New Year’s Resolution: God’s Will Be Done!

I propose a New Year’s resolution for every Christian—stop using phrases like “God’s will” and “the Lord told me” to get your will done.

Matthew 26:29 says, “Going a little farther, he (Jesus) fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

In this passage of scripture, Jesus is praying to His Father in heaven before he is betrayed, put through the mockery of a trial and crucified. I am so challenged in my own personal faith at how the Lord Jesus Christ stay submitted to God’s will for His life even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). This type of attitude, obedience and submission is a missing ingredient in the lives of many Christians today. Frankly, in today’s individualist society I have noticed many people of faith think God exists to bless their plans and dreams. Similar to the lead character in Bruce Almighty, their prayer is now, “My will be done.” I wonder if we have forgotten that we are saved to serve Him and others.

Another way “Christians bug me” (refer to previous blog listed below) is when they use religious cant such as “God’s will” to get their will done. We should be very reverent when we definitively say something is God’s will, especially when it affects someone else’s life.

Ephesians 5:17 says, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” I believe we should only say something is God’s will if we can find it in Scripture. For example, it is God’s will to pray continually, forgive, be joyful, give thanks in all circumstances, treat others the way you want to be treated, love your enemies, etc. God’s will is synonymous with God’s word.

When we fail to refer to Scripture in relation to communicating God’s will, we end up becoming fools. How many people have stated that God told them something and later were proven wrong? Trust me; I meet them way too often. God doesn’t lie or make mistakes. I will say it again. We should be very careful about how we use the name of God.

This blog was inspired by the recent events at North Florida Christian (NFC) School. I will comment on this situation for two reasons. First, many people have sought my counsel as a pastor to help them process this incident. Second, when somebody says it is God’s will to do something, I have a right and a responsibility to examine it as a Christ follower. Let me state clearly that my goal is to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), not attack anyone personally. So, here are my thoughts or “two cents worth”—Lord help me.

As a Christian, pastor, friend, and long time resident of Tallahassee, I grieve for all involved in this unfortunate scenario. As a long time resident of Tallahassee, I hurt for everyone in this city who has been negatively impacted by these events. As a Christian, I hurt because Christ was not glorified by the way things were handled. As a pastor, I hurt because many people are questioning the motives of a fellow pastor and brother in Christ in town. As a friend, I hurt for the Weldon family and how difficult it must be to process getting fired from a school they love and represent so well in our community.

Why was Casey Weldon fired? The only answer that has been given so far is that it was “God’s will”. Oh really? Are you sure it was not a conflict of personalities or a difference of opinions on how things should be done at NFC? Just like the rest of us, we know Casey isn’t perfect. Are you sure it wasn’t something he did or didn’t do as a coach? Did he violate an NFC policy? I don’t pretend to know all the details of this incident. In fact, I don’t really know anything. However, one thing I do know is what the Bible says is God’s will.

Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus instructing them concerning God’s will. He says in Ephesians 4:1-3, “As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (2) Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (3) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

If this was God’s will, and therefore, the way he wanted to remove Casey from his position, after taking NFC to two consecutive state championship games, then why has there been so much division and strife over this decision? How can you fire a guy, who is the “poster child” of your school, and who has been so successful without ever reprimanded him, and then say it was “God’s will”? God’s will should manifest in humility, gentleness, patience, love, unity and peace, especially when it involves Christians in the same spiritual family.

I don’t know if Casey should or should not have been fired. However, I do know the greatest commandment requires us to exemplify God with honor and treat one another with love (Matthew 22:37-40). I have yet to talk with one person in Tallahassee who thinks God was honored and love was demonstrated at NFC. This saddens me deeply because I want to see my fellow believers in Jesus succeed and represent Him well. So, to say this decision was God’s will when it has caused such heartache, pain, division, and confusion in Tallahassee and the NFC community is irresponsible and is simply religious jargon that poorly reflects Christ and Scripture.

For the sake of God’s glory, the reputation of those who minister the gospel and every Christian’s testimony, please give us the real reason Casey was fired. It will be the only answer that will make sense to people who are already cynical towards Christianity and bring closure to this awkward occurrence.

I pray for God’s will to be done. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Oregon State offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf has donated a kidney to the wife of Mike Cavanaugh, the offensive line coach. Laurie Cavanaugh has autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, which enlarged her kidneys.

Langsdorf was identified as a match through tests with 18 individuals. She said the process of finding a donor took about a year and a half. Laurie Cavanaugh said, "I remember being in San Antonio at a football convention in San Antonio and he [Langsdorf] came up to me and said, 'Hey, I'm a go,'" "I was like 'Wow!' After about 18 people, I was shocked and excited. At that point I was getting kind of hopeless, I didn't think I was going to get any one," she said.

Langsdorf said: "I didn't think it was right to sit back and not do anything, when I probably could have. So I decided to get tested. The fact that I was such a good match for her was such a positive thing."

Dr. John Barry, director of OHSU's kidney transplant program, performed the six-hour transplant surgery on Laurie Cavanaugh. Dr. Michael Conlin, associate professor of urologic surgery at OHSU School of Medicine, removed Langsdorf's kidney.

"When you work as closely as a coaching staff does, you develop some really deep and solid friendships -- I guess you could say this is the ultimate in friendship," said Mike Cavanaugh, who, like Langsdorf, is in his third season with the Beavers.

Laurie Cavanaugh fought back tears when expressing her gratitude to Langsdorf, who said he was a merely a friend who wanted to help.

"It reminds you that when you're feeling OK and things are going pretty good in your life, you shouldn't have many complaints," Langsdorf said. "That's probably the biggest thing for me -- to give something to a friend and have it work out."

Stories such as this one remind us that great gifts have three distinctive attributes that make them extraordinary. First, they are worth something. Second, the gift is invested for a specific purpose. And third, there is a particular need for the gift. Worth, investment, and need are the keys to giving good gifts.

What is the greatest gift ever given to mankind?

The gift of Jesus Christ is worth more to mankind than anything else on the planet. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

His investment into our lives changes us to be more like Him. His gift to us met a need that we could have never met on our own. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works, so that no one can boast.”

As you open gifts with loved ones on Christmas, remember the One who gave His Son to make this holiday the most wonderful time of the year.

May God bless you with a very Merry Christmas!

Are All Religions the Same?

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ (23) Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"

Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon apostle, in Mormon Doctrine said, “Mormonism is Christianity; Christianity is Mormonism….Mormons are true Christians.” If Mormonism is the same as Christianity, then why do the nicely dressed guys on the bikes who knock on my door always try to convert me to Mormonism after I tell them I am a pastor of a Christian church?

During the campaigns many people, such as Sean Hannity, have echoed the doctrine of McConkie stating that Mormons are Christians. There is no doubt that Mormons perform many good works and their good works resemble those of Christianity’s. This can deceive people to think that the two religions are the same.

Mormons use good works and the name of Jesus and the Bible to lead people to their religion. Then, they teach them another doctrine based upon the Book of Mormon that contradicts the fundamental teachings of the Bible. I am not being mean or judgmental about the Mormon faith. They have the right and freedom to believe what they want. I just wish they would clearly and honestly communicate their differences. My motive is not to disparage the Mormon faith; instead, it is an attempt to simply educate you on the dissimilarities of the Mormon and Christian faith.

Mormons may use the same terminology as Christians, but when you look at what Mormons really believe, the differences become apparent. In virtually every area of belief, the Mormon Church is unorthodox, which means it doesn’t follow traditional Christian beliefs. The discrepancies, according to World Religions and Cults 101 by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, are listed below.

The Nature of God

Mormons believe God the Father is an exalted man from another planet, He came from another species of gods, who existed before him in an infinite series of gods who were also men, God is ever evolving, God has a physical body, God the Father had physical relations with the Mother God, resulting in millions of spirit babies, and matter is eternal, but God in not.

Christians believe God is God, not an exalted man, there is only one God, God is a spirit, God is eternal, God does not change, and there has never been a time when God was not completely God.

The Person of Jesus

Mormons believe he was a created being and the brother of Lucifer (Satan), He was born as a result of Mary having physical relations with God, Jesus had to earn his own salvation, just like the rest of the created beings, Jesus is a “greater” being than other spirit children on the earth, but he has the same nature, Jesus was a polygamist, the atonement of Jesus took place in the Garden of Gethsemane and was for Adam’s sin only, our salvation begins with the atonement but is made complete by good works.

Christians believe Jesus is fully God and one with God the Father, Jesus was born of virgin through the Holy Spirit, Jesus did not need to be saved because He is God, there is no evidence that Jesus ever married once, let alone several times, the atonement of Jesus took place on the cross, and it was effective for all humankind, and there is no other way to be saved except by faith in Jesus Christ.

The Authority of Scripture

The Book of Mormon

• Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from the writings of ancient prophets engraved on gold plates he found buried near his home.
• The translation involved a “seer stone,” which Smith claimed gave him the power of God.
• The Book of Mormon contains thousands of words—including entire chapters—from the King James Version of the Bible.
• There is no decisive archaeological evidence for any of the ancient civilizations described by the Book of Mormon.
• Despite Mormon claims, the Book of Mormon is not prophesied in the Bible.

The Bible

• God used the Holy Spirit to inspire (literally, “breathe into”) 40 different human writers (called prophets) over a period of 1600 years.
• Several different individual church councils discovered which writings were Scripture by recognizing the writings that spoke with the authority of God.
• The Bible has been carefully transmitted and translated from the original manuscripts and languages to the current day.
• Archaeologists have uncovered more copies of ancient Bible manuscripts than any other document of antiquity.
• There is abundant corroborating evidence to confirm the claims of the Bible. Not every person, place, date, or fact in the Bible has been verified by outside sources, but many have, and not one has been shown to be false.

God was so wise to not let anyone be declared righteous in his sight by their good works (Isaiah 64:6). He knew that one of the easiest ways to deceive and confuse people was through a system of good deeds. Unfortunately, religion often becomes a system of good works and rituals made up by people to deify themselves. For example, Mormons believe that they are gods who will one day populate their own planet. Jesus taught that eternal life was to know God and His Son Jesus Christ, not the practicing of our religious traditions (John 17:3).

Christianity or Mormonism—big difference!

Relationship or Religion?

In John 17:3 Jesus prayed, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

In today’s culture, we refer to people of faith as religious people. Religion means a particular system of faith and worship or a thing that one is devoted to. Religion is simply the external expression of what we believe internally. Religion can be an accurate or inaccurate display of faith. Despite the tendency for modern day Christians to be judgmental and hypocritical (for this I deeply apologize), there is no doubt that throughout history Christianity has been a “religion” identified by its good deeds.

Christian religion should be easy to discern by others who observe the lifestyles of those who profess the name of Jesus. St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.” His statement was an admonition to all Christians that they should walk the talk. I concur. However, I have been recently wondering if he would have made the same assertion in today’s polytheistic culture?

For example, Mormonism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam all teach that good works are an important part of their religion. I believe this is the major reason some people think that all religions are basically the same. At times, through good deeds, the external expression of these different religions can look very similar.

I was reminded of this fact while listening to Mitt Romney’s speech on “Faith in America”. In case you do not know, Romney is a Mormon. The fact that we have a Mormon running for president has raised many questions from the media about Romney’s faith.

If you are wondering, let me state clearly that I do not think a person should be elected or rejected based upon their faith. The first amendment of the Constitution of the United States gives us the right to the freedom of religious expression. This also means the freedom to not believe in God. You might be thinking that my viewpoint contradicts my previous blog “Christians Bug Me”, but remember in that blog I was talking about endorsing (as an influential Christian leader) a president, not electing one.

For those who are not frequent readers of the Bible, you might find it interesting to note that Jesus never once mentioned the word religion. Does this surprise you? This is because Jesus’ goal was never to set up a system of good works or a system of religion. Jesus came to bring people into relationship with Him as the one true living God. Christianity is not a religion of good works; instead, it is a relationship with Jesus Christ. A Christian’s religious expression should flow from this relationship.

Apostle Paul reminds the church at Ephesus that good works can not gain us favor with God or save us. In Ephesians 2:10-11 he says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (in Christ)—and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (10) For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” What makes Christian’s good deeds unique is that they give praise to our Father in heaven and lead people to faith in Jesus (Matthew 5:16).

Relationship or religion? Big difference!

Stay tuned for Part 2…you won’t want to miss it!

Drop and Give Me Twenty!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Ephesians 6:10

I believe, for the most part, that the universal body of Christ in America is weak. Although we might have a majority who believe in Jesus in this country, we have done a poor job bringing transformation to our nation. America lacks strong Godly leaders in government, the marketplace, education, the arts, entertainment, athletics and many other spheres of our society.

This is evident in our current presidential debates. For example, foundational to the success of any society is the institution of the family. Today, there is a good possibility a candidate that is pro-choice and supports gay marriages will be elected. By the way, I don’t hate pro-choice or gay people, I just disagree with them for reasons I will state in the next few paragraphs.

Why is abortion and homosexuality so devastating to the future of America? Because when we fail to procreate and when will kill babies that have been conceived, we devalue one of our most important inalienable rights—the right to life. We will cease to exist if we do not procreate. Remember, it takes a man and a woman to produce a baby.

The family, where husband and wife fulfill their duties as an affectionate father and mother, are statistically the best remedy for the social ills we face in America today. The majority of children that commit crimes or engage in delinquent behavior come from homes that do not consist of a loving father and mother.

So, why is the universal body of Christ weak in America? It is weak because we have lost our value of sacrifice. I ultimately blame this condition on weak preaching in the church. The kind of preaching that has been advocated by those who viewed the seeker movement as the cutting edge of kingdom advancement—Scripture-anemic, superficially practical, humanistic, therapeutic, man-centered, God-at-your-service, consumer-driven fireside chats has produced self-centered church attendees.

Jesus’ ministry was a message of sacrifice and commitment. He gave three requirements to those who desired to be His disciple. First and foremost, He taught that a disciple of Jesus must deny self. Second, a disciple of Jesus must take up their cross. Third, a disciple of Jesus must follow Him and live to fulfill the Great Commission. Sacrifice is the key to all three of these characteristics of a disciple of Jesus.

As the church begins to serve people with sacrificial acts of love, it will once again be strong and regain its place of influence in our society.

Now, drop and give me twenty!!!

Christians Bug Me

Now that I have your attention let me clearly state that I am a Christian. As a Christian, I am convinced that I also bug people. When I bug people, I hope that it is mainly for reasons like speaking the truth in love.

What bothers me, and many other people, is when Christians act inconsistent. As human beings, we all have a degree of hypocrisy in our lives, and I am desperately working to remove anything in my life that does not reflect Jesus to the world. The reality that all of us have a long way to go to be like Jesus should keep us humble and deeply appreciative of the grace God has extended to us. Since we need mercy as we strive to be like Jesus, we should be merciful to those who bug us. So I am bugged, but merciful.

Now, let me tell you why I am “bugged”. I am bothered by influential religious leaders and their early endorsements of certain presidential candidates. As religious leaders, I believe there are three criterions they should use when endorsing a candidate.

First, the candidate should be qualified to lead our country. Second, the candidate should have a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the three divine institutions on earth: family, church and government. He or she should also understand how these three institutions should work together in their distinct functions to create a better nation. And thirdly, the candidate should be a person who desires to please God and help people in their position of service. According to the Bible, candidates whose religious doctrine teaches that they are a god, and candidates who support abortion are not pleasing to God.

So, why would influential Christian leaders give these candidates early endorsements?

Let me also state clearly that my loyalty is to the will of God and not a political party. So, in every presidential election, I try my best to objectively evaluate each candidate based upon the three factors I mentioned above.

With the exception of John McCain and Hilary Clinton, I was not familiar with the candidates in both the Democrat and Republican debates. My unfamiliarity and ignorance assisted me in being objective as I listened to each candidate.

Using my three standards as a frame of reference for endorsement, it did not take long into the second Republican debate for me to realize that one candidate stood head and shoulders above the rest. The reason I am “bugged” is because I feel the other religious leaders should have noticed this also.

Since they did not notice, it has caused me to question their motives for endorsing the candidates they chose. I hope they did not endorse certain candidates because they are fearful that Senator Clinton will win. Christians should be led by faith and not by fear.

I also hope their endorsement was not a political move to align themselves with the person they thought had the greatest chance to win. I am reminded of the fact that when choosing a leader, God looks at the heart as much as anything else. The shepherd boy David was the least likely to be chosen as a king by the people, but God had a different plan because of his heart. He was uniquely prepared by God to slay the giant of his generation (1 Samuel 16-17). More than ever, America needs a leader like David who is called and gifted by God to lead us in this time of uncertainty and division.

Anyhow, I want you to know that I am getting over my state of being “bugged”. Over the last couple weeks, I have been encouraged as the candidate, who in my opinion, stands head and shoulders above the rest based upon qualifications, worldview and Godly motives is gaining ground in the polls.

Because I know I am susceptible to deception, I fervently pray for God’s wisdom as I choose a candidate, and I pray for God’s will to be done as a new president will be elected to lead our country in 2008. More than anything else, I just want the best person possible in the oval office. To me, based upon my criterions and the candidates, the choice is obvious.

I am sure my thoughts have bugged someone. I’d love to hear about it.

May God’s will be done (Matthew 6:10)!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

An atheist was walking through the woods, admiring all the "accidents" that evolution had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself.

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. Turning to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran away as fast as he could up the path.

He looked over his shoulder and saw the grizzly was closing. Somehow he ran even faster, so scared that tears came to his eyes. He looked again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pounding, and he tried to run faster. He tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up, but the bear was right over him, reaching for him with its left paw and raising its right paw to strike him.

At that instant the atheist cried, "Oh my God!"

Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others that I don't exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The unthankful atheist looked directly into the light and said, "I would feel like a hypocrite to become a Christian after all these years, but perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?"

"Very well," said the voice.

The light went out. The river ran. The sounds of the forest resumed. Then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed its head, and spoke: "Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful." David Holdaway

I want to encourage everyone to take some extra time this week and thank God for all the wonderful things He has done for us. I also want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed holiday week. Don't eat too much and drive safe as you travel to visit family.

This Sunday at Every Nation Tallahassee we will be speaking on what it means to "Know Thanks". I hope to see you there. God bless.

Returning to the Lord

“Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' (8) Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?” “In tithes and offerings. Malachi 3:7-8

About two years after I repented for my sins and received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I went through a rough time in my walk with the Lord. It was during this time that I began to back slide in my faith. As a discouraged Christian, one of the first things I stopped doing was going to church. Because I was no longer going to church, I stopped paying my tithes. I would remain discouraged in my faith and disobedient to my Lord for about a year.

Through sovereign circumstances and conversations with friends who remained Christ followers, I once again began to seek the Lord. Desperate to get back in good standing with my God, I submitted my heart and my will to Christ’s Lordship.

I remember calling my pastor and asking him to meet me at work. We talked about my struggles over the last year, and what it was going to take for me to stand strong in my faith. I was so disappointed in myself that I had betrayed the God who died for me on the cross. I made a commitment to never waste another year of my life by not serving Jesus.

After our conversation, I repented for my sins and prayed with my pastor. As he was leaving my office to return home, I asked him to follow me to my car. While walking to my car, I began to count in my head how much I owed God in tithes over the last year. At the car, I grabbed a pen out of my glove box and wrote down my gross monthly salary on a piece of paper. Then, I multiplied my monthly gross salary by twelve, and wrote a check to my church.

Why did I write this check? It was very important to me to prove my repentance was genuine. I could think of no better way to do this than write a tithe check. As I wrote the check, I remembered the words of Jesus, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Tithing puts God first in our life with our money.

After handing the check to my pastor, for the first time in a year, I felt the joy of the Lord enter my heart. It was such a wonderful feeling to know that I was no longer robbing God with my tithes and offerings. There was such peace in my soul because I knew the curse of disobedience and robbing God was no longer going to manifest in my life. Since that moment, I have been living a life of obedience to my Lord, and experiencing His blessing and favor on my life.

Does Money Solve Problems?

Have you ever thought, “If I had more money, all my problems would go away?” According to an article "8 lottery winners who lost their millions" by Ellen Goodstein, Bankrate.com, there are many lottery winners who are proof that this type of thinking can be very deceptive.

(1)"Winning the lottery isn't always what it's cracked up to be," says Evelyn Adams, who won the New Jersey lottery not just once, but twice (1985, 1986), to the tune of $5.4 million. Today the money is all gone and Adams lives in a trailer.
(2)William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now lives on his Social Security. "I wish it never happened. It was totally a nightmare," says Post.
(3)Suzanne Mullins won $4.2 million in the Virginia lottery in 1993. Now she's deeply in debt to a company that lent her money using the winnings as collateral.
(4)Ken Proxmire was a machinist when he won $1 million in the Michigan lottery. He moved to California and went into the car business with his brothers. Within five years, he had filed for bankruptcy.
(5)Willie Hurt of Lansing, Mich., won $3.1 million in 1989. Two years later he was broke and charged with murder. His lawyer says Hurt spent his fortune on a divorce and crack cocaine.
(6)Charles Riddle of Belleville, Mich., won $1 million in 1975. Afterward, he got divorced, faced several lawsuits and was indicted for selling cocaine.
(7)Missourian Janite Lee won $18 million in 1993. Lee was generous to a variety of causes, giving to politics, education and the community. But according to published reports, eight years after winning, Lee had filed for bankruptcy with only $700 left in two bank accounts and no cash on hand.

Susan Bradley, a certified financial planner in Palm Beach, Fla., and founder of the Sudden Money Institute, a resource center for new money recipients and their advisors says, "In our culture, there is a widely held belief that money solves problems. People think if they had more money, their troubles would be over. When a family receives sudden money, they frequently learn that money can cause as many problems as it solves."

As the wealthiest man of earth, King Solomon learned that affluence didn’t satisfy. All it did was give him greater opportunity to chase more mirages. People tend to run out of money before mirages, so they cling to the myth that things they can’t afford will satisfy them. Solomon’s money never ran out. He tried everything, saying, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” (Ecclesiastes 2:10)

What can we learn from a person who once had everything his heart desired?

In Ecclesiastes 2:11 Solomon answers this question by writing, “When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

Money Leads - Hearts Follow (Part 2)

By telling us that our hearts follow our treasure, Jesus is saying, “Show me your checkbook, your VISA and American Express statements, and your receipts, and I’ll show you where your heart is.”

The Gospel of Mark tells a story of the widow’s offering. In the story, Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Why did he do this? Why was Jesus’ watchful eye on the people’s giving habits? Because Jesus knew that money, more than anything else reveals our hearts’ motives and affections.

Jesus commended the widow’s offering over the large amounts of the rich people because she put in everything—all she had to live on. The rich just gave out of their wealth. In other words, their hearts were not wholly devoted to eternal treasures. Their motives might have been a selfish attempt to feel good about their life, or a vain attempt to buy favor with God. Whatever the case, Jesus was not impressed or pleased (Mark 12:41-44).

God wants your heart. He isn’t looking just for “donors” for His kingdom, those who stand outside the cause and dispassionately consider acts of philanthropy. He’s looking for disciples immersed in the causes they give to. He wants people so filled with a vision for eternity that they wouldn’t dream of not investing their money, time, and prayers where they will matter most.

Of course, giving isn’t the only good thing we can do with money. We need to feed, clothe, house, and transport our families. But when the basics are taken care of, why shouldn’t the rest go toward treasures in heaven?

Moses left Egypt’s treasures “because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Hebrews 11:26). The person who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To that person, death is loss. The person who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; that person is moving daily toward their treasures. To that person, death is gain. The one who spends their life moving away from their treasures has reason to despair. The one who spends their life moving toward their treasures has reason to rejoice.

Are you despairing or rejoicing?

Money Leads - Hearts Follow

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

Our hearts always go where we put God's money. As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart will follow your treasure. Money leads; hearts follow.

When a rich young man pressed Jesus about how to gain eternal life, Jesus told him, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). The man was obsessed with earthly treasures. Jesus called him to something higher—heavenly treasures.

Jesus knew that money and possessions were the best indicators of our heart’s affections. He also knew that money can have a god-like power over people. He realized that the rich young man wouldn’t serve God unless he dethroned his money idol. But the seeker considered the price too great. Sadly, he walked away from real treasures.

We are supposed to have our eyes, hearts and minds on eternity. Apostle Paul reminds the church at Colosse the rules for holy living. He said in Colossians 3:1-3, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. (2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (3) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

Do you wish you cared more about eternal things? Then reallocate some of your money, maybe most of your money, for temporal things to eternal things. Watch what happens.

Treasures in Heaven

Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:20a

In Cairo there is a grave and an exhibit that represent two opposing worldviews concerning true treasure. In a grave lies William Borden, a Yale graduate and heir to great wealth, who lived from 1887 until 1913. Borden rejected a life of ease in order to bring the gospel to Muslims. Refusing even to buy himself a car, he gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions.

After only four months of zealous ministry in Egypt, he contracted spinal meningitis and died at the age of twenty-five. In the epitaph on Borden’s grave is a description of his love and sacrifices for the kingdom of God and for Muslim people. The inscription ends with the phrase, “Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for this life.”

The Egyptian National Museum contains the mind-boggling exhibit of King Tut. Tutankhamen, the boy king, was only seventeen when he died. He was buried with solid gold chariots and thousands of golden artifacts. His gold coffin was found within gold tombs within gold tombs within gold tombs. The burial site was filled with tons of gold.

The Egyptians believed in an afterlife—one where they could take earthly treasures. But all the treasures intended for King Tut’s eternal enjoyment stayed right where they were until Howard Carter discovered the burial chambers in 1922. They hadn’t been touched for more than three thousand years.

Borden’s grave is obscure, dusty, and hidden off the back alley of a street littered with garbage. Tutankhamen’s tomb glittered with unimaginable wealth. Yet where are these two young men now? One, who lived in opulence and called himself king, is in the misery of a Christless eternity. The other, who lived a modest life on earth in service of the one true King, is enjoying his everlasting reward in the presence of the King of kings the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tut’s life was tragic because of an awful truth discovered too late—he couldn’t take his treasures with him. William Borden’s life was triumphant. Why? Because instead of leaving behind his treasures, he sent them on ahead. (Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle)

Why is America So Sad?

(10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10

In this passage of Scripture, Apostle Paul is instructing Timothy to teach people about the dangers of loving money more than God. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Jesus warns people that money has a god-like power to master them. When people make money their god, it ends up becoming a curse instead of a blessing. Remember, there is nothing evil about money. In fact, God wants His people to prosper financially so they can be a blessing to others. It is the love of money that becomes a root in people’s hearts leading to all kinds of evil and many griefs.

If money is supposed to make us secure and happy, why are we so sad as a nation?

According to a recent study by the World Health Organization and Harvard Medical School, America may very well be the saddest nation in the world. Researchers found that 9.6 percent of Americans suffer from depression or bipolar disorder—the highest among 14 major nations polled. Those nations that scored better than the U.S. suffer from ongoing wars and rumors of war (Lebanon), vast unemployment (Mexico), and profound poverty (Nigeria).

In his Wall Street Journal article, "The Great Depression," Bret Stephens argues that perhaps America scores poorly as a nation because its population is generally comfortable and wealthy. Such luxuries allow that much more time for critically picking apart life situations and personal circumstances. Those who live in countries torn apart by varying social and economic issues have less time to fret over personal gain and ambition. They are simply too busy trying to survive.

So what could turn our sad nation around? The research shows that the citizens of the world's happier nations find a steady source of joy in their families, their religion, and their traditions.

I want to invite you to Every Nation Tallahassee this Sunday, October 14th, at 9am or 11am for the first sermon in our four week "Money Talks" series. Come discover what God says about money and what money says about us. Since money is something we all have to steward, and since money has a god-like power to control us, it is vital that we properly understand how to handle it.

Money Talks…what does it say about you? Hope to see you at ENT.

Dog Fighting the Truth (Part 2)

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said, “You (referring to Christ-followers) are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

According to this passage of scripture, there are two important facts to remember if salt is going to be effective as a preservative. First, the salt has to be potent in order to be effective. This means that Christ followers should be full of God’s word, and must be willing to share it with others. Second, in order for salt to be effective, it has to have close proximity. In other words, it must be touching the substance it is preserving to make its impact. Christ followers should be close to those who need to hear God’s word and His truth.

When Christ followers fail to be “salt” in our society, truth is lost and morality is ambiguous. The outrage concerning Michael Vick and his dog fighting practices is a recent example of this fact.

Don’t get me wrong, dog fighting is a heinous form of entertainment. For this crime, Vick has been sentenced to federal prison. However, do you know that in America today, Vick could get one hundred girls pregnant, counsel them to get abortions, and still be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons.

I wonder how many abortions have been performed due to the sexual habits of many people in our society. Where is the outrage for all these murders? Are dogs more valuable and important than human babies? If Michael Vick should go to prison for killing dogs, shouldn’t people go to prison for killing babies? Proverbs 6:16 says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him.” One of the things it mentions that the Lord hates is the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17b). Nothing is more innocent than the blood of a baby.

In the days of Isaiah the prophet, the people of his time had also lost their sense of truth and righteousness. Isaiah 59:14- says, “Justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. (15) Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.”

The people had stopped following God’s way and began to do what was right in their own eyes. Read how God responded to this dilemma. Isaiah 59: 15b-16 says, “The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. (16) He saw that there was no one, He was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so His arm worked salvation for Him.” Wow! There was no one to be “salt” and speak truth during this time in history. Therefore, God had to eventually send His Son Jesus in person to remind us of His truth and die for our sins.

Unlike the days of Isaiah, I pray God would find Christ followers being “salt” in our society today by living and speaking his truth. If Christ followers will do their part, truth will be rediscovered in America and something way more precious than dogs will be saved from death.

Dog Fighting the Truth

My seven year old son Josiah loves dog fights. He is an expert on their fighting tactics and very knowledgeable about the participants in battle.

During a fishing trip over the summer, Josiah asked a good friend of mine if he liked dog fighting. My friend answered him with a resounding “no”. My son, confused and saddened by his answer, said, “Dog fighting is so cool, I can’t believe you don’t like it.” All of a sudden my friend began to wonder what kind a child I was raising.

After about five minutes of dialogue, my friend finally realized that my son was talking about the show “Dog Fights”. It recreates historic jet fighter air battles from previous wars. It really is a cool show if you have never seen it on television.

As my friend was telling me the story about his conversation with my son, we both were laughing at his misunderstanding about the type of dog fighting Josiah was chatting about. After talking with him, I started thinking about how we determine truth, justice and righteousness in America today. Just like my friend during his discourse with my son, our nation is confused and, therefore, hypocritical in regards to our ethics.

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said, “You (referring to Christ-followers) are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

What did Jesus mean by referring to Christ-followers as salt? Throughout history, salt has been used as a preservative. Jesus was reminding His people that they are to preserve truth and morality in our society.

Stay tuned for part 2 on "Dog Fighting the Truth".

Possession Obsession (Part 2)

Jesus taught that people should not store up treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Instead, he instructed them to store up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20). The surest way to store up treasures in heaven is to give to God’s mission here on earth. That is why it is so important to be connected to a strong local church committed to fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus to make disciples of all nations.

It is very sad to observe so many Americans who store up treasures on earth that will one day rot or be burned in the eternal fire of judgment. Remember, we can take nothing and I mean nothing with us. After losing children, servants and personal possessions during enemy raids and violent storms, the righteous man Job said in Job 1:21, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.” Job knew he could take nothing with him to the grave.

Selfishness and greed cause us to store up treasures on earth and not in heaven. When we live like this, our wealth brings more trouble than blessing to our lives. Recently, more Americans declared bankruptcy than graduated from college. In 90 percent of divorce cases, arguments about money play a prominent role. (Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle)

“Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.” Michael Vick is our most recent example of a wealthy man who has fallen into trouble because his financial priorities were out of order. According to Fox Sports writer Jeff Gordon, Vick may have flushed $100 million down the drain by a backing dog-fighting operation. His 10 year, $130 million contract will evaporate, and Falcons owner Arthur Blank could demand repayment of a least some of Vick’s $22 million signing bonus. Rather than earn $20 million a year in salary and endorsement fees for the next several years. Vick will spend millions to clean up his various legal and public relations crises.

Let’s continue to pray for people like Michael, and remember from Javos and Job that we should live our lives on earth storing up treasures in heaven. We can’t take it with us, but we can send it on ahead to heaven.

“I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness.” John D. Rockefellar

Possession Obsession

Six years ago, while working as the Associate Director of Premier Health and Fitness Center, I had a very sobering experience that changed my life forever. A good friend of mine named Javos was getting ready to teach our after work step aerobics class. Javos, a devout Christian, was one of the first people I hired to help oversee our fitness program. Javos, who at 42 looked like he was in his mid- twenties, was probably the best conditioned individual in the whole facility. Due to the convenient time and popularity of Javos as an instructor, it was one of the highest attended classes we offered at the fitness center. Five minutes before the class, Javos and I were in the break room talking about how wonderful it will be when we see Jesus face to face in heaven.

About fifteen minutes into teaching the class, Javos fell violently to the floor landing face first on the ground. Immediately, doctors and nurses who were working out in the gym began to administer CPR to Javos. In a state of panic, several people from the aerobic class came rushing into my office to inform me about their fallen instructor. As I walked into the aerobics room, the paramedics had arrived and were trying to revive Javos. In just a few minutes, I went from doing office work to riding in the front seat of the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

The wait at the hospital seemed like an eternity as we grew impatient hoping to hear some news about our friend. About an hour later, a doctor came into our room with a distraught and confused look on his face. He told us that they had spent forty-five minutes trying to resuscitate Javos, and could not get his heart to beat again. Our paragon of fitness and virtue was dead.

I had the responsibility of calling his mother and other family members to tell them the news. Javos had no relatives that lived in Tallahassee. Therefore, I also had to go to the employee parking lot and clean out all of Javos’ belongings from his car. As I was collecting his cross that hung from this rear view mirror, the reality that we can take nothing with us when we die struck my mind like lightning.

1 Timothy 6:7 says, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. “ I sat in his car and stared at a possession that was very personal to Javos and no longer with him. He left everything he owned behind. Even the most recognized symbol of Christianity, a cross, did not go into eternity with Javos.

Stay tuned for part 2 of Possession Obsession.

Addiction Affliction (Part 2)

New research is revealing why Americans become addicted. In Time Magazine, Michael D. Lemonick reports, “Armed with an array of increasing sophisticated technology, including fMRIS and Pet Scans, investigators have begun to figure out exactly what goes wrong in the brain of an addict—which neurotransmitting chemicals are out of balance and what regions of the brain are affected. They are developing a more detailed understanding of how deeply and completely addiction can affect the brain, by hijacking memory-making processes and by exploiting emotions. Using that knowledge, they’ve begun to design new drugs that are showing promise in cutting off the craving that drives an addict irresistibly toward relapse—the greatest risk facing even the most dedicated abstainer.”

Well, we can try drugs to cure us of our addictions, or we can try God’s remedy. Obviously, our thought life determines our behavior. Jesus taught that our bad behavior comes from the sin that is in our hearts. In Matthew 15:19 He says, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”

I submit to you, my faithful readers, that there is a better way to renew our mind. And that better way is feeding on God’s words contained in the Bible. Addiction results from our desire to seek and feel joy or pleasure. Jeremiah, one of God’s prophets, knew the secret to true joy and delight. In Jeremiah 15:16 he says, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear you name, O Lord God Almighty.”

The article also reports on one important discovery. Evidence is building to support the 90-day rehabilitation model, which was stumbled upon by AA (new members are advised to attend a meeting a day for the first 90 days) and is the duration of a typical stint in a drug treatment program. It turns out that this is just about how long it takes for the brain to reset itself and shake off the immediate influence of a drug. Researchers at Yale University have documented what they call the sleeper effect—a gradual re-engaging of proper decision making and analytical functions in the brain’s prefrontal cortex—after an addict has abstained for at least 90 days.

If you are struggling with addictive behaviors or just trying to discover God’s will for your life, take the next 90 days and change your behavior.

I recommend the following:

(1) Read chapter of the Bible, starting in the Book of John, and one Psalm (start with Psalm 1 and finish with Psalm 90) and one Proverb (There are 31 proverbs, so you should be able to read the book of Proverbs 3 times in 90 days). Then, meditate on and pray about what you just read. Be sure to ask God in your prayer time to give you wisdom to know Jesus and His will for your life.
(2 Make notes about what you are learning and hearing from God in the Bible.
(3) Find a committed follower of Jesus and talk to them about what you are learning.
(4) Think and act differently. Apply what you are reading and learning.
(5) Attend a Bible believing church for the next 90 days. If you don’t have a church, try Every Nation Tallahassee and tell me about the changes you are making in your life.

As jars of clay, we are filled with joy when we live to please God. The only addictive behavior we should engage in is the worship of our great God. As we offer our lives to him as living sacrifices, he will transform us by renewing our minds to enjoy the only One that satisfies our souls.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. (2) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

Ultimately, God’s words and His way is the best solution to break destructive habits and give us the joy and pleasure we all long for deep in our hearts.

Addiction Affliction

O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Psalm 64:8

Like jars of clay, we are made very specific by God to know Him and enjoy Him forever. A jar is a container and a container is created to be filled with something. We are made to be filled, and what we should be filled with is the knowledge of the glory of God. Anytime we seek knowledge, relationship, or pleasure outside of God’s will for our lives, we become addicts in our vain attempt to find meaning and fulfillment.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (7) But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

According to a recent Time Magazine article by Michael D. Lemonick titled “How We Get Addicted”, as species wired for survival, we have an odd habit of getting hooked on things that can kill us. “Addictions,” says Joseph Frascella, director of the division of clinical neuroscience at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “are repetitive behaviors in the face of negative consequences, the desire to continue something you know is bad for you.”

Jesus taught that we have an enemy who comes to deceive us and tempt us to participate in activities that will destroy our lives. In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The devil comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Addictions in America change over time. Here’s a look at what substance and behavior addictions have us hooked today. (Time Magazine, July 16, 2007)

18:7 million people, or 7.7% of the population, are dependent on or abuse alcohol, and 12,000 more try it for the first time every day. Alcoholics Anonymous has over 2 million members.

An estimated 3.6 million people are dependent on drugs. On average, 8,000 try them for the first time each day, and 700,000 are undergoing treatment for addiction.

There are about 71.5 million users of tobacco products in the U.S. About 23.4% of men and 18.5% of women are cigarette smokers.

Caffeine is the most widely used mood-altering drug in the world and is routinely ingested by about 80% to 90% of Americans, primarily through soda and coffee.

An addiction to food affects as many as 4 million U.S. adults and is strongly linked to depression. About 15% of mildly obese people are compulsive eaters.

Two million American adults, or 0.67% of the population, are thought to be pathological gamblers, wagering heedless of the consequences. An additional 4 to 8 million are considered problem gamblers.

At least 1 in 20 Americans is a compulsive shopper, according to a Stanford University study. Cultural factors, like advertising’s emphasis on the happiness products can bring, are thought to fuel addictive buying.

About 16 million Americans suffer from compulsive sexual behavior, the least understood of all addictions. A third are women; about 60% of all sex addicts were abused in childhood.

Like compulsive gambling, Internet addiction is thought to be an impulse-control disorder that can disrupt social relationships.

Wow, maybe this research reveals that the devil is real and Jesus knows what He is talking about.

Stay tuned for part 2 on Addiction Affliction.

Global Warning: God is a Consuming Fire

Hebrews 12:28-29 says, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, (29) for our “God is a consuming fire.”

What does is mean that our God is a consuming fire? It means everything God consumes, every place where God’s fire comes, he purifies and makes holy. Holiness means morally and spiritually excellent or perfect. It means belonging to, devoted to, or empowered by God. It means to be consecrated and sacred.

When God consumes us with his fire, he purifies us and makes us holy, he swallows up, he consumes, he burns up all our pride, our greed, our jealousy, our bitterness, our anger, our self-righteousness, even our dreams, our hopes, our visions for ourselves.

Israel was delivered by God out of Egypt, and he chose to guide them out with a pillar of cloud by daytime and a pillar of fire at night. It’s interesting when you think about God choosing this pillar of fire by night, and it makes perfect sense. The Bible tells us God led them as a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night so they could travel anytime—both day and night.

God consumes us and purifies us, but not only that. When God comes in our life like a fire, he recreates us. He transforms us so that day or night, 24/7, every moment of our existence, we will be prepared to follow him and move at his initiative. Everyone who has been consumed by the fire of God is now God-mobile, day or night. When you are consumed by the fire of God, you become a journeyman in the darkness. God becomes the light. The Scriptures say the pillar of fire always stayed in front of them to lead them as God moved. God comes and consumes us not when we want God to follow us, but when we are ready to follow him.

You know the wonderful thing about fire? It’s irreversible. It’s a consuming experience. Some of you reading this blog are wood. You’ve been going to church or someplace all your life, and you carry your wood around. You’re religious, and your wood is valuable to you. But you’ve never encountered God; he’s never encountered you. You’ve never opened your life to him, and you’ve never been set on fire. So you’ve got all this wood—it’s religion and ritual. And the way you can know you are just wood and not fire is because you’re not passionate about the things of God. But be careful with your wood, because God can even consume wood that’s been drenched in water.

Some of you reading this blog are ashes. What’s happened with you is that you were wood, and at some vulnerable moment in your life you said, “God, I’m yours. I understand you’re a consuming fire. I give you everything I am. I throw my life, my future, my dreams, my hopes, my pains, everything to you.” And God consumed you in that moment and you were burning for God. But then you let the fire go out, and you discovered you were nothing but ashes. And the way you talk is, “There once was a time when I knew God. There was a time I felt close to God.” You keep looking back on your life, and you’re just carrying around these ashes. (Erwin McManus)

Others of you are matches. You are shining a little light, but it is about to burn out. God says, “It’s not enough. I don’t want you to have a little, tiny light. I want you to be a fire consumed in God.”

Do you know how you can tell if a person is connected to God? It’s the one that gets set on fire.

Global Warning (Part 2)

If there is anything our society lacks today, it is a reverence and awe for God. We tend to think that God will always extend us the same amount of grace no matter what decisions we make. In other words, all we have to do is ask for forgiveness and God will not make us suffer the consequences of our bad decisions. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Hebrews 12:14-17 says, 14Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.

According to this passage of scripture, we can miss the grace of God. Esau, lacking self-control, sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob for food (Genesis 25:30-34). Birthright involved the right as head of the family (Genesis 27:29) and a double share of the inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17). This stripped Esau of the headship of the people through which Messiah would come. Thus, the lineage became Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Esau is referred to as godless because he sold his birthright. It is very important to God that we take our position in life very serious. It is a godless act to forfeit our destiny or not fulfill the purpose for which we were created. A simple deal over a bowl of food in a weak moment would forever determine the course of Esau’s life. There was nothing he could do to change his momentary lapse of reason.

King David was referred to as a man after God’s own heart. God promoted him to King of his people because David desired to please God and do his will. In a momentary lapse of reason, David disobeyed God and committed adultery with Bathsheba. Although God forgave him, the consequences from this decision would prove to be devastating. The sword would never leave his house after this incident. Even his own sons would rebel against his leadership and try to have him overthrown and killed.

God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt to bring them into the promise land of Canaan. Because of their disobedience, grumbling and complaining, only two people of the original generation that left Egypt would make it to the promise land. God allowed the rest of the Israelites to perish as they wandered aimlessly in the desert for over forty years.

Yes, it is true that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Yes, it is true that God so loves the world that he sent his Son so that none would perish (John 3:16). However, God is also holy and God is also just. His holiness does not tolerate sin and his justice demands a punishment for sin. Unfortunately, we miss the grace of God by ignoring the holiness and justice of God by being flippant with his commands.

More than anything else, God desires that his people do his will. He brings fire into our soul to burn away anything that would stand in opposition to Him. In fact, God knows families would even be divided over the issue of doing God’s will and obeying His commandments.

In Luke 12:49-53 Jesus says, 49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

See to it that you don't miss the grace of God! Stay tuned for part 3 of Global Warnnig.

Global Warning

Do you remember where you were on New Year’s Eve before the turn of the new millennium? Where you partying “like its 1999”? I spent the night at the hotel where my father was working as the general manager. He had to work that night in case the Y2K bug crashed all of the hotel’s computer systems. Media and popular culture had us convinced the world was going to shut down once the clock struck midnight. Fear was resonating in the hearts of millions of Americans.

I remember watching Dick Clark do the traditional New Year’s Eve countdown as the ball dropped in Time Square. Next thing I knew, I was giving my wife a Happy New Year’s kiss and thanking God that all of the lights were still on. The new millennium was here and there was no bug to be found in the computers. However there was still fear to be found in the hearts of people.

The events in the new millennium have done anything but eliminate the fear that permeates our society. In 2000, we had the “hanging chad” election where a majority of people were convinced there was some kind of conspiracy determining the result. In 2001 on 9/11, terrorists hijacked planes and used them as weapons of mass destruction on U.S. soil.

In 2004, the hurricane season was notable as one of the deadliest and most costly Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, with at least 150 deaths and roughly $42 billion (2004 US dollars) in damage. The most notable storms for the season were the four hurricanes that made landfall in the U.S. state of Florida, three of them with at least 115 mph (185 km/h) sustained winds: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.

In 2005, Southeast Asia was be devastated as many people lost there lives during a tsunami. Also in 2005, the world watched as Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans died on national television after being left stranded for days without food and water.

In fact, as I type this blog, the news stations are reporting on a bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis and fell into the Mississippi River. It seems that we can’t even travel across our bridges anymore without worrying about their stability.

It was during the hurricane season of 2005 that I recall overhearing conversation after conversation in the gym about the topic of “end times”. The men in the locker room were certain that all of these events were signs that we are living in the last days. People seemed to be facing the fact that we are not invincible. This shaking was definitely stirring the God conscious in all who witnessed these tragedies.

In this new millennium, could God be using these misfortunes to give us a global warning?

Hebrews 12:25-27 says, “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? (26) At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” (27) The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, (29) for our “God is a consuming fire.”

What does it mean to worship God acceptably with awe and reverence? It means that the most important and serious activity we should attend to in life is worship. Worship is homage or reverence paid to God, and it is complete adoration and devotion to Him.

If there is anything our society lacks today, it is a reverence and awe for God. We tend to think that God will always extend us the same amount of grace no matter what decisions we make. In other words, all we have to do is ask for forgiveness and God will not make us suffer the consequences of our bad decisions. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Stay tuned for part two of Global Warning and come visit us for part two of our Global Warning series at Every Nation Tallahassee. Service times are 9am and 11am. I look forward to seeing you there.

I Love The Church

Over two thousand years ago the most influential man in human history gave his life for the most important cause of all time. The person I am talking about is Jesus Christ, and the cause was his church. The church is defined as the people of God. Jesus purchased his church by shedding his blood on the cross, he established the church through his apostles, and now he builds it with his people. Jesus is passionately in love with his church, and is determined to see it become great and radiant (Ephesians 5:25-27).

So, why do I love the church? I love the church because I love Jesus. In order to love somebody, you have to value what is important to them. The Bible describes the love relationship between Jesus and his church like that of a husband and wife (Revelation 19:7 and Ephesians 5:22-33). In fact, Jesus is so connected to the church it is referred to as his body in chapter 12 in the book of Corinthians.

I know many people are discouraged and disillusioned with the church, and rightfully so in some cases. Unfortunately, too many pastors have fallen from grace, too many churches have split over petty issues, and too many churches have not been compassionate to those who are lost and hurting. None of these are God’s intention for the church. We have to deal with the reality that people are human and make mistakes. I know it is very disappointing to witness a Christian not act like one. For all who have been let down by the church, I deeply apologize as a minister of Jesus.

Even though the church has let people down in recent years, it still has a divine purpose on planet earth, and it is still the best place to meet great people. The church is God’s household, the pillar and foundation of truth in our society (1 Timothy 3:15). The church is also the institution that is designed by God to defeat all the spiritual forces of darkness in our world (Matthew 16:18-19 and Ephesians 3:10-11).

Because the church has such an important mission it is constantly under attack. Secular humanists who want to live immoral lifestyles are trying to pass legislation to eradicate the churches influence in our country. And the devil is constantly waging warfare against the church by trying to deceive, tempt and accuse God’s people. It is regrettable that many Christian’s have succumbed to his wrongdoing. That is why we need to put on the full armor of God to stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11).

The good news is that the Bible tells us the end of the story. The church is destined to be more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37-39). It will triumph over the devil and all his dark forces (Matthew 16:18-19). And the church will be presented to Jesus like a bride on her wedding day, without spot, wrinkle or blemish (Ephesians 5:27).

I love the church because it is Jesus’ body and his bride. I love the church because it has been entrusted with the greatest mission on planet earth. That mission is to destroy the devil and his works of darkness. I love the church because it possesses the power of God to bring transformation to a lost world. I love the church because it still contains the greatest people I have ever met.

If you love Jesus and appreciate all he has done for you, then you should prove your love by getting involved in a local church. The bottom line is that your love for Jesus will be reflected in your devotion to and service in Jesus’ church.

Two Types of Sorrow

After watching “To Catch a Predator” on MSNBC Dateline, a feature about people who prey on children for sex by making initial contact with them on the internet, I started thinking about the two types of sorrow Apostle Paul wrote about in the Bible to the church at Corinth.

It was quite shocking to witness the reality of what people will do when they are addicted to their sin. First, these predators seek out children for sex on the internet by engaging in salacious conversations and sending pornographic pictures of themselves. Then, once they make contact, they drive to the house and audaciously enter the house of the child. They usually bring some type of alcohol or drug with them, and sometimes they take off their clothes before entering the house. There is no doubt they have every intention on acting out their sick fantasy. Many of the predators are previous sex offenders.

As they walk into the house they are greeted by a gentleman who works for MSNBC Dateline. He begins to question them about their motive and intent for appearing at the residence. At this moment, it is interesting to listen to what they have to communicate about their reason for being in the house, and sad to watch how they respond.

Initially, they all seem to be remorseful for their lascivious behavior. However, as they continue to sit through the interrogation and answer questions, it becomes painfully obvious that their sorrow is worldly and not godly.

2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorry brings death.”

Worldly sorrow is when a person is more upset about being caught for the crime than committing the crime. It does not produce a change in human behavior. A person with this type of sorrow is not willing to fully acknowledge the wrong they have done. In fact, this person feels they are the victim because they have to go through the inconvenience of being caught in the act. This type of sorrow always leads to death.

Godly sorrow produces a deep regret in a person’s heart for their sinful lifestyle. This sorrow is so sincere that it causes the person to change behavior, accept any punishment for what they did wrong, and make amends where necessary. This type of sorrow always leads to new life.

2 Corinthians 7:11 says, “See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.”

Remember, these predators sought out children on the internet, drove in their car to their house, walked in the house, brought alcohol, condoms and drugs, and still pleaded their innocence when caught on video. All but one of the men in the feature pleaded not guilty in their court case. These men are the personification of worldly sorrow.

“To Catch a Predator” is a great reminder to all of us that our sin will eventually lead to death. It is also a reminder that the only sorrow that will produce eternal change in the human heart is godly sorrow.

Do you have godly sorrow or worldly sorrow for your sin?

I am sure it was a simple lustful thought that led to the wanton behavior of these internet predators. Maybe you are not a sex offender, but your sin will eventually bring a similar undoing and humiliation to you and those in your sphere of influence. After watching “To Catch a Predator”, it is undeniable that America needs more godly sorrow in its citizens.

Do Good Works Make Us Good? (Part 2)

It's amazing to me who the world exalts as a role model in our society today. The standard for righteousness is being reduced, if not lost, as our nation continues to ignore the truth contained in the Bible.

What makes the Bible unique is it teaches that no one is good without Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Romans 3:10, 12 says, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who does good, not even one.” It is this teaching about humanity that offends so many people. Apostle Paul reminded the church at Ephesus that there was no amount of good works they could do to ever earn their salvation. He writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God—(9) not by works, so that no one can boast.”

So, what am I writing? Am I saying that people should never do good works? Not at all! The Bible teaches us that people are saved to do good works. Christians should do more good works than anybody else on the planet. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The difference is that our good works don’t make us good. It is the new nature that Christ gives us, and it is the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts that makes us good.

The key to doing good works is the right motive. Without Christ, I believe our motive for good works is more about feeling good than actually helping people. In other words, it is selfish.

What is Angelina’s motive? Newsweek reports, “When I was famous for being just an actress, my life felt very shallow,” she says. “You’ve done nothing of any social relevance, and yet you have all these people interviewing you. You don’t even know what you’re talking about. You’re just trying to find yourself.” She pauses. “Traveling really did save me. I was just...happier. It was feeling that I was doing the right things with my life.” Could her motive be more about being happy than helping people?

Good works can make you feel good but they don’t make you good. I know what I am writing is controversial and not well-received in our humanistic culture where people put more trust in man than God. The simple fact is that truth has a tendency to be offensive. My simple goal is to teach truth even if it means being unpopular.

One final thought about good works. The main way you can determine the motive behind a person’s good works is by watching who gets the praise. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” The good works that really count are those that give praise to God and not to people.

Hey, I know good works almost always impact people in a positive manner. And yes, I know good works are much better than bad works. I am aware that many people have been helped by Jolie’s humanitarian efforts. Her work around the world is a good thing, but it does not make her righteous. The truth is that her sin makes her immoral.

If she was righteous, her good works would bring praise to God. After reading the article, all the praise for Angelina’s good works went to her and not to the Father in heaven. Without Christ, our good works may get us favor with humans, but it will never get us favor with God. Without Godly motives, our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). There is only one standard by which we can judge and determine righteousness, and that standard is the Lord Jesus Christ.

My hope is that Angelina would receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior by repenting for her sins and asking God to forgive her. If so, maybe her efforts would do more than make her happy and do good things for people. What if her labor actually led people to Christ and transformed them for eternity? What if her work actually taught people how to live like Jesus so they could obey His commandments and experience personal prosperity instead of poverty?

If so, our Father in heaven would get the praise through her good works.

Do Good Works Make Us Good?

Jesus told his followers to let their light shine in such a way that people would see their good deeds and give praise to the Father in heaven. Over the next four weeks at Every Nation Tallahassee we will be teaching people how to "Get Lit" and shine like Jesus in our world of ever-increasing darkness. I hope to see you there.

Most people want to see the world changed, and many desire to be saviors. Can anybody shine brighter than Jesus Christ and replace him as the light of the world?

While reading the June 25, 2007 edition of Newsweek, I came across an article titled “Angelina Wants to Save the World”. The story is about Angelina Jolie’s humanitarian work. According to Newsweek, since 2001, she has evolved from a carnal libertine into a 32-year-old mother of four and good-will ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, visiting populations in crisis in Sierra Leone, Darfur, Thailand, Ecuador, Pakistan and elsewhere. She attends the World Economic Forum. She donates one third of her salary to charity.

Is Angelina Jolie our savior? Does all of her “good work” make her a good person? Well, that depends on how you obtain your worldview on goodness.

If good works made us good, then everybody on the planet would be good after one good work. Even killers like Charles Manson, Ted Bundy and Adolf Hitler did at least one good work in their lifetime, and that did not make them good. Their sin made them wicked and evil.

Life teaches us and history has proven that humans are not good. All we have to do is watch one night of evening news to be reminded of the evil that exists in people. In fact, most if not all, world religions and cults have some type of “good works” system by which they try to obtain their righteousness in vain.

For example, Mormons believe they are saved by doing good works, like missions and tithing, and by following the beliefs of the LDS Church. Muslims believe they can tip the judgment scale in their favor by doing good deeds that are compatible with the teachings of the Qur’an and the Hadith. Chief among those are the Five Pillars of Faith that each Muslim must perform. They include reciting the Shahadah, praying, giving alms, fasting and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Oh, and killing people for Allah will get you a special place in paradise with fine virgin women.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Do Good Works Make Us Good?"

What Are Humans That God is Mindful of Us?

(1) O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (3) When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (4) what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? (5) You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (6) You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: (7) all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, (8) the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (9) O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Imagine this! You are sitting on a boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in Alaska and there is hardly a ripple on the water. Surrounding you, as far as you can see, are snow capped mountain ranges with rolling vast forests on the side of them. Sitting perched on top of the trees and soaring through the air are several bald eagles. Looking to the left you see seals playfully swimming in the cool water. Looking to the right you see the whales spouting as they role through the water. And in the boat, a good friend has a 135 lb Halibut hooked on his fishing line with a grimace and a smile on his face. The temperature outside is about 70 degrees with a cool breeze blowing through your hair. There is not a cloud in the beautiful blue sky.

I just got back from a four day fishing trip in Alaska. What I described to you in the paragraph above was my day on Wednesday. It was one of the most beautiful days I have ever experienced in my life. That morning, during my devotional time, the Lord led me to Psalm 8. It’s funny how He has a way of doing that to me. O Lord, our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth! When you find yourself in the middle of God’s awesome creation, you truly have to be a fool to deny His existence (Psalm 14:1).

While sitting on the boat that day admiring the handiwork of God, I had two encouraging thoughts after reading Psalm 8.

The first one was the fact that the Almighty God is mindful of me. In fact, He created me to have a relationship with Him. No one knows me better than my Creator. Because He is mindful of me, this means he will provide for me, protect me and guide me through life. While observing His amazing creation and thinking about the brilliance of His mind, it was quite comforting to know that He is mindful of me.

The second thought was the fact that human beings are the crown jewel of His creation. We were in awe every time we saw an eagle soar, a whale spout or a seal glide through the water. But, I began to wonder if an eagle, whale or seal could reason, what would they think about us? I bet they would be envious that we were created to rule over the work of God’s hands. An eagle can soar in the wind, but it will never be able to fly a plane. A whale and seal can swim in the ocean, but it will never be able to sail a boat.

And more importantly, the eagle, whale and seal can never know the mind of their Creator. We, as God’s people, are designed to have a relationship with the Majestic One. I pray that we would make the most of this wonderful privilege, and fully understand what it means to be crowned with God’s glory and honor.

O Lord, our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The Perfect Father (Part 2)

Whether you know it or not, your relationship with your father is significant because it influences your thoughts and feelings about God. Since God is our Eternal Father, nothing is more important than knowing Him. So, as a father, what is God like? How does He desire to relate to us? Is he the type of father who will abandon us? Is he the type of father who is distant? Is he the type of father that is around but not engaged in our lives? Or, is he the Perfect Father that never changes in his unconditional love for his children?

To understand what the perfect Father is like, first we must understand what we are like without Christ. Romans 3:10-11 and 23 says, “There is no one righteous, not even one; (11) there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. (23) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death.” Because of our sin, all we deserve, and yes this includes every single one of us, is hell. This is important to comprehend, because without this understanding, we can not appreciate what God has done for us as the Perfect Father.

James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (18) He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.” One of the characteristics of a perfect Father is that he is a giver. Remember, the wages of sin is death. That is the bad news. However, the gospel is more about good news than bad news. The second part of Romans 6:23 says, “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The greatest gift ever given in the history of humanity is Jesus Christ. Without this gift we would all burn in eternity forever. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Another characteristic of the perfect Father is that he loves unconditionally. The gift of his son Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of the Father’s love. Romans 5:6-8 says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. (7) Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. (8) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Finally, our Perfect Father is compassionate and gracious. Psalm 103:8-13 says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (9) He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; (10) he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. (11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; (12) as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (13) As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”

God's grace is described with four characteristics in Psalm 103:8-13. Verse 8: God has a long fuse. Verse 9: God has a short memory. Verse 10: God has thick skin. Verses 1112: God has a big heart.

The Perfect Father’s heart, like the distance between east and west, cannot be measured. On a globe, if you go north, you'll eventually reach the North Pole, and if you keep walking in a straight line, you'll start heading south. Eventually, north meets south. Not so east and west. If you go east around the globe, you never reach west.