Clarifying the importance of 'living your faith,' AFA President addresses an audience near the Sea of Galilee

By James Lambert

Recently I had the good fortune of going to Israel with my wife and a group of over 80 people. Our guest host was Tim Wildmon and his wife Allyson. Tim, as you know, is the President of the American Family Association. His father (Rev. Donald Wildmon) was a full-time minister for 12+ years before he started the organization that was eventually was to become the American Family Association. Rev. Wildmon and his son's on-going effort to stand up for Christian values in this country has been greatly appreciated by millions of people throughout the country including myself.

Once a year, Don Wildmon's son, Tim, sponsors a trip to the Holy Land. His most recent trip to Israel concluded just last month. One of amazing places we visited was the 'Mount of Beatitudes' near the Sea of Galilee. According to some historians and tradition the site (the church of the Beatitudes) was the general location where Jesus gave his famous sermon found in Matthew's gospel. It was there that Tim gave his inspiring sermon.

To the best of my knowledge Tim is not a registered minister but he certainly gave an inspiring sermon to us that afternoon last month. Tim talked about the importance of not only believing in Christ but in following Him faithfully. "Ask most Christians what is the one virtue that Jesus mentions twice and they can't say immediately. However, if we read verse 6 (Matthew 5) Jesus says: 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.'" Jesus was talking about the importance of personal righteousness. As Tim further elaborated, "have you ever been really hungry or really thirsty? You will do anything to quench those feelings. In the same way we are to seek righteousness (holy living) before God. This pleases Him."

In the same Chapter (verse 10) Jesus says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Tim asked the question: "Why would Jesus stress the same virtue twice? Why? Because he is talking about ... standing in public for what God stands for. That would be moral values... When a Christian takes a stand for what God's says is right or what God says is wrong and that conflicts with the world's way of thinking or acting – that is when the backlash comes. That is when the persecution comes."

Tim concluded by saying that it should be obvious to most Christians that 'the world' hates the things of God (and His standards as outlined the word of God.) Fortunately, as Christians, we know that the Christ of the Bible has come to deliver us from our sins. We show our love to Him by accepting Him into our lives, taking up our cross and following Him faithfully.

Yes, Tim's sermon that day was inspiring. If you're like me, I am sure you can appreciate messages like this as well as the other ministries and outreaches of the American Family Association. If you want to share your faith with others, I encourage you to tell your friends and relatives about AFA's radio network (www.AFR.net ) and their other various media outlets and resources around the country (www.OneNewsNow.com ">www.AFJournal.org & www.OneNewsNow.com ) Their radio network (which is in close to 200 communities around the country), their news department and their various publications will minister to you and your friends like they have to me.

© James Lambert