In the last month, we’ve watched on TV as our new president took the oath of office in the midst of an environment filled with discord. Protestors took to the streets to voice their displeasure with the current state of affairs in our nation. The anger and divisiveness is frankly quite scary. We have people standing firm on three different platforms – liberal, conservative, and completely indifferent. 
I must confess that I don’t stand on any of these platforms. My peace and stability are not impacted by who is in the White House. I serve the King of Kings, and He is always on the throne. 
If I am going to march for anyone, I want to march for Jesus.  But, I am finding that the banner under which I stand has increasingly become viewed as polarizing. Those who stand for Jesus seem to face more and more opposition in our world. 
How can I reach those who oppose the Truth? How can I share the Good News with those who aren’t willing to listen because they are too busy fighting for the here and now when they should be focused on their eternal destiny?
The truth is that those who carry the Light have always faced opposition. All I need to do is open up my Bible and see how those who have gone before me stood strong in troubled times. 

4 Ways to Persevere when You Face Opposition


1. Live a life of integrity: Your life is a billboard for the gospel. Stay humble and yielded to the Spirit so that your life is above reproach. Your countenance and character should be attractive to those who are standing on unsure ground.

•  “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness  and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7-8).

2. Invest in the lives of the lost: Live out the gospel by loving and caring for those around you who are seeking. Wash feet first, and then speak the truth in love.

• “We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.  We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” (I Thessalonians 2:1-8).

 

3. Always extend grace: Avoid arguments and work toward peace and reconciliation. Share the truth with kindness trusting that the Holy Spirit will work. 

• “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (II Timothy 2:24-26).

 

4. Meditate on Christ’s work on the cross: No one faced more opposition than our Savior. He took His eyes off the present state of affairs, and He looked ahead to the glory to come. We must do the same. Finish strong. God will reward your faithfulness.

• “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

​My sisters, the time is short. We must hold fast to what we know is true in the midst of strong opposition. Let’s follow Paul’s admonition in I Corinthians 16: Be on guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. 

​Facebook is a scary place this November in this 2016 post-election season. The Trump-ers are blowing their horns loud and proud. They are on the winning team, and they think they know best. But, the Clinton Crew are not going quietly either. They’ve adopted the hashtag #NotMyPresident, and they are taking their anger and unhappiness to the streets in protest. 

I think I’ve unfollowed like a million angry politically loud friends on social media this year. I just can’t handle the noise. 

Why can’t we just learn to listen to one another and realize that no one in the White House is going to make things right? 

We live in a broken world, and only God can redeem and restore us. He alone can uproot the seeds of sin and death that our willful, disobedient choices have planted.  Only God can unite and heal what seems completely broken and divided. 

As we look toward the next four years, what exactly is my role as a Daughter of the King in the midst of a disruptive, captive land? My job is not to prove how right I am. I am not here to be the Holy Spirit and convict the hearts of men. 
​
4 Roles of Kingdom People:

• Be a Reconciliation Ambassador: Help build bridges between this lost disenfranchised world and our Savior.

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:] The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:14-21)

• Be a Wise Peacemaker: Point the confused and shaken toward the solid Truth found in God’s unchanging Word.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:13-18).

• Be a Loving Servant:  Use your gifts to bless those who are hurting. Help meet needs and sow seeds of love to break up the fallow ground of hard hearts. 

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:13-15).

• Be a Light in a Dark Place: Shine brightly. People will note your confident trust in an eternal God who keeps His promises during dark times. Your life testifies that God is alive and at work.

“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable,and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (I Peter 1:19).  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16)
 
There is work to be done, my sisters. We aren’t here to prove we are right. We are here to point to Jesus. He will make things right.

​Lyli Dunbar loves teaching.  For 17 years, she mentored teenagers in the Christian school setting, and now she has serves as Associate Director of Curriculum at Trinity International University Florida. Lyli married her Prince Charming in her 40’s and has a heart for encouraging young couples and singles in God’s waiting room.  She enjoys road trips with her husband, connecting with women through Bible study, and reading way too many books. Lyli writes about life lessons and faith on her personal blog. You may also connect with her on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest.

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 What now? That is the question on a lot of peoples minds now that it seems Trump will be the Republican nominee. Many smart people have written about how foolish it would be to have Trump as President and 32 reasons we shouldn't vote for him and 7 more reasons. 

Yet many others would say if we don't stand behind Trump, it would be a vote for Hilary. But perhaps by trying to manipulate the outcome and voting for the lesser of two evils is actually attempting to keep our country from God's tough love. Perhaps if we live in a country where the majority of the people actually want to stand behind a lady who stands against the things God calls right and push forth the things He hates, perhaps we need discipline to move us to cry out the Lord in repentance.

I deeply desire for this country to please God. But a thriving country is a result of the people walking with God. So if I really want to see this, then I have to let go and let God draw people to Himself and there is a good chance it might take discipline to cause many in our country to see their need of a Savior. It might take the Lord's discipline before we see repentance and revival. Check out the cycle of disobedience we see in Judges.

I believe as Christ followers we need to vote according to our conscience, by faith, not trying to manipulate the outcome. For if we compromise it will weaken our conscience. Whatever is not by faith is sin. So if you can't fully support Trump by faith, then don't vote for him, even if it would mean Hilary wins. Don't be fooled, doing whats wrong to avoid something worse will weaken your conscience. We need to take responsibility for doing what we think is right by the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results up to God. We can't  play God and try to manipulate the outcome, hoping a lesser of two evils will actually turn out for good. Charles Spurgeon says it well, "Of two evils, choose neither."

Laura, the founder of Missional Women is married and has six kids, two of whom are adopted. Laura and her husband have been missionaries to college students for 14 years serving with Master Plan Ministries where she is the Women's Development Coordinator. Laura has authored 5 books, including an award winning 12 week Bible Study on First Samuel, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God, A Devotional Journey through Judges, and Discover God's Calling for Your Life. Most recently her resource for Bible studies, The Connect Cards was released by Cru Press. You can find her on facebook, twitter, pinterest, youtube, instagram, periscope, blab and her author site.

A few years back a family who used to be leaders in the church I went to seemed to have gone nuts. They got a divorce and she became a lesbian and he turned to the party scene. My heart broke for their two beautiful children. It forced me to wrestle through thoughts on if they really had been Christians in the first place and how they could have gotten so far away from God in what seemed like such a short amount of time.

Then last week a women's ministry leader was telling me about a very similar experience that was bringing to her mind the very same questions I had wrestled through. It seems that often there are Christians in the news being exposed of some horrendous sin they have committed, like Josh Duggar.

The Lord promises to use all things for the good of those who love Him, and that includes even me and I believe you if you put your faith in Christ's work on the cross. So what good can come from this? What can we learn from something so heartbreaking?

Josh Duggar's situation reminds us of perhaps one of the most important things we could ever deeply understand, that we can't live the Christian life by our own effort-by trying hard. Living the Christian life is impossible... except with God.

When I was younger I had a chart I would measure my "goodness" by each day. I tried my very hardest to be good for God. My heart was pure, I wanted to please Him with everything I had. The problem was that I was trying to please Him by my own finite effort, which was impossible. No matter how hard we try, we will never be able to live the perfect life.

Take the fruit of the Spirit for example. Who doesn't want to be loving, kind, gentle and self-controlled? What beautiful qualities! But the thing is, they are fruit of the Holy Spirit, not fruit of our own effort of trying hard. Fruit doesn't grow by trying really hard, fruit only grows by yielding, or staying connected to the branch. It is the same with us. We can't live the Christian life by trying really hard to not sin. We only successfully live the Christian life by yielding (abiding) in Christ.

The truth is, we are all capable of living like Josh Duggar or the leaders in my old church. And the other truth is that God is able to keep us from falling if we stay connected to Him as an apple does to a branch. Our sin may not be as outward (or exposed) as Josh Duggar. Our sin may be securely hidden in our hearts like jealousy or come out of our mouth like gossip, but really it's just as destructive.

So what does Josh Duggar remind us? That even if we are a Christian, we still desperately need Jesus to enable us to live the Christian life.

"Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? Having begun in the Spirit are you now being made perfect by the law?" Galatians 3:3

Here's a video explaining what yielding and staying connected to Jesus as an apple does to a branch practically looks like.

Laura, the founder of Missional Women is married and has five kids, two of whom are adopted. Laura and her husband have been missionaries to college students for 13 years serving with Master Plan Ministries where she is the Women's Development Coordinator. Laura has authored 5 books, including an award winning 12 week Bible Study on First Samuel, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God, and A Devotional Journey through Judges, a devotional to accompany the free online Bible study at TheBookofJudges.com. You can find her on facebook,twitter, pinterest, youtube, instagram and her author site.



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My reading plan had me in 2 Chronicles 20 today. I love this account of how Jehophaphat led His people toward utter dependance on God when they faced an impossible battle ahead. A quick look at the headlines of late makes me feel like I’m up against my own impossible battle. With all the recent events of violence, dissension, hatred, and an uncertain future staring me and my family in the face, this passage is a timely reminder for me. Maybe it is for you, too?

"And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ . . . For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”. . . And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. . . . You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:5-17)


Though you and I are not facing a physical battle like Jehoshaphat, we certainly have our own set of scary, intimidating circumstances ahead of us in the years to come. It’s all too easy to give in to fear or even throwing our hands up as if we have no hope. There are, however, at least six timeless truths we can cling to in this passage.

1. When I don't know what to do, I need to put my eyes on my sovereign, faithful, in-control God.

2. When I cry out to God, He will always hear and save.

3. I am powerless to stop anything that may come, but my Lord is full of power and might.

4. This battle is not mine, but God's.

5. My job is not to fight, but to stand firm, hold my position, and see the salvation of the Lord on my behalf.

6. I am not to fear anything that is to come, because the Lord will be with me.

Which of these truths brings you the most comfort and security in our great God? Are there other verses you cling to in these uncertain "last days"?

We live in a messy world. That silly law of entropy making things constantly go from order to disorder. Yet, we have hope because though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed. The Lord doing a miracle, reversing the law of entropy inside every Christ follower everyday. Isn't that amazing!

But because we live in this messy world, we have messy world problems to care about and navigating them can be rough. But another amazing thing is that though all Christians don't agree about everything, we do all have a few incredible things in common. That we are all seen through the perfection of Jesus and we were all chosen, specifically to live RIGHT NOW...  in this very time period. "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." (Acts 17:26)  The Lord picked for you and me to live now, in the era of social media for His glory.

Let me share the weight of that for a minute. There are more people alive today that there has been in the history of the world...  combined. And because of social media we have a larger platform of people we influence that any generation has ever had... ever. Basically, the Lord has given us the opportunity and the responsibility to reach the most people for Jesus that He has ever entrusted to anyone. He's given us the most people at the very exact time He's given us the ability to reach more people than ever. How smart of God!

Now for another angle. Jesus lived in a very different time than us. He didn't deal with the supreme court making decisions unlawfully thinking they can determine something different than what God already said. And He didn't have Facebook. But He had mess too. He had sick people...  everywhere. And He used the sickness to point to Him and how He was the Healer. And there were women in need of water. He used the water to point to the reality that He is the Living Water and whoever comes to Him, will never thirst. He didn't ignore the mess, He used the mess to point to Himself. He used the mess as the opportunity to engage in conversation about Him.

So here we have the largest opportunity of reaching more people around the world for Christ than any of the people of God had ever been given combined with a giant mess. That my sweet friend, is God's recipe for God to be glorified. We have the weighty responsibility of using the entrusted stewardship of influence and platform of Facebook to use the mess of our world to point to Jesus. So should you talk about politics on Facebook? Is Facebook the place to talk about the Supreme Court horrific decision. My soul deeply cries out YES, YES, YES!

But just as in all of our conversations, we should make the most of every opportunity (whether political or not) and with "gentleness and respect" make a defense.

This making a defense the Lord is using Peter to tell us about is making a defense when standing up for righteousness. That means, standing up for what God calls right. That includes God's definition of marriage. So God tells us to make a defense for what He calls right, YET with gentleness and respect. The rest of the chapter goes on to describe how suffering will result of standing up for what's right, but that it will allow us to relate with Christ, the One who suffered.

And one final thought. We should be the same everywhere we are, at church, at home, in Bible study and on facebook. Facebook is just a tool to communicate, just like other written words though email or books. What if someone after the invention of the printing press didn't think written words was the place to talk about politics or our opinions about things God cares about? I have been greatly encouraged by things I've read. So those who think no one has ever been swayed by something they read on facebook, maybe they should question why people would be able to be swayed by a book or say even the written words of the Bible yet somehow the Lord isn't able to use people with written words on a screen. I have had the privilege of leading a friend to Christ on Facebook, so please don't believe people can't be swayed through communicating on Facebook.

You have been chosen to live now, with access to Facebook and you have been entrusted with a large platform/circle of influence. Though you may not see the person face to face, that does not make them any less human or any less valuable. The Lord is able to use you in your friends life just as much on Facebook as in face to face. The Lord is not limited by Facebook. You have been entrusted with a great responsibility to use Facebook to glorify God even in the mess.

So sweet sister in Christ, the Lord wants to use you and your words in the influence He's given you. Will your trust Him? Will you step into the mess with gentleness and respect and point to Jesus and stand for what's right? The Lord promised you will suffer for it but He also promised you would know Him more deeply as a result (Phil 2:10) and that He has overcome the world (Jn 16:33).

Laura, the founder of Missional Women is married and has five kids, two of whom are adopted. Laura and her husband have been missionaries to college students for 13 years serving with Master Plan Ministries where she is the Women's Development Coordinator. Laura has authored 5 books, including an award winning 12 week Bible Study on First Samuel, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God, and A Devotional Journey through Judges, a devotional to accompany the free online Bible study at TheBookofJudges.com. You can find her on facebook,twitter, pinterest, youtube, instagram and her author site.



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I remember when I was in college (a very, VERY liberal college in a VERY liberal degree) how difficult it was to navigate through social and political issues. My professors would say one thing, with all my classmates agreeing full-heartedly. Then I would go to my campus ministry events, where my leaders would be saying the complete opposite. Add on top of that what I would see on Facebook, on the news, magazines at the grocery store… they all seemed to have the real truth – the answer to questions that were going through my mind. But they seemed to all contradict! What was the truth? How was I suppose to navigate through all this information (or misinformation) to make an informed decision to glorify my Savior?

The other day I had a discipleship appointment with another gal who was wrestling through a lot of the same issues when it came to social issues. As I share what helped me, I realized God gave me 3 different steps to help me understand and come to conclusions to honor Christ.

1. Go to the source of all truth
Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Also, we have been given the Holy Spirit, who is known as the Counselor and the Spirit of truth. One of His jobs in your life is to teach you all things, and remind you of what Jesus has said in scripture (John 14:17, 26). This is easy access for you now – Goggle has nothing on God Himself living in you!! Jesus also commanded you to ask for wisdom (Matthew 7:7, James 1:5), so talk to HIM first before reading the news, talking to friend etc. when searching for truth. Make sure Christ is on the throne BEFORE you go into these scenarios, so then HE can guide you and lead you into all truth (John 16:13)

2. Be saturated in scripture and use it as your filter
Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Bible should be our main source for learning about God and His heart so that we can then apply His truth into our lives. Hebrews 4:12 talks about how God’s word is living, active, effective – judging the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. Listening and applying scripture is far better for us than coming to conclusions based off of what others tell us or what our emotions want to make us believe.

3. Look at the roots and the fruit of the issue
Matthew 7:15-20 speaks about knowing whether to trust someone by seeing the fruit in their lives – because a good tree can only bear good fruit and bad tree bad fruit. What kind of actions does this issue produce? Does it point people to Jesus? Does it produce other to love and protect each other? Does it value what Christ values? It’s also important to look at how this issue came around in the first place. Did it emerge for selfish reasons? Was it established to bring change for the good of people or for the good of our flesh?

Dear Lord Jesus, help us to navigate through this life! Wow! How sin has penetrated and changed so much in our world, but how great is Jesus! Thank you for giving us everything we need for a godly life (2 Peter 1:3) – I ask that I may use the tools you’ve given me to make decisions and take stands that not only honor you but reflects your heart to the world I live in. In Your Name I pray…

Leah works with Master Plan Ministries at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Other than watching college students' lives change, she enjoys getting her mind blown by God and His Word, watching sci fi, baking cupcakes, and spending time with her hunky husband.

A young man lost his life on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri. His parents are grieving, and his community is in crisis. A law enforcement officer is in seclusion in fear for his life. His family also hurts, and his brothers in uniform are on the defensive. As images of demonstrations appear on television, we grieve as well. Incidents like this remind us that we still have much ground to travel on the road to social justice and racial equality. 

As Christ followers, how can we respond to this painful reality in a way that honors our Savior? If Christ were walking the streets of Ferguson today, how would He respond to demonstrators? How would Christ advise local law enforcement? I don’t have all the answers to those questions, but I do have 4 suggestions from Scripture on how to respond with a missional heart:


1. Listen
“…for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance” (Proverbs 1:3-5, NIV). 

2. Learn
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause” (Isaiah 1:16-17, ESV)

3. Look Within
"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?' (Luke 5:46-47, NIV)

4. Love
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, ESV). 

Jesus does not physically walk the streets of Ferguson today, but we are His hands and feet sent to loose the bonds of wickedness and injustice by bringing His light and healing to our communities. In the midst of confusion and grief and misunderstanding, we are called to listen and love. May God give us greater understanding as we look within and move forward together in His name. 

Lyli Dunbar loves teaching.  For 17 years, she mentored teenagers in the Christian school setting, and now she has serves as Associate Director of Curriculum at Trinity International University Florida. Lyli married her Prince Charming in her 40’s and has a heart for encouraging young couples and singles in God’s waiting room.  She enjoys road trips with her husband, connecting with women through Bible study, and reading way too many books. Lyli writes about life lessons and faith on herpersonal blog. You may also connect with her on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest.

Remember not long ago the Phil Robertson and Duck Dynasty drama? As a die-hard Duck Dynasty fan I just couldn’t stay silent anymore as I watched my Christian friends become consumed with standing up for him or sitting down for God. When it comes to “controversial” topics in our culture it seems that instead of Christians using them as a tool for Christ’s kingdom or a way to have fruitful conversations with non-believers, we use these controversies as a pedestal to further our agenda.  Let’s stop there and get one thing straight, this article is not about whether he was right or wrong by any means, this article is about how do we or should we react when issues like homosexuality, abortion, and other hot button topics are in the spot light. Sometimes I dread these topics because they generally stem from hatred and anger, while doing much praying and discerning over the issue with this most recent topic, I have found that these times are some of the most crucial opportunities for furthering God’s kingdom.

What we forget when we are so high on our pedestal standing for the rights of Christians is that we have no rights. We have no right to anger or hatred. We only have the right to be a light for the kingdom. Jesus did not come to earth to judge the sinners and prosecute the unworthy, because if he did we would all be doomed, but rather he came to tell us he loved us enough to forgive us.

“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7 NIV)

John 8 is a great example of this for some reference into how Jesus responded to those leading a life of sin.

And if we are “Christians” we are Christ followers, to be like Christ, we are obligated to show the same love to the same people he loves enough to die for.

People are looking to the Christians in this major time of worldly reform to see how we react. We are being tested by the world. Now, here’s the important thing, this DOES NOT and SHOULD NOT ever require us to give up things of God for things of the world. We should never sacrifice the things of God to fit into the world, but how we react to the things of this world need to reflect Christ.  People will hate us. People will judge us. People will not always find truth in the most absolute truth, because even Jesus the most righteous and perfect man to ever walk the planet was hated, murdered, tortured and put to death. A few means comments on your Facebook and Twitter will never come close to equaling the pain and unjust of his death. So take heart in that, when you are having these conversations.

Abortion breaks my heart. It rips me apart from the inside out and some days I spend most of the day weeping over the idea that this is something happening everyday in our world. But fighting the battle doesn’t always require fighting the person. If someone asks me my opinion on abortion I would never lie to them and say “oh it’s okay if they have a good reason…” or anything along those lines, but rather take the time to listen and love and show them the love behind abortion, the love that Jesus has for every single one of those little babies. We can love on people not on the controversy and still stand with God and his Word. 

Kaylee lives and works in Denver, CO with her wonderful husband Patrick and their dog Denver.  She is currently pursuing a degree in photography at the University of Colorado Denver, where she is famous for her impeccable taste in scarves and cardigans.  Kaylee uses her gifts in film and photography to create “makes your eyes dance” powerpoint slides for her campus ministry.  Kaylee is a formal member of the Geek Squad Target, where she is a beast at explaining technology to old people.  In her spare time, Kaylee likes to disciple girls and kill zombies. 

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I see you there, mama.  You are changing diapers, vacuuming carpets, carpooling, and cutting coupons.   Every night, you tuck your precious little ones into bed, and you pray for them to love Jesus.  You act out Bible stories and encourage them to share.  You want to raise champions for God.  You are a World Changer.  

Yes, I know that the President of the United States is the supposedly the most powerful man in the world.  But you, Woman of God, hold power as well.  You hold power to love, to teach, to mold, and to encourage.  You are shaping the future right there in your home.   You are World Changer.  

Yes, I realize that you turn on the television and watch the news and wonder what kind of world your precious charges are going to grow up to find, but right there in your home, you have power to impact the future.  You can fight on your knees.  Rather than worry and think that you don’t have any influence over the state of world affairs, lift your heart to the Chief in Command.  Your Father holds the most power.  He is sovereign oer all.  

1.    Pray for our government officials and their families to humbly yield their lives to Christ. 

”If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14

2.     Pray for God to foster a Biblical worldview in the hearts and minds of our President and all the men and women who serve in the political sector.

”See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8

3.    Pray for God to grant our President discernment and integrity so that He makes wise choices the promote truth, life and peace. 

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” I Timothy 2:1-2

4.    Join in prayer with other likeminded believers by signing up for the Presidential Prayer Team at http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/signup.asp

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:19-20

You might not ever set foot inside the White House, but you can impact the climate there by praying faithfully for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in Washington.  I see you there on your knees, mama.  You will change the world one prayer at a time. 

Lyli Dunbar loves teaching.  For 17 years, she mentored teenagers in the Christian school setting, and now she has serves as Associate Director of Curriculum at Trinity International University Florida. Lyli married her Prince Charming in her 40’s and has a heart for encouraging young couples and singles in God’s waiting room.  She enjoys road trips with her husband, connecting with women through Bible study, and reading way too many books. Lyli writes about life lessons and faith on herpersonal blog. You may also connect with her on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest.

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