There's a concept found in Isaiah 35, a promise for the saints of God in the future, but which I believe can also describe the spiritual journey upon which we are travelling, indicative of the type of life that the Lord would desire for us to lead:
8A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray.9No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there,10And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
This is the type of life that is promised for eternity for the children of God, but I do think that God wants us to walk in a "Highway of Holiness" each day. If we are walking in holiness, abiding in Christ, we can experience the power of God to resist the temptations that would get us off track. And, we have a component of worship in our lives, full of thanksgiving in our hearts and experiencing joy and gladness. The Lord has ordained a journey for us, and He wants us to travel with Him on a spiritual road on which we are abiding in His life.
God is calling us to walk with Him on the pathway to righteousness, the way to life. Our lives are journey, and we are travelers through this earth - it is important that we are seeking to follow His ways. Proverbs 12:28 provides encouragement:
28In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.
On this Monday following the annual ritual known as Spring Break for many families in our listening area, I think the timing is good to reflect on our attitudes toward - travel! Are you still recovering from your recent travel, if you indeed took a trip? Do you enjoy travel? Would you consider yourself to be happy while you travel?
Well, there's a survey that was released a couple of weeks ago that traces the connection between travel and happiness. It's called the Road to Happiness Study, and identifies 4 primary ingredients needed to enjoy a happy travel experience. In fact, 97% of travelers report being very or exceptionally happy when their vacation had these components.
Travel company Monograms and author Shawn Achor unveiled the results, according to a press release on PRNewswire.com.
Based on survey results, to create the best travel experience, one must:
Minimize stress. When asked about their best trips, only 4 percent (4%) of people reported feeling stressed. Conversely, on their worst trips, stress played a big role for more than 60 percent of people. Specifically, the biggest vacation stressors were: wasting time figuring things out (28%), being unfamiliar with the destination (25%), and managing transportation (21%).
Plan ahead. If you want a happy vacation, check spontaneity at the door. According to Achor, "Our new research revealed that the best – and happiest – vacations for 90% of people were those planned more than one month in advance. Planning ahead reduces stress and increases the opportunity to anticipate the getaway. And anticipation offers a great happiness advantage."
Make a local connection. On their best trips, 78% of travelers knew a knowledgeable friend in the destination or met with a local guide. Achor says that, "When you meet-up with a local guide or someone you know, you are better able to connect with the destination. And creating a connection with people and places, cultures and histories, allows us to open our minds and increase our chances of experiencing happiness."
Go far & away. Monograms' Road to Happiness Study with Shawn Achor also revealed that 85% of travelers' best trips over the past five years were in locations outside their home country.
The Road to Happiness results indicate that when travelers vacation the right way, adopting these ingredients, 93% of them enjoyed more energy after returning from their trip.
I hope that you are getting re-acclamated to being back from your spring break vacation, if indeed you did some travel recently. In attempting to make a spiritual connection here, I wanted to see if these travel tips could provide some direction on our spiritual journey.
As for minimizing stress, that's a huge factor in the Christian life. God offers us His peace that passes all understanding and invites us to enter into His rest. If we are abiding in Christ, we can resist fear and anxiety and truly learn to enjoy His presence. Stress can distract us from the relationship that God desires to have with us.
Next, there's the component of planning ahead - you could call that intentionality. If we are not planning our time wisely, allowing the Lord to guide our steps, then we may miss out on the opportunities He provides for us each day to experience Him more fully and to glorify Him. It's been said that if we fail to plan, we plan to fail. His Holy Spirit is available to manage our lives, as we relinquish our will to Him.
How about making a local connection? The Christian life can grow in community. That's why the church is so important - not only do we attend church to worship God and to hear His Word proclaimed, but we have the ability to connect with fellow believers and to grow in relationship with others.
Finally, the travel expert says that the most pleasurable vacations are outside one's home country. I think this can speak to us about travelling outside our comfort zones. Sometimes we can become complacent or locked into our lives and may miss what God is calling us to experience. We never want to be so settled in that we settle for a life that is beneath what God wants for us.
So, enjoy the spiritual journey - the Lord is faithful to travel with us in this life, and desires to produce His joy and fruitfulness as we abide in His love.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
No Other Gods
In 2nd Timothy 2, the apostle Paul provides clarity regarding the message of the Gospel and the foundation for our lives:
11This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.12If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.13If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.14Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Verse 11 is so critical: if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have died with Him - we have accepted His substitution for us on the cross so that we might have eternal life. And, in this life, we are called to affirm Him and embrace His truth. We have to be diligent, as verse 15 says, and to "rightly divide" the Word of truth. This implies making our relationship with God and our time with Jesus a high priority. As we grow in our knowledge of the Word, we increase in our capacity to walk in obedience to Him.
In Exodus 20, Moses lays out the 10 Commandments, which reflect the heart of God for His people. And, the first two provide foundational principles not only for the other commandments, but for the way we are to live our lives today, seeking to revere God and place our relationship with Him as our first priority:
3You shall have no other gods before Me.4"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;5you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,6but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
The country of North Korea is known to many in the Christian community as a leading persecutor of Christians. They also have a reputation for ratting the sabers, with nuclear threats and a large military that is sold out to their supreme leader. Unfortunately, there are reports of the population at large experiencing starvation.
There's a thought-provoking piece on the WORLD News Group website by Sophia Lee, a recent guest on my radio show that gives some insight into the mindset of this rather isolated country. She cites a piece from the official state-controlled website that uses biblical terms and references to describe the country as a
utopian paradise.
Titled “Chosun is a human paradise in which Jesus would have nothing to do even if he came,” the Korean-language piece called North Korea (or “Chosun”) a “Holy Kingdom.” The article painted a rosy picture of a land with free healthcare, free education, and no taxes— thanks to its leader’s perfect philosophy and love. Kim Jong Un, the article claims, embraces his loving people in his “ever-shining arms of eternal life and happiness.”
The article claimed its title is a direct quote from a famous American religious figure who visited North Korea, but it did not name him. It also included a quote from Kim. “Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are great leaders who, throughout our thousands of years in history, are the first figures to be welcomed and enshrined by our people,” the country’s dictator supposedly said. “They are the eternal image of our Baekdu Mountain nation, and the banner of all victory and glory.”
She contends that the article is likely an indirect response to a report from a United Nations commission report of human rights abuses and chronic starvation in the country. The article attempts to paint a different picture.
Sophia concludes the piece by saying that:
But, lest we point the finger at people replacing God with other gods, we have to look at ourselves. The Bible tells us that we are to have no other gods before Him, but if we examine our lives, we might find gods that we have erected, false idols who occupy a place in our hearts or our consciousness that replace the preeminence of Christ. We have to be very watchful about what we spend our time on, and if our pursuit of other activities supersedes the pursuit of God, then we are walking in a state that is not pleasing to our Heavenly Father. So, we have to guard against those things that we prioritize above the worship of our Lord.
We recognize that there are all sorts of streams of thought that undercut the acknowledgement and worship of the one true God. Even though Jesus said He was the way, the truth, and the life, there is an increasing tolerance of other religions that also promise a way to heaven or to a right relationship with a divine being. It is important that we are growing in the knowledge of the Word of truth, so that we can operate according to it and so that we can stand against the variety of philosophies that set themselves up against the knowledge of Christ. In this world with a multiplicity of belief systems, we have to stay grounded in the His truth.
11This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.12If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.13If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.14Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Verse 11 is so critical: if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have died with Him - we have accepted His substitution for us on the cross so that we might have eternal life. And, in this life, we are called to affirm Him and embrace His truth. We have to be diligent, as verse 15 says, and to "rightly divide" the Word of truth. This implies making our relationship with God and our time with Jesus a high priority. As we grow in our knowledge of the Word, we increase in our capacity to walk in obedience to Him.
In Exodus 20, Moses lays out the 10 Commandments, which reflect the heart of God for His people. And, the first two provide foundational principles not only for the other commandments, but for the way we are to live our lives today, seeking to revere God and place our relationship with Him as our first priority:
3You shall have no other gods before Me.4"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;5you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,6but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
The country of North Korea is known to many in the Christian community as a leading persecutor of Christians. They also have a reputation for ratting the sabers, with nuclear threats and a large military that is sold out to their supreme leader. Unfortunately, there are reports of the population at large experiencing starvation.
There's a thought-provoking piece on the WORLD News Group website by Sophia Lee, a recent guest on my radio show that gives some insight into the mindset of this rather isolated country. She cites a piece from the official state-controlled website that uses biblical terms and references to describe the country as a
utopian paradise.
Titled “Chosun is a human paradise in which Jesus would have nothing to do even if he came,” the Korean-language piece called North Korea (or “Chosun”) a “Holy Kingdom.” The article painted a rosy picture of a land with free healthcare, free education, and no taxes— thanks to its leader’s perfect philosophy and love. Kim Jong Un, the article claims, embraces his loving people in his “ever-shining arms of eternal life and happiness.”
The article claimed its title is a direct quote from a famous American religious figure who visited North Korea, but it did not name him. It also included a quote from Kim. “Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are great leaders who, throughout our thousands of years in history, are the first figures to be welcomed and enshrined by our people,” the country’s dictator supposedly said. “They are the eternal image of our Baekdu Mountain nation, and the banner of all victory and glory.”
She contends that the article is likely an indirect response to a report from a United Nations commission report of human rights abuses and chronic starvation in the country. The article attempts to paint a different picture.
Sophia concludes the piece by saying that:
North Korea claims it guarantees freedom of religion, though numerous testimonies from defectors say otherwise. People who have fled the brutal dictatorship testify to religious persecution, especially targeting Christianity. John Short’s recent arrest is one example. Short was detained, interrogated, and kept under 24-hour guard for 13 days after being caught distributing Christian materials at a Buddhist temple and on trains in Pyongyang.
The message from the North Korean regime is clear: Christianity is a threat to their ideology, which is the country’s gospel. The Kim leaders are the North Koreans’ trinity god. And the country lives according to the Kims’ will and hallowed name.It is an amazing quote, isn't it? The one about Jesus having nothing to do if he came. It's great to have nationalistic pride, but there is documented evidence of that nationalism taking precedent over respect for religious beliefs and the basic human condition. It is apparent that this regime has become a religion unto itself, and as Sophia points out, the populace is called, or forced, to buy into it. You could say that the nation has replaced the knowledge of the one true God with a worship of humanity or the nation as a whole.
But, lest we point the finger at people replacing God with other gods, we have to look at ourselves. The Bible tells us that we are to have no other gods before Him, but if we examine our lives, we might find gods that we have erected, false idols who occupy a place in our hearts or our consciousness that replace the preeminence of Christ. We have to be very watchful about what we spend our time on, and if our pursuit of other activities supersedes the pursuit of God, then we are walking in a state that is not pleasing to our Heavenly Father. So, we have to guard against those things that we prioritize above the worship of our Lord.
We recognize that there are all sorts of streams of thought that undercut the acknowledgement and worship of the one true God. Even though Jesus said He was the way, the truth, and the life, there is an increasing tolerance of other religions that also promise a way to heaven or to a right relationship with a divine being. It is important that we are growing in the knowledge of the Word of truth, so that we can operate according to it and so that we can stand against the variety of philosophies that set themselves up against the knowledge of Christ. In this world with a multiplicity of belief systems, we have to stay grounded in the His truth.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
The "Burger King Baby" and Restoring What Has Been Lost
In Luke chapter 15, we are reminded of our God, who is the restorer of lost things. Jesus tells the series of parables about the man who sought the lost sheep, the woman who attempted to find the lost coin, and the story of the prodigal son. Here is these first of those 3 stories:
4"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Jesus has come to seek and save those who are lost. He reaches out in His abundant love and calls people to come home to Himself, to enjoy the relationship with God that they were created to have. And, not only does Jesus bring us into salvation, but when there is brokenness in our lives, or when there is a breach in a relationship, we can depend on Him to be our healer and restorer. When we have lost some element of our walk with Him, He is the One who can bring is into a fresh knowledge of Himself. We can be secure in the fact that in Christ, lost things are found.
Our God is a God of peace, and desires to bring reconciliation. We have to guard against the barriers to it. Here is what Hebrews 12 says:
4"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Jesus has come to seek and save those who are lost. He reaches out in His abundant love and calls people to come home to Himself, to enjoy the relationship with God that they were created to have. And, not only does Jesus bring us into salvation, but when there is brokenness in our lives, or when there is a breach in a relationship, we can depend on Him to be our healer and restorer. When we have lost some element of our walk with Him, He is the One who can bring is into a fresh knowledge of Himself. We can be secure in the fact that in Christ, lost things are found.
Our God is a God of peace, and desires to bring reconciliation. We have to guard against the barriers to it. Here is what Hebrews 12 says:
14Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
27 years ago, a 17-year-old girl who had been raped in another country and had become pregnant gave birth to her child, then travelled to a Burger King restaurant in Allentown, Pennsylvania and left her hours-old baby in the restroom.
27 years ago, a 17-year-old girl who had been raped in another country and had become pregnant gave birth to her child, then travelled to a Burger King restaurant in Allentown, Pennsylvania and left her hours-old baby in the restroom.
27 years later, CNN reports that the now-grown, so-called "Burger King Baby" reached out to her birth mother in a simple Facebook post a few weeks ago. Katheryn Deprill wrote on Facebook, "I want her to know that I am not mad at her for what she did, however I have so many questions to ask her and also to start a relationship with my biological mother."
She added, "Please help me find her by sharing my post...Maybe she will see this."
She did. And on Monday, the two women met.
"They immediately hugged," said Jim Waldron, an attorney who arranged the meeting at the request of Deprill's birth mother told CNN affiliate WFMZ. "It was exciting, emotional, dramatic."
Waldron, after relating the back story of the baby's birth, said that the mother "...left the baby in a location where the baby would be found and cared for...She kissed the baby on the forehead ... and left."
Deprill told the affiliate her mother "was extremely upset that she had to leave me and it wasn't what she wanted, but she felt she had no other means."
"She left me somewhere she knew I'd be found. She did not want to throw me away."
She added, "Please help me find her by sharing my post...Maybe she will see this."
She did. And on Monday, the two women met.
"They immediately hugged," said Jim Waldron, an attorney who arranged the meeting at the request of Deprill's birth mother told CNN affiliate WFMZ. "It was exciting, emotional, dramatic."
Deprill told the affiliate her mother "was extremely upset that she had to leave me and it wasn't what she wanted, but she felt she had no other means."
"She left me somewhere she knew I'd be found. She did not want to throw me away."
This is a heartwarming story that has attracted some significant media attention. I think the idea of a baby who was abandoned finding and reuniting with their birth mother reinforces a desire we all have to find what has been lost. Regarding material things, as well as in relationships, we want to recapture those things that are meaningful that we have lost. And, perhaps there is a person with whom you once had a relationship who you no longer interact with, or an experience that you have enjoyed in the past that is no longer part of your life. Or, maybe you've lost an aspect of your life with Christ - maybe even you are like the church in Revelation 2 that had lost it first love. We can turn to Christ , who comes to heal and restore - ask Him to help you find what you seek, according to His will.
Sometimes lost relationships can be repaired as we are willing to extend forgiveness. Katheryn has a very forgiving attitude toward her birth mother who, in a sense of being afraid and confused, abandoned her in a restaurant restroom. But, she stated she was not mad at her and wanted to begin a relationship. Some people would allow bitterness to keep them from ever taking that step. And, in think in the Christian sense, people can be so bitter that they miss God's will for their lives and never experience His best for them. It appears Katheryn is willing to forgive, which was a component of the reunion, which was also attended by her adoptive mother and her birth mother's husband.
And, of course, you cannot ignore the pro-life elements here. The young girl did not choose to abort her child - instead, as Katheryn sees it, she placed her where she, as a baby, would be found. That is a very gracious attitude! We can be encouraged that there are children that are available to be adopted by parents who wish to raise children in a home full of Christian love and affirmation. Just as Christ has adopted us into his family, there are many who see the call of adoption as an act of compassion and obedience to Him.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Faith, Work, and the High Court
The Bible gives us a filter through which we can evaluate our activities. Here is a passage from 1st Corinthians 10:
31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.32Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,33just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
The Bible encourages us to seek to bring glory to God - to honor His name, to testify to the people around us that Christ is in our hearts and that His Spirit lives in and through us. So, we examine our outward behaviors and the inward motives by those standards. We are called to serve the Lord as we serve other people, and in our service, we demonstrate the love of Christ, which can compel people to consider Him and receive His love, which can draw people into a saving knowledge of Himself. We can be challenged to consider whether we are helping to win people or to repel them by our activities.
Colossians 3:17 is a relatively familiar Scripture, and it can encourage us as we think about our roles in this life and the places to which God has called us in this world. Here are verses 16 and 17:
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.17And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning two companies - Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties, who were in court to challenge the government mandate that their companies provide objectionable contraceptive, abortion-inducting drugs to their employees in their health care plans. The Christian Post reports that out of the over 80 friend-of-the-court briefs filed in the case involving Hobby Lobby's challenge to the mandate, several referred to the work of noted New York City pastor Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Keller authored a book called, Every Good Endeavor, with Katherine Leary Alsdorf, the founder of the Center for Faith & Work, in 2012.
The book was cited in briefs by the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities and a joint briefing from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Coalition of African American Pastors, the Manhattan Declaration, InStep International and 38 protestant theologians, including Rick Warren, Eric Metaxes and Ravi Zacharias.
The CCCU argued that the government's assumption that "seeking profit is secular and inconsistent with religious exercise is contrary to the teachings of many faiths." Using the book, it contended that, "corporations can pursue profit while simultaneously exercising religion," citing the author's argument that "corporate profits...stewarded wisely, are a healthy means to a good end: They are vital to creating new products to serve customers, giving an adequate return to investors for the use of their money, and paying employees well for their work."
In the joint brief, the organizations made the case that, for Christians, there was no separation between religion and work: "The Christian doctrine of vocation teaches that all work is spiritual activity."
Some really good material here for us to apply to our lives. First of all, I affirm what the writers have said and am delighted that these authors' work was used to defend the rights of these two companies to integrate their religious convictions into their policies.
A driving principle of my radio show has been to stress that the sacred and the secular are not to be separated - that would, of course, include the approach to our work. We recognize that we are spiritual beings - fortunately, our spirits are united with Christ. Therefore, the Holy Spirit not only empowers us in our work, but also can help us to recognize the deeper meaning behind our work. I believe the work that we do can be a healthy means to a good end, as the authors said, and our view of money and profit should be shaped by the Scriptures. We are not called to be greedy, and we have to watch that, but we are called to be generous in the resources God has allowed us to have. The money we make can be a tool to be used by God, as we regard our financial resources as ultimately belonging to God, we allow Him to govern our financial choices.
Also, if we are attempting to follow the Scriptures and do all things to the glory of God, then we must evaluate how we are applying that principle to every single activity in which we participate. In our work, in our church, our other activities, we identify the positions to which we are called as opportunities to honor God. So we work heartily, we serve mercifully, and we give generously, so that Christ might be seen in us.
31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.32Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,33just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
The Bible encourages us to seek to bring glory to God - to honor His name, to testify to the people around us that Christ is in our hearts and that His Spirit lives in and through us. So, we examine our outward behaviors and the inward motives by those standards. We are called to serve the Lord as we serve other people, and in our service, we demonstrate the love of Christ, which can compel people to consider Him and receive His love, which can draw people into a saving knowledge of Himself. We can be challenged to consider whether we are helping to win people or to repel them by our activities.
Colossians 3:17 is a relatively familiar Scripture, and it can encourage us as we think about our roles in this life and the places to which God has called us in this world. Here are verses 16 and 17:
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.17And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning two companies - Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties, who were in court to challenge the government mandate that their companies provide objectionable contraceptive, abortion-inducting drugs to their employees in their health care plans. The Christian Post reports that out of the over 80 friend-of-the-court briefs filed in the case involving Hobby Lobby's challenge to the mandate, several referred to the work of noted New York City pastor Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Keller authored a book called, Every Good Endeavor, with Katherine Leary Alsdorf, the founder of the Center for Faith & Work, in 2012.
The book was cited in briefs by the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities and a joint briefing from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Coalition of African American Pastors, the Manhattan Declaration, InStep International and 38 protestant theologians, including Rick Warren, Eric Metaxes and Ravi Zacharias.
The CCCU argued that the government's assumption that "seeking profit is secular and inconsistent with religious exercise is contrary to the teachings of many faiths." Using the book, it contended that, "corporations can pursue profit while simultaneously exercising religion," citing the author's argument that "corporate profits...stewarded wisely, are a healthy means to a good end: They are vital to creating new products to serve customers, giving an adequate return to investors for the use of their money, and paying employees well for their work."
In the joint brief, the organizations made the case that, for Christians, there was no separation between religion and work: "The Christian doctrine of vocation teaches that all work is spiritual activity."
Some really good material here for us to apply to our lives. First of all, I affirm what the writers have said and am delighted that these authors' work was used to defend the rights of these two companies to integrate their religious convictions into their policies.
A driving principle of my radio show has been to stress that the sacred and the secular are not to be separated - that would, of course, include the approach to our work. We recognize that we are spiritual beings - fortunately, our spirits are united with Christ. Therefore, the Holy Spirit not only empowers us in our work, but also can help us to recognize the deeper meaning behind our work. I believe the work that we do can be a healthy means to a good end, as the authors said, and our view of money and profit should be shaped by the Scriptures. We are not called to be greedy, and we have to watch that, but we are called to be generous in the resources God has allowed us to have. The money we make can be a tool to be used by God, as we regard our financial resources as ultimately belonging to God, we allow Him to govern our financial choices.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Not Ashamed
Psalm 1 can really give us a watchword for our lives and challenge us to live godly, even in a world of temptation that provides ample opportunity for compromise. Here are the first 3 verses:
1Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.3He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
We have to be so very careful that we are not buying in to what the world would feed us. In the name of tolerance, we have to make sure that we are not compromising our principles, that we are standing strong and holding fast to our convictions. The attitude of being "not ashamed" of the gospel, according to Romans 1, is so important as we seek to integrate the faith we have in Christ into the decisions we make, the activities in which we engage, and the general manner in which we operate. Sometimes that may involve a stand that could be unpopular, but we can stand knowing that we have aligned ourselves with God's truth.
In Romans 1, we see a clear charge to live out our faith and to be willing to share it - I believe that means with our words and our actions.
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Yesterday afternoon, I picked up on a tweet that Kevin Sorbo and Phil Cooke, two guys whom I greatly respect who have been on my radio show several times in the past, were going to be on the entertainment news program, Inside Edition. They were discussing faith and Hollywood - of course, Kevin stars in the #4 movie at the box office last weekend, "God's Not Dead" and Phil was part of a group of Christian leaders that recently urged support of the "Noah" movie. In fact, one of the correspondents for the show, Megan Alexander, had tweeted that out. When I went to her Twitter page, I found the following statement in the heading: "TV Host, Inside Edition & SBT, Actress, Speaker, Mama, Keeping the Faith in NYC / Nashville. Phil 4:13 ;)" (SBT=Showbiz Tonight).
I mentioned that to my colleague, Jeremy, who referred to a situation about that verse and the Governor of Wisconsin. Seems Gov. Scott Walker had made a simple tweet over the weekend that just said, "Philippians 4:13". It also appeared on his Facebook page. Todd Starnes at FoxNews.com reports
that the Freedom From Religion Foundation has demanded Walker remove posts from his official Facebook and Twitter feeds that read, “Philippians 4:13.”
By the way, the verse reads, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
So the FFRF wrote a letter to Mr. Walker, as they are wont to do. Co-presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Baker wrote, “This braggadocio verse coming from a public official is rather disturbing...To say, ‘I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,’ seems more like a threat, or the utterance of a theocratic dictator, than a duly elected civil servant.”
They accused the governor of misusing his authority to “promote not just religion over non-religion, but one religion over another in a manner that makes many Wisconsin citizens uncomfortable.”
Best way to deal with the FFRF - two letters: NO. Press secretary Laurel Patrick said that, “Governor Walker will not remove the post on his social media...The verse was part of a devotional he read that morning, which inspired him, and he chose to share it.”
She continued: “While he frequently uses his social media to engage with Wisconsinites on matters of public policy, he also uses it to give them a sense of who he is...This does just that – it was a reflection of his thoughts for the day.”
I have a thought for today: Romans 1:16. That's a great verse for oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court today. Two family-owned businesses have taken a stand on their convictions because they do not believe they should have to follow dictates from the government that they believe are immoral. Not only are the Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby, and the Hahn family of Conestoga Wood Specialties, going before the high court, but dozens of other for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations have stood against a mandate that they pay for, in their employee health care plans, contraceptive drugs that could cause an abortion. In the case of Hobby Lobby, who could face fines of over a million dollars a day if they do not comply, this could result in the craft store chain shutting its doors.
Across America, people are being called to prayer for this case. This Saturday, FRC Action, Governor Mike Huckabee and others are celebrating Hobby Lobby Day. Those who support this cause are being encouraged to change their profile picture, to shop Hobby Lobby and even share a picture. The hashtag is #HobbyLobbyDay.
Not ashamed: that's what we are seeing. Filmmakers who take a stand for Biblical truth. High-profile individuals who post Scripture online and live the life. Business people who desire to operate in accordance with the Scriptures. So, the question is for all of us: how are we showing that we are "not ashamed?" Do the principles of the Bible govern our conduct? Do we integrate Scriptural principles into our approach to our relationships, to our work, and our other activities? Hobby Lobby is risking perhaps its very existence by not complying with a government mandate that violates the conscience rights of its owners. Kevin Sorbo told me Friday on the radio show that he has lost work because of his strong stands consistent with Biblical truth.
So, how about it: if "God's Not Dead" and Jesus is alive in us, then we can show it by allowing His truth to penetrate every area of our lives and make sure our actions are consistent with His principles.
1Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.3He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
We have to be so very careful that we are not buying in to what the world would feed us. In the name of tolerance, we have to make sure that we are not compromising our principles, that we are standing strong and holding fast to our convictions. The attitude of being "not ashamed" of the gospel, according to Romans 1, is so important as we seek to integrate the faith we have in Christ into the decisions we make, the activities in which we engage, and the general manner in which we operate. Sometimes that may involve a stand that could be unpopular, but we can stand knowing that we have aligned ourselves with God's truth.
In Romans 1, we see a clear charge to live out our faith and to be willing to share it - I believe that means with our words and our actions.
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Yesterday afternoon, I picked up on a tweet that Kevin Sorbo and Phil Cooke, two guys whom I greatly respect who have been on my radio show several times in the past, were going to be on the entertainment news program, Inside Edition. They were discussing faith and Hollywood - of course, Kevin stars in the #4 movie at the box office last weekend, "God's Not Dead" and Phil was part of a group of Christian leaders that recently urged support of the "Noah" movie. In fact, one of the correspondents for the show, Megan Alexander, had tweeted that out. When I went to her Twitter page, I found the following statement in the heading: "TV Host, Inside Edition & SBT, Actress, Speaker, Mama, Keeping the Faith in NYC / Nashville. Phil 4:13 ;)" (SBT=Showbiz Tonight).
I mentioned that to my colleague, Jeremy, who referred to a situation about that verse and the Governor of Wisconsin. Seems Gov. Scott Walker had made a simple tweet over the weekend that just said, "Philippians 4:13". It also appeared on his Facebook page. Todd Starnes at FoxNews.com reports
that the Freedom From Religion Foundation has demanded Walker remove posts from his official Facebook and Twitter feeds that read, “Philippians 4:13.”
By the way, the verse reads, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
So the FFRF wrote a letter to Mr. Walker, as they are wont to do. Co-presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Baker wrote, “This braggadocio verse coming from a public official is rather disturbing...To say, ‘I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,’ seems more like a threat, or the utterance of a theocratic dictator, than a duly elected civil servant.”
They accused the governor of misusing his authority to “promote not just religion over non-religion, but one religion over another in a manner that makes many Wisconsin citizens uncomfortable.”
Best way to deal with the FFRF - two letters: NO. Press secretary Laurel Patrick said that, “Governor Walker will not remove the post on his social media...The verse was part of a devotional he read that morning, which inspired him, and he chose to share it.”
She continued: “While he frequently uses his social media to engage with Wisconsinites on matters of public policy, he also uses it to give them a sense of who he is...This does just that – it was a reflection of his thoughts for the day.”
I have a thought for today: Romans 1:16. That's a great verse for oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court today. Two family-owned businesses have taken a stand on their convictions because they do not believe they should have to follow dictates from the government that they believe are immoral. Not only are the Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby, and the Hahn family of Conestoga Wood Specialties, going before the high court, but dozens of other for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations have stood against a mandate that they pay for, in their employee health care plans, contraceptive drugs that could cause an abortion. In the case of Hobby Lobby, who could face fines of over a million dollars a day if they do not comply, this could result in the craft store chain shutting its doors.
Across America, people are being called to prayer for this case. This Saturday, FRC Action, Governor Mike Huckabee and others are celebrating Hobby Lobby Day. Those who support this cause are being encouraged to change their profile picture, to shop Hobby Lobby and even share a picture. The hashtag is #HobbyLobbyDay.
Not ashamed: that's what we are seeing. Filmmakers who take a stand for Biblical truth. High-profile individuals who post Scripture online and live the life. Business people who desire to operate in accordance with the Scriptures. So, the question is for all of us: how are we showing that we are "not ashamed?" Do the principles of the Bible govern our conduct? Do we integrate Scriptural principles into our approach to our relationships, to our work, and our other activities? Hobby Lobby is risking perhaps its very existence by not complying with a government mandate that violates the conscience rights of its owners. Kevin Sorbo told me Friday on the radio show that he has lost work because of his strong stands consistent with Biblical truth.
So, how about it: if "God's Not Dead" and Jesus is alive in us, then we can show it by allowing His truth to penetrate every area of our lives and make sure our actions are consistent with His principles.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Vols With a Cause
The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 6, encouraged the believers to pray for him in a specific way. We pick up with verse 19 - he asks for prayer:
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.21But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you;22whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.
Paul was in prison, but he certainly was not isolated - he coveted the prayers of his readers and he desired to communicate with them, with the letter, and with the personal report of one Tychicus. He was committed to being a devoted servant of Jesus Christ and proclaiming the Word of God, but he also recognized he did not operate in a vacuum - he desired for others to partner with him in his work and to stand with him in prayer. Effective ministry is a collaborative effort - ministry can grow and thrive out of the bonds of community, and perhaps God is raising up people to stand and/or work with you to share His truth.
The opening words of Psalm 96 can inspire us today to see beyond ourselves and to recognize that God is doing mighty work in the world today:
1Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.2Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.3Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.4For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
It's not often that I get a chance to give some props to my alma mater in athletics, at least in some of the major sports - it's been a rather lengthy dry spell since we won a national championship in football in 1999, in the very first BCS national championship game. Our vaunted women's basketball program is still strong, but with the growth of that sport, the level of competition has risen all around us. Men's basketball, not since Auburn's new coach paced the hardwood has the University of Tennessee made the Sweet Sixteen. So, I am glad that my Volunteers are one of 3 SEC teams that not only made March Madness, but are still in it after opening weekend. By the way, the much-maligned SEC is one of 3 conferences with 3 teams to make it through, joining the Big 10 and the Pac 12.
The alumni magazine, The Torchbearer, has actually run what has become a series of articles about a organization that was founded by 2 UT alums, who have enlisted the help of some other Tennessee grads to bring fresh water to people in some impoverished area. In a follow-up to last week's World Water Day, I thought it would be rather timely to focus on this example of how creativity can be used to further a cause.
Here's the story: TivaWater International is a Knoxville-based nonprofit co-founded by businessmen Doug Harris and David Ragland. So far, due to the work of this organization, about 100,000 people in developing nations worldwide—and counting—are accessing purified water right in their homes, thanks to the invention of a filter that cleans water at the point it is used.
The filter is currently in use in Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Ghana, Guatemala, and Haiti and eliminates the need to boil water by burning charcoal or another form of fuel. It is equipped with a sealed outer container that holds up to five gallons of clean water at a time and keeps it from contamination.
The Torchbearer reports that the idea for TivaWater was born after Harris and a group of other Knoxville businessmen traveled to Uganda in 2008 to find opportunities to empower communities through economic development. They were struck by the need for clean water but unhappy about the available solutions. They found that many organizations already provided access to water through drilling wells, catching rainwater, or other water-harvesting technologies. But the water would become contaminated because it was often collected in dirty buckets or left out in the home uncovered.
TivaWater developed the filter to address those issues. Harris and Ragland reached out to Neal Caldwell (’54), a physics graduate and lifelong design engineer who owns the local manufacturing company where the filters are now produced. He created a marketable plastic filter that produces 99 percent water purity at the outset. The filter can provide five gallons of clean water every twelve hours. However, unlike other models, a user does not need to wait for all the water to filter because the TivaWater filter has a sterile holding container that provides on-demand access to already purified water.
TivaWater desires to engage young people in its mission and has been actively recruiting them. The organization took thirty students—a third of them from UT—to Uganda last summer to help distribute the filters and get a first-hand look at the organization’s work.
Collins, a founding member of Beta Upsilon Chi, or Brothers Under Christ, the fraternity that moved into a recently vacated house in Fraternity Park, stated, “We want people to buy into TivaWater...It’s a great way for them to help provide water filters for people who are in need.”
Each bow tie comes with a small card informing buyers about their role in impacting the world by supporting the mission of TivaWater.
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.21But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you;22whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.
Paul was in prison, but he certainly was not isolated - he coveted the prayers of his readers and he desired to communicate with them, with the letter, and with the personal report of one Tychicus. He was committed to being a devoted servant of Jesus Christ and proclaiming the Word of God, but he also recognized he did not operate in a vacuum - he desired for others to partner with him in his work and to stand with him in prayer. Effective ministry is a collaborative effort - ministry can grow and thrive out of the bonds of community, and perhaps God is raising up people to stand and/or work with you to share His truth.
The opening words of Psalm 96 can inspire us today to see beyond ourselves and to recognize that God is doing mighty work in the world today:
1Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.2Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.3Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.4For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
It's not often that I get a chance to give some props to my alma mater in athletics, at least in some of the major sports - it's been a rather lengthy dry spell since we won a national championship in football in 1999, in the very first BCS national championship game. Our vaunted women's basketball program is still strong, but with the growth of that sport, the level of competition has risen all around us. Men's basketball, not since Auburn's new coach paced the hardwood has the University of Tennessee made the Sweet Sixteen. So, I am glad that my Volunteers are one of 3 SEC teams that not only made March Madness, but are still in it after opening weekend. By the way, the much-maligned SEC is one of 3 conferences with 3 teams to make it through, joining the Big 10 and the Pac 12.
The alumni magazine, The Torchbearer, has actually run what has become a series of articles about a organization that was founded by 2 UT alums, who have enlisted the help of some other Tennessee grads to bring fresh water to people in some impoverished area. In a follow-up to last week's World Water Day, I thought it would be rather timely to focus on this example of how creativity can be used to further a cause.
Here's the story: TivaWater International is a Knoxville-based nonprofit co-founded by businessmen Doug Harris and David Ragland. So far, due to the work of this organization, about 100,000 people in developing nations worldwide—and counting—are accessing purified water right in their homes, thanks to the invention of a filter that cleans water at the point it is used.
The filter is currently in use in Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Ghana, Guatemala, and Haiti and eliminates the need to boil water by burning charcoal or another form of fuel. It is equipped with a sealed outer container that holds up to five gallons of clean water at a time and keeps it from contamination.
The Torchbearer reports that the idea for TivaWater was born after Harris and a group of other Knoxville businessmen traveled to Uganda in 2008 to find opportunities to empower communities through economic development. They were struck by the need for clean water but unhappy about the available solutions. They found that many organizations already provided access to water through drilling wells, catching rainwater, or other water-harvesting technologies. But the water would become contaminated because it was often collected in dirty buckets or left out in the home uncovered.
TivaWater developed the filter to address those issues. Harris and Ragland reached out to Neal Caldwell (’54), a physics graduate and lifelong design engineer who owns the local manufacturing company where the filters are now produced. He created a marketable plastic filter that produces 99 percent water purity at the outset. The filter can provide five gallons of clean water every twelve hours. However, unlike other models, a user does not need to wait for all the water to filter because the TivaWater filter has a sterile holding container that provides on-demand access to already purified water.
TivaWater desires to engage young people in its mission and has been actively recruiting them. The organization took thirty students—a third of them from UT—to Uganda last summer to help distribute the filters and get a first-hand look at the organization’s work.
Well, my latest edition of The Torchbearer that arrived at our home had another TivaWater story. In a section called, "Students to Watch," it profiled Harrison Collins, a UT junior who has partnered with TivaWater in a creative fashion (pardon the pun). You see, designing a charity bow tie was one of the thirteen random things Collins set out to do during 2013. After connecting with the TivaWater staff, Collins had found his purpose.
He said, “Being able to go and sit down with the staff, see what they do, see their product, and hear about their vision—it’s something I really believe in." He contacted a company to produce ties based on his design sketches - they're red and blue and sport small emblems of the African continent. He says that, "This tie is something you can wear anywhere. It’s not just a one-time purchase. It’s an ongoing conversation piece.”
He said, “Being able to go and sit down with the staff, see what they do, see their product, and hear about their vision—it’s something I really believe in." He contacted a company to produce ties based on his design sketches - they're red and blue and sport small emblems of the African continent. He says that, "This tie is something you can wear anywhere. It’s not just a one-time purchase. It’s an ongoing conversation piece.”
Collins, a founding member of Beta Upsilon Chi, or Brothers Under Christ, the fraternity that moved into a recently vacated house in Fraternity Park, stated, “We want people to buy into TivaWater...It’s a great way for them to help provide water filters for people who are in need.”
Each bow tie comes with a small card informing buyers about their role in impacting the world by supporting the mission of TivaWater.
So, this week following World Water Day and the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament, I wanted to spotlight these guys who are affiliated with my university. And, there are several takeaways for each of us.
One of the things that struck me about this story was the networking that took place in a select group of people. Harris and Ragland have reached out to other people within the UT family, in a sense, to help them in the pursuit of a mission. And, I think this could speak to the concept of group dynamics - maybe there are people with whom you attended school, or in your workplace, or church, or other arena, that may share a common interest or goal that can be used for God's glory - as I mentioned last week, look up to God and then look around to the needs of those around you - AND you could expand that to looking around to people that may share a common heart with you for a particular cause.
Of course, one of the basic lessons from this story is that we serve a creative God who can inspire ideas that can be used to minister to others and further the Kingdom. TivaWater is partnering with churches and ministry organizations to not only help provide clean water, which is a huge need, but is a tool that is being used to share the love of Jesus Christ, to share the gospel. It's an example of a cause that is addressed with creativity and compassion. And, the student who designed and is marketing the bow ties to support the work of TivaWater and to help build awareness of the mission has demonstrated a willingness to reach beyond himself as a college student. We can be inspired to look for ways that we can be involved in allowing the Holy Spirit to use us to partner in His work.
Friday, March 21, 2014
What "He" Wants Us to Know About
It's so important that we develop spiritual sensitivity, and exercise discernment regarding the information that we receive. 1st John 4 has some important words on that subject:
1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,3and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
In verse 6, we read:6We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
So, it's so vital to our Christian walk that we are rooted and grounded in God's truth, and that His Word is a plumb line, by which we measure the information to which we're exposed. If we are following or considering instruction that does not line up with the Word of God, then we run into real danger of falling prey to deception and getting off track in our Christian walk. We can carefully - and prayerfully - evaluate our considerations through the filter of the timeless truths of the Scriptures.
In the 2nd chapter of Colossians, Paul is warning the church to guard against deception and is sharing the encouragement to be established in Biblical truth. Regarding 2 churches, he expresses the desire...
1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,3and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
In verse 6, we read:6We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
So, it's so vital to our Christian walk that we are rooted and grounded in God's truth, and that His Word is a plumb line, by which we measure the information to which we're exposed. If we are following or considering instruction that does not line up with the Word of God, then we run into real danger of falling prey to deception and getting off track in our Christian walk. We can carefully - and prayerfully - evaluate our considerations through the filter of the timeless truths of the Scriptures.
In the 2nd chapter of Colossians, Paul is warning the church to guard against deception and is sharing the encouragement to be established in Biblical truth. Regarding 2 churches, he expresses the desire...
2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.
Have you heard of or even read "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About"? Or maybe even, "Natural Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About"? Well, these are titles of books by one Kevin Trudeau, not to be confused with Garry Trudeau, who has done the "Doonesbury" comic strip. Or former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau. No, it's Kevin Trudeau, and a Federal judge has described him as "deceitful to the core."
According to the New York Daily News, TV infomercial star-turned-convicted swindler Kevin Trudeau has been sentenced to 10 years after prosecutors accused him of cheating people out of millions in a fraudulent weight-loss book.
Trudeau's sentence follows his defiance of paying a $37 million fine. He gave what was described in the article as "one last pitch" before the judge, saying that his four months behind bars for the November conviction had already changed him for the better. He is quoted as saying, "I have absolutely learned a life-changing lesson from all of this."
The judge reacted with no sympathy, however, but instead publicly shamed him as cheating people since he was 25 years old.
The deceit echoed prosecutors' own claims. Trudeau was described by them as preying on the sick, poor and insecure when he released misleading infomercials for his 2009 book, "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About." The book made $49 million in sales.
Prosecutors said Trudeau's actions resulted in more than $37 million in losses to consumers.
Such weight-loss secrets enclosed in his book included directions to walk an hour each day and limit food intake to 500 calories.
Have you heard of or even read "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About"? Or maybe even, "Natural Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About"? Well, these are titles of books by one Kevin Trudeau, not to be confused with Garry Trudeau, who has done the "Doonesbury" comic strip. Or former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau. No, it's Kevin Trudeau, and a Federal judge has described him as "deceitful to the core."
According to the New York Daily News, TV infomercial star-turned-convicted swindler Kevin Trudeau has been sentenced to 10 years after prosecutors accused him of cheating people out of millions in a fraudulent weight-loss book.
Trudeau's sentence follows his defiance of paying a $37 million fine. He gave what was described in the article as "one last pitch" before the judge, saying that his four months behind bars for the November conviction had already changed him for the better. He is quoted as saying, "I have absolutely learned a life-changing lesson from all of this."
The judge reacted with no sympathy, however, but instead publicly shamed him as cheating people since he was 25 years old.
The deceit echoed prosecutors' own claims. Trudeau was described by them as preying on the sick, poor and insecure when he released misleading infomercials for his 2009 book, "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About." The book made $49 million in sales.
Prosecutors said Trudeau's actions resulted in more than $37 million in losses to consumers.
Such weight-loss secrets enclosed in his book included directions to walk an hour each day and limit food intake to 500 calories.
I can't say that I have read any of Mr. Trudeau's books, but he has been very active in the world of infomercials to attempt to sell books. So, therefore I do not know who the "they" is that is attempting to keep me from walking in good health or losing weight. Just from the title, it does seem that he may have dealt in trying to pit "us" against "them", which is a red flag for me.
But, I think the Trudeau case can help us to reflect on some valuable truths related to the Christian life. For one thing, we have to guard against deception. The Bible teaches us about "testing the spirits" - I think that includes submitting material of an instructional nature through the filter of the Scriptures. There is all sorts of information out there, and it would be easy to become distracted or deluded. We need God's Word as a rock to keep us grounded in truth.
Also, I would certainly not want to think that the words "deceitful to the core" were added to my legacy. Not only should we guard against being deceived, but we want to be known as people of integrity. We have to carefully weigh our words so that we are being truthful in our dealings, that we are not trying to hide the facts or altering them for our benefit. As a Christian, we should be known as people who are trustworthy, who are above reproach.
Finally, there is that concept of legacy - we should be concerned about the reputation that we build and that we leave behind. We certainly don't want to be characterized by or remembered for the sinful patterns in which we walked. So, we should seek to glorify God daily and to develop a reputation for reflecting His nature, so that at the end of our lives, we minimize regrets, and so that we will leave a good, lasting impression on those who will come behind us.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Look Up and Look Around
In Isaiah chapter 30:21, we see a verse that can reinforce the notion of God's leadership in our lives - He desires to lead and communicate with His people. He is actively involved in our activities, and perhaps is orchestrating circumstances at this very moment for your good and His glory. The verse reads:
21Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
This day, this moment, we can acknowledge that God is with us, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord - He has provided us with powerful resources to be used for the expression of His presence through our lives. He has given us His Holy Spirit to give us direction, and even given us angels to go with us, to surround us and protect us. If we could only see how God and those forces aligned with Him are working, it would give us a greater appreciation of the power that we have available and of His abiding presence to go with us.
In Psalm 32, we can read a passage of Scripture that points to the Lord as our companion and our protector, the One who goes with us and will show us the way that He intends for us to walk and will strategically position us so that He can show Himself faithful to and through us:
7You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.
Here is an amazing story out of Burbank, California. It was published on the website of KTRK-TV out of Houston.
Konrad was able to break the child's fall, placing him softly on the mattress. The 3-year-old was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, but he did not suffer any major injuries.
A neighbor rushed to get the little boy's parents, who were unaware of what happened but were deeply grateful for the amazing rescue. Photos from the scene show paramedics checking out the toddler as his father clutched him tightly.
Konrad related that, "It feels like I watched a TV show, like it didn't happen to me."
Jennifer said, "It was very surreal afterwards. We were just moving the rest of day and every once in a while we'd look at each other and just be like, 'That happened. That was real.'"
Earlier in the day, the couple got stuck in an elevator. It took them 30 minutes to be freed. They say if that didn't happen, they would not have been there at the right moment to save the little boy. Jennifer told the Los Angeles Times that, "God definitely had us in the right place at the right time."
Here is an amazing story out of Burbank, California. It was published on the website of KTRK-TV out of Houston.
Konrad Lightner and his wife, Jennifer were in the process of moving their family out of an apartment. They were moving another load out, including a box spring when they noticed a 3-year-old and his sister throwing their toys out of a third-story window. Then, they saw the toddler throw his leg over the window sill.
Jennifer said that they called 911 and Konrad threw the box spring down trying to break his fall and stood there to catch the child.
Burbank Police Lt. John Dilibert picks up on the story: "The child climbed out of the window and was actually hanging out on to what appeared to be a telephone line or a cable line. They placed the mattress underneath the child, and at that point the child released and fell to the ground."
Konrad was able to break the child's fall, placing him softly on the mattress. The 3-year-old was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, but he did not suffer any major injuries.
A neighbor rushed to get the little boy's parents, who were unaware of what happened but were deeply grateful for the amazing rescue. Photos from the scene show paramedics checking out the toddler as his father clutched him tightly.
Konrad related that, "It feels like I watched a TV show, like it didn't happen to me."
Jennifer said, "It was very surreal afterwards. We were just moving the rest of day and every once in a while we'd look at each other and just be like, 'That happened. That was real.'"
Earlier in the day, the couple got stuck in an elevator. It took them 30 minutes to be freed. They say if that didn't happen, they would not have been there at the right moment to save the little boy. Jennifer told the Los Angeles Times that, "God definitely had us in the right place at the right time."
There are quite a few observations about this amazing rescue story that can enhance our thinking. First of all, I think that this story can help refresh our view of God's timing. You know, there are spiritual forces all around us that can serve to save our lives or at least alter our course. The Bible tells us that angels, ministering spirits, are sent on behalf of believers in the Lord. Perhaps you can think of an instance where you have been spared some sort of calamity by a delay in your path, or maybe you have been placed in the right place in order to see God show up in an inexplicable way. Give thanks to the Lord for how He has positioned you in the right place at the right time or where he has helped you to avoid harm.
I also think we can be challenged to reflect on the fine art of paying attention. I don't think God intends for us to slosh through life in a state of oblivion - He wants us to be in tune to the circumstances around us, and recognize that there are possibilities for us to be used of Him everyday. Konrad Lightner looked up and saw a child on the precipice of danger - if we look around us with just a little bit more intentionality, who knows what we might observe, and the conditions that are there for God to show Himself in a mighty and perhaps even miraculous way. We do well to look up - to trust in the love and faithfulness of God - and to look around - to be willing for God to show us needs and to be prepared to be used of Him.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Marks of a Believer
We have been bought by the blood of the Lamb and sealed by the Holy Spirit of God. 1st Peter 1 tells us about our redemption in Christ:
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
That's a glimpse into your story - of who you are in Christ and what He has done for you. We have been begotten, or born again through Christ's resurrection from the dead, and we have a special inheritance in Him, reserved for you. You have been called by His name, you belong to Christ, you are His, and He wants to express this wondrous story of redemption through your life. You have a story, and God is writing it through you - so acknowledge His faithfulness in your life and share what God has done.
In Ephesians 1, we see a passage that gives us insight into who we are in Christ and the fact that we have been marked, or sealed by His Spirit.
11In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,12that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.13In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
The NIV says that you were "marked" in Him with the seal of the Spirit.
Last week on The Meeting House, Sophia Lee from the WORLD News Group offered some comments based on her recent story about Christians and tattoos. She wrote that, "Although tattooing is a thousands-year-old practice, only in the last two decades has it punctured mainstream culture and become more accepted, even trendy. Previously, tattoos suggested association with gangs, rebels, and deviant culture, but now even the most cookie-cutter Valley girl can flash a tattoo—or 10." She cites a 2012 nationwide survey by Harris Interactive found that 23 percent of American adults have one or more tattoos, with 86 percent of the tattooed saying, “No regrets.” Thirty percent of 25- to 29-year-olds have at least one tattoo.
As I mentioned last week, I am not a fan of tattoos. With respect to Kyle Idleman, who will be on tomorrow's edition of the radio show, I would hope that I am "not a fan" of Jesus, but a follower, but I digress (promotion plug!).
While I do not care for tattoos, personally, I do get that for many, it has become a fashion statement, and Christians can even view etchings on the skin as evangelistic tools. This brings us to the story of a Florida pastor who off-handedly and sarcastically offered free tattoos to congregation members who wanted them.
According to MyFoxOrlando.com, during a recent sermon about acceptance, Pastor Zack Zehnder from The Cross Mount Dora offered to pick up the tab for any church member who wanted to get the church logo permanently inked. He related that, "I said it flippantly, not thinking anyone would really take me up on it." As of last weekend, when the story ran, at least seven church members had taken him up on the offer.
Church member Holly Stratton said, "It's a great way to show your faith...It's also a great way to start a conversation about faith."
And the story says that's exactly what Pastor Zack had in mind when he nonchalantly made the offer. He is quoted as saying, "Every tattoo has a story. The landscape of faith has struggled to keep up with the times. So if we can create a way to start a conversation, it doesn't get better than that."
So, whether I like it or not, it appears that tattoos are here to stay. And, even though the Old Testament teaches against them, Sophia quotes pastor John Piper, who said in a recent podcast that he receives emails about tattoos “almost daily.” Tattooing in itself is not intrinsically evil, the popular pastor and author said, but the permanent nature of tattoos—with the painful and expensive cost of removal—may turn them into stumbling blocks later. He basically said - it's not sin, but be wise and skip it.
I do want to zero in on two things that Pastor Zack said:
1 is that "every tattoo has a story". The other is that "if we can create a way to start a conversation, it doesn't get better than that." Let me put it this way: God wants us to share the story of His grace and presence in our lives - He will use a tattoo, He will use all sorts of ways to communicate truth. Our challenge is to become people who are unashamedly willing to share what He has done in our lives. And, words of our mouth, the tone of our words, and the actions that we take all become part of the narrative of God's faithfulness to us.
Pastor Zack talked about creating a way to start a conversation. Monday, I talked about St. Patrick's method of engaging culture. We can be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He prompts our hearts to build relationships with others and to give us the words to say that will bring His light to a conversation. We can rely on God to show us how we can engage people in a compassionate and compelling way.
And, one further thing, in a more symbolic sense - let's continue to recognize that we have been bought by Jesus Christ by His blood - just as a tattoo is a physical mark that communicates our story, we realize that He has marked us for life by His Spirit. Just a physical mark has a sense of permanence, we rejoice in the spiritual mark, the mark of the Spirit, that seals us for eternity.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
That's a glimpse into your story - of who you are in Christ and what He has done for you. We have been begotten, or born again through Christ's resurrection from the dead, and we have a special inheritance in Him, reserved for you. You have been called by His name, you belong to Christ, you are His, and He wants to express this wondrous story of redemption through your life. You have a story, and God is writing it through you - so acknowledge His faithfulness in your life and share what God has done.
In Ephesians 1, we see a passage that gives us insight into who we are in Christ and the fact that we have been marked, or sealed by His Spirit.
11In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,12that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.13In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
The NIV says that you were "marked" in Him with the seal of the Spirit.
Last week on The Meeting House, Sophia Lee from the WORLD News Group offered some comments based on her recent story about Christians and tattoos. She wrote that, "Although tattooing is a thousands-year-old practice, only in the last two decades has it punctured mainstream culture and become more accepted, even trendy. Previously, tattoos suggested association with gangs, rebels, and deviant culture, but now even the most cookie-cutter Valley girl can flash a tattoo—or 10." She cites a 2012 nationwide survey by Harris Interactive found that 23 percent of American adults have one or more tattoos, with 86 percent of the tattooed saying, “No regrets.” Thirty percent of 25- to 29-year-olds have at least one tattoo.
As I mentioned last week, I am not a fan of tattoos. With respect to Kyle Idleman, who will be on tomorrow's edition of the radio show, I would hope that I am "not a fan" of Jesus, but a follower, but I digress (promotion plug!).
While I do not care for tattoos, personally, I do get that for many, it has become a fashion statement, and Christians can even view etchings on the skin as evangelistic tools. This brings us to the story of a Florida pastor who off-handedly and sarcastically offered free tattoos to congregation members who wanted them.
According to MyFoxOrlando.com, during a recent sermon about acceptance, Pastor Zack Zehnder from The Cross Mount Dora offered to pick up the tab for any church member who wanted to get the church logo permanently inked. He related that, "I said it flippantly, not thinking anyone would really take me up on it." As of last weekend, when the story ran, at least seven church members had taken him up on the offer.
Church member Holly Stratton said, "It's a great way to show your faith...It's also a great way to start a conversation about faith."
And the story says that's exactly what Pastor Zack had in mind when he nonchalantly made the offer. He is quoted as saying, "Every tattoo has a story. The landscape of faith has struggled to keep up with the times. So if we can create a way to start a conversation, it doesn't get better than that."
So, whether I like it or not, it appears that tattoos are here to stay. And, even though the Old Testament teaches against them, Sophia quotes pastor John Piper, who said in a recent podcast that he receives emails about tattoos “almost daily.” Tattooing in itself is not intrinsically evil, the popular pastor and author said, but the permanent nature of tattoos—with the painful and expensive cost of removal—may turn them into stumbling blocks later. He basically said - it's not sin, but be wise and skip it.
I do want to zero in on two things that Pastor Zack said:
1 is that "every tattoo has a story". The other is that "if we can create a way to start a conversation, it doesn't get better than that." Let me put it this way: God wants us to share the story of His grace and presence in our lives - He will use a tattoo, He will use all sorts of ways to communicate truth. Our challenge is to become people who are unashamedly willing to share what He has done in our lives. And, words of our mouth, the tone of our words, and the actions that we take all become part of the narrative of God's faithfulness to us.
Pastor Zack talked about creating a way to start a conversation. Monday, I talked about St. Patrick's method of engaging culture. We can be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He prompts our hearts to build relationships with others and to give us the words to say that will bring His light to a conversation. We can rely on God to show us how we can engage people in a compassionate and compelling way.
And, one further thing, in a more symbolic sense - let's continue to recognize that we have been bought by Jesus Christ by His blood - just as a tattoo is a physical mark that communicates our story, we realize that He has marked us for life by His Spirit. Just a physical mark has a sense of permanence, we rejoice in the spiritual mark, the mark of the Spirit, that seals us for eternity.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Dueling for Fidelity
In order for us to commit sin against God, first we have to give in to temptation - the temptation is not sin, but I believe the Bible teaches that the enemy preys on our vulnerability, as we are presented the option to be disobedient. So, we have to be on guard and focused on using God's resources to counter the strategies of Satan to defeat us. The pattern of temptation is highlighted in James 1:
12Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.14But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Again, temptation is not a sin, but we have to be on high alert to recognize when we are in a situation where we are being tempted. We have powerful tools available to us to resist the temptation - we can meditate on a quote God's Word, we can pray and release the power of the Spirit, and we can flee the potentially compromising circumstances. As 1st Corinthians 10 says, He provides a way of escape!
In 1st Corinthians chapter 10, we are cautioned to guard against spiritual pride and to resist temptation in the strength of the Lord:
12Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
KARK television in Little Rock reports on a billboard battle over marriage and fidelity. If you drive along I-30 there, you will see a large ad placed by the ministry of FamilyLife, which is based in Little Rock, beside the interstate to combat another billboard in the vicinity. The message of the FamilyLife ad is to urge people to keep their vows. It reads: "When spouses cheat, others get HURT. Keep your vows".
Dave Boehi has written a piece called, "Do Cheaters Prosper?" on the FamilyLife website. He states that the other billboard, placed by an online dating service called Ashley Madison, pictures 3 former U.S. Presidents, with the message, "Who said cheaters never prosper? Happy Presidents' Day." The service's trademark is "Life is short. Have an affair." It was founded by Noel Biderman, a Toronto businessman who says he and his wife are happily married with two children. But he says that, “Monogamy, in my opinion, is a failed experiment.”
Dennis Rainey of FamilyLife was alarmed at the Ashley Madison billboard, and told the TV outlet, "This is not the kind of thing we need in our community. We need people standing up for marriage and how to make marriage go the distance, all about trust in marriage because that's what it's about."
It is very true - when you depart from the ways of God, you place yourself in peril. The principle of sowing and reaping is very real, and when one fails to resist temptation and decides to be unfaithful to his or her spouse - yes, it is a decision - it launches a path of destruction that has the potential to harm the parties involved AND their families.
Adultery is a very prevalent threat to the fabric of our culture and it's important to recognize the temptation, avoid placing yourself in compromising situations, and press in to love your spouse more deeply each day. This is serious business, and the good news is that God gives the strength to withstand the temptation of unfaithfulness in thought or deed and to expand the capacity to love your mate.
12Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.14But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Again, temptation is not a sin, but we have to be on high alert to recognize when we are in a situation where we are being tempted. We have powerful tools available to us to resist the temptation - we can meditate on a quote God's Word, we can pray and release the power of the Spirit, and we can flee the potentially compromising circumstances. As 1st Corinthians 10 says, He provides a way of escape!
In 1st Corinthians chapter 10, we are cautioned to guard against spiritual pride and to resist temptation in the strength of the Lord:
12Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
KARK television in Little Rock reports on a billboard battle over marriage and fidelity. If you drive along I-30 there, you will see a large ad placed by the ministry of FamilyLife, which is based in Little Rock, beside the interstate to combat another billboard in the vicinity. The message of the FamilyLife ad is to urge people to keep their vows. It reads: "When spouses cheat, others get HURT. Keep your vows".
Dave Boehi has written a piece called, "Do Cheaters Prosper?" on the FamilyLife website. He states that the other billboard, placed by an online dating service called Ashley Madison, pictures 3 former U.S. Presidents, with the message, "Who said cheaters never prosper? Happy Presidents' Day." The service's trademark is "Life is short. Have an affair." It was founded by Noel Biderman, a Toronto businessman who says he and his wife are happily married with two children. But he says that, “Monogamy, in my opinion, is a failed experiment.”
Dennis Rainey of FamilyLife was alarmed at the Ashley Madison billboard, and told the TV outlet, "This is not the kind of thing we need in our community. We need people standing up for marriage and how to make marriage go the distance, all about trust in marriage because that's what it's about."
Adultery threatens not only individual marriages, as well as the institution of marriage at large. It can be a powerfully destructive enemy to the strength of marriage relationships.
Boehi writes that, "the truth is that cheaters do not prosper." He reminds us that "adultery destroys marriages. Ask yourself, why do so many people consider adultery such a betrayal? Why is it that Noel Biderman’s own wife says she would feel “devastated” if he cheated on her? It’s because sex as God designed it is much more than a physical act; it binds a couple together emotionally and spiritually in a way they can only partially understand."
He also points out that "adultery harms your legacy. Children feel the impact for many years to come. In most cases, it severely damages the relationship between the parent and child. In addition, the children may repeat that behavior when they are adults."
It’s embarrassing for our nation that these men had such low regard for their marriages and their wives. As a woman it makes me sad and angry that Ashley Madison, the website responsible for this ad, is lifting these men high as examples while also demeaning the wives and children they hurt. Even more, this ad is hurting all families with its invitation for spouses—husbands or wives—to join the cheating club.She goes on to say that, "Having watched betrayal at work in marriages of close friends and in the stories we hear from thousands of others, I believe it is safe to say cheating is never worth it."
It is very true - when you depart from the ways of God, you place yourself in peril. The principle of sowing and reaping is very real, and when one fails to resist temptation and decides to be unfaithful to his or her spouse - yes, it is a decision - it launches a path of destruction that has the potential to harm the parties involved AND their families.
Adultery is a very prevalent threat to the fabric of our culture and it's important to recognize the temptation, avoid placing yourself in compromising situations, and press in to love your spouse more deeply each day. This is serious business, and the good news is that God gives the strength to withstand the temptation of unfaithfulness in thought or deed and to expand the capacity to love your mate.
FamilyLife has launched a "Stand Firm for Families" initiative in order to counteract the message that the culture is sending to married couples. In a piece called, "Doing Nothing is Not an Option" on the FamilyLife website, Dennis relates these 4 action steps:
1. Recommit yourself to your spouse and to faithfulness in your marriage.
2. Make the promise and join with others who are declaring their desire to stand firm for families.
3. Forward the article to your friends and family, share it on Facebook, and encourage them to make the promise as well.
4. Help FamilyLife spread the word! After you make your promise, the ministry will provide you with shareable graphics, downloadable wallpapers, and quotes to post to Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #MakeThePromise or tag @DennisRainey in your updates to show your support.
1. Recommit yourself to your spouse and to faithfulness in your marriage.
2. Make the promise and join with others who are declaring their desire to stand firm for families.
3. Forward the article to your friends and family, share it on Facebook, and encourage them to make the promise as well.
4. Help FamilyLife spread the word! After you make your promise, the ministry will provide you with shareable graphics, downloadable wallpapers, and quotes to post to Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #MakeThePromise or tag @DennisRainey in your updates to show your support.
Monday, March 17, 2014
The Compelling Power of Compassion
The compassion of Christ, which has been placed in our hearts and that God desires to release through our actions, is a quality that will compel people to seek out the Lord and come into a saving knowledge of Jesus. In 1st Peter 4, we read:
8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Each of us has a great capacity to sin, but we have an even greater capacity to walk in the righteousness of God, activated by being in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. When we recognize that God's grace and mercy have been made available to and poured out toward us, then we can be extremely compassionate toward other people. We can reach out with authenticity and seek to build bridges with those whose lifestyles we do not endorse, but who could possibly be drawn to the overwhelming grace of God as a result of our obedience and demonstration of God's love.
In Colossians 3, we see clear instructions about demonstrating the qualities that God has enabled us to possess:
12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Do you have your green on today? After all, it's St. Patrick's Day, which is set aside to commemorate one of the most effective evangelists ever. The March 17 feast day was declared in the early 17th century and remembers Patrick as the one who led the fifth-century Christian mission to Ireland. David Mathis writes on the legacy of St. Patrick at the Desiring God website. He states that unlike Britain, the Emerald Isle was beyond the bounds of the Roman Empire. The Irish were considered uncivilized barbarians, and many thought their illiteracy and volatile emotionalism put them outside the reach of the gospel.
Mathis writes:
John Burke, Pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas, has a powerful piece about the overcoming love of Christ on the Charisma News website. In an excerpt from a book, he tells the story of Amy, who came to church with her lesbian girlfriend.
There's a great word for us today: We have to be careful that we look beyond the shock and reflect the Savior. As Mathis points out about St. Patrick, he was chastised for spending time with people who were considered to be gross sinners. Burke wants us to know that, "if you truly recognize how much it cost God to forgive you, it will flood your heart with love for God and others who need more of the same." He says:
God's people were spread out throughout the River Region this past weekend, as dozens of churches participated in the Great Day of Service. I had a chance to tag team with some of the ministry and media leadership from Frazer United Methodist Church, and saw compassion in action at a variety of locations. I have coverage on today's edition of The Meeting House on Faith Radio.
8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Each of us has a great capacity to sin, but we have an even greater capacity to walk in the righteousness of God, activated by being in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. When we recognize that God's grace and mercy have been made available to and poured out toward us, then we can be extremely compassionate toward other people. We can reach out with authenticity and seek to build bridges with those whose lifestyles we do not endorse, but who could possibly be drawn to the overwhelming grace of God as a result of our obedience and demonstration of God's love.
In Colossians 3, we see clear instructions about demonstrating the qualities that God has enabled us to possess:
12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Do you have your green on today? After all, it's St. Patrick's Day, which is set aside to commemorate one of the most effective evangelists ever. The March 17 feast day was declared in the early 17th century and remembers Patrick as the one who led the fifth-century Christian mission to Ireland. David Mathis writes on the legacy of St. Patrick at the Desiring God website. He states that unlike Britain, the Emerald Isle was beyond the bounds of the Roman Empire. The Irish were considered uncivilized barbarians, and many thought their illiteracy and volatile emotionalism put them outside the reach of the gospel.
Mathis writes:
But Patrick knew better. In a strange and beautiful turn of providence, he had spent six years among them as a captive, learned their language, and developed a heart for the Irish. Like Joseph sold into slavery to one day save Egypt and his brothers (Genesis 50:20), so God sent Patrick into slavery to ready Ireland for a coming salvation.Referencing the work of George Hunter and his book, The Celtic Way of Evangelism, Mathis writes that "Patrick knew the Irish well enough to engage them where they were, and build authentic gospel bridges into their society and culture. He wanted to see the gospel grow in Irish soil, rather than pave it over with a Roman road."
John Burke, Pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas, has a powerful piece about the overcoming love of Christ on the Charisma News website. In an excerpt from a book, he tells the story of Amy, who came to church with her lesbian girlfriend.
“I came on a mission to shock people,” Amy admits. “Rachel and I would hold hands in front of people, but instead of the disgusted looks of contempt we expected, people met eyes with us and treated us like real people. So we started coming to church weekly. We kept moving closer to the front each week, trying to get a reaction so that we’d be rejected sooner rather than later. When we couldn’t shock people, we stopped trying and started learning."
“Not long after that, Rachel and I stopped seeing each other, but I kept coming to church because I was searching for something,” Amy admits. “I definitely wasn’t looking to change. It wasn’t my lesbian lifestyle that I was bringing to God, but I wondered if God had answers to my deeper longings. Problem was, I didn’t trust God at all!
“The more I listened and learned about the teachings of Jesus, the more I started to actually believe that God really did love me. I heard more and more about being His masterpiece, and in time, I actually started to believe it. The more I believed God actually could see something of value in me, the more I trusted Him.”Amy is now a ministry leader at the church, helping people experience God's wholeness. Burke makes the excellent point that Jesus is not shocked by the shocking things people do. Amy was greeted with a non-judgmental compassion as she began to attend the church.
There's a great word for us today: We have to be careful that we look beyond the shock and reflect the Savior. As Mathis points out about St. Patrick, he was chastised for spending time with people who were considered to be gross sinners. Burke wants us to know that, "if you truly recognize how much it cost God to forgive you, it will flood your heart with love for God and others who need more of the same." He says:
It’s all about love! Not a love that ignores the mud and the damage that destroys God’s Masterpiece, but a love that recognizes how much loving mercy God has given a messed-up person like me!
That great love brings grace and truth together to give hope to a broken world in need of forgiveness and restoration.We can be challenged to clothe ourselves with compassion and to recognize that every single person that attends your church and my church is a extreme sinner in need of the extreme salvation that Jesus died to purchase for you and me. Just as we have become recipients of the grace of God, so we are called to demonstrate that grace and mercy in order to spread the love of Christ with authenticity and compassion.
God's people were spread out throughout the River Region this past weekend, as dozens of churches participated in the Great Day of Service. I had a chance to tag team with some of the ministry and media leadership from Frazer United Methodist Church, and saw compassion in action at a variety of locations. I have coverage on today's edition of The Meeting House on Faith Radio.
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