Our hyper-sexualized culture has stirred up arguments and created confusion around foundational norms, from basic morality to gender identity. All under the pretension that we can be our own god. Christians are charged to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,”- 2Corinthians 10:5a.

Argument is defined as: “An exchange of diverging or opposite views, typically a heated or angry one; A reason or set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is right or wrong.” The argument gets heated against God’s design for mankind, male and female; His design for marriage, between a man and woman; and, His design for family, the foundation for the next generation. Pretension is defined as: “A claim or assertion of a claim to something; the use of affection or emotion to impress; an allegation of doubtful value.” The claims to be our own god over life, human sexuality and morals, marginalizing the knowledge of God, stirs up emotions including confusion and fear.

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” He said to them, “’My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a den of robbers.” – Matthew 21:12-13. Jesus stood in the gap to demolish the argument for business being conducted under the pretension that the temple court could be prostituted as a market place. Jesus did not stand by when “the knowledge of God,” was being marginalized. The temptation today is to get caught up in angry exchanges and submit to pretensions without doing the due diligence to refute them. I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. – Ezekiel 22:30. On this 25th anniversary of Promise Keepers’ Stand in the Gap sacred assembly, where 1.4 million men gathered on the Mall in Washington D.C., it seems the warriors have grown weary. Weary is not an option in these times. The charge is to take a stand on the battlefront for fathers and family. Embrace fully the power of the resurrected Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to stand in the gap against worldly arguments and pretensions.

Stand in the gap by putting the full armor of God on every day:

• Belt of Truth: Read the word of God daily, live into a Biblical worldview;
• Breastplate of Righteousness: Do what is right in the eyes of our Lord;
• Feet Fitted with Readiness: Be in relationship with Jesus, growing in Christ-likeness;
• Helmet of Salvation: Embrace Jesus’ saving grace, take captive every thought;
• Shield of Faith: Position it well to extinguish arrows, uniquely designed to attack you;
• Sword of the Spirit: Wield the Word of God wisely to cut through devil’s schemes;
• Prayer: Pray fervently for yourself, family, church, nation, all the Lord’s people (Eph.6:10-18).

Prayer guide: Thank You Lord for Your word and the grounding it provides in the knowledge of You. I confess I have allowed myself to get caught up in worldly arguments and have been passive in the face of pretensions. Forgive me. Help me follow Your example, to discern when the line against the knowledge of You has been crossed. Grant me strength to stand in the gap by Your grace and for Your glory. That is the dad You call me to be and that is the dad the next generation needs. Amen.

A faithful father stands in the gap against worldly arguments and pretensions.