How can I be so hated?

Got a letter today from a relative who purports to be a Christian, but who certainly doesn't act like one. Here;s why: first, he's a died in the wool church of Christer. Doesn't really matter what the Bible says so long as it is ok with what "the church" believes." He accused me, among other things, of false teaching, hating Jesus, and being a disgrace to men who have preached. Not once did he express any concern that maybe I had hurt Jesus, only men. This shows me where his heart is: pleasing men rather than Jesus. You could take a nobody preacher, but one who has had a book published, and lead this guy off the Empire State Building. He's all about impressing his "brethren" not the Lord. After he finished his diatribe, he said he didn't want to talk to me about it anymore since he didn't really care about anything I had to say. Ain't being Christ-Like grand?

Normal is creeping up on me!

After the surgery in February and months of recovery and feeling really bad I am now starting to feel some normalcy return to my body. It seems that there are more days that I am able to control the pain in my back and legs. Amazingly, as the pain comes into control I am finding it much easier to focus on other things and even motivated to do other things (Like writing blog entries!) I appreciate everyone's patience while I have recuperated over the past months and I beg your forgiveness for my tardiness in keeping posts up to date. My hope are that I will be able to be with you more often here.

Been a while

No doubt this has been a rough and trying summer. Following the back surgery, recovery has been slow and painful. Now, I hope I am on the road to recovery and moving toward the next phase of my spinal reconstruction. I thank everyone who prayed and ask that you keep on a bit longer. I hope to be writing more frequently as I feel like it. God Bless!

Why Families Work

What is it that transforms a group of people into a family rather than into a simple conglomeration of people? One word, according to the scripture, is sharing. The Bible clearly states that we should cry and laugh, rejoice and mourn as one. This does not mean that we simply be aware and "feel sorry" or give lip service to the events in the lives of others, but we actually share in them and experience the same feelings as a way of commiserating or rejoicing with our family.

One of our greatest failings as a family of God and also, I might add as a biological family, is that we often fail to share with our brothers and sisters the things that are making us happy, sad, mournful or joyous. If we do not know how our family is feeling and consequently do not respond in what is perceived to be an appropriate manner, how can we be held accountable.

Yes, it is incumbent upon me as a Christian to share life's ups and downs with with family, it is an impossible task if I know there are no ups and downs, good or bad days. Now I'm not saying that I or you should know everything that happens in either of our respective lives, but if there is a need for edification, exhortation or support from my family - I must be willing to let my family know what is going on!

I would have great difficulty performing my duty as a brother if I am totally in the dark about what is going on in my brothers' life. How many times over the years have I been criticized because I did not respond to a problem a brother was embroiled in though I innocently was totally unaware of any problem?

I indeed have a responsibility to help my brother carry his load, however, my brother has an equally important responsibility to make me aware of any problem from which they expect support from their family. We're a great group of people. We love the Lord, we love one another, but we can't read minds. Christian fellowship, which is a product of effective discipleship, is essentially impossible if we do not share feelings, fears, joys, concerns and victories with each other!

Having a form of Godliness while denying its power is certainly not a good position in which to find oneself. The power of God enables us to overcome our weaknesses, overcome our sinful behavior, maintain Christian relationships and a Christian lifestyle. In short, we're empowered, by the power of God, to defeat Satan. One who knows about the power of God, who is confident of the power but who does not tap into it is in a precarious position. God's power enables, empowers, moves, multiplies and changes the lives and efforts of His people.

Yes, there is power in knowing God but knowing about Him and knowing Him are different things. We, I, must absolutely rely on God and His power in order to live a Christ-like life.

Starting the discipleship process.

The word "disciple" or any derivative such as discipling or descipleship have become quasi code words in my experience with the Church of Christ denomination for "liberal" or colloquially "off the deep end." Yet the fact remains that in order for us to be effective we must become strong, committed, disciples of Jesus Christ. Our mission always demands that we follow the discipline of Christ-likeness in everything that we do. It has been my observation throughout the years that we're much more comfortable being called MOTCs (members of the church) than we are with being called disciples. However, as I have deliberately worked to become a disciple rather than a MOTC, I have come to realize that my life has nothing to do with worshiping the church, but with worshiping Jesus. As I continue to pursue that path I have come to some realizations that have been very helpful for me in breaking out of my years of "cultural molding." First among these is that I came to the personal realization that I have to maintain a relationship with the Lord that makes me happy that Jesus is my friend and my brother rather than being an indentured servant to Him. The psalmist pointed out that Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. So Jesus must be my friend engendering a comfortable, happy relationship between the two of us. I know people who view Jesus as just a master or judge and they are invariably folks who are miserable with religion and service to Jesus and their brethren.

I contend that according to Paul in Phil 4:4-6 that becoming free of anxiety or the things which make us unhappy ushers in peace that is so profound we can't even understand it. Ultimate happiness! My walk with Jesus must be as a disciple, a follower, a friend. Jesus becomes someone with whom I am conversant, not in a formal, liturgical way, but in a manner I would approach in sharing my triumphs and problems with my closest friend.

Those disciples that actually walked with Jesus spent their time sharing meals, trips, discussions, studies, tears and joy. They were a close knit group and their success was contingent upon their having this type of relationship. Though they had some rough patches, they ultimately remained faithful friends who did, indeed, die for each other. If you want to be a great Christian you must first be a great disciple and as a great disciple You and Jesus will become inseparable friends and together able to accomplish anything you can imagine or things that are beyond your imagination. Thank you Lord for being my savior and thank you for being my friend.

Where do I stand?

I have grappled with this question over the past three years or so. I don't worry about what I am or where I stand spiritually but there is another debt to society that I owe by virtue of Jesus' saying render unto Caesar what is his and to God what is His. We, you and I, are a dichotomy: we have a spiritual man and a physical man. Childishly we imagine that we can separate the two by compartmentalizing our lives. How foolish. I fear we're moving socially toward a day when Christians will be outcasts and ultimately criminals. This generation and the next are probably safe, though facing an uphill struggle, but I really fear for the following generation: my grandchildren and their children. We are systematically allowing our government to dismantle the principles upon which our society was built - a society that believed, worshiped, acknowledged and followed Jehovah God. The fact is, and Paul was very pointed when he spoke about this in Romans chapter 7, I face a monumental battle between the spiritual man and the flesh man that for the moment holds him in captivity. Our country is faltering because there are people and groups who work tirelessly to eradicate God from our lives. They are insidious servants of Satan. They have maneuvered us into positions of seemingly incomprehensible compromise: we, by law pay taxes as Jesus directed to a government that is unabashedly diligent in its efforts to stamp out God and His influence in the lives of people everywhere. We vicariously fund abortions, assassinations, wars, adultery, fornication, torture, turmoil and sin of almost every description.

Our position has been: "Church and State are to be Separated." That is a fallacious system upon which societies are built today. We Christians need to stand up for Jesus. We need to read and apply the fifth and sixth chapters of 2nd Corinthians. It is time for us, prayerfully it isn't too late, to find our voice because we are the only voice the Lord has on earth!

Forget political correctness. Call things as they are: right or wrong. If we don't take our stand, we may leave no legacy for our great-grandchildren to build upon.

Where from here?

Things sometimes happen quickly in life and other times they seem to take forever. Truth is, there are the same number of hours in each day for each person so everything, in reality, moves at the same speed for all of us we just use it differently. People who have a sense of never having enough time are invariably people who are ambitious and have many things they want to do: things they deem as important. People who view life as passing by at a languid, unhurried pace, are generally people who have little to accomplish or people with little that requires their attention in life.

Unfortunately, in matters of evangelism, we more often fall into the latter group rather than the former. It surely must pain the heart of God to see His people acting with such ambivalence toward the loss of so many thousands of souls everywhere we look, all around us, in our community. I have, at times, pondered this attitude that the saved seem to exhibit toward the lost - almost an attitude of apathy. Turning this dilemma over in my mind leads me to a singular, infallible conclusion: we don't feel the urgency of saving the lost, perhaps because Satan has persistently impressed upon us that saving the lost is a futile exercise because, in our minds, it is too large a task; people will not respond, and we will alienate ourselves from people due to what we view as fanaticism by spreading the Gospel.

This tidy, effective bundle of lies and misdirections that Satan has prepared and introduced into our thinking is working: evangelism has largely come to a standstill in our society.

But, and this is a huge "but," if we truly could see through Satan's deliberate misdirection, we could see that our task, though important, is not one which can't be done. Examination of the role of the Christian with regard to proselytizing is actually shown to be simple and straightforward. Our responsibility begins and ends with sowing the seed of Christ in the heart of the lost. From that point forward there is nothing we can do to facilitate the lost one's salvation. How do we sow this seed? Simply follow the instruction laid out in Col. 3:17 to let Christ be seen in all that we say and do.

Throughout my life I have heard individuals referred to in phrases like this "he's a good man." How does one come to be known as a good man? People have witnessed his life and have seen the goodness on display there. The "good" person did not get up every day and decide "today I will be good." No, he or she simply followed their most closely held convictions and beliefs which were themselves good. Christians are the same way. No one gets up in the morning and says "today I will be Christ-like." Our lives and our actions stem from a set of convictions and beliefs that run deeply through us, directing all that we do. Those same Christian convictions and beliefs manifest themselves in Christ-like behavior and to the recipient of our grace, the seed has been sown. The decision to act upon that implantation is totally out of our hands: it is here that God steps in and as promised in scripture, gives increase.

We often see ourselves as having to go from door to door, stand on the street corner or in some way induce the lost to listen to our testimony. Really, all we have to do is sow seed: a smile; a kind word; a card; a favor; an unsolicited gesture of appreciation - these are all the ways we sow seed. There will come a time, as we go about sowing our seed, that an opportunity to deepen our conversation with regard to our conviction and relationship with Jesus will arise. It doesn't happen in every case, but it happens far more often among those who are sowing seed than among those who aren't. When that opportunity manifests, God is preparing to give increase: my seed that perhaps was sown years ago is nigh to being harvested as fruit. Had I listened to Satan and his lies I would never have dropped the seed to begin with, but now, because I did, a soul is on the cusp of being saved. I have sown and God is returning to me an increase. What a beautiful, simple and elegant process.

Deny Satan access to your heart, sow seed, be ready to bring in the harvest and above all trust in God to do His part as I do mine!

Spring is around the corner

I can hardly wait for spring! It is getting close now and I certainly am looking forward to a better year this year (I don't consider the year to have started until winter is over). Our family at QCC is moving forward and we are ready for growth. My surgery recovery is progressing, more slowly than I would like, but progressing nonetheless. I am thankful for God's blessings especially because He continues to pour them out on us so generously as we strive to serve Him.

What's next?

I, like many other people, wonder what is going to happen next! I know that that past eighteen months have been trying. People that I have known for most of my life have proven to be dishonest and unchristian and have deliberately tried to destroy my and my family's lives. I have been subjected to the worst surgery of my life and discovered that I have some fairly serious on-going problems, physically. It would be easy for me to get down and out and just give up on Christianity, It certainly doesn't seem to be working for me! Then I have to stop and think: Christianity isn't just for me. My task is to spread it to others. Those who have behaved in an un Christlike  way will perhaps have a change of heart, the lost of the community still need to be reached, the need is for Christianity to be distributed through me, not to me: I already know I am saved and walking with the Lord! Even when it gets as bad as it seems to be able to get, there is always the need for Christ followers!

Finally back home!

The surgical work on my back is finally done and I am home. Perhaps as my rehab progresses I will be able to resume my writing schedule. I have missed it and being with you and sharing thoughts with you. I do thank you for your prayers and your good wishes. I have about a year of rehab and therapy and the we'll move on to the
phase which will be to address the compound scoliosis.. no sweat . . if we can get through this we can get through anything!

The time is near

Friday morning at 5:30 a.m. I will be getting under way with the surgery that, if successful, will repair my spine and allow me to have much of the mobility that I have had to give up. I have not been blogging much lately simply because I haven't had the physical or emotional focus because of the pain and discomfort I have been enduring. Hopefully, by the grace of God and Him guiding the hands of my surgeons, I will soon be back on a more regular schedule and can continue to reach out to those of you who have so graciously read my blog over the recent months. I will have about a 90 day recovery followed by about eight months of rehab and therapy but should then be back to as near 100% as I am going to ever be! I appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts and most of all your reading and commenting on my feeble efforts here to reach out to people who are hurting far worse than me, that is spiritually. God Bless You and thank you for your prayers.

Denominate?

Some Christian groups eschew the word denomination as if it were a dirty word. Let's take a moment and see if this word's vile connotation is indeed deserved.


First, what does the word mean? Here is a common definition: A body of Christians having a distinguishing name
www.innvista.com/culture/religion/diction.htm 



Now, even those who say they are not a denomination must admit they have a name, such as "Church of Christ" that fits this definition perfectly. This particular group goes so far as to refuse to fellowship anyone who does not wear this name, thus further reinforcing the fact that this is in itself a mark of a denomination.


For instance, if you examine two groups of Christians and find that both teach exactly the same doctrines, have the same structure, are identical in every way yet one is called Church of Christ and the other Church of God, they will, in all likelihood, refuse to fellowship each other: again the definition of denomination is met to a certainty.


To denominate is simply to name based on a set of distinguishing characteristics, If a group will not fellowship another group because they have denominated themselves in a different way, the practice of denominationalism flourishes.


There is no doubt that for the most part all Christian groups are striving to the same ends. Our disagreements arise, primarily, from practice rather than doctrine. In other words, the form of religion and not its function.


Should we ever reach the point in our spiritual maturation that we can see beyond names and instead see the true intent of different groups we would be surprised to see that we have much more in common than those things about which we differ.


I agree that denominating beyond the parameters of the scripture, in short, church, causes problems. The problems, however, spring from our unwillingness to look beyond the denominational moniker of the groups around us and see that they are filled with good people who are imperfect, living under the law of sin and death, and desperately seeking relief from this condition by seeking a relationship with the one who overcame that law, Jesus Christ.


I contend that "church" is a sufficient description for Christian groups and that denominating, any denomination, leads to division among believers and to division between us and our Savior.