Why do I feel as if I lost a close friend that I’ve never met? I didn’t learn of Charlie’s assassination until later that night when I arrived in St Ignace, Michigan. I was an avid follower of Charlie’s content and admired his boldness of sharing his faith, his intellect and his accomplishments at such a young age. There was much hope of a bigger and brighter future for this man. My spirit has been troubled all week, and remarkably, his life and death impacted millions around the globe. Friends and other acquaintances have expressed the same reality. Who would have guessed the magnitude of his influence would bring. I can’t say I would agree on all topics with Charlie, but I do know on most we would agree. Most people have their differences right? Not everyone sees eye to eye on every thing. And that was the beauty of what Charlie was doing, having a respectable conversation that most wouldn’t even dare to attempt at the footsteps of universities where it would seem as if he was going into the wolf’s den. But that was his mission to overcome those barriers and bring about understanding to prevent students from being told what to think and instead equipping them on how to think. Whether those who spoke to him shared the same faith or not, he would bring focus on the logical and common sense of what it is to be a human having a moral law apart from his personal beliefs. He would share both but also explain morality within the law apart from religion. Again, no one is going to agree on everything, and you may see a different view of Charlie apart from my own, but those differences we can rest aside now. I need to write this post to help me reflect on my own thoughts and why I have this hurt deep within my soul. I digress.

I’ve heard evangelicals call this assassination as “The shot heard around the world.” How could it be so? I was surprised that even my own wife heard of the news before I did and she is in the Philippines. Many are mourning the life of a man they never knew. How could it be so? I even shed tears, that’s not normal for me to admit. But I can only think about how Charlie’s innocent blood was spelt like that of Abel when Cain murdered him and the Lord said “…’What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood'” (Genesis 4:10-11 NLT). Truly, Charlie’s blood has cried out from the earth around the world. The innocent blood of a righteous man, whom the wicked thought would be easily forgotten was instead magnified, and the voice of his wife has now been elevated on a pedestal for all to hear.

"In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.  For this is the message that you heard from  the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother.  And why did he murder him?  Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.  We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.  He who does not love his brother abides in death.  Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:10-15 NLT). 

I cried because he’s my brother in Christ who was murdered. I sensed his blood cry from the ground. Those who are children of the Most High are brothers and sisters. Though my spirit is troubled and saddened as his life has much potential and was taken from us, I also rejoice for he now has eternal life. There are those who may react saying “Why did God allow this?” One only needs to read the Bible and study God’s truth. There is sin that has corrupted human kind. There is free will where we are responsible for our own actions. Would you ever blame God for stealing from a store? Cheating on a test? Driving too fast and wrecking a car and potentially injuring another person or worse? It’s common sense your answer would be no. You would own up to your own faults because it was your thoughts that brought you to where you are and it was your actions based on those thoughts that hinders those next to you. But some may argue that God could have sent his angels to redirect the bullet, sent rain and had the event moved inside. I even asked why didn’t the security team have drones scoping out the place? Being an ally with the President of the United States I think would show the need for increased security. But those didn’t happen. The bible says that God can turn what is meant for evil and turn it into good. Is that what’s happening here? It took only one bullet.

The verse in Isaiah 57:1-2 says "Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time.  But no one seems to care or wonder why.  No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.  For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die" (NLT).

Did God protect Charlie from another threat that would have been even worse? We don’t know God’s plans. That’s where we remain faithful that God is doing something greater behind the scenes. Jesus told His disciples before He was to be crucified that they would “…be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:32b-33 NLT). Could you imagine being alive at the time of Christ? How much more did His death shake the earth?

"Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.  At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.  The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened.  The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus' resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.  The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened.  They said, 'This man truly was the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:50-54 NLT).

Take heart for Jesus has overcome the world. My brother in Christ, Charlie Kirk was murdered, and at such a young age just like Stephen became a martyr. I find both Charlie’s martyrdom to be similar as Stephen’s. Stephen’s death has been shared to billions through the scriptures. Charlies has been visually displayed for the whole world to see. I can only say that I believe in the spiritual realm for those of us who are believers and sensed the hurt and pain of Charlie’s death that God has a reason for this. A wake up call even. Understand that God has His ways of waking up His children, but we never know how He will accomplish His will. I strongly believe we are too distracted by our gadgets and the latest fashion, cars or our personal image. Let’s not forget to those who belong to the Lord that our bodies are His temple and we are to honor our Father by respecting our bodies-His temple. I remember Charlie saying that it’s worth saving yourself for marriage knowing that your partner doesn’t have a body count. He desired to please the Lord in everyday he could especially to be honoring to his wife.

"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to  yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT).

My heart is now content. I do know if I had known Charlie personally, I think he would want one thing to be done in this message as in remembrance to him. He once said he would want to be remembered for his faith of sharing the Gospel. If you are here reading this and don’t know Jesus and would like to know Him. Accept Him into your life. Declare that you believe in Him and repent of your sins and turn away from those sins for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23 NLT).

Faith in Jesus

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 NLT).

Believe and Repentance

"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved" (Romans 10:9-10 NLT).

Jesus said "...you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God" (Luke 13:3 NLT).

God’s Love and Grace

"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him" (John 3:16-17 NLT).

Jesus desires a personal relationship with us. He offers us a life of purpose, love, peace, mercy and grace.