OK, maybe that's not the best title for a blog from a pastor. Let's call it "Things That Have Troubled Me Lately." Nah, I'm not really troubled by them. They don't cost me sleep at night. Maybe, "Things That Confuse Me Lately." Nope, I don't think I'm confused. Is it OK for a pastor to get irritated? I hope so. Being irritated doesn't mean I dislike someone or don't respect them. It simply means I strongly disagree with many things I've seen lately and they get under my skin. So long as I don't lash out, I feel that's OK. So here goes, hopefully in the proper spirit.
It irritates me when I see people say the Confederate flag has been banned. It has not been banned, it was removed from statehouse grounds. You still have the freedom to fly it wherever you want personally. If that freedom is ever challenged, I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with you.
It irritates me when I see Christians share anything on social media as if it's the gospel truth. Where is our discernment? Every time we share a half truth we share an untruth. Every time we share something that is misrepresentative, we promote a lie. There will be plenty of truth to share in the coming days, let's make sure what we share can be backed up by facts and scripture. We destroy our credibility when we share things that have no basis in truth.
It irritates me how little people know about history, and even current events. We seem to read only opinion we agree with, and again take what is said as absolute truth. Their are two sides to every story, and this includes history. The truth is almost always found somewhere in the middle.
It irritates me how many Christians are biblically illiterate or simply don't care what the bible actually says. It is not your preacher's fault if you know nothing of the bible. We are to feed ourselves the word. If we do that, we'll quickly realize if we are in a church that proclaims the truth, or does not. Then we face the decision, stay or leave. If the only "bread" you receive is on Sunday morning, you are probably biblically illiterate. "Study to show yourself approved." Question everything you are taught compared to scripture. Leave room for disagreement on non-essential matters, but stand firm on the primary things. We can't do this unless we know the primary things.
It irritates me that football season is still seven weeks away. My how I long for some harmless entertainment and good natured ribbing.
It irritates me when I see Christians in America say how persecuted we are. Seriously? We can watch ISIS beheading any who disagree with them, read of Christian pastors held captive and facing death for standing in their faith, know the factual history of the black person or American Indian in our country, know the history of the Holocaust, and seriously claim we are currently being persecuted? It grieves me how unprepared many Christians are for real persecution, and it is almost certainly coming. If any of the disciples or Jesus responded the way some do to the world being against them or not getting their way, we would have no basis for a faith to live our lives by. And when it does come, realize we were told we must endure these things. Told to take joy in them. I don't see much joy from Christians in many things these days. I see fear. We're told to "fear God," and nothing else. "Consider it pure joy." We are not victims. "The servant is not greater than the Master."
It irritates me that the "Dukes of Hazzard" HAS been banned from TV Land. Now that folks is overreaction. It does not irritate me Walmart no longer sells the Confederate flag. I rejoice for the small business owners who will reap the benefits of this. Walmart has run to many small businesses out of business. That said, everything else about Walmart irritates me ;-)
It irritates me how freely we throw around terms like racist, bigot, hater. Like heretic or false teacher in Christian circles. Are their people who are racist, or bigots, or who truly hate? You bet there are. Are there people who deny the faith and are true heretics and false teachers? Absolutely. But because we disagree about something does not make me or you one of these things. Racists are easy to spot, as are people who are bigots or who hate. Heretics and false teachers are as well if we know the essentials of the faith. Labeling people with false claims only divides and stirs unrest.
It irritates me I fall short as a pastor, as a husband, as a brother, as a friend. That I fall short as a Christian.
You see, that's the thing about irritation. It should be two-fold. If we think we won't be irritated by things from the outside, that things will always be as WE want them, well, we set ourselves up to be miserable. We'll find little joy or comfort. What we must do however is deal with those "planks" in our own eyes. Irritation means we pay attention to something. We scratch a mosquito bite. I think it would do all of us good, and most certainly myself, to pay more attention to those things in my life that are an irritant on the inside. This won't mean things on the outside won't irritate me, that they are unimportant, but I have little to no control over those things. I can scratch those bites I personally feel.
Paul tells us to "examine yourselves." You know what, that irritates me. But that's not a bad thing.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
Let's Talk About the Flag
Romans 14:19, "Therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another."
I'll state from the beginning here this blog is meant in particular for those of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ.
In the wake of the mass murder of nine our our brothers and sisters in Christ last Wednesday in Charleston, what we have seen is nothing short of miraculous. Here in South Carolina, the body of Christ has come together in the unifying power of the Holy Spirit like no other time I can recall. Yes, after 9/11, we saw our churches filled, but that was an American thing. The attacks on our nation that day unified our nation for a short while, but within weeks of the attacks, our churches were back to normal, and the unity we shared shortly thereafter vanished.
And while these nine lives that were lost on Wednesday were definitely blood shed over racist motives, it was also, importantly, an attack upon the church. And the church has responded as only the church can. The church is not of itself, it is of Christ. And when we see the unity we have seen since last Wednesday, we know that it is a work of the Spirit. This work of the Holy Spirit was given an exclamation point by the inspiring denial of self by the victims of the families themselves. In the most God honoring display of Christian love, grace and mercy I have ever witnessed, these families looked the murderer of their loved ones in the eyes, and told him they love him and forgive him. Friends, only the Holy Spirit inside of us can do that!
This week has been a roller coaster of emotions that has left me drained. But in spite of the senseless violence that started this, its is the work of God through His people that has left an indelible impression. This is what Christ's church is supposed to look like, and it has been beautiful.
But I fear, much like 9/11, the unity could be fleeting. The question for us as believers here in South Carolina is this: Will we allow a flag to divide us, and thus quickly snuff out the work of the Holy Spirit we have seen?
I'm not going to get in to the points that are made in regards to the Confederate Battle Flag of Northern Virginia representing heritage, the standing for states rights that many see it representing, or any of the other things that have been bandied about for countless years in our state. I will concede all of them. I respect your view and what the flag represents to you.
But what if this flag means something else to another? And it does. Of that there is no doubt. As a believer in Christ, is it worth it to hold to your strongly held feelings and appreciation of heritage, yet offend your brother and sister in Christ? Is that the path Christ would have us take? Will that in any way further the kingdom of God?
Unity is something we see far to little of in the church. Instead of edifying, building each other up, as scripture compels us to do, we seem incapable of getting out of our own way, and in the process we tear down each other, and quench the work of the Holy Spirit. Instead of the peace that should define us, we quibble over things that have no bearing on the work of the church on this earth.
Unity is maintained through a basic scriptural principle, and that principle is humility. Christ is our model in humility, the One who "humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Humility is the essence of denying ourselves, something Jesus tells us all of His disciples will do. Are those of us who hold the flag as something we value in regards to our heritage willing to humble ourselves for the sake of unity and the greater good of the body of Christ at large?
If we cannot see that this flag issue that has hung over our state for years and years is about to reach a defining moment, then I believe we are hiding from reality. Criticism of the flag is about to erupt from all sides of the political and religious spectrum, and it is already dividing us. It may be knocked off the front pages of the news when the gay marriage ruling from the Supreme Court comes down, or another story captures the interest of the media, but when legislation is presented late this year to remove the Confederate Battle Flag, it will surely rise up like a gasoline fueled fire. Judging by conversations I've seen on social media, the emotions in regards to the flag are still at a fever pitch. Emotions like that will crush the work of the Holy Spirit in our midst. Those emotions are not based in the Holy Spirit, but rather the flesh. And the bible tells us that those two are contrary, are opposed, to one another.
This, for us Christians, cannot be a political issue. We cannot look at those who we agree or disagree with politically for our basis in how we proceed here. This is a matter of what is best for the body of Christ! It is a time for humility! And we, the church, are the one's who should be leading in this.
We really only have two choices. We can embrace the things we say we hold so dear; grace, and mercy and love, and humble ourselves so as not to offend our brothers and sisters in Christ. Or, we can dig our heels in and watch this unifying movement of the Holy Spirit I believe we have all rejoiced in quickly disappear.
To you. my brothers and sisters, who value the flag and what it means to you, I ask you consider this. Consider the humility exhibited by those families when they gazed upon the one who murdered their loved ones. The strength that took. The denying of self. Can we do that for those who do not see things as we do?
Removing the flag from our statehouse grounds will not end racism. Racism is sin, and will be with us until Jesus returns. It will not end murder, or hatred, or even divisions in the church. They are all sin. But Jesus tells us; "Blessed are the peacemakers." We have the opportunity to be just that right now.
I'll be honest with you. I'd really like to see what God would do in our state if that were to happen.
I'll state from the beginning here this blog is meant in particular for those of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ.
In the wake of the mass murder of nine our our brothers and sisters in Christ last Wednesday in Charleston, what we have seen is nothing short of miraculous. Here in South Carolina, the body of Christ has come together in the unifying power of the Holy Spirit like no other time I can recall. Yes, after 9/11, we saw our churches filled, but that was an American thing. The attacks on our nation that day unified our nation for a short while, but within weeks of the attacks, our churches were back to normal, and the unity we shared shortly thereafter vanished.
And while these nine lives that were lost on Wednesday were definitely blood shed over racist motives, it was also, importantly, an attack upon the church. And the church has responded as only the church can. The church is not of itself, it is of Christ. And when we see the unity we have seen since last Wednesday, we know that it is a work of the Spirit. This work of the Holy Spirit was given an exclamation point by the inspiring denial of self by the victims of the families themselves. In the most God honoring display of Christian love, grace and mercy I have ever witnessed, these families looked the murderer of their loved ones in the eyes, and told him they love him and forgive him. Friends, only the Holy Spirit inside of us can do that!
This week has been a roller coaster of emotions that has left me drained. But in spite of the senseless violence that started this, its is the work of God through His people that has left an indelible impression. This is what Christ's church is supposed to look like, and it has been beautiful.
But I fear, much like 9/11, the unity could be fleeting. The question for us as believers here in South Carolina is this: Will we allow a flag to divide us, and thus quickly snuff out the work of the Holy Spirit we have seen?
I'm not going to get in to the points that are made in regards to the Confederate Battle Flag of Northern Virginia representing heritage, the standing for states rights that many see it representing, or any of the other things that have been bandied about for countless years in our state. I will concede all of them. I respect your view and what the flag represents to you.
But what if this flag means something else to another? And it does. Of that there is no doubt. As a believer in Christ, is it worth it to hold to your strongly held feelings and appreciation of heritage, yet offend your brother and sister in Christ? Is that the path Christ would have us take? Will that in any way further the kingdom of God?
Unity is something we see far to little of in the church. Instead of edifying, building each other up, as scripture compels us to do, we seem incapable of getting out of our own way, and in the process we tear down each other, and quench the work of the Holy Spirit. Instead of the peace that should define us, we quibble over things that have no bearing on the work of the church on this earth.
Unity is maintained through a basic scriptural principle, and that principle is humility. Christ is our model in humility, the One who "humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Humility is the essence of denying ourselves, something Jesus tells us all of His disciples will do. Are those of us who hold the flag as something we value in regards to our heritage willing to humble ourselves for the sake of unity and the greater good of the body of Christ at large?
If we cannot see that this flag issue that has hung over our state for years and years is about to reach a defining moment, then I believe we are hiding from reality. Criticism of the flag is about to erupt from all sides of the political and religious spectrum, and it is already dividing us. It may be knocked off the front pages of the news when the gay marriage ruling from the Supreme Court comes down, or another story captures the interest of the media, but when legislation is presented late this year to remove the Confederate Battle Flag, it will surely rise up like a gasoline fueled fire. Judging by conversations I've seen on social media, the emotions in regards to the flag are still at a fever pitch. Emotions like that will crush the work of the Holy Spirit in our midst. Those emotions are not based in the Holy Spirit, but rather the flesh. And the bible tells us that those two are contrary, are opposed, to one another.
This, for us Christians, cannot be a political issue. We cannot look at those who we agree or disagree with politically for our basis in how we proceed here. This is a matter of what is best for the body of Christ! It is a time for humility! And we, the church, are the one's who should be leading in this.
We really only have two choices. We can embrace the things we say we hold so dear; grace, and mercy and love, and humble ourselves so as not to offend our brothers and sisters in Christ. Or, we can dig our heels in and watch this unifying movement of the Holy Spirit I believe we have all rejoiced in quickly disappear.
To you. my brothers and sisters, who value the flag and what it means to you, I ask you consider this. Consider the humility exhibited by those families when they gazed upon the one who murdered their loved ones. The strength that took. The denying of self. Can we do that for those who do not see things as we do?
Removing the flag from our statehouse grounds will not end racism. Racism is sin, and will be with us until Jesus returns. It will not end murder, or hatred, or even divisions in the church. They are all sin. But Jesus tells us; "Blessed are the peacemakers." We have the opportunity to be just that right now.
I'll be honest with you. I'd really like to see what God would do in our state if that were to happen.
Friday, June 19, 2015
I'm Proud of My State
Romans 12:19, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord."
By now the whole nation knows the name Dylann Roof and the senseless, evil act he perpetrated upon nine innocent people who had gathered to pray and study the bible in Charleston, SC on Wednesday night. These eight church members and their pastor most certainly welcomed him in to their midst and he reportedly sat with them for close to an hour before raining down a hail of bullets that ended their lives. We've seen this type of scene repeated in our nation many times in the last twenty five years; in schools, theatres, on army bases, at shopping centers. It's never easy to digest. The human soul is indeed capable of despicable wickedness.
But at Emanuel AMC Church on Wednesday a different component was thrown in to the mix. The shooter was a young white male and all of the victims were black. Some news reports are stating that those who did survive are saying racial comments were made by the shooter. A picture in the news of Dylann Roof wearing a jacket with flags from Rhodesia and South Africa's apartheid era seems to confirm his racial bigotry. The crime was pursued from the outset as a hate crime. In this time of stirring racial unrest, the worst atrocity yet had been committed. And this in a state where a police officer in the same area was recently videoed gunning down an unarmed black male. A state with a long, troubled history in race relations.
If the rest of our nation is a barometer for how this type situation should play out, we should be seeing a city on fire with riots and looting being met by heavily armed police forces in riot gear. Tensions and division should be overflowing and the aftermath should be dominating the twenty four hour news cycle. We've seen this scene play out to many times in the last year; in Ferguson, MO; in New York; and most recently in Baltimore. Crimes perceived as racially motivated are responded to by civil unrest and further tragedy results. But here, in South Carolina, where the Civil War began and the Confederate battle flag still flies on state house grounds, the seemingly normal script has not played out. Here, in South Carolina, another script is being written. One that I pray others will see and learn from.
Instead of riots and looting, with blacks in standoffs with police and racial hatred boiling over like grease unattended on the stove bursting in to flames, we've seen unity in opposition to evil. We've seen white and black joined together in prayer and ministry, We've seen cries from leaders, both faith based and political, to come together, and so far, we have. We've seen God glorified as His people have rejected the need for vengeance and instead come together in His name. We've seen grace and mercy, and yes, even forgiveness, in the face of a seemingly unforgivable act. We've seen the seeds for healing planted that could bear fruit far beyond this current, tragic situation.
What we've seen so far is remarkable, but I have reservations. We know that Satan is "like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour," and we've seen the enemy of all mankind use situations just like this to pit people against each other. We must be vigilant and on guard as he will seek to fan the flames and ignite this in to another Ferguson or Baltimore. I have concerns any time I see racial profiteers such as Al Sharpton are arriving on the scene. I know their are instigators out there who thrive on creating chaos from tragedies just like this. This is not over I fear.
But for right now, instead of holy rage, we have seen a work of the Holy Spirit. Instead of mistrust and hatred, we've seen unity and Christian love. You see, these weren't just African-Americans who were murdered, they were Christians practicing their faith. They were brothers and sisters to millions in this state, and the blood that was senselessly shed Wednesday night was bound together with those millions by the blood of Christ,
In South Carolina, like everywhere, we are far from perfect. Yes, we have racism. We have discrimination. We have a history of judging a person by the color of their skin instead of the content of their character. But South Carolina, for all it's warts, also has a population that is still gathered around Jesus for the most part, certainly far more than many places. Faith is ingrained in our culture, and it is faith that has subdued the accompanying troubles that a scene like this often produces.
I'm proud of my state.
Let us pray we persevere in faith and resist the devil so that he will flee.
By now the whole nation knows the name Dylann Roof and the senseless, evil act he perpetrated upon nine innocent people who had gathered to pray and study the bible in Charleston, SC on Wednesday night. These eight church members and their pastor most certainly welcomed him in to their midst and he reportedly sat with them for close to an hour before raining down a hail of bullets that ended their lives. We've seen this type of scene repeated in our nation many times in the last twenty five years; in schools, theatres, on army bases, at shopping centers. It's never easy to digest. The human soul is indeed capable of despicable wickedness.
But at Emanuel AMC Church on Wednesday a different component was thrown in to the mix. The shooter was a young white male and all of the victims were black. Some news reports are stating that those who did survive are saying racial comments were made by the shooter. A picture in the news of Dylann Roof wearing a jacket with flags from Rhodesia and South Africa's apartheid era seems to confirm his racial bigotry. The crime was pursued from the outset as a hate crime. In this time of stirring racial unrest, the worst atrocity yet had been committed. And this in a state where a police officer in the same area was recently videoed gunning down an unarmed black male. A state with a long, troubled history in race relations.
If the rest of our nation is a barometer for how this type situation should play out, we should be seeing a city on fire with riots and looting being met by heavily armed police forces in riot gear. Tensions and division should be overflowing and the aftermath should be dominating the twenty four hour news cycle. We've seen this scene play out to many times in the last year; in Ferguson, MO; in New York; and most recently in Baltimore. Crimes perceived as racially motivated are responded to by civil unrest and further tragedy results. But here, in South Carolina, where the Civil War began and the Confederate battle flag still flies on state house grounds, the seemingly normal script has not played out. Here, in South Carolina, another script is being written. One that I pray others will see and learn from.
Instead of riots and looting, with blacks in standoffs with police and racial hatred boiling over like grease unattended on the stove bursting in to flames, we've seen unity in opposition to evil. We've seen white and black joined together in prayer and ministry, We've seen cries from leaders, both faith based and political, to come together, and so far, we have. We've seen God glorified as His people have rejected the need for vengeance and instead come together in His name. We've seen grace and mercy, and yes, even forgiveness, in the face of a seemingly unforgivable act. We've seen the seeds for healing planted that could bear fruit far beyond this current, tragic situation.
What we've seen so far is remarkable, but I have reservations. We know that Satan is "like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour," and we've seen the enemy of all mankind use situations just like this to pit people against each other. We must be vigilant and on guard as he will seek to fan the flames and ignite this in to another Ferguson or Baltimore. I have concerns any time I see racial profiteers such as Al Sharpton are arriving on the scene. I know their are instigators out there who thrive on creating chaos from tragedies just like this. This is not over I fear.
But for right now, instead of holy rage, we have seen a work of the Holy Spirit. Instead of mistrust and hatred, we've seen unity and Christian love. You see, these weren't just African-Americans who were murdered, they were Christians practicing their faith. They were brothers and sisters to millions in this state, and the blood that was senselessly shed Wednesday night was bound together with those millions by the blood of Christ,
In South Carolina, like everywhere, we are far from perfect. Yes, we have racism. We have discrimination. We have a history of judging a person by the color of their skin instead of the content of their character. But South Carolina, for all it's warts, also has a population that is still gathered around Jesus for the most part, certainly far more than many places. Faith is ingrained in our culture, and it is faith that has subdued the accompanying troubles that a scene like this often produces.
I'm proud of my state.
Let us pray we persevere in faith and resist the devil so that he will flee.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Should Christians Bake the Cake?
2 Kings 5:18-19, "Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes in to the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing. Then he(Elisha) said to him(Naaman), 'Go in peace.' So he departed from him a short distance."
Anyone who has watched the news over the last few days has heard of the controversy now occurring in Indiana over a state law known as RFRA(Religious Freedom Restoration Act). This sort of law, also present in 20 other states including right here in South Carolina, builds on a federal law passed by a bipartisan congress in 1993 which allows for among other things the right of a business or individual the legal standing to refuse a service to someone on the basis of the right to practice freedom of religion. These state laws allow for a judicial principle known as "strict scrutiny" in regards to state laws not covered by the federal bill. In other words, if charged with something like discrimination, the person charged has a right to have the case reviewed in light of their religious beliefs.
Many times over the years these laws have prevented religious discrimination against individuals in regards to practicing the tenants of their faith, and have been applied to many faiths, not just Christianity. The most famous case in regards to these laws was the Hobby Lobby case where that Christian company was arguing they could choose not to provide some forms of post-conception birth control based upon their religious faith and view that life begins at conception, and to terminate the baby was in fact terminating a child, albeit unborn. The Supreme Court ruled that such closely-held corporations as Hobby Lobby did in fact have the right based upon faith based beliefs to limit forms of birth control issued through the insurance they provided for employees.
But now, the challenge to RFRA's has moved in to the ever intensifying battleground over same sex marriage. In several instances across our nation private businesses owned by Christians have been held guilty of discrimination when refusing to bake a cake for a same sex wedding. These state RFRA's are a response to such judicial decisions to protect the rights of faith based businesses. But is this the wisest way to proceed in such circumstances?
Understand, I believe that a Christian's first duty is to God, even if this means violating the laws of the land. Scripture such as Acts 5:29 clearly instructs us we are to "obey God" and His commands over the laws of man, and when they conflict, we choose God. I certainly understand the reluctance of these Christian bakers to bake these cakes for fear of endorsing a same sex union which we believe scripture clearly teaches is against nature and called sin by God. But is there a better way, and a way in which God approves of our actions, apart from defying a law against discrimination? Does the bible provide another path? I believe so.
In the scripture that begins this blog we see the wonderful story of the Syrian commander Naaman and his healing from leprosy. Leprosy is a stark symbol for sin in the bible. Just as leprosy disfigures the body making one unrecognizable, so sin does to us in the eyes of God. We are disfigured by sin and unrecognizable in regards to humanity which was created in the image of God. While a true account of a miracle from God through Elisha the prophet, the story illustrates the magnificent power of God to cleanse us of our sin, which has made us unrecognizable and an outcast before God, just as the leper was an outcast from the society in which they dwelt in biblical times. The leper was unclean, just as we are in our sin apart from Christ.
Here, after his miraculous healing, Naaman approaches Elisha and asks an interesting question. Being a Syrian and a Gentile, and also a servant to the king of Syria, when Naaman returned to his native land, he would be required to accompany the king to worship of the pagan god Rimmon. With his king at his side, Naaman would be required to bow down to a god he now knew was false(v.15). Being a Syrian there was no way for him to avoid this. Knowing this was against the law of the God of Israel, and the first of the Ten Commandments, to have no other God before Him, Naaman asks Elisha, and in effect God, if God would pardon him for having to bow down to this idol. I think we should pay close attention to the response of Elisha for Naaman to "Go in peace" in verse 19. God here, has basically said, I understand your situation Naaman, and I know your heart, while your body may be bowed to the useless idol, I know your heart is not. I believe this is a scriptural principle that may be the best way to handle the situations these Christian bakers, and surely others, are facing and will face in the future.
As the Supreme Court will take up the gay marriage issue in earnest late this spring, I believe we are on the verge of the issue being declared legal nationwide. While the court may not issue a direct ruling, I personally believe what comes from the court will basically make gay marriage the law of the land, meaning all states would be forced to recognize these unions as legal. Should this happen, businesses such as these bakeries, even though their objection would be based upon their faith, would be legally guilty of discrimination and subject to punishment under the law. I wish the future held something different, but honestly cannot foresee it.
If this happens, Christians may feel the need to act upon the words of the bible such as cited in Acts 5:29, to obey God rather than man. But is baking a cake for a same sex marriage actually condoning the union? In 2 Kings, Naaman was allowed to participate in something that scripture does prohibit as he had no choice. God knew that Naaman was now a true convert in his faith, and allowed for him to bow down to the pagan idol. Naaman in no way was endorsing Rimmon as god in doing so, as his faith now resided in the God of Israel. He was simply following the law of his land.
So how should Christians handle these situations as they most certainly arise in the future? Personally, I'd bake the cake. God knows our heart and knows we in no way condone or endorse something He has called sin, but if this does indeed become law, we would have no choice. I believe we should bake the cake, and witness of Jesus. Tell the couple who desires the cake of God's love for them and His desire to cleanse them of their sin, just as He cleansed Naaman of his leprosy. Reveal the scripture that identifies their lifestyle as sin and share the gospel that through faith and by God's grace, they to can be forgiven, saved and changed. They can be a Holy Spirit indwelt, born again, new creation in Christ with the power to overcome their sin, just as we overcome ours, through Jesus.
The outcome will likely be one of two things: either they will rebuff the word and leave of their own accord, or they will hear the truth of how they can be delivered from their sin and the certain judgment and wrath of God that will greet all apart from the cleansing power of Jesus. While refusing service to someone with a lifestyle we feel violates our faith may become illegal, sharing our faith is still perfectly legal, especially if we own the business. No law can prohibit me from sharing Jesus in a business I own, at least not yet.
Now if the government does one day prohibit sharing the gospel as the Pharisees attempted to do with the disciples in Acts 5:29, we may be required to choose God over man. Until then, is the example of Naaman in 2 Kings a better, biblical choice? I'll leave that up to the individual. I do feel we do have the right under freedom of religion to refuse. But personally, I'd use the opportunity to share with them the only thing that can deliver them from the bondage of their sin, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In my bakery, for my cake, they are a captive audience. If they don't like it, they are free to leave. If they want the cake I will bake, they will hear of Jesus and His love for them He showed on the cross. That they can be delivered from their sin, just as you and I have been.
These are perilous times we live in when it comes to living out our faith, and things are almost certain to grow more troublesome. But we can still share our faith! Just maybe, situations such as these bakers have encountered are an opportunity to proclaim Jesus, and know that God knows our heart and situation. Just as he did with Naaman in 2 Kings.
Anyone who has watched the news over the last few days has heard of the controversy now occurring in Indiana over a state law known as RFRA(Religious Freedom Restoration Act). This sort of law, also present in 20 other states including right here in South Carolina, builds on a federal law passed by a bipartisan congress in 1993 which allows for among other things the right of a business or individual the legal standing to refuse a service to someone on the basis of the right to practice freedom of religion. These state laws allow for a judicial principle known as "strict scrutiny" in regards to state laws not covered by the federal bill. In other words, if charged with something like discrimination, the person charged has a right to have the case reviewed in light of their religious beliefs.
Many times over the years these laws have prevented religious discrimination against individuals in regards to practicing the tenants of their faith, and have been applied to many faiths, not just Christianity. The most famous case in regards to these laws was the Hobby Lobby case where that Christian company was arguing they could choose not to provide some forms of post-conception birth control based upon their religious faith and view that life begins at conception, and to terminate the baby was in fact terminating a child, albeit unborn. The Supreme Court ruled that such closely-held corporations as Hobby Lobby did in fact have the right based upon faith based beliefs to limit forms of birth control issued through the insurance they provided for employees.
But now, the challenge to RFRA's has moved in to the ever intensifying battleground over same sex marriage. In several instances across our nation private businesses owned by Christians have been held guilty of discrimination when refusing to bake a cake for a same sex wedding. These state RFRA's are a response to such judicial decisions to protect the rights of faith based businesses. But is this the wisest way to proceed in such circumstances?
Understand, I believe that a Christian's first duty is to God, even if this means violating the laws of the land. Scripture such as Acts 5:29 clearly instructs us we are to "obey God" and His commands over the laws of man, and when they conflict, we choose God. I certainly understand the reluctance of these Christian bakers to bake these cakes for fear of endorsing a same sex union which we believe scripture clearly teaches is against nature and called sin by God. But is there a better way, and a way in which God approves of our actions, apart from defying a law against discrimination? Does the bible provide another path? I believe so.
In the scripture that begins this blog we see the wonderful story of the Syrian commander Naaman and his healing from leprosy. Leprosy is a stark symbol for sin in the bible. Just as leprosy disfigures the body making one unrecognizable, so sin does to us in the eyes of God. We are disfigured by sin and unrecognizable in regards to humanity which was created in the image of God. While a true account of a miracle from God through Elisha the prophet, the story illustrates the magnificent power of God to cleanse us of our sin, which has made us unrecognizable and an outcast before God, just as the leper was an outcast from the society in which they dwelt in biblical times. The leper was unclean, just as we are in our sin apart from Christ.
Here, after his miraculous healing, Naaman approaches Elisha and asks an interesting question. Being a Syrian and a Gentile, and also a servant to the king of Syria, when Naaman returned to his native land, he would be required to accompany the king to worship of the pagan god Rimmon. With his king at his side, Naaman would be required to bow down to a god he now knew was false(v.15). Being a Syrian there was no way for him to avoid this. Knowing this was against the law of the God of Israel, and the first of the Ten Commandments, to have no other God before Him, Naaman asks Elisha, and in effect God, if God would pardon him for having to bow down to this idol. I think we should pay close attention to the response of Elisha for Naaman to "Go in peace" in verse 19. God here, has basically said, I understand your situation Naaman, and I know your heart, while your body may be bowed to the useless idol, I know your heart is not. I believe this is a scriptural principle that may be the best way to handle the situations these Christian bakers, and surely others, are facing and will face in the future.
As the Supreme Court will take up the gay marriage issue in earnest late this spring, I believe we are on the verge of the issue being declared legal nationwide. While the court may not issue a direct ruling, I personally believe what comes from the court will basically make gay marriage the law of the land, meaning all states would be forced to recognize these unions as legal. Should this happen, businesses such as these bakeries, even though their objection would be based upon their faith, would be legally guilty of discrimination and subject to punishment under the law. I wish the future held something different, but honestly cannot foresee it.
If this happens, Christians may feel the need to act upon the words of the bible such as cited in Acts 5:29, to obey God rather than man. But is baking a cake for a same sex marriage actually condoning the union? In 2 Kings, Naaman was allowed to participate in something that scripture does prohibit as he had no choice. God knew that Naaman was now a true convert in his faith, and allowed for him to bow down to the pagan idol. Naaman in no way was endorsing Rimmon as god in doing so, as his faith now resided in the God of Israel. He was simply following the law of his land.
So how should Christians handle these situations as they most certainly arise in the future? Personally, I'd bake the cake. God knows our heart and knows we in no way condone or endorse something He has called sin, but if this does indeed become law, we would have no choice. I believe we should bake the cake, and witness of Jesus. Tell the couple who desires the cake of God's love for them and His desire to cleanse them of their sin, just as He cleansed Naaman of his leprosy. Reveal the scripture that identifies their lifestyle as sin and share the gospel that through faith and by God's grace, they to can be forgiven, saved and changed. They can be a Holy Spirit indwelt, born again, new creation in Christ with the power to overcome their sin, just as we overcome ours, through Jesus.
The outcome will likely be one of two things: either they will rebuff the word and leave of their own accord, or they will hear the truth of how they can be delivered from their sin and the certain judgment and wrath of God that will greet all apart from the cleansing power of Jesus. While refusing service to someone with a lifestyle we feel violates our faith may become illegal, sharing our faith is still perfectly legal, especially if we own the business. No law can prohibit me from sharing Jesus in a business I own, at least not yet.
Now if the government does one day prohibit sharing the gospel as the Pharisees attempted to do with the disciples in Acts 5:29, we may be required to choose God over man. Until then, is the example of Naaman in 2 Kings a better, biblical choice? I'll leave that up to the individual. I do feel we do have the right under freedom of religion to refuse. But personally, I'd use the opportunity to share with them the only thing that can deliver them from the bondage of their sin, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In my bakery, for my cake, they are a captive audience. If they don't like it, they are free to leave. If they want the cake I will bake, they will hear of Jesus and His love for them He showed on the cross. That they can be delivered from their sin, just as you and I have been.
These are perilous times we live in when it comes to living out our faith, and things are almost certain to grow more troublesome. But we can still share our faith! Just maybe, situations such as these bakers have encountered are an opportunity to proclaim Jesus, and know that God knows our heart and situation. Just as he did with Naaman in 2 Kings.
Friday, January 30, 2015
A Friend I've Never Met, or; A Really Great Thing About Social Media
I have a friend I've never met. Several years ago, through the six degrees of Facebook, I was introduced to Joe McKeever. Joe is a retired Baptist preacher and Director of Missions who has had about as active a retirement as anyone I know.
Joe regularly travels across the nation speaking to churches, local Baptist associations, senior groups, youth groups, you name it, and I've heard is available for about anything else except possibly a briss. He started drawing cartoons earlier in life and is now a regular contributor to many publications with his whimsical, sometimes pointed observations, in regards to everyday life and the church. He writes a regular blog that has been picked up and republished by such nationally known publications as Christianity Today. He's a fixture on social media such as Facebook where his "One Minute Bible Studies" are a daily feature and he otherwise engages regularly as most on Facebook do. I just pray one day I'm as productive as Joe is in retirement, heck sometimes, even in the day today.
Being a former pastor Joe has a heart for those of us serving in our unique callings. Many times you will read where a pastor with troubles in their church has contacted Joe and sought advice. Joe never mentions a name, but will use these situations to help edify those of us who any day could face such a challenge. I myself have sought out his wisdom a few times, and he has always been there with honest feedback in a timely manner, in spite of his hectic schedule.
I honestly marvel at Joe's still burning fire to serve God, grace and love for people.
But last Friday, tragedy struck Joe and his family. Joe's wife of around fifty years, Margaret, suffered a massive heart attack while out of the home. Over the last week as he sat patiently in a waiting room, as all pastors have done countless times with their flock, Joe lived out before the world on Facebook what it is to deal with the coming death of one we dearly love. It is something all of us face, but like most things in life, how we face these seasons in our life reveals things about us.
With every post you could literally feel his pain and see his tears. Joe's family is spread out across our fair nation, so it took time for all of them to arrive in New Orleans where Joe and Margaret live, and you could feel the relief when they finally did. Every now and then the vulnerability we all face in these type situations would be seen, the spectre of loss, the reality of "what now?" His humble memories of his wife in a blog brought joy, and tears, and an understanding of their journey together. It was heart wrenching, and inspiring, all at the same time.
During this time, on Facebook, and I am sure in many other areas, the outpouring of prayer, love and support for Joe and his family was overwhelming. You could tell it buoyed him in this hurricane of life, and the true love shown, by many such as me who have never even met Joe, spoke volumes of the type of man he is. You see, for all of the pain, and tears, and doubt that gripped Joe throughout this past week, the one thing that shown through more than anything else was his faith in Jesus Christ. It revealed exactly why he has such a positive influence on so many he's never even met. Like any of us would, I am sure he prayed for a miraculous recovery for his beloved. But I also know with certainty his faith allowed him to never have lost sight of where Margaret would eventually be, in glory with Jesus.
Yesterday, Margaret went to be with her Lord. The storm has finally passed, and the recovery begins. In this snippet of personal tragedy we can learn a few things. One is our faith never shines more brightly before others than when engulfed by the waves of personal trial. I've read the words of Joe McKeever for years now, but in this past week, I saw the man behind the words, and the faith he has preached for many years now came alive before our eyes.
Another is the power of social media. As with any endeavor in life, social media has its good and bad sides. Here we saw the good in vibrant colors. A man's positive influence on others, the response of those across our nation to his time of trouble, the way our world is connected as it never has been before, and the good that can come from that, such as a friend I've never met.
Joe has family in Charlotte, and comes to South Carolina on occasion. One day I hope to meet my friend. But even now, knowing only his words, I can say he's my friend. If you would say a prayer for brother Joe and his family as they prepare for Margaret's funeral on Monday. And in our own lives, as that inevitable storm approaches, let us all seek to live by the faith we profess. In the connected world of today, you never know who it may impact.
Joe regularly travels across the nation speaking to churches, local Baptist associations, senior groups, youth groups, you name it, and I've heard is available for about anything else except possibly a briss. He started drawing cartoons earlier in life and is now a regular contributor to many publications with his whimsical, sometimes pointed observations, in regards to everyday life and the church. He writes a regular blog that has been picked up and republished by such nationally known publications as Christianity Today. He's a fixture on social media such as Facebook where his "One Minute Bible Studies" are a daily feature and he otherwise engages regularly as most on Facebook do. I just pray one day I'm as productive as Joe is in retirement, heck sometimes, even in the day today.
Being a former pastor Joe has a heart for those of us serving in our unique callings. Many times you will read where a pastor with troubles in their church has contacted Joe and sought advice. Joe never mentions a name, but will use these situations to help edify those of us who any day could face such a challenge. I myself have sought out his wisdom a few times, and he has always been there with honest feedback in a timely manner, in spite of his hectic schedule.
I honestly marvel at Joe's still burning fire to serve God, grace and love for people.
But last Friday, tragedy struck Joe and his family. Joe's wife of around fifty years, Margaret, suffered a massive heart attack while out of the home. Over the last week as he sat patiently in a waiting room, as all pastors have done countless times with their flock, Joe lived out before the world on Facebook what it is to deal with the coming death of one we dearly love. It is something all of us face, but like most things in life, how we face these seasons in our life reveals things about us.
With every post you could literally feel his pain and see his tears. Joe's family is spread out across our fair nation, so it took time for all of them to arrive in New Orleans where Joe and Margaret live, and you could feel the relief when they finally did. Every now and then the vulnerability we all face in these type situations would be seen, the spectre of loss, the reality of "what now?" His humble memories of his wife in a blog brought joy, and tears, and an understanding of their journey together. It was heart wrenching, and inspiring, all at the same time.
During this time, on Facebook, and I am sure in many other areas, the outpouring of prayer, love and support for Joe and his family was overwhelming. You could tell it buoyed him in this hurricane of life, and the true love shown, by many such as me who have never even met Joe, spoke volumes of the type of man he is. You see, for all of the pain, and tears, and doubt that gripped Joe throughout this past week, the one thing that shown through more than anything else was his faith in Jesus Christ. It revealed exactly why he has such a positive influence on so many he's never even met. Like any of us would, I am sure he prayed for a miraculous recovery for his beloved. But I also know with certainty his faith allowed him to never have lost sight of where Margaret would eventually be, in glory with Jesus.
Yesterday, Margaret went to be with her Lord. The storm has finally passed, and the recovery begins. In this snippet of personal tragedy we can learn a few things. One is our faith never shines more brightly before others than when engulfed by the waves of personal trial. I've read the words of Joe McKeever for years now, but in this past week, I saw the man behind the words, and the faith he has preached for many years now came alive before our eyes.
Another is the power of social media. As with any endeavor in life, social media has its good and bad sides. Here we saw the good in vibrant colors. A man's positive influence on others, the response of those across our nation to his time of trouble, the way our world is connected as it never has been before, and the good that can come from that, such as a friend I've never met.
Joe has family in Charlotte, and comes to South Carolina on occasion. One day I hope to meet my friend. But even now, knowing only his words, I can say he's my friend. If you would say a prayer for brother Joe and his family as they prepare for Margaret's funeral on Monday. And in our own lives, as that inevitable storm approaches, let us all seek to live by the faith we profess. In the connected world of today, you never know who it may impact.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
What Exactly are Biblical Signs and Wonders?
Recently I've had several people in our church come to me in regards to some prophesy teachings that have become very popular recently. They stem from two books by a Messianic Rabbi named Jonathan Cahn, one from a few years ago named "The Harbinger," and another just released called "The Mystery of the Shemitah." In them Cahn claims new revelation of mysteries revealed to him by God that shed new light on a coming judgment of America. These extraordinarily popular books are coming at a time when there is another current frenzy over the "4 Blood Moons." There is a frenzy as these blood moons will all fall on Jewish feast days over the next year, known as the Blood Moon Tetrad. Many are speculating these events are significant in regards to the rapture of the church, and this has led to an avalanche of prophetical prognostications that has captivated many.
I have to admit I am immediately skeptical when I hear anyone saying they have received a new revelation from God. Hebrews 1:1-2 clearly teaches us that in this age God speaks to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and not through present day prophets with foreknowledge of future events. I firmly believe we are not in a time of direct revelation from God as we have His completed word. In times past God did indeed speak through the prophets and look down the passage of time, and in the tribulation period of seven years I believe scripture teaches us in Joel 2 and Acts 2 He will once again directly reveal things to people. It makes sense then as under the rule of Antichrist we can be assured that copies of the bible will be very rare, but it does not make sense now in an age where the word of God is more prolifically available than it has been at any time in history.
As I thought of these prophesy propositions that are so prevalent right now, many things just didn't make sense. Scriptures such as Isaiah 9 and Leviticus 25, which were written specifically in regards to the Jewish people, were being ripped from there context and applied to times and places they had no application to. Now understand me here, I'm not saying the Old Testament has no application to us in this day and age, it most surely does! 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us "all" of God's word is profitable, and we are commanded to teach the whole counsel of God's word. There is much of prophetic relevance in the Old Testament; the Old Testament pictures Jesus for us in many, many places; the lessons of Israel are something we are told we are to learn from(1 Cor 10). But we simply cannot take scripture like Leviticus 25:1-10, which is part of the Mosaic Law given expressly to Israel, and apply it to America, a nation that is not in covenant with God and was never under the law. The so called "mystery" of the Shemitah, which is in regards to the Sabbath year(every seventh year the people of Israel were commanded not to plant as God would provide enough to sustain them) has no application to America as we have never honored a Sabbath year or lived under Mosaic Law. We can't take scripture like Isaiah 9:10, which is in regards to Israel in a time of defiance of God, and say it has application to the United States and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Context is king in the bible and we simply cannot rip scripture from context and make it fit our presuppositions.
With the frenzy over the "4 Blood Moons," I got to thinking, what exactly do miraculous signs of God look like in the bible? Were they something, like these four eclipses, that we could predict to the very second when they would occur? No! There is nothing miraculous in a naturally occurring event. The signs in the heavens in scripture were true miracles that could not be explained or predicted by science. Think of the flood of Noah, could that event have occurred naturally? What of some of the plagues of Egypt, were they naturally occurring? What of when God stopped the sun in the sky for Joshua so that the day would last longer and Israel could win the battle, can that be explained? Or when God moved the sun back several hours and lengthened the day for Hezekiah as a sign, is that something that naturally occurs? Perhaps the most famous sign in the heavens from scripture is the "star of Bethlehem" that led the Magi to Christ. They followed this "star" from the far east and it settled directly over where Jesus was. When was the last time that happened?
Sadly, there are many who devour these wild speculations regarding prophesy that simply cannot be backed up by consistent exegesis of the word of God. We are told to study the scriptures in regards to everything that pertains to God, but when we do so with these type teachings, they simply cannot be reconciled to the bible without wildly twisting scripture to fit our preconceived views. Do I believe there will be miraculous signs in the heavens one day? You bet I do, the bible says there will be. But they won't be something I can mark on my calendar. Do I believe America is ripe for judgment? You better believe it, but I don't need a misapplied view of Leviticus to tell me this. My eyes do every day.
In Acts 17:11, a group from the town of Berea is commended for there diligence in "searching the scriptures" to examine what Paul had told them in regards to Jesus. Friends, this is still the way we need to examine claims that people are saying are from God. If we cannot reconcile them to the consistent teachings of the bible, they are not from God. In my research in these topics I found post after post after post on Google regurgitating these teachings as if they were the gospel themselves. We must have better discernment. I'm not saying that these folks are disingenuous in their faith, but I do believe they are naive. They are looking for signs as the Pharisees were, and they were roundly condemned by Jesus for this. Friends, we're not to be looking for signs, we're to be "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13) For those of us who do believe in the rapture, we believe it is imminent. There is nothing that must occur in order for Jesus to return for His bride, and that includes signs.
For those who would like to read on these things further I'd like to recommend a website I found that carefully examined these teachings and many other things by diligently comparing them to the bible. Take a look at www.biblicalintegrity.org and some of the things they say in regards to these prohetic opinions. But most of all, look to God's word. It is there where God has spoken to us, not the New York Times best seller list.
I have to admit I am immediately skeptical when I hear anyone saying they have received a new revelation from God. Hebrews 1:1-2 clearly teaches us that in this age God speaks to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and not through present day prophets with foreknowledge of future events. I firmly believe we are not in a time of direct revelation from God as we have His completed word. In times past God did indeed speak through the prophets and look down the passage of time, and in the tribulation period of seven years I believe scripture teaches us in Joel 2 and Acts 2 He will once again directly reveal things to people. It makes sense then as under the rule of Antichrist we can be assured that copies of the bible will be very rare, but it does not make sense now in an age where the word of God is more prolifically available than it has been at any time in history.
As I thought of these prophesy propositions that are so prevalent right now, many things just didn't make sense. Scriptures such as Isaiah 9 and Leviticus 25, which were written specifically in regards to the Jewish people, were being ripped from there context and applied to times and places they had no application to. Now understand me here, I'm not saying the Old Testament has no application to us in this day and age, it most surely does! 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us "all" of God's word is profitable, and we are commanded to teach the whole counsel of God's word. There is much of prophetic relevance in the Old Testament; the Old Testament pictures Jesus for us in many, many places; the lessons of Israel are something we are told we are to learn from(1 Cor 10). But we simply cannot take scripture like Leviticus 25:1-10, which is part of the Mosaic Law given expressly to Israel, and apply it to America, a nation that is not in covenant with God and was never under the law. The so called "mystery" of the Shemitah, which is in regards to the Sabbath year(every seventh year the people of Israel were commanded not to plant as God would provide enough to sustain them) has no application to America as we have never honored a Sabbath year or lived under Mosaic Law. We can't take scripture like Isaiah 9:10, which is in regards to Israel in a time of defiance of God, and say it has application to the United States and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Context is king in the bible and we simply cannot rip scripture from context and make it fit our presuppositions.
With the frenzy over the "4 Blood Moons," I got to thinking, what exactly do miraculous signs of God look like in the bible? Were they something, like these four eclipses, that we could predict to the very second when they would occur? No! There is nothing miraculous in a naturally occurring event. The signs in the heavens in scripture were true miracles that could not be explained or predicted by science. Think of the flood of Noah, could that event have occurred naturally? What of some of the plagues of Egypt, were they naturally occurring? What of when God stopped the sun in the sky for Joshua so that the day would last longer and Israel could win the battle, can that be explained? Or when God moved the sun back several hours and lengthened the day for Hezekiah as a sign, is that something that naturally occurs? Perhaps the most famous sign in the heavens from scripture is the "star of Bethlehem" that led the Magi to Christ. They followed this "star" from the far east and it settled directly over where Jesus was. When was the last time that happened?
Sadly, there are many who devour these wild speculations regarding prophesy that simply cannot be backed up by consistent exegesis of the word of God. We are told to study the scriptures in regards to everything that pertains to God, but when we do so with these type teachings, they simply cannot be reconciled to the bible without wildly twisting scripture to fit our preconceived views. Do I believe there will be miraculous signs in the heavens one day? You bet I do, the bible says there will be. But they won't be something I can mark on my calendar. Do I believe America is ripe for judgment? You better believe it, but I don't need a misapplied view of Leviticus to tell me this. My eyes do every day.
In Acts 17:11, a group from the town of Berea is commended for there diligence in "searching the scriptures" to examine what Paul had told them in regards to Jesus. Friends, this is still the way we need to examine claims that people are saying are from God. If we cannot reconcile them to the consistent teachings of the bible, they are not from God. In my research in these topics I found post after post after post on Google regurgitating these teachings as if they were the gospel themselves. We must have better discernment. I'm not saying that these folks are disingenuous in their faith, but I do believe they are naive. They are looking for signs as the Pharisees were, and they were roundly condemned by Jesus for this. Friends, we're not to be looking for signs, we're to be "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13) For those of us who do believe in the rapture, we believe it is imminent. There is nothing that must occur in order for Jesus to return for His bride, and that includes signs.
For those who would like to read on these things further I'd like to recommend a website I found that carefully examined these teachings and many other things by diligently comparing them to the bible. Take a look at www.biblicalintegrity.org and some of the things they say in regards to these prohetic opinions. But most of all, look to God's word. It is there where God has spoken to us, not the New York Times best seller list.
Monday, August 18, 2014
A Pastor Looks at Fifty
In my early 20's, those of you who know me, know that Jesus was the farthest thing from my mind. Instead of Jesus, my thoughts and desires steered a different course, seeking pleasures in the world and the things of it. A life of bong hits and beer chasers; bars and bros; a good time was the objective, and it was found, or so I believed, most of the time. During this time I became a huge fan of Jimmy Buffett. His songs of the ocean, the lifestyle, the romance and hedonistic indulgences of the "pirate" life struck a chord in rebellious youth. When you listened you could see yourself living that way forever. A relentless pursuit of self that would make Solomon blush.
One of Buffett's iconic songs is entitled "A Pirate Looks at Forty." In this "Parrothead" favorite, Buffett looks back at a youth filled with the adventure and "high times" that define a life in pursuit of the pleasures of the world, and in a day when the age 40 was considered getting older, declares that while some wisdom has been accrued, life still holds much for the pirate on the seas of self indulgence. It paints the picture well that one need not grow old when it comes to life's party. In my 20's, that was the goal, to live like that forever.
As my 20's passed and I entered my 30's, I still lived that life with a pirate's zeal. But the older I got, the less pleasure I found. Heart wrenching relationships that brought much pain were covered by alcohol and drugs, and the more money I made, the more I spent, with nothing in life to show for it but loneliness and wondering is this really all there is. As I approached age 40 I looked back and found nothing of the pleasure and romance that pirate of Buffett's ballad saw. I saw a wasted life. I was lonely, depressed, hoping for something to fill the void that a life in pursuit of self had left. Then my dad died.
When my father, Jim Phillips, the legendary voice of the Clemson Tigers, passed suddenly on September 9, 2003, I was actually a member of a local church. I had been for about a year and a half. After September 11, 2001, I began searching for answers, like many others after the tragedy of that day. I knew who Jesus was from my childhood. I believed everything that the bible taught of Him. I believed He died on the cross for my numerous sins and was raised from the dead. Intellectually, I had no doubt in my mind these things were true. But in my heart those desires of the flesh still lived and still ruled. I was an active church member. In the small church I attended, one which lacked younger people and leaders, I was so active I was elected a deacon, yet outside of church, I still lived in the world. I believed in my head but not in my heart. I was lost, and still struggling to find exactly what could fill that seemingly bottomless void I still had inside me.
Dad's death hit me hard, as we were close, and it was sudden and unexpected. But it was during that week following his death that God began to reveal Himself to me in ways I still to this day can't fully describe. As I look back on it now, I know this was His "drawing" me to Jesus. But at the time I was still focused on me, and while I knew He was the one doing these things, I still ran to the world instead of to Him. That all changed in December of that same year.
Those months following dad's death were filled with more money than I had ever made in my life. The small business I owned was thriving and I had to hire 3 additional people just to cover all the work coming in. I was in church, active and my business was exploding. Yet I was still miserable. I was miserable until one morning at my kitchen table I broke. I can remember as if it were yesterday the seemingly audible words that thundered in my spirit, "My Son died for you!" And as I wept bitterly that morning I received Jesus Christ as my Savior. In the twinkling of an eye, I suddenly knew a different path was ahead of me. I had purpose and I had zeal for it, but I didn't know a thing.
Those first few months after receiving Christ were what the bible clearly describes as "spiritual warfare." I honestly do not think Satan ever thought he would ever lose me, and to speed my growth God allowed the devil to come against me with vengeance. I remember distinctly one night standing in my living room arguing with demons who were trying to convince me to renounce my faith. The demons have that same faith I once had, they know God is real, but they do not have what I now had, God's Spirit inside of me. They brought great confusion and I really had no clue how to deal with them. I was on fire for God but was a bull in a china shop. I thought I could change the world beginning with the small church I was serving in, but actually caused more problems than anything else.
Thankfully I had a pastor who showed extraordinary patience and love, Scott Kiser, who somehow put up with my challenges to his authority and remained there for me. I don't think he fully understood all that was happening, but he never stopped trying to help me. For that patience I am eternally grateful. I also had a retired pastor, Gerald McKay, who was a fellow deacon with me. In a deacons meeting where I was enduring a needed chastening, he in his wisdom saw exactly what I was enduring, and pointed me to where I could find the answers on how to begin to follow Jesus. He said to me, "you're being sifted." I sat there bewildered, not knowing what he meant, but when I got home I sought the bible and read of where Jesus told Peter that the devil had sought permission to sift the disciple, and it had been granted. Just as Jesus foretold, Peter went on to deny Christ 3 times, and his pride was shattered like like an egg falling to the floor. It was messy, but Jesus was there to clean up the mess. He was there for me as well.
After that I began consuming God's word. I knew the things I needed the learn and know would be found there, and they indeed have been. I would soon leave Peniel Baptist Church in Timmonsville, SC with full confidence I had been called to preach, though not really knowing how that would happen. I joined a church I had spoken at for Father's Day earlier that year in October of 2004, East Pickens Baptist Church, in Pickens, SC, and set out with the same zeal and a little better direction than I had known a few months earlier. There I fell under the guidance of Pastor Carl Martin who generously opened doors for me to learn and preach, and I did so with gusto. I was still young in my walk and still managed to do my best Peter impersonation inserting my foot in my mouth many times, but once again God had provided a place where I could mature in my faith. East Pickens licensed and ordained me in September of 2005, and God continued to show his mighty hand and open doors I did not know how to.
In January of 2007 I was teaching on Wednesday nights at East Pickens and taking every other opportunity to do so that was provided. I was on fire and truly enjoying life, but then, a feeling awakened inside of me I had not felt for years. Like Adam, I realized I was alone, and my heart started yearning again for that helpmeet. Although East Pickens was a fairly large church, their really were not many singles my age in it. I had never in my life looked to date as a Christian, and was really clueless in just how to go about it. A friend suggested I join a Christian dating site, so I did, and within days I had more women looking to meet me than I ever had in my life! I went out with more women in a 6 month period than I had in my entire life I think, and if I were still my old heathen self, I'd have thought I had found the holy grail. Every woman, all claiming to be Christian, on our first dates, threw themselves at this 42 year old fat preacher like a 15 year old at Justin Bieber. On every date I had the opportunity to sleep with a very attractive woman, yet inside of me, I knew God said no, and I also had a lifetime to look back upon and know I had never found what I was looking for doing it that way. In August of that year, as I bypassed probably the most physically beautiful woman I have ever gone out with, I met Ashley Sofield on line. We immediately hit it off. It was a struggle for both of us to stay true to scriptures teachings on dating, but we managed to do so. We were meeting each others family, and mine loved her, and we seemed to be on the right path in spite of the expected bumps that come with pursuing love and Godliness in a fallen world. However, at about the same time me and Ashley began seeing each other, I received a phone call from a small church in Chesterfield, SC, and we began speaking about me becoming their pastor. In January 2008, 4 months after me and Ashley began dating, I was called as pastor of Oakland Baptist Church. I knew I had to answer the call, but me and Ashley faced a decision. Thankfully for me, she decided to continue the relationship even with the coming distance between us.
We continued our relationship long distance. She would come down on the weekends and stay at a bed and breakfast in our small town, and yes, the rumors did circulate. In this day it seems no one can believe two people will pursue marriage God's way, but we can say together, they can. I proposed in May 2008 and we were married in October. When we left on our honeymoon we were not sure if we'd be returning with me as pastor or not due to some conflict in the church. When we returned I was still the pastor and would continue to be so for nearly 3 more years. The conflict never really subsided but during that trial by fire we grew closer even through the bumps of early marriage, made some incredible friends, and learned many things that are required to be a pastor and wife. In November of 2010, with Ashley out of work for over a year and the conflict from a few church members stifling the furtherance of our ministry there, we both agreed it was time to seek God's will for a new church. 6 months later I received a call from a church I'd never heard of, Woodfield Park Baptist Church in Columbia. They wanted to come hear me preach.
The search committee showed up and everyone knew who they were. The folks who had opposed us almost our entire ministry treated them like royalty, they were ready to see us go! The majority of the congregation knew our situation and while saddened, were resigned to what needed to happen. After a meeting after the service with the search committee, I preached a month later at Woodfield Park, and the Holy Spirit moved. In June 2011 we preached en lieu of call and were voted in unanimously as pastor and wife and still serve joyfully here today.
As this pastor looks at fifty(I turn fitty August 21), I can look back now with a far different viewpoint than that wannabe pirate of my 20's. At 39 I was lost, lonely, depressed and searching. 40 held no appeal. At 49 I am saved, joyful, sharing life with my soul mate, serving God in a loving church, and fifty is greatly anticipated. Those wasted years are experiences God allows me to minister to others through. My beard is graying and my hair is thinning; my waste line is still to big and my mouth still gets me in to trouble sometimes. But in Jesus I became a "new creation," I was "born again" and life is truly full of adventure and pleasure. But the adventure and pleasure is centered around Jesus, and marriage, and a life with purpose.
I still know many living that pirate's life, and I pray someday they will come to know what I have. As appealing as a lifestyle focused on self can seem to be, it's a dead end road. But in Jesus there is hope! His desire is to see you turn to Him! If you will, it won't be easy. But if you do, you have God with you, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Believe me, Jesus beats the world every time. Arrrrrrrrrrr.......Amen
One of Buffett's iconic songs is entitled "A Pirate Looks at Forty." In this "Parrothead" favorite, Buffett looks back at a youth filled with the adventure and "high times" that define a life in pursuit of the pleasures of the world, and in a day when the age 40 was considered getting older, declares that while some wisdom has been accrued, life still holds much for the pirate on the seas of self indulgence. It paints the picture well that one need not grow old when it comes to life's party. In my 20's, that was the goal, to live like that forever.
As my 20's passed and I entered my 30's, I still lived that life with a pirate's zeal. But the older I got, the less pleasure I found. Heart wrenching relationships that brought much pain were covered by alcohol and drugs, and the more money I made, the more I spent, with nothing in life to show for it but loneliness and wondering is this really all there is. As I approached age 40 I looked back and found nothing of the pleasure and romance that pirate of Buffett's ballad saw. I saw a wasted life. I was lonely, depressed, hoping for something to fill the void that a life in pursuit of self had left. Then my dad died.
When my father, Jim Phillips, the legendary voice of the Clemson Tigers, passed suddenly on September 9, 2003, I was actually a member of a local church. I had been for about a year and a half. After September 11, 2001, I began searching for answers, like many others after the tragedy of that day. I knew who Jesus was from my childhood. I believed everything that the bible taught of Him. I believed He died on the cross for my numerous sins and was raised from the dead. Intellectually, I had no doubt in my mind these things were true. But in my heart those desires of the flesh still lived and still ruled. I was an active church member. In the small church I attended, one which lacked younger people and leaders, I was so active I was elected a deacon, yet outside of church, I still lived in the world. I believed in my head but not in my heart. I was lost, and still struggling to find exactly what could fill that seemingly bottomless void I still had inside me.
Dad's death hit me hard, as we were close, and it was sudden and unexpected. But it was during that week following his death that God began to reveal Himself to me in ways I still to this day can't fully describe. As I look back on it now, I know this was His "drawing" me to Jesus. But at the time I was still focused on me, and while I knew He was the one doing these things, I still ran to the world instead of to Him. That all changed in December of that same year.
Those months following dad's death were filled with more money than I had ever made in my life. The small business I owned was thriving and I had to hire 3 additional people just to cover all the work coming in. I was in church, active and my business was exploding. Yet I was still miserable. I was miserable until one morning at my kitchen table I broke. I can remember as if it were yesterday the seemingly audible words that thundered in my spirit, "My Son died for you!" And as I wept bitterly that morning I received Jesus Christ as my Savior. In the twinkling of an eye, I suddenly knew a different path was ahead of me. I had purpose and I had zeal for it, but I didn't know a thing.
Those first few months after receiving Christ were what the bible clearly describes as "spiritual warfare." I honestly do not think Satan ever thought he would ever lose me, and to speed my growth God allowed the devil to come against me with vengeance. I remember distinctly one night standing in my living room arguing with demons who were trying to convince me to renounce my faith. The demons have that same faith I once had, they know God is real, but they do not have what I now had, God's Spirit inside of me. They brought great confusion and I really had no clue how to deal with them. I was on fire for God but was a bull in a china shop. I thought I could change the world beginning with the small church I was serving in, but actually caused more problems than anything else.
Thankfully I had a pastor who showed extraordinary patience and love, Scott Kiser, who somehow put up with my challenges to his authority and remained there for me. I don't think he fully understood all that was happening, but he never stopped trying to help me. For that patience I am eternally grateful. I also had a retired pastor, Gerald McKay, who was a fellow deacon with me. In a deacons meeting where I was enduring a needed chastening, he in his wisdom saw exactly what I was enduring, and pointed me to where I could find the answers on how to begin to follow Jesus. He said to me, "you're being sifted." I sat there bewildered, not knowing what he meant, but when I got home I sought the bible and read of where Jesus told Peter that the devil had sought permission to sift the disciple, and it had been granted. Just as Jesus foretold, Peter went on to deny Christ 3 times, and his pride was shattered like like an egg falling to the floor. It was messy, but Jesus was there to clean up the mess. He was there for me as well.
After that I began consuming God's word. I knew the things I needed the learn and know would be found there, and they indeed have been. I would soon leave Peniel Baptist Church in Timmonsville, SC with full confidence I had been called to preach, though not really knowing how that would happen. I joined a church I had spoken at for Father's Day earlier that year in October of 2004, East Pickens Baptist Church, in Pickens, SC, and set out with the same zeal and a little better direction than I had known a few months earlier. There I fell under the guidance of Pastor Carl Martin who generously opened doors for me to learn and preach, and I did so with gusto. I was still young in my walk and still managed to do my best Peter impersonation inserting my foot in my mouth many times, but once again God had provided a place where I could mature in my faith. East Pickens licensed and ordained me in September of 2005, and God continued to show his mighty hand and open doors I did not know how to.
In January of 2007 I was teaching on Wednesday nights at East Pickens and taking every other opportunity to do so that was provided. I was on fire and truly enjoying life, but then, a feeling awakened inside of me I had not felt for years. Like Adam, I realized I was alone, and my heart started yearning again for that helpmeet. Although East Pickens was a fairly large church, their really were not many singles my age in it. I had never in my life looked to date as a Christian, and was really clueless in just how to go about it. A friend suggested I join a Christian dating site, so I did, and within days I had more women looking to meet me than I ever had in my life! I went out with more women in a 6 month period than I had in my entire life I think, and if I were still my old heathen self, I'd have thought I had found the holy grail. Every woman, all claiming to be Christian, on our first dates, threw themselves at this 42 year old fat preacher like a 15 year old at Justin Bieber. On every date I had the opportunity to sleep with a very attractive woman, yet inside of me, I knew God said no, and I also had a lifetime to look back upon and know I had never found what I was looking for doing it that way. In August of that year, as I bypassed probably the most physically beautiful woman I have ever gone out with, I met Ashley Sofield on line. We immediately hit it off. It was a struggle for both of us to stay true to scriptures teachings on dating, but we managed to do so. We were meeting each others family, and mine loved her, and we seemed to be on the right path in spite of the expected bumps that come with pursuing love and Godliness in a fallen world. However, at about the same time me and Ashley began seeing each other, I received a phone call from a small church in Chesterfield, SC, and we began speaking about me becoming their pastor. In January 2008, 4 months after me and Ashley began dating, I was called as pastor of Oakland Baptist Church. I knew I had to answer the call, but me and Ashley faced a decision. Thankfully for me, she decided to continue the relationship even with the coming distance between us.
We continued our relationship long distance. She would come down on the weekends and stay at a bed and breakfast in our small town, and yes, the rumors did circulate. In this day it seems no one can believe two people will pursue marriage God's way, but we can say together, they can. I proposed in May 2008 and we were married in October. When we left on our honeymoon we were not sure if we'd be returning with me as pastor or not due to some conflict in the church. When we returned I was still the pastor and would continue to be so for nearly 3 more years. The conflict never really subsided but during that trial by fire we grew closer even through the bumps of early marriage, made some incredible friends, and learned many things that are required to be a pastor and wife. In November of 2010, with Ashley out of work for over a year and the conflict from a few church members stifling the furtherance of our ministry there, we both agreed it was time to seek God's will for a new church. 6 months later I received a call from a church I'd never heard of, Woodfield Park Baptist Church in Columbia. They wanted to come hear me preach.
The search committee showed up and everyone knew who they were. The folks who had opposed us almost our entire ministry treated them like royalty, they were ready to see us go! The majority of the congregation knew our situation and while saddened, were resigned to what needed to happen. After a meeting after the service with the search committee, I preached a month later at Woodfield Park, and the Holy Spirit moved. In June 2011 we preached en lieu of call and were voted in unanimously as pastor and wife and still serve joyfully here today.
As this pastor looks at fifty(I turn fitty August 21), I can look back now with a far different viewpoint than that wannabe pirate of my 20's. At 39 I was lost, lonely, depressed and searching. 40 held no appeal. At 49 I am saved, joyful, sharing life with my soul mate, serving God in a loving church, and fifty is greatly anticipated. Those wasted years are experiences God allows me to minister to others through. My beard is graying and my hair is thinning; my waste line is still to big and my mouth still gets me in to trouble sometimes. But in Jesus I became a "new creation," I was "born again" and life is truly full of adventure and pleasure. But the adventure and pleasure is centered around Jesus, and marriage, and a life with purpose.
I still know many living that pirate's life, and I pray someday they will come to know what I have. As appealing as a lifestyle focused on self can seem to be, it's a dead end road. But in Jesus there is hope! His desire is to see you turn to Him! If you will, it won't be easy. But if you do, you have God with you, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Believe me, Jesus beats the world every time. Arrrrrrrrrrr.......Amen
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