Tuesday, December 27, 2011

You're Invited to Make a Difference

So are you tired of the status quo? Are you trying to do it your way, and staying stuck? So how is that Tea Party Thing working out? How is that Occupy Thing working out? It doesn't take long for the establishment to either stamp them out by making concerned citizens look like fools or infiltrating them and making them once again status quo (part of the establishment). I think by now we all realize the "establishment" isn't the answer, nor is "anti-establisment" the answer. Democrat and Republican are not the answer either (nor the independent). If you really want to make an actual difference, we invite you to Living Truth. This past year we dabbled in helping other people and organizations that were already making a difference. We didn't reinvent anything; we simply joined others in helping meet needs (helping the homeless, widow, elderly, downtrodden, oppressed, etc.). We prayed and listened and helped random individuals in need as God led and provided. We invite you to be part of the "We". However, know that we come together and do what we do in the name of Jesus. This year we will do no less than 30 missions in loving our neighbors in Christ. We're not here to complain. We're here to help. Why do we invite the entire community? We need more people. The more people we have the more small groups we have to carry out this mission. We would love to have the capability of doing 300 helping hand missions in the name of Christ. Perhaps you don't know Christ or have not received the Savior whose "birthday" many just celebrated. That's okay. We invite you to come to Living Truth and check things out. You will get acquainted with Christ and see what a truly devoted follower of Christ lives like. So, go from check out mode to stand by mode. Come and be a part of this while you are in standby mode. And, if you're fully paying attention we trust that you will enter the full-power mode in Christ Jesus eventually. ---So instead of whining, complaining, and occupying come make a real difference, and in the process we trust you will come to faith in the risen Christ and forever be transformed. Live the transformed life, not the status quo.
livingtruthchurch.com

Monday, December 26, 2011

You Can Do It

You can absolutely do what God has called you to do. I hear folks give all kinds of excuses for why they can't do something God has called them to do. Now, you do have to be smart. God may have called you to do something, but He hasn't quite equipped you yet. Know this: whom God calls He equips. However, more often than not people never leave the launching pad. In my case, God called me out of a fifteen year career in business to preach. That is not everyone's call. And yes, it is true if you can do anything besides preach you should do that. But even after God clearly placed that call on my life, it was a year before I started seminary and three years before I started preaching on a regular basis. In fact, while the call to preach was clear the details were muddy for a few years. And then when the details were clear it was frightening. Things didn't make sense. Even though I felt like a "fish out of water" in my previous career it was something that I was comfortable with, familiar with and good at. Not to mention, the oldest of our four children was about to start high school. Look, there is a never a good time to leave your comfort zone, but when God makes it clear you have to go. There is nothing like being in the center of God's will. I don't know what God has called you to do, but I do know that He has designed each one of us to be a part of His amazing story. Don't make excuses and miss out on "God stuff." You can do it. This is a new year. Let's all get out of the boat and walk on water! Be a part of the story. Quit reading about it from everyone else.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

The ACLU Sucks

Recently I got to be a little part in a big thing that could have been bigger and better had the ACLU not made it harder for christians to do good things for the poor and oppressed of our society. It's a shame when you have to sneak around to do good deeds. Locally some christians spear-headed an event to help some of the "down and out" folks in the community. They involved probably about five different churches mixed with high school volunteers and local businesses that made donations. The volunteers were easily in excess of a hundred people. A lot of food was purchased, donated, cooked and prepared for give away to show Christ's love. Coats and clothes were collected from churches and random citizens that heard about the event. Toys were purchased and donated to give away to those going through difficult times. A Christmas program was set up and put on to show the love to friends in the community that didn't even know they had friends. ---I could go on and on. It was great...but there was one catch...one hang up. The folks that came to receive the blessing was a minimal number. Because of recent events in SRC schools and nationally, it is getting harder and harder for christians to do what they ought to be doing. To be sure no rules or laws are violated it has become a tricky situation...a tight-rope walk to invite the very people that school officials know are the needy. When 90% of kids are on the free lunch program, there is a need! But the school officials that care for the children all through the week have their hands tied when it comes to publicly inviting families to a good thing. ---I thank those officials that care. I thank those volunteers that did their best. As for the ACLU, you suck.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Why does Christmas Day being on Sunday complicate things?

Why does Christmas Day being on Sunday complicate things? For one things a lot of businesses will have trouble shutting down or giving employees a courtesy day off. Typically, it is a time when families try to get together somehow. Yet, the day included in its very name is about Christ. Churches figure it to be a lesser attended day, because the uncommitted folks won't show up or may be swayed by non-believing family members into skipping. Ultimately, it tests our allegiance as believers to what the day is really about. The commercialism and secularism of the day face-off with the true meaning. It's not really about reindeer, the gifts and all the lights. It is about the Lamb of God coming to the world to take away the sin of the world. ---It's uncomfortable. It cramps our plans when the real story and our pretend story collides. ---Resurrection Sunday is celebrated in churches every week of the year. But how do we handle it when Resurrection Sunday meets Christmas Day...on the same day? This only happens once in a while, but it makes us think (if we will). It's painful to realize that many of us Christians have made it a secular (without God) day or family (without God) day. Christmas is about the birth of Christ, and you can't separate the Christ for why He came. And, the truth is, we do. Yet, we should never separate Christmas and the Resurrection. Oddly enough it should not complicate things, but rather it should simplify. He came, he died, and he was resurrected. What child is this? He is the Savior of the world!

Monday, December 19, 2011

What was learned from the $100 Challenge

It ran its course. What did we learn from it? The "it" being the $100 Challenge. Sometime before the first of this year God challenged me to step out in faith and challenge our church in a unique way. Each week a different person offered up a $100 bill. It could not be the same person throughout the year. Consequently, it wouldn't be a bunch of rich people taking hundreds off that tree in the backyard. It would be single moms, high school seniors, retirees, college students...well you get the picture---people that $100 bill meant a lot to. Since it had to be a $100 bill and not a check or a bunch of twenties, it had to be premeditated. We didn't drum up business or guilt people into giving it. I was fine if it only happened two weeks, then oh well. I only reminded people a couple of times that there was an opening if they wanted to give the hundred. I wanted people to learn to hear God's voice. But the giving was only part of it. The other part was small groups (our cpr groups) took the hundred and did something for some person or people in the community in Christ's name. We wanted to make the name of Jesus famous. After all, Christians are to be representatives of Christ. So our people began to open their collectives eyes around the community to seek out and find those in need. We wanted to find those that were marginalized. We wanted to find those that could use a pick me up. The important thing was for a group to get together on what they did...who they helped. We helped organizations that are already doing stuff helpful. We helped with some water bills, and power bills as you could imagine. It was great to see the creativity and the care that went into the blessing. ---This was God's idea, and He made some things about it plain. One of the things is that it was for a season. I certainly hope folks learned that it's easier to part with a $100 than they realized. I also hope that people learned how to look around and see people that perhaps they didn't even see in need in the past. Mostly, I hope that God was glorified by any and all of this. What will we do this year? I don't know. Pray hard.
To Living Truth Church: Thank you for your obedience in the giving of over $5,000 a hundred dollars at a time. It's the small things that add up to big things. God bless.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Why Good Things Happen to Bad People

A frequently asked question is "Why do bad things happen to good people?" This question is most often asked when someone is contemplating placing their faith in Christ. I guess people want to make God sound bad, thus justifying their excuse for not following Him. The conversation usually goes something like "Why did something bad (fill in the blank) happen to this innocent person?" At the very root of this answer is simple: we live in a fallen world. It is mired by our ancestors and our choice to sin. The evil we live with is the consequence of sin. "Yeah, but why does something bad happen to an innocent person?" And who might that be? You see, there is no innocent person. The Bible tells us plainly (and we know it's true) "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We are a people condemned to death due to sin. No one is innocent. In the Garden when Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen.3) all innocence left the planet. Adam was told distinctly (Gen.2) that in the day he ate of that tree he would surely die. He was promised death at the day of disobedience. Well, he didn't get immediate death. God shows His true colors of mercy, patience and grace from the beginning. He does that over and over in the book. He does that over and over in our lives. The question isn't really "Why do bad things happen to good people?", because no such person exists. The question is "Why do good things happen to bad people?"---God is loving. He is merciful. He is patient with people coming to Him through salvation. God demonstrated His love toward us, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. God made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become right with God. ---God is good. He is on the right side of things. It's a rebellious, lying spirit ("God didn't really say"Gen.3-satan's words) that provokes man to question God. ---I have absolutely no idea why God saved a wretch like me. But He did. Thank you Jesus.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

3 Spots Left

It was nearly a year ago that I listened as God spoke to me in one of those 3am conversations. He told me to challenge our church with this $100 Challenge. Each week a different person offered me a $100 bill to which I handed to one of our small groups to go help someone (person or organization that was helping people) in the local community. They had to video (30-45 sec) and show on Sunday. --- I gave the first Sunday, but after that I didn't know if people would give or not. Remember: the same person could not give twice. Consequently, people that couldn't easily give $100 would have to rise to the occasion. AND YOU DID! Single moms, single dads, starving college students, etc. have all been among the givers. You have helped individuals that God made you aware of, and you have helped organizations that were excited to get a little extra help. Thank you. Thank you. And God bless you. We've now blessed this community close to $5,000... a hundred dollars at a time. ---We have three spots left. I have no idea what God wants us to do next year, but we've certainly learned a lot. We've learned that we don't miss an occasional $100, and it makes people smile when you give them $100 of help. It brings out the best. ---It has been cool, because I've never begged for the $100. On occasion I simply reminded you that I had no one "on deck" to give it. Well, we are at the end of the called venture with three open spots to finish the year. If more than three people step up, who knows we might keep doing it (but maybe without the videos). We'll see. Holla, if you want to be a blessing to your community. Peace.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Double-payment for sin

"Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the LORD's hand Double for all her sins."--Isa.40:2 nkjv
She hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins,” is one of those sayings that gets lost in cultural translation.
If a Jew were in financial difficulties and he turned his home or his farm over to a creditor in order to meet his debts, a paper would be made out giving this full information. One copy would be kept by the one who placed the mortgage on the property, and the other would be nailed up on the doorpost, so that anyone would understand that this property was transferred temporarily to another. (They didn't need a Title Company back in the day, because the notice was on the doorway.) When the account was settled and everything was paid, the notice on the doorpost would be doubled, tacked up double, covered over. That indicated it was all settled.
When it says, “She hath received of the Lord’s hand the double for all her sins,” it is as though it said the account has been fully paid. Nothing more now to suffer, because the Lord will have pardoned her iniquity.
The prophet wrote this "It is finished" account settlement years before the birth of Christ. It was part of the message John the Baptist would cry out to the Jews preparing the way for the Gospel message to be received.
*** I share this insight, because some people ask if some have to pay double for their sins, based on this verse. No. There is one price. You can pay it and spend eternity in the lake of fire, or you can accept the payment and spend eternity with Christ.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Conservative Rant

I'm not big on classifications, but I guess I fit the conservative mold. I like to think things through, and not simply believe them just because someone that looks like me or was born in the same part of the country believes whatever. ---Recently, I listened as a political pundit made comments about liberals and conservatives, and he struck a chord with me. He said that liberals feel like they are the only ones that care about the poor. I have to agree that is the way the media portrays the liberal vs conservative bent. Allegedly, conservatives are for the rich and powerful and don't give a flip about the poor. Consequently, the public shouldn't even listen to conservatives because they are terrible. ---May I please share "the way I think", and it is the way several people that I know think? The conservatives that I know are often but not always Christians. The ones that I know: help at places like the Pregnancy Resource Center (you know when a young couple or just a young lady go for help with an out-of-marriage pregnancy takes place. They are given all kinds of free stuff and guidance to pregnancy and nurturing. Love.); Family Promise (where families in transition go for help. Love.); Council on Aging ( where elderly folks are helped to live their lives with dignity); Salvation Army (where the poor are ministered to in multiple ways) Florida Baptist Disaster Relief Team ( where they often beat the Red Cross on location to help folks in time of need. Also Red Cross); Living Truth Church (this whole year a different person gave $100 a week to be handed out to people or people helping people in the local community). These are just some of the conservatives out there not bragging, but doing what they do either in Jesus' name or because it is the right thing to do. So, please don't say conservatives don't care about the poor. Their (our) actions prove otherwise.---Here's the thing. I do believe that if a man/woman works hard for a full day's pay, then they should be entitled to as much of that pay as possible. Conservatives don't believe in the redistribution of wealth. Somehow this gets mistaken as if they don't care. Picture a guy working a hot, smelly, dangerous-even job. Should we take a huge portion of his check and pay for the laziness or mistakes of others. I'm pretty sure most of us would agree if a guy works hard for the money, he should get his money. Many of the hard-working people I know are generous. They will give the shirt off their back to help someone in need. ---The problem is greed. Those making the most aren't necessarily bad people. And many of them are giving. ---The problem lies in two people. 1. The person who won't work for food. 2. The person that cheats and mistreats the poor to get rich. The Bible addresses both of these folk. (I'll not go into preaching mode.) ---Then there is the whole right-to-life thing. Yes, I believe a child should not be put to death in the womb, because somebody made a stupid decision. God said, "Choose life." However, once this act has been committed, once again the conservatives that I know are there for the people that made a poor choice. ---The other hotspot is homosexuality. I'll address this from a conservative Christian perspective, because I understand there are conservative gays. We all have friends and relatives that have adopted the homosexual lifestyle. While as a conservative Christian (again without preaching) I totally disagree with homosexuality from biblical understanding. I don't hate the people. I hope for the people. I'm definitely not into name-calling of any kind. --- We may respectfully disagree on any or all of these issues, but I don't (nor do I think most conservatives) mindlessly pick a belief due to culture or region. ---I will defend the right for the liberal to speak, and I choose not to put them in a certain category. Just please don't be misguided by the media on what a true conservative believes. Final note: I know there are extremes on the left and the right. As much as it pains me to say, they too have a right to be heard in public. ---So remember, next time you're in a crisis; there is a good chance a conservative will be the one that comes to help.