I Believe

Just a little poem that I scribbled out this morning.

I believe in the Holy Father

I believe in the Holy Son

I believe in the Holy Spirit

I believe in the Three in 0ne

God the Father rich in mercy

Jesus the Son rich in love

The Holy Spirit rich in power

I believe in the Three in One

I believe in a gracious Father

I believe in a resurrected Son

I believe in the gifts of the Spirit

I believe in the Three in One

Is God Good?

I have often heard the question asked, "Is God Good?"

When I answer in the affirmative, the follow up tends to be, "well then why does He allow suffering?" Or even, "Then how can He send people to Hell?"

It would seem that everyone wants to experience His grace, mercy and love but no one wants to hear His truth!  We want the good and none of the bad. The Bible clearly says the God is love (1 John 4:8), but it also says that He is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29).

So if God is good, then how come He punishes those who refuse to repent? I appreciate this quote from Salvation Army officer,  Samuel Brengle (1860-1936): In his book Love Slaves he writes that "Fire will not only bake our food, but it will burn us. Water will not only quench our thirst and refresh us, but if we trifle with it, it will drown us."

God is good, but He is not to be trifled with. He has given us the freedom to choose eternal life in Heaven or Hell, to follow or reject Him. We can accept His wisdom and submit to His will, and live in true joy and peace, or, we can reject His offer of life in Christ, and pay the eternal consequences. Holding  us accountable for our sins does not negate His goodness.

God is good, loving, compassionate and slow to anger, but He is also holy and righteous. We can't continue on a path that breaks His laws and not expect to be disciplined anymore than we can continually break man's laws and not expect punishment. I can choose to obey the law of the land and enjoy the privileges of being a citizen in good standing, or violate those laws and reap the consequences...the choice is mine but being punished in the courts is not the fault of the ones who set the law in place, it is the fault of the lawbreaker.

Is God good? Absolutely.

Is He fair? Undoubtedly.

The question isn't really is God good but Who will I follow and obey, my own idea of truth or His?

For me, Psalm 84:10 says it best, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

Finding God in the Hard Times

I missed Finding God in the Hard Times the first time it came out in print. Previously published in 2005 under the title Blessed Be Your Name, this book by Matt and Beth Redman is an encouragement to praise God despite the circumstances. 

Using the Matt Redman song, Blessed be Your Name, as a lead in, the couple look at life and all it's hardships. They don't shy away from sharing their own story and they address serious issues of pain, suffering and death. Throughout the book there is a sense of hope in the God who sees! 

Each chapter ends with reflections questions and the book closes with an effective study guide for use in small groups.

Having personally dealt with a lot of hard issues this year, I found this book to be inspiring and encouraging. It actually arrived in my mailbox at the perfect time. I devoured the book in just a couple days. I finsihed with a renewed sense of God's love and care in the midst of hardship.

I would encourage everyone to have a copy of this book on their shelf!

"This book has been provided courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications and Baker Publishing in exchange for an honest review."

It's Just A Cup

Readers of this blog know that I usually don't comment on "culture war" items and the insanity that erupts on social media.  Yet the recent Starbucks "controversy" has filled my social media feeds to the point where I decided to go against the grain.

For the few who may be unaware, Joshua Feuerstein, a former television and radio evangelist, decided to upload a video to his 1.8 million Facebook followers re. Starbucks new cups. Feuerstein calls himself a "social media personality."  This should have been a warning to people not to take him seriously!

Feuerstein went into a Starbucks with his Jesus t-shirt, a gun (don't ask), and his video rolling and gave his name as Merry Christmas so that the barista would be forced to say, "Merry Christmas." Feuerstein rails against Starbuck taking the Christ out of Christmas and encourages his followers to also give their name as Merry Christmas and started a hashtag for his followers to tweet about all of this.

Now Starbucks has never had Merry Christmas on their red cups.  They have had everything from minimalist snowflakes and hand-drawn reindeer to a winking snowman and decorative ornaments.  This year it was just a simple red design. 

Missing in this hoopla is the fact that Feuerstein claims to share a message of hope and healing.  I missed that in the midst of all his marketing and self promotion under the guise of "putting Christ back in Christmas."

The media picks up on this one guy's viral video and I have seen numerous stories about how Christians are boycotting and protesting Starbucks because of the assault on Christmas! 

Sadly, though many Christians will not support this one man's attempt at self promotion, some will embrace this as yet another battlefield and in an ongoing culture war against our faith. Meanwhile, unbelievers will shake their head, think Christians are off their rockers and never see the grace, hope and life that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

I have not found a place in the Bible where Jesus calls us to protest over red cups, chicken sandwiches or greetings at area businesses.  I do see where He calls us to share the Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20) and to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). 

It is beyond time for Christians to protest less and share the Gospel more.  If we want to truly change our culture, let us focus on sharing the work Jesus accomplished on the cross. 

Instead of protesting over a cup of coffee, why not buy a coffee for you and a friend (or a stranger) and share how Jesus Christ has changed your life.

He Thinks I'm a Hero

My son drew this picture last month while we were at a Salvation Army Leadership Camp down in Gibsons, BC.

He was asked to draw somebody and he told me it was a picture of me as a superhero!  Apparently I was flying and able to shoot fire out of my hands.  Now I must admit, that would be pretty cool.  I would love to be able to fly and shoot fire out of my hands.  I would settle for just flying.  I was also tickled as a Dad that my son saw me as a superhero!  I know he won't always see me this way.

When my daughter was very young she also told me I was her hero.  I want to be my kids hero but more importantly, I want my kids to look at me and see Jesus living in me and through me.  I want my life, my actions, to point my children to their Heavenly Father.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

I have read that passage a lot lately.  I want my family to love God with all out heart, soul and strength.  I want to impress that on my children.  I want to share the love of God and how awesome He is.  If my kids walk with God throughout their life, then I truly will feel like a superhero!

The Suffering Christ

Matthew 20: 18-19,  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

As I was preparing a talk for a joint Good Friday service, I realized that I don’t reflect enough on the suffering that Jesus Christ went through on the cross.  I don’t mean that in a morbid sort of way.  It is just that, beyond Good Friday/Easter Sunday, I don’t often meditate on all that He suffered on the cross.

After His arrest, the Bible describes how Jesus had a crown of thorns crammed on His head. He was spit on, mocked and then He was scourged.  I read the word scourged and I realize I don’t think much about what that actually means. 

When the Romans scourged someone, it would quickly remove the skin. Deep lacerations, torn flesh, exposed muscles and excessive bleeding would leave the criminal "half-dead." The Centurion in charge would order a halt to the flogging when the criminal was near death.

Jesus Christ suffered a scourging before He went to the Cross.

At the cross, the condemned was thrown to the ground on his back, with his arms outstretched along the crossbar.  The nails…the iron spikes…were driven into His hands and feet.  During the time on the cross, Jesus would have been in excruciating pain, struggling to breathe, enduing unimaginable horror. 

Then came that final moment, when His earthly suffering was over….with His last Words…”It is finished.” Jesus, the innocent Son of God, who bore our sins, died.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (John 15:9)

I asked the people in our congregation what came to mind when they thought of Jesus on the cross.  One lady said, “Unfathomable Love.”  I couldn’t say it any better.

Jesus went through all that suffering because He loved us…He died so that we could be reconnected with God the Father. 

Today, I urge you to take some time and reflect upon the Cross.  Reflect upon His suffering AND His Love.

The Cross

My wife Sarah wrote this for an upcoming prayer service:

The Cross 

More than the place that mends our brokenness,

or a bridge to reach God's holiness,

the cross is death to sin-soaked flesh

and life that lasts, brand-new and fresh.

No more addiction, no more shame;

no more bondage, no more chains.

Christ has taken all the blame,

covered us and made us clean.

More than a place to lay our past,

our dreams, our hopes, our circumstance,

the cross is where we learn to stand

in triumph over sin's demands.

The power of God is free for us,

won with thorns and drops of blood.

Redeeming Love and Salvation,

release us from all condemnation.

The resurrection of our King

means hope and joy and strength and peace.

Now at the cross we die to live,

transformed by Him who conquered sin!

This I Know

July 31, 1984. 

This was the day I went forward at a vacation Bible school in East Tennessee, repented of my sins  and asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior.

Like most new believers, I was filled with zeal and wanted to learn all I could about the Lord.  I began reading my Bible fervently, attending every service and trying to be a good Christian.

I now know I was not properly discipled. 

I began reading my Bible from the beginning.  (That's where you start a book right?)  I breezed through Genesis and Exodus, bogged down in Leviticus and gave up in Numbers.  It took me awhile to get back on track.  I finally had a fellow believer point me to the NT where I spent a season before eventually reading the whole Bible. 

I had a huge fascination with end times theology and read everything I could get my hand on.  I loved to debate (argue) the Bible and felt I had to defend God to the death!  I even made sure to hand a Bible tract to a kid who was holding a switchblade to my throat...so that I could at least die a martyr!

Ah, youth....

Nearly 31 years since my life changing decision, I have come to learn that less is more.  I have seen the highs and lows of faith.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  The older I get, the more comfortable I am with my faith.  I no longer feel the need to debate every line of Scripture.  In fact, I don't debate at all. 

As I reflect over my relationship with the Lord, I find comfort and peace in who He is and who I am in Him.

After 31 years, this I know:

Prov. 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."  The first Scripture that really challenged me.  I tried for too long to lean on my own understanding.  Now, I know that I know nothing.  I have found that as I lean on Him, look to Him, trust in Him...He truly does direct my path.  From TN to TX, Russia to Croatia, the US to Canada, God has directed my path, my days, my life.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Jesus, Only Jesus - I remember hearing this quoted often by a man God used to impact my life.  He often said it boiled down to just that.  I used to think he was being so cliche.  Now I know, I truly want Jesus, only Jesus!

Jesus Christ and Him Crucified - "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." This passage in 1 Cor. 2:2 has become more and more important to me. I don't care to debate how long it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.  My opinion on when Jesus is coming back is just that, my opinion. What I am determined to know is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Galatians 2:20 -  "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." The verse that changed my life.  In my darkest days, God reached out to a man contemplating his own mortality, He broke through the darkness when suicide seemed like the only way out, and He taught me who I am in Him. 

I'm not God - I am not called to judge.  I no longer see the need to point out the stick in your eye while ignoring the log in mine.  I now endeavor to speak truth in love and show the same grace and mercy that Jesus Christ has shown me.

The Two Greatest Commandments - Jesus is quoted in Matthew 22:36-40 as saying that the two greatest commandments in which are contained the whole law of God is to love the Lord with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as we do our self!  It really is that simple.  We over complicate Christianity and Jesus boiled it down to this!

Jesus Loves Me - This I know.  I can rest in that. 

Unshockable Love

 I need to recommend this book!

Unshockable Love  by John Burke is a breath of fresh air.  It's a call to seeing yourself and the people around you through the eyes of Jesus.  Now I have heard that rather cliche statement before but John Burke delivers.

Originally titled Mud and the Masterpiece, Burke's book is filled with interesting stories. Part One of the book really challenges you to see others through the eyes of Jesus.  Each chapter ends with something to reflect on and something to try.  Both were challenging in their own ways.  Sometimes the reflection was harder than the action!

Part Two is more of a practical call to action and gives you a process in which to develop a community that reaches out to the world around them in more practical and relevant ways.  It is really about living in community on mission with Jesus.

The tonal shift between the two parts was obvious but both tie together nicely.  I ended up buying a couple copies to give away before I even got a third of the way through the book.  Something I have never done before finishing a book!

Get it, read it, act on it!

Find out more at www.unshockablelove.com

"Book has been provided courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications and Baker Books in exchange for an honest review."

That Loving Feeling

Today in church, our guest speaker shared from Matthew 22:36-40.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

This is a passage I have come back to again and again over the last few years.  In fact, I share it quite frequently from the pulpit myself.  I have found this passage to be convicting and challenging on one hand yet very encouraging as well.

It is convicting because Jesus lists these 2 commandments as the ones that ALL the Law and Prophets hang on.  He could have listed anything in response to the question.  The first one makes sense to me.  Love the Lord with every part of your being!  I find that to be very convicting.  Do I love the Lord with all of my heart, all of my soul, all of my mind?  I would love to say YES to that.  Sadly, it is not always true.  I know there are times I put other things before the Lord.  In that I am convicted.

It is challenging because the second commandment he lists is to love our neighbors...as we do ourselves!  Honestly, I am often challenged by that. I want to ask who my neighbor is but I already know the answer to that.  It is everyone I meet from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed!  It includes my family, my friends, my co-workers and my enemies.  I find loving my enemies to be the challenging part.  I remember one of our special needs volunteers putting it plainly to me once.  He said if God calls us to love our enemies, that means loving the terrorists as well.  God does not make distinctions when He calls us to love!

It is encouraging because as Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  I am guilty of not always loving others as I should. There are times I need to repent when I fail to apply Matthew 22:36-40 to my life.  God is faithful and forgiving, calling me to something more, something better.  

As the speaker this morning shared, as we love God more it becomes easier to love our neighbor and as we do so, it impacts those around us.  I would say our lives are changed as we embrace that loving feeling! 

More Than A Review, 5 Questions Too!

A long time ago (20 years) in a land far, far away (Texas) I first met Jason Wiedel.  Jason, my future wife Sarah and I joined 30+ others at a ministry school deep in the heart of Texas.  We were young, idealistic and had many plans for the future.  Jason's future has invoved his current job with Habitiat for Humanity and now author of the recently released Persecution Complex.

I sat down to read his new book and had trouble putting it down.  I was hooked by the introduction and read two chapeters the next day.  By day three I couldn't stop and devoured the rest of the book in one sitting.  Jason has written a book that is challenging, engaging and much needed for today!

Persecution Complex looks at the problem of the persecution narrative among Evangelical Christians in America. Jason then follows this narrative through history and examines the psychological reasons that we embrace the position of victim. He then lays out the ways that this perspective has been damaging to Christianity, and the ways that we can move forward to become more loving and life-giving people.

You may be challenged when reading this book and that's a good thing.  I believe as believers we should never rest in entrenched positions without examining the basis of why we believe as we do.  This book will open your eyes if you let it.
 
Jason took time to answers some questions  re. Persecution Complex. 

Welcome to 5 Questions With.....

Today's guest is Jason Wiedel.   

Jason serves the needs of the people in Surry and Sussex Counties. He also works to help people understand God in new ways. Jason works for Habitat for Humanity and blogs at JasonWiedel.com.

OK, let's get started:

1. Your book, Persecution Complex, really tackles the topic of persecution head on.  What made you want to tackle this particular subject matter? 

I have been examining the relationship of American Christians to the broader culture for many years. I have become increasingly concerned by the contentiousness of this relationship. I see certain segments of American Christianity exacerbating this problem rather than being the peacemakers that Jesus called us to be. Encouraging Christians to stop seeing themselves as the victim and to stop categorizing others as enemies is important to me.

2. You mention 1 John 4:18 and how the Scripture calls us to not fear and yet many of our church leaders seem to use fear in addressing moral issues.  Fear is often called a great motivator, yet Jesus calls us to something more.  How do we move from fear to love?

I believe that the words of Jesus regarding the treatment of enemies is key. In what we call the sermon on the mount Jesus instructs his listeners to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, willingly give to those who try to take what we have, and love our enemies. To follow these directives we must stop seeing our enemy as an enemy, and begin seeing them as a person. Jesus is completely aware that putting another person in the position of enemy allows us to remove them from the position of human being.

Fear encourages us to maintain enemies. When we fear secularism, or liberalism, or Islam, or a homosexual agenda, we lose sight of the human beings involved with these issues, and we only see them as enemies. Jesus wants us to stop seeing people as enemies. That is the way we learn to love better.

3. One statement from your book that I loved says, "Jesus had a lot to say about the way His followers treated others. He talked about their care for the hungry and helpless. Never once though did He tell His disciples to fight for religious freedom or to stand up for what they believed."  How did the train go off the rails and how do we get back on the right track?

In Persecution Complex I assert that this has a lot to do with politics. In many cases, politicians have convinced us that we are on a slide toward immorality, or that we are losing our religious freedoms. We then become advocates for a political cause, rather than advocates for Christ. When Christianity becomes the ally of political powers, we can easily lose sight of Jesus' sacrificial identification with the poor, the weak, and the powerless.
 
4. What do you hope people will take away from your book?  Do you think your views on the persecution complex will be a hindrance to a "fair reading" by those feeling among the persecuted?

Ultimately I want Christians to become the self-sacrificing, life-giving people who follow the example of Jesus. I want us to be people who are concerned about bringing the love of the God to the world rather than being distracted by the culture war. I know this book will be a hard pill for some Christians, but perhaps it can be the start of a journey away from the persecution complex afflicting many Christians.

5. Who would you recommend read Persecution Complex?

Everyone! The book is directed at Evangelical Christians who live in a world that is dominated by the persecution narrative. I want to see these Evangelicals read the book, even though many of them will object to my conclusions. I would also encourage the Christian who has become weary of narrow or un-loving forms of Christianity to read Persecution Complex. I think it may offer them hope for a faith that is better than what they have experienced.
 
Thank You Jason!

You can order Persecution Complex here and read Jason's blog here.

Dancing Without a Care!

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." (1 John 3:1)

Today I went out to eat.  A local hotel has hosted an annual breakfast for the community for the last 15 years.  The event is geared towards families and includes hay rides through the snow, Santa and other characters and music provided by local fiddlers and musical groups.  All you need for entry is a can of food for the food bank.  The community was extremely generous and many, many boxes of food were provided that will help the food bank continue to reach out to those less fortunate.  Many of those receiving the food will be under the age of 13.  

I sat at a table watching another group of kids dance in circles to the music on the stage, holding hands and falling down.  They jumped up and down and laughed without a care.  Some would climb into their parent's laps and snuggle before darting back to play.  One fell down and cried before his parent came to comfort him.  All was better after that.

It was beautiful imagery of how our Heavenly Father cares for us. I believe He delights in seeing us, His children, dance and play with joy.  He loves to see us laugh without a care, snuggle in His lap and dart off again to enjoy the life He has given us.  Occasionaly we get hurt and need His comfort and care.

He also loves those children in need of speacial care.  Those who have no joy, no food, no home and no chance to dance without a care. 

Just as the community came together today to provide food for the local food bank, I believe God calls each of us, as His children, to come together as a community to share that love with kids around the world. 

There are so many ways we can get involved. We can volunteer at a local Salvation Army, at a food bank, church, school or other community programs that reaches out to kids in need. We can also help kids around the world who are in immense need via wonderful organizations like Compassion International. 

As children of God, we should love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves.  Children of God should reach out to all of God's children, wherever they may be.  Every child should have the chance to dance without a care!

Jesus Loves Me This I Know

 I have been singing this children's hymn for over a week now.  Like any ear-worm, it has buried itself deep and I have even woken up in the middle of the night with the song on my lips.  However, this simple but profound song isn't driving me crazy, it's driving me deeper into the Word of God!
 
I found a definition of love that I have been using as a baseline as I read various scriptures on the topic.

Love - It is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

Tender and passionate.  That is the kind of Love I believe the Lord exhibits towards us on a continual basis.  It is that passionate love that caused God to send His only Son to die for us!  It was that kind of love that caused Jesus to submit His will to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane.  A sacrificial love!

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:2)

One of the most encouraging Scriptures to me is found in Romans 8:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

The key to experiencing that love is relationship with Him!  Recognizing and accepting the work he did on the cross!

From the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation, Love Permeates the Bible.  Yes,  at times God has had to discipline His children, we have suffered the consequences of our own sinful actions, but His love is there, wooing, calling, and available.

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

If we except, or have excepted that love then we can also rest in that love:

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (John 15:9)

To Abide meas to: to remain or continue, to dwell, or my favorite, to await in expectation!

Jesus love us, let us abide in His Love!

Don't Miss Jesus

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.

But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."  (Mark 14:3-9)

The people gathered at Simon’s house were missing the point of what this woman was doing.  They saw with their physical eyes and their indignation and disgust was distracting them from what was really happening.  The people were more focused on the value of the nard and what could be done with it, than they were on Jesus Christ. 

"The poor always being with us" is probably one of the most misquoted Scriptures in the Bible.  I have seen it taken out of context and used as an excuse to avoid asking the hard questions about poverty or as an excuse to do nothing.  Jesus was not talking about ignoring the poor in this passage.  He was not saying that they’ll always be there so therefore we should do nothing to relieve their suffering.  He was saying that at that particular moment, what this woman was doing was a reflection of God’s will and timing. 

Jesus pointed out that she was anointing his body for burial.  He was drawing their attention to the fact that He was going to die!  We know through the Scriptures that He was dying for each one of us, but at this moment in the story, people weren’t getting that.   

Jesus had a heart for the poor.  He reached out to and walked with those who suffered.  He called the weak, the sick, the impoverished and even the religious.  He called all of them and all of us to a deeper relationship.   He called us to love one another, just as he loved us. 

He calls us to walk with those less fortunate.  To reach out with His love, grace, mercy and hope.  If we do otherwise, we miss opportunities to see Him reflected in those around us.  I have seen Jesus reflected in the lives of the poor, the needy, the addicted and the afflicted.  I have felt the presence of God as a homeless man poured out his heart beside me, sharing his struggles with addictions, fear and faith.  I have seen the heart of Jesus reflected in an addict who reaches out in concern for those around him.  I have seen the love of Jesus in the actions of  the one whom society steps over and ignores.

Yes we have the poor among us today.  We also have an opportunity to experience God’s love in a fresh and exciting way.  Let’s not miss Jesus.

What I Learned...

A friend has passed away.

He will be missed.

He taught me so much over the years.

Things like compassion, love, humor and respect.

All attributes he displayed to me over the last 8 years.

Some looked at him and saw his "issues", I looked at him and saw Jesus Christ.

I will always recall the hours we spent talking about the Lord while sitting on the couch.

I will never forget the day he made the choice to follow Jesus.

Today he is in glory, walking and talking with the Lord.

I look forward to the day I see him there.

His race was long and hard, but I know Jesus was smiling when he walked into the Kingdom!

-----------------

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

No one is beyond redemption. 

Everyone needs compassion.

We are called to love one another.  Let us share the truth of Jesus Christ in love and compassion.  By doing so we can see God change lives, including our own!

Christians and Mental Health - How Should The Church Respond?

What should the church be?

The church should be a place where it’s OK to struggle with depression.

The church should be a place that’s home to the recovering and the relapsing addict.

The church should be a place where leaders can have faults and not be afraid to share them.

The church should be a place where we’re not afraid of pain.

The church should be a place where condemnation is replaced by redemption.

The church should be a place where love becomes an action verb.

The church should be a place where people with mental health issues feel loved and cared for.

In fact, the church should build up their knowledge on mental health issues. The church should understand the symptoms and make themselves aware of the resources available in their community.  

A few years back I took a 10 week course that dealt with various kinds of mental health issues and it was an eye-opening experience.  My whole view was shifted in so many ways.

What should the church be?

It should be a place where love prevails.  

I have seen that love in church after church around the world.  I have seen the love of God displayed over and over to those in need.  

Sadly, I have also seen the opposite.  

I find myself reflecting on how Jesus would respond to someone in pain.  Of course we have numerous pictures of how Jesus ACTUALLY did respond.

Jesus healed the sick.

Jesus called people to the Father.

Jesus spoke to the need and provided living water.

Jesus forgave.

Jesus loved.

Not only did Jesus love but He also told us to love one another. (John 13:34)  That is how the church should respond to people with mental health issues.

By loving one another.

Christians and Mental Health - What Are We Afraid Of?

Cancer is a hideous disease and when Christians meet someone suffering from this illness, they will pray, serve and love them through the process.  They do not blame the victim.  Ailments of the body are prayed over and help is extended to the one suffering.

Not so with mental health issues.  I remember growing up in the church and the response to someone with mental illness often times tended to be that those people were somehow 'possessed' or allowing Satan to run rampant in their life. 

People with mental health issues are sometimes afraid to mention their suffering around other believers because of the condemnation they feel they may receive.  Depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. have often been minimized and are little discussed in the body of Christ.  In fact, I have met some who seem to act like they wish it would go away. 

Mental health and Christianity were in the spotlight recently when Pastor Rick Warren lost a son to suicide.  His son had struggled with mental illness his entire life and after a long bout with depression, ended his life.

We in the church are called to love our neighbors (Mark 12:31).  In fact loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves are considered the two greatest commandments.  So why do we sometimes fail to love our neighbors with mental illness?

What are we afraid of? 

Can God heal a mental health issue?  Absolutely.  He is a miracle working God.  However just as God does not heal every person with cancer nor does He heal every person with depression. 

Sometimes we are called to persevere.

I believe the church should be an inviting place.  A place where all those with problems, be they spiritual, physical, social, financial or mental are welcomed, loved and cherished. 

400 million battle mental illness worldwide.

God loves every one of them. 

Shouldn't we?

Chickles and Peese

It has been 1 year since my last concussion.  It was not my 1st (or 2nd or 3rd or you get the point)...but hopefully it will be my last. 

I held out hope that the symptoms from this last concussion would pass away completely.  I remember the concussion I had a few years back left me unable to remember words like "eggs" for a few days.  It eventually eased and I went back to normal.  However, I know now that concussions build one upon another and even a mild concussion can leave you with a...mental limp. 

Which is where I stand today. 

The first month after my concussion was pretty rough. I slept a lot, tired easily and jumbled words and names.  My wife later said that at times I was like a zombie.  I was responsive but really, really mellow.  I suffered from headaches and was unable to read or focus for long or on anything in particular. 

Months passed, as did a majority, but not all, of the symptoms.  It has been a journey that has on one hand frustrated me to no end, and on the other, left us laughing.

For example, when company came over recently, instead of offering them a plate of sliced pickles and cheese, I offered them chickles and peese.  A friend who works with brain injured individuals told me that what I am experiencing is a form of mental fatigue.  In the evening, when I get tired, my words will still jumble around.  My reading time at one sitting has been reduced and I will occasionally say the opposite of what I mean, or insert a completely random word when telling a story.  My short term memory is spotty at times and after a taxing time mentally at work, I find myself napping more.

I have found comfort in these days through the Word of God.  I particularly like Galatians 5:22-23 which says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.."

I have always been a bit impatient and this season of my life is teaching me the value of waiting.  Through all of this my peace is growing as well.   I am in a new season in my life, and only God knows where He will take me next.  I look forward to the continuing adventure!

Whether it is illness, injury, unemployment, or another situation, we may at some time in our lives find our pace needs to change, and we are challenged by new limits.  It is then that we may truly see that our security and identity lie in Christ, not our own abilities. 

Do You Feel Loved Today?

Do you feel loved today?  Do you think that if people knew the real you they would still love and care about you?  Maybe you have never felt loved. I think, rather we would admit it or not, all of us long to be loved unconditionally.  We want to know that, even if we mess up, we are still cared for.

Well I have good news!

Romans 8:35 asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”

The answer comes a few verses later: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:38-39)

Jesus Christ offers that.  He offers that unconditional love.  You are going to mess up.  You WILL make mistakes and you will encounter hardships in this life.  So many of us feel unloved and/or unlovable.  We might feel that we have gone too far to turn back from the bad choices we have made.  The good news is that it is never too late.

God loves us and He loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to take it all of our mistakes and bad choices on the cross.  (John 3:16)  This is not a license to do what we want. This is a call to accept His love.  Who else loves you enough to die for you?  To forgive you unconditionally and to not hold your past, present or future against you?  Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The choice is yours.  Will you accept that love or will you walk away from it?  Only you can answer that.  Jesus Christ is waiting with open arms.  Why not run to Him today? 

Hope For Today

I found myself thinking about hope quite a bit lately. 

Hit with some rough times, I found the message of hope to be one I needed to be reminded of. 

Discouragement unchecked can turn to depression and anger can turn to bitterness.  I have struggled with both discouragement and anger recently and realized I needed to remind myself of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

I went looking through the Scriptures and found numerous verses that spoke about the hope that the Old Testament men and women of God had.  Their hope was in the prophesied birth of the Messiah.  We, as His children, now have the hope of Christ's return as predicted in the New Testament.

However, as great as those words are, they did not give me hope for today.  For right now.  I dug a little more until I came across a few verses that I believe offers hope for the here and now.  The beauty of this passage is that it gives us hope for the past, present and the future!

Here it is:

Romans 8:35-39, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST!

There is my hope. 

No matter how bad I have blown it in the past, no matter what I am going through today and no matter what I will face tomorrow...I am still loved.

Cared For.

Forgiven.

Loved.