Save America Ministries

Guest (Male): This is Viewpoint with attorney and author Chuck Crismier. Viewpoint is a one-hour talk show confronting the issues of America's heart and home. And now with today's edition of Viewpoint, here is Chuck Crismier.

Chuck Crismier: In my hands is a report of what's happening in Iran. Executions by the hundreds in Iran, using executions to prepare for the next uprising. A hanging in Iran is never just about punishing the condemned. It's meant for the prisoner's family, an entire generation, and everyone who may consider returning to the streets. The death penalty serves two political purposes at once. It punishes yesterday's dissent and aims to prevent tomorrow's uprising.

But today, it's not just political dissent that's involved. Today, it involves embracing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. So here's my question for you. If you were to die today by execution or some other way, perhaps, would your life still matter? And if so, why would it matter? What about your life would matter?

I remember one thing that was on the back of some scripture cards that we went through when I was a kid growing up. They called them the Bread of Life. In a little plastic container looking like a loaf of bread, and in it were cards, small little cards with scriptures on one side and quotations on the other. One of those quotations that I will never, ever forget is this. "Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last."

So then the question then echoes again. If I died today, whether by execution, under persecution, or by some auto accident or some other freak circumstance that took place that I had no idea was going to come upon my life, would my life still matter? Now, would your life matter? How would you know that your life would matter? Why do you think your life would matter?

Those are the questions that echo today across the airwaves as we launch into the program today. I know it sounds a little, somebody might think it sounds a little morbid. It's not really morbid because the Bible says that we don't know the day or the hour, not only of the Lord's return, we don't know the day or the hour of our own life span. And that's why the scripture says that we should number our days. The Psalmist says, "Lord, help me to number my days that I might incline my heart unto wisdom."

Well, what he's really saying is, "Look, I know that I have a short time on this planet. I don't know how long I have, but I want to make sure it counts for You. I want to make sure that my life has meaning." Years ago, a book was written called "Man's Quest for Meaning." Indeed, humankind wants to have meaning. If you were in the Holocaust and your life was lost there in the Holocaust, would your life have had meaning? Six million Jews lost their lives along with a lot of other people. Did their life have meaning?

I believe it was Erich Fromm or Paul Tournier who said, "Whoever has a reason to live can withstand almost any how." In other words, the interesting thing is not how, it's the reason we have to live. It's the purpose for which we have. If we have a purpose and we understand the purpose, then our life will have meaning. But what if our life doesn't seem to have purpose? What if we don't think it has purpose? What if we have not actually considered before God what that purpose might be?

We want to talk about that here in depth on the program today. So I'm glad that you've joined us. It's conversation, as always, with ever-increasing conviction, talk that transforms. And I do believe that this kind of a question, you see, it's a probing question. It's a probing question designed to get us thinking, designed to get us out of our normal way of processing things in everyday circumstances, the blasé things of life, and to really seriously consider something more important, the importance of life itself.

We like to give all kinds of credit to the pro-life movement. But why are we interested in the pro-life movement? Is it just because of life itself? Or is it because life has meaning? It's not just life itself. It's because life has meaning. And from God's viewpoint, it apparently does have meaning because He created us in His image. In the image of God created He them, male and female created He them.

So right there, if you're male, God had a reason for you being male. If you're female, God had a reason for you being female. Is it just for procreation? Or is it for something else? Is there a broader reason why you're a male or a female? You notice God didn't create us to be androgynous, in other words, sexless. No, He created us in such a way that we have two different sexes, male and female. Nothing in between, male and female. And so there must be a reason.

If God has His reasons, then what is the reason for my existence? What is the reason for your existence? So again, I welcome you to Viewpoint. I'm Chuck Crismier. It's conversation, as always, with ever-increasing conviction, talk that transforms. And I do believe that this kind of a question is a transforming question. If the majority of people, even professing Christians, were to ask themselves this question and seriously explore this question, it would make a huge difference in their lives.

Because life wouldn't just be one day at a time, as much as we love the song, my wife's favorite song, "One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking of You. Help me today to do what I need to do. Yesterday's gone, dear Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine. So help me today, show me the way, one day at a time." Well, yeah, we do need to see one day at a time because we live that way.

We live in time, but also in eternity. Did you know that you're actually living in eternity right now? Eternity doesn't begin then, it already began. And we're living in eternity either for God's glory or someone else's glory. So who's being brought glory through your life? Maybe this is one of the most fundamental questions we could ask. Who is bringing glory? Is my life bringing glory to God in my very existence? Or is it bringing glory to Satan and his kingdom?

See, there are only two kingdoms. Only two kingdoms. One is the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and the other is the kingdom of the enemy. Two kingdoms. And we have to choose. "Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house," said Joshua, "we will serve the Lord." Okay, so if you're serving the Lord, what does that mean? How am I serving the Lord? Do I think somehow I'm going to get kudos and salvation stars for serving the Lord? Or is there something bigger, something deeper? We'll talk about it when we get back. Stay tuned.

Guest (Male): Once upon a time, children could pray and read their Bibles in school. Divorces were practically unknown, as was child abuse. In our once great America, virginity and chastity were popular virtues and homosexuality was an abomination. So what happened in just one generation? Hi, I'm Chuck Crismier and I urge you to join me daily on Viewpoint, where we discuss the most challenging issues touching our hearts and homes. Could America's moral slide relate to the Fourth Commandment? Listen to Viewpoint on this radio station or anytime at saveus.org.

There was a famous song of yesteryear called "When the Trumpet of the Lord Shall Sound." When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, when the morning breaks eternal, bright, and fair. When the saints of earth are gathered over on the other shore, will I be there? That's an interesting question. Will I be there? Will you be there when the final trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more?

Now, that doesn't mean that we're not living in eternity today. It just means that time as we understand it will be no more. But we will still exist either for God's glory together with Him in heaven or for Satan's glory where the worm never dies, the scripture says, the fire never goes out, and people are in anguish and agony because they didn't embrace the things that were valuable.

Do you live a life like Esau that looks at things just temporally? Or do you look at life like Jacob, who saw the birthright as worth something? The scripture says, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Why was Esau hated? He wasn't hated because he was made in God's image. He was hated because he chose things that were not valuable. He valued little things on the temporal level more importantly than things that were eternal or of greater value. So what do you value?

What do you value? Don't answer too quickly, because how we spend our time, how we spend our money, how we look at life, what we pray for, what we think are things that are fulfilling and so on are the measures of what we value. Today, an awful lot is said about silver and gold. Pursuing silver and gold as security for the future. Now, there's nothing wrong with owning silver or gold in and of itself. But is that where I put my trust? If my trust is in silver and gold, I'm going to be pretty miserable.

"If in this life only," the apostle Paul wrote, "I have hope, I am most miserable." Are you miserable? Maybe there's a reason why you're miserable. If you do not feel fulfilled, if you don't feel like your life has meaning and purpose, maybe there's a reason for that. Maybe you're not seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Maybe you're not pursuing Him with a whole heart. Maybe your heart isn't really seeking first the things that matter, but the things that feel good or are promised to feel good in the moment.

See, that's one of the big problems we have with our politics, isn't it? In our politics, we're told, we're led to believe that we should vote for the person that promises the most. Really? That's like Esau. Christians that vote for those that promise the most are just like Esau. They're fleshly, carnally minded, and they cannot have satisfaction. They'll be the ones that cry with the Rolling Stones, "I can't get no satisfaction. But I tried, and I tried, and I tried, but I can't get no satisfaction."

How many Christians have you run across like that? They're murmurers, they're complainers, they're not grateful. It's hard for them to find anything to be grateful for. But you see, if we're going to be grateful, we have to start with the little things. And those are the things we miss. Have you noticed that if you once begin to be grateful for little things, how you can become even more grateful for more and more things?

And pretty soon an attitude of gratitude begins to take over your life, and all of a sudden you seem to have purpose. All of a sudden it seems that life opens up in front of you. All of a sudden it seems that there's value in tomorrow and in the day after, should the Lord give it to us. Only one life will soon be passed. So what if a government steps in and takes away your life? What if, like's happening in China and in Iran and in various other places of the world, North Korea and so on, where there's an absolute death sentence for following Jesus?

If you're caught with a Bible, it's a death sentence in North Korea. Just a death sentence, summary judgment. So, did your life have meaning? Well, if you were seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and living that in holiness and in righteousness without which no man shall see the Lord, then indeed your life will have meaning. Whether you understand it or not, sometimes our life has meaning beyond what we understand at the time.

I'm told that Johann Sebastian Bach, the famous composer, would sign his manuscripts, his music, with JSB, something like that. And then also something with the letter J talking about Jesus, for Jesus' purposes, for Jesus' cause, Jesus' kingdom. But for a long, long time, his manuscripts were just not recognized. It took about 80 years after his death that his manuscripts were recognized as profound and his music to bring glory to God and to bless the earth. Longer than his lifetime until the meaning of his life began to be realized.

Guest (Male): There is so much more about Chuck Crismier and Save America Ministries on our website, saveus.org. For example, under the marriage section, God has marriage on His mind. Chuck has some great resources to strengthen your marriage. First off, a fact sheet on the state of the marital union, a fact sheet on the state of ministry, marriage, and morals. saveus.org. Marriage, divorce, and remarriage. What does the Bible really teach about this? Find all of this at saveus.org. Also, a letter to pastors, the Hosea Project. saveus.org and many more resources to strengthen your marriage. It's all on Chuck's website, saveus.org. Again, you can listen to Chuck's Viewpoint broadcasts live and archived at Save America Ministries' website at saveus.org.

Chuck Crismier: Is your life significant? Do you believe that your life has meaning and purpose? Or is it, are you just existing? Are you just going through the motions? I cannot imagine a more miserable existence than to think that we're just going through the motions. You don't have to have a major ministry to have meaning. You don't have to have a radio broadcast or a TV broadcast or be an influencer or whatever else to have meaning. Our young people think that's what you have to do now to have meaning. You become an influencer.

What a trap. A total trap. That's the kingdoms of this world, friends, and they go nowhere. You could be popular today and lose your popularity all tomorrow. Which causes me to think about a song. I think it came out of the 1960s. And periodically, not every year, but periodically, on our anniversary, I would write in a card to my wife the words of that song. "If they gave me a fortune, my treasure would be small. I could gain it all tomorrow and never mind it, or I could lose it all tomorrow and never mind it all. But if I should lose your love, dear, I don't know what I'd do. For I know I'd never find another you."

Wait a minute, do you value your spouse that way? Do you see that your spouse has tremendous value before God and in your life? Or has it become same-old, same-old? You really don't see it that way. It's become boring. Life has just become a big bore. Friends, that is not how Christ would have us to live. Jesus knew He was heading to the cross. He knew that, He was conscious of that. But He knew that His life purpose was to continue on that pathway.

And if He tried to escape and avoid that pathway, He would not fulfill the Father's purpose, and He would lose His own purpose. And so He continued on even in the Garden of Gethsemane, even as His own flesh fought against it. And He said, "Father, if there's any possibility, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done." And so He knew what the answer was. He had to move forward. Let the inevitable from God's viewpoint take place so that all heaven could rejoice over one faithful, obedient Israelite.

The only one who ever lived, Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach, the Holy One of Israel, who through His life would bring many into glory. But at the time that He left, friends, the best you could count on of His followers was 12 disciples. In fact, only 11 really because Judas had betrayed Him. Then another one was substituted, Matthias, for Judas. And then came the Apostle Paul. And of course, there was His mother and Mary Magdalene and so on, and so there were a few like that.

But basically, He had almost no followers. They all left, even His disciples fled in the glitches of life and left Him. Now, how would he think? How would Jesus possibly think that His life had meaning when everything He gave His life for left Him? Do you see how it is that we cannot have that kind of a view? We cannot look at how others are looking. It's not what others think. It's who we are. Who God has ordained for us to be, regardless of what they think or the majority think at a moment.

The value of my life is not dependent on what the majority think. It's dependent on what God thinks. And if I'm pleasing the Lord in doing what He wants me to do, then that's enough. I don't have to get a big name for myself. I don't have to get my name emblazoned on buildings or flown from airplanes all over the world. I don't need to have that. I want to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And then God says, "I'll add everything else that's important to you." Is that enough?

We were talking about silver and gold earlier. Peter and John came to the man at the Gate Beautiful who was there holding his tin cup looking for alms. He had been lame since birth. And Peter and John looked at him and they said, "Silver and gold have we none. But such as we have we give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And the man did. He, we don't understand that. We don't understand exactly how that happened. It was a miracle.

God worked through Peter and John there right there, so much so that the rabbis and the religious leaders of the day saw that they had been with Jesus. They were ignorant men religiously, but they saw that they had been with Jesus and that massive things were happening as a result of their life on this planet. What's happening as a result of your life in the place where you work? Anything? Anything for the Kingdom of God? Anything righteous, anything holy?

I remember as a public school teacher for nine years in California during the most upheaval, educational upheaval that the country ever, ever had. It was in the late 1960s, from 1967 to about 1975. That was during the sexual revolution. That was during the Vietnam War. That was during the complete rebellion against all authority everywhere. And that's when I was a school teacher in a district that was known to be the lowest economic district in the state of California compared to Beverly Hills.

Beverly Hills being the richest, Baldwin Park being the poorest. It had the highest incidence of ex-convicts in the state in that district. And that's where God planted me. I didn't know why He planted me there, but He did. It was circumstances and so on that made it possible. That's where I served out the Vietnam War in the front lines of education in the most difficult school district in the country, teaching math to kids that didn't want to learn it.

But as a result of that experience, it set the stage for other things and gave me experience for other things. And then coaching for five years after that when I went to law school at night. All of those things seem somewhat menial. They don't really matter all that much. But if they didn't matter all that much, then why is it that one of my first students that I had to bring her parents in to bring correction to this brilliant young lady in my algebra class, why is it that she wrote me birthday cards for the next 15 years after that?

Why? See, we just don't understand how our life can have meaning. I didn't purposely do that. It happened. Why? Because I was doing what God wanted me to do in that incident. There's so many things like that, friends. A lot of it has to do with the choices that we make. Choices of great faith, courage that we have in certain circumstances, courage to stand when nobody else will stand. I remember an incident way back in the late 1970s. I had finished law, well, I was going to law school and was just getting ready to take the Bar, the California Bar.

And along came a very famous seminar in the church in America called the Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar. So we went to that and took a couple with us. And it was five nights a week and all day Friday and half a day Saturday. Now, that's a tremendous commitment. But 10,000 people went to the Long Beach Arena to go there. Well, on a Friday afternoon, we broke for lunch and everybody had to scurry around. Can you imagine 10,000 people trying to leave an auditorium to go out and find lunch quickly and get back within an hour and a half?

Almost impossible. So we were in a hustle. Everybody was in a hustle. And we went out to do that. We got our food. We were on our way back and we're standing before this six-lane highway separating us from the Long Beach Arena. And of course, you've got the signal lights, you've got people by the dozens and dozens standing there ready to cross the street and so on. And so we were waiting and waiting patiently and all of a sudden the people started walking. Now, these were all professing Christian people walking across the street against the light.

Against the light. And I stood there on the corner and I didn't walk. When the light turned green and said it was okay to walk, I walked and nobody ever said a thing. Nobody ever said a thing. Seven years later, a man called me up at my law office and said, "Chuck, can we have lunch?" And we did. He said, "Here's the reason why I wanted to call you today." He said, "Remember back then when we went together to that Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar?" He said, "I remember how everybody was crossing the street against the light and you stood there and you didn't cross."

He said, "That's the reason why I'm calling you today because I have to have somebody I can really trust." You stood for righteousness, you stood to do what was right when everybody else did what the culture was doing. Now, how would I have ever known that that kind of impact was made? See, the point is I'm not trying to sell myself to you because I can give you another instance where it didn't look so good. In other words, our life has meaning, your life has meaning, my friend.

What are you doing about it? Maybe that's where we need to start with repentance. We'll be back. This year through the month of August, Iran has executed over 500 people. So far, executed over 500 people. No country in the world that we know of has executed so many people. Who were those people? Are they a bunch of unrighteous renegades out there, robbers and thieves? Or are many of them Christians which were standing for the Lord, conducting house churches that are outlawed in Iran, and they were taken captive?

Maybe put in the horrible Evin prison or executed for righteousness' sake? Or how about the 36,500 that were killed in just two days? Two days in Iran. 36,500 killed in Iran's deadliest massacre by the government. Who were those people? Did they have meaning? They were standing up against the horrific position of the Iranian government, which is extremely unrighteous. Extremely unrighteous, dictatorial to the max. Many of them were most likely Christians. Did their lives have meaning?

When the government lynches them by gallows or shoots them by firing squad, do their lives have meaning? How about in North Korea? In North Korea, where it is a death penalty to own a Bible or to be seen communicating Christ with someone else. Does the person's life have meaning when they're sent off and executed or sent to the gulags in Korea under hard labor, never to be seen again? Or how about those in China? The thousands and thousands and thousands of people.

As the Chinese government is cracking down on house churches, about 100 million people in house churches and cracking down on these people. To follow Christ other than in the three-self patriotic church in China is a federal offense and capable of bringing you certainly to prison if not execution. Does your life have meaning? No matter what, from God's viewpoint, those created in His image, He cries out to you to have meaning. To understand that you had a purpose for existing.

He wants you to know you have a purpose here. The difficulty of life isn't what actually defines your value. It's how you navigate the difficulties of life, the attitude with which you do it, and the reason for which you persist. And that's where God can honor people through courage. But if courage is lost, then all is lost. Now you can see why Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was so discouraged when he came from Russia having been imprisoned in the gulags and got to America in the late 1970s and spoke to Harvard University.

He said the one thing that I noticed in the West that seems to be totally missing is courage. Where's the courage that you guys have? You don't have any. You see, strong courage enables our life to have meaning. Think of a fellow by the name of Nathan Hale, a school teacher. Remember him? Nathan Hale. He was chosen by General George Washington to represent him as somewhat of a spy, so to speak, and to carry a message that would help protect the army against the Redcoats.

And he was captured. And when he was captured by the British, they put him in the noose to hang him, and he made the famous statement words. "I wish I had but only one life to give for my country." That he only had one life to give for his country. In other words, he saw what he did as valuable for a greater purpose. And guess what? We're remembering him to this very day. How many school teachers do you know today whose lives are remembered today? Why is he remembered?

Because of his incredible courage. So what would you be remembered for? Now we're coming to a place, a time when persecution is rising, not just in Iran or China and North Korea or anywhere else around the world, but happening right here in America. We have people that have been standing courageously here in this country. And resisting, for instance, in Colorado, one of the most godless states in the union that is fighting against Christian people constantly, even against the law.

And people are standing. They're not standing with a bitter spirit or an angry spirit, they're standing for righteousness and truth to try to protect the advancement of ungodliness and unrighteousness. And so they stand. And they stand courageously at all costs. The government tries to take away their livelihood, try to take away their business. That's not just in China, that's in Colorado, friends. The same thing happens in Oregon, in California, in Massachusetts, in so many other places of the country.

Standing when nobody else will stand. What would you be prepared to do as you see the waves of persecution coming increasingly like a tsunami over the Atlantic and the Pacific toward the North American continent? And it is happening, it's happening in Canada big time. It's getting harder and harder to be a Christian in Canada. Harder and harder. What will you do? How will you be able to stand for the Lord without capitulating? Will your life be a testimony under those kinds of circumstances?

You're a parent. You're a mom, you're a dad. How is your life going to make a difference to your kids for such a time as that? And don't think it's not going to happen. It is already happening. When your kids see how you respond to certain things that are happening to you with regard to your business, with regard to the choices that others are making, with regard to how you're treated and so on, they are forming a viewpoint concerning you and what your life means.

And that's why in my book, "When Persecution Comes: Preparing Hearts for Perilous Times," there is a very special place, part five in the book, called Parenting in Perilous Times. Dear parents, prepare or despair. What can parents do? How should parents respond? How about dads? My book "Hearts of the Fathers: How to Leave a Legacy That Lasts." What do you think that book is about? It's about how to be a father that makes a difference, whose life makes a difference for God and shows dads how to do that, how to live that out.

That's what these books are about. They're not about making money. Silver and gold have I none in that regard. They're not about making money. I don't receive any money for those. They go all to the ministry. But the calling is what matters. Parenting in Perilous Times. How about fathering in fearless times? That's another chapter. Persecution within families, persecution within the church itself. And then even about leaders. Not every pastor is a leader. Not really.

Some are leaders for righteousness and others are not. Some are leaders to be remembered for their courage and for their faith and for their faithfulness and others are not. What's the difference? The difference is how they see their life and how they live it out, not for self-accolades, but for the glory of God. So what is the purpose of your life? I wrote in the dedication to the book, "When Persecution Comes: Preparing Hearts for Perilous Times," dedicated with enduring love to my faithful wife and helpmeet Kathy, with whom through many dangers, toils, and snares, we have together already come. And now with patience press on with increasing gratitude for the hope that lies ahead with the soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Your grateful husband, Chuck.

Then the very opening pages, the sound of the trumpet is drawing near. The march of history is not over until the mystery of the woman and the beast who carries her is made manifest and so on. Am I prepared to stand? See, I want my life to count for something. Do you? I know you want your life to count for something. But if it doesn't count for something in the little things, then how can God trust you with anything greater? That's the whole message of the parable of the talents.

Get a copy of the book "When Persecution Comes" because it's going to help you dig deeper. Dig deeper into the deeper recesses of your mind and heart. The same will be true with the book "The Power to Overcome." The power to overcome is almost like a handbook on top of "When Persecution Comes" that together they become a composite for the strengthening of our lives that we will be strong and courageous, that we will not be afraid or discouraged or tremble.

Realize that the Lord our God is with you wherever we go because we're called. We have a purpose. We have a commitment. We have a covenant with the Lord. We haven't just made some profession of faith. We are people of faith. We are faithful. This whole idea that God just wants you to make a confession of faith is nonsense. That's not what the Kingdom of God is about. It's about possessors, not confessors. How are we going to give glory to God just by confessing? No, friends, at best that's just a birth. That's not the real deal.

The real deal is a transformed life that makes a difference during the days, hours, years, whatever we have on this planet. Have you ever considered to number your days? Have you asked God to number your days that you might incline your heart unto wisdom, His wisdom? There ain't no way, friends, you're going to hitch a wheelbarrow or some kind of a wagon to your SUV to drive it in with glory into heaven. It's not going to happen. You won't even have a backpack to carry your gold and silver into heaven or whatever other trinket you think is important. Only what's done for Christ will last.

Get a copy of the book "When Persecution Comes." I think it's $20 on our website, saveus.org. And then also "The Power to Overcome," $25 on the website saveus.org. Get it today. If you get both of the books today, it'll be $6 postage and handling for the first book and only $2 for the second book. And I want you to be encouraged. I want you to be strengthened. Today, it's almost like a spiritual coach seriously addressing God's team. Come on, team! Let's live for Christ. You've got only one life. God bless and be a blessing.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to Viewpoint with Chuck Crismier. Viewpoint is supported by the faithful gifts of our listeners. Let me urge you to become a partner with Chuck as a voice to the church, declaring vision for the nation. Join us again next time on Viewpoint as we confront the issues of America's heart and home.