Maybe, Maybe Not

I had the privilege of serving my country during Operation Desert Storm with the 82ND Airborne. This past week or so I had been feeling a bit nostalgic as our 16 year anniversary rolled around of our return home. One of my best friends and I from my former unit began to talk about a 20 year reunion so I decided to see if I could find guys through the Internet with virtual ease. It worked much better than I ever anticipated. One number did cost me $7.99, but it was well worth it. Getting in contact with my former friends from the old unit brought back a lot of forgotten memories. Some things that I let go of since becoming a Christian were pointed out to me with laughter from some of the guys. One was shocked that I was in full time ministry.

Since becoming a Christian there has always been something that had troubled me about my time in Desert Storm. As we were leaving the country a group of us who were extremely close did something that made our commanding officer look bad. I never gave it a second thought until I came to know Jesus. Since that time the thought of our war time mishap would rear its ugly head in my mind. I had even had several dreams about it. I kept telling myself that if I could ever find my former commander that I would approach him and ask for forgiveness since I was under his command and it reflected greatly upon his leadership. During my Internet nostalgic frenzy I decided that I would try to locate my former commander and through 3 days of clicking and cross checking I located him. It took another day or so to get the nerve to call his house.

Today I left a message for him and within 10 minutes he returned my call. We talked for a while and then I reminded him of the famous "incident" but prefaced it with "I am now in full time ministry" with the hope for a little compassion and leverage. He remembered it once I mentioned it and let me get years of regret off of my chest. He granted me grace and reminded me that during that time I was just a kid even though they trained me how to kill effectively. After being gracious to me we began to talk about our lives and shared a few stories. We finished the conversation with him giving me his cell phone number and promising to talk more with one another. For years I had presumed that he would not be as gracious as he was when and if I had the chance to seek forgiveness, but that was proved wrong this morning. Had I not called and tried I would never have known.

Receiving forgiveness is not always so simple. I wrote an article on this blog once titled HEALED in reference to my former ministry. One of the guys from the Church became outraged by it and even though he commented anonymously I knew who it was. I sent him an email to try to work through the problem, but never heard back from him. I freely admitted where I as wrong and talked about my frustrations in that ministry. Some of what when on he probably did not know about. As Christians we will not always have those we seek forgiveness from ready to be as gracious to us as my former commander. We must seek the forgiveness where we have wronged others and trust that no matter what the outcome is we have done what is expected of us by God. How will you know unless you make an attempt? One thing is for certain you will have greater peace with God for trying!

DECISIONS

About a week ago I received a phone call that my brother was arrested. The charges against him are severe and it will be months before we know what the outcome of all of this will be. Going down this road is difficult for my family and it is something that is heavy upon my heart. Looking at my brothers life I realize that most people who get into his position did not get there overnight. There is a progression in every persons life that leads them to where they are currently. Its all about DECISIONS! I love my brother and would do not want him in the position he made, but his own DECISIONS have put him in his current position.

No matter who we are in this life we are making a multitude of DECISIONS each day that will affect our lives for the coming months and years. In a culture that does not seem to slow down we need to remember to make the wisest DECISIONS that we can for every facet of our lives. Everyone wants to have their lives changed in certain ways, but most of the time they do not want to put in the effort to change them. Change means making some new DECISIONS about how you are living and then putting in the effort to turn it around. If there is one phrase that I despise in our culture it is "Well that's just they way I am!" Really? Is that working for you? Is that working for your family and friends? Have you attained some higher level of enlightenment by remaining the same? A person who wants people to accept them for who they are regardless of the negativity in their lives is a person who is DECIDING that DECISIONS don't really matter.

Galatians 6:7-9 states "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." That is a promise from God to those who are willing to make good DECISIONS and constantly strive to live by a greater standard than the worlds.

Make a DECISION every day that you are going to live in such a way right now that you will reap good benefits in your future. Every DECISION in your life everyday will determine what you will be reaping tomorrow and beyond.

Waiting

"O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I will never pray to anyone but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly (Psalm 5:1-3, NLT)."

Faith is having hope in God's movement in our lives. Faith is a trust that goes beyond the limits of my mind and transcends to an eternal expectation of movement from the hand of our Creator. We talk about faith because we are in a faith relationship through Jesus Christ with God. We use the word faith with regularity that sometimes we forget that with faith comes waiting.

I believe that when I give a situation over to God that He has begun to move in that situation the moment that I handed it over to Him. Faith is trust! The problem we have with faith is that we want God to move within a time frame that we feel would be most beneficial to us, others, or our situation. This is the most difficult part of our life of faith with God. We forget that God is infinite (unlimited) and we are finite (limited). Since God sees the big picture I have a trust in Him that He will answer my prayer and move in my situation in a way that He deems to be the very best. Knowing that should bring me more comfort, but it does not always work like that. I become frustrated and wonder what God is doing while I am still in my discomfort or turmoil. I begin to question if my faith is really big enough. I start to wonder if there is something amiss in my life that is holding God's blessing back from my life pertaining to the request that I keep making everyday.

Through much reflection and more time in prayer I begin to realize that I am a servant of God. I start to realize that He is not waiting to meet my every demand, request, or concern. I begin to realize that He loves me and is concerned for every aspect of my life and I remind myself that He is moving, but in a way that I cannot always understand and sometimes do not always appreciate. He is LORD! He knows what is needed and His timing is always perfect. I realize that I will never fully understand prayer and faith this side of Heaven and I accept that what I want for the moment is only relief, desire, or comfort.

As a Christian I have learned that I must resolve within myself to live a life by faith as Christ has called me to. That means that I trust God for the outcome of everything that I put in His hand regardless of what happens. I am praying with tears sometimes for a situation that is frustrating for some people I know, but I believe God is moving in His way and in His time. To continue to pray for this situation and not see the results that everyone is praying for is frustrating, but I believe by faith that God's purpose is much bigger than my personal desires. Waiting is one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life, but it is a normal process that we all go through.

FAITH

Faith is an interesting word in Christianity. It is used 270 times in the NIV translation alone. The New Testament Greek word for faith is PISTIS which can simply mean faith, trust, and belief. It is a word with power and great potential, but because we toss it around so frequently in the Church I think sometimes it loses the power that God intended it to have for His people. God desires that we have a greater faith than what I see in the Church of the 21st Century. Our faith has been deduced to attending Church instead of believing in God for His movement in our lives and in our circumstances.

We have sinned with our lack of faith perhaps. We do not believe in God for big things or for movement in our lives like He desires. Hebrews 11:6 in the NIV says "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that he exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." A famous verse that we have learned to quote, but have forgotten its power. Faith is expectation and it is action. It is giving all situations to the Lord concerning our Church and our families. It is being detailed in seeking him with regularity and an expectation that He will move in those situations. It is a boldness that comes through believing that He is going to move in the situations that we lift up to Him. Our problem is that we sometimes become discouraged because God answers differently than what we envisioned in our finite minds. The Church and its people need to admit this an need to move beyond this type of thinking.

I have come to believe through my study in the Word of God lately that God indeed wants His people to trust and believe in Him for great movements in their lives and in their Churches. We have become timid and comfortable with our packaged Christianity that we have left little room for God's movement and have supplemented that with a great amount of knowledge. Where is the great revival of our day? Where are those being set free from things that hold them in bondage as Christians? Where is the emotional healing in families right inside the walls of the Church? Is God waiting for something from His people? I believe He is! I believe that He is waiting for a faith that seeks Him continually and is bold in that seeking. I believe that God is looking for those who trust in Him and are willing to wait upon his movement with a belief that He is going to move in the situation that they give over to Him continually. It is time for the Church to have a greater trust in the Lord and a greater sense of seeking their God. I believe that faith matters! What do you believe?

NEW LIFE

Easter Service for our Church this year was presented at the local High School gymnasium. The Church has done this in the past, but skipped it last year being between Ministers. When the Worship Director and I decided to step out on faith and try this service again for our first time we were a bit nervous. Sometimes through the process of planning I remember thinking "is it really worth our time and effort to do this service?" There was a committee of course that was formed for this event and all of them were competent leaders. The service we came up with was very different for all of us and it had in mind reaching those who are lost or who had fallen away from the Lord.

This past Saturday afternoon we began set up for Easter Service at the High School. We set up about 415 chairs. We had been praying not so much for numbers, but that God would bless this service by filling up the chairs with people who are lost. We assumed that our regular attenders were coming, but our focus for the service was for those outside of Christ. The entire service centered around the theme of "Being Prepared." The sermon I preached was from Matthew 25:1-13 about the 10 virgins and how only 5 of them were prepared for the bridegroom. The sermon was a bit more narrative than usual, there was a game about being prepared in the beginning of the service, and we even did a contemporary skit. At the end of the service during the invitation time not one person responded. I kept wondering if anyone among this large crowd who was lost had been penetrated by any facet of this service.

When all of the lights came on as people were making their way out of the gymnasium I noticed one of our Elders and another man talking with a granddaughter of one of our regular attenders. This woman is 27 years old and comes to church occasionally when she is in town to visit her grandmother. She was asking questions about the process to becoming a Christian. I stood by as one of the Elders began to explain to her the Gospel as he flipped through scripture and began to read to her various passages with a gentle smile on his face. As this was happening she became more emotional with each passing moment. At the end of the conversation she told us that she wanted to be baptized. We all headed back to the Church were we heard her profess her faith in Christ and then was baptized. This woman and her grandmother were both highly emotional and weeping. This was a wonderful moment for this family and those of us fortunate enough to witness this new life from God.

All through this process of building up to this service we kept saying in the Elder meetings that "if only one person was saved then all of the effort, time, and money was well worth it." God revealed Himself to us on Easter Sunday by creating new life when we were least expecting it. Our efforts, prayers, and time matter to God. We forget He is moving sometimes, but when His people do as they are told He reveals Himself to them. All Glory to God!!!

Lessons From Billy

Since I was a small child (born in 1970) I always remember there being a Billy Graham TV special on. I never really cared what Billy had to say because I was a little on the crazy side as a child and teenager. When I was in my 20's and still far from Christ I thought for some reason that Billy Graham was pentecostal and just wanted people to send him their money. It's funny how quick we judge others without knowing anything about them. When I became a Christian at the age of 27 I finally tuned into Billy one night and discovered a man who has a genuine heart for the lost. While I am not affiliated with any Baptist Denomination I have enjoyed reading books by Billy Graham through the years and have always been intrigued by his life.

Several weeks ago I received an issue of the 50th anniversary of Christianity Today which had an article about Billy Graham. I had not read the article immediately since there were other things I wanted to tackle in that issue. This past weekend I opened up the article which reflected on the life, ministry, and character of this renown Evangelist. I discovered 2 very significant things from that article. The first think I discovered was that Billy Graham started Christianity Today 50 years ago with the intention of having a solid publication that reached and touched the lives of Christians. When I read that I remember thinking "why did I never know about this?" Starting a major Christian publication is not an easy task, but it can be done when someone has a good heart and the right intentions.

Going through the article on Graham I discovered the most significant thing was that Billy stated he had wished he would have studied more. This grabbed at my heart in a very significant way. It hit me right between the eyes you could say. It was a gentle rebuke from an older preacher that I had needed for some time. I needed to hear this from a fellow Preacher because I realize that sometimes I go through seasons where I do not study like I should. When I do not study I become dry because I stop growing. Those who spend a good amount of time studying the word and growing through solid Christian writings always have something to share about God with others and always have enough spiritual food to get them through the dry seasons. I do not feel obligated to study the Word and to study about the Word because I am a Pastor. I feel obligated to spend time in study because I am a Christian who wants to experience God in greater ways each day of my life. Psalm 111:2 says "Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them." Thank you Billy Graham for that reminder this past week of what one of my Christian duties are.

Please Send Resume` To.....

The process that any Church goes through to find a new Minister is always interesting to me. The Church that I met and married my wife at is currently looking for a new Pastor. Unlike the movement I am apart of her former Church is a mainline denomination. Instead of the candidate approaching the Church it is the Church looking at different candidates who have opened up their Resumes so that they can be considered by Churches who are looking. Instead seeking you become one who is hopefully sought.

Maybe you think to yourself that this is a good process, but personally I think that its frustrating. It is definitely more time consuming. The same problems exist with this process that do with the Christian Church tradition. It is a lot of effort on both parties taking the time to review each others profiles to determine if an interview will even happen. The problem is that Appleton Baptist Church (not the real name) is looking for someone to fit into a current system that has been in place for a good while. Sure there will be a little freedom, but there are major hurdles to jump to move forward at Appleton. I know this because the former Pastor was a mentor to me as a young Christian.

I had thought about sending a letter to one of the guys on the Search Committee just to give them some insights from a Pastor's perspective, but I realized it was none of my business. The reason that I thought of sending them a letter was out of the love that I have for Appleton. You see, they are like many churches in America; they are stuck in the rut of sameness. Appleton could be looking to move forward, but looking to maintain and that breaks this preachers heart.

Can you imagine what would happen if a Church advertisement said; Appleton Baptist Church, healthy congregation with a few minor problems, Looking for a Pastor with good speaking skills and a shepherd's heart to take a good size Church from going through the motions to where it needs to be. Willing to let someone try new and innovative ideas on a regular basis even if new programs fail. We need someone to help us reach out more and help us to stop being comfortable. We desire someone to challenge us to reach out and help implement new evangelistic ministries. What responses do you think that they would get? I think people like me in the Christian Church would be willing to jump across lines (almost) to have that type of opportunity. I praise God that I am in a Church where I can do new and innovative things and if they fail try other programs or ministries. But the Church in America is not like this! That is what breaks my heart. In all of our Churches we must stop accepting comfort and learn that there is an agenda given to us by God. That agenda is about growth, holiness, and most definitely about reaching the lost consistently. I made a decision a few months ago to get out of my comfort zone. One of my new ministries has already failed and one is succeeding. I don't know what the future holds, but I do know I want to reach the lost of this community. It's time to get out of the office a bit more and into the world with our life giving message.

CrossRoads

The Church is a wonderful place and it is also a frustrating place. New people have been coming to our Church on a regular basis, but many of them have discontent for where they have been previously attending. While I want the Church to grow I would prefer that the numerical growth would happen through conversions. Before the Church can see numerical growth however it must be prepared and it must be working toward the goal of bringing new people to Christ. When I was a young Christian I experienced this once and have never forgotten the experience.

The Church was named CrossRoads and it was located on the edge of the University of Illinois Campus. The Church was started by Dave Short who Pastored the Church for several years. Dave began the Church with a vision of reaching lost souls in a liberal town and on a liberal secular campus. The only person besides Dave's wife who caught the vision for the lost was a young woman who attended the University. Together they met regularly and began to pray that God would help them reach the lost specifically. Within a few months there were services at CrossRoads with a handful of people. CrossRoads enlisted its new members to pray regularly for the lost and Dave challenged even new believers to spread the Good News on the campus. Within a few years CrossRoads had multiple services in a tiny stone building every Sunday morning. Through the week everyone began to meet in homes for small group worship. During the times of small group gatherings there was always a time of worship and a time of prayer. Many of those prayers were for salvation of the lost of that community. On Sunday mornings a few of the members would get together and pray for the services of that day and for the lost that frequently came in. I hardly remember a Sunday without a baptism during my short time at CrossRoads.

I thought a lot about CrossRoads lately since our Church is trying to reach the lost for Easter. This Easter we are holding our service at the local High School with the prayerful hope that salvation will come to those who are lost. We are praying and trusting in God's movement for this event. By doing this it forces us out of our comfort zone and hopefully will increase our faith in God. The Church does exist to help the saints grow closer to the Lord, but I am afraid that we have become to comfortable in America. The Church is not about being happy, it is becoming holy and reaching out. The second part is where we are falling short. I have a faith that God is going to give us a greater vision for the future. I believe that He is going to enlarge our hearts toward those who are around us everyday and are lost.

I recently drove past CrossRoads a few months ago. The Church no longer exists and the building has been turned into campus offices. Dave eventually left the Church and another Pastor stepped in who did not share his passion for evangelism. I don't fault CrossRoads last Pastor, but I wonder what happened to all of the passionate people that I worshipped with and their passion for the lost? The Church needs everyone to be sold out to evangelism, and if the saints are not excited together it will just become another buffett line where people just want to go and get fed. Growing in Christ is wonderful, but my growth should promote action!

I Am A Good Person!!!

This past week I did something that I rarely do. I watched a program on the E Channel called True Hollywood Story. This is a series program for the Channel that features many famous people and shows the different sides of their lives. The episode that I watched last week featured Jenna Jamison who is a well known Porn Star. In this episode featuring Jenna the E Channel made her out to be a glamorous star who rose through the ranks of pornography with hard work and dedication. They made her out to be someone that all could admire. In the program they even boasted about her debating at Harvard on the subject pornography and winning the debate by a landslide. It was a very discouraging and depressing show. I wondered how many young girls watched this program and idolize Jenna?

The most discouraging aspect of this True Hollywood Story came toward the end of the program. People who are close to Jenna began to talk about how she was a good person and how that would get her into heaven. When it came time to talk of heaven for the Porn Star she said with her hands clasped together and looking very serious that she knew for certain that she would get to heaven because she was a "GOOD PERSON!" I was left speechless along with my wife as we heard those words come from her mouth. Jenna Jameson who just signed a new 7 year deal to continue to churn out porn believes that because she feels that she is a good person she will be accepted into eternity with God. Jenna has been in over 100 Pornography films and in the next seven years that number will continue to increase. By her standards it is alright to continue because she is basing eternity on earthly goodness.

I firmly believe that Jenna could be accepted into Heaven one day, but the key to her entrance can only come through a relationship with Jesus Christ! Until she repents of her sins and enters into a Covenant relationship with the Savior she is going to be surprised when life comes to an end.

About a decade ago I had thinking similar to that of Jenna Jamison. I thought I was a "good person" by secular standards and was positive that God would accept me one day. This is the belief of mainstream America. This is the thinking of our neighbors, friends, and some family members. We need to be engaging those around us about what it takes to make it into eternity and the wonderful life that they are promised in the here and now. Some people don't want to share their faith in Christ with others because it seems odd. Some don't want to do it because they feel they are not gifted in explaining the Christian Faith. As Christians we are expected to share with others the TRUTH of how to get right with God. If you are engaging God regularly you will have the desire to share with others. When you don't engage God you become a selfish Christian that buries the TRUTH in the ground.

In Matthew 25 there are 3 Parables grouped together. The 2nd parable has to do with talents that that the Lord has given His servants. 2 of the servants take the talents (money) and produce more, but one of them buries what has been given in the ground and it does nothing for the servant or the master who has given it. Jesus' reply to the 2 successful servants is "Well done, good and faithful servant!" But His reply to the servant who is lazy is "Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!" Those are strong words, but they come from Him who gives me life. I think I will prefer to go and invest the talents given to me so that I can impact a corrupt generation for Jesus!