Over the decades, Americans continued to celebrate with a feast in the fall that focused on giving thanks. This holiday arrived on our calendars through suffering and loss. Adversity and struggle, instead of dampening their spirits, fueled the gratitude in the hearts of the men, women, and children who decided to feast and give God glory with whatever they had available to eat. Their gratitude to God in the face of such hardship serves as a beacon of hope for us all.

This past week, the election of Donald Trump has given us a reason to pause and thank the Lord for the reprieve He has provided. Why? This is not necessarily because Trump will wear a Superman cape and save the country. But, because the platform and people he places around him aim for religious liberty, space for Christians to bring the Gospel to bear upon our nation, and some measure of holiness in our country.

The way to save the American church experience starts and ends with the Word of God being rightly handled while the Spirit of God applies the truths to human souls.

Christians must speak up. We must call out sin in the public square. We can’t let the fear of man stop us from identifying what is wicked and calling those who participate in it to repentance. We can’t sit passively by and let Western civilization commit suicide.

Politicians speak well of children and kiss babies while companies market products to kids. Our world prefers youth over old age, and medical advances make the elderly look like their progeny. On the other hand, the murder of babies continues to grow.

When we look at Ancient Rome, one of the characteristics that define it is pride. You can go down to Rome today and see the remains of their pride. All Roman men's statues depict handsome, muscled-up, courageous, and dignified men. The figure of Caesar Augustus doesn't simply proclaim pride, but it makes a declaration of his supposed deity. They sought glory and prided themselves upon their own perceived strength.

Certain leaders during certain periods of the world shine through the pages of history, and a person could very well live a lifetime and not see such a leader. I would argue that right now, we are seeing such a leader through the life of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President.