We live in a culture where the only authority that matters, is the authority of self. We subject every external authority to the supreme court of our feelings and intuition. We are told to "question authority," and partially for good reason. We've become disillusioned by disgusting abuses of power: political scandals, corporate corruption, even sexual abuse at the hands of priests. "Authority" has become synonymous with "authoritarianism."  

I'm sure you've heard of the devastating wildfire still raging in Northern California. The so called "Camp Fire" is the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history. It has destroyed over 9,800 homes, as it has scorched 146,000 acres, with only 50% contained. The death toll has risen to 71, with 1,011 people unaccounted for, as of today. We must pray!

What is the best way to grow spiritually? Reading the Bible? Memorizing Scripture? Going to church? Serving at church? Studying systematic theology? Praying more often? Attending Christian conferences? 

These are all great spiritual disciplines and will certainly deepen your faith. However, there's something even more powerful to deepen your faith! 

Astrology, horoscopes, Ouija boards, yoga, the occult, signs of the zodiac, Kabbalah, psychics, witchcraft, parapsychology, magick, palmistry, tarot cards, numerology, dowsing, rune casting, séances, necromancy, channeling, voodoo, charms, amulets, the evil eye, hexing, etc... 

We know all these things exist in other parts of the world, but not in Boston, right? People are too secular and educated to believe in these things, right? Wrong.

What would your life look like if you had unlimited resources? I'm talking about virtually infinite wealth. What would you spend your money on? What would you spend your time doing? Who would your friends be? What would your relationships look like? Where would you live? What would you be pursuing? What would you live for? 

What is truth? Which one? There's the truth, and then there's the naked truth. There's the honest truth, and then there's the God's honest truth. We stretch the truth and bend the truth and twist the truth. 

We make truth claims "literal" when they are actually metaphorical: "I am literally going to die if I don't get a coffee." If we want someone to actually believe us, we add qualifiers: frankly speaking, truthfully, in truth, truth be hold, to tell you the truth. We have moments of truth, and we're lucky to get those. 

Last December, the group American Atheists launched its annual billboard campaign with the slogan: “Just Skip Church -- It’s All Fake News.” In February, the American Humanist Association became furious when President Trump had the audacity to mention Christianity and Jesus Christ without also mentioning atheists—at the National Prayer Breakfast. Most recently, the Freedom From Religion Foundation spoke out vociferously because the Reverend Billy Graham was laid out in state in the Capitol Rotunda before his burial.

Thought experiment: your door bell rings, you go to the door, and two gentlemen in white shirts are at the door. They introduce themselves as elders from the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints. They ask to be invited in, to tell you more about their faith. What do you do? As loving Christians, we are tempted to be welcoming, doesn't the Bible command us to be hospitable? Or perhaps, this would be a great opportunity to share the Gospel with them. Indeed, Scripture does command us to be hospitable and to share the Gospel.