Maybe it's because our conveniences actually create inconveniences in following Jesus...(You'll get this after you read the blog)

Have you ever stopped to think about the inconveniences we'll go through on a daily basis to ensure our conveniences?  It's actually pretty comical AND ironic when you think about it.  Everyday, we get up and go to work for 8 or more hours to pay for a nice, air conditioned house, cable television, cell phones, swimming pools, fancy cars and a plethora of other toys.  In fact, we spend so much time working to pay for these things that we seldom have time to actually enjoy them.  That's ironic, if you ask me.

My wife loves Disney World.  Just the other day she was telling me that it's time for us to take our family back to the "most magical place on earth".  Here' the kicker...she's figured out that we need at least $5000 saved up to make this dream vacation happen.  Get this...that means that we'll have to work hard, work extra and save like the dickens, eschewing countless smaller enjoyments, all so that we may embark on this one big enjoyment.  So if all goes as planned, we'll save for two years or so, making sacrifice after sacrifice, so we can enjoy one week.

You know what this is like because, unless you're made of money, you've probably done the same thing at some point.  Oh boy how we will inconvenience ourselves in pretty big ways to enjoy a few small conveniences!  So true...unless, of course, we start talking spiritually.

It seems that when it comes to spiritual matters, we take just the opposite course.  We avoid any kind of inconvenience.  Spiritual things that take up our time are, more times than not, placed on the back burner of our lives.  Now, what's crazy about all of this is that the spiritual things in life are, actually, the most valuable things.  Yet, we treat them as if they are of no value, at worst, or of very little value, at best!

In the Western Christian's mind, faith...and all that goes along with it...should be easy.  In our minds we've convinced ourselves that if God really wants something from us, He'll make it simple.  When it comes to making spiritual decisions, some actually operate from the mentality that the path of least resistance MUST be the path ordained by God.  In fact, if something gets hard, many Christians will conclude that God is "shutting that door".

One small problem exists with this logic, however...specifically the fact that God NEVER promised that His path was easy.  In fact, Jesus made it clear over and over and over again that following Him would be the most difficult thing that any of us could choose to do (cf. Matthew 10:16-25, 32-39; 16:24-27; 20:25-28; 24:9-14; Mark 8:34-38; 13:9-13; Luke 9:23-26, 57-62; 12:49-53; 14:25-27; John 12:24-26; 15:18-21; 17:14-16).  According to Him, following Him would cost us everything (be inconvenient), but would offer the greatest of pay offs in the end.

Now, I've already demonstrated how each of us are willing to put up with inconvenience in order to secure for ourselves a convenience that we may or may not even get to frequently enjoy.  How crazy is it, then, that we won't put up with the inconveniences brought about in our lives because of Christ even though we know the "convenience" of Heaven awaits those who are faithful followers?  Seriously, in light of eternity, is making time for Scripture study really such an inconvenience?  In light of eternity is prayer really such an inconvenience?  Is church attendance really such an inconvenience in light of the fact that eternity will be one huge time of worship?  Is serving others such an inconvenience?  Is giving to God's work...whether it be time, money or talents...such an inconvenience?  Is going out of your way to share the Good News of Jesus really such an inconvenience?  Is suffering ridicule, persecution or physical loss such an inconvenience in light of eternity?

I'll work hard for a year or so and sacrifice much for a week at Disney!  How much will you and I be willing to sacrifice...how hard will we work...for an eternity of Glory?  You see, in light of what we get in return, the things that Christ demands of His followers can't really compare!  Honestly, they can't even rank as inconveniences in light of the convenience of knowing Him and being known by Him!

***Disclaimer - some of you may read this and think I'm advocating "earning" eternity through present struggle.  That is not the case.  Salvation is only available through Jesus Christ and a relationship with Him.  I will say, however, that a real relationship always comes with responsibility and demands...be it a relationship with another person or with the God of the Universe.  Therefore, I don't suffer inconveniences now so that I may "earn" a convenience...instead, b/c of my relationship...I choose to see those things, which would otherwise be considered inconveniences by those w/out said relationship, as a natural by-product of my relationship with Christ.  So...as I'm performing all the duties of a follower of Christ, I do so willingly and happily b/c I love Him AND b/c I know He'll reward my faithfulness.  Point made?  Good, now go get to work for Jesus!***

War...What Is It Good For? Part 2

Just today, I read that Glenn Beck of TheBlaze.com has predicted that the world is headed towards World War III.  He makes a pretty compelling argument, explaining all of the things that have happened over the past few years which would have provided us a way to avoid its coming; however, according to him, we didn't take any of those "exit ramps" in our nation or in the world so we are inevitably headed down a highway that leads to war.

I have to admit that I have sat for hours over the past few weeks thinking about the state of our world.  I've prayed for the persecution happening against Christians by IS in Iraq.  I've prayed just as hard for the muslims that this group is putting to death, knowing that the Christians, at least, are going  home where they will be with their Lord and Savior.  I've prayed for Israel...not just in their fight against Hamas, but also in that the whole world seems to be turning against the little country in which our Christian faith has it's roots.  I've prayed for the Russia/Ukraine situation, fearing that one wrong move there by "us" or "them" would push us over the precipice of war.  I've prayed for our nation's leadership...especially for our President who appears more and more to be a little boy pretending he knows what he's doing in a man's world.  I've prayed that God would help him make good decisions in spite of himself.

All of that to say that Beck has gone on record, saying something that I've been thinking, but not saying, for weeks now.  Anyone who is a student of the Scriptures should find it quite simple to find the parallels that seem to show up between our time and what the Bible explains to be the "end times".  It definitely looks like things are getting close to a completion in this old world...and when all that Scripture says will happen comes upon us it won't really matter whether you agree with me or not or whether you acknowledge it as what Scripture calls it.

You see, Beck calls it World War III.  I call it Armageddon...that's what the Bible calls it too.  According to what we read in the Bible, the world, as we know it, will be brought to ruin during this last epic war where Jesus will show up and destroy all those kingdoms of the earth that stand opposed to Him.  While this will most definitely be a physical war with real bombs, bullets and bodies, there is a spiritual dimension to all of this that we must acknowledge.  This last war will just be a culmination of something that has been going on spiritually since way back at the beginning.  For those of us who have a relationship with Jesus and are part of God's family understand that Satan declared war against our Father a long time ago.  His goal has always been to set himself upon the throne of God.  In fact, the fiercest battle of all happened at Calvary where Satan endeavored to kill the Son of God and where Jesus, through His death, laid the foundation for His ultimate victory over this enemy.

What most of us...even us believers...fail to realize is that we live in this spiritual war zone on a daily basis.  Everyday, whether we know it or not, we fight battles.  Hopefully, we advance on the enemy lines...at least some of us do.  This spiritual war is fought as we proclaim the Gospel in our actions and with our words.  We don't fight this war with guns...it is not our intent to kill the soldiers on the other side, but to convert them.  This is a war that is fought and won as the soldiers warring on the side of the dictator, Satan, willingly change their allegiance and join in with the gracious and merciful leader of the other side, Jesus.  As soldiers of the cross, we are to forcefully advance the Kingdom of God by proclaiming the message of the Gospel of Christ with every word and deed!

Now...here's a truth that I realize is so true.  The more powerful and serious the issues are in the spiritual realm, the more they begin to show up in the physical realm.  Let me illustrate.  When God's people live in radical obedience to the will of the Father, sharing their faith at whatever cost and proclaiming His truth to the nations, things start happening in the physical world that are manifestations of the advance of the Gospel in the spiritual world.  We would call these things miracles.  Yes...they are happening all over the world in places where the people of God are living radically obedient lives.  People coming back from the dead, miraculous healings, people having dreams and visions...we're talking New Testament stuff here.  Now, the opposite is true as well...when Satan ramps up his activity in the spiritual realm, the results show themselves in the physical.  Have you stopped to consider why there is so much violence?  Why persecution?  Why terrorism?  Why the prospect of war?  Why are nations in economic ruin?  Why is there so much hate, anger, distrust, self-indulgence and chaos?  Why do all of these things seem to be on the increase?

The amazing thing is that we see all of these things and surmise that the way to fix these problems is through political, military or economic means.  The problem is that these attempts to remedy evil only treat the symptoms...they aren't cures!  The real issue is spiritual in nature...people don't know Jesus!  The reason that terrorists terrorize, murderers kill, thieves steal, power-hungry men conquer, hate-filled people destroy and prideful & arrogant people act like they have all the answers is because none of these people know the Prince of Peace!  You see...when we know Jesus, He changes us spiritually which results in an outward change as well.

So while we have a responsibility to protect, preserve and promote life...and, yes, sometimes that means we have to stop violence with some kind of physical tool...what we must remember is that the only real cure to the problems of this world is Jesus!  Let's face it, we're not just headed for war, we're already at war!  The only thing to do is for believers to get serious about sharing the Gospel with friends, family and complete strangers at home and across the world!  The solution to the problem of evil is a spiritual one and we hold it in our hands...it's the Gospel!

Of course, don't take my word for it...check out God's Word.  "Be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.  For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.  This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand."  (Ephesians 6:10-13)  Continue reading in that passage to discover some of the tools He's given us for this fight...pretty cool stuff!

For too long, we've lived ignorant to the fact that this war is raging all around us.  We've neglected our part in it.  We've shirked our responsibility.  We've lived life as though only the physical were real.  We've treated our daily decisions as if they are of little consequence.  We've elected leaders solely on economic or social terms...instead of what they stand for morally.  We've done all of this and now this spiritual war is about to break out into the physical and folks like Glenn Beck see it coming, but they're out of solutions.  I have one solution I'd like to suggest...His name is Jesus!  One way or the other, He's going to bring about peace.  He'll either do it as people turn their hearts to Him voluntarily, or...as we read about in the war to end all wars in Revelation...He'll do so forcefully as He destroys evil...and evil people along with it...by the power of His Word.  The Prince of Peace will have His peace!  

War...What is it good for?

War....what is it good for?

I have to admit that, today, I'm a little down.  I didn't start the day that way, but my mood is definitely a little "grayer" now than at the beginning.  You see, just a little while ago I found out that a friend whom I had lost contact with recently committed suicide.  There were some issues this friend struggled with which resulted in their being convinced to believe that life was unlivable.  Over the course of my life, I've known 3 people who committed suicide and all three were convinced of that same thing.

When I was in 10th grade, one of my best friends had an argument with his mom and decided that the fallout of that argument made life worthless so he stuck a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.  There wasn't much closure to that for anyone...not even an open casket at the funeral...just a picture on top of a closed box.  I remember his mom being so overcome with grief that she, literally, couldn't stand up.  It was the worst funeral I've ever been to.

A couple of years ago one of my friends who happened to be a partner in ministry committed suicide.  This was a man, whom I know from experience, loved Jesus.  I worked alongside him for years and we had some fun times together.  I got to see this man lead people to faith in Christ and was actually mentored by him in some ways.  The traps he fell into in his moral life, however, destroyed his marriage and disqualified him from ministry.  With these two things gone, he felt life was unlivable as well.

As I sit here thinking about these three, I'm reminded how much sin wrecks everything.  I understand why God hates sin so much...it literally destroys the things He loves!  

This week, I start a new series with our students on the persecution that exists in the Christian world. Did you know that 80% of the Christians in the world live in persecution because of their faith?  Did you know that 100,000 Christians are killed each year because of their faith?  In fact, it's quite probable that many have died in Iraq, alone, since IS came into the country!

Our brothers and sisters in persecution understand something that we "abnormal Christians" who don't experience ongoing physical & political persecution sometimes forget...we are at war!  No, it's not a war against flesh and blood...it's a war against powers, principalities, rulers of the air...it's spiritual!  And, leading the charge is our enemy, the devil. 

You see, Christians may die at the hands of IS in Iraq, but they aren't the real source of persecution...the enemy is!  Christians in China may suffer torture, imprisonment, threats, seizures and death at the hands of the communist government, but that government isn't the source of persecution...the enemy is!  In North Africa and the Middle East, Christians may live in constant fear and be ostracized, at best, or murdered, at worst, by militant Islamists, but muslims aren't the source of that persecution...the enemy is!

And...let's be clear.  Christians in the US may struggle with fear, doubt, emotional turmoil, failure, lack of self-worth, broken homes, broken relationships, broken dreams, broken faith and addictions and struggles with every possible kind of sin...and, these things may destroy our faith, rob us of our joy, silence our witness and make us spiritually impotent...but these tools aren't the source of our downfall...the enemy is!

I know that 2 of the friends I mentioned were men of God...I'm pretty sure my young friend wasn't because God had laid it on my heart to witness to him and I never did.  For the ones who were, I knew their testimony and their witness.  These men fell victim to the enemy's lies.  In a way, they experienced a kind of persecution.  One of the definitions of persecution that we'll be using in our study says that persecution is any act performed against Christians in an attempt to silence their witness concerning Jesus Christ.  So...persecution has, at its root, the sole purpose of keeping people from sharing Jesus.  

I've come to realize that persecution can be physical, mental, emotional...and spiritual.  And, our enemy is adept at using all of the above.  In areas where physical and mental abuse is possible...he'll use it.  In areas where emotional abuse is possible...he'll use it.  And in areas, like the US, where there's freedom to live and act how we choose without much chance of discrimination (for the time being that is)...he'll use the spiritual stuff to keep us bound, afraid, defeated and silent.

At is center...persecution is really all about WAR?  And that leads to a logical question...what is that war good for?  Well, I would be tempted to say "absolutely nothing", however, I already know how the war is going to end.  I know Who is going to be victorious.  So, I can say...even in the midst of persecution...with Paul, "We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.  We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that he life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."  (2 Cor. 4:8-10)

When I'm tempted, because of my failures, to remain silent...when I'm tired and giving in to fleshly desire seems like the logical way to go...when the enemy tries to convince me that Jesus hasn't done much in my life to talk about...when he whispers that the war isn't worth fighting...I'm reminding that Jesus and His message is so much bigger than me AND HE IS WORTH IT!  The enemy may bring his worst...he may attack us and make martyrs out of us, but Christ's elect will stand!  His bride will not perish!  His saints will persevere!  He will bring about our victory because He, Himself, is our victory!  Yes, this war is good because victory is assured and each battle is worth the fight!!!!

My name is Wayne...and I'm a redneck!

I've officially arrived as a full-fledged country redneck!  Seriously I have!  Why do I say this?  Well, a few months ago my family was invited to a local dirt-track to watch some racing.  We've lived near this track for years...and have even said we'd like to check it out sometime...but had never visited it.  For one, there's a lot of crazy Mississippi rednecks there and, two, they're doing crazy Mississippi redneck stuff!  So...even though we thought we'd enjoy the racing, we stayed away due to the crazies...until a few months ago, that is.

It being free admission night, we felt like we had nothing to lose so we loaded up the truck and headed to the races.  Some friends pulled a few strings and got us a spot that we could back into and tailgate right next to the track enclosure.  When those cars came out of that first turn and hit the gas, I was met with a pure, no holds barred, adrenaline rush that didn't end until the last car left the track!  The power, the sounds, the speed, the mud thrown through the fence and into the back of my truck...it all added up to pure redneck fun.  I remember looking over at my daughter, her mouth dropped wide open, as she screamed, "Dad, this is awesome!"  Yes, we had a blast!!

I found myself out at the raceway a few weeks later...this time with a friend from Canada.  He wanted to experience redneck culture in all its wonder so I decided to take him to my new found wonderland.  And, guess what...he loved it too!  All of this to say that I have finally decided that it's not good to fight your true identity.  My name is Wayne...and I am a redneck!

Now, I'm sure that this revelation doesn't surprise many of you...especially if you know my family; therefore, you may be asking, "What's the point?"  Well, the point is this...for years I avoided something, which I was pretty sure I'd like, only because I was concerned about a few unknowns.  You see, I had it in my mind that things were one way until I experienced reality.  My experience proved that my perceptions weren't all correct.  And, truth be told, we're all guilty of allowing our fear of the unknown to keep us from something new at times.

This truth has huge implications for us in the area of our faith.   I can admit that, right now, I'm wrestling with something that I feel God may be leading me to do, but that I know will be a huge undertaking for which I feel inadequate.  What I've learned from my dirt track education is, however, that to avoid such a thing simply because I don't have all the answers could, actually, lead to me missing out on some pretty big blessings.  Not acting on the things God leads you to because of fear is silly on the one hand (we're working for God, here, so why should we worry, right?) and downright disobedient on the other.

It's been often said that God equips those He calls and that He's not interested in our ability as much as our availability.  So, as you sit here today, what is it that God is calling you to do?  What fears are holding you back?  What could you potentially be missing out on because of your hesitation?  Who else is missing out because of your indecision?  Why not let today be the day you jump headlong into God's dream for your life?

Wasted Words

There have been a few times, in my parenting stint, where I have felt like I was completely wasting my words.  These have usually been extremely important instructional points that are sure to lead to complete destruction of their future if my children refuse to catch onto and apply them.  Examples might include things such as taking out the trash every morning; not fighting with one's sibling over something stupid like who had such and such toy first and who it belongs to in the first place; not leaving clothes piled on the floor of the bedroom or bathroom or living room or hall or any of the other rooms where my kids love to leave clothes piled up; turning off the lights when you're not in the room because we're using up all the electricity; not filling the bath tub up to swimming pool levels when taking a bath; or NOT EATING ON MOM'S RUG!!!  Ok, maybe those things aren't as life-altering to you as they are to me.  These are the things, however, which I seem to harp on over and over and over again.  It's like all my words on these issues are completely wasted.  You get that because I'm sure that you, too, feel like there have been times when your words have fallen on deaf ears and were wasted as well.

The truth is that it's not just the unheeded words we speak that are wasted.  You see, things can be wasted because they're used in wasteful ways OR things can be wasted because they sit there and are never used at all.  Quite honestly, we waste as many of our words this way as we do the other!  Perhaps it's that missed opportunity of telling someone how much we really do care.  Or, maybe it's those words of encouragement that could make such a huge difference in someone's life that we leave unsaid.  We, often, leave hard words unsaid because they could make things awkward, but we also leave great words unsaid because they could make things...well, awkward!  And then, there are some words we don't say because we've wasted a couple of other resources that are so valuable...time or money.  So, instead of being THERE to say the words we should be saying to the ones who need to hear them, we are off somewhere else using our time to make more money.  If you're like me, this is all very convicting.  That being the case, lets take it up a notch.

There are, perhaps, no words more wasted than those we don't say...to God!  Yep, I'm talking about prayer.  Lets be honest, some of us talk to ourselves more than we talk to God.  An Ellis Research Survey for Facts & Trends magazine found that only 16% of pastors are satisfied with their prayer lives.  The median amount of time that most spend praying each day is 30 minutes!  Another poll found that only 64% of Christians pray more than once a day.  Of these same Christians, only 38% see that an important purpose of prayer is to provide intimacy with God.  So, as a whole do Christians pray enough?  I don't think so.  According to these statistics, there are quite a few wasted words out there.  And, wasted is the absolute perfect term to use based on another study!  Did you know it's been proven that prayers are extremely effective?  A group of physicians wanted to determine the effectiveness of prayer so they set up a study.  Patients at a medical center in California were randomly divided into two groups.  One group was assigned to a group of Christians to be prayed for.  The placebo group had no one praying for them.  Before the study, there were no statistical differences between the groups.  However, the results of the study were astounding.  During the trial period, those who were prayed for suffered "less congestive heart failure, required less diuretic and antibiotic therapy, had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had few cardiac arrests, and were less frequently intubated and ventilated."  So, there you have the proof...prayer works.  And, when believers don't pray, we're wasting some pretty effective words!

Now, I could have bypassed all of the above and went straight to scripture to tell you this, but sometimes we need a few physical proofs to get us moving in the right spiritual direction.  Nevertheless, listen to what God's Word tells us in James 5:16..."the intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful."  That's right...those aren't just words you're speaking to God...they are, perhaps, the most powerful and effective words you could ever speak to anyone, anywhere!  So, Believer, pray it up!  Or, as another Biblical author puts it, "Pray without ceasing!"  I really don't want to get to heaven and find out that I could have had so much more impact on this world and the lives of those around me if I had just said a few more prayers!  I don't want to miss out on God's blessings, nor do I want others to miss out on His blessings, because I have wasted my words.  

Parents, pray for your children.  Pray for them when they can hear you and pray for them when they can't!  Husbands, pray for your wives!  Wives, pray for your husbands!  Children, pray for your parents!  Friends, pray for one another.  Pray for your family!  Pray for this world...it needs it, by the way!  Pray for our nation!  Pray for our leaders!  Pray for God's work to produce much fruit!  Pray for God's workers to be effective!  Pray that you'll be effective!  Pray for opportunities to serve and work for God's Kingdom!  Pray that God would bless you and those around you in crazy ways!  Hey, I have a few things that I'm praying for right now that are completely insane, but if they happen the only explanation will be God!  Bottom line...DON'T WASTE YOUR WORDS!!!!

**the following website was cited in this blog:  http://www.churchleaders.com/mobile/pastors/pastor-articles/150915-us-statistics-on-prayer.html

Income Inequality Is Real...Just Not How You Think!

You're rich!  Did you know that?  Before you react with an emphatic "NO!" you need to read the rest of this blog.  Now, when I say your rich I don't mean you're rich compared to all of the other people in the United States.  Although, you may be if you look at the numbers.  Here lately, in the US, there's been an increasing amount of talk about "income inequality".  Evidently, there are those who think that the "haves" actually have a disproportionately greater amount than the "have nots".  We could argue this all day, although I would point out that as long as there have been material possessions, there have always been those who have had more.  There's no way you can get around that.  So, when it comes to me saying you're rich, I can't say that with any certainty when comparing you to others in the US.  However, according to some recent statistics, if you're an American then compared to the rest of the world you are most certainly rich.

Check this out.  America's poorest still live better than many in other countries.  In fact, "America's poorest are, as a group, about as rich as India's richest."  Let's say you're in the bottom 5% of American's, based on income.  Your standard of living is about equal to the top 5% of Indians!  Hard to believe?  Further, even if you're in the bottom 5% of American's, income wise, you're still richer than 68% of the world's inhabitants!  What that means is that if your family income is around $10,000 a year, then you are wealthier than 84% of the world's population.  If you're family income is more than $50,000 a year, you make more than 99% of the rest of the world.  Seriously, the upshot of all of this is that, unless you are homeless and have no income at all, YOU ARE RICH!!!

Now, I realize this may be hard for us to hear...especially in a nation where we are, all, chasing an American dream that pits us against our neighbors and drives us to be materialistic and self-centered. In fact, we're convinced that we deserve the same things as everyone else around us.  That's created an entitlement mentality in our nation.  So much so that, now, our nation is handing out free cellphones because everyone deserves to have the basic necessity of a mobile device satisfied.  I wonder how much of the other 99% of the world have such a convenience?  Anyway, this isn't a rant against handouts...it's actually a rant against all of us who have so much, yet still feel entitled to more!

My point is that, despite the fact that you may not be doing so great a job at keeping up with the Jones', you are definitely pretty far ahead of, at least, 68% of the rest of the world's population and, if you're just an average American you're way ahead of almost everyone else in the world.  So, now that we've established the fact that, regardless of how we compare ourselves to other Americans, we are, in fact, rich from a global perspective, lets turn ourselves to a pertinent issue that applies to all of us rich folks.

JAMES has a message for us...you guessed it, right!  In chapter 4 of his letter he has some pretty serious words for those he classifies as rich.  He cautions them about putting their confidence in wealth.  He vividly makes the point that their wealth is going to perish and, if that is where their trust lies, they'll perish right along with it.  He echoes something Jesus once said about storing up treasure on earth.  Of course, Jesus made a point that one should do just the opposite of that, instead laying up treasure in heaven.  In my last blog, I suggested that there is a resource much greater than money...that of time.  It's the one resource we can't get back.  So, the question that hangs in the air with both Jesus and James is, "What are you spending your time on?"  Are you spending all of your time amassing for yourself a little treasure trove of temporary trinkets such as houses, cars, clothes, cash, etc. or are you spending your time amassing for yourself a treasure of eternal worth and significance?  Both Jesus and James would say that if you're of the former crowd then you'll find, at the end of the line, that all you have is a temporary treasure...eternity will elude you!  All of this is made much the worse if, while indulging in your excess, you have ignored or even mistreated the neglected and the needy in the process.  In other words, if you are rich (which we are, remember) and you use the resources God's given you for purely selfish means to please your selfish ambitions while ignoring the need that surrounds you then you "have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter."  Sound like a fun day to you?  Nah, me either.

So what does this mean?  Well, obviously, where you place your trust matters!  Regardless of what you may say with your lips, if the pattern of your lifestyle points to the fact that you put more faith in what you have than in who has you then you're in deep trouble my friend!  The sad part of all this is that you probably don't even realize how lost you really are!  The true believer realizes that riches are just resources to be used for God's Kingdom!

Does this mean that if you're not trying to remedy some of the need and neglect in the world with what you have  then you're not a true believer?  Does it mean that true salvation is somehow tied to the work of giving?  Well, no...and yes.  No...giving doesn't save you.  In fact, there are more than a few non-believers who out-give believers precisely because they're trying to earn better Karma for themselves.  They shouldn't expect eternal life just because they give!  What you do with Jesus is what determines your salvation.  However, a true believer will find it difficult, impossible even, to self-indulge, all the while, knowingly ignoring the needs of others.  I know this to be true because I know who Jesus was and is.  He is, by nature, a Giver.  In fact, He gave all!  What that means is that those who follow Him will do the same.  So, a true believer WILL be a giver instead of a taker and, in that way, giving marks a "Christian" as a true believer.

So...surprise...you're filthy rich!  You should really thank me for opening your eyes to this fact!  The question remains, however...now that you know this, how will it change what you do with all that treasure?


**Articles cited in this blog:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/06/01/astonishing-numbers-americas-poor-still-live-better-than-most-of-the-rest-of-humanity/

http://www.oregonlive.com/hovde/index.ssf/2012/08/income_in_perspective_americas.html

The Time Of Your Life

I love teachable moments.  Since my background is in education, I’ve come to appreciate those times that pop up every now and then that lend themselves so easily towards a greater understanding of a complex thought or process.  This is especially sweet when it involves my kids!  Just last Sunday, my kids enjoyed the privilege of such a moment.  Here lately, every time we put our kids in the car, they think we should stop by a restaurant while out and about.  After worship last Sunday, they started the “Daddy, where are we going to eat?” questions again.  I gave them my usual answer, “Wendy’s.”  Now they used to get excited about that…now, they’ve come to realize that I mean Wendy’s kitchen , not Wendy’s Restaurant (for those of you not in the know, Wendy is my wife's name).  Last week we just happened to be on our way to Walmart to pick up a few food items before heading home so I decided to take the opportunity to explain why we eat at home.  I started by explaining that it usually costs our family at least $40 to eat at a restaurant like Chili’s (that’s their favorite).  Then, I explained that for $200 we bought groceries to feed our whole family three meals a day for a week.  After doing a bit of math with them to discover what 3 meals a day for a week of eating at places like Chili’s would cost, I asked them which was the better deal.  Of course, they agreed that eating at home was the way to go.  That’s when I dropped the bomb.  I said, “So, guys, we’ll eat out on special occasions, but doesn’t it sound like a complete waste of hard earned money to eat out all the time?”  To my surprise…and delight…they completely agreed.  I’ve always thought that eating restaurant food was a lot like eating money…it’s gone in no time and you really don’t have much to show for it…except a gut maybe!

Now, you may or may not agree with my thought processes when it comes to eating out, but I’m sure you’ll agree with me that money is an important resource.  Without it, survival becomes somewhat difficult.  However, as valuable a resource as money is, I can think of one that is infinitely more valuable…time!  I mean, I can always make more money, but no one has the ability to make time.  I can take something back to Walmart and get my money back, but no matter how hard I try I can never get my time back regardless of how unsatisfied I am with how I’ve spent it.  Generally speaking, we all come into this world with no money, but tend to increase that resource as we get older.  However, time is a resource that we continually lose the more we live.  Money is valuable, but time is invaluable!  In fact, at the end of their life most everyone would give all of their money just to buy a few more months, weeks or days of time!  

We’re reminded of this concept in the book of James.  In the latter part of chapter 4, James introduces us to a group of people who make all kinds of plans about how they’re going to spend their future.  Their pursuits are purely selfish and materialistic.  Worst of all, they carry on as if they had all the time in the world AND were actually in command of their time.  In today's world, they would be making a 5 year plan.  James reminds them of a few things.  First of all, their time is fleeting…”like a vapor” or wisp of smoke, each will come quickly to the end of their life and realize that time marches on.  And, sadly, it marches on without them!  Secondly, he reminds them that they are not in control...their idea that they are is a complete illusion!  They don’t know what’s going to happen later today, much less tomorrow!  We live in a world where all of our plans for this weekend or this summer can be cut short by one drunk driver at a stop sign.  We are not in control.  Finally, he reminds them that how they spend the little bit of time that they have is infinitely important.  He points out that “to those who know the good to do, yet don’t do it, it is sin.”  The way we spend our time matters!  We are all guilty of piddling away our time on momentary pleasures and worldly endeavors, all the while forsaking the things of great eternal worth that God has given us to do.  We can sit for hours in front of a computer, television or movie screen, then have the audacity to claim we don’t have time to study God’s Word, pray or share the Gospel with a lost soul.  We can involve ourselves in all kinds of selfish and vain pursuits...improving our golf game, our tennis swing, our physique...while completely ignoring our own spiritual health.  Our homes are full of children who drizzle away their time at video games, cell phones, sports and all manner of extracurricular activity, yet, as their parents, we excuse them from Bible study, church attendance, prayer and activities that would grow them spiritually because their lives are just “too busy”.  We work too hard, play too hard and have little time or energy left for the eternal things that really matter…and according to God’s Word, in doing so, we sin!

Ladies and gentlemen, we should be absolutely ashamed of ourselves.  And, for those of you who are reading this, I’m sure that some of you join me in that shame.  The sad truth, however, is that many will never even read these words because they don’t think they “have the time”.  Believer, our lives were meant to count for so much more than the pitiful temporal things we spend them on.  So the question is, how are you spending your time?  It’s a resource that you can’t get back, you know…  At the end of your life, you’ll get a tombstone with two numbers on it.  One will mark a beginning for your lifetime and one will mark the end.  In the middle will be a dash.  Can I ask you what your dash will stand for?  How will you spend the time of your life?

You might hate me for this post, but if you do...

As I'm sitting, writing this, I'm also doing something that I've done at least 8 times now...watching the new Disney movie Frozen.  I've seen a lot of Disney movies in my life.  I have a sister that's 12 years younger than me so, as you can imagine, I spent a lot of time watching Disney during my teenage years.  Not only that, but my wife is a huge fan of all things Disney so we've seen almost every movie Disney has ever made.  My humble opinion is that Frozen is, by far, their best one yet.

Somewhat surprisingly to me, this movie has become a little controversial in Christian circles.  There are those who think it is pushing an agenda.  Honestly, I don't see it...at least not in a blatant way.  One would have to do a good bit of "reading into" in order to make a case for that, I believe.  However, there are also those who see a lot of parallels to Christianity in the movie.  After watching it so many times, I, myself, see quite a few Christian themes in the movie, as well.  It's definitely got more of a Christian theme than Noah, the latest "biblical" movie to come out.  Anyway, that's another blog for another time.  I definitely won't go into all the good themes I see in the movie Frozen (by the way that's been done pretty impressively by other bloggers), but I would like to unpack one of these because it just happens to line up with the current study we're doing with our students in our FaithWorks series from the book of James.

By the way, SPOILER ALERT!  If you haven't seen the movie, you probably will want to stop here, go see it and come back.  Otherwise, you've been warned!

The movie is about a girl, Elsa, who has the power to freeze things.  After an accident with her sister, Anna, during childhood it's suggested that she hide these powers until she's able to control them.  The rub is that she never is able to control them because, unbeknownst to all involved, it is her sister's love that gives her the power to overcome the raging storm inside her.  Wait, did I mention that her sister's memories of Elsa's powers have been erased?  Anyway, coronation day comes and Elsa is pronounced Queen of Arundell and, it being an emotionally charged event, the predictable happens and her facade cracks.  Her powers come out and Arundell is plunged into an eternal winter.   Elsa runs to the North Mountain, after her powers are revealed, where she hopes to leave Arundell behind for good.  She believes that her sister and the other inhabitants of her kingdom can live safely and peacefully in her absence.  Back in Arundell, there are a lot of mixed responses to the discovery of Elsa's powers.  Some respond with fear, others with awe and wonder.  Two responses, in particular, stand out.  First, there's the unconditional love and genuine concern that drives her sister, Anna, to go after her.  Anna hopes to bring Elsa home and help her to learn to control her powers.  She's not put off by Elsa's revelation.  Even after Elsa inadvertently hits her with her powers, thereby freezing her heart and bringing about her impending death, Anna's desire continues to be to see her sister restored.  This response is so very different from another character in the movie.  The Duke of Weselton wants one thing and one thing only...Elsa's demise.  He claims Elsa's power to be "sorcery" and demands that she be brought to justice.  In his mind, she's a monster and Arundell will never be safe until she is disposed of.  At one point in the story, he sends his men along on a rescue mission for Anna, commanding them to "end this winter"...ie, get rid of Elsa.

So, two hugely different responses.  And, as I think about them and our lesson from the Book of James, I'm cognizant of the fact that while Anna responded to Elsa with love, grace and genuine concern, the Duke's response was self-righteous judgment.  Now, lets be honest about something.  While most of us Christians would immediately identify ourselves with Anna, the truth is that the world would identify most of us with the Duke.  For the most part, Christians are seen as self-righteous, judgmental people who tend to unmercifully point out the flaws in others while turning a blind eye to their own.  Now, I don't think this would be case if it weren't at least partly true.  We do have a tendency to point out the faults of others.  We do tend to rail against certain sins that others commit while turning a blind eye to our own sins.  The world watches as we demonize homosexuality, drunkenness, fornication and licentiousness, yet frequently indulge, ourselves, in gluttony, gossip, slander, back stabbing, greed, materialism and sugar coated idolatry.  So, I say it again...though we think of ourselves as Anna, there is a great propensity for us to be more like the Duke.

Now, before you think I'm being soft on sin, let me point out an important little tidbit.  I actually believe we don't call out sin enough!  Let's face it...God has given us a high standard to live up to...and, I believe we've lowered the standard in today's church!  Identifying sin is not what makes us judgmental people.  We're judgmental when we set ourselves above others and self-righteously wag our pointing fingers, forgetting that we, ourselves, are sinners.  We should call out sin!  We should call out the sin of others AND we should call out our own sin!!

So, all of this to lead us up to what James has to say about the subject.  "Don't criticize one another brothers.  He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law.  But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.  There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy.  But who are you to judge your neighbor?"  (James 4:11-12)  What is the law that James is talking about here?  Well, our gut instinct would be to say that it's the Law given by God to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt...the ten commandments.  That's not the law James has in mind though.  Remember that context is always key!  Look back a couple of chapters at James 2:8, where Ole Jimmy gives us this one.  "If you really carry out the royal law prescribed in Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself', you are doing well.  But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors."  James goes on to state that breaking any one of the Mosaic laws makes you guilty of breaking it all.  Therefore, since the Royal Law (given by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-40 and reiterated here by James) supersedes the Mosaic law, being unloving makes one guilty of breaking the entire law.

Upshot of this is that if you hate a homosexual because of their sin then you are just as guilty, if not more, than them!  If you hate an adulterer because of their sin then you are just as guilty, if not more, than them!  I could go on, but I think you get the idea...they may be breaking one of God's laws, but if you hate or self-righteously judge then you're breaking the entire law!  You see, the law that James is referring to is the law of love!  We're instructed to love one another and the reason that criticism and judgmental attitudes are wrong is because they cause us to break this law!  Be sure of something, here.  James is not saying we should be soft on sin.  Read the rest of his letter if you think that!  If anything he's setting the bar even higher!  We must call out sin...but we must figure out how to do so in a loving and merciful way.

Back to the movie.  Anna knew that what Elsa had done wasn't a good thing and she went after her, in love, to restore her and help her make things right.  The Duke, on the other hand, was ready to write Elsa off.  Anna was willing to leave the safety and familiarity of the castle to go after her sister.  The Duke was willing to do nothing but sit back within the walls of the castle and condemn her.  When pressed to go along on the rescue mission, he sent some guys in his place to carry out his mission.  (Not to open a can of worms here, but this sounds a bit like what we Christians do when we send other people around the world to the "heathens" to tell them about Jesus while we sit back in our comfortable pews and air conditioned churches in the most affluent culture on the face of the earth and, self righteously, pat ourselves on the back for a job well done)  Believers, we are called, just as Anna did, to go after those living in sin.  To get in the trenches.  To suffer along with them.  To get dirty so that we can lead the filthy to the One who can make them clean.  We're called to convince others to stop trying to hide their dirty little secrets and, instead, to acknowledge them and give them to Jesus (this is what true repentance demands, after all)!  And, most importantly, we're commanded to do every bit of this with a loving, merciful and gracious spirit...just like Jesus!

So, who are you?  Are you Anna?  Are you selflessly going after those who are failing and flailing in their sin, driven by the grace, mercy and love that was poured out on you when you found rescue from your filth?  Or, are you the Duke?  Self-righteously pointing a finger at others, condemning, convicting, criticizing, but really doing nothing to try to help their situation?  Truth is, I didn't like the Duke very much so I guess I can't really blame the world for criticizing when they watch believers act just like him.  Hey, this world is frozen in the grip of sin...let's get busy spreading a little love and warming some hearts!

Filthy Cheaters

It's always amazed me how some things that happen in your past just seem to cement themselves in your mind so that you never forget them.  I've been happily married to my beautiful wife for 18 years, but there are still a few things from my dating days that I remember.  I really only dated two girls during my teenage years.  One of them is now my wife...yes, we were high school sweethearts.  However, before her there was this other girl.  Now, let me be completely honest.  I liked the girl, but I definitely would not say I loved her.  Truth is, I had no idea what love was at that time.  I can say, though, that I have always valued faithfulness and loyalty (I attribute this to reading too many Louis L'amour books, growing up...go look him up, it's good stuff).  Anyway, all of that to say that this first relationship ended because I found out the girl had spent a Saturday with another guy at a local water slide.  Now the irony of all of this is that it was my next girlfriend and future wife who let me in on this little secret!  It's all very funny to me now, but when it happened I was really upset by it all.  Not because I was in love with this girl, mind you, but because I didn't like the idea of being cheated on!  I was loyal to her and I expected the same in return!  To say I was hurt is a little bit of a stretch, but I was definitely mad.  You know how I felt because I'm sure you, yourself, have felt the sting of a relationship gone bad because of disloyalty or unfaithfulness.

Loyalty and faithfulness are some of the most important traits in healthy relationships.  In fact, when it comes to patriotism, there was a time where disloyalty was a capital offense.  Wendy and I made a commitment to one another when we first got married that we would never even consider the idea of divorce...except under one condition...that of unfaithfulness.  We trust each other implicitly...and part of the reason we can do that is because we both understand, completely, the consequences of "cheating".  Cheating destroys relationships and hurts countless innocent people surrounding the "cheaters".  All of us know of families destroyed by cheating fathers or mothers.  Some of you may even be the product of a home destroyed by unfaithfulness and, to this day, you still carry the baggage associated with the loss that "cheating" brings.  As a minister to students, I'm constantly reminded of the turmoil that is brought about in the lives of teens by broken families.

So...upshot of this whole thing so far is that cheating is not a good thing!  Sidenote time...what has to happen in order for restoration to take place when cheating happens?  A whole lot of repentance, humility and forgiveness must take place!  And, perhaps, even a good bit of counseling!  Point being, cheating is easy while faithfulness is not and restoration is nearly impossible!

Now, lets make a little spiritual application of these thought.  This guy, James, is writing this letter to the Jewish people back in the first century and he's telling them that empty faith is useless.  It does nothing to save you and definitely doesn't mark you as a true believer.  James says that what you do marks you much more than anything you could say or even believe.  So, to Jimmy, the way people who claim to be Jesus followers behave in this world is of utmost importance.  In fact, he equates a worldly way of living with unfaithfulness towards God.

It's no secret that one of the ways the Bible illustrates the relationship of believers with Christ is as a marriage.  We are the "Bride" of Christ.  Go back to the Old Testament book of Hosea and you get a beautiful picture of what God is up to, concerning His people.  The picture we get is that of humanity, selling itself into prostitution to this world and a sinful way of living and thinking.  In great love, however, God (like Hosea did for Gomer) comes to where we are practicing our unfaithfulness and buys us back from that way of living.  Hosea used money to buy back Gomer while God uses something much more valuable (in fact, priceless)...the life of His only Son.

This is where ole Jim takes up the story.  According to his way of thinking, it would be absolutely crazy for someone who had been liberated from this way of life and brought into glorious freedom and a perfect relationship with someone who truly loves them to ever want to go back to that old way of life.  However, some folks do!  It's insane, but these people "cheat" on the One who chose and loved them...the One who liberated them and gave them a proper relationship...by going back to being friends with and hanging out with their old pimp (the world).  So James calls them out on it.  Listen to what he says, "Adulteresses!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?  So whoever wants to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy.  Or do you think it's without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit He has caused to live in us yearns jealously?"  (James 4:4-5)  Did you get that?  If you're a person who claims to know Jesus...who claims to follow Him...yet is identified with the world in the way you live, act, talk, dress, etc. then James labels you as a "cheater"!  In fact, he says you're actually living as an enemy of God regardless of what your mouth may claim to be otherwise true!

Now, this ought to hit some of us right between the eyes.  And, for others of us, it should absolutely break our hearts.  The church has lost almost all of its influence here in America.  Why?  Could it be because we're "cheating" on the one who truly deserves our loyalty and love by making friends with His enemy?  I know you're thinking, "Wait a minute...I'm not the devil's friend?"  I would suggest that if you are enjoying the offerings of the devil...if you're partnering with those who do his work...if you're joining in the behavior of those who wittingly or unwittingly follow him...then you are, in fact, his friend!  I mean, you can't really claim to be the holy bride of Christ if you're covered in the filth of the world, right?  And, if you're buddying up with this world then you are "cheating" on the one who desires, more than anything, to set you free from that life!

So, if you find yourself in this situation, what is the proper response?  Well, you could do one of three things.  You could try to conceal it.  Many "christians" do, in fact, try to do this.  They live one way when they're in front of the "christian" crowd, but a totally different way in front of folks who aren't part of that crowd.  However, remember that "cheaters never win".  Eventually, the truth comes out about everyone!  Another thing you could try to do is deny it.  You could convince yourself that just because you have a few "guilty pleasures" doesn't mean you're setting yourself against God.  You could convince yourself that a word here or there doesn't really matter or that a peek here or there doesn't really matter or that an unethical action is sometimes needed to get ahead or that what you listen to, watch, etc. doesn't really define or affect you or fill in the blank.  However, remember that though you may try to live your life in the grey, with God there is only black or white!  You may deny that you are a cheater, but if you're cheating you can't really hide the fact from the One who really matters!  Finally, you could admit it...and change.  And, by the way, this is the only correct way to deal with the problem.  Check out what James says we ought to be doing when we find ourselves acting unfaithfully towards God.  "Submit to God.  But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!  Be miserable and mourn and weep.  Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you." (James 4:7-10)

Sounds like we fix our unfaithfulness to God the same way we would with anyone else.  A lot of humility, repentance and even some counseling from God's Holy Spirit.  The greatest part of it...God is faithful to forgive!

Soooo...all that to say that I really can't stand cheaters.  The worst part of the whole story is that I am one, myself!  I've cheated on the One who has been faithful to me in thick and thin...the only One who was willing to die to redeem me from my unfaithful lifestyle.  Nowadays, I'm trying to live faithfully with my God and I pray that all of the rest of you cheaters are joining me in the endeavor!

I feel so centered after reading this!

I'm going to teach you a new word.  You ready for it?  Here it is...geocentrism.  Any idea what it means?  Years and years ago, people actually believed that the earth was the center of the universe and that EVERYTHING revolved around it.  The reason they thought this was because they observed the movement of the sun, stars, moon and planets through the sky.  As they studied this, they came to the conclusion that the earth must remain in a fixed position while all the other bodies moved.  This was the widely held view until a few important people came along.  A fella by the name of Copernicus was one of the first to challenge this idea.  Since he was bucking all common knowledge at the time AND the religious establishment who saw the earth's geocentricity as theological, his thoughts went over like a bucket of bricks.  Galileo was the first guy who was really able to give any concrete evidence to the new theory of a sun centered solar system though.  He had a nice tool...a telescope...which he used to try and prove his point.  Regardless of his evidence, however, he had a pretty tough time of it as well as the established academia of the day and the Catholic church let him have it for his beliefs.

Today, we are certain that the earth is not the center of the solar system.  No one, other than a few fruit cakes out there, would claim that everything revolves around the earth.  The whole reason I bring this up is though we are no longer geocentric folks (in other words we don't think the universe revolves around the earth), most of us ARE egocentric folks (in other words we think the world revolves around us)!  All of us are born with a selfish streak in us.  Just watch a bunch of two year olds playing together and you'll realize that selfish ambition is just something we're born with.  No one teaches children to be selfish...they just are!  Take my kids for example.  If one has a toy, all of the others want it.  It doesn't matter that they've already played with that toy till they're sick of it.  If they see someone else enjoying it, they want it back!  Why is this the case?  Because we don't want anyone to have more happiness than us, and, for most of us, that means that we don't want anyone to have more ANYTHING than us!  We're selfish.  Now, as adults, this looks a little different.  We don't just take things away from others...usually...but we do compete with them in a pretty bad way.  We don't want our neighbors to have a better house than us.  We don't want our friends to drive better cars than us.  We don't want anyone to have a better job than us.  We climb ladders, build bigger and better and buy more expensive all in an effort to outdo everyone else and have ALL the happiness for ourselves.  And, if we sense that someone might be doing a little better than we are, we are JEALOUS!  We have selfish ambitions.  ALL of us.  Even you!  It's just part of our human nature.  Selfish...Ambitions.

There was this one guy, however, who didn't have selfish ambitions.  He didn't compete with those around him.  In fact, he was pretty chill about climbing the ladder.  He didn't try to gather a lot of followers (if he had had twitter, I'm sure he would have been following many more than were following him).  He didn't really try to impress.  He was just who he was.  And...instead of being selfish, he was selfless.  That's right, instead of demanding and taking, he surrendered and gave away!  Yeah!  This fella, Jesus, wasn't like the rest of us.  In fact, in the greatest sacrificial act of giving in all of history he gave something that most of us spend our whole lives trying to hold on to...his life!  Paul said this about him, "God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" (Romans 5:8).  That sounds pretty doggone selfless doesn't it?  Yeah, Jesus was all about selfless affection!

Now, if that's where it all ended we could just say, "Oh, nice story!" and go on about our business, but that's not where it ends!  For those who know Him personally, this Jesus is working to change them!  You see, when someone gets to know Him, He connects His Spirit with theirs and He starts to do some radical stuff.  Most of all, He starts the process of moving them from being self-centered, self-indulgent and self-serving little punks to being other-centered, self-denying, self-sacrificing little saints!  It's a process...and for some it takes longer than others...but it happens!  What He's up to is making us like Him.  He's giving us a new nature...and with that new nature, selfless...affections!

Now, it's time for a little bit of honesty.  You and I have both known people who claim to be "Christians", yet are still some of the most selfish people you'll come across.  I'll be honest about this...I can't explain that.  However, I DO KNOW one thing...when people really meet Jesus if affects them!  Sooooo...if someone claims to know Jesus, but the pattern of their life is one marked by selfishness then you and I have good reason to wonder about the reality of said relationship.  In fact, I believe that one of the biggest and most legitimate beefs that an unbelieving world has with "Christians" is the fact that so many of us are just so stinking self-centered.  And, though an unbelieving world may not know Jesus, they know enough about Jesus to know that He wasn't like some of the folks they know who bear His name.

So, yeah, the earth is not the center of the solar system...and, guess what, you're not the center of the world!  And, if you're a believer you definitely aren't the center of ANYTHING!  And...that's really a good thing!  Now, quit reading this and go make someone's day!

I WROTE THIS ESPECIALLY FOR YOU!

My wife, Wendy, and I have been working on a little project for a couple of months at our church.  It's a little something that sprung out of a need we saw in our church and a recognition that there were few churches in our area ministering to that need.  We are parents of a child with special needs.  You wouldn't know it by looking at him...he has, after all, my roguish good looks.  His disabilities are in the cognitive and language areas.  Anyway, all of that to say that we've noticed a need for an area in our church for parents and children who have special needs to be able to worship without feeling like they were hindering the worship of others around them.  A place with no stares, no irritated coughs, no raised eye brows, no mumbling under the breath about getting your child under control, and no pitiful looks.  Honestly, I find it hard to sit through an hour long service, sometimes, without wanting to burst out with a yell or do a couple of laps around the sanctuary, myself, so we got to thinking on what we could offer that would allow parents a place where they could hangout on days that their child might be having "a day" (that's what we call it when Colby gets in one of his moods where he just can't sit and be quiet and makes it his goal to embarrass us until he gets his way).  We came up with a room just for this purpose.  It's really neat because it has some toys, puzzles and coloring books for the kids, but also has a TV which is streaming a live feed of the worship service for the parents.  Now, parents can enjoy the service with other parents who may be in the same boat AND not have to worry about their child being the source of mass chaos.

Now, as I stated at the beginning, this has been a project that has been months in the making.  I gave up my office to make a space available which was large enough, close enough and offered the technology we needed to make this happen.  We had to gather up all the materials and install all the audio visual equipment.  The odd thing is that as much work has gone into the room, the hardest part of the whole ordeal has been deciding on a name for it.  Why?  Well, though I'm ok with the idea myself, a lot of folks we talked to didn't want to just call it the "special needs room".  They felt it carried a bad connotation...a label, if you will.  That really got me to thinking.  You may think me odd, but when I think about my special needs child, Colby, I don't think of him as weird or odd or different.  Colby is, actually, really normal!  Because of Colby, I've gotten to know a few other "special" children and I can say without hesitation that most of these "special needs" children really aren't that much more "needy" than any of us "normal" folks...in fact, in some ways, they are MORE normal than we are!  

Let's explore that last statement for a bit, shall we?  First of all, all the term "special needs" conveys is that a person is lacking some ability.  We also call it a disability or handicap.  For some, what's lacking is the area of cognition, for others it's mobility, for still others it may be communication or social abilities.  Usually, though the lack in one area may be severe, the individual can still function.  I've met children with Down Syndrome who are some of the sweetest, most loving people you'll ever meet.  I've met children in wheel chairs and walkers who are some of the smartest kids you'll ever know.  In fact, I have a friend with Cerebral Palsy who has a great sense of humor and is a genius when it comes to beating me in cards!  I've met kids, like Colby, who may struggle academically and expressively, but have an incredible ability to relate to others and use common sense, despite their handicap.  I've also met seemingly normal people who are considered successful by society, but are incredibly mean spirited...lacking compassion.  I've known people who are leaders in church and other walks of life, yet have debilitating levels of pride and self-righteousness.  I've met "normal" people who are extremely academic, but have an inability to relate to others.  I've met men who are hard workers, but are emotionally handicapped in such a way that they can't show proper love to their wives or children.  I've met women who seem to be the picture of beauty and grace, but barely hide the bitterness and emotional turmoil brewing inside them.  I've met husbands and wives who seem to function well in all other areas of life, but can't hold together a marriage because of their inability to communicate.  I know of men who look like they have it all together on the outside, but inside they are disabled by lust and selfishness.  In fact, almost everyone I've met has some sort of handicap!  I do and I'm sure you do too!!

The truth is that you may look at my child and think that his disability "marks" him or provides him with a "label".  I don't see it that way at all!  What I DO see is that we've identified what our child struggles with and are working on it?  The question is have YOU identified what YOU struggle with and are YOU working on it?  You see, the truth is that we are all "special needs" people because we all struggle.  None of us are perfect...especially when we start talking spiritually.  To see what the Bible has to say about this, check out Romans 3:10-26.  In this passage, Paul makes it clear that we are all spiritually needy and that Jesus is the only one who can fix our handicap.   You can deny your need for Him all day, but that doesn't make you any less needy!  You can resist the therapy He wants to put you through in order to bring healing, but that doesn't make you any stronger...it actually means you're pretty weak!  Or, you can accept what He's done to fulfill your need.  You can surrender to what He wants to do in you so that He may grow you and remediate you.  You can give yourself over to His IEP (Individualized Education Plan for all of you mainstream education folks) for your life so that you may learn how to live in a right relationship with Him and with others.  The choice is yours...you can seek help for your "special need" or you can live in denial.  But know this...living in denial doesn't make you any less "needy" or any more "normal".

So, this Sunday my special little family will be attending worship via live video feed, at our church, in the "No Name" room while all the normal folks get the full, live experience in the real special needs room, also known as the Sanctuary.  Wherever you worship, I pray that your needs are identified and you find them met in Jesus.

I don't like being stoned, and I'm sure you don't either!

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!"  We all grew up hearing that little line.  And, we've all probably said it more times than we care to admit.  I want to be completely transparent with you here.  I've been beaten with sticks!  As kids, my brother and I loved anything that involved beating one another.  We had sword fights with sticks, bats, 2x4s, metal pipes...really anything that we could beat each other with!  We loved dirt clod wars and would stand in the yard for hours hurling pine cones, dirt clods, or the occasional rock that was mistaken for a dirt clod.  Ok, honestly, we knew the rocks weren't dirt clods, but we threw them anyway.  And we would just stand there and let those stones hit us because we were boys and boys were tough!  Bruises were like badges of honor.  So, I've been beaten with sticks and stoned with stones and shot with bb guns and burned and shocked and run over with a bike, go cart and skateboard!  Why?  Just because!  But, here's something I know to be true (and you do as well)...I have had words spoken to me or about me that have hurt me much worse than any of those sticks, stones or other things I mentioned!  I've had words hurled at me that felt like boulders to my spirit.  I've been crushed by the magnitude of things said by other people.  And, I would guess that you have had those things happen too!

A few years ago I went through a particularly rough stretch in ministry.  There were things said to me and about me during that time that made getting up and going to work every day a completely miserable experience.  In fact, there were many times that I would have rather taken a stoning than sit in that office.  Our whole church was going through a tough time and a lot of people were hurting.  Honestly, our youth ministry was suffering right along with the rest of the church.  In all that pain, it seemed that a few were singling me out to accept the brunt of their anxieties and hard feelings.  These were pointing at me because of the perceived cracks they saw in our student ministry.  I remember sitting down with one set of parents who, outright, said, "How can you stay at (church name withheld to protect the innocent) knowing that EVERYONE here hates you?!"  It was actually a good question because it was one that I had been asking myself!  I gave them the same answer that God had given me every time that I begged Him to let me do anything (seriously) other than stay at the church.  That answer was, "Well, first of all, I know that EVERYONE doesn't hate me...there are some who support what God has called me here to do.  And, secondly, God called me to this church and I won't leave until God calls me away...I will not forsake God's call regardless of what it costs me."  That's at least 2 years in the past, but I can tell you that I remember that conversation as if it were yesterday because those words stung worse than any stick or stone I've ever been hit with!  To hear someone verbalize that I was hated (that's a strong word) was pretty difficult for even me to handle (remember, last week I told you I'm not really all that emotional)!

I've had people, over the years, who have tried to have me fired because they disagree with me ideologically or philosophically or because we gauge success in different ways.  And though I know that, for them, it may not be a personal attack; for me, it's always personal because what I do is not just a job to me...it's who I am as a man of God.  I remember every encounter, every deacon's meeting, every time someone said, "guess what I heard that so-and-so said."  Why?  Because words affect us way more than sticks and stones.  And, by the way, another saying we like to use is hogwash as well.  It goes something like, "I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!"  Other people's words DO stick to us...and they follow us...for life!  Why?  Because words matter!

So, your words are important and my words are important because they carry so much potential for either encouragement or pain!  In fact, the Bible actually says that words have the power of "life and death".  Hey, and whether we admit it or not, we know it's true?  How many people have committed suicide because of someone else's words.  When I was in tenth grade, one of my good friends put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger after a fight with his mom.  Talk about a devastated mother...she could never take back those last words of anger that she spoke to him!  How many people live lives of depression, anxiety, and self-doubt because of other people's words?  I believe that many of the adults who struggle with depression do so because they're still trying to deal with words that were said to them during their childhood and youth!  In their attempts to challenge children, parents and other adults often cross the line and end up using language that damages a child's developing personality and psyche for the rest of their lives!  I'm guilty of this, myself!  On the other hand, how many people have been catapulted to greatness because they had people whispering words of encouragement into their ears.  "You can do it!"  "You've got this!"  "No matter what happens, I'm behind you."  "I believe in you!"  "I believe you're the best even if no one else does!"  They had people who believed in them and supported them and spoke words of affirmation to them.  And, because of that, they went on to do amazing things.  You see, words matter!

For the past month my wife and I have been working on a room at our church that parents of children with special needs can use if their child is having a bad day.  We'll have the service streaming in there for them to watch and some toys for the kids.  It's a special ministry to us because we have a child with special needs.  And, you better believe that every word is important when it comes to Colby.  Every word on his IEP is important to us.  Every word on his psyche tests and IQ tests and assessments are important to us because they describe our son!  We haven't even shared some of the things we've been told about Colby because we know how those words will affect the people who hear them.  We know how those words will affect their expectations of Colby and what they think he's capable of.  So, this room is important to us because it symbolizes an area of ministry that most churches turn a blind eye to and one that we need for ourselves.  And, we've spent an agonizing amount of time trying to figure out what to call this room because we know that WORDS MATTER!!!!

Now, our words matter for other people because of the weight they carry, but they also matter for you and me as well.  Our words, perhaps more than any other indicator, reveal some things about us as people.  First of all, they indicate what kind of person you are!  Our oldest son has come home a few times talking about how peers have used hurtful language towards him.  You know what?  I don't have to meet these kids to even know what kind of people they are!  Simply by the things they've said to my son, I can know they're jerks.  You know this is true, because you've had similar experiences.  We'll call this the law of language.  This law would state that the type of language used by a person is directly indicative of the type of person he/she is.  And, guess what...this law applies to you and me as well.  Our words indicate the type of person we are.  So, if your words are gossipy, you're a gossip!  If your words are untrue, you're a liar.  If your are slanderous, you're a slanderer!  Got it?  Good, lets move on.

Our words don't just reveal who we are now, they also shape who we will be in the future.  The law of language isn't just indicative of our present, it is, also, an impetus to our future!  Our words create a path that our lives tend to follow.  This path could be seen as the consequence of our words, but I believe it's more that our life is like a garden and our words are seeds.  Things we say to others today will take root in their lives or in our own lives and will grow.  Sometimes these things will blossom into wonderful plants with beautiful fruit (these require seeds of encouragement and praise). Other times they become bitter weeds or choking vines that threaten to destroy the garden altogether (these are sown with seeds of discouragement and hate).  I've heard it said that your words will always come back to you in some way.  I believe that is true.  The things you say today will shape your tomorrow!

That brings us to one heavy conclusion.  If words are that powerful, I probably can't be trusted with them.  Imagine the President of the USA calling me up and saying, "Hey, Wayne, we've decided to give you the launch codes to our nuclear arsenal.  It's completely at your disposal."  NOT A GOOD IDEA!  I've had people say hurtful things to me, it's probably best I don't have access to missiles...right?  Because those weapons are so powerful, they are under strict control.  Here's a news flash...our words need to be under strict control as well!  That's where the Holy Spirit comes in.  I've got to give Him control over my words.  That means I relinquish the talk button to Him.  I speak when He says speak and I shut up when He says shut up!  When I speak, I do so in a way that brings Him glory.  I encourage and exhort.  I praise and practice self control.  Why?  Because that's what Jesus would do.  Notice that, throughout scripture, you never catch Jesus making off handed remarks or saying things intentionally hurtful.  He never gossips or lies.  He is truthful.  He is gracious.  He is kind.  He is always completely honest, but in a way that draws others in rather than pushes them away.  Jesus was the greatest user of words in all of history.  Maybe that's because, according to Scripture, He is THE Word become flesh (different topic for a different day).  Whatever the reason, He is our model.

So, how are your words?  What do they say about you?  Are you stoning people with your words or stirring people with your words?  Does your mouth just run off uncontrollably or do you give control of it over to Jesus?  What kinds of seeds are you sowing with the things you say to other people?  Hey, words matter!!!  And the truth is that you don't like being stoned any more than I do!

Dead is dead...like, really, dead!

I'm a pretty easy going guy.  No, seriously, I am!  I realize that there are those who think I'm a coiled spring ready to pop, but the truth is that underneath it all I stay on a pretty even keel.  Maybe it's my upbringing or perhaps it's just in my genes (all of you nature versus nurture people can argue that one out), I don't know...nor do I really care, for that matter.  Most people, who really get me, know that I'm not a very emotional person.  Therefore, it takes something pretty significant to violently swing my mood in one direction or the other.  Yes, this can be a bad or good thing depending on the situation, but it is who I am.

There are, however, a few things that can blow my inner tranquility and, otherwise, stable temperament out of the water.  One of those is computers.  It has never ceased to amaze me that a computer ALWAYS works perfectly until the very moment you need it to...at which time it ALWAYS seems to come under the control of demonic forces bent on perfectly demonstrating Murphy's Law (look it up).  Yep, computers are one thing that really get to me.  The other is automobiles.  Not working automobiles, of course...I'm talking about broken ones!  Now, truthfully, I think the two are somewhat related since it's usually the automobiles that incorporate some kind of weird computer system in order for them to work that give me the most grief.

Case in point...  I've, recently, been trying to determine what is causing a problem with my sister's car.  The car won't crank.  I don't mean it just won't start...I mean it actually won't do anything.  When you turn the key it doesn't try to turn over...it doesn't even click...it...does...nothing!  I know what you're thinking, "Hey, dummy, check the battery!"  Well, that's been done!  We actually replaced the battery...and still nothing!  Having worked on vehicles before, I know that what I'm dealing with is not actually a hardware issue...I'm sure that the engine is ok, along with most of the parts attached to it.  The problem is that the computer has been told by some sensor somewhere that to allow the engine to crank would be a bad thing.  I've bypassed the computer and gotten the starter to turn over, but the engine still won't crank because the computer is refusing to allow any fuel to go the engine.  So...the computer wins again...at least it does for now.  Since I'm frustrated with it, I am now committed to seeing it run so it'll get fixed after I do all my research and hunt down the $10 part that I'm sure is causing the confusion.

The reason I even bring any of this up is because that car has gotten me to thinking about something. My sister has owned the vehicle for a couple of years.  Want to know when it broke down on her though?  Back in June of last year!  That means it's been sitting in her driveway for 7 months now.  In all that time, my sister has been the owner of a vehicle.  If anyone asked her, "Hey, are you a vehicle owner?"  She could emphatically argue that she was.  However, was that vehicle of any use to her or anyone else?  Absolutely not!  You see, a dead vehicle might as well not even be a vehicle since the whole purpose of a vehicle is to be useful in getting one from Point A to Point B.  If all the vehicle does is sit at Point A, we would all agree that it must be broken and is, therefore, useless until it is fixed!  Everyone agree?  Good, now hold on!

The whole reason I got to thinking about that vehicle today was because of something that I read in the book of James.  In Chapter 2, verse 17, James says that "faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself."  In other words, you may emphatically claim that you are the proud owner of faith, but if that faith doesn't "work"...in other words, it doesn't accomplish anything, then it, like my sister's car, is dead...and useless, I might add.  We really get this concept when we think about things that are supposed to do something like a car or a computer or a TV or a phone or a blender or a coffee pot or a lawnmower or an airplane or a cruise liner or a smoke detector or even a yard man.  However, we have a hard time grasping this concept when it comes to living out something as simple as our faith.

In the later half of James, Chapter 2, Jesus' half-brother spends a good bit of time trying to explain the futility of claiming a faith as real that doesn't actually do something.  In fact, ole boy goes so far as to say that if your faith...and my faith...don't accomplish some things then it is dead and...get this...can't save you!  "Whoa, wait a minute, Wayne, I walked down an aisle!"  Doesn't matter!  "Hold up, faith is all about believing and I believe!"  Doesn't matter!  "But I go to church!"  Doesn't matter!  "I tithe!"  Well, that's good, but if that's all you got it DOESN'T MATTER!

Why doesn't all that matter?  Well, it boils down to how you understand the word "faith".  In modern terms, when we think of faith, we have to differentiate between "faith that is" and "faith that does".  "Faith that is" is an acknowledgement of something...be it God, a set of beliefs or a code of morals that exist external to the person who holds the faith "in" these things.  In other words, a person believes these exist.  "Faith that does" involves a radical reorientation of one's life around what that person has faith "in" in such a way that it produces results in a person's life.  In other words, this person has moved past simply acknowledging the existence of these things and has given themselves to the pursuit of what these things claim.  Now, I can have "faith that is" without ever having a relationship with the things I have faith "in".  I've never been on a cruise, but I have faith that they are safe and provide an enjoyable experience.  I've never skydived, but I have faith that chutes open more times than they fail, therefore, it must be a relatively safe-ish activity.  I never intend to have "faith that does" skydiving, but I do hope to, one day, have "faith that does" a cruise.  I have "faith that is" concerning Disney World...I believe it to be a fun, family experience for kids of all ages.  I ALSO have "faith that does" Disney World because my faith "in" Disney World has driven me to take my family there and experience the fun for myself.  Not only that, but I intend to take my family back to Disney World, at some point, to exercise my faith "in" its family-fun atmosphere again.

Got all of that?  Good!  Now let's apply that to what James says about our faith in God.  James is saying that it is perfectly possible for you to have "faith that is" concerning God without ever having "faith that does" anything with God.  In other words, you can KNOW about God...you can go to church, study a Bible, memorize scripture, give to the church, even go on a mission trip...without ever actually KNOWING God!  Simply knowing about God is not enough to produce salvation, however, knowing God involves a relationship that produces change!  This "faith that does" drives one to emulate Christ in every area of life.  These are the "works" that James is talking about.  In other words, James would say that if the actions of your life don't demonstrate that you have "faith that does", chances are pretty good that all you have is "faith that is".  And, guess what?  According to Jimmy, that faith is dead...useless...kaput...it can't and won't save you!

If you're still struggling with this concept, check out what James says in verse 19.  "You believe that God is one; you do well.  The demons also believe - and they shudder."  In this little verse, James shoots down the concept of "easy believism".  You see, it's not just about acknowledging God!  Even the demons acknowledge God.  And let's be honest about something here...the demons actually one up some of us because they, actually, shudder at God.  What a shame that so many people who claim they "believe" in God are, in all honesty, some of the most apathetic people towards God!  Want to hear this same thing from a different source?  Check out Matthew 7:21-23 and 25:41-46.  We get the teaching, here, straight from the mouth of Jesus.  Jesus, Himself, makes it clear that your "faith that is" will not save you if it doesn't make the transition into "faith that does"!  Why?  Because "faith that is" puts you in the driver's seat of your life.  If all you do is acknowledge your belief in something then you retain all the power...you're still the boss!  However, "faith that does" demands that you allow Jesus to become your Lord.

Now, let's make something very clear here.  You do NOT work in order to have salvation!  You and I work BECAUSE we have salvation!  So when James makes the claim that our works are the actuation, actualization, authentication and activation (look them up) of our faith, what he's claiming is that they are the PROOF that our faith is real!  The truth is that you can pretty much tell if a person is REALLY a believer by watching the way they live their lives.  (No, that's not "judging" them.  Satan is the author of the lie that Christians aren't to "judge" other Christians!  Jesus emphatically told his believers to be discerning and to inspect the fruit of those who claim His name to see if they're the real deal!  What Jesus actually taught is that we shouldn't be hypocrites in our judging...but that's a different blog for a different day!)

Anyway...real, saving faith proves itself in action(s).  Fake, not-saving faith just believes stuff.  So, yea, right now my sister's car still sits dead in her driveway.  The question is, how is your faith sitting right now?