Souls on Board

When the pilot of an aircraft requests the number of souls on board, he does not only refer to passengers but to crew and children riding on laps, as well.  “Souls on board” may have its origin from Sea Captains of old counting those aboard the ship.  

Souls on board give no greater value to any one passenger than another rather counting all souls as equal and cherished.  The number of who need assistance at any given time and the number who will need rescuing in an emergency.

How often are people either intentionally or unintentionally selective of whom should receive attention?  Does the lonely homeless individual garner less attention than the well-dressed person on the street?  Is there an unconscious selection of seating in a theatre towards those who seem to be more “like me” similar and comfortable to sit beside?

When young babies recognize the faces of their parents, they see patterns in the faces that they become comfortable with.  They mimic mannerisms on the face.  This becomes familial.  Children recognize those same traits in close relatives and feel more comfortable with them.  Frequency of exposure— essentially, the more times they see and interact with loved ones like grandparents, aunts, and uncles— plays a huge role in who they are able to recognize.  These people become the “souls on board” to the baby.

When Jesus began His ministry, He chose men to follow Him and involve themselves in ministry.  Jesus is the Creator and though culturally He looked and acted like others within His family and community, He was not bound by the selection of those whom He felt familiar.  The disciples struggled with this in many situations.  They questioned Jesus speaking to and going to the house of Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector.  The crowd murmured that Jesus should not “go to the house of a sinner.”  Jesus’ crowd admired Him as a great prophet, and He was mixing with a sinner.

When children came to Jesus, He talked to them and held them.  The disciples rebuked the parents for bringing the children to Jesus.  Jesus was indignant and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (St. Matthew 19:14).  Jesus was the pilot, and the children, souls on board.

Throughout the gospels we see Jesus speaking to lepers, prostitutes, and people possessed by demons.  He walked among them as if they were as familiar as His own human family.  Jesus saw no difference in wealth, position, stature, health, or nationality. They were all souls on board.

Christians have a rare opportunity to embrace those who are different from themselves. Refugees, poor, homeless, and different nationalities.  The world is at their fingertips through modern travel and the internet.  They can touch almost anyone, anywhere.  

Jesus had a few short years of earthly ministry and only the miles He could walk.  The great commission to carry the gospel throughout the world is readily available today.

Who are your souls on board?

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Camouflage and Hiding in Plain Sight

According to the Mirriam Webster Dictionary (1828), “Camouflage: the behavior of hiding behind a camouflage (screen) of righteous indignation.” 

Sometimes a person makes himself visible in another area to distract the sight of an enemy.  This tactic is used in many ways.  In politics, as an example, a liberal oriented politician might vote conservative in one or two areas.  Then will campaign heavily on that one or two percent to disguise his/her real stance in most other votes.  Or they will purposely use common words and phrases that have been long understood, redefining them to mean just the opposite. Unwitting voters may not think through what is being said to realize this and wind up supporting the person or party that thinks very differently than the voter himself/herself thinks.

The word patriot might be an example.  For two hundred years and more it referred to a person who loves the United States of America and defends its Constitution in the original writing and meaning.  However, in the recent election cycles, the Left has been re-defining patriotism to refer to one who sees need to change the Constitution of the United States to a much more Socialist leaning document.  Therefore, we should now consider conservatives and the Right as traitors, haters, etc.  They have sufficiently utilized our public schools, entertainment, and social venues of all kinds to train up our children into this philosophy.  Distractions such as acceptance, freedom, and individual rights have drawn the public away from the camouflaged principles of immorality, license to act in hypersexual ways, and corruption.

Now that the general public have accepted this new philosophy of “what is good,” the politicians now speak their lies hiding in plain sight.  Very few citizens bother to really look at their definitions or consider the consequences of such lifestyles.  Sadly, many Christians have bought into this and unknowingly support godless measures and the people pushing them.  All that is seen is how “nice” and “caring” and “fair” and “generous” the politician appears to be.  There seems to be very little understanding of truth, righteousness, and consequences.

Surveys are showing that the truth is beginning to be seen, but our nation continues to turn a blind eye to that which is camouflaged and hidden.  Many, even the majority, disapprove of top politicians and the directions of our nation, sending their ratings to new lows.  Yet the tendency is to vote the same as always and not stand up to problems that are existing and make changes.  Recent polls are showing that, across the board, Americans are strong believers in the importance of the nuclear family in our society. Yet, many continue voting for politicians that support homosexual marriage and other varieties of “home-life relationships.”

In Genesis 3 we read the story of Adam and Eve, after sinning, attempting to hide from God, ashamed of their sin.  Soon after they realize the consequences.  Consequences that continue to the present for all of mankind.  

Christians, it is time to come clean before the Lord and all others around us.  Speak truth regarding the ways of politicians, parties, and other influencers that work to disregard God’s ways.  Get involved in your community to the extent that we saturate it with God’s truth at every level.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

20-20 Voter Vision

Have you visited the Optometrist lately?  It always seems a bit un-nerving to get that examination and discover where your physical vision is— and then to compare it to what is the norm.

Voter vision is often the same only we do not always have a simple chart on the wall to diagnose our views or compare to.  Instead of reading one progressively smaller line after another, it would be good to provide a simple, straight forward way of comparing our views to those God has given.  Several tools like this have been posed in the past and this may be one more that can work for you.

As we each consider candidates we intend to vote for this November, we should carefully compare each one’s record and policies to find how closely they compare to what God has made important as we make our choices.  This is not intended to be for any one candidate or any one party, etc.  Rather, use this as an overlay to see clearly how each lines up with God’s views.  If you are not interested in God’s perspective or feel they are obsolete, then ignore this.  However, if His views and directives are considered important and even critical for you, then use this liberally.  Ask the question that will help you see where each candidate, local, county, state or national, agrees with and stands with God.

1. Pro-choice vs. Pro-life.  God states in Proverbs 6:16-19, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him; haughty eyes, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” (see also: Proverbs 139:13; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:44)

2. Marriage.  Genesis 2:22-24 reads, “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and brought her to the man … For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (see also: I Corinthians 11:8-9; Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:11-12)

3. Anti- Semitism vs. Pro-Israel.  Genesis 12:3 reads, “I will bless those who bless you (Israel), and whoever curses you I will curse.” (see also: Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8)

4. Welfare vs. Work.  2 Thessalonians 3:10 reads, “For even when we were with you , we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ ” (see also: I Thessalonians 2:9)

5. Purpose of Government and Debt.  The entire chapter of Romans 13 is relevant.  Government’s purpose is to reward good and punish evil.  Also, government should pay its debts as we should ours .

In summary, we should encourage everyone, along with ourselves, to vote for those who most closely follow God’s Word in their policies and beliefs.  Remember, we are not voting for a “Government Priest or Pastor.”  We should, however, be placing in leadership those who follow after God the most— even if they claim not to believe in God.  Avoid being caught in a particular party or voting against someone you just don’t like.

Abraham Lincoln said it well, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for He is always right.”

See clearly with God’s vision.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Don’t Be to Quick to Judge

“Do not judge…”  What a difficult command!  How many times do we judge without realizing it— even reading the newspaper or watching the news.

The only exercise some people seem to get is jumping to conclusions.  One of the things I learned early-on was that the first report is almost always never complete or correct, and it pays to wait for more information before acting or deciding.  Consider this; it used to be that journalists wouldn’t take a story to their editor without two independent sources.  Those standards quickly disappeared when 24-7 cable news and the internet came along.

We have to be careful consumers of what’s reported— regardless of where the report comes from.  It’s especially dangerous to swallow something hook, line, and sinker because it’s something you’d like to think is true.  That’s called confirmation bias or the tendency to interpret new information as confirmation of something you already believe to be true.

Proverbs 18:13 tells us “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”  To be wise in today’s information saturated society, you need both wisdom and discernment.  That means you learn God’s wisdom from God’s Word and then apply it wisely.  Unfortunately, many Christians believe too much of what they hear or read on cable news, at the coffee shop, or from social media, rather than stopping to question and verify.

Proverbs 3:21 says, “Do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion.”  Without all of the information you need, jumping to conclusions can lead to bad relationships and false ideas.  It’s best to reserve judgment until you know all the facts and understand the whole story.  Instead, choose to “preserve sound judgment and discretion.”  Patience in making important judgments pays off.  Be as prudent as if the health of your relationships depends on it … because it can.

Proverbs 18:13 tells us, “What a shame— yes, how stupid! — to decide before knowing the facts!”  Don’t be quick to condemn or criticize.  Don’t immediately assume you know people’s motivation— because you may not.  Don’t decide before gathering all the facts from multiple sources.

When you wait for the whole story to unfold, you develop the compassion to love well and demonstrate the wisdom and discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Fighting the Fight for Christian Marriage

An as-yet-to-be-released study by David Barna revealed that one of the primary driving factors for the political decisions of individuals across all generations is their concern for their families.  Although this study is still undergoing review, it points to a fascinating point of commonality among Americans.

This reminds us all that one thing we share with people across the political spectrum is that what really matters to us all is the people we love.  In Christian tradition, there is no one we ought to love more than our family.

Although different denominations that use the name “Christian” have slightly different interpretations of what the family is, they all can agree that a family starts with marriage. As one article said:

“From the start, [the Bible] makes clear that we bear witness to the reality of marriage; we are not the inventors of this institution.  If asked why we will not alter the definition of marriage, our response must be, ‘We can’t.  We didn’t define marriage to begin with.  We received it.  We have no authority to make it something else.’ ” According to the Bible, when God created Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, He ordained the first marriage and defined the roles of Man and Woman.

The Song of Solomon 4:9 poetically describes the love that God has ordained within the covenant of marriage “You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.”

These foundational Christian beliefs about marriage are rooted in primary ideas about gender and sexuality.  It is for this reason that many Christians, like Governor Ron DeSantis, have fought so hard to prevent public acts of sexual and gender-identity-based indecency from being pushed on young children.  As the Miami Harold reported:

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Administration filed a state complaint against Miami’s R House on Tuesday that says the Wynwood bar’s weekend Drag Show Brunches expose minors to ‘sexually explicit drag shows.’ ”

Even as the battle rages on for traditional notions of gender and sexual propriety, there have been small wins across the nation.  For instance, according to the Institute for Family Studies, divorce rates have hit a 50-year low.  These findings should serve to provide us with hope for the up-and-coming generation.  Although fewer marriages may be happening, there has been a large decline in the number of divorces occurring, indicating that, to some extent, the new generations are being more careful with their marriages.

We have certainly got a long way to go until the status of marriage in American culture is restored to its former position as a sacred institution ordained by God.  Nonetheless, these trends ought to give us hope.

Christians must continue to proselytize until not just the United States, but all the nations of the world, recognize the words of Jesus as authoritative and, among other things, can join together in affirming what we are taught about marriage in Mark 10:6-9:

“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’  ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’  So they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Christian School Will Receive Gov’t Lunch Funds Despite Biden's LGBT Policies

A Christian school in Florida will retain access to a federal lunch program— benefiting low-income students— despite initial concerns that it would be barred considering LGBT discrimination policies enacted by the Biden Administration.

Grant Park Christian Academy (GPCA) of Tampa sued government officials last month to secure its access to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which provided lunches to 56 low-income students enrolled at its school.  Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative legal group representing GPCA, announced the approval of the school’s application to continue receiving funds on last week.

The Biden Administration and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried informed the school that “they intend to approve the school’s application for funding,” according to ADF.  ADF Legal Counsel Erica Steinmiller-Perdomo believes it “shouldn’t have taken a lawsuit to get the government to respect religious freedom.”  “Now, provided the government follows through and approves Grant Park Christian Academy’s application and confirms its exemption, this private school can continue feeding dozens of children healthy meals every day,” Steinmiller-Perdomo said in a statement.  “We will defend other public and private schools across the country who remain under the burden of this unlawful mandate that violates religious beliefs.”

Last month, the ADF filed a lawsuit on behalf of Faith Action Ministry Alliance, Inc., which operates GPCA, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division.  Defendants named in the lawsuit included Fried, President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack.  At issue was the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announcement in May interpreting the Title IX prohibition on discrimination based on sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity.  “As a result, state and local agencies, program operators and sponsors that receive funds from FNS must investigate allegations of discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation,” stated the FNS.  “Those organizations must also update their non-discrimination policies and signage to include prohibitions against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.”

The FNS oversees the NSLP, which provides low-cost and free lunches to children at tens of thousands of public and nonprofit private schools nationwide.  The ADF lawsuit argued that such a policy would force GPCA to abandon its gender-specific student dress code, allow biological males into girls’ restrooms and force teachers to use students’ preferred pronouns.

Late last month, 22 states filed suit over the Biden Administration’s announced anti-discrimination policy, arguing it would force Christian schools to adopt LGBT ideology or lose out on the program.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed that the new standard would “penalize states that have taken basic commonsense actions like just recognizing the importance of women’s sports.”  “They’re threatening to take away lunch money from poor kids as punishment from us protecting women’s sports.  Think about how deranged that is,” said DeSantis.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Run, Run, As Fast as You Can

Over the last five decades, Christian parents have been confronted with the question of how to educate their children.  Should homeschooling be considered?  Is the cost of a Christian education worth it?  Maybe keeping kids in public school means they are shining the light of Jesus and being the salt for fellow students.  Is it time to run and not walk away from public education?

There have been scary changes in the public school system as more and more liberal-based propaganda crept in, escalating today to a new level of extreme liberalism.  ABCs have become the ABCs of unnatural sexuality.  The sweet little Gingerbread man who ran as fast as he could has become the Genderbread Person indoctrinating young children to sexual perversion.  He didn’t run fast enough, and Christian children may be swept into the chase before they can tie their own shoes.

A recent story in the Epoch Times related an all-too-common incident of monumental impact.  A 12-year-old, whom we will call Amanda, attended an after-school Art Club. This innocent girl was indoctrinated during the club and was groomed by the leader. “When the leader told Amanda she must be “queer” if she didn’t feel sexually attracted to anybody, and that she must be “transgender” if she didn’t feel fully comfortable in her own body, the shy little girl suspected something wasn’t right.”  She was given a whimsical flyer portraying the Genderbread Person and a transgender flag which the leader had groomed her into believing was Amanda’s sexual preference.  She was told that school was a safe place and that she should not report anything that was discussed there with her parents.  Thankfully, she did.  That one incident has caused multiple mental health challenges for Amanda.  In essence, her innocence was stolen as surely as if she had been assaulted.

Sadly, this is not just one school in one district.  Principals and teachers are taught to provide “safe” sexual orientation at school.  A school principal stated, “gender identity teaching could occur throughout the school year in all subject areas.”  You could drop your son off at school at 8:00 a.m., and he would go to the principal’s office where a new wardrobe would be waiting.  He could change into a dress, put on nail polish and lipstick, and spend the day at school presenting as if a girl.  All of this would be hidden from his parents.

With this teaching platform too many teachers are “now promoting identity confusion, emotional harm, and insecurity—negative impacts that last a lifetime.  Teaching gender identity and fluidity and other LGBTQ concepts are strongly represented in social studies and science.  Parents are not given warnings or options to opt their children out.

It’s time for the Christian family to become the fox that eats the ‘genderbread.’  Be proactive.  Research your school district’s stance.  The Focus on the Family article, Dealing with Transgender Issues in Elementary School, offers some helpful downloadable booklets:

• ·    Equipping Parents to Respond to Gender-Confusing Messages in Schools
• ·  Empowering Parents: A How-to Guide for Protecting Your Child’s Innocence and Your Family’s Values in Public Schools
• ·    Parent Resource Guide: Responding to the Transgender Issue[v]

“He created them male and female and blessed them” (Genesis 5:2).

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

The Peacekeeping Work of Peace Officers

It is no secret that the Gospel was spread throughout the known world through the advances in communication and transportation infrastructure pioneered by the Roman Empire.  In fact, one might even argue that an empire, with its proliferation of prosperity, abundance, and intercultural trade was an ideal tool with which to spread the Gospel.

The peacekeepers of this empire were Roman soldiers stationed throughout the empire. Without their efforts, there would not have been an empire.

Like Roman soldiers, the peacekeepers of our world are police officers.  And like Roman soldiers, many of them are hated.

Nonetheless, Jesus made it unequivocally clear in Matthew 8:5-13 when He healed the servant of a Roman centurion (a commander of soldiers) that God Himself could call these men blessed.  As Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith [as this centurion].”

Unfortunately, our modern peacekeepers are unjustifiably vilified.  Their faithfulness is overlooked and under-appreciated.

When footage recently surfaced of a half-naked child yelling profanity at police officers, many just shrug it off.  After all, this kind of violent rhetoric toward police officers has been normalized in recent years.  As The Gateway Pundit described the encounter, “A video showing a young child cussing and taking a swing at police officers made its rounds on the internet Monday, giving a picture of the general disrespect for Police in the Minnesota capitol.”

This attitude is hardly surprising.  While many have spent the last few years focusing on alleged police brutality, few have taken into account how this “anti-cop” rhetoric has affected both crime rates and officers themselves.

According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, between 2019 and 2020 (the year which inaugurated the infamous George Floyd race riots), there was a sharp increase in the number of officer deaths.  Although this may be partially attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, the percentage of deaths in 2021 increased at a higher rate proportionally from 2018, than did the comparison between 1917 and 1919 when the Spanish Flu ripped through the United States (a 320% increase versus 120%, respectively).

Furthermore, the unlawful disorder that resulted from the 2020-2021 race riots resulted in a whopping $1 BILLION dollars plus in damages.

In cities like Minneapolis, which bought into the rhetoric about “defunding the police,” dozens of people are now dead.  The spike in homicide victims is laid firmly at the feet of a decrease in police funding.

As Police Chief Medaria Arradondo stated while pleading for increased funding:

“I have 74 people who are no longer alive in the city because they’ve been killed.  I’ve got almost 500 people who have been shot and wounded in this city.  We can go back and forth on the $185 million [annual MPD budget], but that is not stopping the bloodshed that is occurring in our city.  We can talk about reimagining policing; I am talking about what is necessary today in this city, and we need extra resources.”

In light of stories like this, it is clear that our nation must renew its appreciation for the blessings of law and order afforded by the work of police officers.  As Romans 13:2 says, “whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

The Weed of Beauty

It is said that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.  On what criteria does the beholder judge the outward beauty of a woman?  The measure of a beautiful woman is all too often defined by the media.  One would believe that the quest for media-driven beauty was eradicated decades ago, yet it grows like a weed.  The beholders of social media, television, movies, and print ads continue to nurture the weed.

The battle is endless.  The commercialization of the latest popular fashions, makeup, hairstyles, and body shape is driven by the weed.  Its roots pop up unannounced each year with new seeds and new flowers to attract the innocent girl as well as the seasoned woman with its lure of perfection.  Just as the elusive prize is in reach it takes to the ground and rises again with new and more enticing flowers.

A study by the mega cosmetic company Dove, called “The Real Truth About Beauty” found that only 4% of women worldwide consider themselves beautiful and 72% feel pressured to look beautiful.  Yet, the beauty industry is a monster and growing fast. Globally it grew from $483 billion in 2020 to $511 billion in 2021 and is predicted to exceed $716 billion by 2025.  Most women cannot resist the implied expectation to partake.

Targeting our youngest girls is a huge concern.  Favorite cartoon characters such as Hello Kitty endorse nail polish and lip gloss to 6 and 7-year-olds.  The implication is that girls are “less than” if they aren’t using these products.  It’s a dangerous road for those so young to travel.  Fashion designs sexualize young girls drawing attention to body parts not fully developed— feeding the weed.

Beyond the pedicures and hair coloring, cosmetic surgery is not just for the starlet or fashion model.  Ironically, the shutdown of the pandemic birthed a surge in facial reconstruction surgeries. 70% of facial plastic surgeons identify patients seeking procedures for an approved appearance on video conferencing as a rising trend.  As stars of TikTok and Instagram rise, so goes their desire to create the perfect image.

Over 7 billion people live in the world and no two are alike.  The beholder, therefore, is challenged to set a standard for beauty on an individual basis.  What one sees as beautiful, another is repelled by.  Bringing us back to the pure arrogance of the beauty industry to define what each will see as beautiful.

In God’s eyes, everyone is made in His image and therefore of the greatest value and beauty.  The quest of human-valued beauty is not new.  The book of Esther includes a plan for a beauty contest to choose a new Queen.  There is nothing innately wrong with wanting to look good and feel good about how you look.  But God wants us to seek inner beauty first.  The Lord looks at the heart.  Provers 31:30 reminds us that beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised— “Your beauty should not come from outward adornments … instead it should be that of your inner self.”

Vanquish the weed.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 poetically describes the rhythms of life, unfortunately, those rhythms do not always bring us happiness.  Often, those rhythms come with disappointment and sorrow.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

As inflation hits a 40-year high, Americans everywhere are struggling to pay for basic necessities.  Even worse, the Federal Reserve declared at the end of the July that it intended to raise interest rates, yet again.

It is therefore no surprise that many feel that America is in a time of weeping, a time of mourning, and a time of tearing down.

While Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen continued to assure Americans that hiring rates indicate a recession is not on the horizon, many expressed doubt over her words.

This new economic situation seems hopeless in many ways.  It evokes nostalgia for a better time in American history, a time of 1950s optimism.  The bittersweet notes of Don McClean’s song “American Pie” come to mind.  In case you have not heard the story, the song memorializes the shocking deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Jiles P. Richardson— three founders of the uniquely American genre of rock and roll, in a 1959 plane crash.  Since its release in 1971, the song has become culturally representative not only of the sudden end of an era but also of nostalgic, almost fatalistic, longing for an earlier time of cultural simplicity, e.g., “We were singin’, ‘Bye-bye, Miss American pie’/Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry/Them good old boys were drinkin’whiskey ‘n rye/And singin’, ‘This’ll be the day that I die.’ ”

As Christians face the complexities of economic uncertainty and a pluralist society, it can become tempting to wistfully wish for a time when America was more unified, the economy was more stable, and America was stronger.

But Jesus Christ did not call us to put our faith in America, nor did He call us to be lost in nostalgia.  We are called to place our faith in Christ by 1 Thessalonians 1:3— “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

By placing our hope in Christ, we are looking forward to building a better future as Isaiah 43:18-19 teaches us— “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.”

That is not to say that we must forget the greatness that America has seen, but we must recognize that we are in a new season.

While it is fine to mourn for the things that are past, we must not become fatalistically stuck in history.  Christians must be ready to move forward and recognize that our hope is not in the policies of the Federal Reserve, but in God and the power of prayer.

We must endure and run the race before us.  Inflation may come for our finances, but it should never touch our faith.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

No Respect for Marriage and Truth

If you want to know what Democrats are attacking at any given time, just watch how they label something.  It’s the opposite of what it would mean to any normal person.

For instance, “reproductive care” is not about reproducing, that is, having babies.  It’s about abortion or preventing pregnancies.  “Gender affirming” or “gender confirming” policies do not verify actual genders.  Instead, they deny biology and elevate delusions into enforced falsehoods.  They should be called “gender-denying” policies.  Better yet, here are terms used by a Daily Mail medical writer who opposes these experiments on children: “poison, mutilate and sterilize.”

The “Respect for Marriage Act” is the latest example of the Left’s outright lying.  The bill, which would repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, is a full-throated attack on the essence of marriage for thousands of years – its sexual complementarity.  It passed the House on July 19 by a vote of 267-157, with all 220 Democrats voting yes.  The bill was introduced as a response to Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion in Dobbs, which overturned Roe v. Wade.  Justice Thomas opined that faulty legal reasoning might also be revisited in other landmark cases such as the 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.  This triggered moaning and wailing, along with personal attacks on Thomas and his wife Ginni.

The misnamed “Respect for Marriage Act” is an assault on marriage, sanity, civilization, and religious liberty.  It distorts reality, denies biology, and lays the groundwork for punishing people who understand that marriage is the union of male and female.  As with the trans craze, it will force people to lie to survive in modern society.  In a biblical sense, it means bowing to a false idol.

“This little stick of dynamite, the Respect for Marriage Act, does the opposite of what it says it does.  It’s anything but respect.  And this is just part of a long line of obfuscations [from the Democrats]” says columnist Robert Knight, in an interview with American Family News (AFN).  

Marriage is the foundation of civilization, as Confucius observed 2,500 years ago.  It is the first human institution created by God.  For Christians, it also represents the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church at the end of time.  It is supremely important, not an arbitrary arrangement of individuals.  History bears out that no society, regardless of its religious culture, can weaken marriage without unleashing ruin.

In America, marriage was unquestionably the glue that held society together.  That is, it did until the advent of the sexual revolution: no-fault divorce, promiscuity, pornography, cohabitation, the LGBTQ agenda, legalized abortion and the Democrats’ anti-marriage Great Society welfare state.  It should be obvious by now that the Democrat Party is wholly dedicated to suicidal Marxist policies that are destroying America economically, socially, and culturally.  

Not a single House Democrat voted no on the “Respect for Marriage Act.”  More shocking is that 47 Republican House members voted for it and several morally obtuse GOP senators say they will back it.  Republican leaders largely have been feckless, ducking the question with answers like “now is not the time,” or “other issues are more important.”  They have a gnat’s-eye view of human history.  Republicans are counting on Biden’s disastrous policies to deliver GOP victories in November.  They apparently don’t see the need to explain the bigger picture in which cultural and economic decline are inextricably entwined.  That’s something Ronald Reagan understood, shifting millions of blue-collar Democrats into the GOP.  Similarly, Donald Trump’s campaign was about more than economics; he promised to stop much of the madness and acted to do so.

The GOP’s unwillingness now to unashamedly defend the moral order is not only wrong but a wasted opportunity.  Millions of Hispanics and blacks are looking for political champions to voice their values.  Democrats are terrified that, as in South Texas, Hispanic voters are figuring out how much contempt Democrats have for mom-and-dad families and U.S. citizenship.  There is also a growing number of blacks who see through the Democrats’ scheme to destroy their families, hook them on government aid, and replace them with millions of illegal immigrants if they don’t toe the party line.  But many in the GOP still listen to Washington Post and New York Times “journalists” who helpfully advise Republicans to lurch to the left.

The “Respect for Marriage Act” chief sponsor Jerrold Nadler, New York Democrat, says perverting marriage will establish “equality” and “liberty.”  Really!  I don’t think those words mean what he thinks they mean.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Voting is A Gift to Be Cast

The Bible warns us not to waste or squander the gifts God has given us:

“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away” (Matthew 25:29).

But for too long, citizens who are blessed to live free have taken for granted one of the greatest gifts we have been given: voting.  For example, in the 2018 elections, only 47% of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot in the midterm elections—and this embarrassingly low level was the highest turnout for a midterm since 1966!

To make matters worse, nearly one-third of Americans are not even registered to vote. In fact, there are 25 million Evangelical Christians who are not yet registered to vote.  And just because someone is registered to vote doesn’t mean they will.

But in 2022, we could change that.

People are remembering the power of the vote and are not squandering that gift but instead rising up and using it.  Americans—and especially those of faith—should heed the words of Founding Father Samuel Adams:

“Let each citizen remember, at the moment he is offering his vote, that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual—or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society, for which he is accountable to God and his Country.”

People of faith should be first at the ballot box throughout all of 2022—in all local, state, and federal elections, whether primary or general—because:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?” (Matthew 5:13-15).

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

“With God You Win”

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Artur Pawlowski became a hero to many when a YouTube video showed him chasing away city inspectors at his church in Calgary.  The city government mandated a 15% maximum capacity, even during the Easter weekend in April 2021, but he refused to let them enter.  “Out!  Get out of this property immediately!” the pastor, who lived under Communism in his native Poland, yelled as six city officials faced him down.  “Ouuut!  Get out immediately!  Gestapo is not allowed here!  Ouuut!”

The local authorities were not done with the defiant pastor, however.  In May, the very next month, the pastor and his brother David were arrested by the Calgary Police Service for holding an “illegal in-person gathering” that defied local health orders.  The church pastor also supported Canadian truckers, when they blocked roads and bridges to protest vaccine mandates.  By then he had become a hero to many, and a government target, too, so Pawlowski was arrested five months ago after delivering a speech in Coutts that urged truckers to “be willing to sacrifice their lives” for freedom.

Last Friday, according to a story by the left-wing Canada Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) story, the Alberta Court of Appeal dropped pandemic-related contempt of court convictions and also dropped steep fines against the pastor and his brother that dated back 13 months.  A conviction from the trucker protest is still on the books, leaving Pawlowski under house arrest, but he tells American Family News (AFN) the “foundation” is crumbling in a democratic country that witnessed its own government control their fellow citizens in the name of saving them from a virus.  The house of cards is falling apart,” Pawlowski tells AFN.  “So I’m looking optimistically into the future.”

A key issue that surfaced during Pawlowski’s court fight was his own freedom of speech. As a condition for probation, an Alberta judge ordered Pawlowski to literally parrot the “majority of medical experts” about the vaccine, mask-wearing, and social-distancing when he delivered any public remarks expressing his personal opinion.  The judge, Adam Germain, even wrote a 99-word script for the pastor to follow— as if the vocal, defiant pastor would back down at that point.  “This crooked judge wants to turn me into a CBC reporter or CNN reporter,” Pawlowski complained at the time to Fox News, “that every time that I am in public, every time I’m opening my mouth, I am to pray their mantra to the government.”

The appeals court decision last week also dropped the speech requirements, the CBC story says.  Sarah Miller, an attorney who represented both brothers, told CBC the judge had ruled against them based on a personal disagreement and ignored any “proper legal analysis” about their rights.  

In his interview with AFN, Pawlowski insists he is not bitter about his ordeal but, looking back, he praises God for putting him in an Alberta jail cell where he shared the Gospel with others.  “I led people in prison to the Lord,” he says.  “They’re still calling me from prison.  To this day, I have contact with my boys from my unit.”  

Pawlowski’s public fight generated debate in numerous churches, where some pastors and congregations may have praised his civil disobedience and mirrored it.  Many other churches, however, possibly citing Paul’s instructions to submit to authority, obediently turned off the lights and shut the doors until they were allowed to return.  

After his arrest at the trucker protest, the pastor told Fox News that other defiant church pastors across Canada were exposing the “villains” and “tyrants” who would never stop otherwise.  He likened that situation to his native Poland, where churches there rose up and fought the armed and wicked Communists.  That demand for freedom during the 1980s is known as the Solidarity Movement.  “And I think that God wants this to be exposed,” he said.  “Those types of people never stop.  They need to be exposed.”

Pawlowski tells AFN he believes he preached a message of freedom above tyranny.  “I literally preached to tens of millions of people around the world with a simple message: With God you win,” he says.  “When you join the army of the living God you’ve already won.  The enemy just doesn’t know it yet.”

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Pick Up Your Cross—Don’t Hide Behind It

The Apostle Paul (one of the most persecuted Christians in history—2 Corinthians 11:23-30)—informs us:

“All who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

So, it’s not a matter of if we as Christians will be persecuted, but rather when and how much.  As Jesus affirmed:

“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).

No one likes being verbally attacked, misportrayed, mocked, and made fun of; but in today’s increasingly anti-Biblical culture, this has become an all too common occurrence for those who are serious and public with their faith.

Perhaps at no time in American history has it become so unpopular, or personally cost so much, to be a Christian.  As a result, polling shows that many professing Christians have become more silent and private with their faith.  But God hasn’t called us to live our lives under the radar.  On the contrary, Jesus exhorts:

“You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Sadly, much of the culture is not content with just engaging in verbal and financial persecution, but a part of it is now physically assaulting those they disagree with.

No one likes to be uncomfortable; yet why should Christians expect to live without opposition?  We should stand courageously and uncompromisingly.  And if adversity comes, we should meet it with grace, remembering Paul’s admonition:

“…always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15).

A fondness for comfort can lead to cowardice—a trait denounced throughout American history.  As Samuel Adams reminded the fair-weather “patriots” of his day:

“If you love wealth better than liberty—the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom—go home from us in peace.  We ask not your counsels or your arms.  Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you.  May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”

In today’s growing anti-Biblical culture, if we are not experiencing some form of persecution, maybe it’s time to ask ourselves: Are we hiding behind our crosses, or picking them up and following Jesus?

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel