Holy What???

Holiness is a foreign topic for most people. Even Christians. We have a vague familiarity with the context in which it is usually found. 

First and foremost, we are told that God the Almighty is “holy.” As the Israelites were getting familiar with their Divine Deliverer, these words were given to them: “For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44,  CSB) This is repeated three more times in Leviticus. 

New Testament readers are told, “That's why the Scriptures say, 'I am the holy God, and you must be holy too.’ (1 Peter 1:16, CEV) Rather intimidating instruction! The Hebrew word for holiness is qōdes. That which is holy is sacred, in contrast to everything common and profane. How did we allow this to slip by?

I encountered the importance of the godly character of holiness in the foreword of Chuck Colson’s excellent book, Loving God. Chuck had come across a resource of profound insight on the subject written by theologian R.C. Sproul. It was titled (appropriately) The Holiness of God. Chuck stated that after reading Sproul’s book, he fell to his knees deep in awe over the holiness of God! 

I would later read that same book by Sproul. And others of his. R.C. was a man who clearly took God at His Word.

Holy. It’s one word—among many—that we abuse in our world today by minimizing its significance. How often do we hear holy used in conjunction with terms such as holy cow, holy moley, holy guacamole, holy hell (wow), holy cr*p, and the even more offensive holy sh**? Other variations certainly exist and all of them run quite counter to the instruction to be holy. Ironic. 

In our modern thinking, words apparently don’t really matter. This is why I was struck by a recent Christianity Today story titled, “Words are Holy. so Why Don’t We Talk Like They are?” It’s written by Paul J. Pastor, who is a pastor, author, and editor.

As Pastor states, “Today, we live in a crisis of language. Not only is the sacred nature of our words largely forgotten, but language is becoming degraded. In a world of significant social, ecological, and spiritual crisis, this may seem like a low priority. But healthy language, like clean air or water, is something we take for granted until it is gone.”

Pastor uses illustrations from the legendary George Orwell, who found political speech quite disturbing in his day. Imagine what his perspective might be like in 2023! Pastor determines this about our times, “So the great threat to language is not from a shadowy politburo. It is from the sheer disposability of words as part of a general glut of information. Words are everywhere. What is everywhere must not be precious. Language becomes disposable.”

What words can you think of that have lost their meaning? How about amazing. Incredible. Unbelievable. Even great. All attributed to ideas, thoughts, or acts that are nothing more than ordinary. And let me add one of my favorites to the list: perfect. I’ve heard waiters and waitresses use that word when I tell them we need a table for two. 

Admittedly, none of those word trivialities rank up there in my book with the abuse of the word holy. 

To be clear, our call to holiness is not a call to live a life of perfection. That is an impossible task and attempting to do so can quickly move into legalism. But our call to live righteous lives is the target for which we aim in the faith. Even in our language. 

How comfortable have we become with the abuse of the word holy? Enough so that when it is used in any derogative form, few are the souls who would dare correct or challenge it. Even among the church faithful.

I’m often haunted by Jesus' words about words. “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37, ESV) I plead guilty to that charge often and have needed the healing words of forgiveness.

How about you? It might be worthy of some holy conversation!

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

1. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/march/pastor-cherish-holy-words-language-disposable-age.html?utm_source=CT+Daily+Briefing+Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=227257&utm_content=12327&utm_campaign=email&vgo_ee=n9%2FuD7e5jNtHuxs8ncU17SBAWaAotQkn8fTjdS3g5M8%3D

Jesus Warned Us

The dust hasn’t fully settled yet. Two Super Bowl ads costing $20 million with the message that “He Gets Us” have pushed people’s buttons. Not all in a good way.

Before we look into the “down and dirty” responses to the ads, let it be known that MOST Super Bowl fans liked them. According to USA Today's annual Ad Meter, the “He Gets Us” ads (I have trouble calling them that) ranked one of them in the Top 10 and another in the Top 15 out of nearly 50 ads on Super Bowl Sunday.

Those messages went out to an estimated 100-plus million people. According to the website, the “He Gets Us” campaign seeks to "reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible and his confounding love and forgiveness.” One of the funding individuals is the co-founder of Hobby Lobby, David Green. Those who didn’t approve of the ads likely did not find Hobby Lobby’s full page Christmas ad to their taste either.

Anyone following this story would know that U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC as she is known), was repulsed by these two ads. In her own Twitter words she said, “Something tells me Jesus would not spend millions of dollars on Super Bowl ads to make fascism look benign.”

If for some reason you didn’t watch the Super Bowl, or didn’t see the commercials, you can easily find them. The first ad urged viewers to be more childlike and featured kids of different races. The second showed images of violent confrontations before sharing this message: “Jesus loved the people we hate.”

Did you resonate with AOC’s charge of making “fascism look benign?” Didn’t think so—assuming you are a person of reason.

In contrast we had the Super Bowl halftime show. I did not watch. But I’ve read the “reviews,” with sports talk radio taking tons of calls on Rihanna’s crotch grabbing and, well, you would know if you saw it. No comments from the New York Congresswoman on this, however.

But what I found particularly interesting were some of the comments from the so-called Christian community. According to Breitbart news, “Online commentary suggests the Christian community does not know whether to be hopeful or apprehensive about the upcoming ads, knowing that the Jesus of the Bible is often replaced by what Bible-believing Christians view as a false social-justice-warrior portrayal of Jesus to further leftwing cultural and political priorities and discard biblical moral teachings.” Ouch!

A friend who gives me frequent commentary on issues of the day sent this:

“Certainly a Person who is omniscient 'gets' everything. So if 'He gets us,' and He does, what's the message He is sending? That we are sinners, lost, headed for a fiery Hell, sheep who have wandered away, creating nothing but filthy rags as our best work on our best day. That's what Jesus 'gets' about all humanity, no exception. That's what the Bible teaches. Now, is that what's going to be on display for 100 million people in the Roman Coliseum Super Bowl tomorrow? Nope. Tomorrow you will see 'cool Jesus,' 'refugee immigrant Jesus,' which is to say no Jesus at all.”

Double-ouch!

My personal view is that the ads were powerful, accurate, and likely presented in a way that will draw interest to learn more. That is all we can ask of an invitation to discover what it means to follow Jesus. So I oppose those within the faith community who have criticized the campaign’s efforts.

As for society at large, after those living in Jesus' times witnessed His miraculous healings and assurances of forgiveness, His closeness to the Heavenly Father was simply too much to handle. So He had plenty of haters. It is why He told His disciples, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:18-19 (NIV)

AOC and others find plenty to hate about the Christian community. It should come as no surprise. Jesus gave us a clear warning.

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

1. https://nypost.com/2023/02/13/aoc-accuses-christian-super-bowl-ad-of-making-fascism-look-benign/
2. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/02/10/group-pays-20-million-super-bowl-ads-about-jesus/
3. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/he-gets-us-responds-aocs-attack-christian-super-bowl-ads
4. https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/kirk-cameron-aoc-superbowl/2023/02/14/id/1108548/?ns_mail_uid=803b3758-a8c4-40cf-bd05-c4d9e20f10a3&ns_mail_job=DM436152_02142023&s=acs&dkt_nbr=010104pk84pm
5. https://nypost.com/2023/02/13/rihannas-crotch-grab-at-super-bowl-dominates-sports-talk-radio/

QBs with Talent on Loan from God

Okay. So the Super Bowl is set. We now know the Kansas City Chiefs are going back to the biggest game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles!

Three of the four quarterbacks who played yesterday are very open about their faith in Jesus. Can you name them? Before you answer, let me bring up another Super Bowl winning quarterback: "Broadway Joe" Namath.

Of any QB in our modern era, Namath personified the word brash. Other words and terms for brash include self assertive, full of self, cocky, arrogant, audacious — well, you get the picture. Oh…and you can throw in irreverent.

Namath’s nickname, “Broadway Joe,” came about after he appeared on the Sports Illustrated cover in 1965. That followed a photoshoot on Broadway. The cover photo proclaimed, “Football Goes Show Biz.”

Over 50 years ago, “Braggadocio Joe” made the absurd prediction that his upstart New York Jets would beat the NFL’s best, the Baltimore Colts, in Super Bowl 3. Which is exactly what happened. The legend was sealed.

Frankly, I’ve never cared for Joe Namath. But that’s me. Football heroes develop their own fan clubs.

I’m much more intrigued and supportive of the three quarterbacks from this past weekend who have boldly stood by their Christian faith convictions. That includes Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Brock Purdy.

During his college days at Texas Tech, Patrick Mahomes' mother said during an interview: “In middle school, he got real involved with his youth group, He got saved. There was a night at church, he had his hands raised to the Lord and he was singing…I knew where his heart truly is.”

Mahomes shares his faith with Twitter followers. He’s encouraged prayer for teammates. When former Chiefs QB Alex Smith suffered a season-ending injury, Patrick asked fans to pray for him in a special way.

Jalen Hurts plays QB for the Philadelphia Eagles. After first playing at Alabama, he then transferred to Oklahoma. He told CBS Sports: “… something that I've just matured in and realized, that God is everything and He's worthy of praise, You have to put Him in the center of everything that you do…And I know God has been there the whole entire way.” Humble, in a world of glory seekers.

And then there’s the newby: Brock Purdy. Since he became a starter later in the season for the San Francisco 49ers, he went 7-0. Not bad for a player who barely—barely—was drafted last spring. A final draft choice known as Mr. Irrelevant.

Purdy exhibited remarkable poise. His coach, Kyle Shanahan, said Brock is "definitely the most poised rookie I've ever had.” Purdy himself said he plays with a sense of “fearlessness,” claiming his Christian faith gives him peace and confidence in the battle.

Purdy’s Twitter and Instagram state, ”Believer in Christ." A certain Bible verse graces his Twitter bio — Colossians 3:23 — “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

Brock Purdy was interviewed on Sports Spectrum last August. It was then he announced he wanted to "be able to witness and defend the Christian faith as best as I can,” adding, "My identity is in Jesus.” I hope Brock is around a long time.

So what about quarterback #4—Joe Burrow? After winning the national championship at LSU, he’s already developed a swagger. And garnered a nickname: Joe Cool.

After winning the national title, the lsusports.net webpage quoted Burrow as saying: “I kept faith in myself the entire time…I knew the kind of person I was, the kind of player I could be, and I kept faith.”

An LSU site writer said, “Belief – in the hard work he put in and the football gods guiding his path – brought Burrow here.“

Faith in himself. Help from the football gods. Perhaps hanging out a bit with Mahomes, Hurts, and Purdy can keep Joe Burrow from building himself a legacy of brash. Like that Namath guy.

Hope so. Joe’s a great quarterback… with talent on loan from God.

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

1. https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/eagles-qb-jalen-hurts-keeps-eyes-on-christ-god-is-everything-and-hes-worthy-of-praise.html

2. https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/qb-brock-purdy-guides-49ers-to-nfc-championship-my-identity-is-in-jesus.html?utm_source=ChristianHeadlines Daily&utm_campaign=Christian Headlines Daily - ChristianHeadlines.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=7637353&recip=530696604&aps=3573af02591190322d3d755259709c4e164f76edbce4ddda8e23716394da9d8f&lctg=53069660

3. https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/idolchatter/2020/01/how-patrick-mahomes-was-transformed-by-his-christian-faith-and-uses-it-to-encourage-others.html

4. https://lsusports.net/news/2019/12/14/football-belief-in-himself-and-his-destiny-turned-joe-burrow-into-a-heisman-winner/

Well, Excuuuuuusssse Me!

                        

One of the many hilarious comedic routines from the incredibly funny Steve Martin was notable for this line: “Well, excuuuuuusssse me!” I’ll start there.

Truth be told, not all of our actions should be excused. In fact many should be called out. And when this happens properly, we should applaud.

This past week,  Rhonda and I went to see the latest movie starring Tom Hanks — A Man Called Otto. There were many praiseworthy things about this film. Showing a change of heart and character would be a couple. Enduring love for a spouse would be another.

The film was marred, in my opinion, by what most movie-goers would find as a great example of “acceptance.” It involved a former student of Otto’s wife (she had passed a few months earlier.) This student was delivering papers of some kind to the neighborhood. This being one of three jobs he/she held.

Note that last line. The character, named Malcolm, was transgender. Otto put up no barriers to conversation. Nor should he have. Otto did acts of kindness to help this person. As he should.

The painful part of Malcolm’s life included his being thrown out of his house by his disapproving father. (Otto tells him that his father is “an idiot.”) Malcolm is then welcomed into Otto’s home. A kind gesture. Malcolm seems to have adjusted well to his/her new “identity.”

This is Hollywood’s way of suckering people into thinking that transgenderism is full of stories like Malcolm’s. A deep dive into the significant emotional conflicts people suffer in attempting such a change is much closer to reality. Rather than confront the conflict in a caring, yet challenging, way we perpetuate a great crime on God’s design for humanity.

Another example. Well known recording artist Amy Grant was recently honored for her significant musical accomplishments. It was notable in that this was the first time the top cultural distinction at the Kennedy Center Honors was given to a contemporary Christian musician. She received a lot of press for this award.

More recently, she received press for another distinctive event. People Magazine reported that Grant is standing by her decision to host her niece's same-sex wedding back in November. She’s tried to avoid “social media criticism.”

In her own words, Grant told People: “I love my family. I love those brides. They're wonderful, our family is better, and you should be able to be who you are with your family and be loved by them.” And then added, "What a gift to our whole family to just widen the experience of our whole family.”

Contrast this with the recent decision by hockey player Ivan Provorov. He recently elected to sit out the warm-ups with his Philadelphia Flyers team rather than to celebrate their Pride Night event. In his words, “I had to stay true to myself and my religion." He’s Russian Orthodox.

Here’s my view.

First, “love” means accepting others' behavior/choices or you are not accepting THEM. No it doesn’t! (Murder, rape, larceny are the most obvious examples.) Less obvious are the personal choices on gender manipulation and sexual preference. The character Otto and singer Amy Grant did no favors, and left righteousness hidden by mere “acceptance.”

Second, “love = tolerance.” No, it doesn’t. When we fail to speak or live by the truths we’ve been blessed to have by God, accepting falsehoods weakens truth at its core.

Thirdly, “love means we must forgive.” Yes, if the offense is against us. We do not have the right nor the power to clear someone else’s account of wrongdoing. Excusing them is a possibility but rarely wise. And God never excuses sin. He covers it with His blood. His choice. His forgiveness.

Our call as followers of Jesus is to be bold witnesses in holding to Truth. As the apostle John explained, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:2-3 (ESV)

Before God, we are all accountable. And there are no acceptable excuses.

That’s Forward Thinking.

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

1. https://www.movieguide.org/reviews/a-man-called-otto.html

2. https://www.ncronline.org/culture/amy-grant-queen-christian-pop-feted-kennedy-center-honors

3. https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/amy-grant-defends-her-hosting-a-same-sex-wedding-i-love-those-brides.html?utm_source=ChristianHeadlines%20Daily&utm_campaign=Christian%20Headlines%20Daily%20-%20ChristianHeadlines.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=7605714&recip=530696604&aps=3573af02591190322d3d755259709c4e164f76edbce4ddda8e23716394da9d8f&lctg=530696604

4. https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/milton-quintanilla/iowa-diocese-bans-use-of-preferred-pronouns-requires-parishioners-to-use-restrooms-matching-their-biological-sex.html?utm_source=ChristianHeadlines%20Daily&utm_campaign=Christian%20Headlines%20Daily%20-%20ChristianHeadlines.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=7610326&recip=530696604&aps=3573af02591190322d3d755259709c4e164f76edbce4ddda8e23716394da9d8f&lctg=530696604

Telling You More than I Should

At the end of November, I posted the link to my personal blog—as usual—on Facebook and Linked In. Several hundred folk viewed my post about “Seasons of Change.” Apparently, people decided to peek at my thoughts about finishing up my latest “assignment,” more commonly called my most recent employment.

At its conclusion, I offered to provide some thoughts on my future plans. At the age of 71, I am cautious about suggesting such plans can be made with any degree of certainty. But I’ll take that risk to end this year.

I thought about calling this blog “Future Plans.” But I opted instead for the title seen, “Telling You More than I Should.” I’d better explain.

Most of my Facebook and Linked In connections know me for my radio work. I served as on-air talent for more than 40 years at seven different radio stations using three different names –Mark Elliot, Mark Johnson, and, my real name, Mark Elfstrand. I was also known as Erik Knight on a syndicated overnight radio show for two years.

This radio work blessed me with connecting to several hundred thousand listeners. Without seeing each other (except on very limited appearances), these listeners became friends. In the early days, I would hear from many by letter. Then email arrived. Wow. A massive new way to connect! It was always a pleasure to “work” and serve an audience!

Radio also afforded me the opportunity to travel. Rhonda and I took multiple cruises. We made four trips to Israel together. I’ve also journeyed to around 25 countries. Plus we’ve visited all fifty states.

I’ve met remarkably interesting people. Restaurateurs like Chick Fil A founder Truett Cathy, and Dave Thomas of Wendy’s fame. I’ve interviewed a few thousand gifted souls including musicians, authors, politicians, astronauts, actors, actresses, and even comedians (including Bob Hope).

It’s been a wonderful life—as the movie might say. I never would have expected it to be so. I was never a good student. Mainly, because I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) pay attention. Today they call it ADD or ADHD. One of my adult personality tests said it best: “The classroom is not your friend.”

But I made it through high school. Then one year of Bible college. They “suggested” I not return. 

Returning home, I worked two jobs, only to be drafted during the Vietnam War. I chose then to enlist in the Air Force. God’s hand was with me.

My father had died when I was a junior in high school. He was a loving, fun, and gifted man who stumbled into troubling business situations that left us always short on money. No college funds for us. When he passed, we owned no home and he had no life insurance. With two sisters out of the house already, I was “on my own” for the most part.

High school had brought out in me talents of which I was unaware. I became a debater, an actor (school plays and such), and even went to national competition in public speaking. I held offices in school organizations and liked the leadership arena.

But it was the Air Force that opened the door for me to cross-train into broadcasting. For a year, I was a television news and sportscaster on American Forces Radio and Television. I was known as the Hiking Viking on Channel 8 in Keflavik, Iceland!

From there on it was radio after leaving the Air Force. Then marriage to my bride of 46 years and we would have three children and seven grandchildren.

I’ve also been blessed to lead a men’s ministry, be co-founder of a prayer breakfast and a ministry to C-level executives. And perhaps most importantly, to find deep friendships with men meeting in small groups in several places.

There were crazy promotional things. A record that became a protest song. A devotional book after open heart surgery. A men’s ministry book.

All of this—and more. So…unexpected.

My faith in God assures me that His hand will continue in my life. How exactly, I do not know. And I do not need to know. I am open for His next assignment.

My web page already exists, which describes areas where I feel comfortable serving. (www.elfstrandgroup.com) I am likely to pursue writing, some speaking, and finding new ways to help “move people forward.” Several ideas are already forming. But who knows…? Someone does.

Psalm 138:8 speaks to my future: “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake (abandon, give up on) the work of your hands.” (ESV)

My door is open. How may I help you?

Have a blessed 2023!

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

And the Winners are…

His resume would not give a clue to his rise to power. What we have witnessed in his public persona apparently was “derived from a lifetime as an actor on the stage, a specialist in improv comedy, and a producer in the movie business.” This we learn in a deep dive into Time Magazine’s 2022 Person of the Year: Volodymyr Zelensky—President of Ukraine.

He's become a hero in his country with his bold defiance of Vladimir Putin. By himself, Zelensky would not have anywhere near the adequate resources to put up such a resistance. Fortunately, he has many friends in the West. Including Joe Biden.

Zelensky, like all of us, is a complicated person. His presidential “rehearsal” came through a television show, "Servant of the People." It aired for four seasons (2015 through 2019), and starred Volodymyr as Vasily Petrovych Goloborodko, a high school history teacher who winds up becoming president.

The Ukrainian President has done some comedic routines on stage that are somewhat questionable. He joined three other men in a stage troupe doing “sultry dance moves while in high heels, form-fitting bottoms and black, skimpy tops.” Not quite your presidential style.

All things considered, Zelensky is one of the most talked about personalities on the planet during 2022. No question, he’s been an inspiration to his nation. And a thorn in the side of Putin. For all that, Time Magazine bestows the honor of Person of the Year.

Next we come to another year-end tradition of recognition: the Word of the Year. This one is not so easy. Competing dictionaries have offered up different words—or a phrase.

If you’re a Merriam-Webster fan, their editors selected “gaslight” as their word of the year. Meanwhile, the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary gave their nod to a Phrase of the Year—goblin mode. What-in-the-Charles-Dickens is that??

According to the website for Oxford University Press, “goblin mode” is a “a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” Ben Zimmer, in making the announcement for the Oxford Word of the Year claimed, “Goblin Mode really does speak to the times and the zeitgeist, and it is certainly a 2022 expression.” He believes people are looking at “social norms in new ways.” Goblin mode gives people “permission” to do this. I call it one more nasty distortion of life!! But there you go.

We could easily combine the Person of the Year AND the Word of the Year. In fact, we should simplify it by declaring this individual the Person and Word of All Time. Who possibly could fill the bill?

It should be obvious. There is only One candidate. As the gospel writer John records, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5, ESV)

The profundity of this is almost beyond human comprehension.

As John continues to write, he unveils more truth, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:12-14, ESV)

Christmas is the occasion where the "Person and Word of All Time" is celebrated as entering our world. The offer “to all who receive him” is the invitation addressed to you. There is no one more worthy of your heart’s devotion than Jesus the Christ.

Have a Merry Christmas!

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2022-volodymyr-zelensky/

https://gizmodo.com/goblin-mode-2022-word-of-the-year-oxford-1849853358

For Better or for Worse

For better or for worse. Ever use that phrase? Its origination can best be traced to the Book of Prayer from the year 1549. It was commonly used (and still is) in marriage vows. It goes with the other phrases in those vows…for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, “til death do us part.”

My bride Rhonda and I recited those better/worse words in our marriage ceremony. Occasionally when I hear of a badly failing marriage, I will mockingly say “Apparently they didn’t figure it would get THAT much worse!!” In some relationships, it doesn’t take much.

Failure to abide by our vows often reflects on our character. “For better or for worse” tells others that you are willing to accept the positive or negative outcomes of any situation—even if those outcomes cannot or will not change. Is your word really your bond?

“For better or for worse” can apply to business decisions. To setting a course to try and improve a broken relationship. To offer a commitment to stand in loyalty to a friend.

It can apply to our national interests as well. I believe our country (and our communities) is best served when we have leaders who want moral truth to prevail. Their belief system that is unshakeable. These leaders truly work for the common good. Not self interest.

In November, a study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University gave us a most troubling picture. Their surveys found that 71 percent of American adults agree that our political system is “being abused by people who are in politics for their own benefit or personal interests.” These results went all across party lines. Yet we continue to elect many of these same “public servants”—for better or for worse

Holding to strong moral values brings risks well beyond politics. It impacts all facets of our society where decisions are made based on principles and not on popularity. Those who speak are willing to face the consequences—for better or for worse.

As an example, recently the well-known actress Candace Cameron Bure explained her decision to leave the Hallmark Channel and pursue new movie projects with the Great American Family Network (GAF). Her decision came after Hallmark caved to “demands” to include LGBTQ characters and couples in their movies. Bure believes this is wrong and stood by her convictions. Her comments were featured in a Wall Street Journal interview on November 14, 2022, supporting traditional marriage.

Backlash was strong. Actress Hilarie Burton Morgan dissed Candace as “disgusting” and a “bigot” adding, “You ride that prejudice wave all the way to the bank.” Additionally, actress and dancer JoJo Siwa described Bure’s stance as “rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.” Ms. Bure chooses to love her enemies—for better or for worse.

In a somewhat related fashion, the tragic shooting at the “gay” club in Colorado Springs recently generated outrage at conservatives. The killer himself had a myriad of personal issues unrelated to any biblical position on homosexuality. His actions were described as a “hate crime.”

Not long after, the large sign welcoming visitors to the ministry Focus on the Family (FOTF) in Colorado Springs was spray painted with graffiti. Local TV station KKTV claimed the vandals accused FOTF “of complicity in the horrific massacre” at the nightclub. The graffiti read, “Their blood is on your hands.” One must ask, “Is defacing a private sign a hate crime against people of faith?”

One of the most challenging of all messages spoken by Jesus of Nazareth is found in His Sermon on the Mount. He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45, NIV)

Your “enemy” might be a spouse. A political opponent. Anyone who rejects you or your beliefs. Jesus’ call remains the same. “Love your enemy.”

For better…or for worse.

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/candace-cameron-bure-great-american-family-11668205295

https://www.kktv.com/2022/11/25/focus-family-headquarters-sign-vandalized-wake-club-q-shooting/

https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/71-percent-say-us-political-system-is-not-broken-but-is-being-abused-by-selfish-politicians.html?aps=623ac23495af8261735dd859918db19d343070b16ddbf4cb6d505f0646deb680&utm_content=720228_20221201_22&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=lst_cw_connecting_through_crisis&utm_source=newsletter&bt_ee=OSGi2JFQpAjNLa7bIJxBisae0gQ8ynYZVqJbwsGfwhjTXvVLLcX%2BrGxnJ3c9aVoh&bt_ts=1669903574744

Seasoned with Salt

I had a certain relative (in-law, actually) who was a polar opposite in terms of my politics. Inevitably, our family get togethers went somewhat sour if he and I engaged in what was happening in our country and how best to make it better. Our discussions seemed to make things worse.

This relative passed away years before the 2016 election. I cannot fathom what our conversations would have been like discussng the Trump vs Clinton contest. I’m sure, like millions of Americans, my in-law would have been stunned by the returns as they piled up in favor of Trump. The ensuing years after another election would deliver weeks of January 6th coverage and reveal a more divided country than since perhaps the Civil War. And now, The Donald is running again.

Russell Moore is a theologian and ethicist. Some would call him a preacher. He previously served as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the public-policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. He left that role in 2021 to work for the magazine, Christianity Today. On August 4th of this year, Moore was selected as the magazine's incoming Editor-in-Chief.

No surprise to anyone, the political leanings of the ERLC are decidedly conservative. In past days, the same could be said for Christianity Today. That might not be the case anymore.

A November column by Russell Moore was titled, “Trump Won’t Divide the Church this Time (and That’s Not Necessarily Good News.)” Mr. Moore gives ample verbiage to his disdain for Donald Trump. He sees great damage in the church and society having resulted from the Trump presidency. In Moore’s words, “…even those who disagree with me lament that fact that denominations have been ripped apart, and friendships are gone—all because of politics.” He worries it will happen again. (Note: in a recent survey among Republicans, Trump led by 30% over other candidates.)

Michael Gerson, a leading evangelical voice in the media, recently passed away from cancer at the age of 58. A graduate of Wheaton College, he became a gifted speechwriter for former President George W. Bush.  I interviewed Gerson several years back. His more recent work was as a columnist for the Washington Post. Like Russell Moore, Gerson had no use for Trump. His columns reflected that.

But Michael Gerson was known for his quality of character and respect. In writing about his passing, a former associate, Jan Balderama, said, “I can’t claim to have known Michael Gerson in full; I had the privilege of editing him for less than two years…We probably would have disagreed on (Iraq) and plenty else. But none of that mattered… Mike was profoundly decent—warm, generous, full of gratitude for life’s gifts. He admitted fallibility. He had a huge heart. He could also be extremely funny, even in the darkest moments.”

Another media voice, Ruth Marcus, said of Michael Gerson, “Mike believed that the path to the just society we all want “was to take the high road, to not belittle others, to not demean others, to not cast doubt on people. You could disagree with people’s views without disagreeing with and undermining and attacking their motives and their honesty and decency.”

Following Gerson's death, Russell Moore would tweet, “It’s hitting me today that both of them, Mike Cromartie (formerly Vice President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center) and Mike Gerson, are gone. They were two of the smartest, most effective, and most gracious Christian men I’ve ever known.” While true, it is always easier to praise men and women who agree with you.

For all of us—and especially those in the Christian community—we must take to heart the instruction of the Apostle Paul found in Colossians 4, verses 5-6: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (NIV)

While these verses certainly address our spiritual conversations, they are also a most necessary reminder before our politics get completely out of hand.

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/november-web-only/donald-trump-politics-election-2024-wont-divide-church.html

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/november/michael-gerson-speechwriter-george-bush-compassionate-obit.html?utm_source=CT+Daily+Briefing+Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=227257&utm_content=11375&utm_campaign=email

Seasons of Change or God-sized Plans

Just weeks before Christmas, a sizeable number of workers at Twitter were told they were no longer needed. Okay, maybe not in those words, but layoffs always leave that not-so-subtle message. Thanks (for your work here) but no thanks (we can do without you.). Sounds harsh, doesn’t it?

To be fair, I feel for those kindhearted employers who simply must make those hard decisions to survive. And the same for businesses that just can’t make it. I know this. Simply closing the doors and never giving advance warning to people losing their jobs is just rude and insensitive.

Timing is also important. My son was going through a very difficult situation years ago with an ill child. He had moved to California from Idaho to join a small technology related company that valued his skills. The firm went belly up and gave him notice just before Christmas. Bad form.

Another failure of business termination is the great surprise farewell. Corporations and large companies are especially known for this. Everything seems to be normal at the workplace until one day it isn’t. And on that day, “x” worker is called in to an office and the human resources person is there with the manager. They hand person “x” walking papers (usually with all payroll settled) and tell him or her to pack up. The exit is usually carefully supervised. And no…you can’t say your goodbyes. Just turn in any keys, parking pass or whatever and get lost. (Well, that IS how it feels.)

I’ve been fortunate to have several departures that went much better. Whether in terms of weeks or months, I knew changes were coming. And I was one of them. Hey, it happens. Most often, I was treated well.

By God’s grace, He has perpetually moved me forward into my next “assignment” with seemingly perfect timing. That is about to happen again.

First, a little back story. In moving to Chicago in the summer of 1999, I was employed at Moody Radio in Chicago. It was my pleasure to help a couple hundred thousand souls start their day each morning. Just before Thanksgiving in 2013, my role came to an end. A few months later, another radio opportunity came up and I was back into talk radio.

After four and a half years at AM1160-Chicago doing talk radio, I was on to creating a YouTube program and podcast. And in the midst of this, our church needed help, and I took on a part time position to help navigate a pastoral transition. It started as a six-month commitment. That season will end on December 31st – three and half years from my start date! I did not anticipate my role would last this long.

Even though I’m 71 and “deserving" a rest, people consistently ask me, “So what’s next?” My best answer is, “I don’t know.” People often seem unsettled about my response. In part, it’s because we are so driven to have a gameplan for life. I gave up on that years ago.

I’ve become quite comfortable leaving the details of my future – the next day, week, year or whatever – in the hands of God. This does not mean I don’t make plans when needed (like for travel). But I’ve come to rely on God revealing to me the things I should pursue, in His perfect timing. And right now, I don’t plan to pursue anything after December 31st.

Does this diminish my sense of worth or identity? Not at all. I know what God has gifted me to do. And there are plenty of opportunities to use my gifts to serve. And while I’m not actively looking, no one has come knocking. Yet.

One of my favorite Bible verses reads, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3, NIV) My daily personal time with God finds me quoting Psalm 138:8: “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. (ESV)

Before year’s end — for those interested in my journey — I’ll expand on my “plans” to be available for service. 

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Feasting on Thankfulness

A few days ago, I sat with our pastor as he shared a portion of a sermon from one of his favorite preachers. While I don’t know the title of the message, it was based on Ecclesiastes and it opened with a series of questions around, “What did you expect?” The speaker then detailed a number of painful life experiences of people he’s known where life fell way short of their expectations. As he surmised, underlying the question of “why” such things happened to them was the larger question of why GOD would allow such things in their life.

This coming Thursday is our annual Thanksgiving celebration. We arrive at this occasion because, in previous generations, leaders of our nation have recognized the gracious Hand of God in His provisions for us as a people. No matter your country of origin, recognizing these fruitful blessings from the Creator should be a duty to which we all joyfully aspire.

But many don’t. And I fear a major underlying reason why my fellow Americans miss the beauty of Thanksgiving relates to the question of “What did you expect?” Because our provisions have been so ample for so long, we’ve come to expect that the Almighty is required to provide them. He is not. They come to us only because of His most gracious care and compassion for His creation.

A second reason of ungratefulness is a more troubling one with political implications. It can be summed up in the word “entitlement.” From our earliest settlers in this land – Native Americans certainly included – food, shelter, and clothing demanded that you work to provide them! Prayer became a staple of life for early settlers because you knew weather and natural disasters could destroy your shelter. It could kill off your crops. It could hamper whatever efforts were needed to secure clothing.

The America of today has become the Land of the Hand-out. Government programs of all kinds help you through the insecurities of life. Total misuse of credit cards and terrible decision making are frequently ignored, as legal firms push the idea that this debt is “not your fault.” Of course it is!! But their rescue is worse! You are “entitled” to be free from this burden by using lawyers!

Consciously or not, parents pass this sinister mindset along to their children. By indulging in supplying the wants – well beyond the needs – of our children, the kids have learned to say things like, “Well, Tommy has an X box. Why can’t I?” In other words, “You are not meeting my expectations!” Or my preferred version, “I’m entitled to this!”

I see this played out in the most basic of ways. Rain falls and we complain. Rain doesn’t fall and we complain. (See the western states drought as an example.) We have restaurant workers serving us and kitchen workers preparing our food and we complain if it’s not perfect. The list is too long to continue.

The rubber really meets the road when people can’t take but a few moments each day to thank God for all of His blessings. As the old hymn says, “Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your MANY blessings. See what God has done.” Even a simple table prayer seems to push the boundaries for many.

Anyone reading their Bible would find that the starting point to move past entitlement is gratefulness. Thanksgiving.

There are too many Bible verses to cite. But here’s a good one. “I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.” Psalm 9:1 (NLT) Or read Psalm 111 in its entirety.

If you ever hope to have a meaningful Thanksgiving, best develop the practice of thankfulness all throughout the year. And teach it to your children. Let them know that God is the ultimate provider of all good things.

If we get that in perspective, we may quickly find ourselves on our knees. As Abraham Lincoln said in his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1864, “that on that occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust.”

Come…ye thankful people... come! The table is waiting.

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

https://dailymom.com/nurture/7-ways-to-be-thankful-at-thanksgiving/

Losing Heart…a Bit at a Time

Is losing your “heart" for something the same as losing hope? I don’t think so.

Millions have seen the movie Braveheart directed by and starring Mel Gibson. It’s the story of the Scotsman William Wallace who led a revolt against the English after the woman he loved is slaughtered. Wallace is eventually captured and executed. But his bravery is an inspiration to thousands of men.

At one point in the film, Wallace challenges the troops with this: “I AM William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen, here, in defiance of tyranny. You’ve come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?”

Military battles and warfare challenge aspects of courage and commitment like none other. There is a point where, when watching a cause being defeated amidst the deadly shelling and brutality by an enemy,  it’s almost impossible not to lose heart. Bravery alone does not win battles.

Many are the ways we can lose heart. The recent elections across the nation pitted committed people with opposing views against each other. As the returns were counted, you could see the sense of defeat and loss of hope permeate election night gatherings of the losing candidate. All that work. All that effort. Gone.

You see it in a marriage that has failed. There at the altar, two lives commit to love each other til the end. They vow to stay together in sickness and in health. For better or for worse. For richer or for poorer. But then the hidden personalities get revealed over time. Good intentions were never going to be enough to save two badly broken people. The two hearts grow apart until neither has the heart for each other.

It happens in business. It’s common knowledge that around half of all new ventures fail in the first year or two of operation. And an even greater percentage in the first five years. I’ve walked that road. I know the pain of meeting with a small group of investors to tell them our dream is dead. At some point late in the journey, the heart to continue ran out.

I find that election nights are often one of my most depressing of times. It isn’t as much about the candidates as it is about the soul of what we term as politics. It’s the steady drumbeat of insults, mistruths, and half-truths about people running for office and issues that matter. It’s sickening. And it causes me to lose heart. A little more with each election.

This year, a rallying cry for the progressives was the “fight” to preserve the right to abortion. The people of Michigan were joined by voters in Kentucky, Vermont, and California, opening wide the door for abortions. By law. How excited these lost souls were at the idea that they can terminate the life of a divine creation made in God’s image even up until birth. They celebrate this. And in Montana, voters actually rejected providing healthcare for an infant who survives abortion!

Make no mistake. Illinois and all politicians who align with the governor of this state are on the same page. Lying through their teeth that this is about protecting “reproduction rights.” It’s about killing the innocent and the most vulnerable humans.

And that brings me to why I say that election night can be such a depressing experience. One can lose heart that the soul of our nation can be so dark. Because of my faith, I know that losing heart over lost battles is not the same as losing hope in the God who can change hearts. Hope is fuel for the soul to keep us going even when we lose heart.

The Apostle Paul taught us, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV) Absolutely true. Love is the greatest force of all. But hope can’t be far behind.

And so, we press on.

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

https://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/breakpoint/democracy-isnt-a-worldview-politics-cant-answer-our-deepest-questions.html?aps=623ac23495af8261735dd859918db19d343070b16ddbf4cb6d505f0646deb680&utm_content=720228_20221111_8&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=lst_cw_connecting_through_crisis&utm_source=newsletter&bt_ee=Q6G81QXCJ2pqN6NHi45WKJg3Ws%2F8jyBYtslU4rraudvzC%2Btz4LHkNM%2Fs%2BnvvpOWu&bt_ts=1668175592670

A Salute to Sanity

It must be a challenge to be military recruiters in our day. Their job is to balance putting the best spin on their branch of service, while not creating a distorted reality for the recruit. The constantly changing environment of the military makes this tricky.

Friday is Veterans Day. For us old timers, the past rules for military life seemed pretty clear. Do what you're told. Do it well. Or get out. For those candidating to be officers, I would guess the dropout rate was different from enlisted draftees of my era. Plenty begrudged their call to service.

Two classes of enlisted personnel emerged during the Vietnam era. There were the ones drafted who accepted the choice of Uncle Sam for a two year commitment. Usually that meant the Army or Marines. Guys like me opted for the service branch that they believed was the best match. That “choice” extended the term of service.

So the greatest number of grudge holders seemed to be those who were drafted and let the government decide. But not always. Resentment arises whenever our choices are taken away. And the military takes LOTS of choices away.

Times in the military have changed. To grasp to what degree these changes have impacted our various branches of service, I recommend reading an article by Thomas Spoehr, a retired Army lieutenant general who now serves as director of the Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. The article is titled, “The Rise of Wokeness in the Military.”

The earliest usage of the word “woke” in a political sense first appeared in a 1962 New York Times Magazine article by William Melvin Kelley. It was titled “If You’re Woke You Dig It.” By the 2010s, being woke included an awareness of social inequalities and now involved identity politics and social justice. White privilege and slavery reparations are commonly discussed.

As General Spoehr explains, various forms of “wokeness” have been advancing in the military for several years. He believes the ideology undermines military readiness, saying “It undermines cohesiveness by emphasizing differences based on race, ethnicity, and sex. It undermines leadership authority by introducing questions about whether promotion is based on merit or quota requirements. It leads to military personnel serving in specialties and areas for which they are not qualified or ready. And it takes time and resources away from training activities and weapons development that contribute to readiness.”

As for recent examples of the wokeness problem? In January 2021, President Biden signed an executive order that opened military service to all transgender individuals. Since then, the Biden administration has decreed that active members of the military can take time off from their duties to obtain sex-change surgeries. All related hormones and drugs are at taxpayer expense.

General Spoehr cites changing fitness standards of the military, purportedly with a woke goal “leveling the playing field.” He writes, “The Army recently lowered its minimum passing standards for pushups to an unimpressive total of ten and increased its minimum two-mile run time from 19 to 23 minutes. The new Space Force is considering doing away with periodic fitness testing altogether.”

In 2021, Navy sailors had to watch videos to understand the proper way of using personal pronouns. Service members were instructed to create a “safe space for everybody” by using “inclusive language.” Gender-neutral job titles may follow.

Last summer, multiple media outlets reported on training materials featuring the problems of “whiteness.” These were found at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. One training slide read: “In order to understand racial inequality and slavery, it is first necessary to address whiteness.”

(A link to the article from General Spoehr is below.)

The prophet Hosea wrote, “Let whoever is wise understand these things, and whoever is insightful recognize them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” (Hosea 14:9, CSB)

I’m hoping our country’s military finds it way back to the rightf way. It is then I will offer my salute…to sanity.

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/the-rise-of-wokeness-in-the-military/

A Ghost of a Chance

Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever seen one? I have a bit of family history involving the sighting of a recently departed “ghost.” It fit the dictionary definition of “an apparition of a dead person, which is believed to appear or become manifest to the living, typically as a nebulous image.”

In such a case, we’re not talking about something appearing in a white sheet. Or a nondescript “Casper” who has a friendly disposition. But these apparitions can seemingly be people from the past, whether known or unknown.

In the case of my family, my maternal grandmother would swear that someone who died in the house in which she worked “appeared” in a garden. I think more than once. She was, if you’ll excuse the expression, quite “spooked” by the appearances. My own mother wasn’t sure what to make of it. I’ve always remained skeptical and have avoided sharing my Nana’s stories with any of my children or grandchildren.

I certainly leave an open mind to the possibility of such appearances. Personally, I think these “spirits” are demonic. And very unlike angelic appearances we read about in the Bible.

While living in Pittsburgh, I developed a friendship with a former Army officer who became one of three County supervisors. This man, Bob Cranmer, would later purchase a home that had, um, “issues.” Ghostly issues.

Bob eventually would write a book about the total weirdness of all this including exorcisms that took place at his home. The story is captured in his telling of The Demon of Brownsville Road. A series of television documentaries and dramatizations about this home were released between 2011 and 2016. The large home was opened as a bed and breakfast on Halloween in 2019.

Exactly what kind of supernatural phenomena did the Cranmer family witness? How about furniture that moved on its own. Blood-like substances coming out of the walls. Bent crucifixes. Even destroyed rosary beads. Seriously!

Halloween does one of two things with “ghosts.” We either make them out to be silly forms hung from trees in yards or fear-based characters in haunted houses. In neither case, do we give credence to a more serious concern.

I think an appropriate perspective is provided from a Christianity Today article titled, “Don’t Worry, There are More Demons than You Think.” It is written by Dr. Chris Pappalardo, PhD, a researcher, editor, and writer at The Summit Church.

In his summation of Halloween, Chris writes, “Many believers today don’t approach Halloween like our 9th-century Christian forebears. But in one sense, I think we should. Those believers recognized a pressing question, ‘Are there spirits among us today?’ and did their best to answer it. Halloween raises the same question for us today, but we Westerners tend to dodge it. We make spirits and ghosts into silly games, because—obviously—only the ignorant people of the past believed in stuff like that.”

He then cites several biblical references to the “spirits” of Bible times. You can find such stories in 1 Samuel 28:8-19,  Matthew 14:26, and Luke 24:37. These were men who thought they were seeing ghosts! If the presence of evil surrounding Halloween can offer a “portal to the other side,” Dr. Pappalardo is convinced one night a year of recognition is too little. As he says, “That portal is never closed.” 

As the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:10-12)

We must be careful where we dabble. You might believe that of your own strength you can handle the demonic. Frankly, I don’t think you stand a ghost of a chance.

Just ask Bob Cranmer!

  

That’s Forward Thinking. 

You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?

For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com

Articles of interest:

https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/demon-of-brownsville-road-house-to-open-as-bed-breakfast/

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/october-web-only/halloween-demons-ghost-stories-spiritual-world-silver-linin.html