How Will I Know When I Get There?

I recently read a news article that reported a terminally ill 5 year old boy died in a Santa Claus' arms. It was truly a tragic and heart wrenching story. Five year olds just should not die! As the story was told, the Santa was asked to visit this young boy and took a gift to him. When the boy received the gift he asked the Santa, "How will I know when I get where I am going when I die?" The Santa's answer to the boy was that it will be OK he was "Santa's Number One elf" and they would let him in. The boy passed into eternity.

The human being in me gushed and felt warm and fuzzy. The pastor in me bristled and felt terribly sad. Not for the boy, but for the rest of the people who actually believed his statement to hold some truth.

I am well versed in the biblical doctrine that speaks to the "age of accountability" and the idea that there are countless millions who are safe in the arms of a loving Savior that never really understood faith, repentance, atonement, propitiation, redemption, forgiveness, etc. At the age of five years old I am sure many children have not reached the ability to comprehend these doctrines and truths. I am not so much sad for the young boy as I am for the millions who may have read that story and been misled into believing that they too can be "OK" if they believe in some such mythical magical story.

One of the myths many people believe is that there are many roads that lead to heaven. Jesus clearly set the record straight when he said - 

"I am the way, the truth, the light. No man cometh to the Father but by me." John 14:6

The Bible also says - 

"There is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." - 1 Tim 2:5

"There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." - Acts 4:12

The truth is very clearly taught in Scripture: There is only one way to know for sure you will be "OK" when its your time to die. Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Believe that he died for your sins and that he will grant you forgiveness and redemption. Knowing this is the greatest gift you can receive this Christmas.

Home Plate is Always 17" Wide

I don't often outright steal an entire article. I usually poach an idea here or there and develop it further or change it a bit to make a spiritual application. Today I must confess to breaking one of the commandments. I have given credit at the end of the article so read it to the end. Enjoy.

Worth the read… For everyone especially parents and coaches
In Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual ABCA convention.

While I waited in line to register with the hotel staff, I heard other more veteran coaches rumbling about the lineup of speakers scheduled to present during the weekend. One name, in particular, kept resurfacing, always with the same sentiment — “John Scolinos is here? Oh man, worth every penny of my airfare.”

Who the heck is John Scolinos, I wondered. Well, in 1996 Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching career that began in 1948. No matter, I was just happy to be there.

He shuffled to the stage to an impressive standing ovation, wearing dark polyester pants, a light blue shirt, and a string around his neck from which home plate hung — a full-sized, stark-white home plate. Pointed side down.

Seriously, I wondered, who in the hell is this guy?

After speaking for twenty-five minutes, not once mentioning the prop hanging around his neck, Coach Scolinos appeared to notice the snickering among some of the coaches. Even those who knew Coach Scolinos had to wonder exactly where he was going with this, or if he had simply forgotten about home plate since he’d gotten on stage.

Then, finally …

“You’re probably all wondering why I’m wearing home plate around my neck. Or maybe you think I escaped from Camarillo State Hospital,” he said, his voice growing irascible. I laughed along with the others, acknowledging the possibility.

“No,” he continued, “I may be old, but I’m not crazy. The reason I stand before you today is to share with you baseball people what I’ve learned in my life, what I’ve learned about home plate in my 78 years.”

Several hands went up when Scolinos asked how many Little League coaches were in the room. “Do you know how wide home plate is in Little League?” After a pause, someone offered, “Seventeen inches,” more question than answer.

“That’s right,” he said. “How about in Babe Ruth? Any Babe Ruth coaches in the house?”

Another long pause.

“Seventeen inches?”came a guess from another reluctant coach.

“That’s right,” said Scolinos. “Now, how many high school coaches do we have in the room?” Hundreds of hands shot up, as the pattern began to appear. “How wide is home plate in high school baseball?”

“Seventeen inches,” they said, sounding more confident.

“You’re right!” Scolinos barked. “And you college coaches, how wide is home plate in college?”

“Seventeen inches!” we said, in unison.

“Any Minor League coaches here? How wide is home plate in pro ball?”

“Seventeen inches!”

“RIGHT! And in the Major Leagues, how wide home plate is in the Major Leagues?”

“Seventeen inches!”

“SEV-EN-TEEN INCHES!” he confirmed, his voice bellowing off the walls.

“And what do they do with a a Big League pitcher who can’t throw the ball over these seventeen inches?” Pause. “They send him to Pocatello!” he hollered, drawing raucous laughter.

“What they don’t do is this: they don’t say, ‘Ah, that’s okay, Bobby. You can’t hit a seventeen-inch target? We’ll make it eighteen inches, or nineteen inches. We’ll make it twenty inches so you have a better chance of throwing the ball over it. If you can’t hit that, let us know so we can make it wider still, say twenty-five inches.’”

Pause.

“Coaches …”

Pause.

” … what do we do when our best player shows up late to practice? What do we do if he violates curfew? What if he uses drugs? Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him? Do we widen home plate?

The chuckles gradually faded as four thousand coaches grew quiet, the fog lifting as the old coach’s message began to unfold.

Then he turned the plate toward himself and, using a Sharpie, began to draw something. When he turned it toward the crowd, point up, a house was revealed, complete with a freshly drawn door and two windows. “This is the problem in our homes today. With our marriages, with the way we parent our kids. With our discipline. We don’t teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We widen the plate!”

Pause. Then, to the point at the top of the house he added a small American flag.

“This is the problem in our schools today. The quality of our education is going downhill fast and teachers have been stripped of the tools they need to be successful….to educate and discipline our young people. We are allowing others to widen home plate! Where is that getting us?”

“And this is the problem in the Church, where powerful people in positions of authority have taken advantage of young children, only to have such an atrocity swept under the rug for years. Our church leaders are widening home plate!”

I was amazed. At a baseball convention where I expected to learn something about curveballs and bunting and how to run better practices, I had learned something far more valuable. From an old man with home plate strung around his neck, I had learned something about life, about myself, about my own weaknesses and about my responsibilities as a leader. I had to hold myself and others accountable to that which I knew to be right, lest our families, our faith, and our society continue down an undesirable path.

“If I am lucky,” Coach Scolinos concluded, “you will remember one thing from this old coach today. It is this: if we fail to hold ourselves to a higher standard, a standard of what we know to be right; if we fail to hold our spouses and our children to the same standards, if we are unwilling or unable to provide a consequence when they do not meet the standard; and if our schools and churches and our government fail to hold themselves accountable to those they serve, there is but one thing to look forward to …”

With that, he held home plate in front of his chest, turned it around, and revealed its dark black backside.

“… dark days ahead.”

Coach Scolinos died in 2009 at the age of 91, but not before touching the lives of hundreds of players and coaches, including mine. Meeting him at my first ABCA convention kept me returning year after year, looking for similar wisdom and inspiration from other coaches. He is the best clinic speaker the ABCA has ever known because he was so much more than a baseball coach.

His message was clear: “Coaches, keep your players — no matter how good they are — your own children, and most of all, keep yourself at seventeen inches.

(Copied post) from Elijah Steiner’s Facebook Page

Shared By: Melanie A. Peters

The Leader We Need or The Leader We Deserve

I don't know about you, but I am eagerly looking forward to this election cycle coming to an end. While I have no clue how it will all end up I am looking forward to not hearing all the ugly talk being spewed across the airwaves. I want to make a few comments from a biblically based perspective.

1. As Christians we are to live our lives with the absolute knowledge that God is Sovereign. To the unsaved that premise is laughable and outdated. To the believer it is an absolute platform from which we must address and base our comments and opinions concerning the political process. "IF" we believe that God has a plan and purpose that will not and cannot be thwarted by the world, the culture, and the "evil forces" at work, we must trust God for whatever happens in the political process. That does not mean we should not get active and vocal concerning the process. It simply means that God will have the ultimate say and we should accept that.

2. As Christians we are to submit and pray for our political leaders. 

1 Timothy 2:1-4 -I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

What this simply means is that regardless of how good or bad we believe our leadership is we should pray for them. The government under which the Apostle Paul wrote these words had some of the most despicable leaders of all time. The Bible teaches us that God ordains our leaders. That means we have a responsibility to accept them (for now) and pray for them. We should pray that they will come to a knowledge of the Savior (verse 4). We should pray that they will not rule harshly against the church (verse 2). We should pray that God’s will be done in their leadership.

Romans 13:1-7 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

1 Peter 2:13-16 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

3. Regardless of how bad our country becomes, it is still our responsibility to live Christ-like in all our dealings with the lost of this world. We are to be an example of love and compassion. Though we may be diametrically opposed to their philosophies, opinions, and morals, we are to rise above that. We have a higher calling and purpose for being in this world.

Matthew 5:13-16 - Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth

I have heard it said, the choice facing us this election is a choice between the lesser of two evils. While I may agree on some level with that statement, it does not give me license to conduct my life like the rest of the world. God is still in control bringing about His plan and purpose for the world. No candidate ascends to power without God granting it so. Therefore, HE EITHER GIVES US THE PRESIDENT WE NEED OR THE ONE WE DESERVE!

Common Sense - Where Are You?

All I am asking for is that common sense prevail. 

Think about this. I say I do not want cross dressers, transgenders, and other “off sex” persons to go into bathrooms with children of the opposite sex. I am labeled a homophobe, bigot, and all round bad guy. I say that anyone who votes for our elected officials needs to be a legal citizen and should prove that they are such at the polls and I am labeled as a person who wants to throw grandma off the cliff and take away the rights of the poor. I say that our welfare system needs to be revised to help those in need get trained so they can work for a living. I say, instead of giving a freeway to life in the USA to those who may want to blow us up, let us take time to be careful to look closely at those who come from parts of the world where there are such people.

To me these are a few issues where common sense is not prevailing in our society. Most of us citizens in the US are kind hearted compassionate people who have no problem helping those in need. Most of us  come from a background where “immigrant” was our family status at one time or another. But when the Italians, Polish, Serbians, Russians, Greeks, etc., came to America they did not come with the intent to kill Americans. Of course not all people who come from the Middle East want to kill us. But there are many who do! Thats a fact supported by their own words and their own religious document.

We have reached a time in the USA where common sense has left us. We are now reacting to media driven frenzy and political correctness that is driving away sensible dialogue and leaders who have integrity to do the right thing.

Here is my take on common sense reactions to some of these issues (for what it is worth).

Voter registration - If you do not want illegal people to vote (and I hope you don’t) how would you make sure they don’t? If they cannot prove their citizenship by a driver’s license or some other document how do you know they are who they say they are?

Transgenders in bathrooms - Do you want men going into the bathroom with little girls? I hope not. What is your common sense solution to this?

Lifetime welfare recipients - Do you want able bodied men and women (who could work for a living if they had the opportunity) to live off of welfare for an extended period of time? Would it not be better for their self-esteem and their families if they could do better than welfare? I realize there are mitigating circumstances and some people cannot work. I am not advocating to stop helping them. Do you think there should be a way to get help to those recipients that just need to be retrained and given tools to make them more marketable? 

I ask you this question - Why are the Syrian refugees getting such treatment when untold millions of African refugees are being ignored? African countries have been decimated by civil and religious wars for decades. I do not hear a word about our government reaching out to bring them here (at least not on the scale of the Syrian crisis.) Common sense would say, “Lets at least make sure we are not paying for the plane ticket of those who want to kill us.”

We need to stop putting words in each other’s mouths (on both sides.) Common sense would dictate that there are solutions to these issues but they will not be reached when vitriol and hatefulness are the attitudes of the citizens.

Get Your Head Out of the Sand

IF you believe there is a God

                             AND

IF you believe the Bible is His revealed truth to mankind

                           THEN

You must believe that the world is heading to a time in history where there will be a ONE WORLD government, a ONE WORLD economy, and a ONE WORLD religion. The Bible predicts this. (Revelation 13; 17)

I do believe there is a God that has revealed truth to man in the Bible. I do believe history is pressing toward the ONE WORLD entities I mentioned above. Because this is true in my mind (and it should be true in yours as well) we should interpret the news with that perspective in mind. With the formation of the United Nations in 1945 the structure for the ONE WORLD government is in place. If you don’t believe that the UN is a government just look at some of its various sectors: World Bank, Security Council, and the International Court of Justice. These are all responsibilities a sovereign nation should control.

There is an effort being made to destabilize the US dollar. Artificially low interest rates, crippling rising debt, demand for higher minimum wages, extreme restrictions on American manufacturing, and so on are all working against the US economy.

There is a trend of watering down the traditional doctrine of the church. Higher criticism, liberal seminaries, translations of the Bible that are extremely inaccurate, and ecumenicalism are all pushing the church in the direction of a ONE WORLD church.

Abortion on demand, an educational system that is dumbing down our youth, erosion of the traditional family, an unsustainable and incoherent immigration policy, and spiritual wickedness abounding, are working to destroy any semblance of a nation that was built on a Godly tradition.

Lest you think this is a Democratic problem alone, think again. Starting with Bush 1, Presidents Clinton, Bush 2, and Obama have all been pushing “globalism,” the ONE WORLD philosophy.

Everything happens for a reason. Everything that happens is in accordance with the predictions God gave us in scripture. Christians need to get their heads out of the sand and become knowledgable about the times. We are nearing the end. We must do all we can to faithfully teach truth and share the gospel of redemption with a dying world.

If You Can't Say Nothin' Nice...

You can sure tell we are in the middle of the election season. All you have to do is check on social media and you will see a lot of hateful things said by people on both sides of the political aisle. A lot of accusations are being made about things that people either say or do that many times are not proven to be factual. Words being taken out of context. Misinterpretation of statements. Unsubstantiated facts. Name calling. Not to mention rumors and downright lies. Where has civility gone? Where has the grace to agree to disagree gone? Where has general kindness gone?

I am not saying that we all have to keep quiet about our opinions. I am not even saying that we should stop debating issues. All I am saying is that ugliness, name calling, and vitriol never solves issues or helps us elect officials that will promote the progress of our nation.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” - Proverbs 25:11

To me this means the right word, spoken at the right time, with the right motive and attitude. As a Christian I have an obligation (and a command) for my speech to be “… alway with grace, seasoned with salt.” - Colossians 4:6

There is a paradigm that teaches us to “hate the sin but love the sinner.” So often we forget the second half of that paradigm. We jump in with both feet to hate on sin. We relish calling out other men’s transgressions. We march in disgust to protest evil. All the while we fail to love the sinner.

The Bible teaches us that men will know we are His disciples if we have love for one another. We would like to think that means love other Christians (at least those that act like it.) Deep down inside we know that is not the truth. Jesus loved sinners so much he died for them. Jesus taught us to dine with the lost so we can win them to the Savior.

And by the way sinner, just because I hate the wickedness you are doing doesn’t mean I hate you. I can disapprove of your actions fully believing they are morally wrong and still be your friend. And just because I disapprove of your lifestyle doesn’t make me a  ________phobic. (You can fill in any number of words here) That word literally means I am afraid of your immoral lifestyle. We do not fear you, we fear FOR you. We believe there is a holy God that will judge the world one day. As a believer we feel obligated to warn you of that coming judgment.

I get the fact that you are offended that we speak our mind and intrude into your life. You might even tell us to mind our own business. Well guess what! It is not our business, it is God’s business. He created you for a purpose and that purpose is to please him - Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” 

So when we speak out against evil in the world we are really doing the business of God. Of course we need to speak graciously, kindly, lovingly, and fitly.

I would like to end by quoting a great theologian that most of you, Christian or not, would know.

“If you can’t say nothin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” - Thumper

A Minister Who Does Not Believe in God!

You can't believe everything you read on the internet. I get it. You can't even believe everything you hear on the news either. However, when an article quotes a man directly from his writings, I think we can at least be a little confident that what we read has an element of truth.

Having said that, I read an article about a Presbyterian minister who does not believe in the existence of God, yet believes he is a Christian! I suppose we should not be overly shocked by this statement. All the way back in time during the time of the Judges we read that "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes." - 21:25

Here is a link to the article:

http://christiannews.net/2015/03/23/minister-who-denies-gods-existence-i-dont-appreciate-being-told-im-not-a-christian/

We are increasingly seeing this erosion concerning morality in our society as well as in our churches. Several months ago I read another article about a church in Maryland that has a Saturday night bar service, complete with beer and wine. I think they called it a Christian nightclub. A few days later they did a news story on this church and interviewed several people in attendance who were obviously drunk.

Here is link to one article about this club:

http://www.christianpost.com/news/club-for-jesus-a-gospel-filled-nightclub-aims-to-share-christs-message-with-seekers-and-sinners-alike-112425/

For years there has been a huge gap between Baptist and Catholics largely rooted in major doctrinal differences. Within the past few months a very famous Baptist minister declared that the Pope was his Pope and the Pope for the entire church. Doctrinal differences set aside for the cause of unity (I Suppose).

Here is a link to an article about this quote:

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=28695

I could cite many more instances that appear shocking and unbelievable. Here is the point. Why is this happening? What is going on in the world and Christianity in particular to cause this?

Erosion of the authority of the Word of God. I hear this all the time: That may be what you believe about the Bible but I interpret it differently. Or - The Bible is outdated and full of legends and superstitions. Its not relevant to us today.

We are living in the end times. God told us that in the last days people will not stand for sound doctrine. They will heap to themselves teachers that will tickle their ears and tell them what they want to hear. Some of the things they will tell them is:

Church is not important. You can worship God anywhere.
Don't focus on sin its too negative. You need to get the negative out of your life.
Name it and claim it. After all, God wants you to be wealthy.
Since love is central to God's plan for man, lets just love one another and forget about our differences.
All versions of the Bible are the same. Choose one you like.
You need to do what is best for you.

I could continue my list. I think you get the picture. Is it any wonder why the church has drifted so far away from God's truth? Seminaries are teaching the young preachers of the next generation that the miracles should be questioned. The Bible should be improved. We need to make our churches "Seeker sensitive." As a result we have a pile of ministers who do not know God and His word. Thats how we can have a minister who does not believe in the existence of God.

This is a travesty and we only have the Church to blame. We have accepted compromise and the smooth path. We need to get back to the old paths before it it becomes too late to recover ourselves.

Psalm 14:1

Callouses

I recently picked up my guitar again after a very long time of not playing. My fingers got very sore just like they did many years ago when I first started to learn to play. After several weeks of intense playing I have developed callouses on my finger tips. They are crusty and ugly but they sure do keep my fingers from hurting. These callouses have developed from repeatedly striking, pressing, and sliding on the strings. To a guitar player they are welcome friends.

The Bible warns believers about developing a “hard (calloused) heart.” While to a musician callouses are good but to a Christian a calloused heart is not. A heart become hardened when a person repeatedly resists the leading of the Holy Spirit. A heart becomes hardened when instead of loving and forgiving we become angry and resentful. A heart can become hardened when it loses compassion for those in need. Our human nature causes us to judge others more harshly then we might judge ourselves. This can lead to hardness of heart as well. 

Friend, lets be careful that we not allow ourselves to become so hardened that we lose the love of God for others. Yes, they are not perfect. In fact they truly are dirty rotten sinners (just like us). I have seen this posted on social media and I like it so it is worth repeating. “Don’t judge others just because they sin differently than you do.” Don’t let your heart get hardened toward others.

Make Good Choices

I saw a sign the other day that was so to the point and true I had to write about. The sign said,

How true do those words ring? We often make excuses for why things turn sour in our lives and blame everything and everyone around us. It is the society we live in. Its the fault of our spouse or children. If only I had a better job. If only I were prettier or smarter or taller...

The list of who and what we blame is endless.

The fact is that for every choice we make there is a consequence. Sometimes good things happen and we are satisfied with the outcome. Sometimes we make poor choices and the consequences are not enjoyable. When the latter happens we look around to shift blame so we can somehow feel better about ourselves or even feel sorry for ourselves. Our pride makes us not want to admit that we did this to ourselves.

When Israel was about the enter the Promised Land Joshua confronted the nation with these words. "Choose you this day whom you will serve." He then clearly laid out the consequences of making the wrong choice. Israel knew what would happen if they did not choose wisely.

So often we are blind to the consequences of our bad choices. We choose with little or no understanding of what might happen. Its almost understandable (not totally). But Israel had their eyes wide open. They knew what would happen and they still chose to dishonor God.

Stop making bad choices and blaming everyone and everything around you. Take the responsibility when you mess up. Set your course straight. Your life will be exponentially better.

Man That Looks So Easy

I have recently gotten the bug again to pick up my guitar and ukulele. I sold my mandolin hoping to get a better one in the future and I kind of got the bug for that again. As is my normal routine, I have been online looking at YouTube videos trying to pick up some free pointers and maybe learn a few things. As I watch these guys and girls give their lessons and tips one thing always stands out to me. THEY MAKE IT LOOK SO STINKING EASY!

I watch them play and then slow down and repeat their notes and I think to myself, I can do that. I pick up my instrument and all of a sudden my mind goes blank and I turn stupid. I can't remember a thing. Just a minute ago I was watching them do it and it looked like an easy thing to do.

The difference in them playing and me playing is the fact that they have spent hours and hours honing their skills. They have practiced and developed habits that make them the players they are. I want to be able to play like that without the grueling repetition of mistake after mistake until I get it right. I want to sit down and shred (a musicians' term I picked up along the way) without the discipline that it takes to perfect my skills.

That professional musician may have been born with some level of ability that is genetic. He may have a special gift. But that kind of playing comes from discipline and sacrifice and dedication. He still faces many instances of failure and stumbling through honing those skills.

Its really not unlike our lives as a Christian. We see many godly, dedicated, serving Christians that seem to have it all together. They seem to be what most Christians desire to be, you know mature, stable, faithful, and joyous. We look at them and ask ourselves, "Why can't I do that?" We have the desire to be like them, but we are not.

The same level of discipline and commitment and sacrifice that it takes for a musician to perfect his craft is the same level that a believer who has it all together needs. Yes, they make it look easy. Yes they appear to effortlessly walk the walk with seemingly none of the pitfalls that most of us run up against. In truth, they have reached this level of maturity by many times of testing and failure. If you were to ask any one of those believers you admire if it easy being so dedicated and faithful I believe each one would say it takes extreme effort (and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit). They could tell many stories of the failures in their lives to be what they are now. And the truth is it takes constant effort to maintain that level of spirituality.

I sure wish there was some pill I could take, or some switch I could flip to make me a good musician. There is not one. It takes a lot of effort and dedication. If I want to improve that is the formula.

If I want to be a mature, godly, dedicated Christian I must put in the effort. I must live my life disciplined and committed.

Play By the Rules

I have always been a big sports guy. My fondest memories from childhood are about being on the field, any field really. Whether it was baseball, basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, horseshoes, even ball and jacks, if it was a competition I was in. I loved to compete at any sport.

While many sports are extremely different from one another by the way score is kept, they all have one important factor in common: THERE ARE RULES.

A winner is only crowned when he competes and excels according to the rules. It would not be much of a competition if the rules were not in place. Can you imagine the chaos at a race where there are no rules and no marked out course? How could you determine who was the fastest if they did not run the same course?

"And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." - 2 Tim 2:5

Many sports figures have been banished in shame because they did not compete according to the rules. The rules are put in place to assure everyone that the playing field is even and fair for all. In some cases the rules are put in place to prevent injury or harm to the competitors.

I think it is fair to say that rules in sports are a good thing intended to bring about a good result. Rules are not there to serve as an annoyance but rather to enhance the sporting experience.

Why is it that people think just the opposite when it comes to morality and ethics? Why is it that the world seems to be spiraling toward an "anything goes" mentality when it comes to morality and ethics? Have you ever heard anyone say "Don't tell me what I can or cannot do"? Most of us probably have. There is a sense in which people today have arrived at where the nation Israel was thousands of years ago. Judges 21:25 says "In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." That turned out to be disastrous for Israel. It was shortly after this point that they were taken captive. A very dark period indeed.

I could quote many many verses here to support my point but I will only give you one. I think this verse says it well.

Isaiah 5:20 - "Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil."

Is It Just a Hat?

I often see young men wearing various hats with sports team logos on them. It seems like the "Team of the day" is constantly changing. I am a big Chicago sports teams fan so whenever I see someone wearing a Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks, or Bears hat I ask them, "Is that just a hat or are you a real fan of that team?" By asking that question I am seeking to know if they are a true fan or is it just the fad of the day.

You do not have to be a real fan to wear the hat. You can even hate the team but think the hat looks cool, or that it will give you street cred (whatever that means.) The colors of the hat may just match your other clothes. It may be that you got a good deal on the hat and decided to wear it that day. Last of all, you may just be having a bad hair day and want to cover up your rats nest! Whatever your reason for wearing the hat, it may not mean that there is any association or loyalty to that team at all. Its just a hat!

I find that this is an extremely relevant illustration of the way some believers wear their Christianity around town. They pretend to be a Christian for the spiritual cred it may bring them. It just may be fashionable in some social circles to be thought of as a "fan of Jesus." It may be that some boys will donn the apparel just to attract a certain girl they are interested in. There are many reasons why people will act like a Christian outwardly but inwardly be far from the Lord.

When I meet someone with a Chicago team hat on and I ask them if they are a fan or is it just a hat, it does not take very long for me to discern the answer. A real fan will engage in exciting chatter about the team and its current performance. They're glad to talk with me about the team whether good or bad. They seldom change the subject or try to get away.

When you meet someone wearing the Christian hat and try to start up a conversation about spiritual things and they try to dodge your questions or act bored to tears, it is a good indication that they are most likely "just wearing the hat." If they are a true loyal follower of Christ they will have no problem talking about their Lord.

Matt 7:20 - Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Sumthin's Gotta Hold-a-me!

The Bible quite frequently (and with good reason) uses warfare to describe the attributes of the Christian life. I am not talking about the life of someone who simply verbally claims to be a Christian. I am talking about about people who truly strive to live their lives according to the example that Jesus set for mankind. There is a difference. Please understand what I am trying to say before you get all self righteous and condescending.

Of course I know there are hypocrites in the faith. Of course I know you know who they are and take every opportunity to point them out and hold them up as examples of what modern day Christianity really is. That, my friend, is not the Christian I am talking about. There is no spiritual warfare involved with those who pretend to be one thing and really are something else altogether.

When the Bible talks about the Christian life and uses battlefield metaphors to describe it, it is talking about genuine Christ-like faith. Those who truly understand that on the one hand we are to love those around us and do our best to woo them with the good news of the gospel. Yet, on the other hand we are not to condone their sinful activities. To do this takes balance, courage, patience, humility, and the power of the Holy Spirit. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit because we have an enemy that is constantly at war with those who try to live Christ-like in this broken down sinful world.

In 2 Cor 10:4, the Bible speaks of strongholds. Strongholds in the life of a believer is a place where a weakness has developed because of unbiblical thinking patterns. Satan exploits the believer in these areas because he knows it is the quickest way to cause the believer to act in a way contrary to the example Christ set.

No one ever sinned without first thinking about it. Sometimes a person will think long and hard about it, sometimes, the reaction time is very short. No one has ever sinned without first thinking about it. I know, I said it twice because I wanted you to catch that. The area of strongholds is the mind.

Allow me to give you a bullet list of some areas of unbiblical thinking that tends to cause the believer to act contrary to the example Christ set.

I deserve to be happy - no, God wants you to have joy
I can be a part time Sunday only Christian - no, you have been bought with a price, you are not your own
There is no punishment for sin - no, God chastens his children
Christian living is something we "DO" - no, it is what we "ARE" what we do comes out of what we are.
Living a holy life is just too hard - no, I can do all things through Christ. Christ liveth in me.
If I live the life of a sold out Christian I will not have any friends - no, you will have God as a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

The biggest reason so many Christians fail to live the life Christ expects us to live is because we think in an unbiblical manner. There are so many other things I could add to that list above and I am sure you can too. My point is that true warfare that tears down strongholds is a battle that rages in the minds of believers.

Its time that true believers stop allowing themselves to be the victim and start being the conqueror God expects them to be. Our Christian lives are unfruitful and boring because we are not thinking with a biblical worldview. Reject those thoughts that oppose the centrality and supremacy of Jehovah God. Get yourself out of the middle of the universe and put God Almighty in His rightful position.

He Is Not Here - Did You Just Miss Him?

I have had three brushes with "earthly fame" in my life. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with someone we might call "famous" in the eyes of the world.

I was traveling back from a business trip and just got in to the baggage area at the Hartford Airport. Standing just five feet from me was Pat Boone. Now to some of you the name Pat Boone does not mean too much. He was a Christian entertainer that was quite popular back in the 70's. I was so excited to to see this outspoken Christian man that had achieved fame. I wanted so badly to go up and shake his hand and tell him how much I appreciated his stand in Hollywood. I was too embarrassed or scared or whatever. I missed my opportunity.

Another time, at another airport, in another country (England) we were in the gate area at Gatwick airport waiting for our trans-atlantic flight. I had gone to find some drinks for the family when I heard this commotion. When I got back to the family I saw Elton John had just passed by where the family was sitting and went through a door into a lounge of some sort. I was off doing something else and missed him.

I was twelve years old. One of my teachers in public school had an after school job as supervisor of a city park that had quite the facilities. He invited four or five of us guys to come to the park that evening and hang out while he worked. This park actually had a professional boxing ring and we could not resist. The gang was in the ring bouncing around having a blast when all of a sudden the doors to the gym burst open and this group of large black men came into the gym shouting and yelling at us to get out. The main guy was shouting to us "get out of my gym before I hurt you." As we ran ran past him he stuck his humungous boxing glove right in my face as though he was going to punch me and then...smiled at me. That did not make me feel any better. I ran for my life and went straight to Greg our teacher. We told him what had happened and he burst out laughing at us. He said to us, "Don't you know who that is? That is Cassius Clay." Because I had no clue who he was and was so scared I did not get a chance to enjoy that moment either.

These stories are all true and serve to remind me of the story in scripture where Mary and other women ran to the grave only to hear the angels say, "He is not here, He is risen from the grave." They had just missed him.

Now I do not intend to equate these three worldly famous people to the Lord Jesus Christ. My stories are intended only to illustrate the fact that people can "miss" the Saviour for many of the same reasons I missed these wordily superstars. I missed Pat Boone because I was too embarrassed. I missed Elton John because I was busy doing other things. I missed Cassius Clay because I did not recognize who he was.

We are celebrating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ this week. He offers eternal life to all who receive his gift of forgiveness through his death, burial, and resurrection. Don't miss your opportunity to meet him.

Biblical Gray Areas: What Should I Do?

Dr Mike Bere

If the Bible was written to be a complete book of commands for us to live by it would have to be so big that no one could possible read it all. Think about it for a minute: it would have to cover every single possible situation, in every culture, in every time period. If it were to do that there would be so much of the book that we could not possible understand. Because God is infinitely wise He did not saddle us with a book that would be too cumbersome to be effective and beneficial. Instead He gave us a book that contains principles and precepts. Sure there are commands and prohibitions. For the most part, however, God gave us a book of practical principles that if we study and pray will guide us into right living.

If you are faced with a situation where the Bible does not give a direct command to "thou shalt" or "thou shalt not" what do you do? Is it left to the individual believer to decide based on what he feels is right or wrong? Can something be right in this situation but wrong in another?

Far and away the most beneficial class I took while at Bible college was a class called "Social Ethics" taught by Dr. Mike Bere. Dr. Bere developed a study of six principles that if correctly applied can help any believer in any situation make godly and righteous choices.

For this reason, our church is hosting a Bible conference April 25-27. It is a free to all conference with a meal provided on Saturday and Sunday. A conference notebook will be supplied for note taking as well. Contact me for more information. We would love to have a good number of people show up to tie advantage of this teaching. I believe it will change your life.

Dr. Mike Taylor
281-725-4097
miketaylor627@gmail.com

It Is Well With My Soul

In troublesome times, whether it be a physical trial, a financial crisis, an accident, disease, or another difficult circumstance, Christians often quote this verse to try and bring some comfort, "All things work together for good..." If it is not given in genuine spirit filled concern or received with genuine spirit filled humility, it can come across as a trite cliche. Of course that would never be one's intention.

As is so often the case some people rip verses out of context or ignore the surrounding verses completely and come up with a misunderstanding of the proper interpretation or application of the verse altogether. This is one case where it really pays to keep reading. The above quote is part of Romans 8:28. Lets take a look at both verse 28and part of 29 and see if there is not deeper truth that will help us understand this verse better.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son..." Rom 8:28-29A

All things work together for good in order that we might be conformed to the image of Christ. There are a lot of ways that we can be Christlike. One that stands out in my mind is that we have a passionate desire to do the will of God, as did Jesus. When he was in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me." Some may argue the proper interpretation of that phrase. Was Jesus afraid to die? Was he asking the Father to let him out of the impending crucifixion? Its not my purpose to discuss this here because of the subsequent dialogue. In Luke 22:42 Jesus goes on to say, "Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

Jesus was absolutely determined to live according to the will of the Father. He came to earth as a man in order to fulfill the Father's will. He was sinlessly obedient to the Father's commandments all his life in order to fulfill the Father's will. 

I might goes as far as to say that we are never more in the image of Jesus Christ than when we are fulfilling the Father's will.

In our church we sing a wonderful hymn titled, "It Is Well." The story behind this hymn is repeated often in our churches. It is a wonderful and convicting story of Horatio Spafford and his wife Anna. As the story is normally told, with Horatio delayed in America Anna and their four daughters were on a trans-Atlantic voyage to Europe when their ship sank. Anna survived but their four daughters tragically perished. Horatio set sail for Europe to get his wife. When his ship reached the area of the Atlantic where it was thought Anna's ship went down Horatio penned the words to the famous hymn, "It is Well."

Often the story stops there and no other details are offered. Please allow me to give you a few more details surrounding the story of the Spaffords. Prior to the shipwreck Horatio and Anna's four year old son Horatio Jr. died from Scarlet Fever. They lost nearly all their fortune due to the Great Chicago Fire. After the loss of their son and four daughters God gave them three more children. They named another son Horatio but he too died at four years of age with Scarlet Fever. Talk about tragedy. These events would have destroyed most people, but not the Spaffords. They moved to Jerusalem and started a ministry to the poor and orphaned children.

Can you imagine after all they had been through and they desired to serve God. Out of such tragedy they still desired to do the will of the Father more than anything else. They truly were the image of Christ.

Great Opportunity

I just wanted to let you know of a unique opportunity to help a "starving artist." My son, JB, is trying to raise funds for his debut album through a program called Kickstarter. This program allows people to promise a donation to help the cause. The money is only collected when the full amount of the project has been raised. There are varying rewards for varying sized donations. You can go to the link below and read up as well as listen to a very short video clip to gain a better understanding of how it works.

Here is the link, just copy and paste in your browser:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2114277219/sketches-a-new-classical-guitar-album

As a father I am extremely proud (and biased) of JB's gifted classical guitar playing. He has worked extremely hard and long to get to this point in his career. I can promise the CD will be a very good one. Hope you take the time to check out the project. If nothing else, share the link on your social media sites to help the cause! Than you.

Breaking News

Breaking News: There is a definite and aggressive spirit in this world that is trying to take you captive! This spirit wants to dominate every area of your life. This spirit wants to cause you to think with a worldly mindset and not a spiritual one.

Think about this. Most people live with the basic premise that the world revolves around them. I think I can prove it to a degree. When things go wrong financially how do you initially react? "O man, what am I going to do?" "How am I going to fix this?" "This really upsets ME." You see when problems or crises arise it reveals our true character. It reveals our truest thoughts. Life is about us.

Egocentric living (ME as the center of the universe) is the first opening a person gives to this spirit that is trying to capture him.

The Bible repeatedly tells us to be more concerned for others than ourselves. A few references will suffice. This principle is one of the foundational principles of the faith.

Php 2:4 - Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Romans 15:1  - We who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves.
1 Cor 10:33 - Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Second, the Bible teaches us that God is to have the preeminence in all things. 

Col 1:18 - That in all things he might have the preeminence.

Everything we do should be about Christ and his glory.

Col 3:17 - And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

In the King James version the word "spoil" is a military term meaning to take captive. When a conquering army won a battle they would "spoil" the defeated enemy, many times taking all their wealth and making them slaves. That is exactly the intent of this spirit in the world today. This spirit wants to make you its slave doing its bidding. Take a look a round and observe how many people you know who are addicted to something. It could be pleasure, substance, power, material possessions, TV, etc. Addictions are everywhere and come in all shapes and sizes! These addictions prevent man from allowing God to have preeminence in his life. 

The way this spirit gains inroads into a person's life is through his mind. We must practice biblical thinking in order to not be taken captive. Jesus was our example while he was on the earth. He fought off the spirit by keeping his mind focused on scripture and the words of His father.

Php 2:5 - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus...

We need to have the mind of Christ in order to have a biblical mindset.

Please Send Flowers

Just this past week a family friend, a man we always called our uncle, died after suffering a long battle with a debilitating bone disease. A few days leading up to his passing the family all began to post funny stories and memories of how he made their lives much richer. It was a very uplifting and enjoyable thing to see.

It got me thinking about the funeral. I won't be able to attend but I am sure there will be heaps of flowers present at the service because he was loved by so many. Those flowers will decorate the occasion and make the grave look beautiful. Each card will come with a note, a sentiment of love and sorrow. Then the flowers will fade away and be forgotten. Don't misunderstand me, I am not against sending flowers for a funeral. I want you to think about this though. Why don't we send flowers (so to speak) while the person is alive? Why don't we send notes of encouragement to the people that have affected our lives as a way of encouragement? Why can't we send a text, shoot an email, tweet, or heaven forbid pick up the phone and actually call the person?

Years ago I heard a sermon preached on this subject and it really hit home with me. I started telling people how much I appreciate the influence they have had in my life through the years. It is not always mushy and dramatic. It is not often very overt and public. But the people that have influenced me the most know what impact they have had.

I have had a few people come to me and say something similar about what I mean to them. It has a profound impact on me. It makes me want to invest my life even more in others. It serves as a motivation for me to be always ready to encourage and edify others.

Now these folks could have waited until my funeral to speak out and tell others what I had done for them, but it would not have blessed me.

My wife is crafty. Or should I have said she is a crafter? She spends hours every week making beautiful cards for birthdays, anniversaries, or just cards of encouragement. She makes and sends close to 200 cards a year to our church family, our missionaries, as well as family and friends. She knows the importance of encouragement.

Who has impacted you? What have they meant to you? Why not send your "flowers" on ahead where they can do the most good?