​A spirit of fear, bordering on hysteria and paranoia is sweeping mercilessly across America.
 
Fear-mongering by some has caused others to feel a sense of hysteria, panic, confusion and uncertainty during these challenging times. The hysteria is affecting people spiritually as well as emotionally, mentally and relationally. .
 
Daily Breaking News bombards our citizens over-stimulated brains with Covid 19. Social, emotional and relational distancing, economic slowdown and shutdown, unemployment, hateful rhetoric, violent, life-threatening civil unrest, political elections and who knows what else is pressuring Americans to push the proverbial panic button.  
 
According to Webster, to be hysterical means “unmanageable fear, emotional excitability, emotional excess, highly emotional, explosive.”. To be hysterical means that emotions are out of control. Run-a-way fear is calling the shots in life.
 
So what are folks supposed to do? /Especially Christians who confess that they trust in the Lord during trying, troubling times to take care of our life?  
 
Sometimes a word or phrase strikes deep in our soul.
 
Christian author Oswald Chambers coined a two-word thought that struck a chord in my spirit. In his devotional My Utmost For His Highest (which every Christian should read) he said “Wait on God and He will work, but don’t wait in spiritual sulks because you cannot see an inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our spiritual hysterics to wait on God? To wait is not to sit with folded hand, but to learn to do what we are told.”
 
“Spiritual hysterics”. What a vivid picture. Looking back, I can see myself coming unglued, acting hysterical at times. Life happens, as it will, and hysteria takes over. You and I panic, aimlessly pacing back and forth as worry, doubt and fear race through our heart and mind. We sulk, sucking our spiritual thumbs as we whine “Woe is me!”
 
The Word of God comes to the rescue when hysteria is knocking on our heart’s door. David provides a scriptural remedy for spiritual hysteria.
 
“My soul waits in silence for God only, from Him is my salvation; He only is my rock, and my salvation, my stronghold: I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2
 
David (note the use of the personal pronouns I and my six times) declares he waited on God, God only, with a silent soul. He personally confessed, smack dab in the middle of spiritual upheaval, that God alone was his rock, his salvation, his stronghold. Therefore, no need to be shaken!
 
The key word for David is “my soul waits in silence”. How about you and me? Do we know how to be silent before the Lord? To wait on Him without being hysterical? To settle down, take a deep spiritual/emotional breath before the Lord?
 
Maybe waiting in silence looks something like this: Sit down. Shut up. Be quiet. Settle down. Chill out. Stop throwing a hissy fit. Quit sucking your thumb. Stop dragging your pity-poor-me blankie around. Stop expecting people to hold your pitiful little hand while you whine and lament over your situation.
 
Get real. Face facts with faith. Buck up. Suck it up. Grow up. Stop acting like a spiritual baby. Quit falling apart at the seams. Life is not over. Wait without sulking. Pull up your spiritual bootstraps. Wait on the Lord with a calm, cool, collected disposition.
 
Waiting on God Without Being Hysterical
 

• Do not push the proverbial panic button. DO NOT PANIC!
• Wait without worrying and wondering what God is up to.
• Do not act like a drama king or drama queen before the Lord.
• Refuse to pout, sulk, whine, complain, grumble or grovel while you wait.
• Remove all distractions while you wait on the Lord. Focus your faith on Him, and Him alone.
• Wait with a spirit of hope, expectancy and anticipation as you seek the Lord.
• Wait with a peaceful, thankful, joyful spirit.
• Waiting time is never wasted time. Waiting on the Lord with the right spirit is worth the wait.
• When you have settled down, share what the Lord revealed to you with someone who is being hysterical like you used to be!  

 
Bottom line: There is no room for spiritual hysteria when our faith is grounded in Almighty God.
 
So how do you wait on the Lord…hysterically or quietly and calmly? Be honest with yourself. If you are prone to panic and hysteria, rebuke it, reject it, release it and resolve to wait on the Lord with a silent spirit when troubles arise.
 
Heavenly Father, please forgive us, your blood-bought children when we act hysterically instead of calmly.
 
“Be still (cease striving KJV) and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
 
A Word For Your Week: Wait before the Lord without acting hysterical.

​Military boot camp. Uh Rah!
I believe I just heard some guttural groans from some of my military veteran readers who had the wonderful experience (I might be being facetious!) of an all-expense paid excursion, courtesy of Uncle Sam, to military training.  
When the drab green bus carrying me and a load of fresh meat, I mean new recruits,  arrived at the United States Naval Training Center in San Diego, California  in the twilight of evening,  the first thing the Dark Side Of The Force  drill sergeants did was to yell at us, calling  us come names I will not repeat here.
Second, they cynically shaved off our 1970s’ hippy-style hair, beards, and mustaches. Third, they issued us our new wardrobe: Kaki, pea green, and camo colored dungarees and shirts. The powers in charge dumbed us down to all look like a ragtag band of baldheaded, green clothed aliens.
 Fourth, we were issued our equipment. Utility belt, canteen, ammo magazines, battle helmets, thick, heavy black boots, which were always to be spit shined, and a firearm. Off we went to torture, I mean training, then maybe a war zone. Of course, our superiors screamed and cussed at us non-stop, reminding us that they had become our new mommas!
A soldier without weapons and training is doomed to defeat.  
Imagine a soldier, under sudden attack by the enemy, running out of his barracks in his skivvies (underwear for you civilians) to repel those sent to kill him. Preposterous you say. Of course.
But how often do professing Christians, good soldiers of Jesus Christ, attempt to battle Satan and his demonic forces without their spiritual weapons. No wonder the faith of many fails in the heat of battle.
Good news! You and I need not be weaponless. In Ephesians 6:10-20 (I encourage you to read it) Paul describes in detail the “whole armor God”, the weaponry God issues/equips us with for victory over the enemy of our souls.  
Your and my responsibility is to wear the armor. Paul exhorts us to “put on the whole armor of God.” Note: “put on” is my responsibility. I am to put on all the armor, not some of it. 
Observations About Spiritual Armor

• Spiritual weapons are God Issued, not government issued.
• Weapons must be maintained, cared for, kept in operating order to be effective in battle.
• Weapons are most effective when soldiers practice with them. Training matters.
• Partial armor is not whole armor. Partial armor can get a soldier killed.
• Armor is not shared. Each soldier has his own weaponry.

Paul was thinking about the Roman soldier and his weapons when he wrote about spiritual armor. Here are the pieces of our spiritual armor Christians are to put on, to take up, when battling  
Loins girded with truth. The belt the Roman warrior wore around his waist connected the other pieces of armor. He also carried essential battle items in it. For Christians, truth from the Word of God is the belt that holds our faith life together. Truth protects us from lies, falsehood and deception.  
Breastplate of righteousness. The Roman soldier’s chest was protected by an armor-plated vest that covered his vital organs front and back.  A hit to the heart meant curtains for a Roman soldier. God’s righteousness is a Christian’s fiery dart proof spiritual vest that protects our heart which belongs to the Lord. God “looks on the heart” so it must always be protected.
Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. A Roman soldier could not fight effectively barefoot. His sandals fortified his feet in battle, assisting him to advance against the enemy. Our boots as Christians are the Gospel of peace that we share with the lost. Remember, spiritual warfare is a battle for souls.  We advance with peace because of the Prince of peace.
Helmet of salvation. A Roman soldier’s helmet protected his head from a mortal wound.  A head blow could result in death. A Christian’s “helmet of salvation” guards his mind. His thinking, his attitude and actions are based on his/her faith relationship with Christ who they confess as their personal Savior and Lord. Salvation through Christ saves us from Satan’s onslaught. 
Sword of the Spirit. The Roman soldier’s sword was a wicked weapon. Razor sharp and double-edged, it could easily slice through an enemy combatant. Paul identifies our spiritual sword as the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says our sword is two-edged and sharp. The Word of God is one of the most effective offensive weapons in our spiritual arsenal. Your Bible is your sword! If you do not know the Word, you are a sitting duck for the enemy. Satan fled from Jesus in Mathew 4:1-11 because Jesus said three times ‘It is written”.    
Pray at all times in the Spirit. The Roman warrior probably prayed to someone or something in the heart of a firefight. Paul exhorts Christ’s followers to be prayer warriors. To pray to the One, True, Living God in the name of Jesus, through the power of Holy Spirit.  I believe with all my heart that Satan and hell trembles when Christians pray. 
There you have it. Spiritual warfare fought by spiritual soldiers equipped with spiritual weapons.
My friend, in a war zone, soldiers are on twenty-four-hour alert. The enemy does not care if a soldier would like to take a nap, play cards, or send a text to his sweetheart. On alert means be ready to rock and roll with full armor when the enemy attacks.
How is your spiritual armor? Is it on twenty-four seven, three sixty-five?
“Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”  Ephesians 6:10
A Word For Your Week: Put your spiritual armor on every single day.

​January 7, 1973. I remember that date well.
I enlisted in the military.
Upon hearing of my enlistment, my non-Christian friends thought I had a screw loose! The Viet Nam war was still being fought. My draft number had not been called. So I would not have to go to war.
As a brand-new Christian, the Holy Spirit directed me to enlist in the United States Navy and become a Hospital Corpsman, with hopes of going to medical school through the service to become a doctor. I served four years in the Navy, two of them with the 3rd Division Fleet Marine Force. I would not pursue becoming a physician as God called me to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.  
At the Spokane, Washington Federal Building, I voluntarily took the solemn oath to uphold, defend and protect the Constitution of the United States of America from enemies both domestic and foreign. I also swore (not profanity!) to obey the orders of my Commander in Chief, the President of the United States.  I, like millions of patriotic Americans, became one of Uncle Sam’s soldiers, a GI (which means government issue).  
In my lifetime I have enlisted in two fighting forces.
When I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior on October 6, 1972, I enlisted in God’s holy army. Paul writes in II Timothy 2:3-4 “Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.”
Guess what, fellow believer in Christ? You and I are in the army now! Now what?
Paul states that a Christian is “a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Soldiers leave civilian life to dedicate themselves full-time to being a warrior who battles Satan and his demonic forces in the name of the Lord.  Soldiers suffer hardship, make sacrifices. Being a soldier fighting in a war is not like being home sitting in a comfortable recliner, watching a ballgame, eating Nachos!  
 Soldiers defend freedom and the ones they love. Christians leave the unbelieving world behind to serve in God’s Kingdom. As God’s good soldiers, they proclaim the love of Jesus Christ and the righteousness of God.    
Soldiers follow orders. As good soldiers of Christ, who is our Commander in Chief who enlisted us, we serve to please Him. Christians get their marching orders from the Lord. Our mission, orders, duties and lifestyle are clearly laid out in the Bible. You and I who confess Christ please Him when we obey Him.  
 God’s good soldiers fight the good fight of faith.
 I Timothy 6:12 reads “Fight the good fight of faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” The faith fight is about eternal life. God’s good soldiers fight to contend for their faith in Christ that they confessed before many other people.  
God’s good, faith fighting soldiers put on the whole armor of God. We will detail the pieces of spiritual armor from Ephesians 6:10-20 next week.  
God’s faith fighters war a good warfare.
Ii Corinthians 10:3-5 states “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” Through prayer, the Word of God, the armor of God, the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s good soldiers take down, demolish, and destroy everything that Satan attacks our faith with.
At times, life feels like a war, doesn’t it? Spiritual warfare is real, and so are Christ’s good soldiers.  As the blood-bought sons and daughters of God, we choose to fight the good fight of faith, war a good warfare and win the spiritual battles confronting us.
My friend, ff you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are a soldier in God’s holy army.
God’s counting on every soldier in His spiritual army to be on active duty, fighting off Satan, living a Christlike life and witnessing to lost souls so that they would be saved through faith in Jesus Christ.
One of my all-time favorite hymns of the church is Onward Christian Soldiers. I can hear congregations belting it out with Christian enthusiasm!
“Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war, with the Cross of Jesus going on before. Christ the Royal Master leads against the foe. Forward into battle, see His banners go.”     
Onward Christian soldier, marching as to war. With the Cross of Jesus, going on before.”
Are you faithfully fulfilling your enlistment in God’s army as a good faith soldier, with the Cross of Jesus going before you?
A Word For Your Week: War a good warfare as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

​Imagine If you and I could pull back the cosmic curtain, the spiritual veil separating earth from heaven and take a sneak peek at what our natural eyes cannot see. Our finite minds would be blown away with what is going on upstairs. Unbelievable, breathtaking battle scenes would make Star Wars look like a picnic in the park!
Spiritual war is happening in the heavenly places right now.
Heavenly warfare is a spiritual rumble, a super-heavyweight fight between the forces of God and good and Satan and evil.  
The war is fought over the eternal souls of men, women, boys and girls.  
Have you ever wondered why some things happen and you have no natural, rational, reasonable, earthly explanation or clue as to why? You scratch your head in bewilderment at what is going on. What’s happening doesn’t make sense. Or does it?
Spiritual warfare is not fantasy. It is real.
A distraught Christian lady I was counseling, with tears streaming down her face, lamented “Pastor Steve, our marriage and family is under attack.” I responded “Mam. you are correct. Christians are always under spiritual attack. Some battles are fiercer than others. Spiritual warfare is real. Believers in Christ must fight back with the whole armor of God, push back the gates of hell and defeat Satan in Jesus’ mighty, victorious name.”
How do we know about spiritual warfare?  The Bible tells us.
Paul gives us a glimpse behind the holy curtain of heaven in Ephesians 6:10-12.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places.”
I get spiritual goose bumps reading those words. Let’s summarize what Paul teaches.

• You and I are exhorted to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
• The devil is a schemer, a strategist who opposes all of humanity.
• Followers of Christ can stand firm against Satan’s schemes. Three times in verses 10, 13, and 14 we are exhorted to stand firm.
• Human struggle is not against humans. Our fight is not with each other.
• Our battle is with rulers, powers, world forces of darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness. The Evil One, evil forces and evil are our arch enemy.
• Christians are to put on the whole armor of God to stand firm against the devil.
• In two weeks I will lay out the whole armor of God and how to put it on. (Ephesians 6:14-18)

Too many people, some Christians included, don’t believe in spiritual warfare. Not believeing in its existence does not negate it. Those who deny the reality of spiritual warfare often fight the wrong fights in life.
They pick fights with people, government, institutions, business, political opponents, the church, religious leaders  and even mother-in-laws! Those who pick the wrong battles fail to realize and recognize that behind their fights is a bigger fight going on, spiritual warfare.  
The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy, his son in the faith and soon to be a minister of the Gospel, concerning what fight to fight. ”Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (I Timothy 6:12).
The right fight is the faith fight. The faith fight is all about eternal life. Next week we will discuss being spiritual warriors, good soldiers of Jesus Christ, who fight the good fight of faith.
Stop picking fights with people. Instead, pick your fight with spiritual forces in wicked places through faith in Jesus Christ.
A few things I have learned about spiritual warfare in forty-eight years following Jesus.

1. Satan and his evil, demonic forces hate me. I am not real fond of them either!
2. I am covered by the blood of the Lamb and my testimony in Christ is unshakable. The devil cannot touch my life when I stand firm in my confession of faith in the Lord.
3. The devil battles, but he has lost the war. He knows it. His forces battle in vain. He is a sore loser who harasses Christians by trying to discourage them in their faith and seeks to keep unbelievers from coming to Christ.
4. Satan cannot penetrate the whole armor of God. God’s spiritual armor that I am to put on every single day is impenetrable.
5. Spiritual war is real indeed. So is the overwhelming power of God to defeat Satan and the forces of evil because of His Son’s death and resurrection from the dead! l
6. I have red my Bible from cover to cover many times. The conclusion of the matter is: GOD’S SIDE WINS!!!

Keep fighting the right fight against evil and see the goodness of God prevail!
 “The battle is the Lord’s…” I Samuel 17:47
“But victory belongs to the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31
 A Word For Your Week: Walk by faith in the victory Jesus has won for you over Satan.

​American society is confused, conflicted concerning what to do with people who choose to do evil.
Fact check: Evil exists. Evildoers really do evil things. Evil needs to be dealt with.
Some gutless, spineless, fearful folks propose and purpose to appease, excuse and even endorse evildoers. Evil only increases when not confronted.
Others with moral backbones and courageous hearts demand and expect from authorities that those who practice evil pay for their actions. Serious consequences for doing evil stops evildoers in their tracks.  
Many goodhearted, righteous, reasonable people are praying and hoping that evildoers might have a change of heart. Changed hearts lead to changed behavior.
Why is a changed heart a big deal? What would a change of heart look like?
According to God’s Word, the Bible, life flows from the heart.
 Proverbs 4:23 states “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” You and I are exhorted to carefully guard, set a watch over our heart because good and evil can spring forth from our hearts.  
The Bible also says God looks at our heart.
I Samuel 17:7 reads “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” Jesus said that our words, whether good or evil, come from our heart. (Matthew 12:34-35, Luke 6:45). Attitudes and actions originate in our heart, not our head.   
The bad news is that our hearts, without God, are wicked. Jeremiah 17:9-10 declares “The heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately wicked; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds. The truth is that our hearts are evil without God. The Bible says so and we know our heart well enough that evil lurks there from time to time.
The good news is our hearts, with Jesus Christ, are good.  Ezekiel 36:26-27 states “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  II Corinthians 5:17 declares “Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away, behold, new things have come.” New heart. New spirit. New creature. New life. Sounds really good to me!
You, me and every human being ever created needs a spiritual, moral heart transplant!
Evil heart. Evil words. Evil behavior. Good heart. Good words. Good behavior.
Thanks be to God that an evil heart can change and become a good one. If an evil heart cannot become good, we are all in a world of hurt!
Let’s cut to the chase. Evildoers need a new heart. Genealogy, pedigree, history, education, economics, politics, communities, movements or anything else man proposes cannot change a human heart.  Our culture is fooling itself if we think anyone’s heart and subsequent behavior will change without the love of Christ in their heart.  
So, back to the question as to what to do with those who do evil in our culture.
Christians must lead them to a saving knowledge and personal experience of salvation through faith in God’s Son Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can change hearts.
I will say it again: only Jesus can change hearts. His sacrificial death on the Cross where He shed His precious blood for our sin cleanses us from evil, making us good in God’s eyes.
A hateful heart becomes a loving heart when Jesus resides there.
It is not that difficult my brothers and sisters in Christ. Change a person’s heart, their life changes! Reaching the unsaved is the mission of His witnesses (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). Evangelism, reaching and winning the lost to Christ, is our primary mission.
What you and I can do to reach out to evil people to help them have a change of heart.

1. Pray for the salvation of evildoers. That evil people will repent of evil and turn to Christ.
2. As the Lord leads, share your Christian faith with those who do evil instead of good.
3.  Show evildoers a good heart. Jesus said to never return evil for evil, but good for evil. The Apostle Paul taught “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.” Romans 12:17. Tough to do sometimes isn’t it?
4. Rejoice when an evil person becomes good through the love of God and faith in Jesus Christ! Celebrate their new heart and new life in the Lord.
5. Encourage fellow followers of Jesus to do good to those who do evil. Serve evildoers when possible. Jesus’ love never fails and always wins heart!

It is high time for the body of Christ, the church, to sincerely seek the Lord, to humble ourselves before God, repent of our sins, seek God’s forgiveness, be healed  (II Chronicles 7:14) then rise up with His love, mercy  and grace to reach those who are enslaved by the Evil One and do evil.  .
A word of warning for our day. The prophet Isaiah’s Holy Spirit inspired words serve as a dire, ominous warning to all of us that must be heeded to avoid destruction in our lives and the lives of others.
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight. Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away the rights of the ones who are n the right.” Isaiah 5:20-23
What do you think about God’s WOES in this scripture? I think of not so good things! When God says “Woe”, you and I had better wake up and pay strict attention!
Do you call evil evil and good good? Do you in any way support anyone who justifies the wicked and takes away the rights of those who are right?
Search your heart my friend. Make sure your heart lines up with God’s Word. Then share your good heart in Christ with someone whose heart is hurting because of evil. 
A Word For Your Week: A good or evil heart is our choice.  

​Authority.
Authority simply means that someone is in charge.
I need not tell you that lawful authority and law enforcement is under attack across America.
 Rebellious, disrespectful, disobedient, antagonistic, anti-authority thugs and violent criminals are attempting to dismantle our laws and give law enforcement a bad name.
 Lawlessness is a sign of the last days (see II Timothy 3:1-5). Law defying, law breaking elements have orchestrated events to discredit lawful authority. The liberal, anti-law and order media is drinking the poisonous Kool-Aid that police officers are evil and out to hurt the public.  As a patriotic American who loves his country, I am offended by such ignorance and insolence.  What is happening alarms, concerns, frustrates, enrages and grieves me. 
I have been, am and will always be a law-abiding citizen who respects, honors and supports lawful authority. 
I have relatives and friends who serve as police officers. I have been with them on “ride alongs” in the middle of the dark of night when most of you are sleeping. The dedicated officers protect the good guys while going after the bad guys. I must admit the little boy in this aging elder man gets a spine-tingling thrill when the light bar flashes and the siren blares as the police cruiser shifts into light speed in pursuit of evildoers.  
I have had a bird’s eye view of what really happens on the street. Law enforcement is an extremely dangerous and often thankless job. Every single day when law enforcement officers put on their badge and uniform to “protect and serve”, they face danger that you and I don’t. I challenge critics and detractors to put on the uniform for just one day and then see how they feel.
I heartily and proudly applaud every good police officer who puts their life on the line so you and I can live in a safe, orderly society.
Unfortunately, you and I know what our misguided culture is saying about lawful authority and law enforcement. So, what does the Bible, God’s Word have to say? What position should a professing Christian take regarding lawful authority?
Romans 13:2-4 states “Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.”
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul writes five things about lawful authority.
1. Authority is from God.
2. Authorities are ministers of God for good.
3. Those who resist authority oppose the ordinance of God (not a good thing to do).  
4. Good guys have no reason to fear authority.
5. Bad guys have every reason to fear authority. Could it be that some people fear cops because they are doing something wrong? In no uncertain terms, Paul says authorities are avengers of God to those who bring trouble upon themselves by practicing evil.
Please note lawful rulers and law enforcement are God’s ministers and God’s avengers. Take that Marvel superheroes! They only bring about the harvest that evil people sow. Reaping what criminals sow is called correction, punishment. Police officers aren’t evil enemies. They are God’s ministers for good.
The rule of law and its enforcement is critical to order and survival of a republic like the United States. Anarchy and every evil sin reign when there is no lawful authority.
I have an idea. Why not take a personal stand against the tide of anti-authority and anti-law enforcement by standing tall with the over one million men and women in blue?
How To Show Support For Law Enforcement Officers

• Pray daily for divine protection for law enforcement and our military.  Ask God for big, REALLY BIG, BAD TO THE BONE WARRIOR ANGELS to protect officers when on duty.
• Request (nicely, but firmly and persistently!) that local media highlight stories of the immense good police officers do in the community. The good far outweighs any bad.
• Lobby government officials to get some backbone to publicly support and back up law enforcement officials.  Political correctness, criminal mentality, economic, pressure from racial or religious bias, and insurrectionist agendas cannot dictate how our leaders view law enforcement.  
• Demand without apology that criminals, street punks and thugs be called what they are and dealt appropriate punishment for their crimes. A crime is a crime.  A criminal is a criminal, not a saint!
• Speak up and demonstrate support for families of police officers so they will feel safe and secure while their loved ones are on duty.
• Teach your children and grandchildren to respect law enforcement officers. Show them by your example how to respect, respond to and obey authority. By nature kids love the police. 
• Perform a kind deed of service for your local police officers and police headquarters. Do this more than once. Make it a good habit for you and your children.
• If officers must shoot, pray they always shoot first, shoot straight and go home after their shifts! 

I have this law enforcement thing figured out. The way I see it, it’s a no brainer. 
When a police officer pulls you over, be respectful. Courteous. Cooperative. Comply with and obey his/her instructions. Make it easy for the officer to do their job. Don’t call the officer names, curse at him/her, threaten their personal safety in any way, or pull out your phone to record what you think is an injustice.  If you did something wrong, admit it, own it, take responsibility for it, and don’t hassle the officer who is doing what you would do if you were in his/her boots. Thank the officer for looking out for your safety.
As a fellow professing Christian, I remind and encourage you to believe and stand on God’s Word regarding authority. Almighty God backs, supports and blesses those who observe and obey authority toward Him, our marriages, our families, our friends and our society.
Stand shoulder to shoulder with lawful authority. Speak up. Speak out. Silence is not golden here. Don’t be deceived and duped by the anti-authority peddling media darlings and anarchists who are hell-bent on vilifying, crucifying and marginalizing police officers.
This all out, demonically inspired, evil, human assault on lawful authority will only result in cultural chaos, disorder, division, insurrection, anarchy and the destruction of the rule of law in America.
May that never be.
Almighty God watch over those You have appointed to watch over us.  In Jesus name. Amen!
A Word For Your Week: Pro-law enforcement is the proper position for professing, biblical Christians.

Lawlessness and disorder are savagely ravaging America.
As a proud citizen and military veteran of the country I respect, love, I am heartsick and upset over those, who by their arrogant, disdainful, despicable, disgraceful defiance of law and order, are suppressing and seeking to take away my Constitutional right and freedom to live in a lawful and orderly society.
It’s a fact of history: Nations fall from within when there is no law and order. Lawlessness creates disorder, fosters disunity, and fuels destruction, devastating the decency and peace of a nation. A country and culture collapses when confusion reigns.
Let me ask you a serious question: do you want to raise your children and grandchildren in a lawful or lawless country? A safe and secure, orderly society or an unsafe, insecure disorderly one? Part of your and my legacy for our families is to leave them a lawful, orderly nation. 
God is a God of order, never disorder or confusion.
I Corinthians 14:33 declares “For God is not a God of confusion (“not the author of” KJV) but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”
Seven things we should consider from scripture regarding law, lawful authority and order.

1. The Ten Commandments in the Bible are not The Ten Suggestions! The Lord gave them to Moses, Israel, you and me, so if followed, they would provide moral order, decency and righteousness in society. (Exodus 20:1-17).
2. The law is good. I Timothy 1:8-10 states “But we know that the Law is good if one uses it lawfully,  realizing the fact  that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men, and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.”
3.  Lawful authority is established by God. Romans 13:1-2 reads “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authority. For there is no authority except from God, and those which are established by God. Therefore, he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.”
4. Law and order has been established because of the bad man, not the good one. Romans 13:3 “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same.”
5. Lawful authority (law enforcement) are used by God to punish evil doers. Romans 13:4 “For it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.”
   
6. Obey lawful authority for conscience sake. Romans 13: “Therefore, it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but for conscience’ sake.”    
7. Pray for those in authority. Paul instructs Christians to “pray and give thanks for kings and all those in authority in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (I Timothy 2:1-2).

A tranquil and quiet life of godliness and dignity sounds like law and order to me.
Order breeds order. Disorder breeds disorder.
No law.  No order. No culture. No future. Remove lawfulness, and lawlessness runs rampant, unchecked, indiscriminately destroying everything in its path and blaming someone else for the lawbreakers misbehavior.
Rest assured, those who blindly, contemptuously ride the winds of attempting to abolish law and law enforcement will reap a whirlwind of wickedness that they will regret, and of course, whine about!  
Standing Up For Law And Order

• Commit yourself and family to obey the law. Obey the law that is in place for your good. If a law bothers you, work through proper channels and procedures to get it changed. You don’t have to scream, cuss, carry a vulgar sign, throw a temper tantrum like a spoiled child, protest with agitators and anarchists or burn down a building to do so.  
• Vote for law and order candidates to be our decision makers. If an office holder or candidate defies law and order, vote them out of office.
• Resist those who resist law and order. Reject any organization, movement, or political/social agenda that promotes, supports, and approves of disrespect for lawful authority, lawless violence and destructive disorder.
• Choose not to have a “conversation” with folks who tolerate lawlessness and disorder. You will not win them over unless they reap severe consequences for their foolish stand. To debate with a fool is foolishness indeed.
• Insist that law and order be based on biblical truth and moral principles. God’s Word in the Bible lays out what our Maker has deemed lawful and unlawful for our good.  
• Respect the law and order set forth by our Founding Fathers in the Constitution. Our laws are founded on biblical principles and made by courageous, God-fearing  men who loved the Lord and chose to do what is right in His sight.
• Support law enforcement. Back the Blue. Stand with them as they daily put their life and livelihood on the line dealing with lawless, disrespectful, disorderly people.
• Applaud. Celebrate. Encourage. Endorse law and order people. Tell a police officer how much you appreciate him or her and their families. Do something special for them. Go out of your way to show the Thin Blue Line how much you respect and trust them.

Lawlessness can only be put down by lawful people.
Are you committed to law and order? Will you stand heart to heart and should to shoulder with other law-loving, law-abiding, law-supporting citizens to stem the evil tide of lawlessness and disorder plaguing our nation at this time?
When push comes to shove, will you support the rule of law and law enforcement?
A Word For Your Week: Law and order is God’s plan and will for His people.

​Frightening civil unrest, unbridled chaos, brazen lawlessness and disorder, malicious violence, senseless destruction and hateful, spiteful divisiveness is disrupting peace in our culture.
Lately I have found myself extremely ticked off, torched ,incensed, infuriated and madder than a hornet concerning what many misguided, anti-American people are doing in an orchestrated attempt to destroy the United States of America as me, you and many country loving patriots of our republic have known it.
I have been upset before in my life. You probably have too. This angst I am experiencing has risen to a level that I am concerned about. Why? Because it is trying to steal my peace.
I don’t like the me who can get so upset. An edgy, irritable, short-fused, hard heart is not my desire. Backlash and payback are not the name of the game for me.
Indeed, there is justification for what the Bible calls righteous indignation and anger. God Himself has been angry more than once with humankind. God loves us. Christ’s cross proves it. But there are things that God hates and gets His holy dander up. I am certain the Almighty is not very pleased with some in our society who are rebelling with malicious intent against everything holy, sacred, moral, authoritative, historical, reasonable, wise and plain old common sense.  
While in my hide-away place of prayer last week, the Holy Spirit (after I informed God how teed off I was!) quietly said to me in my heart “Guard your peace” Steve. In that serene revelation moment, I reminded myself that my Lord and Savor Jesus paid the ultimate price for my peace.
As the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ is my peace. It is important to my spiritual, emotional, mental, physical and relational health that I never take the Lord’s peace lightly and that I guard the peace I have graciously received from Him.
Peace in our hearts, sprits and minds is vital to a Christlike, God-honoring, healthy, prosperous, successful, blessed and satisfying life.
Peace disrupters don’t give a rip about Steve Roll’s peace. But, as a Christian, I do.
As He prepared to go to the Cross, Jesus said to His faithful followers “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27. Note: Jesus’s peace would be their peace; therefore, they did not need to be afraid or troubled in their heart. The world’s peace is false. Christ’s peace is true peace.
Writing from a dark, damp, depressive jail cell, awaiting the executioner’s sword, Paul wrote in Philippians 4:7-8 “The peace of God which passes all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of a good report, , if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”
Amazingly Paul experienced joy in jail. Thirteen times the word joy or rejoice is referenced in the book of Philippians.  Paul’s joy was based on Jesus’ presence and peace in his mind and heart. How could Paul, facing death, be peaceful and joyful?
He guarded (the word means fortress) his heart and mind. He built a spiritual/emotional fortress/wall around his thoughts and emotions.  Paul set a watch over his life to protect the peace of God which came from the “God of peace” (verse 9).
He also instructed and encouraged believers what to think on. Note the list of “think on these things” is totally opposite of what is happening in our streets, newscasts, political pontifications and combative “conversations”.  If we focused our thoughts on “these things” our day would be much more peaceful!
Guarding our peace does not mean that, as Christ’s followers, we compromise truth, we cower or cave into evil pressure, click our life on silent mode, or stick our heads in societal sand. Not at all. May it never be. Godly, peace-filled folks who know Jesus Christ are the ones the spiritually lost, ungodly, evil, confused, misled people in our culture need to hear from.
How will people who do not have the peace of God in their heart receive it unless God’s peace-filled people share the Good News with them?
When given opportunity, pray it up, stand up, speak up to share Jesus Christ from a peaceful heart.  
Pointers Worth Pondering for Guarding Your Peace

• Walk daily in the peace of Jesus Christ. God keeps those in “perfect peace” whose mind is stayed on Him and who trust in Him. (Isaiah 26:3).
• Tune out. Turn off all negative media. Turning off peace disrupting news and sensationalist, agenda- driven, truth twisting journalists and power motivated political pundits will do you a world of good.  
• Get off Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for a while. You will be amazed how peace will fill your heart when you shut off the “noise”.
• Find something to laugh about. Really laugh. A big old belly laugh reduces stress and will help you keep your peace.
• Choose to resist and reject anything or anyone who disrupts your peace. No matter who it is, relatives, friends, co-workers, church members, pastors, celebrities, political personalities, stay away from people who get your dander up in a not so good way!
• Fill your spirit with peace by feeding on God’s Word. Read, study your Bible. Listen to wise, discerning, reputable biblical preaching and teaching. God’s Word always brings peace to the seeking heart.
• Surround yourself with fellow peace guarders! Fellowship is two fellows in the same ship. Only sail on the sea of life with those who guard their peace and help you guard yours.
• Always, thank God for peace that passes all understanding, is incomprehensible and comes through your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Someone has said “No Jesus. No peace. Know Jesus. Know peace.
Rest assured that Satan, the world system, ungodly people and even immature, professing Christians will attack you and me, seeking to disrupt and steal our peace.     
 If you and I don’t guard our peace, nobody else will. Guarding my peace is my responsibility. So, Steve Roll is doing his best to guard his peace.
My friend, keep your peace guard up!
“Finally, brethren, farewell. Be complete, be of good comfort; be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” II Corinthians 13:11
A Word For Your Week: You are the guardian of your peace.

​Americans are trying desperately to figure out what matters in life.  
Depending on who you talk to, you will discover a myriad of differing, divergent, often divisive opinions concerning what matters. As the obvious order of the day, “what matters” is an emotionally loaded, volatile watchword turning our society inside out and upside down.  
People in our diverse society tend to think that what they think matters surely matters to everyone else. Maybe, maybe not.
As people draw what matters battle lines through talking points, debate, dialogue, conversation, protest, marching or posting emotionally charged opinions openly on social media, one thing is clear: very little is clear!
The vast majority of folks consumed with what matters, no matter how it is defined, are missing the mark about WHAT MATTERS MOST.
To maintain my serenity and sanity while surveying the what matters landscape, I have concluded and committed myself to not be confused about what matters most. Honestly, I am deeply troubled and disheartened in my spirit because many have been misled and are misleading others about what matters.
As I have personally struggled with my emotional responses to what is happening across America, the land that I love, the Lord has graciously and lovingly reminded  me to focus my faith, thinking,, emotions, priorities, behavior and relationships on what I know what matters most.
The Bible is crystal clear concerning what matters most.
What matters most for time and eternity is salvation.
My, your and every human’s problem is sin. Jesus, God’s only Son, came to earth to save us from sin. Salvation means wholeness, being saved from sin, to a holy, healthy relationship with God.
The following scriptures, all spoken by Jesus, make it clear why He came and what He taught matters most in life.

• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
• “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10“
• Enter the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life; and few are those who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14
• “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-37.
•  “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.

Does salvation and eternity matter? You bet it does. According to the Bible, which is God’s holy Word, man’s eternal destiny is either heaven or hell. The wide path that many walk on leads to eternal destruction. The narrow way through faith in Jesus Christ, which few travel on, leads to eternal life.
In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus is saying we can have all the world offers yet lose what God’s Kingdom offers. God’s Son came to earth to save our souls, not our pocketbooks, racial heritage, political affiliation, our business enterprises, religious rituals, our personal opinions, preferences and pleasures, or even our relationships with others.   
Salvation matters most.
The Cross Jesus died on at Calvary matters most. The empty tomb that Jesus rose from the dead from matters most. Forgiveness of our sins and the free gift of eternal life matters most.
What matters most is that when men and women are saved, their hearts change. Sin is our problem. The Savior who became sin for us and paid the price for our salvation is the solution for all our human problems.   
When you and I receive Jesus into our hearts, we become new persons in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17) . Changed hearts make a difference in how we live our life and conduct our relationships.  
When individuals are saved, society changes.  Love for one another with the love of Jesus Christ replaces the arrogance, prejudice and hatred that plagues an unsaved, evil soul.  
 Bottom line: Man’s causes, movements, and revolutions are temporal. They simply don’t last. The cause of Christ matters most because it is eternal. The Kingdom of God lasts forever.
Seriously think about this for a moment.  In the light of eternity, how much does what you and I think is so important that we might miss heaven because we rejected God’s Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Eternal loss is loss indeed!
My friend, how about you? Do you know what matters most? Are you personally experiencing what matters for time and eternity? Do you have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?
Paul, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9) wrote in Romans 10: 9-10  “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation”  
Have you confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and  God raised Him from the dead so you can be saved from sin, death and the grave?
If not, settle for once and all what matters most. You can receive Christ right now, right where you are at.
 Simply, sincerely humble your heart. Bow your head. Ask God to forgive your sin. Receive Jesus into your heart by faith. Choose today to live your life for Christ. Then, thank Jesus for saving your soul, because that is what matters most!
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to  those who believe in His name.” John 1:12
A Word For Your Week: Live your life according to what matters most.

​Who likes to be deceived? No one that I know……but sadly, many today are deceived.
According to Webster, deceive means to ensnare, to be false, to cheat, to cause to accept as true and valid that which is false and invalid. Synonyms: mislead, delude, beguile, misguide, misinform, defraud, trick, hoodwink and underhandness for the purpose of leading astray.
Wow! Sound familiar? Webster hits the nail on the proverbial head. Deception is all of the above.    
Deception has been around as long as the Garden of Eden. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were duped by the serpent (devil) and bought into his deception. Result: unceremoniously booted out of Paradise.  Adam and Eve lost it all because they listened to a deceiver!
In II Timothy 4:3-4, Paul, who is facing imminent death (verse 5), instructs his ministry protégé Timothy to be faithful to fulfill his ministry like Paul has (verses 1-2, 5-8). He warns about false teachers, deceivers, who will not teach sound doctrine. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
The elder tells the younger that you will preach the Word of truth, but there are those who will deceive people to believe falsehood and lies instead.
Note he said people with “itching ears” (KJV) will ditch sound doctrine, abandoning truth for myths.  Why? Because they want teachers (deceivers) to tickle their itching ears, to tell them what they want to hear. Sound familiar? Guess what? There is no shortage of deceivers (dupers) who will sign up for that job, then and now.
 Deceivers and deceived people will always be with us. Misguided, non-thinking, gullible people flock to the deceiver’s den.
The “time” Paul is speaking of is here and now. 2020. The spirit of deception is well entrenched in our nation. Throughout religion, politics, education, business, media and relationships there is a deceiver standing on every corner of society, positioned and poised to dupe the next vulnerable victim.  
Deceived people deceive people.
Deceivers are manipulators. They want you and me to believe what they want you to believe, and behave the way they want you to behave. Deception is not about you. It is about the deceiver. In our nation, deceivers abound, whose purpose is keep or draw people from truth.
You, me and our families must be on guard against deceivers. We must be vigilant to not be duped by whatever form of political/cultural correctness is out there.
Discerning And Dealing With Deception

• Recognize that deception is real. Unfortunately, deceivers are alive and well, peddling deception to anyone who can be deceived.
• Ask God for discernment and wisdom.  All of us can be deceived if we are not careful. The Holy Spirit will show you what is true or false if you ask Him.
• Question everything that does not line up with the Word of God found in the Bible. Test it with scripture. Even deceivers can quote the Word, use the Word to justify their deception. Be wary of context violators. Be leery of those who proof text and twist truth to their advantage.
• Check the credibility of the source. Certify. Verify. Just because a person is popular, a You-Tube sensation, or their comments have gone viral, doesn’t necessarily mean they are credible. Don’t be drawn into something you know you can’t support.
• I am sorry to inform some social media junkies that Facebook posts, Instagram and Twitter tweets are not the Word of God. Social media can be very deceiving. Just because something is posted on the internet for the whole wide world to see, doesn’t make it true. Be smart. Refused to be sucked into the abyss of deception.
• Breaking New reports are not always what they appear to be. “First on the scene” or “Only seen on this station” doesn’t mean you are getting all the facts. Many, if not most,  initial reports, are revised after the emotional sensationalism and frantic scrambling to interview eye witnesses dies down.  
• All media outlets have an agenda. They are biased in some way. Ratings, viewership,  sponsors, financial profit, and power brokers drive the media machine. Be careful what you believe and buy into just because a Breaking News Bulletin arrests your attention.

My friends, you and I are living in increasingly dangerous times. Our day is an age of rampant deception. I am amazed at how so many of our citizens, professing Christians included, get duped by the powers that be.
Don’t be so blind that you don’t see the deception surrounding you and your loved ones.
Be wise. Don’t be duped by deceivers. Instead receive, believe and live your life according to the Word of God. The Lord will never dupe anybody.   
“And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads (deceives) you.” Mark 13:5
“Let no man in any way deceive you…..” II Thessalonians 2:3a
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be shrewd (wise) as serpents, and innocent (harmless) as doves. ” Matthew 10:16
 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”                                                                                                                                         Galatians 6:9
A Word For Your Week: To not be duped by deceivers, stay close to Jesus.