The Pride flag flies high next to the flag of State of Washington for the entire month of June.  There are so many Pride events in June that they even spill over into July!  I guess that’s fitting, with this year 2024 being Seattle’s 50th Anniversary Celebrating Pride.  
 “The Washington State LGBTQ Commission works to improve the state’s interface with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, and intersex community, identify the needs of its members, and ensuring that there is an effective means of advocating for LGBTQ equity in all aspects of state government”.
What does it mean to say America is a Christian nation?  It depends on whom you ask.  Some believe God worked to bring European Christians to America in the 1600s and secure their independence in the 1700s.  Some take the Puritan settlers at their word that they were forming a covenant with God, similar to the Bible’s description of ancient Israel, and see America as still subject to divine blessings or punishments depending on how faithful it is.  Some others contend that some or all the American founders were Christian, or that the founding documents were based on Christianity. 
In God we Trust is the official motto of the United States.  According to the Bible in Genesis 2:7, this is how humanity began: “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”  God called the man Adam, and later created Eve from Adam’s rib.  Eve represents the essential life-giving maternal function of women.  Adam and Eve were created by God to take care of His creation, to populate the earth and t have a relationship with HIM. 
As Christians, if only all of us would have the courage to stand up for the TRUTH. Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, Easter is one Sunday, Independence Day of America is on July 4th, Labor Day is the first Monday in September, Thanksgiving Day is the 4th Thursday in November.  BUT – an entire month JUNE celebrating PRIDE!   Isn’t it ironic and disgusting at the same time.  Where do we find that God created Adam and Adam, or Eve and Eve??  NO– GOD CREATED ADAM AND EVE.  
Do you realize that we are living a battle in this world - a spiritual warfare battle. We may not see it; we might forget it is there. But the enemy would love nothing more than to fill our minds with discouragement and defeat. If you are a believer who is living like salt and light in a dark world, you will not go long without encountering spiritual warfare through obstacles and attacks he will hurl in your direction. And though we cannot stop his cruel attacks, we do not have to let him win. God reminds us in His word to stay aware of Satan’s schemes, to live alert in this world, and to stay close to Him.
God gives specific instructions in his Word, he gives us all we need to stand strong in this life and have victory over the battlefields of our mind, heart, and soul. Yet all too often we race through busy, full days, unprepared, or simply not aware of what we are up against, or who the real enemy even is.
Spiritual warfare is not giving the devil more attention or focusing too much on his evil ways. Biblical warfare is making ourselves more attentive to what God is doing and remembering to stand firm and let Him fight our fiercest battles. There is power through His Spirit, His Word, and in prayer, and we can be confident that He is always with us, leading our way and covering us from behind.
1 Peter 5:8 tells us that our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
We know the enemy wants our children; he wants to pull them away from us, from their faith, and from the one true God. We also know that Satan is crafty, and he tries to pull our children away in a variety of ways: by temptation, distractions, deception, etc. Our children are fed with confusion and chaos that comes from Satan. 
Thankfully, we serve a God that invites us to pray. He has also given us His Word, full of wisdom and promises that can guide us in our prayers, asking for our children to be protected from Satan.  Will you and I stand in the gap to intercede for our children, our city and nation to come to know Jesus as their Savior? 

Shirley Chacko