Happy Halloween!

Well, today is Halloween. It’s a day that has pagan origins, with the Druids, if my memory serves me correctly. Then Christians took the pagan holiday, adapted certain parts of it and used it as a time to celebrate the saints of the faith that have gone before us. Now it seems we (Christians) have given it back to the pagans…more specifically, to the candy manufacturers! There are two views among believers that are predominate: the either act repulsed by the notion of Halloween, or totally buy into every aspect of the present holiday. Neither of these are a witness worth sharing! I think “Trunk or Treat” should be an event at every church in America. I think we need to reclaim the witness the ancient church worked so hard to establish. Is Halloween the perfect holiday to use for our witness to Jesus Christ? No. Is that a good reason to hide inside the wall of our churches and ignore the practices of our culture? No. Still, it is a perfect time to reach out to everyone, especially children, with the love of Christ (but then, isn’t every day a perfect time for that?). I pray you will use trick or treat to share your witness with others…children and adults. If possible, attend the trunk or treat at your church…or start one. It seems our witness is exponentially magnified when many believers come together in one accord, and you never know, you may just find the presence of the Lord there with you, right in the middle of a pagan holiday!

A Privilege & Responsibility!

I have come to believe little of what I read in news reports, regardless of where they originate. It seems nearly impossible to get the news without a commentary attached to it; everyone attempts to slant every story to their point of view. However, I did recently read that in the last presidential election, 40% of believers in the United States did not vote. Could that be true? 40%! Am I so naïve that I understand voting, in every election, as both a privilege and responsibility? I will tell you I do not believe the right party or person will ever solve our problems…if conscientious leaders are to ever revive morality; we need to introduce people to Jesus Christ. Having said that, I also believe we must participate in society to the fullest in order to point people to the Savior. Remember Jesus said of us that we are not of this world, yet we remain in this world for a purpose (John 17). Knowing all this, I invite you to join me on Monday, November 3, as a day of prayer and fasting, not only for the pending election…that is certainly reason enough to be in prayer...but also for the believers in our country; that they will seriously engage the political process, as imperfect as it is, if for no other reason to proclaim our witness to a lost and hurting country.

What We Need

"Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity…
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith…Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong…Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph…
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with sister nations into a world unity that will spell sure peace—a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil."

The above prayer was spoken by Franklin D Roosevelt on D-Day. It was certainly extraordinary times in 1944, but today seems like extraordinary times too. These sound like words we ought to be praying today, but have you heard anything like them? From anyone? It might be because in our current battles, our cause was not righteous. It might be because we have become the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. It might be that we have become a nation of people who are consumed with self. It might even be that we have lost the knowledge that we need God’s intervention…without God we will spiral into sin. Regardless on your position of our nation’s policies or officials, as a nation we need to pause for a time of reflection and repentance. We need to seek God’s face as we elect officials next week. I invite you to join me in a day of prayer and fasting next Monday, November 3, as our country prepares to go to the polls on Tuesday. May God have mercy on us.

Growing Weary!

I don’t know about anyone else, but I have (again) grown weary of the campaigning and rhetoric, most of which is deceptive rather than informative. Could it be, that in our current state of enlightenment, it is truly beyond our capabilities as human beings to run a positive campaign? Some say the road to the elections is too long, but what if a candidate stated only his/her position on the issues and left the record or position of the opposition alone? Couldn't we tolerate that? Unfortunately, it seems that divisiveness is the norm on the campaign trail, whether it’s a national or local campaign. Why is that? Grandma was right, “If you can’t say anything good…don’t say anything at all.”

The following is a portion from Dwight D. Eisenhower’s inaugural address from January, 1953. "Give us, we pray, the power to discern clearly right from wrong, and allow all our words and actions to be governed thereby, and by the laws of this land. Especially we pray that our concern shall be for all the people regardless of station, race, or calling."
What might our nation look like today if politicians would espouse those goals and then proclaim them publicly? It seems today we have few leaders who are concerned with right or wrong, or with all the people and most elected officials are concerned with special interests that will keep them in power. What has happened to this great nation?

Evaporation vs. Salvation!

I just realized I forgot to post this blog on Friday…so here it is, better late than never.
I heard on the news today that since the first of the year, trillions of dollars have evaporated in the world market (I missed the exact number of trillions, but it was trillions). This causes me to wonder why it is we put so much stock in what others say and think. I mean, if a house is worth $50,000 to me, why would I pay $100,000 for it just because someone else tells me that it’s worth that? The trillions of dollars evaporated because it was never really there to start with. What a great word to use to describe the phenomenon: evaporated. It is not that trillions of dollars were hidden or burnt, it just evaporated because it was never there! If someone told me that house was worth $100,000 and I wanted it bad enough to pay that price for it…even though I did, that still doesn’t mean it’s worth it (I'm not an economist, but you get the idea). Well, here’s something that is worth eternally more than the cost: salvation. Christ offers it free to all who will believe in him, even thought the price He paid was tremendous. It’s unfortunate, but there are people in our world who will invest much too much in material possessions that rust and moths destroy and turn up their noses at a gift that is priceless.

Methacostalbyteranist!

Most of us will agree the Body of Christ will encompass believers of many denominations when we get to our reward. And while I do not have a seating chart for Heaven, I believe we will be interspersed about our celestial home. Contrary to many a cute joke, there will not be a Methodist section nor a Baptist section nor a Pentecostal section. We will all worship the Lamb together…don’t you believe that? Let me ask you this then, why don’t we worship together here on earth? Why is it we allow the doctrines of man to keep us from transforming our churches and our world? I am not suggesting that doctrine doesn’t matter and I am not saying we should have church together every Sunday, but if we agree that it is Jesus’ atoning blood which purchased our salvation, why is it we rarely even try to worship with our sisters and brothers in the faith? Do you really think that our differing interpretation of baptism or tongues will keep one of us from receiving salvation when we've professed Jesus is Lord? I know it is like trying to traverse a minefield blindfolded, but we will never experience true revival until we respectfully embrace our sisters and brothers in the faith for the glory of God.

Accountability

One of the greatest joys I have as a believer and as a pastor is to be a part of a covenant group. It is there I share my joys and struggles, as do others. It is there I realize that I am not the only one, who at times face what seem to be undoable tasks. It is there I sharpen my ability to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit. It is there I am held accountable. Being held accountable is tremendously beneficial a person’s walk…to our growth. Now, there are many levels of accountability in our world…some so distant that one really doesn’t have to be accountable to satisfy them. But to sit face to face with sisters and brothers in the faith, who are genuinely concerned for my spirit, with my growth, and with my well-being...that is Scriptural, valuable, and necessary for true growth. Having said that, are you a part of a covenant group; a group to which you are held accountable? If you are not, you need to seriously consider finding, or starting, a group. Not somewhere you can merely study something, or gossip about others, or even vent your frustration, but someplace you will be held accountable, someplace where your presence will help hold others accountable. If you want to experience love, grace, and the Holy Spirit, find that group soon.

Grace for the Moment

I was touched this morning by a young man who looked to be about 30 or so at the monthly S-V Area Lifeline food distribution (the local food pantry of the Ministerial Alliance). He came in apologizing for his family’s need. He shared with me that he had never sought help from a food pantry before and stated “I can’t believe I’m the one needing help.” I share this because too often good people (that’s us in the churches) get the notion that those who need help are the lazy, good-for-nothing bums who are always looking for their next handout so they can spend their money on alcohol. That’s not the case…not every time! I also raise the incident because I am reminded that “there but by the grace of God go I.” These are tough days that affect all of us to some degree. Thankfully some of us are only affected minimally, while others have lost all hope in the things of this life they trusted: their job, their pension, their home, in the future. To us, God has given great opportunities to share, not only our money, but more importantly our Savior. We are to illumine these dark days with the Savior’s light! I would hate to go thru these times without full knowledge of the saving grace of the Lord, that’s what is able to sustain us; I know that whether I go thru it with much or with little, I will go thru it with grace.

Communication Frustration!

I have come to realize just a bit more the struggles that many in our world experience. As I try to help my son-in-law make his arrangements to go back to Mexico, frustration has set in. Since the death of my daughter his process to become a citizen has become exponentially complicated, and I have unwittingly become his liaison in the process while he is at work. Unfortunately, while the government of the United States requires certain steps, I have had to deal with representatives of Mexico to continue the process. Not a big deal with the technology we have, except I do not speak Spanish…at all. Oh, I’ve picked up a few words, but a handful of greetings will only carry a conversation so far with a consulate representative! I have felt the frustration of wanting to communicate with someone whose language I do not speak and to compound my frustration I have a desperate need to communicate with them. God impressed upon me recently that it is much the same when we share the good news with others. First, there is desperation in our efforts: the implications are eternal. Secondly, while we may think we speak the same language, there are many who do not understand us. At times it’s the generation gap that hinders our communication; at times we use “religious” language that I am not sure all of us “church folk” understand. If we are going to experience any degree of success as we evangelize our communities, we need to speak their language. Sometimes we will need to (re)learn their language; at the very least, we must attempt to understand their language and lifestyle or the only thing we will accomplish is building walls between the community and the church.

Share '08

What a great day I’ve had here at WJLY Christian Radio in Ramsey, IL. We’ve been raising their operating budget for next year at Share ‘08. I was able to re-connect with some good friends, some of which I have not seen for several years. I’ve also made several new friends today. It is always a joy and a blessing to meet other believers and to hear their stories, their heartaches, their struggles, and their joys. I find comfort in knowing others have some of the same struggles and joys that I have. It seems to solidify the body of Christ…seeing other like-minded, Spirit filled believers and how God is working in and thru their lives. As a pastor, I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that God only works, or at least prefers to work within the church. Not true! While God does work in the church (at least sometimes), being at WJLY has reminded me that God also works thru many, many people in many different ways. It is refreshing to see that God is busy at work outside the parameters of man-made denominations. Jesus calls us to be his witnesses…to the ends of the earth. I am pleased to report to you that many are doing just that!

Imperfect Humans

Just a note that I will be at WJLY in Ramsey all day Friday, so I may not be able to post a blog or update the prayer counting down to the election until Saturday. I will be helping with WJLY’s annual Share-a-thon attempting to raise their operating budget for 2009. Keep us in prayer!

Well, we’ve now experienced the final presidential debate and it’s just 19 days to the election. According to all reports, there are many who are still undecided and even more who fervently flaunt the attributes of their candidate. One thing is for sure; this will be a historic election. Either the oldest man to ever run for the office will be elected along with the first female vice-president, or the first man of color will become our nation’s president. If that weren’t enough hype to distract us, add other crisis’s like the war, the economy, social security and insurance costs to the political pot. When you do, it becomes apparent that no one man (or party) is going to fix all these problems. Fact is, both the candidates bring some good qualities to the table, but we need to remember that both are imperfect humans. Neither of these men will accomplish much without the support of Congress and each is capable of being corrupted; in short, neither of these men are the Savior. Unfortunately, to hear some tout their qualities, one would think they are Jesus incarnate! Reminds me of Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Please pray for both of the candidates and for our country.

Relationships

There are some things that never change…regardless of the economic climate of our world or the political temperament of our country…people need and want to engage in relationships. I spent the majority of yesterday visiting folks and most everyone welcomes a time to sit and visit with others…even with the preacher! But it’s not the preacher, or me they long to visit with, it’s with anyone! There are so many in our world who, for various reasons, are lonely people. And it’s not just those confined to a nursing home…what with energy costs so high, there are some, young and old, who find themselves unable to get out of the house. We were created as social beings and generally the struggles we face as a community, or a country, only fuel our need to seek out others and share our beliefs and feelings. I think that is why God offers us salvation, not based on works or obeying the Law, but on a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is also unfortunate (or perhaps a scheme of Satan) that we find ourselves so busy. With irregular work schedules, single parent homes, grandparents raising grandchildren, and retirees working for extra income, we are all pulled in many directions and the first thing that usually suffers is our relationships. I am not sure the erosion of any relationship is a good thing, for any reason, but there is one relationship we can never allow to suffer, at any cost!

The Real Issue!

It’s that time of year again that frustration begins to settle in my soul. We are nearing an election, this one happens to be a historic national election, but it could be one to fill local offices. It’s as we enter the final weeks of any campaign that I see people picking a candidate because of their views on a single issue. Usually it is a stance that will benefit the voter, but it’s most always on one issue. It seems there are some problems that trump all others, and while I agree, it’s not social security benefits, political reform, race or the war. Listen to me carefully, all of those are important issues…very important, but until we address root problems in our society we will never solve anything. Scripture reveals for us the value of all creation. Corruption, killing, caring for others, respect, and injustice are no-brainers if we view them thru lenses of Scripture. However, if we used Scripture as a guide, we might have to read it, and even acknowledge there is a Creator. And if, as a nation, we did that, we might realize the corruption we have embraced, which could lead to conviction and revival! But until then I am reminded that Habakkuk wrote, “The just shall live by faith” (2:4). Knowing that, I reject the frustration of the day, believing that God still sits on the throne, regardless of how (or if) we vote in the upcoming election.

Weather & Redemption!

What glorious weather we have been blessed with! I told someone that I could stand eleven months of this type of weather and I would not grumble…much. There is so much truth to that statement that I am ashamed. It is our fallen nature to complain…even when we are being blessed. It is much too easy for us to fall into that negative mindset, even those of us who have been redeemed. Did you hear me? Just think about those words for a moment: we have been redeemed. There is nothing that should affect our countenance; not weather, not illness, not tragedy, and certainly not financial strains. Our future is secure; the victory has already been won on our behalf. Paul said it this way, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2:20). How can we grumble, or have a negative attitude about anything if we realize that it is Christ who lives in us? Peter instructs us to “live our lives as strangers here” (1 Peter 1:17), so we might always hold in perspective the fact we have a home in eternity…our journey here is a short one, so we ought to live it as those “redeemed not with perishable things…but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” With that knowledge we ought to praise God regardless!

Changing Ourselves!

I don't make it a habit of stealing articles from others, but a friend of mine, Rev. Steve Brown of DeMaree UMC, penned this for his church's newsletter promoting a sermon series and I felt his words were relevant for us.

“Change” seems to be the watchword in politics, government, the financial world, and culturally in America. But the truth is “change” is hard for most of us. And most of us don't want to admit that we need to change. We would like the world and those around us to change to be more accommodating to us. But we are not sure that we really need to change. We are sure we really don't want to change. So while “change” is the watchword of the year, basically most of us are resistant to making personal changes. Most of us would not admit that as individuals we need to be more loving and show more of the characteristics of love. It requires painful, personal examination to evaluate where and how much we need to change in showing love. And we want to avoid pain at any cost. It is interesting that throughout the New Testament there is much instruction to Christians about the need to be more loving and how to be more loving. It is one thing to say that we love. It is much harder to show love in real life. We probably would not like it, if someone said to us, “Things need to change around here, and to do that we need to be more loving.” Some of the change that we need to make to be more loving seems so basic that we should not need to be reminded about it, but we do.
It is no wonder that Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Sound Advice for Uncertain Times

It seems unfortunate that we are not able to forgive and forget. I don’t mean the items Jill has on her perpetual “honey do” list…I forget those routinely. I am speaking of the wrongs others have committed against us. I know we learn by mistakes (at least most of us do) and there is tremendous value in that, but to continually remind others of their past sins is wrong and nothing short of judgmental. Forget the issue of not forgiving (that’s a topic for another day), our passing judgment on others not only causes them to question their self-worth, it has been known to cause some to turn from the Savior. That is something I don’t want hanging around my neck, as I believe we will be held accountable for our actions! If we are going to error (and we continually do) then let’s error on the side of grace. Why can’t we allow God to do the judging while we stick to the witnessing? Isn’t that what we are called to do? I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but the next time you find yourself between that proverbial rock and hard spot, remember Jesus’ words. “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7) Sounds like pretty good advice.

Praise You in the Storm!

Recently I had the opportunity to reflect upon storms that I have faced in my lifetime. A time not only to identify storms, but also to see if there are any circumstances common to each, or to most storms. Two things became readily apparent to me. First, I have faced lots of storms in my life. It seems we all have. Most people will only think of tragic events as being storms: the death of a loved one, life-threatening illness; those are the storms we readily recognize. However, there are many storms that we weather, some may not be of the same magnitude as others, nevertheless, they are still storms! In identifying them, I was amazed at how many storms I have faced through the years. Secondly, I found one common denominator in all of the storms: God. I was able (looking back) to see God’s hand at work in every storm that I have faced; even before I became a born-again believer! I know hind-sight is 20/20, but it is amazing to see how God worked in my life and in the lives of others to provide for and form me into who I am today. There is much comfort in knowing that God is involved in my life at all times, even during the darkest storms. I am not sure I will ever look forward to going through an encroaching storm, but am sure I will praise God before, during, and after the tempest.

Necessary Evil?

Well, it is charge conference season again. Any long standing member of the United Methodist Church (or for that matter, of any Methodist Church) knows exactly what I mean. It’s a time of filling out forms and finding people to fill positions in the sometimes uncontrollable government of our denomination. Oh, I yearn for a church that would put as much effort into making disciples for Jesus Christ as we put into perpetuating this necessary evil! Why is it we labor over these positions (many of which are unnecessary for some churches) and neglect the command of our Savior to be his witness? Why is it we want our form of government to be proper, but pay no attention to our form of spirituality? There is something fundamentally wrong with a church whose focus is on the business of the church rather than the Savior of creation. Yes, I know we don’t worship the government of our church (at least most don’t), and I realize we must have order…of all people I love order and take heart in the fact we serve a God of order. But the energy we expend that could be directed to the lost and hurting...oh well, soon enough we will be through another charge conference season, praise God!