Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
To say that LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers got outplayed by the Warriors in games 1 and 2 of the 2017 NBA finals would be a serious understatement. One thing we know is certain: Golden State is tough to beat when Stephen Curry finds his groove.
From a guy who many thought was too little to play at the highest level to becoming the league’s most valuable player, Curry’s journey has been one propelled by hard work and dedication.
Some years back, Alan Stein attended the inaugural Kobe Bryant Nike Skills Academy and noticed something unusual about Curry. In a YouTube video recapping the event, Alan noted that it was Curry’s habits and work ethic that shined brighter than any other player’s talent. Before each session, Curry had already drained 100 – 150 shots and was in a full sweat by the time his peers hit the floor.
For Curry, success is not an accident, it’s a choice. But there is much more that separates the 6’3’’ all-star point guard from the rest and it’s his faith in Jesus!
Steph Curry was raised in Charlotte, N.C., by Christian parents who began every morning with a required family devotional time before school. As a result, Stephen Curry has developed into solid man of God, one who never shies away about sharing his faith.
Sometimes while on the basketball court, Curry points his index finger upward as an outward sign and reminder that God gets all the glory for his success.
But regardless of his health or how he plays on any given night, Curry remains rooted in one of his favorite Bible verses - Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
It’s not too often that we get to see athletes bring the Bible out on the court, but that’s exactly what Stephen Curry does each game through his trademark shoe with Under Armour.
In an interview with Decision, Steph acknowledged that, “Obviously, there’s a lot of hoopla and fanfare that follows you wherever you go, but I know where my talent comes from. I know why I play the game, and it’s not to score 30 points a night, but it’s to use the stage I’m on. I’ve been put here for a specific purpose: to be a witness and to share my testimony as I go through it.”
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Eastern Conference guard Kyrie Irving (2) of the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the ball up court during the 2014 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 16, 2014. (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)
My oldest granddaughter is 15, and thanks to North Carolina's HB2, if a 15-year-old boy in her school identified as a girl, he would not be allowed to play on her sports team or share her locker room. I for one am glad that North Carolina, my home state since 2003, has taken a stand for common sense, for safety and for privacy, yet the NBA is punishing the state for protecting its residents, announcing that it will pull next year's All Star game from Charlotte.
What hypocrisy; what bigotry; what intolerance. The NBA is now the National Bullying Association.
Let us not forget that when the NBA decided to bring the All Star game to Charlotte, the laws were just as they are today: Men were expected to use men's bathrooms and locker rooms and women were expected to use women's bathrooms and locker rooms.
If this was so terrible, why did the NBA agree to bring their annual, week-long, festive event here? The State legislature simply reversed a radical bill passed by the Charlotte City Council earlier this year, a bill which had effectively rendered all public bathrooms and locker rooms gender neutral.
The state simply put things back to where they were before. Why then the outcry from the NBA? Why punish the state for moving things back to the way they were when everything was fine?
A few weeks ago, a man who identifies as a woman was arrested for videotaping women in the dressing room at Target, apparently a direct result of Target's much-protested policy to allow men who identify as women to use the women's dressing rooms. (And remember: Any male can walk into one of these dressing rooms and say, "I identify as a woman," and no one can stop him from entering, even if he's dressed as a man.)
According to a police affidavit, the man arrested at Target, who goes by the name Shauna Smith, "eventually admitted to me that she had made videos in the past of women undressing. The defendant told me that she makes these videos for the 'same reason men go online to look at pornography.' The defendant told me that she finds the videos sexually gratifying."
These are the very abuses that North Carolina is seeking to prevent, and while the state cannot stop a private business like Target from engaging in this dangerous social experiment, it can take a stand on a statewide, public facility level. Yet for taking this stand, the NBA has declared North Carolina unworthy of hosting the 2017 All Star game.
Shame on Adam Silver, the Commissioner of the NBA, and shame on all those who stood with him in this disgraceful decision.
The Alliance Defending Freedom pointed out that "Nearly 1 in 8 high school girls have been sexually assaulted" and "Nearly 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted," noting that, "For many sex abuse survivors, the mere presence of a biological man in a women's restroom, locker room, or changing room is a trigger that causes severe emotional and mental harm—regardless of that man's intentions."
What does the NBA say to them?
Commissioner Silver stated, "We have been guided in these discussions [about the All Star game] by the long-standing core values of our league. These include not only diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect for others but also the willingness to listen and consider opposing points of view."
In reality, the NBA has sided against these very values, unless the words "diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect" have taken on a whole new meaning, since the NBA is showing zero tolerance for any diversity of views, absolute exclusion of all those who want to keep a biological boy out of a girl's shower room, complete unfairness towards young ladies who would now be forced to compete against young men in sports, and utter disrespect for the commonsense values of the clear majority of the residents of North Carolina.
As I asked in a previous article, would the NBA allow a star like LeBron James to play in the WNBA if he felt he was a woman trapped in a man's body? If not, why are they forcing schools to do what they would never do?
As for showing a "willingness to listen and consider opposing points of view," you don't demonstrate this by pulling a previously-scheduled, major event out of a city. This is what is called bullying, punishing and intimidating.
Ironically (and hypocritically), LGBT leaders, who frequently share poignant stories of the bullying they have experienced, are now cheering on the bullying of the NBA. The bullied have become the bullies.
But the story doesn't end here.
To underscore its hypocrisy, the NBA announced that it has relocated the 2017 All Star game to New Orleans, a city that has the same ordinances as Charlotte, allowing "for 'separate bathroom, restroom, shower or similar facilities for males and females' in its local ordinance."
In terms of bathroom access, there's no fundamental difference between Charlotte and New Orleans, yet Charlotte is being punished for refusing to bow down to the goals of radical gay activists.
Not only so, but both North Carolina and Louisiana, along with 22 other states, have filed suit against the federal government, protesting the Obama administration's gross overreach in this very area—trying to force schools to comply with radical LGBT activism—yet Louisiana is being rewarded and North Carolina is being punished.
That leaves only reasonable course of action: Stand up to the bullies and ride out the storm until common sense prevails again. The bullying must ultimately backfire.
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Christians Must Unite Now Against Gay Bullies and Their Allies
The mayor of San Francisco has banned all publicly funded city employees from traveling to North Carolina.
The NFL is threatening to block Atlanta, Georgia, from hosting a future Super Bowl.
The NBA is threatening to relocate next year's All Star game from Charlotte, North Carolina, to another city.
Corporate giants like American Airlines and Hollywood giants like Disney are threatening action against Georgia and North Carolina.
Why?
It is because North Carolina has passed a bill requiring people to use the public bathroom or locker room that corresponds to their birth certificate gender and because Georgia has enacted legislation (yet to be signed by the governor) that would protect pastors from having to perform same-sex "marriages."
It is time for Christians and all people of conscience to say: "Enough is enough with your bullying. We are not going to bow down to your threats. We will do what is right, regardless of cost or consequence, and in the end, we will be vindicated for taking a stand."
As for Ed Lee, the mayor of San Francisco, he's acting more like a dictator than a mayor. Who gave him the right to tell city-funded employees where they could travel in their own country, once known as "the land of the free"?
Unfortunately, the pattern is all too familiar.
A state like Indiana passes a Religious Freedoms Act that mirrors national law, as a result of which gay bullies and their allies threaten to pull their businesses from the state—from Wal-Mart to Apple to Craig's List to the NCAA—and within days, the governor and the legislation cave, passing a new law that makes things worse than ever. (This happened in March, 2015; the Indianan legislators and governor have since pushed back to some degree.)
We cannot let this happen in our states (I have lived in North Carolina since 2003), and as believers nationwide, we must stand together and reject these pressure tactics and call them out for what they are: unethical, strong-armed bullying.
Never bow down to bullies!
Earlier this year, I helped draft an eight-page letter to the mayor and City Council of Charlotte, detailing the negative effects that their new "anti-LGBT discrimination" bill could have. (Ironically, a gay man who was instrumental in helping to push this bill through was a convicted, child sex-offender who has since resigned as president of Charlotte's LGBT Chamber of Commerce because of his past record.)
Among the negative effects of this bill outlined in my letter were:
The door would be opened wide to heterosexual predators who would use transgender bathroom rights to spy on girls and women (for chilling video evidence of what these heterosexual predators have done, see here).
The proposed changes could lead to widespread discrimination against Christians and other people of faith who, in good conscience, could not participate in same-sex "weddings" (such as photographers, bakers, florists and others). The law would now be decidedly against them.
I also noted that, "National studies indicate that states which do not have non-discrimination laws including 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' are suffering no ill effects economically," dispelling the myth that only "progressive" (that is, "pro-LGBT") cities are prospering. The evidence is clearly against this.
This is yet another reason to stand up to the bullies: Good business practices and hard work lead to prosperity, not being politically correct. (For the truth about the North Carolina bill, which the secular media is largely failing to report, see here, and note that in North Carolina, some of the companies protesting the loudest already have policies to protect LGBT "rights" and those policies are completely unaffected by the new law.)
In Georgia, the main focus was preserving religious freedoms, such as protecting pastors from having to perform same-sex "wedding" ceremonies. (Religious freedoms were certainly an issue in North Carolina, but the central focus here was on the bathroom bill.)
Yet as Ryan Anderson pointed out, the bill passed by the Georgia legislature was quite narrow in its protections, contained language that could be used against people of faith and was a significantly gutted version of a far from perfect original bill.
In other words, the current bill awaiting the governor's signature is quite tame, simply providing the barest of protections of our religious liberties, and it is still creating anuproar of protest, as "More than 30 of Hollywood's heaviest hitters sent a threatening letter to Gov. Nathan Deal, telling him in no uncertain terms that if he passes the religious-freedom bill the legislature handed him for consideration, they'll never work in Georgia again."
As I have warned for years (and repeated almost ad infinitum), the activists who came out of the closet want to put you and me in the closet, and they will not rest until that door is safely shut. It is time for us to say: That will never happen, and we will go to jail rather than compromise our convictions. Your bullying will backfire in the end.
When it comes to transgender issues, we are dealing with an unquantifiable, untestable condition which relies entirely on self-perception (and can switch by the day or the hour), as noted by Margaret A. Hagen, professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. Yet the mayor of Seattle recently used an executive order to allow biological males to use women's bathrooms.
In the days to come, I plan to lay out some specific calls to action, including a strategy for Christian athletes in the NFL and NBA. But for now, it's time for us to get on our knees before God so we can stand tall before man, resolving in our hearts that, whatever it takes (in godly, not fleshly terms), we will do what is right. (For an excellent, strategic handbook, see here.)
For the moment, I encourage you to take a moment to send a note of appreciation toGov. Pat McCrory in North Carolina for not caving in (He will be under heavy pressure in the days ahead.) and a note strongly encouraging Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal to sign House Bill 757 into law. Will you stop and do that right now?
Billy Graham once said, "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened."
Let courage spread from you to others—in your home, your school, your place of business, your congregation—beginning today.
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Jeremy Lin (NBA Charlotte Hornets) Asks Fans to 'Pray for Global Christian Revival'
Jeremy Lin asked his fans to pray for revival around the world.
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Charlotte Hornets' Jeremy Lin asked fans to intercede for "global Christian revival" in his latest prayer request email.
"Please pray for global Christian revival. Specific areas that I feel God has put on my heart are Asian-Americans in the U.S. who are lukewarm in their faith, the billions in China who don't know Christ and Taiwan/Hong Kong. I obviously care about many other places, but these are very near and dear to my heart!" Lin wrote.
Evangelist Franklin Graham announced an international summit to defend the persecuted.
"2015 was just reported in the media as the worst year for Christian persecution," Franklin Graham wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. "More than twice as many Christians were killed for their faith than in the previous year—making it the worst in history since these statistics have been tracked."
Graham met with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church last year to discuss the plight of Christians around the world.
Kirill even bridged 1,000-year rift between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches when he and Pope Francis came together to raise awareness of persecution.
"Our gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution. In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa, whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being completely exterminated," the two said in a joint statement.
But the two also believe, like Lin, that revival is possible. Kirill and Francis look to today's youth to bring about godly change.
"Today, in a particular way, we address young Christians. You, young people, have the task of not hiding your talent in the ground (Matt 25:25), but of using all the abilities God has given you to confirm Christ's truth in the world, incarnating in your own lives the evangelical commandments of the love of God and of one's neighbor," according to the joint resolution.
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Stephen Curry: I Knew God Was Preparing Me for a Bigger Stage to Be a Witness for Him
Stephen Curry (Reuters)
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Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors captured their first NBA title since 1975 last night in a 105-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Curry and Andre Iguodala, the Finals' MVP who called the Warriors a "team of believers" in post-game interviews, teamed up for 50 points, while the Cavs' LeBron James added 32.
Even after the greatest achievement in basketball, Curry knows there's a much bigger prize in life, long after the buzzer sounds.
In 2013, Curry talked to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the March issue of its bi-monthly magazine, writing that his faith identifies him more than his jersey.
"Congratulations to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on an incredible season and an amazing playoff run—and to LeBron James and the Cavaliers for a stellar season as well," said FCA President and CEO Les Steckel. "We are so elated for Steph and his commitment to his team, his fans, his family and his Savior. Steph gave God all the glory last night. He is a wonderful role model to young athletes, who we hope will learn that when God is in charge of their life, they're always undefeated because God never loses."
Curry told FCA about the moment he began living for Jesus—and never looked back: "I remember it like it was yesterday, the day I gave my life to Christ. I was in fourth grade, and I recall hearing and understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ and walking down the aisle to give my life to Him. My parents continued to pour into my faith from that point on, making sure I understood the commitment I'd just made."
And of his journey to the NBA, he said, "I knew the Lord was preparing me for a bigger stage to represent and be a witness for Him on the basketball court. I remembered my mom telling me from day one at Davidson (College) that God puts His people in different areas of life so that they can reach more people for Him. I tried to use that time for His glory.
"God's given me talents to play basketball for a living, but I still have to work hard to improve every day. I know that in the grand scheme of things, this is just a game that can be taken from me at any moment. But I love that basketball gives me the opportunities to do good things for people and to point them towards the Man who died for our sins on the cross. I know I have a place in heaven waiting for me because of Him, and that's something no earthly prize or trophy could ever top.
"There's more to me than just this jersey I wear, and that's Christ living inside of me."
Steckel added that FCA's mission is to reach coaches and athletes for Christ—one heart at a time.
"Whether youth, junior school, high school, college or professional, athletes have a platform like few others to share their faith," Steckel added. "We are thrilled that Steph is using the platform he has been given not for his own glory but for the glory of God."
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'The Holy Spirit Is Moving Through Our Locker Room,' Says NBA MVP Stephen Curry
Stepehn Curry, left, plays for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. (Reuters)
My dad may have been playing in the NBA at the time, but the best basketball games I remember from my childhood were the ones between my little brother, Seth, and me on our backyard basketball court in Charlotte, North Carolina. We'd play for hours and hours, oftentimes well into the night with the use of a bright stage light shining on the court, until our mom would yell out the window for us to come in. Those games would get pretty heated, but that was the norm for brothers as close as we were.
Our whole family was very close in fact, even when it came to school. My mom started a Christian Montessori school when I was in first grade, so we all went there together—Mom was in charge as the head mistress, our aunt was our teacher, and our grandmother was the cook. My brother and sister and I were blessed to have such great influences in our lives, and I can honestly say that my mom and dad were the best. They raised us to believe in God, and we were at church every Wednesday for youth Bible studies and every Sunday for services.
I remember it like it was yesterday, the day I gave my life to Christ. I was in fourth grade, and I recall hearing and understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ and walking down the aisle to give my life to Him. My parents continued to pour into my faith from that point on, making sure I understood the commitment I'd just made. Starting in middle school I attended Charlotte Christian School, which allowed me to hear the gospel on a daily basis. Looking back, my childhood was filled with the Lord's presence.
Wanting to follow in my dad's footsteps on the hardwood, I had my sights set on Virginia Tech during my high school years. Unfortunately, the Hokies and other ACC schools weren't interested. I was confident the Lord had blessed me with the talent to play the game, and I just wanted to go where He wanted me to be. That place became as clear as day to me once I met Bob McKillop, Davidson's head coach. He explained his vision for my career at Davidson and how he could help me achieve my goals. Plus, he was a man of God, so it was an added bonus to play for a leader who was grounded in faith. The entire recruiting and signing experience taught me about patience and seeking God's will, because He had a plan all along. I couldn't see it at the time, but I trusted He knew what was best for me.
During our Cinderella run to the 2008 Elite Eight, I knew the Lord was preparing me for a bigger stage to represent and be a witness for Him on the basketball court. I remembered my mom telling me from day one at Davidson that God puts His people in different areas of life so that they can reach more people for Him. I tried to use that time for His glory.
Then, in 2009, it was a surreal moment and a dream realized to be sitting in the green room with my family hearing my name called as the seventh overall pick of the NBA Draft.
Fast-forward to now—my fourth year with the Warriors—and my faith continues to be my driving force. God's blessed me with an awesome support system in Oakland, starting with my head coach, Mark Jackson, who is a pastor of a congregation in Southern California. It's rare to have such an outspoken believer leading an NBA team. We also have about 10 guys on our team who attend our pregame chapels and pray together before games.
The Holy Spirit is moving through our locker room in a way I've never experienced before. It's allowing us to reach a lot of people, and personally I am just trying to use this stage to share how God has been a blessing to my life and how He can be the same in everyone else's.
God's given me talents to play basketball for a living, but I still have to work hard to improve every day. I know that in the grand scheme of things, this is just a game that can be taken from me at any moment. But I love that basketball gives me opportunities to do good things for people and to point them towards the Man who died for our sins on the cross. I know I have a place in heaven waiting for me because of Him, and that's something no earthly prize or trophy could ever top.
There's more to me than just this jersey I wear, and that's Christ living inside of me.
Stephen Curry plays for the Golden State Warriors and was recently selected as the NBA's most valuable player.
