Cracker Barrel's actions are what's wrong with this whole dang country

Cracker Barrel removes Duck Dynasty stuff from shelves so as not to offend.

Then, after offending people, they put them back up.

And that's what wrong with this whole dang country.  Here's why:

Instead of making a decision based on beliefs and character, Cracker Barrel stuck it's finger into the wind and said, "Which way is the cultural wind blowing?  Oh, it's going that way?  That's what we'll do!"

Then, a few moments later, they stuck their finger back up into the wind and said, "Okay, which way is it blowing now?  Okay, we'll go THAT way!"

This type of decision making is typical of America now.  Instead of making decisions based on character and belief, we decide what is right and wrong according to what is popular, what is convenient, and what we think will offend the least amount of people.

I wish that Cracker Barrel would have made a decision and stuck with it, owned it, and stood by it regardless of blowback or criticism.  I don't particularly care WHICH side they chose- I just wish that they would have demonstrated a little bit more backbone.

But, instead they showed themselves to be a wishy-washy company making decisions based on fear and what is popular, rather than on character and principle.  And like I said before, that's what is wrong with this whole dang country.

How many of us make decisions, and I mean BIG decisions, not based on our character or a principle, but on which is most convenient?  How many of us make big decisions about morals, beliefs, values, profession, etc not based on a deep-seated belief in right and wrong (one we are willing to sacrifice for and own even in the face of opposition) but based on which will generate the least controversy and will make us the most popular?

As the old country song goes, "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything."  Cracker Barrel showed that this past week.  They showed that they were trying to move with the popular trends, trying to appease, trying to go with what was easy and convenient rather than make a decision based on a principle.  You can argue that they are a profit-motivated company, which they are, and that they were concerned about upsetting customers and all that.  I get that.  However, by doing that, they exposed themselves as wishy-washy fearful people who would rather be popular than right.

Like I said, I don't care what side they chose- stock the Duck Dynasty stuff or don't.  I don't care.  I really don't care much about Duck Dynasty merchandise.  I don't own any of it and am not planning on buying anything that is a passing fad, like this stuff is.  (I learned that lesson back in 1985 when I HAD to have a multi-zippered Michael Jackson "Beat It" jacket.  My parents wouldn't let me.  I hated them for it.  Now, I'm glad I never got it, because a 39-year-old guy wearing a "Beat It" jacket would look quite silly, but I digress).  However, I wish they would have made a decision and stuck with it.  Owned it.  Stood in the face of criticism because of a belief.

Unfortunately, that is very rare nowadays.  It is very difficult to find anyone who stands for principle or belief and is willing to take heat and criticism and loss because of it.  Maybe the prevalence of social media amplifies the amount of criticism exponentially so that anyone standing for a belief is shouted down in degrees never before seen in human history. 

I was disappointed in Cracker Barrel, not because of whatever decision they made, but because of the lack of spine they showed in making them.  I like Cracker Barrel as a restaurant.  I don't like their lack of backbone.  I think it is very indicative of the culture we have become- a culture of people who stick their finger into the wind to find out which way the popular and non-controversial winds are blowing and take the path of least resistance. 

The worst thing is when the Church does this.  Instead of taking unpopular Biblical stands, the Church sticks its finger into the wind and rides the easy path of least resistance, all in the name of inclusiveness and "love."  The problem is- Jesus never did that.  Our founder- the founder of our faith, Jesus Christ- was killed because He refused to go with what was popular and easy.  They don't kill guys who want to make everyone happy, people.  If that is what happened to Jesus, that is what will happen to us as well.  We shouldn't expect popularity or worldwide acclaim for what we believe.

Don't choose your actions according to the cultural winds that blow.  Don't choose your actions based on what is easy and convenient and least controversial.  Base your decisions on what you believe to be right.  Then, stick with them no matter what the blowback, no matter what the criticism, no matter what the results.  Right and wrong aren't based on results.  Right and wrong are based on right and wrong, and our decisions should be made on unchanging principles and objective standards rather than changing cultural acceptances.  The fact that principles and standards are disappearing from our country is what is responsible for the whole mess our country is in right now. 

It starts with you and me.

Persecution should bring Christians and Gays together

"After years of solitary confinement, we were put together in huge cells, sometimes with 200 to 300 prisoners in each cell. . . .  Christian prisoners were beaten, then tied to crosses for four days and four nights without interruption.  The Communists then stood around them, jeering and mocking.  'Look at your Christ, how beautiful He is, what fragrances He brings from heaven.' Then they kicked the other prisoners, forcing them to kneel down and to adore and worship this besmeared living crucifix."  -Richard Wumbrand, pastor jailed under Communist Rule

Right now, in the former Soviet Union, there is a "crackdown" on gays, resulting in beatings and violence.  Uganda just passed laws that will result in jail for life for some homosexual acts. 

How ironic that Russia is treating homosexuals now the way they treated Christians a few years ago under Soviet rule.  How ironic that homosexuals and Christians are both being persecuted all over the world, receiving the same treatment at the hands of authorities and radicals.

And yet, here in America, they fight each other and persecute each other.

I am going to make a scandalous statement.  Persecution should bring Christians and gays together.

It is a well-known observation that shared experiences and shared sufferings bring people together.  Kids on the same street who don't particularly like each other will all of a sudden become good friends when they are bullied by the same older kid.  Countries that have little to do with each other will ally themselves together against a common aggressor.  When I see gay people with gashes in their heads and black eyes from violence in Russia, and I see dead bodies and people mangled in suicide bombings in a church in Pakistan, I see a different perspective on the issue here in America.

Christians and gays are probably the most persecuted groups in the world right now.  We would probably all agree that gays are, but some of you would disagree that Christians are persecuted as much as gays are.  That's probably because you've never been outside America.

Go talk with Christians in Libya, Eritrea, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, India, China, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and North Korea and then come back and tell me that Christians aren't the most persecuted people in the world.

The shared sufferings of both groups should provide ample common ground for American Christians and American gays to come together and talk about the horrors of persecution facing both groups.  As a pastor, I am around Christian people all the time, and not one of them, NOT ONE, Christian I know wants to see gay people jailed, beaten or killed because of who they are.  I would like to believe that gay people don't want to see Christians burned out of their homes, beaten, jailed, and killed for their faith either.

Why can't we sit down at the table and let the shared sufferings we endure be the common ground for understanding?

Yes, we have differences.  So do a lot of people.

But we are also the two most persecuted groups in the world.  I would like to sit at a table with adamantly gay people, hear their stories of persecution, and mourn with them.  I would like for them to listen to what Christians are facing around the world and have them mourn with me.  I would like to identify with the sufferings of gay people in Uganda who are facing a lifetime in prison for their sexual orientation.  I would like for gay activists in America to identify with my friends in Pakistan, India, and Nepal who face daily persecution and danger for their beliefs.

Persecution is the common ground between Christians and gays that we have all been looking for.  Please, both groups, realize that there are people in this world, authorities in this world, that want to stamp you both out.  You have plenty in common.  Yes, you have differences and those have been highlighted and stoked and fanned into flames by people on both sides with the media loving every second of it.  Quit being pawns of the radicals on each side and realize that you both have a common suffering and common persecution.

Let that common persecution bring you two together to empathize and hurt along with the other.  The Bible tells Christians to "Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn."  Well, I'm going to take the first step and mourn with the gay community over the crackdown in Russia where gays are being beaten.  I mourn with you.  I also mourn with the gays in Uganda who are facing jail time over their sexual orientation.  I mourn with you.  I don't want this for anyone. 

Now, gay community, mourn with us.  Mourn and bring to light stories of Christian persecution around the world.  If you are people of prayer, pray for Iraqi and Pakistani Christians who hide themselves on Christmas day instead of celebrating it, fearful of radical Muslims who would like nothing more than to bomb a Christmas gathering.  Thank you in advance. 

Dear America, I hope you learned your lesson yesterday

Dear America,

I hope you learned what opinions you should have and which ones you shouldn't have.

Phil Robertson was just the first victim. 

For forty years now, I've fed you a steady diet of consumerism, sexual perversion, and anti-traditional teaching.  You have consumed it gladly, making stars out of people who flaunt their sin and their shame on national tv.  I started in the 60s with the sexual revolution.  I led the charge.  When American decided to stick its middle finger in God's face, I encouraged it.  I am still encouraging it today.

I've dulled your senses into a Matrix-like existence, feeding you the information I want you to have, shaping your opinions and mindsets with ruthless efficiency.  You have swallowed it all.

I hope you realize what happens when someone has an opinion that differs from the one I've fed you all these years.  I will castigate you, ridicule you, fire you, call you names, insult you, and make an example out of you, you who dare to have an different opinion than me, the Mighty Media.

I, the Mighty Media, tell all you peons what to think.  Then, you peons become my enforcers- just like it was in junior high school, remember?

Remember when one brand was "cool" and another brand wasn't?  I, the Mighty Media, told you that Abercrombie and Fitch is what cool people wear, and then my mindless henchmen (also known as junior high students) enforced my demands on their peers, ridiculing anyone who was wearing anything else.  I set the standard, and you became the enforcer of that standard.

The same is true with beliefs.  I, the Mighty Media, have told you what to believe, and now the people around you are enforcing that belief.  I have told you that sexual perversion, gluttony, consumerism, selfishness, and anything that goes against traditional America is "good."  Anyone who speaks against my agenda will be crucified.  See Phil Robertson, and be warned.  You are next.

I hope you learned what opinions you should have and which ones you shouldn't have.

See, I am actually pushing the most intolerant agenda you've ever seen, and (I laugh at this) it's all in the name of tolerance.  I want to shut down any free thought, any dissenting opinion, anything that goes against what I have fed you for the last forty years.

I am a totalitarian.  I am absolute truth.  I am right.  I cannot and will not tolerate anyone, I repeat, ANYONE, who will undo what I have worked for the last forty years to create.  I have too much invested in my power scheme to quit now.

Just like in the Matrix, if someone were to find out my scheme, try to escape, and try to rescue others, I will send my Agent Smiths after him to shut him down, fire him, ridicule him, marginalize him, and make sure that the others who might share his desire for freedom are warned.

I hope you learned what opinions you should have and which ones you shouldn't have.

In my society, my opinion is the only one that is allowed.  Anyone who has a differing opinion will pay the consequences . . . .  dearly.  I have done more to silence free speech, free thought, and freedom of beliefs than anyone in history.  I see Chairman Mao and Josef Stalin standing in amazement of me- I have made them look like amateurs.

See, they controlled thought and beliefs, but they were seen as tyrants.

I control thoughts and beliefs, but I do it under the guise of moral superiority.

I can't believe the stupidity of the American people, but then again, if they weren't stupid, I wouldn't be able to shut them up so quickly and effectively.  I play on the American's fears of being labelled "racist, bigoted, or homophobic."  Any sign of resistance to my mind-controlling agenda and I throw out one of those terms, and the people shrink back in fear.

I hope you learned what opinions you should have and which ones you shouldn't have.

The happenings of yesterday, America, should tell you one thing.  You are allowed to have one opinion, and one opinion only.  That's the opinion I tell you to have.  If you have any different opinion, you are dead.  You are toast.  We will parade you on the front lines and tar and feather you.  We will be ruthless.  We will not back down.  Our entire system of totalitarianism is based on this society having one opinion, having homogenous thought, having one mode of thinking.  We cannot handle diversity of thought.  We cannot handle differing opinions.  We cannot handle anything of the sort.

Our goal is for mindless robots drinking in our agenda night after night after night.  We want sheep, not free people.

That's why Phil Robertson got fired.  We wanted to give you an example of what will happen to you if you resist our agenda.

I hope you learned your lesson yesterday.

I hope you learned what opinions you should have and which ones you shouldn't have.


Sincerely,
The Mighty Media

How to make a tough decision

We all face tough decisions.

For me, the toughest decision of my life took place on September 15, 2004.  I had to decide whether or not to keep my son on life support.  I had to choose whether my son continued to live, assisted by life support, or whether to let him go.

Yeah.  "Tough decision" might be an understatement.

The doctor had shown us the ultrasound of his heart.  "I have bad news," he said.  "His heart is dead."  I looked at the motionless screen, watching the flow of blood move the wrong direction through his heart, a condition called "backflow."

"We have several options," the doctor continued.  "One, we can put him on a heart transplant list . . . "

I didn't hear anything else he said.  Prior to our son's birth, we knew he would have heart problems.  He was diagnosed at 20 weeks in utero with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which means that his left ventricle didn't develop and never would.  We had researched the options, from surgery to a heart transplant.  We knew the near impossibility of a heart transplant- infant's hearts are very rarely available for transplant, and he would be on anti-rejection meds for the rest of his life even if the transplant was successful, which was doubtful in his case.

When faced with a decision of this magnitude, what would you do?

Now, most of us, God willing, will never have to decide whether our children live or die.  I would not wish that on my worst enemy.  However, we all face tough decisions in life.  Should I stay in this marriage?  Should I take this job?  Should I take responsibility for this mistake when I could probably get away with nobody knowing?

Should I call out my friend who is doing some pretty bad things?  Should I forgive my ex?  Should I take this risk and step out in faith?  The list goes on and on, but one thing is for sure- every one of us will someday face an extremely tough decision if we haven't already.  There is no avoiding it.

When faced with these tough decisions, I used to ask, "What should I do?"  I don't do that anymore.

When the doctor told us the terrible news and was talking about heart transplants, my wife and I looked at each other.  We knew we would have to decide then and there what we would do.  In one of those moments where the Holy Spirit speaks to you in a distinctive way, He said, "David, who are you?"

I didn't quite know what He meant.

I answered, "That doesn't matter.  I need to know what to do.  Do we put him on a transplant list, or do we turn off life support and let him die?"

Again, the Holy Spirit said, "David, who are you?"

I felt the need to fill the Holy Spirit in on what was going on.  I said, "That doesn't MATTER.  I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

A third time, the (very patient) Holy Spirit asked, "David, who are you?"

I realized what was going on.  The Holy Spirit wasn't going to tell me what to do.  That's because I was asking the wrong question.  The Holy Spirit was asking me who I was, because the answer to that question would determine what I would do.

I told the Holy Spirit, "My name is David Kibler. I am a Christian man, a minister of the gospel, husband of Rachel, father of Casey, Elsie, and Jacob, and an uncompromising believer in the promises of God."

The Holy Spirit said quietly, "You know who you are.  Now you know what you should do."

By reminding me of who I am and what I believe, the Holy Spirit showed me what to do.  I am a believer in all the promises of God, including John 14 where Jesus says, "In My Father's house are many rooms, and I go there to prepare a place for you."  I believe in heaven, I believe that life doesn't end when our hearts stop beating, and I believe in God's victory over death.

That's who I am.  That's what I believe.  And that, my friends, led me to know what to do.

I looked at my son.  I could barely see him under the mass of wires and tubes and monitors.  He had a huge gaping hole in his chest from the surgery, covered by a dressing.

"No," I said to the doctor.  "He's been through enough.  We're not going to put him on a transplant list."  I looked at my wife, who looked right back at me in agreement.  "We're going to let him go."

That was the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life.

However, I don't regret it.

That's because I made that decision based on who I am.  I made that decision according to my identity as a Christian, according to my beliefs, according to the promises of God that I believe and would die for.  I am a Christian, and I believe that I am separated from my son for only a period of years, and I will be reunited in heaven with him the day I die.

There are other Christians who would have made a different decision.  That's okay.  Everyone has to make their own decisions when faced with tough circumstances.  However, the question is still the same:

WHO ARE YOU?

Once you know who you are, you will know what it is you should do.  Determine your identity, and make your decision based on what that identity is.  Are you a Christian?  Do what a Christian would do.  Are you a believer in God's Word?  Make your decision according to God's word.  Are you a believer in the promises of God?  Make your decision according to the promises of God.

Don't ever ask, "What should I do?"  Ask, "Who am I?"  Once you determine who you are, then you will know what it is you should do.

Dear Victim of "Affluenza"- I'm not mad at you

Dear Ethan Couch,

I read on the news that you and a bunch of buddies had stolen some beer from a Wal-Mart a few months ago.  Three hours later, you plowed into a car on the side of the road, killing four people and seriously injuring two of your friends.  Your blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit.

I don't know what it's like to be responsible for the deaths of four people, especially at age 16.  You may be thinking a lot about it, or you may not be thinking much about it at all.

Your attorney said you were the victim of "affluenza"- which basically means that you have been given anything and everything you want from the time you were knee-high to a grasshopper.  You've never known want, you've never worked for anything in your life, you've never had to care about anyone other than yourself, and you've never had to sacrifice for anything.

This, undoubtedly, led you to some major character defects.  You're probably arrogant beyond imagine, probably incredibly narcisstic, take lots of selfies, very busy on Instagram, and your life is probably one of constant entertainment- newest iPhone, newest iPad, three video game systems, surround-sound stereo, plasma-screen tv in your room, and just about anything else that you would possibly want.

I'm not mad at you.  The only difference between you and me is that when I drove drunk at age 16, I didn't kill anyone.  I could have, but for some reason, I didn't. 

I, too, grew up in affluence.  My dad is an orthopedic surgeon.  Our dads probably made similar amounts of money, and I would imagine that their social circles were very similar.  I, too, was a white suburban kid who grew up around other white suburban kids who had more opportunity and more wealth than most people would ever dream of having.  Our economic and social backgrounds are almost identical.

However, there was one major difference.  My mom and dad.

My mom and dad didn't spoil me.

My parents, while not embarrassed of the wealth that their hard work and toil achieved, never flaunted it.  They didn't think that people should have everything they wanted.  They especially didn't think that their children should have everything they wanted.

I heard the word "no" more than any other word during my eighteen years in their household.

My parents made it clear that I was going to succeed or fail based on my efforts and my efforts alone.  The day I got suspended for going out to McDonalds (and getting caught by the principal), my parents refused to go to the school to argue in my defense.  Their attitude was, "Well, I guess you shouldn't have skipped school.  I guess you'll be paying for it," and backed up their words by grounding me for two weeks AFTER getting suspended from school for three days.  Therefore, I learned there was no one on my side when I intentionally broke the rules.

My parents wouldn't go to the school to argue with a teacher if I got a bad grade.  Instead, they stood over me and watched me do my homework, making sure I did it fully and correctly.  They didn't allow me to get away with sloppy, half-hearted work, and therefore, I learned responsibility.

My parents spanked me when I lied.  Therefore I learned honesty.

My parents walked in integrity and honesty in front of me.  Therefore I learned to respect authority.

My parents never followed the crowd or gave in to the path of least resistance.  Therefore I learned autonomy and independence.

What I am saying, Ethan, is that you were set up to fail.  I don't blame you.  I blame the current crop of parents who would rather their kids be "happy" than be "good."

I blame the current societal trend of basing the entire household's agenda, schedule, and life around the kids, therefore training them to think they are the center of the universe.

I blame your negligent and child-abusing parents (yes, I said child-abusing, and I'll say it again) who didn't love you enough to build any character in you whatsoever.  They created you- a monster.  A narcissistic, self-centered, egomaniac who has gone through life never being accountable for anything. 

I am sorry for you. 

I am sorry that you are responsible for the deaths of four innocent people because of a stupid mistake you made. 

I am sorry that you didn't get jail time, because that's exactly what you need.  Note that I didn't say "deserve."  I said "need."  You need desperately to be held accountable for your actions, for once in your life.  You need to know that real people get hurt when you are self-centered and think you are above it all. 

I am sorry for your future spouse- I cannot imagine the hell you will put her through thinking that you are above every rule, never will be held accountable, and can always do everything you please.

I am sorry for your future children, who will have a self-centered father who could care less about anything other than getting what he wants.

Most of all, I am sorry for you.  Growing up without any character, being handed the world on a silver platter, is a terrible way to live.  You have never known the joy of struggle- struggling to overcome an obstacle and achieving a victory.  You've never known the empathy that develops within you when you have experienced incredible pain and hardship.  You've never known the joy that comes with generosity and sacrifice, nor have you ever known the satisfaction that exists when you put others' needs in front of your own.

So, I'm not mad at you.  I'm sorry for you.

This world- your parents, the school you attend, and the legal system have all conspired to create the monster that you are.  Let's hope that you are able to overcome the way they have set you up to fail in life.  Let's hope that you are able to gain some perspective and develop some true character so that you will no longer be the victim of "affluenza."

Sincerely,
David Kibler
Former potential victim of affluenza miraculously saved from it by his mean, heartless, strict parents

"Jesus is not repelled by us, no matter how messy we are."

One of the greatest influences on my early Christian years was a man named Mike Yaconelli.  Google him if you want to know more about him- a giant among midgets and one of the most authentic Christians I've ever met.  Well, actually, I only met him once.  I met him more through his books, writings, and love for youth ministers which I was at the time.

I believe my favorite quote of his, from his book Messy Spirituality is this:  "Jesus is not repelled by us, no matter how messy we are, regardless of how incomplete we are.  When we recognize that Jesus is not discouraged by our humanity, is not turned off by our messiness, and simply doggedly pursues us in the face of it all, what else can we do by give in to His outrageous, indiscriminate love?"  (Messy Spirituality, p 27)

In my early years as a Christian, I was haunted by legalism.  It wasn't a legalism I imposed on others; it was a legalism I imposed on myself.  I was never a person to do anything halfway- if I was going to party, I was going to party all the way.  If I was going to play soccer, I was going to play soccer all the way.  If I was going to be a Christian, I was going to be one all the way.

I threw 100% of myself into my faith, but unlike other pursuits, I came up woefully short of where I wanted to be.  For as long as I have been a Christian, I have wanted to be faithful.  I've wanted to trust God with everything, and I have wanted to avoid the sin that put Him on the cross.  For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to live a life of sacrifice, of service; I've wanted to care for the "least of these" as Jesus commands.  To my knowledge, I've never looked at something Jesus said and said, "That's awful, that's bad, that's not something I am ever going to do."

There have been several times I've considered giving up my faith- not because of a doubt of God's existence, or because I didn't want to be faithful, or even because I didn't think God loved me.  The times I have considered giving up my faith were the times when it just seemed like it was impossible to live the life.  I was so afraid of being called a "hypocrite," which is the word that hypocrites use to describe other hypocrites when the other hypocrites don't live out what they believe 100% of the time even though the first set of hypocrites, who like to call other hypocrites "hypocrites," aren't living out what they believe 100% of the time either.

Mike helped me understand that Jesus takes messy people like myself and not only loves us but allows us to accomplish His will . . . .  in spite of ourselves.  I began reading the Bible with new eyes.  The heroes of the faith- Noah, Abraham, David, Peter, Paul, John, all of the people whose faith I was taught to emulate, were incredibly messy people.

Noah's story is probably one of the most popular and well-known stories in the world.  Noah's great faithfulness and courage and righteousness have been chronicled and told and magnified for the last five thousand years.  He was the only one seen as righteous by God- by faith he built the ark, stayed true to God, and was forever remembered as the bastion of godliness we all know him to be.

Most of us don't know what happened next.  Sunday school teachers and preachers don't like to focus on the latter part of Noah's life because it tells a very different story.

Noah went out from the ark and saw the destruction.  Everything he knew was gone.  Everyone he knew- friends, neighbors- all dead and gone.  He was probably struck by the loneliness of it all.  The grief and anguish he felt must have been unbearable.  The Bible tells us that he planted a vineyard and got drunk.  Drunk?  Noah?

Yes.  Noah was human.  He was messy.  I guess dealing with all the pain and loss was too much for even this great man of faith.  I love the fact that the Bible allows us to see that even great men of faith struggle and mess up.  Sometimes they mess up big time.  Yet, the Bible doesn't edit their stories or write them out of God's story.

Here's the good news to all who impose legalism on themselves like I did:  you won't be written out of God's story because of your humanity either.  God is not repelled by the messiness of life.  He's not repelled by your humanity, by your struggles, by your weaknesses, or by what you would consider "bad."  On the contrary, could it be that our humanity is what God finds especially attractive?  Could it be that our failings are the things that He wants to forgive, mend, and demonstrate His glory and goodness through?

The greatness of God is on full display when He dives into the messiness of life and redeems it.  God is not finished with you yet, no matter what you are dealing with.  He is not repulsed by your addictions, by your repeated sins, by your attitude, by your temper, or by your mistakes.  There will never be a time that you will shock God- believe me, He's seen it all and He loves you anyway.

He is great enough and wise enough to know that only love can change people.  It is His love that calls us to Him, away from the things that destroy us, away from toxic lines of thinking, away from addictions that kill us and our relationships, away from sin that leads us to separation.  His love.  He is interested in the whole you- not the presentable you that you like to project when you walk out the door, or the fake you that you present to your "friends" on facebook, or the acceptable you that society says you must be.  He is interested in all of you- the real you, unedited, uncensored, messy, and raw.

As a matter of fact, that's the only you He really cares about.

And I thank God for that.  To some, the fact that God is not repulsed by our humanity is scandalous.  To me, it demonstrates His greatness.  To me, God becomes more precious, more wonderful, more amazing, more beautiful, more powerful, more worthy of worship, than ever before.  Realizing that I can truly be myself- not some brushed-up presentable version of myself that everyone else wants me to be- in God's presence is the most liberating, joyful thing I can imagine.

So, be encouraged today.  I don't know what you are dealing with today, but just know this:  Jesus is not repelled by us, no matter how messy we are."  God bless you, Mike Yaconelli.  Thanks for helping me understand Jesus a little bit better.

The Bible is like Fox News. Or MSNBC, if you prefer. . . .

Ask any liberal this question, "Do you like Fox News?"  "You mean Faux News?" will be the reply, mockery dripping from the words.  "That station is crap.  I get my news from a true source."

Ask any conservative this question, "Do you like MSNBC?"  "You mean BSNBC?" will be the reply, mockery dripping from the words.  "That station is crap.  I get my news from a true source."

The true source, of course, is the source referred to by the other as "crap."

Why does a liberal, who hasn't seen the upcoming news story on Fox News, decide in advance that what will be said there is untrue?  Why does a conservative, who hasn't seen the upcoming news story on MSNBC, decide in advance that what will be said THERE is untrue?

Answer:  we decide in advance where we will find the truth.

Now, this phenomenon is repulsive to "intellectuals" who fancy themselves as being completely open-minded, above pre-judgment, considering all angles and sides and viewpoints, and completely objective.  New flash- no one is objective.  No one.  Everyone comes to evidence or news or thought processes with pre-conceived notions about the truth, as seen by our friends' reactions to Fox News or MSNBC.

What does this have to do with the Bible?

We approach the Bible the same way.

Blasphemy, Dave.

No, it's not.

I was speaking at a youth conference one time, and afterwards they put me in a room to answer questions that the students had.  Naturally, the ones asking questions were for the most part a little on the hostile side to the topic of faith and Christianity.  One of the students, who was apparently fairly intelligent, said, "I don't get why you are into this Christianity stuff.  I mean, you seem like an intelligent person- why do you believe a bunch of stone-age writings and accept that as truth?"

After dealing with the "stone-age writings" and debunking that by taking him through Proverbs and showing him that nothing has really changed, that we all need God's wisdom, I said, "I'll answer your question.  Here it is- are you ready for it?"  You could cut the tension with a knife.

I said, "Because I decided to."

He looked at me blankly.

I said it again.  "I believe in God because I decided to.  Long ago, I decided that God was real and that the Bible was the authoritative, inspired, absolute Word of God, and ever since then, I have been constructing evidence to support that."

He said smugly, "I thought as much."

I said, "What about you?  You're an atheist because you decided to be one.  Long ago, you decided that God was a myth and ever since then you've been constructing arguments against Him.  Don't con me.  Don't give me this pseudo-intellectual mumbo-jumbo that you considered all the evidence, all the angles, all the thoughts, all the writings, all the everything else and that is still what you are doing today.  Somewhere back in time, you made a decision.  You decided to not believe."

"Well," I continued, "I decided the opposite.  I decided TO believe.  In the end, it comes down to faith.  You don't know there is no God.  No one does.  It can't be proved.  I don't know there IS a God.  If I did, there wouldn't be a word called "faith."  So, you and I both had to decide.  So don't give me this condescending nonsense that somehow your beliefs are more intelligent or more real or more thoroughly thought out than mine are.  In the end, you have to decide what you believe."

"The only time we will know we've made the right decision is five seconds after we die," I went on. "We won't and can't know until then.  I feel very confident in my decision to believe, and that's as far as I can go."

He was very quiet.  Then he nodded his head and sat down. 

The same is true of the Bible.  As unintelligent as it sounds, we have to decide beforehand whether we believe the Bible to be true.  It's really not as hard as it sounds- we do that with everything else in life anyway (see again the example of Fox News and MSNBC).  When I approach the Bible, I've already decided in my mind, through faith, that I am reading the very words of God Himself.  Approaching God's word with this attitude is essential to truly understanding the Christian life. 

Many people have legitimate concerns about the Bible.  I acknowledge that.  Others, however, approach the Bible like a conservative approaches MSNBC- antennae up for anything and everything.  It really doesn't matter if the MSNBC hosts tell the truth; they could say the sky is blue and the conservative would shake his head in disgust and call it a lie.  Well, maybe it's not that bad, but you get my point.  Every one of us approaches the Bible with pre-decisions, whether conscious or unconscious.

My challenge to you is to decide.  Decide one way or the other.  Is the Bible the Word of God?  You have to decide.  In faith, you have to decide.  There is plenty of evidence that it is, but in the end it comes down to faith.  If the Bible is God's Word, that has huge implications for our lives.  Recognize what pre-decisions you have brought to God's word, and realize how they are shaping your view of it.

I pray that each of you will decide, in faith, to believe the Bible is God's word.  Like I said, it doesn't sound very intelligent, but it's how we operate.  Decide now, and let your decision forever shape your life.

Parents, do not lay the foundation for atheism in your home

I could categorize 2013 as the year of the "nones."

It seemed like every month there was some new headline showing that people with no religious affiliation were the fastest growing group in America.  The studies all showed younger people (age 18-25) were not interested in church and all that.  Just an aside- the assumption seemed to be that in previous generations, people 18-25 were breaking down the doors to get into church.  Unless I went to an atypical college where EVERYONE slept in on Sunday mornings, I actually had to laugh at that assumption.  Younger people (as a whole) have never been thrilled about church- even in 1 Peter it tells the readers to "flee the evil desires of youth." 

However, there is a correlation here that we need to examine. 

A study of social history will show that when we were mostly an agrarian society, faith in God was the norm.  When we lived off the land, when we hunted for sustenance, when we farmed and produced our own food, when we went outside for walks instead of staying inside watching tv, faith in God was everywhere.  Why?

Whatever world we live in determines what we have faith in.

When we immerse ourselves in the natural world- the REAL world, the world of wind, rain, hot and cold; when we immerse ourselves in the real world of rivers, mountains, grassy fields, animals and insects; when we immerse ourselves in the real world of oceans, thunderstorms, rain and rainbows, we are drawn to God.  Even if we are not drawn to God, even the most non-religious of us all will admit that this world is not a creation of humans.  It is not something we designed nor is it something we sustain. 

However, when we immerse ourselves in the online digital world- the fake world of video games, "reality" tv, movies, sitcoms, Disney channel, and youtube; when our world is fed to us from the safety of our climate-controlled homes in seven minute increments interrupted by five minutes of consumerism; when our preferred mode of life is to experience life vicariously through actors on a screen pretending to do things, it is very easy to discount God.  After all, we aren't even living in the world He created.

If we immerse ourselves in a human-made online digital world, we will worship the creator(s) of that world.  Ourselves. 

We will push God off the throne, because He is no longer the creator of the world we live in.

The rise of the digital world also saw a rise in the "nones."

The "nones"- primarily young people aged 18-26 or so, have never known anything other than the digital world.  They have never known a time without the internet, never known a time without hi-tech video games, never known a time when they weren't connected to each other instantly by cell phone.  They have never, unless intentionally forced by a parent or by their own decision, been in a place where digital entertainment wasn't the norm.  They have been brought up in a totally fake, digitized, man-made, man-centered world.  Why WOULD they have any faith in God?

God is found in the stillness; in the quiet.  The environment that you surround yourself with literally shapes your mind and forms your consciousness.  Adults have unwittingly laid the foundations for atheism and agnosticism in their children by allowing them to immerse themselves in non-reality.  How can young people find God when their "world" doesn't have a single trace of Him?

I would like to see a scientific study testing religious belief and amount of time spent in front of a screen every day. 

My hypothesis is that there would be a very strong correlation between people who say they have no religious affiliation and more than five hours of screen time per day.

Children in America average seven hours of screen time (tv, internet, video games, etc- sitting passively in front of some kind of screen) per day.  Hmmm- and we are seeing a sharp rise in the "nones?"  Well of course we are!  God doesn't approach us when we are constantly being entertained.  God approaches us when we immerse ourselves in reality- in the natural world, in the world of His creation.

God approaches us in all His wildness and untamedness when we are camping out and a thunderstorm hits.  God approaches us in the quiet of an early morning walk on the beach.  God approaches us in the breathtaking beauty of the Grand Teton Mountains or the thundering power of Niagara falls.  When we are in the real world- a world that is not of our creation, where we are not spoon-fed life through a screen, we are far more likely to experience the closeness and fellowship of God.

Parents, do not lay the foundation for atheism in your home. Do not allow your children to immerse themselves in a fake, man-made, digitized world.  Do not let them settle for experiencing life from the couch, watching actors pretend to do things or following pre-programmed excursions on an Xbox.  Force your children to experience the real world.  Turn off the screen and send them outside.  Plan a family outing where they will be confronted with real beauty, real wonder, real life . . . .  REALITY. 

Allow your children to live in the real world.  The natural world. The one where God rules and is sovereign.  It's not pre-packaged, it's not pre-programmed, and it's not accessible from your couch.  But it is real.  And it's real good.

It is arrogance, not intelligence, that leads a person away from God

One of the underlying cultural assumptions is that the more intelligent a person is, the less likely he is to embrace faith.  Certainly there are some statistics that could be interpreted this way- college graduates are less likely than high school graduates to attend church, and so on and so forth.

The cultural assumption is that faith is fine for the unintellectual and the non-educated lower classes among us; atheism is reserved for the college professors, the intellectual elite, the cultured, etc.

Which is basically a bunch of hogwash.

Mark Twain once said, "We must be careful to only learn the lesson being presented, or we run the risk of being like the cat who sat down on the hot stove lid.  She will never sit on a hot stove lid again, but she will also not sit on a cold stove lid either."

What Mark Twain was saying is to make sure that we draw the correct conclusions from the evidence presented.  The fact that so many of the "cultural elites" and folks in academia are not into faith, and in fact make a good pastime of sneering at anyone who is, is not the result of their intelligence.

It is a result of their arrogance.

One only has to look at the absolute brilliance of people like CS Lewis, St Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine, John Wesley, John Calvin, Martin Luther, and the millions of others who contributed to the rich intellectual history of Christianity to see that people of faith are not intellectually destitute.  However, each one of these brilliant intellectual giants had one thing in common:  they had enough humility to realize the limits of human intelligence and wisdom.  They had enough self-awareness to realize they were mortal; they realized they were not God, and they were humble enough to acknowledge a power greater than themselves.

This is the difference:  it is not intelligence that leads people away from God.  It is arrogance that leads people away from God.

Before I go any further, I am not calling all atheists arrogant.  There are very kind, humble people whose intellectual pursuit has taken them on a path away from God.  That's fine.

However, the difference between the intellectual defenders of Christianity and the intellectual bashers of Christianity is in the amount of arrogance the bashers possess.

I found that the intellectual challenges of Christianity actually led me towards God.  I was not content with secular explanations of the beginning of the universe, the miracle of life, and the purpose of man.  I was certainly not content with the end results of atheism:

1) Moral relativism (nothing is right or wrong- everything is up to the individual, and therefore rape, murder, infanticide, etc are all morally justifiable because it may not be "wrong" in one person's eyes to commit those atrocities).

2)  Because there is no higher power governing people, man-made government becomes the highest authority on earth.  Since there is no Creator, people are not endowed with natural rights.  Therefore, they are given rights at the whim of a government, who is the sole determiner of good and bad.  Lord help us.

3)  Lessening of the sanctity of life.  The end result of atheism is that we are all over-evolved pieces of bacteria- some of the lucky ones to make it off the top of the pond.  Therefore, since you were not made in God's image, there is nothing sacred about you, nothing special about you- why not kill you?  Why not degrade you?  Why not turn you into a human slave?  Why not abort you if you are inconveniencing me?  This is atheism full-grown.

4)  Despondency and despair.  The primary drive in humanity is not for sex- it is for purpose.  Atheism robs humanity of purpose- life is an accident.  All the knowledge we accumulate will be lost when we die.  All the striving we undertake- all the work we do, all the family we have, all the friendships, all the labor, all the toil- it is for nothing.  We came from nowhere and we are going nowhere, so life is futile.  This leads to despondency and despair- especially as we near the end of our lives.

Intellectually, Christianity was much more stimulating and exciting to me.  I don't believe in moral relativism and wouldn't want to live in a world dominated by it.  I don't think government is the final authority and the highest power on earth (if it were, the Nuremburg trials were a complete farce, because Hitler did not break one single rule in Germany.  What he did was perfectly legal from the standpoint of the Third Reich- he did not violate one single law.  Yet, the world condemns him.  Why?  Because no one believes that government is the highest authority out there.  We believe in an absolute right and wrong.  However, if atheism is true, where does that absolute sense come from?)  I believe life is sacred, and I don't want to live a life of despondency and despair.  Why would atheism appeal to me intellectually?

The problem is arrogance.  Arrogance gives us an untrue view of ourselves.  It interferes with reality and makes us think we are smarter, more powerful, and more intellectual than we truly are.  Arrogance puts humanity- human wisdom, human wants, human needs, and human explanations -at the center of reality.  Christianity does just the opposite.  Christianity kicks humanity off the throne and puts God there, forcing the humans to admit that they are not in control, not the end-all-be-all of existence, and that we can't do anything we want, whenever we want.

This is what the arrogant mind cannot accept.  The arrogant mind cannot conceive of anything greater than itself, and therefore, abhors any mention of God or His will.  The arrogant mind is like a spoiled 14-year-old who doesn't want to admit that he has parents, needs parents, or that his parents might know better.  He has had a little taste of education, a little success in the classroom, and therefore thinks he knows it all.  The arrogant mind, possessed by so many "intellectuals" and "cultural elites," cannot fathom a greater being, and therefore mocks and insults any mention of Him.

Don't be like the cat that sat on the hot stove lid.  Don't be intimidated by the thought that atheists hold the intellectual high ground- don't draw the wrong conclusion.  It is arrogance, not intelligence, that is the biggest stumbling block to faith.  If you see some "super-smart" individual who is "too smart for faith," you can make a safe bet that it is his arrogance, not his intelligence, that has led him away from God.

Am I calling all non-believers arrogant?  No.  Am I calling all Christians humble?  No.  I am addressing a line of thought that is just accepted by the majority of people in this world- that atheists occupy the intellectual high ground and that Christians are lower on the rung.  I think we have drawn the wrong conclusion.  Many times, a high intellect leads to a high level of arrogance.  Not always, but many times it does.  It is this accompanying arrogance, not the intellect, that causes a person to deny God.  Let us not make the mistake of drawing a correlation between intelligence and atheism.  The correlation is much, much stronger between arrogance and atheism.

A Small Parenting Win that Saved My Sanity

I'm a pastor, which is what influences this blog most often.

However, I'm also a dad.  I'm a dad who was being driven crazy by my wonderful, amazing seven-year-old son who couldn't seem to get going in the morning.

I was literally going nuts.

My wife works Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and she leaves fairly early, so on those days it is my job to get our three kids ready for school.  My older two are good- they take care of themselves.  My son, however, can't seem to get out of bed.  When he finally gets out of bed, he can't seem to get dressed.  When he finally gets dressed, he can't seem to make it downstairs to the breakfast table.

So, what this resulted in was me standing over him constantly saying, "SON!  GET OUT OF BED!"  "SON, GET DRESSED!"  "SON, WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!"  I was literally losing my mind.  My son is such a great kid- kind, caring, athletic, outgoing, polite . . . .  but he could care less about being on time to ANYTHING. 

He has to be at school by 8 am.  We would fly out the door at 7:55, and I would speed through the neighborhood to get him to school before he was tardy.  By the end of the experience, I was angry, in a bad mood, and he was completely and totally unfazed by it all.

I also noticed something that bothered me even more:  my constant comments about what he should be doing was actually making the situation worse.  He was taking less and less initiative.  I was training him to wait for me to tell him what to do.  This is what happens when parents grab the reins and forget to teach the child to do things on his own.

Things were getting worse.

Well, I decided things had to change.  He had to start taking ownership of his morning routine AND getting ready on time.

Solution:  I decided to make his current mode of operation cost him.

My son has a group of friends that he plays with every afternoon.  It is like clockwork:  he comes home, and within three minutes, the doorbell rings and he is out the door to play.  We usually have to drag him in by the scruff of his neck when it's dinnertime.  He loves to play outside with his friends.

So, a few mornings ago, Sam was doing his usual dawdling morning routine . . . AGAIN, and I was getting angry . . . .  AGAIN.  However, I looked at him and simply said, "Sam, I'm tired of constantly telling you to hurry up.  From now on, if we do not leave the house by 7:45, you will not play with your friends that afternoon."

He looked at me to see if I was serious.

I looked back at him to tell him I was serious.

He said, 'Okay."

The next morning, he set his alarm ten minutes earlier.  He ran downstairs, ate breakfast, packed up his lunch, brushed his teeth, got on his coat, and was ready to go . . . . . . at 7:15 am. 

He proudly pointed at the clock and said, "Look daddy, 7:15!  Now I have time to play!"  He scampered off to play with Legos, which, before this new rule, he was doing instead of getting ready.

My son learned that his first priority was to do what NEEDED to be done; afterwards, he could do what he WANTED to do.

I gave him a simple deadline to meet.  As long as we were walking out the door by 7:45, he could do anything he wanted.  That gave him incentive- to play with the friends, he needs to be on time.  It also gave him freedom- he was free to do anything he wanted, budget his own time, do things in any order that he wanted, as long as he was ready to go by 7:45.

Incentive plus freedom = ownership.

Now, my son owns his morning routine.  I have not had to tell him to hurry up one time since.  He is typically ready before 7:30, and he spends those minutes playing or talking with his sisters.  We have left the house every morning by 7:45.  I haven't raised my voice once.

Parents, if you are having trouble with your kids, try the formula above.  Give your kids real incentive to do what needs to be done, and also give them freedom to figure out the "how" on their own.  They will own it for themselves, plus, it will be another step towards the independence they need in adulthood.

Plus, I actually enjoy the mornings now.

"Made a Difference to That One!"

We are all influenced by our upbringing.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

My work with the Amachi program (mentoring children of incarcerated inmates) and the Inside/Out Dad program in the Fayette County Detention Center has taught me several things, and among them is that the family you grow up with can either be a conduit of blessing or a conduit of sin. 

God's word states that "the sins of the father are visited upon the children," and I can attest to the validity of that statement.  One of the inmates in my Inside/Out Dad class had fourteen children by eleven different women.  Bad?  Actually, he's the success story in the family- he was one of twenty children that his father had by nineteen different women. 

That cycle of sin was all he knew.  It became a death spiral that dragged him down without him even knowing it.  He was simply carrying on what he had been shown by his father.

And so it goes with all of us- there are cycles of sin that all families contain, and we have the opportunity and the obligation to identify and break as many of those as we can.  If divorce is a cycle of sin in your family, and you grew up in a divorced home, you can resolve to be the last one in your family to grow up in a divorced home.  It stops with you.  No more.  You will break the cycle of divorce that was passed down to you by your parents, and probably their parents, and you will establish wholeness in your family from this point forward.

If drug addiction is a cycle of sin in your family, you have the same opportunity.  You can break that cycle, that vicious death spiral, and be set free to bless your future family with wholeness in the name of God.  If bitterness, or criticism, or unforgiveness, (or whatever your family's cycle of sin is) is affecting you, you can be the last one in your family to experience it.  You can break that cycle by the power of the Holy Spirit and set your family, or future family, on the course to blessing by God.

Because cycles of blessing are just as much a part of families as cycles of sin are.

A faithful family- a family devoted to the Word of God- many times will continue that blessing from generation to generation.  As I was celebrating Thanksgiving with my family, I reflected over the fact that nowhere in the history of my family is there one instance of divorce.  My parents, my wife's parents, all our grandparents, our great-grandparents, and as far back as anyone can remember- they were all married for life.  Please don't think I am bragging.  I am astounded, actually.  I realize how rare that is, and I don't take it for granted.  The cycle of blessing- the cycle of wholeness in families, has been passed down.  Someone far back in my ancestry decided to make marriage a priority and to tough it out through thick and thin, and began a cycle of blessing that continues today.

Today, I attended the celebration of an adoption.  As I was talking with her adoptive parents, who were overjoyed at the fact that the sweet little girl is now theirs, I heard the story of where she came from.  It was nothing but brokenness- drug addiction, siblings by multiple fathers, no stability, no trust, no safety.  This sweet little girl was going to grow up in that environment and was most likely going to repeat the cycle of sin and brokenness, because that's all she would have ever known.

Adoption breaks that death spiral cycle.  This sweet little girl now has a loving home- loving parents who are committed in Godly marriage, three siblings by those same married parents, no drugs, no violence, no threat of the state taking away the children.  This little girl has been uprooted out of a dysfunctional story, one with a very probable terrible ending, and has been transplanted into a story where she actually has a chance at peace, wholeness, and love.

I am extremely pro-adoption.  Witnessing the events of today make me even more so.  Looking at the chance that this little girl has now leaves me no doubt that this is the right thing to do.  The death spiral cycle of sin, abuse, neglect, and crime have been completely erased from her life, and now she has what every child wants- a loving home and two loving parents.

There is so much brokenness in this world- there are more than 7000 children in the foster care system in Kentucky alone.  This family adopted one child.  You may say that isn't much.  1/7000th is a pretty small number.

I'm reminded of the story of a man walking on the beach at low tide.  He saw scattered on the beach thousands of starfish that had been washed up by the tide.  As he walked, he saw another man approaching him.  The man was picking up one starfish at a time and throwing them back into the sea.  "Friend," the first man said, "I'm interested in what you are doing."

The second man said, "I'm throwing the starfish back into the sea.  They'll die if they stay here on the beach."

The first man said, "But there are thousands of starfish washed up here.  You can't possibly throw them all back in.  You can't make that big a difference."

The second man leaned over, picked up a starfish, and threw him into the sea.  "Made a difference to that one!" he said, and walked on.

Thank you, friends of mine, who made a difference to one child.  You can't adopt all of them, but you can adopt one.  You can't break the cycles of all the dysfunctional families in this world, but you can break the cycles of one.  You can't give hope to all the children, but you can give hope to one child.  And to that one child, what you have done means more than he or she will ever know this side of heaven.

Jesus said it all in Matthew 25:  "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink . . . . I was a scared child growing up in a crime-ridden, hopeless home and you became My parents.  You loved Me, provided for Me, put up with My trust issues, and gave Me a chance at life."

I believe my friends will hear those words from Jesus Himself when they stand before Him.  Well done.  Enjoy the newest addition to your family- looks like Jesus has just come to live with you.

We don't think God is that great

It's Sunday morning.

I get here very early- the church is empty.  It's going to be get very crowded and noisy here in about two hours, but right now, it's very quiet.  I like being here early to prepare, to pray, to go through my sermon a few times, and just to be here in case anything goes wrong like a toilet overflowing or a heating element that goes out- those typically happen most often on Sunday mornings.

As I was sitting in my office, praying, I realized that most of us don't think God is all that great.

How many of us are going to skip church this morning, not because we hate God or don't believe in Him, but because we aren't anticipating a huge move or a huge encounter with Him this morning?

Oh, how low our expectations of God are.

How many of us will come to church anticipating seeing friends and family, anticipating a good sermon, anticipating good worship, but not anticipating an encounter with the God of the universe?

Oh, how low our expectations of God are.

How many of us ministers have prepared sermons but aren't expecting a huge move of the Holy Spirit?  How many of us have prepared Biblically-accurate but power-absent sermons, relegating the sermon to mere information instead of preaching radical transformation . . . . . .  because we don't think God is powerful enough or present enough to really do anything significant?

Oh, how low our expectations of God are.

How many of us spent last night preparing to encounter God?  How many of us will not even think about God until we roll into the church parking lot ten minutes late?  Would we meet with a famous athlete that way?  Would we meet with a great leader that way?  Many of us are more on-time to a Black Friday sale than we are to church. 

Oh, how low our expectations of God are.

How many of us go to our places of worship on Sunday morning expecting to hear life-changing words, expecting to connect personally and intimately with God, expecting people to be healed, expecting to be challenged, expecting a closeness with our church community, and expecting the supernatural? 

Maybe there are a few.  I might be one of them.  Some Sundays, I might not be.

I've just realized that I don't think God is all that great.

Oh sure, I believe in Him.  I even love Him dearly.  I would even go so far as to say that He is everything to me, He's my hero, He's everything I would want to be in life, He's everything good and perfect and pure and holy.  I can say that without lying.

But do I think He is great?  Do I think He's powerful? 

Yes.

But am I expecting something miraculous this Sunday morning?

No.  Oh, how low my expectations of God are.

I'm glad the Holy Spirit woke me up to this problem this morning.  I'm glad He motivated me to share it with you.

Because now I'm expecting something miraculous this Sunday morning as I meet with my beloved and awesome church family.  My words to all Christians everywhere this Sunday morning- expect the miraculous.  God is bigger and greater and more powerful than we could ever imagine.  Don't make the mistake of having low expectations of God.

Have a blessed and miraculous Sunday morning.

Why I need an alarm system for my home

I was watching tv the other day and I saw an ad for a home alarm system.  The voiceover said, "This elaborate home safety system protects all that you hold dear; keeping your things safe 24/7."

This time of year always brings out the grouch in me- at least, that's what people say.  I love Christmas and I love Thanksgiving, and I hate the commercialization and materialism that marks what should be a religious holiday season.  Many times I find myself being more grouchy than thankful, more of a curmudgeon than a celebrant, and more of a clanging cymbal than a person expressing love. 

I watched this ad and something just sat wrong with me.  In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

So, number one, I'm not supposed to store up things that a thief would want to break in and steal.

However, this ad was telling me that I needed a security system to protect what Jesus said not to have in the first place.

How many of us will not only disobey Matthew 6:19, but also will buy a home security system to protect it?

Now, I'm not against home security systems.  There are people who live in neighborhoods where they do not feel safe and they need something if someone were to break in to try to hurt or kill them.  I get that.  I am not knocking home security systems.

I'm upset by the need for them.

I'm upset that Christians would live lives of such affluence that they feel the need to protect that which Jesus said not to have.

I'm upset that Christians place such a high premium on worldly goods.

I'm upset that there are some Christians whose attachment to "treasures on earth that can be stolen or destroyed" is identical to people who are non-Christians.

I'm upset that the celebration of the birthday of the Man who said, "Do not store up treasures here on earth" is marked by exactly what He said not to do- frenzied consumerism, gluttonous buying, sales goals, an onslaught of catalogs, and unbridled materialism rather than a sacrificial obedience to His command and sacrificial following of His lifestyle.

I'm upset that we have designed an entire industry around protecting the very things Jesus said not to have.

I love Christmas.  I truly do.  I love the traditions, the carols, the decorations, the time with family.  I love gathering as a family and lighting advent candles, singing Christmas hymns around a table with my family.  I love what Christmas represents- God's gift of His only Son to a world that would reject Him and crucify Him, not knowing what it was doing.  I love Jesus and what He taught.

I just wish we didn't have anything that a thief would want to steal, and therefore would have no need for security systems.  I wish we all had ALL of our treasure in heaven, where there is no need for a security system.  

This picture pretty much sums up my opinion of Black Friday and the ensuing holiday shopping season:

See why people call me a grouch?  I'm truly sorry- I don't mean to insult anyone or be a grouch.  It's just that when I read Matthew 6:19, and I look at the season coming upon us with all the buying and consuming and "storing up of treasures here," I just can't get them to coincide.  Could it be that Jesus would have us celebrate His birthday much differently than we celebrate it?
 

She called me "Dad."

I'm not her father.

We don't have the same skin color, the same language, or the same culture.  We don't have the same address, upbringing, or address.  She lives in a country that is all the way on the other side of the world.

Why would she call me "dad?"

I've only seen her once, and I don't even remember seeing her when I was there.

Yet, she called me "dad."

There are only four people in this world who have the right to call me dad.  By birth, that is.  My four children that my wife and I gave birth to have the right to call me dad.  This little girl isn't one of them.

And yet I'm a complete mess.  I'm bawling my eyes out.

See, in her eyes, I'm her father.  In her eyes, my wife is her mother.  That's because we are the closest things to parents she's ever had.  We send her $25 a month, write a few letters, and pray for her.  That hardly qualifies as a parent, don't you think?  If any parents here in America did only that for their children, they would be locked up for neglect.

And yet, that's better than she's ever had it.  She's an orphan.  She lost her parents a while ago and now has nobody.  So when a couple in America sends $25 -less money than they would spend on one meal for themselves-  to her for an entire month's provisions, she adopts them as parents and calls them Mom and Dad.

Like I said before, I'm a complete mess.  Why am I crying like this?

I didn't use to like children.  I didn't grow up around kids.  I was the typical guy that got very annoyed with crying children.  I didn't want to hold them, didn't want to play with them, and I sure wasn't going to change any diapers or play horsey or anything like that.  Whenever a baby was present, the girls all fawned over him or her, and I stayed away.  Kids annoyed me to no end.

When I became a father, all of that changed.  I truly love children.  I love being called "Daddy."  I love being the strong protector.  I love watching them learn, grow, develop, and succeed.  I love all that.  But I am seriously asking myself why this orphan's words to me have affected me so deeply.

I believe it's because I once was an orphan too.  All of us are, or were, at some point.

The Bible says that God adopts us as His own when we become followers of Him.  We aren't just part of an impersonal crowd that hopes to get a glimpse of some rock-star celebrity.  He truly becomes our Father.  We are orphans without a dad, and He adopts us as His own.

That little girl in India didn't know me.  She only knew that some people in America provided her with what she needed- food, clothing, shelter, and education.  Before I was a Christian, I didn't know God.  I just knew that He provided me with what I needed- forgiveness of my sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit within me to guide me.

She accepted me as her father.  I accepted God as my Father.

She spoke to me, calling me Dad.  I spoke to God, calling Him Dad.

My goodness, is this emotion I am feeling right now- is this the emotion God feels when one of us becomes a follower of His?  Is this what God experiences when He adopts us as His children?  Does God cry like I am right now, moved to the point of tears that there is another person calling Him "Dad?"

I can't see it any other way.  Of course He does.

What an amazing God we serve.

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."  John 14:18

Finding Jesus in the most unlikely place

The big black guy in the orange jumpsuit said, "Why don't you pray for us now?"

I was in a cell with thirteen inmates finishing up my class on Fatherhood.  I told them that I was a pastor and that I truly cared for them, and that I prayed for them, their children, and their families every day.  I had just told them that if they had anything specific they wanted me to pray for during the week to let me know.

That's when the big guy spoke up.

I told him, "I would be happy to, but . . . " I looked around at the guys.  "If any of you are uncomfortable with me praying right now, you guys can go."

Nobody moved.

The big guy said, "In here, we need all the prayer we can get.  Go ahead."

So I prayed.  I prayed for each of the men by name.  I prayed for God to encourage them, that the walls, the bars, the security, the concrete, the guards wouldn't cause them to feel hopeless.  I prayed that God would give them peace; I prayed that they would know that God wasn't finished with them yet.  I prayed that they would have the deep fellowship with Christ that the thief on the cross had- the one to whom Jesus said, "Today, you will be with me in paradise."  I prayed for their children- that God would be their father while the men were in prison.  I prayed for protection for their loved ones, and I prayed that each one would lead a changed life- a life devoted to Jesus Christ.

It seemed so awkward- leading a prayer service in a jail cell.  Or was it?  Where did Jesus say we would find Him?  In Matthew 25, Jesus clearly states that He is found in the least of these- the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the incarcerated.  Why would a prayer service in a jail cell with thirteen convicted criminals be so awkward?

After I said "Amen," I noticed a change.

About half the class was outgoing and friendly.  The other half, especially the men of a different race than me, were more quiet and suspicious.  However, after the prayer, the wall came down.

The men who had been rather standoffish approached me, shook my hand and gave me a hug.  They thanked me over and over again, making me promise to be there next week.  I also noticed a connection with the men in my own heart at that moment.

The Gospel unites people. 

Jesus breaks down walls.

Here I am, a guy who grew up in the wealthy suburbs, the son of an orthopedic surgeon, white, privileged, given every opportunity to succeed in life connecting with men who have been habitual criminals, drug users, abusers, thieves; men of different races who grew up in poverty and crime-riddled areas; men who grew up, not on traveling select soccer teams, but in gangs that roamed the streets.  What could bring together men of that different backgrounds and lifestyles?

A prayer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Once again, the beauty of the Christian faith was demonstrated to me.  The beauty of what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has done for us.  The beauty of the Gospel.  What I experienced was only possible because Jesus loved us enough to die on the cross for our sins- that we may all be forgiven, cleansed, purified, and united.  The love that Jesus showered on the world is now available to us all.

What an amazing Savior we have.  Praise God for His mercy.

Christianity's Greatest Threat

There are all kinds of problems facing Christianity.  This is not news- it has been that way from the beginning.  Whether it is persecution from Roman authorities, corruption and sale of indulgences in the Middle Ages, extremism from Islamists, or sexual misconduct among clergy, one thing is for sure- the Church has always faced problems.

So what is the greatest threat Christianity has ever faced?  I believe that threat is something that we are facing right now and it is becoming more and more pronounced every day.

Some would say the biggest threat to Christianity is a militant homosexual agenda.  I don't think that is it.  Some would say the biggest threat to Christianity is growing governmental interference.  Again, I don't think that is it.  Some would say the biggest threat to Christianity is the persecution going on all over the world.  While this is a big deal, I still don't think that is the biggest problem.

This is what I think the biggest threat to Christianity is. 

We have turned the Great Commission into the "Great Option" and have moved Jesus' command to "go into all the world and make disciples" to the shoulders of professional, paid clergy.

Seriously- are you making disciples?  Are you even a disciple yourself?

Why have we turned the clear words of Jesus- "MAKE DISCIPLES"- into something that is optional?  When did that become the sole responsibility of pastors?  Is there anyone, even serious dedicated Christians, that would say that making disciples is a priority in his or her life?

Sadly, the answer is no. 

God has set up life in stages- you move from being a child to being an adult.  One of the marks of adulthood- physical adulthood, that is- is the ability to reproduce.  Right?  As children, our bodies are incapable of reproducing.  As adults, however, we gain that ability as our bodies physically mature.  In fact, adults who are unable to reproduce have some kind of biological problem.  The default state of mature adult human beings is reproduction.

The same is true for Christians.  When we are immature in our faith, we don't have the ability to make disciples.  However, as we grow in the faith, we gain that ability.  Following that logic, if you are not making disciples- replicating your character and faith in another person- then one of two things is going on- you are either immature or you have a problem.  The default mode for a disciple of Jesus Christ is to make disciples.

So, which is it?  If you are not actively engaged in making disciples, are you immature or do you have a problem?  If you are immature in your faith, that is okay.  We don't criticize children for not being able to reproduce- in fact, if children could reproduce, it would be a disaster.  It's actually a good thing for an immature Christian NOT to be able to make disciples.  Your challenge, like the child, is to grow and mature in your faith before you can make any disciples.

However, if you have been in the faith for awhile and you are not immature in your faith, and you are not actively engaged in making disciples, you have a problem.  Yes, you do.  You have taken the command of Jesus and made it into something that is an option for you.  Do you think Jesus takes this lightly?  Do you think that He was kidding when He gave us the Great Commission, saying, "I say this to you, but you really don't have to take it seriously.  I mean, it's really not that important for people to walk with Me.  It's really not that important that people surrender their lives to Me.  It's far more important for you to live your own life accomplishing your own goals.  I get that.  But if you have ANY of amount of time whatsoever, would you PLEASE at least consider maybe making a disciple, pretty please?"

This is the greatest threat facing Christianity- Christians who do not make disciples.  That's it.  The problem isn't out there- the problem is inside.  It is inside our churches, inside the hearts of believers, and it will destroy the church.  Churches that are filled with people who prioritize making disciples are great churches indeed.  Churches that relegate disciple-making to professional paid clergy are awful. 

So what about you?  Can you honestly look at God and say, "I take making disciples as seriously as You do?"  Have you been guilty of making the Great Commission the Great Option . . . .  and opted out?  If so, you need to repent.  You need to repent of that as strongly as you would repent of the sin of adultery, or murder, or kidnapping, or embezzlement, or theft, or any other sin.  You need to ask God's forgiveness for all the missed opportunities to grow His kingdom.  You need to ask God's forgiveness for ignoring something that He specifically commanded us to do.

Then, you need to find someone and disciple him or her.  Begin to replicate your faith in another person.  Find the person who needs to grow in his or her faith and guide them.  It may be that you actually win this person to Christ.  Once you win him or her to Christ, teach that person the faith.  Walk with him or her through the dark valleys of life.  Teach that person the Scriptures. 

This is the way faith is passed on.  This is the way the world changes.  To change the world, you have to change people.  Only the gospel of Jesus can change people.  Disciples are people who make other disciples.  Let's not settle for playing church anymore- let's not settle for a watered-down version of the words of Jesus- "Go into all the world and make disciples"- like we have for so long.  Let's take seriously His command and prioritize the making of disciples in our lives.  At the end of the day, at the end of your life, it's going to be the only thing that matters.

Why do Christians seem to like guns so much? Part 2

As a student of history, I love looking at trends throughout the world in different cultures, different countries, different governmental philosophies, and so on and so forth.  I enjoy learning the lessons from history and applying them to my life.

The Miss America Pageant has taught us two things- one, everyone wants world peace, and two, it ain't happenin'.

Why?

History has shown us that peace will only happen one of two ways.  In order to live in peace, one of two things absolutely has to happen.

One, we will have to trust in the inherent goodness of people.  We have to turn from being selfish, self-centered, immoral people to being decent, law-abiding, wonderful people.  All criminals will have to stop being criminals, all nations will have to stop going to war, all terrorists will have to stop blowing up buildings and shooting up shopping malls, and all bullies will have to stop bullying.

That's option #1.  I'm not too optimistic about that one.

Option #2, though, is observable throughout history.  Here it is:  there must be a balance of power.

I am a child of the 1980s- I grew up in the waning days of the Cold War.  I grew up under the threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union constantly in the back of my mind.  However, nuclear war with the USSR never happened.  Why?

Was it because the USSR was a good, moral country with concern for human life?  Hardly.

It was because they knew that if they nuked us, we'd nuke them back.  They would have nothing to gain and would lose everything.  In other words, there was a balance of power.  Therefore, there was peace.

It is this way in everything- where power is balanced, there is peace.  Countries that are mutually capable of defending themselves from the others are rarely, if ever, invaded.  When everyone has the same amount of power, the people live in peace.  Only when there is an imbalance of power- one side has more than the other- is there the threat of war or hostilities.  A major imbalance of power resided in Germany and Poland in 1939.  The Wehrmacht was light years more sophisticated and deadly than the Polish army- the Wehrmacht Panzer tanks easily slaughtered the Polish cavalry (yes, cavalry as in horses versus tanks) in the blitzkrieg.  Where there is no balance of power, there is tension, warfare, and lack of peace.

This is also true within a country.  Yesterday I wrote about the seemingly contradictory phenomenon that the most peaceful and non-aggressive people in the world- Christians- seem to value gun ownership highly.  Private gun ownership is essential to balancing the power between the people and the government.

When there is a balance of power between the people and the government, there is peace.  If the government is armed and the people are armed, there is peace.  If one side is armed and the other is not, there will be hostility and oppression resulting in tyranny.  Christians know that having a balance of power is essential to a free society where liberty and freedom are a reality. 

I would challenge anyone who disagrees with me to name one tyrannical dictator who allows his people to keep and bear arms. 

A few years ago, I played soccer with a bunch of students from Iran.  As we were hanging out on the sidelines, I asked them about the Iranian president at the time- Mahmoud Admadinijad (spelling?)- and what they thought of him.  "Everyone in the world hates us because of him," one student said.  Another student told me that his uncle had been killed by the Iranian government for political dissent. 

I asked why, if everyone hated him so much, do the people not rise up and throw him out.  They said, "We can't.  The government has all the guns.  We aren't allowed to own weapons."  They were shocked when I told them that in America, you could walk into any shop and simply buy one, that the right to keep and bear arms was not only legal, but was protected in our Constitution.  Their jaws literally dropped.

See, in Iran, there is no balance of power between the people and the government.  Therefore, there is tyranny.  The Iranian government would think twice about oppressing its people if the people were armed.  There would be no arrests for political dissent, no oppression, no tyranny.  There would be peace.

The same is true in any society, any culture, and any people.  Having a balance of power is essential to a free society.  I would almost go as far as to say that gun ownership is essential to having a free society.  I know there are many who disagree with me, but if they were honest with themselves, they are operating under the assumption of Option #1- that people are good and virtuous and peace will naturally happen because that's just what good people do.

Like I said yesterday, Christians are peaceful people.  Jesus had no time for the gun-totin' shoot-first-ask-questions-later cowboy thing that some people have going on.  That's not what I am talking about.  Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek, to be willing to suffer for being wronged, to pray for our enemies and love those that persecute us.  That is clear in His teaching.  Please don't think that I am advocating violence or anything like that.  I am advocating for peace.  I am simply saying that peace is only achieved in two ways- the goodness of people (which I don't see happening) or the balance of power between people.  Since option number one isn't happening, the only way for peace is to have a balance of power.  Therefore, gun ownership is the key to peace.

Why do Christians seem to like guns so much?

It's the old stereotype- God and guns.

Many people question why people who are nonviolent in nature- Christians are probably some of the most non-aggressive, peaceful people on the planet- would be armed to the teeth and decry any attempt to pass new gun control legislation.  After all, didn't Jesus tell us to turn the other cheek?  Didn't Jesus say, "Those who live by the sword die by the sword?"  Why, then, the Christian obsession with guns?

There is no answer to this question, because it's the wrong question to ask.  You will never understand the desire of so many Christians to possess firearms if you only ask that question.  Christians AREN'T obsessed with guns.

However, Christians ARE obsessed with freedom and liberty.

I was interviewed by a former student of mine who was a political science major.  He was doing a research paper on the Second Amendment and why conservatives were so pro-gun.  He called me up and asked me, "Why do you Christians cling to your guns like there is no tomorrow?"

I answered, "Because I will fight to the death to protect my freedom to worship as I please."

There was dead silence on the phone.  I continued.

"Christians," I told him, "do not see their primary citizenship as American.  Sure, we love America and believe that America is the greatest country on this earth.  We agree that the principles upon which it is founded- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness- are the best principles to build a government on.  However, we don't believe that government is the giver of rights.  We believe GOD is the giver of rights.  We hold our God-given rights so near and dear that we refuse to live under tyranny and oppression.  We don't believe that God wants His people to live under tyranny- He wants His people to be free."

"We carry guns, not because we want to harm people or because we are obsessed with violence, but because we want to be left alone to worship God as we please.  This is the purpose of the first Amendment- that Congress shall make no law establishing a state religion, nor prohibiting free practice thereof.  We are not violent people.  We do not advocate violence against anyone or anything.  We are peaceful people.  However, if the right to worship God as we please, whenever we please, however we please, is abridged or threatened or prohibited by any means, we will fight.  We refuse to live in a place where our freedom to worship God is not guaranteed."

I went on.  "If you study history, governments typically do not allow freedom of religion.  The vast majority of governments in this world have some kind of restriction on worship, whether it is outright banning of Christianity under Communism and Islamist governments, or soft persecution by extra taxes, etc.  The only time governments do not infringe upon the rights of people to worship is when the people are armed.  Then, governments leave the people alone."

"We Christians know this- we've studied history and we know that an armed populice leads to limited government.  We Christians are not obsessed with guns- we are obsessed with freedom.  We believe that we have inherent human rights given by God that no government can take away.  Gun ownership is simply a means to ensure that we will always have those rights.  That's it.  That's the answer to your question."

He pondered that answer for a second, then he asked, "Do you think Jesus would have carried a gun?"

I answered, "Well, obviously guns weren't around at that time.  However, His disciples were armed at all times."

He said, "They were?"

I answered, "When Jesus was arrested, Peter took out his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, one of the people there to arrest Him.  Now obviously, this sword was concealed or the guards would have disarmed the disciples before arresting Jesus.  So, Jesus apparently had no problem with His followers carrying weapons.  He warned, however, about their use when He said, "Those that live by the sword die by the sword.  Jesus was not an advocate of violent revolution nor of any kind of aggression.  He even taught people to turn the other cheek.  Like I said before, Christians are very peaceful people.  It's just that we believe there are some things that are worth dying for, and one of those things is the freedom to worship and practice our religion as we see fit."

At least he listened.  I doubt he agreed with me one bit and probably thought I was crazy.  However, I felt that I had answered his question exactly the way I wanted to.

People, Christians are not obsessed with guns.  We are obsessed with liberty.  We are obsessed with the freedom to worship God as we please.  We are obsessed with the right to free speech and assembly, whenever and wherever we please.  We are obsessed with the right to privacy from unwanted intrusion and the protection of our loved ones from any kind of aggression.

This is what we are obsessed with.  The United States of America is moving away from the concepts of liberty and freedom- we are increasingly monitored and governed by a growing government, and this should cause a great deal of alarm among freedom-loving people.

I sum up this blog with one of my favorite scenes from Karate Kid (the Ralph Macchio version) when Daniel and Mr Myagi are in the fishing boat:

Daniel:  Did you get in many fights when you were a kid?
Myagi:  Plenty.  Myagi hate fighting.
Daniel:  But you like Karate.
Myagi:  So?
Daniel:  So, Karate is fighting- you train to fight!
Myagi: (slowing looking at Daniel) Is that what you think?
Daniel:  (hesitating) No.
Myagi:  Then why train?
Daniel:  So I won't have to fight.

Exactly the Christian position on gun ownership.  Daniel knew that if he had the reputation for knowing how to fight, he would live in peace.  Nobody would bother him.  Christians know that if they own guns, we will be able to live in peace, living a life of liberty and freedom- us and our children.  We have no desire for violence against anyone.  We simply want to live in peace and freedom in this great country that we call home.  Without a second amendment, however, there would be no first amendment.  By possessing the strength to resist tyranny, we ensure that we will never have to.