Trying to Remember What I Forgot

Today I took a drive in a part of the country I have not seen for decades. When I was a boy my grandfather would drive me up and down those roads. Sometimes it would be a trip to "the big city." Other times it would be a drive to visit a church member (he was a pastor), or a cousin. Sometimes it would be his route to one of the few small towns in this part of rural Mississippi. He had one town for shoes, one for farm supplies, and another for the basic supplies. You only went to town when it was needed. You only went on a Saturday, except for emergencies. You NEVER went on Sundays, except to go to church if church was in town.

The back roads held so many forgotten, buried, but great memories. There were the stores we would sometimes visit. They always held promise of a 6 ounce Coke and some kind of candy bar. Never far away was the RC Cola and the Moon Pie if we wanted a change from the ever popular Coke.

One crossroad brought back the memories of catching my first bass on an artificial topwater lure. It weighed all of 3 pounds, but what a memory! I was a young teen becoming the Bass Master world champion in that moment. I was so pumped I even bought a membership with Bass Masters so I could have the patch. After all, I had now joined the ranks of great fishermen everywhere.

One bridge crossed a creek where I watched Grandaddy baptize those brave souls who had given their hearts to the Lord in the most recent summer revival. That creek sure was bigger when I was a boy. I can't imagine how it shrank.

The church was called Riverside Baptist, though I have no clue as to why. The river was miles away. It must be from that old Spiritual that said, "Gonna lay down my burdens, down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside..." It was an old wooden building, with straight (so they seemed at the time) wood pews, and a series of windows on both sides of the building. Those windows were always open in the spring and summer. There was no air conditioning. There were no electric fans. There were what we called funeral fans--a large, shaped piece of cardboard with a soothing image and an advertisment for local funeral services.

The only water we ever saw in those hot summer mornings and evenings was the glass of ice water sitting on the pulpit, condensation dripping off the cold glass. As my grandfather warmed up in his passionate preaching style, the air grew hotter and the water more tempting. We cringed whenever temptation and coveting entered his message, because there we sat, coveting that cold glass of water. It was always worse whenever he would pause and lift the glass to his lips. The fans would begin to fan at a frenetic pace. A hummingbird would have been proud of the fanning of many of us.

Riverside Baptist holds two strong memories for me, maybe three. I remember my Uncle Simp's prayer for rain (he was really a cousin, but they told us we had to call him Uncle Simp) during a drought. I have not heard many pray like him, before or since. And yes, it rained a few days later. I think Uncle Simp was the only one who brought an umbrella to that prayer meeting.

And I remember Uncle Simp's message on Elijah being fed by the ravens. I was only 9, maybe 10; but the image painted in his word pictures still sits in my mind to this day. There are days when Uncle Simp's words bolster my faith and let me strengthen myself in the Lord.

And then there was the outhouse. I remember the outhouse. I hated that thing. I hated it more for the promise of red wasps than for the other unpleasantries that come with non-plumbed outdoor bathrooms. And no, we did not have corn cobs to use in the outhouse.

This was just the first half of the more-than-one-hour-long ride. But it stirred so many old memories. So many things I wanted to remember peeked over the distant hills in my mind.

One day I will take that same journey again. This time it will be the spiritual roads with their markers that God has impressed on my heart. It will be a good journey, because there are those times that we need to try to remember some things that we have forgotten.

Should Followers of Christ Burn the Quran?

The news around the world is occupied with the promise by some to burn the Quran. It makes headlines on both the internet and television media. In Amercia, it has turned into a war of words. In other countries, the protests are loud and look violent.

The proponents of the book burning claim their motives are fueled by something greater than just the infamous date of 9-11. That would be enough for some out there; but for these folk it is even more sinister. It was not enough that terrorist Muslims attacked our nation. Please let me be clear, in case anyone has a doubt where I stand: may those who perpetrated this burn in hell if they do not repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. May all who attack my nation suffer a terrible fate if they do not repent and believe the gospel! I watched this attack, just as most of you did. I saw the second plane hit the second tower. I saw the live reports as the third plane hit the Pentagon. I was ready to sign up and go fight those illegitimate sons of the devil. I was angry. I still am.

BUT, I was also compelled to find ways to preach Christ to them. As angry as I am, I understand that their root problem is spiritual. They need Jesus. They need to repent and believe the gospel. They need missionaries, not military (this is not a treatise on the justification of wars; this is a spiritual lesson).

So now we get back to the issue. 9-11 was not enough to provoke the book burnings. The Muslim world has had the historical practice of placing a mosque on or near the site of any place they have won a battle. To place a mosque at "Ground Zero" of the WTC is a message to the Muslim world: it says they won. And the Muslim community wants to send that message out.

So the erection of a mosque is an offense. It should be seen as an offense. It should be reported as an offense. But our news media are more interested in reporting sensationalism than they are truth. If the Muslim community proceeds with their plans, if they build this mosque, it will be a slap--no, a kick in America's groin. I would cast my shoes at them for this wretched plan. I would extend to them my left hand.

Is the proper retaliation on our part to burn their sacred writings? While we know those writings are not truth with no mixture of error, as is the Bible, the writings are still sacred to them. So to physically attack their writings is an offense of significant proportion. It would be a serious setback for those seeking to win Muslims to faith in Christ Jesus. It flies in the face of the teachings of Jesus who told us to be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. It resorts to the very things that they do to believers and to the true Word of God. We should be careful not to imitate their stupid, irrational, and blasphemous behavior.

Lest those who name the name of Christ have forgotten, this is a spiritual battle. I say to those who wish to burn their book: if you spent half as much time on your knees seeking their salvation, and the other half witnessing to them, you would have likely won many of these misguided, lost souls to Christ. If you want to be a true offense to them, send missionary teams into their lands and preach the risen Savior. Win them for Jesus' sake. That is the proper response.

The Big Question in Christian Circles: Is Glenn Beck a Christian?

Americans have been going round and round about Mr. Beck, an active Mormon and very famous talk radio host. Is he or is he not a believer? I can answer this accurately for all who wonder: I don't know.

Mr. Beck has stated emphatically that he is trusting in the atonement of Jesus Christ for his salvation. The trouble is, Evangelical Christianity and Mormonism mean two different things about atonement. Dr. Al Mohler agrees: "You're having the language, but you're not having the definitions here," he noted.

Consider the following: Mormonism teaches that the primary place of atonement by Christ Jesus was in Gethsemane, not at Calvary. The New Testament, however, teaches that the atonement occurred on the cross.

Additionally, in which Jesus does Mr. Beck believe? The Jesus of the Bible? Or does he believe in the Jesus of the Mormon books? The Jesus of the Mormon literature was not conceived by the Holy Spirit; rather, Elohim came down in human form and had sex with Mary. Also, the Jesus of the Mormon literature was a polygamist.

That's not the Jesus of the Bible.

If Mr. Beck, a former Catholic, will answer clearly that he is trusting the full work of Jesus on the cross, not on his having sweat blood in Gethsemane, we can assume a break from the Mormonism that has gripped him for several years. If he will affirm the Jesus of the Bible and publicly disavow the Jesus of Mormon literature, perhaps we can accept his testimony.

Remember this: the devil will say anything to deceive you and dilute the power of the church in this world.

Growing Churches Have Vision

Now that title may be the most understated thing anyone could ever say: growing churches have vision. I can hear some say, "Tell me something I don't know." Well, I can't. Did you know that there is no new thing under the sun? That is what Solomon said, at least. I believe he was a bit wiser than I am. He was also penning God-breathed words, making that statement authoritatively final. So I am afraid that my few readers won't be "wowed" by what I can say.

I do know a few things, though, about vision. These principles are general and apply to external church growth, better known as church planting, as well as internal church growth.

One thing I know is that you must begin with a vision. Starting out without a vision is much like putting the car in drive and not holding the steering wheel. You will go forward, but you don't know where you will end up.

If you are a church planter, a strategist, or a facilitator, someone has likely suggested a vision to you. On church planting teams, the lead strategist generally communicates his or her vision to the rest of the team. Your job is to apply that vision to your ministry; you must build on that vision. But I need you to hear me: you must still develop your own vision to complement the overall vision. The better strategists will empower you and expect you to develop your own vision. The micromanagers will balk at this. They feel too great a need (it's false, of course) to control everything.

HELLO!! You can't control it all, Mr. Micromanager! Leave that level of thinking and move on! Encourage your team to be visionary.

If you are a staff worker, or pastor, your vision is not unique to you, either. The same principles apply on both levels. Find your vision, but let your staff build off of it, so long as it does not contradict your overall vision.

Ministry teams with vision are focused teams. Focused teams get things done.

Growing churches and church planting teams have vision.

Growing Churches in North America

I have moved from growing churches in South America to the challenge of the pastorate in a southern city of the great state of Mississippi. I have enjoyed the first 3 months. I think one would be alarmed if I said anything else.

Seriously, the challenge of preaching God's infallible word each week has been a great blessing for me. I cannot think of anything else I would want to do. I enjoy discipling believers, new and old alike; I enjoy the challenge of "birthing a sermon" to feed God's flock. There is nothing like it. The major differences between the past 20, plus, years and now is the language I use. In Peru it was Spanish, sometimes translated by someone else into Quechua. Here, it is English (though I find the chance to use my Spanish from time to time). Also, the depth of my teaching is different. I spent far more time on the basics in those new churches, with those new believers. Here, I can go deeper into a passage.

The challenge of all challenges is to create a growth attitude in this great church. Do not misunderstand me; they want to grow. Many have said something like, "Just show us what to do so that we can grow."  But what many of you reading this may know is that growing existing churches is often a very difficult thing. There are some relatively easy things I guess I could do. As one writer has said, anyone can grow a church if he wants to put on a better show than the churches around him. I don't want that kind of growth, quite frankly. I am of the school of thought that teaches that God is not in "show business." So we won't have motorcycles cruising down our aisles. We won't drop commandos from the ceiling while an orchestra plays exciting music. We won't be giving away flatscreens and large (or small) sums of cash for those who visit us.

What will we do? Three things that give birth to many other things I can't write about in one posting: we will deepen our love for Jesus, stand firm on his doctrines, and seek to obey all things he has said in that infallible word that gives us his doctrine. Yes, for us it will be love, doctrine, and obedience. What we do in our great church is going to flow from those three foundational values.

Growing churches in North America can be done! God has not withdrawn his presence, yet!

When the Spirit Speaks

Most believers are aware that the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, speaks to God's people. He speaks to churches and he speaks to individuals. But the important thing is that he speaks. How does the Holy Spirit speak to us? In what ways?

Now I could go to Henry Blackaby's and Claude King's Experiencing God and give you some pretty practical lessons. Those lessons have been made popular with us now for 20 years, or so. Lessons like, God speaks through the Holy Spirit through his word, through prayer, through circumstances, and through others to make his will known to us.

I could write all night about all of that. I want to go a different direction. I want to try to help you, the reader, see that God will speak to you according to how he has made you. Now he will use all of the above to do it. But he has given you a unique personality and wants to speak to you in a way that you will understand him.

God will also speak through the Spirit in accordance with your faith level. There are a number of levels of faith living we can be on. Some are little children. They are newly born again. The Holy Spirit has a way to teach those newly born believers so that they can grow quickly. Some are young men or young women, spiritually speaking. The Holy Spirit will address these accordingly. And some are young adults. The list goes on.

There are things I have learned about the Holy Spirit's voice. Sometimes it is a soft and gentle voice. Its tenderness is unrivaled, even by the greatest of lovers.

Other times the Holy Spirit's voice is like a gentle wind on a summer night. He moves, you feel his presence, and you are refreshed by what he says to you.

There are those times that he speaks as strong as a central plains thunderstorm. When God gave the Ten Commandments his voice was accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Some of you are like me. More often than not, God has had to speak more like a winter storm, blowing his winds across you with such passion as to push you towards his will.

This is what I have learned, though: the longer I walk with the Lord, the better I know his voice.

The question is, when the Holy Spirit speaks, will you be listening?

Pray for Turkey

We who follow Jesus must pray for Turkey. You can read the latest atrocities here, or also here.

We who have traveled to Turkey find the acts mentioned in the two related articles above to be reprehensible, but also surprising. Supposedly, Turkey has been more secular, meaning they ignored to some extent the existence of Christians in that country. Not so any more.

Please join me in praying for those persecuted believers. Do not be surprised when Turkey allies itself with Iran and other anti-Christian countries. The time for the Messiah's return is close. Those final pieces seem to be falling into place.

Jesus is Lord, even over Turkey!

What's Right about America?

Once more we are at the eve of one of the greatest holidays in America. The celebrations may have changed in size and style; but be assured that celebrating our indepence is nothing new. This year we need to stop and remember what made America great. We need to remember what is right about America. We can speak all day about what is wrong and never exhaust the list. I think if we would remember what is right and apply it, perhaps we would discover that what is wrong will steadily fade away.

Sunday I will preach from Proverbs 14:34 - Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Believe it or not, there are some moments when America has shone brightly in light of righteousness.

With a little research, we can discover that America has the right foundation. The great majority of the founding fathers--especially the most influential of them--believed that the hand of God had guided them to establish this republic. They believed in the fundamental and absolute law of God, above all else. These men were persuaded that all moral law came from God's law and that man was incapable of governing himself apart from God's law.

Many of the men were influenced by the Puritan teachings of the age. Consequently, they believed that, due to the untrustworthy and sinful nature of man, any government needed its checks and balances. This gave rise to the three branches of our government: the executive, legislative, and judicial. They did not trust any single branch to hold and administrate all power.

Where did this foundation come from? Why such a view? It is because most had the right faith. The United States of America, contrary to the current secular-humanist and agnostic viewpoints, was founded with a Judeo-Christian worldview. And to speak frankly, there was more emphasis on the Christian than on the "Judeo." When the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, John Adams wrote to his wife and said, "The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals (sic) of Christianity... I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."

Alexander Hamilton boldly claimed that two things made America great: 1) Christianity, and 2) a Constitution formed under Christianity (emphasis added).

Yes, America had the right faith.

America also had the right focus. While not stated explicitly in our great documents, there is ample evidence of the desire of man to form a republic for the purpose of the expansion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is, America was to be a platform from which men and women went into all the world to preach the gospel. We were, as John Winthrop stated, to be a city set on a hill--a light, if you will, shining in the darkness.

The desire for liberty was strong. Men were weary with the rule of a king. They wanted liberty and they wanted it for all people.

And this nation was to be a nation where one could find a better life. Even today men and women want to come here for a better life. While too many do so illegally, we must understand their desire to live among us. We are, after all, the greatest nation on earth in modern history.

My question is if America can possibly have the right future. We have spurned our Judeo-Christian values. We have so embraced the heresy of complete tolerance that we have cracked and tried to shatter the very foundation that makes America the nation it is.

We can have the right future if we do two things: we must repent of our sin. We must seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. If we do these two things we will do well. If not, I cannot say what future we may have; probably none.

Signs point to hard times just around the corner. There are those who would see our demise so as to create a new world order. It will happen; the book of Revelation shows us that. But perhaps God will be merciful and allow us a few more years of greatness before that great and horrible day comes on the earth.

Pray for the Persecuted Church

So many of our brothers and sisters around the world pay a high price for following Jesus. Many so-called "faiths" not only reject Christ, but persecute those who follow him. Most recently, I came across the following:

AFGHANISTAN: Urgent Call for Prayer


Source: Open Doors, June 10, 2010

Devastating reports have been released from various news agencies that a member of the Afghan government has called for the public execution of Christian converts from Islam. This is in response to a video broadcast by the Afghan television network Noorin TV, which showed footage of Christian men being baptized and praying. The deputy secretary of the Afghani parliament said, "Those Afghans that appeared in [the footage] should be executed in public." The video clip, along with inflammatory statements against the Christian faith, has repeatedly been broadcast on different television stations.

According to Afghan law, proselytizing is illegal and conversion from Islam is punishable by death. Many Afghan followers of Jesus have been frightened by these events and have gone into hiding while others have fled. Afghan Christians want the world to know about their situation, that in a country where they have few rights and no voice, they want their voice to be heard. They are asking for our prayers. [end quoted story]

This is one of many examples. Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and a host of other countries have those within them that persecute followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Pray for the persecuted church. Pray for those believers to stand fast in their suffering. Pray for many to come to Christ as a result of their faithful witness.

Are You Connected?

Today they turned on my phone service in our new home. It supposedly came on at 8 PM, local time. Now how the time managed to be set in such a way is a mystery to me. Almost all things related to this particularly well-known phone company that begins with the letter “A” is a mystery to me. But that is the information they sent me.


So at 3 PM this afternoon I dialed my new number from my office. Sure enough, I got an invalid number notice, along with a fast busy signal. So much for hoping for an early connection.

At 7:30 I looked at our brand new cordless phone, probably made by some outsourced subsidiary of the same company that will be my phone service provider. The phone is modern enough it had, in bold letters, “No Line.” That should have been a clue. But I am not up to speed on all these fancy things that can happen in the US of A. 20 years in Peru dulled my knowledge of technology.

At 8:04 I looked again.

Still no line.

That did not surprise me. I have never known phone companies to get in a hurry. Once we waited a week before someone called to ask what we even called about. By then I had forgotten what I had called about; oh, yes; it was a bad phone connection.

At 9:15, I called my new number, using my trusted cell phone (which is not controlled by this world-famous company). My new number rang and rang. But it never rang in the house.

Mr. Clueless was catching on. “No line” means no signal of any kind is making it into the phone jacks.

So I proceeded to set up my wireless network, making it through 2 steps. Step 3 is registering the service online. But there is no line to go online to.

Along came my latest thoughts. You can have it all in the right order, but be disconnected from God. If you are disconnected from God, you won’t get His signals. You won’t get His messages and calls. You won’t go “online.”

There are many things that can cause a disconnect. You can have a disconnect because of a broken line. You may have allowed your life to be corroded by sin and to chew through that prayer line that keeps you in touch with God.

You may have not used the proper connections. Your prayers must be in the name of Jesus. Sorry, no one else can give you access. He has a monopoly. He paid the bill. He owns the line. You pray in his name, or your prayers are disconnected.

Are you connected? If not, why not?

Get online. You won’t regret it.

Remember! You're in Charge!

Today in our morning worship, one of our men reminded me of something as he prayed for this country many call "America." He said that this country is a republic, and therefore belongs to us. I was particularly moved by that prayer, especially those words. My friend who prayed is exactly right.

America belongs to us.

America does not belong to the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, or the Judicial Branch of government. Instead, it is ours. In fact, those three branches of government are ours. Those men and women in power would have you think and believe that they are in charge; but they are not. Folks, they work for you if you are a tax-paying citizen of this country. They are called public servants for a reason.

My friend continued to pray and made the most poignant statement. He said that he was laying his part of the United States of America at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was declaring that his part of America was under the Lordship of Christ.

I agree. And I laid my piece down again today. My piece is also under the Lordship of Christ.

Remember this: each of us has a part of this great nation. If the followers of the Lord Jesus would do what my dear friend did, what a difference we would see in this nation's activities and life.

What will you do with your piece?

Life in Southern America

We left South America for Southern America just over a month ago. We left one style of ministry for one that is more traditional in its scope: the pastorate in a traditional church.

So imagine my surprise when the first people that I am able to evangelize, sitting right in my counseling office, were not Mississippians. They were not even "southern" Americans. They were from Venezuela. And our conversation was not in the rich southern English of Mississippi. It was almost entirely in Spanish. The Bible open in front of me was a Spanish Bible.

I came expectantly, hoping to use my years of work in South America to further the kingdom of God. The joy of seeing my first two to pray to receive Christ, and see them do it in Spanish, was delightful. May God give us dozens more!

The Heart of Worship

It's different, this ministry in the southern United States. The very cultural atmosphere is so distinct than that which was our predominant culture for so many years. While we sang wonderful songs and hymns in this morning's worship, for example, NO ONE showed up with a tamborine. The drums were silent. There was no guitar, trumpet, or sax. It was just piano and organ. My senses, once regularly assailed by such beautiful (but too loud) music, have had to adjust to our more subdued worship styles.

Or, do they? Worship is what I make of it. The intensity of worship does not begin in the sensory canals of my ears. It does not begin with my eyes, hands, feet, or any other part of my body. It does not even begin in my soul--that place of the heart, mind, emotions, and the will.

Worship is a choice, yes; but worship begins in my spirit. "They that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Some say that "spirit" is properly capitalized: Spirit. Still, THE Spirit speaks to MY spirit and there worship begins.

If worship begins in the Spirit speaking to the spirit of man, then something important needs to be understood: you don't need all the external trappings that we often think are necessary to worship.

Matt Redman learned that lesson several years ago. The result was his song, "The Heart of Worship."

Thanks to Mr. Redman for listening to the Holy Spirit and teaching us via that great song.

Tonight, I choose to worship. I choose to let it begin in my spirit, not in the seat of all those senses that God has also given me to enjoy and relate to this world. If my senses are suddenly surprised by something more akin to what I have grown more accustomed to, wonderful. If not, it does not matter.

It is, after all, all about HIM.

My Car Is too Smart!

In our transition to the United States and a new ministry, we have had to purchase a vehicle; before it is over, we will have purchased two vehicles. The first one we purchased has demonstrated to me the fact we both knew: time and technology did not stop while we were overseas for the past several years. In fact, I discovered that my car is far too smart. Its information center tells the driver so many things that we never figured we would need to know. Because I am easily fascinated with technolgy, I keep mashing the information button to see what it will tell me next. But when the car began to base oil changes, not on mileage, but on engine revolutions, well, that was too much. I am most certainly impressed by these things that are now at least four years old, but new to me.

We should be so easily fascinated by the things of God. Walking in the newness of life is one of those things of which we should never grow weary.

Lose some sophistication; let the Christian life become fascinating--as fascinating as smart cars!

Somewhere in Southern America, end of week one

We are once more in southern America. We have now been here one week. In many ways, life in the northern hemisphere has been the same as it was in South America. In other ways, it is quite different.

Life is faster here. Now, that's not necessarily a criticism; it's more an observation. Everything seems faster. Meals are consumed more quickly. People drive more quickly. People seem to want to do everything more quickly. Why, I would not be surprised if the speed of light was faster. Okay, maybe that's too much. But I hope you get my point.

If there is a criticism about the high velocity living of North Americans in Southern America, it's the stark reality that this kind of living may be good for business, but bad for relationships. We have even adopted a philosophy of quality time, thinking that if we pack more personal attention into five or ten minutes, we have had some kind of significant relationship. It bleeds over into everything we do: doctor's visits, sermons, time with children--everything. The result? We hardly know one another!

I purpose in my heart to avoid high velocity living. Life is simply too good not to enjoy the ride!

Kevin, in southern America

The Second Day Is Not the End

Some 2,000 years ago Jesus died on the cross. No one murdered him. No one took his life. He laid down his life. He willingly gave it as a sacrifice for our sins.

Some of his disciples watched that gruesome scene. They saw their Master, stripped, flayed open by the whips, tufts of hair ripped from his beard, eyes probably swollen from the beatings, welts from the caning. His body endured all that a body can endure. His soul endured far more. His spirit bore the brunt of it all. He bore the wrath of God. He took my punishment. He took yours. And he commended his spirit to the Father and breathed his last.

From the human side, those who saw it saw a corpse. A dead man. Those disciples who were there probably looked for those who were in hiding to deliver the news. Rabbi Jesus is dead. It's over. I don't doubt they sobbed deep, painful sobs. I would not be surprised if some were on their knees in grief. Others may have held their stomachs from that deep pain that comes from such unwanted news. It was unbelievable. Their hope died in that moment. Nothing would ever be the same again.

End day one.

Now comes day two: the second day. It may have been daylight outside; but it was black as midnight in the hearts of that group.

I wonder what they did on the second day. Could they eat? Did they leave that upper room? Was their fear of arrest greater than their grief?

Where was Peter? Did he continue to weep for his denial and broken pride?

Did John go help Mary, Jesus' mother, gather her things and move in to his home?

Were the three Marys that went to the tomb on resurrection morning gathering the spices and fragrances they would need?

Did the more practical ones in the group tell the others something like, "Suck it up, guys! We have to keep moving on." Did the more tenderhearted ones look at them with anger and angst?

Maybe towards the end of the day, which would have been late afternoon, someone finally shrugged off some of that grief and found some of the unleavened bread that had been prepared for the passover.

Maybe others engaged in some "Do you remember when" stories about their time with Jesus.

To their surprise, day two drew to a close. Little did they know in just about 12 hours the middle of day three was going to change their world forever.

I am glad the crucifixion story does not end with day two. There was a day three. And on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. And he lives.

And because he lives, you can face the fourth day.

The Yard Sale

One thing happens when a family moves: they find out what they really have. Our things looked reasonably nice, tucked away in this cabinet, hidden in that drawer, placed in this room or that one. Then you begin to pack. As you pack you discover things you had even forgotten about. You say, “I wondered I did with that!” And so it goes.


We decided to have a yard sale. Though I am writing this now, the sale is still in the near future: tomorrow morning. Now, to have this sale we had to pull out all these things that were hidden here, there, and everywhere. We had to pull things out into the light, examine them, and decide if they were even worth selling. Some of it was valuable to me; other things, to Pam. But what about Jose Q. Publico (don’t forget where we are!)? We filled the entire front yard (it’s very small, believe me) with items. Much of it is on tables, other things on the ground. Some is hanging, some is shelved. But there it sits. It was a painful process to weed through those things.

Think of your heart. I suspect that the Good Lord would be delighted to have a “yard sale” and de-clutter our hearts. But you may not want him pulling some things out into the light. You may be very comfortable with—even attached to—some of those things he wants you to “sell.” Some of it may embarrass you. Some of it may sadden you. And you might just get a little angry if he touches some of your “stuff.” Yet, to move on it must be done. Let the Lord have a yard sale in your heart. Let him get rid of the clutter so that you can continue on your pilgrimage with him.

Integrity, part 2

Tonight was a historic moment for citizens of the United States. Tonight, your congress sold its soul to socialism. Voting to nationalize healthcare is only the symptom, so hang on to your hats.

The foundations of our republic are seriously cracked. They cracked with the slow, but steady, turn from being a Christian nation to being a Christ-less nation. They cracked when moms and dads found Sunday to be "Fun Day." They cracked when we reached a point when sin and sinful leadership is tolerated and even expected. They cracked when churches began to overlook sinful behavior in the name of love and acceptance at any cost.

Only a self-governed people can tolerate a free republic. By "self-governed" I refer to people who are self-disciplined. I refer to people of integrity. I refer to people who have a moral foundation. That foundation has serious flaws and is in danger of completely crumbling.

Unless America's Christians put away pride, persevere in prayer, seek the face of the Father, and walk away from wickedness--unless that happens and happens soon, this nation will go the way of the few European nations who once stood strong, blessed by their Christian citizens.

Repent, America! Repent, or perish.

Changes

Did you notice the title change? This is by design. My address remains the same for this blog. But my place for publishing will be changed. Our ministry is in transition. We are closing a volume of this journey, opening a new one.

As of April 18th, I will be a pastor in the United States. I will be in the Southern block of those great states, in south Mississippi.

The change is bittersweet. It has been delightful to serve our Lord Jesus in South America. We have done so since 1988, except for a brief return for medical needs at the beginning of the 21st century. So we have plenty of great memories and great hopes that we will see many hundreds of Peruvians and others in heaven one day. Only the Lord knows how many of the thousands that said they believed on the Lord under our ministry truly did. But we have great hopes.

Now it seemed good to the Lord to send us north of the equator once again. And we are excited. It's an exciting time in the world. It's a great time to be an active Christian. I can't wait to be back in the pulpit, equipping believers, challenging the congregation, seeking to evangelize the lost.

So, rejoice with me. But pray with me, too. The change is just now beginning to dawn on us. I look forward to it, but also walk in fear and trepidation.

Counting the Cost?

I wonder if we realize how much of the Bible is plain common sense for every day living? That is one of the things that sometimes we overlook.

One of those common sense teachings is in the Gospel According to Luke. It's Jesus' parable about counting the cost. Now, admittedly and most importantly, it refers to counting the cost to be his disciple. But don't ignore the common sense analogy. You don't go to war against a larger enemy without counting the cost. You don't start a major project without counting the cost. Those are the simple truths that Jesus used to impress the spiritual truth that we must count the cost to be his disciple. More about that in a moment.

First I want to point to the historic vote taking place as I write this. What so many do not know is that these men and women who are voting in favor of what is now called "Obamacare" have no clue as to the real cost of the bill. They are ignorant of that fact. In fact, they don't even know everything that is in that bill. That 3,000-page bill. That monstrosity of legislation. Aside from the bill that Obama's own actuary said he cannot calculate, the Congressional Budget Office only sent an estimated cost. Read that again: an estimated cost. The Dems are pushing for a vote on an item for which they have not counted the cost.

Only a fool votes for something or someone they know nothing about.

They are praying for 217 fools today. I am praying for 218 wise men.

Let this battle be a lesson for believers. Although my heart is broken for the United States, the United States, ultimately, is not my home. Heaven is my main home. The United States is just one place in which I and all believers are pilgrims. This is because I have counted the cost. It is wiser to be on the winning side. Jesus is the winning side, no matter what happens in this crazy world we are passing through.

Let's use this image and the subsequent fallout as an illustration of what happens when you do not count the cost. Many will suffer an eternity in hell because the failed to count the cost and "vote" the right way.

Integrity

Where has all their integrity gone? Where is integrity in America? Where is it in Congress?

If you have been listening at all to what is going on in Washington, talk is strong that the healthcare bill is going to be deemed to have passed without even voting on it. How can they do that? By changing the rules in the house. It's insane to think about. Passing a bill without voting on it is chicanery. It is the lowest of integrity.

Integrity is all we have, people. You will not stand before God and be a liar. You will not see his face if you are characterized by duplicity. God hates lying. Hear that: GOD HATES LYING! He is the Spirit of Truth. Lying is counter to God.

Pray that we return to integrity, people. Pray for revival in America; perhaps it's not too late.

Why All the Disasters?

Unless you have been totally isolated in some dark part of the world, or have been held hostage and kept away from all forms of media, or have been in a coma, you know that recently there have been unimaginable natural disasters in the world. The latest of these is to the south of us, in Chile. We have a little first-hand information about that, because one lady who is from Chile is in our home. She was to have returned the night the 8.8 earthquake hit. Now she is a refugee, separated from all her family (all safe, they live well north of Concepcion). With the intermittent communication systems the lady has been able to talk to her family; she has even had to Skype video chats for about 5 minutes each. Each time she comes downstairs our friend tells us another story that her family relays to her about the earthquake.

We all know that this one did not compare with the death and mayhem in Haiti. But it was at least 500 times stronger than the earthquake that destroyed so much in Haiti.

My question may be yours? Why is all this happening? The scientists have given us their answer. The tectonic plates pushed and shifted, creating undue stress that was relieved by the seismic activity. I would be the last to argue that. Anyone who does would be trying to restrain the wind. I think, however, there is another answer that is more profound--though it may not appear to be so in the eyes of some.

A little-noticed verse in Romans 8 teaches us that all creation groans, waiting for redemption. Meditate on that for a moment. When Adam and Eve sinned, setting in motion the curse of sin, it was not just on mankind. The earth was cursed, too. That which was once perfect was now imperfect. That which was called "good" in Genesis 1, is now described as "groaning" in Romans 8.

That original sin had far-reaching consequences. Trees began to grow deformed. Thorns sprang up. Eventually, God placed fear in the animals, because he had given them to us for food (I cannot imagine being a vegetarian, but everyone was at one time).

Your sin and mine also have consequences. I don't know how far-reaching it may be; I think that depends on the sin. But they do have consequences. I believe when nations rebel, there are consequences. When we violate God's moral law, there are consequences. Does this rebellion merit natural disasters of gargantuan proportions? I am not God; I won't answer that here. Further, God did not "tell" me that they did. But I suspect that it should be considered in the realm of probabilities.

Those who find it difficult to believe that God might consider using natural disasters to get our attention are often those who find it difficult to believe that God will punish any sin for anyone. If God tolerates sin, then God is not holy. Then the Bible is a lie. Then Jesus died for nothing. But God is holy. His word is true. Jesus died to deliver both us and this creation that groans more and more.

In light of the horrendous calamity we have witnessed, we should do two things. One, pray for those in the throes of the calamity. Two, consider ourselves, because we are no better than they.

Something Has to Be Said

The primary purpose of this blog is related to all things Christian. But sometimes I just get angry at what I read.

The latest dog and pony show going on in DC right now is "The Healthcare Summit." But you need to know, it does not matter what is said at this summit; Dems have already made up their mind and have their plans in place. Read about it here.

Then write your senator or representative and file a protest over the chicanery and rejection of your wishes. Send a strong message, because something has to be said.

They Won't Take No for an Answer

Barack Hussein Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi don't play nice. In disregard to the overwhleming majority of Americans, this gruesome threesome intend to ram an unwanted healthcare plan down Americans' throats and make the very obese government even fatter. The plan is amazing. They plan to use a filibuster-proof method called "budget reconciliation." Read about it here. It only requires 51 votes in the Senate. There are 51 insane senators that will grovel at the feet of the threesome, in exchange for future (and some immediate) favors. For those less-liberal senators, they can abstain or vote against it, improving their chances to be reelected. In the mind of the liberal, this is a win-win. For America, it is a total loss.

This is not the once-famous character named Fat Albert we are talking about here. But down the road trod the trio, pulling the frightened Democrat party with them, crying, "HEY, HEY, HEY!!", running roughshod over any voter and any citizen who dare to stand against their socialist agenda.

The days of representative government seem over for those sitting in Washington. The days of the oligarchy have arrived.

This is not unlike Israel. Israel's leaders, in Israel's days of rebellion against God, simply chose to reject anything logical and godly. Even when they asked for God's guidance, when the prophets shared the plan, they would call them liars and do what they wanted anyway.

America has rebelled, true. America is ignoring God in many, many ways. More may now call themselves "spiritual," but they follow the wrong spirit. All that is duly noted.

But we don't have to take this kind of thing lying down. We can make those men pay who disregard the will of the people. After all, this is still a government of, for, and by the people. They won't take no for an answer; we can make them pay the fullest consequence of their actions. Write your representatives and senators. Tell them what you will do if they don't take no for an answer.

Do You Have Passion?

I preached for the first time in my life 32 years ago tonight, February 12th. Thirty-two years. I remember where I preached and what I preached. I still have the outline on a yellow and faded sheet of legal paper. It was at least a 12-point outline. Those poor folks!

It's been a great ride. I discovered quickly that preaching was my passion. It's more than a calling. It's a gifting for me. And because it is a gift, there is a level of passion that cannot be easily explained.

The passion a believer has to use his or her spiritual gifts has an underlying secret source of unfailing strength.

First, there is the understanding of just how much Christ paid to save you. Your sins placed Jesus on the cross. Your SIN (singular) placed him there, too. The difference is that your sins are what you did and sometimes do. Your SIN is your nature before knowing Christ. Sadly, too many believers do not understand how sinful sin (forgive the redundancy, please) really is. The one who understands just how much they have really been forgiven tends to have more passion about being with the Lord and serving him.

Then there is the fellowship and worship factor. To the measure a believer seeks the face of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to that measure will his passion grow. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:14, "The Love of Christ compells me..." As you seek the Lord's face, you get lost in his love. As you get lost in his love, your passion increases.

Do you have passion for the Lord and those things that interest him? If so, unleash it! Life is good! Enjoy the ride.

Who's Fault Is It?

In Haiti, some authorities are reporting the death toll at 230,000. They expect this to continue to rise as authorities uncover more bodies and continue to investigate the many private burials that have also occurred. It's nothing short of an inexpressible tragedy.

Meanwhile, strong rains pound the mountains of Peru. Thousands have been left homeless from the northernmost mountain villages, all the way through southern Peru.

It wasn't too long ago that one famous evangelical figure tried to make some kind of correlation between Haiti and their love affair with Voodoo, and this earthquake. Perhaps one could even make a correlation between Peru and the prevalence of shamans and witch doctors here. Perhaps.

But then I read the words of Jesus, who asked the, in Luke 13:1 - 5:

Some present with Jesus reported to him about how Pilate mixed the blood of some Galileans with their sacrifices. Jesus asked them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all other Galileans because they suffered like this? I tell you, no. Unless you repent you will also perish. Or do you think the eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam collapsed were more sinful than all others in Jerusalem? I tell you, no. Unless you repent, you will also perish. [somewhat paraphrased by this writer]

Do not miss this. Jesus is saying we are all in the same boat. All of us. Several years ago a prominent man in my home church lost his home to a fire. The preacher who happened to be there that Sunday actually insinuated that this prominent man lost his home to the fire because he had failed to tithe (give a tenth of his possessions). So God took his home. That very week, the preacher's home caught fire and burned. Someone went to him and asked, "What happened? You forget to tithe this month?"

Do not think that we are better than those poor, Haitians. Do not think we are better than those thousands of Peruvians wading through knee-deep (and deeper) mud, whose rivers have swept away their houses.

Do not think you are better than those snow-bound folks on the East Coast of the US, or those in California, fighting their own natural disasters.

You live today because God allowed it. You were blessed with the wonderful mercy of God. So weep with those who weep and rejoice with those whose rejoice.

Above the Law?

Many of us have followed the tragedies in Haiti, wondering what could be done to help them faster. Then arrives a group of missionary volunteers, armed with information about how to help orphans. Their desire is to help. But, from all appearances at this moment, someone coordinating the group made decisions that has cost this group their freedom. Why does such as this happen? What entered into the mind of the "leader" that would justify what some news sources report as an attemt to circumvent the law? Are missionaries and their volunteers above the law? Or should we also follow the norms and statutes of a country where we may happen to be serving?

I am speaking from personal experience. Not that I have attempted to be above the law (that I am aware of!); there have been volunteers and others who have come down and decided that their cause is a noble one and, therefore, they do not have to obey the law.

Take, for example, those who arrive here, rent vehicles, and then drive off as though they were in a cross-country rally. Speed limits mean little or nothing. Respect for local laws in the target community may be ignored as well. The thought seems to be, "I am an American (or Candadian, or Englishman, whatever) and I have my rights." Those rights do not include trampling local laws, though, to the surprise of many.

Others have arrived here in the airport with as much as 20 thousand dollars of meds that they intend to smuggle in. Why? Because they don't agree with the tax laws! Neither do I, for that matter; but the law is the law and we leave a bad testimony when those bags are opened and the customs agents discover a swimming pool of prescription drugs.

The group melting in the oven-like jail in Haiti serves as a stern example for us. If they had gathered the proper paperwork for their trek into the D.R., this group would be newsworthy for a different reason.

We can only hope someone shows them mercy for their recent attempts that led them down this unfortunate road.

Meanwhile, let's try to remember: our heritage does not give us the right to trample the laws of our host countries when we travel out on mission for Jesus. As said Peter, we don't need to be surprised when we suffer persecution because we broke the law, just as we should not be surprised when we suffer for the glory of Christ. This group's best move will be to ask the court's mercy. Let's pray they find it.

Pray for Cusco, Peru

Cusco, Peru, the home of Machu Picchu, is under water. The heavy rains have fallen for days now. In one community alone 400 families are now homeless. The rains loosened rocks in Machu Picchu, killing at least one person. Others have died in the area from the severe flooding.

Pray for those seeking to meet this disaster head-on. Pray for wisdom in sharing the gospel as a result of the open doors this tragedy will create.

Huaraz 2010

Last week men and women from Ingleside Baptist Church, Macon, GA, came to Huaraz, Peru for the annual leadership conference. This conference has been a growing annual event for the past four or five years.

Huaraz, Peru is a mountain town of about 100 thousand. It is situated at more than 10 thousand feet (3,100 meters) above sea level. On the west and the east stand tall, rugged mountains. In the hills and valleys of those mountains live thousands of people. Some live hours from the closest thing that could be called a "road."

The conference began on a Tuesday, but Pam and I could not even get there before Wednesday night. My first session was Thursday morning. I stood on the podium, looking out over more than 300 men and women. They had a look of hunger in their eyes--spiritual hunger. I did not want to serve them an empty plate.

Some of these men and women had traveled for hours to get there. We had traveled 7 hours ourselves; but we did it in a Toyota RAV. Some of them had walked more than that just to get where they could ride in the back of a truck for 7 hours. It's not an easy stroll along a meandering path, either. That walk would have been up one hill and down another, looking for places to cross streams. The night temps, for they would have left before daylight, would have been in the low 40's. And it is rainy season there, so the paths would have been muddy and slippery. But onward they came, gathering from many towns and villages.

Yes, these men and women had made great sacrifices to get where they were. Many were sleeping in less than desirable conditions while there. I did not want to leave them wishing they were elsewhere.

I took a breath, said a silent prayer for grace to preach and teach, and proceeded to try to feed this group of leaders from many Christian groups. For three hours on Thursday and three more on Friday we studied God's word together. We laughed together. We groaned together. We grew together.

It was a great moment of inpsiration for at least one of us. I can only pray the 348 men and women who had gathered felt as much. I can only wish more of us were so hungry for the word of God that we would be willing to walk a day to get to a place we could ride in a truck bed for another 7 hours to be able to be fed.

Praying for Haiti

I am, as I am sure you are, praying for the tiny nation of Haiti. The latest report on Drudge.com's aggregate news site says that some authorities fear that as many as 500 thousand may be dead. Many are "comfortable" with saying that the death toll will exceed 100 thousand.

Tens of thousands are homeless. Water problems abound. Food problems abound. It is, in general, a picture of complete chaos.

Pray for Haiti. Pray hard. Southern Baptists can give via the International Mission Board's emergency relief. Contact them at 800-999-3113 and ask how to help. IMB response teams are headed there in the next few hours.

Many other organizations can also help you help Haiti. Choose one and give these unfortunate souls a hand.

Again, pray for Haiti. Pray hard.

A Look Ahead

I don't really want to do what so many others have already done, which is philosophize over all the opportunities that the new year will give us. But I am going to, anyway. That being said, I want to lay out a challenge for the few that read this.

You now have 363 days left to be able to do at least one good thing for someone else during 2010. 363 good things. Now that won't open a single door in heaven; Jesus Christ is the door and you cannot crawl in through the window. But what a difference it will make around you.

You have 363 days you can tell someone about Jesus. If even one person turns to Christ during those 363 days, you will have done more than most.

You have 363 days left to pray for others. We are good about praying for ourselves. But what about praying for others? Do not underestimate the power of the One who answers prayer offered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You have the opportunity to give out at least 363 smiles. There was once a song that said,

Give the world a smile each day
Helping someone on life's way...

A friendly smile may make many suspect you are up to something. But believe me, a smiling person is much more delightful to be around.

You have 363 days left to laugh at least once a day. Did you know that the Bible says that laughter does good, like medicine. Do not be afraid to laugh at the right things. It will heal your body of a lot of ills. Go see a good comedy. Read some good jokes. Laugh.

You have 363 days left to tell the Lord how grateful you are for his inexpressable love. Tell God you love him. Then live like you do.

You have 363 days to look forward. Do it. Don't spend your time looking backward. You can't accomplish a lot if you keep looking over your shoulder. If you have to spend your time like that, you probably have something you never resolved. Resolve it to the best of your ability and move on.

I am looking forward to a great year. It will be great because God is great. The Father is great. Jesus is great. The Holy Spirit is great.

Looking up,

Kevin, in South America

It's Still the Bible Belt

Mississippi. The butt of so many bad stories. The disdain of many as an undesirable place. Well, we're number one! We are the most religious place in America. You may laugh at our overweight populous. You may snicker about the rednecks that live there. You may overlook them for so many things. But you will find that we are the buckle of the Bible belt. You will find more people willing to pray for you there. More will invite you to church there. More will stand up for the Lord there.

So, come on down and enjoy a plate of fried catfish and fried dillpickles; and then come on to church with us...

May It Never Be!

The desperate Demmies in Washington have planned a nasty Christmas for you. They want healthcare passed on Christmas Eve. Why such a rush? Why the hurry? Here is one opinion: they have more taxes they need to impose on Americans. Did you know that they have not even allowed the Senate bill to be seen outside of Mr. Reid's private circle? If you are American, your senators have not even seen that bill! And they want to vote on it! They need to force it down your throat before you discover how damaging it will be for you.

I have another opinion, not that men like Mr. Limbaugh are necessarily wrong. My opinion is that the ultraliberal democrat party members believe that they have finally arrived and that now is the time to impose their socialist agenda on America.

Why is that a problem? It denies the foundational principles that have been a part of America for well over 200 years. And one of those principles is the God principle. That is, God Almighty is to be at the heart of any well-governed nation. Socialism and freedom through Christ do not mix. They are antithetical. And there is no synthesis that can lead to anything righteous. Anywhere such a synthesis has been attempted has resulted in such a secular humanist society that Christianity is actually bound and prohibited in much of public life. Oh, wait! Now it sounds like what America is becoming!

Many oppose the healthcare bill for economic reasons. Me? It's a matter of righteousness. So I am praying against this thing. Please join me in praying against another move towards the fall of America.

Copenhagen 2009: What's it all about?

You want to know what the summit on climate change is about? Look at who gets the hearty applause: none other than the likes of Hugo Chavez.

Folks this meeting is not about climate change--not the kind you are thinking about. It's a climate change, to be sure. The perpetrators want to globalize the nation. They want the wealth of Australia, New Zealand, the US, England, Canada, France--anywhere that has even the slightest semblance of capitalistic ideology--to be seized and passed on to the rest of the world.

To sign on to Copenhagen 2009 means signing away the sovereignty of one's nation.

Beware the buyer!

Was it a Revival?

Last Sunday I took a trip to a city north of here, not far from the equator. I had promised to make this trip and speak to the leadership and church in this particular city. I had also heard for a long time what an exciting thing was going on up that way. So I was looking forward to this trip. Sort of.

The night before I took my bride to the airport so she could celebrate Christmas with our girls and our grandson. When I got home at ten, my neighbors had cranked up a party. As it so happens with such parties, the music grew louder and louder as the alcohol bottles grew emptier and emptier. Sleep was not going to come.

I had to leave the house at 2:30, anyway; so I got on up and headed to the airport for my 4 AM flight. It should be against the law to fly at that hour. It means being up all night for most of us. I mean, I don't live there; I don't even live close to the airport. So, with no sleep to rest my eyes, off I went, arriving at my destination at 5:30. There is not a lot one can do at 5:30 AM. But I had investigated and found a 4-star hotel there with a nice breakfast buffet. And off I went, polishing off a nice breakfast and settling in on a very comfortable leather couch. There, I managed a thirty-minute nap to give my brain a rest before preaching.

The time finally crawled on to the hour the local pastor said he would get me from the nice hotel. The pastor showed up and drove me to the rented facility. His church would not hold all the leaders that would be there. I asked how many would be there; he told me only about 4oo, or more. This was their "small" meeting. Now for you megachurch types, that may be small. But these are missionaries and lay preachers, plus cell group leaders. It's quite a sight.

I watched and listened as the pastor called forward each one of these. This is where I was so impressed. This church has started 31 churches over the past 10 or 15 years. Thirty-one. They train a leader and head out to a new village or community. There they preach the gospel and let God go to work.

I am amazed at their response. They are hungry for the things of God and want to be more involved. Is that revival? Is that what I saw? Or is it just simple obedience--the church being the church?

Whichever it may be, we should all be so motivated by the things of God. They get excited over spiritual things. Do you? When they are stirred, they do something about it. Do yo? Do I?

It was a great ending to an exciting year. May we see yet more of it next year!

Enough, already!

Okay, guys; I am sick of it. "It" refers to all the press coverage of Tiger Woods' personal junk. While what the man apparently has done is repugnant and indicative of an unregenerate nature, I don't think it is any of our business. But you cannot turn on the tube, or go online to any news site without seeing extensive coverage of his dirty deed. Please, if we did not have such a morbid sense of curiosity, such a desire to dig up dirt on any and everyone we can, we would not be facilitating the media's desires to publicize this garbage. But we love to read about it, we love to see stories on it, so we foment the gossip.

Yes, gossip. True or not, it's gossip. Gossip is poison, ladies and gents. Gossip is unbridled tongues that wag faster than my dog's tail. Gossip is sipping from a teacup filled with sewage water. God hates it. And God loathes our hearty approval of those who engage in that, along with a long list of other sins (read Romans 1 and you will see).

Some argue that people like Mr. Woods are public figures, and therefore have no private lives. Wrong. My single right to Mr. Woods' life is what he does publicly, unless he personally invites me into his private circle. All of us are public figures to some extent; the size of our public is the difference. Our influence is the difference. Do you believe we should apply that same standard across the board? Shall we contact the local media and report our gossip on one another?

With that in mind, I have chosen to ignore all news articles and broadcasts that spread this poison. It's not "news." It's trash. God help Mr. Woods and his wife to heal their relationship. God help them to find forgiveness in Jesus Christ. God help us to learn to ignore such junk.

They're Going Home

Did you think that the economic downturn in the world stopped at the steps of the church? Think again. Many are headed home. They don't want to--most of them, that is. But many are leaving with tears in their eyes.

The latest public announcement came from Southern Baptists. The International Mission Board (IMB) has reached a point that it can no longer increase its missionary force. Not only that, but it cannot sustain its current level of 5,600 missionaries serving around the world. In spite of 12 billion dollars in offerings in the churches in 2008, Southern Baptists did not or could not give to missions at a level that can sustain its missionaries. If just 3% of that 12 billion dollars reached the field through the IMB, there would be a budget of 400 million. Three percent. Three. JUST THREE.

When I think of the reduction in personnel, the consequences are not pleasant. Less people will hear the gospel through IMB efforts. Less of those who are called will have a venue to fulfill their calling. Let me put that in very clear terms: more lost men and women will go to hell because we cut our giving and reduced our personnel.

Do not misunderstand me. The IMB is not the panacea for the lostness of the world. We are not the savior, Jesus is. But the downturn is unmistakable. Some would say this means we have to step up and do something else, and we do. Some would say that means the national believers will have to step up in their own countries, and they should. But let's be realistic. If God is still calling, and he is, then God must have a reason for wanting to send out the ones he has called. God has some in mind that only those he called can reach. God has plans in mind that involve the ones he has called. It should not be an either-or situation; it must be a both-and effort.

Now then, what the article I cited does not say: those remaining 5,000 (or less) missionaries must learn how to do more ministry with fewer resources because the remaining force will still be significantly challenged by the overall level of funding.

This year we Christians must demonstrate our willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of the gospel. This year, we around the world as you to step up to the plate. Perhaps that means you will ask your church to reconsider its giving plan to be sure more funds make it to missions causes. Perhaps it means giving more than ever. What it certainly means is that we must show ourselves faithful.

While you read this, some were were preparing the bags. Because they are going home.

May we change the trend now!

What Are They Thinking?

The House of Representatives has passed an historic tax and destroy bill, one known by many names: Obamacare, Pelosicare, and by the oxymoronic Healthcare Bill. Congressmen and women, like the proverbial lemmings, hurled themselves off the cliff. They got their votes by bribing so-called conservatives with the abortion-exclusion clause. So they got their majority and crammed it down our collective throats.

Now it is the Senate's turn. This week--tomorrow, in fact--they will begin debate on their version. Madame Pelosi's bill was 2,034 pages. Mr. Reid's bill is over 2,075 pages. We have not heard the same ruckus over his additional pages; nor have we heard a lot about the built-in bribes within the bill, those which will satisfy the senators who have chosen to prostitute themselves in order to ride the party wave. Nauseating does not begin to describe the idea...

The Repubs and few Independents in the Senate are strangely silent. Have they also prostituted themselves over this destructive piece of legislation? What are they thinking? Why so silent?

My greatest fear is that they are going to allow this bill to pass, then make all kinds of political noise about it after the fact, all so that they can make political hay in 2010. So many are so corrupted by power that I would not put it past them. This tactic has been tried in the past; sometimes it works, sometimes not. It is not a good strategy. Country must come first.

Make no mistake about it, this bill will damage America in so many ways. It will be a nail in its coffin. It will strap your children with great debt. It will sap your wallet within 2 or 3 years of its implementation. Your healthcare costs will not go down, they will go up. Way up. Fox News has reported it to be as high as 2.5 trillion dollars, not just the totally insane 1 trillion that they promised to stick you for. You will be forced to pay an abortion tax. It's there. The president wants it and will not settle for anything less. Listen, please: YOUR TAXES ARE ABOUT TO GO WAY UP AND YOUR FREEDOMS WAY DOWN!

So what are they thinking? It's time for action, ladies and gents. It's time to spend time on your knees and seek the Lord. Perhaps he will be pleased to show us some mercy...

Lesson from a Mite

We live in a place that has a very unwelcome guest: a wood mite. Those little critters burrow into almost all untreated wood, slowly chewing away everything in site. They are merciless. And they are hard to eliminate.

Today, our house helper came to me holding a dust pan filled with the residue those pesky things leave behind. But this time there was more than the very fine wood dust. This time I could see the fully developed adult mites roaming around the dust pan, searching for their next meal. They are usually unnoticed. They seldom grow to such a size that we can see them. Not these; some were almost as large as BBs (remember those, guys?).

So we grabbed the chemical treatment, the only one we know will eliminate them, and began to apply it to the basket where they had taken up residence. This powerful liquid overwhelms the senses, making one sneeze, making one's eyes water, making one's sinuses hurt. It's not good on the skin, either. But it kills quickly, so we endured the unpleasant effects and attacked their latest home.

Then I thought of those sin habits that creep into our lives. Like the mite, they can be small--almost unnoticeable. They find their way into your soul. They begin to chew away, leaving a small trail of evidence behind: a short temper; a greater tolerance for other, larger sins; an ability to not think about God all day long and not even miss him. The list could go on...

Those spiritual mites must be eliminated from the life. They must be destroyed. Jesus said we would be clean through the word he speaks to us. We must apply the water of the word. That is what will kill those spiritual mites. That, and an intentional determination to keep our defenses against them in place.

So thanks to the Lord for the wood mites he used to teach me another good lesson.

When Personal Beliefs Become Hate Speech

(WARNING: THIS POST IS AT LEAST PG-13)

I am now a potential criminal. The President will sign into law a new Hate Crimes bill. What does this mean? Well, some say this bill will spell the end to prejudice against a certain group within the United States. But those who understand God's word also understand that this piece of legislation has created a wall of protection around those who choose to live an aberrant lifestyle. Yes, people, scientists have debunked the genetic myth surrounding homosexuality and lesbianism. It is a personal choice. But now it is a protected personal choice.

I fear the domino effect will shortly follow. If this type of perversion is now protected, why not pedophilia, bestiality, polyamory, and even necrophilia? Do you believe this is a stretch? Google the words; you will find hundreds of sites, along with scores of protests to legitimize every form of perversion I just listed. Now some jerk of a lawyer who thinks with the wrong organs will get the bright idea to use this Hate Crimes Bill to slither up under the umbrella of its perverted protection.

If America's Christians do not exercise some intestinal fortitude and begin again to aggresively evangelize the United States, we will see the end of our freedoms. And maybe that is what we need to begin to grow. But it is coming. Just wait. You are not far away at all from having your Christian beliefs to labeled as hate speech. God have mercy on America.

Persecution: Not Just "Over There"

We who read Christian-oriented news find that there is a lot of persecution in this world, especially in some Muslim-dominated countries.

But it is not just "over there." The western hemisphere suffers from this kind of persecution, as well. Just last week a Colombian pastor was killed, brutally murdered for preaching the gospel. The terrorist group, which some would try to call a legitimate voice in Colombia, feared the freedom that the gospel brings. It's not surprising. The gospel is liberating. It frees men from the tyranny of godless rulers, especially because Christ's kingdom is not of this world.

We should not be surprised when we read of such things. Paul told Timothy that those who choose to live godly in Christ Jesus would suffer persecution. You can have a form of godliness, you see; Muslims do, as do Buddhists, Hindus, New Agers, and a long list of others. They will even tolerate you if you are a nominal, compromising Christian. But you will not be tolerated if you live godly in Christ Jesus, for it is He that makes the difference. Dare I say it? Jesus is the X-factor. Add him to the equation and it upsets the balance of things in the minds of those who follow the prince of this world.

The day is now upon us in the west when we will pay a price for our commitment to Jesus Christ. It will seldom be televised or reported. After all, we're just Christians; we are dispensable in the world's eyes. But it will be recorded and noted by the Lord. And those who suffer for Christ's sake should rejoice (see the Sermon on the Mount, as well as Acts 5). They have been given a special honor when it happens for Christ. Rejoice and pray. And remember: they persecute us because they hate Jesus.

Indescribable

The weekend was everything we had hoped for, and then some. While the world continued to debate all those issues that seem important to it, more than 45 of us gathered together in a small retreat center, where we concentrated on the true things that matter: things like lostness, salvation, ways to get the message out. Those things occupied our minds.

Now that is not unusual. In our line of work, it is our passion. We think on these things almost daily. What made it unusual were the 45 who sat there. They ranged from age 18 to 70. These were women and men from different parts of the country. Almost all were poor; they barely had enough to pay the small registration fee for this retreat. Yet, each one sat there trying to figure out exactly how to get from here in South America to the farthermost parts of the world.

Yes, these very poor men and women are men and women who feel a strong need to be involved in foreign missions. Some feel the call to go, others just feel the need to be mobilizers. All agreed, however, that now is the time that South Americans rise up and take the baton that we are passing on to them, and heading out with the greatest message ever told to any man.

The significance of the weekend is seen in the approximately 25 who surrendered to go, no matter what. They are ready and willing. Now, if we can only find ways to send them....

It was truly, wonderfully indescribable. It was a God thing. It is a new day for this fledgling evangelical work in Peru.

Signs of the Times?

Suddenly we are witnessing the unfolding of disaster after disaster. The islands around Samoa and American Samoa; the Philippines; and once more Indonesia all took their turn in the unwanted disaster spotlight this week. Pray for these stricken nations. Pray for hearts to be turned to the Lord, as well, as a result of these tragedies.

Does this mean something for us? Are these disasters signs of the times? Scoffers may say that all things continue the same since the beginning of time; we just have not heard about it before the modern technology that we have. Maybe, maybe not. Seismic geologists have long ago demonstrated that the earth shakes far more now than ever before. Even historical accounts reveal more earthquakes than before.

But there is more out there than earthquakes. There are newer strains of viruses that turn out to be resistant to our sophisticated drugs. There are more nations poised to strike one another. We worry on every turn about terrorist plots, nuclear plots, and deranged mass murderers.

All this must be so before Jesus steps foot on this earth again. But we should wake up! It may be that time that the Restrainer is taken out of the world. Who is the Restrainer? The Holy Spirit of God is the restrainer, according to what most scholars believe. Just before the end, the Restrainer is removed. It's a sign of an imminent event that some call a heresy, others call it a fallacy, and others call it their hope. That is the rapture of the church. I believe it will happen sooner, not later. And once it does and the Holy Spirit's influence is removed from this world, watch out. Those who remain will find suffering beyond comprehension. It will be the end of life as we know it.

Yes, for me, these events are signs of the times. It motivates me to work hard to bring as many with me as I can once the "end" arrives. Watch. And pray.

To Whom Do You Pray?

As far back as I can remember, I was taught to pray. I remember (vaguely) being in Diamond Springs, VA, sitting at our kitchen table as a little boy of not even 5 yet, praying that prayer all children were taught to pray before a meal. Remember it? "God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food." I remember it still after all these years. We prayed in church, we prayed in school. We even prayed that little prayer before we left our classroom for the cafeteria for lunch. Please do not gasp too loudly if you are among those who now find praying in school to be abhorrent; there were a lot less social ills then than there are now.

We have come a long ways since then. That is why I chose to publish this link; you need to see where we are going.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me." No one else is the way; no one else gives life. When you pray, it should be to the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ. Anything else falls short at best, and is idolatry in most cases. We are now resorting to idolatry of the worst kind. God have mercy on America.

Enough Is Enough

Some things just ought not to be. Go to the following link:
Shock video: you will see what many hope comes to pass all over America. I hope you are offended and repulsed by what you see.

Jude: A Letter for Today

I am in the process of preparing for a spiritual retreat. My part includes teaching the little letter of Jude. The more I read and meditate, the more convinced I am this little letter is as relevant as the day it was written, way back around 30 years after the death, resurrection, and some 40 days later, the ascension of Jesus. Time after time, the apostles had prophesied that a group of false teachers--apostates--were on their way. These men and women were unscrupulous perverts. They knew the truth and rejected it wholesale. They used their gospel for gain. They thought only of their immediate pleasure. They laughed at the idea of their impending judgment. Ungodly men. Ungodly women. People who mocked God, who mocked God's people, who made a mockery of Christianity had slithered under the cracks of the doors and become a part of the church. Some stand in the pulpits. Some sit on the benches. Some teach Bible study. Some sing on the praise team. All are condemned and headed to hell.

The message is hard to hear. It penetrates the fanciest of veneers that we can cover up with. Perhaps that is why so many scholars have said it is one of the most neglected messages in the entire Bible. Or perhaps those who believe it is due to its brevity are the ones who are right. It does not matter why; this little letter needs to be read from every pulpit around the world. These 25 short verses should be heard again and again. Take the time to read it today. But be ready to search your heart when you do.

9-11: NEVER FORGET!

NEVER FORGET!

NEVER FORGET!

NEVER, NEVER FORGET!

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER FORGET!


NEVER FORGET!

NEVER FORGET!

NEVER FORGET!

NEVER, NEVER FORGET!

NEVER FORGET!

NEVER FORGET!

I won't forget it. I purpose to remember how my country was attacked. I recall the vicious slaughter of innocent people. But I also remember the healing grace offered by our Lord Jesus Christ. This event reminds us why we need to be ever so vigilant to send out men and women around the world--not as foot soldiers, though they may be necessary for a short time--but as fearless evangelists of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, more than ever, Americans must stretch forth their hands and support those who seek to bring a heart change to ruthless villians as those who attacked on 9-11. Now is the time to remember that only Jesus can truly change a heart for good. May the photos above stir you to dig deep and give to your Christian missions ministry.

Oh, Lord! How Majestic Is Your Name!

Our great God has numbered all the stars; he calls them each by their name. - Psalm 147:4

In the case of Omega Centauri, that would be more than 100,000 stars. Think of it! God named each star as he made it! And this is one "small" part of the heavens that God created with a single command.
Nothing can rival the majesty of God's creation. Our great inventions have only served to show us just how great and majestic our God truly is.
How can we not want to worship such a poweful, wonderful, delightful Lord?

God at Work in Muslim Nations

PRAYER REQUEST
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE AND REPRODUCE

The conversation reported below took place during June, 2009, in a Muslim nation.

A pastor here was visited by a Muslim asking prayer for sleeplessness. He reported being awakened every day for ten months by voices saying, “Wake up, wake up!”

When asked what had happened, he related a dream he had ten months ago. Two angels picked him up from his bed and took him to the foot of the cross. There he saw the women who were watching Jesus’ crucifixion, the Roman soldiers in their armor, a spear that was used to pierce Jesus’ side, and the crucifixion itself. He saw nails driven into His hands and that His blood was used to write the sign over His head. When asked if he had ever read the Gospels, the reply was “No, I am a Muslim.” He affirmed repeatedly that Jesus was indeed crucified.

The angels picked him up and took him to a beautiful place in Heaven, so beautiful that all the architects on earth could not have designed even a small part of it. There he was visited by a man dressed in white with light shining all around him whose face he could not see. The man offered him a bowl of beautiful fruit and told him that he should go and share the fruit with everyone.

He was then picked up again and taken below the bottom of a very deep hole at a Muslim holy site in Iran where he could hear the voice of the ruler of Hell shouting that he would still rule the earth. And he was finally taken back to his bed.

Two pastors heard the telling of the dream, then told him that God was telling him he had to make a choice. His reply was, “I’m a Muslim. I’m a Muslim.” Each day since, he has been awakened to reconsider the dream. He has been given a Bible and told to read for himself.

If God is beginning to shake those whom He wants to have as Muslim evangelists, we are truly in a new day. Pray for more such dreams and visions. Pray for more evangelists from within the church and from outside, in numbers like we've never seen. And pray for the church to be made ready to receive men and women like Cengiz (not his real name) when he and they come to Christ.

Another Attempt to Destroy Your Freedom

One thing that the world enjoys, and has so for more than a decade, is this amazing thing called the internet. The world wide web changed how the world communicates. I have had comments from readers on the other side of the world. I have noticed site markers from people on almost every continent. This has truly brought to pass what Daniel said in his prophetic book; knowledge has increased and runs to and fro about the world.

That is why when I read this story on CNET's site, I was very concerned--for America, at least. The idea that any one man can unilaterally seize control of the internet and shut it down in the name of a cyber security emergency is beyond the scope of reasonable government. Do you know where the internet gets shut down? Try places like Iran and China--places where the government feels threatened by free speech.

Granted, it has been demonstrated to an extent that there could be kooks out there who can hack into a system and control it. There are many who can and do use the internet for fiendish means. The idea that extreme pornography is permitted so freely, for example, is disgusting. But our courts, though wrongly it may be, decided that such trash is an acceptable form of free speech. In short, the internet is a tool that has been used for any number of purposes. But many, many people use this tool for good, not evil.

What is the danger of such sweeping powers for the president? He can be persuaded, or decide for himself, what constitutes a cyber-security emergency. What if he decided that speech against the socialistic healthcare bill was an emergency? What if he decided that disagreement with his economic policies was an emergency? What if he decided that your personal blog was a threat to national security?

I am not especially surprised to see such an attempt to further control America. As America has turned its back on its foundational Judeo-Christian beliefs, America has sought a replacement for the vacuum that this created. Secular humanism, socialism, and any number of false religions have all rushed to fill that void. It is, unfortunately, an inevitable step that America will take if this great country does not repent and return to the Lord Jesus Christ. Our founding fathers insisted that the only way for America to thrive was to do so as a Christian nation. Repent America. Repent.

Government WHAT? Spies?

Is it a conspiracy? Are we being watched, so to speak? I was in the middle of a strong post, expressing my dissention to this current administration. I was almost finished, reviewing my lengthy treatise, when to my amazement, the entire post disappeared. My fingers were nowhere near the keyboard. My hands had written nothing for almost 20 seconds. The post just disappeared. Do they "watch" us as we write? Or am I spooked by the typical glitches that can happen with these machines we now depend upon?

So what was it I was saying, exactly? Nothing much. I was just reminding the few readers that I have that the latest news reports reveal that someone in the current administration has requested some of you to be spies, reporting the dissenters you encounter online. Whoever that man or woman is, they want you to be their support system. And for what reason? Do they want to silence dissent? Are you not amused that our government so fears disagreement with their socialist policies?

Mr. Goverment Spy, I want you to know who I am:

First, I am a Christian. I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am born again and heaven-bound. My ultimate allegiance is to the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why I find myself somewhere in South America as I write this. He sent me here. He is my boss, so I go where he says to go.

Second, I am an American. I served in the United States Navy. As such, I swore an oath to defend and protect the United States of America from all enemies. I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States.

Third, I am what the hippies of the 60's called an "American Capitalist Pig." I reject socialism in all its forms. But I also reject capitalism that is not governed by the Judeo-Christian principles of love, mercy, and equity.

Let me continue to describe myself:

I fear no one, but God, Mr. Government Spy. You may find a way to take away my online words, but you cannot silence me. I am found in large cities and small towns. I am white, black, brown, yellow, and red. I am male. I am female. I am young. I am old. I am from the North, West, East and South. I am not a Democrat. Neither am I a Republican. I am fiercely independent. No party can claim me and hold me.

I agree with the Founding Fathers of America: the best government is the one that fears its constituents. Conversely, the worst government is one we constituents must fear. This current government hopes to create a government of the few, for the few, and by the few. We must not allow that to happen.

Send forth your spies. We welcome your demonstration of your stupidity and fear.

Don't Sit Around Talking About It, Just Do It!

Southern Baptists formed a new task force. They are tasked with figuring out what's going with SBs and the Great Commission.

I have a piece of advice for SBs. Don't sit around talking about the Great Commission. Just do it! Don't talk about all your churches that baptized no one. Go out yourself and win more, if you can. Don't talk about the efficiency of your state conventions (which are not technically "yours," but partner groups), just go out and win some more to Jesus.

When your task force meets in Atlanta and in Arkansas in the coming months, forego the meetings; go out into the highways and hedges and compel more to come in to the great banquet.

Do what Dr. Paige did in Texas earlier this year: find a group of struggling churches and hold a weekend meeting with those good folks. Modeling a little bit of the Great Commission might be shot in the arm for some of them.

Too simplistic? Maybe. Maybe not. I am not convinced that our collective personal evangelism amounts to much. We have, albeit unwillingly so, yielded to the cultures that surround our cities and communities. If you listen carefully, many will tell you in so many words that you cannot effectively share your faith on a personal level anymore.

Evangelists; oh, professional evangelists, I call you to spend your days out with pastors (or alone, if they are too "busy" to go win the lost), doing what you can to preach; don't just wait for night to fall, and for the lights to come on so you can stand center stage and preach your polished messages.

Why are SBs having such a time with the Great Commission? Could it just be that we are so busy looking at form that we have forgotten that the very gospel itself is the power of God unto salvation?

Southern Baptists: JUST DO IT!

Turning away from God

Turning away from God is an article that we need to read. Cal Thomas hit the proverbial nail square on the head.