Not a Disease To Be Treated

We have been entrusted with the message of the cross, a message that can bring life, love, and forgiveness to the human heart and bring people a life-giving relationship with a real and living Lord. But that concept, unfortunately, is foolishness to some.  1st Corinthians 1 captures this errant view:
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

There are many who don't understand this, who wonder why we don't rely on ourselves, rather, we choose to surrender to Someone greater than ourselves.  And, I believe we have that responsibility to live the life - actually, to allow the life of Christ to be expressed through us.  As Jesus taught, we are to take up our cross daily and follow Him, dying to self, surrendering to Christ, and being determined to appropriate His truth and His power.

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In Acts 26, we see where the apostle Paul, as he stood before King Agrippa and Governor Festus,
declared:
22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come--
23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."
24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!"
25 But he said, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.

It could be considered rather astounding at some of the comments that people make about religion, illustrating a misunderstanding and/or an outright hostility to people who wish to practice their faith.

William Briggs has written a piece for The Stream, in which he summarizes some of the ways that people attempt to provide psychological analysis about people who practice religion.  He writes:

There is a trend in academia to seek materialistic explanations of religion, particularly Christianity. The efforts assume that belief in God and the desire to worship God are groundless. It follows that acts oriented toward the supernatural are in error, may lead to harm and must be rooted out.

There are “God centers” in the brain, some say. These centers can be “treated” with magnets, claim others. Religion is “child abuse” is another common trope. Lack of education, sheer mental incapacity and, as we shall see, indoctrination are put forward as plausible explanations for why many still “cling” to religion. Some researchers even suggest rancid smells drive people towards traditionalist principles.

He takes particular aim at a recent Salon piece called, “The sad, twisted truth about conservative Christianity’s effect on the mind,” by Marlene Winell and Valerie Tarico, who assert that Bible-based Christianity is “toxic.”

Briggs states that:

Winell and Tarico also insist it is a “requirement for success as a sincere Christian” “to find a way to believe that which [sic] would be unbelievable under normal rules of evidence and inquiry.” The authors thereby declare that believing in Christ is irrational, that Christians consider it a virtue to believe in this way. That Winell and Tarico are describing extreme fideism, a very minority view in the Christian tradition, is apparently of no concern to them.

The authors make a place for religion, but only religion drained of the transcendent. They deride “variants of Christianity” that are “literal,” have “a view that humans need salvation, and a focus on the spiritual world as superior to the natural world.” But the authors applaud sects that have thrown off all this superstitious stuff, namely “liberal, progressive Christian churches with a humanistic viewpoint, a focus on the present, and social justice.”

He says that:

The authors’ secular progressivism is even more on display when they say that “humanity has been going through a massive shift for centuries, transitioning from a supernatural view of a world dominated by forces of good and evil to a natural understanding of the universe.”

Their enthusiasm for this great “transitioning” is obvious as they pine for society to officially designate transcendent religion as mental illness. To hurry that day they offer “Religious Trauma Syndrome” as a candidate diagnosis. They explain that “religious trauma is uniquely mind-twisting” because of a “system” which “demands deference to spiritual authorities no matter what they do.” Of their psychological neologism, they say, “It is our hope that it will lead to more knowledge, training and treatment.”

I was reminded of the incendiary comments of the former governor of Minnesota, Jesse Ventura, who said, according to a Baptist Press article quoting his comments to Playboy magazine, “Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers." The article also said:

Anti-religious comments by Ventura surfaced not only in the Playboy interview -- in which he also said of organized religion, “It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business. ... The religious right wants to tell people how to live" -- but also in Ventura’s attempts to explain himself Sept. 30.

In a late-afternoon news conference, Ventura said he expects the controversy to subside. "I think all the religious leaders will forgive me because I think that's what religion's about -- forgiving," he said, the Star Tribune reported.

Ventura also said, "I haven't started any wars throughout time. Has religion?"

And, then, as Eric Metaxas brought out on a recent Breakpoint commentary, "New research published in 'The Journal of Sexual Medicine' suggests that homophobia, not homosexuality, is the psychological disorder."  He takes issue with lead researcher Emmanuele Jannini’s "willingness to label homophobia as 'the real disease to be cured,'" which Metaxas says,

...shows just how quickly we’re moving down this path. But we can respond: First, there are a lot of problems with how this study is being analyzed, even by its authors. For example, should it surprise us that those who show animosity toward people in general also show animosity toward gay people? Bad psychological traits probably don’t discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

He continues...

Secondly, and more importantly, a “phobia” is “an irrational and debilitating fear” of something, and Christians don’t feel this way about those who identify as gay, or they certainly shouldn’t. Ours is a rational stance based on human flourishing and God’s created order, not “irrational animus.” It’s entirely possible to object to sin, refuse to dignify it, and still love those caught up in it. In fact, that’s what Jesus commanded us to do.

I looked up a passage in John 10, where Jesus was teaching and the religious leaders thought that, as verse 20 relates, Jesus had a demon and was "mad."  Paul was challenged that he, too, was "mad." So, it's not really surprising that there would be those in our day who think that our deeply-held beliefs and the practice of them is some sort of madness.  But, Paul said he spoke words of truth and reason.

So, to the natural person, the words of truth, the teachings of Jesus and the Bible, do not make sense and are seemingly foolish, because they cannot be explained according to the ways of man or the ways of this world.  We are called to be counter-cultural, walking as people who are not of this world.  That's not going to make sense to people whose minds are blinded and whose eyes are shut.

But...that can change, and that's a powerful message that we have to share.  Even though we may be ridiculed, and people who misapply the truths of Scripture are characterized as the "norm," we can be encouraged to regard God's Word as truth and live out that truth in a compassionate and compelling way.  In so doing, we can provide evidence of the risen Lord in our lives - an occurrence that doesn't make sense to the worldly mind, but provides the capacity for a new life, for transformation.

Christianity is not a disease to be treated, and the beliefs that we practice are not a sign of mental instability.  Actually, in our humanity, yes, we are weak, but Paul teaches that in human weakness, we can know God's strength.   We serve a God who treats a devastating, life-threatening disease - it's called sin, and He provides the antidote by which we defeat its power in our lives.

Confronting a Major Spiritual Issue

As believers in Christ, the desire of our hearts should be to walk in His love and to live a life that
honors Him. 1st John 5 says:
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

We are called to be overcomers in Christ Jesus - He has defeated the power of sin and death and called us to share in what He has accomplished.  Through the cross, He became the perfect substitute for us...He died so that we don't have to be separated from God throughout eternity because of our sin.  And, because He lives, He has extended to us the power to live an overcoming life, with the ability to confess our sins, receive forgiveness, and to walk in triumph as we grow in the knowledge of Him.

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In Luke 4, we see that Jesus walked into the synagogue and began to read what the prophet Isaiah had written - about Him. He said:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

This is White Ribbon Against Pornography Week, sponsored by a group called the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, formerly known as Morality in Media.  And, Haley Halverson of that organization was a recent guest on The Meeting House program, pointing out that the harmful effects of porn consumption has created a health problem.

This is serious.

And, The Blaze reported on a survey taken last year by Proven Men Ministries in collaboration with the Barna Group, in which it was found that 15 percent of self-identified Christian men view pornography several times each month compared to 14 percent of non-Christian men.  And, 7 percent of self-identified Christian men say they look at porn several times a day, opposed to 3 percent of the general male population.

Overall, 64 percent of American men reported that they view porn at least monthly and 18 percent of all men said they are either addicted or unsure if they’re dependent upon smut; this proportion jumped to 33 percent for men between the ages of 18 and 30.   In contrast, only two in 10 women report looking at porn monthly. While 11 percent of non-Christian women say they look at adult entertainment several times per month only 3 percent of Christian women report the same.

According to the article, Proven Men Ministries founder Joel Hesch said the results prove that there’s an epidemic of sorts unfolding, with porn draining peoples’ “time, energy and resources” if addiction is left unchecked. In a a press release, he said, "What we are seeing can almost be described as epidemic,” adding, ”Viewing pornography can quickly turn into a very real addiction. Just like drug or alcohol use, what starts off as a seemingly innocent or fun act can quickly spiral out of control.”

A ministry that has been created to minister to those in the porn industry and to help those who want to break free of pornography is XXX Church.  Its founder, Craig Gross, has been on my radio program.

Recently, it announced the launch of a new website called ILookAtPornWhen.com. According to author Carl Thomas, within hours of sending out an email announcing the launch, hundreds of people submitted their reasons. He believes the huge response was due to the mass number of people suffering with a sexual addiction who want to tell someone but feel like they can’t. The reason, he says, is shame.

Thomas writes:

Shame is an enemy that we all deal with and something that the porn addict is only all too familiar with. One of the reasons that pornography maintains such a strong hold on men is the incredible shame that comes along with viewing it.

He offers three ways to beat the shame.  Number one is know you're not alone.  The second way is to recognize that you were not meant to live in shame.   And the third thing: if you do muster up the courage to share your struggle and get rejected do not let that bring you down. 

On the Growthtrac website, there's a piece from Stephen Arterburn of New Life Ministries, who offers 10 steps to overcoming porn addiction.  Here's a summary:

1. Acknowledge the addiction exists.
2. You must recognize that what you are doing is wrong.
3. You must not blame others.
4. Make yourself accountable to a spiritual authority
5. You must recognize that “will power” is not the answer.
6. Study the Word of God concerning sexual purity.
7. You must destroy any pornography in your possession.
8. You must learn to flee temptation.
9. Give yourself time to work through the process of recovery.
10. It’s cliche, but you must approach your addiction one day at a time.

And, you know, this may not be the sin area that entraps you.  But, I dare say for all of us, we have vulnerable areas where we need to release the power of repentance and appropriate God's resources for overcoming sin and enjoying Christ's victory.  Acknowledging our sin and recognizing that we are doing wrong are important steps.  We have to confess our sins, rely on the forgiveness available through the blood of Jesus, and depend on God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit to give us the capacity to be overcomers, more than conquerors in Him.  Sin ensnares; Jesus came to set the captive free.

A Distance for a Divine Appointment

In the book of Acts, we learn of Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and we can see instances in which he shares his experience.  One such occurrence is found in Acts 22, another is seen in Acts 26.  Paul relates what the Lord spoke to Him:
17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

That is the call expressed to Paul in an extraordinary fashion, but it also captures the essence of the message with which each of us has been entrusted.  God is the One who opens eyes and brings people out of darkness into light, changing kingdoms, changing authorities - from Satan to God.  We have experienced and can share about forgiveness of sins, as well as what God has in store for us.  What a wonderful, life-giving, life-transforming message we have been given to share!

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In Acts 22, we see that Paul is giving His personal testimony.  He relates his experience on the road
to Damascus and then He shares what Ananias told him:
14 Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'

Mike Cooper is a grocer who until recently lived in Alaska.  He's 58 years old, and his supervisor allowed him to take time off during the store's busiest season to travel to South Dakota to something called the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  Baptist Press tells Cooper's story.

He doesn't own a Harley, rather a 2001 Suzuki Intruder Volusia motorcycle.  He took a 20-hour ferry ride from Mitkof Island before riding 2,040 miles to Sturgis in 56 hours, weathering cold torrential rain for 200 miles at about 6,000 feet elevation in Alberta, Canada.

The Dakota Baptist Convention has an outreach at the gathering. The strategy involves volunteer "catchers" who stand in front of the ministry tent to invite Sturgis visitors to register for the Sturgis Bike Giveaway after they listen to a testimony from a "sharer." On Saturday morning, a drawing determines who gets a new Harley-Davidson, which ministry donors help purchase. This year, just under 6,200 people heard a personal testimony during the rally and just over 600 made a profession of faith in Christ.

One of them was a man named Dorian, from Philadelphia. He had problems at home and had taken off without any particular destination before arriving in Sturgis. Cooper had experienced many of the same issues when he was young. He told Baptist Press: "We found common ground in our mutual problems and our enjoyment of motorcycles," He said, "I told him I rode that distance so that I could talk to him."  Cooper had been trained to share a "three-minute testimony," and after he did that with Dorian, he invited him to place his faith in Christ.   Cooper said, "A soul was added to the Kingdom of heaven," adding, "I have never knowingly traveled that far for a divine appointment."

Cooper, like many volunteers at the Sturgis Bike Giveaway tent, arrived with no previous training in evangelism. But he quickly learned how to give a "three-minute testimony," which uses the outline of a person's life before Christ, how they became followers of Christ and their life since salvation.

I looked online for a three-minute testimony outline. I found a testimony outline at the Cru website, after which the instructions say to shoot for three minutes.  Here are the components:

The first section is: Before I Accepted Christ (or gave Him complete control)

1. What was my life like that will relate most to the non-Christian?
2. What did my life revolve around the most? What did I get my security or happiness from? (The non-Christian is relying on something external to give him happiness)
3. How did those areas begin to let me down?

The next section: How I Received Christ (or gave Him complete control)

1. When was the first time I heard the gospel? (Or when was I exposed to dynamic Christianity)
2. What were my initial reactions?
3. When did my attitude begin to turn around? Why?
4. What were the final struggles that went through my mind just before I accepted Christ?
5. Why did I go ahead and accept Christ?

And, finally, After I Accepted Christ (or gave Him complete control)

1. Specific changes and illustrations about the changes Christ has made:
2. Why am I motivated differently?

The page then outlines an example from Acts 22, in the life and practice of the apostle Paul.

That is one of the principal takeaways for us from the story of Mike Cooper - the challenge to consider and develop our personal testimony, and to be prepared to share it in around 3 minutes! Think about your life before you met Christ, how you came to know Him, and how He has changed your life - you don't have to be the most eloquent speaker or the most knowledgeable theologian to share what Jesus has done in your life.

And, I want to play off something Mike Cooper said and ask a question - how far are you willing to go for a divine appointment?   Cooper learned about the Sturgis outreach from his pastor and traveled thousands of miles to get there.  Perhaps God is calling you to take a bold step of faith and follow Him to do something unique, something out of the ordinary.  Or, He's calling you to take the bold step and minister to the person next door to your home or in the next cubicle in the workplace. It's important that we are yielded to Christ, and sensitive to follow Him as He opens doors to share His love and to relate our stories.

Living the Life, Living the Dream

God is calling each of us to be people of integrity, who demonstrate Godly character in all our endeavors.  Psalm 26 reflects the heart of someone desiring to live in that manner:
(1) Vindicate me, O Lord, For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip.
2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.

If we desire to grow spiritually, we place ourselves before the Lord and allow Him to search and to strengthen our hearts.  He gives us the ability to walk with integrity - reflecting the presence of the living Christ in us.  He strengthens our hearts and leads us in His ways, developing a sense of passion for the things of God and a desire to walk in the knowledge of His will.  His inner strength can work in us to empower us to demonstrate what we say we believe.

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The Bible speaks to the development of Godly character in this passage from Philippians chapter 2:
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Tonight, as the World Series opens at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, you will have the return of the Royals to the series after falling short last year against San Francisco.  And, the New York Mets, after a much longer hiatus, will be the opponent.

And, keep your eyes on second base, because you're likely to see two individuals who have a deep faith in Christ.  On the New York side, it's the player that has lit up the postseason, setting a record with homers in six straight postseason games, a new record.  Marvin Olasky of WORLD has been writing about the NLCS MVP, Daniel Murphy, who, as you may remember, ignited some controversy back in the spring. Olasky says, "Never before to my knowledge, in baseball’s long history, has a player so pilloried in March set an extraordinary all-time record in October."

Just a few days ago, Marvin wrote about what happened in March.  He writes about a "silencing that took place on March 3...

...when Murphy—a Fellowship of Christian Athletes regular—forthrightly answered a reporter’s question about a spring training visit by gay ex-player Billy Bean, baseball’s official “ambassador of inclusion.” Murphy said, “I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn’t mean I can’t still invest in him and get to know him … but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100 percent.”

That’s when Mets management told Murphy to shut up. The chilling effect of that incident was evident throughout the baseball season, as no other active major leaguer to my knowledge said anything about homosexuality. To his credit, Murphy, after the key game in the Mets’ divisional series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, was not silent about Christ. “There was a lot of prayer going on out there,” he said, “just asking for peace and just talking to Jesus and asking for peace those last three or four innings.”

But, it had been announced in the spring that Murphy “will no longer address his religious beliefs and will stick to baseball."

Meanwhile, on the other side, with a Christian GM, Dayton Moore, in charge of the Royals, you would expect a different outcome.  And, one of the leading players in the Royals organization is someone whom Tampa Bay Rays fans came to admire.  Ben Zobrist was traded to Oakland last winter, and in July, he ended up in KC.

The Beyond the Ultimate website of Athletes in Action has a short bio of Ben and his dedication to the Lord. It states that he was a pastor's son and accepted Christ at an early age. According to the piece, Ben said regarding his college decision: “My senior year I realized I was going away from home and was going to make my own choices...So I was scared, not knowing what was ahead, and I started worrying about the future. I hit my knees in prayer and said, ‘Okay, Lord, whatever You want me to do and for whatever reason You are allowing this fear into my life, I want You to take it away. My life is Yours and I am not trying to be in charge. As for sports, You can have that too." He added, "I gave everything over to Him. If God wants me to do something else with my life, then that is where I want to be.”

Upon entering major league baseball with the Rays, he got off to a rough start, apparently.  He was demoted to AAA ball.  He recalls: "God allows things to happen the way He wants, and we need to accept it joyfully and to love Him through things that don’t happen the way we would like in life. He said that, "Being sent up and down in both 2007 and 2008 was a great lesson for me. I had a prideful and wrong attitude of success." Zobrist is quoted as saying: “God was saying to me, “Keep working, keep glorifying Me; wherever you are, don’t grow weary in doing good for in due time, you will reap.’”

So, in both their lives, Daniel and Ben have faced challenges - this year, Murphy was called out essentially because of his deeply-held faith beliefs.  Ben faced uncertainty at the inception of his major league career.  Over the past year, he has played with 3 different teams.

But, these major leaguers are up to the major league challenges they face.

So, our lessons for today:

God is our source of strength.  It has to be tough to be in the middle of a media controversy, as Murphy experienced.  Playing in the spotlight of New York City.  Zobrist plays in the heartland, where the bright lights may not have shone as much, but he has learned how to face personal challenges himself.  The answer is generally the same - be faithful, do your work as unto the Lord, surrender to Him, and allow Him to give you strength.  So, there's a summary...but...

The playbook may seem direct, but living it out is a challenge.  We have never been promised an easy road in this life.  But, when the challenges come, we know who walks with us in order to face them.  God has given us an instruction manual - He has designed certain plays for us, and gives us the resources to execute them.  And, while sometimes we may not know what to do in some circumstances, often, I would say that we do know what to do but do not apply what He has taught us.

So, as you look toward second base tonight, remember two guys who have yielded their lives not only to being the best baseball players they can be, but by being at their best for the Lord.

So Where Do You Attend .Church?

The church of the living God, the body of Christ, is built on the firm foundation of Jesus and His Word, and we are called to live in a way that reflects His preeminence.  Consider the words of 1st
Peter chapter 2:
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,"
8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light...

The church is called to be a powerful force in this world, and as members of His body, we can live each day with the expectation of Christ's empowerment.   If our lives and our churches are built on that firm foundation, on Christ, our chief cornerstone, then we can be effective ambassadors for Him, sharing His love and communicating His truth.  So, our challenge is to be reliant on Him and depend on His Spirit to live through us as we yield to Him.

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Paul gives this admonition to Timothy in 1st Timothy 3, which includes a glimpse into how God
views His church:
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: Godwas manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

I don't know if you've given a whole lot of thought about who controls those suffixes at the end of Internet addresses; you know, the .com, .org, .net, and a growing number of others, such as .church.

Well, this is controlled apparently by an organization that is known by the acronym ICANN - the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. According to Christianity Today, last year, it released a list of applications for nearly 2,000 possible new "after-the-dot" endings to website URLs. From .aaa to .zulu, the list contains a number of possible endings. For a cool $185,000 application fee, you too can be considered for a domain name.

Well, two entities applied for the .church suffix: Donuts Inc., which applied for 307 top-level domains, and what was until recently known as LifeChurch.tv. Donuts spokesman Mason Cole said, "We intend to be inclusive," adding, "We're not going to have a by-invitation-only section of the Internet."

Bobby Gruenewald of LifeChurch, said applying for the .church domain fit with the church's mission of helping ministries use new resources. LifeChurch.tv has created several technology products useful to pastors and churches, including the YouVersion Bible app.  Gruenewald said, "We're definitely in the business of wanting to leverage technology and do it in a way that we feel benefits the capital-C Church."

Well, a recent Christianity Today story points out that LifeChurch lost its endeavor to own the domain extension to the Donuts people, but they'll be able to use it anyway.  Donuts won the auction for that one extension, and it now offers 183 extensions - and as of mid-October, around 13,000 churches were using the .church domain extension, including LifeChurch.tv, which bought an extension from them.  It is now Life.Church.

In a statement, Gruenewald said, “We believe the transition to Life.Church creates the opportunity to share and talk about the church in a natural way,” adding, “Plus, it’s a more effective way for people to find and identify us as a church, too.” What is now Life.Church has some 24,000 worshipers in 24 campuses in 7 states.

Some other winners in the latest competition for domain extensions? The Vatican controls .catholic, the American Bible Society owns .bible, and the Christian Broadcasting Network runs .cbn.

It's quite mindboggling to think that a multi-site church was willing to pay $185,000 to secure a domain extension, but, it's indicative for the dedication of Life.Church to utilize technology to spread the gospel and the equip the church as a whole.  CT reports that the YouVersion Bible app has been downloaded over 150 million times and has more than 1,000 different translations.  The church has certainly been effective is spreading its content.  

Some takeaways from this story:

I think there is an obvious truth that we can glean here: words matter.   And, while branding may be a marketing concept, I think it can work in the realm of our being ambassadors for Christ.  How we as churches and individual Christians communicate can help determine how effective we are for the sake of the gospel.

So, we can ask the question: What message are you sending about your church?  When people think of your church, what is the perception?  Are you known for your adherence to God's Word? Are you recognized for a welcoming and hospitable spirit?   Is the image you're projecting publicly consistent with what God is doing in your church?

And, how about your own individual life?  How are you being perceived?  Without being people pleasers, we can certainly be cognizant of how people view us.  We want to make sure that in all we say and do, people are seeing the image of Christ in us.  Not going through a set of motions, but living for Christ from the heart.

Finally, as Life.Church can remind us, technology provides powerful tools.   And, we can be aware of and relish the opportunities we have to communicate truth through these resources we have available to us.  Obviously, this church felt that the domain extension was important.  Maybe you're OK with your web address, but how about your use of social media?  Are there ways you can be spreading the word in a more effective manner - to connect people with truth and draw people into a relationship with our Savior?

Eyes Glued Shut

We have been called out of darkness into God's marvelous light, and He desires for us to walk free from blindness, so that we might see who we are in Him and what we have been given.  2nd
Corinthians 4 says:
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We have to guard against spiritual blindness - we have been brought into the light of Christ, and if we're not walking in that light, allowing the illumination of His Spirit to guide us, our eyes can easily turn aside to a pursuit of the pleasure of this world rather than delighting in the Lord, as Psalm 37 encourages us.  The enemy would get us off track by providing barriers to following in Christ's ways, and we have to make sure that we are wholeheartedly seeking Him.

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The Bible cautions us against looking to the world for satisfaction; instead, we are encouraged to see through spiritual eyes to what God has in store for us. 1st John 2 says this:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Have you had a some sort of material float into your eye and you struggle to get it out?  It can be irritating and frustrating if your rubbing and maneuvering doesn't quite get it out.  Or, your course of action may involve eye drops.  That was the choice of a Florida woman named Katherine Gaydos who had a piece of debris that flew into her eye while a friend was using a leaf blower, according to a story on the UPI website.

The story says she told WPBF-TV: "Something blew into my eye and I screamed for someone else to get eye drops out of my purse..." Unfortunately, that person brought the wrong liquid - it was super glue instead.  She said, "As soon as I felt it in my eye I felt it burn and I closed my eye and screamed 'Call 911.'"

She said her doctor gave her antibiotic salve and ointment, but refused to attempt to do surgery to open her eye or give further treatment unless she made a payment.  Gaydos said she does not have a job, no insurance, and no money.

But, after the initial television report, another doctor at the same office contacted her and was able to pry her eye open. She said, "He put Lidocaine above and below my eye and just pulled on it until it finally opened."  He did not request payment.  The prognosis was that there should not be any permanent damage.

The UPI article quoted Dr. Pankaj Gupta of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, who said that the situation would have resolved itself over time if Gaydos had not received treatment. The article says he told ABC News: "The first thing I think everyone needs to know is don't panic." He said, "There is not a single thing that is permanent that will not slough off on its own," adding, "In time it will go away."

This Weird Wednesday story might springboard us to a couple of spiritual lessons:

I think there's something to be said here about the importance of not allowing our eyes to be glued shut, spiritually speaking.  There are all types of impulses and information that can blind us to God's truth, and we need to stay sharp in the Spirit.  And, unfortunately, we can be walking around with diminished spiritual sensitivity and not even recognize it.  We have to be dependent on the Holy Spirit in us to show us the direction in which we should walk - to help our eyes stay open to God's truth.

There are a number of factors that can cause spiritual blindness.  In the physical instance I referred to, the lady was given the wrong container of liquid - instead of finding relief, she found irritation.  And, I believe that if we're not careful, we can reach for the relief that the world promises, but cannot deliver.  We must make sure we are not allowing the desires for worldly success or pleasure blind us to the riches of God's love and kindness.  We can reach for the soothing balm of the Spirit that can bring us the satisfaction we desire.

Oh, Those Excuses

In Proverbs 21, we read about the importance of having a right heart before God, which will produce
a heart of diligence, bringing glory to God:
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

What we do - how we spend our time, including our vocation - is intended by God to bring glory to Him.  He desires for us to have an attitude to please Him, and if that is our motivation in our workplace, then He will produce fruit that honors Him through our lives.  I believe that our attention to diligence and doing excellent work can speak volumes about the presence of Christ through us, and as we become trustworthy people, we develop a quality witness for Him.

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In Colossians 3, we see a passage that can inspire us to do our work diligently, with excellence, seeking to bring glory to God:
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
An increasing number of employees have indicated that they called in sick to work, according to a new survey released by CareerBuilder, conducted by the Harris Poll.  USA Today reported on the findings.

Thirty eight percent of U.S. employees did it within the past year, according to a survey taken a couple of months ago. The findings mark a jump from the 28% who admitted playing hooky in last year's survey.

Now, just over 1-in-4, 27% had a legitimate reason, or so it seemed: they had a doctor's appointment. The same percentage claimed they just didn't feel like working, 26% said they needed to relax and 21% said they needed to catch up on sleep. Additionally, the survey showed that 12% blamed bad weather.

The most popular months to call in sick are December, January, and February.  Now, fewer than 1 in 10 employees said that they called in sick during the year-end holidays. But the 68% of those who did said they used illness as an excuse to spend time with family and friends, while 21% said they just wanted to go gift shopping.

And, some employers are getting wise to their employees' schemes.  Most employers said they trust their workers, but just over two-thirds said they checked to see if the employee was telling the truth by asking to see a doctor's note, while just under half said they called the absentee at home.

The story reported that some bosses are checking up on workers online. About a third of all employers said they caught a worker lying about being sick by examining her or his social media accounts. Just over one-fourth of that group said they fired the offender, the survey found.

Some of the excuses border on the ridiculous, or even fall in that category. Some examples:
An employee said his grandmother poisoned him with ham. Another worker claimed to be stuck under the bed. One employee said he broke an arm while trying to grab a falling sandwich. And, still another said her cat was stuck inside the dashboard of her car.

Excuses can be a powerful - and harmful - tool in our Christian witness and our Christian walk.  Let's consider some takeaways from this survey:

First of all, I believe that Christians should be the best employees.  We are encouraged in Scripture to do all that we do for the glory of God.  So, how we do our work reflects how greatly we allow Christ to live through us.  We should demonstrate diligence and pay careful attention to excellence.   We should always do our best, with the intent of bringing glory to God.

This survey contains some rather tall tales, and the ditching of honesty here in some instances is contrary to our activity as believers.  Quite frankly, we should be known as people who tell the truth. We should be people of integrity, who keep our word, and who are devoted to making sure we can be trusted.

Finally, I think we have to guard against excuses - at work, in the home, and in our spiritual life, as well.   How often do we not pray or pursue spiritual activity because of other priorities; how often do we get distracted from our pursuit of God's best for us.  And, as humans, we are prone to make excuses and blame factors that really have nothing to do with the poor choices that we make. Excuses are not always fabrications, but if we have to make up an excuse, then we may be ignoring the real issue - that we made a poor decision.  There are reasons that we fail, and we have to own up to those, but often the responsibility is on us, rather than external factors.

Clinging to the Cross

In 1st Corinthians 1, Paul writes about the power of the message of the cross:
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

You could summarize the message of the cross by saying: humanity was separated from God because of sin, but Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, and our sins were nailed with Him to that cross.  He was our substitute on the cross - He died so that we might live; He died and rose again so that the power of sin and death might be defeated.  And, so we can live with an appreciation of what He did on that cross - the cross has tremendous meaning for us, because it demonstrates or us that love of Christ and we can draw strength by thinking about how much He loves us.

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In Colossians 1, Paul writes about the preeminence of Christ and value of His sacrifice for us:
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Recently, during the flooding in South Carolina, Clara Gantt had a rather unique experience that can paint a powerful picture for each of us.

According to a piece on The Blaze website, on a Sunday morning, she was driving to church at Three Rivers Baptist Church in Irmo, SC, when her vehicle was overtaken by flood waters. The article cites a report from WIS-TV that she said that she didn't initially realize how bad the conditions were, but then suddenly realized knew that she was in trouble. She relates: "I said, ‘Dear Lord are you taking me home right now? Did you come to get me right now." She explaines that she instantly felt as though God was responding that she would be okay.

She couldn’t reach emergency personnel, so she called her family. Her grandson, Travis Catchings, came and got her out of the car, but the water was moving so fast that they needed to act fast to keep themselves safe.

Then, they noticed that the car had landed right next to a large cross.

She told the television station, “There was a little church right there. Where my car stopped was right beside a huge, red cross,” adding, “I was literally, after I got out of the car, holding onto the cross. I was clinging to the cross.”  She and her grandson clung to the cross for almost five hours until rescue workers came.

In a Facebook post, she wrote, “Thanking God for His mercy and power. He put my feet on higher ground. Praising Him in the storms of life. Thanks to all who have prayed for me and Travis.”  You can also see a brief video of the floodwaters and the cross.  Clara Gantt told WIS-TV that the story isn't about her, but that it is about what she believes God did to save her. She says, "Jesus is my savior."  The Blaze quotes a Huffington Post report that Clara survived with a broken ankle and was hypothermic, but she's doing OK.

This is an amazing story of God's faithfulness to rescue two people.  Add to that the powerful image of the cross, and that can produce some takeaways for us based on that image:

For one thing, when the waters rage, we can cling to the cross.  Even though we may face difficulties in life, we can know that Jesus is right there with us - He is not taken by surprise, and He is faithful to walk with those who call upon His name.

We also recognize that when sin abounds, we can rely on the cross.  Jesus died on a cross so that He might be our perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for sin.  He paid a penalty for our souls that we could never pay.  And, when we do sin, we recognize that Jesus is our advocate, and will stand with us as we confess our sins to Him.

We also know that when our faith is shaken, the cross reminds us that we have a firm foundation.  When we feel helpless or broken, without answers and losing hope, we can continue to hold fast to the promise of the cross, knowing that He is with us and will bring us the strength we need.

Finally, our faith should become so strong that it becomes instinctive to trust God when we face adversity.  God is present with us in our times of trial, and the cross is not only a representation of an ever-present, loving God, but as we recognize and incorporate thhe power of the cross, we can experience its truth in our lives each day.

Beyond the Crisis

In the book of 1st Peter, the writer is encouraging us to continue to rejoice in the Lord, in what He
has done for us in bringing salvation and giving us an inheritance in Him. And, in chapter 1, verses 6 and 7, he writes:
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ...

Trials are certain in this life - sometimes they come as a result of mistakes that we have made, and we face the consequences of our choices.  Other times, they are the work of an enemy who is intent on destroying us.  And, there may be those trials that may come upon us for no apparent reason, but God knows. And, the good news is that God is there with us in the midst of them all.  Crisis brings opportunity, and as we continue to trust in God through the adversities we face, rejoicing in Him for what He is doing and what He wants to do, we can come through that trial stronger in the Lord.

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James admonishes believers in the first chapter of his book:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The story has been out there before - an athlete gets tangled up with performance-enhancing drugs, bringing not only punishment upon himself, but detracting from the entire team.  But, there are those that have been told, "no," and enabled with information about what to say "no" to, but still find themselves temporarily off the field.

Such is the situation with a certain SEC quarterback, who was having a good season, leading his team to an undefeated season, but testing positive for a banned substance.  That would the Florida's Will Grier, whose backup, Treon Harris, by the way, played well in a loss to LSU Saturday night.

Mike Bianchi, a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel, is certainly not amused, writing:

"I really hope that people can learn from my mistake," Grier said, his voice cracking. "I'm really sorry to everyone. Just really, really sorry."

Added McElwain about his quarterback: "We feel for him, we feel his pain. … It's something that he feels horrible about. … I want everybody to understand that this is a mistake we'll learn from."

With all due respect, Coach Mac, we're not going to learn from this. When it comes to PEDs, we never learn. No matter how many reputations are ruined and legacies tainted, there's always going to be an athlete who takes something he shouldn't in order to become something he isn't.

You can believe what you want about whether Grier made an "honest" mistake, but he's certainly not going to get the benefit of the doubt from sports fans. Too many of his fellow athletes have lied, cried and denied before him for us to believe any of them now.

Not to minimize the gravity of the mistake by Grier, but let's think together how we are all flawed, and we'll make mistakes ourselves, and we have a choice - we can either let that error consume us, distract us, and get us off course long-term, or we can stand up, admit our mistake, and move forward, not in denial, but in taking responsibility for our shortcomings.  We ALL make mistakes, we are all fallible humans, and we'll look back on things and think how stupid we were.  And, I do think we can learn and grow.

Consider the words of Will Grier's father, Chad, himself a high school football coach, according to the Sporting News website:

This crisis in Will’s life has brought out the best in him as he has asked me to help him find opportunities to serve others while he waits on adults who don’t even know him to decide his immediate future. He is the calming voice in our family, assuring all of us that he’s OK and that God gives his toughest battles to his toughest soldiers. He doesn’t see his world falling apart, he sees his world changing and he is ready to embrace it and tackle it with the same ferocity as his teammates have been attacking opposing offenses.

I can understand the sentiment of a father here, and Chad continues:

Unfortunately, crisis brings out the worst in others. It’s disappointing to see the comments of those all too happy to kick a young man who has just had his life turned upside down and vilify him as if he intentionally did something wrong. I’m sure most of those folks are generally good people and just see it as having fun at someone else’s expense and in a twisted way supporting their own team. Others just troll looking for something or someone to hate on. I doubt that many of these people stop to think what that would feel like if it were happening to their own son.

By the way, go to Chad Grier's Twitter feed, and you'll find the reference Jeremiah 29:11.

Crises come in all different shapes and sizes.  Some are large and overpowering, others are almost insignificant, but contain an amount of irritation in getting them solved.  Some crises may result from our own mistakes, others come in the form of a spiritual attack from the enemy, and others may come into our lives out of nowhere, but are ordained by the hand of a loving God.  And, in all of them, we can learn and grow.

So, we admit the certainty of crisis.  And, we can also know that there is a God who provides comfort in crisis.  Even when we mess up.  When we perhaps feel everyone has deserted us and we don't think there is a way out of the mess we've made, our God is faithful and wise, and He will walk with us and do an inner work, as well - so that He might be glorified in the current crisis, and perhaps to prepare us for the next time.

James says that when our faith is tried, that we can experience patience, and we can take another step to spiritual maturity - if we develop the right perspective and not allow crises to overpower us and derail us in our spiritual walk.  Yes, there is the certainty of crisis, God's comfort is available, and...we can allow the Spirit of God to develop Godly character in us.

Bizarre Punishment in the Church

God wants us to diligently pursue holiness in our lives.  He has already declared us to be righteous and holy in His sight, and He desires for us to live that out.  In Hebrews 12, we read:
4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."

Jesus taught in John 15 about our being pruned so that we can bear more fruit for His glory.  There is a spiritual growth process we undertake when we accept Jesus as our Savior, and it's important that we evaluate our lives to make sure that we are truly growing spiritually.  Part of that includes taking steps to overcome and eradicate sinful actions and patterns from our lives.  God will convict us by His Spirit, and He will empower us to walk in victory as we passionately seek Him.

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In Romans 5, we see that God has provided a powerful antidote for sin, and offers us the tools through which we can enjoy the victory over the power of sin.
18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Perhaps you've heard about a tragic story out of New Hartford, New York, that took place in a church there a few days ago.  It's called the Word of Life Christian Church, and a former member told CNN that it was begun in 1984 and has about five families, or about 35 members, including children. She described the congregation as a "makeshift family" that had been together for 25 years, and said, "We weren't originally isolated from the community," but over time there was friction between the church and a neighboring community, and, according to her, "We put up the hedges."  This former member denies the church is a cult, but what transpired recently would suggest that there are at least tendencies in that direction.

According to the CNN story, following the Sunday night service recently, congregation members held what Police Chief Michael Inserra called a "counseling session" for two brothers - 19-year-old Lucas Leonard and his 17-year-old brother Christopher.  He said that, "Both brothers were continually subjected to physical punishment over the course of several hours in the hopes that each would confess to prior sins and ask for forgiveness."

The next day, Lucas Leonard was taken to the hospital after church members found he wasn't breathing, Inserra said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The chief said that an autopsy showed Leonard suffered multiple contusions from blunt force trauma to the torso and extremities.
Christopher, was hospitalized in serious condition after suffering blunt force trauma injuries also.

Police have charged the teenagers' parents with one count of first-degree manslaughter, a Class B felony. Four other church members were charged with second-degree assault, also a felony.

In another CNN story, it was reported that the police chief said that Lucas wanted to leave the church, and that was the impetus for the assault.

This is certainly a disturbing story and inexcusable for the people of God.  Hopefully, truth will prevail and justice will be served.

Clearly, there was a heinous overreaction to the presence of sin, if that is truly what this is about. We acknowledge that the Bible does teach about God's displeasure toward sinfulness, and we also know that we are not exempted from His discipline - in His time, in His way.  And, that also includes experiencing the consequences for our sins.  But, the one judge is God Himself.

Now, He does place us in the body, and there may be times when believers are called to hold each other accountable for specific actions.  Again, the Bible offers instruction on how that is to be done and the spirit in which it is to be carried out.  Matthew 18 and Galatians 6 speak to that issue.

And, personally, the Bible teaches how we are to deal with sin in our lives.  We recognize that we will be convicted by the Holy Spirit, and we respond to that conviction by confessing our sins and receiving God's forgiveness through Christ.  And, we repent of that sinful action - we go in the other direction, under the authority of the Spirit of God.  Our attitude toward sin is to be intolerant to its activity and diligent in our attempts to walk in victory.   Romans teaches that even though sin may abound, grace will abound even more!

Courageous Character

In 1st Chronicles 28, we see that David is sharing with his son, Solomon, the plans for the Temple, which would be built in order to be a visible reminder of God's presence, and provide a place for the people to honor Him.  David says beginning in verse 19:
19 "All this," said David, "the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans."
20 And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God--my God--will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord..."

God had a plan for Solomon's life, and part of that plan was to build a Temple that would reflect the glory and character of God.  David, as a wise and loving father, instructed Solomon to be "strong and of good courage," recognizing that God would be with Him.  Our reliance on God will produce courage in our lives.  If we are acting in order to honor Him, He will provide the resources we need in order to fulfill His call for our lives.

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In Romans 5, we see the progression of how the presence of Christ in our hearts will produce godly character:
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Tonight in Bremerton, Washington, there just might be more anticipation about what will take place after the game than during the high school football team's homecoming game.  Joe Kennedy is a coach for the high school football team, a Desert Storm and Desert Shield veteran who, after being inspired by the movie, Facing the Giants, began a practice in 2008 of walking to the 50-yard line after the game, where he would offer a short prayer of thanksgiving for the safety of the players, the fairness of the game and for spirited competition.  That's according to a piece from Todd Starnes of Fox News, who writes that, "Over the years, students joined the coach – all voluntarily."

Well, the Bremerton School District has issued a three-page letter to the coach – forbidding him from praying before or after high school football games.

He told Starnes: “I’m being investigated for thanking God for the opportunities that have been given me,” adding, “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Starnes reports that Liberty Institute now represents Coach Kennedy - they fired off a letter on Wednesday to the school district urging them to rescind the prayer ban.

Attorney Hiram Sasser wrote, “There is no lawful prohibition against Coach Kennedy’s practice of saying a private, post-game prayer,” and he added, “The prayers are Coach Kennedy’s private religious speech, and no reasonable observer could conclude that BHS sponsors, endorses, or encourages student participation.”

USA Today reports that at a press conference earlier this week, Coach Kennedy announced he would be praying at midfield after the game.

Isn't it interesting that while thousands will be attending a movie about a spiritual revival at a Birmingham high school, a football coach in Washington state will be taking a bold stand for the Lord?   That movie is Woodlawn, and on the movie's blog site, you can read this:

In the forthcoming movie WOODLAWN, head coach Tandy Gerelds found himself in a similar situation. Group prayers with the football team and other religious activities became the center of a school district investigation and garnered intense pressure from the superintendent.

The blog post goes on to say that the coach, "instead of caving in...made a bold move that inspired an entire city."

And, there's another coach to whom I want to call attention, who is a 1948 graduate of Woodlawn High School, who went on to attend the University of Alabama and Howard University.  Another post on the Woodlawn blog said that this successful college coach, "had prayer before and after every game and a team Bible devotion the night before every game as well as a Bible devotion and prayer time at his morning coaches meetings. Each of his coaches took turns leading the discussion group."

The post says that every season, Coach Bobby Bowden took his team to two church services in Tallahassee. One of those trip was to a predominately white church while the other was and to a predominately black church.  He is quoted as saying, "It’s a wonder the ACLU didn’t get after me pretty good,” adding admits. “I really kept thinking they would…"  He said that he wanted the players to "see they were welcome no matter what the color of their skin was at either church.”

And, I just have to share what the coach wrote on his Facebook page just yesterday:

Been a dadgum crazy week in college football, don't y'all think? I get notes all the time from young coaches asking my advice about how to move their careers along. I always tell them the same exact thing. I never got a job that I applied for, you know it? Somehow, Ann and me always ended up where I felt God wanted us to be. The unexpected can happen when God shows up in your life! Have faith and work as hard as you can. Just another reminder and reason to see ‪#‎Woodlawn‬ the new movie coming to the movie theaters tomorrow. It's about my beloved Woodlawn High School. It's where I got to play QB, and play in the band. I still play golf every summer in Birmingham with some of my old Woodlawn teammates. This is a wonderful story that I hope everyone gets a chance to see.

I just have to share from another Bowden post here:

Jon Voight does a dadgum good job of playing Coach Bryant in the new movie ‪#‎Woodlawn‬. Don't forget it will be playing in the movie theaters this Friday October 16th. You can click on the picture from my post the other day for their page to see a whole bunch of stuff about the movie. I endorsed it, and wrote the foreword for the book it was based on too. It is that good! And it is so true that coaching and preaching are very much alike.

That book was written by Tandy Gerelds' son, Todd, along with Mark Schlabach of ESPN.

Three coaches - Kennedy, who will be taking to the field tonight, perhaps for the last time, to pray at the 50-yard line as an expression of his faith.  Geralds, who was at the center of a spiritual revival in Birmingham, whose own life was changed by the power of Jesus Christ.  Bowden, someone who is known not only for national championships, but for being a champion for Christ.

So, what are you known for?  We can be challenged to examine our lives to determine if our life reflects the presence of the indwelling Christ, and to make sure that we are willing to "go public" for Him.  That can certainly be a challenge, and there may be consequences for our obedience.  But, in our boldness to follow Christ, we can know the satisfaction of following Him.

If we are applying God's principles in our lives, and allowing Jesus to live through us, then He will shape our conduct and our character.   We can be known for who we are in Him as we follow in His identity and in the power of the new creation.

Acknowledging a Creator

We serve the Lord Most High, and he calls men and women to not only acknowledge His existence,
but to follow Him in a life of obedience. Isaiah 43 offers these reminders:
11 I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses," Says the Lord, "that I am God.
13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"
14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon, And bring them all down as fugitives-- The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King."

God is our Redeemer, who sent His son to earth in order to reconcile fallen humanity to Himself. We are told that He created the heavens and the earth, and placed a man and a woman in a beautiful garden and called them into fellowship with Himself.  That fellowship was broken by sin, but even with that separation, God continued to be faithful to His people.  When the right time came, He sent His Son to pay the penalty for sin and to restore that broken relationship.  We now have a glorious way to have a relationship with our magnificent Creator God.

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Paul stood before the men of Athens, in a place called the Aeropagus, according to Acts 17, and
proclaimed the truth about the Creator, our Almighty God:
24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

A new LifeWay Research poll indicates that more people who do not consider themselves religious
accept the concept of a Creator than those who don't. Believe it or not, according to a summary of the survey, 46 percent of nonreligious people agree with the statement: “Since the universe has organization, I think there is a creator who designed it.” 40 percent disagree with the statement. Overall, 72 percent of Americans agree with that statement.

Ed Stetzer, Executive Director of LifeWay Research and co-host of Breakpoint This Week, heard Saturdays at 11:30am on Faith Radio, said, “People who seek to set out reasons to believe, often called apologetics, have historically framed their argument in similar ways,” adding, “The large number of nonreligious people agreeing with some of these arguments points us to a surprising openness to classic apologetic arguments. Or, put another way, even nonreligious people are open to the idea there is a creator.”

In this survey of 1,000 Americans, LifeWay Research found that 79 percent believe the existence of human life means someone created it, and a smaller majority, 66 percent, says people’s moral values attest to a creator who determines morality.   Among the nonreligious, 43 percent believe that the existence of human life points to a creator and 33 percent believe in a creator who defines morality.

Mary Jo Sharp, assistant professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University, is quoted as saying, “The infinitesimal odds that life arose by blind chance is a formidable argument.” She also said, regarding the existence of a creator defining right and wrong: "The existence of good and evil is difficult to explain from an atheistic worldview, because in that view, there is no stable external grounding outside of humans for a standard of goodness."

And as the survey summary states: "Although most American adults of all ages believe in a creator, a sharp uptick emerges at midlife. On every measure, Americans 45 and older are more likely to see evidence of a creator than those 18-44."

So, on this Survey Thursday, the takeaways are fairly simple:

First of all, we can acknowledge that in light of the simple evidence - the organization in the universe and the existence of human life - people can be challenged to consider that there is a creator.   And, the survey indicates that there is an openness, even among non believers, to consider the possibilities of a creator, or designer.

And, we can be challenged to engage people regarding the Creator about whom we read in Scripture. Stetzer is quoted as saying: "In an increasingly secular age, where the Christian faith has perhaps lost its home-field advantage, Christians will need to make their case for the creator and ultimately for the gospel," adding, "It appears people—even nonreligious people—are indeed open to apologetics arguments, if Christians will actually make them."

Finally, believing in a Creator is not enough, and while it's nice to see that people are open to considering the idea, once you embrace the concept and personality of God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, of heaven and earth, then we recognize that He wants a relationship with us.  He calls us to more than merely belief, but to obedience.  

Escaping From Harm

We have been rescued by the Lord, so that we might escape the power of sin and death that would hold us captive.  Consider the words of Colossians chapter 1:
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

God gives us the power to resist temptation that would lure us away from His path and to walk in His ways, consistent with the new birth that we have experienced.  He has come to give us a new life, and to enable us to discern what is right and to experience His presence with us.   We are no longer held captive by sin, but we can walk in victory over it - we have a new nature, brought about by our invitation for Christ to come into our lives as our Lord and Savior.

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In 1st Corinthians 10, we read about how God has offered us a pathway to escape temptation - He has provided spiritual resources for us in order to be resistent.
13 No 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.
There has been quite a bit of attention on the refugee crisis that is affecting Europe.  As Messianic Rabbi Eric Walker pointed out on The Meeting House the other day, the majority of those who are migrating are Muslim men.

But there are numerous Christians who are migrating from the Middle East via what is being termed an "Underground Railroad," hearkening back to the days when slaves in the south would be transported into freedom.

The Washington Examiner reports on this modern-day Underground Railroad that is helping to bring Iraqi and Syrian Christians from their ancestral homelands to the United States.

Citing a CNN.com video featuring Iraqi and Syrian Christians threatened by the self-styled Islamic State who are seeking asylum in California, the articles says that, "With the help of Chaldean Catholic groups in San Diego and elsewhere, scores of Christians have come to the U.S., often via Mexico. Once on U.S. soil, they apply for asylum. Many are in immigration detention centers or staying with family as they wait to see whether they'll be granted asylum."

The piece offers the reminder that in areas of Syria and Iraq controlled by the Islamic State, Christian men have been executed and Christian women taken as slaves. An estimated one-third of Christians in Syria have fled and approximately two-thirds have fled Iraq. According to a Politifact analysis of State Department statistics, the U.S. has admitted Christian refugees from Syria at a lower rate than Muslim refugees.

Mark Arabo, a spokesman for the local Chaldean community in the San Diego area, and president of the Neighborhood Market Association, has led efforts to highlight the plight of Iraqi Christians, according to an article published last month in the San Diego Union-Tribune.  He contends that the United States isn’t doing enough to help these refugees and in doing so is turning a blind eye to a “full-blown genocide.”

Arabo has said his organization has been working with 20 of 27 Iraqis who, as of about a month ago, had been detained and reached out to him for help.  The majority of the 27 Iraqi Christians were either charged with immigration fraud or had been ordered to be deported by an immigration judge.

There are Christians from the Middle East who are being brought out of dire, life-threatening situations, with the promise of freedom on the other side, in another country.   They have known the threat of extermination at the hands of the brutal terrorist organization, ISIS.  It can be a reminder to us of the conflict between Christianity and radical Islam, as well as the persecution that so many believers in this world face on a daily basis.

So, you can't blame them for wanting to escape; and apparently some may have been so intent on escaping that they have been willing to bend the rules, which is not a good thing.

In light of this ongoing story, I thought about this whole topic area of escape.  While we are not always promised an escape route from trial, we are promised a way of escape from temptation. When we are tempted, we can rely on God's promise of His provision of strength to stand and resist in the face of what the enemy brings to lure us away from God's principles.

And, if you know Christ, you have participated in a magnificent escape - out of darkness into light, from death to life, from the kingdom of the enemy to the Kingdom of God.   In the secret place of the soul, you can experience a spiritual transformation, the rebirth of a spirit and the release of power to walk in the ways of the Lord.  And, what has taken place inside will be seen externally in the way we live.   God has provided the way to travel on this journey and He is inviting each of us to join Him.

Searching for Sodom

In reading 2nd Peter chapter 2, we can gain a sense of not only God's wrath, but His willingness to deliver those who pursue obedience toward Him.
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)--
9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment...

Lot was a man who attempted to live in a godly manner in an ungodly age - sound familiar?  Lot and His family were rescued from the judgment that God would rain upon the city where he lived. Thankfully, because of the presence of Jesus in our hearts and lives, we can be spared the wrath of God, because of the love of God - our Father, who loves us so much that even though we deserve judgment and punishment, He offers a way of salvation through the blood of Jesus and His life given for us.

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The book of Jude offers a stern warning to stand against immorality. He writes in verse 3:
(3b) I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

An epic search that has lasted 10 years has yielded some amazing results - the discovery of the ancient city of Sodom, which the Bible teaches was destroyed, along with its nearby city of Gomorrah.

Christian Today reports that a team of archaeologists led by Professor Steve Collins and his team from Trinity Southwest University in New Mexico, has announced that after 10 years of excavation and study as part of the Tall el-Hammam excavation project, they have discovered what seems to be the site of the biblical city of Sodom, according to the digital magazine Popular Archeology.

Collins said: "The archaeological team unearthed a goldmine of ancient monumental structures and artifacts that are revealing a massive Bronze Age city-state that dominated the region of Jordan's southern Jordan Valley, even during a time when many other great cities of the 'Holy Land' region were either abandoned or in serious decline."

Collins said that very little was known about the region before their team began their excavations in 2005. He says that, "What we've got on our hands is a major city-state that was, for all practical purposes, unknown to scholars before we started our project."

He said when comparing the newly discovered ruins with the remains of other nearby ancient cities, along with its prime location and dates of occupation, "it emerges as the best candidate for the lost city of Sodom—the infamous city that, based on the Biblical account, was destroyed by God in a fiery cataclysm because of its iniquity."

So, why were these two cities destroyed?  In attempting to refute a trend in Biblical scholarship that says that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God for inhospitability rather than homosexuality, Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason wrote an excellent piece.  He writes that:

First, Sodom and Gomorrah were judged because of grave sin. Genesis 18:20 says, "And the Lord said, 'The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.'" Indeed, not even ten righteous people could be found in the city.

Second, it seems the judgment of these cities was to serve as a lesson to Abraham and to others that wickedness would be punished. In 2 Peter 2:6 we learn that God condemned and destroyed the cities as "an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter."

Third, peculiar qualities of the sin are described by Jude and Peter. Jude 7 depicts the activity as "gross immorality" and going after "strange flesh."[4] Peter wrote that Lot was "oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men," and "by what he saw and heard...felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds." These people were "those who indulged the flesh in its corrupt desires and despised authority" (2 Peter 2:7-10).

Fourth, there are 27 references outside of Genesis where Sodom is mentioned. It is emblematic of gross immorality, deepest depravity, and ultimate judgment.

In his concluding portion, Koukl states:

We know the men of Sodom and Gomorrah were homosexual, "both young and old, all the people from every quarter" (19:4), to the point of disregarding available women (19:5-8). After they were struck sightless they still persisted (19:11). These men were totally given over to an overwhelming passion that did not abate even when they were supernaturally blinded by angels.

Homosexuality fits the biblical details. It was the sin that epitomized the gross wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah—the "grave," "ungodly," "lawless," "sensual conduct of unprincipled men" that tormented Lot as he "saw and heard" it "day after day," the "corrupt desire" of those that went after "strange flesh."

This archaeological discovery can be an open door to discuss God's wrath upon these cities, to highlight His disdain for the abhorrent practice of homosexuality, and to endorse and strongly promote His plan for sexuality.

First of all, I like to say that the Old Testament gives us some insight into the heart of God, and this incident can illustrate for us the consequences of sin.  You see, because of the sinful nature that has been born in the hearts of human beings throughout the ages and because of our transgressions before Almighty God, we deserve God's judgment.  But...Jesus came to spare us from the wrath of God, and to provide for us a way of escape from that penalty of sin.  We aren't exempted from the penalty, no, Jesus paid that penalty for us.

I believe the story of Sodom and Gomorrah can also illustrate how groups of people, entire cities and countries, place themselves in a position of opposition against God through their sinfulness.  I believe that this nation, once devoted to living Godly principles, is in a precarious position, embracing the taking of pre-born human life, endorsing the sinful act of homosexuality, and a general departure from the ways of God that we see in our culture.   God spoke through Solomon when He offered the antidote - for His people to humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from wickedness, so we can experience God's healing and favor.

The sinfulness of Sodom and Gomorrah stands in stark contrast to the plan of God regarding sexuality.  He has created us male and female, and when a man and woman are married, expressing that one-flesh relationship, then He intends for those couples to enjoy an intimate relationship that is powered by His love and lining up with His principles.  That relationship is ordained for marriage only, and when we violate His plan, there are harmful consequences.

An Underwater Church & God's Living Water

God is the One who will satisfy us with His living water so that we do not thirst spiritually.  In Psalm
63, we read about the quenching water that can satisfy us:
(1) O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

When we are thirsty within, we know Him who brings satisfaction.  Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit, who brings the living water to us.  His presence can cleanse us within and flow through our hearts and minds, overflowing to those around us.  When our souls are barren and struggling, He is the One who brings times of refreshing.  When we are tired, He brings renewal; when we are weak, He is strong - we can partake of the incredible living water, that will totally satisfy our souls.

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In a moment of worship while underwater - inside of a great fish - Jonah shows us how we can respond when we are overwhelmed by life or tried by negative circumstances of our making.  Check out these verse from chapter 2 of the book of Jonah:
2 And he said: "I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.
3 For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.'

He aligned his heart with the heart of God, and we read in verse 9:
9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord."

When one scouts out a location for a new church, I would think it to be unlikely that underwater would be a consideration.  But, that's the announced site for a new Orthodox church slated to be built off the coast of Crimea.

And, according to a Christian Today article, it has the blessing of Archimandrite Tikhon, who is a described as a "keen diver," as well as the the 'Mother of the Beavers' diving club in Sevastopol and the Night Wolves motorcycle gang, known for their right-wing nationalism.

The church will be a few hundreds of feet off shore, near Sevastopol, at a depth of over 65 feet.

Already, there has been a cross around 10 feet tall that has been erected - the first part of the construction.  The article says that the Archimandrite told RIA Novosti that the building would look like a normal church. He said, "Inside there will be images, icons – everything that you would find in a church."  Also, before the summer diving season ends, divers also plan to install a table and massive concrete candle holders.

No word on how they plan to keep the candles lit.

Tikhon also wants the site to feature relics from the Crimean War, which was fought in the mid-19th Century, which saw Sevastopol besieged by British and French forces in a campaign that included historic battles such as the Charge of the Light Brigade.  There would also be relics of the battles of 1941-42 against German forces.  Tikhon hopes it will become a tourist attraction.

It will be named after the patron saint of sailors - St. Nicholas.

Several thoughts about this new construction.  First of all, this is a certainly a unique location and design for a church.  So the diving club and the motorcycle gang want to team up with the church leader for worship.  That's cool, and a reminder for each of us as Christians that when you have a group or groups of people that you want to reach, that could come together with a common purpose or background, then there's an opportunity for ministry.   It's exciting to hear stories of God showing up in the midst of unique, non-traditional places, and we can be open to that.

I also thought of the significance of water throughout the Bible.  The sacrament of water baptism is a vivid picture of the cleansing from sin and the new life we can experience through Christ.   When we thirst spiritually, we can be satisfied by God's living water.  

Water can also represent trial, even judgment.  Noah and his family came through the water - their obedience produced salvation, while water was used as a tool of judgment for the world who rejected God.  And of course, there was the story of Jonah...

You might say there was a bit of an underwater church or at least a worship site involving the Jewish prophet named Jonah, who experienced a transformation in his life in the belly of a great fish.  Out of the depths, he called on the Lord and the Lord was faithful to deliver and establish him - an unwilling prophet, who righted his course and went to preach to a people who needed to hear the message of the Lord.  In our deepest moments, when we are feeling overwhelmed by the waves of life, we can come before Him and experience His strength.