Just over 10 days ago no one knew Charlie Kirk would be assassinated. No one knew what a huge impact this would have. No one knew this would spark a whole new global move of God. No one knew this would help change a generation just as the martyrdom of Jim Elliot and 4 others did in 1956. And I did not know that I would end up writing 11 articles in a row over 9 days on his life, death and legacy. Rest in peace Charlie. John 12:24.
The truth is, if you are a Christian, you need to know that your life is in God’s hands. The journey we are on with him can take all sorts of unexpected twists and turns. The way he directs us may not at all be what we had wanted or planned for – or even imagined.
So when you are an older Christian, you can look back on your long Christian life and really see just how God was there all along the way, even in the dark and difficult times. I certainly can see that in my 54-year walk with God. I was thinking about these matters just recently, so let me share a few things in my life that I would not have expected or thought of.
-When I was a suicidal and drugged-out hippy while a teenager, I did not expect that God would break through in my life and bring me into his forever family.
-When I was a newish believer, I did not expect that I would go on to college, get a BA and MA and work on a PhD.
-When I was at college I did not expect that some sad experiences would take me on a detour into overseas missionary work.
-When I was in Europe, I did not expect that a gal from Australia would catch my eye, become my wife, and take me down under.
-When I finished my MA in Boston and was accepted with a scholarship to attend the famous Georgetown University in Washington DC to get a second MA leading to a PhD, I did not expect that a job would open up for me in Melbourne, leading us to permanently move there in 1989.
-When I was working at various conservative and Christian organisations, I did not expect I would end up being involved in many hundreds of interviews with most of the secular media, be it The Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian, SBS, ABC, and even foreign media outlets, including the BBC.
-I did not expect to become the father of three boys.
-I did not expect that just after the horrid COVID lockdowns, we would learn that my wife had very aggressive breast cancer.
-I did not expect that she would die a year and a half later.
-I did not expect that I would live on my own following her death (although my sons are all close by).
These are just a few of many things I never expected nor dreamed of. Had I known ahead of time about these and so many other things, I might have been tempted to tell God that I was not really thrilled with all this, and I might have wanted to opt out.
I return to where I began. Nine days ago I was woken by a phone call from a friend saying, “He was only 31”. I did not expect that. Nor did millions of others. But we have passages such as Ephesians 3:20-21 that we must keep in mind:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
We do not know where our Lord will lead us. But with Job we can say, “He knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold” (Job 23:10). And we can say with Paul, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).
Just like Charlie, we all need to fully affirm and live out the truth of Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
With the hyper-ugly radical left even boasting about seeing more such assassinations of Christians and conservatives, we do not know what the rest of today or tomorrow holds. There may well be more such martyrs in the days ahead. But we keep on with Jesus Christ regardless.
Never stop speaking for him, living for him, and glorifying him.
Like Charlie, we should want to help make heaven crowded.
Bill,
Thank you for ALL of your articles on Charlie Kirk. I know that they have been a help for so many people who are struggling, trying to make sense of this tragic death…when the world wants to just move along, get over it. We’ve needed this time to mourn, grieve, and pray.
Be blessed Brother,
Ron
Many thanks Ron.
His death was not in vain and God has brought good out of it. It’s still very sad and tragic especially for his poor wife who is now without a husband and his poor little children that are now without a father. His death has drawn millions all over the world to God and his death has caused a major revival.
Yes quite right John.
Talk about a timely word.
Thank you, Bill.
Thanks Troy.
I was just listening to the Dixie Chick’s “Not Ready to Make Nice” and was reminded, yet again, of the ongoing murderous, covetous hatred of the left-wing.
This is definitely a spiritual battle and I hope desperately that people are waking up – especially in the propagandist manipulated Australia. Surely seeing Dan Andrews happily lined up up with the world’s most despotic dictators should trigger some soul searching. We can only hope.
Yes correct Michael.
Hi Bill. I appreciate all you have said about Charlie Kirk and concur. Someone sent my wife a video by Pastor Matt Trewhella. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttJGC-lIZv8
I have not listened to it yet. Do you know anything about him and what he has said in this message, etc. especially as it relates to Kirk?
Thanks for your thoughts~!
Thanks Mark. (My commenting rules do require a full name, but I will let you on here!) I know little about Trewhella except for two books of his that I have:
The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates. CreateSpace, 2013.
Colvin, Matthew, translator, The Magdeburg Confession. 2012. He wrote the forward to this volume.
When he speaks of resistance theory and the like I am with him. But I am not really with him here, based on the brief listen I had to his sermon. And that for a few reasons:
-I always prefer Christian warriors fighting the good fight over the various armchair critics who sit on the sidelines and take potshots at the warriors. They are a dime a dozen, and I have little time for them. The truth is, Kirk did more for the cause of Christ, and saw more people come into the Kingdom, than this pastor ever has or likely ever will.
-I am not a supporter of homosexuality either. But at times I will share the good things they say about other issues. Thus I have quoted from books by Douglas Murray (another homosexual) on the good things he says about Israel and the like. That does not mean I approve of his lifestyle, nor of Dave Rubin’s. But I do pray for folks like them that they become Christians.
-This in good measure is about cobelligerence: being willing to work with others in some areas even though not fully agreeing with them. For example, I have attended pro-life marches where non-Christians, even atheists, have attended. On standing up for the unborn, I am willing to do this. And other notable Christians feel just the same. See this piece about Francis Schaeffer on this matter: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2012/06/30/8405/
So I will give folks like Trewhella a wide berth here. My prayer is that I will be even a fraction as effective for Christ and the Kingdom as Charlie Kirk was. My advice is to ignore the armchair critics who happily sit in judgment on other Christians who are doing so much for the gospel.
Thank you for your reply to my question. Well said and very helpful. I pray that I could be a fraction as effective for Christ as CK was. I also agree with what you said about Rubin and Murray. I’ve found them helpful, and yes, I pray for their salvation also.
Bill,
Thank you for ALL of your articles on Charlie Kirk. I know that they have been a help for so many people who are struggling, trying to make sense of this tragic death…when the world wants to just move along, get over it. We’ve needed this time to mourn, grieve, and pray.
Be blessed Brother,
Ron
Many thanks Ron.
His death was not in vain and God has brought good out of it. It’s still very sad and tragic especially for his poor wife who is now without a husband and his poor little children that are now without a father. His death has drawn millions all over the world to God and his death has caused a major revival.
Yes quite right John.
Talk about a timely word.
Thank you, Bill.
Thanks Troy.
I was just listening to the Dixie Chick’s “Not Ready to Make Nice” and was reminded, yet again, of the ongoing murderous, covetous hatred of the left-wing.
This is definitely a spiritual battle and I hope desperately that people are waking up – especially in the propagandist manipulated Australia. Surely seeing Dan Andrews happily lined up up with the world’s most despotic dictators should trigger some soul searching. We can only hope.
Yes correct Michael.
Hi Bill. I appreciate all you have said about Charlie Kirk and concur. Someone sent my wife a video by Pastor Matt Trewhella. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttJGC-lIZv8
I have not listened to it yet. Do you know anything about him and what he has said in this message, etc. especially as it relates to Kirk?
Thanks for your thoughts~!
Thanks Mark. (My commenting rules do require a full name, but I will let you on here!) I know little about Trewhella except for two books of his that I have:
The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates. CreateSpace, 2013.
Colvin, Matthew, translator, The Magdeburg Confession. 2012. He wrote the forward to this volume.
And I have written them up:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2024/05/01/the-magdeburg-confession-and-resistance-theory/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2022/03/17/recommended-reading-on-resistance-theory-and-political-theology/
When he speaks of resistance theory and the like I am with him. But I am not really with him here, based on the brief listen I had to his sermon. And that for a few reasons:
-I always prefer Christian warriors fighting the good fight over the various armchair critics who sit on the sidelines and take potshots at the warriors. They are a dime a dozen, and I have little time for them. The truth is, Kirk did more for the cause of Christ, and saw more people come into the Kingdom, than this pastor ever has or likely ever will.
-I am not a supporter of homosexuality either. But at times I will share the good things they say about other issues. Thus I have quoted from books by Douglas Murray (another homosexual) on the good things he says about Israel and the like. That does not mean I approve of his lifestyle, nor of Dave Rubin’s. But I do pray for folks like them that they become Christians.
-This in good measure is about cobelligerence: being willing to work with others in some areas even though not fully agreeing with them. For example, I have attended pro-life marches where non-Christians, even atheists, have attended. On standing up for the unborn, I am willing to do this. And other notable Christians feel just the same. See this piece about Francis Schaeffer on this matter: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2012/06/30/8405/
And see this more general piece on the issue: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2010/09/02/on-co-belligerency/
So I will give folks like Trewhella a wide berth here. My prayer is that I will be even a fraction as effective for Christ and the Kingdom as Charlie Kirk was. My advice is to ignore the armchair critics who happily sit in judgment on other Christians who are doing so much for the gospel.
Thank you for your reply to my question. Well said and very helpful. I pray that I could be a fraction as effective for Christ as CK was. I also agree with what you said about Rubin and Murray. I’ve found them helpful, and yes, I pray for their salvation also.