Know The Path

Spray-On Tan Christian Style: Part 2

2011-06-20T22:14:00.000-04:00

In the last post, we talked about the failure of charisma as an accurate indicator of character for a pastor. And yet historically the people of God have been swayed by those who captivate with their speaking ability, demand allegiance, and ridicule those who do not operate as they do. Paul the apostle had to constantly deal with these type of issues as he established churches throughout the Roman world.

In planting the church at Corinth, people entered in that constantly questioned Paul's credentials, authority and his right to address the Corinthian church. Men had risen up in the midst who openly challenged Paul, particularly by contrasting Paul's speech, manner of living, and humble disposition with their own authoritarian style of leadership. Paul made some amazing statements: he used his authority to build up, not tear down (2 Cor 10:8); he did not preach himself but Christ Jesus and themselves as the servants of the Corinthians (2 Cor 4:5); he refused to take any money from the Corinthians so that they would have a clear example of love in action (2 Cor 11:7-9); and so on.

But Paul makes two significant statements that are at the heart of the matter at hand. The first statement that he makes is what led me to write this blog. Satan, as opposed to appearing as a red-tailed devil, appears as an ANGEL OF LIGHT. His servants disguise themselves not as devil worshipers but as SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

" But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. ¹³ These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve. " 2 Cor 11: 12-15

Paul said that those men that were opposing his ministry were in fact false apostles. False. Not true. Not real. Fakes. I just recently saw X-Men First Class. They had a character in the movie called Diablo who had the stereotypical devil look. Although Satan is referred to as a serpent and a fallen angel, we do not have a description of his appearance as the red-tailed devil. Likewise, we have bought into false images of what Satan or his followers would actually look like and behave like. Unrighteousness is equal to self-righteousness (as in other-than-Jesus righteousness) in its heinousness and ungodliness.

I have considered the behavior of some ministers and of their respective ministries and I have drawn two conclusions. Either they are ministers who have gone way off track, or they are imitations of the true servants of God. Satan's servants who are disguised as servants of righteousness. A bold statement but how else can you explain lavish lifestyles contrary to the teaching and example of Jesus Christ? How can you explain churches being operated as businesses with CEOs' functioning with unchallenged authority and unlimited access to church finances? How can you explain ministers and ministries that lie with impunity, justify questionable behavior, and quietly ruin lives while giving off the aura and air of righteousness?

It is time to rise up and question questionable behavior. It is time to realize that Jesus came to set us free from being slaves to sin, and free from religious bondage. 1 Timothy tells us that there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Nowhere does it say in the Bible that the pastor hears from God for the people and communicates the message to the people. That would make him or her the mediator and contradict the fact that every believer has equal access to God through Jesus Christ. It is a horrible thought that someone that preaches the word of God with power may by their actions actually oppose Jesus Christ. But the scripture warns of this reality through and through. So why do we put up with it? We will explore that in part 3 with Paul and the Corinthian church.

Spray-On Tan Christian Style: Part1

2011-05-31T21:35:00.003-04:00

   There have been some very, very disturbing developments in my fair city over the past eight months. Church drama is nothing new. Church scandals are nothing new. But something is emerging that I am slowly coming to grips with. Many churches have succumbed to a view of church life that is far from what Jesus intended. And as a result, many well meaning people are following pastors and churches that are the fruit of a corrupt system. This system, as opposed to setting people free, leads them into spiritual incarceration, cultic behaviors, and very distorted views of who God is.

   Within many churches, and Black churches in particular, there is one characteristic that is desired above any in the pastor: charisma. I am here to tell you in no uncertain terms that CHARISMA IS OVERRATED! Out of the 27 qualifications listed in 1st Timothy for a pastor, 26 deal with character. TWENTY SIX! Yet in many churches, the ability to turn a verb, mesmerize, and 'move the crowd' is the only thing that matters. But Hitler had charisma. Lenin had charisma. Jim Jones had charisma. David Koresh had charisma. Idi Amin had charisma. And two prominent Atlanta pastors caught up in scandals have charisma.  Looking through the Bible we see that Moses was not a good speaker. Yet he had the testimony of being the meekest man on the earth. We see that Paul was not a good speaker. Yet his impact continues to this day.

The problem with charisma is that it masks serious character issues. When we get caught up in the speaking ability of a pastor, we make ourselves susceptible to great error, false teaching, and spiritual ruin. With the prevalence of pastors asserting their "authority," demanding submission, and throwing a little "touch not God's annointed" into the mix, the recipe for deception is written. Add to that the hierarchichal structure of many churches and the table is set. If the top is polluted, then the layers underneath will be polluted. The song "Cult of Personality" by the group Living Colour highlights this problem:

Look in my eyes, what do you see?
Cult of personality
I know your anger, I know your dreams
I’ve been everything you want to be
I’m the cult of personality
Like mussolini and kennedy
I’m the cult of personality
Cult of personality
Cult of personality

Neon lights, a nobel prize
The mirror speaks, the reflection lies
You don’t have to follow me
Only you can set me free
I sell the things you need to be
I’m the smiling face on your t.v.
I’m the cult of personality

I exploit you still you love me
I tell you one and one makes three
I’m the cult of personality
Like joseph stalin and gandi
I’m the cult of personality
Cult of personality
Cult of personality

In our next post we will look at what Paul had to say about charisma in 2 Corinthians.

Now That's Good News!

2010-12-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

It is fairly common to interpret the Bible through the lenses of personal bias, group associations, or even convenience. A person can approach the Bible, read a certain section for many months and even years, and seek to read into it something that is not there. For years I have heard through preaching and books that one key role of the Holy Spirit is to convict/convince the world of sin. Sin would cover all of the unrighteous acts that humanity commits repeatedly. The purpose of a preacher and a church is to point out the wrong that people do and urge them to "repent" and believe in Jesus.

Do we need to repent? Yes. Do we need to believe in Jesus? Yes. But the critical issue that makes all the difference in the world is what is it that we need to repent of? In John 16:7-9 Jesus explains what the repentance is for. " But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate[a] (the Holy Spirit) won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me (John 16:7-9 NLT).”

We by nature trust our judgment. We trust our decision-making. We are self-reliant. We believe that within us lies the ability to overcome any problem that may arise. Is that not the source of our problems in life? Is that not the reason we run into so many dead ends? Repentance is not a negative. It is a positive! Jesus is telling us that the chief sin in our life is refusing to believe in/trust in/have faith in Jesus. He is telling us “stop doing things your way, and do things my way.” Turn from a life of self-reliance and turn to a life of dependence on Jesus.

He is offering us eternal life, meaning HIS life within us by the Holy Spirit. When we trust in Jesus, we receive divine life, eternal life, the life of Christ within our very being. That is why the chief sin is refusing to believe in him. For it is only through the Holy Spirit living in us that we overcome this sin or that sin. So the message, the Good News, the Gospel, is that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead with forgiveness in his hands for all who trust him. That we can have a life in which we know and experience the great love that God has for us. That we can live a life not based on do’s and don’ts but on listening and following the leading and direction of God’s Spirit within us. That we can live a life where we are not slaves to our desires and impulses.

Ladies and gentlemen this is called the New Covenant and it is what the Lord Jesus Christ has established. Don’t you want to be a part of it?

Religion is a Big Turkey

2010-11-25T09:34:00.005-05:00

I've been reading through the Gospel of John and the Book of Acts the past few months and a startling theme has emerged that is playing itself out everyday. The "People of God" have a severe problem with being "Holier than thou!" The Jews developed the belief over time that contact, interaction, and association with non-Jews would make them unclean. UNCLEAN!

Jesus, when asked to show his disciples the Heavenly Father, responded by saying "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father."We have many ideas about what God is like, but make no mistake: everything we can know about God is revealed to us by looking at Jesus Christ. "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known (John 1:18 NIV)." So if we want to know "What is God like?" we simply look at Jesus.

Jesus interacted with EVERYBODY. That was the scandal of his life! He did not play favorites, or make anyone feel dehumanized. He gave value to everyone that he came into contact with and validated their worth. He gave the religious and "sinner" hope in that they all came to hear of the love of God to all. The Good News that this great God that created heaven and earth loves you, and has come to live among you so that you can see in person what He is like. That he will forgive all of your sins and give you the difference maker-eternal life. His life living inside of you. Hallelujah! All through trusting Jesus.

But what we find in the days of Jesus' trial and crucifixion is a group that wants him put to death parading him from one building to another. He is brought before the High Priest and charged with blasphemy. He then is taken to Pilate and see what is said: "Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover (John 18:28)." In Acts 10 Peter has a vision in which the Lord shows him not to call unclean anything that he calls clean. He then is summoned to go to the home of a Roman Centurion where upon entering he lets them know up front "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean (Acts 10:28)." This man's family became followers of Christ and there was great joy at the Gospel being extended to people outside of the Jewish lineage. However when the word got back to Jerusalem about what happened, Peter was criticized for GOING INTO THE HOME OF NON-JEWS (Acts 11:2-3).

Oh what barriers we put up in front of people when it comes to believing in Christ! We make it seem that he is unapproachable. We preach to people the horror of hell instead of the Good News of the Kingdom. We make people feel guilty about their lives instead of recognizing this: God is already at work in the lives of people. The Holy Spirit opens the eyes of people about their sin. As He does this He allows the followers of Christ to enter in with.........The Good News! Instead we condemn and separate ourselves from those that are not like-minded. We become righteousness focused instead of Christ-focused. Jesus IS our righteousness (righteousness, sanctification, and redemption -1 Cor. 1:30). We make some one's sin seem like it's the worst thing in the world (because we don't struggle with it). We preach a bait and switch Gospel: Come to Jesus as you are, but now that you believe here is a list of things you have to do. And tragically, the longer we are in Christ the fewer and fewer non-believing friends we have. We justify it by quoting scripture: "Come out from among them and be separate...Light has no fellowship with darkness....be not unequally yoked with unbelievers." All true scripture, but taken out of context when it comes to being friends with people that do not believe, think or act like us. I have been there, done that and it is a sanitized version of life. It is artificial. It is stagnant. It is toxic. It is not Christ-like.

Make a friend with someone that does not go to your church or believe in Christ. Just be a friend with no strings attached. And see what happens. I assure you that the sky will not fall. And maybe just maybe they will get a glimpse of this Savior who said that he did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:17).

Mannequins and Masks

2010-10-20T14:54:00.003-04:00

I have been underground in the lab for a minute, taking a break from the routine of life. Reading, researching, reflecting, re-purposing, and re-engaging. So what are the results? There is a degree of worldliness reflected in Church Life that is staggering! In Christian circles, worldliness is historically categorized by how you dress, what music you listen to, what movies you see, how close you are to people that are not Christians and so on. However, worldliness goes beyond those things. Are the middle class values of safety, security, and the American Dream worldly values held on to by the Church? Is it worldly to share the viewpoint that the poor, unemployed, homeless, and destitute have always brought their troubles on themselves? Is it worldly to pursue and proclaim prosperity as a Biblical value when history shows otherwise? Is it worldly to establish leadership structures in churches that mirror Wall St more than the Via Dolorosa?

As I read the Bible, study the landscape of the world, and listen to cutting edge Christian leaders I am convinced that the way we "do church" is a poor substitute for God's design. I challenge anyone to read Luke 10, the Gospel of John, and the Book of Acts and compare it to what we do today. Jesus did not tell us to plant churches. He told us to make disciples. He said that HE would build his church. We have instead built churches, preached the Romans Road instead of the Gospel of the Kingdom, gotten decisions, made converts, and wondered why people are going in and out of our churches so frequently.

Everything and I mean everything starts with a heavenly revelation of who Jesus Christ is! This is the rock that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against. Somebody has to take a stand for the truth! Let it begin with me.

I Never Want To Graduate

2010-10-11T13:13:00.004-04:00

I have had the wonderful privilege this year of being reminded of some important things that I had lost sight of in my walk with Jesus. My faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). I should trust the Lord Jesus Christ first and foremost concerning the affairs of my life. The Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Christ, is the source of my life. The Gospel is life-giving, life-changing, and truly good news. It is not just about conversion but it is a way of life. That God uses everybody in his Kingdom, not just the chosen few.

The Lord uses disappointments to clarify vision, reset foundations, and re-direct paths. I have realized that my dream from twenty years ago is not so far-fetched but is indeed viable and attainable. I have come to grips with my quirkiness and while I wish that everybody in the body of Christ understood me, I realize that I am who I am by the grace of God. He does not want me to be a clone, but the unique person he made me to be. I understand my gifts and realize that I have to work in concert with other believers in order for the Lord to accomplish what he desires to through me.

So the cross, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus as Lord are the realities I've experienced this year. The best thing that I have learned is that you never graduate from Jesus being the center of everything. Strong meat and "deeper teachings" should all have Jesus as the Alpha and Omega and everything in between. Nothing too profound here but thoughts to consider.

These books have really helped me this year and I highly recommend them to you.

DETOX FOR THE OVERLY RELIGIOUS by Dave Putman
THE TANGIBLE KINGDOM by Hugh Halter
THE FORGOTTEN WAYS by Alan Hirsch
DREAM B.I.G. IN 3D by Paul Wilson, Jr.
THE JESUS MANIFESTO by Frank Viola and Leonard Sweet
ORGANIC CHURCH by Neil Cole

Stop The Bleeding

2010-08-21T14:39:00.002-04:00

A hemorrhage is a medical condition that results in the loss of blood either internally or externally. According to Wikipedia there are two causes of hemorrhaging: blunt trauma to the body, and underlying medical conditions. Add to that a third cause, which is hemmorhaging that occurs as a side effect to medication. In other words hemorrhaging that happens because of the introduction of a foreign substance to the body.

It is no secret that Christ refers to all that put their trust in him as the Body of Christ. Paul says in 1 Corinthians that we are the Body of Christ, but members in particular. A gathering of Christians who meet together on a regular basis would be considered "members in particular." If the life of the human body is found in the blood, then the spiritual counterpart in a church assembly would be the members. What causes a Church to hemorrhage members?

While many things could be listed, the introduction of a foreign substance to the body is the chief culprit. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. We live by faith in Jesus Christ. We shall go to heaven through faith in Jesus Christ. The foreign substance is ANY TEACHING AND PRACTICE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS THE FOCUS. Leadership idolatry (cult of leadership), ambition, traditions, pet doctrines, spiritual elitism, spiritual profiteering, and the clergy/laity dichotomy can all turn believers away from a church assembly. If Jesus is not in charge, then we're in charge. And if we're in charge then a mess will be made.

The answer is a return to our first love. There is nothing that we can present, no method that we can devise that is more profound than Jesus of Nazareth! Born of a virgin, born in an impoverished setting. Being God yet willingly subjecting himself as a Son. Friend of the underbelly of society, yet available to all, rich and poor, that call on Him. There is no one and nothing greater than Jesus!

The church grew from 25,000 in the first century to 25 million in the third century, without programs, buildings, and under heavy persecution. All they had was Jesus Christ living in them by the Holy Spirit, and fragments of the scripture.

Stop the bleeding! As the Sugar Hill Gang said, "it's on you, so what you gonna do?"

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Open Your Eyes

2010-07-21T18:17:00.002-04:00

In America we make it seem like the only places you can meet Jesus and

have an encounter with God is at a church service, leadership service, or missions trip.

However, I want to see God working in the midst of where I am. I have been

guilty of chasing after places and things where I think God will show

up. It made me like that person in a crowd who is on their tippy toes

trying to see something away from where they are standing. But recent

disappointments have allowed me to reassess and take a new look

around.

What I realize is that we are missing out on one of the great

realities and mysteries of following Christ. God's spirit is

everywhere. The Lord fills Heaven and Earth. Yet He chooses to make

His home inside of little old you and me! And He is at work on our

jobs, in our neighborhoods, and our homes. And he desires to change

lives in these areas THROUGH YOU AND ME!

Do you believe that you can have an encounter with the living God on your 9-5?

Do you believe that you can be a vessel of the Lord Jesus Christ to

bring healing and hope to your neighbors?

Do you believe that the power of God can be unleashed in your home and family?

I do.

"..those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" Romans 8:14

"...Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

The Hangover

2010-05-12T22:29:00.006-04:00

How many times have you experienced this: you have attended a conference in which you were blown away by the quality of the speakers, the impact of the messages, and the sense of God's presence? Have you labored tirelessly on a project and experienced the satisfaction of seeing it coming to fruition? I am sure that many of us have experienced the joy of having a goal, praying fervently about it, and then waiting for the results. And then it happens. We get back into our regular settings. We go home to the familiar. Our daily routines begin once again. And "The Hangover" happens. We have come down from the euphoria and "high" of our encounter with God and become overwhelmed with.......normalcy. Life resumes and it is....boring. You might say "God moved mightily.....We were so on fire.....We were ready to take over the world!" But you got home and....nothing. What happened? Where did the fire go?

Conferences begin months in advance with prayer. They continue in prayer leading up to the conference. They pray the day of the conference. And they look to see what God will do. It can be reduced to two things: prayer and anticipation. What's missing when we get home? Prayer and anticipation. We cease to look for God in our day to day lives. We might pray, but we don't anticipate that Jesus might intervene and show up in our lives and our circumstances on any given day.

So I am issuing a challenge. Invite some co-workers, classmates, or neighbors to meet with you daily for prayer at your job, business, school, or home. It does not matter whether they are Christian or not because God can take common interests and turn these into pathways to Jesus. Pray for the things that are relevant to your arena. DO NOT PRAY SIMPLY FOR GOD TO TAKE THOSE BAD PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE THEIR BADNESS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THEM THE TRUE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST. His love, mercy, compassion, grace, righteousness, and peace.

It has been commonly said that God does nothing of significance, except through prayer. So your marching orders are to pray. And then look with anticipation for the hand of God to be evident wherever you are. I look forward to hearing the outcome.
Blessings,

J. Michael

Doing The Right Thing Hurts Sometimes

2010-04-13T11:10:00.001-04:00

My job provides all sorts of life lessons. I work for a company that penalizes efficiency and placates sloth. Once when I complained of this to my manager, she said "That's just the (company's) way. " Well my efficiency and helpfulness around the office was rewarding by increasing my workload. Because I was hurt and angry, I vowed that at the first opportunity I would change assignments.
When the opportunity presented itself, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the new assignment. Instead of working at the same pace, I put it on cruise control. I mean after all, why should I bust my tail while somebody else is cruising along getting paid the same as me? . I was afraid of being penalized again for doing a good job. But the idea of slowing up and being "average" just did not sit well with me.
I looked around and prayed quietly "Lord what do I do?" He opened my eyes to see a different way, the Jesus way. What if I excelled in the performance of my duties in such a way that it provoked a reaction from my superiors? What if my workload was increased again as a result of my superior performance? What if I continued to perform at a high level, in spite of inequality in the work assignments? What will happen? True change will take place.
The success of the Civil Rights movement centered around the idea that America could be provoked to respond to the need for Civil Rights when they saw peaceful protesters being savagely mistreated by those who opposed change. The Bible says "Do not overcome evil with evil, but overcome evil with good." Evil looks REALLY bad when it is seated next to good. The Jesus way is to love your enemies, pray for people that mistreat you, love the unloveable, and to do the right thing in every circumstance. Is it possible, even probable, that you will be used a time or two? Certainly! Is it possible that you will be ridiculed? Sure. But as I look back at history, I have heard of a story where a good and righteous man who had every right to complain and assert his rights willingly gave up his rights. He did this, sacrificing his right to freedom, justice, and retribution in order to provoke change, a change that is still working almost 2000 years later!
So I am going to go back to being one of the best on my job. Let the chips fall where they may. This is not the easy way but the right way. My conscience is clear and God will be pleased. I will trust the outcome to him.

19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," a says the Lord. 20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say: "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them Ÿsomething to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you." b 21 Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:19-21 NLT
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Watch Out Now!

2010-03-27T17:27:00.002-04:00

The biggest idol we face in life is....our self. We love us some us. And we like everybody to think like us, agree with us, talk like us etc. And, sad to say, we are prone to remaking God in our own image. He believes what we believe, supports what we support, condemns what we condemn, and even looks like us!
I hear the raging battle in our country right now over Health Care Reform and it reminds me of a story in the Bible. Moses had died and his apprentice Joshua has assumed the leadership of the children of Israel. As preparation for battle was being made, Joshua encountered someone in his path.
"When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" 14 And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?" 15 And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so." Joshua 5:13-15 ESV
It would have been easy for Joshua to assume that anybody that he did not know or recognize was against him. He is called after all to lead a nation into a land hostile to the ways of his people and the ways of The Lord. He was probably consumed with his mission. Look at his question: "Are you for us, or our adversaries?"
As we wage cultural wars and political debates we like to place people into boxes. We like to take polarizing, either/or positions. "He's liberal. I'm conservative. She's libertarian. He is watering down the message. And so on and so on. But there is The Third Way. The question (as cliched as it is)is not what side is God on, but are we on God's side? If we asked Jesus are you liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, I believe that he would say "I AM THAT I AM!" "I am God."
May we all make sure that we are on the side of the one who says "I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come."
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Follow Me.....Really?

2010-02-26T12:08:00.003-05:00

I had the pleasure and privilege of attending a conference this week that stirred my thoughts. Rick Warren shared that he used to really struggle with saying the words that Paul said "Follow me as I follow Christ." Then he said that as he grew he would rather that you follow him instead of some rock star, because at least he (Rick) is trying to do right.

We have a propensity to follow. People, trends, fads, fashions. You name it we follow. There is an element to our following others that paralyzes us, minimizes our influence, and leads to the endorsement of wrong things. Jesus says that "My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me." (John 10). However, we will follow someone or a point of view that we are uncomfortable with, or even see as wrong because......we don't want to stand out from others and be the Lone Ranger of truth in a sea of error. Why is that? There are two reasons (which really are the same): Fear of Man, and Fear of Embarassment.

At this same conference Dave Gibbons, a pastor out of California, shared something that is commonly believed in Christian circles. He shared that many people teach and believe that certain spiritual gifts stopped after the Apostles passed off the scene. It made me reflect on what I had been taught early on as a Christian (the same thing). We can be heavily influenced by the circles that we travel in, even taking positions not supported by scripture. We will deny the evidence because it cannot be explained by our system of beliefs. But what are we missing out on by not daring to follow Christ and those who are following HIM?

'Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.' John 12:42-43

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10

Stand for God's truth. And those who are following His truth. In Jesus name, Amen.

Busting Out

2009-11-18T12:04:00.003-05:00

Sunday at church I heard a phrase that embodied an idea that has captivated my mind this week. " Self-centeredness leads to cannibalism." A passage of scripture was quoted that deals with Christians biting and devouring one another when they don't live according to the Holy Spirit's leadership. Hmmm. Cannibalism. Devouring one another? It seems that something is terribly wrong with the modus operandi of the church.
When a person comes to Christ, they are delivered from not only the penalty and power of sin, but from a system that is controlled by Satan. This system is governed through the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. We know according to scripture that this system will be destroyed at the second coming of Jesus Christ. In the meantime Jesus has said that we are to occupy until he comes. The harvest is plentiful....but the laborers are few....pray the Lord of the harvest that he would (get this)...SEND FORTH LABORERS into the harvest. Not create good church members. Not retreat from the world. Not find out more fabulous ways for Christ followers to disengage from the world. Jesus wanted (and wants) his followers to go into the world to reach people with the Gospel message.
I remember working at a lawncare company with a Christian brother in the 90s. We were both intent on witnessing to the people in the company. So much so that when they paired us up to work together one day we were like "this is good but we need to get back in the trenches tomorrow so we can keep spreading the Gospel!" That is so different from the typical attitude: "Oh this is wonderful! We don't have to hang around those wicked people today la la la la..."
If we are not equipping people to live the 166 hours a week that they are not in church to reach and teach their neighbors, family, and co-workers the good news about Jesus Christ we have failed. We have failed. WE HAVE FAILED! If our focus is primarily on the internal dynamics of church operations we have failed. If we focus on me me me when we do gather together we have failed.
I love "Church." But I no longer want to be sucked into self-centered Christianity. How un-Christlike is that.....
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The Elephant In The Room

2009-08-13T12:18:00.002-04:00

We need to stop. We need to confess. And we need to repent. We are not giving people the full picture of what it means to follow Christ. We, in turn, are pulling the Gospel bait-and-switch. "Come to Jesus and your live will be worry free and prosperous." "You will experience the favor of God over all that you possess." "You will have an abundant life."

We have taken the aspect of conflict and suffering out of the Christian life. Let me stop you now: if you are a Christian, there is a VERY strong possibility that you will experience pain, hardship, rejection, and suffering in this life! Jesus does not wave a magic wand over you and say "Problems be gone" when you accept him. In fact the Bible says that all that live godly in Christ Jesus Shall suffer persecution (2 Tim 3:12).

Let's see: Jesus came to his own but his own did not receive him; he had the large crowds that followed him turn away when he explained the full implications of being his disciple (John 6); his own family questioned his credentials; need we talk about the beating he took before his death at the hands of the jealous. Paul went through many similar things, eventually being put to death.

The American Gospel and Prosperity Gospel have polluted the church so much so that we treat the Bible like a good movie. We read it, get choked up and maybe even shed a tear. But then we close it up and go about our day unfazed and unchanged. We expect and consider material blessing to be the sign of God's favor in our life. That simply is not true. Do you not know that for the first 300 years of the church Christians were on the run, being persecuted, killed, falsely accused of criminal acts, and considered threats to governments? Read Hebrews 11 to see who God considers to be the heroes of the faith. They all had one thing in common: they considered this world and its riches and trappings merely a stop on the way to somewhere better, heaven. They did not seek heaven on earth, but to represent the heavenly king and kingdom on earth. They (as we should also) sought the well being of others, the salvation of the souls of women and men, the setting of captives free, and the glory of God. When you do these things it puts you at odds with people, businesses that profit through the exploitation of others, unjust institutions, and the devil and his followers. That is where the trouble originates!

The issue is this: if you go all out and live with every ounce of your being for Christ, you will experience conflict. If you pour out every drop of your soul for Jesus, you will experience trouble. If you pick and choose what you will or won't do for the Lord you are deceiving yourself about what it means to follow Christ. Does it require all of that? Yes it requires all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. But God has promised us that it is worth it all in the end.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

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A Reasonable Level of Volume

2009-06-16T19:41:00.002-04:00

You might be surprised to hear this but I can argue pretty strong. I used to be a debating fiend. And I would pull out all stops to prove my point! Then I ran across a passage of scripture. "The servant of the Lord must not strive;but be gentle unto all men,apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

The bottom line is that there are a lot of real problems in the world. There are real Christ-given answers. But yelling at a person accomplishes nothing. Yelling your opposition to something will typically harden the listener and close the door to reaching them. So much could be said but I leave with this. A listening ear and a compassionate touch will gain more than shouts, signs, and hate mail. If your cause is truly just, then your words can make or break the receptivity to your cause.

The question is, do you want make your point, or do you want to be heard?

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I'll Say It

2009-06-02T15:08:00.003-04:00

Ok. I'll say it: Christians avoid hanging around non-Christians because of a lack of faith in God. We don't trust God and we don't trust ourselves! We are sooo afraid of being contaminated, compromised, watered down, and sucked into sinful behavior that we say I know the answer: I will come completely out from among them and be separate. We content ourselves in preaching at people from a distance, and condemning without conversing with people.

Just say it: I don't trust myself. I don't trust myself around people that don't know Jesus. Don't you know that the same God that saved you from sin, will also KEEP YOU from sin? Of course there are situations that we need to avoid because it would overwhelm us. BUT, we should not isolate ourselves from the very people that need the good news of God's love, forgiveness, and grace through Jesus Christ.

I love what Jesus told Nicodemus: "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe IS CONDEMNED ALREADY(emphasis mine), because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" John 3:18 (NIV). People that are not followers of Jesus are living under a cloud of condemnation and guilt. You can't see it but it is there. That is why our message is so important, necessary, and relevant. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Remember God is with you! Open the window blinds, go outside, and interact with the world!

What Cover Is On Your Book

2009-05-24T16:52:00.006-04:00

I was challenged with the thought a few weeks ago of what impression I would give out when I reconnected with an old friend. I thought to myself, "When I tell him that I am a Christian, what will run through his mind?" I got to thinking about what runs through the minds of people when they see the Bible. Whether we like it or not, we carry the baggage of all Christians when we identify ourselves as Christians. The saddest thing about it is that MUCH that is called Christian has little if nothing to do with Jesus.

Righteousness without compassion is misery.

Righteousness without mercy is legalism.

Righteousness without love is empty.

Righteousness without the pursuit of justice for the oppressed is American Christianity.

Righteousness without Jesus is religion.

It's The Simplest Things

2009-03-16T01:16:00.003-04:00

How many times do we gloss over scripture because it is familiar? We have heard it a thousand times and still refuse to put it into practice. Why? Because we have convinced ourselves that it can't really mean what it means. For example, during the first two months of this year, my church small group has been studying the book "Life's Healing Choices." Each week was better than the previous one. It built into a crescendo until we concluded together "you know, the Bible has said all along to confess your faults to one another and pray for one another that you might be healed." We all had this "aha" moment. We acknowledged that maybe the Catholic church had the right idea. We all acknowledged how much better we felt confessing our faults to one another. And it felt good to know that they would take the information to the grave. We simply did what God said.......AND IT WORKED!

I had the privilege over the past three weeks for the Lord to speak to me clearly concerning two things in my life. I rejoiced over the fact that he spoke to me, and I saw another principle being played out in my life. The first time He spoke, I was listening to music and worshipping Him. The second time I was listening to a sermon by Erwin McManus. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:18: Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord...(NIV). You mean that if I sing spiritual songs and focus on God I can be filled/guided/controlled by His Spirit? Yes you can!

Psalm 100 tells us to "come before His presence with singing." Acts 13 tells us that as the saints were gathered and ministered (worshipped) to the Lord he spoke to the gathering and called out certain men for a special task. As they ministered unto the Lord. You mean that if I sincerely worship the Lord during a worship service and focus on him that he can speak to me and give me guidance for my life? Yes He can!

Sometimes it's the simplest things!

Everybody Needs A Barnabas

2009-03-09T22:53:00.007-04:00

Everybody needs somebody to stand for them at some time in life. Everybody needs someone to believe in them. There are endless examples of people that possessed talent, drive, giftedness, calling, purpose and so on who lacked one thing. An advocate. One that could vouch for another. One person that said I believe in you. One person that said to others "I believe in this person." A person that could walk before the skeptical and say "This person is for real."

Perhaps it is laziness. Perhaps it is convenience. Perhaps it is sinister. However it may be, we have a terrible propensity for labeling people. It is like gossip: the label may be wrong but it tends to stick. "You will never do.......You will never be.......You will always......" The common belief is that in this life, you are what you are. People will even quote (misquote) scripture and say "Can a leopard change its spots" the implication being that you are stuck with being the way you are. I would believe that too IF I had not seen differently in life. I have seen and continue to see life transformation taking place. Marriages being restored, skirt-chasers straightening up, the angry calming down, the bitter releasing their bitterness, the resentful expressing forgiveness.

The apostle Paul was a religiously obsessed devoted Jew that pursued Christians and sent them to their deaths. And yet out of all people this same Paul was called out by Jesus Christ to be his servant, follower, and disciple. A true 180. Shortly after his conversion Paul tried to join himself to a group of Christians. They were understandably hesitant, and quite frankly, very afraid. What happened next is one of the great lessons of life. Barnabas, a follower of Jesus Christ, stood on the behalf of Paul and confirmed everything that happened to Paul, describing his conversion and the sincerity of his faith. What was the result? As Paul went throughout Syria and Cilicia preaching it was said of him "The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!' And they praised God because of me" (Gal 1:23-24). Paul went on to become one of the most influential men in history, authoring 2/3 of the New Testament and spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire during the first century.

I have had a few people play the role of Barnabas in my life. My parents, who always saw grand things for me, even when I did not believe in myself. My cousin Karen Key, who through ways only known to her, helped me acquire my present job. Darlene Lawrence, who has been a steady advocate for my God-given gifts, talents, and abilities. Rev. Renardo Hunter, who has always acknowledged my calling and never lets me forget it or shy away from it. And the ultimate advocate, Jesus Christ, who changed my life when I had lost hope, and continues to stand with me until this very day.

So who will you stand for? Who will you tell "I believe in you?" Who will you go before others for and say "This person is true?" So let it be written. So let it be done.

Missing The Mark-Hamartia

2009-02-20T10:10:00.008-05:00

This has been on my mind for some time. I must confess that I have been very guilty of this in my life and I have done it more times than I would want to admit. The Christian community has been accused of killing their wounded. Some would even say that we rejoice when one of our own stumbles, falls, or sins smashingly. What happened to us? How did things get this way?

I trace my own issues with this to my early days of being a Christian. My salvation was a miracle because I was so deeply addicted to pornography, sex, and everything that goes with it. Thank God the Internet was not around then! I was so conscious of God's power that I could not get enough preaching, teaching, and Church. I grew to become obsessed with righteousness, and took great pride in those earnestly contending for the faith, and great offense toward those who were not living holy and were not as "committed" as I.

God's grace and mercy are the foundation of my life. As the old hymn says "If it had not been for the Lord on my side tell me where would I be?" I, like many, lost sight of the fact that it is not by works of righteousness that I have done, but according to his mercy that he saved me AND keeps me. God showed me his love and kindness, and I in turn showed judgment and condemnation.

Two things happened during these days that were regrettable. I negatively impacted one one of my best friends during my early Christian days. She knew all of my dirt and I knew all of hers. After I got saved, I waited awhile then I went to her house and blasted her. "If you don't repent of your sins and believe in Christ YOU ARE GOING TO DIE AND GO TO HELL!" No talk of God's love, his mercy, or his grace. Needless to say that conversation caused a rift that lasted several years until I came to my senses. You see, sin is a reality and separates us from a holy God. But what is the Gospel message? Jesus said "17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (John 3:17-18). We do not condemn because the person that does not know Christ is condemned already. That is why we present THE GOOD NEWS! God loves you! He died for you! He wants what is best for you! He made you to have a relationship with you!

There was this guy that I knew that used to visit several churches, but was not committed to any one in particular. My old pastor used to admonish him to commit to one church for his benefit and accountability. Well one of his friends happened to see him out one evening and saw him enter a questionable store. His "brothers" and "friends" later set up a sting operation to see if he was engaging in sinful behavior. When he came out of the establishment a small gaggle of men confronted him about his behavior (like a scene out of Cheaters). He was found a few months later dead in his home. Could it have been stress? A broken heart over how his brothers confronted him and publicly humiliated him?

Here is the core issue. Two Wednesdays ago at church David Stevens spoke about the woman caught in adultery. The crowd of men that brought her to Jesus called for her death. Jesus instead called for the crowd to self-reflect on the condition of their lives. "He that is without sin among you cast the first stone." No one could. Jesus asked her where her accusers were and she responded that she had none (because they had all walked away, being convicted by their own consciences). Jesus said neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. The crowd
was so zealous to condemn her, yet they were equally guilty!

So that's what the church does. Condemn instead of forgive. Kill the wounded. Speak against some one's sins, struggles, and falls instead of seeking restoration for the fallen. It is because of pride, fear of man, and image consciousness. Somewhere along the way we became afraid to associate with the struggling because we did not want to be labeled like the struggling saint. We did not want to be seen as condoning sin. HOWEVERRRRRRR, that is what the incarnation was all about! Jesus identifying with the realities of our humanity. Our hurts, our struggles, our temptations, our failures. The Bible says that he was NOT ASHAMED to call us his brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:11). I thank God that my sin was not to great, and is not to great for God to forgive! He is not ashamed of me. He in fact loves me dearly. That is why we have to change our message, methods, and mindsets concerning Jesus, his words, and his ways. God has called us to the ministry of reconciliation. People continuously being brought back to a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Amen

2009-02-06T21:14:00.004-05:00

Transformation. That is the goal of any minister worth his or her salt. I must say that I am unashamedly a fan and proponent of the book Life's Healing Choices: Freedom From Your Hurts, Hang-ups and Habits. The problem with church many times is that the sermon only communicates information. Knowledge is held up to be the chief virtue and the end goal of church attendance. This generation today yearns for something more. The cry is "Don't just tell me what to do but HOW to do it." As my wife would say, this book goes there.

The genius of this book is that it frames the truth in such a way that you can follow it and apply it. I really have true hope to overcome some things that have haunted me in my life. Glory to God for He is the God of Hope!

What I Am Thankful For

2009-01-20T21:55:00.005-05:00

In soaking in the events of this day, January 20, 2009, there a few things that I am thankful for.

1. Hope springs eternal. I did not believe President Obama could win when he first announced and he proved all of the doubters wrong.
2. THE RETURN OF THE SMOOTH BROTHER. It was important to some members of my generation to be articulate in speech, eloquent in thought, dedicated to high achievement, worthy representatives of our forefathers, AND stylish in dress. May the day of sagging pants come to an end. May the day of aspiring no higher than being the next American Idol perish. May the belief that success only comes through fast money vanish. Columbia University. Harvard University. Community Organizer. Bridge building. The return of the smooth brother.
3. Joy among my people. As I worked today, one of my co-workers listened to her radio. Suddenly the song "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" came on. She turned up the volume to cheers and spontaneously broke into a dance. It is like Psalm 126:
1 When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,[a] it was like a dream! 2 We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” 3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. 5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

Thank God for the hope that he gives.

No More Excuses

2008-12-18T20:03:00.004-05:00

Jesus is the perfect man. His way is the right way. He never asked us to do anything that he did not do himself. He tells us to love God with all of our heart soul mind and strength. He tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. He also calls us to do something that is diametrically opposed to human nature. He says that we should love our enemies. How can I love someone that has mistreated me, lied to me, stolen from me, abused me, turned their back on me, etc? Well, what did Jesus do? I want you to really think about this. Jesus selected 12 men to be his apostles. One of these men went by the name of Judas Iscariot. For 3.5 years Judas traveled with Jesus. He was never isolated from the group. He was never treated differently from the others. He did everything that the other apostles did. And yet Jesus knew that he would betray him. What did Jesus give to Judas? Love. Selah.

So why does God require this same response of us? He is giving us the privilege to be the face, hands, and feet of God in this world, where love and grace are sorely needed.

"You have heard that it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be the children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5: 43-48

AHA!!!

2008-12-18T19:41:00.005-05:00

I have heard many times over the years that God loves you and has a plan for your life. I thought that it was just a pat phrase that people used when trying to share and lead others to Christ. I did not put much stock in the phrase because nobody pointed out to me what that plan was. Now while I could fill in the blanks with my own ideas, it just became crystal clear to me what the Lord seeks to do DAILY through everyone that has put faith in His son Jesus. Ephesians 2: 10 says "For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Everyday, whether we pray or not, whether we are prepared for the day or not, God has prepared situations specifically for us to encounter where we have the opportunity to do good. He brings people, problems, and circumstances our way that we are uniquely positioned to help. That, my friends, is awesome! Here is the plan. God plans, we embrace. Think about all of the times you have prayed "God use me, take me, let my life bring you glory." Think about all of the times after that where you had "inconveniences" cross your path where someone needed something from you. Think about the times where you were the only one to witness a situation or person that needed help. Coincidence? No, providence. God wants to use you. Just open your eyes to the opportunities He puts before you everyday.

Change My Name

2008-12-08T00:15:00.005-05:00

How I long to rise to see myself everyday as God sees me. How many of us feel trapped by our nicknames, or even our birth names? How many of us feel tied to our circumstances? How many of us feel unable to shake free from the way we grew up? How many of us feel that we are married to failure?

"Isn't this the carpenter's son?" "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" "Has any good thing come out of Nazareth?" "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country."

God is not tied to our circumstances. He is rightly called the God of Hope. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. We do not have to be defined by our past, our present, our failings. Here is how I will define myself:

I am a child of God

I am forgiven of my sins

I am more than a conqueror through Him that first loved me

I am a part of God's family

I am a recipient of God's Holy Spirit

I have eternal life

I have an advocate (lawyer) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous

I have a savior who will never leave me or forsake me

I have a God that loves me with an everlasting love

I have a God who will order my steps in His word

I have exceeding great and precious promises from God

I have the understanding that ALL THINGS will work together for good because I love God and

am called according to his purpose

Look up! Look up! God is seated in heaven. He is sitting down and absolutely in control!

Wow!

2008-11-05T00:29:00.007-05:00

Luke 16:8 (New Century Version)
New Century Version (NCV)
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
8 So, the master praised the dishonest manager for being clever. Yes, worldly people are more clever with their own kind than spiritual people are

Over the past two days I saw 8 campaign workers for Barack Obama going door to door. Six were on my mail route and two were in my neighborhood. Out of the eight people, five were women and three were men. Six were white and two were black. Black people only account for 13% of the American population. If only Blacks voted for Obama he would have surely lost.

I have never seen someone from a presidential campaign have his representatives go door to door. So what does it mean? It means that Mr. Obama found a way to connect with people from all walks of life.

For my brothers and sisters of other races, please understand the minority perspective. I have had an elderly white woman clutch her purse as I walked across a grocery store parking lot. I have had a white Pastor justify and explain racism in America by calling it the result of the curse of Ham (which is false). I have seen the anger and frustration in my mother's face as she talked of white customers throwing change at her instead of handing it to her. I have been called nigger by a white classmate in high school. I have read racially insensitive email that was sent to my wife by "Christian friends." I along with other Blacks did not know if this day would ever come, considering the history and legacy of the USA.

So what is the lesson? If Blacks and Whites can unite and campaign for Obama, why can't we see unity in the Church among Blacks and Whites? Indeed it appears that the children of the world are wiser than the children of light.

Shame Shame Shame

2008-11-04T19:11:00.005-05:00

Rick Warren made a very powerful statement. He said that nobody cares what you know, until they know that you care. So tell me, what went wrong? When did the Church become consumed with "keeping ourselves spotless from the world" to the point that we want no contact with people that are living without Christ? We are more concerned with our personal comfort than the needs of others. And yes I have been guilty of this myself. The picture above is a metaphor for the church. It is also reminiscent of the Good Samaritan. We will see a problem, but walk by it because we don't have time, we have another engagement, we are afraid of who will see us and what they will think, we think the person brought it on themselves, blah blah blah.
IF you call yourself a Christian, we don't have an option. There are so many people hurting in this world. We sing of God's love and praise him for his goodness to us. We testify as to how he has come through for us time after time. But we refuse to extend a hand of grace to a hurting soul because it is inconvenient. Have mercy Lord.

There is coming a day in which Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. What is the deciding factor? Whether we help the hungry, the thirsty, the prisoner, the sick, those without clothes, and the stranger. Where do you stand?

Racism

2008-10-30T21:23:00.007-04:00

Racism is a terrible thing. However, we have failed to identify the root cause of racism. So what is the root? PRIDE! Pride causes us to believe that we are better than someone else. Because we do things a certain way as a race or culture, we think that others not like us are wrong, strange,or inferior to us or our group. Some within the Black community say "minorities, by definition, cannot be racist because racism is an act of oppression from a majority group on a minority group whether by resources or by act." It is also said that "racism is race prejudice backed with institutional power." However pride is present in all races, tribes, and dialects. The oppressed are no more righteous than the oppressors.

So what is the answer. First, if you are guilty then confess the sin of racial pride and repent. Then recognize that God values the differences in humanity. Remember "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow black and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world!"

The Reason For Everything

2008-10-27T23:02:00.004-04:00

Do you remember? Do you know where you were? It was a Monday afternoon. I had given up on ever getting right with God. I had popped in another pornographic tape. As I was watching it, Jesus spoke to my heart and said "I will forgive your sins." I said thank you. The grip that the pornography and sex had on me was broken that day. I remember that day 19 years ago.

I remember being so conscious of God's power to save from sin. So filled with the reality of a new life. I remember now.

As the church becomes more and more fractured over politics and morality, let us always remember the words of the apostle Paul: "Christ Jesus came into world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." 1 Tim 1:15

Before we criticize and condemn others, lets remember where God has brought us from.

Things that make you say hmmmmm

2008-10-20T23:51:00.005-04:00

Isn't it amazing that those who are in support of abortion rights, freedom of choice so to speak, are vehemently against the War in Iraq and the loss of innocent life?

Isn't it interesting that those who support sending our young men and women to fight in a war that was started under false pretense, to fight against those who have never set foot on
American soil, to support a war that has resulted in over 4000 American lives lost and upwards of 88,000-655,000 Iraqi citizens are outspokenly against abortion because it is the killing of innocent life?

HMMMMMMMM

ALL LIFE IS PRECIOUS IN GOD'S EYES: EMBRYONIC, BORN, UNBORN, IRAQI, AND AMERICAN.
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness....." Gen 1:26

FYI

2008-10-16T22:39:00.003-04:00

This is the man that the character Gordon Gekko from the movie "Wall Street" is allegedly based on. His name is Ivan Boesky and he made a killing on Wall Street. Alas all that glitters is not gold. He was found guilty of improprieties and was put in jail.

Why You Matter

2008-10-09T22:52:00.001-04:00

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works.
Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind.

This is a quote from the Eighties movie "Wall Street." This, my friends, is why you matter. This movie was about a young man who was a Stock Broker who was barely surviving. He saw this man Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglass) making things happen. He began to work with him and emulated his success. The problem was that Gekko was unethical and engaged in illegal practices to make his wealth. It caught up with both of them in the end.

The point is that the love of money is the root of all evil. What you see in Washington and Wall St is the net effect of what happens when your ethical base is immoral. There were "well educated" men and women who went for fast money and did not care who was affected in the long run.

Jesus changes hearts. And as we allow Him to work through us, we can show the world a different way of conducting business and life.

Has anybody heard of Truett Cathy?

Wake Up!

2008-10-09T17:18:00.001-04:00

We have become cowards and lazy. We are giving over our responsibility to preach the gospel and the message of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come to lawmakers. The Church in America is counting on the government to legislate and enforce righteousness. It is our responsibility to teach people by word and deed what God requires, which in case we forgot is to do justice, show mercy, and walk humbly before our God. Laws don't produce righteousness! Only grace does! We should not allow either party to pimp us for our vote. Both major party candidates profess Christ. Let us remember the words of James: Faith without works is dead being alone.

What Really Matters

2008-09-16T00:15:00.002-04:00

I read today that one of the ways that we show love is by the time that we give to our loved ones. I learned several years ago that for all of the Christmas lists and Birthday lists that my kids come up with, nothing matters more to them than spending time with them. That's not to say that they don't use that time to make a strong sales pitch :)

2008-09-16T00:08:00.001-04:00

The stunner. 13 years and going

What truly matters

2008-09-12T19:54:00.001-04:00

People are notorious for talking a good game. We hear that there are homeless people in the street and we cry "Oh that is a shame." We talk of fatherless homes and say "Oh, how tragic that is." We are excellent at identifying the problems of the world. But where are the people with answers, actions, and action plans?

Selah