PARKS BROWN

The United States is the richest nation on the face of the earth. To whom much is given, much is required. Therefore, Americans are wired to cost benefit analysis and managing risk for reward. Each day we try to balance our time, money and attention with the least risk and greatest reward. We consciously see this activity through a secular lens but our spiritual lives are being more effected than our schedules and financial accounts.

Risk and reward is not limited to markets, investments or golf shots over water. Our very lives are built on risk and reward each day. All day every day we make decisions regarding future uncertainty and unexpected outcomes. We try to mitigate risk and maximize rewards but the degree of risk cannot always be accurately quantified. The hidden fact is we assume greater risks each day than most people perceive. In turn, the rewards we seek are in greater jeopardy as well.

We think our daily cost/benefit risk/reward analysis mainly revolves around our time and money. Two parent working family as opposed to one income. Working overtime or attending a Little League game. Time with your spouse or a night out with the girls or a round of golf with the guys. These questions and analyses appear simple and skin deep but they are much more deeply personal with eternal consequences. The rewards of personal desires have associated risks higher than MANY recognize. Ask Target…Bud Light…North Face…the Dodgers. Ask God.

The Creator is the Originator of risk, reward, costs and benefits. Psalm 58:10 says the righteous are rewarded and God judges the earth. Christ followers have been told the true cost of discipleship is everything but the benefit is eternal life in heaven. Not many sermons address the risk for believers when their faith is half-hearted, or as Jesus calls it in the last book of the Bible, lukewarm. The reward for just going along and not living your faith out loud is, well, read Revelation 3:16.

Colossians 3:23 is an everyday reminder on the risks of managing your time and activities to achieve maximum reward. ‘WHATEVER you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you KNOW that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.’ The takeaway is…whatever you do at work and play, God is watching and rewarding us accordingly. He judges the heart not necessarily the results.

These days, corporate America has been busted focusing on potential rewards while ignoring real risks. Many corporations have been reminded of these risks with declining sales and lower stock prices. But what about our political leaders? Have our politicians considered the increased risks for all Americans when they fly a flag other than the American flag? I suggest flying one over an embassy in the Middle East for a quick reminder.

Do Christ followers understand the risks when they sit silently while their elected officials risk our nation by promoting an agenda that makes us an enemy of God? Isaiah 40:10 says God is going to pay back his enemies and reward those who have loved him. Do YOU show love with silence or words and actions? God is watching and listening to HIS people. The apostle John spoke directly to Christians risk and reward when he said…’Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.’ 2 John 1:8.

Christ followers need a wake up call. Yes, it’s all about a personal relationship but that relationship is at risk when we allow evil to spread by celebrating a rainbow as anything other than a promise from God? Do we confirm or deny our God by silence and inaction? Jesus said we must acknowledge Him before others or He won’t acknowledge us before the Father. More explicitly…'”But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.”‘

In the same message, Christ reminded the world it’s not about accepting and going along when we accept sin and the unholy. Just the opposite. The risk of celebrating that which God says is wrong brings no reward. ‘”Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword..the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”‘Matthew 10:34-37. There is more risk and less reward in accepting that which God calls ‘ungodly and sinful…unholy and irreverent.’

About now many of us are redirecting to RESULTS and the cost/benefit of silence and inaction. Some choose to focus on the love we have and show for others. This argument allows us to be present in the lives of people and DO good things. Some think the good we do by tolerating evil allows us to keep friendships and not alienate relationships. This perceived benefit is an incorrect analysis. Jesus spoke to this directly. ‘”On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them. ‘I never knew you. Depart from me you evildoers!'” Matthew 7:22-23. Are you at risk?

The point I want to make is simple. We are living in a place and time where risk and reward in the Christian life involves MORE prayer and discernment than what you may be exercising. The cost of ignoring the risk while turning your head to what our political and religious leaders are doing is GREAT. The benefit of remaining silent may not even exist if your actions allow evil to increase.

Stay in the Word so you KNOW and ARE confident in God’s teaching and ways. ‘…do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded.’

Endure and persevere. The benefit and reward of following Christ is eternal. The cost and risk of not knowing and following Him is damning.

It was a matter of when not if. The next pandemic to be declared by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has been widely documented in the U.S. and given the moniker, EWS or Eyes Wide Shut.

The symptoms of EWS start with blurred vision then quickly digress into complete loss of sight. The blurred vision is accompanied by a condition that hardens the heart and leads to a loss of hearing as well. In other words, Eyes Wide Shut (EWS) leaves the victim deaf and dumb.

No one seems to be immune to the rapidly spreading condition. EWS does not respect race, creed, sex or religious belief. EWS has been documented in atheists, Christians, men, women and all races. The disease appears to spread rapidly.

The initial symptoms manifested in suburban school districts but have now spread to inner cities like Chicago and New York. Some of the earliest reported cases involve parents showing a preference for their children to be educated and not indoctrinated with sexual perversions. Historically deemed a no-brainer, when teachers and school administrators labeled these parents as racist and homophobes the CDC went on alert.

Billions of dollars being sent to defend the borders of a foreign country while allowing illegal immigration on the southern border of the United States has spread the pandemic. Initially, cases were reported in Texas, Arizona and Florida. Towns complained they were being overwhelmed by illegals but no one seemed to care or SEE the resulting devastation. This past week Chicago and New York revealed their cities are suffering from the infected as well. Residents are voicing their displeasure and concerns with the influx of illegals. Leaders in these communities have been infected and refuse to see what is in plain sight.

The release of the Durham report this past week reveals the initial pandemic infection began years ago in the inner sanctums of Washington. The Executive branch, FBI, CIA, NSA, State Department, DOJ all spread the disease to various American Universities and medical associations. The NIH and U.S. Board of Education have their Eyes Wide Shut as well. Republicans, Democrats, Independents are all infected. EWS has spread from coast to coast and even deeper.

EWS effects the eyes, ears, heart and soul of it’s victims. Jews were warned about EWS 700 years before Christ was born. Christ followers were warned this pandemic would show no partiality. When speaking about the people infected, Jesus repeated the Old Testament prophet Isaiah to describe the infected…”For this people’s heart has become calloused: they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.” Matthew 13:15.

Advanced EWS takes away what is in plain sight. It robs victims of the ability to see and hear bank records showing money laundering schemes involving tens of millions of dollars. EWS steals what was once common sense and dulls the remaining senses.

Similar to how Covid effected some groups disproportionately, EWS MAY appear more acute in the Christian community. Many Evangelicals believe in a phenomenon referred to as the rapture. In this scenario, Christians are whisked up into the air when Christ returns to Earth. This causes many ‘believers’ to harden their hearts and close their eyes to conditions that don’t currently effect their lives or pocketbooks. Target is selling pro-trans buttons saying ‘Satan respects pronouns’ and ‘Cure Transphobia’ sweatshirts down the street from your church but….EWS is blinding.

It appears many believers suffer from EWS when they do not see themselves being directly persecuted. Obviously, this subgroup doesn’t consider 60 million aborted babies as offensive or antithetical to Christ’s teachings. Some ‘believers’ keep their Eyes Wide Shut when visiting theme parks promoting transgender characters in movies and books.

Today, many are being told that truth is an oppressive tool of white supremacy, that Christian morality is tyrannical nationalism and discriminatory against pedophiles and other sexual perverts. Biden even told a graduating class of an HBCU that white people are the greatest threat to America…and the aftermath is silence. EWS is rampant when the young and educated can’t see and hear propaganda for what it is. I’m afraid this was a super spreader event.

BUT…there is GREAT news. We can rest assured there is a day when EWS will be cured and no one will be effected ever again. ‘”Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “EVERY eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen’ Revelation 1:17. When Christ returns, ALL eyes will be wide open and EWS eradicated.

A disease and cultural eclipse is overtaking America in the form of EWS. There is ONE vaccine to cure the disease. Get vaccinated with the Holy Spirit as soon as possible.

Confidence and trust in people, places and things is in a free-fall. These are the facts, and they are indisputable. The ramifications are as well.

Trust and confidence in the U.S. dollar is falling at 10 times the speed of the past two decades as evidenced by global dollar reserves held by all nations. Confidence in the future is declining as evidenced by a drastically increasing suicide rate the past decade. Someone took their own life every 11 minutes in 2021. Trust in politicians, scientists, church leaders and government is at historic lows. Faith is under attack and in a free fall.

Faith is complete confidence and trust in someONE or someTHING. Faith is not an ephemeral feeling, thought or religious word. Faith is a muscle that if not built up and confirmed by successful use, will deteriorate and decline. The brother of Jesus put it bluntly, ‘…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.’ In simple terms, your actions speak louder than your words.

Whatever metric you choose, the erosion of faith is evident across the planet. Democrats have lost faith in the President. Everyone has lost faith in the DOJ to represent justice and not a political agenda. Some beer drinkers have lost faith in Budweiser products to culturally represent them. Catholics and Protestants lose faith in Church leaders because their actions and words betray beliefs held for thousands of years. When the loss of faith is apparent in the obvious, look for faith to wane in the not so obvious as well.

Faith is not alone in it’s free fall. Hope is the kissing cousin of faith and represents your desires, expectations and wishes. When faith declines, hope plays follow the leader and takes a hit as well. WHY is this important? What are the implications for YOU when faith and hope becomes flabby, obese and out of shape?

When faith is attacked and weakened your love for others grows cold. You become apathetic and indifferent. You lose empathy for others. Your witness to those with a weaker faith becomes less. The fabric of our society declines and unity decays because we lose faith in the most basic truths. When a learned person can’t or won’t define the basic biology of men and women because of their politics, it’s impossible to put faith in their ability to tell the truth. After this, faith in public safety and freedom of speech join the free fall.

If you think the decline in faith and hope is a problem for others but not yourself, go deeper. Read 6 little verses in Luke 18:9-14. This short story is about people who use others as their standard of righteousness. In one man’s view, his words and actions surpassed others so he celebrated his own virtue. Thinking he was better than everyone, he assumed God was pleased with him. He had become apathetic and indifferent, arrogant and prideful towards others. Jesus said this man exalted himself above others therefore condemning himself. ‘ “… For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” ‘ Before you virtue signal others or flat out judge your faith to be intact, look in the mirror and acknowledge the decline in faith and hope is an epidemic effecting us all.

Faith, confidence and trust in ANYTHING is only as strong as the object in which you place and exercise that faith. Faith in a political party or person has ALWAYS failed us. Faith in money will soon fail you as digital currencies replace cash. Your bank accounts will no longer be your own. This will cause anger and a loss of faith. There is ONLY one place to go all-in with confidence and trust.

Jesus proved faith in Him was worth it. The Bible tells us faith in Christ healed the sick ( “your faith has healed you” ), restored sight to the blind (“According to your faith will it be done to you.”) and even secures eternal life ( ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith’ ). The mic drops in Hebrews 11:6…’ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him MUST BELIEVE that he exists AND that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’ Do we want to please God?

Christians use the word ‘faith’ like a badge of honor. But, the number of ‘believers’ congregating to praise and worship is a canary in the coal mine of America. Read up on the ‘Nones’ to quantify what is happening. Church attendance is the first thing to go and HAS been in a free fall. Next, the sense of belonging declines. Finally, belief and faith dwindle. Look at your own Sunday morning schedule. Watch the cars in your neighbors driveway. If actions show your faith, where is it?

When Christ-followers lose faith and the PRACTICE of faith, the culture is quick to follow… OR it shows Christians have been led by the culture and not their faith. Christ followers are the last line of defense to protect society by exercising faith in the only One who CAN save our nation. Jesus’ life spoke directly to this dilemma of little faith and the current climate. ‘And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.’ Matthew 13:58.

We need to get back to the basics of where we place our trust and confidence. The Bible reminds us what we see in real time has been expected. ‘…in later times some will abandon the faith…’ by being deceived and placing their faith elsewhere. Many reading this blog have faith in God but…is it the kind of faith that confirms confidence when Christ said… ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.’ Seen any miracles lately? Yes or no, it’s a faith issue.

The story in Mark 9:14-29 is a must read for everyone who has any kind of faith left in 2023. This man had enough trust and belief to take his deaf, mute, possessed epileptic son to Jesus for healing. This guy is a poster child for too many of us. His prayer, his words to Jesus revealed the depth of his faith when he said… ‘…”But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. ” ‘

I love it when Jesus speaks so adamantly and pointedly about faith. Christ addressed his disciples faith by calling them an ‘unbelieving generation’ and asking ‘How long should I put up with you?’ When he spoke to the dad he drilled the point, ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’ Let that sink in a minute…EVERYTHING for one who believes.

The dad’s response is similar to what you and I might be thinking. “I do believe: help me with my unbelief”. Read the rest of the story. Jesus rewarded this man’s faith and honesty by healing the son. If you ask God for more faith, He’s ready and willing to provide it. Are you willing to ask?

‘When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.’ Good men and women have lost faith in people AND God because their faith has been shaken across the board. A weakened and immature faith has led to childish and perverted ways becoming the modern day mindset. Is this decline in faith really an issue? Absolutely yes.

Jesus warned about the decline in faith we are living through. When He spoke about returning to His creation, Christ asked a piercing rhetorical question. ‘” However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?'” ….How will He find yours?

No matter how little, weak or waning your faith is, be encouraged.
2 Timothy 2:11-13…

‘Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
if we are faithless he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.’

Exercise more faith in God and watch what happens. HE remains faithful to us no matter what. Will we have faith in Him?

Monday morning and it’s time to hit it and get it. Work, kids ball games this week, a round of golf with your buddies, yard work to make the neighbors and your spouse happy, dinner out with friends, maybe a date night with the wife, car needs to go the shop, small group from church wants you to be a part, the boss and customers need you to give a little more…and this is all before Thursday morning. How do you balance work, home life and personal time?

The answer is simple. You don’t. Balance is a concept that connotates your heart, mind and time can be neatly divided like quarts in a gallon of milk. Balancing all the demands in your life is more like dividing those quarts in a gallon of ice cream after it’s been sitting on the countertop all night. It’s not going to happen so throw it out.

The chief culprit adding to anxiety, frustration, luke warm marriages and kids being raised by TV, daycare or the internet is the lie of juggling competing demands. The solution is simple and as old as time itself, but it begs a question not many want to ask. Do you want what God has promised and gives generously or can you have MORE? It’s the same seed Satan planted with Eve in the Garden. Is God holding out on you by telling you not to eat from that one tree? Can’t you have it all, don’t you deserve it all? By the look of your schedule this week the answer is, “I’m trying!!”

Everyone is in this battle regardless of your season in life. Everyone feels it, too. The demands on your time and attention are because ‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against..authorities..powers..and spiritual forces of evil..’ It’s similar to the gallon of ice cream. You didn’t see it melt but you know what happened. You don’t see all the forces at work but you know there is more than meets the eye, you can feel it. EVERYONE knows it but they’re too busy to do anything about it.

Like every question you have, the answer is found in the Bible. Too many parents have trained their children more in the ways of the world than the ways of God. Therefore, Occam’s razor and the KISS principle come to mind quicker than Matthew 6:33. ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ There it is…the way to balance is to pursue Him BEFORE anything else.

The world tells us to keep things simple and balance the demands of life. God tells us to seek Him first and HE will balance what you need. This is where the rubber meets the road and life starts skidding all over the place. The Premier League match, Formula 1 or a Gran Prix race is on TV Sunday morning so you skip church. Can’t start the day in prayer because there’s an early meeting at the office. The travel team AND the rec league have games on Sunday so no small group in the afternoon much less a service in the morning.

The traditional ways we learn about what’s happening in the world have been sacrificed in the name of propaganda so we find alternative sources to get the news. The traditional ways prior generations sought to learn about God have been crowded out so we must also adapt. Biblical wisdom is simple and makes promises where the world can only suggest. If you want to know how to balance this next week, ask God. ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives GENEROUSLY to ALL without finding fault, and IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU.’ James 1: 5.

You want to keep it simple? You want the truth about balancing life? I’m not sure you can handle the truth about balancing life. So now, we’re back to the rub of balancing what YOU think versus what God promises. You want to know how to balance it all, ASK Him. ‘But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. THAT PERSON should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.’ James 1: 6-8. Sound like anyone you know or see in the mirror?

What about MY plans, MY needs, MY desires….me, me, me. I get it. Nobody wants to submit their free will to God. Yes, I’ll submit my will of being vaccinated to government mandates or peer pressure, but God? The crux sounds ugly, blasphemous but practical. Do you see a need for God? When’s the last time you needed help with something a friend, co-worker, parent or your bank account couldn’t do for you? Think about that and what you’ll come up with are health issues, emergencies, financial catastrophies…real calamities. Maybe you can balance things until that happens and then you’ll seek God. Maybe not.

There’s plenty of scripture I could site in landing this plane but I’ll skip referencing verses that sound familiar. If you haven’t shown your wife OR husband any love in a while, tell me how that works out. If you haven’t talked to your dad in months or years tell me his tone and words when you finally call. I’ll keep it in a vernacular we all understand. Whether you’re talking about athletics, knowledge of a subject, using a foreign language or whatever….if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.

Bottom line is you can’t balance God. God demands to be first. If you have a relationship with a God who CAN be balanced, you serve a weak and small god…not the one true God.

REAL balance in life is a relationship with God that comes before everything else….don’t lose it.

The wisdom of Hollywood is an oxymoron, but they tell great stories. In every story, whether it is documentary, fiction, fantasy, comedy or sci-fi there is a grain of truth to take away. The Godfather, produced in 1972 contains many of those pearls. ‘I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse’…’Never tell anyone outside the family what you’re thinking’…and for the purpose of this discussion, ‘You’re not a wartime consigliere, Tom.’

Since the spring of 2020 there has been greater than a 50% increase in the demand for counselors and therapists leading to an all-time high. The need for advice and guidance is as old as time itself. President’s have a cabinet of advisors ranging from domestic and foreign affairs to economic and environmental issues. Doctors give advice ranging from your skin and eyes to internal organs, bones and mental health. Advice comes in many forms and from various sources because ‘Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice.’ Proverbs 12:15.

Where we seek and accept counsel is what the Godfather was talking about. We seek specific counsel depending on the immediate need and the need changed for the Godfather. Michael Corleone told a proven and trusted counselor he needed NEW counsel because ‘things may get rough with the move we’re trying.’ When things move, shift and change it’s critical to make sure the counsel you’ve received in the past is appropriate for what you’re dealing with now. Specifically, things get rough when you’re at war, in a battle.

Three years ago not many people recognized the frontal assault against truth, freedom and mankind. Today many of the initial C-19 conspiracy theories are proven fact and in your face. Now the headlines read, World War III…Spy Balloons Cross the United States…Toxic Mushroom Clouds Over Ohio…Chemical Fallout Kills Animals and Fish By The Thousands. The changes being made include many countries around the world re-instituting a military draft AND increasing the draft age. If you can’t see the changes and what they will bring, evaluate where you get counsel and plan accordingly.

‘Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.’ Proverbs 20:18. Although China has increased the draft age to 60 most folks above 35 don’t see themselves as ever actively waging war. Boomers and Gen X have historically sought advice and formed opinions on world issues from the mainstream media, their circle of friends and their church. Gen Y and Z recognize the failure and incompetence of the media and they don’t attend church that often. The younger generations tend be more myopic leading them to neglect counsel that isn’t confirmation biased to their immediate opinions, circumstances and needs. The climate is ripe for misinformation and bad counsel.

Historically the church has been the leading advocate for counsel and advice as revealed in the Bible. The Bible is the counsel of God that includes advice for every changing situation since the beginning of time. ALL scripture from Genesis to Revelation is God’s full counsel that ‘is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.’ 2 Timothy 3:16. In other words, we need to know and live by ALL scripture and not ignore the parts that target our lifestyles and choices in 2023.

The modern church often chooses to focus on Christ’s gospel of love and not the FULL gospel of God. This was apparent when RVW brought abortion front and center. Many preached free will not repentance. The full counsel of God says our bodies are not our own and that HE knits a person together while they are still ‘unborn’. Some pastors think these verses are too offensive and limit the inclusion of everyone.

The battle has always been against God and his Word. In the beginning, Satan wanted Adam and Eve to ignore one or two words. God said mankind would ‘certainly die’ and we know what happened next. In the 70’s the front line against God’s word was abortion. Many focused on ‘free will’ while ignoring ‘whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Sixty million abortions later…

Today, the battlefront is a lifestyle choice. The full gospel/counsel includes what some popular preachers want to ignore and call the ‘clobber’ scriptures like 1 Corinthians 6…’Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolators nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.’ If these folks don’t inherit the Kingdom of God you might ask, who else is there?

If this counsel offends and excludes you or someone you know remember, Jesus is a savior AND a wartime consigliere. He knows the war for your soul is through the mind and His mental health counseling is measured with truth and not opinion. It’s not popular counsel to say that you must submit to God and ‘anyone who takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city…’ Truth is not always inclusive. When you choose anyone other than Him, Jesus said, “‘Anyone who loves their father and mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”‘ Matthew 10:37.

No man is an island and the climate change is towards more counseling not less. More counsel can present a real paradox of choice and lead to not accepting any advice. The faith and survival of the next generation hinges on the full counsel of Truth, God’s truth. The full counsel of God says EVERYONE is loved and welcomed in His Kingdom. This counsel also reminds us “‘small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.'” Biblical counsel recommends repentance and is radically different from a lifestyle of self indulgence.

The counsel of God doesn’t always build a mega practice, or congregation. But, the full counsel of God includes the Old Testament where God looks for one righteous person, a remnant to follow Him. Multitudes can see ‘..our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’….but will multitudes heed this counsel?

Michael Corleone knew it, so should you. Things are getting rough with the moves being tried in the world. NOW is the time to make sure your counsel is the FULL Biblical counsel from a wartime consigliere. ‘Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors’ Psalm 119:24.