Missing Car Keys

Have you ever lost something so important that you frantically look everywhere in your house to find it? Like your car keys, or your cell phone, or a remote control? You start looking everywhere, tearing the house apart. You look in the most unlikely places. You look in the garbage can for your car keys. The fridge for the cell phone. In the sock drawer for your remote control. More often than not you find what you are looking for in obvious places. After you find it, you feel ridiculous in that it wasn't the first place you looked. "Hey, my car keys were right in my coat pocket!" Sometimes what you're looking for is right out in the open, and you've passed by it multiple times and didn't see it. "Hey the remote control is right on top of the TV!" or "The cell phone was right on the footstool in the middle of the living room all along!"

People often ask me why I believe in a God that I cannot see. Well, the truth is I do not believe in a God I cannot see, I can in fact see God. No, I don't see a face peering out of the sky reminding me of commandments. I see God in some of the most obvious places that are often overlooked. I even see God in the darkest times of my life.

Two of the worst days of my life were January 27th and 28th of 2004, the day that my brother got into a car accident and the day my father had to make the hardest decision of his life. At about 5:00 or so on the 28th, my dad, along with my mother and myself finally accepted that my 17 year old brother would never make it from his massive head injury and his coma, and we decided that it was time to take him off life support. We said our goodbyes, and shortly after the doctor informed us that my brother had died.

The next few weeks were nothing short of a miracle. After my brother died, we went home, with members of our extended families of both sides. People came together from not only my families church, but the church that Heather and I attended at the time as well. My brother and I both worked at two different stores but for the same grocery chain, and both stores gave food, soda, and deli plates for his visitation and funeral. Family that I haven't seen in years, and some that I haven't seen since, came and stayed for weeks to help us out. Meals were prepared, I swear we didn't cook for a month. I saw agnostics and atheists see the outpouring that the community of Christ made to our family, and admit the presence of God. In the darkest period of my life, in my family, friends, co-workers, and strangers, I saw God.

The months following Brad's death people constantly asked me, especially at work where they knew both of us, how could I believe in God at a time like this. The fact is that I believed in Him before, and have believed in Him since. If He was there in the darkest time in my life, He will be there in the dark times to come, shedding His light on the situation. He will be there for me in the bad, and is also there in the good.

Do you see God? If not, I encourage you to look. You never know, He may be right in front of you. Like your cell phone that you're missing.

Amen.

More Stuff I Learned From Ethan

A little anecdote: The other night it was time to read Ethan his bedtime stories, and as usual I let him pick. To my delight, he picked one of the Jesus books. If you read my post last week, you would understand my joy. The book he chose basically chronicled the life and death of Jesus. After the book was over, he instinctively said "The End!" to which I replied, "No, not to this story."


I said this first and foremost because the story didn't talk about Jesus coming back, and therefore left out a very important part. Second off, even if it did talk about His resurrection, and even his ascension, the story still would not be over.


People look at the life of Jesus as a typical story, with a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning being Christmas, the middle being His life, and the end being Easter. If Easter truly was the end of Jesus, that would be kinda bad.


People that have read previous posts would say that this is another post about anticipating the second coming of Christ. And in some ways it is. In fact, a lot of my life is spent thinking about the future. Things like: When will I start seminary? How old will I be when I graduate? How long after graduation will I be ordained to the priesthood? What will I do about dinner tonight? You know, the important stuff. The fact is that it will be over two years before I start seminary, but a lot of focus has been on that lately.


I'm sure that other people are in similar positions, but the goal is different. Things like: When will I retire? When will I get that next raise or promotion? When will I be able to move into a bigger house? Or get a bigger car? What will I do about dinner tonight? Let's face it, that last one is universal.


Let's apply this attitude to driving. If you plan on driving from New York to Los Angeles, and you have this destination focus, you will only have Los Angeles in your mind, and your focus will be entirely on getting there. The truth of the matter is if you have this attitude about driving, you may end up on the side of the road because you were too focused on getting there that you forgot stop and get gas. You may get into a wreck because you were too busy looking toward Los Angeles you didn't notice the eighteen-wheeler in front of you.


Some emphasis has been given to the second coming of Christ in some of my past posts. This is an important thing to look for, just as all the examples mentioned earlier are also important. But it is a journey to get there. Sometimes you are right where you are because that is where God wants you to be. I'll use me as an example. I am so focused on being a priest, that I keep thinking about what ministry will be like as a priest. What kind of church will I be in, where will my church be, etc. But what I fail to realize is that I do not need to be a priest in order to do ministry. I can't be focused on ministering to people that I haven't met yet, that I ignore the needs of the people around me.


I don't know if you think about either the second coming of Christ or about when you meet Him in Heaven upon your death, but it should be something that you need to think about. But you should realize that it is a journey to get there, and if you miss something along the way, it might distract you from your final destination.


Amen.

Bedtime Stories

Every night, I read Ethan two bedtime stories of his choice. He has some classic favorites, like the Cat in the Hat, and The Berenstain Bears. He also has some new favorites, like Llama Llama Misses Mama. The Llama Llama books are among his favorites.


That is why when Christmas came around, we got Llama Llama Holiday Drama for him. I thought that this story would have at least some glimmer of Christmas, but I was wrong. It was just a vague glossing over of the "Holiday Season." Not that I think books like this shouldn't be read or printed, they just aren't to my taste. I was then determined to find a book that would explain Christmas in a way and format that a three-year-old would understand. 


About a day or two later, my stepmother was reading my son a bedtime story at their house. He liked it so much that he wouldn't leave their house without the book. It was at that time that my stepmother decided to part with the book that she started reading to her children years and years ago. He now wants me to read this to me almost every night.


I read him the book a few nights later. The book is called The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas. I figured that this would be another book glossing over what Christmas was about, but as has happened many times in the past, I was wrong.


In a nutshell, the book is about a little puppy, Poky, that befriends a skunk, Herman. On the way home from making friends with Herman, he comes across a muddy rubber boot that he adores, but his mother wouldn't let him bring it inside because it was dirty. The mother then cleans it up and gives it to Poky as a Christmas gift. Christmas morning, Poky goes out into the woods where Herman lives, only to find that he was cold and wet, because his home was destroyed. Poky takes Herman home, and Poky's mother, surprised that Poky had made friends with a skunk, feels sorry for Herman and lets him sleep in the doghouse outside. Poky decides to sleep outside in the doghouse as well. The next morning, the whole doggy family along with Herman awoke to find Poky missing. Poky was in the woods, with his favorite rubber boot. He gave Herman the boot as something for him to live in.


I read this story a few times and despite whether the author intended it or not, he told not only what Christmas is about, but what the Great Commandments are about as well. When you think of a list of dirty, disgusting animals that no one wants to be around, skunks are most likely towards the top. In a way, skunks would be the "outcasts" of the woods. Many times in the Bible, Jesus talks to those who society at the time rejected. Thieves, lepers, Samaritans, even the 12 Apostles were composed of the least of society. Yet it was for these sinners that Jesus not only came into the world, but died for as well, so that we may live. While Poky didn't pay the ultimate price, he did give his most prized possession, his boot. 


The thing is, if there was a children's book out there that talked about the birth of our Savior, and that he died for our sins, it would be lost on my three-year-old. However, this little golden book tells the story in a way that he understands perfectly. Merry Christmas.


Amen.




P.S.: I'm waiting for you Crazy Hippy!

Like a Child

I have a three year old son named Ethan. Ethan is still at that stage where he loves his parents no matter what. I got home from work the other day, and usually that is about five minutes before Ethan gets off the bus. So I usually go inside for a minute or two, tell my wife I'm home, then go back outside to wait for the bus. I get him off the bus and inside. Usually after he gets inside he tells me "Eat! Eat!" Then I get him a snack. He then says "Milk! Milk!" and I get him his milk. He is still at the age where he depends exclusively on my wife and me. Everything that Ethan has, has come from my wife and me. When he needs something, he asks. Sometimes he knows what he needs, but doesn't know how to ask. Sometimes he doesn't know what he needs at all. But still, I provide. Sometimes he asks for things he doesn't need, and he doesn't get them. Sometimes he misbehaves, and I get upset. But when it comes down to it, he is my son, and I will always be his father.


I am a proud parent, and thus believe my child is smart. The difference between me and most other proud parents is that I believe my son is smarter than me. In fact, Ethan has things figured out, and I am far from that. You see, we are all dependent on our father. That is, our Heavenly Father. He leads us to where we need to go, as I lead Ethan off the bus. When I am in need, I call out to Him, just as Ethan calls out to me when he is in need. Even if I don't know what to say, God knows what is on my heart. Just as I know what Ethan needs even though he can't say what he wants at times. At times we will ask for things that we don't need, like a million dollars, a mansion on a golf course, or what have you. Just as Ethan asks for the things we try in vain to hide from him. Even with all this, we still stray, we still sin against our Father's will for our lives. But keep in mind, we are His children, and He will always be our Father.


The thing is, we need to understand that we are completely dependent on our Father, just as Ethan understands that He is dependent on my wife and me. In fact, Jesus says this very thing in Mark 10:15 says "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." What He is saying is that we need to realize that we are dependent on Him for everything we have, and everything we are. What we really need to understand is what our lives would be like, and where we would be, if our Father had not loved us so much to send us His Son.


Amen.

They Don't Get It!

Do You Hear What I Hear? - Third Day This is the Third Day version of the classic Christmas carol, which I will be referencing later. If you have never heard Third Day's version, please give it a listen, the best version by far, and if you have read previous posts, you know I get picky with my Christmas music.


So rewind a few days ago, and the "Holiday Season" has officially begun. The lights are going up on the houses, the street lights in front of city hall are being decorated with snowflakes, and the decorations are put up in front of the park. Even at work, the store was decorated with lights, snowflakes, and four large inflatable decorations that are meant for outdoors, are inside on the sales floor (not my idea, not my fault, and they scare my three year old son). In addition, the Christmas music was playing on three different radio stations that I know of, possibly more.


My little subdivision every year decides they need to kick it up a notch. I believe wholeheartedly that certain houses in my subdivision are responsible for the bonuses of a few of the executives over at Ameren UE. With all the decorations, the shopping, the lines, and I realize something.


They don't get it! Not only that, but some of them never will. You see, in the context of this little blog post, there are two types of people. Those that get Christmas, and those that don't. The good news is that in our current American society, these two groups of people coexist and have civil conversations with one another. 


I came to this realization a few days ago while going back to work from the gas station to get my daily soda. I really wasn't paying attention to what was on the radio, and asked God what to do. The final verse of Do You Hear What I Hear, (you know, the link earlier in the blog that I said I would reference later, I'm referencing it now) came on the radio. The verse goes like this:


Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace, people everywhere
Listen to what I say
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light


The last part of this verse is what really hit me. We (the ones that "get it") mingle and talk with those that don't get it! We have the good news about Jesus Christ, and what better segway into the conversation than the fact that it's Christmas for goodness sakes! Readers of my blogs (I think the number is up to three now) may have started noticing a pattern in the topics I write about, specifically about Christians going out and spreading the Gospel of Christ. The reason I keep talking about it is no coincidence I assure you, there are many reasons I keep bringing it up. First off, it is something that I am not the best at doing, and God keeps giving me gentle little reminders. Second, it is something that a great deal of Christians are not doing, and I am giving the 20 or so people that read my blog a week (the real number) a little reminder. We have the message, we have the truth, we have the Gospel, and we know that our hope is in the Lord. It does no good to keep the Good News to ourselves.


Amen

Obligatory Thanksgiving Post?

Well, it's Thanksgiving time again. I should know, I work in a meat market. All the different bloggers across the country will be blogging about what they are thankful for. Most religious bloggers will be blogging about how they only give thanks to the Lord, from whom all blessings flow.

Not me. I'm gonna talk about sin. Most importantly, the standard reactions to sin. From what I've noticed, there are three primary ways that Christians as well as so-called Christians react to sin.

Ostracize: The first way is to treat the person as an alien life-form and either avoid them altogether, or ostracize them. If you use this extreme hate, they will stay away from God, and never hear the true Gospel. In other words, Satan wins.

Total acceptance: This is the opposite of ostracizing. The other method is to tell them that they are fine and what they are doing is not a sin. Using this method, they will continue worshiping something that is not true, and never hear the true Gospel. In other words, Satan wins.

Ignoring the issue: Well, this is exactly as it sounds. This is when someone exhibits sinful behavior, and no one talks, engages, encounters, or even approaches the person. A big problem with ignoring an issue is that the person may know what they are doing is wrong, but feel like no one cares. Sadly, these people often take their own lives, when there are Christians nearby that are fully equipped to help with the situation. When we ignore the issue, then the person will never hear the real Gospel. In other words, Satan wins.

So how do we make Satan not win? The easy answer is to not do these three things, but something in between the first two. It says in 1 Peter 3:15-16: " But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

The key point here is to treat everyone with gentleness and respect, without endorsing or condoning any sinful behavior. But how do we stay prepared to give an answer? First and foremost is something I say almost every week, to make sure you not only read the Bible, but to be familiar with the scripture that you are reading as well. However, not everybody has the Bible memorized; I don't either. But that cannot and should not keep a Christian from defending the faith. The answer to this situation is in the first part of the passage, to set apart Christ as Lord in your heart. If Christ is with you, then you can call upon Him in tough situations. This may sound easier than it is, but trust me, from personal experience it is true. You might not notice what is happening at the time, but you will recognize it later. If you're like me, you will think at that moment "huh, that was weird."

There are many ways to react to sin, most of them bad. But keep in mind also what Jesus said in the Great Commandments and the Great Commission about loving God and loving your neighbor, and bringing the Good News to others. With these verses, and all others, keep on reading the Good News.

Amen.

Christmas Music

Warning: This post is more of a rant than any real organized though. But then again, what is the purpose of a blog than an unorganized rant?

Well, it is that time of year already. The Christmas decorations are out and the Christmas music is on the radio. In St. Louis, two stations have their formats changed for all Christmas music all the time. In fact, I picked up the Il Divo Christmas CD today at Target, however it pales in comparison to Jon Garrett: To Find Love There. (Jon, I really do like your CD, but I would like the three dollar advertising fee in small, unmarked, non-sequential bills) I ventured away from my usual radio listening today and went back and forth from one Christmas station to another. They played the classics, and new renditions of the classics. I heard things like Deck the Halls, I'll Be Home For Christmas, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. After listening between the two stations for about twenty or so minutes I noticed a similarity in all the songs, other than they were Christmas songs, of course. None of them mentioned Jesus, with the exception of one. That one was Silent Night by Taylor Swift, which is up there in my book with Stevie Nicks version of Silent Night as the worst renditions of any Christmas song ever, and I wish I hadn't heard it to be honest with you, just didn't do Silent Night justice. Anyway, back to my original rant.

First off, I do not wish to demonize or otherwise criticize secular Christmas music. All of the songs mentioned above (except for the Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks slaughtering of Silent Night) are good songs and are most likely some of your favorites, as they are mine. It's just that we need to remember what Christmas is all about.

About 2000 or so years ago, God sent His only son to Earth not only in the form of a mortal human, but as a mere child born not amongst kings but amongst livestock. Born not in a palace fit for a king, but in a stable built for the animals. He came into this world as a perfect creation with the knowledge that he would die a gruesome death so that anyone who believes in Him and puts their faith and trust in Him will not suffer the penalty for sin, but be united with God and Christ forever.

No matter what music you listen to this Christmas, whether that be religious Christmas, secular Christmas, not Christmas at all, or even the abomination that is Silent Night by Taylor Swift or Stevie Nicks, just keep in mind what Christmas is about.

Amen.

P.S.: For more on this subject, visit the post that started the worldwide craze: Christmas in August.

Lights and Sirens

For those of you that don't know me, I was a police officer for a short time. In the city that I worked in, there lived a couple of nuns that were teachers at one of the local parishes. One day, I met one of these nuns (there is no punch line coming, I promise), and she told me that when a police car, ambulance, or fire truck would go by the classroom with its lights and sirens on, they would pause everything they were doing and say a quick prayer. When she came home, she would say prayers for the officers whenever she would see lights, or even just hear the sirens. It was comforting to know that if I ever got in the situation, there would most likely be someone praying for me.


I am no longer a police officer, but what the nun and her school children did stayed with me. From time to time I see a squad car pulled on the side of the road with lights on, and at other times I hear the sirens. For the sirens to be on, it usually means something bad has happened, or is happening. In that case, the officer is going into what could be a fatal situation. I decided to carry on this tradition and say a quick prayer for police officers, firefighters, or paramedics whenever I see or hear lights and sirens. I know that God will hear my voice, but I also know that there is power in numbers, and ask you to join with me in praying for these men and women that put their lives on the line so that we may live a safer life. Here are the prayers:


When a police car is seen:
Lord, please keep the officer(s) safe in the performance of his or her or their duties. Please send your Holy Spirit on all parties involved that the situation may be diffused quickly and without incident. Please be with those the officer(s) are responding to, for this may be their greatest time of need. Amen.


When EMS/Ambulance is seen:
Lord, please keep the paramedics safe in the performance of their duties. Guide their actions that they may mend what is broken and comfort the hurt. Please be with those the paramedics are responding to, for this may be their greatest time of need. Amen.


When a fire truck is seen:
Lord, please keep the firefighters safe in the performance of their duties. Please keep them alert to their surroundings and aware of the situation at all times. Guide their actions that they may mend what is broken and comfort the hurt. Please be with those the firefighters are responding to, for this may be their greatest time of need. Amen.


When sirens are heard, but nothing seen:
Lord, please be with the emergency services personnel and keep them safe in the performance of their duties. Please be those they are responding to, as this may be their greatest time of need. Amen.


I try to do this wherever I am. Sometimes I pray out loud, sometimes silently. Sometimes, I bow my head, sometimes I don't. I won't bow my head while driving, after all, I don't want to be the one being responded to. Sometimes when I'm at work and can't stop what I'm doing, I just say the words in my head. Don't worry, it still counts. And speaking as a former police officer, I know that these little things are greatly appreciated.


Amen.

Negative Attack Ads: Part Three

Have you ever done something that you deeply regret? If your answer to this question is no, then think harder. We've all done something we wish we could undo. For me, there have been plenty of things that I have done, too many to mention here. Some of these things were illegal (stealing, smoking pot), some were legal, but immoral (cheating on an exam, pornography). At any rate, all of these things are sins, and I broke at least two of the Ten Commandments in the process (just by these examples, I would be willing to bet that all ten have been broken in one way or another). That begs the question: If a guy like me who has reportedly broken all ten of the commandments, then how could he possibly go to Heaven, let alone claim to be a Christian?

That's when Satan airs his next negative attack ad. He will get inside your skull and try to break you down until you believe that God hates you and there is no hope left. He will tell you that you're too far gone. Your sins are too great. There is no way that God will let you into Heaven now, just give up.


Jesus is very clear that He does care about you. In the parable of the lost sheep it is explained that Jesus does care about the lost, including commandment breakers. In fact, it says that when the lost get found, the Lord rejoices and is happier that the lost one came to Christ than about the ones who already had been saved.


A more direct way to refute Satan's negative attack ads is what some people call the cornerstone verse of the Bible, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." If you look at the last half of this verse, you will notice that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. Eternal life, of course, means life everlasting with Jesus in Heaven. 


Jesus did not limit his death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins to just "minor offenders". His salvation is free to anyone who is willing to repent of their sins, and turn and give their life to Christ. Murderers, adulterers, and disrespecter-of-elders, all have the offer of salvation in Christ! Do not let Satan fool you, there is no sin that God cannot, or will not, forgive.


Amen.

Negative Attack Ads: Part Two

Reader's of my last blog post (both of you) will know that through minutes of exhaustive research I have found a few negative campaign ads against Jesus, with us as the audience. Well, this week I'm going to give you another one.


There are many "gospels" being preached out there, however, there is only one true Gospel. There are four different accounts of the true Gospel, which are in the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The different gospels being preached that are contradictory to scripture are numerous. There are celebrity pastors and clergy that are considered legitimate by the masses that preach these gospels. Sometimes, with all these different things being preached, that is when the Devil airs his Negative Campaign Ad:


There are so many different people out there saying so many different things. How can you be sure which one of these things is right? How can you be sure that YOU are right. The truth is that the things that you "know" are old and outdated. These people are highly educated, and have a better understanding of Biblical truths than you do. Just look at all the other people who follow and believe them. That many people can't be wrong! It would be wise to listen to these wise teachers and what they have to say about God. Keep an open mind, and you can decide for yourself what is true.


The first thing to bring up is that the Devil will advocate at every opportunity that you try to do things with your own power, or figure things out on your own. That is where the last sentence of this ad comes into play "and you can decide for yourself what is true." 


Believe it or not, this kind of behavior was talked about in the New Testament. It says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 "For the time will come when men will not put up with the sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."


Some of these false teachers fall into this. Some of them attract thousands of viewers/listeners/zombies every week. However, the Bible has instructions on how to react to such things. In verse 5 after the reading above it says "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." So in other words, keep on keeping on. Do the things that you are called to do anyway: provide a faithful witness of Christ Jesus. Don't panic at the false teachers, don't attack them with words or violence of any kind. In fact, an attack response is what the Devil wants from you anyway. 


As always, keep your head in the word, know the truth, and it will be easier to recognize what is false.


Amen.


For those who read scriptures quoted online, or anywhere for that matter (as I do, and as you should as well), you can read 2 Timothy 4 in it's entirety by clicking on the link. Parts of chapter 3 tie into it, so it is worth reading 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 as well.

Negative Attack Ads

Well folks, it's that time again. People are running for office and trying to beat their opponents brains in with negative attack ads. You've seen them, the ones where the political candidate tries to convince the American public that their opponent sacrifices kittens to Baal or something extreme like that. Some people are affected by these ads more than others. I am very fortunate enough to have a DVR on my TV, so I watch no commercials there. I also listen to a local Christian radio station that plays no commercials whatsoever, so no attack ads there. I didn't actually see on until I went to dinner last week at Burger King and one came up on their TV. If that weren't enough,there are news networks that have "news" segments about the attack ads. 


First we need to talk about the attack ad itself, what is one? A negative attack ad is an ad which takes the fault, or perceived fault, of an opponent, and usually blows it out of proportion. If no fault can be found, then the attacker will distort the truth. In other words, lie their butts off. Then I got to thinking. I wonder how old the attack ad actually is. Do you think that Abraham Lincoln was subject to opponents who claimed he wasn't as honest as he claimed to be? Did FDR get attacks from Herbert Hoover claiming that it was un-American to have a name consisting of only three letters? Well, I decided to do a little research, and found that attack ads go back farther than Lincoln, farther back than America. Through minutes of exhaustive research, I have found the first attack ad.


Granted, no one in this story is running for political office, but the attack was between some of the biggest figures in all of history. That's right, the first attack ad appears in Genesis 3. The attack ad comes first in verse one, and then again in verses three and four. Satan  (in this case in the form of a serpent) asks in the second part of verse one Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? In verses three and four he goes on to say You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good from evil.


What happens next is the first of another political tradition, the blame game. Adam and Eve both give in to the Devil, and are later caught by God. When God questions Adam, what does he do, blames someone else. Then that person blames someone else. As the great philosopher Don McClean would say, Satan was laughing with delight. 


What really happened here happens all the time, and not just in political campaign attack ads. Satan tries to distract people from the reality that is God. Unfortunately, he wins people more than he loses them. Satan gets us to question our faith in God by asking Will God really forgive that sin? The same thing happens with political attack ads that happens with Satan's attack ads; each one gets increasingly attacking in nature than the last. The next one would be Did Jesus really say all those things? followed by Did Jesus really die on the cross for your sins? all leading up to Is there really a God anyway? These attacks will happen until the fight is over. As always, the best way to defend yourself against such attacks is to know the truth. Study the Word, and when claims are made check them against the word. The best weapon to have in your arsenal to fight against attacks of false accusations from the Devil is to know the truth beforehand.


Amen.

The Amazing Race

I can't find an exact clip, but pay attention between the 7:00 and 8:00 mark here.


I will be one of the first to say that I hate reality television. People with no talent can become superstars, and captivate the American, and even the world audience. However, I do enjoy two particular reality shows. The first one being Hell's Kitchen, and the other being the Amazing Race.


I like Hell's Kitchen for one reason and one reason only: It's extremely funny. I understand that Chef Gordon Ramsay can be extremely insulting to the contestants. That's the point. On the other hand, the contestants have most undoubtedly seen the show in the past, and should know exactly what they are getting into. The other reality show I watch consistently is the Amazing Race. This show profiles 11 teams of two racing around the world in the hope of winning one million dollars at the end of it. Along the way, there are different pit stops, and teams get eliminated for being last. It takes skill, a little bit of savvy, and some luck, to win this competition.

This past Sunday, the Amazing Race took all of the teams, spare the one that had been eliminated, to the city of Accra in Ghana. In case you are not aware, the poverty in this city is incredible. For this section of the race, CBS (the network that airs the show) GAVE each team $137 (that's almost 200 Ghanaian Cedis for those keeping track at home) to help them. During this portion of the race, the contestants had to pass through some crowded streets. Three teams were approached by some locals begging for money, one asking for five dollars. One of the teams consisted of two recent Ivy League graduates, another of a father/daughter team, the daughter being Ms. Kentucky, and a mother/daughter team that just reunited after the daughter was put up for adoption shortly after birth 21 years earlier. The Ivy League team tried to ignore the beggar, the father/daughter team told the beggar that they had no money. The mother/daughter team was the only one to give the beggar money. 


The teams are given almost everything they need to complete this race. The airline flights are paid for, they are fed during rest periods between legs of the race. In certain situations, they are even given transportation. For the things that are not given to them, they get money to pay for them, which includes cab fare, and maybe gasoline for vehicles provided. Given these facts, it intrigues me that two of the three teams showed would actively avoid giving someone five dollars, out of the $137 that was provided to them for this leg, and what they had leftover from the last one.


This is a perfect example of Jesus' teaching about compassion. First off, when you look at the life of Jesus, you will notice that the things that He did were out of love for us, and not for Himself. He calls all of us to do the same as well. In fact, in Matthew 22:39 Jesus tells us that loving our neighbors as ourselves is one of the most important commandments of all. I would think it safe to say that the beggar in this situation is someone that Jesus would consider as a neighbor.


For those who are wondering, the team that gave the money to the beggar, Andie and Jenna, were eliminated at the end of that leg of the race. This goes to prove another Biblical principle, that while Jesus does promise rewards to those who put their faith in Him and live as He did, will be rewarded (eternal life), just not necessarily when, where, and how it is most convenient for them.


Amen.

Do You Believe In Miracles?

When you read the Bible, you will find that there are many different miracles that were performed. From the Old Testament parting of the Red Sea, and the New Testament miracles Jesus performed which include turning water into wine, feeding of the 5000, and the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Not to mention Jesus Himself rising from the dead. 

What some people point to as evidence that Christianity is false is that they say God is not performing miracles of this magnitude today. Why is that? 

All of these miracles were examples of God showing His power and that He is indeed the one and only God, and examples of Him protecting His people here on Earth. To say the least, these are all very dramatic examples. 
To answer the question why do miracles like this not happen anymore, you have to ask the question why did God perform these miracles in the first place. He performed them to show the world that He is in fact God. To put it mildly, He has already proven this point. 


The Bible has everything that you need to know that God is God, and the Bible has everything necessary for salvation. You see, we have it easier than the people mentioned in the Bible. They didn't have a Bible to refer to, seeing as how the events were unfolding at the time. If there was a dispute, the churches in the New Testament had to wait for a letter from Paul to settle matters. But now, we have proof, written down proof, of God's awesome power.


Miracles still do happen everyday, they are just not as blatantly obvious as the ones mentioned in the Bible. God is still performing miracles everyday in our lives, we just may not notice the significance until later. Remember, God is God, He still exists, and He still cares.

I'm Late, So Sue Me

Yes, I'm a little late with this weeks post. This week was finals week for Heather and I, and a bunch of time was dedicated to that. However, we are both done with our bachelor's degrees. In other words WE'RE FREEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well, In essence, I was going to do a post about freedom. However, I haven't had the time lately to put into this project to give something worth reading, and may do something on it next week. Or, if the Lord moves, I will blog on something else. Anyway, keep looking here for future posts, this week has just been a long one.

I wonder how may people will actually read this.

Ghost Hunters

Ghost shows have been becoming more and more popular recently. Just on the Syfy Channel you have Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, and Ghost Hunters Academy. Even the shows Destination Truth and Fact or Faked dabble with the paranormal. For those that don't know, the first three shows follow teams of investigators around who are doing pseudoscientific research trying to either find ghosts, or present other possible explanations to purported hauntings. I will say that I do watch these shows, and enjoy them, but greet them with a little bit of skepticism.


Growing up in a Southern Baptist area, I have been told ghosts do not exist. However, there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Ghosts are supposed to be dead people that haven't left earth yet and are just roaming around. The Bible says that once you die, you either go to Heaven, or to Hell. At least one of these statements must be false.


Well, I've come to a conclusion. Ghosts are real, but not necessarily what people think they are. Follow me if you will. You have credible people claiming to have encountered ghosts, or heard voices, or whatever. These people have nothing to gain by lying to you (in fact they may be afraid to tell someone), they are not known to lie to you, they are not crazy people, and they haven't suffered any head injuries recently that would lead to them seeing a white figure in their hotel room. This would leave someone to believe that something is indeed there. On top of this, you have Biblical evidence that states that when a person dies, they leave this planet. That would then mean that whatever this something is, it is something other than your great uncle who died fighting against your great grandfather during the Civil War.


That would leave two other options, angels or demons. We'll examine the possibility or angels first. Angels are fully allied with God, and God will not lead us away from His truth. These ghosts are leading people to believe that they are your or someone elses dead ancestors, therefore they cannot be angels. What does that leave us with? Demons.


The Devil and the demons that report to him have devoted eternity to getting people to turn away from God, and will stop at nothing to achieve this objective. Ghosts are one way that they will do this. Psychics, mediums, tarot card readers, and anyone willing to talk long lost great aunt Gladys that you didn't even know you had, fall along the same lines. The best way to combat this is to know the truth ahead of time. 


Amen.

Enemy Occupied Territory

Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is. - C.S. Lewis


This quote came to mind the other day when I was thinking about the people around me. Jesus called us to be in the world, and not of the world, and that would lead to the fact that some people are of this world. I started to think about specific people and I began to start categorizing them. I think this little list should help you out.


Allies - These are the people with a true, authentic Christian faith. Not only do they talk the talk, but they walk the walk. More specifically, they walk as Jesus walked. These are the people that love their neighbors as themselves, without forcing any particular religion or denomination on them, but still sharing the Gospel in the way they live. 


The Other Side -The original title I had for this was The Enemy. However, that phrase carries too much with it. An enemy is someone that is avoided, despised, or possibly even killed. This is not how you should approach members of the other side. In fact, this is precisely how Satan wants the Allies to act. If members of the other side are never met by the Allies, then they will never hear the Word of God. If someone never hears and accepts the word of God, then the Devil has won. 


The Other Side is filled with people that have no faith in any sort of God, and have no problem telling you that. Members of the other side that have moved up in the ranks will even spend a great deal of time and energy trying to convince people that there is no God. However, keen observers will notice, that most of these arguments revolve around disproving Christianity. The other side spends a great deal of time trying to disprove what the Allies know to be true, because our God is the only real threat, because our God is the only real God, and they have already won over those that believe in other gods.


The Spy - The spy comes in various forms. One form is the person who claims to be a Christian, but leaves it at that. Another form is that of a person who claims to be Christian, but preaches a gospel different than that which Jesus preached. Another form is the person who claims to be Christian, but lives in a way that is hateful towards others, which is to say living a life contrary to how Christ has told us to live. Spies are people who claim to be Christian and say that things in the Bible did not happen. They claim that the Bible is open to individual interpretation, that I may see something in the Bible one way, another person in a different way, and so on. A hundred people could read a passage from the Bible, have one hundred different takes on it, and all one hundred be right. How that even makes sense, I have no idea. The Spy is the worst of all. The spy may be so deeply undercover that they do not even know which side they are truly on. Unfortunately for the Allies, the Spies are what the world sees as Christianity: Hateful, judgmental, and hypocritical. 


Jesus teaches us to love God with everything we are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The other side and the spies will have us believe that these are impossible tasks. They will say things like "It must be impossible, just look at what you're up against. People will not listen to you, and the ones that do will make fun of you. Why even try?" Speaking for myself, and perhaps other allies, we have all heard this argument. The other side and the one they report to will do anything to keep you down. I will end with this: The other side and the spies may have a numerical advantage, but with God there is everlasting strength, which will win in the end.




Amen.

A Case For Traditional Worship

Unraveling the Mega-Church: True Faith or False Promises?

I've started reading the book mentioned above. I have only made it through the first chapter, but it looks good, kinda. I will say that so far, Amazon is charging WAAAAAY too much to buy the book. If you are interested, check it out at your local library, like I did.

People can be selfish. Most of what a person does revolves around themselves. When they go to school, it is to ensure future success in life (or because one is required by law to do so). When one goes to work, it is to collect a paycheck. If one donates to a cause, it can be for a few reasons: To make oneself feel better and brag about it to friends, or it is easier to give the beggar/homeless person/bell ringer/Disabled American Veteran some spare change than to ignore them. Not to mention you may get a tootsie roll out of the deal. So then it would stand to reason that a selfish person would go to church for selfish reasons, like if I go to church and put ten bucks in then God is required to make me happy, rich, and popular.

To this end, certain churches, primarily mega-churches, have created and spread a gospel that caters to selfish people. (Side note: McNair asserts that all mega-churches are guilty of this. I, however, am uncomfortable making all-encompassing generalizations.) They have thrown out old songs in favor of new ones, they have thrown out the traditional worship service in favor of a rock concert like one. They do this in the name of reaching people that have never heard of, or rejected Jesus Christ. A noble cause, to be sure.

One of the reasons I have heard people give me for the benefit of these types of services is " is all about God. There are no distractions, it's just God." The truth is that a great deal of these churches ARE a distraction. The worship service is all about making YOU feel good and making sure YOU have a good time. In fact, the sermon may actually be about how God can make YOU happier/richer/healthier/taller/etc. Is that what the church service is supposed to be about?

No. Sure, if done properly, the worship service will enrich your life, and you will learn from it. But you cannot forget what the worship service is supposed to be centered around, which is God. That is one area where the traditional liturgy and worship service excel. Many of the mega-churches formulate their worship service to avoid tradition based the assumption that it is filled with rituals that mean nothing and cannot enrich your life.

Well, here's the truth. A traditional worship service (speaking from an Anglican perspective) is basically a re-enactment of the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. All the traditions are too numerous to name, so I'll hit on a few key points. The beginning of the worship service begins with the priest, or other celebrant, coming from the rear of the sanctuary to the front, following a processional cross the entire way, signifying Christ entering the world, knowing full well crucifixion lies ahead. The celebrant delivers the gospel reading by going into the middle of the sanctuary, and reading the gospel there, reminding us that Jesus went to the people to bring them the Good News (Read my most recent post: What is Mission?) At the end of the service, the priest makes his way to the rear of the sanctuary, and proclaims: Go forth in peace to love and serve the Lord. This signifies Christ's ascension into Heaven, and more importantly, He is not dead.

What is my point? I have a couple of them. First off, if you are in a worship service devoted entirely to you, it is an invalid worship experience. Whether that be in a contemporary mega-church, or a traditional worship service, if the experience is about you, you're not doing it right. Second off, the traditional worship service is not a bunch of empty rituals there for the purpose of looking neat. Sure, they do look neat, and if practiced as empty rituals, they mean nothing. If practiced properly, the experience will continually bring new understanding of Unchanging Truth to your life. I'll end my blog with this: What are you worshiping, and why are you worshiping? Keep these in mind as you head to church this weekend, keep it in the back of your head during the worship service, and reflect upon it after the fact.

Amen.

Legal Disclaimer: Again, I am not making all encompassing generalizations. There are contemporary worship services that are valid, as long as the purpose of it is to worship God, and the worshiper is actually worshiping God, and not merely a participant. Furthermore, some traditional worship services are geared towards worshiping you, it's quite easy to tell them from the God-centered ones. Anywho, no matter how what style you worship, make sure the whole focus is on God.

What is Mission?

For those of you that don't know, I am applying to be an Anglican Priest. The first part of this process is filling out an application, which includes essay questions. I was trying to figure out what to do the blog about this week, I was answering a question that dealt with what my definition of mission is, and to reflect on the Great Commandments and the Great Commission. This is how my answer stands so far, but sure it will change before the application is sent to wherever it is that it goes.

Essentially, what mission means is to change the world, a little bit, or a lot at a time for the glory of God. By change the world, I don’t mean things like recycling soda cans and carpooling to work, but to spread the love of Christ to as many people as possible.

Mission is supposed to be an active thing. Christ commands all of us in Matthew 28:19-20 to go out and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. The key thing to point out here is that He says go out. Mission is reaching out to others, and not just waiting for people to enter into the doors of your church, you have to go out and get them.

You do no good getting people into church if that is your purpose, and once they are butts in seats, you leave them as that. The Great Commandments “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” and “love your neighbor as yourself” provide a clear picture of what mission is supposed to be. If your idea is only to get someone into your church, then you will only tell them about the things that your church offers that you think they will like. For example, “my church has an awesome band” or “my church has Starbucks coffee and a variety of pastries” or “my pastor is a really nice guy.” While none of these things are bad in and of themselves, they do nothing to show love for your neighbor. What is happening is that instead of glorifying God, you are glorifying yourself, because you got these people to come to church. If every week this person goes to church, but if they are never fed the Gospel and only donuts from their worship experience, then the Great Commandments, and thus mission, have not been met.

Mission is achieved when you continue to minister to people even after they have started going to your church, another church, or have not made a decision yet.  Even after a person has given themselves to Christ, they still need Christian leadership and teaching. If you leave them be after their conversion, they are likely to turn to heretics and false teachers that will undo everything that God has done in their lives. Mission is when God leads you to love others for His glory, and not for your own. This should be the basic model for the individual and for the local church. God uses everybody to further his mission, since it is something that no person could do on his or her own. That is why the local church comes into play. People need to work together in order to accomplish the mission laid out by Christ Himself.

Don't They Know?

Yet again, I will be reflecting on one of my favorite songs. Most of you have not heard of this band or this song (although I know for sure that two of you have). A band out of Virginia called True Liberty has a song called Don't They Know? which is what I'll be writing about today. Sorry, I couldn't find the song on the internet, but the link takes you to the band's website where they have the lyrics.

I would like all the Christians reading this to think about their non-believing friends. I will talk in general (not to be giving things away) about mine. Some are those I work with currently, some are those I have worked with in the past, and some of those who my wife has worked with. I see a great deal of problems that they are faced with (not saying that following Christ automatically fixes all problems), and think of the refrain from Don't They Know?

Don't they know that God has the answer?

Don't they know that He has a plan?

Don't they know that God has the answer?

We must seek the Master's plan.

Jesus and His name are almost everywhere. From t-shirts, to books, even to billboards. These all fall short of explaining Him and who He is. No one pays attention to t-shirts that don't interest them, the same for books. And the billboards only say the name of Jesus, and nothing else. I start thinking about all these people and what they have in common. If you could take a moment, think about your non-believing friends that you thought of earlier, and now think about what they have in common. And no, I am looking for something other than they are your friends and they don't believe. The answer is much simpler, and possibly even more frightening. I thought about it, and it came to me.

Me. That's right, me. That is what they all have in common. Furthermore, most of these people hang around other non-believers, and may never hear the word of God except for one thing. Me. I would dare say, that the common link between your non-believing friends, is you. If your first reaction was anything like mine, it was most likely something along the lines of "Wow, this sucks. That's a lot of responsibility placed on my shoulders. How am I supposed to do this?" Well, I won't give you an exhaustive list, but here is a few important first steps.

Do what True Liberty says in their last verse:

God can heal a broken heart

And the wounds that are too deep to bear

Because if we would only do our part

And bring it to the Lord in prayer

Well, that doesn't sound so hard now does it. Praying is not, but the answer may be. The second part, and the answer to my prayer, was that I had to live a life that was a reflection of Jesus. Simplistically put, you're not going to be able to bring the Gospel to someone that you are currently trying to stab behind their backs. Live your life honorably, keep your tongue tamed, and most importantly, keep your eyes on Jesus. In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commands us to "go and make disciples of all nations" as well as "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." The point is you actually have to get up and GO do something. As was said recently, Christianity is not a sedentary faith.

The act of bringing Christianity to your non-believing friends is just that. This aspect of the Faith, along with all other aspects, is an action, something you have to physically do. I know it's hard, it is for me. But with every step of the way, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, and take it to the Lord in prayer.

Amen.