If there is to be a restoration of the moral laws in America, a comeback to the very foundations of faith, and belief in God as the giver of life and all rights of life, then it will only be possible if the Elijahs of our nation come out of the caves of silence and fear and return to their God-given assignment in leading the nation to justice and righteousness.If every pastor in America, every minister who believes in the authenticity of the Bible as God’s word, rises up and confronts the deception of our times and the dark forces of evil in our nation, then this nation can be saved from the deception and destruction it is being submerged into.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">God told Elijah that he was not alone, for there were still others like him who had not compromised or surrendered their integrity and convictions of truth into the hands of those who were looking to overpower their wills and control their minds.</blockquote><blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him (I Kings 19:18).</blockquote>God was telling Elijah that there was a remnant, an army of men and women who were determined to not be overtaken and forced to worship or serve the gods of the culture of the time they were living.The same is true in America today, as there are many Elijahs in the land who are hiding and remain silent in despair and have lost hope as they believe there is no one else like them.The Elijahs of America are running away from their calling, away from their God-given assignments, and refusing to stand and resist the forces of evil and darkness.Fear as a strong river has overpowered their will to speak and fight for justice.As a result of fear, many Elijahs are hiding in caves today, as Elijah did until God asked him what he was doing there.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, ‘What doest thou here, Elijah?’ (I Kings 19:9)</blockquote>The Elijahs of America are the pastors of every village, every city, every state and throughout the nation who have found a cave where they feel comfortable.They are looking the other way, as if they do not see what is happening in the nation, how the immoral has absorbed the moral, how the unreal has become real, and how sin is the normal in the land.Many have become weak in their preaching and have replaced the teaching of God’s word and its application to everyday issues with words of entertainment and human reasoning based on the ideology of culture and its tolerance for evil and iniquity.They are doing nothing to bring the transforming power of God and his truth to the generations of people who are sitting every week in their church buildings.The only hope for restoration and healing of a divided nation the United States has become is that every pastor in America will stop making the pulpit a cave to hide and speak what the people want to hear, instead of preaching and teaching what God has called them to speak without fear.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10).</blockquote>God raised the church in America to be the gatekeeper of its borders and protect the nation’s spiritual condition while keeping the commandments and truth of his word.The church in America was raised as the prophet Elijah to speak to all Americans that love God and nation to no longer halt between two opinions.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.’ And the people answered him not a word (I Kings 18:2).</blockquote>When the church speaks to the nation and the people do not respond a word as stated in the times of Elijah, it is up to the Elijahs to confront the false prophets of Baal.The time for confronting darkness has come, and the church is standing today at the front line of the battle for America, while giants are destroying our nation and intimidating Christians in America with threats of persecution or destruction of their character, as it commonly happens in the political arena in the pursuit of power.There is, without any doubt, a need for the like Elijahs to come out, even if they think they are alone.The church in America is in the valley of decision, at a point in history where it must decide whether to stay within the walls of its precious buildings or gatherings or come out and engage in the final war against culture that is destroying the nation.It is at the hour of its final destination where, along with the church all over the world, it is preparing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it as the last trumpet will sound calling the church out before the trumpets of revelation and the great tribulation.However, the church in America is hearing the last trumpet for America these days, and it is the decisive moment in history to either save the United States of America or let it fall in the hands of a godless culture.Darkness will only prevail if the salt has lost its taste and the light remains hidden.<blockquote class="border-l-4 border-gray-300 pl-4 italic text-gray-700 mb-4" dir="ltr">The prophet Joel prophesied in Joel 3:12-14,Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat:For there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe:Come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow;For their wickedness is great.Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision:For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.</blockquote>The valley of decision is where the church must not waiver between two schools of thought but make up its mind whether to obey and serve God or serve the gods of the world and their culture of deception.It is a time to call upon the Elijahs of America and decide who they will serve.

Where Are the Elijahs in America?

It is traditionally believed that Solomon authored three books: Proverbs – the book of wisdom, Song of Songs – the book on love, and Ecclesiastes – the book debating the meaning and purpose of life. All these books are very interesting books. The book of Proverbs has much to say about wisdom and folly. The wise are contrasted with the foolish. This blog is an attempt to look at the FOOLS in the book of Proverbs. If one can keep the Bible open and read the verses in its entirety it would be very helpful.

What are some of the characteristics of a foolish person according to the book of Proverbs? First of all, a fool “despises wisdom and discipline” (1:7). In fact, “fools hate knowledge” (1:22). Even the personification of folly in chapter 9 (vv. 13-17) is characterized as “loud, undisciplined and without knowledge” (9:13). Also, not only does a fool hate wisdom, knowledge and discipline, he “finds pleasure in evil conduct” (10:23). Hmmm… look at the next characteristic… “every fool is quick to quarrel” (20:3). Also, a fool lacks self-control. “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control” (29:11).

The folly of a fool gushes out through his mouth, often resulting in his own destruction. Proverbs 10:14b “…the mouth of a fool invites ruin.” Twice in the space of three verses the book of Proverbs calls the fool “a chattering fool” (10:10, 13). Proverbs 18:2 “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.” Again, no control over the tongue. Proverbs 18:6 “A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.” A fool’s greatest enemy is his own mouth… he invites quarrels and beatings with his mouth. “A fool’s mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul” (18:7). A fool lays a trap for himself with his mouth. A foolish person also engages in character-assassination or slander (10:18).

A foolish son brings grief to his mother (10:1). In fact, a fool “despises his mother” (15:20). Again, “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him” (17:25). A foolish son brings ruin to his father (19:13).

Proverbs 3:35 says that God will bring a fool to shame. The book of Proverbs also says that a fool invites ruin for himself, as has been noted above. So also, we have already noted that he invites punishment for himself (18:6; 26:3). A foolish woman will end up destroying her house (14:1). So what exactly awaits a fool? Shame, ruin, punishment and destruction…

Proverbs 14:7-9 “Stay away from a foolish man…” A foolish person is often self-deceived and such a person can lead others also into similar deception. Further, one must deal wisely with a foolish person… “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” (26:4-5). One must be wise enough to decide when to speak and when not to while dealing with a fool. If one employs a foolish person, the employer may have to pay a price (26:10).

In the book of Proverbs, a fool refers to a rebellious person, who does not submit to authority or listen to instructions. A fool is someone without proper moral direction… one who is inclined to evil. Such a person hates wisdom and discipline, and delights in evil. In the book of Proverbs, a fool is described often in contradistinction to the wise man or woman. Who is the wise man? That is the subject matter for a later blog. We need to examine ourselves… are there any hints of folly within us?

Who Is A Fool According to Proverbs

We live in a world of materialism and consumerism. There is this desire to accumulate things… even when we do not really need them. Christians are not exempt from such behavior. The way we use money is often a reflection of our spiritual maturity. In this blog, I would like to use the Macedonian church as an example to demonstrate Christian giving.

So, how did the Macedonian Christians give?

The Macedonian churches were extremely poor and in great trial.

2 Corinthians 8:2 “Out of the most severe trial, their overwhelming joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”

Note that this verse does not simply say that they were going through “trial,” or even “severe trial,” however, it says “most severe trial.” Also, they were not just poor, but in “extreme poverty.” What strikes me as amazing is that even amidst such terrible conditions, they had “overwhelming joy” and were “rich in generosity.”

Wait a minute! How is that possible? How can “trial” and “joy” go together? Or, what connection does “poverty” and “generosity” have with each other? They have no connection whatsoever in the natural world. A non-Christian may not be able to even understand how these words can be used together in this manner in a sentence. Paul says that even amidst “extreme poverty” the Macedonian churches were “rich in generosity.” Now, this is what a relationship with Christ can do to you. It makes such paradoxical impossibilities possible. A Christian can go through trial and yet have joy… so also, she can be extremely poor and yet be richly generous.

The Macedonian churches gave beyond their ability to give

2 Corinthians 8:3 “For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.

Paul says that he can personally testify to the fact that the Macedonian churches gave proportionately to their income… those who had more, gave more… those who had less, gave less. But Paul does not stop there. He says that their giving was sacrificial. They gave beyond what they were able to give. Now that is sacrificial giving. Probably, one family decided not to celebrate birthdays that year or buy new clothes for themselves… they decided to share what they had with the poor brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. Giving “beyond their ability” means cutting down their own expenses. You have probably heard about the Macedonian call, but this is Macedonian giving.

The Macedonian churches were not forced/lured into giving

2 Corinthians 8:4 “Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege­­ of sharing in this service to the saints.”

The Macedonian believers were not compelled, pressurized or manipulated into giving. Probably Paul was hesitant in asking these churches for money… probably, he even tried to dissuade them from giving much, out of pity for their situation. But, the Macedonian churches “urgently pleaded” with Paul and his friends that they would also be allowed the “privilege of sharing” with the needy saints. Note, that giving for the Lord’s cause was not a burden for them but a privilege. They “pleaded” with Paul that they could give to the saints – people whom they did not know personally. How wonderful! How Christ-like!

The Macedonian giving was the fruit of God’s grace acting on them

2 Corinthians 8:1 “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.”

This is how Paul begins this passage. The generosity that the Macedonian churches demonstrated was not merely an act of human philanthropy or an act expecting human praise and appreciation. This generosity was the result of the transformation that the grace of God produces in the hearts of its recipients. In the first nine verses of this chapter the grace of God is connected to sacrificial giving (vv. 1, 6, 7, 9).

Paul is using the Macedonian example of giving in order to inspire the Corinthian church to give to the needy saints in Jerusalem. May this blog ignite in you a passion for giving to the Lord and His cause around the world. Let me close with the words of Paul as found in verse 7: “But just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

Giving Like the Macedonian Church

The time required by the earth to rotate once around its axis is called a day. The time required by the earth to revolve once around the sun is called a year and so on. If someone were to live on Jupiter, he or she would have a different length of time for one day or one year. So, time, as we understand it today, is relative to us earthlings.

In the book of Esther we read of the story of how Mordecai had once saved the life of King Xerxes. Esther 6:2 reads like this:

“It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.”

Usually, when such a conspiracy is exposed, the whistle-blower, especially during the days of kings, would be greatly rewarded. Surprisingly, Mordecai did not receive any such reward. He must have been disappointed. But with hindsight we now realize that God had a purpose in Mordecai not being rewarded then. Pay attention to the amazing timing of God.

We know of Haman’s plot to kill Mordecai. He had gallows prepared, seventy-five feet high, for Mordecai. He only needed permission from the king to execute his plan. He decided to ask for permission the next morning. But that night… the timing of God… the king could not sleep. So guess what he does? He asks his servants to bring the book of chronicles – the record of his reign – to be brought in and to be read to him. (I assume that history was boring to people even back then. The king thought the reading of a history book would put him to sleep.) But the sovereign hand of God that orchestrates events, places, people and timing… brought a particular fact to the attention of the king.

The particular fact that we are talking about is the fact that Mordecai had saved the life of the king from an assassination attempt and that nothing had been done for him. So, the king decided to honour Mordecai for the great help. Bad timing on the part of Haman… because he is the one to whom the question is put: “What should be done for the man the king delights to honour?” The man who plotted the death of Mordecai was forced to lead the honour-parade for Mordecai.

It was good that Mordecai was not rewarded earlier by the king, wasn’t it? If the king had rewarded Mordecai before, he must have given him a bag of gold or something like that. But when the right time had come for God to honour Mordecai, God honoured Mordecai through the king in a way that Mordecai could never have imagined.

God knows the right time for us. Do not be disappointed if you have not received the recognition, accolade, award, promotion, or the raise that you think you are due.

God has his time… and His time is always perfect. Your job is to trust Him and walk with Him in humility. At this moment in time, I Peter 5:6 offers us this promise,

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up IN DUE TIME.”

God's Timing

Receiving the mercy of God means we do not get what we deserve.

As sinful human beings, each one of us deserved punishment (remember, the wages of sin is death), hell and eternal separation from God. But God has been merciful to us. Because of His mercy we do not get what we rightfully deserved.

Let me illustrate this through an example.

Suppose a teacher caught a student stealing money from the teacher’s office. No one else knows about this incident, apart from the teacher and the student. What does the student deserve? Punishment. But let us say, the teacher said, “My dear student, I have decided not to report this incident to the Principal. Nor will I punish you for this. But I want you to do something for me. You must promise me never to repeat this again.” I believe the student would be touched by the teacher’s love and advice and would decide not to steal again. But what exactly is the teacher doing? The teacher is demonstrating mercy.

Mercy is always extended to those who warrant punishment and, in humanity’s case, everyone needs the Mercy of God since all have sinned.

The good news for humanity is that God’s mercy is great; there is enough for everyone. In fact, the Bible tells us that God is “rich in mercy” (Eph. 2:4). In other words, God is not stingy in showing His mercy to us. His mercies are new every morning.

Now, God expects us to be merciful to others.

In the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells us the story of the king who was merciful to his servant and forgave him a huge debt of 10,000 talents. This man, however, did not show mercy to a fellow servant who owed 100 denarii (a very small amount in comparison to 10,000 talents.) The king who heard of this caught the servant whom he had shown mercy earlier and put him in jail. The king says: “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow-servant just as I had on you?” (Matt. 18:33). God expects recipients of mercy be merciful.

Additionally, those who are merciful are blessed, as Jesus says in the Beatitudes. And the blessing upon the merciful is evidence of God’s grace.

Whereas the mercy of God is not getting what we deserve, the grace of God is getting what we do not deserve.

We do not deserve to be part of God’s family. We do not deserve eternal life or heaven. We do not deserve all the spiritual blessings we have today through Christ Jesus. But God has been gracious to us. He has decided to give us all those precious things we did not deserve. This is the grace of God.

Let me illustrate this through another example.

Some time ago, I heard of a story of a beggar woman and her three children. They had no place to call their own. They begged for their food and would rest wherever they could find rest. One day the mother died. The older children realized that something was seriously wrong. But the youngest child had not understood that her mother had died and was trying to drink milk from her mother’s body. This pitiable situation was captured by a journalist and published in a newspaper. A rich person seeing the plight of these children said to himself, “I am rich, yet I have no children. These children have no one to take care of them. I will adopt them as my children.”

The rich man did everything necessary to legally adopt them. Finally, he could bring them to his house. I imagine the scene thus: The former street children are now all cleaned up and tidy… they are being taken by the rich man around his house and garden… they are repeatedly being told… “All this is yours.” The food in the kitchen, the cars in the garage, the beautiful bedrooms, the library, everything now belong to these children. The rich man even attaches his own name to their names, for they are now his children. Now, did these children deserve all these good things? No, they did not. Then, what exactly is happening here? The rich man is being gracious. In his graciousness, he decided to share everything he had with these poor undeserving children.

This is exactly what God has done for us through Jesus. We lived in the gutters of sin – filthy and stinking. God picked us up from there. He cleansed us with the blood of Jesus and made us whole. And then he provided us with the “riches of His grace,” (Eph. 2:7), just like the rich man did for the poor children. God gave us a new identity – we are now part of His family. In fact, we are now the children of God. We have the authority of His name to go with us. In His name, we can cast out demons and pray for the sick. We are sons and heirs of God… think of it… we have become heirs with Christ of everything that God has.

Now, God expects us to be gracious to others as well. Just as we received gifts from God, when we did not deserve them, let us be gracious to others and shower them with love and acts of grace.

God is merciful and He expects us to show mercy. God is gracious and He expects us to be the same.

The Mercy and Grace of God

As an Ordained Minister, I am called to share the love and message of Christ.

I believe I am continually being empowered by the Holy Spirit to communicate the euangelion(good news/gospel), which is a great responsibility and one I take very seriously. I find so much meaning and joy in professing and proclaiming the love of God in Jesus Christ.

Because I wholeheartedly believe that Jesus’ descriptions of himself in the Gospel of John are ipsissima verba Jesu (the exact words of Christ). So I fully believe Jesus really is,

“the Way and the Truth and the Life” and that real life comes through Him.

As a preacher, I also enjoy theological discourse. Pondering the mysteries of the Trinity and this reality we call the universe, which was created ex nihilo (out of nothing), is mind-bogglingly fun! Discussing all things Divine is a tremendous exercise for the mind, great nourishment for the soul and, as St. Anselm affirms, the highest intellectual endeavor one could ever pursue. This means, of course, that any topic of discussion outside of (and actually beneath) the realm of the theological is open to discussion by all of humanity, which includes preachers/pastors.

The notion that preachers should be silent on any non-theological matters (in particular, politics) is exclusionary in nature, inherently nonsensical, and extremely unconstitutional. The First Amendment is a freedom for all citizens. Moreover, this idea of a “wall of separation between church and state” is a Jeffersonian notion that is nowhere near the realm of Common Sense. Faith isn’t something we compartmentalize; it encompasses all of life; and all of us, by the way, have faith in something or someone so it makes sense that Faith would be a part of every facet of life. Additionally, Jesus is Lord, which means He reigns over every area and arena, every realm of reality, including governance and politics.

Furthermore, before there was even a “shot heard around the world”there was a preacher proclaiming the Word and, at the same time, heavily involved in political discourse. Reverend John Witherspoon (the sole clergy member to sign the Declaration of Independence), penned these politically powerful words:

“Whatsoever State among us shall continue to make piety and virtue the standard of public honor will enjoy the greatest inward peace, the greatest national happiness, and in every outward conflict will discover the greatest constitutional strength.”

Throughout US History, preachers have engaged in political discourse for the purpose of acknowledging the necessity of piety and virtue in government. This has been the case because… not only are preachers people too, but also because preachers work hard to point out the reality that God created all things, is above all things, has control over all things, and has a say in all things.

In fact, God’s say in all things, which is relevant to the topic at hand, is specifically revealed in Scriptural passages such as these words from Micah 6:8:

“God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

So for those who don’t believe preachers should be involved in politics in some form or fashion… to those who might fuss over a pastor’s political outspokenness, let me be crystal clear.

This preacher/pastor will not allow anyone to push me to the periphery of any dialogue of any kind. I will praise those who exhibit piety in politics. I will support those who are virtuous in government regardless of party affiliation. I will stand with and by those who act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God. And…

I will speak out against those who don’t, not just because we all have freedom of speech but also because I, like all those who have placed their faith in the Lord, am REQUIRED to do so!

And, like so many of you reading this, in every aspect of my life will strive to do my best to live out the Greatest Commandments:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and strength” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

A Pastor in Politics

Surving and Thriving in an Alien Environment

Keep Calm Carry On

I love this ancient Jewish proverb, “Follow the rabbi, drink in his words, and be covered with the dust of his feet.” This proverbial statement encompasses the ancient Jewish model of discipleship, which is both rich in meaning and literal in its applications. Disciples, in the ancient Jewish context, followed their teacher, their Rabbi so closely that they would actually be covered with the dust kicked up by the rabbi’s feet; and, because they followed their rabbi so closely, they were also covered with the rabbi’s instruction, wisdom and knowledge. At the same time, they learned from the rabbi’s example.

In a nutshell, they learned to lead by following.

This is the model of discipleship Jesus employed over 2000 years ago. Jesus covered a dozen ordinary, average men with his dust; he covered them with his wisdom and knowledge as they walked behind him throughout Galilee, Judea and Samaria. And, because these disciples walked in the dust of their rabbi, they learned how to talk like, walk like, and be like Jesus.

As modern-day disciples, we are still called to, “Follow the rabbi, drink in his words, and be covered with the dust of his feet.” In fact, we are invited to follow the greatest rabbi there is and his name is Jesus.

One of the ways to follow Jesus and be covered in his dust is to become what Augustine, Aquinas, and Wesley claimed to be… a person of One Book. Like the Primitive Church, these leaders drank deeply from the well of the Apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). They opened up the Holy Scriptures, particularly to the Gospels, and immersed themselves in the writings of the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), reading and living in the shadow of their teacher via the Holy Texts.

These three devoted pupils, who became teachers in their own right, along with millions of others before and after them, have walked the same path. They followed their rabbi by drinking in his teaching. They gulped down Jesus’ words, traveling with Him in the Gospels, walking in his dust as he healed the sick, embraced the poor, and raised the dead. Their desire to be spiritually saturated with Scripture led to personal and social transformation during their lifetime. The learned to lead by following Jesus and through their Spiritual leadership the Kingdom of God was advanced.

As believers, we claim to follow the Rabbi of Rabbis, who is also the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings but when was the last time we took time to really drink in his words and be covered with the dust of his feet?

When was the last time you sat at the feet of Jesus, forgetting time and setting aside the many trivial tasks in the periphery of your life that are seeking your attention so that you can bathe yourself in the instruction of Christ?

If you want to lead you have to learn and there’s no better way to learn to lead than by following Jesus. He’s the best teacher there ever was and is. Real leaders follow Jesus.

This blog post explores the ancient Jewish model of discipleship, where disciples learned to lead by closely following their Rabbi. It emphasizes the importance of immersing ourselves in the teachings of Jesus, the greatest Rabbi, and how this spiritual saturation can lead to personal and social transformation.

The Art of Leading by Following: Emulating Jesus' Discipl...

Real Leaders Follow

This was a date my grandfather always remembered. This day forever changed his life. It was the day his older brother, 2nd Lt. Ernest J. B. Nelson, was killed in action over the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Asia. Bud, as his family and friends called him, was flying on a mission as a co-pilot on a B-29 when it crashed and he died.

I’ve read the war report of the incident. Reading it was quite the experience — a time-freezing experience. As I read the names of the 11 patriots who perished on the Pacific War front for the Stars and Stripes, time seemed to stand still. An amalgamation of emotions began to rise up within me as I read the report and, reread it a second time, continuing to process the event I was imagining in a cinematic sort of way. I became incredibly saddened by the loss of life while concomitantly but, at the same time, an overwhelming sense of gratitude began to rise up within me. I was powerfully reminded that freedom is never free. It comes at a cost; and these heroes from WWII paid the ultimate cost.

Freedom is never free. It comes at a cost; and these heroes from WWII paid the ultimate cost.

As a kid, Grandpa taught me how important it was to reverently remember these men, along with the countless other men and women who have laid down their lives in sacrificial service to this country. And every May, on the designated day of the month, he would be the first to thank God for those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. But I believe, in his heart, February 19 was Grandpa’s Memorial Day.

And herein lies the lesson for all of us this Memorial Day.

This weekend, as we remember, honor, and celebrate those who died in service to our country, let’s not forget that every day of the year is a Memorial Day for somebody. Let’s become aware that acknowledging, honoring, and remembering the sacrifice of others is just as important the rest of the week … as it is on Monday.

This piece explores the personal impact of Memorial Day, through the lens of the author's grandfather's experience. It emphasizes the importance of daily remembrance and gratitude for the sacrifices made by those who served our country.

Every Day is Memorial Day: Remembering the Sacrifices

Memorial Days

Have you ever wondered what the disciples did immediately after Jesus ascended to heaven ten days before Pentecost?

In Acts 1: 9, Luke tells us that Jesus, the One who already defied death, defies gravity. In the presence of his followers, he is taken up into the clouds and then, he disappears. One moment, Jesus is promising his disciples the power of the Holy Spirit, the next moment, he’s gone. Just like that (in the twinkling of an eye).

Can you visualize the look on the faces of the disciples? Can you imagine their reactions? This whole experience had to be jaw-dropping, right? I wonder, did the disciples laugh? Did they cry? Did they “ooh” and “ahh” like we do during the fireworks display on the 4th of July? Maybe they said nothing at all. Maybe they were in shock. Frozen. Maybe there was complete silence just outside of Jerusalem this day. Crickets. And, if there was silence, who do you think was the first to break it? My guess would be Peter. He always seems to have something to say. Then again, maybe the disciples weren’t silent at all but, instead, began praising God at the top of their lungs for all Jesus accomplished in ministry, on the cross, and in the grave and for the imminent reception of a power they were promised to receive that is beyond comprehension.

Can you imagine being there for the Ascension of Christ?

What a sight to see. Obviously, we weren’t there; we didn’t get to see Jesus return to heaven. But, we might get the opportunity to see him come back, especially in light of the current trajectory of our world today.

We are in the last days, just as Peter proclaimed in Acts 2. I pray we’re still alive on earth for the second coming of the King. There’s no doubt about it, Jesus will return. He will descend again, this time to reclaim his church (and all of creation for that matter). The two angels spoke of this in Acts 1:11,

“Jesus will return in the same way He went up to heaven (Acts 1:11).”

What a great, and terrible, day this will be. Of course, whether this day is great or terrible is dependent upon what kingdom you have chosen (the kingdom of darkness or the Kingdom of Light).

The truth is we don’t know what the disciples did immediately after Jesus ascended to heaven. We do know, however, that the disciples didn’t just twiddle their thumbs, look at each other, and ask,

They knew what they had to do. After all, Jesus told them. Immediately before He took His place at the right hand of God the Father, Jesus gave His disciples work to do; He assigned them a job; He gave them a task. Jesus laid out their life’s mission for them, plainly. Jesus’ last words to his disciples are recorded in Acts 1:8,

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Well, we can see from the book of Acts that the disciples took Jesus’ final words on earth to heart. Shortly after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples went back to Jerusalem to pray… and plan… and wait for God’s promise. Then, once they “received the power of the Holy Spirit,” they got after it and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They became His witnesses; they spread the message and love of Jesus “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Fast forward a couple thousand years, plus.

Here we are. The year is 2025. We don’t need to ask ourselves,

We know what to do. We’ve also been given a divine agenda. We have a royal decree. Our King has given us an important task. As followers of Christ, we have received the power of the Holy Spirit and are called to be His witnesses as well. Where do we go from here? Well, in our context Jesus’ mandate is to take his message from wherever we are to the ends of the earth until we finish this race or he returns.

This blog post explores the disciples' reactions and actions following Jesus' ascension to heaven, as recorded in Acts 1. The author invites readers to imagine the scene and reflects on the mission Jesus left for his followers.

The Ascension and Our Mission: Reflections on Acts 1

Now What

More than any other time in my life, I hear people saying things like,

“I’m stressed out. I can’t relax. My mind’s restless, my body’s tense; my shoulders hurt, my back aches. I can’t sleep and when I finally do get to sleep, I wake up in the middle of the night with my mind racing all over the place.”

Why are so many people so restless these days? What’s the problem? In a word, anxiety. Anxiety is in the air today and it is thick. Like smoke rising up and out of a chimney on a cold winter’s day, anxiety billows up from the burning, anxiety filled and generating events around. This emotionally charged pollution engulfs our lives, heightens our emotions, and clouds our judgment. The result? An absence of peace. Watch the news, read the newspaper, or look to see what’s trending on the vast array of different social media venues and you’ll quickly see that this world has many issues. Additionally, we’ve got some highly anxious people using highly anxious language, which is taking the already existing, natural level of anxiety to an even higher level.

So yes, anxiety is definitely in the air. In fact, it has created an addictively potent atmosphere. Instead of staying below the fumes of anxiety, many individuals seem to uprightly enjoy inhaling them. It has become an addictive stimulus. Unlike physical breathing, however, which involves one thing in and another thing out, when anxiety is inhaled it’s always exhaled as well. Is it any wonder then that people are suffocating from the emissions of anxiety?

What then do we do? We can’t just hold our breath, can we?

It’s time to create real climate change. It’s time to stop feeding our culture’s fascination with negativity and gossip, time to extinguish the emotional toxins in the air. It’s time to silence the airwaves of society’s problem-finding-vernacular and start voicing, rather loudly, the one and only Answer to all of the hostilities in the world. It’s time to put anxiety, fear, and paranoia in their proper place.

In other words, it’s time to preach Christ, the Prince of Peace, more boldly than ever. It’s time to proclaim Jesus as King of Kings and claim his peace in the midst of the most hostile and apprehensive of situations. It’s time to breathe in the peace of Christ and then, breathe it out again, for our own sake and the edification of those around us.

We are, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s breath of fresh air in our world today. We, as the Church, can breathe life into a dirty, decaying culture.

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