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Afghanistan and Armchair Quarterbacks
Hard Sayings
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:14-15)
Ouch. Those are difficult commands.
If a person mocks me and spits in my face, then I’m to “bless” them and seek their well-being? If someone threatens to beat me or punish me because of my faith in Christ, then I’m to express love to them?
If I’m feeling short-changed and discontent, then I’m still to rejoice with my neighbor or friend who is flying high with joy?
If I’m relatively at peace and happy about life, then I’m yet to allow the losses and mourning of someone else to soak into my space so that I may weep with them?
God’s inspired Word to us says, “Yes.”
Over this past week, hard sayings like these have been tested in my life. Maybe for you, too?
News sources continue to report the unbelievable disaster unfolding in Afghanistan. Parents tossing their crying toddlers over walls and barbed wire so that our troops can rescue them from what appears to be certain death (link). Young men falling from hundreds of feet in the air as they lose their grip on the wing of a C-17 cargo jet. Women being rapidly forced into hiding and dragged from their homes. Christians preparing for imminent imprisonment and death. One report claimed the Taliban is murdering people simply if they have a Bible app on their phone or if they had any past collaboration with westerners. This morning, I came across this heartbreaking photo of a young boy, probably around the same age as my son, Carson:
An Afghan child sleeps on the cargo floor of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, kept warm by the uniform of the C-17 loadmaster, during an evacuation flight from Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 15. (Photo: USAF)
Armchair Quarterback, Anyone?
In my rather comfortable bubble of middle-class Americana, it’s all-too-easy to “armchair quarterback” the Afghanistan situation with outright disdain and hatred for the persecutors, while also not truly, deeply weeping with my brothers and sisters. I can keep nearly everything at arms-length through a screen.
Am I grieved and even angered by this violent, inhumane turn-of-events? Yes. I’d guess most of you are, too.
But God’s gospel-centered instructions in Paul’s letter to the Romans guides us to:
Let the feelings in and let prayers flow out.
Just prior to the hard sayings of v. 14-15, he wrote, “rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer…” (v. 12).
What can you and I do right now? Pray.
Some of us have family members serving in the US military in or near Afghanistan today. Pray.
Others among us know missionaries serving in or near Afghanistan today. Pray.
All of us now know that the Afghan church was the second fastest growing group of believers in the world (second only to the church in Iran). Pray.
If you’re a governmental or military leader reading this post: Pray. (and read James 1:5-8)
Prayer isn’t our last resort; it is the most effective step we can take.
So let us pray…
Oh God of all mercy and power, bring the light of the gospel to key members of the Taliban. Raise up a Saul to be a Paul within their midst. Turn the hearts of our persecutors to repentance and saving faith in Jesus the Messiah.
Grant our Afghan brothers and sisters the courage and boldness to continue on Your mission no matter the cost.
Shake us loose, as American Christians, from our complacency and apathy. Keep us devoted in prayer and prepared for opposition.
Give wisdom and strength to the decision-makers in our government and military as they seek to peacefully evacuate thousands of US citizens and many other innocent civilians.
Strengthen your Church by the power of the Holy Spirit to be devoted in brotherly love, rejoicing in hope, and serving You, our Lord and God.
Through Jesus Christ, our matchless Savior, we pray, Amen.
See you this Sunday at Mayfair Bible Church, loved ones.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Michael J. Breznau
P.S.
For a longer guide on how to pray for Afghanistan and the Taliban click here.
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Strength for Today
Happy Sunny Friday!
Have you sensed an overflowing joy from our risen, powerful Lord this week? I have. We’ve had our share of “too busy,” various mishaps, and house renovation debacles over the past seven days. Yet God has graciously given my heart a palpable awareness of His presence and goodness.
Nehemiah was a man commissioned by God to lead a construction project. But this building program was unlike any we’ve experienced: rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Was he busy? Absolutely. Did he encounter obstacles and delays? Yes, indeed.
Opposition and difficult decisions? You bet he did!
But upon the completion of this massive project, the people gathered to hear the Word of God. The gift of repentance swept over the crowd. They responded to God’s law with faith and personal consecration.
Then Nehemiah instructed them with these timeless words:
“Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Neh. 8:10)
The joy sourced in God doesn’t diminish or disappear with our ever-changing circumstances. His joy brings strength when we’re confused and tired. God’s ever-flowing joy over us sustains and propels us forward on His mission. The joy found in our Creator-Redeemer inspires us to celebrate in worship to the Giver of all good things.
Each Lord’s Day, we gather to celebrate the reality of God: He is alive, all-powerful, and always with us. His manifest presence among us brings an unexplainable joy. His Word read, explained, and applied to our hearts by the Spirit leads us into His joy. Herein we discover our strength, a high-tensile strength that withstands the storms and difficulties of life, a strength not sourced in us but in our God.
Last Sunday, I experienced that immeasurable joy. God sustained me throughout the week by the strength of His joy. I invite you to come and experience God’s joy, too.
Sense the work and power of the Spirit among us as we celebrate who Christ is and who we are in Him.
Come and learn of Him. You will find rest, joy, and strength for your soul.
Here at Mayfair Bible Church, we’ll have a place ready for you this Sunday at 10:45AM. THRIVE Kids check-in begins at 10:30AM. See you then!
Love in Christ,
Pastor Michael
P.S.
This morning, I filmed a new Connection Points video. Click the red play button to discover what exciting things are ahead for this Sunday and beyond at Mayfair:
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Bless the Lord?
God pours forth blessing on us through the riches of His kindness (Eph. 1:3-8). He grants mercy, strength, joy, wisdom, peace, hope, and so much more. He is the all-powerful and eternal “blesser” of His people.
Yet in a Song of Ascents in the book of Psalms, we find the perspective turned toward us, His people, blessing God:
“Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD, who serve by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the LORD. May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 134)
How do we, as finite humans, bless God, the eternal blesser? Here’s how: We bless the Lord by seeing, acknowledging, proclaiming, and delighting in His great power, wisdom, grace, and strength. As we’ve received blessing from Him, we turn back to Him with praise by recognizing that “every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…” (James 1:17a).
We don’t lay claim on the gifts of life and peace we enjoy as the fruit of our own labor, but as blessings from the Almighty Creator.
Therefore we pray… let it be so that the Lord’s blessing will rest upon us, in order that we may again respond with overflowing praise.
He is the maker of all heaven and earth.
We are His people.
He is our God.
So let us bless the Lord.
In Christ Alone,
Michael
______________
You’re Invited
This Sunday at Mayfair Bible Church we’ll “bless the Lord” through baptizing several more believers in Jesus, lifting up prayers, songs, serving, giving, and reading and teaching God’s Word. As always, you’re warmly invited to join us. Our Memorial Day weekend worship services will be held at 10:45AM in two locations: the main auditorium (seating for 800) and our venue live-stream (super-safe service option) in Room 18 (seating for approximately 35 with social distancing).
This morning, happened upon this beautiful rendition of Matt Redman’s song, 10,000 Reasons. The sincerity and simplicity of this little girl’s worship to Christ brought great joy and warmth to my soul. Sing along and bless the Lord:
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Love and Justice.
I’ve been thinking, waiting, and praying. Mowing the grass, picking up sticks, and starting a small campfire this evening was good for that sort of thing.
Today’s momentous ruling from a Minnesota courtroom is exploding across all news outlets. As most of you heard, Derek Chauvin, former police officer, was found guilty of all three charges in murdering George Floyd.
Chauvin’s supervisory sergeant testified against him. The nation’s largest police union, the National Fraternal Order of Police, also praised the trial as fair:
“Our system of justice has worked as it should, with the prosecutors and defense presenting their evidence to the jury, which then deliberated and delivered a verdict,” the statement read. “The trial was fair and due process was served. We hope and expect that all of our fellow citizens will respect the rule of law and remain peaceful tonight and in the days to come.”
So tonight, I’m thankful to God that the justice system of the United States, though fractured, is not entirely broken. I’m grateful for justice served, even if the process is slow and painful.
Pro-Life, Pro-Justice, Pro-Police
Yet as a pastor and community leader I fear being misunderstood at this juncture. Why? Because everything about the last 14 months in America has been so politicized and polarized. We pick up our talking points from our favorite political pundits hour upon hour per day. Yet a less-than-an-hour a week sermon from a pastor is deemed debatable. One of my seminary professors, Howard Hendricks, once told us, “Most people don’t think, they just rearrange their prejudices.” The past season of COVID, a national election, and other societal chaoses proves his point. We are one divided nation not under God.
Grieving and weeping with those who grieve and weep, does not make one anti-police. Nothing could be further from the truth. Police officers are in my immediate and extended family. Police officers are among my closest friends. Countless other law enforcement officers serve to keep the peace, protect the innocent, and justly enforce the law for the order and well-being of our society. I wholeheartedly thank God for the sacrifice these men and women (and their families) make every day.
I am pro-justice and for-righteous because the God I bow under requires nothing less. All the police officers I know are of the same mind and heart.
Yet behind closed doors, they also readily admit there are bad cops in the mix. “There is nothing worse for good police than bad police,” is a truism worth heeding. For this reason, we, together with every law enforcement agency, must stand for justice and peace.
God’s prophet Micah heralded these timeless words:
“He has told you, O man, what is good;and what does the Lord require of youbut to do justice,and to love mercy,and to walk humblywith your God.”— Micah 6:8
Violence begets Violence
Last Saturday, on the doorstep of this week’s trial one lawmaker sprayed inflammatory remarks on social media – words that might have incited a firestorm of violence. But perhaps even worse, those rapidly spoken nouns, adjectives, verbs, and prepositions could be grounds for an appeal that “may result in [today’s] whole trial being overturned,” said Judge Peter Cahill.
Once again, we discover the intrinsic power of words. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is surely the worst lie in our childhood library.
I don’t pretend to fully comprehend the fear, anger, and frustration in the minds of my African-American brothers and sisters. We all must listen in a spirit of love. I must attempt to walk for a day in my neighbor’s shoes. No doubt, all the emotions of the past 14 months are ripping open on the surface.
So, may we all follow the words of Martin Luther King Jr. that ring ever-true:
“We believe in law and order. We are not advocating violence. We want to love our enemies. If I am stopped, our work will not stop, for what we are doing is right.” (1956, in Montgomery, Alabama)
“Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.” (1958)
“…concerning nonviolent resistance is that it avoids not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. The nonviolent resister not only refuses to shoot his opponent but he also refuses to hate him.” (1958) – Martin Luther King Jr. via wsu.edu
Together, let us march forward with a compassion sourced in God’s love and a passion sourced in God’s justice.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MARCH 31: A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
George Floyd Matters
The never-ending fury of debate rages about BLM – the Black Lives Matter movement and, subsequently, the organization that precipitated from the past year’s events. For a brief, helpful discussion on the differences between the movement and the organization check out this simple essay: BLM Movement vs BLM organization: a Semantic Trap. But rather than wade into this highly-politicized argument, let us all agree that George Floyd’s life mattered. Dr. Russell Moore, a conservative evangelical leader wrote:
“…finally, we can remember that this verdict matters because George Floyd himself matters. He is not only a symbol of the quest for racial justice in this country—although he is certainly that. He is also a human being created in the image of God. His life matters to God, and should matter to us. Authorities and structures must be accountable for doing what is right not just for the sake of abstract integrity, but because these authorities and structures affect real human lives. And every human life is an awe-striking mystery, pointing us to the God that life reflects and images.
We can thank God for the accountability rendered in this case. We can work to see to it that justice is done in cases like this whenever and wherever they arise around us. We can see to it that no one else ever faces the awful killing experienced by George Floyd and countless others. And, as we do so, we can weep. Even as we are glad for justice done, we should weep for injustices still at work, and for a life that is still gone.” – I encourage you to read Russell Moore’s article in its entirety: The George Floyd Trial and the Longing for Justice
Learning by Listening
Over the course of the past 5 years, I’ve sought to make a more asserted effort to listen well to my African-American brothers’ pains, fears, and frustrations. We’ve wept together, prayed together, and are learning how to stand together for the Gospel’s sake. Below are two videos through which you’re invited to listen-in on some of those conversations. My prayer is that you’ll, too, learn more about your neighbor’s perspective and grow in the likeness of our Reconciler, Jesus Christ.
Dialogue on Race, Conciliation, and the Gospel:
Pastors’ Roundtable – Racism, Division, and the Church
Thank you for reflecting and conversing with me. May Christ guide us to serve, stand, and speak with truth and love.
In God’s Vineyard,
Michael Breznau
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Something Sweeter!
Like most children, our kiddos love stuffing their mouths with Easter candy. They gleefully dive into chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, Peeps, and more. Of course, we have to put a limit on the delightful confections, otherwise we’ll be racking up bills at the dental office. Even though we love our dentist, twice a year is enough!
But God’s Word reminds us of something even sweeter and more delightful than an overflowing candy basket: the harmonic unity when God’s people gather together as family.
As ancient followers of God journeyed up the steps toward Jerusalem to worship – en masse – they would sing this song to one another:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edges of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing – life forever.” (Psalm 133)
God’s grace to His people Israel in the Old Testament looked forward to the Messiah’s coming kingdom. The beauty of unity in God’s grace had a consecrating effect – signified in the anointing oil, yet also a refreshing result – pictured in the dew. Mount Hermon is the tallest peak in Israel. As a snowcapped mountain, the icy, freshwater runoff brings an abundance of dew and agricultural vitality. These streams ultimately feed into the Jordan River, the main life-source artery for all Israel. Fruitfulness. Beauty. Fullness.
So, we discover the beauty of unity ultimately leads to the blessing effect: Life! The sweetness of dwelling, worshiping, and journeying together in unity is an experience of God’s life among us.
The promised blessing of life forevermore in Zion remains the assured hope of we, the grafted-in family of faith in Christ. Today, the future breaks-through into the present. We can experience present joy because our future rests in the blessing of God. We live in the present reality of God’s presence. He is forming, sanctifying, and purifying us. We’re a kingdom of priests unto our God (Isa. 61:6; Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6).
And where – in our everyday lives – do we most powerfully experience God’s presence? God the Holy Spirit’s presence dwells among His people. He is manifestly active among us as we gather, serve, sing, give, and love. We gain a foretaste of heaven when we’re gathered with God’s people on earth.
As much as we’re thankful for technological advances that allows us to live-stream our worship services, we fully believe this dramatically falls short of the sweeter-than-Easter-candy experience of gathering not just to spectate but to participate in one another’s lives; to serve someone, pray for a friend, or speak an encouraging word face-to-face. How good it is. How sweet the moment!
The past twelve months presented all of us with greater isolation from the joy of unity than ever before. By God’s grace, recent advances are allowing us to regather – to taste that inkling of the heaven to come. We’re looking forward to worshiping, serving, and dwelling together with you in the beauty of unity borne out of God’s grace.
As we look ahead to Easter Sunday and beyond, we want you to know of some changes we’re making so that you may, again, cultivate friendships, experience the blessing of serving, and be a part of what God is doing among us.
What’s Ahead?
- Operation Kindness: Last call for candy donations (Sunday, March 21). Email office@mayfairbible.org if you’d like to help deliver!
- Good Friday @ 6PM: Tenebrae Communion Service: in-person; mask-required section provided in south quarter of the auditorium; every other pew roped off.
- Resurrection Sunday (April 4)
- 9:15AM: super safe service – masks required. Are you member and able to wear a mask for the length of a service? If so, would you prayerfully consider attending this service to provide extra space for the 10:45AM service?
- THRIVE Kids activity bags provided
- 10:45AM: standard safety – masks recommended by not required.
- THRIVE Kids ministry offered (nursery – 5th grade)!
- Deploy Opportunities: Welcome Team and Coffee n’ Cookie Fellowship Team members. Contact us if you’d like to experience the joy of serving on either of these teams for Resurrection Sunday: office@mayfairbible.org | 810-733-7130.
- 9:15AM: super safe service – masks required. Are you member and able to wear a mask for the length of a service? If so, would you prayerfully consider attending this service to provide extra space for the 10:45AM service?
- Baptism Celebration: Sunday, April 11
- One 10:45AM Worship Service but Two Venues:
- The Auditorium: standard safety – masks recommended but not required.
- The Elevate Room: super safe service – masks required. Matt Pearson (elder) will be leading this venue service; music and sermon live-streamed.
- EQUIP Courses Relaunch: Sunday, April 18 | 9:15AM Classes for all ages
- The Battle Plan for Prayer: Tom Rench + Charles and Diane Breznau
- Proverbs to Live By: Darrell Foltz
- The Church in Babylon: (DVD w/ Erwin Lutzer) – Robert Blazer and Jerry Demick
- New Connections Class: Pastor Michael Breznau
- Thrive Kids + ELEVATE Youth classes
- Semi-Annual Business Meeting: Sunday, April 25 @ 5PM
- Mother’s Day Parent-Child Dedication: Sunday, May 9 | Contact us if you’re interested!
- One 10:45AM Worship Service but Two Venues:
In God’s Vineyard,
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You Are Loved.
You Are Loved.
Nothing compares to the sweetness of God’s loving presence. In this age, as we await Christ’s return, we experience God’s presence directly and powerfully through His people. Yes, through you!
How is this so? God the Holy Spirit personally indwells every believer in Jesus. Each Spirit-empowered man and woman is then gifted to bring the presence of Christ to every other member of God’s family. We move in His power as we serve, teach, sing, and give to one another as the Spirit equips us.
God the Holy Spirit works within us and flows through us to build-up all of us together in Christ. Through this one-another ministry, the most palpable part of God’s presence is love. Placed between Paul’s discussion on the utilizing the Spirit’s gifts within us for the edification of all of us (1 Corinthians 12 and 14), we find the crux: The beauty and excellency of agape love (1 Corinthians 13).
We Need One Another.
We discover we are loved as we behold the depth of God’s affection in Jesus Christ. He alone is the perfect portrait of The Love Chapter. Yet He calls and empowers His family to respond to one-another with this same love.
Love… “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:7-8a)
So we can honestly say to one another in the deepest sense: you are loved. We are cherished perfectly by Christ and we taste of His perfect love as it flows among God’s people.
In part, this is why gathering in-person for worship is essential. It’s impossible to fully experience the Body-life as the people of Christ when we’re apart. I understand COVID-19 has weighed heavily on all of us. Concerns, fears, and questions abound. Yet I urge you, from a heart of love, to participate in-person not merely to hear a sermon or sing along to music, but to build-up, encourage, serve others with the presence and power of God. We need one another.
Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 13. Let the words soak over your soul. Allow it to serve as a litmus test.
Here’s a brief juxtaposition I jotted down this week for personal evaluation:
Love Serves :: Lust Seduces
Love Gives :: Lust Grabs
Love Prays :: Lust Preys
Love Heals :: Lust Hurts
Love Opens :: Lust Disguises
Love Forgives :: Lust Tallies
Love Endures :: Lust Abandons
Let’s take a moment to allow God to probe: How does your heart line up with agape love?
Love in Christ,
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Come Unto Jesus
As I was driving the kids home from school this afternoon, Hudson became bored and began fishing around in our old CDs. Ha! Remember those?
“Hey dad! What’s this?” Hudson shouted, as he held up a non-descript CD-R reminiscent of my music-ripping days. If you’re a child of the 80’s or early-90’s, you know what I’m talking about.
“That’s an old CD that I put some music on… probably 20 years ago.” I replied.
“Really? Like, were you singing on it?” Hudson asked.
“No, I don’t think on this one.” I told him as we slid the disc into the player.
Soon old praise songs, Steve Green solos, and a bit of Carman were flooding the walls of our minivan. We skipped through a few of the slower ballads until we arrived at the last track.
The introduction caught my ears and began to pull at the strings of my heart. The familiar 1970s baseline immediately brought me back to a dark hospital room…
My mother and I stood by the bedside of my grandma, Betty Czarnecki. She wasn’t even passed her mid-70’s. But a stroke and continued heart trouble had brought her to those final days. Grandma had gospel exposure throughout her life, but not personal gospel understanding. She was a good and loving woman, but she had not yet received full, eternal forgiveness.
In her last hours, my mother and I told her, again, of the gospel of grace and everlasting life in Jesus Christ. My mom then asked me to sing a few songs to her. The final one I sang was the last on that dusty old CD we found today.
Come unto Jesus.
Come unto Jesus, give Him your life today;
Come unto Jesus, let Him have His way!
Oh, I know there are things in your life
You think He can’t forgive;
But He’ll forgive and forget, my friend,
And show you how to live.
Come unto Jesus, give Him your heart today;
Come unto Jesus, let Him have His way!
Don’t you put it off my friend;
You can’t afford to wait;
Today’s the day for you,
Soon it could be too late!Come unto Jesus, give Him your life today;
Come unto Jesus, let Him have His way!
There in that cold, lonely room my grandma responded to God’s invitation. Her hand tightly squeezed mine and she responded with understanding and personal trust in Jesus the Christ.
My mom and I wept. But now with tears of joy.
Come unto Jesus.
Yes, you. Maybe you’ve been attending church services all your life. Perhaps you’ve been reading these notes from me for years. But do you know of true, complete forgiveness? Who owns your heart? To what effort are you clinging to maintain your standing with God? Your best stuff or Christ’s cross?
God invites you today. Don’t put it off, my friend. Give Him your life today. Come unto Jesus.
“Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.
Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 – NET)
Click on the button below to listen to Dallas Holm sing “Come Unto Jesus”:
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Roll it onto Him
King David, the ancient poet-shepherd, reminds us:
“Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
and He will do it.”
(Psa. 37:5)
Biblical Hebrew is rich with word pictures and “commit” is no exception. The verbal imperative גול (gō wl) conveys the idea of rolling all your burdens, questions, and anxieties onto God. You can even use the sound of the word in Hebrew as a memory device, since it would be pronounced similar to our word “goal.” To “goal” is to roll it all into the hands of God.
If we receive more snow this weekend, I know my children will be chomping at the bit to make a snowman in the yard. Yet the hardest part for my kiddos is rolling and pushing and rolling those big, wet snowballs along into a nice size for a wintry anthropomorphic creation.
“Daddy! Come help us roll the snowball for the snowman!” they’ll shout.
So we’ll all gather behind to push and roll the snow into a weight we can no longer shove one more inch.
Maybe the weight of your worry is just too heavy to push. Perhaps the way forward – the path of 2021 – simply gives you more stress as you think about it.
You might be thinking (like me): “The past twelve months were like slogging in slush. I’m tired of pushing and shoving this stuff! What proof do we have that this new year will be any different?”
But God says, “Come.”
“Roll it over to Me. I’ll take it from here.”
He carries the weight and worry with His all-powerful shoulders.
And our response after we’ve done our share of the rolling?
Trust Him.
He’ll do it.
Yes, far better than you and me.
Love in Christ,
P.S.
Be sure to click on the video below to get the details on what’s ahead for this Sunday and next week at Mayfair Bible Church!
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When the Wheels Come Off
While the last ten months were filled with uncertainty across America, the last few weeks have been nothing short of utter chaos. Myriad theories abound but one thing is clear: our nation is broken. The wheels have come off.
Our political leadership has never been more divided since the Civil War. To make matters worse, the fault-lines of the culture often invade the Church. The societal division, distrust, and despair is – even now – wreaking havoc in congregations across our nation.
Yet three heart-truths are the keys to remaining strong in God’s peace, power, and purpose:
- Prayer is not our last resort, but rather the most effective action we can take. God is readily able to do what is completely impossible for us. James reminds God’s people:
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5:17-18)
- Every particle of creation is under God’s command. Nothing is outside God’s purview. Through a vision to a pagan ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, God proclaims:
“This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.” (Daniel 4:17)
- Our mission orders remain unchanged. Every born-again disciple is called to multiply. Although we’re thankful for our flag and the freedom it represents, we are followers of Jesus who live on His mission under the banner of the Cross. As long as we have breath, we can speak of Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. May He be first on our lips as we talk, write, tweet, blog, or post into the darkness of this present age. Missiologist Jeff Christopherson said, “The Christian revolution started not with a grasping powerplay, but with an open-handed emptying of power (Phil. 2:5-9). Scarred palms are the symbols of an uncompromising kingdom insurrection. [This is] our way forward.” [1] Let’s march forward with the gospel truth spoken and shown in love:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matt. 28:19a)
Is your heart weary? Your mind beleaguered? Maybe your spouse or elderly parents are chewing away at their fingernails as they watch the news?
Hit pause.
Pray.
Remember.
God is still sovereign and His ways can be trusted.
Love in Christ,
Michael
P.S.
Recommended for further reading:
- “Partisan Evangelicals and the Burning of the Mission Field”
- 4 Considerations for Christians Wanting to Engage in Political Activism
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Who to Believe?
I recently remarked to a friend, “I don’t know who or what to believe!” Right, left, middle, and from somewhere in the outfield, I receive articles, videos, and press releases. Everyone claims to have a corner on the truth.
But in this war-torn day of divide-and-conquer-and-divide some more, I, frankly, cannot bring myself to believe much of anything I hear is a full representation of the truth. I don’t say this as a criticism of any particular news agency, only that the myriad messages echoing across our country are incredibly disparate and bewildering.
I don’t know who to believe anymore. Even now, many people are chomping at the bit to tell me which news channel or political pundit to believe. Everyone wants to persuade me to their angle.
But through the cacophony of voices, a line from God’s Word rang its song again through my soul:
“… nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
(2 Timothy 1:12)
While in my angst and worry and prayer, God providentially brought me back to a dusty 2006 audio recording of me singing what my heart still knows is Truth.
I may not know who to believe here on earth. But I do know in whom I have believed and He alone rules over earth and heaven. Christ, the righteous judge, will deal with perfect justice in the end.
My sister, Sarah, accompanied me on the piano in this simple, amatuer studio take (from 15 years ago).
I place these lyrics before you with fresh, vivid images so that these truths may find a resting place in our souls. Click on the video below to watch + listen to our song “We Believe” on YouTube:
WE BELIEVE | recorded in 2006 | Sung by Michael Breznau | Piano by Sarah Henderson (Breznau)
Songwriters: Nathan Di Gesare / Dan Scott | DaySpring, LLC
Song originally performed by Steve Green
