Protecting Freedom of Conscience

Well, here we go again! Mississippi has made the news! The link I am sending you to compiles many news sources (at first glance, all from the leftist, liberal perspective) for you to choose from. Why, even our most prominent local television station has gotten into the leftist camp. The news reported said that residents reacted to the new law protecting freedom of conscience. Then the report they showed was an interview with one--that's UNO. EIN. E (for you Chinese speaking folks)--person of the clergy. And that one person of the clergy? You guessed it! She is a Lesbian "Pastor." Fair and balanced you are not, WDAM!

Now, I'm less interested in the content of the bill at this point, as I am in the motive behind it. The title of the bill indicates that motive, which is to protect freedom of conscience. We seemed to have lost that in this nation. It seems that we are not allowed to have an opposing opinion from that of the most current popular trend. Whether it is the former Occupy Wall Street movement, or the LGBTQ Campaign for Human Rights (Doesn't that title sound so noble?), or Black Lives Matter (which is, in fact, organized by the LGBTQ movement); or even the Stop Trump Movement, if you disagree with the tenets of the faith of those groups and others, you are a bigot, out of touch with reality, and a pariah in the world, worthy of extermination. 

For me, it is a sad time in our journey. We have reached that place where activist groups now demand that we submit to their perceived truth. Even a group of "Dummycrat" Attorneys Generals have stated they will punish anyone who publishes statements against the theory of climate change. May I ask the obvious? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE???

The extremism of the left has pushed those of us who believe that the Bill of Rights are there for a reason to the point we have to protect ourselves from their legal punishment.  To be sure, these angry men and women won't be content to accept the laws. They will punish Mississippi. They will call for boycotts. They will beg Hollywood, the casinos, and big business to pull out and leave us to wallow in our poverty.

Well, there is a price to be paid for protecting our freedoms. Ask the fathers of the American Revolution. Read some history. Learn that some sacrifices are necessary for the sake of the human conscience. If we must suffer an economic downturn for a time, then so be it. As for me, I salute the bravery of Governor Phil Bryant, and the men and women of the Mississippi Congress.

To any LGBTQ who may read this: I respect your right to your opinion. I don't agree with you and your chosen lifestyle. But I respect your rights. I don't want to jail you. I don't want to punish you by refusing to shop where you shop. I only ask you respect my rights. If you did, then laws like HB 1523 in Mississippi would not be necessary.

And that's my line for the day.

What a Difference a Day Makes!

On the Saturday before Resurrection Sunday, men hid in fear. Ladies wept in deep grief. Religious leaders laid down that evening with a feeling of relief. I imagine Peter walked as far as Sabbath law permitted, beating himself up for having denied Christ. Thomas was angry; even bitter. Disbelief and denial that Jesus was really dead ransacked the minds of Jesus' disciples. That was Saturday.

Then came Sunday. Then came the crack of dawn. A contingent of brave ladies found an empty tomb. The Savior found Mary Magdalene. Mary found the disciples. The disciples found resurrection life in Jesus Christ. That was Resurrection Day. What a difference a day makes!

When was your Resurrection Day? When did that one day make a difference for you? If you claim to know Christ, you should have an idea about that. The Bible teaches in Romans 6:4 that we had a resurrection day. Before that day, you walked in slavery to your sin nature. You walked in the devil's chains. You walked in death, powerless to do anything but follow the ways of this world. But then comes Resurrection Day, the day you meet Jesus. And now you walk in life. You walk in the Spirit. You walk in freedom.

If you can't point to a resurrection day in your life, let me help you. Write me at info@38thavenuebaptist.org and I will share with you the greatest news I can share!

Jesus is most certainly the Risen Lord!

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Have You Found Your Way, Yet?

In 1989, while we were still in transition in Lima, the mission board gave us a Nissan, double-cab pickup for our family, and pointed us south to the city of Arequipa. They gave us general directions to the Pan American Highway and said, “Follow the signs.” Lima was in chaos in those days. Thanks to terrorism, most lights were out at the major intersections. You had to drive with two sets of eyes. As hard as that was, that was the easy part. We knew at the other end of that long, two-day drive, we had a home. Figuring out how to get to that home is another story. Our truck was loaded to the top of the camper shell on our new truck. And off we drove, headed to our new place of ministry.

On the second day we made it to Arequipa. We had visited the city. We had visited the house that would be our home. But we rode in taxis and we had only been from downtown to the street we lived on. We were acquainted with the city and the general way to our house; but we did not know it. It was only general information for us. There was no such thing as a Garmin. No such thing as access to GPS. No such thing as a cell phone. You just drove, stopped, and asked. People pointed in a general direction and you drove, only to have to stop and ask again. We got there finally. But someone had to show us the way.

Sometimes, in our rush to live life, we assume we will find our way. It's human nature for many of us, after all, to be independent and figure things out for ourselves. But there are some things you simply can't figure out for yourself. You need someone to show you the way. When it comes to eternal life, God has taken care of that.

First, God expects those who understand the way to tell others about the way. And why wouldn't we want to do that? Think about it. You know the way to the greatest place and the greatest person; why wouldn't you want to show others that way?

Second, God sent the Holy Spirit to show you (us) the way. It's not enough that I tell you. The Holy Spirit is the one who does the convincing and teaching about the way. He is even the one who makes you want to find the way. He is the one who illuminates your heart so that you can see the way. He is the "GPS" we didn't have when we went to Arequipa. 

Third, if you want to be in that place of eternal rest and joy, and in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords, then God expects you to take the one way he has provided. The Lord may point out the way, but you have to choose to travel down that way. 

By the way, if you are looking for eternal life, Jesus is the way. There is no other way. 

Jesus is the Truth. He has answers some of you are looking for. Jesus is the life. You want to be satisfied? You will find the most satisfying life in Christ Jesus.

The Virginia Murders: A Perspective

If you saw or read yesterday's reports about the cold-blooded killing of two Virginia television reporters (the reporter and her cameraman), you may have been stunned, sickened, and likely angry. There is quite a bit about it that still sickens me. I think it is sick that the media concentrated their reporting time on this, largely ignoring the rest of the nation and world. How many of you were aware that yet another Louisiana patrolman was murdered yesterday? A largely unreported story about Boko Haram crossed some news wires 3 days ago; how many of you heard about that one? What's my point? My point is that when it was a journalist who died, it was suddenly "breaking news."

Here's a news flash: all lives matter! The nearly 60 million aborted lives matter. The black on black, white on white--whatever the racial background or combination thereof--murders should alarm us. But it seems to me that they don't matter until the media tell us they matter. It's almost as though they get to do the thinking for us.

The fact that too many want to escalate this issue and create unrest through it also matters. Prejudice is a multi-lane highway, folks. It runs several different ways. And it is repugnant in its many forms.

At the same time, under-reporting and misreporting the facts behind the heinous crime that took place matters. Did political correctness drive some of the declarations and stories? Without a doubt! After all, the media get to do our thinking for us...; and the agenda of many of them is not kind to conservatives. So when I linked a story from a largely conservative site that revealed the background story of the murderer, I took a little heat from it. Oh, well; that's the price for thinking for myself, I guess.

Now that I have ranted about the junk surrounding this despicable act of violence, one that broke my heart to hear and see on video reports, let me get to the bottom line. The bottom line is this: we witnessed the tragedy of a life darkened by sin. The sun set on this man's thinking. He was given over to a mind filled with all kinds of horrid and unspeakable thoughts. When a nation forgets God, this is what happens. Unless we Christ-followers repent and unless God Almighty sends revival to the church, I fear we will see even more of the same. After all, we are the salt and light of the world. Unsavory salt is worthless. Stained and dirty lamp shades don't let out much light. And the nation won't seek God until the church leads the way.

That's my perspective, for what it's worth.

Lessons from Ashley

There are a lot of newsworthy stories out there, so much so that writing about something like this seems to be very unnecessary and insignificant. In some ways, that would be true. I want to help us focus, however, on the truth that we can learn from the dreadful (to many) Ashley Madison Scandal. If you live in a vacuum, or are just coming back from a coma, or maybe lived in the jungles of a remote part of the world, follow the link above; they will summarize what happened for you.

Millions of men and women are cowering in a corner right now. They tremble with fear that they will be found out by their significant other. Or maybe they are single and looking for a man or woman out for a "cheat" thrill; but now they tremble as well.

Who is on the list? In short, people from virtually every walk of life. I can't find it now, but one Imam (a Muslim leader) insisted he never put his name out there. I'm not saying he did; I am only demonstrating they are from every walk of life.

What can we learn from this, as we read and hear about this person and that person being outed? What can we learn when place by place, country, state, and city, names are splashed all over the internet for others to see? One place will tell you not to look at the list; let it be. Another tells you to go ahead and take a look; you may find that special loved one's fidelity is in words only. What to do with all that conflicting counsel?

Here is the lesson I draw from Ashley:

As men and women, married and single cringe in fear that their secret is out of the bag, their greater fear is yet to come--unless they repent and believe the gospel. Rev. 20:11, 12 reveal a day when all the earth will try to hide from the Lord God, who will judge all men.  Verse 15 in the same book promises that those whose names are not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire; eternally separated from God. Eternally punished for their sins, both public and secret.

Second, I am reminded of what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-5. Instead of a direct quote, let me paraphrase it for you. There were millions whose identities were divulged from a website designed for adulterers, and whose lives were ruined by their foolish choice. Do you think you are more righteous than they? I tell you, no; unless you also repent you will perish, too. 

Finally, I am reminded that forgiveness is available to all who will turn to Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that Jesus paid for my sin; not just mine, but the sins of the whole world. Anyone who will come to Jesus will find him ready to pardon and cleanse from the pollution, stench, and stain of sin. I suspect a lot of men and women are scrambling to find a good lawyer. Let me recommend the best lawyer of all. His name is Jesus. Come to him and let him plead your case before the Father in heaven.

And that is what I can take away from Ashley Madison.

SCOTUS, Thy Name is Treason and a Millstone Awaits Thee

Our hearts were crushed today. We had held out hope against hope that some modicum of wisdom still prevailed in the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). They ably demonstrated, however, that their minds and hearts have been darkened by the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air. No man or woman with common sense can possibly look at any body of thought and conclude that marriage must be redefined. But one who follows the twisted, dark, ungodly logic of the prince of the power of the air will most certainly swim in the cesspool of perversion of thought that 5 justices chose to swim in.

At great risk and personal peril, in a time when 1st Amendment rights have been sorely erode and expunged from society, I say that at least 5 of our SCOTUS justices will face the fierce, unrelenting wrath of God, unless they repent and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. I do not say this with vitriol. I speak it with a broken heart. The Holy Spirit who lives within me is grieved. As a consequence, I am grieved, albeit not to the extent He is.

That being said, I issue a warning straight from Jesus' mouth: 1He said to His disciples, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2"It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Dishonorable Justices, you have caused many to stumble today. I admonish you to repent. Repent or perish.

Worshipping Jesus

I want to take you to a passage in John 12 that I hope will speak to your heart. It's about worship. It's about loving Jesus. In case someone gets confused, I am speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ, the one true Savior. The one born of a virgin. The one who died on the cross and was raised from the dead. I hope this blesses you...

Our text is that period of time between the end of Jesus’ public ministry and the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. When we see Jesus in Bethany, he has already been to Jericho where he healed Bartimaeus and saved Zacchaeus. Now we are at the home of the one they call Simon the Leper. Lazarus is one of the ones at the meal. What we are about to see is a thing of beauty. We are about to see two acts of worship, both done in very different ways; but both are perfectly appropriate according to God’s work in the hearts of each worshipper.

V1, 2 – Martha serves. I am not sure I would have seen this if I had not been in Rom. 12 today, preparing a devotional guide for our mission team to Peru. And on the drive over I heard a Bible teacher speaking of Romans 12 in his lesson. So my mind has been guided through some great words today. Look at them: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

So Martha showed her gratitude and worship the best way she knew how. Did she understand everything that was about to happen? We don’t know. But we know she served. Why is this significant? I mean, I am speaking to a group of people who have served up many a meal. It’s common for us. So what’s the big deal? There is a strong likelihood that Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were of sufficient means as to have servants to do this. After all, they had one who could work as a messenger in John 11.

But they aren’t the ones we see dishing out the food. It’s Martha. She is serving. Service is a good form of worship when it is done with joy and without complaining. The last time we saw Martha serving she complained about Mary not serving. The only thing her complaint got her was a rebuke from Jesus. So now here she is. Serving. With no words of complaint. No fussing that she is doing this alone. No fussing over being recognized. She is just serving.

V3 – Mary sacrificed. She poured out onto the Lord Jesus in one minute what it would take most people one year to earn. I don’t know how much that would be, maybe $20,000 in today’s average wages; maybe as much as $40,000. But I do know that even at that the low end of that, by the world’s standards, the sacrifice would be astounding for any of us. It begs the question, ladies and gents: how much is Jesus worth to you? Is He worth 10%? Is He worth more, or less? Is He worth your service? Remember, Martha served.

How much is the kingdom of God worth? What about the gospel?

There’s Jesus, reclining in the Middle-Eastern fashion around the dinner table. There is Mary, on her knees before Jesus, wiping his feet with her hair. Once more, this speaks volumes to me—more than I can possibly put into words. Slaves washed feet, not sisters of honored guests. Slaves touched nasty feet that had plodded across dusty trails. Mary takes her hair, which is her crown of glory, according to Scripture, and she uses it like a rag on the feet of Jesus. All the glory you have is only good enough to wash the feet of Jesus.

The fragrance of her sacrifice and worship filled the room. Let me ask you, when you worship each week, what fragrance fills the room? Is it the fragrance of presenting yourselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God? Or is it the fragrance of the “let’s get on with it” mentality of today’s society? I’m ashamed to say I have been guilty of uncorking a bottle of hurry-this-up anointing oil and stinking up the room with it.

V4-6 – The fragrance filled the room and the disciples smelled it. Especially Judas. And Judas wasn’t happy. Where others smelled the fragrance of devotion, Judas smelled the fragrance of denarii. Others saw and act of worship. Judas called it a waste. Some people feel that way about making any sacrifice to the Lord. To them, it is a total waste. It costs too much. It’s a waste to give one’s life to share the gospel across the seas. It costs too much to be involved in the things of God. It’s a waste to give tithes to a local church. It’s a waste to invest in the kingdom of God. Judas’ claim was without foundation; he was a lying, selfish thief. His pious words were really carefully disguised poison, meant to profit himself.

V7, 8 – Jesus gave a well-placed rebuke and a well-stated reminder to us. The rebuke serves to keep the focus on Jesus. The reminder is to teach us to take every advantage of the opportunity before us to worship Christ with all our mind, soul, heart, and strength. 

Can We Clarify Marriage?

This next week is a big week in our part of the world. It may not seem big. In fact, for many, it would not even be a ripple on the water. But it's bigger than many may realize. Our great church is hosting a conference regarding the sanctity of marriage. See the information in this flyer:

I can't tell you how important the timing of the conference is. On April 28th the Supreme Court of the United States, will hear oral arguments regarding same-sex marriage. America has had 20 years of bombardment of television and movies, not to mention the push by main stream media pundits, all of which have tried to paint this normal view of the same sex lifestyle. An entire generation has been conditioned to see such lifestyles as normal. Are they? What does the Bible say about these and other lifestyles that have surfaced since then?

If in or near Hattiesburg, MS, come find out. Otherwise, sometime after the conference you will be able to watch the recorded sessions on our website: 38thavenuebaptist.org.

I hope to see some of you there.

The Tyranny of an Unchecked Government

Recent headline news surrounding the same-sex movement in America includes a story out of Houston, declaring that its lesbian mayor and what can only be an activist judge has issued subpoenas against key pastors in demands that they turn over their sermons that may mention homosexuality and/or the mayor herself.

I wonder if Houston knew what they were getting into when they decided to show America how tolerant they were by electing this woman to be their  mayor? I wonder if Houston ever dreamed they would be in the national news for such a tyrannical act as has been perpetrated by this woman and her disdain for the Christian church?

Americans have so long ignored the dirty fingers pulling at the threads of the garments of freedom that they have been caught by surprise by this woman's actions. So many have warned America that her foundational principles of freedom were being systematically attacked. If it is not free speech, then it is the right to keep and bear arms. If it is not the right to keep and bear arms, then it is the protection from illegal search and seizure. If this group or the other espouse conservative doctrine, count on an audit from the IRS.

I hope that Mayor Annise Parker has awakened this nation to the tyranny of an unchecked government. I hope that she has lit the match that creates a fire of freedom from the tyranny of this government--one that burns from coast to coast. If so, thank you Madam Mayor. Your foolish threats against Houston's pulpits has awakened many.

Wake up, America! You may still be able to wrest away from the purveyors of perversion the powers that now rests in their hands. Perhaps, God willing, it is not too late.

Another Nail in the Coffin

I could not state more eloquently the results of today's news from SCOTUS than did Dr. Al Mohler in his latest op ed. Still, something more must be said than has been said.

For more than 60 years there has been in the United States a systematic attack on the most essential component of a nation and its society: the family. Those who think this is simply societal evolution at work are blind to the truth. I am about to step in it big time; but if I go down, I am going down swinging.

First, the standard model of the family unit (not perfect by any stretch of the imagination) changed when the breadwinner of the family changed from singular to plural. I want us to get our minds onto the same page, so we need to think sociologically and (more importantly) spiritually, and not economically. Fewer and fewer children had a parent at home when they finished school for the day. More and more children went home to an empty house. More and more children began to be supervised in after-care programs and by the new rage in media, the television.

Second, a closet organization working for same-sex rights began to quietly place into motion one of the most sinister plans to hit these United States. The second piece moved in this game of spiritual chess was the one designated as equal rights. Long before the equal rights amendment was debated in the public forum, the concept of lack of equal rights was talked up in small, but influential circles. Soon it became the mantra of angry, hormone-laden young people of the '60's. That's right, ladies; some of you were used to further Satan's agenda to destroy this nation (not to say we men were not!).

Third, there needed to be an expected right to privacy. America wanted to bow down before the false god of Molech, just as they had already begun to bow before Baal and would soon bow before Ashtoreth. They needed to be convinced to sacrifice their babies. Why? Was it just to exterminate babies through the most heinous act of infanticide in the history of the world? Or was something else at work, as well? Yes, something more was at work.

The small, but influential group of homosexual activists began their work on societal mores. They had to remove the stigma of homosexuality; the right to privacy was just one piece of that. These purveyors of perversion knew they did not have the voice of the churches, or of mainstream America. But if they could achieve a backdoor coup and convince the "scientific community" (I use that phrase loosely) to make some changes, then America would eventually follow. Their target? The psychiatrists and psychologists. Get them to declare same-sex attraction to be normal and we will be well on our way. And, as we all know, they succeeded. The genie was out of the bottle. Those preachers who claimed that same-sex attraction was a deviation from God's norm and God's standard now stood against the finest minds of the 20th Century.

Fourth, they had to convince the nation to strike down sodomy laws. One by one states dropped those laws; after all, there is a constitutionally protected reasonable right to privacy, right? Wrong! Wrong! and Wrong again! The logic of such is ridiculously flawed. That will have to be a discussion for another time.

This is the time that equal rights needed to resurface. America has been softened to the shock of sinful behavior. After all, divorce is now so commonplace that most homes do not resemble the once beautiful family unit. Television and Hollywood have conditioned us to see positive role models of same-sex couples. And, if that were not enough, the now small and very powerful same-sex community has purchased enough votes and frightened enough politicians to have their people in high places in government; these same cowards appointed and approved pro-same-sex judges, who are hard at work. Now we need to speak about same-sex equality.

If the same-sex communities can find enough people to challenge marriage laws, they would now have enough judges to make asinine rulings and legislate from the bench the right to same-sex marriage. They found them and the judges, while fondling their fleeting power, made the rulings they were hoped to make. Today's decision by SCOTUS to not hear the cases was an act of cowardice and a perpetration of treason against the family unit and maybe even this nation.

Get ready, people. It won't be long before every state has to follow suit. Ready yourselves, pastors. It won't be long before you will be tested. Be ready, churches. You are about to be challenged in court to try to require you to accept same-sex couples, allowing them the use of your facilities for their marriages. Write into your statements of faith your convictions about that subject. And be inclusive in your language. Describe a man as a man born a man, and a woman as a woman born a woman.

Weep, America. The Supreme Court of the United States just drove a same-sex nail into your coffin.

Hate the Sin

Mississippi is in the news. Not like Missouri is at the moment; but we are in the news. We are on a Showtime documentary, L Mississippi: Hate the Sin. I have not seen their work, but I know about it. I was one of the "sin haters" that was filmed. The final product that appeared on Showtime was not what we were led to believe would be produced--not that any of us are surprised. The final product appears to be far less objective than the named director claims. And I am not surprised.

In this post that will be read by a few, I want to reiterate the truth of God's word and hold that truth up to the supposed facts that  L Mississippi: Hate the Sin claims to be true. I also want to explain my purpose in this post, as opposed to something a little more current (like Ferguson, MO): my research did not turn up one positive pro-Christian post about this subject. Christians, thus far, have been largely silent. So let me share my perspective.

First, the feature pastor, Randy Cofield, is given a bad name in the trailer for this documentary, when the film editors skillfully edited his comments to make him look like a madman. Just watch the trailer in the link above and you will see what I mean. Pastor Cofield has a great burden to penetrate lostness--all lostness--with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is a man of great compassion, but one whose biblical standards do not waiver. So, for Pastor Cofield (and many, many more of us), right is right and wrong is wrong. Please let me go into depth on that premise.

The foundational truth on which I base this premise is found in the Old Testament book of the Psalms. Ps. 119:89 says, "Forever, O Lord, is your word settled in heaven." In case you need that stated in other words, consider this: whatever God says in the Bible stands as permanently established truth. Jesus himself said that not one single stroke of the Law would pass away until all is fulfilled (Mt. 5:18). What God says stands.

So what exactly has God said about sin? He tells those who love the Lord to hate evil (Ps. 97:10). He tells us that our love should be without hypocrisy; that we should abhor that which is evil and cling to that which is good (Ro. 12:9). Guess who gets to decide what is good and what is evil? You go it! God does. Not I; not you; not my preferences, my lifestyle choices; not my wishes and wants; God, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Righteous One, gets to determine what is good and evil.

When Pastor Cofield and others (such as I) take a stand against sin and for righteousness, you should not be surprised. And when those who delight in sin and take a stand against righteousness, the Christian community should neither cower in the corner, nor be surprised that they have followed their nature. It is, after all, the nature of the unregenerate heart of man and woman to oppose godly standards. The flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh (Gal. 5:17).

If you watch  L Mississippi: Hate the Sin you need to consider that it was produced from the standpoint of those who hate God's righteous standards, no matter what they may pretend to claim in the documentary. You should also be warned that it is advertised as rated TV MA for language and adult themes.

A Journey through the Streets of Arequipa, Peru

It's day 7 of a fast week of ministry in Southern Peru. The city of Arequipa has been my favorite place in all of Peru and all of the years we lived here. Somewhere in this city they have buried my heart, because it was ripped out when I left here many years ago. God has been good and allowed me to return more than once. This is the first time, though, in five years. Things changed in the past five years, too.

First, for some unknown and strange reason, there seems to be much less oxygen to breathe! The first day I trudged up the stairs to my third-floor room I was sucking in a lot of oxygen-deprived air, hoping for some relief for my aching lungs. That's okay; it's normal. Then came days two, three, and four. Hmm..., I thought I would be acclimated by now. The other days have come and gone, including today. The air is still as rarefied as it ever was! Could that have something to do with age?? Surely not I!

Faces have changed. There were still plenty of the same faces in many of the places I went. But there were also very many new faces among the churches I visited. That's a good thing. New faces mean churches are being the church. New faces mean new opportunities to create new friendships. It was an exciting change to experience.

Some of the streets have changed. The city government has revitalized areas once owned by drug lords. I walked down peaceful, lovely, quiet streets that even seven years ago people would not have dared enter. It made for a beautiful experience.

The gospel has spread all across the city. That would also account for changes in the city. People who know Christ are more peaceful and joyful, as a rule. To be sure, there are scores of churchless communities that have cropped up; Arequipa continues to grow at a fast pace. I was glad to see and hear firsthand of the plans to penetrate these unreached communities.

Now I am just a few hours away from my final night of teaching. This last session will be followed by a race to the airport to catch my flights out of Peru. I will miss it again. But I will be more than happy to be back in the field God has given me to work in these days of my life.

After all, that's what drives me. That is what I live for: to please Him.

Let the Little Children Come to Me

I'm cutting into my study time to write this short post. Perhaps it will speak to someone who wrestles with the same truth.

It's VBS time in southern America. If you are not of the typical church culture, that stands for Vacation Bible School, which is a 5-day opportunity churches take to teach children of all ages truths from the Bible. Our church is particularly adept at creative ways of teaching. I admire how our teachers can do so much with so little.

Day 4 of the typical VBS week is evangelism day. Someone, often the pastor, sits down with the older children and shares the truth of the gospel, which has been emphasized all week long in the classroom teaching. The evangelist is there to reap a harvest brought on by all the seed-sowing efforts of those great teachers.

This is where I wrestle. This is where I have always wrestled. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” So we know we can guide these little ones to him. And we can conclude (not assume) that a child can believe. But how do we present the gospel in a clear and meaningful way? How do we avoid making "churchians" versus Christians?

First, I am grateful for the Holy Spirit. It is His work to convict of sin and righteousness and judgment. It is not mine. It is His work to show the children their lostness and illuminate their hearts to understand the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation.

That being said, I still tremble at the task of child evangelism. I know many, many people who have "believed" as a child, only to repent and truly believe later.

Today I had the help of two great workers. We acted out the gospel message, using as our main prop Evangecube's "Big Cube." It's a great tool, when used right. I quizzed the children at the close to see how many got the message right. Their answers were on target. Their readiness? I'm reluctant to declare them "saved."

I'm persuaded that some who listened today have already come to Jesus. I am equally persuaded that others will come to Jesus in time. But I did not and cannot be so persuasive as to coerce them into the church culture without the inward change that only Christ Jesus brings through the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit.

Some say never evangelize children. I think we need to leave that up to the Holy Spirit--especially in light of Jesus' command mentioned above.

Behold the Lamb!

When John the Baptist saw Jesus as he walked, he looked and exclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John watched Jesus as he walked. For three more years Jesus walked. He walked north and he walked south. He walked into cities and walked out of them. Jesus walked away from some disingenuous people, but walked up to many more. 

One day, after about 3 years of healing the ill, giving sight to the blind, opening deaf ears, strengthening weak limbs, and raising the dead, Jesus walked up to the gates of Jerusalem. There a crowd awaited him. There, in the presence of those who should know better than anyone else, Jesus fulfilled yet another prophecy: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.-- Zech. 9:9

They should have known, those religious leaders of Israel. Those scholars of the Law and the Prophets. Those men of great importance. They should have seen. But they were blind, both by choice and by the god of this world. 

Just a few days later we find Jesus walking once more. He walks up the stairs to an upper room that has been made ready for the last Passover the Lord Jesus will celebrate with his disciples until his return. He teaches, admonishes, warns, and prepares his disciples for the inconceivable. And after a few hours together, hours that puzzled his small band of disciples, Jesus walked down the stairs, out the door, and on to Gethsemane. Gethsemane, the garden with the prophetic name: oil, or olive, press. It was there that the weight of the agony of taking away the sin of the world weighed hard on the Lord Jesus. As the press began its work, Jesus sweat great drops of blood. His soul was pressed. His heart pounded like a hammer squeezing every drop of oil from the olives beneath its head. 

Back and forth Jesus walked from his place of agonizing prayer to the place of the three unfeeling disciples, all bound with ropes of sleep. Not an encouraging word would be found from his three closest friends. Not one look of compassion showed on their faces, limp with the sleep of the hour.

From there, late into the night, Jesus walked to trial after trial, stopping only to be questioned, mocked, beaten, and whipped. Surely those legs must be tired by now. Jesus has walked so many miles. He has not gone the second mile, though that is all he has asked of us. He has gone so much farther. One more walk and for three days his walking will be done.

With a cross as heavy as a large man of his day, Jesus began his walk outside of the gates of Jerusalem. He walked on as far as his legs would carry him. The soldiers compelled another to walk with him. Simon of Cyrene, carry that cross! Jesus, fall in behind him! Onward they walked, the legs of Jesus now heavy with both pain and grief. The cacophony of the crowd is almost indistinguishable. Some are laughing, some are crying. Some are begging for mercy, some are braying like stupid donkeys. 

At a place shaped like a skull the procession ends. Jesus won't walk anymore--not for the next 3 days. In fact, those feet that carried Jesus so many miles are now carefully arranged and fastened to the vertical beam of the cross with such ferocity that no man with half a heart could look on. His hands are equally impaled and Jesus is raised up from the earth. 

In his mind he has to have thought, "I was born for this. This is my destiny." We know one thing he thought: who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame... (Heb. 12:2) In a way that remains a mystery to the human mind, Jesus became sin on that cross, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. We can throw around the big words: imputed, propitiation, expiation, etc.; we can throw them around, but the mystery will remain in the same darkness that surrounded the cross for 3 hours. 

When Jesus finally came down from the cross, he came down as a corpse. He was dead. No man took his life; he laid it down. He had become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God saw the travail of his soul. And God was satisfied. The perfect sacrifice had finally been made for the sin of the world.

Joseph, Nicodemus, and a handful of women hastily prepared the body and buried our Lord Jesus in the tomb of the rich. Don't worry, Joseph! He's just going to borrow it for a few days.

On the first day of the week, early in the morning, an angel of God rolled away the stone. We like to say that the angel rolled the stone away so we could walk in, not so Jesus could walk out; but does it really matter? He has defeated death and if the King of kings wants to walk out, I think it's his prerogative. He doesn't need to, that's for sure. But we beheld him for three years as he walked from place to place. Maybe he wanted to stretch his legs one more time before presenting himself to his father in heaven. 

Behold the Lamb! He was the Lamb who willingly walked to his death so you would be able to walk into life everlasting. 

Take a good look...

Happy New Year

“Happy New Year!” is the call of most of the world in these days. That’s precisely what I want for you and me, as well as for so many that I know around the world. 

We can have a Happy New Year. Let me tell you what will make that possible for you:

It will be happy if we do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scoffers. 

It will be happy if we meditate in God’s precious, wisdom-giving word. 

It will be happy if we ensure that Jesus is Lord in our daily lives. 

We will have a happy new year if we think on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, and whatever is of a good report [that eliminates the obsession of some for most of the news broadcasts!!]. 

We will be happy if we place into practice those things which Jesus has both taught and commanded. 

Finally, we will have a happy new year if we give more than we receive. 

All these things are simple principles God gives for true happiness. Make this the happiest year of your life; seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

I look forward to worshiping the Lord God through Christ Jesus in the coming days, weeks, and months. Ultimately, that will produce the deepest joy and greatest measure of happiness.

Let’s be happy together.

Phil Robertson Was Right

Phil Robertson was right. Period. No need to debate this. What Phil said is what nature teaches. What Phil said is what the word of God teaches. What Phil said is what true Christianity teaches. A&E is Christophobic. If they can call practicing Christians homophobic, we have the equal right to call them Christophobic.

Mr. Cruz misunderstands true Christianity if he thinks true Christianity endorses or accepts homosexuality. True Christianity teaches that ALL sexual behavior outside of marriage is sin. True Christianity teaches that ANY practicing sinner can repent, believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, and be washed and justified (See 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Does this mean true Christians are homophobic or that they even hate those who practice same sex? Not at all! A true Christian is compelled by the love of Christ to love and reach out to all. A true Christian loves the practicing sinner enough to warn them that the road they have chosen leads to destruction. To quote Mr. Robertson, The true Christian "would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me." 

By the way, why did Mr. Cruz and A&E overlook that statement? Could it be that their agenda includes silencing the voices of true Christians from the public arena? 

Let me end as I began: Phil Robertson was right. Period.

Tis the Week before Christmas and Christ Wants Us To Make Him Known

'Tis the week before Christmas. I suspect there will be thousands of blogs, Facebook posts, and Tweets that admonish us to keep Christ in Christmas. I wonder if, while we are scurrying about, making sure we have the right to say "Merry Christmas," and not just "Happy Holidays," or "Season's Greetings," are we also making sure we take the time to share the Christ of Christmas?

Let's be real about this. Much of what we want is the right to our tradition. Much of what I think Christ wants is our passion to make Him known to the world around us. We need to make him known to the one who cuts our hair. We need to make him known to the clerk at the store--that clerk with tired eyes and a heavy-hearted or bored look as she swipes your purchases across her scanner and announces the charges of your latest run through the store. We need to make him known to the busy server at your next restaurant.

We need to make Christ known in hundreds of people groups and hundreds of countries where his name is a rare thought. A simple offering to a missions agency or society, such as the IMB of the SBC will go a long ways in fulfilling that.

We need to make Christ known to our families. Honestly, that can be a daunting task. Some subjects are off limits at our Christmas celebrations. Oddly, Christ is not invited to his own party in some houses. It's as though we say, "Hey, it's Christmas! But don't you dare mention the J-word around here! You may offend someone!" Well, you know what? Make Christ known, anyway; just don't be obnoxious about it.

[Obnoxious...; I like that word. It sounds like you just let off a sudden stench with your mouth. I could go somewhere with that, but don't want to lose the message of this post.]

Yes, it's the week before Christmas. It's a great time to make Christ known. After all, He is the reason all this stuff started in the first place.

I Have Resources; So Do You!

There are 43 thousand of them. They live in the edge of the Amazon in northern Peru. Thirty dollars a month would be the average income for many of them. 

I am speaking of the Aguaruna Tribe. [that's Ah-gwa-ROON-ah for us Gringos]

Next week I will meet some Aguaruna Baptist pastors in Lima, Peru. They will make the sacrifice and pay around $20 to ride the bus and meet me there. These men are coming because I have the blessing of being able to minister to one of their needs. I have resources...

Just like the average Aguaruna family, these pastors (there are 35 of them) have few resources. They also have a limited education. Seminary is the proverbial pipe dream for them. But I have resources....

A pastor from Lima called me several weeks ago. He invited me to participate in a world missions conference in Lima. I consulted with the Lord and with my missions team. The team and the Lord both urged me to accept the conference. In the subsequent phone call, the pastor told me about the Aguaruna pastors' needs. And I thought of my resources...

Maybe it was the Smokehouse Salad from Dickey's that did it. Or maybe it was the high-fiber cereal that morning. But I was stirred. I wiped away tears as I listened to Roy. I groaned in my spirit. 

Roy had a vision. He wanted to place a Thompson Study Bible in the hands of 35 pastors. He wanted to know if I could help find funding for that. I love a man or woman with vision. It excites me. I agreed to try and immediately sent out the word. God gave me everything I prayed for and then some. What excitement rang through my heart at that time. I had resources. Others I knew had resources. God gave me and them the resources.Now I get to share them with others. 

I have other resources, as well. These resources are less tangible than dollar bills. I sense that I am about to be called on to use those intangible resources to train some trainers. This is because God equipped me for times like these.

You see, when God equips you, He does so in order to make you a blessing for others. He did not equip you just for you. You are important for the work of the ministry. I bet you have resources you did not even consider to be resources. But they are. I know they are because, as someone once said, "God don't make no junk." 

Just tell God you want to be used in Christ's Kingdom. Then wait patiently for God to lead you to cash in your resources. 

When God calls on you, enjoy the ride!

Ready to Risk What It Takes?

I am a preacher. I know there are those who would say, "No; that is what you do." It may be something I do, true; but it is who I am. I was called TO BE a preacher. The verb, "to be" is one that declares my identity. So my identity is that of BEING a preacher.

As a preacher, I must take risks. Among the greatest of those, I must risk failure. Yes, preachers fail. Before you begin to go moral in your thought process, let me explain that. Every time I stand to preach I risk failure. If I have not met with God before preaching, I have failed. If I do not connect with my audience, I have failed. So I must risk failure.

But I have discovered that it is possible to take such risks and also be comfortable in doing so. Standing to preach in a plushly carpeted, air-conditioned, soft-seat and well-lit auditorium in America is comfortable. But now I have observed others and discovered I can sit on a nice, tall chair and preach. I can put on my Ked's or Converse, my jeans, my wrinkled shirt, and I can be one of the guys while I preach. I can expound the word of God for 30 minutes, give a brief invitation to respond to the word, shake some hands, shed some tears with broken believers, and then climb in my air-conditioned, leather-seated SUV and drive off to lunch somewhere. Yes, I can be comfortable, even as I risk failure.

Or, I can risk failure in other ways. I can take up the Pauline mantle and be a missionary to the Gentiles. Or I can take up the Petrine mantle and be a missionary to the Jews. I could even take up the Thomasine mantle and go to India, if church traditions about that are correct. But the risk is far greater. The risk is far more important. Consider the following excellent video from IMB.

There is a big world waiting for you to do what it takes; waiting for you to risk it all.

In case you don't know anything about me and my wife, we did risk it all. Please let me brag, and do it to the glory of the Lord. We were front-line missionaries, appointed in 1988 and who returned in 2010 in obedience to God's call.

We do risk it all. My wife just returned from Chile; I went to a secret location in Asia and ministered to Christ-followers who risked going to jail just by being in the same room with me, as I taught them the word of God. And I am headed to South America in October to challenge Peruvians to go into all the world and to risk it all.

Yes, we risked it all. We risked terrorism. We risked robberies. We risked failing health and major illnesses. We risked persecution. We risked dangers on the road and in the air.

We would risk it again tomorrow if God sent us. The glory of God is worth doing what it takes. The lostness of man and the love of Christ are worth doing what it takes. Are you ready to do that? Are you ready to risk what it takes?