There’s a trend these days among colleges and citizens of the U.S., as well as Christians, to bad-mouth our nation as if it is nothing more than evil, oppressive, and not even worth preserving. Some Christian churches have even removed the American flag from their property, believing that it is inappropriate to display the flag at a church, either because they believe it is “worshipping” the nation over God or out of the belief that it confuses people into thinking we are “Christian nationalists” who make our motto “God, Guns, and Glory.” Others profess, “It’s either God or country, but not both.” (I wonder if they feel that way about their spouse or children—it’s either God or them?) I certainly acknowledge that the U.S. is not perfect, and I understand that some will associate “God and country” so closely together that they mistakenly put the nation on the same level as God. That doesn’t mean, however, that our nation and flag must be thrown out; to do that seems to me like “throwing out the baby with the bathwater.” Is it possible for Christians to thank God for their country, seeing the American flag as a token of gratitude for the nation in which we live? I believe it is.
 
In the Bible we gain insights into eternal principles, that while applying first to those to whom these Scriptures were originally given, apply to any nation whose people submit to the Lord as their King of kings. Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Certainly, God still blesses nations as people acknowledge him. Jeremiah 29:7 states: “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Peace and prosperity come to any location where God is present through his people--not just the U.S., but also not excluding the U.S. The Apostle Paul recognizes the reality of nations and boundaries when he states, “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands” (Acts 17:26). The fact that there are nations is not necessarily a bad thing. We recognize the reality that some leaders are good while others are bad, but Paul gives us a principle of doing our very best to cooperate with our leaders when we can, and to lift them up before God: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people—for  kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
 
Followers of Jesus acknowledge that God has called us to worship him above all else and that our congregations are filled with brothers and sisters from other nations all around the world. We acknowledge that God blesses Christians in all nations. However, we are commanded to pray for and be thankful for the nation in which we live. We are to pray for those in authority, and that we may live holy and godly lives in peace, as well as for the prosperity of the nation in which we live. There is nothing wrong with being thankful for the beauty and bounty of this land in which we reside, and we certainly can be thankful for the founding fathers of America, many who expressed Christian allegiance and Biblical worldview. We should be, and are, thankful for the brave men and women who have sacrificed that we may live in liberty and freedom: We are free to pray, to worship, and to share the gospel with others. The American flag represents the people of the United States of America, and none have ever been nor currently are perfect in carrying out their moral responsibility to live as God would have us; but I for one will continue to pray for peace and prosperity for the United States and that we would be “a nation whose God is the Lord.”
 
May more and more give their utmost loyalty to Jesus. Happy Fourth of July!
 
Tyler

In a recent Facebook post, I read a story about Peyton Manning. I don’t know if it’s true or not, and if it’s not true it should be, because it touched my heart. I’ll bet it will touch yours, too.
 
It was a typical Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts were playing at home. Crowds flooded the stadium, jerseys were waving, and chants filled the air with echoing. In section 313, a boy named Charlie, just 10 years old, sat alone. Well…not entirely alone. His mother was beside him. But she couldn’t stop glancing at the seat next to Charlie…the one that was supposed to be filled. That seat had belonged to Charlie’s dad. He was a firefighter. He’d passed away in the line of duty just two months before. The tickets were a birthday gift. His father had bought them in advance. Charlie had worn his dad’s Colts cap, and he sat in silence the whole first quarter, clutching a small photo of them together. Someone in the staff noticed. Word reached the Colts locker room. And during halftime, something unexpected happened. A security guard approached. “Charlie? Would you like to meet someone?”
 
They were led down a hallway. And waiting there, still in uniform, a towel around his neck, was Peyton Manning. He knelt down and said: “Heard it’s your first game without your biggest fan. I figured I could fill in—just for today.” Charlie didn’t say anything. He just nodded and started to cry. Peyton hugged him, then handed him a wristband from the game and signed his cap. Then he whispered something only Charlie heard. Charlie’s mom said later that Peyton told her son, “He’s proud of you. I can tell.” And then she said, “That one sentence healed something I didn’t know was broken.” The game ended, and the Colts won. But the victory that day wasn’t measured in points. The victory was in one little boy’s heart who had been seen. He didn’t have a father at the game that day, but Peyton Manning made sure Charlie didn’t feel alone.
 
Psalm 68:4-6 says, “Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families….” Sometimes, days like Father’s Day can be painful if our fathers are gone, or if they have not been very stellar and we feel there is nobody worth celebrating. That’s when we can remember that God is a good and loving Father to all. And, maybe, if you are feeling alone in this special season, you can become aware of special men God has placed in your life—whether that person is a kind neighbor, a husband, a friend unrelated biologically, or your church family.
 
Or…perhaps there is someone you know that could use the example or encouragement of a godly man in their life…someone for whom you could be the one who shows them God’s love.
 
Happy Father’s Day to all who are either raising kids in the Lord or being a godly mentor to someone.
 
Tyler

In the May 12, 2024 devotion for Our Daily Bread, Nancy Gavilanes shares about the difference her mother’s faith made in the life of her and their family. As teens, she and her sister didn’t understand their mom’s decision to receive Jesus as her Savior, but they couldn’t deny the changes they saw in her. She had more peace and joy and began faithfully serving at church. She had such a hunger for studying the Bible that she attended and graduated from seminary. A few years after her mom’s decision, Nancy’s sister accepted Christ and started serving Him. And a few years after that, Nancy also placed her trust in Jesus and started serving Him. Many years later, their father joined them in faith as well. Nancy’s mother’s decision for Christ created a life-changing ripple effect among her immediate and extended family.
 
In 2 Timothy 1:3-5, the Apostle Paul writes: “I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” Although Paul affectionately called Timothy “my true son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2 and 2 Timothy 1:2), he wasn’t the one who taught him about Jesus. It was his own mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5) who taught him the holy Scriptures from childhood, and gave him the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Jesus (3:15). Timothy was of mixed parentage—a gentile father and Jewish mother. When Paul first met him, Timothy was already a leader and the believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him (Acts 16:2). He became Paul’s intern, traveling companion, and trusted protégé (vv. 3-4; Philippians 2:19-22). That the apostle sent Timothy to deal with the troublesome Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 4:17) and to confront false teachers in the Ephesian church (1 Timothy 1:3) testifies to this young man’s spiritual maturity and ministry leadership.
 
When the apostle Paul wrote his final letter to Timothy and encouraged him to persevere in his faith in Jesus, he noted Timothy’s spiritual heritage. “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Moms and grandmoms, your decisions can affect generations. How beautiful that Timothy’s mother and grandmother helped nurture his faith so he could become the man God was calling him to be. On this Mother’s Day and beyond, let’s honor mothers who’ve made a decision to follow Jesus. Let’s also be intentional about teaching the details of our faith as we serve the Lord in love and discernment.
 
Happy Mother’s Day to all who are raising kids in the Lord,
 
Tyler

Do you celebrate Easter? I have to confess: I do enjoy those chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs that come out at this time of year! In a recent blog, Brett Kay, minister of Southpoint Christian Church down by Detroit, shed some insight on this issue of Easter which helps give perspective. Though this annual celebration of Christ’s resurrection isn’t mentioned in the Bible, the earliest Christians likely recognized it. By the mid-second century, the first evidence emerges of actual celebrations because disputes arose about the proper date. In AD 325, the Council of Nicaea standardized the date based on the lunar calendar. Western Christians still adhere to this dating system to determine when to celebrate Easter.
 
But should Christians be celebrating Easter? Doesn’t it have pagan origins? Little agreement exists on the origin of the name because no solid evidence exists to prove or disprove such allegations. While it would be preferable to call the holiday “Resurrection Sunday,” our culture already has “Easter” entrenched. Claims are made that “Easter” comes from the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, or an ancient Saxon goddess (Eostre), or a Germanic goddess (Ostara). But this is only conjecture. “Eostare” is mentioned briefly by the Venerable Bede, an 8th-century English monk, who said that the Anglo-Saxon month “Eosturmonath” (basically April) was named after a goddess whose feasts were celebrated at that time of year. But scholars debate whether Eostre was a real goddess or just a misinterpretation.
 
And then there is the matter of bunnies and eggs, with some purporting that these are pagan fertility symbols. Is it possible that some kind of fertility celebration got Christianized? Maybe. Again, it’s only speculation. Lots of pagan holidays took place in spring (Babylonian, Egyptian, Indian, Roman, and Greek). That doesn’t mean there’s a connection. Baby bunnies are a common springtime animal and chicks hatching from their eggs are symbols of new life. Even if Easter got started as a pagan holiday, no one today is celebrating Easter that way. We have freedom to redeem and repurpose anything that’s been stolen by the devil. Eggs and bunnies don’t belong to the devil any more than Sunday belongs to the ancient Roman sun god, after which the first day of the week is named.
 
Whether a Christian celebrates “Easter” or not is a matter of personal conscience. For nearly all, eggs and bunnies are an innocent cultural tradition. In my home, we never celebrated Easter as a fertility cult, but we did give our children baskets of candy and gifts. And we went to church to worship God and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. But if using the term or the accompanying symbols goes against one’s conscience, it's perfectly fine to ignore them. But neither side of the debate should disparage the other (Rom. 14:5-6, Col. 2:16-17).
 
The main concern of Easter should be to keep the focus on Jesus, and not let commercial things detract from Him. They may be acceptable supplements but never substitutes to our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. And let’s rejoice that Easter still provides a great opportunity to bring people to church to hear the true meaning of the holiday. So, let’s use it to glorify God. Who will you be asking to join you in worship?
 
Tyler