“When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of God’s love.” —C.S. Lewis

Love, marriage and life should be a package—as in, man meets woman, they fall in love, marry and have children. That’s an ideal designed by God.

In the paradise of Eden, God first formed man, then formed his mate and presented her to him. Whoa! Love at first sight. Man and (wo)man. By their holy union, they became our ancestors, the first human parents birthing the original human family. One man and one woman, married by God.

Due to outside influences and our original ancestors’ broken relationship with God, things became tangled up after that and have been for a long time. Admittedly, while the marriage model was never broken, it has been misunderstood, bruised, sometimes tarnished and often challenged. As a result, in the 21st century, we are teetering on a civil war over human sexuality issues.

A lot of blood has been shed in the aftermath of the war over the human family—animal blood sacrifices, innocent human blood (abortions). God help us, please. Teach us to plead the sacred blood of Jesus!

There is too much accusing and too little truth and mercy abroad in this present battle. Let us consider our frail humanity and approach each other with fear of judgment, pleading for mercy.

“For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13, ESV).

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

We need not only to know the truth; we to help people to see and know the truth.

May God grant mercy and deliverance to all in this matter of holy matrimony and human sexuality. Mercy does not condone the sexual behaviors at issue. Mercy shares the truth of God’s Word in agape love. Mercy loves those who are without understanding of His divine grace and love for the accused and the accusers.

“For all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” All. It’s sadly hypocritical to publicly proclaim that God hates the sin but loves the sinner, while all the time we secretly sneer and use ugly names to brand others.

On the other hand, it’s critically intolerant to bad-mouth Bible believers and deny our constitutional rights for holding to our standards of faith while insisting that we be tolerant of contrasting views.

Sin is real; repentance is a gift. May we all be free to “go and sin no more.” Let us deliver truth that shines light with a heart to bring liberty as part of the judgment process.

Alveda C. King is the daughter of the late civil-rights activist the Rev. A.D. King and niece of Martin Luther King Jr. She is also a civil rights and pro-life activist, as well as director of African-American outreach for Priests for Life. Click here to visit her blog.

Have you ever thought that we could have a generation that does not know God? Judges 2:10 states, “When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.”

What I see in that passage is that one generation did not pass on its heritage to the next. May the Lord help us to tell our children and grandchildren all the good things He has done. We all have a responsibility to disciple those God has placed in our lives.

What is a disciple? A disciple is a learner, one who follows both the teaching and the teacher. If we have a generation that has not been discipled, we must ask ourselves if it is because that generation lost the desire to learn or because we lost the desire to teach. Is it possible that we have grown weary in doing well?

Matthew 28:19-20 tells us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” I need to allow God to relight the flames in my heart, that I may never lose the desire to teach the next generation about the goodness of God. I pray that that is your desire also.

Disciples are people who are following the teaching of God’s Word and the Teacher, Jesus Christ. When people have been discipled successfully, they should respond to the same call to make disciples.

Making disciples is an ongoing process, and prayer is the key to ensuring that it is successful. I pray that the church will rise up and begin to speak more loudly than the world systems. I pray that our young adults begin to hunger after God because of the flame that they see burning in those who teach God’s Word.

Every day we have candidates for discipleship before us in our homes, churches and communities. Let’s put our hands to the plow and not look back.

Reprinted with permission from © The Foursquare Church. Judy Thigpenn is senior pastor of Panorama Full Gospel Foursquare Church in Panorama City, Calif. Click here for the original article.

An epidemic afflicts our generation! Many—dare I say most—Christian men live with the burden lurking in their hearts and minds that they are failing to provide spiritual leadership for their wives. This is even true among godly Christian men who are helping others pursue God.

We are not initiating regular and intentional spiritual connection with our wives. Sure, we share spiritual life from time to time, but not on a regular and intentional basis. What am I talking about? Simply this: praying together.

Be honest. Beyond dinner prayers, bedtime prayers with children or praying at church, in a typical week, how often do you and your wife pray together? Just the two of you, I mean.

A candid answer is likely not a comfortable one. I know that because of the answers from my own life. I have also posed this question, eyeball to eyeball, with a host of Christian brothers. And I know how their answers fare.

I know you don’t need any additional guilt today. Nor do I desire to load you further. It is important to recognize how we have failed because the admission can give way to the repentance of mind and heart, which can open us to viable and lasting changes. But mourning the past, or even the present, will not provide lasting motivation and change.

We need to see something ahead. And that something is an opportunity. I tell you: The opportunity is ripe for us to step into our role and see God show up in very real ways.

My hope is to share a model and call you to a challenge that is not only biblical, but also simple to embrace. It will lead you and your wife to a fresh dimension in your spiritual walk together. You will be bolstered in the storms of life. You will be equipped to provide and protect your marriage and family with confidence. It will impact your children and grandchildren. In fact, it will touch every dimension of your life.

God has brought this matter to the forefront of attention in my own life. And I thank Him for doing so. My wife thanks Him for it as well! I want to share my story so that with me, you can welcome your role with hope and resolve.

Vicki and I have been together in life for almost four decades, and sometimes it feels as if I have no idea where all those years have gone. We came to personal faith in Jesus Christ at the same time during our college days. Since then, we have journeyed the Christian life together. We desire and seek to have a Christ-centered marriage. Yet the “under construction” aspect of marriage means it is an ongoing and on-growing relationship in progress.

And so, Vicki and I ran into a bit of rough patch. A number of issues bubbled around, churning up stress and tension. When all of that ripples over into multiple areas of life, things can get pretty confusing.

I enjoy fishing and, like most fishermen, I suppose, have discovered that sometimes a poor cast will “backlash” and create a bird’s nest of tangled fishing line. If that happens, you are through fishing for a while! Untangling the wadded-up mass of line can be a time-consuming chore—and very frustrating. So one afternoon, Vicki and I realized our line had backlashed. We sat in our living room and attempted to work our way through this difficult season. We were trying to figure out just what was going on.

As we talked, something emerged from Vicki’s heart, which she realized was a key part of what was unsettling for her. “You know what, Sam?” she told me. “Part of what is going on here is that … you have failed me.”

The words were far from normal for my wife to say! She got my attention. “You have failed me” was the last thing I wanted to hear from the woman I have loved for more than 40 years.

Her words did not arise from long-standing bitterness but from a realization that finally came to light for her. She went on to say that I had failed her when our oldest daughter, Christina, had wandered from the Lord into what the Bible calls the “broad way leading to destruction.”

“You did not pray with me to consistently fight for her soul over those years,” Vicki said. “I largely felt like I had to do it on my own.”

This does not mean we never prayed together for our daughter. But it did mean that I had not provided the spiritual leadership and initiative to consistently pray with Vicki for our wayward daughter. I had neglected to intentionally and regularly lead us together with the weapon of prayer to fight for our daughter’s soul. Vicki was dead right!

At the core of the rough patch was the painful reality that our girls were facing a number of serious issues in their lives. Vicki was burdened that, as their parents, she and I needed to be praying together about those matters. Reflecting upon my lack of spiritual leadership in prayer, she continued, “I am emotionally tired and worn out. I just cannot do this alone again.”

But even that wasn’t all. “Sam,” she pleaded, “beyond praying for our daughters, the fact is I need to connect with you spiritually.”

I knew immediately she was right. We needed to be sharing spiritual life together. Sure, to a degree we were. But I would have to describe our spiritual lives as haphazardly “touching together spiritually.” We sort of “bumped along” in occasional spiritual connectedness. We would go to church regularly, pray at meals, talk about a sermon we heard, share spiritual insights and so on. But it definitely lacked intentionality and regular initiative from me. The missing piece was the consistent, intentional connection of praying together.

This article was adapted from Just Say the Word: A Simple Way to Increase Your Passion for God and Your Wife by Sam Ingrassia. For more information about creating spiritual intimacy by praying with your wife, please visit justsaytheword.net.

If there’s a national shortage of apology cards, blame MSNBC. Even if the network actually cared about news, executives wouldn’t have time for it with all the mea culpas the company is pumping out. Following a daily pattern of “offend, rinse, repeat,” MSNBC is becoming the place where personal attacks aren’t just tolerated but encouraged.

The network’s latest bit of nastiness came earlier this week, when an episode of MSNBC’s race-baiting went horribly wrong. In a tweet about Cheerios’ new Super Bowl ad, an employee tweeted from the company’s official account: “Maybe the rightwing will hate it, but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/ biracial family”—implying that conservatives are nothing but a bunch of white racists. It was nauseating, even by MSNBC standards. By now, most Americans know that the network is incapable of civil debate.

But that doesn’t mean the country was going to take the insinuation sitting down. Photos of right-wing biracial families started flooding Twitter, as conservatives like Michelle Malkin led the public shaming of a network that just finished cleaning up another mess with host Melissa Harris-Perry. Obviously, MSNBC didn’t learn a thing from that scandal, when Harris-Perry cried her way into the good graces of the network after mocking Mitt Romney’s black grandson. She got to keep her job—unlike Martin Bashir, who lost his after wishing someone would defecate in Sarah Palin’s mouth. Journalism at its finest.

This time, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus was ready to play hardball. He issued a committee-wide ban on any RNC appearances on MSNBC until the network personally apologized.

“We can have our political disagreements with MSNBC, but using biracial families to launch petty and ridiculous attacks is low,” he said. “It only coarsens our political discourse. This is more than just a tweet or an offhand comment. This is part of a pattern of behavior that has gotten markedly worse, and until Phil Griffin personally apologizes and takes corrective action, we cannot be part of this network’s toxic programming.”

Within hours, Griffin, MSNBC’s president, announced that he’d fired the person responsible for the tweet, with MSNBC.com‘s executive editor insisting, “That’s not who we are at MSNBC.”

But unfortunately, it is what the network’s culture has become. For the last few years, the network has refused to engage in a debate over the merits of any policy or position—and instead labeled anyone who disagrees with them as a bigot. And that kind of hostility isn’t lost on viewers. Even before this scandal, only 3 percent chose NBC or MSNBC as their most-trusted network.

Meanwhile, we should give Reince Preibus credit for sticking up for conservatives and demanding an apology. All too often, Republicans refuse to stand up to the totalitarian tactics of the left. The only way to stop a bully is to stand up to him.

Tony Perkins is president of Family Research Council.

There were some very special words spoken by quarterback Russell Wilson after his team’s emphatic win in Super Bowl XLVIII, and I believe we can apply them as a word from the Lord to each of us.

Wilson, known as a committed Christian, is not the most likely candidate to play as an NFL quarterback, standing only 5’11” tall. But he says that his father, who died in 2010, always said to him as a boy, “Why not you, Russell?”

It was a lesson Wilson took to heart, sharing what he learned from his father with his team, the Seattle Seahawks. As he explained in a post-game interview, from the very beginning of the season, he said to his teammates, “Why not us?” And now they are the Super Bowl champs.

Of course, there’s a powerful lesson to learn about the positive impact a father can have on his children, instilling confidence and godly values in them from an early age. (Conversely, a father can have a terribly destructive effect on his kids by constantly demeaning and devaluing them.)

And it was touching to see how the words of Wilson’s dad, spoken to his smallish son, now helped motivate an entire football team of tough men.

But there was something else that struck me after the game: Why not us? Why can’t God use you and me to shake this generation with the gospel?

On my Feb. 3 Monday radio show—in other words, one day after the Super Bowl—I plan to address the question, “Why not a Jesus revolution now?”

Of course, I know that much of the church in America is in terrible shape, and I’m quite aware that our nation as a whole is spiraling into moral and spiritual chaos. And it wouldn’t surprise me if there was an economic collapse—or even worse—lying in our not-too-distant future.

But what does that have to do with the promises of God and the power of God? What does that have to do with the authority of the name of Jesus?

Are all the forces of hell greater than the gospel? Doesn’t the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you and me?

Why not us? Why not now?

If ever there was a time for a Jesus-centered, Spirit-empowered, moral and cultural revolution, it is now.

Since when does God need a multitude to accomplish His will? Since when is He limited by having only a remnant through which to work?

“The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue” (Ps. 33:16-17, ESV).

As Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few” (1 Sam. 14:6). Yes, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).

John Paton, one of the greatest missionaries in church history, related how he received the calling to leave Scotland and serve in the South Sea islands: “The Lord kept saying within me, ‘Since none better-qualified can be got, rise and offer yourself.’ Almost overpowering was the impulse to answer aloud, ‘Here I am, send me.’”

Gladys Aylward was a British housemaid who was rejected for service by the board of the China Inland Mission because of a serious learning disability. Against all odds, she saved her meager funds and eventually made her way to China—completely alone, without formal support. Her courageous service in China, especially in the midst of terrible war, is the stuff of legend.

Yet she didn’t even believe she was God’s first choice for the job! “There was somebody else,” she later said. “I don’t know who it was—God’s first choice. It must have been a man—a wonderful man. A well-educated man. I don’t know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn’t willing. … And God looked down … and saw Gladys Aylward.”

Today, God is looking down and seeing you and me—if we are willing to surrender our lives entirely to Him. If we are willing to turn our backs on the love of the world and take up our cross and follow Jesus. If we are willing to stop playing games with sin and live holy lives by the grace and power of God. If we are willing to seek Him in prayer and say, “Here I am, Lord. Make me fully usable. Use me to the full. Send me!”

Don’t worry about your lack of qualifications. The less qualified you are in the sight of man, the better qualified you are for God’s service, since “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Cor 1:27-29). Our only boast is in the Lord!

The harvest is ripe and the stage is set. It’s time for a radical move of God that will shake this nation from coast to coast.

The Lord is simply looking for yielded laborers who will make themselves available today—wherever you are, whoever you are.

So why not us? Why not you?

(For practical steps you can take, read “The 10 Commitments of a Jesus Revolutionary.”)

Michael Brown is author of Hyper-Grace: Exposing the Dangers of the Modern Grace Message and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

Someone once asked, “We know it’s a sin to be angry about things that God isn’t angry about, yet is it a sin not to be angry about things that God is angry about?”

We don’t hear many sermons on the anger of God because He is “slow to anger,” but it is real. The Bible tells us to consider both the “kindness and severity of God” (Rom. 11:22, ESV). Once in a while, maybe we should substitute the chorus “God is so good” with “God is so mad.”

Scripture tells us, “Be ye angry, and sin not” (Eph. 4:26, KJV). In other words, there is such a thing as righteous anger toward that which is evil in the sight of God.

Jesus demonstrated this when He rebuked the disciples in their shunning of children who wanted to come to Him. The same was true when He cleared the temple of the money changers who were polluting the house of God.

How about you? As we witness the regular mockery of biblical standards for sexuality, marriage and family in our culture, do you feel what God is feeling—righteous anger? May none of us display a yawning indifference and casual dismissal regarding what’s happening. May the zeal of the Lord of hosts arise in all our spirits to see righteousness restored! And knowing “man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:20), we must channel God’s anger in charitable and constructive ways.

My longtime friend Dr. Michael Brown reminds us to be merciful and reject self-righteousness as we winsomely reach out to immoral people and those practicing homosexuality. But in loving all gays, we must resist the radical gay agenda. “It is the greatest threat to religious freedom in our generation!” he declares. Undergirding this should be a godly passion and holy hatred for what this agenda is doing to destroy biblical morality, marriage and family in our generation.

Going Back to the Grammys

Yesterday someone contacted me, mentioning how timely it was that my last commentary on Michelle Obama and Beyoncé came before Queen Bey’s opening performance at the 2014 Grammy awards. This woman, whom our first lady commends as a role model, sang “Drunk in Love” while writhing as a stripper and censors bleeped unprintables during her “sexcapade seranade.”

Mind you, this presentation wasn’t on late-night cable MTV with Miley Cyrus sensual shenanigans but on a mainstream CBS broadcast during family hours to tens of millions across America and abroad.

The show also featured former Christian Katy Perry flaunting her sex in a satanic witchcraft spectacle with fire, horned men and a sacrificial offering to … ?

Then Macklemore belted out his gay anthem, “Same Love,” as closet lesbian Queen Latifah officiated over a ceremony where same-sex marriages were celebrated.

This annual broadcast is said to represent the very best music has to offer to the world. It also reveals the gravity of the situation we face in our culture today.

That same day, the Disney Channel’s kid show Good Luck Charlie introduced two lesbian moms for our children, and later, NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt, an open homosexual, announced his working with lesbian Ellen DeGeneres for a new lesbian-themed comedy called One Big Happy for network TV.

Let’s face it: America is in deep trouble and in desperate need of spiritual awakening. Our nation, founded on Judeo-Christian principles, has flourished for three centuries but now is teetering on the precipice. Time is of the essence. We must feel what God feels regarding unfaithfulness to His dictates on sexuality and marriage while praying, proclaiming the gospel and presenting a biblical model for the world to see.

Check Out Ezra and Nehemiah 

Two leaders in the Bible who imbibed the anger of God regarding marital unfaithfulness were Ezra and Nehemiah. They knew that favor comes as faithfulness is upheld. They felt what God felt, rejected a spineless approach to what they observed, and were courageous to speak up in their generation, challenging people to align with divine standards. In light of our current cataclysmic moral upheaval, we must do the same.

When Ezra learned how the people had drifted from God’s moral directives, he tore his tunic and cloak, pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat down appalled. He fell on his knees with his hands spread out to God and prayed fervently. He mourned but also took action to call people back to the standards that God had set. No detached, namby-pamby, unemotional approach here! (See Ezra 9 and 10.)

Likewise, Nehemiah, in his day, called the people back to God’s standards for marriage and family without any hint of compromise. Those who were following unrighteous standards, he rebuked, called curses down on them, physically attacked some of the men and even pulled out their hair! With all the passion he could muster, he reminded them what covenant marriage was and drove out the scoffers. (See Nehemiah 13:23-27.) Obviously, we don’t use curses or any type of physical attacks, but we do pray and proclaim truth with courage, conviction and compassion.

“Larry, isn’t this a bit extreme?”

These men were passionate for God’s honor and to see God’s people obey His holy standards for marriage. The Scripture is honest—announcing without approving their actions. The lesson is that there come times for us to recognize the gravity of a situation, renounce passivity and do what is necessary to get ourselves and others back into alignment with God’s Word.

Such a time is now!

Here’s the Deal

• Leaders. Declare the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) to those entrusted to your care. Refuse to shrink back from addressing any controversial topics, such as pornography, homosexuality, gay marriage, adultery, fornication, adultery and cohabitation. Winsomely and biblically equip your people so they understand these issues, can speak to others from a biblical worldview, and are challenged to live a life of happy holiness in accordance with the Word of God. No more avoidance of so-called “political, partisan, controversial” topics that might “offend people, hinder fundraising or make us less seeker-sensitive.”
• Married Couples. Determine to surround yourself with like-minded people in the context of a local church who reject the notion of easy divorce, understandable affairs or a lack of accountability and transparency in authentic, supportive relationships.
• Parents. Recommit yourself to honoring God’s standards for morality and marriage while modeling it at home; prioritizing regular times for creative (not boring or lengthy) devotional instruction and prayer; and carefully monitoring media influence, Internet usage, cellphones and selection of friends.

As pastors, couples and parents, let’s also support wholesome entertainment alternatives. Seize teachable moments for instruction and interaction on today’s hot button moral issues.

A quality film in the theaters at this time is called Gimme Shelter, which presents the pro-life position in a non-preachy way while upholding the importance of family and care for troubled youth.

I’ve worked for the past four years on a video that is now available free for viewing on YouTube. It’s called “Is Gay OK? 10 Things Everyone Needs to Know.” With all the falsehoods swirling around us in our culture deceiving millions—especially our young people—this video is a must-see.

Internationally known evangelist Bob Weiner says, “This is not a product but a prophetic statement to our generation!” Watch it. Post links. Share it on Facebook. Let righteous anger motivate you to Spirit-led action and making a difference in these closing hours of history.

We are not alone in what the Bible calls the “perilous times” of the last days prior to His glorious return (2 Tim. 3:1). We may not be a majority, but we will not remain a silent majority any longer.

On the night of the Grammys, my wife and I watched a special two-hour broadcast of The Bachelor on ABC. We never watch the show but tuned in because for the first time in 17 seasons, they featured a live wedding of a couple that was special. Like very few paraded on the show, this young man and young woman had pledged to live pure; the groom’s father was a pastor; and they unashamedly prayed plus spoke of Jesus.

My wife and I could hardly believe what we were seeing! When the beaming groom said unabashedly, “I’m proud of my faith,” and his glowing bride stood at his side, it was obvious they were different—ambassadors for the King of kings and Lord of lords. May we all do likewise in these trying times.

“So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life” (Phil. 2:15-16).

Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author and cultural commentator with over 40 years of trusted ministry experience. His passion is to bring perspective, analysis and insight from a biblical worldview. He loves people and loves awakening them to today’s cultural realities and the responses needed for the bride of Christ—His church—to become influential in all spheres of life once again.

According to a 2012 Gallup poll, 27.2 percent of Americans are obese and 35.5 percent overweight. These figures probably come as no surprise to you, considering the pleasure-crazed, five-senses-satisfying society in which we live.

A short drive down the street will take you past (or straight to) fast-food restaurants whose aim it is to tempt your taste buds with mouth-watering burgers and crispy super-sized fries. A night at the movies often makes buckets of popcorn and liters of soda the main attraction. Birthday parties and holiday feasts boast platters and platefuls of casseroles, cookies, chips and dips to make merrier the celebration.

We often find ourselves eating not because we are hungry but because we experience fleeting moments of pleasure bursting from the flavors of our favorite foods. When those moments vanish, we’re on to the next bite, and the next bite …

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, gluttony is defined as “excess in eating or drinking.” Having a slice of cake on our birthdays or enjoying a box of candy at the theater isn’t gluttony. It’s when the act of eating becomes excessive and all-consuming that it becomes gluttonous.

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that makes it all too easy, all too acceptable, to nibble to our hearts’ content. We’re encouraged by family members to go back for seconds and urged by advertisements to get the combo meal and super-size it. Rarely do people call our overeating to our attention, and so the notion that it is sinful and selfish tends to elude us.

If you struggle with gluttony, here are three questions that, when honestly answered and positively addressed, will not only kill cravings, but also replace them with a hunger for more of God and a thirst to pursue His will for your physical health.

1. Is this meal needful or sinful? Sins can be readily identified with a simple question: Will doing this eventually harm me or someone else? From cigarette smoking to lusting, from cheating on a test to cheating on your spouse, every sin carries with it a harmful repercussion if we don’t repent and turn back onto the narrow road. Smoking may lead to larynx or lung cancer, lusting to a pornography addiction and damaged relationships, and so forth. Gluttony sows seeds of obesity, which, when watered, consistently grow into fearsome, health-choking blossoms of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Don’t be a slave to your appetite. Instead, strive to be a steward of the marvelous, masterfully designed body God’s given you. You honor Him when you honor your temple with moderation and discipline and serve as a beneficial, even life-saving, example to others.

2. Why am I eating? People often eat when they feel bored, stressed, sad or celebratory. During moments of idleness, snacking seems a harmless “time out,” an opportunity to pass the time and provide some pleasure before moving on to the next activity or appointment on our schedule. When stressful situations arise, many find comfort in a handful of candy. When people feel disappointed or rejected, they often turn to their favorite junk food to numb the sting of sadness. Others, after a fantastic day that couldn’t have gone better, also overindulge in unhealthy foods and quantities out of sheer happiness.

First Corinthians 10:31 tells us to glorify God in everything we do, even eating and drinking. When you eat, do so to fill your stomach, not an emotional void you sense down in your soul. Of course, humans have been gathering around food to celebrate for thousands of years; there is nothing sinful about this! It is when the celebration turns into our own worship of food and feasting that we need to remind ourselves of our calling to honor God with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

3. Have you been in God’s Word? Jesus said that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4, NIV). Often our physical hunger is a sign of spiritual malnutrition. When we neglect to spend time in the Scriptures, we deprive ourselves of the life-giving power contained in its living, active” words (Heb. 4:12)! We find solutions for our boredom, relief for our stress, remedies for our sadness and poetic expressions for our happiness when we dive into the pages of the Bible and let our spirits soak up its all-satisfying sustenance.

The next time your body tells you that you need a “food fix,” listen for what your spirit is asking for. It could very well be craving time with its Creator.

Diana Anderson-Tyler is the author of Creation House’s Fit for Faith: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness and her latest book, Perfect Fit: Weekly Wisdom and Workouts for Women of Faith and Fitness. Her popular website can be found at dianafit.com, and she is the owner and a coach at CrossFit 925. Diana can be reached on Twitter.

A pro-life group is calling on the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to allow the song “Alone Yet Not Alone” from the movie of the same title to compete with other selections for the Oscar award after its nomination was revoked last week.

Artists for Life created a petition asking the Academy to reverse its decision.

“Bruce Broughton has a long and distinguished career which deserves better treatment at the hands of the Motion Picture Academy,” says Artists for Life Director Albert Strong. “God will use this questionable ruling for His glory, and the song will be magnified through this episode more widely than we can know.”

Broughton, a former Academy governor and executive committee member in its music branch, composed the song. The Academy said on Wednesday that Broughton had used his position within the organization to contact voters about his own submission of the song, which was “inconsistent” with the Academy’s rules on Oscar nominations campaigning.

Someone once asked, “We know it’s a sin to be angry about things that God isn’t angry about, yet is it a sin not to be angry about things that God is angry about?”

We don’t hear many sermons on the anger of God because He is “slow to anger,” but it is real. The Bible tells us to consider both the “kindness and severity of God” (Rom. 11:22, ESV). Once in a while, maybe we should substitute the chorus “God is so good” with “God is so mad.”

Scripture tells us, “Be ye angry, and sin not” (Eph. 4:26, KJV). In other words, there is such a thing as righteous anger toward that which is evil in the sight of God.

Jesus demonstrated this when He rebuked the disciples in their shunning of children who wanted to come to Him. The same was true when He cleared the temple of the money changers who were polluting the house of God.

How about you? As we witness the regular mockery of biblical standards for sexuality, marriage and family in our culture, do you feel what God is feeling—righteous anger? May none of us display a yawning indifference and casual dismissal regarding what’s happening. May the zeal of the Lord of hosts arise in all our spirits to see righteousness restored! And knowing “man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:20), we must channel God’s anger in charitable and constructive ways.

My longtime friend Dr. Michael Brown reminds us to be merciful and reject self-righteousness as we winsomely reach out to immoral people and those practicing homosexuality. But in loving all gays, we must resist the radical gay agenda. “It is the greatest threat to religious freedom in our generation!” he declares. Undergirding this should be a godly passion and holy hatred for what this agenda is doing to destroy biblical morality, marriage and family in our generation.

Going Back to the Grammys

Yesterday someone contacted me, mentioning how timely it was that my last commentary on Michelle Obama and Beyoncé came before Queen Bey’s opening performance at the 2014 Grammy awards. This woman, whom our first lady commends as a role model, sang “Drunk in Love” while writhing as a stripper and censors bleeped unprintables during her “sexcapade seranade.”

Mind you, this presentation wasn’t on late-night cable MTV with Miley Cyrus sensual shenanigans but on a mainstream CBS broadcast during family hours to tens of millions across America and abroad.

The show also featured former Christian Katy Perry flaunting her sex in a satanic witchcraft spectacle with fire, horned men and a sacrificial offering to … ?

Then Macklemore belted out his gay anthem, “Same Love,” as closet lesbian Queen Latifah officiated over a ceremony where same-sex marriages were celebrated.

This annual broadcast is said to represent the very best music has to offer to the world. It also reveals the gravity of the situation we face in our culture today.

That same day, the Disney Channel’s kid show Good Luck Charlie introduced two lesbian moms for our children, and later, NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt, an open homosexual, announced his working with lesbian Ellen DeGeneres for a new lesbian-themed comedy called One Big Happy for network TV.

Let’s face it: America is in deep trouble and in desperate need of spiritual awakening. Our nation, founded on Judeo-Christian principles, has flourished for three centuries but now is teetering on the precipice. Time is of the essence. We must feel what God feels regarding unfaithfulness to His dictates on sexuality and marriage while praying, proclaiming the gospel and presenting a biblical model for the world to see.

Check Out Ezra and Nehemiah 

Two leaders in the Bible who imbibed the anger of God regarding marital unfaithfulness were Ezra and Nehemiah. They knew that favor comes as faithfulness is upheld. They felt what God felt, rejected a spineless approach to what they observed, and were courageous to speak up in their generation, challenging people to align with divine standards. In light of our current cataclysmic moral upheaval, we must do the same.

When Ezra learned how the people had drifted from God’s moral directives, he tore his tunic and cloak, pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat down appalled. He fell on his knees with his hands spread out to God and prayed fervently. He mourned but also took action to call people back to the standards that God had set. No detached, namby-pamby, unemotional approach here! (See Ezra 9 and 10.)

Likewise, Nehemiah, in his day, called the people back to God’s standards for marriage and family without any hint of compromise. Those who were following unrighteous standards, he rebuked, called curses down on them, physically attacked some of the men and even pulled out their hair! With all the passion he could muster, he reminded them what covenant marriage was and drove out the scoffers. (See Nehemiah 13:23-27.) Obviously, we don’t use curses or any type of physical attacks, but we do pray and proclaim truth with courage, conviction and compassion.

“Larry, isn’t this a bit extreme?”

These men were passionate for God’s honor and to see God’s people obey His holy standards for marriage. The Scripture is honest—announcing without approving their actions. The lesson is that there come times for us to recognize the gravity of a situation, renounce passivity and do what is necessary to get ourselves and others back into alignment with God’s Word.

Such a time is now!

Here’s the Deal

• Leaders. Declare the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) to those entrusted to your care. Refuse to shrink back from addressing any controversial topics, such as pornography, homosexuality, gay marriage, adultery, fornication, adultery and cohabitation. Winsomely and biblically equip your people so they understand these issues, can speak to others from a biblical worldview, and are challenged to live a life of happy holiness in accordance with the Word of God. No more avoidance of so-called “political, partisan, controversial” topics that might “offend people, hinder fundraising or make us less seeker-sensitive.”
• Married Couples. Determine to surround yourself with like-minded people in the context of a local church who reject the notion of easy divorce, understandable affairs or a lack of accountability and transparency in authentic, supportive relationships.
• Parents. Recommit yourself to honoring God’s standards for morality and marriage while modeling it at home; prioritizing regular times for creative (not boring or lengthy) devotional instruction and prayer; and carefully monitoring media influence, Internet usage, cellphones and selection of friends.

As pastors, couples and parents, let’s also support wholesome entertainment alternatives. Seize teachable moments for instruction and interaction on today’s hot button moral issues.

A quality film in the theaters at this time is called Gimme Shelter, which presents the pro-life position in a non-preachy way while upholding the importance of family and care for troubled youth.

I’ve worked for the past four years on a video that is now available free for viewing on YouTube. It’s called “Is Gay OK? 10 Things Everyone Needs to Know.” With all the falsehoods swirling around us in our culture deceiving millions—especially our young people—this video is a must-see.

Internationally known evangelist Bob Weiner says, “This is not a product but a prophetic statement to our generation!” Watch it. Post links. Share it on Facebook. Let righteous anger motivate you to Spirit-led action and making a difference in these closing hours of history.

We are not alone in what the Bible calls the “perilous times” of the last days prior to His glorious return (2 Tim. 3:1). We may not be a majority, but we will not remain a silent majority any longer.

On the night of the Grammys, my wife and I watched a special two-hour broadcast of The Bachelor on ABC. We never watch the show but tuned in because for the first time in 17 seasons, they featured a live wedding of a couple that was special. Like very few paraded on the show, this young man and young woman had pledged to live pure; the groom’s father was a pastor; and they unashamedly prayed plus spoke of Jesus.

My wife and I could hardly believe what we were seeing! When the beaming groom said unabashedly, “I’m proud of my faith,” and his glowing bride stood at his side, it was obvious they were different—ambassadors for the King of kings and Lord of lords. May we all do likewise in these trying times.

“So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life” (Phil. 2:15-16).

Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author and cultural commentator with over 40 years of trusted ministry experience. His passion is to bring perspective, analysis and insight from a biblical worldview. He loves people and loves awakening them to today’s cultural realities and the responses needed for the bride of Christ—His church—to become influential in all spheres of life once again.

For many singles, Valentine’s Day can be the loneliest and most difficult day of the year. Connie Wetzell, co-author of the new book The YOU Plan: A Christian Woman’s Guide for a Happy Healthy Life After Divorce, encourages singles to think of Valentine’s Day as a day to show love in general.

Here are 10 tips that you as a single person can use to survive Valentine’s Day:

1. Invite some of your single friends over. Make it special. Have them each bring a dish to share and a small gift to exchange. Give each guest a single rose.

2. If you have children or grandchildren, order pizza and plan a special game or movie night.

3. You might know someone that’s in need—perhaps an elderly person that’s home alone. Reach out to them. Bring a meal and spend some time with them.

4. You may know a couple that has small children. Offer to babysit so that they can have a night out.

5. There are often dinners, dances and other events planned for singles on Valentine’s Day. Check your local paper or nearby churches for happenings in your town. Don’t stay home. Go and have a good time.

6. Do something nice for yourself. Buy yourself flowers or that item that you have had your eye on at the mall. Or schedule a little pampering, like a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure.

7. If you can’t afford to pamper yourself, do it at home. Listen to some great music, take a bubble bath, light candles, drink tea, eat chocolate and curl up with a good book or watch a movie. Or, if you’re really feeling ready and adventurous, this might be the day to create your profile and sign yourself up for a reputable dating website.

8. Plan something you would like to do later in the year, like a weekend getaway with a friend, that new hiking trail you’ve wanted to try, a dance or cooking class, etc. Give yourself something you can look forward to.

9. Call your parents, siblings or other close family members. Tell them how much you love and appreciate them. Relationships don’t always last. Family is forever.

10. Count all your blessings and actually write them down. When you see all the good that’s going on in your life, you won’t feel so deprived on Valentine’s Day. Then get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow will be here before you know it.

Connie Wetzell’s new book, The YOU Plan: A Christian Woman’s Guide for a Happy Healthy Life After Divorce, is a woman-to-woman, faithful and hopeful approach to topics like acceptance, forgiveness, loneliness, online dating, sex, money, finding friends and caring for your physical, financial and spiritual health. Co-authored by Michelle Borquez, it is available now wherever books are sold. For more information, visit the official website at www.YouPlanBook.com.