As 2020 wraps up, there are many blessings I've experienced. I realize there are people hurting for very real reasons, so this is not some loosey goosey 'I'm happy all the time' post. I'm thankful my family hasn't experienced anything tragic as a result of covid--many have, some people we really care for. And, we're not immune to difficulties, but you know, if you go through life looking for hardship, you'll find it more than if you try to look for the good things. The Lord tells us to rejoice all the time, and it is important Christians learn how to navigate life in that way. God is always at work, and that is good. We should look for that and proclaim it in our minds, and to others when appropriate. We can help lift each other up during hard times, or help people stay down.
The world is not helped if we fail to rejoice during hard times. We need to be sensitive to other people's situations, but for people who have steeped themselves, like a tea bag in the boiling waters of CNN and MSNBC for 9 months, something else is happening. These folks have allowed themselves to become mentally warped to the point they think being able to rejoice amidst turmoil is self-absorbed, insensitive, disingenuous, or out of touch. They think that having a martyr mentality makes them appear more loving; that their stress and lack of joy show how they are suffering under the terror of this global pandemic MORE than you or anyone else (see my previous post entitled Conflict with the Lost). A covid phenomenon is how it has become virtually impossible to talk to certain people because no matter what positive thing is said about covid, they only see utter darkness and misery. Covid is akin to Field Day for a liberal martyr-athlete.
Well, what of this?
I think we all need to be serious about praying for those we have the direct ability to connect with, particularly those who are shut-in. We should do things to help as we're able: stop by and safely talk, take them a meal that you've carefully prepared if you are healthy (and have been)...call them if you can't see them for a period of time. Pray for them--try to make them laugh, send them a text...we can't help everyone all the time, but if enough of us reach out, we can help these folks not go nuts being alone or closed up in their homes most of the time. The ability to help others is reason to rejoice and actually does something positive. It is far better than sitting around fostering angry political opinions or stewing in one's own paranoid juices--how are either of those things helpful?
With that I share the reason for my joy, which is two-fold: I'm thankful about several things regarding covid. That the vast majority of people around the world will survive the virus if they get it, is something to take time to thank God for. We've seen terrible diseases that killed a much greater percentage of the population indiscriminately, and I think it is a reason to be thankful that this virus pales in comparison. Being thankful about this doesn't mean I am not sad for the elderly who are either fearful or lonely, or that my heart doesn't go out to those who have lost loved ones during this time or as a direct result. But I'm not helping anyone if I live in that place; I need to do what I can about it. My sorrow over the lost, and how they are dealing with this, is more intense because I'm seeing the great divide between those who have the peace of a saving relationship with Christ and those who do not. I rejoice in that, as it has drawn me closer to God and caused me to pray more fervently for loved ones who are clearly not with Christ.
Next, I'm thankful for the clear opportunities to trust the Lord more, and to rely on His Sovereignty more than I have in a long time, maybe ever.
God is in control of all things ultimately. The affairs of men rise and fall, and somehow God is working in the lives of His children to accomplish His will. Bad rulers, good rulers, cheating, misinformation campaigns...God sees and knows and uses all these things in ways we cannot fully grasp. I'm thankful for this! I don't have to be all spun up over a "stolen" election, fake social movements, or forced vaccines. Was an election stolen from God, because last time I checked, no one was stealing anything from the Great I Am. How can I live if we're forced to let medication go into our kids that we really don't want? Well, we'll live the same way oppressed people throughout the ages lived--we'll keep our eyes on the prize, pray, and honor the Lord in all we do as best we can. I am thankful that all the things going on have driven me to the Word more, because I certainly need to be in it more.
With covid and the politics of 2020, and all the messy things that have gone with them, I'm thankful for the Lord and the peace He gives. I'm thankful for the life He's given me and the opportunities to grow during 2020. I don't want to leave this year a worse person than I started--I want to look more like Christ.
This year has brought into focus this question:
DO I TRUST GOD OR DON'T I?
Has God not worked through incompetent, wicked rulers before? He can do it again. Does God not see His children suffer? Of course He does. We can trust Him to help us endure it. In hard times, the church can flourish. It is a blessing if phony Christians have left the church in 2020--did the church in America not need a purging?
When it gets darker, the light shines brighter. We can all rejoice that our little lights have a decent chance of being seen these days. We don't even have to be that awesome; if we're in Christ, we've got to have something glowing.
While there are Christians solely focused on spreading the gospel, we must realize not all believers have the same drive or purpose. The issue of sanctification is important, as well as sharing the truth with the unsaved. One of us plants, another waters and so forth.
There are serious issues in our culture that Christians cannot ignore simply because their mission is gospel deliverance. I think that we can fall too far into one of two camps: intense political involvement to the point of losing sight of the main thing, or shunning controversial topics like why Christian kids are not well served being in public schools. We want to be black or white so as to avoid confronting ourselves and to not have to make uncomfortable decisions.
Believers under the influence of philosophies contrary to God's word are at greater risk of falling away from the Lord, and then being useless to Him. Children who sit in classrooms devoid of God's truth, are less likely to come to know God, even if they are in church weekly. See the sidebar with Voddie Baucham's "The Children of Caesar" for some compelling data on why this is so. Shouldn't we who know the dangers warn our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ about something they may not know the history of, if God gives that opportunity? We have to care about where kids are educated. The world forces of darkness travel easily in the classrooms of government-funded schools.
The saved also have to care about political issues that God cares about. We live in a country with a system of government that gives us a voice, so we should use it when we can, to be a godly influence. Likewise, we have to understand the purpose of the church--it is for believers primarily, not the lost, and the way church is handled should be primarily for the saved to be edified. Christians who think only about focusing on the gospel often miss the boat on the actual purpose of the church, and the issue of sanctification. God uses other believers as part of the sanctification process, and that happens primarily in church. The pastor's role isn't to primarily reach the lost, it is to edify the saints. Church should be hitting on all of the issues that believers need to be taught and it isn't wrong for sinful cultural practices to be brought up. There is something very wrong in a person's life if they claim to be a Christian yet vote for the unborn to be killed or vote that children should be free to choose their identity, without parental involvement. Likewise, how can Christians think it is OK to have philosophies that are completely contrary to God's word before them for 13 yrs of life? Pastor's are there to shepherd the flock, in all areas.
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
Victoria Cobb, President
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Yesterday, Governor Northam presented his proposed amendments to the 2020-2022 biennial budget to the joint “money committees,” just over a month after he signed a revised budget approved during a special legislative session that lasted 84 days. In probably a harbinger of what’s to come under a presumptive Biden-Harris administration, we learned that Northam plans to transform the judiciary by setting aside funding to add four judges to Virginia’s Court of Appeals who will be more likely to protect the Left’s radical new policies enacted during his term.
Among the other spending measures recommend by the Governor, such as “free” 2-year college for certain students and $90 million to provide vaccines, his signature plan to grow Virginia’s economy and improve education appears to hinge on legalizing recreational marijuana and using tax revenue from the sale of it to fund early childhood education for three and four year-olds. See the details below.
Education priorities ignore the real needs of families
Among the spending measures Northam outlined yesterday, one of the largest proposals is over $500 million for public schools to supplement the losses in funding due to the reduction in student enrollment. While he was reluctant to give a full explanation as to why there’s been a drop in enrollment, we know it’s mostly due to parents finding alternative education - private school, PODs, or home schooling – so their child can receive in-person learning or to escape the onslaught of the leftist indoctrination of their kids. And while the percentage of students failing is increasing in this virtual learning environment, House Minority Leader, Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock), points out that the Governor’s recommendations offer “no funding to help parents get the technology or other assistance they need to succeed.”
Northam also renewed his call for a program to give three-year-olds access to early childhood education programs, a major priority of his that’s clearly designed to move Virginia towards mandatory universal pre-K education.
The Governor is proposing $30 million taxpayer dollars to offset financial aid increases at public colleges and universities, and renewed his “free” college program called “Get Skilled. Get a Job. Give Back.” (“G3”). The G3 plan would make associate degrees at Virginia’s community colleges “free” for students willing to go into certain fields the government deems more valuable than others. Last year, Del. Mark Cole (R -88, Spotsylvania) likened this same proposal to “indentured servitude for community college tuition,” and believes that while the proposal focuses on the right fields of study, it will be too expensive since “Nothing is free. Somebody somewhere is footing the bill for it.”
Legalizing marijuana to fund early childhood education?
To help pay for all of his early childhood education programs, Governor Northam wants to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, relying on yet another vice like gambling to fund the education of students in Virginia. Yet, we know that marijuana leads to more addictions, increasingly contributes to automobile infractions, is used by more minors each year, and will further harm families during this pandemic when a record number of people are unemployed.
Aubrey Layne, the Secretary of Finance, also reported yesterday that $90 million of the projected $120 million in tax revenues had been collected through the “temporary” legalization and regulation of [so-called] “games of skill” gambling machines. Since these games are found in many convenience stores and bars all across Virginia, which have been closed due to mandatory COVID restrictions, there simply wasn’t enough activity to reach their revenue goals.
It was promised during the regular and special sessions by certain legislators that these “games of skill” would only be made legal through June 2021, so we will be closely monitoring the budget process to see if they will uphold that promise in light of the lower revenue totals admitted during today’s briefing.
Ethical concerns associated with vaccination and LARC proposals
Governor Northam is proposing $90 million to “ensure we have the supplies, staffing, and other infrastructure needed to vaccinate eight million Virginians” with the new COVID vaccine. Funding to provide vaccines to 8 million Virginians (VA has about 8.5 million total), combined with Northam’s statement that “vaccines are the only way we can end this pandemic and get back to a more normal life,” appear to indicate the real possibility that his administration is preparing for mandated vaccines without religious or ethical exceptions. This would be a major infringement upon individual liberty, as every person should have the freedom to decide for themselves and their families whether or not to receive the vaccination.
The Governor has also recommended continuing the “LARC” program which essentially funnels $2 million each year to Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics to pay for and insert intrauterine devices (IUDs).
These are just some of the priorities the Governor is hoping to spend your tax dollars on over the next two years, but like any budget we’ll be reviewing the Governor’s proposed amendments for other items such as taxpayer funded abortion. You can also review his proposed budget amendments yourself HERE.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Romans 12:18
It is no secret that It is challenging to live at peace with all people, particularly people who have not experienced forgiveness from God. The beginning words, "If possible", come in to play. Those outside of Christ do not know how to forgive others, so resolving conflict with them is often very difficult, particularly if they have a besetting sin which controls their life. The best we can hope for is some measure of compromise that allows the relationship to continue. As believers, we must remember that we can't expect something from people that they are unable to deliver. Due to this, sometimes living up to this Bible truth requires that we make adjustments so we do not continually rub up against those we want to be at peace with. This is difficult if we regularly see someone who falls into this category. (This is also one reason many Christians should not be on Facebook.)
Thankfully, God has given His children many truths to help us go through this life with as much peace as possible. It isn't always easy, and it can even prove fruitless, but we must strive and leave it in God's hands. The wicked are crafty and will often stoop quite low to bring discord and strife.
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16
God tells us to forgive those who wrong us, whether they repent or not, and to seek to do good to them. Forgiving is to not hold their ill behavior against them--to let them off of our hook and leave them on God's. Afterall, He is Sovereign, sees the truth, and promises to not let the righteous be destroyed by evil. Seeking to do good to those who hurt us, especially if they continue to do something they've done for years and years, requires seeing them as God sees them: under the influence of the Devil with needs that only God can fill. With God, we can find ways to be a blessing, and as we mature, others will not even know who we really like and who we don't really like. This is something I've seen others do and it has really inspired me!
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44
I've sat in Bible studies where many ladies knew what it was like to be treated poorly, with no recognition from the offending party, year after year. Many knew what it was to be mischaracterized, or the recipients of unfair expectations. Real pain comes when people continually see us in a wrong light and act in selfish ways. Wounded people who are lost can cause a believer a lot of heartache. What are we to do?
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Christian, we are to represent Christ as best we can, all the time. We don't have to like everyone and we don't have to befriend everyone. We do need to be respectful toward all people and serve others as best we can. We won't be called to reach every person we know or are related to, and that is OK. Sometimes the best thing we can do is step back and focus on prayer. This is especially true when the things we normally do to encourage others is met with hostility or offends them! I recall sending a new mom Bible verses that encouraged me during my early years of parenting, and the person seemed insulted. She is someone who wants to be seen as knowing all, and felt I was insinuating she needed help. Well, I needed help as a new Mom...but those who are insecure and prideful, they think it is a problem to need help. (not to say I don't have my own issues with pride...)
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." Matthew 7:6
This brings me to my closing thoughts: the unsaved who are convinced they are victims. These people have it harder, have overcome more, and want to be seen dually: as being better than those around them, and as having worked harder than others to get where they are. They will act like the life they've CHOSEN is a burden cast upon them (but didn't they choose to have those children; didn't they choose that career; didn't they choose that husband?). When they are feeling strong, they are condescending and praise themselves. When they are sad, they say things to evoke sympathy. This narrative is one that gets replayed over and over, and when someone denies them what they feel they have coming to them (often based on strings being attached when they did things for others in the past), be watchful. Passive aggressive behavior, putting others in uncomfortable positions, manipulation, character assassination, and more condescension set in. A person locked into this mindset will be at odds with others more and more as time goes on, and they will use any number of tactics to make sure they come out looking like a martyr or better than others. If they are frustrated overall still, they'll be passive aggressive and continue to let relationships suffer. It is very sad, but it is also something for the believer to be very shrewd with, remembering the lost CANNOT really forgive others--some can move on to a degree, but some hold grudges unbelievably.
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 1 Cor 15:33
At some point a person may exhibit such wickedness that we simply must stop witnessing to them. What used to work in the relationship is met with attacks, and you can tell a brick wall has been put up. It may be time to stop trying and just keep praying. There are those who are receptive, or at least polite toward Christian truths, then those who are dismissive but not ugly about it. When this changes, however, and a person is displaying anger, mischaracterizations of your character and the like, it may be time move on. Sometimes you may be able to tell you are dealing with a serious spiritual battle. Likewise, if you can tell you are not able to keep yourself sounding kind, move on. There are those we are vulnerable with who are our friends, and those we witness to in order to try to save them from eternal damnation. Know the difference~Christians should not be bound with unbelievers. Our confidents should serve the same God, and we know from Scripture people are either on God's side or Satan's. There is no middle ground.
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 the heavenly places. Eph 6:12
So.... will you get the covid-19 vaccine, won't you, should you, how fast CAN you?
What if you are young and healthy, do you even need it? Are the risks of the vaccine worse than covid itself? Are there any risks? These are questions people are asking.
Visiting with my sweet 89 year old friend today, the realities of the vaccine take on a different light than they do when I consider for myself. Of course she wants to get the vaccine, but doesn't know when she can. The risk of the covid-19 virus is tremendous for her, and yes, there may be risks with the vaccination, but at this point when she must live in an assisted living, those are less to her than the risks of living without the vaccine. She is lonely. Does this mean she lives in fear? No. Does it mean she has avoided me after recently being sick? No. Did she want me in her home during the initial months of the outbreak? Yes. Do I want her to be vaccinated so the facility will let me pick her up and take her to lunch? You better believe it.
For the rest of us, who perhaps are far younger than 89, check out this article written far better than this blog post:
I'm not the most logical person, and I'm surrounded by people far more intelligent than me. Something I find worthy to ponder, that one of said people pointed out to me, is that states like CA and Michigan, who have had the strictest rules for masks, closings, social distancing and the like, have the highest covid numbers, yet people still purport that if everyone would do these things, the virus wouldn't be spreading. People are not going in any stores in these states without a mask, and many businesses, far more than in my home state, have been-- and continue to be-- shut down. The opportunities for the virus to spread based on what is open is far less than other states. So, what could this mean? It is illogical to say the fringe people not wearing a mask are keeping the numbers high. So again, what could this mean?
If you are under 30, what is the point of vaccinating against something you have more than a 99 percent chance of recovering from?
I recently finished reading the book of Job, and every time I do, there seems to be something different I come away with. No surprise, the Bible is the Living Word!
This time I was struck by two things.
One is that I do not want to be a hard place for people to land when they are down.
Job's friends thought they were being helpful, but there was a lack of wisdom employed, which I sincerely hope to avoid in my own interactions with people. My dear mother-in-law shared with me the idea of some friends being a soft place to land, some being the type to tell you what you needed to hear, some to make you laugh... But with all of those, there was one type of friend she never said was something she looked for. It is the type of person to care more about your protocols than you; someone to question your judgment rather than offer their help and compassion. Remember, Christian, it is God is who we all answer to. Find friends who trust you and will give you the benefit of the doubt. ♥
The second thing I was struck by is how we often assume bad reasons for why God allows us to suffer, or allows OTHER people to suffer. Have they sinned??
Job shows us it is possible for nothing to be further from the truth. There are reasons God allows turmoil, which no man can explain or understand. Hardship can be a result of our faithfulness. This is baffling, but if we study Job, we will see it plain as day. For this reason, it is tantamount to learn to trust God in all things. I'm amazed by how much better I can handle adversity when I've been building my relationship with the Lord faithfully. He gives a perspective that supersedes any earthly insight and wisdom. People can reason all day long, and it is often WRONG. 'Lord, help me not to guide others wrongly when they are suffering and to remember that only God knows the reasons for suffering.' Our counsel shouldn't omit the reality of sin causing distress, but we must allow the Holy Spirit to reveal someone's sin to them if they do not think that is the cause of their problem. Pointing people to trust in God is always a good idea.
In the days we're living in, too often people are ready to doubt the actions or decisions of others. The media feeds this mentality of turning our neighbors into our enemies, if people don't act as "they" say they should. Unfortunately, many people today do not read for themselves and do not think through things fully. They react to the news they steadily digest, rather than respond to what is going on around them in a compassionate and thoughtful way. Many are incapable of understanding how to handle situations appropriately based on their own research. This can inadvertently cause people to put themselves on a pedestal of self-righteousness, or to simply communicate hurtful doubt in others, much like Job's "friends".
Believer, don't lose heart! It is in the times of darkness and unrighteous treatment we are able to identify most with our Savoir. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. People did not understand Him. We must do what we can to be loving, but it is the Lord Christ whom we serve and answer to ultimately.
Children are different from each other, but one thing many of them do is try out different identities. I don't mean the abhorrent things we see in our culture today that are a total affront to God, but the seeming innocuous personas available to them.
For example, one of your kids may be very athletic, so they will want to only wear athletic style clothes and assume an air like top athletes they admire. Everything about them is basically: _______(fill in the sport). You may have a child who has decided they are going to be a redneck, so they start asking for camouflage clothes, carrying numerous knives and donning big, heavy boots even in 90 degree weather. There may be a daughter who used to wear dresses but has clearly decided it is cool to look grungy or crunchy, no longer regularly washing hair or perhaps giving up meat, or a son who thinks being a bit of a joker is how he wants to be 'known'. This is not an endless list-- the point of it isn't to be exhaustive, but rather to alert parents to an important task in their parenting: wake up!!
We need to tune in and see what is motivating our child to take on this new persona. The heart is what matters here, and often these changes are driven by insecurity. We'll see eldest children riding themselves to be perfect, youngests trying to fit in to any group they can gain admittance to, and middle children quietly retreating into themselves. All of these things in and of themselves aren't necessarily all bad, but depending on the age of the child and when it starts, it needs parental attention. Most of us want our kids to be similar to us, and if that is our goal, we need to look hard at ourselves to see our own shortcomings. Surely we don't wish to pass those on to our kids. Without honestly evaluating ourselves and where we find our worth, we can't guide our children.
It is difficult for some children to accept they have all the value and worth they need as a person created in the image of God. But this is a truth that we cannot give up working to instill. God made them for His purpose and His good pleasure, end of story. We aren't helping them by trying to boost self-esteem or encouraging them to fit in with whatever crowd, but rather we need to challenge these personas they seem so set on if that is where their identity and security lie.
The latter point key. Is what they are adapting themselves to going to fade away, causing them greater pain later in life, or is it going to give them attention that we know is not going to be good as time progresses? The reputation teens build will stick with them, and it can often close doors, or open them. If our kids can only comfortably move in their tight circle, we're doing them a disservice. If we blindly accept that 'this is just who they are', and it is below our family standards for conduct or appearance, we are to blame for not trying to help them have a stronger foundation. Again, the exterior and simply being different isn't necessarily cause for alarm. We as parents need to pay attention to our kids, which means being with them and listening to them, so we can see what is motivating the persona they are striving to adopt. If they are leaving the ways they've been taught as teens, it is time to take action and work on helping them see their value in Christ with more focus.
As a believer in Jesus Christ, I've found something unexpected during 2020: greater love for the body of Christ. While I've been an active member of a Bible-believing and gospel preaching church for over 25 years, I've never appreciated and loved my brothers and sisters in Christ like I do now. The wickedness of this lost world has made the church stand in clearer contrast, and it seems to me many of us are noticing how much we need each other. I think we take comfort in one another because we draw from the same Source for truth and peace and because we see the hysterical lies of the enemy being perpetuated through the media and culture.
The world cannot understand this phenomenon. When we keep Christ as the most important part of our lives, nothing is lacking. I need Him more than ever, and am trusting Him to will and to work on my behalf.
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. Jn 16:33
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Cor 9:15
