Encouraged Enough

As American Christians, we are gluttons for encouraging words. 

And on any given Sunday, we are likely to hear a lot of them. 

Just put your faith in Jesus and He'll help you be more than a conqueror!  God's got your back just like He did when David slew Goliath!  You can overcome your troubles by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony!  God is the God of infinite supply, and just as Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fishes from some kid's lunch, so God too can take your little and turn it into a lot!  And if you just have enough faith, you can tell the mountains in your life to move, and they shall listen to you!  Just keep your eyes on Jesus, and you too can walk on water!

O boy! 

If you are like me, you probably know a thousand other such clichéd phrases and messages that center around such themes.  Which is all fine and good.  These sermons are perfectly Biblical, and who doesn't need a good pick-me-up every now and then? 

My only problem is that for many, this is just about all they ever hear week after week, year after year.  Which is pretty odd considering how "well off" we are in America compared to most other parts of the world.  Why are we always so down and out?  You would think we would truly be encouraged by now after all the wonderful messages we've heard.  It's almost like such words aren't really helping us out, and they aren't really transforming our lives.  At best they seem to help us cope.  Like a drug, they give us a fix, but always leave us coming back for more.

It is my contention that as American Christians we have heard enough encouraging words.  Indeed, if I go the rest of my life without hearing another sermon designed to pump me up, I will be good.  And the chances are, so would you.  I believe we have individually heard more sermons designed to encourage us than Jesus and all the apostles ever preached in all of their ministries combined. 

Instead of another weekly pep rally "ra-ra-ra" type speech that tries to build up our fragile self-esteem, to help us overcome our problems and our fears, and make us feel good about our odds of making it in a cruel and dangerous world, I believe we would do well to encourage people in other ways. 

I believe we need to encourage people to love more radically.

I believe we need to encourage people to treat others like they want to be treated.

I believe we need to encourage people to be kind to those who treat them harshly.

I believe we need to encourage people to turn the other cheek.

I believe we need to encourage people to practice hospitality.

I believe we need to encourage people to give to the needy.

I believe we need to encourage people to practice mercy towards those who have wronged them.

I believe we need to encourage people to think of others before thinking of themselves.

I believe we need to encourage people to look after the rights of the marginalized in our society.

Such preaching is not likely to get a super large following, and will probably keep many ministers working second jobs. 

But, I believe in my heart of hearts that if we would encourage people to do these things more and more, that is, simply living out the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives, then we would find ourselves suddenly equipped to deal with all the trials that come our way. 

Instead of needing to feel constantly lifted up week after week, and seeking out preachers who do nothing but that (i.e. the T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, and Steven Furtick's of the world), we would simply be able to encourage ourselves through the regular up and down rhythms of life.  Their never ending sermons about feel good stuff simply would not be needed, and we would find them magically "speaking to our lives" less and less. 

Instead, we would become like the psalmist, and would be able to speak to our own soul and encourage it whenever we hit the occasional rough patch.  And, instead of being in regularly need for a sermon that helps you cope for a few days, we would among those who can not only lift up our spirits, but we would also be among those who can truly strengthen the knees of those who are truly weak. 

That's not to say won't need the occasional reminder of how good God is, and how awesome His love is towards us, and how He can take us under the shadow of His wings, and protect us through even the harshest of storms. 

But such a thing will only be needed on special occasions. 

For through putting the teachings of Jesus to work in your life on a regular basis, you will form the character and the humble confidence necessary to live out your life with faith and boldness.  By putting the words of Jesus into action, you'll develop spiritual muscle, and the things that used to weigh you down, you will suddenly find you have the strength to carry on.  Instead, you will know how to live that abundant life that Jesus talked about, even when facing adversity.

So, if we are going to encourage each other all the more as the day of the Lord draws near, as Scripture teaches, let us encourage one another to do the things Jesus encourages us to do in our day to day lives.  We've had more than enough of the other type of encouragement.  And that kind of encouragement often leads us up a creek without a paddle.

So long as we have the opportunity, let us encourage one another to do good works.  And if we do those things, the rest will sort itself out quite naturally. 

Does God Care Who Wins the Super Bowl?

"Indeed, the very heads of your hair are all numbered..." (Luke 12:7; NASB)

Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?

Our gut reaction probably causes most of us to say "no." 

After all, why would God care about something that is ultimately so trivial?  It's just a game, after all. 

Or, maybe we say it's not about whether or not the game is ultimately trivial in nature.  In reality, we don't believe God cares about such things, because if He cared about such things, such might imply He is somehow involved in the outcome of the Super Bowl, or even the outcome of other things in this world.

That's where things get really dicey.

Such offends our modern sensibilities.  To this day, even after all the preaching done in the past couple thousand years on God being a God of love who cares for us, we still prefer to think of God as some distant cosmic landlord who doesn't really involve Himself in the outcome of all that much in this world. 

We are willing to believe that God had something to do with raising Jesus from the dead, or that He helped us get a recent job promotion at work... but the idea He might get involved at some level in something like the Super Bowl... such an idea is preposterous sounding.  I mean... if God is involved there, what if He were involved in outcome of things like the weather, national elections, the economy, and various cultural phenomenon?

But as preposterous sounding as it might be to some, I must say that in my heart of hearts that I believe that God does care about the outcome of the Super Bowl.  If God is so concerned about the most intimate details of our lives, and even bothers to number the very hair on our heads, then I can't help but believe He cares about the Super Bowl. 

If God has His eye on the sparrow, then you better believe He has His eye on the likes of the legendary (and infamous) quarterback Tom Brady.  And if God takes care to even clothe the grass of the field, you better bet He has His sovereign hand all over the NFL. 

Now, how you view the extent to which God is involved in the outcome of any given Super Bowl, or any other issue for that matter, will ultimately depend on where you stand in the entire spectrum of views in the free-will vs. sovereignty debate.  And I for one don't pretend to have an answer to that issue.  Go ask John Calvin and John Wesley about such questions if you want. 

But, what I do know for sure is that God cares!

He cares about everything that is happening in the world.  And just as there is not a single patch of grass in this world that is God forsaken, there is not a single Super Bowl that has escaped the attention of God.  And because God is God, He has the best seat in the house.  He knows for sure whether or not Tom Brady under inflated his footballs. 

And, just as God is involved in all of these things, so God is also involved in our lives.  Nothing that happens in your life happens apart from His notice.  If things are going well in your life, He's there with you, and likewise, if things aren't going so well in your life, He's there with you even in the midst of great loss and suffering. 

And no matter what your circumstance, God knows what you are going through, and He always stands by your side, willing to draw near to you and to intervene in your life, if you would just but call on His name.

Come to Jesus Moments???

Over the past couple of centuries, much of our Christian vocabulary has been filled with language that speaks of dramatic and sudden conversion experiences. 

We recall making our way down the aisle at a Billy Graham style crusade.  We recall heading to an altar with tears in our eyes to "pray that prayer" with a preacher, wherein we confessed we were sinners in need of a Savior.  We remember a Sunday school teacher or friend who asked us to suddenly pray to accept Jesus into our heart.  We recall stories of powerful decisions made for Christ.

But what if all of this, as touching and as precious as moments as these stories might be, reflect what is in truth something that isn't really "normative" in how most people come to truly know Christ?  That's not to say there aren't crisis moments of sudden and dramatic conversions, but rather, that such moments of dramatic decision might in fact be more rare than the way God normally works.  And I think it's time we begin to recognize this.

What if the average conversion to Christ comes through less dramatic means, and is in fact, much more slow and gradual in nature? 

While I do not negate the powerful stories of people suddenly and dramatically coming to Christ, as such stories are also found in the Bible, I can't help but think the heavy emphasis we have made on dramatic "altar-call" type experiences is wanting, and is theologically suspicious in light of the full testimony of the Scriptures. 

Jesus asked His audiences to "consider the cost"  of following Him.  He didn't ask such a thing of some random person He just bumped into on the street and gave a Romans Road gospel presentation to.    Rather, He asked such of men and women who had time to carefully consider His radical message, and the implications His teachings had for their lives, after having repeatedly heard His preaching over a duration of time. 

What if the average Christian conversion is normally a slow and gradual thing, and less like something we picture happening at some massive revival styled meeting?  What if the average conversion experience can be likened more unto how a plant grows from a seed than a spaceship blasting off into space? 

I know in my life and conversion to Christ, while I recall some very powerful moments and encounters with the Lord, I feel like my coming to know the Lord was ultimately through a very long, slow, and gradual process.  While I can pinpoint some moments in time that were pivotal in my journey, and where I definitely felt like I had a special encounter with God, the more I reflect on these events that have transpired in my life, the more I think my conversion was less of a dramatic "come-to-Jesus moment," and more of a "back-and-forth conversation" I had with Christ over a period of years, as I struggled with the full weight of the Gospel message and the teachings of Jesus as I gradually came to understand them.

And as I come closer to the 20 year anniversary of the time I first called on the name of the Lord, sometimes I wonder "exactly" when it was that I came to know the Lord.  Looking back at the sputtered messy beginnings of my faith, sometimes I just don't know exactly when I got saved.  Maybe it was when I prayed that prayer.  Or maybe it was sometime after that.  Honestly... I just don't know anymore.  All I know is that for me, my conversion felt more like a prolonged wrestling match than a Hail Mary touchdown pass at the end of a football game. 

I know along the way I received several strong "nudges" that made God larger and bigger and nearer to me than I had ever experienced before in my life.  And I know that in my heart of hearts that as of today I believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead and that I am saved.  But the exact moment I passed from death to life, oddly, I'm not so certain anymore.  All I know is that God eventually prevailed over me. 

And talking to many Christians over the years, I'm starting to believe more and more that most came to know the Lord slowly, gradually, and over time. We came to know the Lord as a result of a seed being planted, nurtured, and in time, ultimately bringing forth life. 

And if that is indeed the case, that most Christians have come to know the Lord slowly over time, to the point where they eventually experienced the new birth, instead of in some dramatic moment, should that not radically challenge the way we do outreach and evangelism?  Should that not change the way we do church? 

Instead of trying to have a giant extravaganza and crusade to save souls, should we as the church not instead foster a culture that invites those who are outside to come alongside of us, to dialogue, to struggle with us, to wrestle with the claims of Christ, and to taste something of the Christian community that we enjoy with others who follow the Lord?  And maybe, just maybe, they will over time get caught up in the faith that we have come know, to experience the life we have, and to become true followers of Jesus Christ?

What do you think?  I'd love to hear your thoughts below. Feel free to comment!

You don't need a "Breakthrough" in 2017

As the year draws to an end and a new year begins, people begin to take an inventory of their life over the past year.  Many will simultaneously celebrate their successes, while quietly mulling over their failures.  They will continue to dream, plan, and will make new goals.  And more often than not, they will resolve their commitment to accomplish the things they failed at this past year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that.

"...This year I will finally save $10,000; I will finally get a promotion at work; I will finally lose that extra 20 or 30 lbs I have hanging around my midsection; I will go back to school and finish my degree; I will finally overcome my addictions..."

And so the list goes on and on. 

And for some people who make such resolutions again and again, there is a sense of desperation forming.  They are growing sick and tired of being sick and tired about that "thing" in their life that is holding them back, and keeping them from being all that they believe God has created them to be. They are tired of dealing with the same challenge year after year, and never seeing any progress made. 

They feel stuck in a rut, and the more they linger in this rut, the more magical sounding ideas like experiencing a "breakthrough" begin to sound.   And as they make their New Year Resolutions, a foreboding sense of doom begins to cast a long shadow over their goals, causing a person to anticipate failure before they've even began their journey.

And knowing this is where a lot of people are at, an army of wannabe prophets, gurus, and multi-level marketing experts are more than willing to come along and help you fulfill those dreams and overcome your problems.  For a fee of course.  But they are willing to help just the same. 

These hucksters promise a whole new world is getting ready to open to you.  This year is going to be different!  If you just listen to them and do what they say, go to their seminar, attend their revival meeting, read their book, listen to their audio tape, hire them as your coach, and if necessary, walk on hot coals... then by God, you will be an overcomer and this will be your year of Jubilee! Your dog will love you again. Money will grow on trees in your back yard.  Women will flock to you.  Your waistline will shrink.  Other men will want to become like you.  And you'll finally arrive at that mythical "Next Level" that everyone is always talking about.

Stuff like this makes me want to pull my hair out. 

You are just as likely to experience a breakthrough following these guys as you are to solve your financial problems by playing the lottery.  You might win at this game, after all "somebody has to win," as every lotto junky knows well.  But more often than not, you are going to lose, and you will have nothing more to show for it than possibly a few extra books and tapes that collect dust on a shelf somewhere, while making their author fantastically rich, all while you continue to be stuck in the same old problem you always were stuck in.

What many fail to realize is that this "breakthrough" they are in search of is nothing more than a short-cut to success.  It's a form of a get-rich-quick scheme.  No hot handed healing revivalist is suddenly going to crack the skies of heaven for you by you attending their meeting.  There is no grandiose mystical moment that exists that will suddenly propel you to the place you are looking to go one day.  These guys are doing nothing more than peddling sugar, and once they leave town and the buzz wears off, you are going to come crashing down.         

Instead of searching for a breakthrough moment, what you really need to do is develop your character.  Proverbs 10:4 says that one of the reasons that some people are poor and some people are rich is because some men are lazy, and others diligently work with their hands.  And in my opinion, if you are looking for a breakthrough moment like the type they vaguely preach about on TV, then there is a good chance you have taken on a spiritually lazy attitude, and are as destined for poverty as someone who refuses to work. 

You want the quick fix and quick riches. You want to win the spiritual lottery.  You aren't at all interested in forming character.

Yes, good old fashioned character!  That is the true "key" to overcoming most of the things that are holding you back year after year.  It's the type of character that is forged by faithfully committing to something in the daily grind, and seeing it through to the end.  You need the character that is forged in the ups and downs of life, by facing hardships head on, and welcoming all life's difficulties and challenges as an opportunity to grow. 

I remember when I was in college that while I loved learning, I generally avoided subjects I knew I would struggle with.  You didn't catch me taking organic chemistry as a science elective.  However, in seminary I was forced to deal with the fact that I had to learn ancient Biblical Greek as part of my studies.  I dreaded the mere thought of it.  But, having no choice in the matter, I plunged myself into my Greek studies.  I constantly walked around with index cards in my back pocket, full of this week's vocabulary.  Whenever I had a down moment, I was studying those cards.  I brought them everywhere I went, be it at work, school, church, and even on dates.  I was constantly looking at them.  I didn't become an expert in Greek, but by the time I finished my language courses in school, I finished my year of studies with a solid "B+" letter grade. 

Studying Greek really stretched me as a person.  After learning to translate ancient Biblical Greek and passing my classes, I felt there wasn't anything in the world I couldn't learn.  For I had challenged myself intellectually more than I ever had up until that moment in my life.  I learned something completely foreign to me and just about everyone else, and I grew some new brain muscles in the process.  I experienced a genuine transformation of my character as a result.  New character had been forged in me.  And since that point in time, there isn't a subject matter that I've come across that I didn't feel I couldn't tackle.

Which was great.  Because it would not be long before I found myself no longer in seminary, but found myself studying business law and mortgage finance in school and at work.  And to this day, I don't think I could have learned and excelled in these areas, both academically and professionally, had I not first gone through the crucible of learning Greek in seminary.  But because I pressed through those challenges, I know in my heart of hearts that God brought me through those challenges and helped me grow as a person, and by faith, I am confident that should such future challenges arise, I will conquer them as well.  

For I know who God has made me to be as a person.  I know the stuff I am made of.

This is where the real "breakthrough" is at.  It comes, not by listening to some preacher, attending some conference, or performing some sort of circus act.  This "next level" type of stuff whereby you "smash the glass ceiling" only comes as a result of pressing on through challenges and enduring whatever it is you have to endure before you come out the other side.

No, pressing on through to the other side is never easy.  It's definitely easier said than done  And like any person, you may experience setbacks and failures along the way.  I received some low grades on some of my original Greek exams before I finally started hitting the high marks.  You may get knocked down in this process, but you get back up again, make some adjustments, and you keep pressing on anyway. 

The faithful person makes no excuses and doesn't quit.  They just keep going and going and going and going.  They may die a thousand times over in this process, but they always keep their hope on the power of Christ's resurrection to raise them back up. 

Faithful people have a different mindset.  It may sound cliché', but it's true.  Faithful people see stumbling blocks put in front of them simply as stepping stones that are going to help them get to where they need to be.  They know that whatever their task or goal is, by the grace of God they will complete it, and nothing is going to stop them from doing such, because they are going to do the hard thing, and they are going to press on every single day even if it kills them in the end.

Of course, none of this is ever any fun. 

Which is why people want to take the short-cut.  They would rather pay an exorbitant amount of money to some guru, and obtain the illusion of something a bit more magical.  They want to at least be entertained and made to feel "inspired" and to feel good about themselves.  They want to attend that "life changing" event, and tell all their friends about it.  But in this, they will continually fail, and never obtain that which they seek.

Real "life change" and "breakthrough" is a lot less exciting.  It doesn't sell books, and it doesn't pack auditoriums.  It's found by rolling up your sleeves, being diligent, doing the hard thing, and going to work day after day after day after day.

So this year if you are dreaming about finally overcoming some lingering issues in your life, stay away from the hucksters who want to offer you a short-cut to success.  Beware of them, as they are out in full force right now. 

Instead, set a goal, make some hard choices, and daily do whatever it is you need to do to be faithful to that goal, and to be faithful through the end.  And in doing such, you'll truly see the breakthrough that God has in store for your life. 

The Apocalypse (a.k.a.. Election 2016!)

Jesus need not come back.  The apocalypse has already happened without Him.  And it happened via the presidential election cycle of 2016 in America. 

Well... not exactly.  But it sorta feels that way. 

Depending on who you voted for, there is a pretty good chance that you viewed Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton as the Devil incarnate.

"They" were the ultimately embodiment of evil, and in order to save our nation, they had to be stopped at all costs.  Because if the other candidate won, America would descend into unprecedented levels of darkness from which it cannot ever return. 

Facebook became the battlefield of America's second Civil War. The closest of family and friends became emotionally unglued, resulting not only in heated exchanges, but in a massive number of casualties.  Friends lists were purged, and people were uninvited from weddings and holiday get-togethers, all because a loved one supported the wrong presidential candidate.

The church has reflected this cultural division as well.  Voting for the wrong candidate resulted in many Christians smugly questioning the salvation of many other Christians who did not.  After all, it was abundantly clear which candidate God was backing.  And if it wasn't very clear to you, there were many prophetic voices in certain circles who were more than willing to tell you which candidate God favored, and to give that candidate a significance similar to that of some major well liked Old Testament figure.  For some, failure to vote for God's man (or woman) was a test of your commitment to Christian orthodoxy, and exposed how deeply compromised you were in your heart of hearts.

And now that the election is over, there are many who rejoice over Donald Trump winning the election, and likewise, there are many who are deeply fearful of the same.  And depending on which candidate you supported, there are as many news outlets that are willing to feed your feelings of triumph as there are those who are willing to feed your feelings of anger and insecurity.

I know I wrestled with my emotions over this election.  And there has been a time or two (or three) where I got caught up in wrestling other people who were also wrestling their emotions too.

Things ought not be this way.  While I think it is a great thing for people to be involved in politics, and to passionately champion important causes, and to hash out difficult topics, I can't help but feel that we are in danger of being too emotionally invested in this process. 

As Christians we have to remember that as much as we love our country, America isn't our religion, and we should stop treating it as such.  Our identity shouldn't be grounded in her, or a particular political philosophy or candidate.  We must avoid any language that would tempt others to see certain political leaders as some sort of mini-messiah.  God already gave the world a Messiah, and His name is Jesus!  And for heavens sake, we need to stop confusing America with Israel and/or the church.  America is neither.  And the degree we treat America as if it were either of these shows just how much we've made America into a religion.

So, instead of becoming unglued over politics, as Christians I believe we need to become increasingly unattached. 

And in saying unattached I don't mean being uninvolved.  On the contrary, I believe the church should be involved in politics, but in doing so, we need to realize in our heart of hearts that whatever our level of involvement is, we are ultimately serving this country as ambassadors of Jesus Christ, and as citizens of another kingdom. 

Such is like the ambassadors of our own country who serve overseas in other nations, representing the interests of the United States while abroad.  Where appropriate, they give their two cents on various issues that arise.  But does the American ambassador to France get bent out of shape when France elects somebody that ambassador perceives to be an idiot as the president of France?  Probably not.  Why?  Because even though they may have a great love for France, their loyalty is back home, in America. 

And I believe that's how we as Christians need to be when it comes with our attitude towards politics.  We are to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ, who while getting involved of the political life of the nation we are serving in, ultimately has a heart that longs for the things that are back home. 

Armed with the mindset, that we are ultimately ambassadors of Christ, will do much to safeguard our hearts from looking at this election (or the next one!) as if it were the apocalypse.  And maybe... just maybe, God will be able to use us as people of influence as a result, so we are able to further His will in this world. 

God's Destiny for Me on the Hamster Wheel of Life

What's the meaning of life?

Why am I here?

What's God's purpose for my life?

Why was I created?

These are questions we often regularly ask ourselves. Surely there is more to life than the never ending routine of eating, working, sleeping, and paying the bills.  Surely God put me here for a greater purpose than just jumping on the never ending hamster wheel of life, right?

The longer I live, the more I begin to think the answer to this question is "no."

I don't have a purpose for which I'm here. I don't have a destiny I'm trying to fulfill.

Rather, I have a thousand and one purposes for why I'm here.  Rather, I have a thousand and one destinies that I am pursuing.

And those purposes are fulfilled as I carry out the everyday things of this life.  Life is far too rich and complex and beautiful, and filled with too much variable and nuance, for me to ever begin to think that God has just called me to do one or two things with my life.  Rather than a handful of things to do before I die, God has called me to do a vast multitude of things. 

When I was younger, God put me in this world to be a student, to learn as much as I could so as to prepare me for the rest of my life, so that one day I might be able to get a decent job, to help take care  of my family, to serve my employers, to contribute to the world economy, and to be a blessing to others.

And as I've grown older, I've seen those purposes expand. God's purposes for my life have changed from season to season.  In different seasons God has made me to be different things, and I expect He will continue to do such.  I've seen that time and again, that one thing leads to another, and to another, and to another.  Things I never even dreamed of for my life have come to pass.

My life has too much going on to be reduced to merely to one or two purposes. And so does yours.

Our lives have so many purposes, and so many different callings. So many in fact that you and I will never know the full purpose for our lives on this side of eternity, and exactly why God put us here.

Yes, I may be conscious of a few of those things along the way, as I see the hand of God working in my life, and as I respond to the leading of His Spirit.  But God has put me here to be much more than what I do between nine and five, or what I do on Sunday mornings in church, or to relentlessly pursue some single focused calling.

I'm a son, a husband, a neighbor, a friend, a banker, a minister, a giver, a citizen, a stranger passing by....

And while my focus shifts throughout the day, and some of the things God calls me to do receive more attention in certain seasons of my life, I'm never just one of these things. My life is too big to be just that.

Yet how often do we obsess over our perceived sense of "calling?"  How often are we afraid to let go of the things that God given us to do, in order that we might now embrace a new calling and purpose in our life? 

How often do we fight against seasons spent in the proverbial wilderness, feeling like by entering into such seasons that we might somehow be missing out on our callings in this life, and doing nothing more than wasting away? 

How often do we feel like a library book, shelved with no purpose other than to sit around and collect dust?

How often do we feel like our current situation in life is holding us back from fulfilling God's "real purpose" being fulfilled in our lives? 

As a Bible college graduate who has spent much time in ministry and serving the church, God only knows how often I feel that way today.  I spent years in school studying theology, learning Greek, reading books, honing my preaching craft, serving the homeless and the poor, driving the church bus, teaching, leading small groups, preaching on street corners, visiting people in the hospital, and a million other things. 

Yet where am I today? 

I'm underwriting mortgages for a living at a big bank, working 60 hours a week, and I'm not even leading a children's Sunday school class in church.  I blog from time to time. I share my faith with others when opportunity presents itself. I chime in something edifying when I get together with other Christians. I encourage my wife.  I post things on Facebook.

Yet, I'm not anywhere near to where I thought I would be at this stage of my life, in spite of all my training and time spent in preparation for "the ministry."

Needless to say, the opportunity for feelings of doubt, self-pity, and loathing are huge.  I could be jealous of others, and angry.  I could be bitter and resentful.  I could be entering a mid-life crisis where I chase the dreams that got away by chasing things that would only destroy me.  I could be angry at God.

I could do all those things and more... that is, if I saw my life as having only one primary purpose or calling. But I don't. 

Instead, I embrace where I am at in this life.  I look at the plow set before me, and instead of figuring out the unholy mental Trinity of would've/could've/should've, I prefer to figure out how I can best be faithful to the task God has given me at hand.  Such not only helps me keep my sanity, but it actually allows me to find a great sense of joy and purpose in what God has me doing in the right here and right now.

And it is from being faithful to the task God has given me in the present that will truly allow His purposes to be accomplished in my life.  It's in the little things I do time and time again, day in and day out, things destined to easily be forgotten by me, but warmly remembered and honored by God, that when faithfully carried out, will ultimately constitute the "purpose" in my life.

And that purpose is to ultimately make me more and more like Jesus, no matter what I do to occupy my time between the date of my birth and the date of my death, even if all I did was eat, work, sleep, and pay the bills.  For being faithful to the task Jesus has placed in your hand, that is no small thing.  That indeed, is the greatest thing you could ever hope to do with your life.  It was the purpose for which you and I were ultimately created. 

And until we learn to be happy in that, we will never be truly happy in anything else. 

How to Find a New Church

After much discussion, my wife and I recently decided it was time to find a new church to call home.  Thankfully, we did not have to search very long, and I am happy to report that after only visiting 3 different churches in the area over a short period of time, the Lord brought us to a church that both of us are very happy to be a part of.

Thinking on our brief journey, my mind naturally turned to those who might find themselves in a similar situation.  I've known some people who have spent months and years trying to find a church to belong to, but for a number of reasons, they never manage to settle down somewhere.  My hopes in reading this brief article, you'll be able to narrow down your search and that the Lord will help you find somewhere that you can grow and serve. 

Here are my tips on finding a new church:

1.  Keep it Local:

I believe this to be one of the most crucial things in finding a church as well as the most practical.  I've been part of a church before where I had to drive 30+ minutes on average Sunday morning just to get to church.  Such makes mid-week activities and fellowship outside of Sunday morning gatherings very difficult, especially if you live in a large city like I do, and have to battle terrible traffic.  And like any other relationship, long distances often creates problems. 

Therefore, I believe if you are looking for a new church, unless you live in a very rural area, you need to get out a map (like Google Maps), and draw a circle within a 10-15 minute drive of your house, and limit your search for a new church to congregations located within that distance from your home.  Church isn't just supposed to be a Sunday morning activity.  It's supposed to be part of your life.  And the proximity you have to drive to be involved at church and in frequent fellowship with other believers becomes increasingly difficult the further you get away from home.  If you have to drive a far distance to be involved in the life of your church, it will ultimately hurt the quality of the fellowship you enjoy.

2. Leave the Checklist at Home:

For some people, finding a new church is often like dating.  People build ridiculously long checklists of things they are looking for in a church, and as a result, they never find that perfect church to belong to.  I did this for a few years when I was dating.  And as a result, I found starting new relationships very difficult, because nobody out there was good enough for me, as they didn't meet my highly itemized list of have's/have not's.  The result?  I was the king of first dates, but I didn't have many second dates.  And that's because I dismissed many girls outright simply because they didn't conform to this long list of what I thought the perfect girl for me would actually look like. 

It was only when I finally gave up on dating a list and looking to build real relationships that I found the woman who became my wife.  And if I compared my wife to some of the ridiculous things I had put on my ever growing list, I probably wouldn't be married as I am this day.  And if you approach finding a church this way, the chances are, you'll never find a church to belong to.  The perfect church, like the perfect woman, simply doesn't exist. 

A church is a highly relational community, therefore, you should engage each potential church you consider joining in a very relational way.  Be gracious.  There is no such thing as a perfect church.  If there were, you would ruin it by showing up.  Show each church you visit a bunch of grace and cut them some slack.  If they do things a little differently than you are typically accustomed to doing at church, don't pass judgment on them, rather, simply embrace them in the same way Christ has embraced you.  Get to know the people there and find out why they do things the way they do.  You might actually find out that you prefer their unique approach to things.

3. Go to Serve:

While it is important when looking for a church to find somewhere that can help meet you and your family's needs, don't pick a church just because they have great preaching, great singing, and a great youth program.  Don't go to church with a consumeristic mindset, thinking of only what you can get out of belonging to a certain congregation.

Rather, have the attitude of Christ, and look at each church as a place you are going in order to ultimately serve.  Only in looking to be a blessing to others will you ultimately be blessed.  And only in serving your local church will you be able to rightfully say a certain church is "your" church.  Don't go to church to get, go to church to give.  See what you can bring to the table instead of the other way around.

4. Don't Stumble Over Theology or Denominational Affiliations:

While the theology of a church is important, it should not be the primary reason why you pick a particular church.  And denominational affiliation should have very little weight in your mind as to why you decide to attend a certain church (most folks don't really care about denominational affiliations these days anyway, except those who have their bread and butter made by them).  Over the years I've learned that no matter what the official denominational affiliation a church has, and no matter what creed is printed in its bylaws, most churches tend to have a very wide spectrum of beliefs in each congregation anyway.  This is seen even in churches that are very theologically rigid, or have strict practical commitments.

So, don't get too hung up on the particular theological bent or denominational affiliation (or lack thereof)  of any given congregation.  Churches tend to be made up of actual people, and not systematic theologians who are interested in doing nothing more than defending and propagating their pet theology.  Every person is at different places in their walk in Christ, and not every person is going to see eye to eye on all of the particulars of the faith.  We all see a little bit dimly.

Therefore, while I would caution against being involved with churches who don't commit to at least a basic evangelical theology and lifestyle as a community, keep in mind that the apostle Paul was a minister to congregations where some people had doubts about if Jesus Christ was really bodily resurrected!  They weren't really altogether sure about that fact.  Some had their doubts.  And many other churches that Paul wrote letters to were struggling with accepting some very other basic Christian beliefs that we tend to take for granted today.

So, keep an open heart and mind about wherever it is the Lord may be leading you and your family to worship and serve alongside.  The Christian community is a very diverse community, and each congregation often has a long history.  Engage each church relationally, and you'll find theological and denominational affiliations tend to not be the giant hurdles that some have made them into over the years. 

In my opinion, so long as you can see Jesus Christ living in the lives of others, and you find fellowship in the Holy Spirit, that is all that you ultimately need in order to belong to a church.  And as you relate to others in the congregation as actual people, instead of a mission field of people you need to convert and reform or correct, and I believe you'll find a lot of these traditional barriers to fellowship fall to the wayside, and you might just find yourself planted firmly by the Lord in a church that is full of folks struggling with their theology just like you.

Conclusion:

Above all, when searching for a new church, trust the Lord to guide you to the right place.  And give an ear to those who care about you in your life, and see where the Lord might be leading you through them.  And if you are married, work very hard with your spouse to come into agreement about where you and your family should serve the body of Christ. 

Finding a new church can sometimes be a difficult thing to do, but it doesn't need to be needlessly difficult.  I firmly believe if you take the things written above to heart, you'll find your search for a new church comes to an end very, very soon.

God be with you in your journey.

I'm not Afraid of Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton

Donald Trump is the devil.  If he gets elected, we will all be ruined.

Hillary Clinton is the devil.  If she gets elected, we will all be ruined.

So whoever you vote for this election season, you need to make sure you vote so as to make sure the other guy (or gal) doesn't get elected, because their election would be apocalyptic in nature, and a complete disaster for this country!

Or so the rhetoric goes...

I don't know about you, but I am rather tired of this rhetoric.  I'm only 34 years old, but it seems like I've heard this argument every election cycle since as far back as I can remember.  This argument is getting really old.  And the longer I live, the more silly I find it to be.  How so many people continue to fall for this nonsense is beyond me.

Here are 3 reasons why I'm not afraid of whoever gets elected:

1. Jesus Christ is Large and in Charge

First and foremost of all, as a person of faith, I believe Jesus Christ to be the Lord of heaven and earth.  And no matter how bad things get in this world, I believe that He is ultimately in control.  Yes, things can get very bad.  Hitler styled dictators do rise to power.  But at the end of the day, Jesus Christ is still Lord, and He's greater than Adolf Hitler, Donald Trump, and Hillary Clinton. 

No matter who gets elected, I will continue to confess Psalm 23 over my life. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures.  He makes me to lie beside the still waters.  He restores my soul, and leads me along the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.  Though I walk through they valley of the shadow of death, I shall not fear, for His rod and His staff, they comfort me.  He prepares for me a table in the presence of my enemies. He anoints my head with oil, and my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When I look at the world with the eyes of faith and see Jesus is large and in charge, I realize that God's ultimately got my back, no matter who gets elected.  Jesus Christ impacts my daily life more than any elected official ever will.  He leads me and guides me. Wherever I am, the pasture is always green.  I refuse to live in fear, so much so I could even have dinner with my mortal enemies and still be at peace.  My cup runs over, no matter who gets elected.


2.  The Constitution Severely Limits the President

Secondly, we have a great system of government in the United States, and we often forget that.  We have a very powerful system of checks and balances that severely limits the President from doing all that much.  In the wisdom of our founding fathers, when they setup our form of government, they ultimately set up a form of government that operates as if it were in a perpetual traffic jam.  And they did such knowing that there would be nut jobs like Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton who could possibly get elected and possibly do a lot of damaging things.  So they severely limited their powers, making it very hard for any elected official to do very much.

As a result, history has shown that no matter what goofball we've managed to elect, by in large, most presidents accomplish only incremental changes and don't do a lot.  They don't do a lot that is great, nor do they do a lot that is bad.  And even the most radical of political ideologues that get elected are generally forced to govern somewhere more in the middle of the political spectrum.  Of the 43 elected presidents our country has had, only a handful have managed to make a major and noticeable impact on our country.  The few that have managed to do such, you could easily name. 

And we have the founding fathers and the U.S. Constitution to thank for that.  Very few of us could point to anything significant that has happened in our lives and directly connect it to the actions taken by the presidency.  And even if you could, such events would be few and far in between.  So, even if we elect a devil to the executive branch of our government, they wouldn't be able to do very much to damage our country. Likewise, we could elect the archangel of heaven into office, and they would find themselves limited in the amount of good they could accomplish. And why?  Checks and balances highly limit what presidents can do. 

3.  The Reality:  Life is Pretty Good.

My life is pretty good, and I'm guessing yours is pretty good too. 

My wife and I have decent jobs.   We aren't rich, but we live comfortably and securely. We enjoy some creature comforts.  We can afford to give to those in need.  So far as I know, my rights aren't actively being violated.  I have food in the fridge, clothes on my back, and a roof over my head.  I have a family that loves me.  And while I may occasionally question my level of safety, like when somebody rang our door bell at 4 am on a Sunday morning recently, generally speaking, I don't have to give too much thought to being physically harmed on a daily basis.   And while typing this blog, I am able to do so from a miraculous piece of technology that allows me to instantly communicate with just about anybody around the world in the blink of an eye. 

So, relatively speaking, life is pretty good!  And my life is pretty good, even though during my lifetime we've had a couple presidents that were anything but good.  Yet in spite of electing a couple goofballs, a lot of amazing and wonderful things have happened, not only in my life, but the life of countless people across this country. 

And my guess is that whether we elect Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in the next election, my life is going to continue to be pretty good.  Even the most powerful and reckless of presidents have very little ability to impact my daily life.  The CEO's of Facebook and Apple impact your life more on a daily basis than president Obama has in the past 8 years, and they are likely to continue to do so, no matter who we elect in the next election.

Conclusion

Don't buy into the media hype, or the hype of friends and family who are worried to death about the outcome of this next election.  Don't be terrified about the outcome of this next election.  Chances are, whoever wins will make very little difference.  In spite of what you might believe, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are not the devil.  Yes, they are both deeply flawed candidates, and both appear to be complete slime balls.  But their ability to make a major impact on your life or the life of anyone you know is very minimal.  And that is the God's honest truth. 

Let this truth sink into your heart instead of the shallow and mindless rhetoric that a lot of people are engaged in at this time of year.  And be prepared to remind everyone that Jesus Christ is Lord, that presidents are very limited in what they can do because of our system of checks and balances, and that our lives are ultimately pretty good, no matter who we elect as the next president. 

I'm not afraid of the outcome of this election, and neither should you be.

Jesus Felt the Rage of Racism

Have you ever felt mad?

Have you ever felt mad at somebody else?

Have you ever felt mad at somebody else because they are Black, Asian, Hispanic, or White?

Whether or not we would admit it, I think we all have.  And in light of the recent shooting of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and the police officers in Dallas, I think it is evident to anybody who has logged into Facebook and Twitter recently that a lot of racist feelings have been stirred up in a lot of people.

I know I've struggled with such feelings over the years.  Heck, I get those feelings even now.  The 24-hour news cycle practically beats them out of me.

There are few things that pull on our heart strings more than racial strife.  Whether we like it or not, so much of our personal identity is bound up in our racial identity, and it doesn't take much to rattle our cages when it comes to issues surrounding race.

And if we can't admit such honestly to ourselves, either we are one of the most saintly people to ever walk the face of the Earth, or we are lying.  Personally, I don't believe there is a person alive who hasn't felt something of this anger, hate, and rage towards another person because of their race.

Including Jesus.  

Yes, you heard me right, even the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten sinless Son of God, Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, has felt something of this poison that festers in our hearts.

The Bible says:

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  ~ (Hebrews 4:14-16, NASB)

There isn't anything you and I have ever felt that Jesus Himself hasn't personally felt and been tempted with.  He is been tempted in "ALL THINGS."  And that includes the anger and feelings of racism that bubble up and overflow in you and I.  Of course, He felt these things and did not sin.  But He felt them just the same.  And Jesus didn't just feel them in some abstract ghostly or theological sense.  He felt them in His own flesh and blood, in the real world.

Racism was a major problem in the times of Christ.   The Jewish people, whom He was a part of, had lived for several hundred years in the land God promised to them, under the military occupation of the Roman Empire.

The Jews of Jesus day deeply resented the Romans, and for many legitimate reasons.  For example, the ancient Jewish historian Josephus tells us that about the times of Christ, in order to make an example to the Jews of the might and power of Rome, and to beat their spirits into submission, over 3,000 Jews were crucified and hung out along a major highway.   Such made them  no friends with any Jews to say the least.  And there is the distinct possibility Jesus might have witnessed this event firsthand.  But if He didn't witness it with His own eyes, it is definitely an event He heard told and retold a thousand times during His life, and would one day experience personally, as Jesus Himself suffered at the hands of police brutality.

And I don't know about you, but if I were a Jew in that day and saw 3,000 of my own people killed in such a way, such an event might make me more than a tad bit racist against Romans... especially officers in the Roman military.

Jesus Christ lived, moved, and breathed in such a culture.  A culture in which there were not only 10,000 stories that circulated about "police brutality" that were absolutely true, but there would have been 10,000 times as many stories that were rumored to be true.  Every individual Jew would have taken all these stories to heart.  And Jesus would've felt what they felt too.

But He remained without sin.

Exactly how He did it, I do not know.  But I do know that the Bible says that He was tempted in all things that we are tempted, and yet He remained without sin.  So that gives me some hope not only for me, but for you too.  And the Scriptures promise us that if we boldly approach His throne of grace, we will find the help we need in the midst of our struggles and strife in everyday life.

I believe in the midst of the racial difficulties we are seeing presently in our nation, right now, more than ever, we need to make sure that we put this passage into actual practice.  We need to draw near to God.  We need to get help from the very One who knows how to help us deal with the problems we are facing, and the feelings that are stirring in our hearts.  I don't know how to deal with those problems, but I know He does.

I know I am in need of much help.  I hope you see yourself in need of the same help too.

"In your face" Jesus Style Mercy and Social Justice Ministry

"Bible education?"  We've got a program for that.

"Feeding the homeless?"  We've got a program for that.

"Seniors ministry?"  We've got a program for that.

"Greeting first time visitors?" We've got a program for that.

"Community outreach?"  We don't currently have that, but give us 6 months and we'll put a committee together to form a program for that.

Over the years I've come to notice that as the church, we love having "programs."  I'm not even sure many of us could define the word "program."   However, there is one thing we know, is that if there is a problem we are trying to solve, we know that a program will fix it.

Programs have become our one indispensable tool that we use on everything, and fulfills the prophecy that says if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem will begin to look like a nail.  And if we don't have a program for something as a church, we tend to let things fall to the wayside, as collectively, we can only do so much.

Please don't get me wrong.  I think programs are great, and I believe they are Biblical. Organizing a group of mutually interested people to solve a problem, pooling mutual resources, and working together as a community, we can often do more together than we can individually.  We need food pantries, we need community outreach programs, and all these sort of things.

However, there still remains much for us to do at the individual level.  As much as we need church programs, we also have a great need for "in your face" Jesus style mercy and social justice ministry.

Jesus once said:

"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' " ~ (Matthew 25:34-40; NASB)

One thing that has always stuck out to me regarding this passage is the very intimate and personal nature in which the followers of Jesus are supposed to reach out to people.

Jesus said "I was hungry, and YOU gave ME something to eat... I was thirsty, and YOU gave ME something to drink..."

There is something very one on one and up close and personal about this.   I, you, me.

I believe in my heart of hearts we need to reach out to people and connect with them in a way that programs simply will not allow.  Programs tend to get boxy and have steps and procedures and regulations and chains of command.  Programs become filled with red tape, and and as we institutionalize outreach, we sometimes make it impossible to reach out to people to meet their individual needs.

As a result, even our best of programs have tons of cracks for people to fall through, and if the program you have does not match the person, that person will become further neglected, marginalized, and unreached.

Jesus calls on us as individuals to reach out to individuals.

If we see somebody is in need, Jesus doesn't want us to simply refer them to a church or government program.  Rather, we need to look and see if there isn't a way that you as a person can meet them where they are at and help them.  You can feed them, you can give them something to drink, you can give them a place to stay, you can put clothes on their back, you can spend time with them when they are sick, you can visit them in prison.

You.... you... you!  This is one of the few times in the Bible that we read where it's really all about you.

You don't have to wait for the church or the government to solve the problems people and society face, rather you as an individual can look solve these problems at an individual level, within whatever sphere of influence you have.  You may not do a lot to fundamentally transform society and reach the masses, but you will be performing a service as if unto Jesus Himself.  And if we as individuals in the church all stepped up to do this, who knows to what degree society might be quietly changed and transformed.  I'm pretty sure there is a parable or two in the Bible where Jesus talked this sorta thing.

So, if you consider yourself a "social justice advocate" and think everybody should make a living wage, then when you go out to a restaurant to eat, instead of sitting back and dreaming about a democratic socialist utopia in which president Bernie Sanders leads a revolution that sticks it to greedy corporate fat cats, and forces them to better pay their employees, when you go out to eat at a restaurant, you could make it a point to leave a VERY generous tip (much more than 20%), regardless of how well your waiter performs, or the size of your food order.

Or if you think a particular government agency does a great job at something, and you really like what they do, you could always make a very generous donation to the IRS, and pay the tax level that you want to pay, instead of sitting around and waiting for the government to raise taxes on everyone else.

Or, if you think that college should be free, you could always head down to your local college registrars office, and find out the names of some students who need some tuition assistance this year, and bless one of those students with a scholarship or grant funded by you.

Likewise, if you think medicine should be socialized, there is nothing stopping you from randomly paying the bills of a stranger or somebody you know at the hospital.

Go, do these things.  Stop waiting for some program to be formed that addresses all these issues and ministers justice and mercy to others.  Rather, be an angel of mercy yourself.  Practice justice yourself.  Find individuals wherever they are at, be it friends, neighbors, co-workers, or even complete strangers, and think of ways that you as an individual can serve them even as Jesus would serve them.

Learn from Jesus, who when He healed the multitudes, He never did this by just waving His hand over an entire crowd and making everybody whole.  Rather, He did this by going through a crowd, and one by one, He touched people where they were at.  He ministered to people face to face, and He took the time to care for each person as an individual.  He didn't wait for a committee to organize something.  He was proactive, and took it upon Himself to do these things, because He knew that is what the Father wanted Him to do.

What does God the Father want you to do?  What has He purposed in your heart?  Who has He put in your life, that you know has a need?  Who can you reach out to as an individual?  Where can you make the difference?  Don't wait for a program to be organized to solve social ills that you have identified.  Don't simply talk a good game.  Put your hand to the plow, and work the field that is yours to work.

What Foster Care taught me about the Importance of Love

I'll never forget little Cheyenne...

We called her "little" because she was the younger of two different foster care girls named Cheyenne that my parents briefly took care of in our home at the same time.  Cheyenne was about 5 or 6 years old or so at the time we had her.  She came into our home shortly after some guy who frequented a local drug store, the kind run out of a hotel bedroom, reported her whereabouts to the authorities.

You see, at some point Cheyenne's mom came to the same hotel to engage in some "business" there.  And when she left, she didn't take Cheyenne with her.  She left Cheyenne with the drug dealers.  One of their frequent customers noticed this little girl was there quite often, and knew she didn't belong to any of the dealers.  Feeling concerned about her well being, he alerted the authorities, who came in and rescued Cheyenne out of that awful situation.

Cheyenne was a very sweet little girl.  She had a very vibrant and energetic personality.  But Cheyenne came to us with a lot of baggage, and was very broken as a result of her past, a past that nobody but Jesus quite knows about, as nothing is really know about her prior to her being found in that hotel.

We really liked this little girl.  Unfortunately, Cheyenne was unable to stay with my family for a long time, as she simply became too much for us to care for.  One day out of the blue, Cheyenne had a deep psychotic episode of some sort.

It was normal for Cheyenne to have "episodes," and my parents had been trained on how to help her when she had these events.  But one day she finally had an episode that she simply did not come back from.  She snapped, and became extremely physically violent and insanely loud.  Her strength was akin to the "lunatic" that Jesus healed in the Gospels.  My mother was unable to successfully use any of the techniques she had learned from her foster care classes to fully and safely restrain Cheyenne.  So, in an act of desperation, we were finally able to isolate Cheyenne in her bedroom while my mother alerted the authorities.  To keep her in her room, I used all 200+ lbs of my five foot eleven frame to physically pull the door shut and to keep it shut.  But much to my surprise, Cheyenne suddenly jerked the door from the other side and opened it up on me, and screamed at me really loudly, before I managed to pull it back shut on her.  It was like something out of a scary movie.

Shortly thereafter, a team of medics showed up to our home, and it took about 6 people to physically restrain her and tie her down to a stretcher.  They loaded her up in an ambulance, and we never saw little Cheyenne again.

Over the years, I've reflected on this event from time to time, and have been taught several lessons from it.  One of those lessons is the importance of love, and it's ability to mold lives, and impact a thousand generations.

The world is full of Cheyenne's.

It is full of people who, for whatever reason, simply have not had the blessing of being deeply loved.  And not only have they not been loved, but they've been neglected and abused at very crucial points in their lives.  Things have happened to them that will forever shape the rest of their lives in this world in a very negative way.  And not only will it greatly impact their lives, but it will impact many lives for many generations to come.

God only knows what happened to Cheyenne when she was being cared for by some drug dealers.  I shudder simply thinking about it.  And, God only knows what sort of care Cheyenne received before then at the hands of her mother.

I don't know anything about Cheyenne's mom.  Nobody really does.  But my guess is that at some point in her life, she didn't know what it truly was to be loved, and as a result, lacked the ability to give that gift to her daughter.  I assume she probably "meant well" in her brief parenting of this little girl.  But at some point those good intentions failed, and that love that God intended a mother to give to her child was forever stolen, and it will forever remain a very important missing piece of the life Cheyenne should have had.

I don't know what happened to this little girl that stayed in our house.

Sadly, I don't imagine much of anything good ever came of her.  I'm sure some doctors were eventually able to medicate her enough to the point where they stabilized her behavior.  And she probably was eventually placed back in foster care.  If Cheyenne was lucky, she might have been adopted by a loving family capable of caring for such a child.  But if she wasn't, and she continued to have episodes, there is a good chance she was eventually placed in a "group home" with a bunch of children just like her.  Such isn't exactly a great environment for children to grow up in.  Eventually little Cheyenne probably aged out of the system, and has since become a young adult, and is looking to find her place in this world.

And she's probably doing this without knowing what it's like to have ever been deeply loved. But in her gut, as someone created in the image of God, she probably knows that love is something that exists, and she will probably seek it out in a million different places.  Not knowing love, she will probably encounter a lot of coldness from a lot of people who could seem to care less about her.  And at some point, quite unintentionally, she will probably have a child one day, and the cycle she's caught up in will be passed along to the next generation, and a thousand generations after that.

Imagine how different little Cheyenne's life could have been, if she had simply been loved as God intended her parents to love her.  We live in a world full of such people.  And as Christians, God has called us to share the love He has shared with us to a world that desperately needs what we've been so richly given in Christ.

So the next time you interact with somebody, be it at work, at church, the stranger on the street, or even someone you deem to be your enemy, be reminded that there are a lot of people out there who know little to nothing of love.  Especially people who prove to be difficult to handle, and have abrasive personalities.  That person could be little Cheyenne, all grown up.

Knowing such things, let us make sure we pass along the love we have so richly received in Christ to people wherever we may go.  And we need to do so purposefully, and actively, not as passive folks who just so happen to treat other people nice from time to time.  But as people who intentionally love on as many people as we can.  And in doing so, we might just snatch a life out of the claws of the devil, and help to rewrite the future history of this world, as they come to know the love that God has for them through us, and we give them a love that nobody bothered to give them.

How Should Christians Vote?

"I don't follow a donkey or an elephant, I follow the lamb." ~ Brian Zandh

As Christians, we should not allow ourselves to be held captive by any one political party.  No single party should be able to count on our vote in any given election season.

Being a Christian should not be synonymous for being a Republican, a Democrat, or any other party.  While political parties tend to form around certain ideologies, at the end of the day, we need to recognize that they ultimately don't exist to promote a certain platform as much as they exist to get their candidates into positions of power, and then maintaining that power once there.

That's why, for example, at the most recent Republican presidential debate in Detroit, all of the Republican nominees for president vowed to ultimately support Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president, in spite of each candidates total disdain for Trump, and viewing him as something akin to the Abomination of Desolation.  Yes, even Marco Rubio, who has publicly called Donald Trump a fraud and a con-man, has vowed to support Donald Trump if he becomes the nominee.  Because at the end of the day, it's not about where one ultimately stands on the issues.

It's ALLLLLLLLL about the power.  

And to get an R or D in office is all that ultimately matters to whoever a party puts forward.  Ideals ultimately come in a distant second, and are fundamentally no different than the team that lost last year's World Series or Super Bowl-- easily forgotten and something of a distant dream.  Ideals are ultimately the bait that parties tend to dangle in front of voters in order to gain their support at the voting booth.  But once elected into office, those ideals tend to become less important. Almost all candidates want is you to vote straight R or D at the voting booth, every year, every time.  And the fact is, most people do.

Things have been this way for so long, I believe most Americans are conditioned by the political powers that be to vote this way, including Christians.

For example, I believe in my heart of hearts that if Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were to trade parties, all of a sudden tens of millions of Republicans would find themselves irrationally voting for Clinton as the next president of the United States, and vice versa.

You might scoff at such an idea because you really hate Hillary Clinton, or you really hate Donald Trump.  But you know what I'm saying is true.  You are just so captivated by the jersey the current candidates are wearing to admit it is so.

If you tend to vote Democrat, you know for a fact you wouldn't suddenly be voting for Hillary Clinton if she became a Republican.  And if Donald Trump suddenly became a Democrat (again), you wouldn't even consider voting for him.  But because Clinton is a Democrat or Trump is a Republican, suddenly you find both of them to be somebody you can support in the voting booth.

And you do such, because you've been conditioned to do nothing but care about voting for either the R or the D.  And if the two candidates switched parties, you wouldn't follow them.  Rather you, would probably do like you do most years, and go to the voting booth and irrationally pull the R or D lever.  Of course, you would claim you held your nose as you did, but there is no great moral victory in acting like somebody else's useful idiot.

And if you think this isn't true, I think there is a pretty good chance you are a Kool-Aid drinker who is so brainwashed into voting either R or D that you don't even know it.

Many of you, like Marco Rubio, totally disavow Donald Trump, and think he would be an awful president.  But because you are so brainwashed, you will end up voting for him come November, simply because he is the Republican candidate on the ballot.  And some of you might be Bernie Sanders supporters, but will find yourself voting for Hillary Clinton just the same.

Stop being such a tool.  Jesus didn't die on a cross and overcome the grave so you could continue to be manipulated by politicians. 

Both parties count on you mindlessly voting R or D  year after year, election after election.

That's why there is always a big push to have a large voter turn out every election season.  Because the powers that be know that people are going to pull the lever one way or the other every single time, and that seldom will anybody divert from this voting strategy.  All they care about are the numbers, and so they beat the drum to get as many people as they can to turn out, not because they are interested in truly representing those people in government, but because such only stands to increase their power.

As Christians, instead of voting simply R or D every year, or "voting for the lesser of two evils," and holding our noses as we vote, we need to vote for men and women that we are ultimately proud to have represent us in our government.  For we have a representative form of government.  Therefore, whoever you vote for should be somebody you are glad to have stand in your place in Congress or the White House, and to make a stand for things you ultimately value and want done on your behalf and in your name.

The candidate you vote for should largely do the things you would do, if you were there to do them.  You should take great pride in who you vote for, because you are putting them in office to represent you and your interests.

And if that means that come November you aren't proud to have Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump represent you as the President of the United States, then you should vote for neither candidate.  You would be better off not voting, voting for some third party candidate, or simply writing in your own name, than to vote for somebody who does not represent you.

But isn't such a "wasted vote?"  

Absolutely not!

The only truly "wasted vote" is the vote you make for somebody who doesn't represent you, no matter which party gets elected.  And simply voting for the "lesser of two evils" is the greatest of evil of all.  

Should Christians Be Involved in Politics?

Questioning whether or not Christians should be involved in politics is like asking whether or not should Christians be doctors, teachers, construction workers, retail clerks, farmers, bankers, or real estate agents.

Of course they should!

But many well meaning Christians believe the answer is no. 

They believe we should be engaged in more heavenly matters, and that political engagement of any sort is a distraction from God's calling and purpose for the church. 

After all, everything in this world is fading away, destined to be judged by fire, and the kingdom of God will one day bring about end to all the kingdoms of this world.  So why get involved in such temporary endeavors when eternity is at stake?  Does not such involvement show we've confused where our true citizenship is ultimately located? 

But if we use such an argument about politics, then we could easily apply such an argument to any profession. At the end of the day, all professions involve engaging in temporary matters.

And of course, politics has a way of getting out of hand, as it often attracts power hungry people that engage in corrupt behavior all in the name of making themselves into a messianic figure. But if you step back and look at the bigger picture, such can be found in every profession known to mankind... including ministry.

I think Christians should be involved in every level of politics, from voting, to sitting on a school board, to possibly becoming the Preaident of the United States.

After all, God has placed us in this world to be a source of blessing to this world, wherever we may find ourselves.  And that means doing more than just giving off a heavenly aurora and saving souls.  It means helping real people solve real problems in real ways. And being involved in the government is just one of the many ways we as Christians can help solve the challenges that face mankind in tangible ways. 

I would argue it would be entirely unspiritual if Christians were entirely divorced from being involved in any and all political matters and had nothing to do with civil government.

As Christians we are called to help others, and part of that includes possibly helping others in this world decide where roads get built, how neighborhoods get zoned, how children get educated, and what laws are just and helpful to the rest of our society.  So why some Chistians think we shouldn't be involved in such matters is beyond me.  If anything, Christians should have some of the greatest ideas to put forward in any nation they find themselves, because they are doing what they do unto the Lord, and should ultimately have Him and the greater good of all people in mind.

And in the process of helping the Caesar's of this world figure out how to govern the nation, we get to be witnesses for Christ, and bring His presence with us wherever we go and in whatever we do. And hopefully, we can make a practical difference in this world, just as we do in whatever other professions we we engaged in for a living. 

And we will do all these things while also sharing the Gospel that Jesus Christ is ultimately King of kings, and Lord of lords, to whom all must ultimately bow before.

Of course, in being Christians we might butt some heads along the way. Our message and some of our views will likely be controversial.  And our ethical positions might keep us from engaging in and supporting some political perspectives, or from participating in some political activities due to having made our loyalty to Jesus Christ first and foremost.  Or it means we may advocate for things that nobody else advocates for, simply because nobody else had the eyes or heart to see certain needs.  And because we might not be able to engage in certain activities without compromising our faith, such might limit the level of involvement we have in the political arena. 

But how is that different from any other occupation we might find ourselves in? 

It might be impossible to become the President of the United States without a lot of moral compromises (indeed, I personally question how one could become such today without cutting a lot of throats and engaging in shady dealings, but perhaps I'm just cynical like that).  But such difficulties are simply part of the sufferings of Christ we as Christians participate.  Such challenges, however, don't mean we entirely withdraw from openly participating in the society and culture we find ourselves placed in.  I believe Jesus Christ calls us to engage society on every level.  The Gospel message is the gospel message for the entire world.

As Christians, we are ultimately ambassadors for Jesus Christ, and He is not only our King, but the King of the entirely world, including those who currently sit over their respective nations as kings. 

Jesus and His ministry is ultimately political in nature:  HE IS A KING! 

And as King, I imagine He has some pretty amazing things to say the kings of this world. 

Of course, many if not most will reject what He has to say, and want nothing to do with the Lord's Anointed. And many will take a bold stand against Christ, and openly defy Him.  Indeed, the kings of this world once crucified the Lord, and have violently persecuted many of His followers since. 

But such only happened because the Gospel message ultimately has political ramifications.  Jesus, in part, was crucified because His message was revolutionary in its political scope.  They didn't crucify Jesus just because He was telling people that they could go to heaven when they died.  They crucified Him and ultimately persecuted His followers because announcing that "Jesus is Lord" is a threat to a world in which the Caesar's of this world see themselves as the only lord. 

But our involvement with government it isn't always going to be all doom and gloom.  History shows time and time again the church of Jesus Christ has been able to make some outstanding contributions to society and civil governments that proved to be a blessing to many within this world, and ultimately at the same time, the world that is yet to come. 

Yes, ultimately we keep our hopes fixated on the promise of a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  And we know this world will one day be subjected to a cosmic judgment. 

But such doesn't mean we go stand out on our roof tops and look up into space waiting on the return of Jesus in the interim.  Rather, such means we are to go out into all of the world, and engage people where they are at, in all levels of society, telling them that Jesus is Lord, and that we want to make a difference in this world that positively impacts them because of this fact. 

Our "Wizard of Oz" Fetish

In our culture, there are few virtues more celebrated than the ability to be "real," "authentic," and "true to yourself." 

"Be a better you!" has become our mantra.  You would almost think it is something Jesus taught.

But I'm here to tell you that "being real" is overrated.  And being you-ier shouldn't be our aim.

Being real is just an excuse for most people.  It's an excuse for tawdry behavior, poor social graces, and otherwise a license to demonstrate boorish behaviors and mindsets.

Maybe I'm just being cynical.

But keep in mind that the world is full sociopaths who are just being true to themselves every single day, as they spin clever and complex webs of deception.  The world is full of confused individuals for whom being real means hacking off their sexual organs and replacing them with something a plastic surgeon designed.  The world is full of Donald J. Trumps who bulldoze others in front of celebratory crowds... all in the name of being real.

All these and a million others are chasing the idea of being real.  But I think if that's what's real, then maybe being real should require a specially designated license that is only loaned out on a temporary basis.

One might say I'm misconstruing things.

You might say that "Being true to yourself" is really about living a life of bold conviction, acting according to one's sincerely and deeply held beliefs and passions.  It's not about being crazy.  Rather, it's the decision to be your own man, where you walk according to the beat of your own drum, daring to be different, and utterly unique in a society of conformists and sellouts.

And while there is much noble-minded thought in what you might have just said, I still can't get around this preoccupation such a mindset has with the self.

It's a dangerous mindset, and requires a lot of responsibility.  It requires a level a responsibility that most of us probably can't handle. Heck, the devil himself ultimately couldn't handle it when he was previously an angel in heaven.  The devil was true to himself, and in the process of that he became self-intoxicated, and rebelled against God and took a third of heaven with him.

Like the devil, I don't think we can handle being real.

Indeed, since the fall realness is not something we have craved.  We've all become like Adam, hanging out in the garden, covering our nakedness with leaves, hiding from God and each other.  We prefer to hang out in the shadows, and to live in rooms full of smoke and mirrors, even among our closest of friends and family.  We boast a lot about wanting to be real, but when the most real Person to every walk the face of the Earth showed up, we ran Him out of town and crucified Him on a cross.

At the end of the day, we don't want what is real. Otherwise we wouldn't have treated Jesus like we did.

Instead, we love our larger than life Wizard of Oz personas.  And if we ourselves cannot be the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz, we will pounce upon every opportunity to live vicariously through those who take on that role, and make messiah's of men who were not the actual Messiah.

At the end of the day, I don't believe God ever created us to be real.  He created us to be image-bearers.  He created us to reflect the image of the One in whom we were ultimately created, and the only One who has had the capacity to be really real. It's only in becoming more and more like Jesus that any of us have any hope at being real and authentic.

And we do that, not by boldly asserting ourselves out there into this world.  Rather, we do it by daily picking up our cross, denying ourselves, and following Him.