From Lost Shoe to Tracting up the Place...

 See the Shoe?

I do not know whether other people notice shoes that are abandoned out in public, but I do.  I have seen them on the side of the road, in parking lots, and even right in the middle of busy hotspots like the Power and Light District.  

(I'm not sure how one loses a shoe when out and about.  

-Is it rejected and cast aside purposely?  

-Did it fall off and the owner didn't notice?

-Did it fall out of a vehicle when the door opened?

-Was it left by a person being kidnapped, to leave a clue, to help law enforcement to find and rescue him?

-Did the owner simply get tired of it, and just say, "Shoo"?

Sorry, these possibilities came to mind, and I ran with it.)  

Whenever I do see a shoe left out in the open square, I am reminded of a certain verse of Scripture: 

In Mark 8:36, Jesus says, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"  

I like to use it as an object lesson.  If I see it while I'm witnessing or street preaching, I will often point it out, and springboard from the lost sole to the lost soul and the Gospel. 

Today, when I saw the shoe pictured above out in a QuikTrip parking lot, I decided to make it into a Truth dispenser.  I wrote a note on a card, put some tracts in it, and placed it where it could be seen.  

From a shoe that used to leave tracks, to a shoe where tracts have been left for others. 

Abortion must be abolished.    

Now That's What I am Chalking About.

 Once an individual (or family) has come to embrace the tenets of abolition, there comes a question:

"How are some practical ways that I can get truth out to my neighbors, to expose the evil of the preborn holocaust, bring the Gospel to bear, and point them to where they can learn more about being on the right side of history?"

There are a multitude of ways to do this, 

some more involved than others, 

some taking more time or resources,

some more daunting perhaps.

Here is but one way of many...

It is true that you might not be able to do ALL the types of seeding the culture...

But just about anyone can grab a piece of chalk and write something when they park the car.  

Write something right.

When you are out and about, consider how you  can share truth with others, including those you may never meet, but who will come along after you have left.

Ever wonder how you could witness the truth about the Gospel and the abortion holocaust with people you don't know without even talking with them or seeing them? 

What if you put messages like this on the sidewalk when you went for a walk each day?  

Or when you stopped to pump gas?

Or when you parked at the store?

On your own steps. 

Or the street corner.

You might write a little.

Or you might write a lot.

You may simply leave a Web site for someone to look up.

Or you may just put down a symbol to stir curiosity, so that people have to seek out for themselves what it means.

Later, you just might see people reading what you wrote.  

If they are trying to wash it away, that can be a sign of conviction.  It's doing its job.

You may come back later and find that someone responded, and you can add more.

Who could be encouraged, convicted, challenged?  Only the Lord knows.

Why not sow some seed today and trust Jesus for fruit?

And of course, it also can be done at most abortion mills, right at the gates of death.

Abolitionists call it by various names:

#TruthChalk

#PavementPreaching

#SidechalkCounseling

That's what I am chalking about.

It doesn't have to take long to do.

It is not vandalism.  It washed away easily, so will last till the next rain, or bucket of water, or sprinkler cycle.

It certainly doesn't cost much. Sidewalk chalk is inexpensive.

It is so easy that even grown ups can do it!  An individual, a family, or a group of youths, or a church, can take this and run with it, sharing truth with their society wherever they go.

So #WritewhatsRight.

Abortion must be abolished.

Call Her Blessed

Proverbs 31:28 "Her children arise up, and call her blessed..."

I wanted to do this, to rise up and call my mother blessed.  I love my mama.  I have known her all my life.  I could say many things about her, but here is one significant thing.  She and Dad raised us to know Jesus, to love Truth, to value human lives and souls.  She taught us at home and brought us out into the culture to engage for the kingdom of God.

Even now, as an adult myself, when I head down to hand out tracts in the open air, preach outside a strip club, call on leaders to abolish abortion, or engage at child sacrifice centers (abortion mills), things my mother taught me come to mind.  I recall how she brought her children up, taking us with her to share the Gospel with the lost.

She led us up to drug houses, to give Gospel tracts to the men there, to invite their children to Bible clubs in our backyard. She encouraged my siblings and me to share the Gospel, and put us in front of groups, with things to teach, while we were still children.  She took us and other youth in the church to teach Bible clubs all over the Kansas City area, including some of the roughest parts.

At one club, on the last day, a gang threatened to beat up anyone who came to club.  Throughout the club time, a man on drugs up in a second story window had a gun trained on our group sitting in the playground of the apartment project with rock music blaring in his ears.  In the middle of the club time, a gang fight broke out in the parking lot next to us.

My mom calmly led the example and we teens of the teaching crew followed, so that the ones who were not teaching at any given time would sit on the perimeter of the club, positioning ourselves between the violence and the children and adults who sat listening.  That way, anything that may be thrown or such, would be more likely to hit us rather than the clubbers.  I remember hearing roars of anger and screams of fear and pain from those involved in the fighting, but kept my eyes steady on the club, knowing that if I looked back, that the children would too.  If I saw a little one's eyes turn toward the hostility, I would catch their gaze, smile reassuringly, and motion with my eyes towards the teacher.  It was as if the Lord brought a peace to our hearts in the middle of the danger and tumult.

While the fighting behind me continued to rage, my little mother stood up and taught the Bible lesson of the day on the life of Timothy, declaring passionately the truth of God's word concerning the way of salvation in Jesus Christ alone, in living devoted to Him and His word, and challenged the hearers to be ready to stand for Jesus, willing to suffer and die for the name of Jesus, if necessary.

The Lord preserved the lives of everyone in that gathering that day, and I remember afterward seeing at least twenty clubbers of various ages, sitting in the grass, talking to counselors about the way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and how to live courageously in Him, even as the lights of squad cars flashed in the lot, and police officers were questioning and arresting participants in the violence.

Yes, she and my father taught us children to stand for the truth, and to love people, no matter the cost.

So grateful for the mother that God used in my life and also so thankful for my virtuous wife who is mother in the lives of our children!

Abortion must be abolished.

Friendship Evangelism

For decades now, there has been an overwhelming push among Christians for "Friendship Evangelism".

The basic idea is that it is best to first establish a relationship with an unsaved person before you share the Gospel with them.  The common reasoning being that if you take the time to build a friendship (to let the other person know you care) you will have earned the right to speak directly to them regarding spiritual matters!  This is in hopes that your life will have already reflected the truth and that your friend will want what you have once you share the Gospel with them.  In the meantime, don't talk directly about their sin or the payment for sin—doing so might offend.

Those who espouse this type of evangelism often look down on, or try to dissuade, Christians who preach in the open air or hand out tracts—being overt in sharing Christ boldly before they have made relationships is not very pragmatic.

When I was a young man my father became a minister to a small church in a rural community in Minnesota.  That summer, my family went to the county fair to hand out tracts and talk with people about the Gospel.  It was a precious time that I remember well—but later discovered that some folks at the church were not happy at what we were doing.  These individuals went to one of the other church leaders and complained that we were "ruining the church's silent witness" in the community.  Huh?  Yes.  That's what they said. 

Their SILENT WITNESS.

There have been many excellent writings exposing unBiblical aspects of "Friendship Evangelism"—it ignores the clear commands of Scripture and it takes the urgency of the need for Christ (the fact that we do not know when someone might die) and replaces it with apathy.  I am not going to address those specific errors in detail at this time as it has already been covered by others.

But I do want to share a few of my own thoughts to consider what it means to be a real friend to all those with whom you are in contact.

My Opening Statement:
If your soul purpose for building a friendship is to evangelize then sharing the Gospel with strangers and new acquaintances is one of the best ways to make friends.

I. "What will they think of me...if I keep it from them?"

If we don't let people know that we are saved and that we desire others to know and trust in Jesus Christ as well, but keep it purposefully hidden for months or even years, might not those same people wonder at the truth of our sincerity?  When we finally get around to talking about the Gospel, they may ponder— "Why were they keeping the best news in the universe from me for so long?  Why didn't they tell me sooner?"

I well remember the account of a Buddhist-turned-Christian convert in China, who asked Hudson Taylor how long his people in the British Empire had known of the Gospel.  Hudson replied that the English had known about the Gospel for hundreds of years.  The new Christian gasped, and exclaimed:  "Hundreds of years?! How can it be that your people knew the way of salvation for so long, and have only come to tell us in China about it so recently?"  Millions of his own people had died without Christ, and he could not fathom why someone had not come and told them sooner!

I know of other accounts similar to this recorded example, from different countries.  If this was the response of those who were living on the other side of the world, how much more for those who live on the other side of the street, and with whom you may have close acquaintance? 

And if they die before you are able to tell them of their need for Christ, consider the grave reality of what they will think when they are condemned to eternal torment in the lake of fire—"Why didn't my Christian friends warn me?!!"

II. "It will surely be easier once we get to know each other."

This statement is a myth! There is actually a great weight of testimony that demonstrates that it is more difficult to start sharing the Gospel with family and friends than with strangers and new acquaintances.  

We have to remember that no matter how awkward we feel, or how fearful we may be, our openness to share the good news of the Gospel is not what will offend another person.  They will most likely be refreshed with our honesty.  It is Christ and Him Crucified, He is the rock of offense—and He is the One that draws all men to Himself!  Why not start by letting any new friend or acquaintance know upfront that your faith is real and of utmost importance to you—as you build your friendship around common goals, hobbies, or your season of life bringing the Gospel into any conversation will be consistent with who you are.  What is more awkward then springing "Jesus" on a friend just out of the blue after weeks, months, and years of hanging out.  The truth be told, it rarely is done.  

III. What do true friends talk about?

One mark of a true friend is that they will talk with you about what is most important to them.  For instance, someone who loves sports is not going to hide this passion from those he gets together with.  He is going to talk about it.  It will come out in conversation—even if the other individual does not understand or care about the game.  His friends are extremely likely to know early on in their relationship which sport he is into most, what team is his favorite, how the draft pick went, and who won the game—and he will probably invite those same friends into his home to watch a game on TV. It is ridiculous to even consider that this person would wait for months or even years before talking about it.  

A true friend will tell you what they value.

To befriend a person in order to first establish a close enough relationship with them in order to then have finally earned the right to share your faith, says a lot about your faith!  If Jesus Christ is your life, if both He and what He has written is important to you, then to keep the Gospel to yourself is a dishonest approach in that relationship.  

And consider the fact that not only is Jesus supposed to be your life and Whom you are to love because of what He has personally done for you, as Christians we KNOW Jesus Christ is the ONLY HOPE of eternal life for all men!  Evangelism is not about sharing our own praise testimonies with unbelievers as much as it is about plainly laying out the truth of sin, the cure to that sin which is the way of salvation, and how one can go about finding this redemption!  Why would any believer keep the knowledge of the truth from friends who they know are in desperate danger of hellfire without it?  

Real friends will tell you the truth about what you need no matter how you respond, because a real friend cares more about you than they care about what you think of them.

Summation:
What most mean by friendship evangelism is not friendship nor evangelism.

Final Thought: 
Straightforward evangelism is being the truest kind of friend.

Abortion must be abolished

Tenet of Abolitionism—The Sword in Hand (Part 4 of 6)

The third and central tenet of Abolitionism is Gospel Centered.

"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (I John 4:14). 

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (I Timothy 1:15).

As abolitionists, we are committed to the unwavering truth of the good news that God the Son, Jesus Christ, was conceived in the womb of a young, unmarried woman who had not been planning on being with child.  The Eternal Word became flesh in the form of a zygote (John 1:14) and went through all the stages of development in the womb, was then born as a baby and grew to manhood.  

Fully God and fully Man, Jesus lived a sinless life, testified of the truth, and laid down His life in the place of sinners, the Just for the unjust (II Corinthians 5:21; John 18:37; I Peter 3:18).  His precious blood was shed to atone for sin, for "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22).  He died for our sins, and rose again the third day (I Corinthians 15:3-4).  

His payment upon the cross purchased redemption for a lost, wandering, and wicked people from their sin, rebellion, and the just punishment of eternal torment in the lake of fire (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 21:8).  He came to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). 

  

To be consistently Christian, we must recognize that the chief weapon in the fight against abortion is the Gospel.  Abortion is sin (murdering an image bearer of Almighty God) and the only answer for sin is repentance and a saving faith in the finished work of Christ (Mark 1:15).

We are to use the word of God—His declaration of Creation, the Law, and the Gospel—when addressing the topic. Whether we are speaking directly to a mother walking in to Planned Parenthood or writing a Facebook post to declare our opinion, everything we do and say must be according to the Scriptures.  God uses His holy word to give certainty (Proverbs 22:20-21), convert the soul (Psalm 19:7), and bring faith to the hearer (Romans 10:17).  How dare we venture forth without the Sword of the Spirit?—the word of God, which cannot return void nor be destroyed, which is not bound, nor can fall in vain to the ground!   

So we go into the fray, engaging the culture, unashamed of the Gospel of Christ, knowing it is the POWER of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).  

However, it is the accepted "wisdom" among a large portion of the prolife community to NOT: 

• call out sin, 
• warn their hearers about God's judgment for abortion as murder,
• openly share the Gospel as the only remedy for sin when counseling a woman who plans to abort her baby (whether the dialog be across a table, during a hotline call, on a sidewalk outside an abortion mill, or inside a counseling room at a pregnancy resource center).

Are there any logical reasons as to why the movement would lean this way?  

As already pointed out, a large percentage of people calling themselves prolife do not believe their own need for the Gospel.  In open rebellion to their Creator a humanist, anti-theist, homosexual, and pagan prolifer will not be a champion of the death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus.

There are also many prolifers who are deeply entrenched in a cult or false religion. They follow "...another Gospel: Which is not another" (Galatians 1:6-7).  Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and Catholics do not possess the true message of salvation.  In fact, it has been the Roman Catholic Church, for over 40 years, that has been the main mover and shaker within the Prolife Movement. Sadly, even evangelical prolife groups and organizations have been influenced by Catholic leaders to keep the Gospel out of any initial dialogue with mothers who are looking for an abortion, and do not always contain a clear Gospel message when it is discussed due to ecumenical involvement. 

I do not want to leave out the fact that there are some within the Prolife Movement that are truly saved and hold to the gospel with unwavering allegiance.  They unashamedly preach the Gospel and call their hearers to repent from any murderess intent toward their children and turn to the Savior.  I greatly appreciate the testimony of these saints—our family has ministered with them at the very gates of death—our family was one of them for many years! 

But the problem is that most Christians who rally for the prolife position, take time and opportunity to boldly engage others in dialogue regarding abortion, and even go to abortion mills to pray or protest are carefully trained to NOT bring the Gospel into conflict with abortion.  There are two reasons for this (and perhaps more):

1. Their main objective is to save a baby.  They use pragmatic (not providential) reasoning that moral, emotional, logical, and scientific arguments are what works and that sticking to those facts alone are necessary to persuade a woman to not go through with her abortion. 
2. They are afraid of offending the hearer and therefore losing a conversation. Although they do not deny the true gospel or the need for sinners to come to Christ, they instruct prolife Christians to "keep the Gospel in your back pocket"—having it readily accessible if the other person brings it up!

Here's the deal, as Christians and as abolitionists, we also desire to see babies saved from death.  We go directly to the kill mills with the desire to "brake the jaws of the wicked, and [pluck] the spoil out of his teeth" (Job 29:17). We have personally held tiny newborns that were scheduled to be murdered just minutes before their mother's changed their minds.  We plead outside of Planned Parenthood in order to see babies rescued from destruction.  We do not take issue with moral, emotional, logical, or scientific arguments (in fact we use them)—we take issue when they are not coupled with the truth of sin and the only remedy for it!  It is the Gospel that gives power to overcome the wicked one!

And like the Prolife Movement, we also desire to win our hearers attention and time. We call out to those "stumbling toward the slaughter" with compassion in hope that they will turn from abortion. We speak the truth in love.  But we always speak the truth even if the hearer does not receive it in love.  The Gospel is most often a stone of offense to those who walk in darkness. This means we will be mocked and rejected by those who refuse to acknowledge what they are doing is sin.   This is not reason to leave it in our back pocket.  

The need for, and the power of, the Gospel is so often downplayed by Christians on this vital front line.  Christians within the Prolife Movement who leave the Gospel in their back pocket are engaging the enemy without their sword.  It is foolish strategy. Without the Gospel there is:

• no real truth to stand on
• no reason to seek justice or mercy for the preborn
• no authority as to why abortion is wrong
• and no real cleansing of sin.

Individual hearts, and our society at large, will never seek the abolition of abortion without the Gospel. 

The Gospel alone can save.  The word of God has authority, power, and clout whether someone recognizes it or not.  It pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and goes right to the heart and motives of the matter (Hebrews 4:12).  We go into this world as emissaries of Christ (II Corinthians 5:20). 

He has given clear instructions, and His word is what we obey.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).  All the world includes abortion mills.  And there happen to be "creatures" there.  "And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious" (Ezekiel 2:7).  We trust God to use His word.  

We go to the battle against abortion as Christian soldiers, speaking the truth about life and life everlasting:  

"We are ambassadors for Christ, pleading a ministry of reconciliation with God.  Do you know Him?"

"Jesus Christ died for your sins: you do not have to murder your baby in order to cover your sin."

"We are here pleading in the name of Jesus Christ, in the cause of little babies made in His image, and for the good of all who will turn!" 

"Your baby is not your problem, your baby is your blessing.  Sin is your problem, selfishness in your heart.  The only remedy for your sin and help when you are overwhelmed is turning and trusting in Jesus Christ alone, Who died for your sins and mine!"

"We call abortion murder because it is murder, and we know the God Who can save and forgive repentant murderers."

We wield the word of God, shine light into this dark generation, speak truth in a world that loves lies, expose sin and declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ Who saves! 

Abortion must be abolished.

Let Us Be NOT Ashamed

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

[Here is a place, where the Gospel goes forth regularly into the open air; is heard from mouths, is read in print, and even chalked on the sidewalk.  It is also where Christians have been screamed at, reviled, threatened with death, and assaulted.]

There is a hymn, which says,
"Am I a soldier of the Cross?
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause 
Or blush to speak His name?"

A few questions to ponder...
-Are you a Christian?
-Washed in the blood of the Lamb Who died to redeem your soul?
-Are you ashamed of His name and the Gospel?
-Are you ready to stand for His name?
-Even in a generation that despises His name?
-Even when others are silent?
-Even when it means you will be mocked, snubbed, or hated?
-Even when a man with a gun is aiming for your head?

I know the weakness of my flesh, but IN CHRIST (the position of the true Christian) there is strength.  The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.  He gave all for us.  
-Should we shrink from giving all for Him?  
-Doesn't He have us anyway?  
-Are we not strangers and pilgrims, here only as ambassadors for our King (Hebrews 11:13; I Peter 2:9-11; II Corinthians 5:18-20; Galatians 1:10)?  
-Our affections on this above (Colossians 3:1-2)?
-Our focus on pleasing He Who hath chosen us to be His soldiers (II Timothy 2:4)? 

The second verse of that hymn goes on to say,
"Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease?
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed through bloody seas?"

Let us have the mindset of Yosef Tson (the Pastor in Romania who stood up boldly for the kingdom of God in face of KGB threatenings), that dying for Christ, would not be terrifying to us (Acts 4:29). 

-Should we not see it as our reasonable service to live as unto Him, completely yielded (Romans 12:1)?
-Are we not already crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20)?
-Is not our life hid with Christ (Colossians 3:3)?
-Are we not live for Jesus, Who died for us (II Corinthians 5:15)?

Let us glory in the Lord and rejoice that we may be counted worthy to suffer for His sake, whether it be slight or severe.

Philippians 1:27-29 "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;"
28 "And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God."
29 "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;"

In this generation, we find it wholly appropriate to mourn and be in anguish over sin, and the hardness of the enemies of Christ, and at the same time, to rejoice and be exceeding glad to have the honour to make Christ known and share in the stigma of the cross.  In this day, I, as a believer in the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, am to live the seeming contradiction, that is only possible IN CHRIST-- that of weeping and leaping for joy: 

II Corinthians 6:10 "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

Weepers and Leapers.  Who will be that?  Christians.

Let us pray for our brothers and sisters, both those near, and those round the world, who are suffering for the testimony of Christ Jesus, pray for comfort of the Spirit, grace, protection, patience, power, joy, and the preaching of the word of God to a watching world, working even in the hearts of the persecutors, redounding to the glory of God!

Let us also prepare ourselves, "pray-pare", yield all to our Lord, and ask Him to help us for what may lie ahead for us, to make us READY to preach, pray, live, and die at a moment's notice.  Remember, 

"THOSE WHO ARE YIELDED TO GOD ARE THOSE WHO WILL BE WIELDED BY GOD" to the praise of His glory!

The hymn concludes with,
"Sure I must fight if I would reign
Increase my courage, Lord
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain
Supported by Thy word."

There is still time to win a battle before the sun goes down.

AMBA - ABORTION MUST BE ABOLISHED.

Those Who Use Words Without Knowledge Need to Know the Word of God

On January 12th, I saw a clip of a CNN news panel (aired the 11th), in which an individual made a shocking statement uncovering her complete ignorance of the Christian faith.  The statement troubled me, especially as there was no rebuttal to her words from anybody else on the interview.  You can watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=nS3fuu5aSz0&app=desktop-

Immediately, I was concerned on a number of levels, and sought find out who this person was and discovered that Kathleen Parker is a top correspondent and a Pulitzer prize winner.  I was amazed not not only that she made this blunder, and that she seemed confident of her understanding of "religion", but that none of the three others involved called her out on this blunder, or sought to clarify the actual meaning for the audience.  

Before I wrote this post, I wanted to reach out to her (and her staff), in order to declare the truth and give her opportunity to correct herself. It has been a few weeks, and I have received no word in reply.

Here was my communication to her:

Hello.  My Name is Kevan Myers.  The following segment from CNN was brought to my attention (here I supplied the link). 

You said, "I don't think there's any chance Ted Cruz can win a general and here's why...He said...'It's time for the body of Christ to rise up and support me.'  I don't know anyone who takes their religion seriously who would think that Jesus should rise from the grave and resurrect Himself to serve Ted Cruz.  I know so many people who are offended by that comment."

I am unaware with which, if any, religion you identify yourself.  I am concerned that you do know seem to know what Ted Cruze was meaning when he spoke of the "body of Christ".  If I can help clarify the Christian perspective, I would be delighted to be a blessing in this way.  

[Now it could be that you misspoke, and didn't mean to say what you did, and it came out wrong.  That would be completely understandable.  If this is the case, feel free to let me know.  But for now, I must assume that you believe what you stated on CNN.]

The "body of Christ" is a very common term for those who are believers in Jesus. It is title of the church--Christ's "body" is made up of local bodies, called churches, assemblies, fellowships.  This term, used widespread all over the world by Christians, is based in the Scriptures:

Romans 12:4-5 

4 "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:" 

5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."

I Corinthians 12:12-14 12 

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." 

13 "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." 

14  "For the body is not one member, but many."

Calling the church (those saved by faith alone in the payment of Jesus Christ on the cross) the "body of Christ" has been done from the infancy of the church throughout the centuries and up to today.  

Ted Cruze did not mean that it was time for Jesus Christ's physical remains to rise from the death and join his presidential campaign.  He meant that he desires for those who know and believe in the Gospel, to rise and support him and his campaign--as he believes that his stands and proposed policies are in line with the beliefs and values of Christianity. 

This brings up another error in which I cannot forget to mention.  One reason why Ted Cruze could NOT be saying that Jesus' physical body needs to come out of the grave now, is because Ted Cruze knows that Jesus has already come out of the grave.  It happened about 2,000 years ago, the third day after His crucifixion.             
                                

I Corinthians 15:3-4

3 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;" 

4 "And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"  

That grave was left empty, for the Saviour Jesus Christ is ALIVE.  Christ's physical body is already risen.  The resurrection is a central part of the Gospel, and understood by Christians.  

                                    

It not only concerned me that you did not seem aware of this, but also that the other three on the panel did not correct the mistake.  Perhaps they did not know it themselves.  I am further alarmed that many friends of yours, according to your statement, were offended at his words and interpreted them the same way as you did.   

Please understand that I am endeavoring to help make clear some points of the Gospel and Christianity.  I also desire for you to come to know Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour from sin.  Perhaps you consider that you are a good person, and don't need to be saved (here I supplied a link to a gospel to a presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ).

Have a good evening, Kathleen.  Please feel free to respond.

Brothers and sisters, let us consider the two points that I tried to make clear in my message to her. 

First, she does not know that the body of Christ is referring to  believers in Jesus Christ--the church.  Not only is this the biblical term, it is an international reference for the Church worldwide. As the Apostle Paul states, this is not "done in a corner" (Acts 26:26) making anyone who would agree or be offended along with her, ignorant of basic understanding.

Second, she thinks that Ted Cruze means that the physical body of Jesus Christ needs to rise and support him.  Christ's physical body is already risen.  The grave is empty!  Does she not know the great message of the Gospel, that Christ arose the third day?  That He is not in the grave, "but is risen, as He said?"  How has she missed the glorious declaration of the RESURRECTION?                                 

I marvel at the ignorance and folly of a civilized society historically influenced by Christianity, but recognize that it is the fruit to be expected when a people... 

1-forget the true God (Psalm 9:17), 

2-glorify Him not, neither are thankful (Romans 1:21), 

3-cast God behind their back (I Kings 14:9), 

4-forsake His wisdom for their own (Proverbs 1:7; 3:7), 

5-and seek after their own way (Psalm 4:2). 

I sincerely hope that hundreds of thousands watching the news that night recognized the error, and were standing up and shouting the correction at their screens.  However, it is a sad reality that most Americans are Gospel illiterate and probably didn't catch the error.  

Although Christians certainly should know these things, I wonder how many watch or listen to media/entertainment with attention, and test all things by the truth of the word of God.  These things are basic, and I do mean BASIC!

But, then again, maybe we who do know better are not doing our job, the ministry of reconciliation in the name of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to represent His kingdom, proclaiming His message, and modeling His life before them.  

Perhaps this and the many other examples of Biblical illiteracy in our culture is reflecting the lack of impact upon the culture by the people of God.  

Are we out about our father's business, to preach the Gospel that saves?

Are we loving our neighbors--born & unborn, clean & unwashed, saved & lost? 

Are we bringing the truth to bear in our society?

Are we standing for righteousness and living consistently with our said beliefs?

Are we digging into the word of God for ourselves and sharing with others?

Are we working to clarify truth & correct misconceptions about God & His Book?

Are we training our youth to not only know truth, but to know, fear, love, and serve God?

What are we Christians to do?  We need to repent of our sin, our laziness, our cowardice, our loathing of inconvenience, our callousness, and FOLLOW Christ!  We need to hear and heed the call of our God to be SALT and LIGHT!  

I Corinthians 15:34 "Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."

We need to study to shew ourselves approved unto God, workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, and then live and preach it in OUR generation, being willing to speak the truth in a lost/rebellious/foolish world that loves lies.