Last Lessons #25 – STAND FIRM

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.” Exodus 14:13

“You will not need to fight this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.” 2 Chronicles 20:17

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:13

The Lord of the Bible spoke through Moses and Jahaziel in the Old Testament and Paul in the New Testament telling us there is a time to stand firm and not compromise. I have learned that there are times when I must take a stand against that which I know is wrong. I have also learned that I know what is wrong and what is right from studying the Bible, especially the Ten Commandments.

The question is: when do I stand firm and not compromise on what is right and what is wrong? I am a simple person so my simple answer: whenever the issue of right and wrong demands that I make a decision.

At this time in America’s history, a number of actions have been taken leading our country into that which is wrong according to the Word of God. Therefore, as a Christian I must take a stand and let those making the decisions know their decisions are wrong. I must speak out. I cannot let them silence me.

Another lesson I have learned over the years is that I must decide ahead of time what issues I stand for. In other words, what “hills I am willing to die on.” Waiting until an issue comes up before deciding a position is not wise. In the heat of an argument, it is often tempting to give in and compromise.

Some of the issues facing the United States today that I have said I will not compromise on are:

1. I will stand for only one way a person can be saved from eternal punishment (hell). That way is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. A person cannot be half saved. You are either a Christian or you are not.
2. I will worship the God of the Bible only. I cannot worship God and ----.
3. I will stand for the sanctity of life. Abortion and euthanasia are wrong. We cannot half kill babies nor can we half kill those who are no longer useful. Murder is wrong.
4. I will stand for the biblical truth that marriage is between a man and a woman. God does not compromise on that and neither will I, no matter what laws are passed.
5. I will stand firm on the rule of law. God gave laws and told us we are to obey the laws of the land unless they are against the Scriptures. Then I must obey God.
6. There are other rights that I have been given in America and I will stand for them in whatever ways I can. Two of them are freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

I have told you those things on which I will stand firm. What are the issues on which you will stand firm?

The good news is that when those things we stand firm on are in line with God’s will, he will fight for us. He has promised us that we will not have to fight, we just have to stand firm.

Of course, I continue to learn and one thing I am learning during these challenging days is that when people ask me why and how I am standing firm, I need to speak up and say, “Because I am a Christian.” That is the truth.

Last Lesson #24 – EDUCATION – PART 2

 “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

It is apparent that schoolchildren in public schools in America today are faced with atheistic and socialistic teaching and will be even more so in the four years ahead. But Christians are not helpless before the onslaught of this false and destructive teaching of our children. As Christians we do not burn or vandalize the schools we do not like. And we do not riot and harm the teachers who attempt to indoctrinate our children in a political ideology with which we disagree. Instead, Christians have the power to get the knowledge of God and truth into our children because God will enable us when we use his weapons! The greatest weapon against false thinking is the Bible – the Word of God.

I hope you checked into the education system in your neighborhood. What did you discover? Did you find that your schools are not teaching truth, goodness, and beauty, but are slipping in language to indoctrinate your children in lies, evil behavior, and ugliness? If you are concerned with this what are you willing to do about it with the power that God will give you? Could you ---

Make a difference in the public school system by

• Being a teacher or staff member
• Being a member of the school board
• Leading or participating in the local and national PTA
• Writing your congressmen
• Starting an after-school Bible study or club

Leave the public school system by

• Homeschooling or joining Homeschool Co-ops
• Sending your children to private schools where they are free to learn truth.
• Sending your children to Christian schools
• Giving scholarships to children to go to Christian schools
• Helping your church use its facilities for a Christian school
• Enlisting a group of people or churches to start a private school

The value of leaving the public school system is that children receive the curriculum that you want them to have. If you start your own schools, you also get to choose the teachers.

For your information, Rafiki has Christian Classical Curriculum from pre-school through grade 12 where all subjects are taught from a Christian worldview and the Bible is taught every day. This curriculum is available for purchase anywhere in the world. See www.rafikieducationsystem.org/ 

I am praying that you will do everything you can to educate our children well before we lose the freedom to so.

Last Lesson #23 – EDUCATION – PART 1

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:15

BEWARE! False prophets today are the false teachers who are like ravenous wolves. Wolves are out to destroy. No-one needs to tell us that what is being taught today in American public schools is increasingly false. False teaching slips in looking innocent and even helpful, but it can and will destroy America and the next generation of our children. All teachers in public schools are not personally false teachers, but some Christian teachers are being forced to go against their consciences and teach curriculum, parts of which are not only false but destructive, or lose their jobs. From the universities to kindergarten, people are being taught that wrong is right, and right is wrong. In these blogs, I am not equipped to address the sad situation in academia. But as a former schoolteacher and having been involved with education for over half a century, I am very concerned about what is being taught to children in public schools today. I hope you are too.

Already, and no doubt increasingly under the new political administration, government-run schools are forbidding prayer and patriotism, but promoting atheism and disrespect for the flag. They teach our children that their rights include abortion, gender identy, critical race theory, and re-writing history. Instead of educating children in truth, goodness, and beauty, they attempt to control children’s thinking regarding God, life, family, history, authority, and politics. This movement is very disturbing to thinking people, especially religious people.

I will be writing more on the subject of education, but for this week, I want to encourage you to become informed on what is being taught in the schools where you or your friends’ children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, attend. Educate yourself on the subject of childhood education. Go to the schools around you and ask to see the curricula. Don’t rely on the children to inform you on what they are being taught. Get it straight from the school. Don’t be afraid to ask. We still have the right to question in this country. Therefore, act now before we lose that freedom.

Next week I will make some suggestions to you if you are concerned about what is being taught to children in public schools. For this week, I just ask you to pay attention to what is going on in schools around you and pray about how you might be involved.

A lesson I have learned over the years is that God will use even me as his instrument to help educate his children. I am not an expert, but I care about children because God cares about children and wants them to learn truth. We know that ravenous wolves are out to teach falsehood so that they can control our children. I’m asking God to show me what he wants me to do about this. Will you ask him to show you too?

Last Lessons #22 – SOCIAL JUSTICE

 “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely” Proverbs 28:5

It’s confusing to me these days when people tell me that I should support “social justice”. Of course, I want social justice for all people. Doesn’t everybody want that? The question is, what kind of social justice are we talking about? Are we talking about a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion as the liberal left understands these things, or are we talking about social justice as the Bible defines it? Our country is quite divided over what those words mean. Apparently “social justice” means different things to different groups of people. Someone said, “It’s no good having the same vocabulary if we’re using different dictionaries.” How true that is.

The best book I have read to explain what is meant by “social justice” was recommended to me by Reformation 21, the media platform of The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. The book is called Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice by Scott David Allen. It is a “must read” in these confusing days for Christians and non-Christians alike and that is why I am recommending it to you and to as many people as I can. I am asking you to read it to the end because in the last part there are concrete suggestions as to how we are to respond to those who espouse social justice but do not believe in biblical justice.

I have learned that as I personally seek the Lord, I will understand justice as Proverbs 28:5 says. I increasingly understand it as I read the Bible and keep myself informed about how evil men try to pervert it. We have never been in a time when biblical justice is more needed.

May God help us do what we can to promote biblical justice by our thoughts, words, and actions.