AS I SEE IT... by Laurie Erdman laurelerdman@aol.com
On Perspective, Mondays at 5:15pm

A Heart For God
Feb 9 , 2009

The women gathered for their monthly luncheon. All of them considered themselves Christian no matter how minimal their practice of the faith or how infrequent they attended church. Yet, most of them would never think of speaking about their faith or attach any of their life events to God in the ensuing discussions and conversations at the luncheons. Indeed, when the name "Jesus" came into the conversation or God might be mentioned by a believer, there was a notable discomfort and uneasiness, like an embarrassing story in a past life that makes you want to quickly change the conversation.

Behaviors, such as this, are common and have always made me wonder why someone would claim a church or the Christian faith, yet, are disconcerted by the reality of Jesus. I have concluded that possibly the person wants to believe but really has no sense of what that looks like or feels like. They are on the outside of faith peering in. They may understand the facts, but their hearts remain behind a fence, lukewarm to the real passion that Christ must make in our hearts. Their minds are set on other things of this world. Hence, Jesus has become a story with no more dimension than a cartoon character.

Of course, there are those who never even enter a church door, let alone understand anything about God including the practice of Christianity. Certainly, we have a world full of people who simply run away from God and Gods word. Ironically, they often create their own version of a god, satisfying themselves with their own ideas, and at the same time convincing themselves that what they have created in their mind as a god concept is acceptable and viable to the one true Lord of Lords. In time--God's time--they will be shown the folly in their ways.

Finally, there are those that simply give little thought to life, their place in it and any relationship to a heavenly father who sent his son for us. They will preach that they have no time for it, are far too busy, and have so much on their minds and so much chaos in their lives that God is the last thing they need to consider. They profess often that someday they will get around to thinking about faith. Thus, God is invisible to them. They have not understood that they have created a separation from the father that is light years in length and depth.

What creates a heart for God? What inspires one to seek God and pursue the answers of faith? The Bible tells us that God is always seeking his creation. The very point of the Bible is a continuum of this history of pursuit. The final chapter of this pursuit is the most dramatic, as it places God on earth as a human being who lays down his life for all of humanity. However, as Christians, we understand Christ's life sacrificed is more then the agony of the cross. The cross of Christ provides two things: a place where all sin is lifted from our backs, and a doorway to eternal life. But this is conditional and asks for us to believe in the one true God, and his only son and therefore to surrender our lives to the son of man. It seems so simple, yet the world continually makes up its own interpretation dismissing what God has said.

Indeed, we have been taught by our culture that all people are children of God and all will eventually go to heaven no matter what one believes or practices. Although we find exceptions in people that are considered evildoers, we seem certain that we are all good to go. But that is not what God's son preached. He told us that the only way to the Father was through him. The principle he set down was that our belief in Christ is what enables us to be called "children of God." It is a fine distinction but a highly important one. And yes, as Christians, we wish we could say that all of our friends, acquaintances, relatives etc. will meet a heavenly end. However, we must remember that God also gives all people a choice. It may seem difficult for us to wrap our minds around the idea that maybe the ones who fail to honor the Lord, will also fail to be with him in eternity.

Silent Night, Silent Voices
Jan 26, 2009

In Jeremiah 1:5 it tells us that "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." God's great gift to each of us is our life. How precious we are to him. All life, in all forms has been given by the creator. Neither science nor medicine has eliminated death nor has it created life. Today, we stand at a dramatically enlarging cross roads between the political-secular and the moral-Godly arena as to what will be done with life in our culture.

Just a mere month ago we were all singing "Silent Night" as we celebrated the birth of the savior. The birth we celebrated was possibly one that in today's world could easily have ended in an abortion clinic, because the mother was young, unmarried, and scared. Of course, God is in control and he would not allow the destruction of his son in that manner at any time in history. However, in just imagining that possibility, there is a sense of what we could lose. It is always important to understand how enormously Christ changed this world, not just for the people of the Bible, but more importantly and maybe, more relevantly, for those who live now. Just as we have finished celebrating his birth, ironically one month later we are being shaken awake by the abortion issue, and its position in our culture. Troubling questions arise as the news filters out of Washington D.C. which makes one ask: Do we honestly value humanity or have we been massaged into becoming a culture that values individual choice above the most precious gift of God - our children?

Last week during the inauguration, as the news media, giddy with excitement, conducted on-the-spot interviews with celebrities attending the inaugural festivities, actress Dana Delaney, currently of "Desperate Housewife's" fame, was interviewed. The interviewer asked her what she hoped President Obama would do first. She immediately spouted in a vitriolic voice that she hoped that the "gag order on all women being unable to get an abortion around the world would be lifted." After hearing this I almost expected her to lead a cheer of "yes we can-abortion on demand."

Within three days, sure enough, newly sworn in President Obama ended the Bush administrations ban on giving federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on the this option. Both the Obama and Hillary Clinton campaign had vowed to do away with the ban which uses American taxpayer's dollars to support abortion in other countries. In addition Obama is expected to restore funding to the U.N. population fund (UNFP). This was also banned under Bush because the fund was viewed as assisting nations, such as China, in their family planning policy which insists on coercive abortions and involuntary sterilization. With remarkable speed, these tax supported items are being reinstated and hope for the protection of life is being vanquished to the dust bin for the helpless.

Before the inauguration even began, former Clinton administration press secretary George Stephanopoulos, now an ABC political analyst, stated on Good Morning America that the first thing that he believed President Obama's staff would be working on would be the removal of the ban on stem cell research imposed by President Bush.

By Friday of last week, Good Morning America happily focused on research using stem cells in accordance with spinal cord injuries. The deck was stacked as three scientists spoke for stem cell usage versus one who had ethical questions. The three explained that there are no guarantees of recovering spinal cord injuries that have left people paralyzed, since they have only worked with mice. They also pointed out that the only way to really help a person would be if they were able access a patient within a matter of few hours after the injury. Those who were injured long ago were not candidates for this kind of help. They suggested that this procedure was possibly still years away. However, the excited reaction of Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts of GMA made it seem that the whole issue was resolved. There was not an ounce of regard in their tone of any concern for the very real moral or ethical questions regarding the destruction of viable embryos in order to glean these stem cells. One conclusion that has to be drawn is that there is a lot of ground to cover between mouse and man. Yet, that is not what the culture even bothers with.

The one lone scientist who was chosen as the spokes-person who questioned the ethics of stem cell research from embryos on GMA, pointed out that these embryos are viable and would be destroyed. He made an interesting comparison as he called it a new form of human cannibalism. Cannibalism? Well, let us think again. No one would ever suggest that a heart or a liver be taken out of a living person, in order to transplant it to another human, thus killing the donor. Yet, here we are, taking cells which will destroy an embryo - translation - potential human being, with the hopes it will cure a disease or disability. Is there a problem with that? How does it make you feel?

And that is so much of the problem with abortion. It is joined to a philosophy of "the end justifies the means" that permeates some of our decision making in our culture. It is a destructive power on the human soul, the human heart and in this case, the human life that is ripped apart.

In his inaugural address, President Obama paraphrased scripture, from first Corinthians 13:11 where it says "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." Are bans on abortion one of those childish things, he was talking about? Are we better off because we accept the idea that embryos are nothing more then available experimental tissue, not human life? Is this one of the changes that supports an end to childish things?

There is more to the passage that President Obama referenced in his address. First Corinthians 13 is famed for speaking about love. It talks about how love "never fails." It ends in this section by talking about how we are a "poor reflection" now, but that one day "we shall see face to face" and that now we "know in part" God's plan but one day we will "know fully, even as [we are]… fully known."

A month ago "Silent Night" was sung as a song of celebration about God's only Son coming into the world, bringing an incomprehensible love. Is it possible that a new meaning will be attached to the title "Silent Night?" Could this become a song of tragedy about the policies that allow the destruction of human life, as our nation neglects the smallest, weakest and most vulnerable while at the same time supporting freedom of the individual and the rights of all humanity throughout the world. Because we refuse to face what we are doing with this corrosive issue, called abortion, we are unable to see the hypocrites we have become.

A Matter of Conscience
Jan 19, 2009

Generally when I write an article for this segment, I am aiming at the world view as seen in the Bible and Christianity, versus the secular humanist view of the world that we face daily in this culture. Most people who are acquainted with the word of God in a cursory manner would not readily see the difference between the two. But there is a huge difference and it is one that is only discovered when you really become immersed in God's word and begin to clearly see the picture that he paints as opposed to the picture we are offered through our culture and its media.

When observing these two outlooks on the world, a question needs to be posed as to how it is with us in this nation as Christians? Are we being persecuted? In comparison with other parts of the world, we might answer "no, not really." After all, in the USA we find churches available in all forms and a wealth of para-church organizations as well. We have parochial schools and hospitals etc. When we consider that there are nations who arrest people if they appear to be sharing a Bible with someone from that country, as seen in China, or where there are nations ruled by a single non-Christian religion, hence, making it important for Christians to keep a low profile (as many missionaries can attest to) this would appear far more in line with what we decipher as persecution. But what if, we were told in this nation that we must perform a duty in our job that goes against our ethical and Christian beliefs and that we had no choice in the matter, or face the possibility of being fired in our job or having to quit it on our own. That "what if " is a reality that has just reared its head on the home front here in Wisconsin.

An important event took place in Madison a few weeks ago which has the ability of profoundly affecting healthcare workers in Wisconsin. It involves the "right of conscience ."  A similar issue is involved with the Freedom of Choice Act which was promised by President-elect Obama and is expected to be enacted federally. According to a local Christian attorney, this legislation will "reinstate the partial birth abortion, reversing the progress that was made when a statute banning this type of abortion was upheld in a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2007, effectively ending this barbaric procedure in the United States. The Freedom of Choice Act threatens to not only bring this third trimester abortion back into American, but it will also remove the right of healthcare workers to conscientiously object to participating in this procedure. It...has the potential to shut down healthcare facilities that refuse to perform abortions as part of their "health services." The Wisconsin Right to Life organization is so concerned about this legislation, that they "have placed an ad in newspapers, asking people to contact their representatives and encouraged them to vote against it."

Furthermore, there is another concern for all Wisconsin taxpayers which involves this bill and our University health care system in Madison. According to the attorney I have been in contact with, a "preview of what will happen if the Freedom of Choice Act is passed, as it is now written,” has been already evident in Madison. "Just last week the Alliance Defense Fund announced that the UW Hospitals and Clinics, in a joint venture with UW Medical Foundation, Meriter Hospital and the Madison Surgery Center had agreed in secret, to begin performing late, second trimester abortions at the surgery center, using paid staff of the University of Wisconsin." You can verify this information through the link to the initial Alliance Defense Fund press release which is found at: www.alliancedefencefund.org/ news/story.aspx?cidG83 . According to this attorney, "within this press release there is a link to the six-page letter an ADF attorney wrote to the President and CEO of UW Hospitals and Clinics" which she urges everyone to read.

It is important to understand that this would violate both state and federal law to allow state tax money pay for abortions. It would appear that UW staff and students who would be performing or assisting in these abortions, would receive state tax money through salaries and benefits. Currently, "it is against Wisconsin law and a new federal law being proposed by President Bush to force healthcare workers to participate in medical procedures that violate their conscience." However, President Bush is soon gone. Furthermore, there is speculation and rightfully so, that these late, second trimester abortions "will be used to supply an ever increasing demand for baby body parts and tissues, for research at universities. In addition to these extreme moral and ethical considerations, the situation would have the potential to not only encourage these abortions, but it may carry some risk of research on those babies aborted, but not killed by the abortionist."

Aldous Huxley wrote the book "A Brave New World ." Most, read it with disdain, considering the theme a far out idea. But we only have to recognize that in our more recent history, the world saw a real nation turn in on itself when health care workers were ordered to euthanize the mentally ill, handicapped, misshapen, and retarded people who did not fit into the world that the government of that nation was trying to create. This of course was not in some book but in the reality of Nazi Germany as it claimed its first victims of the holocaust in the mid-1930's. Institutionalized individuals were put to death by the thousands and we must not forget, that those doctors and nurses who would be made to end the lives of those early victims were not necessarily evil doers. But they were given an evil task.

When we look at our new president about to place his hand on the word of God as he is sworn in, and asked to uphold the constitution of this nation, I wonder what words of God he will be honoring and what part of the constitution he is acknowledging especially in light of the Freedom of Choice Act . For all the criticism that has been heaped on George Bush, we have been assured that he was a man who believed in the sanctity of life and talked of the "culture of life" throughout his presidency. Our concern as Christians about the Freedom of Choice Act is that it is about to ban the freedom of a significant number of people in the health care industry because of their conscience or their faith, not to mention that hospitals that have been adamantly opposed to practicing abortion, will now be forced to practice this reprehensible act or be closed.

The constitution vows to support an individuals right of conscience. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence understood this and believed in our right to choose what we believe and to hold to our beliefs. January 20th, 2009 will be a day that will stand in our history books as the first African-American man will become the President of the United States. Will this day also become the day when a new era is ushered in where freedom of faith and conscience is removed for many, coercion will be the order of the day when it comes to abortions, taxes will be used to sustain this industry at our University facilities and the lives of the innocent will be taken? As Christians, we won't have to travel to a foreign nation to find persecution. It is right here in the state we call home.

 

The Promises We Make
Jan 12, 2009

Last week, I wrote about a New Years resolution in which we commit to reading God's word in order to really know the Lord and to understand our faith. The observation must be made that we cannot be a very good spokesman or defender of who God is or what he has said, if we have limited knowledge. Today, I want to focus on baptism and what it does for our faith and for our eternal life with the Lord.

When we are baptized we are promised to the Lord. We often forget that it is a promise, and it is meant to be a promise that says that we are to seek the Lord in our life and further our relationship with him. For many, however, baptism becomes instead a tool to escape from God. Some make the mistake that if they have been baptized at some point in time, there is little to worry about. Even some churches profess a kind of saved baptism theology, thus implying rightfully or wrongfully that it is an end in itself. Hence, as an adult, if you attend a church and follow other religions, philosophies, or the latest whim in new-age thinking, you will not be able to discern the conflict in that practice because you may have concluded that you are secure in your baptism. Your growth in the knowledge of the Christian faith or your affiliation with any church becomes a matter of choice that may or may not have significance in your life. Thus, Baptism becomes some sort ethereal guarantee for your hope to go to heaven and for forgiveness. In reality this is such a limited understanding of God because it lacks any kind of deep relationship with the Lord at all. Even stranger, you may expect God to be OK with this.

Recently I became aware of a family in which a family member is close to death. Knowing the background of this person, I know that they were introduced, if not, raised in a church. But in their adult life, there was no church going. Attendance was a matter of weddings and funerals, and brief appearances for whatever reason. Long ago they were disconnected, if indeed they were ever really connected at all. The bottom line is that now in their eleventh hour of life, their family struggles with what sort of funeral they should have for this person, who clearly rejected the Lord, even when family members attempted to show them the truth. Is it to be a religious service to satisfy the hopes of the family or a non-religious, secular service because that is where this person has dwelt?

The family member of concern, is a person who led a secretively sinful life, one in which they covered up what would be distressing to any family. This may be the reason that they have never sought God. Like many people, they may have had a difficult time admitting to their failings or acknowledging sin in their lives. Possibly it was easier to shut the door on God rather than to search for a way out of a sinful life, and to ask for forgiveness. Most important, is that if they had taken the time to simply read God's word, their life may have been much different. Instead, their faith knowledge is limited and their understanding lacking. Because they have lived a life in darkness they now can only wait for the darkness that will come. The assurance that was theirs at Baptism, was lost because there was no relationship formed with the Father or his Son.

This is not an unusual situation for so many in this world. In America, because of our foundation in freedom, personal rights, expectations and entitlements, I fear that many expect that they are entitled to God, his love, forgiveness and His heaven. The culture largely tells us this to be the situation. Indeed, it is what is offered to us, but not by the whim of our cultural thinking. This entitlement comes to us at a cost. That cost is to get right with God through study, church attendance, reading his word and growing in faith and to know God and his son. This entitlement comes at a huge price. The price was Christ's life shed for us on a cross as the sin of the world (including our own) was placed on him, a burden like no other. This is a price which no man has been able to pay, but one. A price such as this is infinite and is beyond most human understanding.

Thus the promise we make at baptism or at confirmation is not a blip on the screen of our life. It is the moment when we either understand fully how important the faith we have been shown is, or we simply fade away and forget the promise. Without growth in the relationship that God has offered, and without understanding how incredible Jesus is, it really does not matter how sincere we are about all other faith journeys we profess, or how enlightened or tolerant we think we have become. If we embrace the thinking of the culture but ignore the word of God and do not trust in it thoroughly, then what have we gained? In Matthew 16:26, Jesus says, " What good will it be for a man if he gain s the whole world , yet forfeits his soul." But that is exactly what we are in danger of forfeiting when we listen to the culture around us which makes us complacent in the face of what is offered us and tells us that the Bible is not the only voice we should listen to. Hence, it is no wonder that we tune in to Oprah and listen to her vision of faith and say, sounds good. Considering how successful she has been personally, we give her credit until, we are reminded that she is only human, as she recently has been beating herself up publicly about re-gaining weight. So, how is it that Oprah, this non-perfect person is someone who we regard as having a realistic understanding of God. Is it wise for us to trust her more than the word of God? In Proverbs we are reminded to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." The Apostle Paul continuously writes throughout his letters that our faith is what saves us. In Romans 10:8-9 Paul reminds us: "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Baptism has often been seen as an event when a young family brings their child before the church. But in this act of Baptism, we are not simply going through a ritual of faith. We are placing a child in the arms of the Lord and we are making a promise. As parents at Baptism, we make a promise to bring up a child teaching them the truth of God and the Son who was given to us. As adults, the promise takes on a new shape. Now it is up to us to get right with God and stop making excuses for why we rely on the culture more then we rely on the Truth. We own who we are and what we truly believe in our heart. The best way to get right with God is to learn from him. It is all there, in the Bible: His faithful and everlasting words of life.

The Resolution of the Year
Jan 5, 2009

With the beginning of a new year, we presumably have the opportunity to improve on a few things. Hence, resolutions are made. One item that many Christians need to consider, is what we are going to do with the increasing secularism in this world?  It might be important this year to ask: "How, as Christians, are we supposed to respond or react to a world that hopes that God and all sorts of God stuff will just go away so that people can feel OK about how they live, behave or think what they think, even it flies in the face of the word of the Lord?" Sounds reasonable in many places to say, "God, just give me the space to be me." However, in the words of Dr. Phil, "How is that working for you and the world in general?"

The question of how we address our world as we know it is an important one. Let me give you some recent examples. A new country music song by Hayes Carll has come out entitled: "She Left Me for Jesus." A question came up on the internet as to whether this was an offensive song or not. When I examined  the lyrics I had a mixed reaction. Possibly this writer really understood who Jesus is and wrote the song as a spoof showing the ignorance of the person who is complaining that his girlfriend, who apparently used to party heavily with him, now believed in Jesus and had a change in her life.  A number of the lyrics are clearly offensive. However,  some with a strong belief in Christ may conclude, as I did, that the person who is saying these things (the jilted boyfriend) is a tremendously ignorant person about Christ. Thus, I tend to think that the writer was penning this song with tongue-in–cheek.

More interesting about this item,  was the commentary on the internet as people reacted to the song. Some comments denounced Christians as "those people who want to tell you how to live and they  talk about Jesus all the time." This secular approach is not surprising because it is frequently hurled at Christians by non-believers. Moreover, it is always interesting to observe those who attend churches and designate  themselves as Christian, but squirm at the mention of Jesus' name  unless it is in the confines of a church. These people are often uncomfortable with "Jesus talk" altogether, which  makes me wonder why they consider themselves Christian at all,  if Jesus is so discombobulating to them. 

Another quick  example of how the secular world impacts us is evidenced on the History channel that has designated this week as Armageddon Week . History channel is providing all sorts of programs of predictions of  what might happen to the world if there is an end time. One such program devoted itself  to the predictions of Nostradamus and said this about the Bible: "The Bible is a book that has both inspired humanity and divided humanity." The problem with this statement at first glance, is that it has placed the  Bible on the shelf with all other books from Harry Potter to Shakespeare. The program ignores the idea that the Bible is considered by most people of faith as "God's word " and not just some nice authors ideas of past and future events. But in our secular world, the definition that the History channel loped onto the Bible seems just fine. For the Biblically and spiritually uneducated, the Bible is no different then any other book of philosophy, wisdom - and for the atheist - myth.  Hence, the Bible becomes a publication of only nominal importance.

Which leads me to what Christians might consider in this new year, when it comes to the secular world and our belief in Christ. Those with Biblical knowledge really do have the tools to see immediately, recognizing the impulsive ignorance in the words or ideas of a world that has ignored God, shunned Him, and worse, that wishes to turn God into a god that is manufactured by our own human thinking. The question is how do we equip ourselves to have the eyes and mind that will answer the questions or ideas of our unbelieving world?  Comments or questions by  people who have shut their minds and hearts to God or have developed  preconceived or misguided notions that "Jesus talk" is threatening, need to be helped into the light.

As we know, Jesus often spoke of himself as the light that had come into the world thus implying that this light was missing prior to his incarnation. In the opening chapters of the Book of John we are confronted with many references  to Jesus being the light of truth in the world. Jesus said in Luke 17:24, " For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other ." And in John 8:12 Jesus expresses that " I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

But how do we share this light? If Jesus is the reality of truth and the light of God, then it really is up to all of us who believe to be able to share and to have a rebuttal to the arguments of an increasingly popular secularist and atheistic culture. 

Thus the resolution that ought to be adopted this new year for all who find our world more and more discouraging when it comes to faith issues, is get informed .

Be sure you are in a church that really teaches about the Bible and about Christ.
Read! Read the Bible, and read books devoted to understanding the Bible.
Better yet, attend a Bible study. In most churches that are strong in the teachings of Jesus, there are many Bible studies and there is always one which will fit your schedule or appeal to your needs. Yes, it is one more thing to do, but I cannot think of  anything more important that will guide you and those around you in your life.  This is the opportunity to really broaden and define your understanding while learning  how every word from God and His son is worth noting, worth analyzing, and worth hearing one more time.

Read  from apologists such as Ravi Zacharias, which will increase your understanding of how to discern the culture we live in daily versus the culture of the kingdom of heaven. Learn. Learn especially the whole word of God which Beth Moore so often talks about. So frequently we are preached to about a portion of the Bible here or there. The best teachers will keep pulling you back to the idea that the Bible is not a segregated text of Old Testament and new, but a body that is connected repeatedly. We need only to site the prophesies that told of Christ's coming, life  and death in the Old Testament and the fulfillment found in the New Testament. We are witness to the events at the tabernacle that held the Arc of the Covenant in the Old Testament, where the unblemished lamb was sacrificed on the day of atonement for sins, which is directly  the precursor and predictor of the lamb of God sacrificed for our sins - Jesus.

Over and over again, God's story is told and retold. His love for us through His Son is the ultimate saving grace we will ever know. Now  it is the time for all of us to fight the good fight for the glory of the Lord and the knowledge of His works. We can be assured that the secular and unbelieving world will never lift its head up to give God honor. It is a forever battle.

 

The Only Christmas Story
that Matters
Dec 22 , 2008

At this time of the year many hope to read heartwarming stories about Christmas memories. Words such as "magical" and "the most wonderful time of the year" are attached to this enchanting season full of beauty. We desire to be touched by something special, whether it be the music of the season or stories that make us well up inside with good feelings. Around us we see signs that proclaim "believe," however, these leave us slightly empty, wondering what it is that we are to believe in. Is it in the mythical being called Santa Claus? Or is there something far more valuable about Christmas that we know in our hearts?

While we may search for a moving story or movie that is associated with Christmas, the most heartfelt story with the greatest impact is in the original Christmas story itself. This is a story about how our creator paused the creation, and brought into the world a savior for all mankind. On the hillsides of Judea over 2000 years ago, a child was born with the purpose of the redemption of all humanity. From the fulfilled prophecies surrounding the birth, to the angels appearing in all their majesty to the shepherds, we are reminded of how extraordinary this moment was in all of time. Worldly circumstances of those times, parallel our own times, where we find people troubled by a host of sinfulness found in broken relationships, hatred, poverty, financial woes, tragedies, evil perpetrated on the innocent, war, treachery, corruption, and the powerful deceiving the not so powerful. The people of those times, searched for answers and meaning, just as we do today.

The importance of the Christmas story is clearly much greater than any whimsical tales. This is a story not simply about angels and shepherds, but about us! It is about how desperately God loves us, so much so, that he would give to us His only Son. And the purpose of this Son is not the often assumed "lessons of love," but more importantly, to bring truth into this world. Jesus reminds us of this throughout the gospels. In His own words he tells us, "For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

The answers sought, came in an unexpected form. We have not fully understood how exceptional this was. Often we dwell on Christmas, without comprehending the real effect of God incarnate. Jesus shattered the thinking of the world. He changed our relationship and our understanding of our heavenly Father. Jesus is not someone that we can title as a 'wise teacher or philosopher.' No teacher, no matter how wise, contains the ability to give sight to a man who is blind, or is able to calm a storm with his hand, nor heal the deaf so that they might hear, or the dumb so they might speak, or raise up the crippled to walk and give life back to the dead so that they should live again. Jesus was the "Lord of all creation." He was "God with us" - Immanuel.

In a very ordinary place and in an ordinary setting something extraordinary happened. The Messiah - the Savior for all mankind - was born. Christmas is about this amazing love from our Father who knew that his people, fraught with hopelessness, needed a savior. This is not the myth of a man in a red suit who vanishes from our reality by the time we are eight years old, but the remarkable and tangible truth that God bestowed on all humanity. It is the truth offered to us as a gift of eternal life through the Son, and it is ours if we are willing to listen and to believe. This is why Christmas is so important. It is about understanding the evidence of God's love and His desire for us to receive his Son, so that we might have everlasting life. Christmas is the moment when heavens doors were opened for us.

The Biggest Bail Out
Dec 8 , 2008

We are all too familiar at this time of the year with our Sunday newspaper bursting each week with advertisements. Stores, in many cases have been decorated for Christmas since September. Indeed, Christmas has become a goal where everything has to be done, ready, prepared, finished and PERFECT. Much is expected by some sort of invisible Christmas Police that tell us that by December 5th , cookies should be baked, presents purchased, houses decorated and cards sent, or we fail to meet the goal. This is supposed to be one "of the happiest and jolliest times of the year." Yet, it always raises a question in my mind as to what we are focusing on or celebrating, during this season and why?

Across the globe many are celebrating this season for one reason or another and it may have absolutely nothing to do with "Christ." Even here in our own little city, we have a church that produces a winter solstice observation. Seems harmless enough, but it is right in the midst of Advent - the time of holy preparation for the coming of Christ ("let every heart prepare him room") . We must understand that the winter solstice is a pagan celebration, and by pagan, we mean a time when there was no knowledge of Jesus and no understanding that God could do what he did by bringing man and God together in the Immanuel who walked this earth for the purpose of redeeming all mankind and saving us from our sins.

Our culture has made all things good, hence, even paganism which flies in the face of the light of God as seen in Christ Jesus, is promoted by a church. Just about anything is tolerated and allowed to attach itself to Christmas. Thus, it is no wonder that we have an un-churched population who have little understanding or knowledge of the origins of Christmas. What they are focused on is the periphery items that we are commonly familiar with, such as Christmas decorations, lights, and, of course, presents. What so many are really celebrating is a vast, empty, vacuous and meaningless holiday, which is probably why so many feel the huge let down after Christmas. Once the presents are opened there has to be a sense, after weeks or months of preparation, of "now what?" Most of what the public is worshipping in reality is greed, materialism and the chance to out-do the neighbors in light displays. Of course, there are good things that do come out of this season. Maybe we contribute a little money to the Salvation Army red kettles, maybe we bake some bread for a shut-in neighbor, maybe we bring mittens and scarves to a coat drive for needy children. Or maybe not. Maybe we just make sure that our family will have wonderful presents to open and we hope that everyone is happy and that there are no family incidents on Christmas Eve. The important question is: which part of this is about Jesus coming into the world?

Consider this. God has given us the most beautiful and extraordinary story in the event we call Christmas in all of history . I implore everyone to read the words of this story in the book of Matthew or in Luke, no matter how many times you think you have read it. To treat this as just another birth of a famous or important historical figure is like treating the creation of the world like a small event in the chronicles of time. This was "God" coming to us, being born as one of us and having a purpose like no other person can offer anywhere in history. What persona has come to claim that they have the power to forgive sin, or the power to heal the sick, lame, blind, deaf or dead, or the power to intercede for you before the judgment of the Almighty Father? What persona came to claim our sins as his own, although he was without sin?

Yet, we fill this season with the things of human desire just as the Israelites did when they turned to a golden calf to worship even after seeing the works of God who saved them from enslavement. So frequently, we leave out the "Christ" of Christmas for the purpose of worshipping gifts, and merriment in all forms. We tread on Christ with Santa Claus as if Jesus cannot be enough to make the season jolly and significant. People are asked to just believe in the "power of the spirit of the season," which means exactly what? We listen to "Jingle Bell Rock" or "Frosty the Snowman" and we call it a Christmas song? Later, we wonder why there is so little satisfaction after December 25. We continually search for the "meaning behind Christmas, and to have a meaningful Christmas." We try to find that meaning in suggesting that "Christmas is about being together with loved ones" It is a nice sentiment, but it is not what Christmas is truly about. We keep missing the real point to all of this.

Where does this extraordinary story that our Almighty Father in heaven has placed in front of us fit into our picture of our Christmas celebration? For far too many, attending a church service has become the only time where the righteousness of Christ is acknowledged, and even then, many are in such a hurry to get home to what they think is the real celebration, they dismiss Jesus and his coming as just an item on an agenda. Should we be celebrating? Absolutely! This event is worth every moment of our celebration. Picture this in these difficult economic times that we are facing. What if someone were to come along to bail out our entire country, make the economy work again, draw back gas prices even further, guarantee jobs, provide health care to all, pay off all our credit cards, mortgages, college loans and tuitions and make us all successful in our careers and our lives? Would it be cause for celebration? Of course it would and when Jesus came into the world, that is what he did. He took us out of eternal doom and darkness and gave us light, showing us that forgiveness was ours for the asking and all the answers to an eternal life were offered to us if we believed in Him. Make no mistake of how incredible the Christmas story is.

There is no greater meaning that can give our hearts pause then comprehending that Christ was sent directly from the Father for our salvation. The salvation of the universe was placed in his hands. Until we confront in our own hearts that Jesus is the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace," nothing can produce the meaning or the importance of Christmas. Jesus is Christmas.

Giving Thanks in Troubled Times
Nov 24, 2008

The most unique holiday that America celebrates is the day we call Thanksgiving. Although other nations have harvest festivals and some have even adopted the idea of a day of thanksgiving, America began this tradition, long before our nation was even a nation. It is remarkable that we have held on to this marvelous reminder of how well we live in this country - a country that is free and able to provide a voice for all Americans. Many nations have elections, but they may end in bloodshed or a military coup. Yet here we are, with our differences and our diversity, and we remain steadfast in our ideals about democracy.

It is discouraging to see this grand holiday submerged into a day about football and turkey when its intentions were so much loftier. Possibly this year things will be different. I say that only because as a country we are going through something that we have not experienced in a long time. Our markets are in trouble, as well as our banking industry, our businesses, many corporations, our school districts, state and local budgets. Everything changed dramatically this fall. But it was not something we could not have seen coming. Almost everyone has wondered how we could keep on building and buying and developing, in almost every community with seemingly no end in sight.

Hence, many might feel that there is not much to be thankful for as they face the loss of a job or the uncertainty of their future employment. We can all wonder and worry about the domino effect of job loss and company shut downs. No one, they are telling us, will be insulated. Already, people are reconsidering their Christmas shopping lists and rightfully so. Maybe the Wii is not the most pressing need for the family this time around.

As I thought about all the clouds looming on the horizon as we face 2009, I also began to consider what I personally can gives thanks for. Of course, the first things that come to mind are family and friends. But as I thought about it more, I began to look at about how incredibly grateful I am for the place I work. I am thankful to be able to work in a place that makes a difference in hundreds of lives.

For those who think that in these tough times, it will be difficult to feel thankful, please consider this. Even the poorest person in America is better off than the people who inhabit third world countries. In America, we all have the right to vote, to exercise our viewpoint, to practice our faith, to follow our candidate, to enjoy the fruits of our labor, and to own our lives and make them what we would want them to be. We can speak up and even condemn the leadership of this country and we will not be arrested and put in to a prison for life. Nor will we be shot.

It is interesting to note that when the inscription was placed under the statue of liberty that says, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," this reminds us somewhat of what Jesus was getting at when he said in Matthew 25: 43, 45 "I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." In essence, America has welcomed millions into this nation. We have been called the land of opportunity, the place where freedom rings. It is not a myth. We live it each day.

This nation was founded on the values of Christianity, and because of this we have been the refuge for many. We have been the light on the hill as a beacon of freedom and democracy. We have been the nation who has sought to protect and promote the freedoms of others. No, we have not always been perfect. But this is a nation that truly expects the best of all men. No nation comes close to the United States of America. Who we are is important. What we stand for is even more important. That is why when I stop to count my blessings, whether it is at home, or at school., I know that there is no other country quite like this one. Tim Russert often quoted his father, a hard working laborer who served in World War II, who would often point out to Tim the great things about this nation, by saying "What a country" It is good that we remain a nation that pauses, even for one day, even in tough times, and remembers why we are thankful.

Whining Like Children
Nov 17, 2008

Recently, while in a store, I noticed a mother and her child shopping. The child was badgering the  mother to buy a toy. As the child continued to make her plea, the  mother explained that this was not the purpose of the errand. Yet, the child continued to throw mini fits with "how comes" as to why the mother  would not purchase a toy. The mom finally told  the child that the begging behavior had to end. But the child seemed not to be swayed and the whining continued.

I wonder sometimes if this is not exactly how we act  when it comes to our dealings with God, especially  referring to the day to day culture we live in this century. So many issues today are directly an affront to the moral code that God has put forth. However, like whining children, we are continuously deviating from what God's word and intentions are for us while we make excuses to justify our human desires.

Today we find that morality has become an archaic notion. It appears that the former standards of love and marriage and what is right and wrong, have become completely blurred. In my lifetime, I have seen divorce, once an exception, become the norm. For my generation, there has been a continuous drum beat that has brought about a near complete dismissal of the Ten Commandments which God laid out for his people. Yet, we live as though the Ten Commandments and any other directives from God or his Son, are optional ideas. We are forgetting that that these are mandates that have come from the very mouth of the one who created the universe. Because we live in a fallen world, we are given the choice as to whether we are in bondage to sin or are in bondage to God. It is a choice that too many of us lightly dismiss with a “whatever” attitude. It will come as a great surprise that it really does matter far more then we can even begin to grasp.

One by one, each commandment has  been put under considerable attack. What was once considered the cornerstones to society, today are easily considered as irrelevant because they fly in the face of the philosophy of a culture that is based in secularism and humanistic idolatry and religion. Unfortunately, it is even being practiced in some churches as if it is as valid as what God has ordained. Hence, the opposite of what God has delivered through the commandments is either twisted or justified. Lying, we tell our children, is a bad thing and truth is always best, but we accept deceit from so many sources, all the way from elected officials to corporation CEO's.  Too often we are witness to those who are caught in circumstances that are either illegal or immoral but who decide that the public will forget their transgressions by simply re-inventing  themselves.   In this culture it has become the standard to find a way to dodge responsibility or shame by coming up with a spin that will make the public become more sympathetic to any wrong doing. But here is the reality—it is not the fickle public that we need to really worry about as our judge. It is the judgment of our Heavenly Father.

Our culture today is really teaching a corrupted thinking that denies morality. Daily, we are chipped at by a social order that tells us what is desirable to think or tolerate and that if God has said it is wrong - well, then perhaps He is the one who has made the mistake. Thus we are being asked to devalue Gods thinking while we raise up our own. The result is that we are literally being crushed by sin in all areas of our culture- from our entertainment industry to our moral precepts. The basis of our culture is in deep trouble. Not that long ago, couples living together were seen as sinful. But with the advent of the sexual revolution in the 1960's, this all changed.  Today the idea of couples waiting to marry before committing to housekeeping is unusual. Take this a step further and we find children being born where there is no marriage and families are never formed. The affect of this is that it  leaves children in a state of emotional confusion,  suffering under the weight of the poor decisions by the adults in their lives. 

We may all acknowledge that killing is not only illegal, but immoral, but we make exceptions. It is ironic that one of the things we believe needs the greatest protection (our children)  is the one we have relinquished protection over when it comes to abortion.  Each year, we dissolve thousands of tiny human lives and we never blink an eye. Our country, where politicians appear to have great concerns about health care for all people, continues to ignore the moral dilemma of terminating the life of an infant even in the latest stage of pregnancy. We have covered our eyes and called it a "choice."

Since the election nearly two weeks ago, we have been a witness to the protestors in California unhappy with a proposition that was passed  that would not redefine a 5000 year old concept called 'marriage' and give it a new look. That look of course would be the acceptance and definition of marriage as not simply, as it has always been --between a man and woman-- but in a new definition sought by gay couples. Yet, no matter how the media or the culture dresses up this idea, and insists that we all accept gay marriages, it keeps meeting the same wall that cannot be ignored. That wall has been set by God. Our culture and many in our culture may attempt to circumvent this wall but it will remain a stumbling block to the reality of sin. Even if all laws are passed and marriage is given a new criteria, what can we say to our Father in heaven about our decision to change his institution? How will we be able to dress it up before God so that He will be all good with it? Are we wiser then He? It is a little ludicrous to think that God has missed something this socially and morally important and has left it to us to discover.

While the culture tells us that it is 2008 and we need to get over the concept of sin, we must remember that  the culture is not what will save us from eternal death. We need only to remember the words of Apostle Paul written nearly  2000 years ago in the book of Romans. His words speak about similar moral dilemmas felt then, that are still being written about now. He reminds us that in those times they too professed "to be wise," and in so doing " they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible men." That is the crux of the matter. We must never forget that God is entirely consistent, unchanging, steadfast, trustworthy and without darkness.

Like a willful child, we keep crying out that we know best. How is it that we have forgotten that all things began and will end  with our Father in heaven. And in the end, what we do with our lives, the choices that we make for God or against God, we will own.  Our judgment is waiting. Our moral code is on the table. Our sin is laid out.  And while our culture purports the lie that none of this matters and that we have the right  to want what we want, we will be made to understand when it is all over, that God is the final authority. Our only hope is  knowing that there is a way out of eternal death is through Jesus Christ, who was given to us for this purpose. Getting right with God does not involve whining, but instead listening, and becoming obedient to God's purposes and making the choice not to let anything separate us from Him. Our decisions and where we stand with God in this world now, matter.

Freedom!
Nov 10, 2008

Last week I began work on a presentation for Veterans Day.  I had decided that the topic would be about Freedom.  I soon came upon a web site called Let Freedom Ring which had been created by George Ciampa, a World War II veteran with the 607th Graves Registration Company. He had created this site to educate High School History teachers and students more personally about World War II and what American veterans fought for.  On this web site were several video clips. One of them featured a fellow veteran returning to the American cemetery at the beaches of Normandy. Here, amongst the thousands of white crosses, the aging soldier approached a grave of one of his fellow combatants lost in the battles at D-day. In a moving moment he placed a flag on the grave and then explained how important freedom is and how each of the men that he fought with were patriots who gave up their lives so that others could remain free.

Freedom.   It is a word we cast around but often take so little notice of what it truly means to us. As Americans, we have come not only to love freedom, but to forget that we actually have it. So often we take it for granted because in our day to day existence we do not have to worry that it will be taken away or that we will have to struggle to maintain it.  For most of us, it is a 'given' that we are free to do just about anything we please.

Just last week we had an election. For citizens of the United States, this is nothing out of the norm. But for millions in other countries it might be a privilege they can only dream about. Some can not even allow themselves to dream of the idea to be able to vote for anyone. Many inhabitants on this earth are coerced by governments that are full of corruption, deceit, violence, brutality and an ugliness that is profound.  How quickly we have forgotten that in China, the government tells you how many children you will have and how you will live, more importantly, how you will think. So it is, for countless other countries. Democracy is an ideal only a few are able to successfully inhabit. America is the epitome of that ideal.

Our election last week, unlike so called elections in other parts of the world, did not end in armies marching, nor in a military taking over because they did not like who was elected. How many times have headlines roared across the pages of our newspapers showing nations rioting, and a military junta coming down on the citizens by their own government, so that freedom of the individual is suppressed. Yet, here in America, we still remain that lamp on the hill, the beacon of light that hangs on to an ideal that says there is something better. There has to be.

Freedom, established in the foundational rock of this nation, is what is unique about this nation, yet, it is the thing we lose sight of so quickly. It was not just the Revolutionary War that gained us our freedom. It has been every skirmish and war we have been in since then. The Civil War re-subscribed our freedoms by finally dealing with the troubling issue of slavery in a country that had honed itself on things like manifest destiny. The issues of racism in this nation have hung with us for over a century. Possibly now, with the election of Barak Obama, this issue may have finally been sent to a place we can forgive and forget and let us get on with basking in a new sort of freedom—the freedom from continuous guilt.

But no freedom is worth much if it is not recognized. Too often we are in a hurry to value our freedom to shop and entertain ourselves more then to acknowledge where this freedom comes from and what price has been paid so that we are able to enjoy it. Freedom should never be trivialized. Far too many lives have been lost on battlefields from Gettysburg to Verdun to Normandy and the Ardennes; from the hills of Korea to the swamps of Viet Nam and now the streets of Bagdad. And make no mistake, with out these battles, and those brave young men and women, there would be no freedom. World War II would not have ended as it did,  without the bravery of the American combat soldier. Nazism might have, indeed, become the world power it desired to be in the absence of the ideals and tenacity of the United States and our willingness to help others regain their freedom from the encroachment of Fascism.  Freedom has been bought and paid for by millions of lives. Its' value is infinite.

We may wonder, "Where does this thing called freedom come from?" Freedom comes directly from God. We need only be reminded that God is the ideal of freedom. God is not a dictator. He has given us choice. We can choose His Son or we can dismiss him.  We have been given this-the first and most important freedom.

We must also remember that history is not just a selection and course of human events. God has his hand in all of this, from the rise and fall of the Roman empire to the rise of a unprecedented nation that absorbed people from all countries, all religions, all means and skills; from the poor to the wealthy and gave each of them the opportunity to have a voice and future of their choosing. Not all has been perfect, but the fundamentals were set by a God who ordained that a nation such as this would rise up and win its independence from another nation far more powerful then itself. The odds of this occurring were seemingly impossible, yet it happened. In Job 12:23 it says, " He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them." And in  Daniel 2:20 and 21 it states, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons;  He removes kings and raises up kings;  He gives wisdom to the wise. And knowledge to those who have understanding."

Some day we will be given the eyes to see just  how God has worked with this country to provide that light on the hill - that beacon of freedom. And we will be able to understand why we have been made to be the keepers of that light and have been asked to engage in battles throughout the world.

And so it is for America. We have been the place where refugees and people from all parts of this world have come to find freedom. It is the place that people in desperation sailed ships across dangerous oceans not knowing that they would even make it our shores, all because of this thing called "Freedom." It is still valued today so much so, that there are many waiting to enter our country so that they might also become citizens in a free republic. And through all of this, our freedoms in this nation have been bravely preserved by the men and women called to our armed services who have given their time - and most often - their lives so that we might continue to always be free!

The Stones Cry Out
October 20, 2008

Ellen Goodman is a columnist for the Washington Post and in the Saturday Leader-Telegram an article written by her appeared entitled "Gays Come Out of the Closet; Abortion Goes Back In." She contends that we have become complacent about abortion while accepting the gay issue which she says will soon see gay marriage prevalent in our nation. Furthermore, she recognizes an irony  in all of this because the abortion issue has sort of sunk from its rallying cry of the past. She is bothered that women don't seem willing to step out and talk about their abortions, or take up the promotion of pro-choice as a necessary right. She eludes to a possible stigma attached to the notion of relating personal stories of abortion. She quotes Yale historian George Chauncey who contends that there are almost no sympathetic characters who are getting abortions (on TV programs or in movies), while gays enjoy a much more positive representation. She then points out that the analogy between gays coming out of closets and abortion going into one, is not exactly perfect, but says this: "[I know] I will hear from every anti-abortion reader who equates abortion with murder."

The last part of her statement makes one wonder if it can be that after 50 years of abortion on demand, we still do not see that it is human life that we are aborting. It would seem silly with all the technology that has confirmed the creation of a visible human only weeks after conception, that we would continue to question human life created. I must point out that during the current presidential campaign, when Pastor Rick Warren interviewed both candidates, that it was Senator Barrack Obama who claimed that he was uncertain when life began. For the level of intelligence that this man holds, this struck me as a little disingenuous considering where we are in medical imaging, and our abilities to give infants life even at a 6 month gestation period. For a candidate who claims the other one is "out of touch" it would appear that we all choose what our reality is when it fits our needs.

Last week, I talked about the Holocaust. In that article, I called this episode in human history one of the greatest pieces of evidence that substantiates the existence of pure evil and the works of Satan here on earth. Millions were tortured, brutalized, starved and murdered under the state flag of German Nazism. The accounts of horror and fear amongst the few who survived are enough to make your stomach turn. The pictures of thousands of corpses piled like cord wood in the camps speak to an appalling shock to our sense of humanity.

I am absolutely certain that Ellen Goodman would be one of the first to be sure that we never forget what was done to millions of Jews, Poles, political enemies etc. of Nazi Germany. I cannot think that she would see it as anything but murder. There would be nothing even in our relativistic culture that would make her ask for a sympathetic movie about Nazi concentration camp personnel. Thus it is ironic and disturbing that when it comes to our nation endorsing abortion, she is troubled that it might be called murder.

Six to ten million people were killed in the Holocaust. Many voices were silent when they might have been shouting out to the world. The German people themselves who lived near these camps, claiming that they did not know what was taking place, did so because they turned their backs. The stench, and the billowing clouds of smoke that rained ash on surrounding towns from the crematoriums for many years was the undeniable evidence.

There is an estimation that the number of abortions that have occurred in the United States is somewhere in the 44 million mark. This staggering statistic shouts at us as much as the smell of gas chambers did in 1945. It is mind numbing to consider 44 million eliminated infants as the product of free choice. We have decorated this holocaust with the platitudes that tell us we "need to be able to choose." It is important to understand that those who support the pro-choice stake never finish the sentence that says "I am pro-choice," with "and I believe a woman has the right to choose to kill her infant right up and until the law will allow it because it is her personal right and choice." This they avoid, much like the people in the cities near Nazi death camps.

Goodman rolls out a statistic that I find hard to understand – that "one out of three American women has had an abortion by the time they are 45." That is stunning and if it is true, it should be alarming to all of us who respect human life. Yet, Ms. Goodman seemingly wants us all to believe that women should not feel shame, remorse, or any kind of sorrow over the disillusion of life, instead we should feel some sort of comfort in the staggering numbers of abortions. Clearly her attitude is that women should just move forward and forget about it. Indeed, she also hopes that women will stand up and talk about it to further the cause. Here is an idea for the cause- why not just issue lapel pins that says "had an abortion lately- I have."

Consider this, maybe something has changed in the psyche of humanity over the last 50 years during the time that abortion has been available. While Goodman is troubled that women who have had abortions, or are pro-choice, are not vocal or visible enough, it would seem that there could be a reason for this and possibly Ms. Goodman is a little "out of touch." When abortion was first placed on the table for discussion we were all a bit in the dark medically. Many thought that we were talking about a mass of cells. Knowledge is a gift. God has enabled our medical science to probe and discover more clearly what the beginnings of human life look like. What medicine has discovered is remarkable. What parents are now seeing on a regular basis, even as early as only a few weeks of gestation, is astonishing. It is not a mystery. We are not guessing anymore. If it looks like a baby—can we call it a baby?

And then there is this, can it be that with this realization of the facts, that more and more women have come to recognize that there is something called accountability to God and to themselves? Is it possible that God's word has interceded and penetrated our thinking about abortion so that it is not simplified into a secularized option for reproduction, but the evil carnage that it is? The Holocaust revolted our sensibilities. Ms. Goodman, who is an icon of eastern liberalism, appears blind to the evil tenants of the disposing of precious and innocent lives.

In Luke 19:40 Jesus says something that reminds me that we need to be shouting a little louder than the voices of people like Goodman. He says, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." Sixty three years ago, the world was informed that mankind could indeed deliver the most evil destruction of human beings ever imagined. Hell had taken up a physical home on the earth under Nazism. Our country which prides itself in humanitarian causes, remains the poster child for hypocrisy. We see no evil and hear no evil in the freedom of choice to destroy human life when it fits our purposes. Let us be reminded that those who perpetrated the Holocaust believed that they were creating a master race. In their minds what they were doing could not be equated with murder . So it is in the mind set that says that the freedom to choose abortion through the mothers wishes, even through the hideously disturbing partial birth abortion, is a right that should not be taken away. One day, all those who stand firm as pro-choice supporters will be asked to explain this to all the children that never were. That is when the stones will cry out.

Transfixed by Evil
October 13,, 2008

I found a book in the library the other day about the holocaust. It was meant as a teaching tool for young people. It was well done, explaining the origins of anti-Semitism from centuries ago, as it brought the reader to the early part of the 20 th century when these feelings were taking hold in the world which ultimately lead to one of the most blatant episodes of evil know to mankind. As I turned the pages, my heart could not help but crumble inside as I looked at the piles of shoes and suitcases left by men, women and children who were delivered to the many death camps that were built for Jews, gypsies, the mentally ill, homosexuals and political opponents of Nazi Germany. Today, many might see this as so far away, and so long ago, that it is comfortable to forget it or deny that it ever happened. But the tears and the horror of what did happen must never be forgotten, dismissed or buried with time. This is the stuff that is the evidence of how the "goodness" that we assume human beings contain must be called into question. It is the recognition about how much our world is in a constant battle between good and evil which we desire not to see, but nonetheless we must understand the evidence when it presents itself.

If you were to randomly ask people if they consider humanity to be  basically good or bad, I can guarantee that most would consider humanity to be "good."  Human beings have always wished to believe in their goodness.  Today's cultural views it to be politically incorrect  to view it any other way. New age believers, such as Oprah and her ilk, would be the first to proclaim that most people are basically good. Which calls the question: how do you define that? What is "basically good"—people who do not beat their children or are kind to their grandmother? Does it mean that you are responsible, clean cut, keep your yard neat and don't do drugs? "Basically good" is an ambiguous term left as an "understood," but by who's definition?

Our Almighty Father, we must remember, has given us a definition. From the very beginning according to God's word, we were told that something happened that took us out of being purely good. We fell into a sinful world and therefore our nature is sinful. However, that is not how we wish to see ourselves and thus we differ with our creator. Although God gave us commandments to live by because he saw humanities great need for guidance, the  commandments (which implies a mandate) are repeatedly broken. Most of the Ten Commandments today are considered irrelevant to our culture as we have not only turned away from them, but can justify why we consider them unimportant. (That is of course, unless you are personally affected by immorality or violence, then suddenly we become outraged.) 

God has instructed us through many prophets and men of the Bible. Indeed, the Bible, is the text that God has laid out for us. God gave us Jesus as the final word on this whole deal about whether we were so good that we did not need salvation, or so lost that we did.  In John 8:34, Jesus tells a number of people who claim that they are sons of Abraham, and therefore, felt that they were already righteous dudes in the eyes of God. They clearly do not recognize in this scripture, that they are standing before God's Son, when Jesus says: "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.  Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."

This passage has always been one that has left me as if the wind is knocked out of me. To be  told that your father is the devil is a bit disconcerting. But it is also so true. When we do not grasp that the world is in this " unseen" and, at times, "seen" battle,  we fail to understand that we are  living everyday on the battlefield between goodness and evil. It is not a metaphor or a way to explain away why bad things occur. It is about the reality and authenticity of the figure of Satan who is present in this world. There are times when we are clearly witnesses to the evidence of Satan. This is when we must acknowledge how the world really works according to God and to listen to the truth that Christ brought us.

John Eldredge in his book Epic states,  "I am staggered by the level of naïveté that most people live with regarding evil. They don't take it seriously. They don't live as though the…..incarnation of the very worst of every enemy you've ever met [exists]. Dear God- the Holocaust, child prostitution, child abuse, terrorist bombings, genocidal governments. What is it going to take for us to take evil seriously?" A profound question, indeed!

Evil is everywhere. You do not have to look very far. Just open your newspaper and find the list of sexual assaults being prosecuted each day in our community. Or find the list of the several hundred sexual predators that are living in our city. In the last few months the news media has been following the case of a woman in Florida who many believe murdered her 3 year old daughter.  Repeatedly, we have seen the horror of young people who have taken weapons to schools and universities in order to eliminate other people for their own purposes. The question always arises "why would a young person, seemingly at a time in their lives which is largely innocent, descend into this darkness?" We look for the answers in psychology and sociology but the answers are never forthcoming. We seem to forget about the one who is the champion of all evil doers and is glorified by those he can destroy.

In this technological world where we are sure that we are in  control of everything, the notion of Satan may seem silly. Yet, it is the word of God that tells us that  Satan is on the prowl like a hungry lion waiting to devour humanity. The existence of Satan has not changed simply because we have built computers.  Satan is present, 'staring us in the face" every day. He is in the reality shows where secret lives are shared that are immoral and corrupted, which we watch in the name of entertainment. He is in our new found acceptance of everything that was once considered immoral. He is in the places that call to our vulnerabilities whether it is through  alcohol, gambling, drugs or other abuses. He is in the idea that families and marriages are unimportant and unnecessary even when children are born. He is seen in families that are filled with anger, mistrust, and infidelity, instead of love. He is seen in a culture that makes fame and wealth and outward appearances the ultimate goal while dismissing reprehensible behavior. He is seen in the relentless greed as witnessed on Wall Street and in the wealth that is reaped off the backs of many for only a select few. Satan is prowling.

Yet, with all of this, our eyes remain largely closed  and we turn away from this battleground. Even when we stand over the bodies of college students who have been gunned down by a fellow student, or we witness planes flying into the towers on 911 or we open a book that examines how stealthily the humanity of an entire nation was so willing to do the works of an evil bidder as it   exterminated millions of human lives, it is remarkable that we do not recognize ourselves in the mirror that reflects the battle for our souls. We cling onto the idea that we are all good and all we do is good. We buy the lies of Satan and are unwilling to hear the truth. We are transfixed by evil.

Catching the Karma Ride
October 6, 2008

You most likely have heard the news. O.J. Simpson was convicted this weekend. Reuters news service reported that Simpson, "who more than a decade ago stunned much of America by beating murder charges, found himself in a Las Vegas jail on Saturday, facing the possibility of life in prison after a jury found him guilty of kidnapping and robbery in a dramatic late-night verdict. The former football star who walked away from his "Trial of the Century" a free man amid widespread views he had stabbed and slashed his ex-wife and her friend to death, was led to jail ….after he and a co-defendant were convicted [of a dozen guilty verdicts which involved] robbing a pair of sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas hotel."

There was a note of irony here. It was not simply that justice was finally served on a man who most American's have maintained, got away with a horrific crime, which not only was blown up in the media but caused racial divisiveness, but there seemed to be something else working here. Saturday, October 4, 2008 the day O.J. was found guilty, was one day to the date of 13 years ago when O.J. was acquitted in Los Angeles. And here is another tid-bit of irony- it took the jury 13 hours of deliberation to come to this verdict. Thirteen hours, and thirteen years later, something may have come full circle! But what was it and how did it happen?

I heard the answer this morning on Good morning America . Ron Goldman's sister and his father, Fred Goldman were being interviewed about their reaction to Simpson's conviction on the show. They were understandably in awe and near disbelief, that after all these long years of watching O.J. walk the golf courses a free and easy going man, claiming his innocence and then writing a book entitled "If I Did It," and enduring the pain as a result of this, that something had happened. But the answer I heard about why this happened and how it happened in their estimation was not about the hand of God or divine intervention but instead, Ron's sister said that it was due to Karma. Karma?

We hear that a lot these days- the work that Karma does. Karma, of course is an eastern religious philosophy touted by every new age believer. Karma is about cause and effect and about that old saying that "what goes around comes around .' It can be reassuring in this sort of thinking that theorizes that if someone is nasty to you, you can count on Karma to get back at them. Justice? Well, not exactly—more like revenge. Karma is found in Hindu , Jain , Sikh and Buddhist philosophies. So Karma really has no basis in Christianity. Moreover, it may not have a real basis in this world at all.

Karma is often mentioned among friends when people are observed committing wrongs that they seemingly are getting away with, as in O.J''s case. We shake our heads at the prospect that they will have no consequences to their actions. At this point the secular world pulls out the Karma card as if it is a real entity that will administer justice. However, there are some very logical and important questions that need to be asked here. Who is karma? What is it and where does it come from? When we say that Karma will come back at you – how do we know this? What profound persona of justice are we citing that has the power to do this? From what we know about the universe, nothing happens without some sort of force or power. No object can be moved by the strength of our thoughts. So is Karma a spirit? If so, who controls this entity or does it control itself? Where is its power coming from? What is its nature?

I have no way of estimating how many people take the idea of Karma seriously. But it does appear as one of those "acceptable" ideas in the secular culture. However, it is not an idea based in an authority that is Godly, because it comes out of a philosophy that is contrary to belief in an almighty God, creator of heaven and earth and the one who has all power and authority.

So what are we putting our faith in? The answer lies in our understanding of who is God. The world we walk on is the evidence of God, His power, His glory, His majesty, His works and His enormity. If, indeed, he has the power to create all the worlds, has he not the power to be in control. The Son he gave us is the evidence in the flesh that God is about his work in this world at all times and with us in all dimensions of our lives. The gift of Christ is the evidence over and over that God is a just God, a caring and involved God and one who yields the authority to offer mercy, forgiveness, grace and justice. Listen to the words of Isaiah 46:9 that states, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me." Or the words in Romans 13:1 where it say, " Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." Finally from Hebrews 4:12, 13 , "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit…...And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

Yet, over and over, even when God has laid the body of his son in a tomb and has raised him up, we put our faith not in the reality of Christ but in the enigma of pagan thought. We embrace a concept called Karma which is like embracing a stone with the hope that it has the ability to produce a flower. Just as the Lord pointed out to Samuel that the people had not rejected him but had rejected the Lord so that the Lord "should not reign over them," we reject the one who saves us when we call upon philosophies that have nothing to do with God's word or his authority.

What happened in the O.J. Simpson case? Was it karma that brought it home or was it a just God that resolved an injustice? If we contend that we are believers in God, then we must believe God is who he says he is, and not who we think he should be. We must believe that God can do what he says he can do , and not what we would allow him to do. God has offered us the answers through his word which commands the universe. So when we wonder if it was an accident that O.J. was convicted 13 years and 13 hours to the day from his previous trial, our hearts and minds must be able to see that God's works are all around us, every day, at every moment of every hour. Let us remember always that, " there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

What Are You Going to Do With Truth?
September 29, 2008

Searching through the religion section  of the newspaper, I could not help but notice a spiritual irony in our midst.  On the 27th of September, this past Saturday, two programs were offered  at two different churches. One program was called "The Truth Project," which was a simulcast program coming from the Focus on the Family organization. It featured Dr. Del Tackett a former air force fighter pilot and vice-commander of NORAD, who is now the President of the Focus on the Family Institute . The other program was a study of the two books written by Eckart Tolle, someone who I have hi-lighted several times in this venue. The two books to be examined were The New Earth and The Power of Now . Eckart Tolle has become famous through Oprah Winfrey as she has adopted this author as her personal spiritual guide and has promoted his thinking and ideas not only on her program but on the web with an online class that has attracted millions of people.  On Saturday, September 27th I was a participant in the simulcast “ Truth Project ” in which 36,000 people around the nation came together for this event.  On the surface, after seeing the announcement in the newspaper, both programs may have appeared to be like minded as enriching programs to a believing world.  However, nothing could be further from the facts. They were diametrically opposed.

The focal point of the “The Truth Project ” is the concept of truth itself. What is truth? Why is it important? What role does it play in God's purposes in the world, our purpose as humans and God's plan for salvation through Jesus Christ? The focal point of Tolle's writings is  to discover, not what God has said or what his Son has brought us, but how mankind has the power to define himself. This is the philosophy of secular humanism that questions the very nature of God or that anything that has been written in the Bible has anything to offer us. For the followers of this thinking, Jesus is optional and questionable; the Bible is interesting, but human  thinking is considered enlightened and above God. In their estimation the Bible has gotten it wrong about God. How that can be, when this is His word, is answered with "we are not so sure it is his word." The sad part about the study offered on September 27th , is that it came through a church that incidentally has "Christ" in its denominational name. It should be concerning when you  consider that the books by Tolle are not meant to further ones faith in Christ or an understanding of our Father. Instead it is meant to further ones faith in our human condition. As I delved into " The Truth Project ," it was evident that here in Eau Claire, on the same day spiritual warfare  was being played out via the discussion in our city of Gods' Truth versus mankind's blasphemy.

"The Truth Project ," begins with the question: "Why did Jesus come into the world?" Christians might typically say, "He came into the world to  bring salvation, connect us with the Father, and  take away our sins." But what does Jesus have to say about why he came to us? The key word here is "Truth."  In John 18:37 we hear his answer; " for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth . Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."Indeed, if you look up the word 'Truth' in the New Testament, you will see hundreds of references. In the book of John alone, truth is mentioned 25 times by Jesus.  We are reminded in the New Testament that the Law was brought to us by Moses, but  the Truth was given to us by Jesus Christ. This is important to understand. It shows us the continuing saga that the Lord has with his creation. He watches over us and desires us to be his children. He has not only provided the platform for us on how to live  through the law, but he has also presented his only  son as the entry way to an eternal  relationship with the Father.

But how have we treated this truth?  Much of our  time is spent in rejecting it. We may call ourselves Christians, but the truth that Jesus presented, we often dismiss. How can I say this?  Simply put, there are too many Christians that have bought into the culture and, now, too many Christian churches which are enabling its members to come to the decision that tolerance and diversity are the real mantra that they should carry rather then the Savior. If they focus on Jesus at all, it is not about the sacrifice or the salvation through him that he offers, instead it is on Jesus being  an example of  tolerance because it fits their agenda. Oprah likes to say that the purpose of Christ in this world was to "show us how to live." That is all. No salvation, no redemption or justification  and certainly not  about an indefatigable truth. The example of a church providing a forum for new-age religious thinking is a spotlight on the rejection of Truth, because this secular humanism contends essentially that we are all gods. It rejects God's word as holding the ultimate Truth, but lifts up man's thinking as if could be as noble and as powerful as the creator of universe.  But here is the important question, is there truth in man?

This is what we do know. Satan is the great deceiver and his deception began the moment the world was created. He is known as the "father of all lies."  We tend to think of ourselves as pretty smart; not easily duped. Yet, from the beginning, we have been duped and cajoled by the great liar and his lies. The lies are everywhere and lead to some of the most horrible human tragedies we can name.  It says in Romans 1:25 "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator." Here is God at work. On the very same day in which  God has offered our community The Truth Project , Satan brings us a lie. One  church turns its focus on a man with a philosophy and says it brings enlightenment! Another church focuses on the Truth of Christ.  From the data that Oprah has provided, it would seem that millions have been deceived. Here is spiritual warfare in concrete.

Some may say, "so what, people have a right to their opinions, it is a free country." This is not about freedom or opinion. This is about the Truth. Do we want it, or do we wish to be conformed by a lie. Consider this, if we buy into the lie and decide that the Bible is pretty much defunct but that Eckart Tolle and his ilk really have something  significant to say, what happens to us in the end?  At that moment when we leave this world, will there be time to reconsider the choice we made for God's word or for Eckart's word? More importantly, which do you think will matter?

Romans 2:8 tells us this: "But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger."That anger is expressed as seen in Romans 1:18- 19  where it is stated "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them." These are words to ponder deeply.  God is not a mystery as Oprah contends. He has made known to us his thoughts, desires, plans, and his salvation has been laid at our feet through his son. Incredibly, we continually search for answers in all the wrong places despite Christ's sacrifice. We buy the lie. Where is our understanding of Christ's gift to us as we go about seeking alternative thinking? Satan is always trying to overcome God's word  through human thinking and make it appear as valid as our eternal Father. The great deceiver is adept at covering everything he has to offer in pleasant circumstances that appear innocuous.  Yet the warning from God is this, as seen in Acts 20:30-31, "Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!"

One realization that everyone who claims Christ must come to is this: rejecting God's word in small or large parts and rejecting Christ as the Savior while we elevate ourselves into new-age thinking, is very dangerous. It separates us from God. It leaves us in darkness. Remember the words of Jesus: "I came into the world , to testify to the truth . Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Who are we listening to? As the scripture says, God has not hidden his word. It has been made plain to us. The war for our souls is real. What are you going to do with the truth?

Things and God Things
September 22, 2008

Maybe you missed it. A few weeks ago something happened in Eau Claire where the hand of God appeared but was not readily recognized. Two women were going shopping at the local Wal-Mart when they noticed a taxi-cab van smoking profusely. It was stopped, however, the people in it were not getting out. The women parked their car in the Kohl's Department store lot and ran to the van located near Fazoli's. Upon arriving at the van they discovered that there was an elderly woman passenger and the cab driver. They immediately removed the woman and brought her to their car while telling the cab driver that his vehicle was on fire. Once they got the woman to the safety of their car, they returned to the cab driver and coaxed him out of the cab, although he was insisting that there was nothing abnormal despite the billowing smoke. As he exited the cab, it was none too soon. The cab burst into flames. Both passengers would have been seriously injured if not killed if these women had not taken the time to help them to leave this dangerous situation.

Interestingly, part of this story goes beyond just the facts of the rescue. Both women had intended to be doing other things that day. But as the day progressed, their plans changed and they suddenly found themselves together and headed towards the mall area in Eau Claire. The story becomes even more compelling when you consider that this area is a busy place and full of traffic. Yet, out of all the cars traveling through that area, theirs was the only one that stopped to take action. It begs the question, "what if" they had followed their original plans or "what if" they had arrived a few minutes later or too early to see the vehicle and the people who were in trouble?

They made a difference. They saved two lives. Yet, there is always that curiosity as to how it came to be that they were there at that exact moment and acted, rather then driving by. Was it God's hand that changed things or was it simple luck that brought these results?

This is just one incident in a world full of daily occurrences. Occasionally, items make the news, such as this one, but more often our days are filled with occurrences that change our lives, that we often take little notice of. These may be less dramatic but are in fact just as remarkable. How many times have we talked with someone that changed our career path, or have we met someone who became an important and lasting friend, or we met that someone who became the love of our life? Without seeking it out, we often learn of something that makes a difference in our decisions.

If we stop to consider our lives carefully and the way in which most of the important people have come into our lives, it would boggle our minds with the many "how comes" and "what ifs" that we could discover. Everyone of us can envision a time, that if we had changed our direction, followed another path or struck up with a certain person, things would not have been the same.

The question inevitably comes floating to the top about how we ascertain how the world works in such cases. Are all the meetings and happenings in our lives that have brought us to where we are, just coincidence? Or is there a design that seems to be created for our lives? For instance, were these women placed at the corner of Kohl's and Fazoli's by something bigger then their desire to go shopping at Wal-Mart on a September day in 2008 at precisely the time when an elderly woman and a cab driver would need their help?

The world in its secular viewpoint - the one we find in the media on a daily basis - would like us to believe that it simply was a stroke of luck or 'coincidence.' It would conclude that these women were simply 'at the right place at the right time.' But this does not explain why with hundreds of other cars passing this site that many others did not stop. Incredibly, only these two women actually made the effort. Indeed, the world-view would surmise that "good people tend to do good things." If that were true, then are we to deduce that all the other people in that area were not good people because they were not as proactive?

In this one incident we have many factors that had to come together in order for a rescue to happen. The women had to (1) change their plans, (2) leave their homes at a time that would place them at the mall and (3) they had to have the heart to get out of their normalcy and intended destination in order to take action. Here is where 'coincidence' and 'being at the right place' really is a weak argument. Take away any one of these factors and you have a completely different outcome.

Which brings us to our Father in Heaven. Unlike coincidence, which is an unproven, mythical, man-made explanation of why things happen in astonishing ways when they are unexpected, there is a proven explanation that is real and active in the world at all times. God is not an absentee landlord in human life. We know from God's word, which was written for our hearts, that the Father who gave us life and gives us his Son Jesus, so that we might have everlasting life, is involved with us. The world is not ruled by 'luck' or 'coincidence,' "good guesses" and "crystals." If you are basing your life on these things or hanging wind chimes in your doorway to achieve good chia, you might take a moment to remember that it is Jesus who brought us Truth and that the Lord has never spoken to mankind in lies or in promises that are all nice thoughts with no substance. Here is our relationship to the living God, as seen in the words found in Psalm 139: "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

So how does God fit into the comings and going of your life? Are you clinging to truth or, instead, to the idea that luck and coincidence will prevail even when it constantly fails? If we see the Lord as only an object in the heavens with a mild interest in our lives, we are foolish. The Lord is walking with us . When we open our minds to take account of all the patterns set forth in our lives, whether good or bad, we see God's hand. Our prayers were answered. Our hearts were satisfied . Basing our hopes and dreams on a unfeeling stroke of "luck" does not allow us to fully comprehend the overwhelming and infinite love of our Father that is at our disposal. Recognize that in every moment of your life, God is present. He is the beginning and the end. And yes, God was surely present in a parking lot on a September day in Eau Claire, Wisconsin overseeing the hearts of two women and the lives of two passengers in a taxi cab.

Born to Save
September 15, 2008

A flyer that came in the Sunday paper for a discount store, caught my eye. It showed a cute little baby on the front cover with a caption underneath that read "born to save." The ad, of course, hoped to convey that every one would be able to save money at this store. What struck me, was the title on the cover, "Born to Save," which actually would be appropriate for only one person who came into this world, as an apt description under the many paintings of the Christ child. What a great moniker reserved for the one who was sent to us for the purpose of our redemption, even while being rejected by those he came to save. Sadly, he continues to be rejected. The scoffers are many and our culture is full of untruths rather then the Truth that was incarnate. More and more it comes down to how much credibility we put into the idea that we really do need to be "saved."

Having grown up in a mainstream Christian church, albeit very liberal, I can remember the mockery that many people made over the evangelicals that talked about being saved. It is an easy thing to do when you do not clearly understand that this was the purpose of Jesus' life. Too many want to make the purpose of Christ's life about teaching love and forgiveness and how to live better lives. That all may be true, but you must ask yourself, why the tortuous death on the cross, if all we needed to learn was how to behave better? There is a contention that Christ died to show us that we could have eternal life. True, but was there even more to what Jesus was trying to do through his ministry and his death on the cross? We must never lose site that, indeed, He was trying to save us from our own sin which separates us from the Father. This was so important that he laid down his life for us.

Today, sin is something that has been twisted to the point that our culture has mocked the Ten Commandments and obliterated the contention that sin is a problem, so much so, that we tend to deny that it exists especially in our own lives. We have become adept at making and spinning our excuses. However, acknowledgement of sin is critical. Sin is the reason that we tend to become bankrupt in our lives and thus so desperately need to be saved by Jesus who is the one who rescues and reclaims us.

There is a program on the A&E channel called Intervention in which the viewer is taken through the process of families intervening with their loved ones who are literally destroying their lives through addiction, alcoholism, or other abuses. This program clearly identifies a subject who needs to be saved. This show spotlights the person who is struggling desperately while all their friends and relatives are on the sidelines watching them fall further into life threatening situations. The show focuses on a tough confrontation that the family must make. None of this is easy for anyone involved - the family members, the subject or the therapist. However, each subject truly needs to be saved. No one can ignore the powers of the addiction which is eating up their lives.

What is always amazing to me, is that the person who is the subject of the intervention, no matter how hideous their life has become, will struggle valiantly against the idea of leaving their addictive existence. They will often fight any attempt at help which can give them back a life of sanity and decency. They almost always refuse to be rescued, even when they have lost everything they once held dear. They appear to be without the power to recognize that they can regain their life.

For most of us in this culture, we think we are in pretty good shape and we operate with the idea that sin belongs to others. But, recall the words of 1 John where it states " If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." These are not the words of ambiguity. The Bible also tells us in Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

So often when this passage is shared with people, there is a defensiveness that rises up. Much like the addict, we are certain that we need no rescue. We see ourselves as sinless rather then sinful because we have led good lives, done good works, and tried our best. Yet, it is not about our good works or how well we have tried, because the measure remains that we are part of a fallen world that is engulfed in sinfulness. We tend to live in an oxymoron where we know that God is the answer, yet, struggle to maintain that we do not need God and thus we do not need to be saved. Like the addict, we are blind to the recognition as to why Jesus entered our world. We fight the rescuer even though we know we need to be delivered from what will await us, without Jesus.

As hurricane Ike came into Galveston, Texas this week, there were many dire warnings by state, local and federal governments that people needed to evacuate. However, some people stayed behind. One such group was filmed by a TV crew as they partied at a beach-side bar while the hurricane began blowing waves onto the shore. While they looked defiant and in a party mood, eventually they began to have misgivings about their choice to stay on the beach. The bar is now most likely washed away. How many of us are like those at the beach-bar, sure that nothing can happen to us and that we need no rescue, defying God's hand that has been extended to us?

Even the most reluctant to believe in the existence of sin in the world will acknowledge that there are some things that happen that are just plain evil. Most people have a sense of morality and righteousness even if they are not invested in the Bible or in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us in Romans, that we are all sinners. This is not meant to make us feel bad. It is an acknowledgement of our condition. It is the way we were made. The word "all" is the operative word here. Some of us have not been elevated above sinfulness, no matter how much we would like to believe we have been. We all fit the description.

Consider this, if there were no sin, there would be no need to be saved and the cross would have little significance in our lives. Remember, it was through the cross that Jesus shed his blood which would wipe us clean- scoured white, and bleached pure of all sin. That is not something to dismiss. The Bible deals with a constant struggle trying to help humanity realize that God is with us and not against us. We are often described as rebellious children. In truth, our constant state is that we need to be saved! Jesus is the one who redeems us out of the pit.

Jesus, God's presence on earth, is the forgiver of all sin, the grace provider to all who have been lost in a sinful life, the one who brings us mercy and redeems us with his blood on the cross. He alone is the great exit out of the sinfulness of this world and the singular path to a life with our Father in Heaven were sin and sadness are vanquished. That is why we need to be saved. It sounds so simple. Like the addict, it is about the choices that we make, which will make all the difference if we are to have life--or not.

Last Chance
August 18 , 2008

Earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes! This summer we have seen them all. Is it a sign from God? The world says, "No, it is just mother nature wreaking havoc on the earth." Really, is that all it is? All of this does raise our awareness of how quickly things can change and that there is always that lurking potential that an end to the age as predicted is coming sooner rather then later.

A more potent question is this: what if the world did change or end tonight for anyone of us? Daily, we know that there are people whose world has literally ended through death. Sometimes this is long and drawn out, but many times it is sudden, unexpected and stunning. There was no prediction nor preparation. It came with a shaking that leaves families shattered, wondering how it could happen so suddenly. Their loved one was too young, or had so much to live for, or was headed for something new and exciting. There was no time to say 'good-bye' or 'I love you.' But there it is, it is over.

How many times in the last weeks have you read about the unexpected occurring? From the famous to not so famous, lives are interrupted. Tim Russert, an icon of TV, collapsed early this summer. Just last week a youngish comedian Bernie Mack left this world. Everyday we hear in the news of young people being killed in car accidents. Each day the data shows us that many are leaving us this earthly existence. Seconds change lives.

The stunners remind us that we are mere mortals. We are not meant for this earthly existence as our home. But that is not how we live. We sometimes act like we are kids sent to camp. We get comfortable and figure out how it all works here at "Camp Earth" and then we are brought back home again, realizing that the camp was only temporary. This metaphor illustrates that we actually have a home elsewhere, which we tend to ignore. We become so wrapped up in this place, that we lose the focus that God asks of us - to tend to the things of heaven.

Yet, how dismissive we remain of our inert sense that we do not have to think of such things as our body dying or where our soul will go after that. We have a whole culture that just brushes that all aside with the idea that we will all go to heaven. It concludes that whatever belief system you have, (as it is often termed), will take you where you hope to end up. The question is, who said so? Where is it written or engraved in stone that every human being no matter how they have lived or believed is entitled to a pleasurable after-life? It is especially puzzling to me when I think of the people who have no time for God now. There are no thoughts about their creator except that they don't want his judgment and they do not want him meddling in their lives. Much of the time they look around at their apparent successes and happiness and decide, "what do I need God for, I am doing just fine." They are confident that they can take care of themselves.

Maybe they can, up to a certain point. That point would be when anyone of us is confronted with our end. Will karma help us out then? Will the crystals and rocks prayed to, answer our cry? Will we all become nothing, as the 'new age' religions contend? Will our non-belief allow God to pardon us for your lack of attention to him?

Lets get real. God calls himself 'a jealous God,' one who demands our attention. And like all fathers he has tried just about everything, including the most incredible, as He brought His son to earth to die for our redemption, to seek that attention. The Bible gives us the evidence that is insurmountable.

I often wonder why anyone would pass by the love that was offered from the cross, the gift of eternity - the ability to go home - where our eternal and loving father waits for us! Ironically, so many seek fathers and fathering in their lives here on earth, yet, we deny the very thing we yearn for when we ignore our Father-God. Even those who claim belief in Christ, appear unaware that it was Jesus and no one else who came for us. Jesus stretched out his hand to our earthly existence and said "I am the door, the path, the gate, the road to the Father. I lay down my life for you. There is no other way out of here that will work because I alone have been sent to do the Father's work and it is through me that you will be redeemed. Believe in me, follow me, and worship me because with out me, you have nothing. You will be in darkness forever."

In the end we are promised one thing. We are promised that the creator, the almighty God will look upon us and no matter how good we think we have conducted our lives, He will see the ever present sin. More importantly, He will see that we thought we could hide from God our unbelief, or that we had no time for him. Indeed, He will see that we pushed aside the gift offered to us of eternal life through his Son for whatever reason: we had no time; it was not important; we were such good people why would God reject us; we always meant to get to that; we thought that it did not matter that other religions became our focus, we took on the new age beliefs that Oprah, our nations female guru, was promoting; we just never gave it much thought etc.

And in the end will any of these reasons matter to God when He has already given us the life of His Son to cover our sins? Many, it says in the Bible, will be at the gate saying 'Lord, Lord,' and the Lord will say, "I never knew you and there will be great cries and gnashing of teeth." I pray that everyone understands that the end of each of our lives is but a breath away. Life and death walk side by side. The suddenness of life's end can be thrust upon us at any moment. Thus, for each of us today, it is about decision - a decision for Jesus. This will be our choosing to walk with him or to walk away from him. And in so doing, we will be determining our life everlasting.

This article is based on Luke 13:22-29

"Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, 'Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?' He said to them, 'Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'  But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God."

 

Assaulted by Evil
July 28, 2008

There has been a lot of debate about the Batman movie that just came out. It is not the Batman we remember from the 1960's TV series which was at times a bit silly. It is not even like the series of Batman movies that have come out over the past few decades. This one is absolutely not for kids because it is a very dark and maybe even a disturbing movie for some. Like so many themes in our hero-literature and adventures, this is one about the ongoing conflict between good and evil. While we are very accepting of the idea of evil as portrayed in Batman by the Joker, or Darth Vader in Star Wars or in the Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings, Spiderman, Superman etc., mostly in our culture we tend to dismiss this as an adjective rather then a noun. We seem disconnected to the idea that a battle for good and evil is raging every day in this world, in our lives and even within our own beings. We think our enemy is the opposing football team or the guy in the next cubicle, not the great liar who rules so much of this world.

Some of our most memorable movies and books are based on this theme of good versus evil. And so it is with the Bible. At first glance, we probably do not often think of the Bible as a book that shows us this struggle. We see it as Gods' story or his message to us. Indeed, it is. But think again, it begins with Eve eating the apple that throws all humanity out of Eden so that we are meant to struggle with difficulties, death, sin, sadness, wrong doers, and yes, evil.

A number of years ago when I was a member one of America's most liberal protestant churches, my husband was in a discussion with another member. This man proclaimed that he "preferred not to believe in Satan." How odd this struck my husband. At the time we could reason that we would all prefer to not believe in Satan, however, that is like saying, "I prefer to not acknowledge the existence of the moon." It is what it is.

Satan was there from the beginning. If we are to believe in the Bible, then how can we divorce ourselves from the reality of the enemy who has existed since the beginning and who was created by God, becoming a fallen angel who's goal is to collect all the souls he is able to, keeping them away from the father. If we call ourselves Christians, then we know that Jesus talked with Satan and acknowledged him, and not just when he went out on his 40 day dessert trek, but through out his ministry. We would be foolish to think that Jesus, who cast out demons, (and the demons, incidentally, knew who he was immediately) was unaware of the evil force that was stalking him all along the path to the cross. Please recall the powerful portrayal in another movie, The Passion of the Christ , where Satan is shown as this strange persona lurking and moving through the crowds in Christ's last days, observing Jesus and the plot as it played out. Here Satan is actualized and defined for us. He is not an imaginary character in a movie, but he is the incarnate presence. Although the evil one, is our most true enemy above all others and other things, it would appear that we are more willing to accept fantasy characters then recognizing the struggle that we have in this world with a real presence.

Here is the deal. None of us can literally see Jesus or God, yet in our hearts we know he is alive and with us. If we have committed to believing in Christ, then we must also commit to understanding how God has made this world. I am not speaking of the trees and animals, I am talking about the reality of evil that is so very much a part of the world.

Today, we have the lies of Satan in the form of new age religions, and authors such as Eckhart Tolle and his promoter Oprah, who claim there is no sin and no evil. Instead, they believe wholeheartedly that 'God is us and we are God.' I beg to ask them how they account for the obvious evil in the world. In this nation, just in this summer alone, several pregnant women have been murdered by their husbands or boyfriends. How is it that we frequently read of parents abusing or killing their own children in this nation, even in our own area? How can someone find the enemy in a two month old baby and what brings a father to that point? If you could read every local newspaper in this nation, you would be appalled and sickened by the evil that has engulfed our world. Violent and senseless acts by children, teens and adults is epidemic. Moreover, we seem to thrive on violence in almost every mode of entertainment, from video games, to TV shows that are just plain mean, to movies that enjoy pushing the envelop a little further. I cannot think of a time when I could open our own local newspaper and read almost on a daily basis about children who have been sexually assaulted. But that is what we hear and see. Yet, we still ask for proof of evil and of the enemy as a real being that stalks us.

Bible teacher and author, Beth Moore, says that "in these last days Satan has two primary motivations (1) to exact revenge on God by wreaking havoc on His children and (2) to try to incapacitate the believers God-given ability to overcome him." Remember that in 1Peter 5:8 it states;
"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." Indeed, in 2nd Corinthians 11, Paul writes But "I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent." And in John 8:44, Satan is described as "a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." Make no mistake, there is power in evil, yet, God remains more powerful then the devil. Our protection, as with many dangers in this world, is awareness. Our protection is in our worshipping of the almighty God and praising his name, because every time that we do so, we defeat the grip the enemy has on our lives and on our community.

But there is one more far more powerful protection then this and it is in our belief in Jesus the Christ who defeated death, and squelched all that Satan hoped to gain when Jesus walked the earth. Indeed, again we can recall a scene from The Passion of the Christ , where after Jesus dies and has risen, there is a flash of the Satan figure writhing in agony because he has been defeated. Jesus is our real and honest hero. He is not a fantasy character on the big screen. He is the truth which the enemy cannot stand up against.

In the recent Batman movie, at the end, it becomes apparent that Batman is fallible and cannot rescue everyone from the evil Satan figure, the Joker. We are left with "what is the world going to do?" Incredibly what this should point out to us is Jesus. He is the only one who can save us and we are desperately in need of a savior. He is the only rescue rope we have, the only net that will scoop us out of the fires, the only doorway to safety. Batman can be defeated but Jesus can never be ceased, terminated obstructed or halted from rescuing us with his merciful love.

Psalm 3: 2-3

So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!" But you, O L ord , are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.

The Keeping Our Options Open
July 21, 2008

It is discouraging at times, to recognize that we are a culture about wanting what we want, and wanting it now. We desire to have options open to us with a continuous variety of possibilities. This attitude floats through all aspects of our lives. Our malls are testaments to enormous options of items to purchase. But there are more important options that affect us far more then just what we buy. For example, children are being born into relationships with no marriage in sight because the parents wanted what they wanted, without any commitment to a life together, leaving their options open. Divorce often occurs because in many instances couples have discovered what they considered to be their options.

A few weeks ago the Pew Research Council reported that Americans in general, were prone to believe that there were many options to heaven. If we were to take a poll at this moment of all the people who declare themselves Christians in this nation, I am fairly certain that the percentage of people who would endorse the idea that Jesus may possibly NOT be the single and most likely route to heaven, would be surprisingly high. This, of course, is a huge reflection of what our world and culture has embedded into our brains with every cultural twist: "keep your options open, variety is the spice of life, don't settle for the first thing that comes along, you can always change your mind, surely there must be many paths to heaven because there are so many different cultures, peoples and nations" and finally, "why would one belief be better then the others?"

Lets' get to the bottom line. In reality, why should a person be considered a Christian if they are assuming that there My indeed be other paths to God or heaven? How can God's Son ever be enough for them? When people indulge in 'new age' philosophy which is based on human thinking, proclaiming that you are the god in yourself, they are missing the grace we have been given, as well as the forgiveness, mercy and a life eternal through the cross of God's Son. If we begin to assimilate other beliefs with our own Christianity, is it simply considered "broadening our horizons?" Possibly it is more about our unbelief that has become more powerful then our belief. Our own accountability to God and what is in our heart should be foremost in our minds. Remember how in Romans 10:8-10, Paul says "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Wow, it is not simply our understanding of an idea or philosophy, but rather the reality check that is in our hearts that Jesus is real. And if we open our hearts to beliefs that are in direct contradiction to everything we know about Jesus, who are we opening our minds and hearts to? We need only recall what gives Satan the most pleasure. Undoubtedly, he seeks to remove us, little by little, moment by moment from God and from his Son. With each doubt, or with each acceptance of another faiths thinking, Satan has wormed his way further into our hearts. In so doing Satan knows that our likelihood to eternally be with the Father is being chipped away. Ironically, Satan knows that Jesus is the only answer!

So how critical is it that we not make the unalterable mistake to believe that there are many paths to heaven? In 1 John 5:5 it states, "This is the victory that has overcome the world,...Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." I have heard skeptics say that Jesus never actually declared himself the messiah who came to save, or that he was the only path. It will come as a great surprise to those who think this way, when they become aware of how many times Jesus makes this claim in the four Gospels. Indeed, in the book of John 6:32-68 there are a series of events in which Jesus is asked by the 5000 people whom he has just fed with a few fish and a couple of loaves of bread, "give us that bread every day." And Jesus replies, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day."

Just in this passage alone, we hear Jesus declaring that He is it. He is the one. He is the answer. He is the singular road, path, journey, philosophy, proclamation, announcement, destination, door, gate, highway, track, and consummate result as to how we get to God. There are no mistakes here and no questions left to ponder. He is it.

This past weekend I attended a Beth Moore event in Minneapolis at the Target Center. Over 7000 Christian women took over this huge arena for a giant Bible study. As the worship team led us in a powerful, overwhelming worship of sights and song, a question occurred to me. Do we really comprehend who this is - this Jesus - that the public seems unimpressed by, that many poke fun at, and even more curse with, or that liberal churches are skeptical of and rarely talk about and that new age believers dismiss? Who is it that we are dismissing? As the music reached a crescendo with hymns that reminded us that Jesus died and then rose up to unchain our lives from the bondage of sin, overcoming all things of this earth, I wondered, how it is that as a culture we don't understand what we have been given. Christ's disciples were at times doubters and grumblers too. You will recall that after Jesus states that he is the bread of life , as referenced previously, the disciples say "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"So Jesus turns to the Twelve and asks, "Are you ... going to leave?"Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life."

There it is, the answer we keep saying we are looking for as skeptics and doubters and all the people who may claim parts of other faiths, or the cultural idea that all people go to heaven and all faiths can help you do that. Here is the defined pronouncement directly from God. Jesus is our one, and only hope.

The Rescued
July 7, 2008

There was a short article in this Saturdays USA Weekend magazine about dogs and cats being turned into humane shelters across the country. I was struck by the comment by the author, Peter Howe, when he said, "rescued dogs never forget they were abandoned or that you saved them." Hmm, I thought, I wonder about rescued people. Do they remember that they were rescued? Do they consider that they needed saving in the first place? Do they forget about who rescued them?

Of course, I am not thinking about someone being rescued from a drowning or a fire. I am talking about the deep need we have to be saved, each one of us, from the life we lead in this world and where our lives are headed in the next. It is about the recognition of the need for God, his great mercy and grace because no matter how hard we try, none of us are perfected nor can we ever hope to be.

A few weeks ago, many of the network news media joyfully reported that America was religiously tolerant. The Pew Research Council, which is an opinion finder, had issued a long report with a lot of information about Americans views on faith. The media seemed to find this tolerance as a big plus because it fits into their secular humanist view of the word. It would not have been surprising if ABC, NBC or CNN would have followed up with their reports with a comment like, "enough of you Christians who believe that Jesus is the real deal and the only deal." The one thing that the news media touted as the most interesting from the report was this: "Most Americans agree with the statement that many religions - not just their own - can lead to eternal life. Among those who are affiliated with a religious tradition, seven-in-ten say many religions can lead to eternal life." Although, I was disappointed to think that Christians would consider that Jesus was just as good as the Hindu god with many arms, I was not totally shocked or surprised at this survey result.

First, I am not sure how the questions on this topic were phrased. If, for instance, someone were to ask me, as an evangelical Christian, if my catholic friends were able to go to heaven, I would most likely respond yes. Catholics are part of our Christian world, even though as Protestants and Catholics, we have some diverging views. But at the heart of everything, remains Jesus and his ability to save us. That is the important point. As an evangelical I also contend that it is our personal relationship with Christ that makes all the difference. Our path to heaven is in our hands and in the hands of Jesus. The critical point is whether, He knows our heart is with him or instead, has ignored him.

The Pew Research Council, I suspect, because of the way in which they have reported the results, may have categorized Protestants and Catholics as too separate religions. Thus if I say "yes" to the question concerning whether all religions can lead to eternal life, in terms of Catholic vs. Protestant, then it would be possible for them to interpret that I am saying yes to all religions! It sort of dismisses my understanding of another religion being one which is completely devoid of Christ, such as, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism etc.

The second thing that comes to mind, is that no one should be really surprised at what the Pew Research Council reported. The culture we live in has spent the last fifty years hammering the public with the idea that God is whatever you make him out to be, not anything based on the Bible, but on whatever helps you decide, even if it is just your own personal thoughts while sitting on a hill. The Bible, which is supposed to be Gods word with us, is left on the shelf like an old instruction manual for a covered wagon i.e. something that has no use in our times. Furthermore, we hear the message that God-stuff needs to be kept out of our social life, employment life, our schools, our government, our reference to anything involving human beings in the public eye and off the radar as anything we give reverence too, unless of course it involves Christmas.

The third point however, is the most frightening point. The culture alone cannot be the only party responsible for the notion that all religions are the same and can offer the same outcome i.e. heaven, unless the message in the houses of worship have either taught this very notion, or have not countered the contention that we all go to heaven no matter what we worship or who. Over the past thirty years, many mainline church denominations have become worried about dwindling numbers. They have also been startled by the large mega-churches who have exhibited enormous growth. Their answer has been to foster new programming and to step up some more contemporary worship styles. They often have been the leaders in the "free thinking" Christian movement that says, the Bible is OK but all these other thinkers are even better. Which can easily be seen in the fact that the Bible is often a highly unused and unexplained reference book in some churches, while 'non-Christian' 'new age' thinkers are given credibility. Ironically, while these churches have acquiesced to the culture, this has not helped to increase their numbers in their pews. What they have failed to understand is that the magic potion to bring people to their doors is not cool music, or lattes in the lobby. The answer is the truth being preached. The truth is in the mind of the one true living God and the son of this living God, Jesus Christ. When you encounter the Truth it not only 'sets you free' as is stated in John 8:32 stated, but it makes everything come together. All the unanswered questions, all the missing links to your understanding and all the power that Christ has in his name provides a richness and depth so profound, once you get there, there would be no way that you would leave it. Which is primarily why many mega-churches and many other evangelical churches appear to be drawing in people. They have spent time teaching the Bible - Gods word - and the truth of Christ.

This report by the Pew Research Council may have seemed like something that was wonderful to a world that wants desperately to embrace all people in everyway and tell them that it is all good no matter what they believe. Yet, how can Jesus who walked with us and brought the kingdom of heaven right to our door be in any way comparable or compatible with a faith that reveres the cow as a god as seen in Hinduism, and everything that the cow offers up, from milk to dung, as sacred? Explain how these two fit together? How can a faith that says we all die and become part of the greater flow of life's energy, and are no longer an individual, as is proposed by Buddhism, be the same as the God who says he has created each one of us “fearfully and wonderfully” and has “numbered the very hairs on our head?”

This report, which touts faith tolerance in America, simply says to me that there are too many people out there that really are not well acquainted with the word of God or have given little time to examine what God has to say. While we are pushed continuously on all fronts to be more accepting of just about everything, we are also told that all ideas have validation and are righteous when it comes to religion. That is an impossibility simply because ideas, concepts, philosophies, theories etc. as well as religions, cannot all hold the cup of validity. You need some proof. Whether or not we are followers of Christ, we need to recognize that we got the proof a few thousand years ago. We have the accounts of a man named Jesus who turned the world upside down for all time. We have the eye witness accounts of his words, his death, his resurrection and even his personal appearance long after his resurrection, to the Apostle Paul, a man who hated Christians.

More importantly, we know what he did for us, which is dramatically different from any of the promises or beliefs of other religions. He has promised us a place in heaven with him. We were never left behind, like an abandoned pet, but instead we have been offered the saving grace out of our sin so that we might have an eternal life with our Father. It would be well with us if we could say that “rescued people never forget they once could have been abandoned or lost but that they were profoundly and lovingly saved by the Lamb of God, Jesus, whom God gave to us.

Without Sin
June 30, 2008

There is a trend amongst celebrities in which they re-invent themselves if they have gotten into some sort of trouble or have bad press. A few have gone so far as to change their name repeatedly as Sean "puffy" Combs has done. This all seems to be a part of something in our culture that says that there is very little accountability for our actions no matter who we are. We can be a famous and do some awful or immoral things and by just changing our name or by coming out in favor of world peace, we suddenly are back on top, even if we continue with a lifestyle that is questionable. Of course, it is not just celebrities or stars in Hollywood that we see doing this. Our culture has come up with the acceptable notion that we simply must 'move on' as we shove issues 'under rugs' or bypass the seriousness of a situation. This thinking has pushed its way into every level of our culture. It is disheartening to see schools struggle to promote strong values amongst our children about responsibility, ethics, decency, honesty etc. while people who are supposed to be exemplary individuals in government, companies and in our community disregard these very mandates. Who do we hold up as a good example? We can enumerate many fallen individuals who should have been the prime illustration of how to behave, instead of, how to be disgraceful.

Thus, sin and shame in our culture have become sort of a joke. In reviewing what new age religions believe, such as the one that Oprah and others promote, sin is said to be non-existent. An easy example, are the Las Vegas ads that tell us that what goes on in Las Vegas stays there. This implies that men and women can have secret lives while they vacation there, which is supposed to not impact their family life because it is all OK, as long 'stays' in Las Vegas. Remorse, guilt, and shame are words that seem lost in our world of trendy tolerance of all that is immoral while being skeptical of all judgment about traditional morality. Labeling something as sin is unnecessary in our hedonist society. We can even find churches who rarely talk about sin

I am not sure how anyone can come to the conclusion that sin does not exist. Ironically the very people who would claim that it does not, such as Oprah, are the ones who would be quick to identify outrageous crimes that are committed, as evil and sinful. But they draw a peculiar line. It becomes the old standard that others commit sins while the "good folks" with professional degrees, educations, or who appear to live just lives (which includes Oprah) and are successful to boot, are sinless. How have we come to this point where we really think that we are without sin?

Last week a letter appeared in the local newspaper in which the writer was angry at Hope Gospel Mission here in Eau Claire because Hope Gospel considers that clients who enter their program, who are alcoholics, are in a sinful lifestyle. The writer was offended because she saw alcoholism as a disease and something that had nothing to do with sin. Her interpretation is not entirely correct. Alcoholism may indeed be a disease because we know that there are people more prone to it then others. However, we tend to forget that alcoholism, unlike other diseases from the common cold to cancer, is one that is brought on by the person themselves. No one wants cancer and no one seeks it out. No one wants to be considered a drug abuser or an alcoholic, but without first seeking the drug or the drink, the disease cannot occur.

The sin probably is best evidenced in what this disease does to the lives of these people who carry this with them. Jobs, careers, opportunities, relationships, families, children, loved ones, friends all crumble and fall away or are enormously affected. What could have been, cannot be, without getting rid of the disease maker in the bottle or the drug. This is the sin. When we can watch someone with great potential, become a homeless and dysfunctional person in the world, having lost everything, are we going to tell them that it is not any of their fault that the abuse of their body with alcohol and drugs has caused them to lose the dignity of being a human being? Sin comes in many forms.

But like all sins, this is not what we want to hear. We want to hear that there are few if any consequences to our actions and that we have the freedom to do just about everything we wish in our culture. Yet, we know in our heart of hearts God would not condone much of our tactics and behavior. We know that if we were made to stand before God at this moment that we would have a lot of explaining to do. If Jesus were to come to us on the streets of Eau Claire this very day, what would he say about all the things we as a culture have come to accept, tolerate and embrace? Jesus is so often portrayed by the Biblically uneducated public, as a gentle undemanding prophet of love who has little anger or frustration with the world. However, if we read the scriptures, we become surprised at the times that Jesus had some tough talk for people from the Pharisees, to the rich young man, to even his own disciples. He even condemned a town for its lack of belief and receptiveness to his word.

And so it is with us in our times that blindness prevails over truth and reality. In Romans 7:14 Paul says, "So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin." In Romans 7, Paul addresses our constant struggle with sin. If sin were not a reality, then there would be no struggle. If all things are good then there would be no need for any laws. This naïve perception tossed out by the culture in 2008, that sin is overrated or part of a bi-gone era, is a critical mistake. Paul points to sin as identified by God in the ten commandments. Most importantly, sin is a real entity not an imaginary problem only given to those who we incarcerate or whom we clearly see as evil, such as Hitler. Paul says in Romans 8:5, "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God."

So often we hear people speak about their rights. Legally there are many rights that we can have that are important and good, many of which the forefathers of this country set out for us. We can be grateful for this nation's freedoms each day. But freedom always has a price attached. Even if we are free to do much of what we please we always know there are limits. However, it does not seem as if there are any personal limits that we cannot excuse away. Whether we call it privacy or privilege, sin has become embraceable. Shame has become quirky. Honor has become invisible, integrity is missing, honesty is an object of spin. Does all of this go unnoticed by God? Is he the God who just pats us on the head and says, "whatever." We would be foolish to think so.

What we do know is that God gave us commandments that were to be lived by and not ignored. Moreover, He gave us his Son for the astonishing purpose of bringing each one of us out of condemnation for the very thing that we claim is no longer relevant in 2008 - sin. Jesus was the one, who in his death on a cross, asked that all be forgiven for what had been done to him. He is the one that will wash away the sin we know we have in our heart of hearts. If sin has truly become a non-player in this world, I fail to see the clean places it has left behind. If we are without sin then please show me the sinless person able to stand in God's judgment without Christ interceding. Jesus was the only man ever to be termed "without sin." He was the impossibility. Yet, we know that all things are possible with God. And it was with God that Christ's purpose was to be put to death for our sins. 1 Corinthians 6: 12 reminds us that we are "washed,....sanctified,....justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God," because of our belief in him as the true messiah. Never has sin been eliminated by the death of one man except this man -- this Son of the living God -- who consumed sin for us, washing our lives and hearts clean for all eternity.

Psalm 32

Oh, what joy for those
      whose disobedience is forgiven,
      whose sin is put out of sight!
 Yes, what joy for those
      whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt....

The Greatest Goal
June 23, 2008

There is an old Yiddish proverb that goes "Man plans, God laughs." As we get older, it is interesting to look back on our lives and see how things have played out. The plans that we made and the goals we set when we were younger, were not always what we reached or accomplished. Along the way often there were things we never counted on happening. We may recall the foolishness of our youthful thinking. We might consider the times we met someone or something that changed our lives. We may wonder about how our lives might have turned out "if" certain things had not occurred.

I am a great believer in God's hand on our lives. I can see in my own life many of the steps along the way that shot me in one direction or took me out of going another. Age brings wisdom and the sensibility to see in hindsight what has moved your life along.

While considering this, we can all look back to a time when we had clearly defined goals. There were times when these were not even well articulated but in our consciousness or sub-consciousness we always seemed to know what we wanted. Although, there are those that are on a destructive or dysfunctional life-style course, most of us seek the same things. When we are young our goals are fairly simple, such as, to turn sixteen and learn to drive. Soon we look forward to graduating from High School, and possibly going on to college or at least seeking a career. We also tend to seek marriage and a family. Alongside this comes the desire to buy a home, and then it seems all material things just explode in our lives. Everyone has had, at one time or another, experienced the proverbial "keeping up with the Jones." Suddenly it is the boat, the car, the big screen TV, the vacation etc. Often without our knowing it, we get caught up in the goals of pleasure and acquisition that can take our focus off the reality that God has laid out. We stop seeing the beauty that God has created and we forget about "rejoicing in the day the Lord has made." Instead, we may become completely bummed out over the fact that our neighbor is able to afford an in-ground, fully equipped, Hollywood style, swimming pool with all the trimmings, while we still have the plastic kiddie pool from Wal-Mart.

In all the goal setting that we do, especially when we are young and seemingly infallible, deciding to get closer to God is probably not a goal that we deem as urgent. As young adults we often have trouble recognizing the shortness of our time on earth. We tend to see death as something happening to others and those who are far away from our immediate life. Thus our goals are wrapped around what makes us happy in this world. Yet, instinctively we all know that there is an end to all things that live, including us.

A few years ago when I turned fifty, I suddenly began seeing my life on the other side of fifty. Prior to that I could see all the decades ahead of me laid out in a long consecutive line, like a train. The future was stretched out looking pretty infinite. Thirty was not so bad and forty gave me only some contemplation. However, fifty was a whole different situation. I found myself looking backwards more then I was looking forwards. All of the years spent in raising a family were pretty much over. The children, having grown up, were now in there own twenty-something's. Ironically, time catches you off guard and it seemed as if I had just been there, myself. Within another six years my husband decided to take early retirement. This meant another huge change in our lives, which gave us even more pause to contemplate life as it was and where it was going. After thirty-five years of a career, suddenly you are left a bit goal-less and a little disoriented. Many who retire take on a new career, self-improvement or hobbies to fill their time. Others go off on adventures that they always meant to do. But these are not goals. These are fulfilling dreams, or time.

What happens to our goals in later life that are different than the goals we had when we were twenty? If we look at 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 we hear the words of the Apostle Paul talk to us about this very thing we have been in all of our lives. We often see our lives as a race: a race to get the right job, the best salary, the right house, raise the best kids- who accomplish the best they can do. We are also in a race in this culture to pile up the best stuff including the best retirement plan. But the real race is the one that is running parallel to our earthly lives that is less visible but far more valuable then all things we store up here on earth. It is the race that Paul talks about when he says: " Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize." Paul was, of course, not talking about being a fit specimen for life but a fit specimen for the spiritual life with God which should be the desire that we all have. He clearly points out that we all have the opportunity to be with our Father in Heaven, but not all of us will achieve this prize.

As we get older the recognition that time is of the essence becomes more acute. Recently, Dr. Phil mentioned that he could probably estimate how many months he has left in his life if he were to live another 20 years. What a thought! With each month checked off the calendar you get a sense that you are closer each day to coming before God, then you were the month before. Yet, so many live with the notion that heaven is a right for all rather then the gift to the believer who has found Christ and been saved through Him.

Here is the bottom line which Paul is showing us: it is about understanding that without the surrender to Jesus and the realization of who He is to each of us, heaven is only a dream. Even today, in a nationally syndicated advice column, the columnist assured a young woman who had written to her about her horrendous relationship with her mother who was now deceased, that her mother was now in a ‘better place'- the politically correct term for heaven. Really? This is the assumption that the culture contends. According to common thinking, it seems, we all can expect a trip to heaven as our final destination, no matter what we have believed or have not believed.

However, it is clear that this is not the message of the cross. Jesus, the Son of God, the one who laid his life down for us, clearly marked the entry to heaven with a qualification that belief in Him is what assures you an eternity. He says in Matthew 7:20-21 " Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. " And in 1 John 5:12 we are reminded that : "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

So that is the goal we must focus on during all of our years. For those in retirement, the goal is no longer to climb the corporate ladder which gave us some satisfaction or to buy the best stuff which gave us some fleeting pleasure. The goal is to climb on the ladder that takes us directly to the place we all desire to be when our Father calls us home. We are so much like the prodigal son during our earthly lives. We run from thing to thing, falling into sin and not listening to God, while making excuses for our behavior or for the lack of time we give to our Father in heaven. But in the end, we desire to go home and see our Fathers arms opened to us, knowing that we can expect love, mercy and forgiveness. In order to get to that prize, we will need to set some goals with God, valuing the race that most do not see, but a race that will yield eternity.


Our Father in Heaven
Fathers Day Tribute
June 16, 2008

Over this past weekend, there has been an outpouring of grief from an unlikely source. That source has been the news media which seldom shows emotion and rarely any reference to God. However, when one of their own, Tim Russert, unexpectedly passed away on Friday, it was a stunning blow. Russert was the consummate host of the NBC program Meet the Press for the past seventeen years. It was not just that Russert was a great journalist or an avid follower of politics. Russert was known for the great joy he found in his work. Almost everyone admired him whether they were a Republican or Democrat or whether they worked for NBC or any other news icon. They all seemed to admire his work, and more importantly, they admired the man. It was about who the man was more then what he did he each Sunday morning.

Coming from the media, it was interesting that co-workers continually noted his deep faith, how he had even had an audience with the Pope and how he would often console people and tell them that he was praying for them, when troubles came. As one of his colleagues stated, "He really meant that he would pray for you. It was not just a convenient phrase." The archetypes of the news media, who live largely on the east coast, often appear aloof and condescending to what is called "small town values." Many might share the perception which Presidential candidate Obama uttered a few weeks ago, that middle America "clings to its faith." This, of course, did not appear to be a compliment.

"Faith" or "Christianity" does not come to mind when we picture those in the high powered towers of New York City's network news. We must remember that it was just four years ago when much of the media was absolutely dumbfounded at the idea that faith, and faith issues were important to the American people when President Bush won a second term. I distinctly recall one commentator, who was confused and aghast at the fact that the media had misread the American peoples view point. He seemed to say, "How is it that the country does not think the same as the sophisticated media or our eastern liberal culture?" "Why does this country have a problem with pro-choice, gay marriage, etc?" It was as if someone had hit him in the face with a pie.

Thus when Tim Russert passed away, the media might have felt a little uncomfortable talking about the convictions of this man of faith. They recognized that this was at the heart of this man, because of his actions, and the love he frequently expressed for both his elderly father and his own son. It was equally unusual to hear commentators express their conviction that he was in heaven. Instead of the usual politically correct, new agey "Universal creator in another dimension" sort of humanist thinking, the Christian notion of heaven was unabashedly rolled out. It was refreshing to see that they grasped that there was something in this man's life that was bigger then whatever he had accomplished. He knew he had been blessed over and over. He talked about his faith upbringing and about prayer openly to colleagues and friends and even on the air. So should it come as any surprise that the descriptions of Russert were about a man who was decent, honest and who played fair? Isn't this a part of being a man who has Christ in his life?

A few years ago, Russert had written a heartfelt book about his Dad and his relationship with him, called Big Russ and Me . It seemed ironic that Russert would pass away on Father's Day weekend. The book talked about his love for his father, a World War II veteran who came home to raise his four children, working two jobs and never complaining. Yet, it was how his father had impacted his sons' life that was so important. His father, a hard-working and modest man, taught by good example . Too often we forget that all of us are teaching lessons to our children through our behavior. What we exemplify, how we handle life, what we treasure, what we honor, what we value and whether we value the children we bring into the world, does not go unnoticed. One of the words that kept popping up about his father was the word 'sacrifice.' His father was part of the "greatest generation" that seemed ready to give almost anything to their country and to their families with little complaint. They did not seem to want for more unlike the generations that have followed. Sacrifice was a principle understood, which meant that raising your children, making a marriage work and forming a strong family, often involved sacrifice.

Today, 'sacrifice' is a vague concept for many parents. Children do not always come first. Material things matter too much to all of us. In the last thirty years, we have had fewer families being formed as it has become a common practice for couples to skip marriage even when they are having children. Often the fathers eventually skip out of the relationship all together.

There are even those who question whether two parents, or a father are all that important in a child's development. For anyone who wants to actively pursue this notion, one can easily examine our prisons where the data tells us that there is a direct correlation to those incarcerated and the abandonment by their fathers.

Indeed, even in the Christian faith there have been many who have sought to change all references to God as being our "father in heaven" by making him non-gender specific. The feminist movement often prompted claims by a vocal few that they just could not relate to a "father" figure god. Thus, 'God the Father' was dubbed a whole host of ambiguous, de-personalized names to suit their ideas. But was it suitable to God?

Which brings us to the real point in all of this and that would be, is God the Father in your life? How we perceive God and understand who he is, is the crux of the matter. Simply Google the word Father in the New Testament, and you will find hundreds of references by Jesus addressing God as "Father." Indeed he never called him anything else. Jesus did not refer to God as "a stream of consciousness" or "an energy force in the universe" or "my mother-father supreme being." He was always "my Father in Heaven." In teaching prayer, Jesus began with the words: "Our Father who is in Heaven." Over and over we hear the word "Father,"- a distinct term without ambiguity, uttered by the one who said, "No one knows the Father except the Son...."

Can we can truly understand fatherhood without knowing our Father in heaven? Jesus laid out countless examples of God as the personal and approachable father who gives us mercy, grace and unending love. Whether Jesus depicted God as the shepherd or the father of the prodigal son who returned to him, there was never a suggestion that God is anything but a loving and forgiving father who knows every hair on our head, every thing that we need and every desire of our heart. Jesus said, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Yesterday, fatherhood was celebrated in our nation, where often fathers are not mindful of what an impact a father can make on their children. Dismissing fatherhood as just another form of parenting is like dismissing God as just another form of spirituality. Tim Russert had a good father who did his best. He was far from perfect. Yet, Russert had the perception to recognize how important his father's role was in shaping his own role as a father. He also understood that no father on earth can ever be perfect. However, perfection in fatherhood is only found in our Almighty Father in Heaven, the ultimate father for all of us. It is left to us to understand, that no matter how successful our human Father's have been, our Father-God in heaven is the best father we will ever know.

Bible references:
Matthew 11:26-28
Matthew 7:8-12

Free Thinking Christianity VS., Listening to the Reality of God
June 9 , 2008

A few years ago there was an ad for a cell phone company that you will all remember. The man in the ad would go to various locations and ask, "Can you hear me now?" At that time I wrote an article talking about the God we have, the Judeo-Christian God, the one truth, who unlike all other religions searches us out rather then the other way around. At that time, "can you hear me now?" seemed to fit God whom we know is asking humanity this question, but because of our human failings, and our entrenchment in our lives, we end up rarely giving thoughts to God and eternity. The question, however today, is not only "can you hear me now?" but also, "is anyone listening?"

During this spring, I have concentrated on many articles concerning the Oprah phenomena of faith on the web and her new age beliefs. I am sure she is heartened to hear that so many conservative Christian organizations, churches, pastors, and individuals such as myself, have reacted to what she has to say in her foray onto the web with new age religion. It may seem to her that her point has been proven that conservative Christians live with doctrine and cannot "take God out of the box" as she suggests that we should do.

In the June Coral Ridge Church newsletter, called IMPACT, from Coral Ridge Ministries started by the late Rev. D. James Kennedy, they quote Oprah saying, "I am a Christian who thinks there are many more paths to God then Christianity...I am a free thinking Christian." This statement may not seem all that bad to many Christians. In fact, I would guess, without hesitation, that many Christians, and that surprisingly, many Christian church denominations would agree with her, having no problem with her statement.

We must remember that part of our cultural indoctrination, is that we are supposed to embrace diversity. What that means is ambiguous because no one fully explains what that actually looks like or defines what it truly means. Thus, we all end up forming assumptions. It can be anything from hiring people from many cultural backgrounds, or having restaurants with ethnic food, all the way to believing wholeheartedly that all religions are the same and going in the same direction. The last part of this comment is the one that is most troubling because it is not true, moreover, it cannot be true. This has the greatest impact on our lives because it involves our eternity.

Looking at the idea that all religions are the same or headed in the same direction is important. Many years ago before I truly came to Christ, I might have agreed with Oprah. Although raised in a supposed Christian church, this liberal church prided itself on the very thing that Oprah claims about being "free thinking." I came to some sort of conclusion there, as I puzzled over why there were so many religions in the world, that it must have been God's design and that all these religions and enlightened prophets were a way of God connecting to a diverse humanity. I reasoned that this was because not every culture would be able to embrace the "Jesus thing." Therefore, an Oriental person, would feel more comfortable with Buddha and those in India with Hinduism, and those in Japan with the Shinto faith etc. I never questioned that God's love would not extend to all humankind even if they were not believers in Jesus, or rejected God altogether. Thus, the door to all of humanity, no matter how they lived or believed was open to heaven.

How had I come to this conclusion? Had I read it somewhere or listened to a fact based lecture? Not at all. But living in this culture, I was fed this message. A key component is that nothing in the church I attended led me to believe otherwise. Within the culture, part of the message also seemed to say that one must not only respect other religions but embrace some part of them. But there was a catch. You would not ask a Muslim or Hindu to consider some part of Christianity as an adjunct to those religions, but, it constantly questioned why Christianity would not discontinue its evangelism and its claim that Jesus was the only route to heaven. Indeed, there are churches all around us and some church denominations who have bought this cultural message, preaching it as if it was ordered by Christ, himself.

The message Jesus spoke was clear, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." There does not seem to be an exception for alternative belief systems or "free-thinking Christianity" here. Jesus pointed the way to heaven over and over, whether he said, "Come follow me," or "If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." "I and the Father are one."

How is it that we so easily dismiss that important and powerful statement? Where are the loopholes that we seem to be looking for that would allow us to hedge our bets on what other faiths think, or what we have conjured up in our new age, "diversity" minds as the ultimate authority. Is God all powerful, or are we? Pastor Rick Warrens defines sin as "when we decide we are the true god in our lives." This is precisely the thinking that new age religion, our culture and Oprah are promoting.

What we have lost in this malaise, is reality. Let us begin with the Bible. No where in the word of God, has God said through any prophet or through his son that all religions are the same, equal or are just one more path to heaven. Christianity is exclusive because God did not need other ambassadors of faith to proclaim his glory. Jesus, His Son, was the ultimate messenger, the quintessential witness from God, the awe empowering gift of love. But who are we listening to? Is it the new age religion gurus, or churches that have caved into the culture or to ourselves as we form our own set of beliefs based on our thinking we consider inspired? There is a constant thread in all of this. While many will listen to Oprah or pay attention to a new age book, the Bible will remain closed as if God's word is ineffectual. The question remains, how can we possibly know God, if we only skim the surface of his word or take the parts that suit our conclusions? God is not a pie to be divided. He is the whole dish to be savored and all the parts are important.

Logic should tell us that when a son is offered up for us to atone for the sin in our lives on a bloody cross, that this is a big deal and we ought to listen. Logic should tell us that when a man crucified and declared dead, is resurrected to life, to walk the earth, becoming the living God, that we ought to listen. Logic should tell us that there is no other message out there in any other religion quite like the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. Logic should indicate to us that we are small-minded, forgetting and falling away as we become confused, which is the pleasure of the evil one. Logic should tell us that by all indications, the Messiah who was hoped for and prophesized, came for us as promised. Logic should tell us that we can do whatever we want with our thinking, but in the end it will not hold when we come before God if we have denied the exclusivity of His Son. Logic should tell us that being diverse does not mean and cannot mean that all square pegs must fit round holes. They are not meant to. God did not mean for his son to be one of many paths. He meant him always and emphatically to be the only path. Logic tells us that we need to listen.

Louie, Louie and Lemmings: the quest for enlightment!
May 12, 2008

You may remember a song from 1963 called "Louie, Louie," which has been played by countless high school pep bands. The beat and tune are unmistakable. However, there is one unique problem with this catchy icon of the '60's rock and roll era--the words in the song are almost indistinguishable. There have been many interpretations as to what the performers are saying but no one has accurately deciphered the actual words of this one-hit-wonder. So it is a song open to interpretation. Like this song, with words that are muddled and incomprehensible and yet catchy and entertaining, modern day religious beliefs in the world of 'new age religions' and secular humanism seem to have a similar problem.

A few weeks ago I began a quest to discover the religion of Oprah as she follows a host of 'new age' philosophers while seemingly abandoning her Christian beginnings. Previously, I mentioned some of the precepts to which she adheres. One of them - that who you are, requires no belief- appears especially confusing, but it seems to be at the heart of the matter . This is an interesting statement, and like the "Louie, Louie" song, is one that is open to interpretation. The idea that who we are , means we do not need any beliefs, seems antithetical if not impossible. How can we not be what we believe? I am not talking about if we believe the presidential winner will be Obama or McCain, or whether it will rain today and I do not think that is what new ageism is talking about either. But what they are saying is that we should drop all belief systems in regards to religion. The promoters of this thinking often talk about being open to a "new way of looking at things."

Being open implies that if you come with any standards, you will need to throw them out, which means that you must also open yourself up to accepting a new set of beliefs. For new agers, this means that God is flowing through all of us, all the time; that he is not a 'Father' presence anywhere specific other then in us. Hence, there is no need to worship God or call upon him because, as Oprah states, "he is a state, he just is." This is what is called the pantheist view of the world. For example, new agers proclaim that heaven is no longer a place but a state of consciousness and so too is God simply a state of consciousness.

When her latest guru of new age religion, Eckhart Tolle, was interviewed about the existence of an after life, he remarked that he never gives it a thought. That might be because much of new age religion promotes the idea that we all will be reincarnated as we build lives to a higher self. Yet, here is the dilemma in this concept, especially if we are to accept the idea that God is simply a state of consciousness: what happens once we are perfected? More importantly, who decides we have made it to that next rung on the improvement ladder or need to be sent back? And even more practically, who or what sends us back into another stage of transformation? Let me suggest that this theory of life and life beyond seems to have little assurance.

Furthermore, if we consider carefully what new age believers are contending, it should lead us to conclude that if, indeed, we are all gods ourselves, or that God is running through all of us all the time, then wouldn't it make sense that we ought to be able to live better on this earth then the human record indicates? How is it that we have not achieved peace on earth or peace in our lives by making good choices? How do we explain murders, child molesters, rapists etc. if "God" is present in each of us?

I suspect that the new age believer would be anxious to tell me that it is because we have succumbed to believing in the wrong stuff since we have held on to God in the traditional sense - this 'bigger then everything God' who we are to worship - when all along we could have been worshipping the inner god in all of us, while searching and realizing our potential.

In the mind of Oprah she has found what she considers 'truth.' But there is a catch to all of this. By what authority did these theories divest themselves? Please consider the source. Out of human minds with human ideas and expectations comes "new age truth." Although new age religion may acknowledge some sort of greater power, that power is conversely diminished to the size of every human being with all our failings, frailties, temptations, and issues that we carry with us each day. We must remember that the objective of new age religion is the empowerment of the individual and not life with an eternal God. Of course, it sounds good to tell yourself that you are in control, and that what you think is the power of God himself. Yet, unlike the promise in Christ, there is no contract with anything that will give us a guarantee.

New age thinking basically disregards the Bible as a potent communication from God. So critical to what they contend, is this question: how do you know that your theories are the truth? This is the essential difference between a new age concept and what God has actually proclaimed. The God of the Bible, was a real presence, choosing the nation of Israel, revealing himself over and over again throughout the ages through the prophets and most importantly, through his son, Jesus. Throughout the whole Bible, truth was the objective to be shared. It reached its pinnacle in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. We know for a fact, from eyewitness accounts that Jesus died and was raised up from the dead. It is much more then theory. And it was Jesus who spoke repeatedly that he was not just a light but the light in the world. He consistently talked of bringing the truth but more importantly of being the truth to be known. His cross opened a real doorway not to foolish thinking but to the real eternal God. We need only to read Apostle Paul's profound words in 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

Where is the harm? Why can't people, including Oprah, believe what they want? On the web site provided by The Truth Be Told organization, which discusses what Oprah and her philosophical guru's are expounding, there is an image used of people walking towards a cliff in a line like lemmings ready to fall. The harm is that this flagrant untruth which has been packaged in a lot of ‘good times' feelings with the aid of a powerful TV persona, is leading people by the millions to take a fall they will never recover from. Like the “Louie” song that we have difficulty deciphering, this new age thinking sounds good, it is catchy and it is entertaining but the real question is “is it the truth?” We can all be lemmings lined up on a path that we think is harmless. We can listen to a belief system that raises our consciousness but we must always wonder why our Father in heaven who has given us his Son, and promised us eternal life in his dying breath on the cross, is still not enough for us that we should look elsewhere.

To Be Called Daughter
May 12, 2008

Mother's Day prompted me to think about how important the role of women are in Gods world. Women fulfill a complex and important role in our society and have from the beginning of time. Besides giving birth to the world's population, women are the nurturers, homemakers, peace makers, caretakers, organizers, calendar aficionados, controllers of much of family life, value setters, patience boosters, problem solvers, chefs, craft and decorator personnel, cleaners, washers, teachers and now in the last 40 years, they have also become the bread winners often as working mom's or single parents. Can we all give one large exhale? It is no wonder that women are stressed, have an increase in heart disease and other stress related health problems. No matter who we are, our jobs seem to never end, even when we walk in the door of our home after a long day at work. At this point, it begins the routine of home tasks whether it is cooking a meal, cleaning a closet or making sure the homework gets done. Is there any rest?

For many women, who looked for liberation in the 1960's so they would be able to climb the corporate ladder, or to simply have a job, in reality it appears we have just made our lives more demanding. Can we do it all, we ask ourselves? Probably, the answer in the last ten years has become more realistic then it was in the 1970's when the song came out about “I am woman, hear me roar.” It is not that easy. Having it all is next to impossible. Energy and stamina last just so long. Children are unpredictable. Family situations can be wonderful one day and horrendous the next. Life isn't neat and tidy and goes according to plan. Homes and families need consistent and continual attention. Relationships need to be fed and given time. Flexibility and compromise become lessons in life and our motto as we mature.

Which brings us back to: how does God see us as women? We can instantly think of the many roles that women play in the Bible from Ruth to, Mary, the mother of Jesus. These are not small roles, but like all roles, not everyone is meant to be a star. For instance, the woman at the well in John 4, is an ordinary Samaritan woman, who has little going for her. The Jews and Samaritans detested one another. Apparently, this woman had led an immoral life, which Jesus reveals his knowledge of this to her, to which she is surprised that he would know this information. Her past has evidently meant that she is somewhat ostracized from other women because she is at the well alone and not with the usual social groups of women. However, the important part is what Jesus reveals to this outcast Samaritan woman. They begin a dialogue about spiritual longings and soon he tells her that both Jews and Samaritans will abandon their ancient rituals and worship God “in spirit and in truth.” When she inquires about the messiah to come, it is here that Jesus tells this woman “I A m the Messiah!” Who could have predicted that her story would find its way into the Bible? Who could have known that a lowly Samaritan woman would be the messenger to her village about Jesus? From this moment on, the woman has been transformed, her eyes and heart are opened. She leaves for her village and tells everyone about what she has heard and who she has encountered and soon they come to find Jesus and listen to him. This unlikely woman plays a role in Christ's ministry. But the message is much greater then just to the Samaritans and Jews. This part of Christ's ministry reminds us that Jesus came for all humanity.

Another important, yet anonymous woman, is the one we find who is caught in adultery and brought to Jesus. We never learn her name, but it is what happens in the sequence of events in the scene painted in John 8:3-12 that is so breathtaking. The scribes and the Pharisees in the Jewish ‘establishment' who despised Jesus often tried to test him with moral questions. And so they bring a woman to him who has been caught in adultery. This meant that her accusers could stone her to death. An amazing scenario takes place. Jesus does not jump up and condemn her, nor does he free her. Instead he writes something in the sand “as though he did not hear,” John tells us. Soon he replies “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” The angry mob disperses, leaving only the woman. Although, Jesus condemns the crowds self-righteousness, he also makes the point of telling the woman this: “Go and sin no more.” Once again a woman is used to proclaim the mercy of God. Moreover, this scene proclaims what the expectations are from Jesus and the Father: that with mercy comes a lesson to be learned, a life changed, a new direction, and to not fall back on sinful ways. This woman symbolizes all of us. As we are aware that there are many sins that we commit, we also can be assured that our Father waits for our understanding and decision to move away from that sin which is harmful to our emotional, mental, and spiritual well being. In essence, stop listening to raunchy music, watching programs on the media that you would find embarrassing before the Lord, stop doing the things that you know without hesitation are not worthy of God's glory etc. The list is long for each of us and even longer for this fallen and desperately lost world. But the statement “go and sin no more” is one that we must listen to, and most importantly, remember who said it.

Finally, another woman comes to mind in Matthew 9:15. Jesus is busily preaching and making his way when Matthew tells us that “the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him.” This leader's daughter has just died and he asks Jesus to come and raise her from the dead. As he and the disciples are going off with him, “a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.”

This appears to be a tiny moment in the ministry of Jesus, but it speaks volumes to us, especially as women. Here is the example of the faith that God recognizes immediately—the seeker of redemption and healing, that Jesus encountered so often. Yet, it is also about what happens here. The woman is healed. Her prayers are answered as swiftly as she could have thought of them. His presence was all that was needed. His word changed her life. Her faith held her up as the exception ,rather than her affliction which had nearly ruined her life.

Most touching is what Jesus calls this woman. Here he distinguishes her with a very personal name. He calls her ‘daughter.' It is tender and endearing and familiar. For one moment, in all the words that Jesus speaks, he speaks directly to a woman's heart, giving her a place as a daughter, as a beloved child of God.

There are times when all women feel alone even in the midst of family. So much seems to depend on us. We are the go to person in the family. We are the ones who always have a shoulder for others, time to listen, and the instincts with our children that tell us when something is right or something is wrong. It is, therefore, such a blessing to know that we are never alone even when we may feel alone, downtrodden or overwhelmed. It is important always to remember how loved we are as God's creation and that we know we can be called ‘daughter' by our Father in Heaven. Happy Mother's Day to all women.

Oprah's Search for the Spirituality of the Self
May 5, 2008

A few weeks ago, I began probably an unpopular quest-- to question the almighty—no not God the almighty, but the almighty on television. Who can be considered more popular and acceptable then Oprah Winfrey? If she likes your book, and promotes it you are a millionaire. If she chooses your product line or designer label, your sales will escalate enormously. If she discusses any particular lifestyle with compassion and understanding, it becomes something we might consider, find sympathy towards or retrain our thinking.

As I have examined what she is professing as her belief system, I have considered whether this is really important. Does it matter? The more I have dug into this topic the more I have concluded that it does matter. Oprah reaches millions and her influence is not something to toss aside. I have come to the conclusion that if anyone deludes themselves into thinking that this woman is a Christian, they have made a mistake. Although, she may seem to reflect some Christian values—loving one another and forgiveness—that is about as far as the similarity extends itself.

Oprah is a bit of an enigma. I call her an enigma because like many very successful people, who are liberal in their thinking and appear to pass judgment on others for not doing enough for this world, she lives extremely well. I recently looked at one of her “O” magazines while waiting for an appointment. One of her many homes was featured. Lavish is just one word you might use to describe it. And it is just one of her homes! There was a quote that appeared across the picture of a fabulously, beautiful gazebo on her property and it said in effect, “people ask me why I need all of this and I tell them that I need a sanctuary in my life and this is it.”

The enigma also occurs because, although she appears to have shared her wealth in some situations, such as the school she built in South Africa, at the same time she is also quite pleased to display her enormous wealth, through her magazine and elsewhere. Are all the giveaways on her show out of her pocket? Actually no, they are out of the show budget. So are the perceptions of her a bit skewed when we automatically assume that all the good works attached to Oprah's name, are funded by Oprah herself?

Much of what we admire about Oprah stems from her new age thinking that she has embraced. In essence it says, “here I am, a self made woman, coming up from poverty and a troubled childhood and teenage life, and look at me, I have done it all. This is what I have accomplished: see how wonderfully I have made myself, how beautifully I have chosen all the right things, and how outstanding my decision making has been as I have achieved so much. I am someone to be reckoned with.”

Which beckons the question; “is this all about ego?” People may think that she is very confident, rather then egotistical, because she does do good works. Yet, it is her success that provides a confidence, bordering on arrogance that allows her to make pronouncements on spirituality and lift up those she approves. Ego is described in the dictionary as “conceit or self-importance.” In examining the new-age religion that she is promoting, not just through occasional shows, but through a weekly course on the web, it becomes clear that the religious new-age philosophy that she touts is linked directly to the humanist egocentric idea that “man” is at the center of all things. It works for her. God takes not only a back seat role; he actually does not exist as an entity because according to Oprah and her guru's, he is simply a consciousness. That is a far cry from the Judeo-Christian personal God-Father.

Let us look at what the new-agers claim. In the video clip, sited here in the past, we see Oprah talking about her beliefs. She uses some key words that are troubling. She says, “I was able to take God out of the box … and search for more then doctrine.” What is troubling about this comment is that I am not sure what ‘doctrine' she is referring to. Is it the Bible? If it is, then we can assume that the Bible is not seen as God's word or as Truth, it is simply some sort of doctrine. The reason that I can suggest this, is that Oprah goes on to tell us how she has spent years in a quest for other answers. She does not say, “I have spent years reading the Bible or talking with Christian religious persons.” Indeed, let us look at the large list of ‘new age' thinkers that she has had on her show and many of whom became fixtures on her programs. Named as those who have frequented her program are Marianne Williamson, Iyanla Vanzant, Betty Eadie, Gary Zukav and Deepak Chopra. All of these people are self-styled spiritual leaders and they contribute to a thinking that says that it is not about God who commands you but about finding a religion that empowers you. Oprah credits Eric Butterworth, a Unity minister and the author of ‘Discover the Power within You' , as one of her most influential in her new-found spirituality. She promotes his book on her web site and says, “This book changed my perspective on life and religion. Eric Butterworth teaches that God isn't “up there”. He exists inside each one of us, and it's up to us to seek the divine within.”

So who is Eric Butterworth and what does he teach? Briefly, his basic premise is that the power within each individual is God as the force or energy that permeates all of creation.

Butterworth misuses Scripture and twists it to suit his own understanding. For example he states that, “The message of the Gospels has been misunderstood. They have been made to appear to say that Jesus was really God taking the form of man . . . It fails to catch the real theme of His teaching: the Truth of the Divinity of Man.” Butterworth goes on to say: “We must see Jesus as the great discoverer of the . . . great world within. We must study and emphatically reject our historical tendency to worship Jesus. When He becomes the object of our worship, He ceases to be the way-shower for our own self-realization and self-unfoldment.”

As a Christian, can we all say the word ‘travesty,' because this is a mockery and an obliteration of the truth. But he is not the only one who obliterates the truth. Her author of the moment, Eckhart Tolle who is the teacher on the web cast seen by millions declares this in his book, “Man made God in his own image, the eternal, the infinite and un-namable was reduced to a mental idol that you had to worship.” Incidentally, Oprah claims to just love this quote! We must conclude from what Tolle is indicating that man made up God. God never sought us out, never gave us his name so that we could call upon him, never, declared in any way that he existed as a real being—a Father in heaven. Even Jesus called upon Him as His Father. And what about Jesus? I must have missed the part where Jesus says, “I am just a mental image you have created and must worship because I am not connected to anything bigger then myself.”

In addition, Tolle acknowledges that Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” However, Tolle immediately translates this to mean: you and I are the consciousness in which the world appears. God is the essence of all consciousness. Of course, he has completely missed what Jesus meant by this statement. He takes the phrase out of context to support his thinking. Jesus is actually speaking to his disciples when he says these words as he talks to them about being the salt and light in the world. In Matthew 5:11 he states, “ God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers .” He then proceeds to tell them that they are the light of the world. More importantly, it is Jesus who says of himself, “ I have come into the world as a light , so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46) This declaration is made many times by Jesus throughout scripture. He does not say that we are the light unto ourselves.

When the pope was here a few weeks ago, he spoke to a large group of youth and I could not help but focus on his words when he said in essence that truth today has become controversial and that we seem to have concluded in this cultural that there are many truths. He spoke eloquently that this cannot be so. Jesus, he stated, was the Truth of God, the only Truth, the everlasting Truth. There can be no other.

In the search that Oprah leads, we can only find deceit. We must remember that this is not something new or unusual. Apostle Paul addressed this when he asked in 1 Corinthians 1:20- 25, “ Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe…. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”

Generations after Paul wrote these words, we continue to live amongst those who have not bothered to explore what God has to say. In fact, they do not seem to really care what God has to say. They have dismissed everything that is Holy and everything that was paid for by the blood of the lamb. They find intrigue and answers in their own mind. I wonder what it will be like for Oprah when she stands before God, if indeed she continues down this path. It will be amazing for her to see that there really was only one path to heaven and one truth. Possibly in one fleeting moment the shock will set in that alas, the Bible was all truth and that every word she spoke was foolishness and caustic to the Father who gave her his Son.

Nurturing the Word: Energize Your Faith
April 28, 2008

Most of us are familiar with the parable that Jesus preaches in Luke 8 where he is before a large crowd and begins to teach about a farmer who went out to sow some seed. In the parable some seed is scattered along a path and is trampled on, and "the birds of the air eat it." Other seed falls on rock, and the plants "wither because they had no moisture." Still other seed falls among thorns, whose plants are choked. But there is other seed that falls into good soil. And this we are told comes up and yields "a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
       Jesus's disciples asked him what this parable meant.  He tells them that the meaning of this parable is this: that the seed is the word of God. He explains what happens to the word of God when people hear it. It is not automatic that this word gets through to all of us so that we immediately are able to comprehend or assimilate it. People are not immediately transformed because some people may be far more influenced by other worldly things, some will just not care and some will seem to understand but their faith is frail and dissolves. He tells us that those seeds in the parable scattered "along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved." "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." Luke 8:4-14 This brings up the question, which seed are represented by each of us?

During the past few weeks, I have been examining some of what the "new age" religious philosophy is that is being touted especially by one very famous person. Of course, that would be Oprah Winfrey and the author Eckhart Tolle who have a web broadcast in which millions are viewing the philosophy of a new age religion. Much of what I have been addressing in the last two weeks has been about how our culture and people such as Tolle, Oprah and a host of others have turned their back on the real living God who has given us his precious and profound "word" and his equally precious Son and just walked away. It seems quite clear that they are the "ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved." Today I am going to diverge a bit because I want to share with this audience about something that is coming up that I believe is rather important.

In the first sentence of the book of John, we hear this: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." It is really critical that we pay close attention to this verse. This is a concept statement that needs a discerning eye, mind and heart to fully comprehend what John is saying here. The "word" becomes the spark of life and the essence of God and who he is and how powerful his word is. This 'word' denotes God's enormous presence and infinite, unmistakable power. The second sentence places Jesus right there - at the beginning and with the word. It is a complicated concept but it is meant to direct our attention as to how vastly important the "word" is. This is not just people talking. This is not simply blathering or pontificating on the part of God. This is the initiation of the universe. This is the engine of all creation, of all materials, organisms, compositions and of every single particle of life from the smallest nano substance in the universe to the entire solar system. So is the word important? How can it not be? Furthermore, how is it that so many, including Oprah, can shrug off the "word" of God, as if our own minds have been given the tools to come up with better formulas and more fragrant insights.

Although this is puzzling, it is repeatedly happening right before our eyes. The really frightening part is that this is not just occurring amongst the public with no real insight into Christianity or any faith, but it is actually occurring in certain Christian churches where the "word" is seen almost as secondary to philosophers, theologians and thinkers such as Tolle who have a diverging and non-biblical view and who take the authority of God lightly while leaning on their own understanding. Increasingly, it has become so important that we know the word of God. Can a public fall victim to the untruths being promoted by 'new age' belief systems? Of course it can, especially if the public is picking human thinking over and over, and above God's truth.

This brings us back to the "word." What are you spending your time with these days? When it comes to our faith enrichment, how many of us tell ourselves, "I really should do this or that" or "someday I will get to it?" How is this working for you?

Deepening faith and a relationship to God that is powerful and meaningful is not something that we can just lay on a table and hope it will get bigger and better because we would like it to happen. Like most things, it takes some effort and commitment on our part. That is why I am going to tell you about an event coming up next week that will be available to all interested women in the area. It is called Energize Your Faith and it is an idea born out of getting right with your body through "eating right and moving more." However, here we are going to strive for "getting right with God" in a 40 day time period where each woman will have the opportunity to make a plan and watch their relationship to Jesus grow. The event is hosted by the women's ministries at Bethesda Lutheran Brethren Church at 123 W. Hamilton Ave. in Eau Claire on Tuesday, May 6 th at 6:30 in the evening. It is a free program that will feature a speaker who will encourage us in getting started in developing a 40 day plan of action to energize each persons faith. No plan will be the same from person to person. But each woman will need to consider carefully how they can do the spiritual things that they have always meant to do, and then go beyond the routine they have now.

In Energize Your Faith, your plan can include a multitude of methods to energize your faith from attending a Bible study, listening to Christian music to journaling about what you are reading. Prayer, quiet time, theme studies, Christian books, devotionals etc. all will count. It is the time and commitment that will be the key factor in this challenge to all busy, multi-tasking women. In addition, we will have many resources to assist you further.

Therefore, I am inviting all women to please, come for dessert, find out about what this can mean for you, and bring a friend, call a neighbor, help others to get in touch with their Father in Heaven and Christ's saving grace. Please let us know that you are coming by calling Lisa Phillips at 878-9620 by May 4.

Let us help each other to be the ones where the seed lands on good soil and "who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

We Will All Bow Down
April 21, 2008

"Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God." Psalm 95:6-7

Last week, I began examining Oprah Winfrey's new age beliefs - a woman who has been blessed with enormous success and wealth. She has now also become not just someone who has an interest in new-age thinking and religion, but is its chief promoter of this belief. Oprah probably considers herself Christian in some remote aspect, mostly because she was raised Baptist. But that has long passed and since her early 20's she has been on a quest to discover anything but Christ.

Recently, a video clip has been out that introduces us to Oprah's promotion of The New Earth, a book by Eckhart Tolle, a new-age philosopher, and what it is expounding. In this clip, we are informed as to exactly what Tolle and his promoter Oprah are teaching. Some might say, "so what, let her promote this book, what is the harm?" It is important to note that Oprah has offered up a ten week instructional web cast about this "The New Earth" belief system. That might not seem concerning, but only if we have a strong reading, thinking and discerning public with great Biblical understanding. However, we are not afforded this important bastion against ignorance about God and Christ. And here are the scary numbers. Oprah is reaching upwards of two million people with this web broadcast. Can we all say "impact."

If you are thinking that this does not affect us here in the Chippewa Valley, let me assure you that it does. We already have a new-age church here in Eau Claire. In a recent article in the religion page of the Eau Claire Leader Telegram, the minister of this church wrote about "being in the now" which is the concept that is floated out not by the Bible, or by Christian theologians but by Eckhart Tolle in his first book, The Power of Now. Indeed, I can predict, almost without hesitation, many who I am sure would find this book and thinking, interesting if not OK. These are individuals who have little time for God's word nor seek a real relationship with the Father or His Son and view church as more of an obligation, then a place to worship a real living God.

Tolle says, "I only write and speak about one thing. Spiritual awakening. One must have an openness, a receptivity to spiritual truth and the text must have a transformative power. This means the words must have come out of an awakened consciousness and not out of accumulated knowledge of the mind. The terminology must be neutral so that it transcends any one culture, religion or spiritual tradition."

OK - I think I got it. According to Tolle, those of us who believe in God and in Christ are spiritually unawake. We need to forget everything we know about all this God stuff and Jesus in particular and anything else that we have come to know as the truth and then we must drop even the resemblance of the language we have used. Hence, truth is what you make it and what your inner most consciousness creates. Furthermore, God is not a word to be used, let alone Christ. So is there a harm in this, you may be asking yourself?

The answer can be seen as we examine what is actually being preached as the thinking by Tolle and other new age religious guru's. First and foremost, we all need to understand that this is about the power of 'Self.' In fact in new-age writings, the word 'self' is most often capitalized much like we capitalize "God" in Christian writings. That has to be our first clue, that there is no higher authority then what we individually think and believe to be true even though it is based in a human existence that does not acknowledge God as the personal-relationship-seeking Father that he is.

Here are the teachings taken directly from the leaders website, which I will be examining in future broadcasts:

• Who you are requires no belief
• Heaven is not a location but refers to the inter-realm of consciousness
• The man on the cross is an archetypal image. He is everyman and every woman.
• My mind is part of God. I am very Holy.
• My holiness is my salvation
• My salvation comes from me
• Let me remember that there is no sin
• Do not make the pathetic error of 'clinging to the old rugged cross.'
• The only message of the crucifixion is that you can overcome the cross

As I read these precepts of Tolle's new-age thinking, I am attempted to scream blasphemy, which indeed it is. This thinking is all mirrors and smoke - a lot of ambiguous language that is about nothing and comes from nothing. How is it that we can dismiss the creator of all things and his message to us, so easily?

In the short video clip I have referenced before, Oprah tells us that she began to question her faith when she was in her twenties. She was listening to the preachers talk about this all loving, omnipresent God who also said he was a jealous God. For her this raised the question, "how can he be jealous and of what, me?" As she stated this, it becomes very clear that this intelligent woman of the world, is rather pathetic in what she comprehends about our Lord God in the Bible. Evidently, she never pursued finding out what God meant by the Old Testament declaration that he is a "jealous God." While she claims the importance of an open mind, she has closed her mind to the truth as God has presented it.

No Oprah, God is not jealous of you. He is jealous that we do not worship him and chose our own path rather then the path he has clearly laid out for all humanity from the beginning. He is jealous when He has delivered His Son into our hands and we have placed him on a cross through rejection of Him. He is jealous, that even though he allowed His Son to die for us so that we might be relieved of our sins, washed clean and raised up from the dead, we continue to think, as you do, that we can come up with something better. He is jealous that we would think that we are as powerful as He is and that we can come to our own truth and our own salvation through sheer will of thought and not with the creator of the universe being present in anything we can conceive. He is jealous that we would consider that he 'just is' as you, Oprah, have stated, and that belief in him is not something to do, it is foolishness. Oprah, you have said that God "is just a feeling and an experience" and "if God for you is about a belief, it is not truly God."

Oprah, you have taken God, the creator of all life, and made God a particle of dust that permeates the air we breathe - yes, he is everywhere, but he has little significance in our life now or what it will become upon our death.

In 2 Peter 1:1-3 , Peter states ... just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping . I cannot help but wonder, if this was written exactly about persons such as Oprah and Eckhart Tolle.

In the praise song called "We All Bow Down," we are reminded that at the end of our lives, there will be many who will be surprised that their belief system did not point the way down the path to the light they thought they had discovered. The words tell us: "Princes and paupers, sons and daughters kneel at the throne of grace. Losers and winners, saints and sinners one day will see his face. And we'll all bow down. Kings will surrender their crowns and worship Jesus. Worship Jesus, for He is the love, unfailing Love. He is the Love of God."



Wolves, Sheep and Oprah
April 14, 2008

"But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." " At [the end of the age] many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
Matthew 7:14 and 24:11

Warning signs come in many shapes and colors and we rely on them to remain safe. Jesus gave us this warning about the signs for our spiritual integrity and safety, so that our path to a relationship with the one true God the Father and His son would not be broken or diverged from, nor would we leave the understanding of the truth that Jesus brought to us. As he clearly states, there will be false teachers, prophets and false faiths throughout history. When he says to "watch out … They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves," I often wonder, that as Christians, if many of us have become complacent, assuming that this is all ancient history and we no longer need to be concerned with new religious movements because Christianity has withstood the test of time.

Of course, this would be a naïve viewpoint, because many religions, continuously lead people to an absolute non-truth, and also continue to flourish. Hinduism, Islam, Shinto, Taosim, Buddhism, etc. have been around for quite some time, and do not appear to be going away. Mankind remains steadfast in remaining in the darkness, while calling it light. "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light." John 3:19

Whether a faith has been originated by a prophet claiming enlightenment (Buddhism), or has developed as an inspired idea by some rogue personality (L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology) most have one thing in common. They are seeking a god, or some kind of god within themselves. Their god never is seeking them.

Which brings us back to Christianity. In a book called But Don't All Religions Lead to God? , by Michael Green, he states, "There have been only two religions in world history that teach that God can be personally known by the believer. Only Judaism and ….Christianity maintain that God has given a reliable and personal disclosure of Himself to humankind. Judaism tells of God's revelation of Himself through his mighty deeds of deliverance for Israel and through the words of the prophets." "The other faith that developed this strain of divine revelation … is Christianity – or rather Jesus Christ. He claimed to be the fulfillment of all God's promises to Israel and to be the final revelation to mankind." "In him, claimed the apostle Paul, "the whole fullness of deity dwells in bodily form." "Intimacy with God is what the Christian faith is all about. That cannot be claimed for any of the others."

Since the early 1970's we have been hearing about "new age" religions. I can recall how fascinating this all seemed back in the days of Shirley MacLaine, an actress, who claimed out of body experiences and introduced us to her thinking about where we came from and where we will go. Her fame as a religious thinker flamed out fairly quickly But "New Age" did not die out. In fact it has just kept evolving and taking on new forms.

Today, we are increasing seeing the re-emergence of new age thinking in a variety of ways. As Christians, we need to heed the warnings of our savior because the sheep in wolfs clothing are growing larger and more influential each day. If you think this is not the case, then stop and ask your friends how they grew up and what people used to think were strong values, or how they viewed other religions and what was considered taboo or unacceptable. Now ask them if any of these values still stand or if what was once considered a sin, or unimaginable is now tolerated, accepted and brushed off as inconsequential. Have their views on faith changed? Have they emerged as part of the 'cultural think' that maintains that all paths to all religions lead to the same thing—as in "whatever gets you there?" Before someone says, "but times have changed," let us remember that times can change many things but values are symptoms of the rock we build any social community, nation or world upon.

In the next weeks, I will be examining some of the things that we are facing in our culture that are clearly the warning signs that Jesus talked about. We will begin with one of the most prominent figures in American entertainment. She has been described as The "Queen of Talk" and has risen to the pinnacle of the programs that are deemed to help their listeners deal with the "everydayness" of life. Her name is Oprah Winfrey and she has literally built an empire.

According to Christian Information Ministries, Oprah is viewed by upwards of 22 million viewers each week from around the world. She is syndicated in the United States, but she is likewise seen throughout the world on 112 outlets that seek her down-to-earthiness. She also has as many as two million readers of her magazine and another 115 million visitors to her Web site.

Oprah has become the most influential woman, individual, in "talk show" history with her ability to connect to so many people, primarily women. Her influence is unquestioned! But of real concern is that Oprah has also become an "effective evangelist for Postmodernism," a world view that allows the individual to accept truth on his own terms as it relates to his experience and his comfort quotient. As a result, she has become an international spiritual leader in her own right."

Currently, there is something on the web from the organization called TheTruth Be Told about Oprah and her recent promotion of the book, The New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle, a new age philosopher. I will have this web site at the end of this article so that you can access this. Now, why would I say that this wonderful woman who has given cars away to an entire audience, started a school in south Africa and developed an Angel Network could possibly be a 'wolf in sheep's clothing ?' One commentator on Fox News pointed out that she has lots of topics on her show, not just new age gurus. True, however, this is about the core of the person we are talking about and the beliefs that she extols. Oprah is an extremely self-confident person who believes everything she says. Let us not forget that she was adamant, just a couple of years ago, that the book, A Million Little Pieces, was indeed the true work of author James Frey. When it was discovered that there was no truth in it, Oprah stood by him until it became blatantly uncomfortable for her to remain his promoter. But how does this fit with Oprah being a danger to our culture, when she appears that she is full of good works? The answer lies with her claim to be a Christian but her repeated denial that there can be only one path to heaven and now, that God just 'is'- the thinking exposed by her latest guru Eckhart Tolle. God, according to Tolle and Oprah is not a separate entity who created all things or that we are to seek his mercy, grace or be saved by his son. He is in no way a "Father in heaven" who seeks us out. Instead, she preaches that we are to dwell in our own divinity, our own godliness. In essence, we are the divine. And the idea of a savior - ridiculous! We are clearly able to save ourselves according to Ms. Winfrey.

As far back as 1997, NEWSWEEK stated:Oprah said that gurus are here ‘not to teach us about their divinity but to teach us about our own. ' The message that Oprah wants us to hear is "that we are "one," we are divine beings having a physical experience, and we are gods. God is not a personal being with whom we can be in relationship. Jesus is just one of many whose goal is to show mankind his way to self-discovery or his innate deity. Salvation comes by accepting this new-found "truth" and becoming fully conscious of our true self. Reincarnation is man's opportunity to eventually get it right, and to escape ignorance and judgment."

In the next couple of sessions, I hope you will join me in discovering the side of Oprah, that too many Christians have suppressed, ignored or not understood. As we turn on the TV to view her show, we need to be aware that she is offering a ten week web cast course on the book The New Earth . False teachers like Eckhart combined with a powerful promoter named Oprah, may rule peoples minds with their thinking but while doing so they are also blocking the narrow gate Jesus spoke of -- the gate to eternity.

Website: http://truthtold.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/the-church-of-oprah-exposed/

Shock and Awe
April 7, 2008

When the war in Iraq began, you may recall that the American military forces called the campaign "Shock and Awe." During this past week, as I have been dealing with the death of a loved one, I thought of this title in a different context. I began to consider that if any one of us were to die today, what would we experience upon our death? Would we be in shock or would we be in awe?

In our culture we rarely talk about death and we are not encouraged to do so. Yet, day by day, we are reminded of the presence of death as much as we are reminded of life. So much of our daily news includes the passing of individuals. Life coexists with death as a steady partner. In every facet, in which the world has been created by our Heavenly Father, death is always fiercely present, whether it is found in the changing of the seasons, the passage of time, in the growth and aging we all experience, or the loss of family and friends around us throughout our lives.

Our culture, however, tends not to acknowledge much of this. Moreover, the culture rarely deals little with the afterlife except in mere sound bites and usually considers it a part of a belief system that partially frames its thinking as if there is no end for any of us. Hence, there is botox and cosmetic surgery to keep the body looking young and in some cases, tightly strung. Yet, instinctively we all know that this is all a myth. We cannot stop the process that we are in.

It is imperative that we recognize the fact that our culture is not about God or about God's plan for all mankind. The culture is about perpetuating false hopes that diseases will disappear, and that death and what happens to us afterwards is of little concern because it has become an accepted cultural idea that we will all go to heaven. That is the message delivered over and over, however lacking in real authority that it has.

Which brings me back to 'shock and awe.' So often, while driving to church each Sunday, I see people out running, jogging, walking, biking etc. On any given Sunday morning, if one heads towards the mall area, there will be hundreds of cars parked as shoppers shop. I often cannot help but wonder how it is that so many people are not worshipping or connecting with the Father who created them. Of course, there is no way to know if every person I see walking their dog on a Sunday morning attends a church somewhere, at some other time, or is believer in God or Christ, or not. Yet, If one were to conclude that if all of these people were indeed non-worshipers or non-believers, when might they consider where they will be when their lives end? If they do not meet God in their lives presently , how will it be when they meet God when their lives have finished?

George Stephanopoulos, on his show, This Week , on ABC each Sunday morning, ends the show with the faces of the those who have passed away during the week. They, are of course, people of some renown, through politics, entertainment, as authors, artists, etc. As appropriate music plays, pictures of the departed are shown and a small paragraph appears to tell you who they were and what they did that made them famous. This gives anyone a somber jolt of reality on a Sunday morning. That somber jolt reminds us how quickly time passes, how soon we all grow old, how suddenly and unexpectedly the end can come to both young and old and, in effect, how all of our lives will end quite the same. Here is the reality: we were never meant to live an eternity on earth - not one of us. No matter how famous we might be or how infamous we may have become, no matter how much wealth or comfort we have achieved, no matter how many accomplishments we can list, none of it can hold back the passing of each life.

With a culture that deliberately treats all religions as equals and wrongly gives all religions the same purpose, the same vision, and the same ending for our lives, it is no wonder that so many people pay more attention to Oprah then they do the word of God. For some, when their lives come to an end, there will be great shock in discovering that the god they created in their own mind, the one they have banked their lives on, does not exist. Those who have spent their lives avoiding God's word, never taking the time to acknowledge His Truth, or to know that redemption was offered to each of us through His Son Jesus, will be devastated that the promise of heaven has eluded them completely.

But for those who have opened the word of God and recognized that God the Father has been looking for them all along, seeking each one of us, there will be a different story. They will be in awe of the promise that God made throughout scripture and fulfilled through His Son. Each will be reminded of the words of our savior Jesus, when he said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Recently, while observing a baptism of an infant, as the Pastor held the child in his arms and was speaking about the love, renewal, forgiveness, grace and mercy of the cross, that Christ gives us, I became aware that this is how it will be for God's children when it is our time to meet Jesus. We will be held in his arms much as the infant is held at baptism. Cradled at our life's end, by the one whose promise is everlasting Truth. And we will be in awe , beyond all words, at the mightiness of God, at the infinite, overwhelming, unmistakable, perfect love that never ends. There will be no shock. There will be no disappointment. Fear and sadness will recede. There will be just the awe of joy and the exclamation of ecstasy, as we are wrapped in the love we knew would be waiting for us.

References: John 14: 1-3, 6

Kept From Blindness
February 18, 2008

In the book of John there is a remarkable episode as Jesus is teaching and being followed by authorities who are hoping to find fault with him. Jesus comes upon a man who had been born blind and was a beggar on the streets. His disciples ask Jesus why the man is blind and if it is because of the sin of his parents or his own sin. Jesus replies, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Jesus then immediately takes mud and spit and puts it on the mans eyes and tells the man to go wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. Suddenly the man is able to see. Everyone gathers around and a heated discussion ensues as witnesses and those who hope to prove Jesus a charlatan hear the words of the formerly blind man exclaim, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

The Pharisees find this hard to believe. They continue to question this man and his parents as to his authenticity of blindness and how sight could be so miraculously given. Finally, in frustration, after the former blind man has repeated his story many times, the Pharisees say "We know this man [Jesus] is a sinner." The former blind man then replies "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" The story progresses and the Pharisees accuse the former blind man by saying "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."

The blind man has had enough. He has just had his eyes opened to the world for the first time in his life and now as the authorities deride him, he exclaims, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." With that the authorities toss the blind man out of the area as they continue to ridicule him.

But he is not left alone. Jesus walks up to him and asks, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "Who is he, sir?" the man asks. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." As the man who has now gained sight stares up at a the face of Jesus, Jesus says, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” The man falls to his knees, in recognition of who stands before him and cries out, "Lord, I believe," and he worships Christ.

Jesus then says, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see, will become blind."

So often when we are searching for a misplaced item, we may look right past it several times and then discover that it was there all along. For some unknown reason our eyes and brain seem incapable, for a moment, to recognize what is right before us.

Many people in our culture spend a great deal of time and money searching for answers concerning the meaning of life and for spiritual truth. The culture promotes an idea that all options have equal merit. We hear talk about ‘your god may not be the same as my god' but it is all good, just the same. Is that what God really had in mind when he sent us His Son to be the lamb slaughtered for our sins? Was that the message that Jesus really came to tell us, that all options are on the table and that we can be secure in whatever belief system we create? How is it that our own thinking supersedes our creator, the life giver of all, the great ‘I am'? Can we really create our own belief system and then expect that God will abide by our creation?

Jesus steps out of this malaise because he is not a ‘belief system.' Jesus came into the world as the truth. He was neither ambiguous nor nebulous. Jesus is not a meshing of exoteric philosophy or simple guesses. His words were clearly intended to open the door for each of us to know our Father-God. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." He was challenged by this statement, by the Pharisees who asked, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid." But Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going…..I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.”

In the story of the blind man, the Pharisees and authorities followed Jesus to discourage belief in him, attempting to prove that he was not who he said he was. How could this flesh and blood man know anything about God so intimately? How could he make the lame walk, the deaf hear, moreover, how could he open the eyes of a man who was blind from birth?

At the moment the blind man was made to see, many hearts were pierced with the understanding of who they had just encountered in Jesus. Others would remain in darkness either unwilling to see what was before them, or swept up in their own ideas.

And it is in the darkness that we often find ourselves. Like the Pharisees we are frequently blinded by the rhetoric of a time that scoffs at the real presence of a real God who chooses us, hence, missing what God has already given to us. Instead, we fall prey to popular thought. Mother Theresa stated, “Jesus is the word made flesh; the bread of life; the victim offered for our sins on the cross; the word to be spoken; the truth to be told.”

Jesus told us, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.” John 8:28

Blindness is our human condition. Like that missing item our eyes cannot perceive at times, the answer has always been in front of us. God did not hide his love for us. He has not left us alone. He gave us his Son--God's greatest gift --the rescuer of our lives and the answer to eternal life for all who have faith. Jesus is the one who will carry us into the light and out of the blindness of our human condition.

Scripture references:

John 8 and 9 NIV

This Magnificent Week Before Easter
March 17, 2008

Holy week is upon us and Easter is approaching. Our culture will often treat this profound time as just another holiday on the way - another time to gather family for a meal while advertisements for candy, and bright colored new clothing abound. Although our culture has little reverence for much, Easter cannot be lumped into the category as simply another religious observation. Christmas has already been reinvented into a secular holiday. It is, therefore, so important that Easter not be dishonored in the same way so that it is buried under pretty little bunnies and beautifully colored eggs, all seemingly harmless, but in reality, focusing on the wrong stuff.

Easter, after all, is a day that remains incredibly unique. It is unique because no other faith claims “the son of God.” The reality of that alone, ‘God here with us,' is amazing to comprehend. Moreover, no other faith provides the witness to a death that was prophesized in scripture concerning the long awaited messiah who would come into this world with no sin, but who would empty out his life for our sin. Indeed, there is no other faith that can provide the eye witness accounts of a heavily guarded tomb, with an impenetrable rock in front of it, that was devoid of the body expected to be inside the tomb. Because Christ was raised up on Easter morning, all other faiths fall flat in their significance. There is not one faith in the universe that can come close to what happened during Jesus' time on this auspicious week, long ago. It was truly God in our midst; an earth-shaking, life-changing event for all eternity. But is that how we treat it?

In John 19:31-37 we see a scene described that is particularly painful. It is the scene of the crucifixion, towards the end, just as Jesus dies. John tells us about how the Jewish leaders were in a hurry and “ didn't want the bodies [of the three men] hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.” As we read this passage and observe the death of our Lord, it becomes clear that Christ's crucifixion was somewhat of an inconvenience. The anticipated celebration of the Passover would not be delayed nor would it be marred by the ugliness of his torture and death.

Indeed, as we read this as Christians now, we may feel mortified at the dismissive action of the Jewish leaders who were blind to the truth. Since, they were unable to grasp the profundity of what was occurring for the whole world up on the hill at Golgotha, they chose to focus on other things of a more immediate nature -the Passover. It was time to get ready. Unable to fathom who they had helped place on the cross, they truly did not know what they were doing. But we know.

It is so easy for us now to be dismissive of their actions and appalled at their lack of understanding. Yet, we must ask ourselves, would we be have operated any better? And here is the glitch: do we operate any better now?

One need only observe Christmas as it approaches. The whole world seems to be in near pandemonium in preparation for the holiday. It is not unfair to say that Christmas often appears to be a race to get through the church services so that everyone can head home for the ‘real celebration' of presents and good food. So much of our thinking and our actions have become about the here and now, about the pleasures we seek in the expectations of this world and not in the miracle that we are supposed to be celebrating. It would be tragic if we were to make Easter as banal or as secular as Christmas has often become.

During this week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, we have the spiritual opportunity that is so important for our soul, to really connect with every moment of the struggles and significant actions of Jesus during his last week on earth as described in the Gospels. With each step Jesus took, God's miraculous, righteous and eternal plan was being unveiled and played out. In this week like never before, heaven and earth were bound together. The darkness of evil and the penetration of truth were never so vivid.

When the curtain in the temple tore as Jesus breathed his last breath, the kingdom of heaven ripped a hole into the human existence that would change it forever. And so, Holy week has to be a time of heartfelt contemplation. We simply cannot shrug off this moment. God's Son proved to the world that he was, indeed, who he claimed to be and we are called upon to come to terms with who Jesus is for each of us.

In the end, the family dinners and the Easter egg hunt will mean little. But the assimilation of these extraordinary events into our hearts, will remain the most important understanding we can receive, as we embrace the cleansing from our sin, and the mercy that God has shown us through his Son because “God so loved the world.”

 

The Retirement of Favre:
Is It Just about Football?
March 10, 08

Last week, one of the journalists at the Leader-Telegram, wrote an article about the retirement of Brett Favre. The writer explained that he was a Wisconsinite, but that he was not really into football and not really into the Packers. He questioned why there was so much attention and so much emotion attached to the retirement of a sports figure? He was a bit dumbfounded at the reaction that people had to the anticipated but dreaded announcement that Brett was really and truly going to hang it up. Many People were shocked, stunned, grieving, worried, saddened, feeling loss, etc. The writer pointed out that “Brett had not died,” thus, why would so many be troubled by this announcement by a relatively young man (after all he is only 38), simply making a very personal decision to retire from a sport that he is considered “old to be in” in the first place?

Many sports writers have written about Favre's retirement by recounting all the statistics and records that he holds. He was the best at so much. He achieved records that will be difficult to break by anyone. So how does one respond to a person who thinks this is all ‘much ado about nothing'? After all it is only football, isn't it?

On the surface, that would seem the case. Athletes come and go from sports often with little fanfare. For those like the writer, who care little for football, it is just a game. But as to why people have reacted to Favre's retirement might be found in the fact that Brett never played like it was just a game. He played it the same way almost every time when he stepped on the field—with incredible passion, joy and intensity which was hard to ignore. You had to love him just for that.

However, football, like many things, is a reflection of our culture. Many athletes have statistics that are amazing. But so often we are disappointed in those that achieve so much, either because we find out they have used performance enhancing drugs to obtain the records, or they appear to have behaviors that seem less then admirable. The Favre story is important because it is about something that we rarely see. It is about “character.”

I just finished reading a book about some of the men who served in World War II in the 101 st airborne division. So may of the stories out of World War II recount heroism and a quality among young American's who fought in that war that exemplifies “character,” that elusive but important piece that makes us noble. Tom Brokaw has termed the men who fought in the second world war, our ‘ greatest generation .'

Today, we seem to have so few heroes. We get a little confused as the media touts celebrities and sports figures, often giving them heroic qualities when all they have really accomplished is wealth and fame. Wasn't Barry Bonds supposed to be heroic when he broke the homerun record this past summer? However, there was a problem and it had to do with his character. His dishonesty cost him any kind of admiration for his achievement in the public mind.

We can even make a stark comparison between Michael Vick and Brett Favre. Both were uniquely talented quarterbacks. Vick, a year ago, had everything going for him: youth, ability, a winning record and a media that loved him. But what we saw in Michael Vick's character was that he was not a stand-up guy. Instead, his fame and wealth had apparently led him to conclude that there were no consequences to his life-style and that he could get away with any thing no matter how cruel, illegal or distasteful it was.

When Vick was condemned for his part in a dog-fighting operation, he at first denied any wrong doing or even knowledge of what was occurring on his property. This untruth told us so much about the character of the man. As the public later would discover the truth, Vicks career ended.

Our culture seems to be brimming with the idea that if you become famous, you automatically deserve honor and respect. So many flaunt their new found fame like a power trip with obnoxious overtones. What has happened? As a culture, we have moved further away from God. In doing so, we have created a culture that is often devoid of real belief in God as we build up ourselves and worship our own humanity. Too many times we see people who are decent and humble treated like losers in the public forum.

Brett Favre, of course, was no saint. He had been a party-boy when he first started in the NFL. He went through drug addiction to pain killers and later to alcohol. Yet, what was redeeming about Favre is that he changed. He stopped the lifestyle that could have killed him, or could have cost him his family.

Brett also seemed to be the antithesis of the show-boating, big-time NFL star. He consistently played through adversity when his father passed away and when his wife was diagnosed with cancer. He never appeared at press conferences in Armani suits and gold chains like so many players do. When he felt he had not played well, he admitted it. He always gave credit to his teammates. Even in his farewell press conference he talked with tears in his voice, about how it was not Brett Favre who won the games, it was the entire team who worked so hard to achieve victory.

As the coaches, players, and commentators, have responded to Favre's retirement in the last few days, descriptions of what set him apart were not always about the records he broke. Frequently, words like “dedicated, committed, passionate and relentless and humble” were used to describe the man. No matter what pain he was in, Brett always showed up for practice. When the adjective “humble” was used on Favre, it points to an aspect of character that is so rare in most areas of sports and entertainment. Even though Brett Favre, renowned as the quarterback who could rifle a ball into a receiver covered by three defensive players, he has never stood before the public with the arrogance that so many athletes show.

In Luke 18:9, Jesus talks about the need for humility in our lives. He tells us “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Recognizing that Brett was influenced greatly by Reggie White and his enormous faith, and certainly by his wife, Deanna who has a deep Christian faith, I cannot imagine that we are seeing the character of this man just evolving on its own. We have been witness to a life touched by God in many ways, the good and the bad, the triumphs and the tragedies. Through it all he has been able to stay away from the things that could have made him just like all the other talented stars who become so reckless with their fame and whose character seems empty of anything admirable.

When Favre decided to retire, he retired as a player who could do amazing things. He retired records that may never be broken. But, he also retired as a humble person despite all his accomplishments. Fighting through some very tough times, he has remained a man of character that we would hope to find in all football players, all athletes-- all men, just as it pleases God.

Thank you for Giving Me to the Lord
Aug 20, 07

Many years ago there was a man that I know who came from a large family. Each Sunday the children in his family were bussed to a local church where they attended Sunday school. Although the parents of these children were never godly people and have continued to drift far from the Lord, some of their adult children have remained in Christ. In fact the man I am speaking about has a wonderful memory of Sunday school and the Bible memorization that he did during his years in that church, which became the foundation that helped him grow in the Lord. And it was all because of some caring teachers who gave of their time so that this boy could know the Lord. They were not thinking about how much time it would take out of their lives, but instead, how much their lives would be rewarded in seeing a child who had no Christian guidance from his parents, become one with Christ.

At this time of the year, there is a concern that we all will be hearing about. Every church will be looking for teachers for the children in their church. The cry will go out. Some will teach because they have small children and feel they should contribute during their children's time in Sunday School. Some will teach because they simply love children or because they love to teach. But, sadly, many will hope that they will not be called upon for this task.

Apostle Paul in his many letters, talks continuously about how each of us is part of the body of Christ. He admonishes and speaks to all the newly formed churches of his time as he traveled, concerning how they must not argue amongst themselves, must learn to serve each other and understand that we all fit into the church with our individual gifts and that those gifts are needed.

From what Paul has preached, the body of Christ can be observed in two ways. It can be observed as the church, where there are many parts to the body (the church congregation) that allow the church to function. We can also literally remember the body of Christ which was given up for us. When we do this through reading scripture or observing this through Holy Communion, we are acknowledging again and again, that Jesus laid His life on a cross for our salvation. This is at the heart of Christianity.

After observing this, the question almost needs to be asked, "How can we give to the body of Christ, when He has given so much to us?"

It is helpful to recall that "One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, 'Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.'" Matthew 19:13-14

Children are precious to God. When Jesus announces that the "Kingdom of Heaven belongs" to children it was a great revelation to the crowd and the disciples who were ready to shoo the children away. It still needs to be said, because many of us would like to shoo Sunday school teaching away. How foolish this would be, because this is at the heart of Christ.

What can be more important and more of a gift to the glory of God and to the body of Christ then teaching our children in our churches? As a Sunday school teacher, I have taught many times over the years. During the past few years, with grown adult children, it would be easy for me to say, "no, I have already done that, been there, my kids are older, let the young mom's and dad's teach." But I chose to teach anyway especially after praying to God. My conclusion was that nothing can be greater then helping children understand God's love for them or His presence in their lives. What can be greater in this life then teaching a child something that will remain with them throughout their life, even when they stray or fall into problems or succumb to the ways of this world? Somewhere in their memories will be a Sunday school class. In that class they will remember that "Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so." They will remember that the ten commandments are rules to make life just, fair, decent, livable, and honorable. They will remember that the purpose of Christmas was a child given to us who brought the light of truth into the world, and that Easter is about Christ's promise of heaven with our Father should we choose Him. They will remember a phrase from the Bible, a moment when they felt the Holy Spirit and a time when prayer became real.

You might wonder what is the reward for the teacher? I think this is best summed up in a song from a few years back by Ray Boltz. The song was called simply "Thank You," but the words are profound. The singer tells of a dream of going to heaven where he sees a young man coming towards him. The young man says "You may not know me now, but wait, you used to teach my Sunday school class. Every week you used to say a prayer before the class would start, one day when you said that prayer I asked Jesus into my heart. Thank you for giving me to the Lord. I am life that was changed. I am so glad that you gave." Incidentally, this song was sung at the funeral of Mother Theresa.

We talk about rewards in heaven, but truly there are rewards that are sometimes within our grasp here on earth. Every life we touch with the word of God is like gold that cannot be changed. God's work is right in front of us in every church. Bringing children to the Lord changes lives forever. But a life changed is dependant on our willingness to give. Thanks be to God for all the Sunday school teachers who have been willing to teach the children and make Jesus a reality in so many lives.

A Nation in Search of Happiness
Aug 5, 07

Last week some statistics were brought out in the news. They were about the drug that is most prescribed in America by physicians. Can you guess what it is? Anti-depressants are the most commonly prescribed medications. What a shock that seems to send through our society which maintains that having it all is easily obtainable, that money is a cure-all and fame is something we all seek. What is up with this phenomena? What exactly does this tell us? I heard one explanation, that the reason for the huge amounts of anti-depressants being prescribed were because we have "too high of expectations for happiness and can never achieve them and thus become depressed." Are you kidding me? Is there a happiness meter out there somewhere in which you stick your hand in it to measure how high your happiness expectations are and how much they have fallen short. Maybe there is an automatic dispenser afterwards that gives out the correct dosage to bring you up to par.

Seriously, Depression is a concerning issue and I really don't mean to make light of it. Depression is debilitating and I do not think that anyone has a desire for it. So then why would the media come up with such a glib explanation for a phenomena that is raging not just with adults but with children - yes even children in elementary schools. What has happened? Is it the water we drink? Are we deprived of sunlight?

Doctors will tell you that there is no one explanation for clinical depression. Many things contribute to it both physically, emotionally, and chemically. We do know that there are factors that make us depressed physically. We have all heard about serotonin, the chemical in our body that makes us feel well. Doctors have known for some time that interruptions in this chemical or low profiles of it, cause people to feel many things such as body aches, depression, lethargy, etc. Often the prescription for relieving some of this is to become more active. The couch potato is going to feel worse then the person who takes a brisk 1 mile walk. It is fact and not fiction.

However, one of the biggest things that both kids and adults are battling is something that can also contribute to depression: weight and exercise. It comes as no shock that our children are incredibly overweight in this nation. Lifestyles have changed in the last 30 years. Children are often given fewer chores to do at home. Very few kids in our population live on farms where real physical work is continuous. Schools cannot provide enough physical activity to make up for a child that comes home, raids the refrigerator, sits and plays video games for endless hours, or watches TV and then eats supper and goes to bed. A deadly cycle is being developed for many children that is so common today, which includes many fast food meals loaded with calories and fat, very few vegetables and fruits and lots of sugar. Combining this with lack of any movement and it is no wonder that we find children who are over weight. As someone who has battled weight all my life, I know that these kids are being set up for a lifetime of issues and problems that only get worse. To top it off, it can be a huge contributor to depression in young people because ‘fitting in' is so important. Being like others, or the ones they would like to emulate, is nearly impossible when you are 100 pounds overweight.

But aside from weight, what about the rest of our culture? Why are we so depressed? When you consider it, it seems almost ludicrous to think that Americans are depressed. When you look around, you can see that we live in a material kingdom. As we compare ourselves to other nations, even our poor are rich. Go to Darfur or Chad on the African continent and see how people live in the dirt, under stick shelters, eating beans and rice laden with insects. Visit the poor of our neighbor to the south, Mexico, where many live in cardboard shelters near garbage dumps. Our children, with the money that they spend on CD's, could feed whole villages for a year. But amongst our overwhelming wealth, we are depressed and we are poor.

Our poverty however, is not in the bank, it is in the fact that our culture is poor in spirit. We have been sold the idea that fame and wealth will bring us happiness. The men on Wall Street are sure of it. Our celebrities flaunt it. But most of them appear to be such messed up individuals that it should make us shudder at the thought that the key to happiness can ever be wealth and fame. And still there is that thing in the back of our brain that we know that there has to be something more. Let me tell you that there is.

The growth of depression can reasonably be correlated to the removal of our Heavenly Father as an integral part of lives across our country. A personal relationship with Jesus is not just banter, it makes the difference between finding life within your life or finding defeat at every turn. Yet, our culture has oriented us away from faith and right to the secular self - help books. We are oriented not towards the knowledge of a heavenly loving father who "so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3:16-18) We have lost sight of the message that "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." ( 1 John 5:12)

We have forgotten. We have lost our place. We have looked for the answer to happiness in so many other places when it was right in front of us all along. Surely for many people depression is an illness that cannot be dismissed. However, when the news media tells us that a possible reason for so many anti-depressants being prescribed, is that we have too high of expectations for happiness, it puts the blame on us as our own culprit to this defeating disease.

Have we lost our focus? It is important to understand, that when we leave Gods abounding love and guidance out of our lives, assuring ourselves that we can do it all with no help, we are left alone on a cold, stony rock with nothing but sharp shards to fall upon. Without a doubt people are searching for happiness. We need to be reminded every day that God's love for us is eternal and infinite. Through His son we can be called the children of God. What a promise that is, and one far greater then anything that we can accumulate on earth.

When Casualness Collides
With Serious Eternity
July 30, 07

I am always a little stunned by the casualness of our culture. Casual dress has become so much the norm, that we are at a point where people almost do not remember that jeans are not appropriate at every event. Young people need to be told that flip flops and T-shirts are not acceptable dress for all careers.

As we have become a casual nation about dress we have also become very casual about many other things. Maybe a better term is laid back . Laid back is good when you are on vacation but it is not always good in your professional life, or your school life or your life as a parent or in the morals and values we choose. Too much casualness and laid back approaches to everything that really matters, can mean that you might be dismissed from a job, earn poor grades, have children that run amuck or find that values have a purpose and without them lives can be destroyed.

I suppose we are all guilty of casualness at one time or another. We may become too comfortable about how we do something on the job until we realize that someone is noticing that we have been a little amiss at taking care of some responsibilities. Some mistakenly may feel that all teachers and schools are just a waste of time until they wake up to understand that this is the route to ones whole life after you reach eighteen. They then come to realize that education does mean that you can and should be able to do certain things, understand certain things and be able to determine your future out of what you have learned. It counts for something and no one has set out to waste your time.

As a parent, it may be easier to say yes to demanding children and give into their whims and desires. But parenting is not about being a soulless buddy. It is about loving a child so much, that guidance, rules for appropriate behavior, and setting boundaries are the means to help a child discover the kind of person they really want to be rather then what we could let them become.

We can lose our way with values. We may think that all things should be left alone, whatever someone wants to do is their business, until we become aware that their business is affecting our lives, our community, the families around us that are failing, or becoming dysfunctional. This awareness happens when you listen to the news each day with the reports of human beings doing damage to themselves and others often while waving an imaginary flag that says “it is my business and no one else.” Can we all say ‘Lindsey Lohan, Brittany Spears or Michael Vick', all three, whose names appeared last week in the news to the audible disappointment by media and the public at large, that such talented youth can be so lost to immorality and debauchery.

The laid back approach has its pitfalls to be sure. Yet, it is amazing to me that the public and news media appear surprised that this world is so fallen, that unbelievable tragedies at the hands of human beings are the norm rather then the exception; that evil is real in the world amongst humankind.

However, what else can we expect other then surprise by a culture that preaches even from pulpits of churches more and more, the idea that that all people are basically good and that sin is what only people in lowly places do or that evil is only an idea.

Moreover, we are continuously educated to believe that we can save ourselves, and that nothing higher (meaning God) has as much control over our lives or can help us as much, as good friends, a good therapist or a good drink. Indeed, if we are truly honest, most of us are fearful of two things: that God sees our sins and that He could take over our life if we allowed him to. We are caught in a dilemma that says that we know we should let Him take charge but are hesitant with the fear that should we call God into our life, He will take away what we know and leave us with a sinless, but boring life.

Where have we come up with this notion? Is this the ultimate thing we have learned about God? Is this the final message that we have been taught? Proverbs teaches us that we should “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” In our secularly oriented world, that advice is rarely taken. Instead, we lean on our own understanding and often it is a casual approach to some very serious issues.

Recently, I was listening to someone talking about how in most professions today, employees are sent or asked to take some re-education courses to stay current with their job. Staff development or demands that refresher courses or new skills be learned, are common practices and no one with any common sense balks at this idea because they know it protects their job marketability and makes them better at what they know and can do.

Yet, how are we with God and His Son when it comes to refresher courses and re-involvement with Gods Holy scriptures? In our “secularly oriented” culture, we have become laid back and casual about God like it is just something that matters only when the need arises (a wedding, a funeral, a trauma in life). Being a practicing church attendee should guarantee that we are continuously educated about Jesus, but that is not always the case. Indeed, there are entire denominations who rarely encourage their congregations to open up the good book. Surprisingly, some people consider a Bible study as something that only the weak would attend. Much of our culture would declare arrogantly that they “already know all that stuff or have heard it before” and so reading the word of God or His Son, who did this incredible thing of dying and rising again in order to save us, is ridiculed as unnecessary. How quickly we forget. How many times have I seen the word inspired in people who soon fade back into their habits of attending church occasionally.

But of all the refresher courses we could take, isn't this the one we most need? How is it that we understand that we must keep up with changing technology or methods in our jobs, parenting skills, human relations, and take that seriously, but brush off what the Lord has to say to us? God is not one more thing to become laid back about. Jesus is serious business. What He did for us, as the human chattel that we are, was so serious that there is no meter to measure it. He alone elevates us out of the doom we are destined for without Him. He alone cancels the sin and the desperation in all of our lives that we live with.

I am reminded of the ending scene in the movie the Godfather part 3, when Michael Corleone's and his family are leaving an opera house. His only daughter whom he loves, is shot on the steps by a would-be assassin for Michael. In tremendous agony he screams a silent scream for 60 seconds of the film as he realizes that his life of murder and treachery has brought him to this unholy and dark place. His face reminds one of the faces of the doomed to hell in the famous paintings in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. It tears through your heart. And it is a reminder to all of us that only Christ saves and that our agonies here on earth will be gone when we are at the feet of our Lord.

If we can become better at our job by becoming re-educated, how much better can our lives become if we meet up with the words of our Lord and Savior? We cannot afford to be in a laid back mode, with a sort of naiveté about our Lord God, accepting minimal knowledge or our ‘own understanding' about who God is. He has already spoken. Look to what He says. Losing touch with our father on earth may be traumatic, but losing touch with our Father in heaven is an eternal decision.

Seven-Seven-Seven!
Is it Luck that leads you?
July 16, 07

About a week ago, you probably heard about how Saturday, July seventh was supposed to be the luckiest day of the year because it was 7-7-07. The media talked about how people had booked weddings, launched businesses, and gamblers were sure that this date would be the best day to lay down their cash at the multitude of casinos across the country. It was spelled L-U-C-K. That word turns up so often. How many times do we hear people exclaim that they were just "lucky" when something either good happened to them or some tragedy was averted? We wish people "good luck." We flippantly say to friends that some people "have all the luck." So, I guess July 7 th, should have been the day to buy lottery tickets, make a bet at the race track or take some monumental personal step, because apparently it was all about luck - right?

As a new Christian, it was certainly an eye opener to realize that "luck" was not a preferred thought in the Christian faith. As my mind and heart were changed by God I came to realize that all the things that at one time in my life I might have attributed to coincidence or even being "really lucky" had really nothing to do with the imaginary thing called 'luck' but had more to do with the very real creator called 'God.' This was a transformation, more so, then I would have thought. It is a mind set. As you bring God into your life, the things that at one time you attributed to "fate" or "luck" now become the map that God is placing into your mind and heart for your life. You often wonder why you didn't see it before. You begin to realize that it was always there. But it is as Jesus says in Matthew 13:15: " For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."

When I call myself a 'new Christian', I must qualify that by saying that it was not that I did not believe in God or Jesus before, because I was raised in a church and I did believe. However, there is a difference in believing and in actually coming to Christ, where you surrender your life and place Him at the center, beginning the day with him. As one becomes this Christian, who knows they have been saved, ones reference points are changed. Because you have obtained the reality of God in your mind, you can no longer frivolously refer to things that are human creations, such as 'luck', with the same reverence or faith as you do real faith in a real savior.

My development as a Christian also had to do with the church I grew up in which probably was not concerned about talk about luck. The objection might have been more in line with how silly it would be to count on such stuff. However, the element that Jesus is the truth and our only hope, or that He should be the desire of our hearts and that we should go to him in prayer instead of carrying a lucky rabbits foot, would not have been necessarily pointed out as the alternative to wishing for good luck. Believing in luck would have seemed innocuous.

It always strikes me how illogical all this was. So many of us claim to be a Christian and then wear our lucky shirt to the big game, hoping this will make all the difference for our team.

Saturday, July 7 th and all the other days that will follow are the days when we need to really continue to proclaim Jesus Christ to all our friends and neighbors, reminding them that there is nothing sillier then betting on a date to guarantee a good marriage, and nothing more important then to recognize the truth in Gods love, and Christ's sacrifice for us. How many casino attendees and lottery users on July 7th, threw out an extra bundle of cash with the hope and faith in a date marked 7-7-07? How many of them came home empty and devastated with more problems then they had before? How many marriages that picked that date as some sort of guarantee, will crumble? 'Luck' will have let them down. Satan will have gathered another stronghold in their lives. For many of them Jesus has nothing to do with their lives, or their future. They seek and believe in anything but what God offers them and so they continue to grasp at 'the universe' as a force, or 'fate,' 'lady luck' or even a chain letter that they received in an email, as their hope for tomorrow.

Recently, I have been reading the book of Acts. Through out this book detailing what happened to the disciples after Christ's resurrection and especially to the apostle Paul, we are confronted with one enormous truth. God's presence accomplished the impossible. Reading about all that Paul struggles through, we see him devoutly adhering to faith in God and in Christ Jesus. There are a litany of circumstances that Paul and the disciples go through where something is dramatically altered, allowing them safe passage, taking them out of prison or harms way. One could attribute these events to "luck" if you were a non-believer. But they are so miraculous and so much bigger then stupid "luck" that I would hope that the reader would give pause and think, "how could all of this happen in this way? It must have been more then luck!"

Paul at every twist and turn in Acts appears to be doomed. Yet it is not fate, but God's hand that makes the impossible become possible so that Paul's mission, so monumentally important, was able to be carried forward. The book of Acts is such an astonishingly and overwhelmingly powerful testimony about how God is working in the world as a whole and in our personal lives. No luck or fate or a special date on the calendar made things happen then, nor will it now. Father God, our incomprehensible and wonderful Lord of all the heavens, creator of all things, our the Almighty, worked his word into the world, moved mountains and men against all the odds, so that the world and our lives would be saved.

I wonder what Jesus would say to those who bet their future on
7-7-07? He might say, "Come, follow me, bet on me. I am the real prize. There is nothing like me in all the treasures in this universe."

Hope In A Song
June 25, 07

Last week something happened that has been in the back of my head singing to me. It is the voice of a cel phone salesman named Paul Potts from Cardiff, England that won the "Britain's Got Talent" contest that made news around the world. It is the story of a simple man who has had many misfortunes in his life including health problems that have reportedly put him in great debt. So here he is on this amateur talent program competing against all sorts of ages and talents. He is standing before three judges including Simon Cowell, the judge best know for "American Idol" as the judge everyone loves to hate. Paul Potts, this very plain looking man with bad teeth, decided to sing Luciano Pavarotti's signature song Nessun Dorma, an aria from Puccini's Turnadot . His great desire in life has been to be an opera singer and he even studied for a short time in Italy. I have actually heard Pavarotti perform this song and there is nothing sweeter then the voice of Luciano singing this wonderful aria. However, Paul Potts took everyones breath away, possibly because it was so unexpected and it was so good. He was not a handsome, polished looking man. But his voice was so gifted and it touched the hearts of everyone in the audience, including the judges (yes, even Simon) who were visibly moved and astounded by what happened. Potts commented that it was what he felt he had been born to do.

I think this song has hung in my head, not just because it is a favorite, but also because it is such a wonderful story about a talent hidden away and then revealed - like a diamond in the middle of a desert. And this is a real talent. Not the manufactured, pretentious or questionable talent that we seem to have so often thrown at us from the entertainment world along with huge egos, bad attitudes and bad behavior. This is not ridiculous young women like Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton or Lisa Lohan who exploit what talent they may have only to sabotage their lives before the media. Thus, leaving us with the conclusion that becoming a celebrity means you have to lose your moral compass, because evidently debauchery sells best. How sad a comment that is on the state of the media and our culture. Neither is this the over the top persona that says "I think I am so cool so you ought to think so too" as they rap their way across the stage in four letter words and pants bigger then a house, and who have concluded that fame makes them talented, and not the other way around. This is just an ordinary person with a real gift and a real desire to share it with the world.

So much of the time, we seem to be dragged down in a world full of terribly depressing news. We are constantly exposed to people who should have it all together and doing really great things in this world because they have been given so much as well as the opportunity reach millions of people as celebrities. Instead, we hear about how they have just gone into rehab, are divorcing after a questionable marriage, or are acting out with indecent behavior, --- and it is all because they have so much and the pressure is so great.

We may often ask ourselves in the bleakness of all of this: "Where are the heroes, the people that lift us up, reminding us that no matter who we are, there is hope, that there is a place in the world for goodness and decency, ethics and honesty? Where is the message that you can be fabulous at something and not turn into a creep, or a drug addict?" Maybe that is why a simple man like Paul Potts is like a breath of fresh air.

I think we are always looking for Godly moments where people are doing something that is really amazing and it is not for publicity or fame. We sometimes fail to remember that there are a lot of those people around us all the time doing these sort of things that really make a difference in this world that we cannot even begin to measure. They are the everyday people who work with our families and children as teachers, coaches, scout leaders, pastors, counselors, social workers, policemen, firemen, and volunteers across our communities who give enormous hours that benefit us all. Not to mention our soldiers who defend our freedom. They will never achieve fame or a fortune from what they do. There may be nothing monetary for them that is significant. Yet, they are the ones who are truly the glue in our culture who are rarely sited with the honor they deserve. Most of these people do these things because they know it is what they were born to do. It is their talent - just as gratifying and significant as a simple man who could sing like an accomplished opera singer.

These are the things that we need to put into our hearts and remember. Jesus came into this world and without him and what he did, the world would be a thousand times worse. Without the message of "love others as you would be loved, do for others as you would have them do for you, practice justice and mercy as your Father in heaven has shown you," we would be living in a cauldron controlled by evil beyond our dreams. But God gave us the Holy Spirit that entered the world and helped the apostles spread the message of Christ, one of hope and that Godliness was upon the world, goodness will win out and Jesus will one day come again in triumph over all evil so that it will be no more. What a promise that is!

In Pavarotti's signature song Nessun Dorma, the one which Paul Potts sang to win a competition, the words of the aria end with this "With the dawn I will win! I'll win! I'll win!" This is the hope that Christ has brought us through our belief in him. That at the dawn of the new world, which He will bring, and even at the end of our own lives, we will win! The evil that sinks our hearts so often throughout life cannot hold us to the earth when we die. Sin will not keep us here because we have a place to fly away to - a place where our song will be heard by our Father in heaven who we have come home to. This will be more beautiful then all the arias sung by a thousand voices. On that day nothing will compare to anything that we have ever known. We will win! We will win!

 

Is Jesus the Christ?
June 18, 07

Is Jesus the Christ? Does the title sound like a silly question to you because you are a follower of Christ and therefore have no problem saying , "well, of course, He is the Christ?" But this IS the question today in relation to the culture we live in and the direction that some Christian faith is turning. It is a question that Christians must be prepared to answer.

Through out the Gospels, we see Jesus deciphering how people are deciding who He is. He hears their debate, He listens to their thoughts and notes their confusion. No matter how many times and in how many ways that He declares who He is, many seem unable to understand. At one point in frustration Jesus states in John 7:28-29: "I am not here on my own...I am from him and he sent me." For many, even as they were in the presence of the Christ, their hearts were not ready and their ears refused to hear. Their eyes remained blinded as to who He was while their minds were set on a vision of who they expected the Christ to be. They wanted their own version.

This is not unlike what we see today in our own time, thus this question - Is Jesus the Christ?- is being asked by many in 2007. Over the last year it has been a question that has been brought forward because of the book and the subsequent movie The Da Vinci Code, popularized and touted by the media. Indeed, they could not seem to get enough of it. The book laid claim to a very different Jesus then the Jesus described in the Gospels. The Da Vinci Code 'Jesus' fakes his death on the cross, and escapes to France to live out his life with Mary Magdalene and their child.

In addition, there was the book called The Gospel of Judas, which was a supposed account by Judas about Jesus and an explanation of why Judas did what he did. And just recently, James Cameron the director of Titanic fame, was sure that he, and some half-baked journalist, had found the tomb of Christ's family, including Jesus.

Never mind that the Da Vinci code is a novel, for some it has been treated as fact. Never mind that Judas more then likely did not have time to compose his account of why he did what he did before hanging himself, some saw it as truth. Never mind that credible archeologists on the planet quickly debunked the notion that the tomb that Cameron found could be Jesus' family with Jesus himself buried in this spot, the Discovery Channel ran a documentary of it as scientific drama. Needless to say, for each of these sensationalistic, nonsense pieces, the hullabaloo died down. The last one especially fizzled like a short sparkler.

But of much greater concern, is what is occurring in real churches and real denominations that claim Christ, but who are moving further and further away from scripture as they re-invent Jesus to their own liking. For the last 20 years the famed Jesus Seminar, has met twice a year with a team of 135 New Testament scholars whose purpose is to use methods to determine what Jesus, as an historical figure, may or may not have said or done. Through this process they have throw out most of what Jesus said leaving little intact. The seminar's reconstruction of Jesus portrays him as a "wandering wisdom sage who did not found a religion or rise from the dead, but preached in startling parables and aphorisms." Incidently, several churches in Eau Claire banded together two years in a row to bring information about the Jesus Seminar to our populace. In reviewing the promotion, it would appear that they viewed this as a worthwhile discussion. To what end? If we align ourselves with the thinking of the seminar, we will need to conclude that Jesus was simply a goodwill ambassador to humanity and nothing more. He would hardly be a reason for a religion, because He is hardly divine, according to their conclusions.

Which raises the question about truth, reliability and conviction. For example, the words in the Gospel of John are often breath taking, especially as he begins his Gospel account of Christ. They are God-driven. He leaves no room for us to doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. But most importantly, we need to stay reminded that these are not the words of someone who is relating this incredible story second or third hand. John was a witness to Christ Jesus. He stood next to the savior. He heard Christ's words spoken from His lips. He sat in His presence. When he speaks of the light coming into the world (Jesus), he is not using poetic phrasing. He is relating Gods truth.

Now, do we expect that God will remain impassively watching the confiscation of His Sons words? Is God good with those who present false thinking, testimony, or who would paint Jesus as someone other then what we read in the accounts of his own disciples?

It is left to us to be aware that with every chink thrust at the divinity of Jesus, we lose sight of what is the truth. It is a slippery slope. Is Jesus the Christ? This is the question that the believer must be able to answer, not just in our own individual hearts, but more importantly to those who are asking these questions over and over in so many ways.

Lost Purpose
June 11, 07

When Jesus went to the Father, he left his disciples with what we call the "great commission." Jesus stated "go 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 I have commanded you." This commission provided the foundation of every ministry, mission, church, cathedral, and all who have worked to bring glory to God through the Son who saves us.

As Christianity began, it thrived, even through the most perilous times and circumstances because Jesus had set this enormous wheel into motion. The Holy Spirit had entered the world. With this, the disciples were able to go out to teach, preach and heal. And those that were taught were asked to teach others and spread the good news of salvation, hope, forgiveness, mercy and most importantly - life everlasting. The Christian church, both Catholic and Protestant grew and flourished and spread the word, changing the world as the message of truth about Jesus Christ was shared.

As the church grew and its roots became more solidly planted, it found itself often in spiritual warfare. Some of this warfare often turned inward. There were schisms over doctrine. Corruption often loomed in the early church especially when it mixed itself with politics or the wealthy of an area. King Henry the eighth of England drove his own personal desires for a new wife against the church and thus formed his own church. The reformation came about because of the things that Martin Luther could no longer find tolerable.

Today we see the Christian church dividing along different lines then we have experienced before. It is easy to label it as dividing between liberal or conservative thinking or between traditional and evangelical. That may be an oversimplification. In reality, a dividing line is being drawn between those who believe that God's word still holds the Truth and those who are sure that the Bible is completely out dated and thus suspect. This division transcends Catholic and Protestant lines. Thus, it often comes down to believing Gods word or believing that man has a better idea in this new age. The two sides will claim they are Christians. But one will follow Christ, keeping him in focus and at the center of all that is done, and the other will focus on other areas and occasionally bring Jesus into the circle as if to legitimize what is being proposed.

Examples are easy to be seen by noticing what is being preached in churches. There are the churches that have Jesus at the helm of all that is done, while teaching from the Bible the precepts of Christ and of God's word. This sort of church does not dismiss the word as irrelevant or unsatisfactory because we live in a new age and culture, one that is pushing God out of everything. This is not the church that has decided that some of what God says fits and some does not. It does not surmise that God is the one who has made the mistakes in judgment about moral issues. It sees that God never changes.

Furthermore, it does not presume that all faiths are on par with each other. It does not suggest that all other faiths offer us something worthwhile. Instead, it declares that Christ died to save us from sin and death forever. This alone is so monumental that nothing can compare to it. It suggests that we need to get to know our Father in Heaven and His Son in detail. It tells us that this can only happen through a personal relationship, and that means reading the Word left to us and not inventing our own imagined version.

It maintains that there is only one truth, and not a variety of "truths" which clearly contradict each other. It tells us that tolerance is about respect and not about acceptance. Most importantly it declares that Christ's death on a cross is so significant, that belief in Him separates Christians from other faiths. This is the faith that proclaims that Jesus was raised from the dead just as he predicted. He was the Son of God just as he declared. Jesus does not fit into the category of "marvelous philosopher" or "great prophet." The cross, this symbol of tortuous death, is the symbol of the removal of our sins by Christ through His ultimate sacrifice for us.

Even in our local newspaper, we can see this division in Christianity popping up. There is a column provided for local pastors, or believers to present their thoughts on Gods' word. As I have observed the column each week, the dividing line has appeared. Since this column reaches the public, not all of whom are believers or seekers, it can be a wonderful tool used to share Jesus. Most of the time this is the case. But some recent writers seem to have lost the purpose of the great commission.

One pastor decided to write about why reading is fundamental. An important topic, but one that fits well on the education page. Another local pastor talked about global warming and sent a challenge to all churches to show concern for our planet. There was barely any mention about God. Although the intention was nice, the article really belonged on the editorial page of the newspaper. Finally, there was the article from a retired minister, who wrote about how churches needed to become more welcoming. The article would have been better placed in a church magazine or bulletin.

Where was the teaching about Jesus? Where were the words of the our Lord and Savior? Here was an opportunity to answer the questions that are in the hearts of so many. Who am I and why am I here? Why should I believe? What difference can Jesus make in my life? Instead, the focus was on our earthly life as if it had become vastly more important then eternity.

All three examples are about a lost purpose . We live in a culture that overwhelmingly wishes to disavow God and becomes prickly over the mention of Jesus. This opportunity - a place to speak to all about the word of God and about Jesus who saves - was misused. The objective of the great commission - "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you' as Jesus declared, instead, became a platform for secular humanism.

Christianity is experiencing a dividing line between those who believe that God never changes and those who have lost their way in churches whose purposes have become entangled with the world. Some will remain in the truth and the light while others will fall away. I believe it was the apostle Paul, who explained this when he said: "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life."

The Plans That We Make
June 4, 07

Can there be any busier time then spring and early summer? There is the usual end of school days, graduations, weddings, confirmations, recitals, etc. Just as our lives are filled with these momentous events, the earth is also renewing itself with growth of all that is green and we are called upon to plant and garden and renew beauty to our little piece of the world. Plus, there seems to be a  whole lot of planning going on. There are plans for summer vacations, family gatherings, summer employment, and much more. There are new things to do. And there is a freedom in summer that is so unique. A freedom to stay up just a little later, put your toes in the grass and your feet in a sparkling lake. With summer there are so many plans and so little time.

In many ways, summer exemplifies a microcosm of our life. In the wholeness of our lives, we have so many dreams and expectations and hundreds of milestones that we must reach or pass as we make our way. Throughout our life, we have plans. Plans for marriage and raising children, house plans, business plans, educational plans, career path plans, plans within organizations we may belong to, financial plans, and retirement plans. We can even devise plans on how to improve ourselves, how to lose weight, how to get more exercise, and the list goes on. We seem to have plans that have their own plans.

So how do we plan for heaven? Seems like a silly question? Can we plan for such a place? Actually, there is a way given to us by the Almighty. It begins with us recognizing our own true mortality. For starters we really have to process that we have a short time with these bodies on earth. Yes, it often seems that we have been here a long time and we cannot imagine being anywhere else then where we are right now. Yet, we know that inside of us there rests this precious thing that God has given us when he created us, called our soul.

We hear a lot of people talk about being spiritual. However, real spirituality is not the sort of new age thinking that usually comes to mind, which is largely based on little more then the whims of some California - Hollywood - pseudo intellectuals, and not on the truth of God. Real spirituality has to come from God because he is the endower of the spirit. The spirit is not created by us. And real understanding of this spirituality must also come from the source of all knowledge about God, which is His Word - the Bible.

In the brevity of our physical life on earth, we tend to make earthly plans that consume our life. It is in our nature. Yet, God desires for us to keep looking at Him and for Him and to recognize that we are much more then 'a brief candle that will be blown out forever' into darkness. He asks us to store up "our treasures in Heaven." Because God has given us a soul, we know we have the option of acquiring eternal life. Now the question is where will that eternal life be lived?

One day, while reading an obituary I happened to noticed the opening sentence which read that the departed "was now in heaven." I expected something to follow that would elude to the faith that this person had, since the family was certain that their loved one was in heaven. Instead, there  was no mention of a reverend of any kind, and there was no church affiliation. This would seem to be an indicator that this person had disconnected from God. However, it was  really the last statement that made me wonder. It said that this individual had lived their life "on their own terms." "On their own terms" really told the whole story, appearing to indicate that there was no evidence of faith in God. Still, there was this presumption that Heaven would be the outcome. Was it wishful thinking or was it hope? In this secular humanist culture, there is this universally accepted idea that we all are going to "a better place," as the cliché says, no matter what.

God does allow for us to choose. We can choose to make up our own God and certainly, it seems the popular option in our culture today and within many churches who have fallen into the idea that we are entitled to the freedom to choose what we would like God to be. In doing so, we must then dismiss who God really is and who He has declared himself to be in the Bible. "I am who I am, says the Lord God Almighty."

There are some who choose simply to ignore God completely so that He has no place in their lives or their thoughts. Although they may not be aware of it, they live in a sort of darkness because of their separation from God.

We must recognize, that none of this is part of the plan that God has laid out for his creation. The true plan calls for us to grasp that life is brief and finite, and that eternity is enormous and infinite. But the best part of the plan is that God has given us the key to eternal life through his Son Jesus, who offered himself to us as the sacrificial lamb, so that we might have life forever. Jesus told us in a thousand ways, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This is not an interesting philosophy but an undeniable truth. In all things God is much greater then we can imagine. Heaven is not just a better place - it is the best place.

How is your plan coming along?

References:
John 14:16
Exodus 3:14
Matthew 6:19-20

 

The Thief That Keeps Us From The Father
May 21, 07

Therefore Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep...The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full " (John 10: 7-10) When Jesus says this in the Gospel of John, one might interpret the thief as being Satan because he is known as the destroyer. However, we might add here that Satan, as a thief, will come disguised in many ways. He will not always immediately be distinguished as Satan, but nonetheless, his works will be the same. This thief is one who works hard at closing the ears of people so that they cannot hear what God has to say to them. He blinds them from the truth so that they are unable to see what is right before them. He winds up their minds so that they are sure of untruths, while they disdain God's real truth.

A number of years ago, a writer for the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram left an impression on me because of an article he wrote in the Sunday newspaper. The writer was puzzled as to why people went to church and in his article he mostly chastised those who marched diligently (and in his mind- blindly) off to church. Interestingly, he saw them as 'duped' sheep rather then the sheep as described so often by Jesus as the ones who automatically knew Him. It was clear that this writer was not a believer, thus for him it seemed pretty silly that people would get up on a perfectly good weekend morning to sit in a church. He saw no purpose. I am certain that there were many who agreed with him. They were not all non-believers either. Sadly, there are many who claim belief in Christ, or call themselves "Christians" who are also not so sure why they should give up a perfectly good Sunday morning for church.

Here is a good example of where the thief has gone to work. He has closed their minds to understanding the reality of a living God. Thus, God has become a ritual, a page in the Bible, or another sermon to endure. Here is a person who has never received the Holy Spirit or sought a personal relationship with Christ, nor understood the purpose of the cross. They have never grasped that the death of Jesus was for them, as an individual. They have never come to that very personal moment when they can see Jesus looking into their eyes as he carries the cross of sin to Golgotha. Jesus is just a story.

There are other thieves who are out to destroy in a more public manner. There is a new book on the best sellers list called, God is Not Great...How Religion Poisons Everything. The book is written by Christopher Hitchens who is an editor for Vanity Fair , and an outspoken atheist. Just last week, you may have heard his name come up as he was interviewed by Anderson Cooper on CNN on the death of Jerry Falwell. He seemed unable to control his vitriolic tongue as he lambasted Falwell. Besides calling him a charlatan, a bully, and a fraud, he accused Falwell of not having read the Bible because he was incapable of doing so. In his venom he further stated that "The empty life of this ugly little charlatan proves only one thing, that you can get away with the most extraordinary offenses to morality and to truth...[Falwell was] offensive to very, very many of us who have some regard for truth and for morality, and who think that ethics do not require that lies be told to children by evil old men, that ...people who believe like Falwell will be snatched up into heaven, where I'm glad to see he skipped the rapture, [and was] just found on the floor of his office, while the rest of us go to hell." Sinking words. Great misconceptions based on lack of knowledge. Yet, here is a thief, who disguises himself in pompous intellect when he is actually bathed in ignorance at every turn of his phrase. A lackey of the great thief. Although he thinks it is clever to tell the world that Jerry Falwell did not have the ability to read the Bible, it is far more apparent that Hitchens would not even know where to find one.

It is perplexing to me that a man who has so much disgust for all religions, lumping them altogether with no distinctions, brings up 'heaven' and 'hell' when he evidently would argue that neither exist. Moreover, he speaks of knowing about 'morality and truth' which sounds sort of like a person dying of the affects alcoholism, talking about how they really lived a sober life. What 'morality' and what 'truth' can he be talking about? Where does "truth and morality" come from in the world of an atheist?

But Hitchens is on the best sellers list! My first question would have to be, why would anyone read a book about religion by a man who has only contempt for all faith? Beyond that, what does this man have to say to us? The answer is best seen in the by-line to the title of his book, which reads "How Religion Poisons Everything." It is interesting that he has chosen the word 'poison.' Ironically, it is he who is spreading the poison of untruth. Here is the thief that brings destruction to lives, disguised as an author.

But God does not give up. God is still working on all people to listen to Him. This may explain why we often see some people only at Christmas or Easter at church. Even those with unconnected relationships to God, are still being called by God. Now it is up to them to either let the thief into their hearts so that they are destroyed or to let God into their hearts so that they might live.

Our lives here on earth are but a blip as we prepare to live eternally with our Father. There are thieves everywhere seeking to steal eternity from us. God is not the destroyer. He is always the creator. The thief cannot do his work if we believe that Christ died for us so that we might live:

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3: 17-18)

Have You Seen Jesus Lately?
May 14, 07

When I first became a Christian, I was often told that as a believer with a personal and new saving relationship with Jesus,   that my perspective on the world would also change. Eventually, I was aware that, indeed, my perspective had been altered because I   began to see the world from a Biblical viewpoint. By that I mean, that instead of just recognizing that there are nasty and immoral things happening in the world and being upset about it, I came to understand that what occurs in the world is not by chance. There was a source. Destructive and depraved behavior, fallen morals, etc. are in reality the evil-one as he works his havoc on this earth.  

As one moves to this other side in their thinking, you begin to realize that there is a continuous struggle between good and evil. What is more important, while the world will tell you that this struggle is just a symbolic idea, you become aware that, far from a symbol, this struggle is real.

Although, the world may appear to be Satan's playground, we are given hope because God is sovereign and He reigns. His presence is much greater. And, as the song says, ‘ God is good all the time .' Moreover, God is the source of all goodness. However, our culture seems uncomfortable in giving God too much credit for the good and kind things that happen in the world. Blessings are not immediately tallied on God's side. Even believing Christians sometimes fall short in seeing God as the implementer of all that is good. Instead, these things are often attributed to luck. In doing so, we place hope essentially on a   powerless idol.

So, how can we see that Jesus is   alive in this world and in our lives? How do we find Jesus at work in the world? Why is it that we seem to be so blind at times to the work of the Almighty?

The responsibility is on us as we open our hearts, our eyes and our minds. We need to focus on understanding God's works in the world and through the people that are around us. If we are quick to see that terrible troubles in the world or in our lives, are evil at work, why are we so slow to see that wonderful things are the work of the Lord?

Too often, God and our belief in Jesus is parceled out as a date on the calendar, hence, we focus on Him only when it is Easter or Christmas. Or God is to be dealt with only for a brief hour on a Sunday morning, leaving the rest of the week void of acknowledging his presence. We seem to leave it up to God to tap us on our shoulder letting us know He is there. For the believer, the day really must begin by understanding that every moment is filled with God. We may feel oppressed by all the ugliness   that the world offers, but right along side the destruction and bad behavior that we wake up with on the early morning news shows, we also are witness to   God at work.

A good example of this happened to me last week. I had a huge project that had to come together and it was filled with all sorts of elements that could have buckled and made the whole thing collapse. I prayed for Jesus to be with me. As I worked on this project, I kept feeling God's presence and a peace, despite the anxiety. It was if I knew it would be OK. I felt as if, God knew the intentions of the project, its benefit for children and families. Marvelous things happened. My eyes were opened because everything came together in truly an unbelievable fashion. Every person I asked to volunteer, said yes. One business was generous with us to loan us some entertainment another was generous with helping with food, the weather cooperated, the families came in, the help was overwhelming. I could have patted myself on the back and said, “wow.” But in my heart I knew better. I was propped up all the way by the Lord. I have no doubt about this.   Not one thing came into place without God making it so.

So, last week I saw Jesus. I saw Him in all the parents that volunteered, in all the children who delighted in the program, in all the businesses that assisted with a smile, in the woman who helped me when my shopping cart tipped over in the parking lot and cans of lemonade mix rolled away, in the children who made decorations and in Gods' great and powerful generosity.

Once again, I was reminded that we must continuously recognize that we are not alone. While we may think that we have done everything on our own: chosen our spouse, created our children, done well in a career, completed a monumental project, gotten through a confrontational meeting, taken the right turn so that we were not in harms way, made the team, got that important call at the right time,   and on and on,--- these were not moments of luck. These were not times when we were alone. This was God at work! This was Jesus walking with us. These blessings were evidence of God knowing our hearts, understanding our fears and answering unspoken prayers.

Look for Jesus today. Begin to make a point of seeing Him in those around you. Make a point of finding him in your day, at your desk, with your children, when you shop, when you talk to a neighbor. Jesus is with us all the time. Goodness can follow us all the days of our lives. Every day is precious. Every day is a gift. God has made it so. What joy there is in knowing these things.  

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1
May 7 , 07

The Discovery Channel has recently offered an outstanding program called Planet Earth . This extraordinary program that took five years to make, is full of visual beauty and rare footage of animals in their habitats. The program gives the viewer glimpses of land formations, geology, the oceans and seas, above ground, under the water, in the remotest places and from the air. We are witness to rarely seen animals. Yes, we have seen elephants before, but here we see them as a group, communicating, living, and cavorting in water, unlike anything we have witnessed before. We are shown astonishing landscapes, scenes of ice and snow, desserts and mountains, flowering fields and the critical importance of water to all living things. The Discovery Channel has captured rare footage of animals in action and the exquisiteness of the earth that leaves one literally breathless. The cinematography is so superb that you long to just stop the action so that you can absorb the intoxication of overwhelming beauty. And you are amazed that all of this is part of our planet, much of it in our own country.

Our planet is a marvel. After watching this program, I kept wondering how anyone could doubt that God exists. Could they not see His hand in this gigantic, and exhilarating creation? I often feel tremendously sorry for people, for example, who live in New York City, existing between concrete and steel, never realizing how much more there is to the world beyond Central Park. I doubt that God's intentions were that we should lose contact with what was in His heart as He blanketed our earth with astonishing forests, creatures, mountains and valleys.

I could not help but think about the ongoing debate of creationism VS scientific proof of the origins of our planet and all that it contains. There is an old joke about some scientists who believe that they have discovered how to create life. They decide to challenge God to a contest. So they confront God with their challenge to create a human being right out of the soil of the earth. God, in His amusement, accepts the challenge and then adds, “by the way- get your own dirt.” There are times when the debate over how everything got here seems to border on the absurd. Yet the debate goes on.

This program, Planet Earth, helps one assess just how much we are actually talking about when we begin to contemplate everything that there is in this world that God has created. Realization of this magnificent earth with its awe-inspiring and stupefying beauty, the incredible varieties of animal and plant life, the vast and enormous terrains of mountains, oceans, rivers etc., is truly overwhelming.

Scientists, who do not believe in God, challenge us to believe that what we are standing on, and all the resources that we have from air, to minerals, to the stars in the universe simply emerged from a dark abyss of space. They ask us to accept that everything from moths to man, took shape, unassisted. Many who dismiss the idea that there is a God who created everything, also reject those who believe in creation by God, as a bunch of people who lack intellect. They see the believer in God as someone who has acquiesced and over-simplified a complicated question with no proof, no theories, no experimentation, and no sound scientific data. Yet, as silly as they may view those who believe in God as the creator of all things, it would appear that it may be just as silly to suggest that the complexity of creation, with its vast and diverse nature, could have developed without any guidance at all. Which makes the most sense? Is it more plausible to suggest that all things manufactured themselves, or that there is, indeed, a manufacturer? As science searches for proof for the origins of the universe or for the spark that initiates life, will we end up at the same place? Will science become the greatest ally of the idea that God is at the helm?

"Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God."

Psalm 90:2

Believers know that the connection with God and the belief in His existence is not just a method to explain why the sun shines. God may have set the planets in motion, but He has done more than this. God has sought us out throughout time, through the patriarchs, the prophets and the apostles. But most importantly, He has spoken directly to us through His Son Jesus. God has not been silent, impersonal or pulled back. Belief in God is about far more then a means to explain how ducks got webbed feet.

As human beings, we admire the astonishing things we are able to create. But how puny our creative powers are in relation to what God has already set before us. We pump ourselves up, believing that we actually have some control over life. Yet, day after day, we are reminded that our ability to manage this world is pretty ineffectual in the face of God. In essence, it comes down to our understanding of the nature of God himself- who He is and what He can do and what He has already done. We must have eyes that are open to the wonders of creation and all that has been bestowed upon us, here in this marvelous place called planet earth .

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11

The Center That Holds
Apr 30, 07

At the core of every faith there has to be a commonly held belief that is the foundation of the faith. It has to be unshakeable and unchangeable or otherwise the faith becomes a target for scoffers to tear it apart and the center cannot hold. Today, I have chosen the passages in Luke 23:44-24:1-12 which represent the core of Christianity. These passages should not be read lightly, or quickly. Each phrase needs to be savored in the mind and listened to because each moment in this part of the story is so important. Why?

This is the portion of scripture describing Christ's last moments on the cross and the subsequent resurrection of Jesus from the tomb. Thus the words here are both an ending and a beginning. One cannot happen without the other. They form the foundation of the understanding that Jesus of Nazareth was no prophet. He was no great teacher or philosopher. He was who He said He was. He was the Son of God. He was the Christ- the messiah. He was Immanuel. And here, in these passages we get the final indelible proof.

It begins with many supernatural things that happen as Jesus is crucified. Listen to the story: “ darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining” The History Channel or Discovery Channel may have tried to imply that this was probably just a really bad storm that darkened the region. Plausible of course, but why at that very hour and moment as the death of Christ is occurring on the cross, does the sun stop shining? Coincidence, is a quick answer to that question but it is coupled with another event: “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” This is a very significant element because it was the curtain of the Holiest of Holies. It was the curtain that separated the outside from the place where God was to dwell in the temple and thus, being the ultimate place in the temple, the curtains ripping apart becomes huge. Now, it does not sound impossible for a curtain to be torn until one discovers what this curtain was like. This was not an ordinary drapery hanging in a window. The temple curtain was a thick buttress like a wall. It was indeed a phenomena that it would tear.

In the other Gospel accounts of the last moments of Christ's life, we hear that the earth rumbled and shook. The scoffers point to the possibility of an earthquake. Yes, another possibility, that is plausible. Yet it continues to raise the question as to why these things would happened at the very moment when Jesus cries, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

Yet there is another phenomena that the scoffers cannot explain. It is the account of the Roman centurion, a pagan, a non-Jew, non-believing, idol worshipping man, who stands at the cross and “seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." How is it that this man would come to believe in God—in Christ – by simply watching the death of a man he knew only as a criminal? What happened here that could change a mind raised as a Roman legionnaire, empowered by his role as a soldier, in a foreign land full of rebellious Jewish people who he must have had only contempt for as an occupying force. I challenge the History Channel on this one.

However, the greatest supernatural phenomena was yet to happen- the resurrection. Once again we must savor the words. Here is where the scoffers can fathom all sorts of scenarios as to how this could have happened. Surely, a boulder could have been rolled away and a body could have been removed. But who were the “two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning” who told the women, “ Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words.”

Yes, they remembered. And when they told their story to the apostles, hiding out in Jerusalem, Peter and the rest had a hard time believing that this could have happened. Maybe the darkened sky, the sun blotted out, the earth trembling and a centurions conversion were not even enough for the apostles. But the empty tomb is the blockbuster, the crowning jewel, the magnum opus, the undeniable truth, the unremitting and indefatigable proof. And no one, not even all the skeptics, the scoffers, the atheists with all the DNA and techno-wizardy that we have, have been able to recreate a walking, talking man who was once dead, drained of all life, laid in a tomb for days, to rise up and appear to the living. And Christ's appearance is not just for few moments but for many days that He appears to hundreds of people.

I think of the film, Jesus of Nazareth, by Franco Zeffirelli , made back in the early 1970's and of this ending great scene when the Rabbi's and priests of the Sanhedrin get the news that Jesus has risen from the tomb. They have done everything to prevent this possibility. They were the ones who, after all, asked that Roman guards would be posted outside the tomb to prevent the removal of the body. But something happened, not one person can claim to explain. Jesus is gone. All that is left are “ the strips of linen lying by themselves.” In dismay and awareness they gasp and resolve that, “now it all begins.”

Indeed, the center holds. The bedrock to Christianity lies in these short passages. Read them carefully. Hold them in your heart. Remember that this is the rock on which to stand.

Evidence of Evil
Apr 23, 07

What a fateful and shocking week our nation has just endured. It is difficult to come to terms with the murder of thirty-two innocent Virginia Technical college students by a fellow student turned mad-man. However, the acts of Seung-Hui Cho were more then the acts of a mad man. They were the acts of someone who was evil. Incredibly, even the news media, which tends to be cautious about attaching such a defining word, has used the word 'evil' in the description of Cho's acts on the campus of Virginia Tech.

Evil is a concept, that in our post modern and politically correct world, we have tended to flinch from. When 9-11 occurred, President Bush called those who destroyed the lives of thousands of people - "evildoers." It is an old Biblical term. If you look up the word evil in the Bible you will find literally hundreds of references to it.

But like so many Biblical properties, from miracles to the resurrection, it is something that 'cool' people often scoff at. We should not be surprised that many dismiss the concept of evil as a real presence on this earth. However, we need not blame this dismissal only on our secular culture. There is a trend in many church denominations across this country, both Protestant and Catholic, that are succumbing to an idea that the Bible's words should be reinterpreted and sifted through for what is considered acceptable to the times. This corruptible thinking says that because the world keeps changing and the culture with it, the Bible and all that God has pronounced may not be relevant. There is almost an innuendo of smugness that seems to mock God "to get with the program." It disregards that human nature does not change and that God is eternal and non-changing. In addition, it mocks God's authority and how He has created all that exists - both seen and unseen.

Such thinking should be expected in a culture that generally has little association with God and thus little understanding of who He is. Even within our churches, we have now raised a whole generation who have been influenced to believe that talking about God should be banned everywhere except church. It becomes hypocritical to profess Christian belief and then act as though there is no part that God plays in our lives. Indeed, our culture has asked us to create boundaries separating our daily lives from our Father. Sadly, there are liberal churches that support this. These boundaries are not only impossible to keep, especially in a situation such as we saw at Virginia Tech., but it also leads to our further separation from God. This is the opposite of what God desires.

Too often we feel a contempt for public prayer, public displays of faith and embarrassment at saying the name Jesus . Believing Christians are asked to keep quiet about Jesus and hideout in our churches, which many liberal churches actually feel is an acceptable position. However, we need to be reminded that Jesus said, "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Luke 9:26.

Eventually, it all comes down to this: as long as we are willing to hide our belief in Christ, feeling embarrassment if we mention His name and give little thought to God, how are we going to deal with pure evil when it steps out into ordinary places, such as a University campus, and blows everything apart as it did last week?

How can we be sure that what happened last week was the act of evil? For the past week the news media and the experts in everything from law enforcement to psychologists have attempted to give an explanation. Even they have concluded that evil was the driving force and they offer this for evidence: Cho acted on his own; there was no reason he chose those he killed; his anger was vented at an all - encompassing "you"; his act was well planned and plotted out for weeks. Finally, his act of incredible murderous rage was aimed at innocents. This was the act of a man consumed by evil.

Where does evil come from? Our secular humanist world is at a loss if it tries to answer this question because the culture commonly holds the belief that all people are basically good. Nor can the culture blame evil on an entity such as Satan, because Satan is deemed "a mythical figure." But the Bible tells us a different story. Jesus spoke about His purpose being that He came into the world to bring the truth . The evidence of evil is presented by Jesus Christ, who himself confronted Satan many times. We must remember that Jesus held conversations with Satan in the wilderness for forty days as he prepared for his ministry. Jesus met Satan, as He cast out demons from the possessed and confronted Satan's presence. Indeed, the demons, recognized and understood who Jesus was. How is it that the Son of God understood Satan's existence, but we, in our secular humanist wisdom prefer to disavow Satan as a reality?

We need to heed the understanding that there is an actual battlefield of spiritual warfare that is always present. We get a glimpse of this spiritual battle as we are witness to horrific acts by humanity reported in the news everyday. Even the lesser problems in life that bring conflict, discontent, sin, abuse, anger, hatred etc. are all part of a stream of evil that Satan sends flowing into lives.

Then there are those times, when events such as the murderous rampage of last week make us realize how bold Satan can be. The tangible proof we seek of his work, was given to us. We are told in 1 Peter 5:8 that Satan "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Last week, we saw clearly, with our own eyes, a young man who had been devoured by Satan. Satan spat him out into the world with a heart filled with hate, so that he could carry out evil, as he slaughtered young and precious lives.

No More Dilly Dalling - Make The Choice
Apr 16, 07

Jesus gives us a tough illustration in Luke 16:19-31 of a man who had everything he could want in this world. Outside this rich man's home, lives a man who has absolutely nothing in this world. When the destitute man dies, he is given a place in heaven. However, when the rich man dies he is sent to hell. There he calls out to God for help but God explains that there is no way out of his circumstances. He made his choice back in his earthly life. The rich man then pleads that somehow, someone should communicate to his family and friends still on earth, that they must repent and understand who God is in order to avoid the same fate as he is experiencing. Father Abraham tells him that they have heard the same words of Moses and the prophets that he has heard when he lived, which also the poor man had heard. They must make their choice, just as he did- for God or against God. Choice matters. Making good choices is that important. Not everyone heeds the lesson.

If someone were to survey people what about what were the most important choices that one could make in their lifetime, I suspect that the answers would be choices about who one marries, how one raises their children, and the choices in our careers. For most people, this is what would come first to mind. A few people might come up with, “ I chose to believe in Jesus Christ because I wish to be saved and have eternal life.” Although, the scripture for today would seem to point out the importance of choosing Godliness and faith above all else, we do not clearly make that choice as emphatically as we do others. Why?

The answer is easily found in that we do not live in a God-friendly culture. When one reads about those who lived in the time of Christ, it often appears that in the Jewish culture, of which Jesus was a part, much of life was centered about the temple and the observances of faith. Islam today finds people being called to prayer several times a day. However, in our Euro-western-American culture, not even church bells ring as they do in Europe. Not that this is such a big thing, but it makes the point that very little gets our attention concerning faith in our daily life. We have to make a point of seeking it out.

Our days begin with a cup of coffee and the morning news shows, not the word of God. In doing so, we are confronted immediately with the sins of the world. But we have trouble realizing that it is sin we are witnessing. We euphemize it and call it “news” as we watch people making bad choices, wrong decisions, or spewing lies that have brought them notoriety or defamation.

Which brings us back to making choices. Too many of us in this world, are still dilly dallying around with this choice thing, as the rich man did, as if it is not that serious. The thinking promoted in this culture and taught by secular-humanist liberal churches, is that it just does not matter. We are all going to heaven. Of Course, no one has clarified why Gods thinking has altered. On the surface it sounds good but then it raises the question, “does this include Hitler, and Stalin,?” But wait —“no that does not make sense, certainly I do not fit in with them,” says the public, as they ponder this. So we have to wonder: does God draw a line? It causes one to think carefully: what about some of our lesser known criminals, or the child molester or the guy down the street caught pilfering the cash register? Are their sins erased? Or how about the person who practices satanic rituals or the person who never believed in God, denouncing Him all the way? Do we all get a shot at heaven no matter what choice we have made? Confusing isn't it?

Not really, because God does have an answer which modern theologians do not like and that our culture is uncomfortable with. Although, we cannot know entirely what God's judgment will be, his Son has emphatically told us that the way to God is through him- Jesus Christ. His suffering and agony on that horrible cross had a purpose and a message: that he was the actual doorway to the kingdom of God. He did not die for us, so that we can conclude that there are many paths. He tells us there is one. It is not a suggestion. It is truth.

So it does matter what choices we make! God's arms are open to all of us but we need to make the choice for Him. He is not stretching out his hand to those who have rejected him or sit on the fence with one leg in this world, undecided, as the other leg leans towards heaven. But he is saying “yes, you are welcome,” to all who, with a sincere heart, who have repented of their sins and have chosen Jesus freely with loving hearts and fervent minds and have made this decision to get off the fence. Everything about eternal life hinges on this choice. Everything. Before our voice becomes inaudible from the grave, now is the moment to tell everyone that we know, the good news. The application to heaven is open now. Don't let it wait until the deadline passes as the rich man did.

On the Third Day
Apr 9, 07

Christianity holds as its centerpiece the story of the resurrection. This is the account of life emerging from death. While the world may try to turn Easter into bunnies and Easter eggs, this story is far too powerful for secularism to devour it in the same manner as we have seen Christmas corrupted. Easter has a 'seriousness' written on it that transcends the trivial. This is not a light-hearted time to decorate trees and sing sleighing songs. This is a time to face life's purpose and deaths inevitability. It is a reflective time, recognizing that not one of us are without sin. It is a time to realize that no one will be exempt from the judgment of our Father in Heaven.

But the good news is that Jesus, the Son of God, has come into this world. He was without sin. He would be the sacrificial lamb on a cross, sacrificed for our sins so that they would be erased before God. Jesus Christ is our great interceder; our middleman; the one who has our back as we stand before God's judgment. He was “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." ( 1 John 2:2)

And here is the part that always stumps us: Jesus knows from the beginning what he must face in the end. Although his own disciples grow uncomfortable with the news that he would be put to death, Jesus continued to speak of the inevitable. Jesus knows the sacrifice he must endure. He knows that the evil one-the destroyer and the great liar- will feel victorious when he is put on the cross. Yet, on the third day, he also knows that he will be the triumphant one. He will have overcome death for all and for all eternity.

In Luke, Jesus explains this to his disciples: "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations." (Luke 24:44-46)

Incredibly, Jesus had the power to change this scenario. He could have come down from the cross and eliminated the torture. However, Christ's intention was to fulfill the scriptures and to demonstrate Gods' amazing love for us. Without the cross, could we have understood who Jesus was? Listen to the words of Matthew "When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" Amazing! The pagan Roman guards standing under the cross, who worshipped idols, could see with their eyes, and more importantly, with their hearts that this was no ordinary man .

The scene at the cross is not a tragic end. His death is followed by the very prediction that Jesus made. In the film The Passion of the Christ , we are witness to this supernatural moment when Jesus rises up from being dead. After enduring the graphic torture and crucifixion, we suddenly see this unscathed body of a man who stands as the brilliant glorification of God. He is the light of all life.

In the human experience, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the most momentous and profound moment in human existence. It is the bomb that changes everything. Nothing like this has happened nor will it again. What God can do, is before us. A miracle of outstanding proportions has occurred. But should we be surprised? Throughout Christ's ministry, his divinity was demonstrated as he healed the sick, the lame, made the blind to see, made the deaf to hear, drove demons out of the possessed, fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes and raised the dead back to life. Crowds ran after him wherever he went. "People recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went - into villages, towns or countryside - they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed." (Mark 5:54-56).

Jesus came into the world to give up his life in order to save us. And now as proof of who he claimed to be - the Son of God - the Lord of Lords, he does the impossible and the improbable. Jesus lives again. His resurrection is the proof that unbelieving hearts cry out for. His divinity is without doubt. He has given to all, the hope for forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life for all who come to believe in him. The gift of mercy is in our hands and eternity is at our feet. Without the resurrection of Christ we would never know that God meant what he said. We could never know that Jesus was, indeed, who he said he was.

Happy Penguins, It's Easter!
- the Holiest of weeks In History
Apr 4, 07

On TV the other day I saw an advertisement for the movie “ Happy Feet ” a cute movie about dancing penguins. The ad ended by saying that this DVD was “out just in time Easter.” “Funny,” I thought, “ I had no idea that dancing penguins were part of Easter!” But, isn't that just like our culture? Easter is associated with cute bunnies, why not cute penguins that dance?

As we begin this Holy week it is well for us to remember that this is a serious time despite the cute bunnies that have attached themselves to it. “Holy Week” is not “holy” simply because we can mark it off with designated days such as: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It is Holy because it is about the enormity of all that occurred during at this time in and around these important days. The gospels give us a detailed account concerning this last week in the life of Jesus and rightfully so.

Everything is monumental. At every turn, Jesus was followed and questioned by the temple hierarchy about all that He had done and all that He had preached. During this week, He continued to perform miracles, healing the sick and the lame. Indeed, right up until the end he is healing people (he re-attaches an ear of a soldier who had it lopped off during his arrest in Gethsemane). As the week progresses, Jesus upends the temple as he drives out thieves and moneychangers. He is followed by the Sadducees and Pharisees as they question Him, anxious to catch Him in religious blasphemy. He is plotted against by religious men in the Jewish Sanhedrin. When He speaks to the crowds, he preaches again and again about the kingdom of heaven and how all can seek it if, they come to believe in the Son of Man.

For all to hear, He declares himself the one they have waited for--the messiah. He says some very unpopular and shocking things that many do not want to hear. Truth is difficult to accept. He confronts the Jewish priests in a powerful attack about their methods to control the hearts and minds of those who follow the Jewish faith. He predicts the end of Jerusalem as he announces that the temple will crumble and the city will fall. Jesus weeps because He knows all things.

To his disciples, Jesus also predicts and describes end times. He opens and shuts doors in the faith. He has nothing to lose now. He is at His greatest strength as he faces His greatest triumph and His greatest trial. He knows what is coming. Each moment and each word is phenomenal. Like the precious life and light of a last sunset, we see the light of the world being dimmed by the events of Good Friday as the world is about to grow dark.

As we come to these profound days of Holy week, we are given so many incredible moments with Jesus. We are even given the means to remember him through the poignant last supper. The words echo in our ears “ This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." We witness Jesus, the beloved savior as he is betrayed for thirty pieces of silver; condemned for political and religious reasons; tortured and made to carry his own means of death to Golgotha- “the place of the skull” and crucified. We hear the words of the soldiers who mocked him, gambling for his garments, yet, they also would come to believe. As Jesus succumbs, one says: “Surely, this man must have been the Son of God.” We are reminded of the words of Isaiah:

He was oppressed and afflicted,
       yet he did not open his mouth;
       he was led like a lamb to the slaughter…. Isaiah 53:7

As Jesus gives up His spirit, we hear the world rumble and see the darkness as the temple curtain is torn. We hear the weeping and wailing and feel the fear and utter hopelessness of those who have followed him.

But in the darkest moment that mankind could contemplate, when God shut his eyes to His creation, for the death of his Son, he gave us back life. He lifted His son up from death and defeated evil and death forever with an Easter morning. He rolled away the stone meant to keep death inside and poured out life. The light had come back into the world and the promise that only God could make, was fulfilled—a promise of eternity with our Father in heaven. Truth had prevailed.

This is Holy week. A week that changed the world forever. Our culture may envision Easter as a family dinner, Easter eggs, candy, cute bunnies and possibly a DVD about dancing penguins. But Easter is not about any of these things. It is about the bread of life- Jesus. The truth of Easter lies in an empty tomb. The Joy of Easter comes in our understanding that Jesus was who He said He was, and that eternity is no longer lost to us because of Him.

Recognition
Mar 26, 07

Luke 2:36-52

So often we find ourselves wondering whether, if we had been in the throngs who heard Jesus speak, or we watched as he passed by, laden under a cross, would we recognize him for who he was? Or, would we be amongst those who disagreed with him, condemned him or just plain ignored him.

The scripture in Luke 2:36-52, speaks to us about recognition of the Christ on several levels. In this passage we see the old woman named Anna, who worshipped day and night at the temple but who had the heart to recognize the boy Jesus as the light who had come into the world. We witness the rabbis and teachers who listened to the pre-teen Jesus teach them, instead of the other way around and we are told that they were amazed! And finally, we see the earthly parents of Jesus, who were reminded that this child was not really theirs in the same way most children are.

A few years ago when I was searching for some Christian art I came across a print. The picture was possibly painted at the turn of the century judging by the clothing of the subjects. In it Jesus is strapped to a column of a neo-gothic building with large steps like those of a cathedral. Around him are people of all walks of life, including clergy – their eyes fixed upon other things as they go about their business. I was fascinated by this image. I noticed how busy everyone appears to be- rich and poor, men of faith and ordinary people. And there is Jesus, our savior, strapped to a pillar for our sins. No one is paying any attention to him. In essence, no one seems aware of what God has done for them. Everyone, including the faithful, are hurrying by the man on the pillar, caught up in their lives, like blind sheep. There is no recognition, even though it appears there should be.

Recently, as I was re-reading something Mother Theresa said when she spoke to the Nobel Committee upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, I was caught by her simple words as she said how joyous we should all be, because in this world-- we have Jesus with us . When she put this in the present tense, it stressed that Jesus is the risen Christ, alive and in our presence now. The words “here with us” remind us to recognize Him as standing beside us, at our table, in our home, in our car, in our work place, next to us at our computer, when we smile at one another, engage in friendship, when we hold out our hand to help, when we give encouragement, or laugh, when we notice the blue sky, or do a favor, when we say “ I love you.” Jesus-- with us a thousand times a day! Recognition!

Often Mother Theresa would also talk about how she saw the face of Jesus in all people, especially those she served. Those, of course, would be the people that she pulled out of the gutters of Calcutta. These were people often covered in filth and sores, most of whom were dying of disease—but she saw something else. She saw Jesus in them. When I read this for the first time, many years ago, I wondered what she meant by this. How could someone see Jesus in these suffering people? But in the years since then, after my own rebirth in Christ, I have come to understand that when you meet Christ in your heart everything changes. He illuminates possibilities that seemed like an oxymoron: Jesus, the perfect man, is found in the imperfect and in the wretched. For Mother Theresa, Jesus was present in the suffering and the wretched. She recognized him there. This recalls Christ's words in Matthew: “ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” As you remember in the next passages they reply to the king by essentially saying “but Lord, when did we see you like this?” It is all about recognition!

Can we have the eyes of Anna? Instead, too often our human failings make us like the print, described earlier. Oblivious to Christ's presence around us, we fail to see that He is truly with us- a living presence in this world. He is the beginning and the end. The savior of all humanity desires our hearts recognition.

Grounded in the Lord
Mar 19, 07

Are you grounded in the Lord? If you said " no, or why should I be?" it is not a shocking answer because so many people in our very secular-humanist world forget that everything does not come from Wal Mart. It is hard for us to think of our lives not dependent on our government, our doctors, our scientists -- who we subconsciously believe, can make things right or save our world from disaster much of the time. We instinctively think they have the answers even when natural disasters occur. It is hard for us to understand that everything is not a movie where stunt men live through all things and the main character never dies. It does not take much for us to realize that governments, scientists, and doctors have no real power to stop hurricanes, or tornadoes or pandemic diseases. There are no supermen in tights to stop catastrophe.

However, our culture has promoted and nurtured the idea that we should look to our own human resources, whatever they may be, for all our answers. It is no wonder that the idea of being “grounded in the Lord” would seem silly to some or simply unpracticed by others. So often the worldview makes God out to be like us. We see Him as a some dude that we can argue with, throw a fist up at in anger or write off as unimportant or non-essential, because, we are busy, have things to do and lives to lead. Most of the time as a cultural whole, we simply ignore God.

Sometimes a wakeup call may occur. It may happen when a huge calamity strikes. Or it may occur when we stand high on a hill and suddenly find ourselves observing the enormity of the sky beyond. In that moment we are caught up in God and struck by how small and ineffectual we truly are. Our need for God may emerge as it never has before. We may come to a better perspective about Gods creation, including ourselves and how imperfect and powerless we are. “So what”, you might wonder, “if we just ignore God?” The answer is in God's word: "Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8 "You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"? Isaiah 29:16

Being grounded in the Lord is about recognizing that no matter how important or self-reliant we may think we are, we actually control very little. We did not create ourselves. We know there will be an end to us, no matter how hard we try to prevent it with exercise, eating right and plumping up our faces with botox. We are guaranteed this. But before we do so, wouldn't it be prudent and effectual for us to understand why we are here in the first place? What purpose does God have for us as an individual and why are we individually so important to him? We may ask those very questions and wonder if there is any answer. The answer has already been delivered through Jesus, who was the embodiment of God. With him was the resurrection and the power to save us. Here is a real power that cannot be dimmed by human frailty. Can we live as a blind man, not seeing the light when the light has come into the world?

Upon death, we will be given what we have chosen-- a life with the Lord we believed in and His Son who gave us the doorway to heaven through His cross, or a place without God our Father. It is our choice. That is why it is good to be grounded in the Lord, to come to know Him, love Him and believe that He is who He says He is. With each step we take and each breath we breathe, we cannot help but remember Him. For everything that is, He has made.

Psalm 90: 22 says, “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting-- you are God.”

At The Heart of Prayer, Is Our Heart
Mar 12, 07

How do you pray? Do you expect that what you pray for will be answered? Or are you just sending out feelers to see what comes back? Many times, we may not feel assured in our hearts or our minds, as to what the outcome of our prayers will be. Of course, we want what we want now. We are impatient and demanding. Why hasn't God acted on our demand? We are told that God has his own timing but when will our prayers be answered? Could God be looking at the quality of our spirit as we pray?

In Mark 11: 12-25, we get a lesson in prayer. Jesus has just made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem and is destined for the cross. Before he enters the temple where he will demonstrate his displeasure with those who have become money changers and robbers in God's house, he passes by a fig tree. He does something here that, at first glance, may seem rather inconsequential. Jesus curses the tree because it has no fruit to offer him.

The next day the disciples recognize the tree which has now completely withered. While the disciples are amazed, Jesus tells them: “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Many times throughout his ministry, Jesus spoke about prayer. He taught the disciples how to pray with the “Lord's Prayer.” He also taught them how not to pray as he did in Matthew 6 when he says, " And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” But here he tells us something new. He makes prayer powerful and clarifies that prayer is not just random thoughts tossed up to God, but something that takes depth and commitment on our part. It is a commitment of the heart, a real focused and centered belief that what we pray for, God can do, will do, and wants to do. God may do it in His timing, but nevertheless, there it is: God will answer our call in His own way. He is listening.

Mother Theresa often wrote about prayer. She stated; “It is difficult to pray if you do not know how to pray. The first means to use is silence. We cannot put ourselves directly in the presence of God if we do not practice internal and external silence.” Silence? How often do we consider this as part of prayer? For some, the only true silence they experience in their day is when they sleep at night. Silence is not part of our world. Yet, it is silence that prepares us to listen to the heart of God as he speaks to us. She further states that, “Perfect prayer does not consist in many words, but in the fervor of the desire which raises the heart to Jesus. Love to pray. Feel the need to pray often during the day. Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God's gift of Himself. Ask and seek and your heart will grow big enough to receive Him and keep Him as your own.” Mother Theresa understood the power of prayer. Imagine your heart enveloping Jesus. Does it sound impossible? Yet, how will we be changed without Christ entering the place that holds our soul? How else can we know Him without feeling his presence within us? This comes through prayer.

In Mark 11, Jesus gave further instruction about prayer when he said: “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Most likely, this is something that we would prefer not to hear, because it puts the onus on us. Here we are being shown that there is more to prayer then just asking God to deliver the goods we are requesting. We need to have a reverent, clean heart that is willing to forgive and has forgiven. Just maybe all that stuff we are holding in and not repenting, does make a difference. How extraordinary that even in prayer, it comes down to that hard thing we are asked to do. We must practice forgiveness. In order for God to enter into our hearts we must clear out the stumbling blocks that hold us back from Him. Ever watchful, our Father is waiting for our hearts to understand. Our perfection is limited. We need Jesus, it is that simple. Prayer is part of the beautiful surrender that we must embrace – the willingness of our spirit to acknowledge that we can do nothing without Christ.

Parenting: Can We Ignore Destructive
Role Models?
Mar 5, 07

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." We have heard this entreaty in the book of Colossians before. But where are our minds really set most of the time? In recent weeks it has been rather difficult to put our minds on much of anything very lofty when the news media seems to be hypnotized and inundated with celebrities who are in some form of trouble. No one could not escape the continuous coverage of the Anna Nicole Smith, Brittany Spears, or Lindsay Lohan sagas. Every supermarket tabloid, entertainment TV and just plain regular news on TV has been focused on these stories. From the attention that Anna Nicole Smith received, if you were from another planet, you might draw the conclusion that she had been a great world leader or someone with tremendous influence. Instead, we see her under the influence of many who apparently manipulated her, under the influence of substance abuse and in a downward spiral for years—maybe her entire life.

With people such as this, given so much attention, we are often at a loss. It would be easy to brush off all that has been in the news as of late and say that it does not matter, but the important fact is, it does seem to matter.

Just a few weeks ago when Brittany Spears shaved off all of her hair, after a couple of months of extremely inappropriate and demeaning behavior that should have warranted someone to net her, I happened to be approached by some little girls in first grade. They wanted to tell me something. In their innocent little girl way, they looked at me and told me that they had heard that Brittany Spears had shaved off her hair. I could see that they thought this was quite a curiosity, but at their age they had no real understanding of why someone might do this. I bent down and told them that, yes, I did know about Ms. Spears and that it was not a really good thing. I explained that Ms. Spears was having some problems and probably did not really mean to do this. Actually, what I wished I could have told them was that she was someone I hoped that they would not look up to in their lives or even continue to be curious about. But there it was – big and bold. Little girls at age seven who know her name and know what she is doing and worst of all, are talking about it.

So often, as parents, we think that such things are missed by our children- that somehow they are not paying attention, don't understand or do not grasp what is in the news. That is a very big mistake to make. TV, as we know, is a powerful medium. If it were not the case then there would be no advertising on it. Gone would be the home shopping networks. Politicians would have no place to spend millions of dollars. The point being, that we fool ourselves into thinking that we are not being influenced and directed. More importantly, we fool ourselves even more into thinking that our children are not absorbing what is on the on TV or what is part of the popular culture. They understand more then we know.

Television cannot help but influence a child's character, morals, values and spiritual development. Beyond TV, there are, of course, many other influences in a child's life. But when children spend the enormous amounts of hours in front of television, that most do, this becomes one of the prime sources that fill their minds.

The role models that we expose our children to are so important. No parent would purposely place Brittany Spears in front of their child as a role model. However, the truth is that much of her career has been marketed at pre-teens. That would be anyone below the age of twelve.

As parents, we want our children to have good role models. We insist on this in our schools and in any place where people come in contact with our children. But too often we are amiss at discussing the world that we also expose them to through TV and the culture. We may conclude that simply by being a good role model ourselves, that our children, even at very young ages, will be able to sort out what are the right choices in life. That may not be the case. With the recent events in the news of famous people acting out in questionable and immoral ways, or making bad decisions in their lives, we must recognize that these famous people offer nothing but negative role modeling. Children need our guidance. They need to have frank discussions with their parents to understand why these personalities choices are unhealthy or immoral.

Conversely, it is important to also point out the good role models in life. Show your children who is a person to admire, who has good morals, makes good decisions, and behaves well. A few years ago in an interview with the popular kung-fu movie star Jackie Chan, the interviewer asked him why he did not make his films more graphically violent or sexual when all the tools were there to do so. He answered with a thought that was so un-Hollywood. He said that he respected children too much and did not want to show things that they should not see. In the words of the Apostle Paul: brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

Indeed, we have so much to gain and so little to lose by following this precept.

Hanging On The Greatest Commandments
Feb 26, 07

As Lent begins, for many Christians because of over-scheduled and busy lives, Lenten services may not be part of the weekly plan. All of this, of course, simply points us away from God more and more. It is really tough sometimes to have the devotional life that we should have, living as we do with so much on our plates. That is why it is especially important to pay attention to what Jesus was doing and saying in the last weeks of his life.

Some of the most powerful declarations and confrontations in Christ's life occur as he approaches these last days before he is put to death. Most important, He is confrontational with the top religious leaders of His time. Jesus is headed right into them like a missile. In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus has gone through a number of inquisitions by the religious elite. Matthew relates how Jesus had silenced the Sadducees with their questions and then the Pharisees decide to quiz Him, hoping to find fault and blasphemy in what Jesus has to say. The scripture says: “ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus says, " Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. ” However, there is something in addition that he says that we often overlook. When He is asked, “what is the greatest commandment?” have we paid any attention to what he says after giving us his answer. He states: “All the law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Wait—what did He say – everything hangs on these two commandments?

As I focused in on this line, I thought back to a time when I would mumble my way through these commandments, as I would read them in church, all the time wondering if I truly loved God. I knew what love was and what it felt like. I loved my children, my husband, my dog, my country—all very different kinds of love. But how was it that I felt a limited emotion for God? I knew that I believed in God. Wasn't that enough all by itself?

I have come to realize that at this time in my life, my declaration of belief only meant that I had accepted that there was a God, and He had a Son who I was also happy to believe in. But was my heart really in it? The real “love” part was not there. Love cannot be a dispassionate emotion in anything we say that ‘we love.' At this time, deep emotion or a passionate love was not offered up to God, let alone Jesus. Possibly my closest emotion was one that resembled respect and fear.

Then, through a series of circumstances, brought on by God himself, I was changed. I left a place that I had worshipped all my life after realizing that there was something missing from my relationship with the Lord. God guided me to a new place of worship, after I prayed one day for Him to come into my life, because there was so much turmoil in the place I worked, which was also happened to be the place that I worshipped. God's hand was powerful as He brought me into the Bible and into a place where I heard the ‘word' as I had never heard it before. Most important I came to realize that I had a savior who died for me. With that recognition, the love I longed to feel for the Lord grew in my heart. The Holy Spirit which used to be this hazy concept suddenly became a reality as I felt its presence in me and in my life. In this new place of worship, something was vastly different.

One day I realized what was happening. I was being reborn. I could feel it. It was not a bunch of words that seemed mysterious. Former President Jimmy Carter had made the passage in the Bible famous about being ‘born again.' I thought it was just an obscure reference, but now I knew differently. So often I had been given the impression that “the Bible is confusing, it does not make sense in some places, or that that the born again idea was just for those evangelical types.” Amazingly, I was becoming one of those evangelical types. And I now loved the Lord with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind. The words had filled out from flat forms on a sheet of paper to three dimensional objects of light. It was there. It was real. I was connected to a real living God and a real living Christ. My heart was bursting.

So everything does hang on these two commandments! Why? Many say that they believe in God. That really is not enough. God asks us to believe not just in Him, but to believe Him; who He is and what He says He can do. If we cannot feel this in our worship, in our lives, in our concept of every moment in God's creation, in every word He has brought to us through scripture, Prophets and through His Son, then we are missing the plug that goes into the socket that connects us to God and electrifies our spirit, our lives and our purpose on this earth. Where does Joy come from? This is where it comes from. It comes from that powerful and electric moment when the word is alive in us; when the understanding is there. The lights have gone on. Whole new rooms are lit up in our heart and our head. This is what changes us. We cannot live the same as we did before. We are more alive now then we have ever been.

And with this we are ready with the tools to ‘love our neighbor as ourselves' because they are not just our neighbors any longer. They are now our brothers and sisters who will be seated next to us in heaven, should they choose to be saved as only Christ can save any of us. Praise God. How beautiful you are Jesus. How delightful you are in pointing the way and giving us grace.

 

Can We Live Without Knowing?
Feb 19, 07

If you have been listening to the news in the last week and half, you could hardly get away from the main topic of the media: Anna Nicole Smith. Since her death, the news media has offered nearly continuous coverage about this fringe celebrity. It is hard to grasp why Ms. Smith who had not achieved anything remarkable in life, could possibly deserve this non-stop attention in death. Her life has been described as a train wreck. As one person stated, she was known for fame and this was her chief accomplishment-- simply being famous. I suppose we can conclude that fame has become such a force in our culture, that it alone is the reason for attention. Which really calls for the question: Are we missing something here?

What has happened to our news media and to our culture that simply being famous deserves such unending attention? Just a few months ago, on NBC nightly news, Brian Williams was chastised by viewers when he reported that actor Tom Cruise was about to be hired by a studio and given free reign to make movies. The next day, Williams was bombarded by angry e-mailers who felt that this information was not newsworthy and should have been left to the “entertainment news” media where it belonged. Unfortunately, the “entertainment” media and the news media have become so closely linked that at times they are indistinguishable.

Just listen to any of the news shows, from the morning shows to the continuous coverage news media such as CNN. Too often ‘breaking news' seems to be about an incident of questionable behavior concerning a value-lacking Hollywood celebrity. More disturbing, is the credibility that valid news programs will give to a celebrity who offers up their politics, or their viewpoint on serious and non-entertainment related topics. Frequently, the comments of celebrities are ranked on the same level as those who are responsible leaders in government.

The power of the media is without question. A prime example is Oprah, who can make or break product lines, books and celebrities. The media often proclaims what they seem to think “should be important to us.” In the name of political correctness, they submit view points that they have determined we should support. Yet, watch carefully, when Christianity is mentioned or prayers are talked about. In an instant a wall goes up and discomfort sets in. A few years ago on the ‘Today Show', Matt Lauer was interviewing two men who had saved the day on an airplane when a pilot had become disabled. These two men, were believing Christians, and were certain that God had directed them to take charge in a dangerous situation. They were emphatic as they explained their God driven inspiration. At one point, Lauer stopped them cold, as he dismissed their faith and any notion of God's intervening hand by telling them, “Yeah, yeah, yeah , we know you have faith, but what really happened?”

As I watched last weeks continuous news coverage about Anna Nicole, I become increasingly aware, that what we really need to know, is never emphasized. The story that should be broadcast and covered at length is one that is life giving and one that we truly cannot live without. This is the story that our burdened and troubled hearts yearn to be filled by and it is the story of hope through Gods' love for us. Of course, it is the story of Gods' only Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save us from our aimlessness, sin and death. How ironic that the news media who largely deals in the tragedy of death in this world, fails to acknowledge the maker of life and the receiver of those who perish.

This brings to mind the words of the apostle Paul who stated, “ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.” The news media may believe that they are delivering the news we cannot live without, as they spotlight foolish people and subjects affect little in the world or in our lives. Yet, it is the story about Gods grace, offered to us through His son, that is the message we need. Too often we make the mistake of placing God on the outside of our daily lives while missing the point that He is the central character. The message of the cross is exactly what God is calling upon us to listen to, read about and proclaim because it is life sustaining. It connects all the dots in our lives from the beginning to the end. It is the glue that holds us together. It is the answer and the sustenance that gives life its purpose.

Jesus said , " Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open." Here is the hope. This is the story that we need to hear over and over. It is our life-giving story and it is the only story that will make a difference. It is the one thing that has, indeed, changed the world and that can change each of us. This story of Jesus Christ who delivers us from evil and sin and offers us the this amazing gift of eternal life is the one story we cannot live without. This is the story that should be broadcast 24-7 and not the pathetic ending of a lost soul.

Biblical references:
I Corinthians 1:25
Mark 4:21-22

What Do We Need To Hear
Feb 12, 07

Last weeks Super Bowl proved to offer up more then the usual hoopla that accompanies a game. A brief and unique moment came at the end of the game as the trophy was being bantered about. Did you catch it? The winning coach, Tony Dungy, made reference to his Christian faith. He mentioned not only his faith, but the faith of the his friend and competing coach Lovie Smith. Prior to the game, much was made about the fact that both coaches were first-time African-American head coaches in a Super Bowl. However, coaches Smith and Dungy seemed to think that there was more to it then simply their race. They had a web site set up during the week before the big game about their Christianity-- pointing to the Lord's work in their lives. When Coach Dungy appeared on the victory stand last week, he said something to the effect that it was really special not only to be the first two African- American coaches at the super bowl, but also to both be Christian men who knew the Lord and who put their faith in Jesus Christ. Considering the venue, this was a courageous declaration.

What transpired in those final moments of last weeks game, brought back some memories of when the Packers won the Super Bowl in 1997. As the 1996 season was ending, I happened to pick up a book that Reggie White had written. Reggie was a larger-then-life defensive end. He was also a larger-then-life personality on the Green Bay Packer team. At the time I began reading his book, I did not know about his walk with Christ. I probably chose his book more for the story of how he came to be a Packer then for his testimonial. But there it was, and it was huge. At this time, our family happened to be driving home after a Christmas break. I began to read the book out loud in the car for the entire family to hear. I had not expected that this football players' story would speak to my heart.

Although we attended church regularly, we were not strong Christians. We sadly lacked a personal relationship with Christ. However, all of this would change in the next few years by a series of events truly planned by God, that would remove us from a comfort zone and plunge us into knowing the Lord and becoming his children through a powerful change.

Part of this change may have been prompted in some small way through reading what a football player had to say. As I read this book, it became clear to me that Reggie White had as much to convey about how God had worked in his life and how Jesus can work in all peoples lives, as the remarks about his football career. Reggie talked about his struggles with playing for the Philadelphia Eagles prior to coming to Green Bay. He spoke of how he had established prayer groups and a ministry in both the Eagles ball club and with the Packers. He revealed, how after each NFL game, Christian football players from each team gather for a moment of prayer on the field, something I was unaware of and that would never be shown on TV cameras. Reggie explained that CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN or ABC would never knowingly show the group of players down on their knees praying after any game. He blamed it on a world that shunned believers. For this reason, the declaration of Tony Dungy was remarkable. He was able to share his conviction in Christ, even when a secular media would rather sweep away from it as quickly as possible.

Reggie White, as we know, was called the ‘minister of defense.' The title fit him because of his incomprehensible passion on the football field and his unfailing passion in the human field where he clearly saw his mission for Jesus. Reggie talked about something which left an impression on me. He spoke about really listening to God . He said that sometimes you had to just lie down and be quiet, listening for God to speak to you. At first it seemed sort of an easy thing to dismiss— just listen for God? However, he made the point that most of the time we tend to talk at God: praying for something, calling out to God for help or at times questioning God's purposes. Reggie stated that we must take the time to listen for what God needs to tell us and for what we need to hear, from God.

As I considered this, I realized God has a lot to say. He has a whole book that begins at the beginning of His time and walks us through all the people that he has communicated with from Moses to David to Jeremiah and right to us, through His Son Jesus. This is the most important voice. God was so specific in His need to talk with us that He sent himself to us.

In Matthew 21:33, Jesus tells the parable of the tenants who have been given a field to cultivate for a master. The master sends his servants to collect from the harvest and they are killed by the tenants. The master then sends his own son, and he is also killed. In this parable Jesus is recalling all the prophets that God had sent before he sends Jesus and He is, of course, foretelling his own death at the hands of the those plotting against him. Jesus has several messages here. One of those messages is reminding us that we tend not be listeners of what God is saying to us. We half listen, or we turn away from God altogether, believing in our own thoughts. The act of listening to God must be as important as the act of praying.

Without a doubt, our culture is increasingly driving us away from God. It has become a trend outside of churches, and even within them, that we are encouraged to create our own God Ipod that plays a tune we have selected but neglects the whole symphony. Indeed, some churches have decided that the entire symphony is not timely enough.

How can this work for us if we desire to understand the living God and expect a relationship with Him we know in our hearts we should have? Can we listen only to what we wish to hear? Many have chosen this path. But like the tenants in the field who killed all those the master sent, it remains a bad choice. It would appear that we have forgotten how much God wants our attention. He has so much to tell us. It is the greatest story we will ever be privy to. It is mesmerizing. It is a love story of a Father for His Son, and for His children, the ones who are lost that He seeks to find. The only way possible to understand this story begins by opening up the scriptures-His word- and listening to what our Heavenly Father has written for us and to the conversation that He is longing to have with us.