United Around One Cause -Is This About Trump’s Assassination Attempt?

United Around One Cause—Is This About Trump’s Assassination Attempt?

When you are traveling, sometimes the trip begins to wear on everybody. Getting in and out of the car, deciding where to eat, finding another hotel room, being away from home—even being with the people you love 24/7 in the same space can become downright annoying at times.

However, there are things that happen that really bring the family together for one cause. This article will share one of those times on one of our recent trips that brought our family together. It was not Trump's assassination attempt, but I am glad the picture got you to click on this article—do me a favor and finish reading or listening. Thanks!

In this article, you will hear about the encounter that brought us all together for one cause. You will be reminded of how we all need to be ready. But ready for what?

The Rafferty’s are family friends and come from our church family here at Open Door Church in N.C. Chris has been pastoring this church in Park City, Montana for several years. We flew out to work with Park City Baptist Church during their VBS week and for me to do some training in evangelism and prayer walking.

After we wrapped up with VBS for that week and training, Chris and Tracy mapped out a route to tour 95% of Yellowstone National Park in two days. The family—minus Ella, who had to stay back for dental school—jumped in the car at 4:30 am Friday morning to head to Yellowstone.

In Montana, there are not many densely populated cities. The biggest city in Montana is Billings, with a population of only 122,000.

There are a lot of cattle, farmland with various crops, and vast landscapes that are breathtaking. There were times during our drive through the state that we saw more cattle than people. It is very easy to forget the importance of the Gospel needed in Montana and the people who live there. These people are the grassroots of America. They work hard, help when needed, and love their country.

However, the Gospel calls us to a loftier mindset and life. The Gospel calls us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, to fear God more than we fear man, and to be ready to share. During our trip to Yellowstone National Park, my family and I were reminded of the need to be ready.

Back home, we see the Mormon temples, mosques, LGBTQ flags, Hindu temples, and more. This constantly reminds us of the spiritual need in the Carolinas. Out in Montana, it is easy to get wrapped up in nature and the beauty of God’s creation. This can make a person forget the spiritual needs around them. Thankfully, Paul gives us a great reminder in his letter to Timothy:

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

In the middle of all these tourists and local hardworking people who love their country, there was a New Age teacher handing out books, one of which was The Science of Self-Realization by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was a founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. I am not going to go into detail about their beliefs and structure. A primer on their belief can be studied in our curriculum on Cults and False Beliefs if you are interested to learn more. You can go to our website to download it for free. It will also be available in Spanish soon.

In all the beauty of Yellowstone, there was a person propagating false idolatry. Everyone was just walking past her as if she was not there. However, I was reminded that idolatry is everywhere. Hers was out front for everybody to see. But how many in Montana have different idols that are a little more civilized and subtle? How many in Raleigh N.C.  have a little more civilized and subtle idols? How many in your city have a little more civilized or subtle idols?

Paul, in his letter to Timothy, does not let us get away. He challenges all of us who are Christians to be ready to preach or share the Gospel.

Our family discussed starting a conversation with her. I went ahead of the family and started the initial conversation by asking a question: How did she come to her specific religious belief?

She explained that she grew up in India and realized that she was on her own personal journey of finding consciousness in a deity. Right at the beginning of the conversation, she stated that we all—Christians and religious people—believe in the same deity. We just worship them in different ways. I understand the sentiment, but this is a lie.

As I began to ask where she got morals from in her worldview, she stated that people came up with their own morals because life is their own personal journey. I asked if she believed there was any evil in our world that she sees. This is when she gave up her worldview and shared that hypocrisy was evil. I shared what is wrong with hypocrisy if everyone makes up their own morals. She changed the subject.

About that time, my daughters and wife walked up to share with this young lady about the one true living God who allows us to make sense out of life. She had a hard time giving direct information and only kept stating it was a personal journey that no one can tell you how to achieve. My daughter Elizabeth shared how she has recently come out of this New Age teaching to accept in faith the amazing gift of salvation of Jesus, and the young lady listened.

I ended the conversation with an exhortation for her to examine her false deity against the one true living God who has revealed Himself in creation and the Bible. I warned her of the coming judgment for all who do not place saving faith in Jesus.

Our family gathered around one cause in that moment, sharing the good news of Jesus with this poor lost soul. It got us all thinking. It was amazing to see her boldness to share her beliefs in a public national park. How many times do we fear sharing the life-giving truth of Jesus in public? How easy is it for us to share? What holds us back? If other religions have boldness, ask yourself, why don’t I have this boldness?

I leave you with a few questions. Do you have as much zeal for the truth as this young lady had for her idol? If not, how are you growing in your love to share Jesus with the lost? Are you praying for God to bring divine encounters into your life so you can share the Gospel? Are you putting yourself in a position to be a witness for Jesus—are you around lost people?

Although this was not about Trump’s assignation attempt, I hope it got you thinking. Until next month, go out and proclaim and share the Gospel to see a life transformed because the truth worth sharing and proclaiming is the truth that transforms.