What is important is for shepherds to take seriously their responsibility to protect their flocks.  Don’t ignore issues threatening the purity of the church or moral practices of the sheep.  Likewise, don’t ignore the reality of the “. . . the massive escalation in hostility toward Christianity and a biblical worldview.” A spiritual battle is definitely raging, and unprepared sheep are prey to the immense assault.  

It is evident that America and Western civilization are strongly undergoing re-paganization in both perspective and practice.  This is manifest especially in the areas of sexual morality, identities, and justice.  However, what is equally alarming and disconcerting is such paganization has taken measuredly hold in the church—in individual churches, denominations, and in the three principal branches of the Holy Catholic (Universal) Church.
It has occurred to me that the first century church was instructed and prepared for living in a pagan world.  Written in the first or second century, The Didache, known as The Lord’s Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations, prepared believers how to live in a pagan society.  It begins with the Two Ways, the Way of Life and the Way of Death.  This section contains moral practices that counter accepted pagan practices.  In other words, the early Christians (the Lord’s sheep) were instructed and prepared for the spiritual battles they would have to fight personally in themselves and exteriorly in the societies in which they resided.
This brings up the issue of spiritual battle, which this is.  How are we to live today with such a pronounced and pushed agenda coming from the ancient evil one?  A recent advertisement for a podcast appeared on a Christian website.  It stated, “Retrieving classical Christianity to create authentic reform in the church today.”  Bingo!  Oh, excuse me.  I should say, Eureka!  I was immediately reminded of The Didache—a prime example of classical Christianity.  
One trait of this paganizing process, according to a ruling elder in a Reformed Faith church, is “a massive escalation in hostility toward Christianity and a biblical worldview.”  Later, he states, “. . . there are sound evangelical churches attended by individuals who are openly celebrating transgender family members with virtually no response by church leadership.”  That is just one issue not addressed by some church leaderships.  The same is true for the above references to the broader areas of sexual morality, identities, and justice.
So, between this escalation of hostility and the pronounced agenda, what can Christians, churches, and church leaders do?  Two actions:  1) Retrieve classical Christianity that communicated both faith and practice akin to The Didache and 2) address false ideologies and practices in a timely manner—don’t ignore them.
It is needful perhaps to identify practices that might contribute to not feeding and protecting the flocks when assaults on God’s divine revelation enter or invade churches.  Two come to mind, which are solely expository preaching and short homilies.  These relate to both different denominations and branches of the church. The former tends to minimize “the whole counsel of God” by spending more time on narrow sections of Scripture.  Historically, the apostles and church dealt with issues as they arose and would draw responses from diverse passages of God’s divine revelation to emphasize and thoroughly treat a specific issue.  This isn’t against expository preaching; it simply indicates one weakness. Irregular topical preaching addressing a current issue can balance this lack and benefit the flock. Likewise, the former, i.e., short homilies, tend to be pithy but leave very little room for healthy catechizing or instruction, and rebuttal of false ideologies, practices or teachings.
What can church leaderships do if either are unable or unwilling to address cultural or societal ideologies invading the church in a timely manner from the pulpit?  It is understandable they may feel their habitual practice is what God has called them to do.
One sound and valid suggestion is to communicate regularly in writing to the congregation.  A written communication personally addressed to each member can alert, educate, and warn the flock against false teachings and practices by stating and verifying the biblical principles involved and the church’s position on such issues.  This shouldn’t merely be posted on the church’s website, but rather should be sent to the members’ homes.  Not everyone is online or actively goes to websites regularly.
What is important is for shepherds to take seriously their responsibility to protect their flocks.  Don’t ignore issues threatening the purity of the church or moral practices of the sheep.  Likewise, don’t ignore the reality of the “. . . the massive escalation in hostility toward Christianity and a biblical worldview.” A spiritual battle is definitely raging, and unprepared sheep are prey to the immense assault.  Shepherds, rise to the occasion:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to standfirm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is notagainst flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against thepowers, against the world forces of this darkness, against thespiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6: 10-12?
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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This rare, awesome, phenomenal, and remarkable event is both an opportunity and lesson to make God our priority when experiencing or observing it while recognizing His handiwork.  At the same time, it’s also an opportunity to see how the spiritual realm replicates the natural realm with practical application to life and to our personal lives.

One of the benefits of aging is awareness that some events will be the last of their kind in one’s life.  Admittedly, some may consider it a downside.  But those who are realistic accept and take it in stride.  For many Christians and, hopefully, the majority, opt for realism as they anticipate the blessed hope promised in God’s Word and to be at home with the Lord.
At my age, the total eclipse on April 8, 2024, will definitely be the last of its kind in my life.  Having observed it behind the prescribed lenses with others was an awesome experience—awesome both naturally and spiritually.
Naturally, its rarity and astronomical appearance amazes and delights our natural senses.  To think we can anticipate its occurrence in advance and be equipped to observe it healthfully with no damage to our eyesight, as well as considering the distance involved, seems almost miraculous. The heavens are vast and most spectacular.
Spiritually, to consider the Creator, who awesomely and majestically created such an ordered and vast universe, and regularly scheduling such a phenomenal occurrence, brings only adoration and praise to be known of Him and to know Him. Realistically, how can anyone observe the heavens and believe they randomly occurred without a great Designer? Additionally, the personal thoughts and spiritual lessons that come through such an event and moment in time are edifying and thought-provoking.  I am always surprised when unassumed or non-previous spiritual lessons come to mind, as it did on this occasion.
At this late stage of my life, two spiritual lessons came out of this natural event and phenomenon—lessons that never occurred to me previously:

The least sliver of the sun’s light left in an eclipse still provides the daylight to which we are accustomed, which attests to its incomprehensible power and radiance.
The sun is not eclipsed or darkened by some evil, as the moon is good and provides light at night. 

Observing the eclipse where I live it was not total.  It ended with a very, very thin sliver of its radiance that continued to give the day more than enough light.  It occurred to me that no matter how much the light of God’s divine revelation or the Gospel is denied, hidden, or persecuted, there is always enough to bring its light to our attention and to that of a lost world.  In other words, it will continue to transform lives bringing knowledge of our Creator and atonement, redemption, and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Secondly, this thought came through as never before.  That which obstructs the light of the sun in an eclipse is not some evil.  It’s something normally considered good, that is, the moon which provides light during the night.  What can we learn from this?  It’s possible that what obstructs the light of God’s Word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is often not some great or evident evil, but rather much that appears good such as priorities usurping God’s place and priority in our lives—priorities such as loyalty to family or friends, loyalty to work or other activities, loyalty to nation, prioritizing good works extraneous of faith, perhaps prioritizing political allegiances, and many other priorities.  True, evil darkens God’s light, but this eclipse reminds us that even perceived good can darken the sun’s/Son’s light in our lives.
Are we able to recognize that not only evil but much that appears to be good and positive can so prioritize itself obstructing God’s holy light and goal, which is to bring glory to Him and to transform our lives to be obedient to His will?
This rare, awesome, phenomenal, and remarkable event is both an opportunity and lesson to make God our priority when experiencing or observing it while recognizing His handiwork.  At the same time, it’s also an opportunity to see how the spiritual realm replicates the natural realm with practical application to life and to our personal lives.
This last phenomenal astrological event in my life poignantly reminds me that I must not only discern good from evil but good from priorities.  My highest and principal priority is to be God solely, my heavenly Father and Creator, God the Son my Redeemer and Savior, and God the Holy Spirit my Sanctifier to live to God’s glory.  My triune God demands my total adoration and focus as a total eclipse demands my total awe.
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us,But to Your name give gloryBecause of Your lovingkindness,Because of Your Truth.” (Psalm 115: 1)
I am grateful to God for allowing me to live long enough to see this phenomenal event and to learn these lessons.
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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Spiritual “doldrums” can be a place in time or a mental state.  If it’s where we are, an important attitude and action is required to survive and see it through. That attitude and action is summed up in perseverance. Perseverance enables us to focus on our destination.  Perseverance plays a vital role in discipline that urges us on in Bible reading and prayerfulness.  Perseverance promotes fellowship and communion with other believers, elevates public worship, gives direction, and bolsters hope and joy; it undergirds works of charity and compassion.

I’ve never sailed on a sailboat, but I have sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea on ocean liners.  The eight-day voyage across the Atlantic on the Michaelangelo was peaceful; the two-day and one-night voyage across the Mediterranean from France to Tunisia on the L’Avenir was something else.  Le Mistral, a strong northern wind, spills over the Alps rushing across France to the Riviera and Marseille, blowing across the Mediterranean, and affecting weather in North Africa.
Working in Marseille, I learned the French call it “le balai” (the broom).  It sweeps grime and dirt away.  It chose that day to exercise its right.  I and many others experienced an indefensible seasickness.  It so roiled the waters I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be on a sailboat.  Could anything be more dangerous than this?
Attending a memorial service for a friend’s husband, the pastor mentioned that, in conversations with him days before he died, he shared his sailboat experiences.  He spoke of the doldrums.  He said the “doldrums” could be more dangerous than a storm.  That thought piqued my curiosity.  I researched this phenomenon and learned: “The ‘doldrums,’ a nautical term, refers to the belt around the Earth near the equator where sailing ships get stuck on windless waters.”  Sailboats could get stuck for days or weeks—unable to move.  According to how well equipped they are, windless days could outlast supplies and the crew could all die.
I couldn’t resist thinking what a metaphor for spiritual life!  Isn’t it true that when buffeted by life’s storms, we tend to pray more fervently, seek God’s face and deliverance more urgently, and rely more faithfully on the Lord?  We may intently seek fellowship or communion with other believers. Searching the Scriptures becomes needful for understanding in such times.  Isn’t it also true that it’s in the storms of life we grow, become stronger and are stretched in our trust?  It’s when our faith is most deepened?  Church life becomes a haven—a refuge; we’re not alone or isolated.  Storms encourage us to focus on destination—where we’re headed and to keep afloat.
What do “doldrums” reflect in one’s spiritual life?  We become stuck in a motionless rut, stagnant, failing to progress or advance, suffering ennui, languishing, becoming spiritually listless, and undisciplined. Perhaps saddest of all, we may allow ourselves to become isolated from other believers.  Spiritual inertia, indolence, apathy, disinterest, or lethargy not only set in, they dominate.  There is evidence of a Bible never opened, prayers never uttered, corporate worship absented, life directionless, hopeless, joyless, a loss of love for God, and charity toward others.  Spiritual engagement decreases, if not disappears.
The “doldrums” appear at different times in one’s life.  They may appear when we’re our busiest in careers or focused on family responsibilities.  The expression, “The barrenness of busyness” is paradoxically closely akin to the “doldrums.”  “Doldrums” can appear in the midst of ministry or following a grand spiritual achievement.  Vulnerability to the “doldrums” can occur in the aging process when one begins to slow down, stamina decreases, mobility becomes more limited, and when many loved ones are no longer present to challenge, cheer or encourage us on in spiritual pursuit.
Spiritual “doldrums” can be a place in time or a mental state.  If it’s where we are, an important attitude and action is required to survive and see it through. That attitude and action is summed up in perseverance. Perseverance enables us to focus on our destination.  Perseverance plays a vital role in discipline that urges us on in Bible reading and prayerfulness.  Perseverance promotes fellowship and communion with other believers, elevates public worship, gives direction, and bolsters hope and joy; it undergirds works of charity and compassion.
Perseverance is the Holy Spirit’s enablement to face a Mistral or the “doldrums.”  I’ve experienced both, and perhaps you have, too.  The Apostle James tells us what we need to know in any situation: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”  (James 1: 2-4).
In Hebrews 11: 4, God testifies of Abel, “. . . though he is dead, he still speaks.”  Likewise, though my friend’s husband is dead, “He still speaks.”  He did to me.  Storms can be dangerous, but the doldrums can be just as dangerous.  To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Beware of the “doldrums.”
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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Jesus humbly submitted Himself to begin in the earliest stages of human life, to be confined in a small space in amniotic fluid hidden from the world, and dependent upon nourishment and protection from a woman.  This is simply about the incredible state of humiliation of Jesus Christ, “the Word,” that John wrote was “made flesh” for our redemption.

Celebrating Advent Sunday, my pastor preached on John 1: 1-14 focusing on “The Word Made Flesh.”  The Gospel of John begins with this awesome truth: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.”  This is a mystery being revealed, as God said: “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness . . .”  when creating man (Genesis 1: 26). The plurals “Us,” “in Our image,” and “Our likeness” represent a mystery alluding to a plurality as to who God is.
John continues in the 14th verse: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us . . .”  Generally speaking, this causes us to think of the Word as the baby born in Bethlehem under unique circumstances.
Perhaps most are like me in thinking of that Word becoming flesh only after He was born.  However, as my pastor continued to preach, my mind and spirit went where it has never gone before with regard to what happened to Mary: “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:20). The Word  that was conceived in Mary began as a zygote (an egg fertilized by the Holy Spirit—not a human sperm), developing into an embryo, and becoming a fetus.  He was in one of those phases of development when Mary visited her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was carrying John the Baptist who in the womb did something very unusual: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. . . For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy” (Luke 1: 41, 44).
John the Baptist, still developing in Elizabeth’s womb, leaped for joy!  Why?  Because God, His Lord and Savior—who was also developing in the flesh, had just entered their home in the womb of Mary; John was aware of God in the flesh.  Is this not a mystery further startling our comprehension?
Thanks to sonograms and ultrasounds that show the phases of development of infants in the womb, we have an advantage today that previous generations didn’t have. Videos reveal the movements of infants, their knitted formation, their growth, and their beauty.  We know how early a heartbeat begins, when hearing develops, how they exercise their limbs, suck their thumbs, can be treated surgically, and so much more.
Is it possible the “Word made flesh” took place before Jesus was born and while in the womb of Mary? Jeremiah 1: 5 supports this possibility: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you . . .” 
Or, Psalm 139: 13-17: “For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. . . wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance . . .”
Christ’s humility expressed in Philippians 2: 6-7 may have even begun before He was born: “. . .  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men…. Jesus humbly submitted Himself to begin in the earliest stages of human life, to be confined in a small space in amniotic fluid hidden from the world, and dependent upon nourishment and protection from a woman.  This is simply about the incredible state of humiliation of Jesus Christ, “the Word,” that John wrote was “made flesh” for our redemption.
As we meditate during this Advent season, may we marvel on the awesome wonder that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ humbled himself in order to reconcile us to God.
“The Word made flesh” took place in a womb, and was then manifested in a manger.  God’s ways are past finding out.  “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Romans 11: 33). The incarnation is a mystery that keeps inspiring us to holy awe.
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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It goes without saying that Reformed Faith churches owe their very existence to John Calvin and Martin Luther. And if such a premise is true, isn’t it worth becoming acquainted with them in a more-than-superficial manner? Do we know anything more about Luther than the fact he nailed 95 theses on a church door? Is there more to John Calvin than the greatly misunderstood doctrines of election and predestination? Yes, so much more!

Years ago, Reformation Sunday never passed my city, St. Louis, Missouri, without a real turnout of Protestant Christians to Kiel Auditorium to celebrate the historical birth of the “Justification by Faith” movement. Today Reformation Sunday comes and goes with hardly a whimper from the evangelical sector. There are perhaps many reasons for this, including a possible ecumenical spirit and desire not to emphasize differences. However, it is also possible that special recognition of the Reformation has fallen into silent disrepute because evangelicalism has lost its fervor for sound doctrine. The emphasis has switched from doctrine to need-meeting (a form of narcissism). Many flock into churches today to have personal needs met rather than to know more intimately a great God or His will for the Church.
It goes without saying that Reformed Faith churches owe their very existence to John Calvin and Martin Luther. And if such a premise is true, isn’t it worth becoming acquainted with them in a more-than-superficial manner? Do we know anything more about Luther than the fact he nailed 95 theses on a church door? Is there more to John Calvin than the greatly misunderstood doctrines of election and predestination? Yes, so much more! I will even venture to confess here the impact Martin Luther had on me when I was eleven years old. I borrowed a book on Martin Luther’s life from the bookmobile that came to our elementary school once a week. It was a child’s book, but it communicated the fact that he experienced a turning point in his life and a personal relationship with God. Thanks to that story, I became a truth seeker at a very young age and searched for a personal knowledge and relationship with God. The fulfillment of that search became a reality when I was 19 years old.
Both John Calvin and Martin Luther, of course, can be faulted in one way or another from our “enlightened” perspective. We are not called to put anyone on a pedestal; and from our present vantage point, they would not desire such from us either. Nonetheless, the personal pilgrimages and teachings of these two men changed the known world of their day upside down, and 506 years later continue to impact us today.
Perhaps the greatest vestige of the Reformation attributable to John Calvin is his Institutes of the Christian Religion, one of the most positive interpretations of the Christian religion. His prefatory letter to Francis I is a model of a “learned, eloquent, elegant, dignified address of a subject to his sovereign,” according to A. M. Fairbairn. “It throbs with a noble indignation against injustice and with a noble enthusiasm for freedom and truth. It is one of the great epistles of the world, a splendid apology for the oppressed and arraignment of the oppressors.” I can’t resist the thought that if families included the Institutes of the Christian Religion in their home libraries and read it frequently, a hardier Christianity would emerge today which would impact our culture greatly. Calvin was a super spiritual strategist. Within a period of eleven years, his center of education in Geneva sent at least one hundred sixty-one pastors into France. “They were learned men, strenuous, fearless, praised by a French bishop as modest, grave, saintly, with the name of Jesus Christ ever on their lips . . . The Reformed minister was essentially a preacher, intellectual, exegetical, argumentative, seriously concerned with the subjects that most appeared to the serious-minded.” Most of all, the teachings of the Christian faith, according to Calvin, transformed the men and women in the pew into a learned, vibrant, respected (and often persecuted) followers of Jesus Christ.
As for Martin Luther, according to Martin F. Marty, “There’s no more consistent strand in Luther than the gospel of forgiveness. That theme still isn’t heeded well.” Today, the gospel of self-esteem and marketing the church based on people’s needs takes precedence over the teaching of sound doctrine. Martin Marty also notes that, “Our culture promotes human ability and human will, as did the indulgences culture in Luther’s day, as a way to bring salvation.” If Luther lived today, he would probably direct his central message to the evangelical church itself. How history twists and turns!
John and Martin were two men who lived intensely in their day, who knew God and served Him diligently and without compromise. They were unashamed lovers of God and of His written revelation. If we are to experience revival or reformation in our day, such men and women are needed once again. Are we willing to pick up the torch which once beamed so brightly and to dare hope for true reformation in the Church in our day? If so, we must willingly give serious study to the Word of God and doctrine as these men once did. Let’s pick up the torch and run with it to the glory of God and for the sake of His Church!
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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Envision worship in heaven. We’d never imagine poorly attired cherubim and seraphim imbibing some drink while worshiping God, would we?  Nor any angel or host of angels responding to God in any type of lackadaisical manner.  Neither should we. We should come to God in worship with our humblest attitude, appropriately attired, not distracted with earthly needs, and not sharing his glory with any human being.  All who are present in our worship services should be overwhelmed by how we all are focused on the one true God and revere his majesty.

As a missionary to the Muslim world, I couldn’t be unimpressed with the reverence Muslims bring to their worship of Allah—standing, then on knees and touching their heads to the floor.  In Christendom there are different approaches to the practice of worship. For example, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches bring a visible reverence to worshipping God, kneeling, sitting, and standing according to the liturgy taking place.  Protestant churches, whether evangelical, reformed or progressive, traditionally show reverence in worship in their regular practice of sitting and standing.  Lately, there have been some changes in some of the latter; a casual, less reverent ambiance appears to be growing in some churches.
What are some trends of lapsing down reverence of worship to Almighty God?  One may have begun with clerics no longer wearing robes, which is neither right nor wrong. Yet it may have measurably diminished formality and authority (consider that judges wear robes as a sign of their authority). More formal or less formal attire doesn’t contradict Scripture—first century church leaders dressed as everyone else.  Israelite priests wore specific apparel as commanded in the Law.
Another is casual dress.  In the past, people attending worship dressed in their “Sunday best.” What people wore was intended to show respect for God; understandably, if we aren’t careful it could turn into making a fashion statement.  The result was that whether rich or poor, the manner of dressing appropriately to the occasion made all more equal in appearance.  It appears that in recent years our overall manner of dress has become more casual to the point that our clothing appears poorer with holes and such in them.  It may mean that the unintended consequence of dressing down may result in a lack of respect toward God as we worship him, in contrast to the Psalmist exhortation,  “Worship the Lord in holy attire” (Psalm 96: 9).
Can the approaches to worship over the centuries be called a  lapsing-down of worship? By “lapsing-down” is a way to describe a lapse of awe, reverence, and worship of Almighty God as our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer and Judge. Our worship is to be directed to God alone.
Now the practice is to applaud or clap after musical performances or testimonies. Why may this be disconcerting?  Worship is to laud and honor God alone.  Scripture refers to clapping to God, which clapping while singing may be appropriate.  We don’t normally clap for the Scripture readings, prayers, or sermons, do we?  These parts of worship may be more appropriate to receive such affirmation, more than applauding human performances. Children can be taught to sing to the Lord to bring attention to Him and not to themselves. Worship and entertainment are not the same.
Another trend current in our modern worship is bringing drinks into the sanctuary.  Worship is not entertainment in a theater or a lecture in a classroom.  Worship is other worldly; it’s spiritual.  Sipping or drinking can be disrespectful in worship.  What’s next, eating in worship?  The time to eat and drink in worship is during the sacrament of Lord’s Supper.  There is a certain decorum expected at formal events such as a presidential address.  That is not the time or place to drink coffee or lemonade, which those attending don’t. Doesn’t God deserve better?  Our entering into God’s presence is a call to humility, awe, and reverence.
Dr. Carl R. Trueman recently wrote, “God is a consuming fire and to be approached with awe and reverence.”  Envision worship in heaven. We’d never imagine poorly attired cherubim and seraphim imbibing some drink while worshiping God, would we?  Nor any angel or host of angels responding to God in any type of lackadaisical manner.  Neither should we. We should come to God in worship with our humblest attitude, appropriately attired, not distracted with earthly needs, and not sharing his glory with any human being.  All who are present in our worship services should be overwhelmed by how we all are focused on the one true God and revere his majesty. Instead of lapsing in our worship, rather let us acclaim in our worship the glory He deserves:
“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, The Almighty, Who was and Who is and Who is to come; Worthy are You, our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power” (Revelation 4: 8, 11).
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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God is holy.  All His actions and pronouncements are holy.  They must not and do not deserve to be compromised.  The above represent subtleties in that they do not appear to be active or aggressive evil attitudes or acts.  At least, that is how they might appear to us.  But how do they appear to a holy God?  Slighting or taking lightly His holy character, actions, perspective, or pronouncements dishonors and disrespects Him in every way.

Unholy darkness is so subtle that it may compromise relating to words or actions out of either ignorance or insensibility on the part of some Christians.  Due to the subtleties, a greater need for holy sensibility or awareness needs to be encouraged.  A first experience to this need for me came through another language—French.
My first two years of language studies for missionary service were spent in Montpellier, France: French in my first year and Arabic in my second year.  Members of the French church I attended would invite me to dinners in order to assist my proficiency in the French language through conversation.  One evening, I had dinner with two sisters.  After dinner (Where I had to learn to eat potato chips with a fork and knife!) they pulled out a word game named Diablo (Devil).  It was akin to Scrabble—composing words with lettered tiles.  Unlike Scrabble where an unlettered tile could be used for any letter foregoing a score, this game had the image of a devil on the tile to be used similarly.  One of the words needing another letter was “CHR__ST.”  It was one sister’s turn to add a letter where she could.  She placed the deviled tile in the blank space, spelling “CHRIST” with the devil’s image in the middle of it.  Looking on, I was shocked and thought to myself, “I could never spell such a holy name using a devil to score.  I would forego a turn and lose points rather than combine the unholy with the holy.”  To me—without judging her, I thought such a move lacked holy sensibility.  It was a compromise.
I was also confronted with a frequently-used French exclamation by even some believers.  Coming from the States, I was familiar with commonly uttered profane usage of God’s or Jesus Christ’s name in vain, which is prohibited to all.  It was a while before I recognized the French use of the word God in vain appearing at first innocuous because it didn’t damn anyone or wasn’t used against someone.  It was simply, “Mon Dieu”! (“My God”!).  Eventually, it came to me as virtually calling on God without really wanting Him.  In effect, it is simply an exclamation calling on God in vain.  It too represented a compromise.
Do these relate to holy sensibility vs. compromise today and here?  There are an infinite number of ways, but following are a few.
Perhaps the greatest compromise of all is misnaming murder as a woman’s right, health care, or abortion.  The term abortion originally related medically to natural miscarriage, not coerced miscarriage.  It comes from Latin, “abortionem (nominative abortio) ‘miscarriage.’” In French, avortement (abortion) was still used for natural miscarriages when I was there.  Not realizing this until later caused misunderstanding on my part.  Please note holy sensibility so rampantly missing in regard to this unholy act against the most vulnerable and innocent numbering in the millions.  Unfortunately, many claiming to be Christian fail to see it for what it is, i.e., killing a genuine human being in an early stage of life.  This is compromise.
Another prolific compromise relates to identifying an immoral propensity, temptation, or acts to one’s position and union in Christ.  The usage and acceptance of the term “Gay Christian” by so many is a compromise involving an unholy association with a holy union between a believer and Jesus Christ.  No other sexual propensity, temptation, or sexual acts ever become an identity factor of one’s position or union in Christ.  This, too, compromises the holy with the unholy.
One other compromise is accepting the rainbow colors in a flag or diverse objects—God’s holy promise and sign following severe judgment for evil on earth—for activism representing ungodly attitudes and actions. “I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth . . . I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I make a cloud appear over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud . . .” (Genesis 9: 11, 13-14. God’s holy covenant sign must not be compromised with unholiness or sin.
God is holy.  All His actions and pronouncements are holy.  They must not and do not deserve to be compromised.  The above represent subtleties in that they do not appear to be active or aggressive evil attitudes or acts.  At least, that is how they might appear to us.  But how do they appear to a holy God?  Slighting or taking lightly His holy character, actions, perspective, or pronouncements dishonors and disrespects Him in every way.
Let’s pray for and exercise “Holy Sensibility” by not compromising even in the subtlest of offenses against God. “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1: 15-16).
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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John Murray wrote in his book Principles of Conduct, “And the import is that the holiness of God demands holiness on the part of those who enter into such a covenant relation with Him.” Therefore, any desire to see or know the Lord must be accompanied by the wiliness to be holy. John Murray further states, “The holiness which is demanded by the covenant fellowship is expressed concretely in obedience to the divine commandments.”

As youngsters, my brother and I visited an uncle serving as an army colonel at Fort Huachucha, Arizona. One evening, we had dinner at the Rancho Grande Hotel in Nogales where Gordon McCrae and Shirley Jones were staying. They were starring in “Oklahoma,” which was filmed in Arizona because Arizona was more like what Oklahoma used to be –- so we were told! We were thrilled to see these and other movie stars close-up.
While having a malt at a sidewalk café in Denver one evening last summer with my brother and his family, a couple of movie stars with roles in Dynasty (a TV soap opera) came and sat down at a table next to us. My niece and nephew were quick to recognize them. This time I didn’t! I’m not an evening soap fan. Years later, a younger generation is just as thrilled at seeing the stars.
It is a natural human desire to want to see someone we love or someone famous or powerful. Does this normal desire manifest itself in our Christian lives? Does it go beyond wanting to see some famous Christian preacher or writer? How many of us desire to see God? Even if a few of us were able to admit that we desire to see Him (Many of us aren’t ready to pass through death’s dark veil or do not feel spiritually prepared yet.), there remains a foreboding warning, “. . . without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12: 24)
Proximity and opportunity may enable us to see a great or famous person. However, as John Murray wrote in his book Principles of Conduct, “And the import is that the holiness of God demands holiness on the part of those who enter into such a covenant relation with Him.” Therefore, any desire to see or know the Lord must be accompanied by the wiliness to be holy. John Murray further states, “The holiness which is demanded by the covenant fellowship is expressed concretely in obedience to the divine commandments.”
While living in today’s materialistic, hedonistic, and humanistic culture, both the idea of holiness and obedience to God’s commandments appear outmoded, antiquated and passé. Some consider “walking in the light” as “living in the dark ages.” In days gone by, many who sought to be holy isolated themselves from the surrounding culture by withdrawing from society altogether. Others formed communities and cloistered themselves off from the world. Some withdrew to an isolated spot and became hermits. But God’s demand for holiness and obedience was meant to be practiced in the midst of life, not outside of it—and for the sake of the world, not in spite of it. One wonderful and awesome fact for which we should be grateful is that the standard remains constant and the same for all peoples and all ages. This should comfort us as and if we pursue holiness.
Are we giving God priority in our lives, maintaining Him as our one and only God and overcoming any competition for first place in our lives with things or people? He expected this of all people from the very beginning. Even success should not be our number one pursuit. Is it difficult to keep the Lord’s Day holy? In some societies, Sunday is a common workday, yet believers there strive to keep the commandment. Is it difficult to lead pure, moral lives? It never was easy; yet the commandment has remained the same. Are we uneasy or frustrated with what we have, wanting more? It is no easier for believers in the Third World to be content with their pittance in life.
This is a time for renewal for us. Let’s pray A Disciple’s Renewal prayer which has been handed down to us from the Puritans:
O MY SAVIOR,help me.I am so slow to learn, so prone to forget, so weak to climb.I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights:I am pained by my graceless heart,my prayerless days,my poverty of love,my sloth in the heavenly race,my sullied conscience,my wasted hours,my unspent opportunities.Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may bemore decision in my character,more vigor in my purposes,more elevation in my life,more fervor in my devotion,more constance in my zeal.As I have a position in the world,Keep me from making the world my position.May I never seek in the creaturewhat can be found only in the Creator.We desire to see the Lord—Holy, Holy, Holy – Amen.
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.

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It’s telling that the Associated Press chose not to show respect for religious values when it comes to sexual morality. For AP, June Pride Month licenses its writers to insult religious people for their ancient and current beliefs. This is a form of intolerance veering into hatred, especially anti-Jewish hatred, that deserves to be called out and shamed every time it occurs.

As I read the paper the other morning, I found an article titled, “Pride parade held amid tensions.” It was an Associated Press article and related to a Pride parade in Jerusalem. In the very first paragraph, it engaged in open insults against religious conservatives in the Israeli government.
Israel is always interesting to me due to reading the Torah (or, as Christians say, the Old Testament) beginning when I was a child. Therefore, I pay a certain amount of attention to news related to that nation. I also have had the privilege of visiting the Holy Land and places important to both Jews and Christians.
The article’s first paragraph read:
JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of people on Thursday marched in Jerusalem’s Pride parade — an annual event that took place for the first time under Israel’s new far-right government, which is stacked with openly homophobic members.
I was shocked to read those words: “. . . which is stacked with openly homophobic members.” How do they know they’re “homophobic” and not simply religious Jews and people?
Shame on the Associated Press for resorting to name-calling, e.g., “homophobic members.” Would they call people who are religious and disapprove of adultery, “adulteryphobic?” Or would they call those who oppose pedophilia “pedophobic?” There are other sexual acts or relations that could also be named that are mutually considered sinful and forbidden by Islam, Orthodox Judaism, and Christianity.
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The month of June has been usurped by the “father of lies,” (John 8: 44) who “deceives the whole world,” (Revelation 12: 9), and who disguises himself as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11: 14).  In other words, many churches and our nation have readily turned over an entire month to serious evil—serious, yet so deceptive that it is embraced by so many, even believers in Jesus Christ.

June, which some have designated as “Gay Pride Month,” is not the time for church leaders to be silent.  It’s the most appropriate, opportune, pertinent, and relevant time to address the heavy spiritual darkness hanging over the Church and our nation.
Pastors and elders, follow the model of the Apostles who addressed serious issues as they arose.  Remember the Jerusalem Council in Acts.  Remember the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans—especially chapter one, his letter to the Corinthians dealing with incest in the church, and Jude’s short epistle dealing with the sin and doom of ungodly people.
The month of June has been usurped by the “father of lies” (John 8: 44); who “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12: 9), and who disguises himself as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11: 14).  In other words, many churches and our nation have readily turned over an entire month to serious evil—serious, yet so deceptive that it is embraced by so many, even believers in Jesus Christ.
Pastors and elders, this is not the time to ignore such evil, to be cowardly in the face of such evil, or to be compromised by such evil.  Your flocks, your sheep desperately need your faithfulness to God’s Word in exposing evil for what it is. See Ephesians 5:11-12: 1:
“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of” (ASV).
“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” (ESV).
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret” (NIV).
The your sheep are inundated with deceptive messages deviously proclaiming sexual immorality and more as blessed, good, loving, righteous, wholesome and legal.  Your flocks contain some mature believers, but many new believers, many youth believers, many parents, and many children—all of whom are vulnerable to such strong messaging.  Sadly, many churches and Christians have not only accepted the message but have embraced and even practiced it.  The deception is so appealing, attractive, beguiling, captivating, enticing, seductive, and subtle.  These may be many words, but they powerfully define and describe Satan’s devices.
Growing up in a Presbyterian, Reformed Faith church, it wasn’t until later in life I realized that any Scripture relating to the sin of homosexuality was skipped over in sermons and Sunday school lessons.  We never learned there was such a sin being practiced. As a result, no young person was warned about the dangers or the temptations to these sexual sins and how to resist and renounce them.  In other words, we grew up naïve and ignorant—thus vulnerable.  Do you wish that for your young people and flock?
Pastors and elders, now is the time to address such a sinister sin.  Do it in love, but firmly.  Don’t soft-pedal it with jumping onto other sins such as greed, gossip, etc.  In the hierarchy of sins, this is a serious one because God commanded death to anyone guilty, and He used the harshest of adjectives and modifiers to describe how heinous and serious it is.  When preaching on the sins of greed, pride, adultery, concupiscence, one doesn’t veer off to other sins to soft-pedal those.  The Church is dealing today with what is termed the “Third Way.”  The emphasis is so much on love or ignoring some issues that truth is canceled out or dismissed.  When it comes to sin, whether immorality or other acts of unrighteousness, there is only “One Way,” and that is to proclaim what God said about them– to expose them, call for confession and repentance, and then forgive and restore the sinners.
It gives me no personal pleasure in focusing on or writing about this topic, but the force of the advocates for sin are so strong and taking prisoners—even deluding Christians—that it demands being addressed openly, cautiously, firmly, lovingly—but above all faithfully and truthfully.   Many lives are at stake, especially the lives of members of your flocks.  “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Romans 3: 4) relative to this issue.  Don’t you wish to instruct and protect them?  If you genuinely love your sheep, you will sacrificially protect or rescue them as much as you would feed and nourish them.
Pastors and church leaders, now is the time to stand up and step up to the present challenge.  And while doing so, assure your flocks that believing God over Satan or the world does not make one “homophobic.” That has to be one of Satan’s shrewdest tricks.
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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