PastorBrandonLewis.com

3/1/10

2010-03-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

When Characters of “The Office” Invade the Church
Part 3 – Angela Martin

Fans of “The Office” know that character Angela Martin is as “judgmental” as they come. Nobody can ever do anything right, according to Angela, and she certainly has no qualms about telling people exactly what they’ve done wrong. In fact, she berates her coworkers for the silliest and smallest of things, and she gets so up tight and bothered whenever anyone dares to disagree with her ever-so-negative assessments. And as if her negative and judgmental ways weren’t bad enough, what’s even worse about Angela is that she has the audacity to judge and criticize while she (more so than any of the others) commits serious wrongs, the utmost being having a sexual affair with a man – all while she is engaged to a different man. In a nutshell, the character of Angela Martin is one who judges, criticizes, and condemns, while her own hypocrisy and indiscretions know no bounds!

Of course, as with the previous characters we’ve talked about, Angela Martin types are everywhere, and the church is unfortunately not exempt – Angela Martins are there too! While you may or may not be able to recognize their hypocrisy, as some are better at hiding it than others, you can easily recognize their negative and judgmental spirit – because, chances are, you’ve had your own personal experience with an Angela or two, and you would do anything to forget about it and put it behind you – because you know all too well that each experience has caused you a degree of hurt and embarrassment (and maybe some anger too).

Then again, maybe you don’t need to look further than the mirror to recognize the nearest Angela Martin within your proximity. Maybe you’re the judgmental hypocrite that causes everyone around you such grief. Perhaps even now God is using this very devotional to tap you on the shoulder as he speaks to your spirit, “Hey, listen up! You need to read this!”

Jesus spoke towards the Angela Martin types when he said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).

If you’re like Angela Martin, you live your life with huge planks in your eyes, but you do nothing about them except to hide them, make excuses for them, deny they exist, and pretend they aren’t hurting yourself and others. Meanwhile, you’re scrutinizing everyone else around you and looking for the slightest evidence of wrongdoing so you can immediately lash out at them and demand a swift correction of their wrongs. (Sadly, Angela Martins must somehow feel better about themselves when they are able to point a negative finger at others). In a nutshell, Jesus has something to say to all Angel Martins out there: “Take a dose of your own medicine and correct your own wrongs before you go about masquerading as someone fit to point out the wrongs of others!”

In the church, we actually need people who are willing to help point out specks of sawdust in the eyes of their brothers and sisters in Christ, because we’re called to keep each other accountable and to look out for one another. But there is a big difference between being one who keeps himself in check and then (in all “gentleness” and with “spiritual wisdom”) goes about “restoring” others in the body of Christ (Galatians 6:1) and Angela Martin types, who don’t have a gentle or spiritually wise bone in their bodies, who commit heinous wrongs of their own and then attempt to feel better about themselves by hypocritically condemning, judging, and chastising others.

If you’re an Angela Martin in the church, you can begin to change this very instant! Go to God in prayer, and ask him to forgive you of both your sins (planks) and your hypocrisy! Moreover, ask God to help you trade in your super-judgmental and negative ways (which you have previously employed to cover your own shortcomings and/or to feel better about yourself) for honest introspection and genuine concern for others who are struggling with sin. Once you have taken your own struggles and sins to God, ask God to help you gently and wisely help others with their struggles in the same loving and forgiving manner that God helped you deal with your own. To do anything less is to live the life of an Angela Martin … and thus to give the church (and Christ) a bad and undeserving name.

2/22/10

2010-02-22T14:52:00.001-08:00

When Characters of “The Office” Invade the Church
Part 2 – Dwight Schrute

Dwight Schrute, quite possibly my favorite character on “The Office” (because he’s certainly one of the funniest characters), is a man who is all about obtaining position, power, and authority. He constantly tries his best to get his title of “Assistant to the Regional Manager” changed to “Assistant Regional Manager,” he once called corporate and back-handedly tried to take the job of Michael Scott (the Regional Manager of the Scranton branch), he argued with Andy about who reports to whom on Andy’s first day in the Scranton branch, he considers everyone in his branch (aside from possibly Michael Scott) his “inferiors,” he tried to form a secret “alliance” group in order to gain leverage for himself if the company were to pinpoint him in their downsizing endeavors, and he reveled in his power and lorded over the others in his branch when he was given the responsibility to choose the company’s health insurance plan.

There is no one more power hungry than a Dwight Schrute. Likewise, there is no one who enjoys wielding power and authority over others more than a Dwight Schrute. And just as we discovered previously with Michael Scott’s character, the same is true of Dwight Schrute’s character; there are Dwight Schrutes everywhere – including, unfortunately, in the church!

Church members operating under the Dwight Schrute mentality come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be seen at all levels (from the average lay member to paid staff), but they have one thing in common: they are always looking to seize position, power, and authority in any way that they can – solely so they can “lord over” others, feel important, and bask in their “power.” You won’t see a Dwight Schrute acting as a mere spectator in the church (or at least not for long), because as soon as a position becomes available, they’ll do anything to get it. Whether or not they are successful in getting the position of their choice, they’ll constantly be seeking ways to go after another more-powerful position or to make their current position more powerful in the meantime. All of this is done because they revel in lording over others.

Now there’s certainly nothing wrong with having position, power, and authority. In fact, people with the right motives who use position, power, and authority in the right ways can do a lot of good. Moreover, position, power, and authority are biblical concepts, and the Bible teaches that those who possess these things should be respected. But the Bible further teaches that position, power, and authority should be attained with the right motives, and the Dwight Schrute mentality is the exact antithesis of what the Bible deems appropriate in this regard.

You might remember two biblical Dwight Schrutes who asked Jesus if they could sit at his right and his left in his kingdom. They were two of the twelve original disciples, and they wanted to be more esteemed than anyone and everyone else. They wanted the highest position any person could attain, but solely because the super magnitude of the position is what appealed to them, and so (naturally) their aspirations ticked off the other disciples. That’s usually what Dwight Schrute types do; they tick off everyone around them, because nobody appreciates a power-hungry, position-seeking megalomaniac.

But notice the response of Jesus! After telling these two disciples that they were off-base in their request, he then called over all of the disciples to teach them a lesson concerning position and power. He said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-29).

Jesus made it very clear that the Dwight Schrute mentality is unacceptable for those seeking and/or holding power and authority in his church. Christ-followers should never be about seeking position and power just for the sake of having it and using it to pull the strings of others. Instead, Christ-followers should be all about serving others and purposefully making themselves a slave to those in their care. That’s what great people do, according to Jesus; that’s what the greatest did – when Christ came to earth to serve and to give (even his life), when he could have rightfully came to demand the utmost praise and service from us, towards himself, as the King of kings!

For those of you who have come to realize that you’re a Dwight Schrute in your church, you can go about correcting the situation in this way: (1) Ask God to forgive you for seeking position and power instead of seeking ways to humbly serve others. (2) Begin looking at your desires and talents as tools to serve others, and (if you’re in a position of authority and/or you have a measure of power and influence in the church) begin thinking of ways to use your authority and power to serve and minister to others instead of promoting yourself and lording over others. While Dwight Schrute is hilarious to watch on television, he’s downright detestable to deal with in real life …so don’t be him.

There are more character-based devotionals (associated with “The Office”) to follow in the days ahead! Your feedback is both welcomed and appreciated!

2/20/10

2010-02-20T20:20:00.001-08:00

When Characters of “The Office” Invade the Church
Part 1 – Michael Scott

Fans of NBC’s “The Office” know that Michael Scott is a man who is all about himself. He simply must have the spotlight at all times. Everything that he says and does, in some way or another, is to bring attention to himself. And when others happen to take hold of the spotlight for even a few moments (whether intentionally or otherwise), Michael will go out of his way, often making a royal scene, in order to reclaim what his ego has convinced him belongs to him and him alone! While Michael Scott is a fairly decent guy with good intentions overall, his worst and ugliest demeanor comes shining through when things become less about him and more about others.

Unfortunately, the Michael Scott character isn’t exclusive to a funny television show. The world is full of Michael Scotts, and churches are not exempt from their fair share of the egotistical characters. In fact, Michael Scotts are so common in churches, there’s a good chance you may even be one of the many Michael Scotts in your church. (You can make that call yourself!)

Church members operating under the Michael Scott mentality come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be seen at all levels (from the average lay member to paid staff), but the one thing they all have in common is this: they care more about themselves than anything and anyone else. Sure, they may be decent people in a general sense, but their primary motivation in all that they do is to seek attention for themselves. They must always have the spotlight, and things must always go their way, or else they will feel that their ego has been slighted – and that’s when they go about raising cane and stirring up trouble (in a manner of ways), as they attempt to bring the focus back to where they think it should be: on them and what they want!

The Bible makes it very clear that the Michael Scott mentality is unacceptable for the Christ-follower. Philippians 2:3-5 tells us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

The above passage describes the exact opposite of a Michael Scott type. It declares that “nothing” should be done based on self-promotion. It declares that we should be humble and “consider others better than [we consider ourselves]”. It declares that we should look for ways to promote the “interests of others” instead of always seeking only to promote our own interests. Finally, it declares that our behavior and mentality should be the same as that of our supreme example, Jesus Christ – who (as the passage goes on to explain) “made himself nothing …[and] humbled himself,” ultimately keeping his selfless attitude in full force even up until it led to his “death on a cross.”

If you’re a fan of “The Office,” no problem! If the real Michael Scott makes you laugh, join the crowd! But if you’re a Michael Scott in your church, this is a huge problem which is no laughing matter! Nevertheless, beginning right now, you can go about correcting the situation. (1) Go to God in prayer, and ask him to forgive you for your inflated ego. Furthermore, ask him to help you stay strong in your efforts to follow the example of Christ! (2) Be on the look out, and start catching yourself when your ego inflates and your focus becomes “you” rather than “others”. Then take the initiative to slap yourself down (mentally), as you remind yourself that you are to be “nothing” in order to better serve those around you. (3) Finally, start making a concerted effort to promote the interests of others. While it may be hard at times, because you’ll feel like every bit of who you are wants to promote “you” instead of “others”, you can make it happen with God’s help! Remember 2 Timothy 1:7, which states, “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.” In other words, there’s no legitimate excuse for being a Michael Scott in the church; you can no doubt trade the Michael Scott mentality for that of Jesus Christ … if you’re willing!

There are more character-based devotionals (associated with “The Office”) to follow in the days ahead! Your feedback is both welcomed and appreciated!

2/16/10

2010-02-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

Human Bed-Warmers / Selfless Servants in the Church
A handful of Holiday Inns in London and Manchester have started offering a very out-of-the-norm service to its hotel guests. For those guests who want to enjoy a good night’s sleep without having to endure a bit of temporary discomfort from their bed’s super-cold sheets upon first lying down, a willing member of the hotel staff, wearing a full-body sleeper, will jump into the bed (upon request) and proceed to warm the bedding to a desirable temperature. Equipped with thermometers (with a goal of 68 degrees Fahrenheit for the bedding), these willing staff members will warm a guest’s bed FREE OF CHARGE! And it’s all done in order to make the guests’ stay in the hotel as comfortable and inviting as possible, in hopes that guests will return again and again!

Imagine what guests in our churches would do if we, the “willing members of the church,” would adopt this same kind of selfless attitude and employ some strategic and out-of-the-norm tactics in order to make our guests feel as comfortable and welcome as possible, in hopes that they might return again and again – and thus ultimately be penetrated by the life-changing message of Jesus Christ! Here’s what would happen: churches would be full to capacity (with standing room only, including in the overflow rooms), and people would no doubt hear and respond to the good news of Christ in the masses!

Philippians 2 implores us to “consider others better than ourselves,” as we take on “the attitude of Jesus Christ …who made himself a servant.” While this is a mandate concerning our lifestyle (24/7), here are some real ways we can go about doing this particularly on a Sunday morning at church:

(One):We can go out of our way to talk with guests and befriend them, even when it requires us to get a bit uncomfortable and/or to miss out on a few minutes of fellowship with our friends! (O ur comfort and our time spent with friends should always come second to what’s most important, which is getting to know our guests before they get to know how cold and uninviting our church is).

(Two): We can let guests park the closest to the church, open doors for them, greet them with a friendly smile and a warm welcome, meet them at their vehicles with umbrellas to escort them into the church when it’s raining, give them easy and quick access to pertinent information about the church, accompany them to their Bible Study group, sit with them during the service, and anything else (however out of the norm it might be) that would make guests feel comfortable and welcome.

(Three): We can speak to our guests in their language, rather than requiring them to learn our language to speak to us or (worse yet) to speak to God. In other words, we can use Bible translations that can be easily understood in our Bible studies and worship services, and we can worship God with lyrics that can be easily understood and in styles that guests are accustomed to. (And lest we find it hard to part with the King James Bible and our beautiful hymns for a few hours on Sunday, we ought to remember that it’s not about us; it’s about our guests! They don’t speak in Old English, and they don’t understand what “Cherubim and Seraphim falling down before thee” even means). We must speak the language of our guests, and we must allow our guests to speak to us and worship God in their language, even when it means we have to place our preferences aside.

Wow, I’ve listed merely a FEW ways we can begin considering others (our guests) better than ourselves on Sunday mornings, but I guess I better stop before this blog gets way too long. I could go on and on, and I may pick up this topic again sometime in the future. In the meantime, let’s go out of our way to reach people for Christ, and let’s place OURSELVES and OUR PREFERENCES dead last! That’s what Christ did, and that’s what we’re called to do as well.

2/9/10

2010-02-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

Surgical Malpractice in the Body of Christ
When it comes to operating on the wrong body parts, it seems like nobody can do it better than the doctoral staff at the Children’s Hospital of Orange, California. In the past few years, the hospital has been responsible for inserting tubes into the wrong ear of one child, loosening tissue under a child’s tongue instead of behind the child’s upper lip, and even cutting into the wrong side of a child’s skull during brain surgery. Fortunately, these situations have all been corrected, but an investigation is now being conducted by state regulators.

On second thought, maybe I need to take back what I said about “nobody doing it better” than the Children’s Hospital in Orange, because sometimes those of us in the body (church) of Christ tend to carry out surgical procedures on the wrong parts of Christ’s body. Sometimes, unfortunately, when a bad situation is discovered in a particular area of the body, and some cutting and removing or some fixing and enhancing is required, we go about trying to cut or fix the wrong part of the body! It’s as if some parts of the body are off limits to corrective surgery, and so we foolishly think we can perform surgical procedures elsewhere that will somehow miraculously correct the diseased or hurting part of the body that we don’t even touch.

These situations should be corrected immediately, and we should strive to perform surgery on precisely those parts of the body that need it. Lest we think we can get away with malpractice, we should be mindful of the fact that an investigation is certainly underway, and it’s being conducted by the divine regulator, none other than God himself.

2/7/10

2010-02-07T03:36:00.000-08:00

NASA Scrubs Shuttle Launch
NASA was supposed to launch it's final "evening" shuttle launch this morning at 4:39AM. I woke up in time to make it outside ten minutes or so before the launch in order to see it. Yes, I checked the latest news online beforehand - and everything seemed to say the launch was a "go!" So I went and stood in the cold (50-something degrees!!!), wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and I looked North and watched for signs of the shuttle. Since it was so cold, I stood there wishing I had worn a jacket out, but I didn't budge for the next 15 minutes, because I didn't want to miss the launch!

I have seen many launches before, from where I live in West Palm Beach, but I've never witnessed one in the darkness of night, where (I presume) the glow of the rocket fuel would be all the more spectacular to witness. So I continued to stand outside my front door and look in the right direction ... waiting to see a twisting pillar of fire formed in the night sky ...shivering in the cold ...but seeing absolutely "NOTHING!"

At about 4:45AM (6 minutes after the launch was to happen), I finally came inside. I immediately went to the computer and checked the status of the launch, only to learn the launch had been scrubbed "NINE MINUTES" before it was to occur! NASA had called off the launch because the weather was not exactly as it should be, and they didn't want to take any chances. Reports further revealed NASA's desire to attempt the launch again sometime within the next 48 hours, but nothing is sure yet. It all hangs on the weather, which nobody but God can control.

And so it is with LIFE in general! Sometimes we expect something to happen at a certain time, and all the circumstances surrounding that "something" look promising, and we keep looking in the right direction, as we wait and watch. But what we thought was going to happen at a certain time and in a certain way doesn't take place! In fact, no manifestation at all! That "something" that we were so much looking forward to gets scrubbed and delayed until a more opportune time.

"God's time" is the "more opportune time," and yet his plans and timing usually do not make sense to us, but we should trust him nevertheless. Isaiah 55:8 tells us that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours, and so we should trust him and his timing even when we can't understand what he's up to! Even if it means we've been standing out in the cold, waiting and watching, and believing that all signs are signaling a "go!" Only God knows when the right time will be, and so it's incumbent upon us to keep praying and trusting him, as we should keep "looking up," knowing that he will manifest those things he has ordained in his time!

As God told the Bible's Habakkuk, "I will bring about this thing at a certain time, and it will not delay!" ...and God will certainly bring about those things in our lives which he ordains, but they will happen according to "his" timing ... and they won't be a second too soon or too late! God told Habakkuk he could take this news (about his plans and timing being perfect) to the herald and let him run with it. In other words, God was saying, "Things I have ordained will happen in my time, and it will be the PERFECT time, and you can take that to the bank!"

Let's go to the bank. Let's keep looking up. Let's continue trusting God's plans and his timing. The incredible and glorious glow of that miraculous launch will happen even yet!

2/5/10

2010-02-05T00:32:00.000-08:00

Man Ordered to Demolish His Castle
Robert Fidler, a farmer who lives forty miles south of London, built his dream home back in 2002, and it actually resembles a small castle; it looks pretty cool! But don’t get too happy for Fidler, because here’s where the story takes a turn for the worse! When Fidler’s “castle” was being planned and built, he made sure to keep the whole thing a secret from the planning authorities. In fact, Fidler even went so far as to disguise his house for more than four years after it was completed, as he strategically placed bales of hay and other items around his property in order to block others from noticing it.

Unfortunately for Fidler; however, his miniature castle was finally identified, and a high court in his area has ruled that he must destroy his home completely and return the property to the way it was before he set out to build; he has one year to have his house demolished, the parts moved away, and his property returned to “pre-castle” conditions!

The sad situation boils down to this: Fidler had been accustomed to having disagreements with the planning authorities in the past, and so he anticipated that his permission to build his castle would have been denied; therefore, he decided to go for it anyway – in “secret!”

This story reminds me of the biblical Solomon, who (at first) had so much going for him, as God blessed him to the max and promised to keep the blessings coming, so long as Solomon would continue to keep God number one! But Solomon decided to take matters into his own hands when it came to marrying an Egyptian Pharaoh’s daughter, who worshiped other God’s aside from Yahweh (the true and only God, whom Solomon worshiped). In fact, God had warned Solomon not to take any wives of this nature!

But Solomon set out to do his own thing (by marrying the Pharaoh’s daughter), and he tried his best to “hide” the situation and keep it from “disrupting” the blessings he received from God. In fact, after Solomon built God’s temple, and then his own palace, he built a separate palace for his wife that was set back from his own, because (as Solomon said), “My wife must not [live where I live], because the places where the ark of the LORD have entered are holy (2 Chronicles. 8:11).” In other words, Solomon was employing his own kind of hay and such to try to disguise his decision from the ultimate of authorities (God), because he hoped he could experience the best of both worlds! He hoped he could serve the Lord and bask in his blessings, while having an Egyptian palace maintained on the side …in clandestine!

Well, that “Egyptian Palace” of his ultimately brought Solomon (in all of his splendor) to his downfall. He learned all too tragically that he couldn’t play with fire without getting burned; he couldn’t serve God without his secret “Egyptian Palace” poking its ugly head up and pulling him away from God. And thus, Solomon (and his entire kingdom) suffered because of his decision. He went from being a spiritual hero to being a two-faced zero, as he started worshiping the gods of his Egyptian wife and those of his other wives as well. That’s when the ultimate authority then made a high court ruling to “demolish” everything that Solomon thought he had going for him!

Here’s the question: What kind of “Egyptian Palaces” might you have secretly tucked away somewhere? Maybe you think you’ve got everyone fooled, and nobody knows you’ve decided to set out on your own course (apart from God) in one or more particular, well-hidden areas of your life. But guess what! – God knows all about your “Egyptian Palaces,” as he can’t be fooled, and if you don’t take care of those things that are drawing you away from him, you (and countless others, as innocent as they may be) will suffer a world of pain in the end!

1/20/10

2010-01-20T00:20:00.000-08:00

Man Gives His Wife Manure for a Birthday Gift
Yet another great story from Iowa, and believe me – it’s true! A farmer really wanted to surprise his wife with the perfect birthday gift, so he spent three hours with his tractor one morning, and he used thousands of pounds of fresh cow manure to spell, “Happy Birthday, Love You” on a hillside area near the couple’s house.

The farmer, Dick Kleis (of Zwingle, Iowa) had apparently thought long and hard about how to express his love in the best way that he knew how, and he later even gave a little advice for other birthday-wishers who might want to follow in his footsteps, as he said, “Any manure will work, but the good, soft, gushy, warm stuff works the best. It kind of melts the snow away.”

Would you believe that Carole Kleis, the farmer’s wife, thought the birthday wish was the best thing in the world! It’s true! Moreover, she’s already thinking of ways to “top” her husband’s gesture when his birthday rolls around this May!

In my opinion, the moral of the story is simply this: It doesn’t so much matter HOW and with WHAT you express your love and adoration as it does the genuine heart of the person doing the expressing! Just as this farmer expressed his love towards his wife with something most people would consider laughable or offensive, his wife nevertheless thought it was absolutely wonderful! It was the perfect gift, not because of WHAT it was, but because of the HEART within the expresser!

The same is true when God views our expressions of love and adoration towards him! Sometimes, in our attempts to heap our love and praise on God, we may get the feeling that he might view our prayerful words, singing, and other expressions as something “a little left to be desired” (at best) or even downright “manure,” but on the contrary, when our expressions come from a genuine heart that desires to love and praise God, he inhabits our praises and receives our expressions with the utmost of joy!

I guess God’s view towards us and our genuine expressions towards him are germane to the way a mother goes wild when her young child gives her a hand-made gift he made for her in Sunday School. While the gift may look downright sloppy, juvenile, and worthless – the mother no doubt cherishes her prize possession and hangs it on the refrigerator for all to see. She wouldn’t sell it for a thousand dollars! Simply because her child took what little he had, spent some precious time, and expressed his love for his mom in the best way he knew how!

When we do likewise, concerning our expressions towards God, he “goes wild” as well! When we “love the Lord with ALL of our heart, with ALL of our soul, and with ALL of our mind” (Matthew 22:37), God gets super-excited and happy … and then, like the farmer’s wife, God goes on a quest to show us how much greater his love is for us!

Put God on a quest, why don’t you! Express to him your love and adoration in the best way you know how, and don’t think twice about it being sub par (because, in HIS book, it’s NOT)! He cherishes our fumbled words, our off-key singing, and our less-than-flattering attempts to give him props … when it comes from a genuine heart!

1/14/10

2010-01-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

18-Year-Old Elected Mayor
Last November, Colton Morman was elected the new mayor of the small Dallas County town of Dawson, Iowa. Here’s the thing: he was only 18 years old when elected to take the job, which had previously been held by his grandfather, who had decided not to run again. The story has received widespread attention over the last few months, as Colton is among the youngest of mayors to have ever been elected.

More surprising than an 18-year-old mayor of a small American town are the countless biblical stories of teenagers who did extraordinary things that others would not and/or could not do. Take David, who was only a teenager when God used him to defeat Goliath and therefore save a nation of people. David was younger than his three oldest brothers and all of the other soldiers in the king’s army (who, by law, had to be at least 21 years old), and he was younger than King Saul. And yet these very warriors, who had pulled off some pretty daring feats in the past, could not and would not do what God had placed only in David’s heart to do.

Take Joseph, Esther, and Daniel as well – all teenagers when God used them to do incredible things, some of which (like David) involved sparing an entire nation of people. All of these young people were faced with trying circumstances, and there were always others (many of them older) standing by, who did not have in them what God had placed in the hearts of these teenagers.

I could go on and on with biblical accounts of teenagers who really stepped up and allowed God to demonstrate his miraculous power through them and around them, but I think the point has already been made: Teenagers CAN do the miraculous and the impossible, when GOD has deposited that unction within them, and when HE is the source of their strength and determination!

While this 18-year-old mayor now leads his town of 155 people, there are other teenagers out there who God is using right now to do even greater things! Those of us who aren’t teenagers shouldn’t really be “surprised” by this, but rather “grateful” that God includes teenagers on his kingdom list of power hitters! Sometimes those teens of his can knock a ball out of the park better than the rest of us!

For those of you who are teenagers, strive to follow the advice Paul gave to young Timothy: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers …” (1 Timothy 4:12A). In other words, keep knocking those baseballs of life (which God has called you and equipped you to swing at) out of the park!

12/15/09

2009-12-15T14:56:00.000-08:00

Don’t Be Like Mary And Joseph! Keep “Christ” at the Forefront this Season!

Luke 2:41-49 (The Boy Jesus at the Temple)

41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.
Does this remind you of anything? Of course it does: “CHRISTMAS!” Like the Passover was for Mary and Joseph (as well as their family ...along with the rest of the Jews), “Christmas” is a religious and festive occasion for us that commemorates a huge and divine event of the past.

42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
Mary and Joseph had their customs. In fact, they had their religious and festive routine down to a T! Every year, the same things would happen. And boy do we have our yearly customs as well! Maybe we hit a seasonal parade or two, and we get a Christmas tree, and we go mad searching for perfect gifts, and we spend time with family, and we might even make it a point to attend a Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
Can you imagine?! In the hustle and bustle of the festive and religious season, Jesus’ parents leave him behind! It’s reminiscent of the “Home Alone” story when little Kevin’s parents forget all about him and leave him at home, because their minds were elsewhere. The same happened to Jesus, only it was a million times worse! While his parents were celebrating Passover, participating in the seasonal festivities with family, and keeping their customs, Jesus was left out of the picture. And, too often, this is how it goes with many of us at Christmas; we get so wrapped up in the religious and festive happenings around us that we actually forget all about Jesus Christ.

44(A) Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day.
Jesus’ parents were actually under the assumption that Jesus was in their company, and so they traveled on and conversed with family like nothing was wrong. Unfortunately, sometimes you and I falsely assume Jesus is “in our company” during our plans and events at Christmas. We set out the Nativity figurines, we read billboards that say, “Keep Christ in Christmas,” and we wear buttons that say, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” but too often, despite our assumptions, Jesus is no where to be found. Of course, Mary and Joseph probably said things to each other that falsely consoled themselves as well. “Oh, I suppose our son is with his cousins,” they may have said, but the fact remained – he wasn’t there. They wrongly assumed he was with them (pertaining to what they were up to and how they were celebrating the season), and sometimes you and I do as well.

44(B) Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends.
Mary and Joseph finally realized they were missing something; rather some “ONE” very important. So they began to seek him out. As they already knew that Jesus was the SON of God, they knew he was more important than the EVENT they had been celebrating, and so they went seeking him! Will you “seek-out” God’s son this Christmas season? Will you ultimately take a step back from all of your Christmas festivities and “seek-out” the ONE who is most important?

45 – 48 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
When Jesus’ parents found him in the temple courts, they were frankly a bit upset! They couldn’t believe they had to “seek him out” rather than have him follow them. And the same is true of us sometimes: we get all flustered when Jesus doesn’t abide in “our” plans and follow “our” leading (pertaining to our customs and festivities at Christmas), but IF and WHEN we realize that Christ is missing from the equation, it is incumbent upon us to seek him out. And yet some of us, like Mary, ask Jesus, “Why have you treated me like this?!” haha!

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
We see that Jesus was not following the mandate of his parent’s plans and customs; he was instead taking care of his Father’s business. Even while his family was busy with their customs, and even while his family was actually missing out on what he was doing, he was doing the work of his Father just the same! And this Christmas (and every day), Jesus is STILL taking care of his Father’s business. He’s drawing people to him. He’s forgiving people’s sin. He’s healing the sick. He’s wiping away pain. He’s releasing those who are in bondage. He’s providing for people’s needs. He’s taking care of the needy. Despite whatever it is we may be doing (as we go along with our yearly customs and falsely assume Jesus is in our company), Jesus is off taking care of his Father’s business!

Are “you” keeping to your religious and festive customs while leaving Jesus behind? Or are you seeking Jesus out this Christmas, as you refrain from expecting him to come alongside you and your plans – but you’re tapping into HIS plans?!!

Guess what! – Jesus is still taking care of his Father’s business! And just like we read in the above passage, Jesus’ favorite place to take care of business is within his Father’s temple! Fortunately, for those of us who have called upon Christ as our Savior, that “temple” is now you and me! Are the doors of your temple (heart) open for Jesus to do some of his Father's business this Christmas?

11/30/09

2009-11-30T23:04:00.000-08:00

Things I Wish Every Parent Knew (Part Two)

Your Student Did NOT Just Get That Project Assignment Yesterday
Many students fool their parents into thinking that large assignments and special projects were just dropped on them (like a bomb) the day or two before, but more than 95 percent of the time, your student has long known about the assigned work and has plenty of time to plan and complete the work. However, most students procrastinate and wait until the last possible day (or few days) to get started on their projects, and they convince their parents that it’s not “their fault” that they have SO MUCH work to do in SO LITTLE time.

Not only is this bad because it’s disingenuous (although clever students can actually get parents to believe their ploy without technically “lying” through their teeth about it), it also promotes the following situation – which I believe should be unacceptable: Parents allow (and sometimes even require) their students to miss church, youth events, and important family events in order to work on their projects, while the parents are left thinking inaccurate and negative things about teachers, as the “teachers” (rather than the student) are wrongly blamed for the massive work load. This not only fosters a lie, but it teaches students that school work and grades come BEFORE God and family. Later, when the students are adults, don’t be surprised if they put their careers and achievements before God and family – because that’s what you have helped train them to do, unfortunately. Whenever students are allowed and encouraged to drop their commitments to God and family in order to do school work (or anything else for that matter), they are embarking on a disastrous course that will deliver negative repercussions towards them and their loved ones for years to come!

What parents should do to counteract this: (1) Teach your student that God and family come first, and when a procrastinated assignment threatens commitments to God and family, require that the assignment (rather than God and family) be put on the back-burner, even if it means the assignment is not completed and your student’s grade suffers as a result. (2) Help your student to plan and complete their assignments in a timely manner by modeling a procrastination-free lifestyle yourself and by doing whatever it takes to make sure your students are not allowed to procrastinate while they live under your roof. For example, work out a system whereby you can know when assignments are given to your student without solely depending on your student to tell you, meaning you may have to contact teachers occasionally and/or check the school/class website (if one exists) with recent assignment postings. When assignments are known, require your student to set-aside specific amounts of time each day to work on the assignments, and then make sure that video games, trips to the mall with friends, Internet surfing (that is unrelated to the assignment), and ipods don’t interfere with this specific time. (3) Finally, if all else fails, be sure to punish your student when assignments are not completed or when they are completed poorly – due to procrastination. You can restrict computer, ipod, and cell phone usage. You can prohibit your students from going out with friends. You can assign more chores around the house. The list goes on and on (although you should NEVER use prohibition of church and youth events as a means of punishment; see the last post), but whatever you do, punish your student and stick to the punishment (without calling it off) in order that your student will know that procrastination is not acceptable in your home.

Parents, trust me when I say that students NEED your help when it comes to time management, thwarting procrastination, and completing assignments in a world where video games and ipods are readily available. Students approach me all of the time with prayer concerns centered on “time management” and “defeating procrastination,” and so if you (as the parent) can help your student with an area where there is much struggle, why wouldn’t you? But while you are helping your student, remember to help them the most by always showing them that GOD and his influence on them is more important than school, assignments, grades, and everything else! Encourage your student’s commitment to church and youth events, and don’t allow assignments to get in the way. Proverbs 21:30-31 says, “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory rests with the Lord.” Help your student understand that while knowledge and planning and preparation (for life and careers) are appropriate and necessary, the real and true key to success is always keeping focused on God above everything else!

11/26/09

2009-11-26T14:53:00.000-08:00

While this is a break from the kind of article I normally post, I want to use the next few posts to talk directly to parents, grandparents, and/or other guardians of students. For the majority of you readers who do not attend The Village Baptist Church, trust me when I say that your student’s Youth Pastor would probably LOVE for you to read and digest this!

Things I Wish Every Parent Knew (Part One)

Parents Should Not Cut off Their Nose to Spite Their Face:
I don’t know how many times over the past 12 years I’ve spent in youth ministry that a parent has kept their student from attending church and/or youth functions as a means of punishment for their student, but if it’s been 1000 times, that’s 1000 times too many! Hands down! There is absolutely no “good” reason to keep a student from events where he is compelled to draw closer to God, invited to fellowship with other believers his age, and challenged and led by the Holy Spirit to make big and positive changes that will affect the rest of his life. Oh, I’ve heard the retort from parents, and it always goes something like this: “My child (did poorly in school, got an attitude with me, lied to me, or any number of things …you fill in the blank) and the ONLY thing he LIKES to do is go to youth events … so I have no choice but to punish him in this way!” That’s absurd!

I know students like I know the back of my own hand, and I know that they would HATE to lose their ipods, computer privileges, video games, television shows, and time with spent with friends at the mall, the movies, and elsewhere. “Oh, but my child is different,” some say. “She doesn’t do any of those things. She lives and breaths CHURCH and YOUTH activities!” Seriously, there must be SOMETHING that she does that you could manipulate in your efforts to train, reward, and punish. Does she like to read books? – Take them away. Does she HATE doing chores? – Assign double! Would she abhor the idea of you getting her teachers to sign daily forms concerning her completion of homework assignments? – Make it happen! You see, there is ALWAYS a list of things that could be done, but to keep a student away from church and youth events is like cutting off your nose to spite your face! While your intentions may be good, the detrimental affect this has on your student is far worse than you would ever want it to be! Not only does it send the wrong message to students (that you value some things more than you value God’s influence in their lives), but you play right into Satan’s hands, who would like nothing more than to get your student OUT of the church environment for good! There are some things that should be off limits when it comes to punishment: withholding your love, withholding basic necessities needed for life, and withholding spiritual influences that come from church, youth meetings, and the likes.

Moreover, because Satan is a master at what he does, I’ve often discovered that Satan has manipulated the timing of events to occur at precisely the wrong moments – where parents have kept their students from attending the very event that was most needed in that student’s life. For example, a few months ago, I was teaching a heartfelt and God-sent message at a Friday Tonic that was all about “respecting your parents” even when you vehemently disagree with them or don’t understand them. Many students came up to me afterwards and admitted that they had been challenged to give their parents respect and obedience (even if they felt it was undeserved), and some students asked me to pray personally with them, as they sought God’s forgiveness for the way they had been treating their parents. But wouldn’t you know there were a couple of student who missed the event because their parents refused to let them attend – as a means of punishment ….(brace yourself) for none other than “being disrespectful to the parents!”

Likewise, shortly after the school year began, I focused several lessons on time management, staying focused on your studies, drawing from God’s strength, and remembering to do ALL things (including boring school work) for the glory of the Lord. But of course a handful of students were unable to reap the benefits of any of these lessons, because they were already being punished for their early attempts to slack-off at the beginning of the school year. Chalk up the score: Satan – ONE, Parents and students – ZERO!

I’m not at all trying to say that students will always get that one particular message they need to hear the most if you opt to let them attend the youth meeting, but what I’m trying to get across to you (in general) is that God values your students more than you do (which is hard to believe, but very true), and he loves it when you give him the opportunity to minister to your students in a corporate setting and on a weekly basis without any form of punishment standing in the way. Incredibly dynamite things happen in the lives of students when this is the case! When God is given the utmost respect and focus, and when church and youth participation is not only allowed but encouraged, then students have every opportunity to devote their lives to God and follow him! Don’t you want that? – Then do away with punishments that put God in a box!

Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” Notice that the verse doesn’t go on to say, “But parents, you can keep your students from meeting together at church and youth meetings when they disobey you. This is a great way to start a very healthy habit of missing church when other, more important things come up!”

11/24/09

2009-11-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

Dying Churches Have Misdiagnosed the World
A man who was thought to be in a vegetative state for the last 23 years was actually able to hear everything around him, but he had no way of responding or crying out. Rom Houben, who had been in a car wreck in 1983 and then wrongly diagnosed, has actually been “conscious the whole time”, say doctors. The news of Houben’s conscious brain was discovered (three years ago) by an expert using a special type of brain scan that was not available in the 1980s, and Houben’s story has recently begun to spread after a recent publication of a study on the misdiagnosis of people with consciousness disorders.

The 46-year-old man has a mind that has since been “unlocked,” as he now communicates with a special one-finger touch screen. As it turns out, he has heard a lot of things over the past 23 years, including the news of his father’s death, but unfortunately (until now) he has never been able to express himself to others. After suffering so long with no means to communicate, Houben is now writing a book.

While Houben’s story is truly shocking and tragic, the same can be said of the “misdiagnosis” that has been wrongly placed on members of the world by some of us in the church. For example, some in the church are adamant believers that the world is full of people who don’t want to have anything to do with God, his church, or anything “spiritual” – but this couldn’t be further from the truth! In fact, studies show that worldly people ARE interested in spiritual things, and they WANT to know God and understand the meaning of life, but sometimes our modes of diagnosis and our means of communication are so archaic that we (the church) wrongly misdiagnose the world’s failure to respond as “uninterested.”

Like the doctors who used new methods to transform the situation for Houben, the church should be willing to use new methods to survey and reach the world for Christ. In the fashion of the Bible’s Paul, who became all things in order to reach as many as possible (1 Corinthians 9:22), today’s Christ followers (who make up the church) should be willing to do likewise. This means that we should be willing to take the message of Christ, which never changes, and present it in new and fresh ways that are relevant and appealing to the world. We should speak in the world’s language and allow it to respond in its own language, meaning we utilize modern styles of music, performing arts (such as dance, drama, and more), and down-to-earth, straight-forward teaching and preaching right from God’s word. This is what the world is ready to respond to, but like the one-finger touch screen made available to Houben, the church need only to present these new techniques to the world and then watch the Holy Spirit do his work!

Individual churches that are incorporating modern music, dance, drama, and more into their worship experiences are seeing mad growth! (If you don’t believe me, take an hour and research the fastest growing churches in the United States on the internet, and notice what’s different about them! – They speak in “today’s” language!). Churches that have misdiagnosed the world and are determined to speak the language of the past are dying fast. What kind of church is your church? Better yet, what kind of church can your church be when it starts speaking in the right language to a very interested world that is waiting to hear the very relevant message of Jesus Christ?

11/10/09

2009-11-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Show Up at Your Own Funeral!
I recently read an article about a Brazilian man (Ademir Jorge Goncalves) who showed up at his own funeral. The Brazilian bricklayer was thought to have died in a car crash one Sunday evening, as some of his relatives falsely identified the victim’s body as Goncalves.

The funeral was held the next day, which is often the custom in Brazil, and Goncalves (who had spent the night with some friends) did not get word about his own funeral until the next morning, when the funeral was already in progress.

A police spokesman explained that Goncalves, after learning of what had happened, immediately rushed to the funeral to let family members know he was not dead.

The terrible mistake had been the result of a “badly disfigured corpse wearing similar clothing [to Goncalves]” (who was later correctly identified) coupled with a few family members who were “afraid to look for very long when [identifying the body].”

Perhaps there are some readers of this article who need to follow the example of Goncalves and show up at your own funeral! No, I’m not talking about showing up to a mortuary filled with folks who think you have really died, but I’m referring to funerals that sometimes take place when people around you have deemed you “dead” in another way.

For example, perhaps you’ve made a big mistake recently, and a group of people around you have therefore seized your latest shortcoming as their opportunity to announce the permanent “end” of your ministry, your calling, or your spiritual influence. Don’t let these false identifiers get away with it! – Show up at your own funeral! If you’ve taken your shortcomings to God (1 John 1:9), and if you’re determined to allow him to help you get back on the right track (Proverbs 3:6), you’re no where close to being “finished!” So you can show up at your own funeral, and you can proudly announce, “I’m still here, and God’s not done with me yet! So you best put away the casket of guilt and shame, because nobody’s getting buried today!”

Then again, maybe there are some people around you who (for whatever reason) have always been against you, as they’ve done everything they possibly could do to crush you and pull the rug of confidence out from under you and your ministry. And so maybe you’re going through a rough time and feeling defeated, as if Satan has finally gotten the best of you, while your enemies are currently planning a victory dance around your figurative gravestone. If this is the case, you need to remember what God’s word says to those of us who feel like the world is crashing down around us, and then you need to show up at your own funeral! The Bible says about those of us who have partnered with Christ, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). If those aren’t funeral-crashing declarations, then I don’t know what is! It’s high time we listen to the word of God and keep marching ever-forward, instead of listening to the words of the naysayers around us who would like nothing more than to bury us alive.

If there are people hosting a funeral in your honor (or, if in fact, “you” have been the culprit of throwing your own funeral with your ideas of shame and self-defeat), show up at your own funeral, and put an end to the false identification once and for all! Let God be the ONE who tells you when his mission for you on this earth has been completed, and (until that time) crash each and every premature funeral of yours with this shout, “I’m still here! And there’s nothing anybody can do about that!"

11/9/09

2009-11-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

World’s Most Useless Facts
I recently read an article entitled, “World’s Most Useless Facts.” The CBS article showcased a handful of facts originally obtained from eBizarre.com. I have narrowed the list even further for my own article, as I cite only a portion of the useless facts (below), followed by my questions and comments. Enjoy!

Useless Fact: It takes between eight and nine minutes for light to get from the sun to the earth.
Question: How long does it take for the light of Christ to get from you to someone else? (Matthew 5:14-16)

Useless Fact: A jiffy is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
Question: What is the actual unit of time mentioned in the Bible regarding the speed you and I will be changed from mortal to immortal when the end has come? Answer: “Twinkling,” which is no doubt faster than a “jiffy!” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

Useless Fact: During his or her lifetime, the average person will grow 590 miles of hair.
Question: How many single strands of hair (per person) does this number represent? Only God knows! (Luke 12:6-7)

Useless Fact: An apple, potato, and onion all taste the same if you eat them with your nose plugged. They all taste sweet.
Question: Wouldn’t this be a great challenge for my students at the TONIC this Friday?!! …By the way, isn’t it odd how life’s onions can fool us into thinking they taste sweet when our spiritual senses are out of whack? When we’re not focused on Christ, it’s like our spiritual noses are plugged up, and Satan entices us with onions that we think are something else. Only later (when our breath smells horrible, our eyes are watering, and we feel sick to our stomachs) do we realize we’ve been snowed. (Ephesians 5:15-18)

Useless Fact: Q-tip cotton swabs were originally called Baby Gays. (I’m guessing their business has improved as a result?)
Question: What are some radical changes (improvements) that have occurred in your life, since taking the name of Christ? (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Useless Fact: The music for the “Star Spangled Banner” comes from a British drinking song named “Anacreon.”
Question: Why do some people believe that adding Christian lyrics to today’s rap and hip-hop styles of music is wrong, while they nevertheless enjoy many well-known traditional hymns of old that were originally formed from popular bar tunes of that day? (How did the Bible’s Paul reach people of different cultures? – 1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

Useless Fact: Rapper LL Cool J’s name is short for “Ladies Love Cool James.”
Question: Why is it sometimes best to leave full names unspoken? ß(This would be my answer on Jeopardy)

Useless Fact: Maine is considered the toothpick capital of the world.
Question: Isn’t it sad how some states have absolutely NOTHING going for them, so they have to pride themselves in something as ridiculous and pathetic as being a “toothpick” capital?!! (This question goes out to STIRLING HASTINGS!! Haha!!)

11/3/09

2009-11-02T22:41:00.000-08:00

Pastors are a Dime a Dozen; True Shepherds are Not!
As of late, I’ve read several articles and even watched reporting on television concerning the fact that President Obama has lost weight since he became president. Someone close to the president has said that in fact Obama occasionally skips meals because “he is working non-stop for the country.”

As the president, with “the weight of the world on his shoulders,” as some say, it’s certainly understandable that a physical toll would be paid; presidents have responsibilities that we can’t even fathom, so it’s no wonder that they may quickly lose some weight, gain a few wrinkles, and go grey sooner than normal. This has been the case with most presidents, as it simply goes with the territory. Presidents sometimes sacrifice their own well-being and put themselves through late nights, high stress situations, and out-of-the-norm eating schedules – all in order to focus their energies on those whom they are leading (and the issues at hand) more so than focusing on themselves.

The same can be said of many pastors, and this is how it should be actually. The Bible says that pastors are to be “shepherds,” who sometimes put themselves on the back-burner in order to better serve and protect the flock. You can see the perfect example of a true shepherd in the spiritual sense in the story of David, who (as a teenage shepherd in the physical sense) would put his own life in danger as he would bare-handedly run after lions and bears to rescue sheep that had been carried off. This is a beautiful symbol of what pastors are called to be – shepherds who forsake themselves for the benefit of the sheep!

Pastors are a dime a dozen, but true shepherds are not. Many pastors can speak well, raise lots of money, and baptize people with the utmost enthusiasm, but they aren’t shepherds; they aren’t willing to endure discomfort and make themselves second in order to do whatever it takes to serve the flock. For this reason, many pastors will watch a satanic bear or lion grab and carry off a member of the flock, and they won’t lift a finger to do anything about it – because they’re more concerned about themselves than anyone else.

The Bible’s Paul said to pastors, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which [Jesus Christ] bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 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!” (Acts 20: 28B-31A). The Bible calls pastors to be shepherds (like David) who will fight off the wolves of this world in order to protect and defend the flock; this requires a pastor who is more concerned with the wellbeing of his flock than his own personal comfort.

The Bible’s Peter says to pastors, ““Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3). In other words, pastors are called to be shepherds who oversee the flock with a servant mentality and who aren’t as interested in padding their own pockets as they are eager to serve others and set the right example to the rest of the flock.

If you’re a pastor, youth pastor, Bible study leader, or some other kind of “shepherd” who is charged with looking after a portion of God’s flock, survey yourself (as you look at your actions, thoughts, and intents) and see if you’ve been behaving as a true shepherd. If you discover that you’ve fallen short, ask God to help you put yourself aside in order to see his flock the way he sees it. Ask God to help you be the “shepherd” that he has called you to be, with the passion and selfless determination that it takes to look after his sheep. Ask God to give you the courage and the strength to run after and tackle the satanic lions, bears, and wolves that come after those God has placed under your care. Be more than just a pastor; be a “shepherd!”

Encouraged Reading for “Shepherds” of God’s Flock
“They Call Me Pastor – How to Love the Ones You Lead” – H.B London & Neil B. Wiseman
This is one of my favorite pastoral books, and I’ve read quite a few. London and Neil really capture the essence of what being a pastor/shepherd is all about. Check it out!

I would also suggest that pastors check out my list of blogs of fellow pastors (which you can find down the left side of my website) for some good reading. While everyone would love these blogs, pastors will especially appreciate the many posts that are directed solely to other pastors. The blogs are by Pastor Steven Furtick (NC), Perry Noble (SC), and Troy Gramling (FL).

10-29-09

2009-10-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

Eight Embarrassing Work Situations
If you caught your coworker in an embarrassing situation, would you be willing to confront him about it in order to spare him further embarrassment? An article I recently read on MSN (written by Rachel Zupek, careerbuilder.com) discussed this very question, and its survey results (concerning co-workers willing to confront other co-workers who are on their same level) are as follows: 67 percent would tell a co-worker, “your zipper is undone,” 51 percent would tell a co-worker if he had something in his nose, 66 percent would notify someone who had food in his teeth or on his face, 33 percent would tell a co-worker to brush his messy hair, 51 percent would inform a co-worker of a stain on his clothes, 28 percent would have the audacity to inform a co-worker that he stinks and needs a shower, 32 percent would let a co-worker know his clothing is inappropriate for the office, and 33 percent would tell a co-worker that he needs a breath mint.

I find the results of this study a bit questionable, because it seems as if people were asked what they “would” do (given the circumstances) instead of what they “have” done, and people usually claim they would do more than they really would do, so I’m guessing the real figures would actually be somewhat lower than what is represented in this survey. Nevertheless, the survey results are interesting, and it gets us all thinking about personal experiences wherein we told (or didn’t tell) someone about an embarrassing situation, or even worse, when someone told (or didn’t tell) us when there was something we needed to take care of.

I will tell you just a couple of the many stories of my own. For starters, a co-worker in my current office environment once walked into my office and presented me with a gift; it was a large bulk pack of Altoids mints that she had just bought for me at Sam’s. She was very polite in the giving of the gift, and she didn’t come right out and tell me I had bad breath, and so I tried to force her to say it. I laughed as I accepted the gift, and I asked, “So are you trying to tell me something?!! Is my breath bad?!!” She responded, “Well, there’s been a time or two I’ve …uhh …It’s good for pastors to have breath mints all the time …umm …I bought some for [another pastor] too, and I thought I’d get you some at the same time.” LOL! …That was more than a year ago, and I have used the gift of her breath mints MANY times to spare me from some potentially embarrassing situations. I want to thank her for that gift; she knows who she is. Thanks for caring enough to help me out!

Not long ago, I was sitting in a staff meeting with seven others around a large conference table, and (unbeknownst to me) the pen in my hand was leaking. As all of us at the table were focused on one person who was talking, I had somehow managed to get large black ink smudges all over my face and forehead (and no jokes about my forehead, to all of my students reading this..lol) without even knowing. Finally, a time came when I began to speak to everyone at the table, and everyone looked at me with wide eyes and big smiles on their faces. The person sitting beside me politely said, “Your pen is leaking. You need to go to the restroom and wash your face.” I looked down at my black hands and busted out laughing, and when I got to the bathroom, the face I saw in the mirror looked like someone had given it two black eyes and many bruises. And here’s the part I don’t understand, which is obviously a miracle from God: the pen that had leaked was a permanent sharpie pen, and yet it wiped right off of my face without a problem! However, I had formed a “plan B” while walking to the bathroom, in case the ink didn’t wash off. I was going to finish off the un-inked parts of my face with the pen, and then put on an afro-wig that I had in my office. (You’re wondering why there’s an afro-wig in my office? …Umm, don’t all youth pastor’s have one of those in their office?)

When it comes to confronting others about embarrassing situations, where do you stand? Are you one of the few who would place yourself in an uncomfortable situation in order to spare someone else further embarrassment?

How about on a spiritual level? If you noticed someone in your workplace (or anywhere else for that matter) who was suffering pain and embarrassment due to a messy and embarrassing situation, would you step-up and give them worthwhile information they need to correct the problem? The Bible’s Paul did that with Peter (Galatians 2:11-21) when Peter was acting inappropriately. Paul cared enough to see Peter correct his situation so that Peter (along with others) wouldn’t continue to suffer because of Peter’s mistake. Therefore, Paul did what was no doubt uncomfortable, and he brought the issue to Peter’s attention.

Are you willing to spare other Christ-followers further pain and embarrassment by bringing pertinent information to their attention when you’ve noticed a “mess” they are in? If so, be sure to counsel them tactfully and gracefully. Galatians 6:1 tells us, “If someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” Two words that we’d do well not to forget are the words “restore” and “gently.”

10/20/09 (2)

2009-10-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License in Louisiana
A black man and a white woman who were recently seeking a permit to get married were denied by a justice of the peace in a small town in Louisiana. The justice of the peace, Keith Bardwell, has said that he never marries interracial couples because he is “concerned about any children they may have.” Bardwell further explained that interracial children sometimes have a hard time being accepted by society, including members of their own family. Moreover, Bardwell has said that it is his experience that interracial couples “do not last long.” Therefore, when sought for a permit or to perform a ceremony for interracial couples, Bardwell said he always denies the request and refers the couple to another town (where they can seek the service of a different justice of the peace). Nevertheless, as Bardwell’s position on interracial marriage has reached national attention, he emphatically declares that he is not a racist.

Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell is Many Things
First, Bardwell is a lawbreaker. A Supreme Court decision of old declares that individuals cannot be denied marriage permits due to ethnic differences. This is why I support Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s recent call to investigate Bardwell and, hopefully, have him swiftly terminated. Second, Bardwell is a hypocrite. As a justice of the peace, he (more than most) should be one who strives to follow the law. Moreover, as a servant of the people, he should strive to serve “all” people under his jurisdiction. Third, Bardwell is indeed a racist. He can claim that he is not a racist, but doing so does not negate one simple fact … that indeed he is a racist. A person cannot get away with treating people differently who have different ethnic backgrounds without being labeled exactly what he or she is. For Bardwell, the “racist” shoe fits perfectly. His excuses, regarding his concern for any potential kids and his experience that interracial couples do not last, do not cut it! They’re bogus! Do you think he would marry an interracial couple who produces evidence that they cannot have kids? Likewise, do you think he would deny a white couple seeking marriage, who (between the two of them) have already had ten divorces? – Talk about “not lasting long!” Of course these answers are obvious, and so it is with Bardwell – he’s a racist through and through. (I’m not saying he’s a sheet-wearing hater, but check the definition of racist … and you’ll see that he fits the mold).

People Who Agree with Bardwell …For the Sake of the “Children”
I already know there are a handful of people reading this very article who find themselves in agreement with Bardwell. These are good people, strong Christ-followers, people who lovingly befriend and accept people of all races … and yet they, like Bardwell, tend to believe that races should not mix when it comes to marriage, but mixing everywhere else is decent and good (including church, work places, schools, friendships, etc). I’ve also heard the line about the kids many times …”It’s a cruel world. Mixed kids shouldn’t have to go through that!” and “It’s better when people of the same race marry each other … to avoid problems … to prevent persecution.”

Please do me a favor, and think about your own marriage. (If you haven’t been married yet, think about the future – if and when you plan to marry). Was it anybody’s business (aside from you and your beloved) who you fell in love with? Hopefully, you made it God’s business, of course … and so if God gave you the “go ahead” on your desire to get married, and yet others stuck their nose in your business (albeit with the best of intentions) to try to spare you (or your future kids) from persecution and grief, you would not have stood for that mess at all! Who is anyone to think they have better intentions and more wisdom than God himself, that we (are anybody) could tell a couple what is best for them (or their potential kids) based on how we view things? …Would it have been right for someone to tell you not to marry your spouse because he was poor, and thus – your family might suffer in the long run? Would it have been right for someone to tell you not to marry your spouse because she’s a Christ-follower like you, and the Bible says that Christ followers will be persecuted …so yeah, double the persecution is coming if you get married!!?? Would it be right to tell someone who has fallen in love with one who is deaf or has a missing leg not to marry them because, no doubt, struggles and persecution (even towards future kids) may come as a result? Obviously, these are ludicrous examples. And it is just as ludicrous to believe that two people of mixed races who have fallen in love and have received the “go ahead” from God to marry should do anything aside from marry. Persecution and hard times will come on all couples and children for a variety of reasons, therefore to single out interracial couples and mixed children (and not the rest) is absurd and …well …”racist.” If you find yourself in this camp, believing that interracial marriage is not “ideal” (at best), then please think of the things mentioned previously.

For Those Who Believe Interracial Marriage is Biblically Wrong
Does the Bible say anything about interracial marriage? It sure does! It says that the race of God (now Christians, but formerly Yahweh-servers in the Old Testament) should not marry those of the opposite race, composed of non-God-servers (now non-Christians, but formerly those who did not serve Yahweh). (See Clarification #1 about the “Yahweh” reference).These are the only two races, or classifications, of people that the Bible is overall concerned about. This is why the Old Testament warned people not to marry foreigners – because of the false gods that they served. This is why Solomon’s splendor came crashing down, when he married Egyptian wives who worshiped other gods aside from Yahweh. This is why the New Testament warns us not to become marriage partners with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). Nowhere does the Bible forbid two people of opposing races (concerning ethnicity) to marry based solely on ethnic concerns. It’s all about the spiritual factor! In other words, two Christians can marry and be blessed in the sight of God no matter what their ethnic diversity might be.

Are There Biblical Examples of Interracial Marriage?
There are several biblical examples of blessed marriages between two people who were of different ethnicities, but perhaps one of the most telling examples would be that of Moses. Moses married a Cushite woman (a black woman), and his brother (Aaron) and sister (Miriam) were jealous of the work God was doing in Moses (Numbers 12), so they concocted a reason to get angry with Moses; they chose to complain about his interracial marriage. Suffice it to say, God was not pleased with Aaron and Miriam, and he showed his disapproval ever so severely. (Read Numbers 12). This forefather of the faith and author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) was interracially married … and Jesus himself read from Moses’ writings and quoted him often! Never did Jesus say a negative word about Moses for marrying a black woman. Never did he warn others not to follow Moses’ example. In fact, Moses had married a Cushite (who was a Yahweh server), and so everything was just fine! Again, it’s about the spiritual factor – not about ethnicity!

Christ is Also Interracially Married (Please Read This Before You Cry Heresy!)
Last but not least, consider the biblical example of Christ – who is married to an interracial body of believers, the collective church of Christ. Both Old and New Testament examples compare God’s people (his church) to his bride. In the Old Testament, God’s bride was unfaithful, and God remained faithful to her and promised to restore her. In the New Testament, the church is called the bride of Christ, as Christ is the “bridegroom” (John 3:29). The church or bride of Christ is a mixture of both Jews and Gentiles who have come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. (See Clarification #2)

With that said, it’s a little ironic how Christ-followers who are not Jewish (the race of Jesus Christ, the man, and the race of God’s original group of chosen people) can be against interracial marriage when in fact they belong to one themselves. And to think …”God is opposed to interracial marriage??” Haha! Obviously not!

Clarifications
1. “Yahweh” is the name of God. When you see “the LORD” in your English version of the Old Testament, you are reading a transliteration of the word “Yahweh,” which is actually a series of letters (YHWH) that some say cannot be pronounced, while others (Pastor Rob Bell, for example) say the letters produce the sound you make when you breathe. YHWH was turned into “Yahweh” by man, who added vowels in order to better pronounce the name. “Yahweh” is equivalent to the manmade name, “Jehovah.”

2. Jesus Christ was not married to any one particular human woman, but the “bride of Christ” is a figurative term used for God’s collective church, which belongs to Christ. This does not mean we cannot compare the so-called “marriage” of Christ to his church to the marriage between two individuals. Both are love covenants, and the Bible compares the two.

10/20/09

2009-10-20T01:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday, October 20th, 2009! The following article is a “blast from the past,” which is an article I wrote previously for a blog that is no longer active. Moreover, members of the Village Baptist Church may remember reading this post in a church bulletin a couple of years ago on a particular Sunday morning when I was preaching. Occasionally, as I have said before, I will post previous blogs (like this one) in order to make them available on this new and permanent blog site, as there will be many who are seeing this article for the first time.

Bush Pulls Top Security Agent From Fracas (November 20, 2004)
Santiago, Chile (AP) - President Bush stepped into the middle of a confrontation and pulled his lead Secret Service agent away from Chilean officials who barred his bodyguards from entering anelegant dinner for 21 world leaders Saturday night.Several Chilean and America agents got into a pushing and shoving match outside the cultural center where the dinner was held. Bush noticed the fracas after posing for pictures on a red carpet with the summit host, Chilean President Ricardo Largos and his wife and First Lady Laura Bush.Abandoning the other three, Bush walked over to the agents, reached through the dispute and pulled his agent from the scrum.The president, looking irritated, walked away with the agent. The incident was shown on APEC television.“Chilean security tried to stop the president’s Secret Service from accompanying him,” said White House deputy press secretary Claire Buchan. “He told them they were with him and the issue was resolved.”
______________________________

Dear "Unworthy,”

Sometimes it’s easy to feel unworthy to spend time with God, perform His work, and minister to His people, because (when it comes right down to it) “unworthy” is exactly what we are! Just like the Secret Service agents were unworthy to enter a prestigious event with important dignitaries, you and I are unworthy to do anything for Christ (or to even be in His presence), based exclusively on our own merits. But what we must constantly remind ourselves is this: it’s not about our worth; it’s about His! In the same way that President Bush reached through the fracas and pulled his agents through, God takes ownership and responsibility for us (His children), and He pulls us through the fracases and trying circumstances of life. It’s His prestige and worth that matters! We’re just the beneficiaries! And lest anyone, including ourselves, tries to prohibit us from walking with God and doing His work, God would have but one thing to say: “He's with Me!” Issue resolved!

2 Timothy 1:9 "[God], who saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life ..."

John 15:16 "You did not choose me (Jesus), but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last."

10/15/09

2009-10-15T01:02:00.000-07:00

RECENT HEADLINES
Overkill – an excess of what is required or suitable

Mom Arrested for Washing Kid’s Mouth with Soap
A child got caught swearing, and his mother used the old fashioned soap-in-the-mouth technique for punishment. After ten minutes with the bar of soap in his mouth, the kid vomited. The worried mom then took her child to the hospital. Later, she was arrested for her method of punishment. OVERKILL!!

Apartment Residents Told to Take Down US Flags
Managers of an apartment complex who don’t want anyone to “be offended” have told all apartment residents to remove all US flags. This includes all flying flags (on outdoor posts and vehicles) as well as all stickers (on vehicle bumpers and apartment windows). The apartment managers have said that anyone who refuses to remove their flags will be evicted. OVERKILL!!

Eagle Scout Suspended for 20 Days for Having Knife in Car
A seventeen-year-old Eagle Scout was suspended for an entire month of school because he had a two-inch pocket knife included in a survival kit in his car. This student had been asked by a security guard if he had any weapons on him, and he said no. Then he was asked if he had any knives or guns in his car, and he openly admitted to having the tiny pocket knife in a survival kit. This Eagle Scout, who had earned a medal for saving someone’s life a month earlier and who has already been accepted to a prestigious military school, was immediately suspended (and the police were called) because of the school’s no-tolerance policy. OVERKILL!!

Innocent Man Arrested, Tortured, Mocked, and Brutally Murdered
A man who had done no wrong was falsely accused of trying to usurp political authorities. His jealous and blood-hungry accusers pulled political strings to get him arrested. After the arrest, he was tortured with beatings and humiliating mockery. Ultimately, he was hoisted up for all to see, as parts of his body were nailed to large wooden beams. After hours of agonizing physical and mental pain, the innocent man died. OVERKILL?? …Nope. “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

This morning, if you haven’t done so already, thank God for his ultimate love-gift, Jesus Christ – whose death and resurrection made it possible for you and me to have a relationship with God, despite our many failures and shortcomings. Indeed, it was required and appropriate (in God’s divine plan) for this terrible ordeal to happen to God’s son. Nothing less would have afforded us the opportunity of a life with God, through Christ! So let’s profusely heap thanks towards God today – as we are mindful of what Christ did for us – and no worries: our thanks and adoration can’t ever reach the level of OVERKILL!!

10/8/09 (2)

2009-10-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

Boy Dies Because Parents Prayed for Faith-Healing Without Seeking Medical Attention
A two-year-old Philadelphia boy died this past January because his parents did not take him to get medical attention when he was sick. It wasn’t because the parents didn’t care. It wasn’t because the parents didn’t notice their child’s symptoms. Rather, the boys parents are ardent believers in faith-healing, and they watched their son die while they “prayed to God for victory …[that the boy] would be raised up.”

The dead boy’s parents are now facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter, and endangering the welfare of a child. The Assistant District Attorney responsible for charging the parents said, “At no time [the day the boy died], nor in the week-and-a-half prior, did [the boy’s parents] seek medical attention for their son despite his sore throat, congestion, liquid bowel movements, sleeplessness, and trouble swallowing.” She went on to say that a “simple visit” to the doctor for antibiotics may have kept the child alive.

The parents are members of First Century Gospel Church, which believes that those who are sick should be healed through prayer alone, without the use of medicine.

While I believe that God can and does miraculously heal people, and while I have seen God heal people before my very eyes, and while I believe strongly in following the biblical command to “pray for those who are sick” (James 5:16), I nevertheless believe that God has given us a brain, and he expects us to use it! Unfortunately, this tragic story (like many others very similar to it) showcases the foolishness of two parents who no doubt meant well, but who simply were not using the brains that God had given them to their best ability.

More than brains, God gives us other things that he expects us to use! For instance, while this couple was praying for their sick son, God had provided intelligent doctors and potent medicines that were at their disposal that no doubt may have been exactly what was needed to save the boy’s life. And yet the desire of this couple nevertheless remained to see God miraculously heal their son in the way that “they” deemed that he should. In other words, they tried to put God in a box and dictate how God should behave according to their own determined ideas.

This reminds me of the often told tale about the man who was trapped on the roof of his house in the wake of a major flood. As the story goes, the man prayed and prayed, “God, please save me from this disaster! Spare my life!” Meanwhile, a rescue boat passed the man’s house and those on board beckoned the man to jump aboard, but the man said, “No thank you! I’m waiting on God to save me!” Next, a helicopter flew over the man’s house and a rope was lowered down towards the man, but the man waved off the helicopter and shouted, “Thanks, but I’m staying right here! God will save me!” Before long, the man ultimately dies in the flood. When he enters the gates of heaven, he asks God first-thing, “Why didn’t you save me from the flood?” And God answers the man, “I sent you a boat. I sent you a helicopter. I tried to save you, but you just wouldn’t let me.” (I believe there were actually three attempts to save the man in the original tale, but please pardon me for forgetting all of the details).

Here’s the question you should ask yourself: “Am I putting God in a box and expecting him to move according to my plans and ideas?” Like the parents who lost their son, and like the tale of the man who lost his own life, sometimes you and I can make the same mistake – maybe not so much about matters concerning life and death (albeit it’s possible), but most likely regarding other issues. We place God in a box when we pray about anything and then expect God to act and respond to our prayers in conjunction with our own predetermined ideas. This is foolishness on our part, and I believe it results in our missing out on many blessings from God. Perhaps there are a multitude of prayers that have gone seemingly unanswered because we have dictated how God’s answer must be revealed.

Starting today, may we endeavor to un-box God and let him move how he sees fit. May we use the brains he has given us, and may we acknowledge that God might use people and things around us in ways we might not expect … or prefer, for that matter.

Further Contemplation (Regarding the Above Article)
1. Are you seeking an answer from God, or perhaps some form of direction, and it seems like God is ignoring you? Could it be that instead you are ignoring his prerogative to answer you in any way he sees fit? Maybe God’s answers will be (or have been) sent through people and things that you would not have expected or preferred. Let God out of your box!
2. Are you praying for a miracle regarding some situation, and you’ve told God exactly how and who and when this miracle should happen? Basically, you’ve written the script for your miracle, and you expect God to win an Emmy when he makes it happen just the way you’ve laid it out? Let God out of your box!
3. Are there people and things around you (including the full use of your brain) that you have been neglecting and under-appreciating because you’ve thought you’ve got God’s plans all figured out? Let God out of your box!

10/8/09

2009-10-08T01:20:00.000-07:00

Airline Requests That Passengers Use Restrooms Before Boarding Flight in Order to Weigh Less
A Japanese airline (All Nippon Airways) has started asking its passengers to visit the restrooms before boarding their planes. ANA says it hopes this will allow its passengers to weigh less, and thus reduce carbon emissions. In fact, ANA is hoping that the weight saved will lead to a five-ton reduction in carbon emissions over a 30 day period.

Based on an average human bladder capacity of 15oz, if 150 people relieved themselves before boarding a flight, the flight would be a bit less than 150 pounds lighter. 150 pounds is a drop in the bucket compared to the near 93 tons of weight (maximum) that a Boeing airplane can weigh at take-off. Nevertheless, ANA is making sure its airline staff at boarding gates is encouraging passengers waiting to fly to relieve themselves before boarding.

My question is this: Where will ANA draw the line when it comes to its ridiculous demands of its passengers? If they are so concerned with reducing carbon emissions, why not ask their passengers to schedule hair cuts, cut their nails, blow their noses, wear skimpy clothing, and go without eating in the hours before boarding a plane? Sadly, it may come to that! LOL And yet all the while, ANA certainly doesn’t practice what it preaches – as I’m sure it loves to load its planes with high-dollar cargo from shipping companies, it oversells its seats – hoping that none will sit empty during flight, and ANA executives (like most CEOs) probably fly around the world in private jets – all increasing carbon emissions!

ANA sure has some nerve! – pushing their passengers to do the tiniest and most ridiculous things (for nothing) in the name of saving the planet! It reminds me of the Bible’s Pharisees, who often concocted ridiculous rules and regulations for others to follow, when in fact the Pharisees did not heed their own words!

Jesus said of these Pharisees, “Do not do what they do, because they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for men to see” (Matthew 23:3B-5A). Just as ANA wishes to look good before the international community with its “carbon reducing” regulations, the Pharisees likewise loved to look good before others with the formation of their strict rules and regulations that were supposedly created in the name of living holy.

The question to consider: Where are “you” in regards to whether or not your practice what you preach? Do you burden those around you with your self-made rules and ideas, and then you live a different (often hidden) lifestyle of your own on the side – where you allow yourself to throw your own rules out the window?

The challenge for us is to be like Paul, who did not demand of others what he himself was not already doing. Paul said, “I urge you to imitate me. …I am sending you Timothy …He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:16-17). In other words, Paul told others, “Live like me! You see what I’m doing, so do likewise! Watch me live-out exactly what I preach – a life devoted to Christ, and then follow me!”

Can you, with good conscious, encourage others to live like you? Are you preaching and living the same thing? Are you living a life devoted to Christ? Are you living a life worth following? If you or I answer “no,” then there’s no better time to make a change than right now.

10/6/09

2009-10-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

The following article is actually a repost. As some of you might remember, it was originally posted more than a year ago on a blog site I have long discontinued. I will occasionally post my blogs of old in order to make them available on this new and permanent blog site. Furthermore, these blogs of old will be new for most readers, as my former blog site was only promoted towards a handful of people. The number of people now receiving these emails (and who are now encouraged to visit the new blog site) has reached more than 200. [The article below has been edited].

Nine Year Old Saves Classmates After School Collapses During Earthquake
A little more than a year ago, at the opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics, a little nine year old boy named Lin Ho accompanied basketball hero Yao Ming, as they led the Chinese athletes into the Bird's Nest arena. Lin Ho was chosen for this honor because of his remarkable and heroic performance during an earthquake that had taken place earlier this year. It is my understanding, after reading multiple sources about the situation, that Lin Ho's grade school collapsed during the earthquake, which resulted in many deaths, while many students (still alive) were seriously injured and stuck or buried under rubble as they tried to hold on to dear life.

Lin Ho was one of those students who had been injured (with a gash in his head) and also stuck, and yet he managed to free himself and find his way out of the collapsed school. But the heroic thing about his story is what he did after making his way to safety; he immediately decided to trek back into the school of rubble and debris in hopes of finding and saving other survivors. Reports say that in fact Lin Ho freed several classmates and led them to safety.

The most remarkable part of this story is the way Lin Ho answered reporters, who asked him "why" he would go back into danger after freeing himself. Lin Ho's answer: "I had been voted class leader, and it was my responsibility to look out for the others." Little Lin Ho understood that a certain title and position had been appointed unto him, and he knew it carried much responsibility along with it. As the appointed class leader" (or "hall monitor"), Lin Ho wanted to live worthy of the calling he had received. He knew he could have made his way to safety and wiped his hands and said, "I'm glad I got out of that mess!" without even looking back, but he also knew that his calling (and the responsibilities that came with it) wouldn't let him live with himself if he did. And so he did something unfortunately rare in today's world; he put his own inhibitions and concerns aside, and he lived up to the calling he had received. Lin Ho stunned the world as perhaps the best "class leader" anyone could have asked for, which is why a pre-Olympic national poll in China placed him within the top 50 heroes of modern China.

In a world where people are quick to enjoy the privileges of titles and positions but equally quick to forfeit responsibilities when their callings and appointments get tough, perhaps some of us could learn a lesson or two from Lin Ho. In fact, we would do well as Christians to let this remarkable story of Lin Ho remind us of our own calling as Christians and to reinforce our determination to live up to that calling. Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." And later, Ephesians 4 demands that we "live a life worthy of the calling we have received." Yes, God has created us and called us to do good works which he has long prepared for us to do, but how many of us are actually living a life worthy of the calling? Too often, like the rest of the world, we focus on ourselves and what we want to do, rather than fulfilling the duties that go with the positions and titles that have been bestowed upon us as children of God.

We are called to be ambassadors, watchmen, intercessors, ...and the list goes on and on (as my students are well aware, as we've done a lot of talking about our responsibilities as Christians lately). Will we fulfill our duties and perform the good works for which God has created us and to which he has called us, or will we shirk our duties when the going gets tough and extreme commitment is required? Any "Lin Hos" for Christ out there?

10/5/09

2009-10-05T02:42:00.000-07:00

Briton Surfs Over Tsunami Wave to Safety
Surfer Tom Gogola claims he survived the recent tsunami that hit the island of Samoa by paddling towards the wave. The 22-year-old was on a three-week vacation on the island with his family when the tsunami hit, and Gogola was surfing when he saw the wave racing towards the shore. Gogola did the only thing that he thought he could do, and he paddled as hard as possible straight for the wave, aiming the tip of his surfboard up so the wave would not push the nose of his surfboard under the towering wall of water. Gogola says he rode right up and over the top of the wave, and he later had to be picked up by a boat after the tsunami had passed. Unfortunately, many other surfers were washed into the jungle areas of the island because they had tried to paddle away from the wave (towards the shore) when they saw the wave coming.

Gogola’s brazen attempt to face a rough situation head-on reminds me of yet another young man who likewise faced rough situations with courage and head-on determination. The Bible’s David once stood across a field from a giant warrior who wanted to rip him to shreds before the eyes of thousands of onlookers, and yet David “ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him” (1 Samuel 17:48). David did not cower and run; he fully trusted that God (not himself) would turn this rough situation into a victory! – And that’s exactly what happened!

This wasn’t the first time David had met rough situations head-on. As David explained to King Saul before facing the giant on the battlefield, David had previously ran head-on after lions and bears that had come into the flock he was watching and carried off a sheep. David says he grabbed the wild animals with his bare hands, he rescued the sheep, and he struck and killed the animals. Goodness, this is downright AMAZING! – What unbelievable courage and gall this young man had! But his courage wasn’t rooted in his own abilities; instead it came from the hand of God that David knew was resting on him!

What rough situations might you be facing now or in the near future? Whatever rough situations are ahead, here’s some advice: Take courage and face the situation head-on, knowing that God’s hand will see you through it! Don’t try to swim away from the problem and run from the battle line, but swim towards it and “run quickly” to meet the situation face-to-face, as your trust remains completely in God. God will be the ultimate victor in the situation, because “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47); you just get to reap all the sweet benefits!

Further Contemplation (Regarding the Above Article)
1. Perhaps there is a much needed conversation you need to have with someone, but you’ve been afraid of what might happen if you approach the subject with the person. Stop cowering. Swim towards the wave! God will see you through it!
2. Maybe there are a group of people who are wrongly attacking you, and you know that a time is soon approaching when you will be put on the spot to share what is on your heart. Don’t run away from this opportunity! Run towards it and embrace it! God will see you through it! He will give you the words to say. The battle is his!
3. Perhaps you’ve observed a wrong of some kind, and you want to speak up and “blow the whistle” (in hopes that the situation will change), but maybe you’ve been reluctant because of various reasons. Stop cowering and do what it necessary; swim vigorously towards the wave with your surf board straight up and watch God get you through it!
4. Perhaps someone is pressuring you to do things you know are outside of God’s desire for you, but you’ve been too afraid to stand up for yourself and do what’s right. Don’t delay another second! – Take appropriate actions now, and trust that God will get you through any pain and discomfort that may come from doing what’s right! Just as a boat picked up the surfer after he had made it over the tsunami waves, God has a boat of peace and comfort waiting for you after you’ve done what’s right!
5. Please do not think that situations will eventually “fix themselves” if you ignore them. Rough situations only grow worse when you act like an ostrich with your head in the sand. Gogola would have ended up washed into the jungles of the island had he pretended that the tsunami would fix itself. David and all of the Israelites would have ended up slaves to the Philistines had they constantly sat idle and hoped that Goliath and his army would vanish on their own. There comes a time to run to the battle line, and that time is now.

10/1/09

2009-10-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

OBAMAS PITCH CHICAGO FOR 2016 OLYMPICS … BUT WHO HAS “YOUR” BACK?
Where will the 2016 Olympics be held? If President Obama, Michelle Obama, and Oprah Winfrey have their way, the 2016 Olympics will be held in their home town of Chicago. In fact, these influential power hitters have all made their way out to Copenhagen (Denmark) within the last couple of days, with Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey having flown-in together yesterday, and President Obama flying in today to join them. These three (among others) are really packing a heavy punch, regarding their message towards the International Olympic Committee, in order to have Chicago chosen over the other three candidate cities. Some have suggested that with a group of people of this powerful and prestigious caliber advocating on behalf of Chicago, it’s almost impossible for the IOC to award the 2016 Olympics to any city but Chicago! Whether this is true or not will be determined tomorrow evening (Friday, October 2nd), when the IOC makes a final decision.

Good luck, Chicago! – you’ve got a pretty powerful team going to bat for you, but even they may be turned down; they’re not omnipotent. But one certainly is omnipotent; Jesus Christ. And while Jesus doesn’t go around promoting cities for the Olympics, he instead uses his clout and prestige (stemming from his position as God’s son) to advocate for the spiritual well being of those who have placed their trust in him! That’s right! – Those of you who have partnered with Christ have got someone a billion times more powerful than all of the presidents, kings, and leaders of the world combined who promotes “you” before God Almighty!

Romans 8:34 tells us, “Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” 1 John 2:1 tells us, “We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” And finally, Hebrews 7:25(B) tells us, “[Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Chicago has President Obama and Oprah Winfrey. OJ Simpson had Johnny Cochran. But you and I have JESUS himself going to bat for us, and he never strikes out! When our failures before God are of a royal degree, Jesus is there – standing before God on our behalf! When we need strength, guidance, and comfort to carry on, Jesus is there – standing before God on our behalf! When our prayers for ourselves have come to a halt because we just don’t have the words, Jesus is there – standing before God on our behalf! And you better believe that Jesus ALWAYS has the ear and the eye of his Father! He is forever promoting us, often in ways we could never imagine or understand, and he never strikes out! He never LOSES his case, which means ...neither do we!