Lighthouse Faith

While technology moves ahead with seemingly lightning speed, it's sad to say that in the realm of religious freedom, we as a culture are moving backwards. This week, the Religious Freedom Summit wrapped up in Washington, DC. One of lead participant was Eric Patterson, president of the Religious Freedom Institute in the nation's capital. He spoke to Lighthouse Faith podcast just before the summit began, but already knew what the pressing issues would be. The basic human right to worship how you want, to live out your faith is under assault. In fact, worldwide we are worse off than we were 15 years ago. In Nigeria, Christians are being slaughtered. In China, the Communist regime is trying to mold faith in Jesus into a subservient of the party line. Even in Muslim majority countries, if you don't practice the type of Islam that's acceptable, you could be ostracized, or even killed. What's at stake here is what it means to be human. No one can take that away, but the evil in this world is trying its best.

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The destruction of the biblical sister towns of Sodom and Gomorrah is one of the most well-known and controversial stories in the Bible's Old Testament. God's reasons for obliterating this thriving metropolis have had incredible consequences for us today and hence the subject of intense debate. But for centuries, many secular, and some Christian scientists, believed Sodom was just a mythical town meant to support an allegorical telling of God's wrath against sin. But in 2001 archeologists began researching a site around the Dead Sea that matched the Bible's geographical description of where Sodom was located. A few years later a dig began, and a few years after that, archeologists confirmed that a city matching the description of Sodom had been located. But more interestingly still, recently they found evidence of it being destroyed by a cataclysmic event, like an asteroid burst similar to the one, but larger, than the one of Tunguska, Russia in 1908. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, chief archeologist of the site, Dr. Steven Collins, explains how they know this recently unearthed site has all the markings of one of the most notorious stories in the Bible.

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Nearly every poll shows Donald Trump the likely GOP 2024 Presidential nominee, which is why the vitriol against one of his largest group of supporters has risen to near derangement levels. One MSNBC anchor accused White Christian Iowans of wanting to have people of color bow down to them, while another said White Evangelical Christians are worshipping Trump as the Second Coming.  But California Pastor Shane Idleman is pushing back, saying this battle is not about Trump, but about spiritual Kingdoms colliding. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Idleman, lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California, talks about why Evangelicals are such strong supporters of Trump, and about how he believes this country, spiritually, is headed in the wrong direction. Although he is not an ardent Trump fan, he understands that "We're not looking for pastor in chief. It's Commander in Chief." He also points out that throughout the Bible, God has used men of questionable character to bring about his plans.

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The 9th Commandment against bearing false witness seems straight forward as a directive against lying. But what happens if you tell a lie unknowingly because you're trusting nature is being abused and used for evil? That is the message of Mitch Albom's novel, "The Little Liar." Set during the Holocaust, the story revolves around a lie that a Jewish boy in Greece tells the people in his community a lie he doesn't know is untrue. "The trustworthy boy is discovered by a German officer, who offers him a chance to save his family. All the boy has to do is convince his fellow Jewish residents to board trains heading to “new homes” where they are promised jobs and safety." In fact, they are trains headed for concentration camps. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Albom, best-selling author of "Tuesday's With Morrie," and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," explains what happens long-term when a deadly lie is perpetrated against a young boy's trusting nature, and how the lie kills more than just trust, but people, relationships and even the soul. Albom's gift is in letting fiction tell the truths about reality. Communities can't survive without truth.

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Hollywood rarely makes a positive film about priests. You have to go back a few decades to 1945 to find Bing Crosby in his role as the respected Father O'Malley in "The Bells of St. Mary's." That was way before the decline in reverence for not only faith, but also for the men and women of the cloth. But Fr. Stephen Fichter, a New Jersey priest, wanted to be a part of changing people's attitudes about the priesthood. The feature length film, "Trinity's Triumph," is his offering. It was a 25-year journey, with some notable encouragement along the way from people like Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, and some mentoring from best-selling novelist, Mary Higgins Clark. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Fr. Fichter talks about why he wrote the screenplay, and how it shows the real struggles and triumphs of the men who enter seminary. The film is about three seminarians but only one of them is based on Fr. Fichter's life. The other two are based on composites of his fellow travelers. The film pulls no punches, talking about sexual abuse in the priesthood as well as challenging the tradition of why priests are not allowed to marry. But the key line from the movie is said by the film's Monsignor Heck, played by A-list actor Joe Morton (Speed, Terminator 2: Judgment Day). He tells the first-year seminarians, "You are setting out on an extraordinary odyssey to answer the highest of all calls." And that is the film's most positive message about the priesthood. It is a Divine calling of both sacrifices, and the highest of commitment.

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As we say goodbye to 2023 and reflect on this past year, Cal Thomas has some observations about the last fifty years! He says, "One thing that always amazes me is how things never really change. You can change hairstyles, clothes, styles, modes of transportation. You can even change politicians. But nothing really seems to change. A lot of that has to do with human nature." On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Thomas, best-selling author, syndicated columnist and political commentator, talks about his book, "A Watchman in the Night." It explores what he's witnessed over the past 50 years of journalism and the thousands of columns he's written commenting on world events, cultural movements, politics and all things involving human existence. But there is one mandate that separates Thomas from the herd; his standard of truth is based on Scripture. All his commentaries have as their guide the light of God's Word. Yes, Thomas has met and interviewed world leaders, American presidents and Hollywood and Broadway stars; but also, just plain folk whose names no one will remember. All the while, his keen observances have made him a 'Watchman'; a custodian of a culture that has separated itself from God. And as we say hello to 2024, Thomas will continue to do the same, but with a hope that his words will help people find their way back to the truth that made America the land of the free and the home of the brave.

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If the Bible had never been written, America probably wouldn't exist. Our founding documents and beliefs about law, justice and grace come directly from the pages of Scripture. It also means that it is so much more vital for Christians to not only celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, but to live out its core tenets by engaging a culture that continues to grow more secular. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Dr. Robert Pacienza, Senior Pastor Of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, talks about the many ways Christians can bring Christmas into their everyday lives, but also, how they can live out its directive of truth and love. Pacienza, who's also the President and CEO of D. James Kennedy Ministries, also gives some very simple suggestions to how Christians can be a light in darkness, and to point the way to true light of Christmas, Jesus, born to be the Light of the world.

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King Josiah of Judah was one of the leaders of the Hebrews who, as the Bible said, "did right in the eyes of God." Despite his father and grandfather being wicked men, Josiah emerges as one of the heroes of God's chosen people, becoming a light in a darkened world. Best-selling author Jonathan Cahn says there is more to Josiah than just his ancient standing as a Jewish monarch. Cahn taps into clues from Josiah's reign to show that recent events like the October 7th attack on Israel, the January 6th incursion at the Capitol and even understanding Donald Trump's presence on the world stage could have been predicted from Scripture and history. In his latest book, "The Josiah Manifesto," Cahn weaves his revelations about King Josiah around today's events, looking at the 50-year mystery behind the war in Israel, as well as recent events in America.

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This time of year is filled with expected joy, dazzling lights and festivities. But if you're suffering from a recent loss, these few weeks can be acutely painful. You feel the absence of someone or something that at one time contributed greatly to your happiness and wellbeing. Dr. Lee Warren understands the pain of searing loss; his son was stabbed to death by a close friend. The details of the murder are not clear, so Warren, a brain surgeon, inventor, and Iraq War veteran, had to deal with not only the pain, but also the inconsolable emotion of not understanding why. So he became his own patient. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Warren talks about his book, "Hope Is The First Dose: A Treatment Plan For Recovering From Trauma, Tragedy, And Other Massive Things." It's a follow up to his other book, "I've Seen the End of You," a book that looks at treating people with untreatable brain tumors. "Hope..." is not only Warren's self-analysis, but expands the scope to say that we all have these 'massive things' in our life that we must come to grips with in order to move forward.  We can either be crushed by them, or find hope in overcoming them.

Chapters:

0:00:00-Finding Hope and Faith Amidst Tragedy

0:10:44-Coping With Trauma and Loss

0:18:29-Overcoming Negative Thoughts and Grief

0:26:22-Grief, Transformation, and Finding Hope

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As the Christian Advent season begins, there's always talk about faith and what people actually believe. The Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, is also a part of the season. But for Christians, Christmas is the high and Holy time of welcoming the birth of Jesus, Savior of the world. And it's also the time atheists offer more vitriol against belief in God. So, here's a preemptive strike that will help people of faith enjoy the Christmas season. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, best-selling author and radio host, Eric Metaxas, turns the tables on atheism and explains his book, "Is Atheism Dead?" The short answer is that while there are still people who profess no belief in an Omniscient Being, Metaxas blasts that position as intellectually untenable, and that those who still hold to it haven't done their homework. Metaxas takes on the four-horsemen of atheism: Dawkins, Dennet, Hitchens and Harris. He says while they appear scholarly, they've ignored the advances in science that give much more proof of there being a God than no God. Science, it turns out, has far more in common with faith in God.

Chapters:

00:00:00-Is Atheism Dead? Evidence for God

00:09:05-Fine-Tuning and the Existence of Life

00:20:32-The Impact of Science on Atheism

00:30:34-Debating Atheism and Political Ideology

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