“Goodbye yellow brick road, where the dogs of society howl.”

I’m not a regular viewer of The Voice, but I certainly enjoy it when I tune in. Monday was one of those nights. Mara Justine, an incredibly gifted 21-year-old from Galloway, New Jersey, knocked my socks off with her amazing rendition of the classic hit. It didn’t take any longer than “When are you gonna come down? When are you going to land?” for John Legend and Gwen Stefani to turn their chairs, and within seconds all four chairs turned – as Mara’s overjoyed Italian parents celebrated in the background. (You Voice aficionados might like to know that John Legend became Mara’s coach.)

Music from our past tends to move us, as we remember words and phrases and unique sounds that we haven’t experienced in awhile. It’s quite powerful. And Monday night got me thinking … “I should have stayed on the farm; I should have listened to my old man” … What have been the “yellow brick roads” in my life? What paths have I tried that didn’t work out as I expected? What have I learned along the way? After all, this life very rarely allows for do-overs, so we better mine the chapters of our personal history for any gems of wisdom that we can find.

“You can’t plant me in your penthouse; I’m going back to my plough.” When Bernie Taupin penned those lyrics in 1973 – I remember the song like it was yesterday – I have no idea what regrets he was expressing. But it’s clear enough that whatever “Oz” we chase after leaves behind a distinctive emptiness. Such is the nature of so many of our pursuits. Fantastical but short-lived. Exquisitely alluring, but unable to deliver on their promises.

Idolatry is a perennial problem, you see. Many centuries ago, King Solomon – a man who, in the eyes of the world, had it all – reached a startling conclusion: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Even all was not enough. This points us to a fatal flaw in our human condition. By nature – that is, by our unredeemed nature – you and I are perpetually spinning our wheels. We become experts at getting nowhere – and nowhere fast. And even when we get to the “somewhere” we thought we’d been looking for, it rarely satisfies. At least not for long.

But Jesus! He plants meaning where all was desert. He brings color to the dull and gray. He gives life where all hope had been lost. The way isn’t yellow, friends, but it is certain (John 14:6).

There’s only one cure for the likes of us. I think Saint Augustine (A.D. 354 – 430) really nailed it in his prayer: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” As I remember Augustine’s words, I remember the earliest chapter of human history. The curse of Cain, for murdering his brother, was that he became a “restless wanderer,” and I suspect that all of us struggle with that spiritual restlessness more than we’d prefer to admit. You and I must lean on Christ for contentment, which often does not come to us without a serious battle somewhere in the core of our being.

I need a Savior who knows me better than I know myself. I need a Savior who understands my weaknesses, but who is without a single imperfection of His own. I need a Savior who will love me, at great cost to Himself, all the way to the finish line. I need the wonder – and wonder of wonders it is – of a blood-stained cross and an empty tomb!

“I’ve finally decided my future lies beyond the yellow brick road.”

Pastor Charles

Tuesday morning, David Booth led our men’s Bible study. We centered on Luke 5:1-11, where Jesus calls His first disciples. The fellowship around our table was fantastic, as always, and David began his lesson by recalling numerous childhood fishing trips with his dad. (I share this with David’s permission.) He described his father’s uncanny ability to catch fish after everybody else had caught none, given up, and gone home. David remembers many important details of those fishing expeditions, right down to the names of the best fishing lures, as we tend to do when life’s best insights have come our way.

As I surveyed my own mental images of fathers and sons fishing together, I fondly relived one of my most vivid childhood memories: my dad and I, off the Florida Gulf Coast, landed a 98-pound bull shark (yes, the maneater kind). That shark put up quite an extended fight, as you might expect, and you can imagine why the half-day experience was one that I will never forget.

Dads and sons fishing. It’s the stuff of great novels and movies. The scenes even don the covers of greeting cards. It’s more about the bonding than the sport, but the sport proves quite valuable in the transmission of some of life’s most critical lessons. All of us must come to appreciate the value of patience and perseverance, and learning to fish certainly provides some of the necessary hands-on experience.

Back to our Scripture passage, the crew of Simon Peter’s boat has fished all night, but has nothing to show for it. Prompted by Jesus to “put out into the deep,” the men’s nets become so full of fish that they’re on the verge of breaking. You’ve likely read of the miraculous catch.

Immediately recognizing that he is in the presence of the Lord of heaven and earth, Peter becomes so profoundly convicted that he begs Jesus to leave. We see in the text that James and John are similarly astonished. But Jesus gives a life-altering instruction, as well as a promise: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

“From now on!” Surely that assignment is broad enough to encompass your life and mine. These are also our marching orders, friends. Are you and I willing to give our all to fishing for people who need the grace and truth of Christ? They’re lost, and they’re everywhere. And we have the words of eternal life. Will we heed our Savior’s call? Will we recognize the exciting possibilities of this unique moment in time? Right now counts forever. “They left everything and followed him.”

So don’t lose heart. Keep your line in the water, and keep your eyes wide open. Not every nibble will become a bite, but every bite begins with a nibble. As you share the gospel of Christ within your sphere of influence, know that One goes before you to prepare hearts and minds for the words (and the Word) that you have been called to bring. You never fish alone.

“Do not be afraid.” We cast. He smiles.

Pastor Charles

“I was only saying thank you.”

She’s only 19, but she’s setting quite an example for all of us. Perhaps your first memory of Coco Gauff is that of an eight-year-old girl smiling and dancing in the stands to Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe. That may be when Gauff first began to win hearts, at least among some in the world of tennis. (Now everyone wants to see the video clip.) I don’t want to make you feel old, but that was the 2012 U.S. Open. Time flies when you’re having fun, friends.

This year, Gauff looked up during her ten-game comeback in the third round and saw Justin Bieber. Here’s what she said later: “I was like, ‘I can’t lose in front of Justin Bieber!’ I didn’t lose a game after I saw him.”

Saturday, after Miss Gauff won the 2023 U.S. Open, she didn’t get up and dance. Instead, she dropped to her knees to pray. As the world was watching her there in the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, some in the media described the moment without ever mentioning the obvious prayer. But not Coco. In an interview with Hoda Kotb, the tennis champion explained what was going on in the immediate aftermath of her impressive victory: “I was only saying thank you, and I understood all the tough times were just to make that moment even sweeter. I think if it came easy, I wouldn’t feel as appreciative as I did in that moment, clearly.”

“I was only saying thank you.”

It had not in fact been easy for Gauff to get to that moment. Even that very day, she had fumbled the opening set against second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka. Then, just like in our favorite movies, Coco emerged with a string of spitball returns that seemed to change everything. It was hard-fought on every level, but soon the trophy was hers. The stadium exploded in cheers! While Gauff was on the floor, everyone else was up and celebrating! Tennis players, celebrities, and even U.S. Presidents extended their congratulatory tributes to the young lady who had first exposed her talent as a 15-year-old defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon. Coco had become the youngest American woman to win the U.S. Open since Serena Williams in 1999.

To one interviewer, Gauff described her September 1 comeback against Elise Mertens like this: “If anything, the three setters show everybody else that I’m not going down without a fight.” G.R.I.T. In my humble opinion, that’s what you call it. To another interviewer, she explained: “I don’t pray for results. I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all. Whatever happens, happens. I’m so blessed in this life. I’m just thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words for it, to be honest.”

Our Lord Jesus had something to say about a simple word of thanks. Ten lepers, who had stood at a distance because of their untouchable condition, were miraculously healed by Christ (Luke 17:11-19). But only one returned to give Him thanks. Jesus asked, “Where are the nine?” But to the grateful “foreigner” who took the time to express his heartfelt praise, Jesus spoke these amazing words of life: “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Thanks for reminding us, Coco. Thank you.

“I was only saying thank you.”

In her extended season of preparation for Saturday’s monumental achievement, Coco chose to largely ignore all the voices which sought to invade her headspace. She tuned out her critics as well as her fans. From her perspective, “This time around, I’ve been focusing more on myself and my expectations of myself and not going on social media or listening to people who believe that I can win or believe that I can’t.”

We can all learn from Miss Gauff. There’s only one voice that we most need to hear. One voice. Only one.

Listening with you,

Pastor Charles

What’s up with Hurricane Lee? This could be a nightmare!

Meteorologists are expecting Lee, still a Category 2 as of this blog posting, to become a Category 5 before making landfall. Like many other aspects of weather prediction, landfall on the U.S. mainland is still in question. But all the ingredients are in place for a major and dangerous hurricane. As the storm makes its way over the warmest waters of the Atlantic, Lee’s rapid intensification is widely expected. Somewhere, there will be perilous winds, tides, and rip currents.

It’s impossible to read the Gospel accounts without recognizing Christ’s power over the winds and the waters (Matthew 8:23-27). For that matter, there’s no way to deny His sovereignty over all of the conditions that are well beyond our grasp. I marvel every time I read the account of Peter and the shekel in the fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24-27). God’s radar puts Doppler to shame. Our Lord is sovereign over every snowflake that falls (Job 38:22-30), and over every earthquake that rattles the planet (Psalm 68:7-8). And everything in between.

Hebrews 1:3 goes as far as this in its declaration of the absolute supremacy of our Lord Jesus Christ: [The Son of God and God the Son] upholds the universe by the word of his power! Apart from that, He’s not in control. Get my point? There is no “apart from that”! Sometimes we must boil down our theology to what Jesus said, simply (Matthew 24:6): “This must take place.” We don’t have to understand it, or like it. Some wars, and rumors of wars … and even hurricanes … must take place.

Perhaps we should marvel instead. Hurricane Lee is a vivid reminder that all Creation groans to be redeemed and renewed (Romans 8:18-23). A day is coming when a New Creation will dawn. It’s been promised to us by our gracious God, so that means that it’s as good as done. You and I are living in the “already but not yet,” and that’s not always easy, and that’s why we must live by faith. I’ll quote Os Guinness: “Human beings are finite and the world now fallen, and life will contain many mysteries opaque to the searcher … At times we see … through a keyhole partially … We always have sure and sufficient reasons for knowing why we can trust God, but do not always know what God is doing and why.” It’s a walk of faith to which we’ve been called in Christ.

Will we trust Him in the storm? Hurricane Lee points to an awesome Creator. God may use Lee for judgment, or for mercy, or for both. Lee will be Lee for a short time, but God will be God forever.

You and I must never forget. We must never forget the ultimate goodness of our God. While some hard things are bound to come our way, Paradise is on our horizon. Paradise, friends.

God is our refuge and strength. So, fair weather or foul, may we sing with the psalmist (46:1-3): “Let the oceans roar!”

Pastor Charles

I’m on a train from Whittier to Denali today, so I can’t write much. I think what I’ll do is send you six of my favorite photographs (thus far) from our vacation, as I use the the name of this beautiful state to share six personal expressions of gratitude to our gracious God …

Awesome are the works of the Lord! He has painted His Creation with undeniable evidence of His majesty and glory. He reigns over heaven and earth.

Little do we comprehend of His power. His wisdom and greatness are unsearchable. He orchestrates every wind and every wave, and He sends every season … and all Creation obeys His unmistakable command.

Anointed with whispers of His nature and character are the vast works of our God. He is patient toward all His creatures. He is full of extravagant love.

Signs of His goodness abound. Just as Jesus came as “Immanuel,” God is ever-present with us, even here and now. He knows every creature intimately, and the entirety of the created order shouts His name.

Kindness and faithfulness mark His works, and His ways. Though His thoughts aren’t always our thoughts, He never leaves us without knowledge of His presence and power. He is near to all who call on Him by faith.

All the beauty in the world can’t capture the beauty of our Lord and Savior. His long-suffering toward His people, even toward wayward rebels like us, is immeasurable. His grace in Christ knows no limitations.

Lord willing, Green Hills Family, I will join you Sunday morning to worship our great God.

Pastor Charles

Eileen, Josh, and I are in Vancouver, where we’re preparing to board a cruise ship bound for Alaska. (This is Josh’s college graduation gift much delayed, and we’re traveling with his best friend from high school, as well as his parents. All dear friends.) We’ll be heading north and west along the “Inside Passage,” and I can only imagine the magnificence of God’s Creation that we’re about to behold with our own eyes. I hope to savor every moment, and to take lots of photographs, starting right here in Canada. Even this large coastal city is breathtakingly beautiful.

But there’s another “inside passage” on my heart as I send this communication today. It’s found in one of my favorite chapters in the Word of God. The text to which I’m referring is John 7:37-39, and it is this portion of the Bible that convinces me that God’s greatest concern for me is the “inside” work of grace that only He can accomplish. Christ is the ultimate restorer and refresher of my soul, friends, and I have no other. Deep within me, He is always at work.

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

I love the fact that Jesus issues a wide invitation here. No one is excluded or unwelcome. Christ is our relentless pursuer, in fact, and we respond by simply coming to Him. We come on His terms, and that includes recognizing our own spiritual impoverishment. Have you and I taken notice of our spiritual thirst? Have we come to understand our deep and pressing need for a Savior? Have we looked to Christ to fill us with Himself, as only He can do?

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'”

Here, I think that Jesus is referencing verses like Isaiah 44:3 and 55:1, where the Old Testament Scriptures promised spiritual sustenance and satisfaction for all who would put their ultimate trust in the Lord. Christ is reminding us that He Himself is the perfect fulfillment of all such promises. Christ is our living water! And, more than that, we discover here that even our faith did not originate with us, but it’s a gift that we have freely received from God (see also Ephesians 2:8-9).

Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive.

Our gracious God and Savior is substantially and eternally invested in us. The Cross and the empty tomb speak volumes. And our Lord has not left us alone, but He has given us His own Spirit. The Holy Spirit! Christ offers us, and gives us, Himself. When you and I become spiritually dry, He is always there to refresh our parched and weary souls.

In Christ, you and I are blessed indeed. Everywhere we look, we see His majesty and glory. The evidence is overwhelming, and I plan to overindulge on the evidence over the next several days. The heavens are already declaring … and the hills are already beckoning … and the seas are already roaring His great name … and I am most grateful for this opportunity to remember and to celebrate.

Perhaps you’ll join me in this prayer: Sovereign Lord Jesus, please revive me from the inside out!

Pastor Charles

After last week’s blog posting, my friend Jon Gallagher sent me some excellent and convicting food for thought: “I agree that it seems like society is moving away from Jesus, but … Jesus had a way of meeting people where they were, even those considered the outsiders or the lowest in society … These were the people who might have felt rejected or hurt by the dominating culture of the time, including the religious establishment. They were often the ones rebelling or feeling marginalized … [Jesus] saw them as individuals, not as labels or stereotypes … How can we show them the love of Christ, just as Jesus did?”

I want to take Jon’s question exceedingly seriously, because it’s an absolutely excellent question. After all, the command to love our neighbor is found at least eight times in the Scriptures! But let’s get real for a minute: you and I would try to get away from some of our neighbors if we possibly could. We’re often looking for loopholes that somehow permit us to wiggle out of our responsibility to love the people whom we’re having a hard time even liking.

And yet, there it is, straight from the lips of Jesus (Mark 12:31): “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Really? Must I? That neighbor? You see, friends, there’s a “lawyer” buried in each one of us who wants to rise up and ask, “Who is my neighbor?” As if we didn’t already know the answer to that question.

I’m thinking about people who challenge our politics … or treat us rudely … or cut us off in traffic … or climb over us to get that promotion at work that should have been ours. And I’m thinking about people who demonstrate overt hostility toward our God and our faith. These people can, via the pervasive tension that ensues between us, nearly drive us to despair.

Isolation from the world is one option, I suppose, but not a good one. Rosaria Butterfield reminds us that we don’t want to “thank God for the moat and draw up the bridge. Doing so practices war on this world, but not the kind of spiritual warfare that drives out darkness and brings in the kindness of the gospel.” And that’s really the problem with trying to get away from the people who challenge us, isn’t it? It shuts off the current of gospel grace that should be flowing through us at all times.

For starters (for the sake of time, we won’t get much beyond a starting point today), I am convinced that WE MUST COMMIT OURSELVES TO BEING “FOR” EVERYONE. For. Everyone. Let me explain. We don’t have to condone sinful or hurtful behavior to love another person well. We don’t have to agree with them on every point. We don’t have to deny that they make us angry. We don’t have to become inseparable BFFs. What we do have to do is to want the very best for them. We must sincerely desire that they become the person God created them to be. It’s the same thing that we would want for ourselves, or for anyone we truly love.

So my first step (try this on and see if it fits you too) involves humbling myself … sincere prayer, for my heart and for theirs, to be transformed by the Spirit … and a willingness before God to walk with the other person (if provided by God the opportunity to do so) along the journey toward becoming the person they were created to be. Sometimes you and I have to wilfully lay aside our tendency to be critics long enough to become encouragers. This is far from easy, and I freely admit that. It starts in our prayer closet, not while we’re watching the news or scrolling on our phones. We need the prayer closet to prepare us for the news.

So how do we regard large swaths of people with whom we vehemently disagree? I’m including here, of course, lots of people we will never meet. Here’s my answer to that question: As much as it depends on us, we make every endeavor to see them through the eyes of Jesus. And how did Jesus see them? We don’t even have to guess, because Matthew 9:36 gives us the answer … When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

That’s the secret. That’s the starting place. That’s the hope. That’s the cure. That kind of heart is not naturally in you any more than it is naturally in me. We are in need of a supranatural grace. And our need is desperate for such a time as this. I believe that, if you and I will pray for the love that we need, God will send us the people to love with that very love. Some of them will come from the very categories of people with whom we’re presently struggling (internally, externally, or both). Our Lord is waiting on us to ask.

In the process of loving as we’ve been loved (1 John 4:19), you and I will be stretched, and then stretched some more. It will be a holy stretching, and that is never a bad thing. In fact, we will discover that the current of grace is flowing freely once again.

Pastor Charles

Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus, more often referred to simply as “Tiberius Caesar,” was the emperor of Rome. Nobody questions that. Wikipedia will tell you all about him, should you so desire. Tiberius Caesar was a highly successful Roman general and diplomat.

Furthermore, Rome was the largest city in the world. The Roman Empire had expanded throughout most of Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia Minor. Historians date the life of Tiberius from 42 B.C. to 37 A.D., and his reign from A.D. 14 until his death. As they say, the rest is history.

But, for a moment, let’s talk about today and tomorrow. In the future, when people look back on our culture, what will they observe?

Within just the last 48 hours, I’ve had several opportunities to rub up against the prevailing philosophies of our day. I had two doctor’s appointments, for example, in a university setting that has done nearly everything in its power to extricate itself from its evangelical heritage. (You’d be surprised what you can erase in 120 years.) My point is that, for most people here and now, life happens without Jesus. In large measure, they deem it no big deal whether or not Christ’s claims are seriously considered. In fact, they would prefer that His name not even be mentioned.

I also made two necessary trips to a government agency. For the most part, the workers were pleasant in the performance of their tasks, but the vibe was clearly: “We celebrate transgenderism.” There was no placard on the wall to that effect, but the permitted employee attire spoke volumes. I will go as far as saying that the mood was unsettling, in the sense that it forced every person seeking the agency’s services to ask themselves: “Can I navigate this conversation without accidentally agitating the pronoun police?” The entire office environment looked and felt looked nothing like movie images of the Bible Belt.

I won’t bore you with more of my personal illustrations, except to mention that I also stopped by the pharmacy. I will keep this blog posting at a PG rating, but let me just say that the aforementioned academic and government influences converged for me in a singular and multicolored “anything goes behind the drug counter” moment. What surprised me was not the rejection of traditional standards in what’s supposed to be a professional environment, but the obvious deliberate choice to platform the new moral order in such an in-your-face kind of way.

In short order, after a quick series of these similar “spiritual” interactions, here’s what I was left thinking: As a society, as fast as we possibly can, we’re trying to run away from Jesus.

But can we really escape the grip of the Son of God? Can we regard His words and teachings as nothing but ancient mythology? Can we avoid forever, or nullify entirely, His gospel? Can we, as a civilization, move on to a successful future, while pretending that Jesus never lived … and died … and rose again?

Here’s what I’ve been thinking: We’re playing the fool. Psalm 14:1-7. Psalm 53:1-6. Romans 1:18-32. That’s us.

Friends, we have lots of reliable sources that validate the life of Tiberius Caesar of Rome. But we have four times as many reliable sources that validate the life of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! That would be like four times as many people in 1865 acknowledging a poor farmer from Leiper’s Fork than the number who acknowledged Abraham Lincoln.

Think about it. Maybe that’s the problem here. We’re not thinking.

Fools do foolish things. Fools make a mess of everything. Fools can rise to the level of running everything, until they run it right into the ground.

Nothing to see here? Hardly. We can’t erase the King of Kings. We can’t escape the Lord of Lords! It doesn’t end well for fools.

Awake my soul and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity!

Pastor Charles

You may remember the news reports from Texas in June 2019 when River Smith, the 3-year-old son of Granger and Amber Smith, drowned in their backyard swimming pool. Granger is a platinum-selling singer and songwriter, who lived here in Nashville for a time before returning to the Lone Star State to finish his degree at Texas A&M. He’s released eleven studio albums, sung at the White House, and performed for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait. “Backroad Song” was Granger’s number-one single back in 2016. Shortly prior to the tragic drowning, Granger had opened for Garth Brooks before an audience of 86,000 fans. One could say that Granger was “living the dream,” and I think that Granger would readily acknowledge that.

When Granger found River facedown in the pool, emergency personnel and a team of physicians did everything possible in an attempt to save the little boy. That much-prayed-for miracle was not to be. As you might imagine, the family was overwhelmed by shock and grief. How do you say goodbye to your 3-year-old child? Granger describes the next season of his professional life as “a blur,” and he remembers bottoming out emotionally by the end of 2019. In the back of his tour bus, after a series of vivid mental images of River’s drowning struck him, Granger felt like he was drowning himself. In sheer desperation, he cried out: “My God, my Jesus! Save me! Save me, Jesus!”

Much like what Jesus tells us plainly in John 6:44 (“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”), Granger now testifies that the call of God upon his life was absolutely irresistible. In ways that he had never before experienced, Granger began to hunger and thirst for the Word of God. He began to study the Bible passionately, as the Scriptures began to transform him from the inside out. The more Granger studied, the more he wanted to study. The call was unmistakable and overwhelming.

Slowly but surely, Granger began to recognize that he was deeply loved by God. Despite the waves of pain and suffering that he and his family had endured, and were continuing to endure, Granger began to understand what was coming: “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). And the Holy Spirit began pouring into the spirit of Granger a flood of otherwise unexplainable peace and joy. He knew that he had been adopted as a child of God! I’ll quote Granger directly: “I fell head over heels … I don’t even fully remember what I said, but right there in that truck on a small country road in Texas, the old me died … It was all His grace.”

Granger and Amber’s surviving children, London and Lincoln, now have a new little brother. Granger recounts: “When my wife Amber became pregnant with our son Maverick, we were excited, but the news didn’t negate or replace the heaviness we still felt for our loss of River. We continued to have our ups and downs, natural waves of grief … Through it all, we were discovering new depths in our emotional capacity. What we learned was that grief and joy can beautifully coexist. We were still hurting, but we were also joyful even in our circumstances … God was doing something new. He was restoring us, not by removing the fire but by walking us right through the middle of it.”

If you Google “Granger (Kelly) Smith,” you will discover that his primary identity is now “American Baptist minister.” In fact, he’s enrolled at Southern Seminary and working towards a master’s degree. Granger summarizes his vocational transition like this: “As much as I love it, I’ve decided to end my touring career and follow the unrelenting call from God upon my life … There are too many hurting people, too many lost people, and too many people without a Savior in Jesus. John 3:36 says, ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.’ The reality of that burden is too great and the stakes are too high for me to continue at a distance from the frontlines of history’s great spiritual battle.”

Friends, you may be right in that fire that Granger described, even as you read this blog posting. I want to encourage you today. The Lord who made heaven and earth has His eye on you. You are not too far away from His magnanimous heart. In fact, God always uses our trials and our tears for higher purposes. So here’s what I’m urging you to do: surrender. Just surrender. Surrender now. Tell Jesus that you want to learn whatever He wants you to learn. Tell Jesus that you want to grow in whatever ways in which He wants you to grow. Tell Jesus that you’re willing to change in whatever ways He wants you to change. Tell Jesus that you’ll go wherever He wants to send you. Admit to Jesus that His plans for you are a whole lot better than your plans for you. Deep down, we all know that’s true.

Suffering is a normal part of life for those of us who reside on this side of heaven. None of us goes looking for it, but suffering comes. But we, like Granger and Amber Smith, can choose to fix our eyes on realities that we can’t fully see. When we think we’re overwhelmed, the unshakable truths of God will overwhelm us even more. He is faithful and true. He is fully of mercy. His steadfast love superabounds toward us. Christ’s gospel is our hope in every storm. Like Granger testified, it’s “all His grace.”

Join me at the frontlines of the battle. Our God will see us through.

The tomb is still empty.

Pastor Charles

Long before it opened in theaters, Eileen and I were invited to preview the film, Sound of Freedom. We found the story riveting and inspiring, though the subject matter is overwhelmingly difficult to process emotionally. We have, for several years now, been sponsors of the “End It” movement, focused on bringing awareness to the global reality which is human trafficking. Abolition is, of course, the goal.

We’ve also had a number of positive experiences with the International Justice Mission (ijm.org) over the years. They share the mission. On a much more personal note, we’ll introduce you to our friends in Italy, Jon and Erika Tello (see tellosblog.com for their story). Through a ministry connected to the arts, Erika combats trafficking through Alleanza Tesori Raggianti (tesoriraggianti.com), a national alliance of evangelical ministries combating commercial sexual exploitation in Italy.

Released on July 4 and starring Jim Caviezel, Sound of Freedom traces the real-life story of Tim Ballard, who heroically abandoned the safety of his Homeland Security job and his government pension to rescue trafficked kids. It began with Tim’s successful rescue of a little boy in Colombia, after which Tim was haunted by the thought that the boy’s sister was still being trafficked. Tim and his wife, Katherine, were parenting six of their own children at the time, but they considered Tim’s unique opportunity to try to rescue kids to be a calling from God. I couldn’t agree more. I won’t share more about the movie in case you haven’t yet seen it, which I urge you to do.

Just to keep us abreast of the statistics, the most recent estimates are that upwards of two million children are being trafficked even as I write this blog post. Notice that I’m only including children in that horrifying number, and the stats get far worse from there. Globally, the darkness that is human trafficking rakes in at least $150 billion on an annual basis, which helps explain the powerful motivations behind this evil industry. As you might suspect, there are multiple direct links to the porn industry.

To quote USA Today from yesterday: “While Barbie and Oppenheimer opened with record numbers this weekend, another sleeper hit has been quietly dominating the box office.” Though the movie has been wildly successful across the fruited plain, Sound of Freedom has generated a shocking amount of pushback from both Hollywood elites and the mainstream media. I find this trend deeply disturbing. It appears that, when no studio would agree to release the film, Disney attempted to bury the movie so that it would never be released. I simply cannot understand this, or perhaps I just don’t want to.

Other critics have suggested that the statistics on human trafficking are overblown. As I hear these kinds of criticisms and insinuations, I think to myself: “Wouldn’t we be alarmed if only ten children were trapped in this nightmare?” Others seem outraged that the manner in which the movie depicts child trafficking does not represent the way in which child trafficking normally occurs. Again, I must say that I don’t understand these criticisms. The creators of the movie could not possibly have communicated all possible scenarios, but they chose a storyline which would raise awareness in a compelling way. After all, isn’t that the point? My best guess is that people don’t like the popularity of the movie among QAnon supporters. And I suppose this gets back to what I’d call “the politics of everything” these days. But I can tell you this: the movie is not about conspiracy theories of any kind.

As followers of Christ, you and I ought to be keenly aware of what’s happening in the world, that we might make the impact we can for the glory of our Lord and Savior. Jesus has left us here as His salt and light, and that’s a high calling.

Make your calling count!

Pastor Charles