My people—dear friends, that means His followers.  The next thing I noticed happened a couple of months later in the form of the great financial crash of that year.  We experienced streams of couples coming in for counseling as their marriages were in great tribulation.

The tendency was to blame the circumstances.  However, all their circumstance did was reveal the lack of substance and commitment missing all along.  Someone once said that trials in life do not make a person so much as they reveal them.  Then, on a personal note this word also hit home for me.  It was not long after this encounter that Cindy and I lost everything we had stored up for our future in a business failure.  I can look back upon that now and honestly say the Lord revealed in me some weaknesses I did not know were there—I too was not prepared.

Over the years I have seen multiple occasions where a dangerous number of people who claim to be Christians have crumbled and fallen apart in the face of trials.  To date, what I have not witnessed is a trial so enormous, so serious with such incredible implications whose result could have the most devastating effect on the church she has ever experienced.  While today this is happening world-wide, the implications for the church in America are critical.

The convergence of Covid-19, unrest brought about by anger and violence and some very dark hidden agendas have created the perfect storm.  There has never been anything quite like this, certainly in my lifetime and perhaps in our history.  In the middle of all of this much of the church in our nation has taken on a deer in the headlights look and feel.  Why?  This should be our finest hour, but we are in great danger of missing it.

Many of our churches seem weak and confused right now.  I believe that the lack of building spiritual depth in people and the focus on attraction models to build audience are two related and key factors that are minimizing our impact.  Our people are not prepared for this.  They have not been deeply rooted in their relationship with Jesus enough to withstand the power of the enemy as he cleverly uses dysfunctional societal norms to confuse and deceive.  They are more persuaded about how to think by their ideology than their theology.

Perhaps even more serious is the level of confusion and frustration on the part of so many of our pastors and leaders.  I had one pastor from one of the largest mega-churches in our nation openly admit that depending upon how he lines up with what is going on right now he could lose between 40-60 percent of his congregation.

In addition many of our members are feeling hopeless and struggling with fear.  They desperately need strong leadership right now. 

My friend how we respond to the time we are in has enormous implications for the mission God has entrusted to us going forward.  I believe there are three potential outcomes we are headed for: 

1. We do nothing different, continue with our attraction and crowd building models and produce more of what we’ve got. In this scenario the church will have little impact upon our culture.
2. We speak the truth in love no matter what deeply seeded ideology might conflict with theology and lose a lot of people—we become a remnant. I am reminded that God loves remnants and can just as easily bring about a revival through them. 
3. We see a great revival of unity within the Body—we rise up and experience a tremendous spiritual revolution in our nation as we commit to making true disciples of Jesus.

It should be obvious to all but the ideologically driven church that number one is not an option.  We all need to be on our knees right now praying for God to show up through an incredibly profound revival of unity within His church.  Here are some points of prayer to consider:

We are called to change hearts…not opinions

Prayers For The Post 2020 Church:

• That our people will be able to discern the danger of allowing ideology to affect their theology
• For our pastors and leaders to focus on Jesus and not the cultural noise swirling around them
• For a spirit of intense prayer to rise up across our nation
• That there be unity within the Body of Christ
• Pastors to be bold and courageous in the face of ridicule and push back
• That we prepare our people for more tribulation and teach them what to do if typical church gatherings cannot happen
• That all of us are able to see people through the eyes of Jesus and not their ideological positions—to LOVE

For those of us who love Jesus we know that all things are possible with Him.  We can do this.  This can be our finest hour. 

Final note:

I serve an incredible church pastored by my friend Steve Holt here in Colorado Springs, CO.  The Road @ Chapel Hills is an amazing congregation filled with spiritually mature believers who are processing this current challenge with much peace and grace.  Pastor Steve’s incredible grasp of the scripture, dedication to prayer and deep understanding of the need for a balance of Spirit and Truth is producing results.  Though we are not perfect I love the model we are creating.  Our vision is A Kingdom Revolution In The Rockies.  Our mission—Empowering People To Change The World  For more information or to follow our messages please visit theroad.org.

Many years ago I had the privilege of speaking in one of our country’s largest African-American churches.  The place was packed, people were crowded into overflow areas.  The entire audience was African American except for one little row of white guys who came because they knew me.  It was an amazing experience.  The service was 3½ hours.  After the service nobody left—they gathered in the courtyard for lunch and later reconvened for another service.  It was the closest thing to real family In the Body of Christ I had experienced in a long time.

I was seated on the platform with the Bishop, his elders and the entire choir.  In fact, in this culture they all stay on the platform during the message.  Though I was the main speaker there were three others who brought brief messages before I got up.  The atmosphere was charismatic and very exciting.

My teaching that morning was how to have an intimate relationship with God.  As I stepped upped to the podium, the first words out of my mouth were, I am sick and tired of racial reconciliation.  My next thought was, D’Acchioli I sure hope you know what you are doing. Talk about controversial!  You could hear a pin drop.  I quickly followed with an appeal for my audience to please hear me out, hear my heart.  I continued. We have more laws on the books in the US today to encourage Racial Reconciliation then in any other nation in the history of the world.  Is Law working? 

When you try to legislate social justice in the absence of righteousness, all you breed is bitterness, contempt and hate.

I asked them to please understand I am not saying we should not have laws.  There are only two ways to govern man, God’s way and man’s way.  God’s way is inside-out.  The heart of man is transformed so that basic laws governing human behavior work.  When you take God out of man it is no longer inside-out.  You will need more laws and social restraints because man without God will always go the wrong way—that’s why our prisons are full.

They reluctantly agreed laws are not working.  I continued, What about talk?  There is more talk about Racial Reconciliation today than ever before.  Promise Keepers at the time was making a valiant effort to lead the way with a clarion call to break down the walls.  This kind of discussion is important, and should not be minimized as an influential tactic.  But is talking about it getting the job done?  Most people in my audience gestured no. 

I went on to explain, The way I see it, we have two choices:  We could quit trying and just accept the notion that Racial Reconciliation will never be possible.  I asked, is that an option?  Many shouted NO!.  Then I suggested that it indeed is an option to some—they are called bigots.  But is it an option if you are a follower of Christ?  Of course not, the Bible is very clear that we are to be reconciled as a people.  The Lord would never have instructed us in this way if it were not possible.  So, where does that leave us?  We are left with only one other possibility, It can be done but we have yet to find the winning formula.   

Then, I asked a powerful question, would you like me to share with you the secret to racial reconciliation?  I can only imagine what many of them were thinking.  I am sure it was colorful (pun intended).  Then I said very seriously that I had discovered it—do you want me to share it?  They told me I should go for it.

I asked them, and would ask you right now, to close your eyes and think about someone you know, I don’t care what color their skin is, where they are from or what they have done, that is radically in love with Jesus.  Someone who has Jesus’ blood pumping through their veins, a role model of what it is like to be truly intimate with God.  Then I said this. Please raise your hand if you can think of anyone who fits that description who has a racist bone in their body?  I have shared this story in dozens of places literally around the world and never seen a hand go up.

So, dear ones what that does that suggest to you?  Who do you and I need to be reconciled with?  I asked them to say His name—they said Jesus.  I asked them to repeat that name three times.  I asked the question, why?  Then I came down off the platform and walked up and down the aisles looking at people and gently touching them saying, Because there is no way I can love you…or you…or you, in my flesh the way Jesus calls me to love you.  But, once I am so reconciled with my Lord that He allows me to see you THROUGH HIS EYES…there is no way you are not the most precious human being on planet earth.  There were a lot of tears, mine included.

I went on to say, Church we are doing it wrong.  You get your eyes off me, I get my eyes off you, and you and I focus on Jesus…Guess what, everything else takes care of itself.  I am persuaded that this is the secret not only to racial reconciliation but life itself.  Our unwillingness to take this seriously is also the reason why the Church is losing the battle for our culture today.  We have to get this.

I concluded my message that morning by reciting the two greatest commandments, love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and then love your neighbor as yourself.  I suggested that they were in that order for a reason…you can not achieve the latter without doing the former.

This last Pentecost Sunday my pastor suggested that there are two revolutions playing out in our world today and I could not agree more.  There is one driven by the devil himself, which is sadly gaining a lot of ground right now and leading us to utter darkness.  And then there is a very real Kingdom Revolution being called for by our Lord as he wants us, His Body, to bring light.  We are desperate, and I believe poised right now, for a Kingdom Revolution.  People are hungry and ready for it.

More and deeper dialogue, laws and aptly applied justice are certainly important and called for but, in and of themselves will always fall short.  The answers for our current dilemma can only be found in the person of Jesus.  The person of Jesus will only be reflected in those who are His followers, that is the way God intends it to be. 

My friend please hear me, the institutionalized church will never see a kingdom revolution unless it is first experienced in the life of its people.  That means you and I have to get our eyes off the world, its problems, messages and challenges and focus on our intimate relationship with Jesus.  It is an individual call to a level of commitment that sadly too many are unwilling to make.  But, we have to take this seriously—the stakes are very high.

Here are two simple yet profound verses for us all to commit to.  Pray about the implications in your life were you to live out what these verses are telling us to do.

Resist the world:
Therefore, Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.  2 Cor. 6:17

Draw near to Him:
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you… James 4:8

A final word for Pastors and leaders—resist the temptation to use the world’s strategies for engaging this issue.  Make the focus of your church what Jesus always intended it to be…MAKE DISCIPLES! 

No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as FEAR  -Edmund Burke

The year was 1960, I was 16 years old.  My dad brought me to an initiation ceremony for a group that he encouraged me to become a member of.  As I was passing into manhood, he suggested it would be good for me.  My dad was a long time member and that was good enough for me.

I remember entering a large auditorium where about 50 other men of various ages were seated, awaiting the program. The moderator asked us to leave for a short time, as they needed to prepare the room for the presentation. So they ushered all of us into a small room to wait.

I remember thinking this is sure a small space for all these men, and there were no chairs. It will probably be a short wait, I thought. It was not. In fact, the wait was nearly an hour. During that time I remember being uncomfortable, as it began to get hot and stuffy. The door was locked so there was no way out.

Pretty soon some of the men were feeling very uncomfortable, even claustrophobic. One of the men started knocking on the door insisting to be let out, only to be told by the man on the other side to be patient. The conversation escalated and the knocking became pounding by not just one but now about 3-4 men. The language became so heated that threats of bodily harm were being thrown in both directions.

When the door finally swung open the mayhem began. Immediately 3-4 of our men grabbed the doorkeeper, tackled him to the ground and began beating him mercilessly. After a minute or so I saw a knife appear and almost instantly there was blood everywhere. They had stabbed this man multiple times.

The scene became eerily quiet as most of us just stood back in utter shock. In very short order emergency responders appeared on the scene, attended the injured man and took him off in an ambulance. The rest of us were then asked to go back to the auditorium and take a seat.

What happened next I will never forget. The moderator took the platform and proceeded to introduce all the actors. None of what we had just experienced was real. It was all an act…pure deception. The moderator told us that this was an illustration of how communism works. An example of how a few well-placed people with a well thought-out plan can establish fear designed to manipulate the masses into seeing a reality that does not exist. We were literally pawns.

As I think back upon this experience I cannot help thinking about how much of this may be going on today all over our world.  Sadly a lot of this is happening right now in America and it is the direct result of pathetically weak leadership.  In my view we have the weakest leadership our country has ever experienced. 

Good leadership is always undergirded by truth and a positive sense of vision and destiny. In contrast evil leadership is always based upon deception and negativism. We all know how far back this goes—it started in the garden when the devil convinced the first couple that there was a different reality than God had shown them.

So, you might ask, why am I sharing this?  Simple—we are being deceived with the most coordinated attempt to re-shape our world in human history and it is time for us, as followers of Christ, to wake up.  Consider the following:

If I were a group or leader with evil intentions designed to control our world I would:

• Indoctrinate upcoming generations of young people with information designed to create a negative attitude toward our nation, established authority, and the rule of law
• Control the basic necessities of life: water, food and natural resources, through a series of far-reaching regulations, and convince people it is in order to save the planet
• Convince you that science has all the answers…not God
• Bring about anarchy by exaggerating and making up stories designed to polarize around race, gender, class and lifestyle issues in order to exercise more control (possibly martial law)
• Reduce the ability to protect ourselves through compromising our national defense systems and disarming our citizens
• Create a large poor and homeless population and convince them it is the system around them that is at fault (national slavery)
• Limit or sensor free speech—YouTube…Facebook
• Integrate as many immigrants into the culture as possible, especially those with different and oftentimes conflicting ideologies, and whose birthrate far exceeds the majority
• Lower the bar for incarceration
• De-emphasize all threats from outside enemies while covertly supporting them
• Give money freely to everyone to incentivize dependency
• Use fear to de-sensitize the population regarding basic freedoms and accept more government protection and control

Look familiar? None of this should surprise us as Christians—it is the way of a world without God.  However, it begs the question, what should be our response.  Let me conclude with some practical suggestions:

1. Don’t buy into a reality defined by Fox News or CNN simply because they are your preferred source of what is truth
2. Resist conclusions you are arriving at that are supported by your own prejudices rather than prayerfully considered facts
3. Pray and consider, in the light of God’s Word, what is truth and what is deception

Finally, pray God protects us from the evil intentions of our real enemy and for Him to help our leaders who may be influenced by Him to see the alternative, His Son.

2 Timothy 1:7  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind

Matt 10:27  What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight…

Without a doubt the most important event in the history of our planet was the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Though our traditional celebration for this occasion happens on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the actual calendar dates are unknown.  Since the resurrection of Jesus it has been our custom to focus on Good Friday, the day our Lord died and Easter Sunday, the day He rose from the grave.  Little attention is ever given to the day in between.  Because of our tradition I am referring to this day as Dark Saturday.

Let’s talk about Dark Saturday.  What must that have been like?  What were people thinking and feeling?  In Luke 23:56 it says the disciples rested that day as it was the Sabbath.  But did they rest?  I believe it is likely they were in great turmoil. 

• They were mourning the loss of what they had before
• They feared what happened to Jesus would probably happen to them
• Their world came to an abrupt stop
• Everything was turned upside down—doubt and despair settled in
• They were having secret meetings—probably sequestered in their homes and hiding out
• They were no doubt confused and scared about their future

The bottom line—this had to feel like the longest day they ever experienced.  It was so hard that the anticipation of something good coming out of this was almost impossible to fathom.  And the big question…where is God?, was on their minds. 

Dear friends could we be living right now in a modern day Dark Saturday?  I think there are some amazing similarities here.  Think about it—life was going along pretty normal.  If you are in my audience for sure you probably had what you thought was a good relationship with our Lord.  Things were normal.  Then, death.  Death to all the consistency and routines we had become so familiar with.  Now we find ourselves in a modern day Dark Saturday.

Think about the list above.  We are missing the norm, our world has come to a halt, we are questioning where God is in all of this and we are fearful and anxious about our future.  On top of that, just like the disciples, we are sequestered and confused.  There is one major difference however…we know there is a resurrection coming.  We have a lifetime of seeing how God works to give us faith that this will pass.  However, there is a bigger question we are needing to ask here.

God, what are you wanting to teach me in my Dark Saturday?  My friend we must not miss this.  We have an opportunity here to process where we’ve been, where we are now and how our future may unfold as a result of this struggle.  I truly believe this is God’s timeout for his church—and that’s you and me.

I want you to think about a typical basketball game.  Your team is doing ok—they are winning and then late in the game things start to go the wrong direction.  They look confused, tired, not hitting their passes, the game plan is no longer working.  What does the coach do?  You got it, TIMEOUT!  Well, I believe the Big Coach in the sky has been calling a timeout to the church in America for some time now for all the same reasons and we are not coming to the bench.  Could it be that God wants us to see this as His timeout? 

I truly believe that God is desperately trying to teach us something really big and potentially world-changing during our Dark Saturday.  But, we need to hear what He is trying to tell us.  Life, as we have become accustomed to it, was not working for His purpose—the advancement of His kingdom.  I truly believe that God wants us to use this time to re-evaluate every area of our life and determine to see our resurrection out of this like what happened with Jesus.  Think of it—after He rose the world was never the same.

What if we could emerge from this and as the result of all of us seeing life through a whole new prism we discover a new role He wants us to play and a great spiritual awakening in our land is the result?  This is an exciting time my friend.  People who do not know the Lord are seeking,  the church, through creative social media efforts are experiencing an incredible spike in views for the services and demand for spiritual resources.  We have a tremendous opportunity before us to see a great spiritual revolution in our land…indeed the world.

None of this will happen though if you and I do not process this Dark Saturday in our lives the right way.  I know there are many of you who are anxious and finding it hard to be positive right now.  But we must.  This is the time for our faith to take center stage and to lift our countenance toward our gracious heavenly Father—in full assurance of His grace and protection. 

We need to come to His bench…listen diligently to our Coach and discover His new game plan and our role in it before we get back in the game.  Winning the game right now is our top priority.  Each of us needs to honestly evaluate everything in our lives in a new and much more critical way.  Here are some questions you may want to ask:

• What are the things we valued that somehow don’t seem that important anymore?
• Are the things we want becoming a distraction to the things we need?
• Do we live to work…or work to live?
• Should we consider being more involved in our kid’s future and education?
• What non-essential activities do we need to shed in order to focus on a deeper intimacy with God, my spouse and family?
• How can we do a better job of representing our Lord in our family, work and community?

Consider having a discussion with your spouse or family around these questions.  Let’s determine to come out of this experience and believe for our world to never go back to the old normal.  Let’s believe we are living in a pivotal moment and as we see a resurrection from this our world will never be the same…in a good way.

Finally remember the scene in John 20:19.  It was the first day—the disciples were hunkered down behind closed doors anxious and confused.  Listen to what our Lord told them and notice His first word.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  John 20:19

Lamentations 3:22-23  Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

If you are a follower of Jesus and regularly read your bible you are not only familiar with the above verse but have probably quoted it numerous times.  What you may not fully know however is the context.  Jeremiah is sitting in a cave looking over the rubble of a destroyed Jerusalem.  A city he loved so much.  Smoke, bodies and stench in the air and an atmosphere lending itself to utter hopelessness existed. 

Yet in the middle of it all he is reminded of how big his God really is.  He is keenly aware that perfect love is the only thing that can cast out fear and despair.  He is also mindful that God’s compassion will never cease, He is there always and therefore can be counted upon no matter the circumstances.   After pondering all of that these precious words of comfort are the result. 

What a powerful illustration for us to ponder today as we are in the midst of one of the most serious global crises we have seen in a long time.  The unprecedented response, while necessary, is causing intense fear and insecurity.  In this country, not since 911 have we seen such anxiety and confusion.  The obvious question that comes up at times like this is, what is God doing?   

I remember after 911 that masses of people flocked to local churches and places of worship looking for answers.  I also remember reading that 6 months later church attendance reverted back to normal, and in some cases, below normal numbers.  Why? What happened? And what can we do in our churches today to prevent this from happening again?   

If you consider yourself a follower of Christ I want to offer you the following to pray about and consider.  I believe that if our approach to people individually and corporately embody these ideas many will be comforted and multitudes could come to a saving knowledge of our Lord:

• Pray and ask God to show you your unique role in bringing His love and peace into this situation
• Go out of your way to physically assist people who may be older and high risk with basic needs
• Become a Jeremiah man/women and consider how your communication can bring about, peace, hope and spiritual focus to others
• Remind those in your family, church, business that our God is faithful
• Create a Godly example by not whining or complaining
• Encourage people to be quiet and focus on going deeper in their relationship with Him
• Be prepared to help non-believers with their questions—you will have opportunities—always employ a gentle and peace-filled approach in your communication
• Focus on our real enemy and gird yourself (meditate on the underlined phrases in these verses) 

Eph. 6:12-17  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

• Ask Jesus to help you see this tragedy through His eyes.  We intuitively know that His ways and thoughts are not ours.
• If you are struggling with fear sign up for my free 30-day devotional dealing with Gaining Freedom From Fear.You will find it here: https://otm.co/resources/targetpoint-devotionals/

This is an important time for the church of Jesus Christ to step up and demonstrate His incredible love to those who will be searching.  Dear friend it is at times like this that our real inner character is exposed—what will people see in you and me?  Keep in mind that you cannot give to others what you do not personally possess.

20/20…Year Of The Blind

Matthew 13:15  For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.

An important message for followers of Jesus going into 2020.

In Mark 13:22 the Bible warns us that in the end times even the elect might be deceived.  My friends, we are there.  As we enter this new year we are at a very tenuous place.  We are a nation that has not been so divided since slavery.  We could see civil war in this decade if we cannot unite.  Christian persecution is already here and growing exponentially.  What is not commonly understood is that this is a very calculated process brought about by a few wealthy global elites in order to destroy our nation and the values we have stood upon since our formation.

The plan, like a slow drip of water, has been evolving for decades.  Sadly it has been amazingly successful.  Today, with the help of the deep-state owned and run media and the dumbing down of our entire educational system we are a people who are literally blind to what is really happening.  It is all about smoke and mirrors and a never ending 24 hour news cycle designed to manipulate and deceive.  So, like sheep to the slaughter we take it all in and believe what we are fed with little or no critical thought or fact gathering.  It is evil at its core and is being backed by the enemy of our soul.

It’s not about objective truth anymore—it is all about my truth.  I define what is true and only pursue evidence that lines up with that truth.  This is sick and leads us directly to the strategy of personal name calling and character assassination for anyone who does not agree with my truth.  But please understand that going after the person instead of what they stand for is a critical part of the strategy.  Focus on the messenger and forget the message.  And we are falling for it.  Why? Because we have lost sight of the proper source (more later)—we are blind.

Three years ago I decided to turn off all TV news and have not watched any to date.  I have never felt so free.  I actually used to yell at the TV, that’s what Italians do you know.  Now, I get just enough bites on line to keep up with issues that are truly important.  I try, though hard, to avoid all name calling and character assassination articles and videos.  Most of the talking heads do not have a clue whether or not what they are saying is actually true and can be backed up with facts.  You are a racist because I say you are.  The more the news became my source for information and truth the more blind I became.

As a follower of Christ I began to feel ashamed that I was not paying enough attention to the only true and reliable source in the universe—God and His amazing Word. If you truly love Jesus and consider yourself one of His followers I want to challenge you as we enter this new year.  Are you turning off the world’s message and focusing on the destiny God is calling you to live out?  Here are some important ideas I would encourage you to consider:

• As a follower of Christ begin by asking this question, is it possible that I may be being deceived? Then pray for God to lift off the deception and reveal His truth.

Ps 146:8  The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down.

• Understand there are no more gray areas—our nation is now divided and good and evil have never been so clearly defined.

Isaiah 5:20-21 Woe to those who call evil good  and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet  and sweet for bitter.  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes  and clever in their own sight.

• We need to take our eyes off people—it is not about Donald Trump or Nancy Pelosi—it is about what they respectively stand for and the country we will become if their particular ideas are put forth.
• When you consider what will happen with a particular party’s world view ask yourself this question…which ideology will be more conducive to spreading the message of God’s love and advancing His kingdom? Dear one, this is the reason we exist—THE GREAT COMMISION!

As of this writing, a well-known Christian publication has just called for the removal of our president on truly shaky grounds pretty much guaranteeing victory in the 2020 election to the most anti-God and morally bankrupt leadership our country has ever seen.  This is more than spiritual blindness…this is spiritual stupidity!

• If you make an honest list of what the two leading ideologies stand for and cannot see clearly good vs evil I question whether you are truly a follower of Jesus.
• Quit falling for the lie that everything is about politics—it’s not. I cannot think of any political issue that does not have a profound biblical moral implication at its core.
• Prepare yourself for the battles to come by being in the Word, praying and worshipping God every day.
• If you are a man, take the responsibility for being the spiritual head of your family seriously.
• Stay focused on Jesus and remember this is His battle not yours—it is a spiritual one that requires spiritual preparedness if we are to be victorious warriors for Him.

Finally, go into 2020 with a renewed sense of boldness.  Commit to leave the baggage, mistakes and disappointments from the past behind—or they will be used by the enemy to weigh you down.

Isaiah 43:18-19  Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

1 Peter 2:9  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Over thirty years ago I found myself speaking to a group of high school seniors on what was called career day.  At that time I was Vice President of a Fortune 1000 company and probably had their respect.  At the end of my talk one of the students asked me the following question.  Do I need a college education to have a job like yours?  I immediately noticed most of the students perk up in anticipation of my answer.  They were on the edge of their seats—waiting.

My response to them was not as important as my take away.  The question asked was really not the real one—at least not as articulated.  The real question they wanted answered was this—how can I escape the time and pain I must endure to achieve the desired result? I left this experience thinking that we are raising a generation of young people who lack patience and the ability to apply critical thought—and that is exactly where we are today.  In our relentless pursuit of the easy way we have missed the benefits brought about by the struggle. 

How did this happen?  I believe it has to do with a deliberate movement away from our roots.  Let me be clear here in saying I am not talking about our roots as a nation—I am referring to our Christian roots and the basic understanding of what our wonderful God is teaching us from His word. It is virtually impossible to study the Bible and not understand the relationship between adversity and character building.  It is one of the most profound messages contained from Genesis to Revelation.

This idea is found in every aspect of life on planet earth.  From a moth succumbing to the pressure of the cocoon to the oak tree facing the storm that causes its roots to go deeper—it is everywhere in God’s creation.  The bottom line is that we want to gain without the strain.

Add that together with the evolution of technology and the ease with which information is now available and it is no wonder we find ourselves where we are. Many today are ideological slaves—people who form opinions based upon air as they lack the patience to truly uncover deeper truths.  Young Christians entering college are being transformed into agnostics or even atheists based on the lastgood sounding argumentthey were given.  Many lack the ability to withstand this because they do not have the power of the Holy Spirit deeply embedded in their life.

Dear ones, it is at this point I really need you to hear my heart.  The solution to this dilemma does NOT lie in our institutional structures or government.  Our government is, and always has been, a representation of the sum of its parts. You can blame the institution all you want but it is not the problem. It’s about the parts—you and me—and what we have become.

We have stood by and watched the deliberate attempt by organized powers to destroy everything God helped this nation to value.  Socialism, communism, a one-world government mentality desperately needs to reduce its people to cattle.  “We are all the same” they will say.  They take away any incentive to excel and convince us that average deserves to be rewarded. We keep lowering the bar and then turn around and reward those who don’t meet it.

It's brilliant when you think of it.  If you do not want people to think, or strive to be exceptional, this is how you do it. A people in this condition can be controlled—and at the end of the day that is what this is all about.

Ok, so let me get to my motivation for writing this article—there are two important takeaways I want to leave with you.  First, we need to get our head out of the fog and understand what is going on here.  We need to be aware of the strategy being played out.   And second, we need to be thinking about how we can prepare our kids to know how to avoid falling into the intended trap.

We do that by making sure they are truly grounded in their relationship with the Lord. Going to church, being in a youth group, even leading worship, does not always mean a person is deeply grounded. Make sure they have a deep and growing intimacy developing with the Lord.  Encourage them to have devotional times every day, reading the Word, praying and praising God.  Help them to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit in their life—the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.

In addition, as prepared as we might think they are, think long and hard about where you send them off to college.  Here is a recent Facebook post I wrote that got a lot of attention; 

WHY would parents invest years building up their precious children in the knowledge and love of God and then PAY to send them to an institution deliberately designed to destroy everything they invested?

Perhaps most important is the necessity to understand ways we may be un-intentionally contributing to this problem.  I find myself actually falling into this trap—here is what I mean:

Oh, we don’t do it that way anymore. Younger generations look at the way we do things and suggest that it does not fit their generations way of doing it. In an attempt to be hip and not offend them we adjust to their way.  Here are some questions we are not asking.  What if their way is wrong—even dysfunctional?  What if we are abandoning methods that are professional and done with excellence to pander to a lesser, lazier way?  What are we saying to them? 

What if instead of giving kids what they need we keep giving them what they want.  If it is true that we have generations of people now who lack patience and the ability to apply critical thought is it possible that they will continually look for ways to just get by andcut corners.   

Dear friends, we must resist our temptation to lower the bar.  We must call our young people to a higher level of excellence and motivate them to reach beyond their grasp.  We must help them understand that God expects excellence from them and that it blesses Him when they do things well.  Instead of giving fifth place trophies, motivate, encourage, inspire and train them with the understanding it is not about winning as much as doing your best. Help them understand they will not finish first in everything but they will in some things, especially the things God has equipped them for.

The Kingdom of God 

Vince D’Acchioli

My brother-in-law and I were talking recently about ways in which contemporary Christian teaching may be missing the central issues of the Bible and its message.

Let’s set out by making a sweeping assumption:  As disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, our ultimate source for faith and instruction for living must be the exemplary life of obedience and clear teachings of the Master Himself.  Simply stated: As followers of Christ, we accept Jesus’ words as thelens through which everything including the remainder of Scripture must be examined.

Jesus words, recorded in Luke 6:46 are a graceful yet pointed rebuke. “Why do you call me Lord,”He asked some of His first disciples, “and not do what I tell you.”So what then is the key to understanding and experiencing the Lordship of Christ? It’s seems pretty simple:  Do what He tells us to do.  But what is it that He wants us to do?

As followers of Christ, we accept Jesus’ words as the ens through which everything including the remainder of Scripture must be examined

Now before we get ahead of ourselves there are a two things worthy of contemplation:  1) While the phrase The Kingdom of Godor The Kingdom of Heaven(synonymous concepts) does not appear even once in the Old Testament and only 15 times outside the Gospels where it appears 103 times, it is at the very heart of Jesus’ teaching.  2) Establishing theKingdom of Godwas the Master’s objective and providing entry into it His cost. “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” Jesus taught all of us to pray.  And immediately following His desert temptation and the incarceration of John the Baptist, Matthew tells us, “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Think about that for a minute.  Is Jesus telling us that the Father’s will is to bring theKingdom of Heavento earth? Is this what Jesus so emphatically announced as He began His public ministry and the singular idea that dominated every parable and sermon?  As His disciples should this be our focus as well? And if the answer to those three questions is yes, how does this stack up to the way we approach teaching the Bible today?

In the next few months we are hoping to address these issues and would thoroughly welcome your input and thoughts.  In order to set the stage let’s begin by defining some terms…Kings and Kingdoms:

Is a King without a Kingdom really a King?  Is a Kingdom without a king really a kingdom?  Clearly not!  As with earthly realms, The Kingdom of Godrequires both a king and a kingdom to have either.  However, there are significant differences between worldly systems of every kind and the Kingdom of God.   

 For starters: 

1. Worldly kingdoms are ruled by imperfect men.  The Kingdom of Godis ruled by the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. “Follow us” is light-years from “Follow Me.”
2. Worldly kingdoms are restricted by geographical boundaries, political partisanship, cultural norms, ethnicity, economics and language.  The Kingdom of Godis not limited by any of these considerations.  The most well known address in the New Testament says, “For God so loved the world”and my guess is that we all fit in there somewhere.
3. Authority in worldly kingdoms is most often centralized in a small group of wealthy and influential people.  The Kingdom of Godoperates on the principle that all men and women carry equal weight with God and strictly warns against the corrupting influence of wealth and celebrity.
4. The kingdoms of this world rule exclusively from the top down wherein leadership accrues power and the strong continue to oppress the weak. These types of hierarchal systems are anathema to theKingdom of God, and Jesus had nothing good to say about them.  The Master said that the greatest in theKingdom of Godis the one who takes the role of a servant.  Kingdom authority, Jesus taught us, leads from the bottom up.
5. The Kingdom of Godfunctions by rules that are upside-down and often appear nonsensical when compared to the regulations imposed by worldly systems.
6. A causal commitment to any worldly system is acceptable and commonly viewed as prudent.  TheKingdom of Godis an all-or-nothing arrangement.  Oil and water doesn’t really get at it. It’s more like life and death.

The Kingdom of God is the place where the will of God and the obedience of His people intersect.

My first book, Wired To Work, Huntington House Publishers, was written and published in 1993. It dealt with Purpose Driven, before Rick Warren rolled out his very successful extended work around that subject. Wired to Work is still available on Amazon and other social retail outlets for those interested. The idea is not new really. People have been in search of meaning, purpose and destiny dating back to the creation of man.

Wired To Work was built around some key ideas. First, it suggests the notion that if you do not know where you are going…any road will take you there. Unfortunately this is where a lot of people are these days. Chasing visions and dreams about a better tomorrow and all too often looking in all the wrong places. When I wrote the book I wanted the reader to take away how they could answer what I called, the two most important questions in life.

Within the context of understanding that God is real—and acknowledging that His vision for our life is what we truly desire—then the two questions are, how and why? Lord how did You make me uniquely…and then why? The underlying premise of this book was based upon our ministry’s three unalterable facts:

            God knows you and created you for a special purpose
            God has given you special gifts toward the satisfaction of His purpose
            God wants you to discover what that purpose is.

The BIG takeaway for this work suggests that people need to know God intimately in order to discover His purpose and ultimately live out that purpose. I spent a lot of time unpacking these ideas. However, what I did not realize at the time was the real secret to all of this, and it has taken me 25 years to understand.

This all brings me to today. You see many people are urging me to rewrite that first book—bring it up to date. I have made several attempts at that but hitting road blocks that I have a hard time comprehending. Now, I think I know what the Lord is trying to impress on me and this is where I need your help. I want to outline another direction for my next book and need to know your thoughts. I will leave you with some questions at the end I hope you can answer for me.

Many years ago as I was seeking God’s perspective during a dry time He spoke these words into my heart that have profoundly impacted me. He said, Vince, you will never have a greater understanding of My perspective until you first experience a greater awareness of My presence.

Now, after almost 45 years of walking with Jesus, as I meditate upon those words I believe I am truly discovering the secret to life. It is kind of like the 90/10 rule. What is the 10% activity I can enter into that will bring the 90% result? What is the rubber-meets-the-road principle I need to be communicating? In Wired To Work I share a formula—Intimacy with God = Strength of Vision. It’s kind of a nice roll-off-your-tongue formula but little did I realize how profound it truly is. I am now persuaded that most of our Christian teaching these days, while good and worthwhile, misses that foundational action necessary to understand and live out in order to truly discover what we all desire—God’s perspective.

I am equally convinced that when people truly do experience God’s presence everything else takes care of itself. Why, because you are then living out John 15:1-5: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

So here is what I am thinking. While much of my work in Wired is still relevant, my new book needs to focus on this important secret to life concept, experiencing His presence. I am not sure of a title yet—maybe simply, The Secret To Life, or Presence. I would welcome your ideas. The book would be laser focused on HOW we can experience God’s presence and the idea that putting Him between us and our circumstances is the secret to life.

This book will focus on practical ways you can experience God’s presence. In a world filled with unprecedented distractions, how can I find God—how do I know it is Him speaking to me? It will focus heavily upon the concept of humility. I have discovered that the further I get away from Vince, the closer I get to God.

While I do not have a chapter outline fully in place I do need some input and I am asking you to please respond to some of my questions below. Thank you so much for your help here. I am also looking for volunteers who may wish to receive draft chapters to read and edit along the way.

Questions:

Do you believe this is a topic that is important for people today?

Would you be someone who might read a book like this?

Are there other books out there that deal specifically with this idea?

What ideas do you have for specific chapter topics we should cover?

You can email me your responses at vince@otm.co

Cindy D'Acchioli

O come let us adore Him. These words continue to resound in my heart this Christmas season. 

One of my earliest childhood memories that come to mind is the familiar Bible story of the three wise men making their long journey to Bethlehem to find the infant King that first Christmas long ago.

They were Magi, descendants of the Chaldeans spoken of by the prophet Daniel.  They were the astrologers and astronomers of their day; unbelievers at best, committed to searching the heavens for signs foretelling the destiny of nations.  Regarded with awe and fear, these men were paid handsomely to know when something important was about to happen, to discern the present or supervise at the coronation of a king. 

They were Magi, descendants of the 
Chaldeans spoken of by the prophet Daniel

For God to get their attention would be no easy task. But He did.  And whether the bright light they saw at helical rise was a miracle appearance or a natural conjunction of stars or planets is of little consequence.  For it was God, who had created the vault of heaven and all its stars that had provided the revelation that was to drive these men to Israel in search of a newborn king.

This star was mentioned in Numbers 24:17 when a traveling soothsayer named Balaam prophesied “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob, a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult”. Genesis 49:10 also reference a “Scepter”. Balaam more than likely was an ancestor to the Babylonian wise men of Daniel’s time.

These wise men would have known of this prophecy and many others from the Old Testament by hearing them from Daniel in Babylon during the time they consulted with the kings.

Few or many, these powerful men left their ease and traveled to Jerusalem to find the one born “King of the Jews”.  It just made sense to head to Israel's crown city in search of a king. It is obvious they did not know of the prophecy in Micah 5:2 or they would have known the exact location of His birth was to be in Bethlehem. They wouldn't have had to receive these prophecies from the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem. Their natural inclination would be to talk to King Herod.  But instead of getting excited, Herod sent them to find the baby as he began to hatch a plot to kill hundreds of male infants in hopes of safeguarding his own position.

Yet, the Magi would not be deterred.  How long it took for them to find Jesus is hard to say, but it is a good guess that from the time they left their homes until the time they stood before the young King could easily have been two to three years.

Now the scriptures tell us they brought three notable gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. These three precious offerings were the tools of their trade. They were the most valuable items they possessed. But even with all their knowledge and worldly acclaim they could have hardly known that these gifts would play a greater role in the Savior's life and death.

Gold was a gift reserved for royalty.  Frankincense was a costly & rare commodity, used on the Altar of Incense that when burned gave off a sweet smelling white smoke.  The Myrrh, oh the myrrh, seemingly the oddest of gifts would be the very fragrant and valuable oil that would be used at his burial.

But there is yet one more gift we often miss.  It is the utmost gift of all.  It is the gift of worship. The scriptures tell us the wise men knelt and worshipped Him!  Whether they did this on their own initiative, or the majesty of being in the presence of the King of Kings gave them no choice, they bowed and worshipped.  These wise men from afar came not just to court His favor and to proclaim Him King of the Jews, but they would be proclaiming Him “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords”

With much love we wish you a most blessed and Merry Christmas,

It was one of those unforgettable moments in early 2010. I was driving to the hospital on my way to visit Cindy ( now there for over three months mostly in a coma). Although I had been processing the whole idea of believing and expecting, I never-the-less went into a period of intense whining at the thought of losing my wife. I am a good whiner—some might say even a professional. It was during a particularly dark time in this lenghty ordeal with my beautiful wife’s life-threatening illness. In the midst of my complaining He spoke. It was a tender voice that I knew immediately was my precious Lord. He said, Vince do you have anything in your life for which you are thankful?

Talk about a change of thought process and direction. I knew this was from our wonderful Savior—the very Person who holds all of our circumstances in the palm of His hand. I immediately went into a chorus of things I was thankful for—here is a partial list as best as I can remember:

I thank you Lord for:

• The special relationship Cindy and I along with our extended family have with each other and with you
• For two of the best daughters any dad could ever have
• Son-in-laws that love you and extend that love to our daughters and five very special grandchildren
• How you are watching over us and extending a supernatural sense of peace through this process
• The myriad of friends who have, are, and will continue praying for Cindy through this difficulty
• The unusual sacrificial giving we have experienced and that our future in this area is truly in your hands
• The special future you have already planned for us
• Your incredible outpouring through the ministry you have given Cindy and me and the tens of thousands of lives that have been impacted
• Who you are—the GREAT I AM

I am pursuaded that one of the very special and pleasing things our Lord experiences happens when we thank Him in the midst of our greatest struggles.

It is a powerful demonstration of taking our focus off of our own pain and letting Him know how much we love Him. It is not always easy, however. The flesh is very powerful and the enemy of our soul is always right there telling us what a victim we are and how God really isn’t around to help.

Perhaps the most powerful and often mentioned ideas in the Bible have to do with this attitude of thankfullness. Everything from numerous thank offerings to expressions of thanks as the people went out praising at the head of the army and gained the benefit of victory. The Bible says that our Lord literally inhabits the praises of His people. I believe He is never closer than when we seek Him in a spirit of thankgsgiving.

May I suggest what could be a powerful take-away for you from this TargetPoint? Sit down and write out your list of things you are thankful for. Then, find a quiet spot and bring them before the Lord in in a posture of thanksgiving. Tell Him how much you love Him for the all the positive stuff. I promise you it is the best medicine for our tendency to whine. It will also give you a more encouraging perspective and engender hope into your circumstance like nothing else you do.

Lately I have done some extensive reading and a little research on how whole societies and countries have been overtaken, conquered. In man’s earliest days the methods were always physical. It took massive and well equipped and trained armies—in other words—physical force.

Not so today. The new weapon is persuasion and the tools for this type of takeover are both devious and very sophisticated. If I can persuade you to surrender I have won without any physical effort or cost.

In 1987 Allan Bloom wrote his number one best seller, The Closing Of The American Mind. The subtitle for the twenty five year anniversary addition says, How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy And Impoverished The Souls Of Today’s Students. One of my favorite quotes from this amazing work is, the problem with an open mind is that your brains fall out. Bloom's criticism revolves around his belief that the "great books" of Western thought have been devalued as a source of wisdom. This would obviously include the Bible. Bloom says The modern liberal philosophy enshrined in the Enlightenment thought of John Locke—that a just society could be based upon self-interest alone, coupled by the emergence of relativism in American thought—has led to this crisis.

Thirty years later we are seeing the results Bloom predicted. How did we get here? Carefully planned and artfully applied MANIPULATION! Now, I know what you are thinking—even a casual leaning in this direction will label me a conspiracy theorist. This label is another calculated strategy to stop any kind of honest effort to uncover the truth. Here is another example—when asked a very logical question regarding what the possible “end game” might be for all of this most will say, I don't know. Many, including this writer, believe the end game is total takeover—complete control of our nation and the removal of everything we originally stood for. If you openly say this—you are laughed at—again—manipulation.

My friend is it possible that most of what we are seeing and being fed today is carefully choreographed theater designed to manipulate you and me, pawns in the eyes of those perpetrating all of this, into a socially engineered groupthink. Today, virtually every newsworthy major event is viewed by devious people as an opportunity to manipulate the vulnerable masses into a way thinking that will move them closer to seeing their “end game” achieved.

Stop and consider this example for a moment—it has only been in the last 10-15 years the homosexuality has gained the acceptance it now enjoys. How did that happen? Society had to be persuaded that this behavior is not negative or bad by systematically eliminating Biblical claims, basic biology and common sense. Here is the really sad part, in order for people to open themselves to some of these dangerous ideas they need to have their minds purged—the open mind that Bloom talks about has been deliberately produced by most of our modern institutions controlled by big money. Want to know more about the source—follow the money and the ideology of those bankrolling all of this.

Want to test how much purging has happened—I challenge you to interview the average college student and just ask some basic questions about what they believe and how they arrived at that belief—you will be astounded. While at it, ask what they know about American history—our roots. By the way, if you think your kids attending well know Christian schools are insolated from this—think again—they are not.

So, what is the answer? Christian, I am talking now only to you. The battle can only be fought well if we know how to engage and while resisting the temptation to sit back and whine. Here is the starting point:

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers
and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world … Ephesians 6:12

First, recognize that evil exists and is motivated by the devil himself and extended by those willing to submit to his lies. It started as early as the beginning of man—the devil said to Eve, surely God would not… Manipulation, at its root, must have you challenge existing authority or truth. Wherever you turn today—after every national crisis or major event—the manipulators are there with their agenda and sadly many of us are victims. It can sound so right.

Jesus replied, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?   Mark 12:24

Next, challenge every thought, argument and idea with the light of the Word of God. Read and know scripture and use it to reveal what is true and right. One of the biggest challenges I have today is persuading good men who truly desire to have a deeper relationship with God because of their unwillingness to put aside the things of this world. They will say, I want God but I cannot give up the porn, living with another woman out of wedlock, you pick it. The world is winning out because we do not take God’s Word at face value.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.   2 Chron. 7:14

Finally, and most important of all, PRAY. You were ready for that one I am sure. But let me ask you a question. As much as you might accede to this idea, does your behavior reflect it? Here again is the subtle voice of our enemy—surely nothing will happen as a result of your prayers, God will not listen to you, what good could possibly come…

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.   James 4:7

I am privileged to join with over forty men's ministry leaders from around the country in the production of what may be the most significant gathering of best practices for ministry to men to date.  I have co-labored with many of these fine contributors for over 25 years now and respect their work.

My chapter, excerpted below, addresses the Senior Pastor and reflects what I believe is the most important consideration for effective ministry to men.  Copies of this book are now available for sale in our store.

An Important Message for the Senior Pastor
Vince D'Acchioli

Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve put on men’s events in hundreds of churches and spoken at numerous high-profile men’s conferences across North America. Here’s what I’ve learned: meaningful ministry to men cannot evolve from grass-roots efforts. For too long we have ignored the senior pastor and asked lay leaders to move the mountain.

I believe that men’s ministry (i.e., pancake breakfasts, camping trips, PK rallies, ISI events, and the like) can easily be run by lay leaders. However, that is not ministry to men; it is men’s ministry. And there is a big difference.

I have yet to see a truly effective ministry to men where the senior pastor was not fully involved and in charge. In communicating this point, I want to be careful not to take anything away from the talented lay leaders across the country who are doing an incredible job in the area of men’s ministry. Rather, what I would like to focus on is the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.

If ministry to men is defined as bringing men into meaningful relationship with God and developing them into fully devoted followers of Christ who can make a difference in their world, then churches need to move from an event-led ministry into a more intentional, pastor-led ministry. Even in large churches where there are several levels of management, ministry to men should report directly to the senior pastor. This sends a strong message to the whole church about priorities.

Perhaps, just as important is identifying and equipping trustworthy men to be part of the discipling process. Paul lays out the plan, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2 TLB). Let’s establish a structure for that strategy.

Picking Your Leaders
Consider God’s order here on planet earth. It flows from God the Father, to Jesus the Son, to the man as the spiritual head of the family, to his wife, and ultimately to their children. Where, in that order, is the first place the church can make an impact? Obviously, it’s with the man. But look at your calendar and annual budget. There’s a good chance you’ll see that there’s much greater investment in youth and women’s ministries than on ministry to men. It seems that we have our ministry priorities out of order.

If you agree, here are some suggestions on how you can move forward. Prayerfully consider two or three, or perhaps in larger churches, as many as eight to ten men you believe possess a level of maturity and a desire to be involved in ministry to men. Call each man individually and ask him if he would consider helping you manage the most important ministry in the church. Invite him into your office for a one-on-one interview.

Treat the interview the way you would if you were hiring an executive staff member. This communicates a level of importance that will stimulate your candidates. Share your passion for ministry, and let them know how you think this is going to impact the church. Give each man a strong vision, and then ask him if he will join the first string.

Once you have your first string in place, ask this group of men to prayerfully consider a list of ten to twenty (depending upon church size) additional men whom they believe carry a passion for ministry to men and have the spiritual maturity to join the next level. Let them know you will be making your own list of candidates as well. Then get your core team together and prayerfully and honestly review these candidates, agreeing on the men you want to invite to the next level.

Use the same formal interview process as before. Again, the idea here is to plant the vision—let them sense your passion as their pastor. You now have a small group of men you can begin calling on for help, and a second level to assist in carrying out the day-to-day management of your new ministry. Together you may want to come up with a name like Men’s Ministry Council, or some other clever means of identification, that will give each team member a sense of being part of something special.

Disciple Your Leaders
It has been said, “We teach what we know but reproduce who we are.” That parallels another quotable truth, “At the end of the day, our ministry is only as good as the hands that extend it.” Your goal with your leadership team is to help them become, to each other first, what they expect to produce in those they will be serving. In other words, practice discipling each other.

Make a concerted effort to meet, at least weekly, with these leaders with a specific agenda in mind:

• Go through a structured learning system to help these leaders grow spiritually and in their understanding of leadership.
• Carve out time for prayer and encouragement—get to know and minister to their areas of struggle.
• Model transparency—they need to see it in you first.
• Have the difficult conversations with men who are lagging. Ask them to step back in order to grow more before assuming a leadership role.
• Discover the weaknesses and strengths of your team.
• Bring strong training resources geared toward developing good group facilitation. On Target Ministries has recently invested a great deal of time and resources, creating and launching a solid video curriculum for this purpose.
• Develop a plan together, laying out strategies for at least the next year in reaching and discipling men.

Learning from the Past
As you plan your strategies for growing men, many lessons can be learned from the last few decades of what many call the Men’s Ministry Movement. While several high-quality ministries have evolved and the flag has been raised indicating the importance of ministry to men, we have not had the kind of results for which we had hoped. In fact, men in the church may be worse off today than they were when the movement began.

That statement is not meant to be a slam aimed at many fine efforts, but rather, a testimony to the power of our culture to pull men away faster than we are able to engage them in meaningful discipleship. One of the reasons this has happened stems from our unwillingness to strive for and measure the right outcomes. Our tendency to value events and numbers over observable spiritual maturity is at the center of this dilemma.

A word of caution here: Please know I would never say events are bad. Rather, I am saying that we may be eventing men to death. In putting all our eggs in the event basket, we fail to realize that men are rarely experiencing any life-giving transformation. For sure, well-planned events can be a rich, soul-satisfying experience. However, our failure to move men beyond the event and into meaningful, ongoing spiritual development is a significant problem and a lost opportunity.

The question is, why are lives not being transformed? It’s not because events are uninspiring. It’s also not a lack of truth—we have the best truth since Jesus walked our planet. Rather, it’s because we fail to give men what they crave most. It takes a relational environment for truth to become transformational.

Most church-sponsored ministries to men are awkward at creating the kind of life-giving relational environments where we can move that truth from life implication to life application.

Growth through Relationships
Our job as pastors and leaders is to cast the vision, gather the right people to move that vision forward, and measure the right outcomes—spiritual growth, not numerical breadth. Men grow most effectively through an ongoing commitment to a small-group system around some sort of carefully chosen curriculum. At On Target Ministries, we are committing our entire future to the development of this idea with new curriculum and facilitation training.

One of the primary reasons men give up on small groups has to do with poor group management or facilitation. If they see a well-organized plan and that leaders have high expectations, the men will feel cared for and loved. It is also important that your leaders are highly trained, encouraged, and appreciated—remember what the great Oswald Chambers said, “God will not do any more through you than you first allow him to do in you.”

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A COPY OF THIS BOOK

A wakeup call for Christians

Cindy and I just returned from a prayer walk with our dog Beau. As Cindy was praying for many things I softly whispered to God, Lord, please give me a greater sense of urgency for these troubled times we are experiencing. I no sooner got that request set before Him that He responded pretty bluntly. Vince, there is no sense of urgency in My kingdom. I do not want you to have a greater sense of urgency just a deeper understanding of your responsibility.

Wow. This is the second time He has shared with me my need to take the responsibility He has given me more seriously. I admit I am a little slow but I am starting to get it. God is not anxious about the condition of the culture we have created so much as He is seeking to get the attention of many of His followers who have allowed it to happen.

My tendency to lean toward a sense of urgency is motivated by a combination of hearing it from the mouths of other Christian leaders and taking in the sights and sounds being projected by all of the contemporary forms of media, most of which is purposely manipulated. I think the Lord is telling me to keep my eye on the ball and avoid getting deceived. The enemy is hard at work and he is the great deceiver—even of the elect.

As I continued through this morning contemplating all of this my mind flashed back to an experience I had when I was 16. I wrote about this some time ago and it had to do with a meeting I attended of a secret society where I was being initiated. There were about 30-40 of us young new recruits who were asked to go into a room and wait until the program started. What happened in that room was something so deeply etched in my mind that I will never forget it.

The AC was off and it must have been close to 100 degrees. We were in there for an hour at least and several of us near the door were getting angry and yelling at those on the other side who had us locked in. It escalated to the point where once the door opened a violent fight broke out with our captors. There was a stabbing and you could see blood everywhere. Finally it ended, we were all scared and the ambulance carted away the wounded.

Once back in the main auditorium we were now audience members waiting for the leader to speak. There was a heightened sense of fear and anxiety. What I did not notice at the time were about 50 men in black robes standing around the perimeter of the room, my dad one of them, seemingly very calm. When you are anxious the obvious is not considered. Of course we went on to learn that was the purpose of the whole put-on event. It was all a show.

After introducing the well-planted actors they went on to teach us that this was a lesson about how communism works. It only takes a few to mislead the unaware masses.

My friend, this is what is happening in our world today. I am sorry to say that many of us Christians are falling for the trap. We have our eyes on what is being fed to us through our “enlightened” culture filled with an unprecedented ability to communicate. The so-called enlightened culture we have today has produced the darkest world we have ever seen by deliberately choking off the only true light.

The battle lines have never been so clear, resulting in an atmosphere of heightened tensions. In order to hold to their warped worldview, people find they must deny God. Consequently, their actions begin to produce an elevation of anger and violence. Logically, of course, this makes no sense—if there is no God then why should you be angry with someone who believes there is?

If there is no God then why should you be angry with someone who believes there is?

I am persuaded that human beings hold deep within a sense of what is right and wrong. Deep inside their heart there is a sense that something is not right. Maybe it is the awareness of that hole that only God can fill. As a result, the more we try to persuade others of our rightness the more conflicted we become and the obvious outworking of this takes the form of anger, often violent anger. In my early sin-filled life I experienced a lot of this as everything I did seemed to go against the grain of what God intended for me.

So here is our dilemma—how do I as a Christian respond to this? A sense of urgency often ushers in misguided and shallow attempts to make a difference. A deeper understanding of my responsibility, on the other hand, should bring about a more thoughtful and effective approach.

My friend yes, the times are dark and likely to get much darker. It has been predicted after all. As Christians we cannot afford to set aside our responsibility, however. God is calling us to awaken a dead world to the life and love of Jesus—and yes—even if we face persecution for doing so.

I want to address three groups of people with some ideas to consider in light of all that I am saying here:

For Pastors and church leadership:

• Recognize the extent to which your church and Christian message may be producing cap pistols when the world needs aircraft carriers
• Stop preaching a watered down version of God's Word
• Consider that the number of people who attend your church is NOT an indicator of how BIG (spiritually mature) your church is
• Quit worrying about who is leaving your church—it is none of your business—your business is to make sure you and Jesus are on the same page.   The rest is His problem not yours—anything less than this is pride
• Stand firm against the threats of our secular and anti God culture—BE COURAGEOUS!

(On a personal note, I must admit that I have been guilty of violating much of this—it continues to be a temptation)

Amos 5:23-24 Away with your hymns of praise!  They are only noise to my ears.  I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is.  Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry.

For the Christian:

• Stop looking for churches that make you feel good
• Make it a priority to place yourself in environments where your spiritual growth is the number one priority
• Quit arguing with the world—go deeper with God and He will use you at the proper time
• Stop watching and listening to most forms of social media and news—the majority of it is designed to mislead you
• Determine to do whatever it takes to get closer to God—get up earlier and get into that devotional routine you have been putting off
• Consider starting a small group in your home devoted to growing disciples

Rom. 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is --his good, pleasing and perfect will.

For the non Christian:

• Please do not close your heart
• Try to keep an open mind about the existence of a great and mighty God who is crazy about you
• If you are angry consider where it may be coming from
• Before you accept anyone’s idea of truth be courageous enough to research and test its validity
• Quit exposing yourself to information and books that already support your ideas and start looking at the other side—there is nothing more frustrating than talking to someone who has never exposed themselves to opposing views
• Walk away from people who are overly critical and judgmental
• Find a church that only teaches the unadulterated truth of the Bible and where you sense that you are loved no matter what

Eph. 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…

As I was sitting through an incredible high school graduation ceremony the other day I was flooded with two powerful emotions. First, Joseph Parker Butchko is Cindy and my first-born grandson. Hard to imagine we are old enough to be experiencing this, but never been so proud. Incredible memories of watching this fine young man grow up into the strong Christian he has become.

My second emotion was a little more concerning. I could not help thinking about the world he is about to enter and the challenges he will no doubt face as a follower of Christ. My thoughts went back to a conversation we had around our dinner table just the night before. We talked about the difficulty young Christians encounter today in the form of good friends and peers who do not truly understand the proper Christian world-view.

Many of these young people, while well intentioned, do not possess a realistic understanding of what God’s Word reveals about life. They have bought into a world-view shaped more by their current circumstances, the opinions of other people they may respect or trust and perhaps most significantly, the attitudes of the popular culture of today. As a result, they tend to discount the Bible’s absolutes. A quote I just put on my FaceBook feed perhaps says it best, Absence of a true understanding of "the God who is" will always lead to the pursuit of "a god that you want".

The ceremony we experienced on this day was exceptional. Linfield Christian School is a strong Bible teaching and believing environment dedicated to building young men and women who will be people of Godly character. The Headmaster who gave the Charge said it best, you need to be Christians who will be salty and bright representatives of Jesus in today’s world.

As I sat through the ceremony I pondered what I could tell my grandson that would truly condense my advice to him during this important transition. Two powerful ideas came to me—always love people and never compromise God’s word. While I am persuaded that all graduates who profess to be followers of Christ need to hear this, I am equally convinced there is something here for all of us. Let me explain further.

First, Always love people. No matter who they are, where they have been, what they have done, how they believe or think, ALL people. If there is any one idea that exemplifies what Jesus teaches through His word it is this. We are called to love people like He loved them, unconditionally. The awkwardness we face today is born out the lie that says, you cannot really love me unless you except everything I believe and do.

Dear Christian graduate, please hear me, avoid this trap. You can stand for what the Bible teaches and still love those who do not. As I close in a moment I will give you some practical tips that might help you in this area.

Second and most important, never compromise God’s word. This means that you cannot attempt to water down what Jesus teaches in order to appear more hip or with it. To do so puts you into the category of pursuing a god you want at the exclusion of the God who is. This too is a very dangerous trap and one that far too many who call themselves Christians have fallen into.

Here is the caveat, your ability to not compromise God’s word and be accepted for it is made much easier when you treat people with love in the first place. In other words, the latter, never compromise God’s word, is best facilitated by the former, always love people.

I want to suggest some practical ideas that may help you as you move forward. Whether you are headed off to college or entering the work world; these ideas can help.

• Get connected to a small group of like-minded Christians to do life with. This can create a healthy environment where you can share your successes and failures and pick up valuable ideas and prayer support.
• Consider finding an older person who will commit to being your mentor. Someone who will be there for you, pray for you, and bring correction when necessary.
• Make sure you stay connected to a strong Bible believing local church and get involved in their ministry.
• Form good devotional habits—rise as early as needed in order to read the Word, pray and praise God every single morning. THIS IS CRITICAL FOR AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
• Look for opportunities God may be putting in front of you every day to love others and be a strong witness for Jesus. Every day begin by praying, Lord, do not let me miss the opportunities You may place in front of me today to represent You.

And finally, always remember how special you are to our Lord. He is crazy about you and desires for you to truly become the man or woman He intended.

Eph. 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Eph. 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…

Imagine this—throughout human history there has existed two streams, the stream of good and the stream of evil. One might say light vs. dark—or God vs. anti God. A well known pastor once concluded that these two streams have been running in opposite directions throughout history at a slow enough speed to allow you and me to have a foot in both of them. I think you get the idea here—this is where so many of us who call ourselves followers of Christ tend to live.

Today we are finding that these streams are no longer slowly meandering. Rather, they are now moving so rapidly on opposite courses that if you try to have a foot in each—you will be torn apart. In other words, the light is becoming brighter and more obvious at the same time as the darkness is becoming more intense. In my lifetime I have never seen this much polarization in our nation. I am convinced that it is going to get substantially worse at a faster pace than we can imagine.

Consider the following list of controversial beliefs in our culture today:

• Homosexuality is the moral equivalent of heterosexuality and should be celebrated
• A developing fetus in the womb is not a human being…you can destroy it if you choose
• Without a single shred of evidence to support the theory of evolution…you accept it as fact
• With incontrovertible evidence to support that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead…you deny it
• It is more important to give people who are down-and-out a handout instead of a hand up
• Mankind is causing global warming and it will inevitably lead to our demise. Though the evidence is inconclusive, those who are skeptical are ignorant
• We should have open borders and all people should be allowed to enter our country…no restrictions
• The US constitution should be a fluid document and we should be changing it to better suit the times we live in
• Racism is the worst it has ever been in our country and the police and white privilege are mostly to blame
• Socialism is preferable to Capitalism and the government has the answers to most of our problems
• Islam is a religion of peace
• All religions are equal and any who claim to possess the “truth” should be condemned as intolerant

If you could use only one word to describe someone who believes in 90 percent of this, what would it be?

I am suggesting this exercise because I think it is time for those of us who are truly Bible believing Christians to get our heads out of the sand. These and many other issues we are facing today are defining the battleground. Consensus on these ideological positions is no longer possible. The enemy of our soul is alive and well among us.

We have allowed our voices to be silenced by those who cleverly define Biblical/moral values as political…they are NOT! We cannot allow this to continue, but I fear we do not know how to stop it. We are awkward and intimidated in our response to a pervasive anti-God culture. So, what does all this mean? What can we take away from this?

Before I suggest what we need to do, let me tell you what we need to avoid. We do not need more Christian apologetics and worldview experts to help us define the problem. While the information is helpful and stirs a lot of emotions, it fails to get to the heart of what is necessary. We also do not need, nor can we tolerate, reluctance on the part of our pastors and leaders to call out sin and anti-Christian sentiment from our political leaders and institutions. Finally, we do not need more Christians getting angry and trying to argue our way through this quagmire. It only pushes people further away.

One of the greatest challenges we face in advancing the message of Jesus Christ in our world today comes from our inability to transition from anger and disgust to love and grace.

Ok, so what is the answer, Vince? Good question! I want to offer my best counsel here with a caveat—I am only a man. I am not God. Please take what I am about to share in a prayerful and measured way.

If you have been following my TargetPoint articles for some time you may recall back in November of 2008 I felt strongly that God gave me a word. In fact there were five words—MY PEOPLE ARE NOT PREPARED! I remember not completely understanding at that time what that meant. It was only a short time later that we experienced one of the worst financial meltdowns in recent history.

I remember how many of God’s people were devastated. Marriages and families were in crisis. We recognized later that very little of this had to do with our circumstances. In fact, all the circumstances did was shine a light on the lack of substance that was there all along. Someone once said, trials in life do not make a person…they reveal them.

Born out of intense personal experience and some hard knocks, I have come to understand what many of you have heard me share as, THE SECRET TO LIFE. If you have watched me speak, you may recall the hand illustration I use to suggest how we place God between ourselves and our circumstances. It is only then that we are able to see our world through His eyes—this is key.

It is not easy, however. I must admit that I am vulnerable to being sucked into the twenty-four hour news cycle with its unending array of hot news flashes. It is obvious that so much of this is embellished to persuade our views and increase ratings. DEAR ONES PLEASE HEAR ME—THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO TAKE MY EYES OFF ALL OF THIS UNLESS I PUT MY LORD IN FRONT.

So here is what I want you to consider as a takeaway; in order for us to truly put God between us and our current circumstances…to address where we are today in our world and be in a position to truly make a difference, we need to draw near to Him (James 4:8). There is no other way. God’s word calls us to love Him and each other—the two greatest commandments. Can you imagine how different our world would look if we could accomplish this?

Here are some ideas I would ask you to consider:

• Stop being a news junkie—you are being manipulated and brainwashed—there is no more objectivity
• Spend the time you use taking in information from the TV, internet and newspapers and add it up—then determine to use that time to meet with God—reading His word, praying, praising and listening.
• Bottom line, quit doing 360’s looking for answers—simply lift your head straight up to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings
• Surround yourself with people who are like minded for encouragement and prayer support—we so desperately need that
• Start or join a weekly support/accountability group—for men, women or as couples

Consider the giant Sequoia or Redwood Tree, one of the largest living organisms on the planet. They are enormous and strong, but did you know that just one Sequoia or Redwood is incapable of standing on its own? Their very shallow root structure, underground and unseen, is intertwined with their fellow giants. They literally hold each other up.

Dear friends, please understand that the winds of the world are blowing with more force today than at any time in recent history…if you try to go it alone—you will be blown over.

If you are able to do these few simple things I know that God, by His Spirit, will equip you to better navigate and ultimately become the man or woman He intended. It will not be by posturing, arguing or political maneuvering—it will be by His Spirit.

On a personal note, three years ago God impressed upon me the need to spend more time with Him. He told me I was not taking my responsibility as a minister of His word seriously enough. I will never forget that encounter. Since then I have been spending 2-3 hours every morning reading His word, praying, praising and listening. IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.

BY THE WAY, GOD HATES CONSENSUS!

Dedicated to the life and memory of Dr. Dan Erickson, my friend 
Vince D’Acchioli

A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.  
                                                           ― William Shakespeare

I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend, Dan Erickson. Were it not for his unconditional love, incredible wisdom, gentle challenges and persistent encouragement, I would not have had the ministry success I experience today. His words to me and probably everyone he ever encountered, you’re the best, reverberate in my soul often and always will.

As you read these five attributes of a friend I know you will be blessed. If you knew Dan you will also see him powerfully as they are unpacked. I pray this blesses you and becomes a challenge toward becoming a better friend.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.   Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

The first attribute is Commitment. A Godly friend is there for you no matter the circumstances. They are willing to get up a 3 AM and meet you to talk and work through emergencies. They follow through on their promises. When they tell you they will pray about something—they actually pray. Dan was this kind of friend to so many of us. When he knew I had a struggle he would not only pray and offer wisdom, but he would also pick up the phone and want a report on how I was doing. He did not forget.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.  Proverbs 27:5-6 (NIV)

At a time in my ministry where my own pride was threatening to suffocate what God wanted to pour through me Dan not only recognized it but did something about it. I will never forget the occasion when he gently whispered to me, Vince, you know you must descend before you can ascend. I knew what he meant—and he knew I understood what he meant. Humility is what God is looking for in all of us. Dan not only modeled it—he encouraged others to do the same. The occasion I refer to here was a game changer for me and one I will never forget.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV)

Ok, so if you knew Dan you are saying—no brainer dude—this epitomizes the man. Not only was he famous for the, you're the best encouragements, he also helped you become better in practical ways. I have witnessed first hand this man humbly taking a back seat and give up the platform because he thought it would be better for someone else.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.   John 15:12-13 (NIV)

You ever have someone in your life that you just know would take a bullet for you? Of course you might expect that from a parent or perhaps your grandparents—but a friend? There was no doubt in my mind that Dan was this kind of friend. When you would hang out with him you just knew he had you’re back.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

In Dan’s case it is only fitting that I conclude with this one. Dan was one of the early leaders in the Promise Keeper ministry and was instrumental in brining denominational leaders to the movement. In those days we all remember the phrase taken from our verse…as iron sharpens iron. Dan lived this verse. He believed in the concept that we help each other to grow and that with God’s help and the support of Godly friends, there is nothing we cannot overcome and no limits to what we can accomplish.

Though the loss of my dear friend prompted this message I want you to know that when I recorded this exact program a couple of years ago I actually put it together with Dan as one of my role models. As I conclude I would be remiss if I did not consider what our dear brother would want you to take away from all of this. It would certainly not be a heightened sense of sorrow for him—he is with our Lord now and wearing the crowns brought about by the very attributes he allowed God to work into his life.

Rather, Dan would want each of us to ponder these special qualities and ask ourselves two important questions—one a scale of 1-5:

How would I rate my closest friend(s)?

How would I rate myself as a friend?

Thank you Dan…you truly were and still are, THE BEST.

All night long my sleep was interrupted with more and more ideas to ad to my already monstrous list of wrongs I perceived were done to me by a contractor I had hired.  The more I thought about it the angrier I became.  I was livid. You see, I have discovered there are two sides to my brain, the Italian side and the Christian side. One says wackem and the other says love him. Seriously though—we do go back and forth between the flesh and the spirit, do we not?

Well, the next morning as I began my private time with God, I prayed, Lord, search me today, as I always do every day.  I then opened to my first reading assignment in my read through the Bible in a year program and this is the verse I read:

Jeremiah [12:1] LORD, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. Now let me bring you this complaint: 

It was an amazing epiphany for me.  I got down on my knees and asked God to please forgive me for allowing a spirit of self-righteousness, bitterness and anger to invade my heart and sear my conscience.  Please forgive me for not living what You have given me to teach others.  Help me, Lord to truly become the man You intended.

I realized that any injustice, if it exists, is not for me to discern.  My only assignment is to bring it before Him.  He helped me understand that what this man and I were dealing with is not the issue—the issue has to do with how much He loved both of us and expects our response to always be going to Him first. Crawling up in His lap. Gaining His perspective. To close the story—I did write this man and instead of expecting anything from him in return—God gave me the power to forgive and ask for forgiveness from him.

Ok, so what does all this have to do with our title? Almost daily I hear people saying vote your conscience when it comes to the upcoming election. It begs the question, what is conscience and what are the implications here. As followers of Jesus we understand the Biblical perspective of man being made up of three parts, body, soul and spirit.

In 1 Timothy 1:5 Paul says, The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience… 

What is the conscience? In the soul the conscience is that immaterial component that develops and stores our values, priorities, and default choices. Another way of thinking of the conscience is as the will. In the soul a continuous dialog is underway between the mind – what we think – the heart – how we feel – and the conscience – our most basic convictions. The conscience functions as a kind of referee in the soul, bringing together the thoughts of our minds and the affections of our hearts in a harmonious and truthful way, so that love can issue from all our learning. Thus, it is very important that the conscience be in proper working order – what Paul describes as a “good” conscience, one that pleases God and serves men (Acts 24:16).

Please notice the phrase; Thus, it is very important that the conscience be in proper working order. My friend, have you examined your conscience. It is clear from my personal illustration that even those of us who are seemingly mature Christians who have followed the Lord for many years are prone to having our conscience seared.

So, as we ready ourselves to enter that voting process this time may I suggest a few ideas to consider? Here are a series of questions you may want to take before God:

• What role may self-righteousness, bitterness and anger be playing right now as it relates to the condition of my heart? Remember, what we think affects how we feel, (our heart) and that impacts our convictions.
• Lord, am I truly seeking You and Your perspective on the matters before me or have I made up my mind without You?
• If I examine the time I spend watching and absorbing news VS seeking you in prayer, how would it stack up?
• To what extent have I allowed my convictions to be shaped by others as opposed to my own Spirit-led discovery?
• Am I finding it difficult to realize the good God may be seeing in the midst of all of the turmoil and confusion?
• Am I finding it difficult to be at peace knowing that God is not anxious about this or any election?

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV)  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared…

Titus 1:15 (NIV)  To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Some people say they will follow their conscience...many of us have dead consciences. Your conscience is no longer a safe guide. You’ve deadened it.  —Billy Graham

Surely God would not… -The devil

When I was 16 years old my dad brought me to an indoctrination meeting for a group that he had become a member of. As I was passing into manhood, he suggested it would be good for me.

I remember entering a large auditorium where about 50 other men of various ages were seated, awaiting the program. The moderator asked us to leave for a short time, as they needed to prepare the room for the presentation. So they ushered all of us into a small room to wait.

I remember thinking this is sure a small space for all these men, and there were no chairs. It will probably be a short wait, I thought. It was not. In fact, the wait was nearly an hour. During that time I remember being uncomfortable, as it began to get hot and stuffy. The door was locked so there was no way out.

Pretty soon some of the men were feeling very uncomfortable, even claustrophobic. One of the men started knocking on the door insisting to be let out, only to be told by the man on the other side to be patient. The conversation escalated and the knocking became pounding by not just one but now about 3-4 men. The language became so heated that threats of bodily harm were being thrown in both directions.

When the door finally swung open the mayhem began. Immediately 3-4 of our men grabbed the doorkeeper, tackled him to the ground and began beating him mercilessly. After a minute or so I saw a knife appear and almost instantly there was blood everywhere. They had stabbed this man multiple times.

The scene became eerily quiet as most of us just stood back in utter shock. In very short order emergency responders appeared on the scene, attended the injured man and took him off in an ambulance. The rest of us were then asked to go back to the auditorium and take a seat.

What happened next I will never forget. The moderator took the platform and proceeded to introduce all the actors. None of what we had just experienced was what we had perceived. It was all an act. The moderator told us that this was an illustration of how communism works. An example of how a few well-placed people with a well thought-out plan can establish circumstances designed to manipulate the masses into seeing a reality that does not exist. We were literally pawns.

As I think back upon this experience I cannot help thinking about how much of this goes on today all over our world. Leadership is key here, but we must remember that it can be good or evil depending upon its motivations. Good leadership is always undergirded by truth. In contrast evil leadership is always based upon deception. We all know how far back this goes—it started in the garden when the devil convinced the first couple that there was a different reality than God had shown them.

So, you might ask, why am I sharing this? I am persuaded that to a large extent we are all pawns nurtured and developed by small minorities with motives we often do not perceive. As we go into what might be the most important election cycle in our nation's history I want to give you some things to think and pray about. I also want to say that deception is not associated with any political party or group—it is practiced by all.

We are well aware that the enemy wants to destroy, and throughout history has used people for his evil purposes. As a result we must be discerning always about the intentions of leaders; the higher the level the more potential destruction.

If I were a leader with evil intentions designed to destroy our nation, I would:

• Remove all reference to a moral authority not agreed upon by the state and intimidate the church by proclaiming deep moral issues are political and therefore off limits.
• Indoctrinate upcoming generations of young people with information designed to create a negative attitude toward our nation, established authority, and the rule of law
• Control the basic necessities of life: water, food and natural resources, through a series of far-reaching regulations, and convince people it is in order to save the planet
• Bring about anarchy by exaggerating and making up stories designed to polarize around race, gender, class and lifestyle issues in order to exercise more control (possibly martial law)
• Reduce the ability to protect ourselves through compromising our national defense systems and disarming our citizens
• Create a large poor and homeless population and convince them it is the system around them that is at fault (national slavery)
• Integrate as many immigrants into the culture as possible, especially those with different and oftentimes conflicting ideologies, and whose birthrate far exceeds the majority
• De-emphasize all threats from outside enemies while covertly supporting them

As a Christian reading this I want you to consider what would happen if, God forbid, we ever have leadership that wants to take us in this direction.

So, here are some questions for you to consider in this critical election cycle:

1. Are you giving in to deliberate and often-deceptive attempts to get you to evaluate candidates based upon their character flaws, rather than examining the ideologies they stand for and the direction they will pursue?
2. Do you buy into a reality defined by Fox news or CNN simply because they are your preferred source of what is truth?
3. To what extent are the conclusions you are arriving at supported by your ethnicity, the color of your skin, how you were raised and what you have been taught, rather than prayerfully considered facts?
4. Have you prayed and considered, in light of Gods Word, what is truth and what is deception?

Finally, pray God protects us from the evil intentions of our real enemy and for Him to help our leaders who may be influenced by him to see the alternative, His Son.

Before I begin, a brief caution is called for. While this article is directed toward Christian men it is not intended to minimize the importance of, or responsibility given, to Christian women. I am dealing with men first, because they are the primary focus of our ministry, but particularly out of a deep understanding of the importance God places upon us to lead our families with spiritual wisdom and authority.

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. -Gen 7:1

Shortly after the recent tragedy in Orlando, Florida I came across this scripture as part of my morning devotional reading. The author pointed out the conditions that existed in the society around the time of the flood and the similarities to what is happening in our world today are astounding. Here is an excerpt:

The children of Noah faced a significant decision. They lived in a world where everyone blatantly disregarded God. Wickedness was the norm. No one would have condemned Noah's sons for living evil lives like the rest of society — no one except their father. In a world rampant with ungodly attitudes and every form of wicked behavior, they were fortunate to be Noah's sons. When their father invited them to spend the next hundred years building an ark in obedience to a word from God, Noah's sons had to choose whether to believe those around them or to trust their father. They chose to join their father. What a wonderful testimony of Noah's godly influence in his home! How fortunate for Shem, Ham, and Japheth that their father refused to compromise his integrity, even though everyone else in his society had done so. –From Experiencing God

What is of utmost importance here is NOT the circumstances that existed around them or even the building of the Ark itself. Rather, it is Noah’s response. In the midst of evil and tragic circumstances he maintained his intimacy with God which enabled him to become the sound voice or calming influence to the family God had entrusted to him.

Dear friend therein lies the lesson for you and me today. The issue right now is not the tragedy that unfolded in Orlando or even the people who perpetrated it—rather, it is our response to it as men of God. We are called to be His agents with our wives, children and grandchildren and ultimately to all with whom we come in contact. Like Noah we are called to usher them into a safe place.

So, here is the BIG question. What do people around you see in your response to tragic circumstance? Are you helping them to see things through the eyes of our Lord or contributing to more of a worldly mindset and response?

I want to leave you with three things to consider as you endeavor to become God’s agent in the midst of trying circumstance and tragic events. I would ask you to prayerfully process them and decide to challenge yourself in areas where you may be falling short.

1. Seek God

• Our first response is to seek God in prayer and ask Him to give you the right (Godly) perspective on what has occurred
• Ask Him to help you focus your attention on what happened not the people involved
• Let Him know how much you love Him and know that He is in control and ask Him to prepare you to meet the needs of those around you 

• Become a Jeremiah man. Jeremiah looking over the rubble of a destroyed city says, Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
• Beginning with your own family, become a calming influence.   This is especially important with your wife, kids and even extended family members. Remember, when you profess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, people are watching you—it is at times like this that they want to know if being a follower of Christ really makes a difference.
• With others you encounter either at work, in your neighborhood or even at church, do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of talking about people, politics or conversations that take you away from how God might view things

• Pray for our nation every day and ask God to protect us from the great deceiver who has come to steal, kill and destroy

Eph. 6:12-17 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I do not believe in the God of theology who rewards good and punishes evil
-Albert Einstein

Unfortunately the quote above is reflective of how a lot of modern-day Christian leaders are leaning. This tendency, in my view, is the result of gradually adopting popular cultural ideas about the existence of absolutes. A most pathetic form of religious political correctness has infiltrated much of the church today.

Perhaps the most recent and dangerous manifestation of this is represented by the current positions being expressed regarding the existence of hell. The argument, and a reasonable one I might add, has to do with the perceived lack of clarity in the Bible about our long held views of hell and what it will be like. There is no shortage of parsing words, challenging interpretations of scripture verses and reminders of the lack of biblical evidence to support the concept of hell as it has evolved.

All this activity in my view is a shill-game or sham to cover up what is really happening. What we have unintentionally succumbed to is a world-view that is not comfortable with consequences. I want to be able to live my life any way I want and if it results in negative consequences I have a right to be free from them—in fact—it is probably your fault.

Instead of accepting the God who has revealed Himself to us through His word, we are fashioning one created in our own image. This is absurd at best and pathetic at worst. We want a perfect world as we might define it and do not understand that we live in a fallen one. In fact, it all began with the words put forth by the devil right from the beginning…surely God would not…

Even Pilate responding to Jesus’ claim to testify to the truth put forth the age-old question, what is truth? In many of my conferences I often explain that God is real, He lives in heaven and He has an opinion—and guess whose opinion don't count? We do not like that. We have been subtly brainwashed into thinking we can determine the absolutes we think appropriate and surely God would not…

If you are doubting what has happened just look at some examples of how this idea has affected us in recent years:

• Homosexual sex is not only normal…it is celebrated—don't agree and you will be punished, boycotted, shut down
• Teens are taught in schools to have safe sex and it doesn't matter if it is with the same sex
• If your lifestyle results in disease or other complications—someone else will pay for it
• Killing the unborn is a human right
• Raising the bar on what constitutes a punishable offense
• Releasing prisoners early because it seems humane
• Tolerating criminal activity by illegal immigrants because we feel sorry for them
• Children in their early years of public education being taught to question authority
• Cheating, especially if it creative, is rewarded—lying is ok if the payback is big enough
• Laziness is rewarded with entitlements
• The God of the Bible is demonized while dark and radical practices being put forth by other religions are tolerated

NOTE: If after reading this list you find yourself asking why these are negative—you are pursuing a god you want…NOT, the God who is.

This list could go on and on but I think you get the point. We are desperately lost and have given in to the enemy of our soul’s original lie. Do what ever you want and God won’t care. There is no good and evil, right and wrong, black and white—everything is relative. And sin, what an antiquated concept! And then, here is the big one—how could a loving God ever do something so cruel—why would He condemn people for an eternity in utter darkness?

This kind of thinking ignores the deeper question it begs. How could this loving Creator allow the unbelievable pain and suffering experienced by His own Son? If everything is relative—we are all going to be ok in the end—then Jesus’ virgin birth, horrible death and supernatural resurrection was a total waste. The whole purpose of what God did was to shine a bright light upon the consequences of our sin and give us a clear pathway toward salvation. This historical episode was the ultimate statement regarding good VS evil.

My friend all of this begs perhaps the most important question of our time—what does a God-fearing, Bible-believing Christian do in response to what we are seeing? We stand strong. We do not compromise—ever. We draw closer to our God (James 4:8). We develop the kind of faith that will weather anything that comes against it—even onto death. But most importantly, we do not judge the world—we love people the way Jesus would.

The Bible is clear—not complicated to understand. God, through His Holy Spirit has inspired every word. Our job is to meditate upon the truths being revealed and live them out in a way that points people to their Author. It is NOT to engage in arguing a position or point of view. When you encounter people who are supporting some of the viewpoints discussed above—just love them and pray for them. Pray especially that this politically correct theology does not keep others away from discovering the ultimate Truth.

Man makes himself God through pride, God makes Himself man through humility.      -Jacques Benigne Bossuet

As we take in the never-ending barrage of news clips and sound-bites in this current election cycle it does not take a lot of discernment to notice the gross absence of humility resident in the people we are preparing to elect. Keep in mind—we are talking about the next leader of the free world.

A good friend of mine told me many years ago that you must descend before you can ascend. Isn’t this true with most of life? From the seed buried into the soil that ultimately produces the tree that reaches to heaven all the way to the Creator of the universe who gave Himself up to death and burial in order to rise and make it possible for His people to be saved. There is a law at work here—a profound one.

How did our culture get to where we find ourselves today? A good question whose answer would take up more space and time than I have at the moment. The short and obvious answer for me has to do with what I perceive is a deliberate turning away from God and attempting to understand and manage life through the efforts of man. I also believe this condition is exacerbated by the introduction of social media and the digital revolution.

I can now market myself through text messaging, photos, short video clips and Facebook posts and portray any image I want. My true identity is often never discovered by those in my social media circles. I can pretend—no need to work on my character or seek humility—I have all the tools necessary to project the me I want out there. At the end of the day—I become the man I want to be instead of The Man God Intended.

This quote from Tyron Edwards is one of my favorites:
Humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit; it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us.  

I am not proud that it has taken me so many years to understand this idea. Like the earlier description of the seed turning into a giant tree and our Lord being resurrected to provide eternal life for His creation—in both instances the reward is preceded by a breaking or crushing event. I am now convinced that seeing God as bigger than we ever thought is critical to entering the pathway toward humility and a big part of that is seeing Him in the midst of our trials.

The leaders we are turning out today, for the most part, do not understand or appreciate this idea. It is all about them. When is the last time you heard a political leader admit on camera that they did not know the answer to ANY question? What does that suggest? Well, it is a deeper problem than you may think. The reason why they want to project the know it all image is that if they don’t—we won’t vote for them.

Dear ones, the problem is that we are looking for God in our leaders and He is not there. Is He involved? Sure He is. But He will not work through haughty and arrogant people who do not recognize their need for Him. The secret to our ever re-discovering this truth and ultimately turning our nation and its leaders around can be found in one of the most often quoted verses in the Bible:

2 Chronicles 7:14 IF my people, who are called by my name, will HUMBLE themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

My friends, this is a conditional promise and I want you to note the very first one after the IF. Prayer, seeking His face and turning from our wicked ways is preceded by HUMILITY. Could this be the reason why we are NOT seeing God at work in our nation right now?

Proverbs 18:12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

So what can we do? We can understand our need to change. We are in desperate need for people of Godly character and Godly character is always preceded by humility. You and I need to understand how awesome our God is and let that reality influence our opinions of ourselves. We must understand the profound truth found in James 4:8 that says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

How close I can get to God is determined by how far away I can get from me.   -Vince D’Acchioli

I have discovered the above truth through much pain, suffering and failure due to my efforts to manage and control everything. It was not until I discovered that true peace, the peace Jesus is referring to, can only come when I recognize how little I bring to the table and how much I need Him.

Ok, so you know how much I like to leave you with takeaways so here goes:

1. Do not be surprised regarding where we are—it is the natural consequence of man apart from God.
2. Avoid the superficial traps associated with the electronic revolution and social media—pursue meaningful relationships.
3. Determine to draw near to God with a passion and pray He helps you to become the person He intended.

Finally, I thought you might like my recent Facebook post:

Bitterness, anger, hatred, violence, ignorance, rampant stupidity, small-mindedness, manipulation, selfishness. Dear lover of God, is the reality of all of this swirling around you and attempting to set up residence in your soul? DO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN.  Begin praising our wonderful Lord now--and never stop.

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV), So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The Word says it is the Holy Spirit that produces life.
Cindy D’Acchioli

The Scriptures say the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23) Not much confusion about that, right?

So if we persist in dividing the Body of Christ with political strategies and get sidetracked from the Great Commission by exploiting our theologies and church doctrine, are we missing the point?  It is so easy to settle for what might be good, even noble, at the sacrifice of what is best.

One of Jesus’ brightest apostles warned us that knowledge can puff us up, but it is love that actually gets the work done.  Why would he say this so explicitly? Because he knew how vulnerable we can be to the pride that comes from winning an argument, proving a point or proof-texting people away from Christ. Now this is not to dismiss the power of words spoken in season and a boldness of verbal witness. It is simply a reminder that words not backed up with actions are just words in a world filled with words.

It is the pursuit of a Christ like lifestyle and accruing love that cannot be ignored. I find it significant that the Lord Jesus did not get tangled up in doctrinal discussions and political nuance, but emphasized how the power of the Holy Spirit would transform the lives of those who made the choice to follow Him. “I will make you fishers of men,” He told them, and so He did.

Who then qualifies for His program? Well, I am greatly encouraged by the story of Peter and John standing before the religious leaders. These educated and distinguished men recognized that Peter and John were closer to being high school dropouts than credentialed men with a PhD in anything. And yet they knew they were different. Different indeed. These men have been with Jesus, they concluded. And seriously, that had to be the greatest commendation Peter and John would ever receive this side of heaven.

It is also the very commendation we should be striving for; because people will be drawn to Jesus, not by our ability to quote Bible verses or self-promotional attempts to embarrass them with our expertise in Christian Apologetics, but by the sweet fragrance of our Savior and His redemptive sacrifice being exuded from the very pores of our life.  If only the Body of Christ would embrace this simple truth, falling in love with the Master afresh, I am convinced that we would not only see a more pleasing unity in the church, but a community of faith that could have a real impact on the world around us.

So, what is our takeaway from all of this? It is a real challenge for us to examine our own walk and come to terms with how we are doing in this area. Here are some thoughtful questions you may want to ask yourself.

• Are people looking for doctrinal answers or are they looking for the love of God? (1John 4:8)
• If we as God’s children have the gift of the Holy Spirit does our life reflect His presence in us? (John 14:23)
• Are called to bear fruit? (Matt. 3:8)
• Who with your permission does the work of bearing fruit in you? (Phil. 2:13)
• By what evidences would others know that you have the Holy Spirit?  (John 13:35)
• What about my life is drawing others to the Lord?
• What areas of my life do I yet have to submit to Him?

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized they had been with Jesus.

Click to order this important four-part TV series on Real Christianity where Vince discusses how Christians need to approach our world to make a difference for Jesus.

We have become ideological slaves and practical cowards…How did this happen?

Over thirty year ago I found myself speaking to a group of high school seniors on what was called career day. At that time I was Vince President of a Fortune 1000 company and probably had their respect. At the end of my talk one of the students asked me the following question. Do I need a college education to have a job like yours? I immediately noticed most of the students perk up in anticipation of my answer. They were on the edge of their seats—waiting.

My response to them was not as important as my take away. The question asked was really not the real one—at least not as articulated. The real question they wanted answered was this—how can I escape the time and pain I must endure to achieve the desired result? I left this experience thinking that we are raising a generation of young people who lack patience and the ability to apply critical thought—and that is exactly where we are today. In our relentless pursuit of the easy way we have missed the benefits brought about by the struggle.

In our relentless pursuit of the easy way we have missed the benefits brought about by the struggle

How did this happen? I believe it has to do with a deliberate movement away from our roots. Let me be clear here in saying I am not talking about our roots as a nation—I am referring to our Christian roots and the basic understanding of what our wonderful God is teaching us from His word. It is virtually impossible to study the Bible and not understand the relationship between adversity and character building. It is one of the most profound messages contained from Genesis to Revelation.

This idea is found in every aspect of life on planet earth. From a moth succumbing to the pressure of the cocoon to the oak tree facing the storm that causes its roots to go deeper—it is everywhere in Gods creative world. The bottom line is that we want to gain without the strain.

Add that together with the evolution of technology and the ease with which information is now available and it is no wonder we find ourselves where we are. Many today are ideological slaves—people who form opinions based upon air as they lack the patience to truly uncover deeper truths—and practical cowards as we find few today willing to put everything on the line for a worthy cause.

Many today are ideological slaves—people who form opinions based upon air as they lack the patience to truly uncover deeper truths—and practical cowards as we find few today willing to put everything on the line for a worthy cause.

Dear ones, it is at this point I really need you to hear my heart. The solution to this dilemma does NOT lie in our institutional structures or government. In fact, the one thing that still does work in our nation is representative government. Our government is, and always has been, a representation of the sum of its parts. You can blame the sum all you want but that is not the problem. It’s about the parts—you and me—and what we have become.

If you call yourself a follower of Jesus let me offer a few challenges to you as we enter this very important new year. I would start by encouraging you to reexamine where the battlefield is. It is not in our government or its leaders—it is with you and I—the church of Jesus Christ. We need to be praying for our nation and its leaders—Jesus is calling us to do that. However, the Bible also says that His ears are attentive to the prayers of a righteous man. To me the more important issue is prayer for God’s church and for you and me to understand His principles and begin to embrace and live them out.

Yes, that means understanding this is not a cake walk. It means getting serious about our relationship and walk with Jesus. It means becoming more like the Apostle Paul when it comes to welcoming adversity and understanding that God uses it to build us. Imagine what our country would look like if a majority of our parts resembled Paul.

Imagine what our country would look like if a majority of our parts resembled Paul

Judges 3:2 He did this (allowed the battles) only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience:                  

Ps 4:1 KJV Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress.

James 1:2-4 NIV Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

The wind that blows can never kill

The tree God plants;

It blows toward east, and then toward west,

The tender leaves have little rest,

But any wind that blows is best.

The tree that God plants

Strikes deeper root, grows higher still,

Spreads greater limbs, for God's good will

Meets all its wants.

There is no storm has power to blast

The tree God knows;

No thunderbolt, nor beating rain,

Nor lightning flash, nor hurricane;

When they are spent, it does remain,

The tree God knows,

Through every storm it still stands fast,

And from its first day to its last

Still fairer grows. –Selected