Spotlight Person Chris Walsh and the First Battalion 25th Marine Regiment

Chris Walsh and the First Battalion 25th Marine Regiment (2006)

Chris Walsh was a Navy Medic assigned to a Marine regiment in Fallujah Iraq in 2006. While out on patrol an IED exploded close to their Humvee. The insurgent that set off the bomb was spotted on a rooftop some ways off and the foot pursuit started. After entering a particular house a woman came out of a room running up to these fulling armed men and held up a baby and said 'Baby. Baby sick!'. Chris Walsh put down his rifle and tended to this sick child. 

The story is both sad and heart wrenching. But this story goes on to tell of perseverance and love and dedication to what is right. I cannot do the story justice, so I will link to the rest of the story. These men, and unfortunately Chris Walsh and many of the men who intervened on behalf of this little baby Mariam were killed by a roadside bomb some months after this incident. Thankfully the men of their squad took up the mission and now baby Mariam is living a normal life. 

You can find out more about the story here! You can see a video of the story here!

Spotlight Person of the Week Dr. John Lennox

Dr. John Lennox

Dr John Lennox is a Professor of Mathematics at Oxford, a fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, and Pastoral Adviser  at Green Tempelton College in Oxford. He was an Exibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he sat in on the last lectures of C.S. Lewis. 

None of this would make him stand out or become famous if it wasn't for his hardy and unmoveable defense of the Bible and the Christian religion. He believes that science does not do away with religion but actually confirms it. He has authored many books about about how religion, ethics, and science are intertwined.

Almost ten years ago he switched from not only writing books refuting atheists and there view of science, but  then started to do live debates with some of the world's most famous atheists. Many of these debates, if not all, you can find online and watch for free. He also does talks which are available for download at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. I believe our faith in God and the saving power of his Son, Jesus Christ, have little to do with the modern interpretation of science. Before you go thinking that science and the Holy Bible are incompatible, have a listen to John Lennox online or read one of his many books on the subject. 

Genesis 20

Genesis chapter 20

Abraham picks up and moves south. The only reason given for this is that 'God caused me to wander'. We know that we will do a some 'wandering' of our own in this life. The geographic location we are in does not have any baring on our relationship with our savior. Our communion with God is done in our hearts and on our knees in prayer, not in a certain place. God is still God no matter where we are or what condition we are in and he can and does answer prayers no matter what.

When they come to the land of Gerar, Abimelech the king takes Sarah. Even that this advanced age it appears that she is still very beautiful. Unfortunately this is familiar territory for Abraham, having been in this situation with Pharaoh in Egypt. When Abraham was in a strange place he would tell Sarah to tell anyone they ran into that they were brother and sisters. This was a fact and not a lie because Abraham and Sarah had the same father, just not the same mother. He did this so that they would not kill Abraham and take Sarah all to themselves. I commented earlier that this does show a lack of faith on Abraham's part. In an evil land with evil leaders, you can see what he is trying to accomplish, but we need to go and let God work out the details.

God wastes no time in protecting his own people and the covenant that he has promised both Abraham, Sarah, and all of mankind. He visits Abimelech in a dream and tells him in no uncertain terms that he is a dead man for what he has done. Abimelech pleads with God and tells him he has not touched the woman and only took her because he was somewhat mislead by Abraham. God puts a plague on Abimelech and all his house that they won't reproduce until all is returned. Abimelech doesn't harden his heart like the Pharaoh many years later in his dealings with Moses.

Abimelech not only gives Sarah back, but gives silver and riches as well. Abraham prays for Abimelech and his household and the Lord lifts the curse. When we encounter troubles, we out to be quick to seek forgiveness and restore anything to our brothers and sisters that we have taken unjustly or even by accident; so that the Lord will bless our Christian life.

Genesis 19

Genesis chapter 19

To start of the chapter we see the angels coming to Sodom. The good hospitality that Abraham had seems to run in the family. Lot, once seeing the angels, runs to greet them and give them a place to stay and refresh themselves. After some insisting, the angels agree to stay with Lot, but this scene takes place in front of others in the city. After going indoors to eat the people outside gain up courage and knock on the door of Lot's house. You can argue what they wanted with the angels until the eighth verse where Lot, evidently knowing their intentions, offers his daughters to the assailants. Offering his daughters doesn't make this situation in any way better. Although there is a place in judges where a similar incident happens, at no time does the bible ever instruct or give us permission to offer anyone else up to assuage evil. We may offer our own lives to save another, but we can never give another for sacrifice to sin, that is evil. The mob from Sodom will have none of this, so the angels pull Lot back inside and blind the people outside. What is even more disturbing about this is the fact that is appears the people outside, even though they were blinded, still tried to get in. That is the definition of Evil.

The angels insist that Lot gather his family and go because they are going to destroy the city. There are not five righteous and it is time for them to leave if they want to spare their own lives. This is the example for all of us, leave sin now while you can before judgment comes and there is no more escaping. Lot lingers, either from paralyzed fear or procrastination and the angel must take him and his family by the hand and remove them from the city. They are warned to not look back on the city for fear of being turned into a pillar of salt. Before the journey is completed Lot begs that they may enter into the city of Zoar because they are tired from the journey. On the way, Lot's wife looks back on the city and is turned to a pillar of salt just as they are warned.  After God has purged us from our sins there is nothing to go back to or nothing to look back upon. Nothing good can come from us looking longingly back on the life that we no longer have a part of. Also, God will not give us a journey that he will also not supply the grace to travel completely. Lot was tired, disheartened and afraid, but he should have taken the full journey with the angels and not stopped short.

So God sends his judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah. They were not without hope or opportunities to come clean. Christianity is not about what God is going to do to us, but about what we decide to do with our lives with our own free will. We make the choice, the consequences are very clear and the warning has been given. Abraham wakes up in the morning and sees the smoke coming from Sodom. You know his first thoughts were of Lot and his family. He also knows that God was not able to find five righteous. Lot is spared, and God does hear our prayers and pleas.

Lot and his family are dwelling in a cave in a mountain by Zoar. Isolation is not for a servant of God. Lot discovers this too late even with the warning of Sodom before him. His daughters imagine an evil thing and Lot gets too drunk to know or do anything about it. What a sad state that we would get so far from God we don't remember our actions. No doubt, when we get in a situation like this, nothing good is going to come of it. So the 'righteous' that was saved from Sodom will give birth to a people that will be a thorn in the side of Israel forever.

Spotlight Person of the Week Lakshimi Narayan Gowda

Lakshimi Narayan Gowda

This weeks spotlight person is the first person of seven people mentioned in Voice of the Martyrs book, Saul to Paul. It is a book about seven men who at one time persecuted God's Church, but now are born again preachers spreading the Gospel.

Lakshimi was born in India to a prominent Hindu family and ran into hard times growing up. He became involved in crime and other things every parent hopes their children do not get involved in. While in jail for various crimes Lakshimi was beaten badly and many of his bones were broken in his arms and legs. He withstood this pain and didn't just die. From this experience he was recruited by the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) movement because they thought he was 'strong'. This organization felt they could use someone who could 'endure' so much torture. 

The RSS is an organization with 'selfless service to the motherland'. If that sounds creepily familiar, yes, that is the kind of organization they are. Lakshimi excelled in his new home with the RSS. So much so after planning and participating in attacks on Christians he was promoted within the group. This life took its toll on Lakshimi and he drank  heavily and injected drugs. His mother, in the hospital for poor health was crying out for someone to help her save her son. She was introduced to the Bible and though skeptical, she kept the Bible and starting praying because she was told that Jesus could heal and save her son.

After coming very close to successfully planning and executing an attack on a church and a pastor's family; providentially only the church was damaged but the pastor and  his family were not there the night of the attack. After this incident one night coming home in a drunken mess, he found his mothers Bible she had been hiding. He attacked his mother and hit her repeatedly while she told him that Jesus could help him. He had never hit is mother before calming down he convinced his mother to give him the bible and he read from John that night. He cried out to God and he was saved that night. 

He was later nurtured in his young Christian faith by the very pastor he tried to kill one night. He grew in faith and became his own pastor over a church he started and has now suffered by the same people he once served. Quoting from the book Saul to Paul, 'Gowda soon returned to preaching the gospel. And whenever he saw a saffron-clad former brother (of the RSS) he would smile. Another opportunity, he thought, to save the lost'.