Earn this

In Saving Private Ryan, in the climactic battle scene shown here where Captain Miller is mortally wounded, he whispers to Private James Ryan, whom his unit was tasked to find and get home safely, the words 'Earn This." He is telling Ryan to live a life that is worthy of the sacrifice that men made to get him home after his brothers were killed in action in the war.

It made me think of the horrendous price that Jesus paid for our freedom. While we cannot "earn this" for what he did, we can live our lives in a way that honors the sacrifice Jesus made for us. The scene at the end where the older Ryan is talking to Capt. Miller's gravestone is a good reminder for us as we talk to our Lord. Have I lived in a way that is worthy of the price paid for me? That's a good introspective question to incorporate into our prayer lives.

Something to think about.

BTW - don't visit the site that sponsored the video clip. Their URL appears at the end of the clip. They seem to be a nutjob, black helicopter type of group.

Memorial Day 2008

Watch the clip above and take a moment to thank God for the men and women who have sacrificed so that we might enjoy the freedoms we have today.

"All gave some, and some gave All" is something to chew on in your prayer.

A Prayer for the day

I saw this on Soul Care, a daily email sent by the Church of the Nazarene Office of Clergy Development. It is something I will print and keep with me.

Forgive me, most gracious Lord and Father, if this day I have done or said anything to increase the pain of the world. Pardon the unkind word, the impatient gesture, the hard and selfish deed, the failure to show sympathy and kindly help where I had the opportunity, but missed it; and enable me so to live that I may daily do something to lessen the tide of human sorrow, and add to the sum of human happiness.

— F. B. Meyer

A deep thought to ponder

I'll confess that I have shamelessly ripped this thought from another blog, but I thought it was worth discussing here. What are the issues of our day, and what would Jesus say/do about them?

Depending on who you read/listen to/watch the issues facing the world are:

• gay marriage
• societal breakdown
• income inequality
• racism
• militarism
• American dominance
• lack of compassion
• global warming
• global AIDS/HIV epidemic
• totalitarian states oppressing their people
  

The list goes on and on. In a previous post I shared some thoughts on What Are Christian Issues? that went away from the usual fund-raising issues for the religious right and religious left. It is truly sad that we spend so much money and time on issues that the Supreme Court will ultimately decide, when that same money, invested in clean water wells and medical clinics could save hundreds of thousands of lives. It is a form of navel-gazing that I just don't understand.

Somehow I think Jesus would be out healing the people, not arguing in the corridors of power. Oh wait, that is exactly what he did for most of his ministry. He led by example and worked with the willing. He dealt with the powers that be when he had to, and did address many societal justice issues beyond the money changers in the temple. I yearn for the Church of Jesus Christ to take that same role in the world today. To meet the spiritual and temporal needs of the lost, hurting, oppressed and dying with the same fervor that they pursue influence in the corridors of power. Not that the political issues aren't worth fighting for. But one really does have to look at the allocation of resources question. How many lives could be saved if you stopped mailing me stuff all the time telling me the world is going to hell in a handbasket if I don't send you $25, $50, $100 or more. Take your postage and printing money and use it as your loaves and fishes. Feed the spiritually hungry and watch the world be transformed. What an ancient concept!

I need to get off the soapbox now. Hillary, Barack and John are asking for it back. While I dismount, watch the video clip above and think about the Rebel Jesus and how He could transform your thinking and actions. I know I have been.

Well done, good and faithful servant

I pray that I would respond in a similar manner if I were faced with this kind of evil. Sadly, her story is not well-known around the world. But she did the work of Christ when the moment stared her in the face.

Rest in peace, sister. Rest in peace.

Grave Robbing

In a sense, it can be kind of funny, if you view it like Young Frankenstein. But in the church, there is an epidemic of grave-robbing going on. Not for treasure mind you, like those who raided the tombs of kings and Pharaohs. Rather, it is people resurrecting corpses for purposes of excusing bad behavior, or their unwillingness to go where God is calling them.

The Apostle Paul says in a couple places that if we are in Christ, our old self is dead.

2 Corinthians 5:17 therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul is saying that our old self, its desires, wants as well as the things done to it, are dead. Dead, buried, and meant to be left buried. Not dead and meant to be exhumed frequently. Remember the story of Lazarus who had been dead for 4 days? In John 11 there is this exchange between Jesus and Martha, the sister of Lazarus:

38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39"Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

Dead things stink. Just pass a road kill on your bike once and you will be reminded of that. Putrefaction begins pretty quickly, and the bacteria begin to do their thing.

I say that to remind us that spiritually, there is a horrendous smell when we dig up our old self. If it has been dead and buried for a while, there will be an awful stench. But why do we do that?

Some people dig up their old selves to:

• Provide excuses to the Lord and others as to why they cannot do a particular ministry
• Play the victim because it gives them cover
• Provide an excuse for a lack of forgiveness
  
• Give an excuse for their lack of spiritual growth i.e.

Don't you know what happened to me?
I can't do that because I'm a {insert issue}
I was {insert crime}
My parents didn't {insert behavior}
My spouse did {insert behavior}

I think you get the picture here.

If we are a new creation, then our old self is dead, and we need to leave it buried. If we are constantly digging it up, there is some peace with the past the Lord needs to provide you. I know our pasts can be painful, and can leave tremendous physical and emotional scars. But ours is a great God who can heal those scars and provide the peace our souls need. But we have to leave the dead in their graves.

Grave robbing is a crime in nearly every culture on earth. Desecrating the dead will earn the wrath of polite society the world over. It's time we in the church adopt that same rule. Let your old self be buried with Christ, and let the new self be resurrected with Him. That is the symbolism of baptism. We die and rise again. We don't die and hang onto the corpse and keep dragging it around for use when it is convenient for our purposes.

Ask Dr. Frankenstein how that worked out for him.

This was in my local paper

I just love the editorial cartoon, especially since we recently studied Revelation in our adult small group. The article is a good read from the outgoing Prime Minister of Italy.

One quote stood out to me from the piece:

People can no longer be allowed to starve to death in Africa simply because there are some people in the US or inside the European Union who consider that the votes of farmers or landowners are worth more than the survival of millions of men and women. It is true that today's policies were decided at a time when we thought we were living in an energy-poor and food-rich world. But that is no longer the case today.

I heard on the radio news that the U.S. has diverted 1/3 of its corn crop to ethanol production, while people starve around the world and food prices rise. Now that the Iowa caucuses are over, can we please stop pandering to the farm lobby and create an energy policy that makes sense and does not cause people to starve to death?

Politicians and the church

This quote in a recent Leadership Journal article caught my eye as we watch the way the church and politicians are interacting in the current race for the White House:

In many ways our situation is increasingly like that of the early church. The gospel had to compete in a multi-religious, pluralistic environment where, as Edward Gibbon put it, "the masses considered all religions equally true, the philosophers considered them equally false, and the politicians considered them equally useful."

I'm not passing judgment here because all parties have used and abused Christianity in their quest for power. I just find it amusing that in a post-modern world, some things don't change, even as far back as the Roman Empire. Politicians have been appealing to faith for millenia when it suits their needs. I don't think it will end anytime soon. My advice is when they start appealing to your faith, to put on a good filter of healthy skepticism and brace yourself for the inevitable sell-out that will follow. I hate to be so cynical, but, sadly, I fear it is true.

We hear the uproar over Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his controversial sermons. We hear about Barack Obama's faith. We also heard about Mitt Romney's Mormonism. Just watch how they are portrayed and be "as wise as serpents." Because that is who you are dealing with.

Am I just dense?

Or is there something here that escapes me? You know my issues with the incoherent energy policy in these United States. So I wrote my congressman, who happens to chair the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Here is his response to my concerns dated April 28, 2008:

Dear Mr. Richardson:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding drilling off the shore of the United States. I appreciate hearing from you.

We can all agree that we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil; however, I do not think that new drilling off our coasts is the best solution. Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have worked for a balanced energy policy, which takes care of our needs as a nation while conserving one of our natural resources. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is the committee through which much of our environmental legislation must go, and as Chairman of that Committee I must often make decisions regarding the environment. To this end, during the 110^th Congress I intend to look into investing in clean and renewable energy.

You may be pleased to know that during the 109^th Congress, the House took a number of actions meant to financially encourage the development and usage of alternative energy. In the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Congress mandated that 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol would have to be incorporated as a gasoline additive by 2012. Ethanol, a much cleaner alternative to gasoline, would significantly decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Hybrid cars also are being promoted to consumers via tax credits. Up to $3200 is available in tax credits for a new owner of a hybrid. Congress already offers many other smaller tax credits to conscientious consumers. This type of encouragement on the homeowner level provides motivation for manufacturers to continue to invent and produce more energy efficient models of appliances.

Though these incentives are a good start in promoting continued exploration of alternative energy practices, they are not the finish line. Energy efficiency is a worthy aim and one that our government's policies and practices should seek to encourage, but not at the cost of our environment. You may rest assured that that I will keep your views in mind should legislation regarding alternative energy come before me for consideration.

Again, thank you for being in touch. For news on current federal legislative issues, please visit my website at www.house.gov/dingell; you can also sign up there to receive my e-newsletter. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me again if I may be of assistance with this or any other matter of concern.

With every good wish,

Sincerely yours,

John D. Dingell Member of Congress

So, if I understand what Rep. Dingell is saying, he is advocating diverting our food supply to fuel to protect the environment. Never mind the starvation and gross immorality of that action, the environment is more important than the people who live in it.

That is eye-opening to say the least.

Some mindless comedy

Here is some mindless fun to enjoy. Just click on the video link and enjoy. Cletus Take the Reel is my favorite so far. But I just have a special love for the name Cletus.

One church I would not attend

This is not helpful at all to the cause of Christ. It doesn't surprise me, but it definitely saddens me. How is casting aspersions and dealing in rumor and innuendo Godly behavior? If it is the norm in that congregation, it's another reason to stay away.

Earth Day 2008

Tuesday, April 22 is Earth Day, and there will be much hoopla over the rising price of gas, oil and food caused by the increased production of ethanol. Rather than engage in endless hand-wringing and navel-gazing, I offer you some tips. Most of them come from Creation Care, a site I encourage you to visit.

Stop junk mail. It reduces landfill waste.

Check out these guidelines from Creation Care.

Stop buying bottled water. Install a filter and use a reusable water bottle.

Ride your bike or walk instead of driving. It will help your body and save you some gas money.

Plant a garden and grow your own veggies. It will save on cost and transportation fuel use to get your food to market.

This is but a partial list. There are many more, and I encourage you to check out the Creation Care website.

Enjoy the world God has given us. But remember to worship God and not the creation.

If my life were a movie

I was thinking the other day about which actor I would want to portray me if my life were a movie. I realize my limitations here, trust me there is no Brad Pitt lurking in my mind. Instead, I thought of a guy who has played some great roles, is a bit boyish, slightly charming, is flawed and has aged as I have. I think I would like John Cusack to play me if there was to be a movie of my life.

Have any of you ever had this thought? Who do you think would best portray you? I'd love to hear your comments on this. Have a little fun with it.

Religious Liberty or Pedophilia?

If you haven't followed the situation in Texas, it's ugly. There is a Mormon sect there where the state alleges that girls as young as 13 were forced to marry older men and have children early and often. The State of Texas has removed more than 400 children from the compound and is in the process of holding mass custody hearings trying to protect the kids from what they allege is an abusive situation.

I'm a bit conflicted by this. I understand that a 13 year old cannot consent to marriage in the United States. And 50 year old men marrying them are pedophiles in my opinion. And I truly feel sorry for these young girls who are in essences brainwashed and abused, while their mothers sit idly by and watch it happen. But I don't like the idea of the state interfering in religious practice, because you don't know where it will stop.

I'm not condoning what went on at this compound in Texas. I just don't trust the government to stay out of religious issues. With the emergence of Obama's pastor's rants as a political issue, the church is receiving some interesting scrutiny. It is one thing when a rogue religion violates the law of the land on child abuse and polygamy. But I don't want to see government expand its powers to begin infringing on religious practices. Rev. Wright's sermons and events like this invite well-intentioned legislators to meddle in things where they should tread lightly. And government walks with a heavy foot.

A movie you might want to see

If you get a chance, go to your local theater this weekend and watch Expelled. Ben (Bueller, Bueller, Bueller) Stein has created a documentary about the battle between creationism and Darwinism in the public schools and universities.

I'm not huge on the culture wars, but I suppose that if we are supposed to watch Gore's propaganda film and Michael Moore's left-wing rants, we can watch Ben Stein's film and see what he says. I don't expect him to receive a Nobel Prize or Academy Award, but he may make some people think.

I've attached the trailer for the movie above. Enjoy.

What was he thinking?

Listen to the audio clip above and you get an earful. It seems that Mr. Obama seems to think that the people who "cling to guns or religion" are those who have become disillusioned with government.

So, in Mr. Obama's world the order of priorities are:

1. Government
2. Constitutional Rights
3. Faith

And we only turn to faith when the primary deity, government, lets us down. Not sure what church that comes from, but I've not worshiped there.

That is an eye-opening look into what is important to this candidate. I don't have a stake in the Democratic primary, but Obama seems to be doing a fine job of tripping over himself on the way to victory. But that is a comment I am sure he regrets making.

The Morality of Ethanol

I hate to say "I told you so" but I will say it. Actually, I take a little satisfaction in saying that. It seems that I was prescient in my thoughts on this. Global food prices are rising, and we still continue to divert food to energy production while ignoring the oil reserves in our own country.

In the meantime, food prices are rising and putting more pressure on the poor, who are struggling to feed their families. This is just plain wrong, at so many levels. Yet no one in Washington seems to listen or care.

I just have a nagging sense that we are being sold out. This is completely irrational at a policy level, yet it continues.

Who's your Daddy?

Ever wonder why Detroit is such a mess? Read this and you will gain some insight. We have a mayor under indictment for perjury and the City Council is more dysfunctional than usual

Egads.

Edit. We now have video of this fine piece of governmental workings.

The Narrow Road

If you have not read The Narrow Road, I encourage you to pick up a copy. It is a wonderful compilation of stories from believers across the globe talking about persecution and deliverance. It may seem hard for Americans to understand, but there are places where the church is under severe attack. Here in the U.S.A. we are concerned about our presidential candidate's stand on abortion, gay marriage and other "defining" Christian issues. In other parts of the world, Christians worry about arrest, imprisonment, torture and execution. Pray for those who serve the Lord where the church is not blessed with a favorable governmental structure. They need to know that their brothers and sisters hurt when they hurt.

Remember the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 12: 21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Let us share in the suffering of our brothers and sisters and lift them up. The video clip below is a beautiful reminder of how we are all in this together.

Legalism

I think I have found a job that is close to what being God is like. I think it is a basketball referee. Where else can everyone hang on your every move and you can have everyone in a building angry at you at multiple moments in an afternoon or evening? I can't imagine how frustrating that job would be. Nor can I imagine being God and dealing with that.

I see several different types of people basketball games. There are those who are convinced the refs are against them. There are those who think that their team does no wrong. There are the players, who are hustling and doing the best they can. Yet others cheer the good and keep quiet on the not-so-good. And finally, there are those who want EVERYTHING called. Every rule, every violation, they watch with an eagle eye.

I spoke with a ref after one of my daughter's AAU games recently and he hit on that issue. For example, the 3 seconds in the lane call, at the 12-year old age level he only calls if a team gains an advantage. If a girl sets up camp in the lane and they never throw her the ball, there is no advantage. He will speak to her about it, but not call it. His observation is that people come to watch the kids play, not to hear the refs blow their whistles.

I like to think that we should operate like that. I know there is the "plank in your eye, speck in your brother's eye" saying from Jesus. But seriously, should we be watching people that closely? Or should we allow people to grow in grace as they mature in Christ? We cannot realistically expect a new believer to have the grace, wisdom and maturity of a seasoned believer. But that does happen, and people are spiritually harmed by it. That doesn't mean we turn our backs on sin. But we can adopt the ref's rule of talking with the player instead of making a big production out of it. Grace instead of judgment. If they persist, that is a different issue altogether.

I encourage all of us to look for the opportunities to extend grace and not be that guy yelling "3 seconds" all the time from the stands. Instead, let's cheer the accomplishments, and use the mistakes and failures as teaching opportunities. I suspect we will like the results that brings.

Creeds

I started thinking about the creeds, Apostle's and Nicene, and why they were created. The Nicene Creed was created to combat the heresy of Apollinarianism in the church. To make a long story short, Emperor Constantine convened an Ecumenical Council to deal with the issue. And one of the results of the Council of Constantinople was the Nicene Creed, which is still used in Eastern Orthodox and some western church liturgies. The Creed is below:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

I say this not to provide an interesting history lesson into the decision-making process of the ancient church. Nor to provide info on ancient heresies. But rather, I wonder if an Ecumenical Council is needed today to deal with heresies in the church? Could the church, as a global body, even get together to talk right now? That is a good question and a source of amusement to the enemies of our souls.

There are some seriously flawed teachings in the church that could use a good hearing in front of the Global Church. Marxist Liberation Theology is one of them. I would like to see a good review of the Prosperity Gospel by the ecclesiastical authorities. The idea of lavish lifestyles for pastors seems to fly in the face of the New Testament church, the Apostolic Tradition, and church history. True, God does bless people. But I don't think we can build a theology on that.

I wonder if the individualism that is so prevalent in the Western Church would prevent this from happening. I imagine those whose theology is being attacked would just use the "Who are you to judge me" line and just keep doing what they are doing.

But let's pretend that they would play nice and allow themselves to fall under the discipline of the Church of Jesus Christ. What other heresies/teachings do you see out there that could be investigated? Share them as comments and I'll send a note to the Pope and the Eastern Orthodox leaders.

What do we believe?

In my Christian Discipleship class at Nazarene Theological Seminary I have been asking that question a great deal. What do we believe? How well do we convey what we believe to those new to the faith and to children. I've also been giving some thought to catechism, and the valuable teaching and integration of faith that it provides. So many of us know stories about Jesus/God, but how many of us know the Story of God? That narrative that transcends time from creation through the present on into infinity where God has set out a plan to "make all things new." We know stories of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and John the Baptist. But how does all of that fit together? And how do we live the message that is contained within all of those stories?

The Apostle's Creed is a pretty good summary of the basics of Christianity. Sadly, in many of our churches, we do not recite the creeds any longer. If you haven't read it lately or heard it, here is the modern English version to reflect upon:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. AMEN.

And if you feel up to it, Rich Mullins did an excellent job of putting the Creed to music. The link is below if you want to listen.

St. Patrick's Day

I know I am a week late, but I came across this post on a blog called "Stuff White People Like" and I found it funny. I've never quite understood the appeal of St. Patrick's Day. To me, it is the bar owner's version of a Hallmark Holiday. Just another reason to get us to spend money on something that is not particularly valuable.

The opening paragraph of the article is what caught my eye:

Normally if someone were to wake up at 7:00 in the morning, take the day off work, and get drunk at a bar before 10:00 a.m., they would be called an alcoholic, and not in the artistic, edgy way that white people are so fond of.

That, in a nutshell, is St. Patrick's Day. Are we sure he isn't the patron saint of beer brewers?

Realizing how Ancient I am

No, this is not a post about me turning 40 last year. Rather, it is about God's timing. Last week my wife made a comment about me being "traditional" but not in what is considered the norm for traditional in the church. Rather she was talking about me falling back to traditions that predate the Reformation and the Enlightenment. Tradition in the ancient sense. This all came about as I was shopping for Orthodox Icons online.

Then I saw this article in Christianity Today about the revival of interest in the ancient church, especially among the younger evangelicals. It touches on an interest in a faith that seeks to do more than just explain the world (the Enlightenment model) but rather one that truly sought to Incarnate the Word (Pre-Constantine church). I encourage you to read the article, especially the cautions offered when looking at ancient practice. The dangers are:

1. Anachronism: Naively interpreting the tradition in light of contemporary assumptions;

2. Traditionalism: Being unwilling to see the flaws in the early church's traditions;

3. Eclecticism: Selectively appropriating ancient practices without regard to their original purposes or contexts.

We must, as Eastern University's Christopher Hall put it in his plenary address, attend carefully to "best practices" for drawing on the insights of the Christian past, while approaching earlier periods "honestly and openly."

I do find myself chafing at the shallowness of much of what passes for evangelicalism today. I am guilty of participating in this, so I am casting stones at myself here. Some of what we experience comes from the church in the USA being on the top side of power, not the underside as the early church was. Constantine changed all of that when he made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. When that happened, the church embarked on a process of acquiring power and influence and maintaining that power and the institutions it created.

During Holy Week, I encourage you to take a look at some of the ancient practices and see them for what they were. The way we do church has greatly evolved since then, but there is a lot we can learn from those who came before us.

What was he thinking?

Read this story from our county and see if you can figure out when this became a good idea. If you are going to steal gas from a car, make sure it's not a sheriff's car. It generally will not end well.

Two of the better publicity stunts I have seen

Most of you know I am in the public relations industry and have a somewhat critical eye toward these things. But these two clips are masterpieces of resurrecting somewhat flagging reputations.

Enjoy



This is one is older but worth a watch



U2 and Johnny Cash. It doesn't get much better than that.

A call for the redemptive power of Christ

The video link will take you to a thought-provoking song. I love the line "Love will come set me free" which speaks directly to Christus Victor, the image of Christ that resonates most strongly with me. As we enter Holy Week, I'm reminded of the power of what Jesus did, not just his suffering. He broke the power of sin, death and Hades and set the captives free.

As you watch the video, think about the sweatshops where clothes are made. Think about children hiding under their beds from fear of armed conflict and falling bombs. And pray that the Risen Christ can set these people free. And ask him how you can help. We are the incarnation of Christ in this world. I'd like to start living like He did.

This is pointless but cool

Just click on the link and turn your volume up.

Who are the bigots?

I always thought the Republicans were cast as the racists in general elections. But thanks to Geraldine Ferraro, that may not be true. It seems that Ms. Ferraro, a member of the Clinton campaign, said that if Barack Obama were not black, he wouldn't even be in this position. Hmmm.

Is she saying that her party is potentially nominating an unqualified candidate because he is black? I shudder to think of the furor if a Republican said that. But they seem to have more sense than that this year. I wonder how she would have reacted if they had said her gender is what put her on the ill-fated 1984 Democratic Party ticket.

Thanks Geraldine for showing your true colors.

Write your member of Congress

You can go here to email your member of Congress if you want. I sent a note to member-for-life John Dingell, who chairs the Energy and Commerce committee in the House. I don't expect much, but it is about all I can do at the moment.

$4 gasoline?

Read this article and scratch your head. I've touched on this before, but we have oil reserves we are not allowed to tap because of Congressional mandates. If that oil were brought online, we would not be funding dictators of regimes that support terrorism. Nor would we be converting our food to fuel. But this is what the Congress wants.

Now we learn that our leading source of oil, Canada, may not be able to ship the oil from its tar sands to the U.S. because they do not meet the criteria of "renewable energy." It seems as if we are rushing pell-mell to cripple our own economy.

Something weird is afoot here. In the words of Deep Throat, I think we need to "follow the money." In the meantime, the price of gas continues to climb as demand drops. That is not how free markets work.

The underside of power

My small group just finished a study of Revelation, and there is one thought that keeps recurring to me. The author of the book we were using as a guide said that Americans have a hard time understanding Revelation because we are no on the underside of power. Revelation is a letter written to an oppressed people who were on the underside of Roman power. They were being squeezed economically, politically and judicially. We as Americans are the top dog, and they were not. The message of hope that John is sending to the people in the seven churches in Chapters 2-3 may not resonate like it would with illegal aliens, slaves, homeless, or addicted people.

The next time you read Revelation, try to read it from a Native American point of view. It will be different. It might get you to stop looking for the Anti-Christ behind every bush.

Praise the Lord for Global Warming

I don't know where we would be without it. Just read this and then call Al Gore and tell him to back off.

Human Trafficking

Lest you think it doesn't happen here, read this. I've excerpted the first two paragraphs of the report below:

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency estimates that 50,000 people are trafficked into or transited through the U.S.A. annually as sex slaves, domestics, garment, and agricultural slaves. [map]

The United States is a source and destination country for thousands of men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. Women and girls, largely from East Asia, Eastern Europe, Mexico and Central America are trafficked to the United States into prostitution. Some men and women, responding to fraudulent offers of employment in the United States, migrate willingly-legally and illegally-but are subsequently subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude at work sites or in the commercial sex trade. An unknown number of American citizens and legal residents are trafficked within the country primarily for sexual servitude and, to a lesser extent, forced labor.

This is an issue that we as the church need to urgently pray about and take action when we suspect it is happening. Raising our awareness and praying for ways to intervene are good starts. You can also go to:

Stop the Traffic

International Justice Mission

For more information

Lent

I subscribe to Soul Care, a daily email from the Church of the Nazarene Office of Clergy Development. Today's email just struck me with its description of the season of Lent:

Wisdom from Fellow Pilgrims

In the daily round of life, dust and cobwebs accumulate in our souls. The hidden corners of our hearts become encrusted with grime or filled with forgotten debris. During the weeks of Lent, God's Spirit is given opportunity to clear away the clutter, sweep away the dust and wash us clean. We are invited to prepare ourselves heart, soul, mind and body for the new life of Easter.

— Marlene Kropf

Take some time to use contemplative prayer, to earnestly seek the Lord during this season of preparation as we wait to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Come and listen

The video clip below is of the David Crowder Band song "Come and Listen." I invite you to let it play and think about the implied message of the song. "Come and listen to what He has done" is an provocative statement for me. It implies that 1) someone is telling what God has done for him/her, for you, and for us; and 2) the "us" is a welcome trip into the world of corporate worship that veers away from the "Jesus and Me" individuality that has so infiltrated American Christianity.

"Come and listen. Come to the waters edge all you who know and fear the Lord." That is worship my friends. Listening to what God has done for us, sharing what God has done for us, and celebrating what God has done for us. In all of this the focus is on what God has done for us, not what we have done for God.

Dwell on this song a little during Lent. Let that thought process of "what God has done for us" take root in your mind. Meditate on what God has done for:

• you
• your family
• your church
• your neighborhood
• your job
• your town
• your state
• your nation
• and your world

Make that a focus of your prayers and it will help balance some of the fear, doubt, resentment, bitterness and other negative emotions that take root from time to time. It's not that they are not real, but perspective on what God has done for us will shine a light of peace and truth into the dark recesses of your soul and your mind.

Here are some links to meditative/contemplative prayer sites if you would like some assistance on how to do this. It is well worth your time.

Centering Prayer

Listening Prayer

A Prayer Labyrinth

Lectio Divina or Divine Reading

This is but a sampling of the types of contemplative prayer. There are many good books in your local library and church that can help you with this.

Take the season of Lent to reflect on what God has done for you. And celebrate it at Easter.

Greetings from Michissippi

If you haven't followed the latest from our great state, here it is. The mayor of Detroit evidently had an affair with his chief of staff. During an investigation, the police uncovered this and two officers were demoted/fired because of their uncovering this. They sue the city, which is BROKE, and win nearly $9 million. As part of the settlement, all sides agree to keep the affair quiet, since the Mayor and his mistress said under oath that there was no affair. The Detroit Free Press sues under the Freedom of Information Act to get the transcripts of text messages between the mayor and his mistress, which confirm the affair. Hence, what is being called the Text Message Scandal. Personally, I think it should be called the Perjury Scandal, which is the charge both of them will be facing shortly.

Forget the sex if you can. This man spent $9 million of a nearly bankrupt city's money to cover up his peccadillo and the firing of those who uncovered it. $9 million will buy a couple fire trucks and crews, put cops on the street, or just fix some of the broken infrastructure. This region is struggling economically as it is. It does not need the mayor of the biggest city distracted by his inability to control his hormones, when there are pressing issues to be dealt with.

The city council seems to finally be developing a spine and is willing to call Hizzoner out on this. This is all about abuse of power, perjury and wasting of taxpayer funds. It's not about sex, which is how he is portraying it. The mayor is using the Lewinsky playbook. First he trots his wife out, apologizes, questions the legality of the investigation, wants to "keep working for the people" and defiantly refuses to step down. The trial must be next.



It's a sad, corrupt mess we have here.

Come Lord Jesus, Come.

Chutzpah

The Detroit Lions, 31-81 under their current management, have decided to raise ticket prices 18% in order to "stay competitive." No kidding, that is what Tom Lewand said. They haven't been competitive in more than 10 years. They have only won 1 playoff game in my lifetime. But they want to stay competitive?

Sadly, people will pay it and keep watching the slop they put on the field.

They grow 'em big in Allen Park. I'll say that much for them.

The Sky is Falling! We are all going to die!

Maybe not. Read this and breathe deeply. It seems that climate trends are longer than cable news and presidential election cycles.

Fasting

I am in an extended season of fasting right now. I say that not to brag, but to make the following point more clear. I never realized how socially conditioned we are to eat. After the second day of fasting, the hunger issue settles down for me. I'm living on V8 juice, coffee and water with my multi-vitamin and supplements, and have been fine with the hunger aspect. But man, am I used to munching on snacks and eating meals at prescribed times. I find myself thinking about eating, not because I am hungry, but because it is a habit at a particular time of day. That is a bit of a surprise to me. This is the longest fast I have undertaken, and I still have some time to go. I am just really surprised at how much of a habit eating is. It is beyond a biological imperative, it is also a socially conditioned exercise. That is my fasting revelation.

Pray that God would grant the spiritual breakthrough that I am fasting about. And pray that He would use this time to open my eyes to other things he wants me to learn. It's a different thing, but I do feel the Lord's presence in my absence of eating. Maybe it just takes getting some clutter out of the way to be able to hear his voice.

Remembering what Lent is about

Take a look at this video clip if you would like a reminder of why we observe a season of Lent.

Let's move to Florida!!!!

This story just made my skin crawl. Literally. I still don't understand the fascination with Florida. Yes it is sunny, and ghastly hot in the summer. Throw in hurricanes, cockroaches (er, Palmetto bugs) the size of small birds, gators and snakes and it sounds like just a lovely place. Now they have added flea swarms to their collection of biblical plagues.

It's a nice place to visit....

More Letters from a friend

John continues in Revelation 2:

8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

This is not a message that one could easily sell as a televangelist. 'Come to Jesus and suffer. Come to Jesus and you will be jailed, persecuted and possible killed." It's a much easier sell to say "come to Jesus and be wealthy and healthy." But that isn't the message.

It gives me hope to hear "He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death." We aren't promised an easy life. Actually, quite the opposite. Look at the disciples. Only John died of natural causes. But there is a promise that if we persist in our faith, there is an eternal reward that far surpasses anything we can imagine. That is something to hang our hope on.

Another Letter from a Friend

In the Spirit of Valentine's Day, today's letter is about love that has been lost. In Revelation 2, John writes to the church in Ephesus a letter that strikes me as tough news to hear.

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

It appears to me that the church in Ephesus had done fairly well. They had sniffed out and removed the false prophets from among them. They had suffered for Jesus with joy. But they had lost their love. They had right doctrine and right action, but they had no love. They had lost the love of God, and seemingly, their love toward others.

I've been there before as well. I can be so sure of what I am teaching that I lose compassion toward those that I am teaching. I can be consumed with the desire to be "right" and convinced that someone is either misinformed or bordering on heresy that I lose that which distinguishes Christians: love.

I've done it. Churches have done it, and even denominations have done it. Jesus calls us to love in all that we do. Let's heed that call

Happy Valentine's Day

In our annual Hallmark-driven paen to Eros love, I bring greetings. I thought this little video clip was worth a repost. Have a great day with the ones you love, but never forget about the One who loves you.

Letters from a friend, part 2

This is the letter to the church in Philadelphia in Revelation 3:

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Wow. This is quite an encouragement to a church that is under pressure. They have liars in their midst, Rome is cracking down, and they feel persecuted. Yet they remain faithful and persevere in the faith. Note that God doesn't say "I'll make it stop and you will be happy" but he does say that justice will be meted out. God is just, and the hope that the one who called them will come back to right their wrongs is the hope he gives them.

He didn't promise us a bed of roses. But He is just, and will not allow injustice to prevail. That is some powerful hope in these often troubling times. Cling to it.

Looking for a great gift idea?

Especially for that person who doesn't need more "stuff?" Then consider a gift certificate to www.kiva.org which helps you make loans to the entrepreneurs in impoverished nations. Through Kiva, you can make loans, receive reports on how your money is being used, and when your loan is repaid, you can lend again or withdraw your funds. In the process, you are helping a person lift his or her self out of poverty. I encourage you to look here for more information.

You can give gift certificates for as little as $25, and the recipient then gets to determine how the money is put into use. It's a great idea that can help out people who have ideas but no cash.

Letters from a friend

Our adult small group has been working through Answers for Chicken Little, which is a study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John the Apostle. Early in the book, the author describes the letters to the seven churches as the "Roman Postal Route" from where John was on the island of Patmos. The letters were written to be read by all of the churches, but addressed specific issues within each church. I'd like to take a look at the letters individually if you would indulge me.

The first is a letter to the church in Sardis in Revelation 3.

1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spiritsof God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Ouch. John pulls no punches here. "You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. " In essence, he is saying that they are living on their reputation and have fallen away from following the Lord. That is tough to hear when someone calls you out. The good news is that there is time to correct the problem.

That spoke to me because there are times when I live on my reputation but have slacked off in my obedience. The call to repentance is clear, and the assurance that God will work with those who genuinely repent to lead them into everlasting glory gives a great measure of hope. If these words cause you. as they did me, to look inward and see areas where you are living on your reputation, take the advice of John and repent. And go forward with the one who who is "faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

May God grant you mercy and peace.

Save the Planet (and protect your privacy)

Here are a couple good links for information on how to remove your name from mailing lists.

World Privacy Forum

Direct Marketing Association

The Ecology Center

Most of these are free, and should dramatically reduce your junk mail and pre-screened credit and insurance offers. According to this article, the average American receives approximately 41 lbs of junk mail per year. This is how you can do your part to reduce that.

I hate to say I told you so

One month after all of the pandering in Iowa is over, this story comes out. It seems that diverting our food supply into an inefficient method of propelling cars isn't such a good idea. Where have I heard that idea before? Oh yeah, I said that one year ago. Maybe I am just ahead of the curve. Or maybe buying votes just catches up with us eventually.

It seems that the production of ethanol will create 2x the level of greenhouse gases as the gasoline it would replace. You can read the article for all the details, but this quote is priceless:

"Using good cropland to expand biofuels will probably exacerbate global warming," concludes the study published in Science magazine.

Just remember, you heard it here first.

The overuse of adjectives

I learned as a kid through SchoolHouse Rock that adjectives describe persons places or things. I don't really want to get into the overuse of inappropriate adjectives that can be used as nouns, verbs, conjunctions, gerunds and nearly every other part of speech, in the same paragraph by the particularly loquacious and foul-mouthed members of our society.

Rather, I'd like to focus on the adjectives we use in church. There are ways to describe something that are just what country folk would call plain-spoken. For example one could say "Its my car." Or one could say its a "1996 Dodge Intrepid, 3.5 litre V-6." Or one could say its a "hooptie". Or any other number of colorful terms. We do the same thing in church.

There are times that descriptive labels are helpful, and times when they are not. Often it goes to intent, such as calling someone a "fundamentalist Christian." That once was a term that was not pejorative. Now, being called a fundamentalist or "fundy" is an attack on the person's beliefs and character. Couldn't we just call the person a Christian and leave off the descriptor?

While I was in Kansas City I attended three church services in one day. At 8:00 a.m. our Theology and Practice of Worship class attended Christ Church Anglican in Overland Park, KS. It's a very formal Anglican service. At 10:45 a.m. I attended Antioch Church of the Nazarene, where the people I was staying with worship. And at 5:30, our class attended Jacob's Well, an emerging church in Kansas City, MO.

What struck me in each of these churches, from very different traditions, is that God was there. His Spirit was present and he was worshiped by those in attendance. Given that as a base, I've been convicted that I too often use adjectives to label others, especially those who have different beliefs than me. The Lord is calling me to be more ecumenical and refer to fellow believers as Christians, since we are all part of one body. I'm not arrogant enough to think that I have cornered the market on religious belief, nor has my denomination. I believe that most Christians think that their denomination/theology is the best one, but I don't know that we think it is the only one.

To that end, check out the partial list of Christian adjectives below. Feel free to leave additional ones in a comment. It is by no means an exhaustive list.

Anabaptist

Anglican

Baptist

Bible-Believing

Catholic

Calvinist

Dispensational

Emerging

Evangelical

Fundamentalist

Lutheran

Pre-millenial

Post-Millenial

Missional

Nazarene

Wesleyan

These are some words we use to differentiate ourselves. I don't want to go all Rodney King and say "Can't we all just get along" but I do think that the fewer adjectives we include in our vocabulary, the more we will see each others as Christians, just plain, simple Christians, and fellow pilgrims on a journey. And maybe, just maybe, we will all get along a little better.

I'm nearly at a loss for words

I know that may sound odd for me, but it is true. Last night my Theology and Practice of Worship class led the chapel service at Nazarene Theological Seminary. It was an interesting chapel, and I won't go into the mechanics. Rather, what I wanted to talk about was what happened during that service.

We issued an invitation for people to come up and be anointed for healing. At first, no one came, and then it was as if a dam burst. We had more than a dozen people come forward and ask for anointing. What is still spinning in my head is that I was one of the ones doing the anointing, and that was the first time I had done that. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

To have someone stand before you and ask to be anointed truly puts the "Priesthood of all believers" into an entirely different context. I was the emissary of Christ in that moment, anointing their head for a healing they were praying for. It was awe-inspiring and incredibly humbling at the same time. My head is still having a difficult time comprehending all that we did, but I know, in that moment, the power of the Holy Spirit felt more real to me than it had in a long time. It's not anything that I did. Rather it's the contrary. The Holy Spirit was able to use me with all of my infirmities, weaknesses and fears, to minister to people who needed to feel the healing touch of God. I'm still nearly choked up when I think about it.

I am so glad that God brought me to this place. It's scary and challenging, but I can't wait to see what is next. It's an incredible journey so far.