When it comes to the topic of sex, most of what should never be talked about or exposed is what is discussed and revealed by the world in magazines, movies, talk shows, internet websites and many other venues. The important issues of sex that should be talked about in our homes and churches are rarely, if ever discussed. Therefore, this leaves our kids to discover their “sexuality” on their own.
This trend has proven devastating to America and must stop. On Sunday at Every Nation Tallahassee it does. We kick off our February series called “Bringing Sexy Back…where it belongs”. I will begin the series with a message called “Sex and the City”. We are going to “talk about sex baby”, exposing lies and revealing truth, about the topic of sex. I hope to see you there.
To further emphasis our “state of emergency” in America in regards to sex, and hopefully motivate you to attend, I have included some statistics that reflect our sexual behavior.
Average age of first sexual experience is 15.8 years old.
Average length of first sexual relationship is 3.8 months.
23.4% of first time sexual experiences are one night stands.
16.7% of adolescents who took virginity pledges became sexually active.
The average teen watches 3-4 hours of TV with 6-7 sexual images shown per hour.
55% of 11th graders in Ohio have had sex.
The average age of first time porn internet exposure is to 11 year old boys.
The California Protective Parents Association study reveals that much of the multi-billion dollar porn industry is focused on attracting young boys between the ages of 12-17.
20 billion is spent worldwide on porn.
21% of all websites on the internet are all porn which works out to 372 million pages.
68 million searches for porn are done per day which is 25% of all searches on the internet.
The porn industry is a 57 billion dollar a year industry, this is more that the combined revenue of ABC, CBS and NBC combined. It is also more than all professional sports teams in the US make per year put together.
53% of Promise Keeper men viewed porn last week.
There has been a 418% increase in rape from 1960-1999.
The annual cost of teen pregnancies from lost tax revenues, public assistance, child health care, foster care and involvement with the criminal justice system is said to be around 7 billion.
More than 1/3 of all teenage pregnancies in America end in abortion costing taxpayers a little over 5 million.
The annual cost of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) is said to be well in the excess of 10 billion.
8,000 teenagers a day get STD’s in America.
3 million teens will be infected with STD’s this year.
In 2000, 240,000 children were born to girls 18 and under. Most of them were unmarried.
It’s time to take back sex education from Madonna and Britney, Nick and Jessica, Brad and Jen, Justin and Cameron, Ryan and Reese, and the many others who have failed in their relationships.
It is time to “Bring Sexy Back” where it belongs.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Embracing Your Season of Change: Maintaing the Proper Perspective (Part 2)
The second component to keeping a proper perspective is living a life that is pleasing to God. Not only did Joshua and Caleb stand on the promise of God, but they lived lives that were pleasing to God. While encamped in the Desert of Paran, the Lord told Moses to send some men to explore Canaan, the land of promise. From each ancestral tribe, Moses sent one of its leaders. Including Joshua and Caleb, the number sent on this expedition was twelve.
Moses gave these leaders certain questions to be answered as they explored the land. They were sent to gather information on the strength of the people, the topography of the land, the quality of the land and its soil and produce, and the strength of their fortification.
The leaders came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and showed the whole assembly the fruit of the land. All the leaders agreed that the land and its fruit were very good. In fact they said, “It does flow with milk and honey!” However, there was just one major problem. The leaders reported on the people of the land and its fortification with two different perspectives.
One group, the majority with ten leaders, said the land was good, but the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. They said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we.” Because of their perspective, they began to spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. In Numbers 13:32 they said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw Nephilim (giant people) there, and we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
Caleb, part of the minority group of two, silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Numbers 14:30) This declaration did not change the people’s point of view. That night all the people of the community raised there voices and wept aloud. Then they began to grumble against Moses and Aaron. In Numbers 14:2-3 they said, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! (3) Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should chose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
As Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole Israelite assembly, Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes and said to the assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14:7-9)
Why did Joshua and Caleb have such a different perspective than the rest of the assembly. There are two main reasons. First, they knew that God was with them as he had promised. Second, they had a great confidence because they were living in such a way to please God.
The Lord displeased with the grumbling of the Israelites determines that none of them, except Joshua and Caleb will enter the land of promise. He makes them wander for forty years until their whole generation dies in the desert. But because his servant Caleb had a different spirit and followed him wholeheartedly, God gave him and his descendants the land as an inheritance.
It was Joshua and Caleb’s different spirit that led to wholehearted trust, and submission to God’s will. This enabled and empowered them to see with a Godly perspective. Only when we live a life pleasing unto God can we see with proper perspective and possess his promises.
Moses gave these leaders certain questions to be answered as they explored the land. They were sent to gather information on the strength of the people, the topography of the land, the quality of the land and its soil and produce, and the strength of their fortification.
The leaders came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and showed the whole assembly the fruit of the land. All the leaders agreed that the land and its fruit were very good. In fact they said, “It does flow with milk and honey!” However, there was just one major problem. The leaders reported on the people of the land and its fortification with two different perspectives.
One group, the majority with ten leaders, said the land was good, but the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. They said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we.” Because of their perspective, they began to spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. In Numbers 13:32 they said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw Nephilim (giant people) there, and we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
Caleb, part of the minority group of two, silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Numbers 14:30) This declaration did not change the people’s point of view. That night all the people of the community raised there voices and wept aloud. Then they began to grumble against Moses and Aaron. In Numbers 14:2-3 they said, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! (3) Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should chose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
As Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole Israelite assembly, Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes and said to the assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14:7-9)
Why did Joshua and Caleb have such a different perspective than the rest of the assembly. There are two main reasons. First, they knew that God was with them as he had promised. Second, they had a great confidence because they were living in such a way to please God.
The Lord displeased with the grumbling of the Israelites determines that none of them, except Joshua and Caleb will enter the land of promise. He makes them wander for forty years until their whole generation dies in the desert. But because his servant Caleb had a different spirit and followed him wholeheartedly, God gave him and his descendants the land as an inheritance.
It was Joshua and Caleb’s different spirit that led to wholehearted trust, and submission to God’s will. This enabled and empowered them to see with a Godly perspective. Only when we live a life pleasing unto God can we see with proper perspective and possess his promises.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Embracing Your Season of Change: Maintaining the Proper Perspective
In order to keep a proper perspective in our season of change, we must first know and stand on the promise of God. Joseph was an amazing man of God. Joseph never wavered in his faith towards God even though he had many reasons to doubt God’s goodness.
Joseph was sold as a slave to the Egyptian Potiphar because his brothers were jealous of him, he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and put in prison, and he was forgotten about after helping the chief cup bearer of Pharaoh in prison when he told Joseph he would remember to mention him to Pharaoh when he got out. In these times of trial and testing, he never was disloyal to God.
God gave Joseph a special gift of interpreting dreams. This gift gave him an opportunity to minister to Pharaoh when he was being tormented by dreams. God gave Joseph favor with Pharaoh when he interpreted his dreams, and Pharaoh promoted him to the second most influential place of leadership in Egypt.
Through sovereign circumstances, Joseph would end up living and dying in Egypt. However, because of his close relationship with God, he had special insight into the destiny of his people, the Israelites. He spoke of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt several centuries before it happened. Hebrews 11:22 says, “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.”
Joseph knew God was going to one day deliver his people out of Egypt and bring them to a promised land. He was so convinced of this, that he gave instructions for his bones to be carried out of Egypt and buried in God’s place of promise. What a great example of a man who had a generational perspective on the promise and purpose of God.
What allowed Joseph to maintain his loyalty to God through times of testing and trial? The answer has to do with his ability to stay focused on the promise of God instead of worrying about his problems. In order to keep the right perspective in times of change, we must look beyond the stress of the temporary to the glory of the eternal.
Joseph was sold as a slave to the Egyptian Potiphar because his brothers were jealous of him, he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and put in prison, and he was forgotten about after helping the chief cup bearer of Pharaoh in prison when he told Joseph he would remember to mention him to Pharaoh when he got out. In these times of trial and testing, he never was disloyal to God.
God gave Joseph a special gift of interpreting dreams. This gift gave him an opportunity to minister to Pharaoh when he was being tormented by dreams. God gave Joseph favor with Pharaoh when he interpreted his dreams, and Pharaoh promoted him to the second most influential place of leadership in Egypt.
Through sovereign circumstances, Joseph would end up living and dying in Egypt. However, because of his close relationship with God, he had special insight into the destiny of his people, the Israelites. He spoke of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt several centuries before it happened. Hebrews 11:22 says, “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.”
Joseph knew God was going to one day deliver his people out of Egypt and bring them to a promised land. He was so convinced of this, that he gave instructions for his bones to be carried out of Egypt and buried in God’s place of promise. What a great example of a man who had a generational perspective on the promise and purpose of God.
What allowed Joseph to maintain his loyalty to God through times of testing and trial? The answer has to do with his ability to stay focused on the promise of God instead of worrying about his problems. In order to keep the right perspective in times of change, we must look beyond the stress of the temporary to the glory of the eternal.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Travel Light
Since the days of my youth I have been thinking about my purpose on planet earth. I can remember in middle school lying in my parent’s driveway looking up to the stars and wondering what am I supposed to do with my life.
Like a runner in a race trying to cross the finish line in such a way to win the prize, I knew my existence was to be more than just wandering aimlessly through life. Deep down in my soul I longed to reach this destination that was tugging at my heart and stirring in my head. Like Morpheus said to Neo in the Matrix, the thought about my destiny was a “splinter in my mind.”
As I grew older, I came to the conclusion that my destiny was to play basketball in college. So, I put as much time and effort as I could into trying to become the best hoopster possible. My hard work paid off and landed me a scholarship at Florida State University.
There was just one problem. While on scholarship, I still felt the “splinter in my mind” and longing in my soul for something more. My success as a Seminole would not satisfy the yearning to know my purpose. Having fulfilled a childhood dream, it was quite frustrating to realize my purpose on earth was something beyond shooting three pointers and wearing cool Nike shoes.
It wasn’t until I was a junior in college that I discovered my reason for existence. After attending a campus ministry meeting and hearing a message about Jesus, I realized that I was created by God to know him, love him and serve him. Since that moment, I have been passionately pursuing his purpose for my life.
After seventeen years of serving the Lord, I have developed a catchword as I run the race God has marked out for me. As I advance forward in life one of my mottos is to “travel light.” This is a reminder to let nothing weigh me down and thwart me from achieving the goal God has set for me.
Jogging is an activity that I do frequently. Spring and fall in Tallahassee are such wonderful times to jog outside. At 230 lbs, I do not have the most “jogger friendly” body.
As a former basketball player, I began jogging in my long and heavy shorts, a cotton T-shirt and high top shoes I used to wear during practice or games. In graduate school, I will never forget my first jog with two triathletes. We ran from Tully Gym to Tallahassee Community College and back which is over six miles. Being a competitive athlete, I wanted to run at their pace.
On my way back to Tully, I had to stop and walk. As I stared at the backs of my fellow runners, I noticed that they were not wearing shirts and there shorts were just that…short. Also, I couldn’t even tell if they had socks on and their shoes were lightweight running shoes.
On this hot summer day, my long basketball shorts, T-shirt and high top shoes had gotten soaked in my sweat and began to be quite a heavy load to carry. I quickly ascertained that if I was going to run efficiently, I would have to travel light.
Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance this race marked out for us.” While running this race God has marked out for us, I have erudite that there are five major things that hinder our ability to run well and fulfill our destiny. I will list them below.
1. Disobedience or Willful Sins: “Any act, attitude or action in direct disobedience to the Word of God.
2. Inner Vows: “An inner vow is a determination set with deep emotion by the mind and heart into all a person’s being in early life in response to a person, experience or desire.” It is a vow to oneself (not to God or another person). These vows are made out of hurts and are based on judgments that we make about another person (usually someone close to us like a parent). An inner vow is a vow made to yourself to be carried out by your own efforts and your own power. A classic inner vow is: “I will never be an alcoholic like my dad (mom)!”
3. Curses: “The opposite of blessing; the calling down of evil on someone or something; to afflict; a judgment.” A curse can be passed down from previous generations and can be compounded by things we ourselves have done. Other curses are solely a result of our choices.
4. Emotional Trauma: “A wound especially caused by an emotional shock or painful event or a sudden physical injury that causes lasting damage to the psychological, spiritual or emotional development of a person.”
5. Unforgiveness: “The refusal to let go or to excuse the debt owed by another or to lift it away; to hold on to an offense.”
In order to finish the race that is marked out for you in 2007, it is essential that you throw off everything that might prevent you from running well. Take my advice from years of experience and remember to travel light.
Like a runner in a race trying to cross the finish line in such a way to win the prize, I knew my existence was to be more than just wandering aimlessly through life. Deep down in my soul I longed to reach this destination that was tugging at my heart and stirring in my head. Like Morpheus said to Neo in the Matrix, the thought about my destiny was a “splinter in my mind.”
As I grew older, I came to the conclusion that my destiny was to play basketball in college. So, I put as much time and effort as I could into trying to become the best hoopster possible. My hard work paid off and landed me a scholarship at Florida State University.
There was just one problem. While on scholarship, I still felt the “splinter in my mind” and longing in my soul for something more. My success as a Seminole would not satisfy the yearning to know my purpose. Having fulfilled a childhood dream, it was quite frustrating to realize my purpose on earth was something beyond shooting three pointers and wearing cool Nike shoes.
It wasn’t until I was a junior in college that I discovered my reason for existence. After attending a campus ministry meeting and hearing a message about Jesus, I realized that I was created by God to know him, love him and serve him. Since that moment, I have been passionately pursuing his purpose for my life.
After seventeen years of serving the Lord, I have developed a catchword as I run the race God has marked out for me. As I advance forward in life one of my mottos is to “travel light.” This is a reminder to let nothing weigh me down and thwart me from achieving the goal God has set for me.
Jogging is an activity that I do frequently. Spring and fall in Tallahassee are such wonderful times to jog outside. At 230 lbs, I do not have the most “jogger friendly” body.
As a former basketball player, I began jogging in my long and heavy shorts, a cotton T-shirt and high top shoes I used to wear during practice or games. In graduate school, I will never forget my first jog with two triathletes. We ran from Tully Gym to Tallahassee Community College and back which is over six miles. Being a competitive athlete, I wanted to run at their pace.
On my way back to Tully, I had to stop and walk. As I stared at the backs of my fellow runners, I noticed that they were not wearing shirts and there shorts were just that…short. Also, I couldn’t even tell if they had socks on and their shoes were lightweight running shoes.
On this hot summer day, my long basketball shorts, T-shirt and high top shoes had gotten soaked in my sweat and began to be quite a heavy load to carry. I quickly ascertained that if I was going to run efficiently, I would have to travel light.
Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance this race marked out for us.” While running this race God has marked out for us, I have erudite that there are five major things that hinder our ability to run well and fulfill our destiny. I will list them below.
1. Disobedience or Willful Sins: “Any act, attitude or action in direct disobedience to the Word of God.
2. Inner Vows: “An inner vow is a determination set with deep emotion by the mind and heart into all a person’s being in early life in response to a person, experience or desire.” It is a vow to oneself (not to God or another person). These vows are made out of hurts and are based on judgments that we make about another person (usually someone close to us like a parent). An inner vow is a vow made to yourself to be carried out by your own efforts and your own power. A classic inner vow is: “I will never be an alcoholic like my dad (mom)!”
3. Curses: “The opposite of blessing; the calling down of evil on someone or something; to afflict; a judgment.” A curse can be passed down from previous generations and can be compounded by things we ourselves have done. Other curses are solely a result of our choices.
4. Emotional Trauma: “A wound especially caused by an emotional shock or painful event or a sudden physical injury that causes lasting damage to the psychological, spiritual or emotional development of a person.”
5. Unforgiveness: “The refusal to let go or to excuse the debt owed by another or to lift it away; to hold on to an offense.”
In order to finish the race that is marked out for you in 2007, it is essential that you throw off everything that might prevent you from running well. Take my advice from years of experience and remember to travel light.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
I Have a Serious Case of the Orange and Blues
The Florida Gators beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 41-14 to win the 2007 Tostitos National Championship Game of college football. What is the world coming to?
For the first time in NCAA history, one university holds the football and basketball national championship at the same time, and it is the University of Florida. It must be the end of the world as we know it. As a former Florida State University (FSU) basketball player, graduate and strength coach, this is a hard pill to swallow. I am convinced we are under judgment as a nation.
All joking aside, I would like to congratulate my arch rival, the University of Florida, for a job well done.
As I went about my business the day after the game in Tallahassee, a city that usually reins supreme in the garnet and gold of FSU, I saw people wearing orange and blue everywhere. After finishing one of my sets on the bench press at the gym, I observed yet another gentleman entering the weight room area in a Florida sweatshirt. As I read FLORIDA across his chest, I began to think about the power of being victorious.
There is a certain boldness and confidence that comes with victory. Tallahassee is not the most orange and blue friendly city in the world. However, this did not hinder the Gators from wearing their colors. They were coming out of the woodwork. The innumerable amount of people wearing orange and blue paraphernalia declared one simple truth that even I could not deny—the Gators are champions.
There is one characteristic that makes a team champions. This is the fact that they have defeated a great competitor. In other words, a champion is known for what it conquers. The Gators beat a Buckeyes team that was the only undefeated team of the regular season, and also possessed the Heisman Trophy winner in Troy Smith. Because of these two accomplishments, Ohio State was predicted to win the game.
1 Corinthians 15:55-58 says, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (56) "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
It is one thing to beat an undefeated football team, but it is a much greater accomplishment to conquer sin and death. That is why Jesus is the greatest champion of all time.
Since Jesus is the greatest champion of all time, Christians should courageously display his message to the world. His victory over sin on the cross, and death by rising from the grave, should give us a boldness and confidence to stand firm and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
If the Gators can display their championship colors in Tallahassee, certainly we as Christians can proclaim the truth of Jesus to people bound by sin and fearful of death.
Psalm 44:6-8 says, “(6) I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; (7) but you (Jesus) give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. (8) In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.”
As victorious Christians let’s make our boast all day long about the greatest champion who defeated our most formidable foes—sin and death.
Are you victorious in Jesus? If so, it should be obvious for all to see.
For the first time in NCAA history, one university holds the football and basketball national championship at the same time, and it is the University of Florida. It must be the end of the world as we know it. As a former Florida State University (FSU) basketball player, graduate and strength coach, this is a hard pill to swallow. I am convinced we are under judgment as a nation.
All joking aside, I would like to congratulate my arch rival, the University of Florida, for a job well done.
As I went about my business the day after the game in Tallahassee, a city that usually reins supreme in the garnet and gold of FSU, I saw people wearing orange and blue everywhere. After finishing one of my sets on the bench press at the gym, I observed yet another gentleman entering the weight room area in a Florida sweatshirt. As I read FLORIDA across his chest, I began to think about the power of being victorious.
There is a certain boldness and confidence that comes with victory. Tallahassee is not the most orange and blue friendly city in the world. However, this did not hinder the Gators from wearing their colors. They were coming out of the woodwork. The innumerable amount of people wearing orange and blue paraphernalia declared one simple truth that even I could not deny—the Gators are champions.
There is one characteristic that makes a team champions. This is the fact that they have defeated a great competitor. In other words, a champion is known for what it conquers. The Gators beat a Buckeyes team that was the only undefeated team of the regular season, and also possessed the Heisman Trophy winner in Troy Smith. Because of these two accomplishments, Ohio State was predicted to win the game.
1 Corinthians 15:55-58 says, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (56) "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
It is one thing to beat an undefeated football team, but it is a much greater accomplishment to conquer sin and death. That is why Jesus is the greatest champion of all time.
Since Jesus is the greatest champion of all time, Christians should courageously display his message to the world. His victory over sin on the cross, and death by rising from the grave, should give us a boldness and confidence to stand firm and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
If the Gators can display their championship colors in Tallahassee, certainly we as Christians can proclaim the truth of Jesus to people bound by sin and fearful of death.
Psalm 44:6-8 says, “(6) I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; (7) but you (Jesus) give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. (8) In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.”
As victorious Christians let’s make our boast all day long about the greatest champion who defeated our most formidable foes—sin and death.
Are you victorious in Jesus? If so, it should be obvious for all to see.
Monday, January 08, 2007
People Matter to God!
People matter to God! John 3:16, the most recognized scripture in the Bible, 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.” Displeased with mankind’s sinful behavior, God could have chosen to wipe us off the face of the planet forever. Instead, he chose to extend grace and mercy by offering his one and only son as a sacrifice for our sins. Why? Because people matter to God!
We learn from science that people matter to God. The anthropic principle points out that the universe is designed in such a way to support and nourish human life. For example, raise or lower the universe’s rate of expansion by even one part in a million, and it would have ruled out the possibility of life. And, if the ratio of carbon to oxygen had been slightly different than it is, none of us would have been here to breathe the air.
Suppose the earth had been a bit closer or further from the sun, or just a little larger or smaller, or if it rotated at a speed any different from the one we’re spinning at right now. Given any of these changes, the resulting temperature variations would be completely fatal.
So the lesson we can draw from the Anthropic Principle is this: Someone must have gone to a lot of effort to make things just right so that you and I could be here to enjoy life. In short, modern science points to the fact that people must really matter to God.
We learn from cutting-edge management experts in business that people matter to God. For example, in Thriving On Chaos, Tom Peters refers to this transformation as a “customer revolution.” Also, Ken Blanchard, author of the enormously successful book, The One-Minute Manager, toured the country talking about what he calls “the upside-down pyramid.”
What is the change that they feel is so critical for all of corporate America to hear? Businesses, if they’re going to be successful for the long haul, must pull their attention off of themselves and refocus their energies on their only reason for existence—to serve their customers.
Because people matter to God, they should also matter to us. One of the greatest ways we can show our love for God is by being fruitful in our outreach to those who do not know Jesus. John 15:8-10 says, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (10) If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
One of the main reasons it is so important to reach people who are at enmity with God is because they will perish for all eternity in hell. An atheist was told by some Christian friends that those who do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior will go to hell. Then, they began to describe the horrific conditions of this eternal state to the atheist. After the conversation, the atheist began to observe the lives of people who claimed to be Christians. Like all people, he wanted to see if their mission in life truly reflected their message.
What he observed was the fact that Christians in America do not live much different from the rest of the people in society. The atheist came to two conclusions after monitoring the lives of these so called Christians.
First, he concluded that they must be hypocrites and not really believe hell is the final destination for all who do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Second, he inferred from his observations that Christians must be the most selfish people on the planet. Looking at his Christian friends, the atheist said, “If I believed what you believed, I would spend every breathing moment trying to convince everyone I meet what you proclaim. The fact that you don’t do this proves to me you really don’t believe your message.”
Charles Spurgeon said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies, and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions and let not one go there unwarned and not prayed for.”
2 Peter 3:8-9 says, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (9) The Lord is not slow in keeping with his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
In 2007, my prayer for every Christian is every time we wake up in the morning we would remember that living the mission and delivering the message of Christ is our duty.
May we never forget or become desensitized to the fact: People Matter to God!
We learn from science that people matter to God. The anthropic principle points out that the universe is designed in such a way to support and nourish human life. For example, raise or lower the universe’s rate of expansion by even one part in a million, and it would have ruled out the possibility of life. And, if the ratio of carbon to oxygen had been slightly different than it is, none of us would have been here to breathe the air.
Suppose the earth had been a bit closer or further from the sun, or just a little larger or smaller, or if it rotated at a speed any different from the one we’re spinning at right now. Given any of these changes, the resulting temperature variations would be completely fatal.
So the lesson we can draw from the Anthropic Principle is this: Someone must have gone to a lot of effort to make things just right so that you and I could be here to enjoy life. In short, modern science points to the fact that people must really matter to God.
We learn from cutting-edge management experts in business that people matter to God. For example, in Thriving On Chaos, Tom Peters refers to this transformation as a “customer revolution.” Also, Ken Blanchard, author of the enormously successful book, The One-Minute Manager, toured the country talking about what he calls “the upside-down pyramid.”
What is the change that they feel is so critical for all of corporate America to hear? Businesses, if they’re going to be successful for the long haul, must pull their attention off of themselves and refocus their energies on their only reason for existence—to serve their customers.
Because people matter to God, they should also matter to us. One of the greatest ways we can show our love for God is by being fruitful in our outreach to those who do not know Jesus. John 15:8-10 says, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (10) If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
One of the main reasons it is so important to reach people who are at enmity with God is because they will perish for all eternity in hell. An atheist was told by some Christian friends that those who do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior will go to hell. Then, they began to describe the horrific conditions of this eternal state to the atheist. After the conversation, the atheist began to observe the lives of people who claimed to be Christians. Like all people, he wanted to see if their mission in life truly reflected their message.
What he observed was the fact that Christians in America do not live much different from the rest of the people in society. The atheist came to two conclusions after monitoring the lives of these so called Christians.
First, he concluded that they must be hypocrites and not really believe hell is the final destination for all who do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Second, he inferred from his observations that Christians must be the most selfish people on the planet. Looking at his Christian friends, the atheist said, “If I believed what you believed, I would spend every breathing moment trying to convince everyone I meet what you proclaim. The fact that you don’t do this proves to me you really don’t believe your message.”
Charles Spurgeon said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies, and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions and let not one go there unwarned and not prayed for.”
2 Peter 3:8-9 says, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (9) The Lord is not slow in keeping with his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
In 2007, my prayer for every Christian is every time we wake up in the morning we would remember that living the mission and delivering the message of Christ is our duty.
May we never forget or become desensitized to the fact: People Matter to God!
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