September 13, 2015- The Shemitah, End of the World, Stock Market Crash . . . .

I am a big fan of Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. I loved his books, The Harbinger and The Shemitah. It was very eerie to look up all the things in The Harbinger and see them actually as he described them. His understanding of Messianic Judaism, the Hebrew culture and language, and the original transcripts of Scipture truly are amazing. I believe him to be a modern-day prophet.

For those of you who don't know, there is a lot of talk about Bible Prophecy coming true in a few weeks. In a nutshell, Cahn has shown that the two most recent stock market crashes in 2001 (a week after 9/11) and 2008 (the beginning of the Great Recession) occurred on the same day of the Jewish calendar, a date called Elul 29. These coincide with the Biblical concept of the Sabbath year, which you can read about if you want to. I won't discuss them here.

Because of the 2001 and 2008 crashes happening on the same date seven years apart, he has quite logically looked for a future date. That occurs September 13, 2015. He's simply looking at data, suggesting that we be prepared for another stock market crash as America continues to thumb its nose at God and defiantly refuse to repent and return to Him.

I'm not arguing one way or another.

I believe God cannot be mocked. I believe He executes His judgement on rebellious people and nations. I believe that the only thing that gets America's attention is money. We have put up with abortion, murder, disintegration of families, exponential rise in drug use, riots, corrupt government- but when our bank accounts go down, we really holler and scream. If God executes judgement on America, there is no doubt in my mind that it will be financial. So, there is a part of me that believes what Cahn says. A large part, in fact.

On the other hand, God has a real knack for NOT acting as we predict Him to. I can't tell you how many date setters have been debunked, predicting the rapture, the end of the world, etc. God seems to be fairly resistant to being put in a box. So, following history, I find it hard to believe that God will act on a certain date forecasted by humans.

The purpose of this blog, however, isn't to talk about whether or not the stock market will crash on September 13, 2015. It might. It might not.

What I am challenging Christians on is this- have you spent more time thinking about your bank account than your soul? I know I have.

I have wrestled with whether to sell my stocks, whether or not to stock up on food, whether or not to try to insulate myself from a worldwide financial meltdown that might be coming. I've read many blogs and articles about the "inevitable" crash on the horizon. Many Christians I know have as well.

What I haven't done, however, is spent time examining my soul and my life.

If you have spent more time worrying about your bank account and stocks than your soul and your walk with Christ, you are missing the boat.

God brings judgement on a nation for its rebellion. If God brings judgement on this nation, there isn't anything you will be able to do, materially, to save yourself. That's not the point. If the threat of judgement is on this nation, you must take time to ensure that you aren't part of the problem.

Instead of asking, "Should I sell my stocks?" we should be asking questions like these:

Am I sexually immoral?
Am I a forgiving person?
Am I am person with unclean hands, unrepentant of the sin in my life?
Am I a person to whom Jesus will say, "I know you. Well done, good and faithful servant?"

Let me say it again- if you have spent more time worrying about your 401k than your soul, you have missed the entire point of God's judgement.

I don't know what will happen on September 13. I really don't. What I do know is that I am using this time to examine my life, to root out areas of disobedience to God, root out areas of bitterness and unforgiveness and anger that hold me back, root out areas of resistance to God's will, and work on my relationship with God. When God's judgement hits, there won't be any physical preparations that will save you. So spend your time making SPIRITUAL preparations, because when it hits, God's love and grace will be all you have.

Making Coveting part of American culture

Any teacher or speaker will tell you that people will only remember the first and last things in a list. Good teachers will always put the two most important points or concepts at the beginning and the end because those are the things people are most likely to remember.

In the Ten Commandments, the first command is "You shall have no other gods before Me."  The last commandment is, "You shall not covet." These are strategically placed because these are the two most important commandments. Out of these two commandments flow the other eight.

The last one, "You shall not covet," is very rarely spoken about. We talk about coveting about as much as we talk about gluttony, most likely for the same reason. It is so prevalent and so much a part of our lives that we would rather not mention them, and if we were to rid ourselves of either of them, our lives would have to change so drastically that it would be too uncomfortable.

However, the sin of covetousness needs to be addressed. First of all, coveting isn't simply wanting what someone else has. That's not the issue. There is nothing wrong with seeing something that someone else has and enjoying or admiring it. My dad has a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T; black on black, matching numbers, 393 horsepower at the rear wheels- total road beast. I look at that and admire it. It's awesome. However, that's not coveting.

Admiration of what someone else has moves into coveting when you begin to feel like you have a RIGHT to have what others have. You begin to use words like, "It's not fair," and "why should he/she have that and I don't?" You begin to feel resentful towards people for having things you don't have. You begin to feel slighted, denied, treated unfairly, or demeaned because someone has something that you don't. You feel that your rights have somehow been violated if someone has something that you don't.

My admiration for my dad's muscle car would move into coveting if I were to begin to feel resentful that he has it and I don't. Admiration moves into coveting when I begin to structure my relationship with my dad around the car. I position myself to inherit it. I constantly bring it up in conversation. I feel slighted that he didn't buy one for me too. I feel like I've been cheated that I don't have that car- I feel resentful over his ability to buy one when I don't have the means. I begin to insult him behind his back, calling him all kinds of names, bashing him for his good fortune and saying it's "unfair." That's when admiration breaks down and the sin of covetousness takes over.

And this describes America in 2015.

Politicians and advertisers have seized upon the human tendency towards covetousness for two different reasons.  Politicians realize that they can get votes if they stoke covetousness in enough people, claiming that: 1) you have been treated unfairly, 2) why should these people have what you don't have, and 3) vote for me. Advertisers realize that they can get people to spend money they don't have- people will go into debt- to have what others have. Both groups seize upon the jealousy and resentment that covetousness brings in order to accomplish their agenda- politicians want power and advertisers want dollars.

In order for both of these groups to get what they want, they have to fill the airwaves with messages of unfairness, inequality, the haves versus the have-nots, and how they will solve all your problems if you do what they want you to do. They have both found that it is easy to control someone who feels they have been slighted. It is easy to manipulate the emotions of someone whose covetousness has lapsed into anger. It is easy to make servants out of people who feel entitled to what other people have.

Therefore, covetousness has been stoked into a national fury. Everywhere you look you hear the siren call to covetousness. "You are being denied." "It's not fair." "You should have what everyone else has." "You have a right to ___________________"(fill in the blank with whatever it is that someone else has that you didn't work for but feel a right to have).

In contrast to the sin of coveting, the apostle Paul gives us the right mindset to approach life with. He says, in Philippians 4:12-13 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Content. What a beautiful word. Contentment, in contrast to covetousness, is the state of mind where you don't feel the need for anything. You are at peace. You celebrate what your neighbor has; you don't desire it or feel entitled to it. Contentment says, "The Lord has satisfied all of my wants. The Lord has satisfied all of my needs. No longer do I look around to see what I should have. My thirsts are quenched, my hunger is satisfied, my appetites are under my control. I am content."

So, the question for Americans is- is God enough?

Coveting has passed up baseball as our national pastime. You can always tell that elections are getting close because the political ads and the political candidates stoke up as much coveting as they possibly can. They try to capitalize on what you DON'T have and promise to give it to you (although, conveniently, they never actually DO. That's why you need to vote for them in the next cycle).

I want to suggest that you edit out the following phrases from your vocabulary and even your thoughts:

"That's not fair."
"I have a right to . . . . "
"I think I'm entitled to . . . . "
"Why should they have a  _________ and I don't?"

If you notice, breaking the first commandment leads to breaking the next four. * If you don't follow "You shall have no other gods before Me," you will most likely have idols, use the Lord's name in vain, break the Sabbath, and dishonor your father and mother.  Similarly, breaking the tenth commandment leads to breaking the previous four. Murder is usually preceded by coveting what someone else has- you kill to get it. Adultery is always preceded by coveting what is not yours. Stealing is always preceded by coveting. Lying, many times, is preceded by coveting.

Following the first and tenth commandments by and large leads to following the other eight. It is time for the church to rid itself of the sin of coveting. It has become ingrained in our culture, in our churches, in our families, and in our lives. Today, replace any and all coveting with contentment. You can do all things through Him who gives you strength. Be content today. God is enough. Rest and relax in His amazing grace. Let Him be your satisfaction and let all the discontent, disquiet, anger, jealousy, and covetousness leave your life for good.  Have a blessed day.

*Exodus 20:3-17: The Ten Commandments.
1. “You shall have no other gods before me.

2. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,  but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

3.  “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

4.  “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

5. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

6. “You shall not murder.

7. “You shall not commit adultery.

8. “You shall not steal.

9.  “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

The importance of Christian conversation in the home

I was a youth minister for nine years, and have continued to work with Christian teens since. I led a high school small group at my house for a year, as well as going on youth trips, retreats, and outings. One thing that I will tell you that I've noticed in many Christian teens: they are incapable of Christian conversation.

They are well-versed in Twitter and Snapchat. They can speak for hours on the Kardashians or whatever country music star is in the spotlight. They can speak for days on school, sports, or whatever topic suits them. Bring up the Bible? Bring up faith? Bring up Jesus? Blank stares.

This certainly isn't all teens, but the vast majority of them are this way. These are kids who have spent their entire lives in church. These are teens from Christian families. However, they are unable to have any kind of meaningful Christian conversation. Why is this?

There is one major factor in whether or not a Christian teen is able to have Christian conversation. One factor. It isn't the health of the youth group. It isn't the health of the church. It isn't anything like that.

It is the degree to which Christian conversation happens in their homes.

Teens who regularly hear Christian conversation from their parents are the ones who are able to speak about their faith outside the home. Teens who sit at the dinner table with mom and dad and hear thoughts on Jesus' words, opinions on faith matters, and reflections on life are the ones who are able to carry on Christian conversation with other teens and adults.

In my family, my children regularly hear Christian conversation, not just in my home, but in the homes of the grandparents as well.  Hardly a family gathering goes by that they don't hear the adults talking about church, talking about spiritual disciplines, talking about world events through a Christian lens, talking about issues and problems and everything else through the filter of Scripture. They regularly hear their grandparents reflect on how Scripture is to be lived out in life. They regularly hear Jesus' words spoken from one Christian to another.

How about your family? Do your children hear Christian conversation from you?

Believe me, they hear all kinds of conversation. That conversation shapes their beliefs, morals, values, views on church, views on Jesus, views on life, and everything in between.

Exposing our children to adult Christian conversation is probably the best way to teach the faith. Christianity is far more often caught than it is taught, and one hour of Sunday church a week is a poor substitute for Christian parents sitting around a table speaking about their faith journeys in front of their children, inviting them to participate and develop their worldview from a Christian perspective.

How often do you share your faith journey with your children?

How often do you comment on world events from a Christian perspective?

How often do your children hear about what you are reading in the Bible?

How often do you use car time, meal time, etc to communicate the truths of the faith to your children?

The inability of our Christian teenagers to have Christian conversation shows that not much of that is going on in Christian homes. Christian teenagers should readily be able to engage adults in matters of faith- speaking of experiences and participating in discussions of things more important than the recent celebrity crisis or the most recent sexual exploit of pop singers and divas.

Can your child engage in Christian conversation? Can you?

I think we make passing along our faith more difficult than it really is. We certainly need directed times of study and prayer. That much is certain. However, your children are much more likely to pick up their faith from you in casual conversation. Explain to them your decisions- why you made this or that decision according to your faith. Explain to them your faith journey- where you were ten years ago and how your beliefs have changed as a result of your growing faith. Explain to them, and invite their participation in, a teaching of Jesus that you struggle with. All of that builds faith in our families.

John Paton, a Scottish missionary, wrote this about his childhood growing up, "Our place of worship was the Reformed Presbyterian Church at Dumfries . . .  four miles from our home, but the tradition is that during all these forty years my father was only three times prevented from attending the worship of God.  Each of us, from very early years, considered it no penalty, but a great joy, to go with our father to church; the four miles were a treat to our young spirits, the company by the way was a fresh incitement . . .  A few other pious men and women, of the best evangelical type, went along with us. And when these God-fearing peasants gathered on the way to or from the House of God, we youngsters had sometimes rare glimpses of what Christian talk may be and ought to be. They went to church, full of beautiful expectancy of spirit- their souls were on the outlook for God, and they returned from church, ready and even anxious to exchange ideas as to what they had heard and received of the things of life."

People, that's as good as it gets right there. Children listening to the Christian conversations of adults around them. Learning from adults as the adults' conversations revolve around the things of God. That is how we disciple our children. Christianity is far more often caught than it is taught. Maybe we need to grab hold of this and make it happen in our homes.  The future of your children's faith will most likely depend on it.

Hungry

Every year, my family takes a vacation to Hilton Head, SC. I've been going there every summer since I was six years old. We stay at the same place, swim in the same pool, go to the same beach, eat at the same restaurants, etc.

One thing that we started doing about fifteen years ago was to go to church on Sunday morning while we are down there. I don't know how many of you go to church while on vacation, but we do. There are some great churches down there, and we always enjoy going.

The tradition after going to church is to eat brunch at Hilton Head Diner.

We always vacation at the height of the season and the place is always packed. Most of the time there is a wait, especially for a family of eleven people. Sometimes it is literally shoulder-to-shoulder while waiting. As we waited in line, packed in with people wanting to eat there, I began to ponder and reflect.

"How many of these folks took an hour out of their Sunday morning to worship God?" I mused. "I doubt that any of these people missed a meal while here on vacation. Why? Because they get hungry. I get hungry. When I'm hungry, I know exactly where to go. I know exactly what to do. That isn't something I've learned, it's just something that is natural."

I continued to think and ponder. "I don't want to go anywhere near a restaurant when I'm not hungry. It has no appeal to me whatsoever. However, when I'm hungry, all I can think about is food."

When I'm physically hungry, all I can think about is food.

When I'm spiritually hungry, all I can think about is God.

But who is spiritually hungry these days?

If you are physically hungry, you want to go to a restaurant. When you are spiritually hungry, you will want to go to a church. Do you describe yourself as spiritually hungry?

How many church members, this past Sunday, stayed home from worship? Not because you were traveling or out of town or sick, but simply just didn't show up? Any given Sunday, I would imagine that over half of church members don't attend the church they claim to be members of. Now, this probably boils down to one of two things:  one, the people have spiritual hunger and the church doesn't satisfy that hunger, or two, the people aren't spiritually hungry.

How about you?  Would you describe yourself as spiritually hungry?

Is there an animalistic drive to worship God within you? You know what hunger pangs feel like. Are there worship pangs within you that unsettle you, demanding to be satisfied, not settling for milquetoast religion and easy answers, but only reaching satiation when you encounter God, living and personal? Is there a hunger, a thirst, that makes your spiritual tongue stick to the roof of your mouth and makes you crave the living water offered by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

I think as a pastor my prayer for my church is simple:  "Lord, put a hunger for You within the people."

Hilton Head Diner didn't have to send out reminders for the people to eat. Hilton Head Diner didn't have to follow up with missing diners. Why? Because the internal hunger of the people drove them there. In the same way, churches shouldn't have to send out invitations to their members, reminding them of Sunday worship. The internal hunger for God that should be present within every Christian should drive them there. Christians should have a need, a tangible unsettlement, a burr under the saddle, a pebble in the shoe, a grain of sand within the eye that will not allow rest until worship has happened.

The problem is quite simply that many of us have lost our hunger for God. We have lost our hunger for worship, for fellowship, for intimacy with God. We have filled our spiritual stomachs with entertainment, money, and idolatry; dulling our appetite for heaven and squelching any and all thirst for an encounter with God.

After all, who wants a restaurant when your stomach is full?

In the same way, Christians who are spiritually full want nothing to do with God.  That's a scary statement, but one that, if we were honest with ourselves, probably describes many of us.

The challenge for the Christian is to constantly empty ourselves of things that fill us so that our animalistic hunger for God can surface once again. We read our physical cues very well- the growl of the stomach, the dryness of the lips, the increasing ill temper- but do we read our spiritual cues very well?

Here are the cues of spiritual hunger: lack of forgiveness, lack of patience, suspicion of others, gossip, slander, making mountains out of molehills, a critical spirit, lack of peace, a foul mouth, lustful eyes, and lack of joy. These happen in the absence of worship, in the absence of quiet time with God, in the absence of fellowship with other Christians. Many times, when these cues happen, we go to the internet, watch tv, get online, check our Twitter feed, or something else. In these moments, what we need is worship. Honest, knee-bending, heart-breaking, authentic worship.

Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? I would love to pastor a church filled with hungry people. I would love to pastor a church where people have an insatiable hunger for God. A church where sitting at home on a Sunday morning watching tv is not an option. Where every excuse is rendered meaningless, where complacency is dashed to pieces, where lukewarmness is obliterated, where the people have a thirst for God that exceeds anything we could ever ask or imagine.

Is that your church? Is that you? Is that your family?

If you have no hunger for God, look at what is filling your life. You were meant to hunger for God. You were meant to thirst for Him. You were meant for intimacy with God. Don't sell yourself short.

To all the Christians out there I say simply two words:  "Stay Hungry."