September 2025 Newsletter for Fairview Church by Ed Wrather
September 15, 2025
The last newsletter that I sent out was in July and we had just seen the horrific result of the flooding in Texas. Now we have just had the shock of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Let us pray that his ministry is able to continue because it is impacting the lives of so many young people across the world.
Many who are older did not have an awareness of all that Charlie Kirk was doing. But he was having a tremendous impact upon those who are younger. I am older but have had an online ministry since 1998, so I knew about Charlie and had a growing appreciation for him. Jeanie had begun watching many of Charlie’s videos and sharing some of those with me. Shortly before the assassination I had expressed to Jeanie that I thought Charlie would someday be the President of our country. The shock of the assassination of Charlie for me at least and I think it is far greater for those younger, was similar to that of the assassination of RFK Jr’s father.
Charlie Kirk was actually asked what he would say to someone who only had 30 seconds to live before meeting eternal judgment dying from a gunshot wound. “It’s not the good things the moral score card, it’s whether you have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.” “The only thing that will save you from eternal damnation is whether you have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.”
What is Charlie Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA? “At the core of TPUSA’s mission is the desire to educate and inspire the next generation about the merits of capitalism, individual liberty, and personal responsibility. The organization has reached over 3,500 high schools and colleges across the nation, establishing a robust network that engages students through various initiatives, including campus chapters, educational events, and activism campaigns.
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This extensive outreach plays a pivotal role in cultivating a conservative presence on campuses, where liberal ideologies often dominate discussions. By encouraging students to express their views openly, TPUSA fosters an environment that promotes healthy debate and intellectual diversity.”
TPUSA was and is political, but it had a far greater spiritual impact upon young people as we have seen since the assassination. Yesterday, across the world young people were flooding into churches. For many it was the first time for them to be in church and for others it was first time in many years that they returned to church. There is a spiritual awakening occurring among the younger generations and Charlie Kirk has provided the stimulus for that awakening.
DEVOTIONALS
Terror in the Night
May 29, 2001 • By Ed Wrather
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. – Psalm 91:5-6.
A family in Redlands, California understands very clearly what is meant by the “terror by night.” Just a couple of weeks ago, a mountain lion crashed through their closed dining-room window shattering the glass. The lion then ran down a hallway, and through the bedroom, where their six-year-old and three-year-old children were sleeping. The lion then crashed through the closed bedroom window. Mountain lions are having more encounters with people and attacking people more frequently in the United States.
There are so many potential dangers which can threaten our lives and the lives of our loved ones. To dwell upon these threats can almost bring about a paralysis, which would hinder every area of our lives. What a comfort to understand that we who are the children of God are under His protection, and the watchful eyes of His angels. The Psalmist says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).” In verse 11 the Psalmist says, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”
When the terrors of this world seem overwhelming, and pressing in from all sides, we must look as the Psalmist did to the Lord God and say with him, “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust (Psalm 91:2).’”
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If the Lord God is our refuge and dwelling place (v.9) we can walk in confidence through the terrors of the dark and of the day.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
July 22, 2002 • By Ed Wrather
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. – James 1:2 NKJV.
How many times have I been at the end of my rope and felt like I was losing my grip? I’m not sure, but it has been more than a few times. My reaction today to problems is much different than it was when I was a new Christian. Back then I thought that I was able to handle things on my own. I thought I was intelligent and energetic enough to handle whatever came my way. If bad things happened, God was the last place I went for help. I surely would not be asking other people to pray about my situation. In fact, I would try not to let anyone know about my problems hoping they could be solved before anyone found out. I was much more concerned about what other people thought than anything else.
Flash forward thirty years and my reaction to problems is to immediately pray and ask God to help. Not only do I pray and ask God to help, but I tell everyone I possibly can asking them to pray too. My prayer life now is not merely reactive but proactive. I pray about everything in my life and for everyone in my area of influence. I ask for God’s protection, for His wisdom because I have learned through very difficult times that indeed I don’t know everything and I cannot do everything, but He does and can.
King David experienced the same type of evolution in his relationship with God. At one point, David thought himself to be and was known to be “very crafty – NKJV” or able to “dealeth very subtilely – KJV (1 Samuel 23:22).” After all David had been able to kill the giant Goliath and for some time had been able to elude the clutches of the crazy King Saul. But David eventually found himself in that place between a rock and a hard place. The Ziphites in their double-dealing with David and King Saul was able to lead the King and his army to David’s hiding place.
David and his men hid out on a waterless rock “in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon (1 Samuel 23:24).” David and Saul played a cat and mouse game of going from one side to the other side of the mountain. Saul eventually split up his 3,000 men in an encircling maneuver. There would be no escape for David and if they took off across the desert plain then Saul would easily see and eventually overtake them with superior numbers. It was just a matter of time before it would be over for David. No amount of craftiness would help him now. But just before the end came a messenger came to King Saul saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land (1 Samuel 23:27)!” Amazingly the army of King Saul left when they would have soon destroyed David and his men.
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For this occasion, David wrote Psalm 54 which reveals he has given up any idea of his being able to survive by his own craftiness, “Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life; they have not set God before them. Selah. Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with those who uphold my life. He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth. I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me out of all trouble; and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.”
Are you between a rock and a hard place? The only place left to go is to God and I think that is why James says to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Because in that situation we are forced to draw near to God and in the process, we become more conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) and God draws near to us (James 4:8).
Not My Problem
July 27, 2006 • By Ed Wrather
Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. – Matthew 20:29-34.
Near West Milford, West Virginia at a dam, a dead cow was caught on a tree branch. The dead cow did what dead cows do, it began to decay, and it did so for several weeks. Five governmental organizations or jurisdictions refused the many requests from those who lived nearby for something to be done. The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources could have done something but alas, they only have the authority to act in the case of wild animals. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection checked out the situation and determined there was no apparent ecological threat. The Agriculture Department declared the issue to be local in nature. The Water Board also felt that it should be handled by local authorities. Thankfully, some local volunteer firefighters and some Highway Department workers decided to take care of the problem.
On a day long ago, Jesus was walking out of the city of Jericho when two blind men began shouting at Him. Jesus asked them what they wanted, and they responded that
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they wanted their eyes to be healed. The Bible records that Jesus had compassion on them and healed them. However, Jesus was not required to give compassion. He could have looked at them while he continued walking and simply said, “That’s not My problem.” He could have but He didn’t.
There does seem to be something in us as human beings that wants to avoid complications of any kind. The incident with the dead cow is typical of many when confronted with avoidable problems. The typical response is “That’s not my problem.” Our desire to avoid such complications has required many states to enact laws requiring that motorists involved in accidents stop and render aid. It was necessary because many people would simply drive off to avoid a ticket or other complications from an accident.
Of course, all of this brings to mind the story of the Good Samaritan. If you remember the story (Luke 10), robbers attacked a man leaving him to die along the road. A couple of religious people passed by that would have been expected to stop and render aid. The priest and the Levite must have both said, “That’s not my problem” as they passed by. The Samaritan was the only one who stopped and demonstrated compassion. As a result of rendering aid, the Samaritan experienced some complications. Rendering aid resulted in the Samaritan exposing himself to possible danger from the same robbers who had left the man half-dead; it caused a major loss of time, and the expenditure of funds to assure the care of the wounded man.
There are so many situations when encountered in life that we are tempted to say, “That’s not my problem.” However, as Christians who know the example of Jesus, we are called upon to render compassion even when it may result in complications. We should always remember that Jesus saw us in trouble in our sins and He did not say, “That’s not my problem.” No, He took time out from the glories of Heaven to come down here to Earth for thirty some years to live a perfect life in a difficult time, becoming the perfect sacrifice while dying on the cross on our behalf. Talk about complications!
(It now sounds as though there were some who were aware of Tyler Robinson’s plan to assassinate Charlie Kirk. They could have notified law enforcement but apparently thought “That’s not my problem.”)
Throw Him Out!
June 2, 2015 • By Ed Wrather
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV.
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Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah. And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests. But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense. – Nehemiah 13:4-9 NKJV.
In Pennsylvania, an elderly woman with some physical disabilities was unable to climb the stairs to the second story in her home. The elderly woman had a caregiver, which unknown to the homeowner, had invited the caregiver’s boyfriend to live in the second story of the home. Apparently, the boyfriend had been living in the second floor of the home for several weeks before visiting family members discovered him hiding in a closet. Local police were able to remove the man and have charged him with some law violations. The family has now found another caregiver and will be much more watchful of what might possibly be lurking in the upstairs of the home. (NBC News 05.22.15)
It would be shocking and even frightening to know that a stranger was living unknown in your home. What Nehemiah discovered in the temple at Jerusalem was even more shocking. He found that Eliashib, the priest, allowed Tobiah the enemy of God to actually live in the temple. Tobiah, along with Sanballat were leaders of those attempting to prevent Nehemiah from rebuilding the wall of protection around Jerusalem. Not only was Tobiah living in the temple, but Eliashib had “prepared” the “large room” for Tobiah to live in. Nehemiah had a solution to the problem which grieved him, “I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.”
What does this have to do with us? The body of a believer in Jesus is the dwelling place of the Spirit of God, “You are the temple of God.” What are you allowing to live in the temple of God? Have you invited sin to dwell alongside of the Spirit of God? The Bible says, “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” The solution is not easy, it wasn’t easy for Nehemiah either; but Tobiah, sin, must be thrown out. Throw him out!
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Time for Action
August 5, 2015 • By Ed Wrather
And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” – Exodus 14:15-18 NKJV.
I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. – Philemon 1:1-6 NLT.
On July 4th, in DeLand, Florida, Heather Charlebois was sitting outside at a table at the Cafe Da Vinci. There was a lot of noise from fireworks being exploded when she suddenly felt a sting on her leg. Heather says, “My first thought was somebody hit me, slapped me open handed really hard on my leg and pinched me, but it did not make any sense because I didn’t see anyone.” She went to the bathroom to try to see what was causing the pain. There was a spot on her leg with a little blood, and some fluid draining from the spot causing her pain. Heather says she just thought that somehow she had been hit by an errant firework.
Five days later as the wound did not heal, and the pain was becoming unbearable with friends encouraging her to seek medical aid, she finally did go to a hospital emergency room. An X-Ray revealed a .38 caliber bullet lodged close to an artery. Heather says, “I feel very fortunate, I have four kids and we have been through a lot.” It is thought that during the fireworks someone fired a gun into the air from some distance away, which landed, unfortunately in Heather Charlebois’ leg. Or, fortunately the bullet landed in her leg, because it could have been her head. (Daytona Beach News-Journal 07.09.15; Fox News 07.10.15)
What would have happened if Heather had not finally relented and sought medical aid? It is likely that an infection could have become severe enough for it to be necessary for part of her leg to be removed to save her life. Of course, we put off medical treatment when it may not be necessary, because of the hassle and the expense. However, sometimes you have to take action, because the failure to do so would have horrific consequences.
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Action is required in other areas of our lives too, including spiritually. We often pray and pray about things when what is needed is for us to actually do something. Moses was in this situation as Pharaoh had the Hebrews trapped between them and the Red Sea. Moses was praying, crying out to God for help. What did God say? “Why do you cry to Me?” In effect, God told Moses to do something; that Moses had all the tools needed to get them through this situation. When Moses acted the Hebrews were able to walk across the Red Sea on dry ground to safety, and the Egyptians were destroyed.
The apostle Paul pleaded with Philemon to put into action his faith saying, “And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.” Of course, we need to pray, but there are times when action, our action is required. It may be that God is saying that you have all the tools and resources that are needed. Do Something!
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The month of August seems like a blur to me as I was ill for more than a week with some kind of intestinal disturbance. Then our heating and air conditioning failed and because it was 45 years old it was not possible to repair it and had to be replaced. But it took two weeks for it to be replaced while the temperature was above 100F during the day. To escape the high temperatures, we decided to take our vacation at that time. Then Sue Herndon passed away after a long battle with cancer. I baptized Sue in August of 2020. Please continue to pray for all of Sue’s family and friends.
In light of the tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s assassination our discomfort and expense during August was insignificant. The emotional pain, the heartache of Erica Kirk must be almost unbearable. Let us remember to pray for her and all of Charlie Kirk’s family and friends.
With my love and prayers,
Ed
Ed Wrather began preaching at Fairview in January 2017 and was called as their pastor in March of 2018. Ed surrendered to the ministry in 1990 and has served as a pastor for more than 30 years. Prior to the ministry he was an Oklahoma Sr. Probation and Parole officer and worked in the oilfield operating large tubing and casing pipe electronic and radiation inspection units. Later he owned and operated his own small inspection company. Ed has been writing the Burning Bush Devotional since 1998. Visit the website: burningbush.com.