Preaching...Center Stage Show

"...preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void" 1 Corinthians 1:17 

I love a good sermon.  If I am going to give up my Sunday (I am actually dedicated to the sabbath, but you get the idea) and not go fishing, traveling or visiting friends....don't waste my time.  I couldn't agree more, sorta.

While I do love a good sermon, does it need to be a song and dance to capture my attention and win my favor?  No.  A good sermon needs to challenge me.  I want to hear a message that is relevant to my life today.  I have real struggles, I deal with difficult people daily and sometimes looking for a little peace takes more effort than it should.  I want encouragement.

I have a good life, a good Family and a good job but that doesn't mean that I do not have problems that never seem to get fixed.  Today fixing your problems isn't popular, it's how you feel about not being able to fix your problems.  Well, I'm tired of having the same problems.  Frankly, I'd like to have a new set of problems all together.  So yes, I am looking for answers.

I have had enough with debates, political rants and religious fights.  When I go to worship I do not want another episode of CCN or FOX news.  The world is not coming to an end (we'll it is, but in a good way...for some).  Why does every message have the same political-religious slant.  It's like you've gone to a shrimp restaurant and can choose from gumbo shrimp, popcorn shrimp, sauteed shrimp, shrimp scampi...I guess we're getting shrimp....again!  I want to be stimulated theologically. 

I love people.  I love a lot of people.  O.k., I love some people.  Actually, some people are hard to love.  To be honest, I like to get away from people.  I have to de-stress from the pressures of life at then end of every workday. I need to find something positive in a world that can only see the negative.  So when I take my precious Family to worship, I want to be surrounded by Positive Faith Based People.

I have my favorite superheros, my favorite actors, my favorite books and my favorite bands. When I want to drift away and be distracted by my favorite entertainer, I'll grab Hemingway and go fishing with Santiago.  I am not looking for an image-driven performer in the pulpit. I want a mature anointed minister who has spent time with God on my behalf.  I want to hear the message delivered like it was my last crumb of bread and I want to feel the love of Christ hold me securely.  I want to connect with the Eternal Word of God.

So, do you have to put on a dog and pony show to entertain me and keep me satisfied?  No.  If you can get out of the way so I can get the Word that should do just fine.  Thank you.

  

Winning with Wisdom

"Your father's teachings....are a graceful wreath to your head..."  Proverbs 1:9

     Studying the details of scriptures can help broaden the diameter of the light that shines on our path.  As I walk through our bivouac at night my small red-lens-light guides my path.  I make certain the focus is sharp and I hold it a little higher so my beam will broaden at my feet.  In the same way, I think it is important to be careful not to dull down our expressions of faith, as if everything being taught is synonymous and all of God's teachings can be simplified into a slogan.  I also believe in receiving spiritual insight from above so I reach toward my Lord and humbly ask him to reveal his treasured secrets that make my steps sure.

     Proverbs is a series of lessons designed to perfect your walk with God.  In chapter one the author introduces eleven key words plus multiple teachings of morality, ethics and simple decision making processes.  He specifically calls these teachings "a graceful wreath to your head", which is a symbol of someone who has won their race. The first of these key words that Solomon begins to teach his child is Wisdom, Instruction and Discernment.

     Wisdom:  The understanding of Wisdom is the total accumulation of all things taught.  It is not the depth of one subject, but rather how all subject matter interacts, connects, and affects the second, third and fourth order of effect.  It is more than the accumulating of information, it is in how to apply knowledge and experience.  Wisdom is like moving from being a checkers player to being a chess player.  After years of studying moves, techniques and strategies you become a formidable master competitor.  Then your eyes open and you fully see that you are only on level one.  What you thought was a finish line is only the beginning and you become hungry for more knowledge and all its applications.   

     Instruction:  After four years of a bachelors degree, three years of a master's degree and five years of a doctorate one thinks they have wisdom.  No, they have a deep understanding of one field.  They have instruction.  Instruction is what you gain when you begin a new job and after years of "on the job training" you master your skill and become one of the most wanted craftsmen.  You have instruction.  You know how to perform your task with excellence, professionalism and are the model of success.  When a crisis arises the best of the best are called to remedy the problem.  On the battlefield there will be experts in artillery, airborne strikes, special forces, engineers, surgeons, support squads and the list is exhaustive.  All of these are elite professionals in their field.  They are models of instruction.  The military strategist who moves all pieces on the battlefield in synchronization with all other military elements uses wisdom.  Then still, that person only uses wisdom in one field during one occasion.  That person merely scratches the surface of wisdom.

     Discernment:  Discernment is the ability to judge well.  It encompasses the concept of being able to detect with precision, correctly differentiate, assimilate, compare and contrast.  It includes the emotional intelligence spectrum of sensing the moment, speaking to be understood and using the power of silence.  It is never void of deep contemplation while drawing on instruction and experience.  Spiritual discernment is a blessed revelation from God.  To be in the moment of ministry and to be gently guided by God is an honor.  Once as a young boy I was challenged by my friends to examine an old abandoned house on our block.  It was a beautiful structure but the fact that it had not been lived in created a mysterious presence.  I took a blade from my father's razor, ran to the front porch to scratch off the film of a window and peered into its secrets. After what seemed an eternity in the grasp of the unknown, I ran back to report the all my findings.  Today, Christians barely peek into the depths of the truth of God.  They trade instructions for superficial simplifications and swap wisdom for whimsical quotes.  To discern the elements, you need to know the elements.  You have to go into the depths of what you do not know and learn through experience.

     The riddles of Proverbs lay out principles of living the will of God.  I encourage you to clearly differentiate every term added to the lesson.  Examine by every means possible how to apply the simple anecdotal parables.  As you master each concept, begin to grow in wisdom as to how each element builds christian character.  Lastly, lean heavily on spiritual discernment, but do not separate your lessons from the best intellectual research and reasoning you can muster.

Army Revival

When I graduation from Seminary, I never dreamed I would be in the Army seeing over 10,000 Soldiers give their lives to Jesus Christ.  On any given Sunday our worship begins and the presence of God fills the sanctuary.  The same obstacle pounding Soldiers who tackle their day at 0500 are the same Soldiers who sing out with passion and raise their hands in worship.  It is common to see hundreds of Soldiers come to the altar and seek out the favor of

God.  As we close the sermon we always give an invitation.  We have had as many as 350 Soldiers, from all three services, give their lives to Christ.  One particular morning as I gave an invitation, the hands raised for prayer were too many to count.    

As I reflect on this movement, there are a few noteworthy observations.  First, it is a move of God.  One Sunday when we were taking in the atmosphere of the worship, I leaned over to CH Rondon and said, "You know God is changing the Army."  His reply showed his vision and purpose "In this Chapel service is the future Command Sergeant Major, and today he is on fire for Christ!"  As those words took life in the room, we paused to imagine what God was doing.  

         The second observation is how we continually refined our approach.  It became obvious that the more we presented the text in its purity, the simpler the message was to receive.  Also, the more deliberate we were in presenting Jesus as the only way, the only truth and the only life the more passionate Soldiers became about worship.  No one wants a washed down presentation. They want a real God and a real experience.  

The last observation is the power of momentum.  We only have trainees for 18 weeks.  However; by the time one class is preparing for graduation, two other classes have begun and joined the Chapel.  Soldiers who have just arrived enter Chapel with two groups ahead of them who are excited about Jesus.  The movement is self-feeding.  When Soldiers are excited about going to Chapel, new Soldiers come to find out why.

Every ministry position in my life continually molds me into the Chaplain God wants me to be, and being the Chaplain my Soldiers need me to be.  I pray that God continues to give me favor with my commanders, favor with my fellow Chaplains and favor with my Soldiers.  

Lost in the Battle; Sifting Through the Politics to Find Truth

The Integrity of the Upright Guides Them,

but the Unfaithful are Destroyed by their Duplicity.  Proverbs 11:3

When was the last time you saw an unbiased news report?  As I tuned to the news to find out what was happening with a tragic event from this week, I found myself frustrated trying to sift through all the political agendas.  The event was one of the most tragic I have seen in my life, but it was worsened by opportunistic reporters.  I wanted to know the basic facts of what happened and to connect with the care being provided for the surviving family members but I found myself lost in the battle. It sickened me on many levels. 

First, it was repulsive to watch political pundits grossly manipulate the population for their own agenda.  There was no real concern for the people hurting and suffering, only emotionally driven speeches designed to take advantage of the situation to push their political interest.  Most of the rhetoric was crafted to hook the masses with their pain and suffering.  So little of the reporting spoke to the specific event.

Second, it was saddening to watch the general population allowing themselves to be manipulated so easily.  Has America become this naive?  I think we see the slant when it happens from the other side of the political isle but most are blind to the narratives that stroke their agenda.  It seems as if so few care that they are being used. 

Lastly, our country has lost its ability to report news.  Not to be too cynical, but all news broadcast appear to be propaganda machines.  They push out just the right amount of emotional bait needed for the masses to nibble; however, most take the bait hook, line and sinker.  Have news reporters lost their integrity?  Do they care about honest unbiased reporting?  Is there any shame in out-right lies?

Regardless of your political party, you should care about your personal integrity over all.  Honesty and integrity are fundamental principles taught in Proverbs.  There is very little chance of being a model Christian leader when you lack the ability to represent truth. I have no problem saying that I support a particular candidate and at the same time do not agree with all aspects of that candidate or a political party.  There is no way I would compromise my integrity simply to gain more votes for an election.  If  I did, could I ever expect anyone to listen to me present the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Obviously it is a resounding NO!

And in case your wondering....when you so blaring misrepresent the truth, manipulate the wounded and abuse your position of power, you have lost my confidence and trust regarding anything you report.

We need #Reconciliation

False Growth

"The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Luke 8:14


     On my last day off from work I engaged in one of my favorite past times, yard work!  However; on this particular day I needed to clear away a few bushes and small tress on the back side of my yard that met with a wood line.  What I thought was going to be a few hours of removal turned into a thorn infested fiasco.  As I looked at the tree line from my back deck, I thought I was enjoying the lush green row of bushes and trees that connected my yard to the woods.  As I got into the tree line I found myself in a thicket that had overrun the entire area.  I tore my cloths, scratched my arms up and fought the entire day to only cut the thicket back enough to have three 10 ft. piles of brush that needed to be hauled off.  Almost every tree had vines growing up it that branched off into huge leafy canopies.  As I pulled the thirty foot long vines down I was amazed at how I could not see the false green in the trees.

     For several hours I contemplated the parable of the seed and sower found in Luke.  The thorns had grown up through the bushes and around the trees so subtly that what appeared to be good healthy growth was actually weeds blocking the sun and inhibiting what we wanted.  The vines had overtaken several trees and their leaves masked the bare limbs.  The Lord impressed on my heart that "this is how weeds overtake someone's life."  Very slowly fear, anxiety and distracting coping mechanisms overtake the hope in your heart and your ability to reason in faith.  When the worries of life become strong enough they block you from the light, separating you from the spiritual source of life and growth.  When you look at yourself from a distance you may appear to be lush and green.  You may appear to be healthy and full of growth, but when you get into the weeds you find that there is more fear than faith growing in your life.     

     What an overgrown mess to fight through.  It was no simple task removing unwanted thorns and vines that slowly made their way around everything.  Fortunately, by getting right in the middle of the thicket, I was able to determine what needed to stay and what needed to go.

     Maybe we can take a closer look at the individual elements that make up our lives rather than glossing over who we are as a whole.  Maybe we see leafy growth in our lives that looks good from a distance, but it is actually the "riches and pleasures" that give us a false sense of growth.  A personal examination may be painful to work through, but well worth the effort when we come out of the thicket of anxiety and doubt.

If it is God's plan for you...

"'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord..." Jeremaiah 29:11

     E. V. (Ed) Hill, who pastored Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, tells the story of how "Mama's" love and prayers changed his life. During the height of the Depression, Hill's real mother, who had five children of her own, didn't have enough food to go around, so she sent four-year-old Ed to live with a friend in a small country town called Sweet Home. Ed just called her Mama. As he was growing up in Sweet Home, Mama displayed remarkable faith which led her to have big plans for young Ed. Against nearly insurmountable obstacles, Mama helped Ed graduate from high school (the only student to graduate that year from the country school) and even insisted that he go to college.

     She took Ed to the bus station, handed him the ticket and five dollars and said, "Now, go off to Prairie View College, and Mama is going to be praying for you." Hill claims that he didn't know much about prayer, but he knew Mama did. When he arrived at the college with a dollar and ninety cents in his pocket, they told him he needed eighty dollars in cash in order to register. Here's how Hill describes what happened next:

I got in line …, and the devil said to get out of line …, but I heard my Mama saying in my ear, "I'll be praying for you." I stood in line on Mama's prayer. Soon there was [another new student ahead of me], and I began to get nervous, but I stayed in line …. Just about the time [the other student] got all of her stuff and turned away, Dr. Drew touched me on the shoulder, and he said, "Are you Ed Hill?" I said, "Yes." "Are you Ed Hill from Sweet Home?" "Yes." "Have you paid yet?" "Not quite."

"We've been looking for you all this morning," [he said].

I said, "Well, what do [you] want with me?"

"We have a four-year scholarship that will pay your room and board, your tuition, and give you thirty dollars a month to spend."

And I heard Mama say, "I will be praying for you!"

Can We Recklessly Engage God?

  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

                                                                                                                                Proverbs 1:6-7
      

     Fearing God is a lost theological concept in our current culture.  With no fear of repercussion; people take the Lord's name in vain, discard the importance of God in society and dismiss the need for any real interaction with God.  On the other extreme, some people will claim a relationship with God and express it as it were a casual purchase.  From this perspective, what society thinks of God has become a product of  social/politically driven doctrine.     

     Can we recklessly engage God?  Let us consider a few basic Biblical examples of interacting with God that will provide us a starting point for this meditation.

We have:

An Image of Adam and Eve walking in the presence of God, but later being removed because of sin

An Image of OT Priest safely entering into the presence of God after following the guidelines of sanctifying, yet another OT Priest falling dead in the presence of God because of unrepentant sin
An Image of Jesus gathering children around himself  

An Image of an ill woman pressing against a crowd and connecting with the healing power of Christ

An Image of a warning from Paul to "work out your salvation in fear and trembling" 

An Image of a warning from Christ "not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' will enter into the kingdom"

An Image of the Disciples reclining with Jesus at the Last Supper....and Jesus washing their feet
An Image of the love and restoration of Christ demonstrated on the Cross
An Image of Jesus separating the wheat from the chaff in the Last Days

     Many will say “I believe in God and I’m good".  For some this claim of God is very distant, as if they are looking at a mountain range from afar off.  They believe in it but never move toward the mountain.  They can discuss the mountain in great detail, write about it extensively, provide you a guide book for a journey to the top, but they have never touched the foundation.  Their knowledge sounds extensive but it lacks the understanding and the experience of taking the first step onto the mountain.

     Others will explain God carelessly or recklessly; as if they have tamed a Lion.  You hear them express their relationship with God like someone fearlessly engage a lion on their own terms.  They do not realize that they do not engage the lion on their terms, but only engage the lion on the lion’s terms.

     In this proverb: "The Fear of the Lord is the beginning knowledge" frames a starting point of learning.  The understanding comes from the written revelation, the depth of intellectual study, spiritual reflection and the illumination of truth that only comes from God.  It also declares a warning at this starting point, "Fear God."       

   
     We may better understand this "Fear of God" if we consider a busy intersection.  If you recklessly enter a busy intersection there is something to fear; but if you understand the rules of engagement you can safely enter and not fear the intersection.   I do not live with fear every time I come into an intersection; however, I also do not just rush through on my own developed traffic rules.  I understand the risk of crossing a double yellow line in a blind curve.  I understand the risk of not reducing my speed on exit ramps.  I understand the risk of not honoring a yield sign.  When I follow the guidelines, it removes the fear and enables me to travel safely to my destination.

What does "Fear the Lord" look like in your life?

I pray you stay strong and straight in your journey with the Lord!