When we are grafted into the family of God by the blood of Yeshua, we begin the journey of a lifetime. The journey is one of growth and spiritual maturity, of walking in faith rather than fear.

This new way of thinking that aligns with our newness in Christ isn’t accomplished overnight. It’s a process and takes practice.

Thankfully, God is in the business of making roads in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. He can and will spiritually mature you when you give Him access to your heart and mind.

From Sinner to Saint—The Father Invites Us to Step into the Wholeness of Messiah and Mature

Romans 5:8 tells us that God accepted us when we were still sinners through Yeshua, the Messiah. But He doesn’t leave us there. Our new identities are worked out—manifested—over seasons and through new habits and patterns we discover in His Word.

He moves us forward, setting us apart for His purposes and glory. He transforms us from sinners to saints; this transformation is spiritual maturity.

We become spiritually mature as we begin to come out of agreement with the old ways of thinking and the enemy’s lies and into agreement with God’s Word—the sword of the Spirit—who gives us new ways of thinking.

The Battle We Are In

We are in a battle over value systems. A war rages against biblical values that guide choices and establish moral grounds, providing a bedrock for spiritual maturity. The enemy’s strategy is to divide and alter our value systems so we will operate out of a carnal mind rather than out of the mind of Christ.

If we want to win the battle, it is critical for us to be spiritually mature and stay rooted in biblical principles.

We must put on the full armor of God and wield the sword of the Spirit, day by day and moment by moment.

We must have a heart that seeks the wholeness God offers through Yeshua.

God is moving the body of believers into new levels of faith, equipping us for positions of authority to walk in dominion and be empowered. In this next season, we must claim and activate the Word that allows us to walk in victory and wholeness—body, soul and spirit (1 Thess. 5:23).

We must walk in God’s ways to become spiritually mature.

Ways of operating in the past won’t work in this next season. We know God’s ways are not ours (Isa. 55:8-9). They are higher and better. When we surrender to them, they give us spiritual results and transform our lives.

Paul wrote to the Colossian believers and told them he heard about their faith in Jesus and their love of the saints, and he was thankful. He prayed for them to be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding…” (Col. 1:9).

First, we must put our faith in Yeshua… every day. Then we must love and care for our brothers and sisters and invite the Spirit to fill us with the knowledge of God’s will… every day.

This is our prayer for the body of believers today—to grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

God says that His people perish for lack of knowledge. The enemy seeks to kill, steal and destroy. He wants access to our value systems to tear them down. Spiritual maturity closes the door, so he can’t get a foothold in our lives.

Doubt, depression, unbelief and trading His ways for the world’s are a few ways the enemy attacks. This causes our minds, wills and emotions to crumble and perish, leaving gaps in our thoughts and value systems so he can fill them with fleshly desires.

Spiritually maturity provides protection so we can fulfill our purposes and cut off the perishing thoughts that come our way!

Spiritual Maturity—Moving from Milk to Meat

“I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”—1 Corinthians 3:2-3.

These words from Paul remind us that spiritual people want spiritual results (1 Cor. 2:14). Paul makes it clear that the only way to grow in spiritual maturity is to “not perceive the world as natural man does.” Instead, we are to spiritually discern the world around us by putting on the mind of Christ and getting into the flow of the Holy Spirit.

1. Get into God’s Word daily. Our faith doesn’t rest in worldly wisdom but in the power of God, which is revealed to us through the Spirit as we read the Word and pray in the Spirit. We cannot recognize God’s voice if we do not study the words He has spoken. When we get in sync with and tune in to His voice through His Word, we can apply it to our daily lives and get spiritual results.

2. Let patience have its perfect work in us. The Father always wants to take us deeper into His love and wisdom, but this challenges us to move past our comfort zones. When comfortable, we become prideful and stop growing and maturing spiritually.

James told us to count trials as joy because our faith is tested through them, and we grow in patience. Patience and maturity go hand in hand. Just as it is difficult for small children to be patient, when we are “babes,” as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:1, we won’t allow patience to flow through us, producing maturity.

Patience has a “perfect work” to do in us so that we lack nothing. Patience works out the wholeness and completeness we have in Messiah.

3. Pray and decree God’s Word. Spiritual maturity begins by getting into God’s Word. Then we practice and activate it through patience and praying God’s Word. It’s like taking the keys to the car and putting them in the ignition. You have the car, the gas tank is full and the keys are in your hand. To move forward, you must put it all together.

God is not hoping or searching for a reason to discipline. He’s looking for a way to release grace, mercy and blessings upon you! We release those blessings by decreeing God’s Word in the heavenly courtroom.

Do we sometimes need to be corrected when we’ve veered from God’s ways? Absolutely. But we can’t let the enemy lie and tell us that God doesn’t want to bless us.

When we begin decreeing and believing His promises, which are full of abundant blessings, we begin to bring what is written in the books of heaven to earth.

In Consistency Lies the Victory

In the consistency of getting into God’s Word, allowing the fruits of the Spirit to be worked out in and through us, and praying and decreeing God’s Word, we will spiritually mature, get spiritual results, and walk in victory.

Hold fast to the faith.

Starve your fears.

And anticipate the goodness of God to bless you in the season ahead.

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Curt Landry, founder of Curt Landry Ministries, and his wife, Christie, travel extensively, preaching and teaching about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Together, their passion is to empower families to live and leave Kingdom legacies and understand their own personal heritage.

An ordained Church of England (CofE) chaplain, who was fired from his job and secretly reported to the UK government’s terrorist watchdog for a moderate sermon in a school chapel on identity politics, will appeal an employment tribunal ruling handed down this week.

After being fired, Rev. Dr. Bernard Randall had taken his employer, Trent College in Nottingham, to court for discrimination, harassment, victimization and unfair dismissal. He’s being represented by the Christian Legal Centre, the legal ministry of the religious freedom watchdog Christian Concern.

Randall described the latest ruling against him as a “blow for free speech and Christian freedoms.”

“I am extremely disappointed at this result. It is a personal blow, but more importantly, it is a blow for all those who believe in freedom of speech, in freedom of religion and in an educational system which opens the minds of young people rather than narrowing them or imposing an ideology that many or most in our society find troubling,” he said in a statement.

“It is a foundational principle of a truly democratic society that the free exchange of ideas is good for everyone,” Randall said.

“In this case, mainstream Christian beliefs about marriage are held by a minority in society, albeit a substantial one. They are hardly extreme: they arise out of God’s deep love for all people, and his desire for full human flourishing. They deserve to be taken seriously,” he noted.

“On the other hand, the beliefs of gender identity ideology are themselves held by a minority and are controversial, to say the least. They also deserve to be taken seriously. However, it cannot be right for a school to teach them as if they are undisputable facts, and to shut down those who wish to take an open thoughtful approach to the well-being of young people,” Randall explained.

“The Tribunal’s ruling makes the free exchange of ideas in schools, and in wider society much harder. I understood that the whole point of the Equality Act is to protect minorities. It feels today as if Christians are one minority who are not afforded that protection, and I believe that is wrong on every level,” he concluded.

Randall, 50, from Derbyshire, was ordained by the Church of England in 2006. He had been employed by the school for four years until he was dismissed in 2019.

As CBN News reported in September of 2022, he told the East Midlands Employment Tribunal that the school had shown “absolutely no regard for the concern [he] had for those upset or confused by the implementation of Educate and Celebrate”—a group that provides training “to embed gender, gender identity and sexual orientation into the fabric” of their organizations.

According to The Daily Mail, Randall told the tribunal in a written statement, that it was clear that the charity’s stated objective was to promote LGBT inclusion in schools. However, he said E&C went beyond “a natural stance of inclusivity into the active promotion of ideas which he believed amounted to identity politics.”

He also claimed much of E&C’s program appeared to him to be “contrary to Christian teaching.”

Randall told the tribunal about a September 2018 meeting at the school when representatives of E&C urged staff to chant “smash heteronormativity”—the concept that heterosexuality is the normal form of sexual orientation—the BBC reported.

Randall said he did not participate in the chanting.

He was told by his supervisors at the school that they “would not simply implement the entire Educate and Celebrate program as presented, but would make selective use of whatever fitted with the Trent ethos.”

He later discovered that the school intended to implement the entire program.

The chaplain said there were several concerns among the school’s community that were brought to his attention about the program.

“Some objected to elements on religious grounds; others found the aggressively political approach concerning, feeling that beliefs were being forced on them; others were simply confused about what they could, or could not, believe,” he said.

According to Randall, when one child asked “How come we are told we have to accept all this LGBT stuff in a Christian school?” he decided to respond by carefully writing an explanatory, moderate sermon giving the Christian viewpoint and emphasizing the importance of “respecting those with whom we disagree.”

He gave the sermon twice during chapel, once with minor alterations, and spoke to various staff and pupils ages 11 to 17, according to the Christian Legal Centre.

In his sermon, Randall said, “You do not have to accept the ideas of LGBT activists.”

Even though he knew it might “ruffle a few feathers,” he told the tribunal he didn’t expect any complaints about it, the BBC reported.

The attorney representing the school asked Randall if he was being deliberately provocative and undermining the program the school was implementing.

“The school has no place telling pupils they have to accept an ideology. I would say that even applies to Christianity,” he replied.

“I don’t think it ever occurred to me that anyone would think that was offensive,” Randall added.

Reported as a Terrorist to Government Watchdog

However, within weeks of presenting the sermon, the school told Randall he had violated the school’s LGBT agenda. He was first told that the school contended that gender identity was a protected characteristic. Second, they claimed that psychology textbooks say there are three genders. But the real problem, according to school officials, was not what Randall had said but how the sermon made people feel.

During his disciplinary meeting, Randall was given notes that showed he had been reported to Prevent, the U.K. government’s counter-terrorism watchdog, as a religious extremist. He was later told the watchdog had returned the school’s report, declining to investigate. {eoa}

To read the rest of this article, visit our content partners at CBN News.

Reprinted with permission from . Copyright © 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. All rights reserved.“

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President Joe Biden on Monday once again waded into the ever-contentious transgender issue, calling restrictions surrounding children who identify as trans “cruel” and “close to sinful.”

“Now, transgender kids is a really harder thing. What’s going on in Florida is, as my mother would say, close to sinful,” Biden told “The Daily Show,” referring to the Sunshine State’s restrictions on transgender interventions for kids. “It’s just terrible what they’re doing.”

The president continued, “It’s not like a kid wakes up one morning and says, you know, ‘I want to become a man, or I want to become a woman.'”

Biden, who didn’t get specific on which policies he was referencing, pondered what people are thinking on the issue and said he believes there needs to be federal legislation to protect transgender children.

“It just, to me, is, I don’t know, it’s cruel,” he said. “We make sure we pass legislation like we passed on same-sex marriage. You mess with that, you’re breaking the law and you’re going to be held accountable.”

Biden’s comments come as conservative and Republican-led states continue to place restrictions on gender-related medical interventions for kids.

As CBN News reported in November, the Florida Board of Medicine and the state Board of Osteopathic Medicine approved a ban on puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries.

“I appreciate the integrity of the Boards for ruling in the best interests of children in Florida despite facing tremendous pressure to permit these unproven and risky treatments,” Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general, said after the decision.

Biden’s comments intensify the percolating battle between the White House and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has been targeting “woke” policies in schools and culture and who is believed to be a potential 2024 presidential challenger.

For the rest of this article, visit our content partners at CBN News.

Reprinted with permission from . Copyright © 2022 The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. All rights reserved.

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Sean Feucht’s recent stop on the Kingdom to the Capitol Tour in Washington, D.C., sent a powerful message to the nation—a great awakening is coming and the kingdom of God will prevail over America.

During the six-day event in the nation’s capital, Feucht and thousands of others prayed and worshipped for revival, including Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado, whose light shines as a beacon for Christ in Washington in the midst of corruption and godlessness in our government.

“Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has been such a hero, and God has her in Congress for a reason,” Feucht said as he brought Boebert to the stage in front of the Supreme Court.

A charismatic Christian, Boebert, who reclaimed her seat during the mid-term elections in November, proclaimed her boldness for Christ and hope for America going forward.

“The Bible tells us to declare a thing and it shall be established,” Boebert said. “Thank you, Father God, that these (Supreme Court) Justices have wisdom and a revelation knowledge of You, that they may know the hope of their calling and that they will stand boldly.

“Today we celebrate life as though it has already happened. What would our victory look like if the matter was already won? The Lord God fights our battles. We declare the end from the beginning, and today, we stand for life. Do not relent. Do not back down.

“God has no pleasure in the souls that draw back. So, press in, and go forward. God bless you and God bless our Justices. Plead the blood of Jesus over them and over this nation.”

Boebert also joined Feucht in worshipping Jesus on the main floor of the capitol building, prompting author, preacher and podcaster Lance Wallnau to comment on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lance Wallnau (@lance_wallnau)

“This video is so inspiring! It reminds me that we still have representatives who are truly submitted to the King of kings.” {eoa}

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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.

Something strange—and perhaps supernatural—is happening on Arizona State Route 87 at the 200-mile marker, located between Phoenix and Payson.

This week, Fox News Digital reported that a truck driver’s dashcam video showed a mysterious figure appearing on the side of the road. The video has viewers wondering exactly what it is they are seeing in the video, recorded around a.m. William Church, the truck driver with the video cam, is especially intrigued.

Church told Fox News Digital that there were no other cars on the road when he noticed a bright glare in his Nexar dashcam, which he thinks could be a ghost. He told Fox Television Stations that he thinks “the translucent figure looks like a person ‘just standing in the roadway.'”

“You can see the lines through the legs making the figure,” Church says.

The video lasted for six seconds. The dashcam was installed for security reasons.

Fox News Digital reported that “many fatal car accidents have happened on the 60-year-old highway, which has reportedly led some locals to believe the road could be haunted.

Valley Chevy Dealers in Phoenix named State Road 87 as one of Arizona’s “most dangerous roads” for its beeline-like route that has a “lot of looping turns.” A recent fatal car crash happened on Arizona State 87 near milepost 201 in early February, Fox 10 Phoenix reported.

It has been reported that “viewers who have seen Church’s video on YouTube claim they’ve seen a lot of supernatural activity on Arizona Highways and in other public spaces.

“They’re out there,” on YouTube commenter wrote on Monday, March 13.

“Yep, saw it … yeah, it does have a most definite ghostly appearance,” another YouTube user wrote. “That’s for real I think.” {eoa}

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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisa Media.

Here’s a quick summary of the top stories on :

Fruition of David Wilkerson Prophecy Is Shaking the Church

Mario Murillo says David Wilkerson saw it coming. The scope and sensationalism that has engulfed our churches for years—something that has left the church empty and dry—will no longer be tolerated by God. True children of God want more, and a separation, Murillo says, is coming our way very soon for a “massive number of Christians” who will experience this strange miracle.

“The Holy Spirit is separating them. He has selected them for special grace and power to do mighty acts at the edge of history,” Murillo says. “They will be uniquely equipped to face the sophisticated evil of our time. But it all begins by making peace with the Holy Spirit and restoring His rightful place in our hearts and in the church.

“Take a close look at the book of Acts and you will see the disarming down-to-earth way they related to the Holy Spirit. While they revered Him deeply, they had a sense of his nearness and His involvement in their day-to-day operation. They behaved as if He was close by and they could almost see Him. Most of all, they anticipated His instructions.”

Former “The Office’ Star Calls Out Anti-Christian Bias in Hollywood

In what may be somewhat of a surprise to many believers, some secular actors, writers and directors are now beginning to call out the anti-Christian bias that has become prevalent in Hollywood over the past few years, Fox News Digital reported.

One of the most recent and visible examples comes from Rainn Wilson, a former cast member of NBC’s “The Office,” who criticized on social media last weekend an incident from the HBO Series “The Last of Us.”

On Twitter, Wilson said, “I do think there is an anti-Christian bias in Hollywood. As soon as the David character in ‘The Last of Us’ started reading from the Bible, I knew that he was going to be a horrific villain. Could there be a Bible-reading preacher on a show who is actually loving and kind?”

More Evidence That the World Is Losing Its Mind

In the midst of many positive things that are happening in America and abroad, including the beginnings of both spiritual and moral awakenings, there’s also plenty of evidence that, on another level, the world is losing its mind. Here are some striking, recent examples.

Writing for Breitbart, Jack Montgomery reported that, “Women and ‘non-binary’ people with breasts will be able to go topless at Berlin swimming pools after a ruling from the German capital’s diversity ombudsman.”

Indeed, “Dr. Doris Liebscher, who heads the city’s ombudsman office, hailed the change, saying: ‘The ombudsman very much welcomes the decision of the bathing establishments because it creates equal rights for all Berliners, whether male, female or non-binary and because it also creates legal certainty for the staff in the bathing establishments.'” {eoa}

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The second largest shut down of a bank in U.S. history just happened and now everyone is wondering if this will have a domino effect. Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) which is America’s 16th largest commercial bank collapsed last week along with Signature Bank.

SVB, along with many other banks invested the money coming throughout their doors into bonds, a seemingly normal practice. With the continual spike in interest rates, the price of the bonds fell and the assets which many banks relied on decreased in price. This drove worried depositors to rush to the ATM and withdrawal their money out of their accounts. Now, there is a question on whether other banks will follow in the same footsteps as SVB.

President Joe Biden assured Americans on Monday that “our banking system is safe,” adding: “We will do whatever is needed on top of all this.”

This, along with the continuous other financial concerns facing America’s economy today can leave you feeling a little anxious. It’s in those moments that we are to look at the Bible to see what God’s promises are—not man.

In these trials, be careful not to fall into the tricky Prosperity Gospel teachings traps. They come in with pastors or leaders telling you to give to the church and God will give it back to you and more, which actually causes significant spiritual harm to believers. One of the most common verses used in the Prosperity Gospel is in Philippians.

Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply your every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Yes, God wants you to succeed and live a prosperous life but more than anything this verse from the apostle Paul is talking about your spiritual life. We know in this life there will be hard times. They are guaranteed. But, we can rest assured that God will always take care of us.

What was the context Paul was talking about when he said God will supply your every need? Earlier in verses 11-13 Paul told the Philippians to learn how to be content with whatever they have. A practice all Christians should take note of. Paul wrote to the Philippians that he knew firsthand how to live on almost nothing and live with abundance.

In his letter, Paul shares the secret to living with little during hard times: Changing your mindset to recognize that you can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength.

So, in these uncertain times, with a new alarming headline every day rest assured in God’s promises. He is offering you a life of peace and spiritual strength. He clothes the birds of the air and the lilies in the field, how much more will your heavenly Father make sure you are provided for?

Tomorrow has enough worries of it’s own. Pray for God to give you wisdom on how to steward what He has given you financially and trust that He will direct your steps wherever it is best for you to go.

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

The second largest shut down of a bank in U.S. history just happened and now everyone is wondering if this will have a domino effect.  Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) which is America’s 16th largest commercial bank collapsed last week along with Signature Bank.

SVB, along with many other banks invested the money coming throughout their doors into bonds, a seemingly normal practice. With the continual spike in interest rates, the price of the bonds fell and the assets which many banks relied on decreased in price. This drove worried depositors to rush to the ATM and withdrawal their money out of their accounts. Now, there is a question on whether other banks will follow in the same footsteps as SVB.

President Joe Biden assured Americans on Monday that “our banking system is safe,” adding: “We will do whatever is needed on top of all this.”

This, along with the continuous other financial concerns facing America’s economy today can leave you feeling a little anxious. It’s in those moments that we are to look at the Bible to see what God’s promises are—not man.

In these trials, be careful not to fall into the tricky Prosperity Gospel teachings traps. They come in with pastors or leaders telling you to give to the church and God will give it back to you and more, which actually causes significant spiritual harm to believers. One of the most common verses used in the Prosperity Gospel is in Philippians.

Philippians 4:19 says, “But  my God shall supply your every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Yes, God wants you to succeed and live a prosperous life but more than anything this verse from the apostle Paul is talking about your spiritual life. We know in this life there will be hard times. They are guaranteed. But, we can rest assured that God will always take care of us.

What was the context Paul was talking about when he said God will supply your every need? Earlier in verses 11-13 Paul told the Philippians to learn how to be content with whatever they have. A practice all Christians should take note of. Paul wrote to the Philippians that he knew firsthand how to live on almost nothing and live with abundance.

In his letter, Paul shares the secret to living with little during hard times: Changing your mindset to recognize that you can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength.

So, in these uncertain times, with a new alarming headline every day rest assured in God’s promises. He is offering you a life of peace and spiritual strength. He clothes the birds of the air and the lilies in the field, how much more will your heavenly Father make sure you are provided for?

Tomorrow has enough worries of it’s own. Pray for God to give you wisdom on how to steward what He has given you financially and trust that He will direct your steps wherever it is best for you to go.

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Recently, I had the pleasure of officiating at one of the most beautiful marriage ceremonies that I have been blessed to attend. I say one of because, clearly, my marriage was the most beautiful ceremony ever (yes, my wife reads my blogs).

The reason that this ceremony was beautiful wasn’t because of the bride’s dress, although it was very pretty. It wasn’t because of the bride herself, although she looked amazing. It wasn’t because of the beautiful chuppah (Marriage Canopy) arrayed with flowers, although the chuppah was picture perfect.

In order for you to understand why I consider this particular wedding so beautiful, you have to know a little about the bride and groom. When I first met the bride, she had just walked into Yeshua’s loving arms from a life of bondage and addictions most believers could never begin to relate to. My first interactions with the groom were through the bars of his prison cell where he was gathering every Shabbat with a group of dedicated believers.

It has been years since I first met the bride and groom and I have watched them grow in their faith and in their walks with G-D. To say that there were times when both of them stumbled and fell would honestly be an understatement. However, they both continued to stand back up, and allow G-D to brush them off so they could return to the race they were running.

Because of their collective and individual pasts, the years before their wedding ceremony were difficult and filled with many opportunities for them to blame G-D or G-D’s people for all of the speedbumps and detours that were the result of their bad choices—both before and after coming to faith. Yet somehow, they were able to walk out of the filthy garbage dump of their past under their glorious chuppah, a symbolic representation of the pristine home prepared for them.

As they stood under the chuppah, I recited the Sheva Brachot (Seven Blessings), which speak of the entirety of G-D’s creative work, from the Garden of Eden until the World to Come. I realized that in front of my eyes I was seeing the results of a creative miracle just as powerful as when G-D said, “Let there be light.” How beautiful it was that these words proclaiming G-D’s creation were now being spoken over this special bride and groom who had so miraculously become new creations.

To me, this wedding was so powerfully beautiful because the groom and the bride were both such broken people whom G-D had restored. Two people who continued to walk towards G-D together, even though it seemed that with every step a new crisis arose, a new battle began and a new mountain stood in front of them.

Yet, here they were standing together as new creations, who, just like Adam and Eve, were placed into a beautiful home prepared for them by their Father. The beauty of their wedding was not found in the beautiful dresses and suits, or the flowers and decorations. The beauty of their wedding was far beyond the beauty of this world. The beauty of their wedding reached directly into the throne room of heaven.

As I watched the groom stand with tears in his eyes, and as I watched the bride circle him with tears in her eyes, I saw the glory of G-D’s creative work, and even if it was only in my mind, I heard the voice of the Father of the groom and the Father of the bride saying, “These are My beloved children in whom I am well pleased.”

I may be wrong, but I believe this wedding will remain in my mind the second most beautiful wedding, until the day of the final wedding when the Bride stands under the Chuppah with Yeshua.

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Eric Tokajer is the author of “Overcoming Fearlessness,” “What If Everything You Were Taught About the Ten Commandments Was Wrong?,” “With Me in Paradise,” “Transient Singularity,” “OY! How Did I Get Here?: Thirty-One Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Entering Ministry,” “#ManWisdom: With Eric Tokajer,” “Jesus Is to Christianity as Pasta Is to Italians” and “Galatians in Context.”

The College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, is seeking help from the Supreme Court against their ongoing legal battle against the Biden administration’s gender-identity housing policy.

According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, the university is reaching out to the Supreme Court to review the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that barred College of the Ozarks from pursuing a lawsuit against the president’s administration. The lawsuit was filed because of an FHA policy that could make biological male and female students room together.

In the petition to the Supreme Court, the college notes: “In February 2021—without notice or comment—the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a ‘Directive’ redefining the sex discrimination provisions in the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to include gender identity.”

The petition explained how this rule change for housing could affect the dorm life of their school. “This rewriting of the FHA was an immediate problem for the College of the Ozarks. The College is a Christian educational institution, and while students need not be of a particular religion to attend, they must agree to follow the College’s code of conduct, including dormitory policies. Because the College’s faith teaches that sex is based on male-female biology, not gender identity, the College assigns its dorms, roommates and intimate spaces by sex and communicates that policy to students.”

The College of the Ozarks believes enforcing the government’s policy, it would be damaging their biblical values presented on the campus. However, if they choose to defy the act, there could be consequences to the school’s legal standing. In essence, the school is finding itself in a bind between doing what they know is right and doing what the government is demanding.

One of the pillars of College of the Ozarks is to “foster Christian faith through the integration of faith with learning, living, and service.” In this case, it would mean to uphold a biblical worldview in regards to gender and how their campus living is arranged.

The culture wars raging about gender are not plaguing a small group of people now, but rather the entire nation. This past International Women’s Day, the first lady gave an “International Women of Courage Award” to a biological man. Trans Lives Matters recently went to the Oklahoma Capitol in protest of bills on gender reassignment surgery. The definition of “man” and “woman” is growing bleaker in the larger American society.

We are created in God’s image, either as male or female (Gen. 1:27). It is certain that God created each person with a purpose, on purpose. We cannot let a confused world get the better of our hearts, minds and emotions when the truth of Scripture points to God fashioning each of us uniquely for His glory.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator and Staff Writer intern for Charisma Media.