Where in the Word are you today? Let’s take some time in Ephesians 4…

1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Carmen talks in this episode with Bill English from BibleandBusiness.com and Don Everts from The Hopeful Neighborhood Project. Carmen confesses that Don Everts is one of her favorite people in ministry. You can listen to prior conversations she’s had with Don  about his books, The Spiritually Vibrant Home  and The Reluctant Witness.

Today’s conversation includes consideration of the common good and why we should be concerned with its pursuit. There are also some very practical ideas for walking your faith out in your actual neighborhood.

Today’s audio:

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Leading off we consider the words from the apostle Paul to the Christians in Rome:

Romans 12:9-21 

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Joining me for a lively election conversation is David French from TheDispatch.com, author of Divided we Fall. (Want more David French? Listen to our prior conversation in September.

In the second half, Ruth Kramer returns with news from mission partners around the world – with a LOT we’ve missed during the U.S. media’s wall to wall election coverage. There is much going on the world worthy of our attention.

 

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Let’s pray today for our nation – and everyone in it. Pray for each of the 50 states, 435 Congresssional districts, and 3141 counties. Okay, maybe that’s too much! Pray for the 87 counties in Minnesota (or your home state) – pray for each of them and the people who live in those counties and the public servants who work there. Pray for the poll workers and the county commissioners and the judges, the members of the school board and the mayors. Pray today for members of Congress and the people whose jobs are tied to the jobs of those who will be elected today and all those whose jobs are tied to those who will not win.

Have you ever run for anything? (You’ll have to listen to the audio for the story I tell about losing an election to Michael Maddux in 9th grade!).

Conversations in this episode include Justin Giboney from AndCampaign.org and Michael Matheson Miller from PovertyCure.org

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I opened today with a few observations about the day…

Today is the day – today is the day the Lord has made….

In this day we will…? 

 

rejoice – rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice! Read Philippians today – in context – prison epistle; mind of Christ. 

walk by faith – not by sight

represent Christ – Kingdom people, Kingdom citizens, children of God shining like stars in a perverse generation

BOLO: be on the look out for divine appointments

act justly, show mercy and walk humbly with our God – Micah 6:8

pray without ceasing – in all circumstances – including those in authority (whomsoever they may be) 

let your light so shine before others they will see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven

live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us — see how we came right back around to the day of the Lord?

 

My conversations here include Mark Caleb Smith with reflections on election day and its implications and then, in the second half, I talk with Dustin Crowe about his new book, The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks.

 

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We all do it. Doomscrolling. Moving from one bad news story to another….click, click, click…deeeper into the darkness. News about what those on the other side have said or done or are planning to do – whichever side the other side happens to be on a particular point of cultural outrage; or news about the newest evil perpetrated against others. We start down the path and we can’t seem to stop…click, click, click. Doomscrolling the comment feed on Tweets or Facebook posts or unconsciously watching the next video teed up for us by YouTube or TikTok. We need to stop. I talk with Adam Holz about it in the first half of this episode.

Then, in the second half, Eric Bargerhuff joins me to talk about Why Is THAT in the Bible?: the most perplexing verses and stories and what they teach us.

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The two descriptions I (Carmen) have for the 2020 Election are anticipation and exhaustion. As a person who regularly prays to “expect the unexpetected and anticipate miracles knowing that with God all things are possible,” I anticipate God will yet be God no matter who is elected President of the United States. I also know that in that expectation, God never disappoints.

I have Christians on both sides of this election. I have friends praying and fasting for two different outcomes. I have friends claiming it is clear to them that God’s will is for their preferred candidate to prevail. I have friends who are claiming divine intervention on behalf of their preferred political outcome. I have friends who are going to be disappointed – no matter the outcome. What are you anticipating on election day, in the days that follow, once a candidate is declared the winner (note I do not anticipate that will be November 3 nor 4…but more likely around November 14)?

Law enforcement are anticipating people are going to behave badly – no matter who wins. I am praying they are wrong. Pray with me? Commit with me to being a peacemaker? I’m talking with Matthew Hawkins about politics between friends and then with Todd Nettleton from Voice of the Martyrs about the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians and their new Jesus Freaks project with D.C. Talk.

The other word is exhaustion. So many of my friends “just want this election to be over.” Two reactions to that: 1. Let us never grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9) and 2. let us recognize that billions of people around the world are literally dying today for the freedoms currently exhausting us.

 

https://nwmedia-ondemand.streamguys1.com/mornings-with-carmen/20201030095006-10-30-2020-Mornings-with-Carmen-HR1.mp3

 

 

From Carmen: “I awoke this morning to the news of the death of David Kinnaman’s wife, Jill. David is a brother in Christ and a friend in ministry. He heads up The Barna Group and Barna Research and he has been a guest with us here on Mornings with Carmen. His wife is Jill and they have three kids. I never met Jill and yet I grieve. …

So many people are walking in suffering and grief today in so many forms. There is so much loss.  

Please pray with me today for the fragile places – for those for whom the veil grows thin – those walking into, and to the end of, the valley of the shadow of death. And, yes, for those who must then turn and walk back out of that valley holding to the sure and certain hope. 

As Christians, as people who are in Christ, walk with Christ and whom Christ carries when we are too weak or too broken or too tired to take one more step – as Christians we do not grieve as those who have no hope, but we certainly grieve. And today I am weeping with those who are weeping over a woman named Jill who I never met in the here and now but with whom, as a sister in Christian, co-heir to the Kingdom, I will spend all eternity. 

Let’s pray and then let us turn to the headlines of the day:

Holy God, hold us this morning. Hold us close and hold us tight. We know you’ve got the whole world in your hands and we know you’ve got Jill in your very presence. Tend now to our brother David and to their kids. Tend to Jill’s parents and her friends. And Father, pour out your mercy and grace today on those who grieve and suffer in myriad ways. In the face of death we acknowledge your grace and we pray with both the Cross and the empty tomb of Christ in view. Let our witness today draw people to Him, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. “

Carmen’s conversations in this episode include Peter Kapsner, pastor Adam Weber and Dan DeWitt with his new children’s book, The Bright Light and the Super Scary Darkness (which, in fact, glows in the dark!).

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News of the terror attack at a church in France was just emerging as Carmen opened this episode. More is now known about the individual who perpetrated the attack and his Islamist motivations. Carmen said, “I do not share this to instill fear nor to insight anti Muslim response. I share this because we need to understand that people of deeply held religious convictions do not feel particularly constrained by the Western worldview and they are very comfortable using the ideals of freedom of speech and religion against secularists who have not thought through the implications of liberty unmoored from its Judeo-Christian foundations.” 

Ben Johnson offers his own reflection on the headline before he and Carmen turn to conversations about the riots and looting in Philadelphia, how the Russian Orthodox cathedral to the armed forces brings Russia’s history of oppression to the fore, and the problem of cults in America where religious freedom flourishes.

In the second half, Kathy Branzell is back to share prayer resources during our divisive days. She also shares a number of glory stories of God’s faithfulness during COVID19.

The conclusion of today’s program includes encouragement to return to the primary things. The temptation to be distracted by secondary and tertiary things is great – but Christians must return to the primary things. Philippians 4:5-6 and Psalm 40 are offered up and there’s Carmen’s illustration of the charm bracelet is worth considering in our walk of faith.

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What are the first things of the faith? Carmen lifts up The Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed for consideration. Then she talks with Bill English about the economic realities millions of Americans are facing. The COVID19 pandemic has driven an extraordinary number of people to the point of food insecurity and lines at food distribution centers are miles long. They talk about what we can do to meet the needs of our neighbors right now.

In the second half, veteran firefighter Jason Sautel shares his story and his book, The Rescuer: One Firefighter’s Story of Courage, Darkness, and the Relentless Love that Saved Him. 

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Carmen’s redemption muffins and George Barna shares outcomes from the American Worldview Values Inventory 2020 – and an update on his dog, Ray Charles.

In the second half, Hunter Baker from Union University is back for an interesting exploration of how we, as Christians, need to keep one another in mind no matter who wins the U.S. Presidential election. Either way, some Christians are going to be rejoicing and others lamenting – and we’ll all still be brothers and sisters in Christ. So, we need to be thinking – and preparing – now to behave well.

https://nwmedia-ondemand.streamguys1.com/mornings-with-carmen/20201028100011-10-28-2020-Mornings-with-Carmen-HR1.mp3