I am a blood-bought saint of God, saved by His amazing Grace!
God called me to start Great Commission Ministries online in June of 2011, and that began as a video series called "The GC." After 7 seasons of that web-series, I felt led to expand the ministry to blogs as well as a new video series I called "67 seconds of Encouragement." Eventually, the blogs became a podcast. And the ministry continues to grow from that, currently in the form of The Kingdom Light podcast.
My prayer is that this ministry brings hope and encouragement to everyone who finds it. Please share it with others and help spread the Good News of Christ!
Good Saturday morning again, and welcome to the STACE show! Go ahead: LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! Hit the LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. For all links, blogs, transcripts and more, just go to our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Now we go to…
The TOP of the STACK:
Here are some of this week’s top news items…
The Virginia man charged with planting pipe bombs at the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Committees on the eve of the Capitol riot confessed to the crime on Thursday afternoon. Brian Cole Jr., 30, faces charges of transporting explosives across state lines with intent to kill, injure and cause damage and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials. Investigators say Cole placed the viable explosives outside the headquarters of America’s two main political parties on the night of Jan. 5, 2021. Those devices were not found until 17 hours later.
FBI Director Kash Patel says there is an ongoing criminal investigation into federal personnel involved in the controversial Biden-era “Arctic Frost” probe that targeted scores of President Donald Trump’s allies and gathered the phone records of many members of Congress. He insisted the FBI has been changed significantly to end political abuses of investigative powers and to refocus on solving crimes and stopping new terror threats like drones. And he credited the Justice Department, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, for pursuing prosecution of those abuses.
First Lady Melania Trump announced Thursday morning that seven Ukrainian children who were abducted during Russia’s invasion have been reunited with their families after what she described as quiet diplomatic efforts with Moscow. She announced on October 10 that an initial group of eight children had been reunited with their relatives after the establishment of an “open channel” with the Kremlin. Since the beginning of Moscow’s invasion in February 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russian territory. Kyiv authorities report that a minimum of 19,500 children are still missing, while unofficial humanitarian organizations estimate that the actual figure is probably much greater.
For more news, check out the GCMedia Stack, which is featured front and center of our website, TheGCMedia.com – that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Testimony Time:
Today we bring you an incredible true story of how one atheist had a life-changing encounter with Jesus…
[clip – testimony]
If you haven’t already – LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! Hit that LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. All links, blogs, transcripts and more can be found on our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Welcome to the STACE show! Time to LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! Hit the LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. For all links, blogs, transcripts and more, just go to our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Now let’s go to…
The TOP of the STACK:
Here’s some of this week’s top news stories.
Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were ordered to appear before Congress for depositions on the Jeffrey Epstein probe next month after the two powerful Democrats attempted to avoid the House Oversight Committee’s grilling. The Clintons’ attorney had asked if they could simply submit “a written proffer of what little information” they have on Epstein. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) denied that request on Friday and ordered the Clintons to appear for their depositions on December 17 and 18.
The House of Representatives approved a resolution condemning the “horrors of socialism” Friday morning in a vote that sharply divided Democratic lawmakers. Lawmakers voted 285 to 98 in favor of the measure offered by Republican Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, the daughter of Cuban exiles, that denounced socialism in “all its forms” and socialist policies in the United States. More than seven dozen Democrats backed the resolution, including House Democratic leadership. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who is viewed as a leader of the Democratic Party’s left flank, opposed the measure to condemn socialism.
President Trump lashed out Thursday at six Democratic lawmakers who released a video on social media this week urging service members to defy “illegal orders” by the administration. The video does not specify any particular given orders that are illegal, but it certainly implies that there are some. Watch…
[clip1 – “Don’t Give Up the Ship” video]
First, let me ask this. Where were these people when servicemembers were being discharged for not taking the covid jab? Hello? Crickets. Talk about unlawful orders. Forcing people to take an unproven injection into their bodies or lose their jobs seems kinda unlawful to me. But to what are these folks referring now? What orders has the president given the military that are unlawful or illegal? None. They know that, but they want to imply that he has anyway with that video. So when Trump pointed out this week that this type of encouraging of servicemembers to disobey orders might be considered sedition or treasonous, which is punishable by death, they went nuts. What? Trump wants to have these members of congress who made this video executed!?! Listen…
[clip2 – Karoline Leavitt responds to looney left media]
Meanwhile, one of the congressmen from the video, Representative Jason Crow, was asked by a Fox News host to specify any illegal orders they may have been referring to. He was forced to admit that there weren’t any unlawful orders at all. Yes, Crow had to eat crow on Fox News. Going on CNN later, he tried to defend the video. Here that is…
[clip3 – Jason Crow]
Pathetic. The fact is, as they admitted, there have been no illegal orders from Trump. Yet they implied as much while encouraging servicemembers to defy Trump’s orders, purposely sewing distrust and division. Shameful.
For more news items, check out the GCMedia Stack. It’s easy to find, front and center on the main landing page of our website. News content is updated regularly so check back often. Top stories from reputable sources are always available at TheGCMedia.com – that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Folks, about 22 veterans take their own lives each day. Many come home to civilian life and can’t adjust after things they’ve seen in combat. Too many of them resort to suicide as a means of escaping the nightmares and chaos. But there’s help. Write down this number: 1-800-273-8255, that’s 800-273-8255. The Veterans Crisis Line is available right now to those who need it. If you are a veteran, or if you know a veteran who’s going through a rough time, use that number. There’s also a confidential crisis chat available at VeteransCrisisLine.net, that’s VeteransCrisisLine.net, or you can send a text to 838255, that’s 838255. Help is just a phone call, chat, or text away. Share this information and help us put a stop to veteran suicide today. Thank you.
Today’s Lesson:
Earlier, I mentioned an example of the left’s divisive nature. This propensity they have to mislead the public is, I believe, part of an over-arching systemic dishonesty. I’d like to expound on that for today’s lesson.
I didn’t just whip the notion up out of the blue, folks. We’ve seen it happening time and time again. Another recent example of this systemic dishonesty that exists among many in DC was in the claims Jasmine Crockett made this week. Knowing full well that there is plenty of evidence of many democrats having ties to pedophile Jeffery Epstein, she indicated that certain republicans had received donations from Epstein as well. The problem? It was a completely different person – not the child rapist, but a Doctor Jeffrey Epstein.
When confronted about this afterwards, Crockett simply backtracked and denied any attempt to lie or mislead. Vince Coglianese featured this insanity on his podcast this week. Check this out…
[clip4 – Jasmine Crockett fiasco on the Vince show]
He’s right on point about this, folks. I don’t know how Crockett can even say what she did without suddenly bursting into flames. I believe she knew this was a different Jeffery Epstein when she brought it up. She knowingly perpetrated misleading information. It doesn’t matter that she didn’t say it was the same Epstein – she knew that’s how it would be inferred. It’s possible to speak a truth that leads people to believe a lie, and these people do it all the time.
In fact, this craziness that just went down with Jasmine Crockett reminded me of another incident that happened a couple of years or so ago. You might remember this. Remember when those whistleblowers came forward in the FBI to expose the mishandling of the J6 investigations? These were men who had served their country faithfully in the military before going to work for the FBI, and they had their lives turned upside down by a malicious group of democratic members of congress.
In the midst of being questioned, these whistleblowers who were simply trying to do the right thing had their character and integrity maligned and impugned. Here’s what I’m talking about right here in this clip from my old Kingdom Hero show from May 22, 2023…
[clip5 – Sanchez grills whistleblower about a tweet from an account that isn’t his]
She knew it wasn’t his account, but she pressed him anyway. Why? Because she’s a low-life leftist lunatic guided by systemic dishonesty. She didn’t care that she was tearing into an innocent man. She didn’t even care that it wasn’t his words, his opinion, or his account. She knew there would be those out there who would hear the words and believe he was the one who was being dishonest. She was lying to build a narrative, no matter how flimsy the foundation, because lying is what they do.
We have to be able to spot these agents of evil when we see them. The Bible clearly speaks about people such as this. We find in the Ten Commandments, specifically in Exodus 20:16, “You shall not bearfalsewitness against your neighbor.” I’m pretty sure that maligning the character of an innocent man is a textbook example of bearing false witness. This is done continuously by a great many people on the left. They lie about Trump. They lie about MAGA. And they’ll lie about anyone who stands in the way of their evil agenda.
Dishonesty is dealt with throughout the scriptures. Psalm 63:11 reveals that (one day) the mouths of the liars will be stopped. Praise God! Proverbs 11:3 states “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” 1 Timothy 4:2 tells us that liars are insincere by nature and have seared consciences. This makes it easy for them to lie, and it becomes habitual. And Revelation 21:8 says that liars are among those whose portion will be in the lake of fire.
Jesus Himself death with the dishonesty of some of the religious leaders. He called them vipers. He said, “They speak the native tongue of their father satan.” They are not to be trusted. And misleading people with your words, even when you speak a literal truth, is still dishonest. Anyone who resorts to these types of manipulative tactics are doing the work of satan. Plain and simple.
If you haven’t yet – LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW now! Hit that LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. All links, blogs, transcripts and more can be found on our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
From the founding to present day, this great American experiment has lasted 250 years. If we are at all interested in being wise and preserving the treasures of freedom, we should be examining to learn all the reasons for its longevity. What was in that secret sauce the founders generously sprinkled into our Constitution? Upon reading the Declaration of Independence, it quickly becomes clear that a chief influencer in our country’s beginnings was the Bible. Godly principles regarding moral living were tapped straight from scripture and included within several of our founding documents. The Bill of Rights, those first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, seem to echo biblical concepts.
Infusing such things into the mixture proved to be a very well thought out decision and became a recipe for success. Why did it work so well? Consider that when the founders set out to break free from the tyranny of Great Britain’s King George, they did so having learned some hard lessons and determined to create a nation of self-governed citizens who could live in freedom. By declaring themselves independent from that tyrannical rule, they wisely knew they would need to place their trust and dependence in a higher and more righteous authority. Their independence was born in their dependence upon the Creator.
That was the key. And it worked. For a quarter of a millennium now, the USA has thrived. But there were bumps along the way. When this experiment began, there was still a terrible practice going on which was prevalent throughout the world – slavery. For thousands of years, in fact, slavery had been around. There were slaves back in biblical days, even. But the founders wisely knew that if they were going to get rid of this stain, it would need to be done in stages or many of the populous accustomed to it would revolt. Starting a new nation was the first priority, but they knew they’d have to address the slavery issue eventually.
What did they do? They created a pathway to citizenship and embedded it within the founding documents. Even before framing the Constitution itself, the founders placed that pathway within the context of the Declaration of Independence. The notion that “all men are created equal” was a theme that would gradually draw people’s hearts to a place where the idea of owning slaves would no longer seem proper. It was still a struggle, and indeed a so-called civil war broke out. Many people didn’t like the idea of the federal government imposing itself upon individual states, and “States’ Rights” became a battle cry of many southern states. Slavery was an issue of the war, but not the central reason for it like many tend to believe.
After a lot of unfortunate bloodshed, the northern states prevailed. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation eventually spread through the entirety of the union, and the blight of slavery was placed in our nation’s rearview mirror. We can at least be proud that our country was among the first to put an end to legal slavery within its borders. Even while human trafficking and other forms of slavery still exist in the world, it was the righteous notion of “equality” that steered us in the right direction.
Over the years, many other such wrongs have been righted due to the founding principles of freedom and justice. Those principles having come from the Bible means that, like our founding fathers, we have allowed our morals to be mostly guided by God and His Word. But not everyone chooses to adhere to these concepts. The teachings in scripture that have served to benefit this nation and make her last so long have been largely swept aside in favor of a more humanistic view of morality. Whether you’re on the left or the right politically, this removal of God from the driver seat is easy to see.
Those of us who are among the Christian American Right, conservatives by nature, feel that we can guide our nation back to her foundations and repair the damage that’s been done through misguided, worldly, humanistic thinking. But we ourselves are not the saviors. We can’t accomplish a thing without first making certain that Godliness is again our guiding light. Even as we make strides toward restoring the greatness of America, we have to guard our hearts and minds from traps of the enemy. To succeed, just as the founders succeeded, we must have God behind the wheel. Through prayer and thoughtful execution of biblical principles, reimplementing those beneficial precepts of morality, we have turned the tide somewhat. But all the glory belongs to God.
As always tends to be the case, certain people become the faces of any movement or revolution. To a large extent, Donald Trump has become the face of ours. But that itself is a double-edged sword. When a man becomes the face of such a major undertaking, there are forces at work that will do everything in their power to malign and demonize that man in order to delegitimize the whole effort. Lies have been told, sure. About Trump, about us. But we who sincerely want to get America back to the successful God-fearing country she once was know that Trump’s face is temporary.
He was just the guy who came out and put words to what the rest of us were feeling. It seems at least that God chose to use him, but Trump is not our savior. While he and his administration are indeed a driving force to help achieve our goals, we can’t allow them to be in the actual driver seat. Our ultimate goal is not just to Make America Great Again – it’s to Make America Godly Again. We want to be in right-standing with our Creator, and we want His blessings to be on our country again. We believe that America’s former greatness was tied directly to its adherence to Godliness and morality.
The illegal immigration crisis was at the top of the list of things that needed to be fixed. Legal immigrants have always been welcomed here, but allowing the free flow of millions of illegal aliens into the country was a threat in multiple ways. Letting so many pour into our borders completely unvetted allowed terrorists and criminals to come in. That has proven deadly to many innocent people. Others who came in illegally, even if it was just to find work and support family, ended up working at terribly low wages – that creates a new lower class of slave laborers. Have we not learned our lesson on slavery yet?
That all happened under the poor leadership of people who were not putting the nation’s interests first, let alone the interests of US citizens. And they definitely weren’t allowing those beneficial biblical principles to guide them. Under the current administration, yeah, things are much better, but we have a long road ahead. And as I said, we can’t afford to just sit back and say, “Well, we voted ’em in, now it’s up to them to get it done.” No, we must be active participants. We have to hold our elected leaders accountable. Call or write our representatives when we see them missing the mark. And most importantly, we need to always be in prayer for them to be guided by God.
This Christian American Right will only succeed if the right person is driving the CAR. That’s not Donald Trump. It’s not J.D. Vance or Marco Rubio. It’s not anyone with an “R” or a “D” next to his/her name. It’s God Himself. He’s the only One that can keep us pointed in the right direction. While we’re holding our leaders accountable, it’s important what standard we use. As Christians, our standard is found in the teachings of Jesus Christ. True freedom is found only in Him. Even our founders knew a free nation could only be achieved through the adherence to biblical concepts. That’s why they included them within those founding docs. It’s also why they endeavored to instill those concepts into the citizenry. Such laws as those against stealing and murdering are taken directly from the Ten Commandments. So from the halls of the US Capitol to those within our very homes, we must all keep Jesus at the wheel – lest we AND our country wind up in the ditch.
For more on this topic, I invite you to read Religious Liberty and the Genius of the American Founding. Written by Glenn Ellmers, it is an informative and thought-provoking adaptation of a talk given during a 2024 Hillsdale College conference on “Christianity in America.”
Welcome to the STACE show! You know the drill: LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! Hit the LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. For all links, blogs, transcripts and more, just go to our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
And now, I take you to…
The TOP of the STACK:
Here are some of the top news stories from this week.
President Trump signed legislation late Wednesday ending the record-long government shutdown, resolving the 43-day closure caused by Democrats’ demand to increase spending on Obamacare subsidies. Federal agencies began reopening Thursday morning, more than 650,000 furloughed civil servants returned to work, and more than one million federal workers who went without pay during the funding lapse can now receive paychecks.
Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will vote on a bill to release all files related to the late financier and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein next week. Johnson said on Wednesday that a discharge petition to bypass leadership and force a vote on the bill hit the benchmark for needed signatures. He has decided to expedite the vote for the bill, which under current rules could have been delayed until at least early December, according to The Hill.
Longtime civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson was hospitalized Wednesday. 84-year-old Jackson was admitted to the hospital and under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disease for which there is currently no cure. He and his family are in our prayers.
Senator John Fetterman was also hospitalized this week. Thursday, during an early morning walk, he fell near his Pennsylvania home in Braddock. Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up causing him to feel light-headed, which is apparently why he fell. Other than minor injuries to his face, Fetterman was reportedly doing well – even joking about falling on his face, saying, “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!” He has battled health issues in the past, the most high-profile being a somewhat debilitating stroke during his 2022 Senate campaign. So we’re praying for him as well.
Want more news? Remember, you can check out the GCMedia Stack daily at TheGCMedia.com. Top news stories from trusted sources, regularly updated, available at our website, TheGCMedia.com.
Consider This:
Billboard’s number one song on its “Country Digital Song Sales” chart is called “Walk My Walk” by a band called Breaking Rust, and, according to Billboard, Breaking Rust was created by artificial intelligence (AI). This is just the beginning, folks. AI generated songs are seeping into every genre, including Christian music.
This is something to keep an eye on and be very aware of, as many feel artificial intelligence is easily becoming a tool of satan. By its nature, AI is a heartless, soulless, source of intelligent creativity. Some say it could even be what ushers in the mark of the beast. While this seems amusingly humorous to many, I believe it is a very real possibility that Christians would be wise to meet with thoughtful discernment and prayer.
In fact, here’s one preacher who seems to connect the dots for us…
[clip1 – Revelation verses regarding the Image of the Beast]
Now folks, I’m not saying I agree or disagree with that assessment. But I will say this: It is a very compelling argument worthy of further study.
Live Read:
If you’re like me, you probably do a lot of shopping on Amazon. Going into Christmas time especially, it’s just a convenient place to find those gift items for family and friends, right? But you don’t always know where your money is going – China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam. And you also don’t know if the items were made by slave labor or not.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was an online shopping site with a convenient app for your smart device where you could purchase quality products and KNOW your money is going to reputable sellers right here in the USA? Well, there is. It’s called Public Square. You’ll find the app in your app store. And every item is made in the USA! And the manufacturers are Americans who share your values.
A few years ago, I was looking for a good place to buy an American flag to fly in my front lawn. I had previously bought flags from big box stores like Walmart, but those flags – United States of America flags – were all made in China. So I wanted to make sure I was giving my hard-earned money to someone who made a great quality flag right here in the USA. I found that through the Public Square app. The seller even inserted a personal note about the flag, which was a nice touch. And the flag – it was absolutely beautiful! Made in the USA, so I was very proud to fly it in front of my house.
That’s what you’ll find with Public Square. Quality products, made in the USA, by folks who love this country as much as you do. Try for yourself today. You can visit their website at PublicSquare.com – that’s PublicSquare.com – or simply download the app from your smart device’s app store. Don’t sacrifice your principles when you make that next online purchase. Shop Public Square, America’s Marketplace.
Today’s Lesson:
Can morality be legislated? While this may seem like a no-brainer and an obvious NO, this question is also linked to another one: Should our faith dictate our political views? To this, I’d have to say YES. As Christians, God’s Word is the final authority on morality, and that should be something which permeates every aspect of our lives. Let’s go back and look at what the Founders believed.
The Founders believed the government indeed has an interest in promoting the dictates of the law of nature. The Declaration of Independence mentions some of those provisions. The law of nature gives people the right to life, liberty, and property. Government has a moral duty to protect those rights for its citizens. Laws that protect life, liberty, and property do legislate morality—a morality in line with the law of nature. Most obviously, they tell people that it is wrong to steal or to murder.
So we see here that it’s actually proper for a governing authority to legislate morality, but ONLY when that morality is based upon what is called “the law of nature.” But where does that come from? What exactly is meant be this term, the law of nature? Webster defines it as “a natural instinct or a natural relation of human beings or other animals due to native character or condition.” But of course, it goes deeper than that. Webster goes on in its definition of natural law to specifically include “one of the chief generalizations of science variously conceived as imposed upon nature by the Creator, as representing an intrinsic orderliness of nature.” Ah, so this means God is the ultimate source of this morality.
It makes sense that those who founded the USA viewed God in this way. They passed laws promoting strong families and churches. They used public funds to provide moral teaching in schools and, in some states, religious instruction in churches. After all, you can’t have a free country unless the people are relatively decent. Government has a duty to promote some basic minimal moral expectations and requirements of people if they’re going to be able to be responsible citizens of a free society.
People who believe in virtue will better govern themselves. In turn, the natural rights of life, liberty, and property will be better protected. People will restrain themselves or act with honor without the supervision of government when they hold in high regard the biblical teachings of Jesus. This will naturally result in greater happiness among the populous. At least, as long as everyone – including our leaders – make every effort to stick to those principles.
Unfortunately, over time that sense of beneficial adherence to scripture was replaced with a humanistic view of morality. God was kicked out of people’s everyday lives, resulting in an infusion of poor judgment and reprobate thinking. When the legislation of morality is coupled with this worldly and distorted view of morality itself, the freedom and happiness found in obeying God’s laws go right out the window as well.
When we stand up today for Godly principles in a world that has all but forgotten those were the same principles upon which our nation was founded, we get ridiculed. Many laugh at us, while others flat out tell us to keep our religious faith to ourselves. They say our Christianity has no place in politics. However, the realm of the political has invaded and attempted to overtake the realm of personal belief and our convictions of faith.
This is exactly what Allie Beth Stuckey was saying in this clip from a recent Turning Point USA event…
[clip2 – Allie Beth Stuckey calls on pastors to boldly speak out on moral issues]
This is increasingly becoming more of an issue as legislation gets passed without being based in the morality that originates from God. Man’s morality is faulty and falls far short of God’s. The Bible goes so far as to say that our righteousness is “as filthy rags.” Now tell me. Can a filthy rag be used to clean up anything? No. Neither can man’s broken moral compass be used to pass laws that will be anything other than a detriment to mankind. We NEED that TRUE moral standard that only comes from God.
If you haven’t already done so LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW now! Hit that LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. All links, blogs, transcripts and more can be found on our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Welcome to the STACE show! You know the drill: LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! Hit the LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. For all links, blogs, transcripts and more, just go to our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
And now, I take you to…
The TOP of the STACK:
You who follow the show regularly know that there’s been no podcast upload for the past couple of weeks. As you may also know, the reason for the absence was that my oldest sister, Sherry, passed away a couple of weeks ago. It was sudden and unexpected, so the whole family has been in shock.
At the memorial service last week, I spoke with a certain family member who had had reservations about attending. She was concerned after a certain event had transpired in our family’s past that she and her husband might not be fully welcomed. Often times there are rifts that occur due to arguments or divorce or whatever that make it feel like there’s this great chasm between us. She had called me in advance to make sure it was okay for them to be there.
I honestly felt like I could speak for the whole family when I told her, “Of course, we want you both there!” When speaking to them again in person, I assured them that there are no divisions at all to separate us, only strong connections that make us family. After the devastation of losing a sister, there was one thing I was certain of: Love, and ONLY LOVE, is important.
My sister, Sherry, had exemplified that with her life. Whatever differences we ever had in opinion, beliefs, or whatever, it was love that proved to be the only thing that truly mattered. The same is true of all my family members, and friends as well, as far as I’m concerned. We don’t have to agree on every single detail of life, politics, religion, or anything else. Love trumps all of that.
I have tons of memories that I’ll always cherish of my sister. Her reading books to me when I was little, growing up together and entering adulthood, our mutual interest in sci-fi and certain movies and TV shows, holidays spent together over the years, and more. But what occurred to me during this time of grief was that the whole reason why I miss her so much is because of the bond of love.
Think about this. We’ve all gotten separated from friends and family for one reason or another. Whether it was death, divorce or a falling out, or that we just moved or drifted apart, the feeling of absence and loss is because of more than simply being accustomed to having one another around. It’s love. We were designed for it by God. He created us with His most amazing character trait – the propensity to love one another.
So naturally, when I told that concerned family member, “Yes, please come to the service, we’d love to see you,” it was sincere. In that moment, after Sherry’s passing, my heart was raw and torn wide open. A broken heart isn’t strictly a bad thing. It enables us to feel everything and draws our attention back to what really matters. More than that, loving others and feeling that love reciprocated is like a healing salve that repairs all wounds. It helps us deal with grief more efficiently and reminds us why we’re here.
If there is a rift between you and a friend or family member, if you feel that they somehow did you wrong, or if you just wanna reconnect, love is the way to do it. Pray that God would help you to forgive and make amends. Remind yourself of the love that once bound you together and allow that love to be restored. As a result, YOU and your heart will also be restored, refreshed, and renewed. That’s the miracle-working power of LOVE!
Remember that love is a Godly characteristic. True agape love is unconditional and keeps no record of wrongs. Just as 1 Corinthians 13 tells us, love isn’t boastful or haughty. It’s patient and kind, not envious. It doesn’t insist on its own way. Love rejoices in truth, bears and endures all things. And it never, ever ends. Like God, it’s eternal. So in the end, there’s just love. Let that be your guiding principle…everyday.
LIVE READ:
Meet Aylin. When she was just 12 years old, she was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer. Aylin faced a journey filled with challenges — chemotherapy, a liver transplant and a second cancer diagnosis. But through it all, she held onto her dream of celebrating her 15th birthday surrounded by loved ones.
Fortunately, Saint Jude was there to help. Thanks to the support of her family, friends and the care she received at St. Jude, Aylin’s dream came true. Her sea-themed quinceañera was a joyful tribute to her strength and her dream of becoming a marine biologist.
As she danced with her parents and read a prayer of gratitude, Aylin embodied the power of hope and the importance of celebrating life’s precious moments. You can help fuel success stories like hers just by donating now to St. Jude. Because of people like you, no child is ever turned away due to the family’s inability to pay.
So make some time, and visit stjude.org. That’s stjude.org. Click on their DONATE button and give today. When you give to St. Jude, you’re not just donating to a worthy cause, you’re actually helping make dreams come true! So don’t wait. Do it today. Donate generously to Saint Jude at stjude.org, that’s stjude.org. And hey, thanks for giving!
GCMedia Flashback:
Indeed, we are headed into the season of giving. So here’s a GCMedia Flashback to a very poignant message from 2011. Check it out…
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Folks, I am deeply saddened to bring you the following news. My heart is heavy tonight as I write this, but I’ll get straight to the point.
We have had a death in the family today. We’re all still in shock. But one definite result is that I will NOT be doing a podcast this weekend.
I’m not prepared to give details at this time, but it has hit us pretty hard. Please pray for my family as we go through this time of grief and heartache. God is with us, and He will guide us through.
God bless you all, and be sure to tell your loved ones how much you care for them.
Welcome to the STACE show! Go ahead, LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! Hit the LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. For all links, blogs, transcripts and more, just go to our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Now, let’s go to…
The TOP of the STACK:
What is violence? It’s a serious question. A lot of folks today seem to be confused about this. They might use clichés like words are violence or silence is violence. But even if something is a clever turn of phrase, it’s not necessarily true. So let’s look at the topic closely.
First of all… Words are not violence. If you are like me, genX or older, you surely grew up hearing this little adage: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me. We remember it because it makes the point very clearly, and it also just makes good sense. Talk all you want. You can’t hurt me with your words.
While it’s true that words might hurt your feelings, that’s not violence. Unless you’re a small child who hasn’t learned better yet, your feelings shouldn’t be that fragile. We can choose whether or not to allow words to hurt our feelings or to cause us emotional stress. Life’s tough. Wear a helmet. Grow up.
Second… Opinions are not violence. When someone has an opinion that’s different from yours, it doesn’t do you any physical harm. While someone’s opinion may offend you, that’s only if you let it, and it’s still not violence. If you can’t keep from getting emotionally stressed just because of someone’s opinions, you should seek professional help. Seriously.
Lastly… Violence is violence. See, violence is active. It is an act of violence that causes actual physical harm. Violence is a personal choice someone makes. Violent rhetoric is an oxymoron because rhetoric itself is only words. And as we already covered, words are not violence.
If those words inspire someone to commit an act of violence, the act is that person’s choice. Because, as we previously stated, violence is a personal choice someone makes. While the person who speaks words that promote violent acts should be held accountable for encouraging people to act out, it is those who make the decision to commit violent acts which should bear total responsibility for their own actions.
See how that works? Unfortunately, we see so many people today who are looking for an excuse to actually be violent toward those who disagree with them. That’s why you hear these claims on the left so often that equate our disagreement with hate and our differing opinions as violence. It gives them license (in their minds) to violently act out against us.
Examples? How about every single Antifa riot. Every BLM riot. You remember those so-called “mostly peaceful” riots that burned cars and looted businesses? Yeah. Every time the left wants to get noticed and cause a scene, they tend to excuse their own violent behavior with some claim of hateful words used against them. It’s all garbage.
And while we’re on the subject of looney lefty forms of protest, did you see the nude bicyclist protest? This happened in Portland recently. People were protesting against Trump’s use of the National Guard to help clean up crime in some of the worst cities. In true Portland fashion, or lack thereof, protesters took to the streets on bicycles and wearing no clothes, or very little. You can’t make this stuff up.
I welcome your freedom to protest whatever you want, but only the left would choose this as their preferred option. Why nude? To get noticed? While it’s an obvious publicity stunt, the only thing getting noticed is a bunch of crazy naked people riding bicycles. Is that really the mental picture you want associated with your cause?
Well, at least it’s not violence. Twisted, demented, and disgusting…but not violent.
LIVE READ:
I often tell you that you can find all links, blogs, transcripts and more at our website. But what’s the more, you might wonder. Well I’ll tell you. Our website is not just our official location online, it’s also a news and comment site. Since the legacy media has let us down, we wanted to give you a reliable place to find out what’s going on from trusted sources.
So when you visit TheGCMedia.com – that’s TheGCMedia.com – the first things you’ll see on our landing page is some current news stories of interest. Right below that are some top social media posts. This content is updated regularly, so check back often to stay on top of what’s important.
Now when I say you’ll find links, blogs, transcripts and more on our website, you’ll know what the more is. Bookmark us now and visit often, at TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com!
FACT or FICTION:
The internet, and particularly social media, is full of stories. Some true, many not. It’s especially frustrating to learn you’ve shared what seems like a genuine feel-good story that turns out to be completely made-up. Here’s a heads up and a word of advice…
One such story I saw making its rounds a few weeks ago was about football great T.J. Watt offering to pay for all the educational needs of Charlie Kirk’s children. Shortly after, I noticed another post worded the exact same way as the first, but it was a football coach rather than Watt who had supposedly made the offer. What seemed like a goodwill gesture by a generous donor turned out to be a totally fabricated story.
More recently, there was a story about Christian artist Brandon Lake appearing on Jimmy Kimmel’s show. “The audience was stunned,” the post read, as it told how Lake kinda embarrassed Kimmel or put him in his place. Then, the same story appeared again with country music artist Vince Gill as the supposed guest who humiliated Kimmel. These stories were complete fiction.
Who makes these things up and why? There are lots of people out there who apparently do it for the likes and shares. But fake stories like these can also be used to simply distract us from other more important things. It’s very plausible that this is even done just so that people can point to it and say, “See! This is why we need the fact-checkers!” But of course the fact-checkers were bogus, too, and used to censor conservatives.
These stories are designed in such a way that people want to believe them and be the first to share them. Therein lies the problem. We like to be able to immediately share stuff we see as important and share-worthy. We want to be first, and that’ll get you into trouble.
Here’s a piece of advice known as The Bongino Rule – yep, directly from Dan Bongino himself. It’s better to be RIGHT than to be FIRST. In other words, it’s a good practice to be suspicious of any story at first glance. It’s also wise to get some confirmation on the story before sharing it. If you can’t confirm it, leave it alone. This is just how it is.
Just for Laughs:
This week our laughs are brought to us by the panel on Gutfeld Live! Here they are talking about the recent successes of Trump and how those on the left are handling it. Enjoy.
[clip – Gutfeld Live]
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Welcome again to the STACE show! Right now, it’s time to LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! So go on, hit the LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. For all links, blogs, transcripts and more, just go to our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
And now, I take you to…
The TOP of the STACK:
There are a number of people nowadays who honestly believe that we are living in some type of simulation. We’re able to create virtual or simulated realities within a computer generated construct, and so many folks have begun to think we could exist inside such a system ourselves.
Now I don’t really subscribe to this notion myself, but I do think our existence is somewhat analogous to this idea. All I mean by this is, our existence can be better understood if we think about it as we do a computer generated reality. Imagine it this way…
God created a perfect system. We could live in it indefinitely. We had freedom to live, learn, grow, and enjoy true happiness. There was no sickness or disease. There was no death or decay. It was completely flawless.
Then satan came along, bent on destroying this new creation. Why? Because he had rejected God’s authority and gotten himself stripped of the authority God had previously given him. He hated God and wished to hurt Him by messing up His pet project and the mankind who’d been given authority within that perfect system.
So satan and his fellow rebels began to corrupt the system. Starting with the deception in the Garden, they introduced a powerful virus into this perfect reality. That virus was called sin, and it quickly spread and brought instability and chaos.
This went on until the entire system was corrupted except for one tiny segment, Noah and his family. God communicated to Noah how to construct a safe zone for him, his family, and certain animals. With them safely isolated, God reformatted the system. This would destroy all the corrupted files.
But satan would again do everything in his power to mess things up even worse than before. He’s been doing that for a long time, and the virus of sin is once again running rampant in our reality. We can see evidence of this every day. And we have learned to recognize it because of one special gift.
The Designer gave us the ability to be cleansed from the sin virus which controls so many. By entering the system He created through a man named Jesus, God made a way for all things to be made new again, even in the midst of the chaos and corruption.
It is by accepting and integrating Jesus into our existence that we are set free from the corruptive influence of satan. Jesus brought us truth, and He left behind His Holy Spirit – an ever-abiding portion of His presence. It acts as an antiviral shield, protecting us from the power of the sin virus.
There is coming a day soon when the entirety of the system will be reset. All corruption will be purged. We will be restored to factory defaults, resuming God’s original design as He intended. And we will exist forever with our Creator.
Meanwhile, we must stand firm and contend with the enemy within the system. Our purpose? To spread the truth Jesus gave us, which counters the viral programming and sets people free from it. Without Jesus, people remain slaves to a corrupted system.
Okay, putting the analogy aside now, the truth is that God did design a perfect reality and placed us within it as its caretakers. But we let satan take over. His influence in this world is huge, and we can see the destruction and decay all that evil has caused.
The question now is, what are you prepared to do about it? We have a mission here. Occupy until Christ returns. Occupy doesn’t mean sit by while the destruction continues. Occupy means to take ownership, and to exemplify righteousness for others. Right the wrongs, protect the innocent, and prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.
Around the World:
Shifting now to other parts of the world, who would have ever thought that peace could be possible between Israel and the Palestinians? This makes 8 big peace deals Trump has been a part of in the less than ten months he has been back in office. If he can’t secure the Nobel Peace Prize after that, there is something seriously wrong.
At the same time though, I have to be honest. And I don’t want to belittle all that’s been accomplished for this latest peace deal. But the fight between Israel and her neighbors who all want her wiped off the map has been going on practically forever. So, do I think peace will last in that region? Not to be a gloomy Gus, but I highly doubt it.
Ugh! How can you say that!? Look, let me be clear on this. I hope and pray that this peace lasts for as long as it possibly can. I’m just saying, if history is an indication at all, and if the Bible is accurate about the end times – which I believe it is – then inevitably, at some point, war will break out there again. Maybe it will be long from now. We’ll see.
But you have to see this. As long as this type of thing I’m about to show you is going on, there’s always the likelihood of more war. You wanna talk about people being programmed? Obviously, we have some major indoctrination issues here at home in the states, but look at what’s going on in the middle east.
If you’re listening to the audio podcast, I encourage you to go watch this show on Rumble. Trust me, just do it.
It’s no surprise to hear that young children are being taught to believe lies and hate certain people during terrorist training. I mean, of course that’s happening. But when you SEE it… Boy, do we ever need to PRAY!
This clip begins with a young Palestinian mother teaching her kids to hate Jews and Americans. Notice how proud she is. This is real life, folks. You can watch the whole thing at PragerU.com for free. Watch.
[clip1: “Dear Infidels”]
For those who couldn’t read the subtitles, here’s what those young children were saying. Remember, this is what they’re being taught in areas all across the middle east. One child said, “We have to make war to prove that we are stronger than the Jews.” The next one said, “They teach us that Jews are terrorists.” Another little boy said, “At school they teach us about Jews, they teach us that they are bad people. They killed our young.” Then another boy said, “They teach us in school that Jews are fickle, bad people.“
This is the reality of the world we live in. Generations of people are taught to hate and make war against us. If that’s not reason enough to pray, I don’t know what is. Again, you can see that entire video, “Dear Infidels,” for free at PragerU.com.
LIVE READ:
Folks, about 22 veterans take their own lives each day. Many come home to civilian life and can’t adjust after things they’ve seen in combat. Too many of them resort to suicide as a means of escaping the nightmares and chaos. But there’s help. Write down this number: 1-800-273-8255, that’s 800-273-8255. The Veterans Crisis Line is available right now to those who need it. If you are a veteran, or if you know a veteran who’s going through a rough time, use that number. There’s also a confidential crisis chat available at VeteransCrisisLine.net, that’s VeteransCrisisLine.net, or you can send a text to 838255, that’s 838255. Help is just a phone call, chat, or text away. Share this information and help us put a stop to veteran suicide today. Thank you.
Musical Spotlight:
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever had a moment, a holy spirit moment, where God just suddenly made you humbly aware of His presence and His realness? Perhaps you were in a worship service and that happened, or maybe you were simply in a quiet time of prayer. Everything around you fades into the background, and you realize that you are in the awesome presence of Almighty God.
I’ve experienced this on several occasions, and it’s absolutely incredible. There’s nothing else like it. But here’s the thing. Even as it happens, and all the stuff we claim to know and believe about God is suddenly confirmed, it can still take us by surprise. You’re like, “Wow, okay, I knew You were real, God, but this…this is just…” And you become speechless because there are no words to describe it.
There’s a reassurance in that moment that the world cannot take away. And that’s truly a blessing. This is what I thought of when I heard Christian artist Phil Wickham attempt to describe the experience he had. Watch…
[clip2 – Phil Wickham “God is REAL!”]
If you haven’t already done so LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW now! Hit that LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. All links, blogs, transcripts and more can be found on our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Welcome to the all-new STACE show! Before we jump in, it’s time to LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW! So BOOM, hit the LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. For all links, blogs, transcripts and more, just go to our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
And now, without further ado, let’s go to…
The TOP of the STACK:
More than anything else, I wanna say this. GCM has gone through many changes over the years, you know – video series, blogs, podcasts, changes to the website, changes to the name of the show, etc. Here’s what never changes: our purpose for being here. I’m talking about the core of GCM, the core of this show, and the core of Christianity itself.
Let me lay that out for you. If you are a Christian, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. That means the Great Commission He gave His disciples is for YOU. What is the Great Commission? I’m glad you asked that question! It is a command Jesus gave us, an instruction, a duty, and a calling.
To do what? Glad you asked that! To take the Gospel – the Good News of Christ – into ALL the world. What does that mean? Good question! It means we’re supposed to be spreading the Gospel into EVERY PART of this world. Notice that. Jesus said take it with you everywhere you go, tell it, proclaim it. He said “into ALL the world.” All.
Do you know what all means? It means ALL. In this context, it means everywhere. Does that mean in every country? Yes. Does it mean every city? Yes. Every neighborhood? Yes. What about schools? Yes. How about city council meetings? Yes. Wait, even into the political arena? Yes! What is it about these words ALL and EVERYWHERE that you don’t understand? There is no place in the world where we shouldn’t proclaim the Gospel.
We’ve forgotten our calling. Or at least, we’ve underestimated its scope. We’ve allowed the world to condition us to think that we shouldn’t take our faith into government, our schools, or even our workplace. That’s nuts! The Great Commission is clear, and it is not meant to be limited. All means all, and we need to boldly go everywhere with Jesus.
What about separation of church and state? You knew that’s where this was headed, right? You hear people throw that out there all the time. News flash: There is absolutely zero mention of “separation of church and state” anywhere in our founding documents. None. Nada. Nil.
You mean it’s not in the Constitution? Nope. The declaration of independence? No, not there either. Well it’s gotta be somewhere! Yeah, ya know where that phrase was mentioned? In a letter, okay, in a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut.
What was the context? THAT is an excellent question. On January 1, 1802, Jefferson wrote a letter in response to the Baptists who had written him. They had expressed concerns about religious freedom in their state, where the Congregationalist Church was still legally established, and they felt their religious liberties were tenuous “favors granted” rather than inalienable rights. Jefferson’s reply reassured them of his commitment to religious liberty, stating:
”I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.”
This phrase has since become a key metaphor in American legal and political discussions regarding the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, the intent was to protect religious liberties from being interfered with by the state (or the government).
The founders knew if people were to think their freedom to worship God was somehow granted by the government, they would also have to fear the government could take it away. They also knew the Bible was chock-full of great teachings, and most of them believed it should be taught in schools. They saw no conflict, as many politicians seem to today.
Even today’s leftist media seems to be Constitutionally illiterate because they don’t realize that our founding docs say that all our freedoms are God-given. Our rights don’t come from government – they come from God. Just as it states in our Declaration of Independence…
“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
So yeah, let’s set the record straight. Our rights and freedoms come from God, not government. Government can try to take them away, but they can’t legally do it. And separation of church and state, though not found in any founding document, was a phrase used by Thomas Jefferson to emphasize that the government has no business messing with our religious liberties. Period. That’s it. The end.
So again, let me repeat. Jesus commanded us, His followers, to go into ALL the world with the Gospel message. Everywhere. And even if that were against man’s law, it would still be our duty because God’s law and His commands transcend all others. What’s our duty? To take Jesus and His teachings where? Everywhere. Into ALL the world, and yes, into ALL aspects of our lives.
Having said all that, let me say this, and I hope you will proclaim this along with me: The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach the good news, to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone and in every place. Every morning when you wake up, say that over yourself, over your day, and over your life. Live out the Great Commission every day, for the glory of God.
Next up, we’ve got a musical spotlight for ya, featuring Christian singer/songwriter/performing artist Brandon Lake. But just before that – speaking of Christian music – I wanna remind you to check out our internet radio station, Kingdom Radio.
That’s right. 24/7, you can hear Christian songs absolutely free with zero commercials, available even now as I speak. Just pick a way to listen that’s easiest for you. Oh, let me count the ways…
Go to TheGCMedia.com/radio and click the LISTEN button.
In your browser, go directly to kingdom.radio12345.com and hit PLAY.
Download the Listen2myRadio app to your Android, iPhone, or other wireless device. Open the app, hit the SEARCH button and type in the word Kingdom. This will take you to the station, and you can save it as a favorite for easy return.
Any way you tune in, take Kingdom Radio with you everywhere. Praise God in your car, at the office, the dog park, wherever! Godly encouragement is only a few taps away. Kingdom Radio… Your ears will thank you!
Musical Spotlight:
You probably know that Brandon Lake is one of the most popular Christian artists right now. He’s well-known for songs like That’s Who I Praise, Count ‘Em, Too Good to Not Believe, Holy, Hard Fought Hallelujah, and more.
In this interview excerpt, Brandon reveals that one of his favorite songs he recorded is also one that almost didn’t make it onto his record. Check it…
[clip – Brandon Lake talks Gratitude]
LOOKING AHEAD:
In the coming weeks as we continue the new show, we’ll add various segments and try to keep it fresh for you. I will still, at times, talk about current events – yes, including the political stuff. As always, keeping a biblical perspective is the goal. If I goof up along the way, that’s why the show is now named after me, so you’ll know who to blame.
If you haven’t already done so LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW now! Hit that LIKE button, SHARE this to your social media, and FOLLOW our Rumble Channel at Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. All links, blogs, transcripts and more can be found on our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Today’s program is the final episode of this podcast, The Kingdom Light – as we prepare to launch the new show next weekend on October 4th. Appropriately, we’re gonna talk about leveling up our game as Christians. Stay. Right. Here.
-Show Intro –
Do me a favor, SMASH that LIKE button! If you enjoy the show, please SHARE it to your social media. FOLLOW our Rumble Channel – Rumble.com/GCM, that’s Rumble.com/GCM. Email us at kingdomlight@usa.com, that’s kingdomlight@usa.com. For links, blogs, transcripts and more, check out our website – TheGCMedia.com, that’s TheGCMedia.com.
Top of the stack this week… I have to say this first and foremost, y’all. That Charlie Kirk Memorial service last Sunday was ah-mazing! Best thing I’ve seen on TV in a very long time. Yes, it was touching to hear all the different stories from Charlie’s friends and colleagues. But more than that, it was a bona fide revival service.
There was wonderful praise and worship, led by Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake, Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, and others. It was like going to a genuine worship service, and the Holy Spirit showed up for it. You almost forgot it was a memorial service. You didn’t feel like you were saying goodbye to Charlie Kirk. It was a true celebration.
Then, one after another, members of our country’s leadership stepped up – not just to honor Charlie, but to proclaim the Gospel! Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, JD Vance, and more. They sounded more like preachers than politicians. I absolutely LOVED THAT!
FORGIVENESS
But the best part of all, God bless her, was when Erika Kirk fought back the tears to say and do something incredible. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can anyone do what she did. She forgave her husband’s killer, saying “it’s what Christ did and it’s what Charlie would do.” Wow. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Now I hear the naysayers. There’s no way she could’ve meant that. No one could possibly forgive the anyone who did something like that. Well folks, I believe she meant it. Charlie chose her to be his wife because of her faith, beauty, and intelligence. She has Jesus in her heart. The same Jesus who forgave all of us from the cross lives in Erika Kirk’s heart. Yeah, she meant it.
As Christians, we know that forgiveness is divine. And it’s also necessary to forgive others so that we can move past how we were wronged. The other option is to hold onto the heaviness of a grudge. Unforgiveness will destroy you. And walking with Christ requires us to forgive. Even still, that moment was certainly unmatched by anything else that happened on Sunday.
Of course, some on the left had their own take on Erika’s statement. Eager to malign her, they claimed she only forgave the man who murdered her husband – get this – because he was white. Seriously?! The notion is sick and demented. But it’s not surprising. These people who love to call everything racism know nothing about the concept of forgiveness. Evil has twisted their minds.
JIMMY KIMMEL
Following up on the Jimmy Kimmel debacle, he went back on the air this week, albeit on about 25% less stations. ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar and Sinclair have so far said they will be pre-empting his show. Nonetheless, Kimmel returned to TV and tearfully tried to walk back the offensive comments that got him suspended.
Some say Kimmel apologized, but others say it fell short of an actual apology because he never really said, “Hey, I’m sorry for what I said.” What he did say this week was that he never meant to make fun of a young man being murdered. Well, I don’t know anyone who thought he did that anyway. So, that really wasn’t the issue.
Kimmel then seemed to sorta retcon the actual offensive thing he had said. He claimed that it was never his intention to point a finger at a particular group of people and blame them for the murder of Charlie Kirk. His words last week, however, DID seem to point a finger directly at MAGA.
Though I will grant him this: Kimmel did mention Erika Kirk’s forgiveness of the killer as being a great example of someone who follows the teachings of Jesus, as Jimmy claims he does as well. To that, let me just say this: Jimmy, I sincerely hope that you do try to follow teachings of Christ.
I’m not gonna take the hard line some others have taken and assume he was being disingenuous. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. I’m not his judge. As a Christian, I am charged to LOVE Jimmy Kimmel. Erika Kirk made the point last Sunday very well that our response must always be one of love, not hate. So I’ll give Jimmy the benefit of the doubt, forgive him, and let it go.
That’s what we have to do, folks. Sometimes it’s hard to do that, I understand. But come on, think about it. If Erika can bring herself to forgive the man who murdered her husband, can we honestly not find it within our hearts to forgive Jimmy for something he said? Let’s be bigger than that. Let’s forgive. And the whole world will know us by our love. That’s a great way to level up our Christian walk!
WHAT WAS MEANT FOR EVIL
I’m gonna say this, and then I’m gonna move on. The death of Charlie Kirk did not at all accomplish what hell intended. As a man who was successfully reaching college age youth with conservativatism and Christianity, he became a target.
Hear me. For those who wish to continue brainwashing our youth, Charlie Kirk had to be stopped. He had to be silenced. But the end result was something else entirely. People who’ve never been to church are going to church now. Folks who never knew who Charlie Kirk was before have learned what he really died for, and it’s changing people’s lives for the better.
This is God doing something that I like to call changing the polarity. He took a negative and turned it into a positive. And that brings me back to my main point…
As Christians, we must be ready to act at a moment’s notice and change the polarity around us. Turning negative situations into something positive is another way we can step up our game as followers of Christ. How else do we do that? How else can we level up? We’ll talk more about that in just a minute.
Real quick though, I wanna give a free plug to the folks at Patriot Mobile. They aren’t a sponsor, they’re not paying me to say this, okay? This is a true and sincere testimonial from ME.
I switched my cell phone service to Patriot Mobile a few months ago, and am I ever glad I did! Not only did my coverage improve because they use all three of the major cellular networks’ towers, but they’re also American & Christian owned. I know when I pay my bill that my money is going to causes that agree with my own Christian conservative values.
Patriot Mobile supports veteran services, faith-based causes, and more. Check ’em out for yourself today at PatriotMobile.com – that’s PatriotMobile.com. Patriot Mobile, America’s ONLY conservative Christian wireless provider.
NEXT LEVEL CHRISTIANITY
So how do we take our Christian walk to the next level?
1. Forgive Every Offense
One big way, as mentioned a moment ago, is by practicing forgiveness. The Bible says we should be slow to anger and quick to forgive. Forgiveness is a central character trait of God, and it’s one we should live out at every opportunity.
2. Change the Polarity
Another way to level up, as already stated, is to be prepared at all times to change the polarity of a situation. Turn negatives into positives. See someone with a need, fill it. Smile. Be the brightest part of someone’s day. Be the catalyst that inspires a revolution of kindness. Make that your default position.
3. Be Bold in the Faith
Still another way is to be bold in the faith. Don’t shy away from opportunities to share with others what God has done for you. The light of your testimony can illuminate the path to Christ for others. Never underestimate the power of conversation and the weight of your personal experience with Jesus. Talk about it!
4. Learn to Share and Defend Truth
You can also level up your game by learning to share truth in love. Understand that speaking the truth of the Gospel to people is not hateful – it’s loving, and it’s our calling. If you see someone is headed down a bad road, warn them!
There’s so much garbage out there today that we have to counter with truth. People who have rejected truth open themselves up to believing all sorts of lies. Remember the following about truth, and learn to defend it.
It is the height of human arrogance – what we call hubris – to believe in such a way as to say, “Well, perhaps that’s your truth, but it’s not my truth.” There is no “your truth” and “my truth.” There is only THE TRUTH. And if it’s not THE TRUTH, then – by process of elimination – it has to be A LIE.
You can have your own beliefs and opinions, but that doesn’t mean those things are true. They might be true, or they might not. Truth has to pass certain tests to be proven true.
One test is this: If it’s true for one, it’s true for all. Truth is absolute. It is not relative or conditional. Truth is no respector of persons. If it isn’t true for all, it isn’t true at all. Truth is an essential standard of reality. In other words, truth is what grounds us to reality.
The moment you decide to take your opinions and beliefs and elevate them in status as to call them your truth, you become detached from reality. The term for this is delusional. This means you have chosen to reject what is true in favor of your own preferred lie. This is unfortunately a very common trap of humanism.
5. Study the Scriptures
Paul talks about it in Romans 1:18-32. I challenge you to read this passage over and over until it gets into your spirit. Studying the Word of God is one of the best ways to keep on leveling up your Christian walk.
6. Pray Continually
And, as I often emphasize, pray continually. Constant communication with God is the most essential thing in a Christian’s life. Without it, there is no relationship with the Father. Without that, we’re lost.
I pray that you will continue to grow in Christ, maturing in the faith, and always putting on the full armor of God. Stand strong in HIS power and might. Know that, yeah, the world will indeed hate you because of Jesus, but there is still no higher calling than to introduce people to Jesus. Are you ready to put all these things into practice and level up your walk with God?
Thank you so much for joining me for this podcast. The Kingdom Light never ends, but next week it will give way to something new. I hope you’ll join me for it as I begin the next chapter of GCM. Until then, God bless!
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