A True Story

I hope that this is a story that will give hope and encouragement to all that read.  

My daughter has a Chevy Tahoe SUV. She received it shortly after her 16th birthday and needless to say she loves it dearly.  A part of the requirements for her to own the Tahoe were that she would have to pay for her own gas and pay a portion of her car insurance (parents of teens I am sure you understand that part).  Earlier this year she began to hear a squeaky, whiny sound from under her vehicle that stayed on even after the Tahoe was cut off.  Talking with my Father we found out that he had a similar problem. And that problem cost $500-$600 to fix.  Needless to say my daughter was frantic and panicking.  "Where am I going to get the money to fix this?"  I assured her that we would help out, but I saw something greater in the mix.  

"You have heard a lot about how God has answered Mama and Daddy's prayers over the years. What I want to encourage you to do is go put it before the Lord and ask him to intervene and see what He will do?"  So while the Tahoe was at the mechanic my big baby girl was praying.  My wife got the call from the mechanic and shared the options. "A new part will be $1100, a used part will be $700.  HOWEVER,  a third option will allow us to fix it and make it operational for $80." My wife shared it with me and I was hesitant. My wife then shared with me that our daughter had prayed that the repairs would be UNDER $100!  When the repair was finished my wife and my daughter went to pick up the Tahoe. The mechanic had left early for the day and told my wife to pay him when she could! Wow! Who does that?

The best thing that we can teach any one else is how to seek the Lord for themselves. Jesus really loves us and invites us to trust Him with everything in our lives. When we trust Him, we can see some really great and amazing things happen in our lives. Be encouraged!

Spray on Tan Christian Style: Part 3

While it has been awhile to conclude the series, the end is here. Why do we tolerate abusive behavior from "leaders" in Church? Why do we stay in situations that are toxic to our well-being? Authors Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings discussed in a podcast of theirs this idea called "The Spiral of Silence." In essence, people would rather remain silent rather than suffer ridicule, isolation, and alienation from the particular group that they are associated with. Another issue is that because of the "Gospel" that is preached many times (you are bad, God is Good, do better do more) people become accustomed to hearing messages that highlight their sinfulness. 


The assertion of "Authority" over another person, and the emphasis of the personal "Anointing" of one person that puts them in an elevated status within the Church leads to many problems.  The apostle Paul in the book of 2 Corinthians tried to set a clear distinction between himself and the false apostles that visited Corinth repeatedly.  Paul sought to build up the Corinthians; the false apostles sought to build up themselves.  The false apostles questioned Paul's credentials because he did not use the Greek speaking style and constantly experienced hardship; Paul purposely spoke to the Corinthians plainly and indicated that his hardships were the result of preaching the Gospel and walking with Christ. The false apostles complicated the Gospel; Paul spoke of the beauty of its simplicity.


 So the question is Why do we put up with abusive behavior from pastors and leaders within a Church? Because we have somehow been convinced/come to believe/been deceived into thinking that it is acceptable behavior because of the Leader's position/authority and that the right thing to do is not question but submit.  Those coveting the leader's position will actively promote and protect the leader's right to demand things that are not biblically sound, in the name of submission.  In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul is writing to the Corinthians to get them to see that the false apostles that they listen to are not giving them freedom, but taking away their freedom in Christ: 
^1-3Will you put up with a little foolish aside from me? Please, just for a moment. The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much—this is the passion of God burning inside me! I promised your hand in marriage to Christ, presented you as a pure virgin to her husband. And now I'm afraid that exactly as the Snake seduced Eve with his smooth patter, you are being lured away from the simple purity of your love for Christ.


 ^16-21Let me come back to where I started—and don't hold it against me if I continue to sound a little foolish. Or if you'd rather, just accept that I am a fool and let me rant on a little. I didn't learn this kind of talk from Christ. Oh, no, it's a bad habit I picked up from the three-ring preachers that are so popular these days. Since you sit there in the judgment seat observing all these shenanigans, you can afford to humor an occasional fool who happens along. You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face! I shouldn't admit it to you, but our stomachs aren't strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff. (2 Cor 11: 1-3; 16-21 The Message)


If you are a part of a Church and your connection to Christ is minimized, while your connection to that Church is magnified, that's is a red flag. If you ask questions and are basically told to submit, you need to get away quickly.  If you are told that God speaks to the Pastor and the Pastor speaks to the people for God, you are in a Church where the Pastor has set himself up to be your mediator between you and God (that is only a role that Jesus can fill).  If you have to sign covenants and agreements in order to be a part of a Church, you have entered into territory that is not clearly, plainly and simply stated in the Bible.  If you are made to believe that the anointing that the leadership possesses is superior to the anointing that you have, you are venturing into cultish territory (according to 1 John all believers have the anointing, which is the Holy Spirit).  If confession becomes public it is time for you to go.  If humiliation is another word for repentance, then you are in a place where grace is misunderstood.  


Jesus was meek, lowly, humble, compassionate, full of grace and truth, love, pure, holy, approachable.  His followers manifest the same qualities.  You have permission from God himself to love outrageously, and to do whatever He puts on your heart. Why? 


10 But this is the new covenant I will make 
      with the people of Israel on that day,[c] says the LORD: 
   I will put my laws in their minds, 
      and I will write them on their hearts. 
   I will be their God, 
      and they will be my people. 
 11 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, 
      nor will they need to teach their relatives,[d] 
      saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ 
   For everyone, from the least to the greatest, 
      will know me already. 
 12 And I will forgive their wickedness, 
      and I will never again remember their sins. (Hebrews 8:10-12 NLT)


Amen.