The process by which we effect change is as important as the change itself. The men and women who founded America understood this. They knew that a revolution poorly constructed would only lead to replacing one tyrannical government with another, replacing one agent of subjugation an ocean away with a new one next door.
There is now a groundswell of momentum to remove monuments in America that both memorialize and glorify people from history who held abhorrent views on slavery and made substantial effort to sustain the trafficking of human beings for economic gain. I believe the decisions regarding these monuments should be made by the people whose taxes are being used to maintain them. Many of these monuments are being maintained by local cities, towns, and communities. I want local governments to be empowered through the process of elected officials. And these elected officials should be bound to a legal decision making process.
For example, this quote comes from the City of Newport News' website. "The City of Newport News is administered by a Council-Manager form of government in which six citizens are elected from three districts...The City Council establishes the City's public policy through resolutions and ordinances, approves proposed programs, and controls the funding of these programs. City Council is guided by the City Charter; as adopted and approved by the Virginia General Assembly, and by its own rules of procedure, resolutions, and ordinances." Even if I disagree with an outcome, I am comforted by the process. To forsake the process so I can gain a more favorable outcome is dangerous. Eventually the erosion of a legal, democratic process will more consistently victimize every citizen.
Every community should have a process for changing the names of schools, government buildings, streets, parks, etc. Every community should have a process for deciding how tax dollars should be spent on public property like monuments. The inherent nature of such a process in and of itself is deeply beneficial for a community because it always involves dialogue with people in a community who have competing views. When communities are talking, exchanging and debating ideas...civility and restraint tend to displace violence and anger.
The statue at the center of the protests in Charlottesville is of Robert E. Lee. In 1917, Paul McIntire purchased a city block and donated the property to Charlottesville for the purpose of erecting a statue of Robert E. Lee. This was the first of four parks Mr. McIntire donated to the city. This particular park was named Lee Park. The park's name was changed to Emancipation Park in June of this year, 2017. The process by which the community decided to change this name and the name of Jackson Park to Justice Park was in accordance with Charlottesville's legal, citizen voiced through elected officials mechanism. These parks should now have new monuments that reflect their new meanings: Emancipation and Justice.
My complaint is that Charlottesville will probably not continue this "march" to the University of Virginia. I call this the bias of economic benefit. How much of Charlottesville's economy is dependent upon UVA? Much. I think it would be fair to say that Thomas Jefferson is both celebrated and gloried there. How biased is Charlottesville because of the economic benefit they enjoy through UVA? You might argue that Thomas Jefferson started UVA. Paul McIntire donated a park for the purpose of erecting a statue. A park is less controversial because it is less economically important. Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying the statue of Lee should have remained. I'm saying that every community needs to decide what is best for themselves. I just find it difficult to applaud a city for removing a statue from a park that now bares the name Emancipation but the park so named is adjacent to a University that bares the name of one of America's most prominent slave owners.
If I lived in Charlottesville, I would have supported changing the park's name and I would have supported removing the Confederate statue to be replaced with a statue that better reflects the vision and values of our future. But I would also be saying, let's keep going. Let's not stop here. You might argue that UVA is a state school. Fair enough. But I guarantee you that no change will come to the associated heritage of that University without Charlottesville being the epicenter of and the impetus for that change.
A friend whose critical thinking always challenges me to be more disciplined in my process of reason asked why then do we esteem people from Scripture who owned slaves? Does that make us hypocritical? Let's try this by comparison. If you picked up your child from Sunday School, Kid's Church, Bible Study, etc...and realized they were challenged to emulate Robert E. Lee as a church going, God fearing man, you might take issue with that. But if their lesson was on Abraham, I dare say no parent would have a moment of hesitation. Are we hypocritical to esteem men and women in the Bible who owned slaves? My initial answer to my friend was a lazy response. I said we should be inspired to mirror their virtues and learn to avoid their vices. Would that be enough of a defense if my sermon this weekend was extolling the virtues of Jefferson Davis? Clearly no. But why then is it acceptable for Abraham and other Biblical historical figures to be honored?
I believe the canonization of Scripture was directed by the hand of God. The New Testament as we know it today was ratified at the Third Council of Carthage in 397 AD. The books we find in the Old Testament were already widely accepted by then. These were not the arbitrary decisions of men in my belief but men acting under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to validate the sacredness of certain books/letters and hold them esteemed above all other writings. This was already the widely held view of Christian churches in the world at that time. The Council of Carthage was affirming what the Holy Spirit had already revealed to Christian leaders in local churches.
This is at the center of why we esteem people like Abraham and others in spite of their human failings, some of the most egregious of which was human trafficking for economic gain and sexual pleasure. God has the sovereign right to choose the people He wants to put forward for humanity to esteem. He made those choices through the canonization of Scripture. While they are historical figures, they hold a place in history unlike in any other. They are not only in world history, they were chosen by God to be part of the Biblical narrative. So yes, we do strive to mirror their virtues and avoid their vices. However, the reason celebrating these historical figures is not hypocritical for Christians is because they are the people the Creator of the Universe chose to be our examples in spite of their human failings. As a pastor, I must be cautious and discerning of the people in history I encourage my congregation to emulate. But the people in history who are also part of the Biblical narrative, God has already approved of their use for teaching and instruction.
But for the record, if I had to choose one person/human in Scripture for a statue, I'm choosing the little boy who gave his lunch to feed the masses. There are few moments in Scripture as innocent and faith filled as that moment. If his heart were more frequently found in ours, there would be no hate in our cities.
Pastor Fred
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Lust
Here is the final installment in this series on temptation. If you want to read more about Stress or Anger, then check out part one and part two in this series.
Just as brief recap...check out Proverbs 14:11-12 and discover something about temptation. Temptation never comes to us and says "Hey, let me help you ruin your life and destroy your family!" No. On the outset, temptation appears to be pleasing. The lure of something promising gratification but ultimately only bringing brokenness and destruction.
In the first post, I talked about Sal or Tessio being one of my favorite characters from The Godfather because of the insight his role provides for understanding temptation. Sal was an underboss for the Corleone crime family but when it appeared they had lost power, he betrayed them and conspired with a rival family. This is what temptation is in our lives..it's opportunistic, crafty, devious, and always scheming for a way to take advantage of us...and Lust is certainly one of those temptations lurking outside the perimeter of our self-control trying to invade our lives.
The best book I have ever read about sexuality as it relates to men is "Sex, Men, and God" by Doug Weiss. This is a must read for any man and if you are married, you should read this book together like my wife and I did about 12 years ago. If you have male children, you are responsible for not only understanding your own sexuality but you are responsible for teaching them! Don't fail them as too many fathers have before us. He also has a book for women entitled "She Has A Secret." Even if you would not characterize your temptation as an addiction, these resources are a must read to truly understand how God created you as a sexual being and the right way to celebrate our capacity for pleasure.
2 Samuel 11:1-4 gives us three powerful insights into how men fall prey to the temptation of lust. In the account of David's horrific actions pursuing Bathsheba, committing adultery, and eventually murder in an attempt to hide his transgressions, we can see how temptation led to these egregious trespasses. I want to talk specifically to men today...
The first clue is in verse one where the Bible tells us "...David stayed..." meaning that David should have been with his men at war instead of remaining in Jerusalem. Isolation will always lead to vulnerability to temptation. If your life isn't immersed in relationships with other Christian men, you are vulnerable to the temptation of lust! And our personalities must stop being permission to withdraw from the depth of relationships that we need in order to build up our defenses. Even the most introverted person should have a few men who they know at a deeply personal level and who know him at a deeply personal level. Every man should also have some men in their life who are a little farther along in their spiritual journey who they can trust and rely upon when they need to talk about their struggles. Those conversations about struggles should take place with their core group of friends and those they trust to lead them. Men, you are responsible to pursue these relationships. Passivity will trap you in a place of always waiting for these relationships to form...and they never will if you don't engage. Make room in your schedule for men's groups, be at church every weekend, serve in ministry, go on missions trips, and participate in special events. If you don't share time and space with other Christian men, you are not creating the opportunity for deeper relationships to form.
The next clue is in verse two where the Bible tells us "...David looked..." meaning that David allowed his eyes to intently gaze upon an image he knew would would be sexually arousing. Men, the rooftop of our modern world is technology. If you don't have a plan to limit your access to everything you could see, you are vulnerable to the temptation of lust. Pride needs to stop being permission giving in your life! Pride keeps us from asking for help! The web link above for Dr. Weiss will offer you a myriad of resources to help limit your access. If you have a modern cable service for home entertainment, they come with a multitude of parental controls and ratings/channel blocks. If this is a struggle in your life, set up these restrictions and give the passcode to your wife. Pride is cowardice! I'm telling you men...if you don't take these steps and you fall prey to the temptation of lust because you didn't limit your access then you will never lead your family as strong as you should because you will feel morally compromised. Your eyes must be tethered directly to your will. What you see is your responsibility. If my vision (eyesight) is not under the control of my will that is in turn committed to pleasing God then my life's vision (direction in life) will be misguided by lust.
The final clue is in verse four where the Bible tells us "...David sent..." meaning that David had a sense of entitlement to satisfy his sexual pleasures. Sexual pleasure is not a right. Sexual pleasure is a privilege. This privilege does not belong to me. The privilege of sexual pleasure belongs to my wife. This is what the Apostle Paul was trying to communicate to the Church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 7:3-4. Until you see your capacity for sexual pleasure as a responsibility to protect instead of a desire to satisfy, you are vulnerable to the temptation of lust. And if you are not married, your capacity for sexual pleasure belongs to your future wife. And if you have no plans to ever be married, then your capacity for sexual pleasure becomes a sacrifice to God. We are bombarded every day through entertainment, creative arts, advertising, opinions of popular figures, and a collective societal view that misleads us in our beliefs about sexual pleasure. If you are one of those men who diminish the success of other men because you think your libido is just too strong to resist, you are demeaning yourself. Check out 1 Corinthians 10:13 and see that every person is expected to resist every temptation because God does not allow us to be tempted beyond your ability to overcome. Let's stop being entitled and start being responsible.
So let me make you an offer that you can't refuse. No, not the kind from The Godfather that is coercion. This offer is from Jesus and is irresistibly good! John 10:10 promises us a life lived to the fullest possible measure! We have been created by God with a heart for an appetite for life that will only ever be fully satisfied when we are fully committed to a life of devotion to Jesus!
Pastor Fred
Just as brief recap...check out Proverbs 14:11-12 and discover something about temptation. Temptation never comes to us and says "Hey, let me help you ruin your life and destroy your family!" No. On the outset, temptation appears to be pleasing. The lure of something promising gratification but ultimately only bringing brokenness and destruction.
In the first post, I talked about Sal or Tessio being one of my favorite characters from The Godfather because of the insight his role provides for understanding temptation. Sal was an underboss for the Corleone crime family but when it appeared they had lost power, he betrayed them and conspired with a rival family. This is what temptation is in our lives..it's opportunistic, crafty, devious, and always scheming for a way to take advantage of us...and Lust is certainly one of those temptations lurking outside the perimeter of our self-control trying to invade our lives.
The best book I have ever read about sexuality as it relates to men is "Sex, Men, and God" by Doug Weiss. This is a must read for any man and if you are married, you should read this book together like my wife and I did about 12 years ago. If you have male children, you are responsible for not only understanding your own sexuality but you are responsible for teaching them! Don't fail them as too many fathers have before us. He also has a book for women entitled "She Has A Secret." Even if you would not characterize your temptation as an addiction, these resources are a must read to truly understand how God created you as a sexual being and the right way to celebrate our capacity for pleasure.
2 Samuel 11:1-4 gives us three powerful insights into how men fall prey to the temptation of lust. In the account of David's horrific actions pursuing Bathsheba, committing adultery, and eventually murder in an attempt to hide his transgressions, we can see how temptation led to these egregious trespasses. I want to talk specifically to men today...
The first clue is in verse one where the Bible tells us "...David stayed..." meaning that David should have been with his men at war instead of remaining in Jerusalem. Isolation will always lead to vulnerability to temptation. If your life isn't immersed in relationships with other Christian men, you are vulnerable to the temptation of lust! And our personalities must stop being permission to withdraw from the depth of relationships that we need in order to build up our defenses. Even the most introverted person should have a few men who they know at a deeply personal level and who know him at a deeply personal level. Every man should also have some men in their life who are a little farther along in their spiritual journey who they can trust and rely upon when they need to talk about their struggles. Those conversations about struggles should take place with their core group of friends and those they trust to lead them. Men, you are responsible to pursue these relationships. Passivity will trap you in a place of always waiting for these relationships to form...and they never will if you don't engage. Make room in your schedule for men's groups, be at church every weekend, serve in ministry, go on missions trips, and participate in special events. If you don't share time and space with other Christian men, you are not creating the opportunity for deeper relationships to form.
The next clue is in verse two where the Bible tells us "...David looked..." meaning that David allowed his eyes to intently gaze upon an image he knew would would be sexually arousing. Men, the rooftop of our modern world is technology. If you don't have a plan to limit your access to everything you could see, you are vulnerable to the temptation of lust. Pride needs to stop being permission giving in your life! Pride keeps us from asking for help! The web link above for Dr. Weiss will offer you a myriad of resources to help limit your access. If you have a modern cable service for home entertainment, they come with a multitude of parental controls and ratings/channel blocks. If this is a struggle in your life, set up these restrictions and give the passcode to your wife. Pride is cowardice! I'm telling you men...if you don't take these steps and you fall prey to the temptation of lust because you didn't limit your access then you will never lead your family as strong as you should because you will feel morally compromised. Your eyes must be tethered directly to your will. What you see is your responsibility. If my vision (eyesight) is not under the control of my will that is in turn committed to pleasing God then my life's vision (direction in life) will be misguided by lust.
The final clue is in verse four where the Bible tells us "...David sent..." meaning that David had a sense of entitlement to satisfy his sexual pleasures. Sexual pleasure is not a right. Sexual pleasure is a privilege. This privilege does not belong to me. The privilege of sexual pleasure belongs to my wife. This is what the Apostle Paul was trying to communicate to the Church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 7:3-4. Until you see your capacity for sexual pleasure as a responsibility to protect instead of a desire to satisfy, you are vulnerable to the temptation of lust. And if you are not married, your capacity for sexual pleasure belongs to your future wife. And if you have no plans to ever be married, then your capacity for sexual pleasure becomes a sacrifice to God. We are bombarded every day through entertainment, creative arts, advertising, opinions of popular figures, and a collective societal view that misleads us in our beliefs about sexual pleasure. If you are one of those men who diminish the success of other men because you think your libido is just too strong to resist, you are demeaning yourself. Check out 1 Corinthians 10:13 and see that every person is expected to resist every temptation because God does not allow us to be tempted beyond your ability to overcome. Let's stop being entitled and start being responsible.
So let me make you an offer that you can't refuse. No, not the kind from The Godfather that is coercion. This offer is from Jesus and is irresistibly good! John 10:10 promises us a life lived to the fullest possible measure! We have been created by God with a heart for an appetite for life that will only ever be fully satisfied when we are fully committed to a life of devotion to Jesus!
Pastor Fred
Friday, June 23, 2017
Anger
Welcome to part two of a three part series on temptation, specifically Stress, Anger, and Lust. If you want to read more about Stress, then check out part one in the this series. Here is a brief introduction and an excerpt from Stress.
Check out Proverbs 14:11-12 and discover something about temptation. Temptation never comes to us and says "Hey, let me help you ruin your life and destroy your family!" No. On the outset, temptation appears to be pleasing. The lure of something promising gratification but ultimately only bringing brokenness and destruction.
Anger. Gary Chapman is wonderful author whose works continue to help scores of people grow and mature in their relationships with one another and with God. The Five Love Languages was ground breaking in its contribution to romantic relationships, family relationships, and even friendships. He has another exceptional work exploring the emotion of anger. Listen to what he says in Anger, Taming A Powerful Emotion.
"Anger is a cruel task master. If you struggle even a little with anger, you know how it feels to get mad too easily. To lash out at someone you love...to hold onto frustration. You might even notice others seem uneasy around you. You know anger is hurting your life, but you don't know how to fix it. There is hope. When you understand why you get angry and what to do about it, you can change the course of your life for the better. Whether your anger is quiet or explosive, if it's clouding your judgment and hurting your relationships, it needs to go. Learn to handle anger in healthy ways, starting today."
If you feel like anger is something of a temptation for you or if you are way beyond temptation because this emotional trap has a grip on your life, then Chapman's book would be a great start for you!
People have always struggled with the temptation of anger. Consider Cain and Abel. The first children of the world, Adam and Eve's two sons, record the first murder of history...anger. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we find guidance for how to deal with this ancient temptation. I love Paul's encouragement to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, "But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (NLT)
Paul knew that Timothy would be tempted by anger, especially in the face of brutal persecution. His instruction to "keep a clear mind" was a warning to not capitulate to the emotion of the moment. And Paul's directive here is not a list of miscellaneous tasks. Paul is teaching Timothy and us there is a causal relationship between having a clear, calm mind and being diligent in pursuing our assignment! So many times, the anger that is manifesting in a situation is born out of frustration with ourselves because deep inside we know we are neglecting something that God is asking of us. Too often, the anger of the moment is bleeding over from a separate circumstance. Paul is reminding Timothy that life is going to bring enough temptation for anger. And that if he becomes negligent in his calling, his assignment, that internal frustration will make him even more vulnerable to anger.
Verses like these are an opportunity for us to examine our lives and see if we are truly submitted to the authority of Scripture. I can believe the Bible is true. I can value the wisdom I find there. I can feel loved because of the great many promises God speaks over me in His verses. But at some point I must reconcile my life to the boundaries of God's Word. Scripture is instruction, sacred instruction from our perfect God. And here in 2 Timothy, we find a profound insight for dealing with anger. Ask yourself, "Am I neglecting anything that I know God expects of me?" If you can answer yes to that question, you are vulnerable to the temptation of anger.
There is no easy fix to dealing with the temptation of anger, especially if this has been a struggle for you. Temptations can become patterns in our lives. Our humanity can grow familiar with certain temptations like anger to the point we become accustomed to acquiescing instead of resisting. But there has to be a starting point for your counter attack! And I believe that for many, that starting point is to find your resolve to recommit yourself to whatever expectation from God you have been forsaking!
In 1991, my first year as a devoted follower of Jesus, I began to read the Bible in earnest for the first time in my life. I began to read with a heart that was ready to embrace the authoritative voice Scripture must be for us all. And I remember coming to Exodus 34:6 and I can't recall the version I was reading that day but I memorized this rendering about God, "a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, rich in steadfast love and truth."
May we all be a better reflection of His character to our world...slow to anger.
Pastor Fred
Check out Proverbs 14:11-12 and discover something about temptation. Temptation never comes to us and says "Hey, let me help you ruin your life and destroy your family!" No. On the outset, temptation appears to be pleasing. The lure of something promising gratification but ultimately only bringing brokenness and destruction.
Anger. Gary Chapman is wonderful author whose works continue to help scores of people grow and mature in their relationships with one another and with God. The Five Love Languages was ground breaking in its contribution to romantic relationships, family relationships, and even friendships. He has another exceptional work exploring the emotion of anger. Listen to what he says in Anger, Taming A Powerful Emotion.
"Anger is a cruel task master. If you struggle even a little with anger, you know how it feels to get mad too easily. To lash out at someone you love...to hold onto frustration. You might even notice others seem uneasy around you. You know anger is hurting your life, but you don't know how to fix it. There is hope. When you understand why you get angry and what to do about it, you can change the course of your life for the better. Whether your anger is quiet or explosive, if it's clouding your judgment and hurting your relationships, it needs to go. Learn to handle anger in healthy ways, starting today."
If you feel like anger is something of a temptation for you or if you are way beyond temptation because this emotional trap has a grip on your life, then Chapman's book would be a great start for you!
People have always struggled with the temptation of anger. Consider Cain and Abel. The first children of the world, Adam and Eve's two sons, record the first murder of history...anger. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we find guidance for how to deal with this ancient temptation. I love Paul's encouragement to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, "But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (NLT)
Paul knew that Timothy would be tempted by anger, especially in the face of brutal persecution. His instruction to "keep a clear mind" was a warning to not capitulate to the emotion of the moment. And Paul's directive here is not a list of miscellaneous tasks. Paul is teaching Timothy and us there is a causal relationship between having a clear, calm mind and being diligent in pursuing our assignment! So many times, the anger that is manifesting in a situation is born out of frustration with ourselves because deep inside we know we are neglecting something that God is asking of us. Too often, the anger of the moment is bleeding over from a separate circumstance. Paul is reminding Timothy that life is going to bring enough temptation for anger. And that if he becomes negligent in his calling, his assignment, that internal frustration will make him even more vulnerable to anger.
Verses like these are an opportunity for us to examine our lives and see if we are truly submitted to the authority of Scripture. I can believe the Bible is true. I can value the wisdom I find there. I can feel loved because of the great many promises God speaks over me in His verses. But at some point I must reconcile my life to the boundaries of God's Word. Scripture is instruction, sacred instruction from our perfect God. And here in 2 Timothy, we find a profound insight for dealing with anger. Ask yourself, "Am I neglecting anything that I know God expects of me?" If you can answer yes to that question, you are vulnerable to the temptation of anger.
There is no easy fix to dealing with the temptation of anger, especially if this has been a struggle for you. Temptations can become patterns in our lives. Our humanity can grow familiar with certain temptations like anger to the point we become accustomed to acquiescing instead of resisting. But there has to be a starting point for your counter attack! And I believe that for many, that starting point is to find your resolve to recommit yourself to whatever expectation from God you have been forsaking!
In 1991, my first year as a devoted follower of Jesus, I began to read the Bible in earnest for the first time in my life. I began to read with a heart that was ready to embrace the authoritative voice Scripture must be for us all. And I remember coming to Exodus 34:6 and I can't recall the version I was reading that day but I memorized this rendering about God, "a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, rich in steadfast love and truth."
May we all be a better reflection of His character to our world...slow to anger.
Pastor Fred
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Stress
This is part one of three part series inspired by the message I shared on Father's Day weekend at our Newport News Campus. The focus of that message was directed toward men but the challenge these three temptations present are true for both men and women. If you are struggling with any of these three temptations, I hope these words encourage and motivate you to lean into the wisdom and Scripture and the insights of some authors I will recommend.
Sal or Tessio is one of my favorite characters from The Godfather because of the insight his role provides for understanding temptation. Sal was an underboss for the Corleone crime family but when it appeared they had lost power, he betrayed them and conspired with a rival family. This is what temptation is in our lives..it's opportunistic, crafty, devious, and always scheming for a way to take advantage of us!
Check out Proverbs 14:11-12 and discover something about temptation. Temptation never comes to us and says "Hey, let me help you ruin your life and destroy your family!" No. On the outset, temptation appears to be pleasing. The lure of something promising gratification but ultimately only bringing brokenness and destruction.
SAL has put out a hit on the character of men and women and their names are stress, anger, and lust! I first heard these three temptations shared together at a men's breakfast sponsored by our church, City Life Church. One of the men who shared talked openly about his struggle with each of them. I felt the Holy Spirit whisper to me that Saturday, "Talk about these on Father's Day weekend." I felt that same whisper last weekend..."Keep talking about these!"
Stress. Some of you are so stressed out you are finding it difficult to sit still to focus on this blog. Don't relent to the temptation to stop reading! The temptation of stress doesn't want you to be free from it's treacherous grip!
A Stanford neuroscientist, Robert Sapolsky writes,
"Stess hormones are brilliant, adapted to help you survive an unexpected threat. You mobilize energy in your thigh muscles, you increase your blood pressure and turn off everything that's not essential to surviving, such as digestion, growth, and reproduction systems in your body. You think more clearly, and certain aspects of learning and memory are enhanced. But non-life-threatening stressors, such as constantly worrying about money or pleasing your boss, also trigger the release of adrenalin and other stress hormones, which, over time, can have devastating consequences to your health. If you turn on the stress response chronically for purely psychological reasons, you increase your risk of adult onset diabetes, high blood pressure, and a host of other health risks."
First, consider picking up a copy of John Ortberg's book "Soul Keeping" as it is a wonderful resource that not only talks about dealing with stress but also how important it is for each of us to be good stewards of our own well-being. So often people are so consumed with caring for others, they neglect themselves.
What about Scripture? Does the Bible have anything to say about stress? Yes! Here are three ways I defend against the temptation of stress in my own life: prayer, power, and people.
Prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 must be a mainstay in every Christian's battle against stress. The temptation of stress lures us into a place of worry over things we cannot control. The simple difference between praying and worrying is talking to God instead of yourself when facing something beyond your control. We have all been in those places where we are obsessing over a situation. Thoughts are flooding our minds at times seemingly uncontrollably. A situation just keeps replaying in our heads, an unrelenting hounding. Prayer is how we are supposed to deal with situations like this. We turn that worry into prayer by converting obsessing into praying! Direct your thoughts to God. Talk to Him out loud if that helps you. Ask someone to spend some time in prayer with you. Prayer reminds us that God is sovereign and in control of our lives and every situation affecting us. We may not see an immediate change in our situation but there will be a change in our outlook and emotions. The peace that we read about in Philippians 4 begins to displace stress and worry because we are connecting our sense to peace to God and not to our circumstance.
Power. Colossians 3:15 is a powerful verse challenging us to take control of ourselves. The temptation of stress lures us into a place of believing we can't control the impact of our emotions. This is one of the devil's most insidious strategies. He wants us to obsess over things we can't control and ignore the areas of our lives that we can control. In Colossians 3 note two words, "let" and "rule" are keys to this verse. First, we must "let" or choose to resist stress. We can't avoid the onset of emotions. That is part of the human experience. But we must control their impact and our actions in response to those emotions. If the peace of Christ is going to "rule" in our heats as commanded in Colossians 3 then we must believe that we have power to control how our emotions direct us. God gave us emotions to serve us and enrich our lives. We are not supposed to be a slave to our emotions. They are to serve us! Some people have diagnosable chemical imbalances in there lives. Others may be dealing with conditions like PTSD...those situations need professional help and oftentimes life long assistance. But if our situation does not fall into one of those exceptions or something similar, we must find a place of power over our emotional life if we are going to resist the temptation of stress!
People. Proverbs 12:25 reminds us we need the encouragement of others. The temptation of stress lures us into a place of false loyalty to relationships that are unhealthy. People tend to hold onto relationships longer than they should because they are more concerned about their image than they are their character. Sometimes you need to change your crowd if you are going to change your outlook on life. Surround yourself with people who are hopeful about the future because of what they believe about the goodness of God! Now all you evangelists out there might cringe at this advice because you feel this will undermine people's efforts to reach others with the love of God. On the contrary. I am not suggesting isolation from everyone except those who can encourage us. I am saying that we must be wise in regards to who is in which circle of relationship. I should have an inner circle of people who I can trust and can lean into when I am struggling with the temptation of stress. These people need to be mature Christians who can offer the word of encouragement referenced in Proverbs 12. I still need to have people I am trying reach with the love of God, being careful in those circles to be the one doing the influencing!
My prayer today is that you find the peace of Christ and not be overcome any longer by the temptation of stress! Stop giving stress permission to wreak havoc in your life! Prayer, power, and people are an impenetrable defense!
Pastor Fred
Sal or Tessio is one of my favorite characters from The Godfather because of the insight his role provides for understanding temptation. Sal was an underboss for the Corleone crime family but when it appeared they had lost power, he betrayed them and conspired with a rival family. This is what temptation is in our lives..it's opportunistic, crafty, devious, and always scheming for a way to take advantage of us!
Check out Proverbs 14:11-12 and discover something about temptation. Temptation never comes to us and says "Hey, let me help you ruin your life and destroy your family!" No. On the outset, temptation appears to be pleasing. The lure of something promising gratification but ultimately only bringing brokenness and destruction.
SAL has put out a hit on the character of men and women and their names are stress, anger, and lust! I first heard these three temptations shared together at a men's breakfast sponsored by our church, City Life Church. One of the men who shared talked openly about his struggle with each of them. I felt the Holy Spirit whisper to me that Saturday, "Talk about these on Father's Day weekend." I felt that same whisper last weekend..."Keep talking about these!"
Stress. Some of you are so stressed out you are finding it difficult to sit still to focus on this blog. Don't relent to the temptation to stop reading! The temptation of stress doesn't want you to be free from it's treacherous grip!
A Stanford neuroscientist, Robert Sapolsky writes,
"Stess hormones are brilliant, adapted to help you survive an unexpected threat. You mobilize energy in your thigh muscles, you increase your blood pressure and turn off everything that's not essential to surviving, such as digestion, growth, and reproduction systems in your body. You think more clearly, and certain aspects of learning and memory are enhanced. But non-life-threatening stressors, such as constantly worrying about money or pleasing your boss, also trigger the release of adrenalin and other stress hormones, which, over time, can have devastating consequences to your health. If you turn on the stress response chronically for purely psychological reasons, you increase your risk of adult onset diabetes, high blood pressure, and a host of other health risks."
First, consider picking up a copy of John Ortberg's book "Soul Keeping" as it is a wonderful resource that not only talks about dealing with stress but also how important it is for each of us to be good stewards of our own well-being. So often people are so consumed with caring for others, they neglect themselves.
What about Scripture? Does the Bible have anything to say about stress? Yes! Here are three ways I defend against the temptation of stress in my own life: prayer, power, and people.
Prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 must be a mainstay in every Christian's battle against stress. The temptation of stress lures us into a place of worry over things we cannot control. The simple difference between praying and worrying is talking to God instead of yourself when facing something beyond your control. We have all been in those places where we are obsessing over a situation. Thoughts are flooding our minds at times seemingly uncontrollably. A situation just keeps replaying in our heads, an unrelenting hounding. Prayer is how we are supposed to deal with situations like this. We turn that worry into prayer by converting obsessing into praying! Direct your thoughts to God. Talk to Him out loud if that helps you. Ask someone to spend some time in prayer with you. Prayer reminds us that God is sovereign and in control of our lives and every situation affecting us. We may not see an immediate change in our situation but there will be a change in our outlook and emotions. The peace that we read about in Philippians 4 begins to displace stress and worry because we are connecting our sense to peace to God and not to our circumstance.
Power. Colossians 3:15 is a powerful verse challenging us to take control of ourselves. The temptation of stress lures us into a place of believing we can't control the impact of our emotions. This is one of the devil's most insidious strategies. He wants us to obsess over things we can't control and ignore the areas of our lives that we can control. In Colossians 3 note two words, "let" and "rule" are keys to this verse. First, we must "let" or choose to resist stress. We can't avoid the onset of emotions. That is part of the human experience. But we must control their impact and our actions in response to those emotions. If the peace of Christ is going to "rule" in our heats as commanded in Colossians 3 then we must believe that we have power to control how our emotions direct us. God gave us emotions to serve us and enrich our lives. We are not supposed to be a slave to our emotions. They are to serve us! Some people have diagnosable chemical imbalances in there lives. Others may be dealing with conditions like PTSD...those situations need professional help and oftentimes life long assistance. But if our situation does not fall into one of those exceptions or something similar, we must find a place of power over our emotional life if we are going to resist the temptation of stress!
People. Proverbs 12:25 reminds us we need the encouragement of others. The temptation of stress lures us into a place of false loyalty to relationships that are unhealthy. People tend to hold onto relationships longer than they should because they are more concerned about their image than they are their character. Sometimes you need to change your crowd if you are going to change your outlook on life. Surround yourself with people who are hopeful about the future because of what they believe about the goodness of God! Now all you evangelists out there might cringe at this advice because you feel this will undermine people's efforts to reach others with the love of God. On the contrary. I am not suggesting isolation from everyone except those who can encourage us. I am saying that we must be wise in regards to who is in which circle of relationship. I should have an inner circle of people who I can trust and can lean into when I am struggling with the temptation of stress. These people need to be mature Christians who can offer the word of encouragement referenced in Proverbs 12. I still need to have people I am trying reach with the love of God, being careful in those circles to be the one doing the influencing!
My prayer today is that you find the peace of Christ and not be overcome any longer by the temptation of stress! Stop giving stress permission to wreak havoc in your life! Prayer, power, and people are an impenetrable defense!
Pastor Fred
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Failing
Jesus' conversation with Peter in Luke 22:31-34 fascinates me. I can't help but wonder why God would give Satan an audience with Himself. And based on the events that follow, it appears that God grants Satan his request! Imagine there is a knock at your front door and you discover that the individual standing there is someone you know with certainty is trying to destroy your children. You invite them inside as your wife is coming around the corner. She exclaims, "What are you doing!" And you say, "I think we should at least hear what he has to say." Now I don't know about your house but at that point, I am now outside knocking on the door!
The act of sifting was an agricultural process of separating at harvest the useful, consumable portion from the parts that would be discarded. Satan's implication is that some of the disciples were not worthy and the only reason they had been faithful to date was because God was an overly protective parent. Satan is challenging their character. He wants to be given access to them to prove their "faith will fail." The Expositor's Bible Commentary points out that "you" in verse 31 is plural in the Greek (hymas) which reveals Jesus' warning to Peter is for all the disciples. But then in verse 32 "you" is singular in the Greek (sou) so Jesus' focus has now shifted to Peter directly. Does this mean God only granted Satan access to Peter? Does this mean Jesus did not pray for the other disciples? Does this mean I should take a morning break and drive to Krispy Kreme to see if the hot sign is on (sorry I was momentarily distracted)? Because Luke is the only Gospel writer that gives us the details of this conversation, we are left with several questions because Luke does not offer any further explanation.
The truth I draw from this exchange is that we must remember there is difference between failing in a moment and failing in our faith. I am writing this morning because I believe that someone reading this has failed in some moment in their past and has been held captive by their mistake. You have believed a lie from Satan that because you failed in a moment, overcome by some temptation, became weak resulting in some indiscretion...you feel as though you have failed in faith. Watch the transition from the beginning of verse 32 to the second half. Jesus says that he has prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail. And then Jesus goes on to say, "So when you have repented and turn to me again..." So if Jesus prays for Peter, shouldn't that be enough? If Jesus prays for Peter to not fail in his faith, why would Peter need to repent? Not failing in his faith does not equate to resisting the temptation. Not failing in our faith means that we don't abandon our pursuit of being a disciple of Jesus when we fail in resisting temptation! Faith does not keep us perfect in moments of temptation! Faith moves us to repent when we fail. And we will all fail! Sometimes those failings are when we do the bad things we shouldn't do and sometimes those failings are when we don't do the good things we ought to do. Failing in our faith means we don't repent. We don't accept responsibility for failing. We don't ask for God's forgiveness or the forgiveness of others if our failing involved people. We don't work to build personal accountability into our lives to be better prepared for temptation next time. We don't...and the list continues...that is failing in our faith. Failing in a moment is inevitable. What we do in the aftermath of those moments determines if we fail in our faith. That was Jesus' prayer and if we read Acts chapter 2 then we know Jesus' prayer from Luke 22 was effectual...because there we find Peter giving the very first sermon of the Christian Church!
I love that Jesus tells Peter that after he repents and returns to his pursuit of being a disciple of Jesus, his priority should be the strengthen his brothers, the other disciples. If you disengage for the being in community from other disciples, this too is failing in your faith. Discipleship isn't just about my relationship with Jesus! It is also about my relationship with other disciples! If I isolate myself from Jesus, resist Him, run from Him...I am failing in my faith. If I repent and turn to Him but isolate myself from other disciples of Jesus, resist them, rum from them...I am still failing in my faith. Failing in moments are not failing in faith unless I allow them to rob me of being reconciled to Jesus and being restored to community!
Satan wants to sift each of us. Jesus is continually praying for each of us. Satan is great at temptation...Jesus is even better at prayer. We are all going to fail in moments...but we never have to fail in our faith!
Pastor Fred
The act of sifting was an agricultural process of separating at harvest the useful, consumable portion from the parts that would be discarded. Satan's implication is that some of the disciples were not worthy and the only reason they had been faithful to date was because God was an overly protective parent. Satan is challenging their character. He wants to be given access to them to prove their "faith will fail." The Expositor's Bible Commentary points out that "you" in verse 31 is plural in the Greek (hymas) which reveals Jesus' warning to Peter is for all the disciples. But then in verse 32 "you" is singular in the Greek (sou) so Jesus' focus has now shifted to Peter directly. Does this mean God only granted Satan access to Peter? Does this mean Jesus did not pray for the other disciples? Does this mean I should take a morning break and drive to Krispy Kreme to see if the hot sign is on (sorry I was momentarily distracted)? Because Luke is the only Gospel writer that gives us the details of this conversation, we are left with several questions because Luke does not offer any further explanation.
The truth I draw from this exchange is that we must remember there is difference between failing in a moment and failing in our faith. I am writing this morning because I believe that someone reading this has failed in some moment in their past and has been held captive by their mistake. You have believed a lie from Satan that because you failed in a moment, overcome by some temptation, became weak resulting in some indiscretion...you feel as though you have failed in faith. Watch the transition from the beginning of verse 32 to the second half. Jesus says that he has prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail. And then Jesus goes on to say, "So when you have repented and turn to me again..." So if Jesus prays for Peter, shouldn't that be enough? If Jesus prays for Peter to not fail in his faith, why would Peter need to repent? Not failing in his faith does not equate to resisting the temptation. Not failing in our faith means that we don't abandon our pursuit of being a disciple of Jesus when we fail in resisting temptation! Faith does not keep us perfect in moments of temptation! Faith moves us to repent when we fail. And we will all fail! Sometimes those failings are when we do the bad things we shouldn't do and sometimes those failings are when we don't do the good things we ought to do. Failing in our faith means we don't repent. We don't accept responsibility for failing. We don't ask for God's forgiveness or the forgiveness of others if our failing involved people. We don't work to build personal accountability into our lives to be better prepared for temptation next time. We don't...and the list continues...that is failing in our faith. Failing in a moment is inevitable. What we do in the aftermath of those moments determines if we fail in our faith. That was Jesus' prayer and if we read Acts chapter 2 then we know Jesus' prayer from Luke 22 was effectual...because there we find Peter giving the very first sermon of the Christian Church!
I love that Jesus tells Peter that after he repents and returns to his pursuit of being a disciple of Jesus, his priority should be the strengthen his brothers, the other disciples. If you disengage for the being in community from other disciples, this too is failing in your faith. Discipleship isn't just about my relationship with Jesus! It is also about my relationship with other disciples! If I isolate myself from Jesus, resist Him, run from Him...I am failing in my faith. If I repent and turn to Him but isolate myself from other disciples of Jesus, resist them, rum from them...I am still failing in my faith. Failing in moments are not failing in faith unless I allow them to rob me of being reconciled to Jesus and being restored to community!
Satan wants to sift each of us. Jesus is continually praying for each of us. Satan is great at temptation...Jesus is even better at prayer. We are all going to fail in moments...but we never have to fail in our faith!
Pastor Fred
Friday, January 27, 2017
I Hate Catholics
Some should be executed, others imprisoned, most punished in some fashion and Catholicism as a religious practice should be abolished. And if you do not share this sentiment then through your ignorance or indifference, you are propagating hate and injustice!
The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day on August 24/25 of 1572 inspired the murder of thousands of French Huguenots not just in France but throughout all of Europe. For the next two hundred years, my family suffered at the hands of hatred...torture, rape, imprisonment, murder...a conspiracy to dehumanize all Protestants perpetrated by Catholics with the aid and support of the French government and The Vatican. The situation was in such despair that Abraham Michaux, born in 1672 of Sedan France, fled to Amsterdam Holland in 1690 with his father Jacob Michaux. King Louis XIV of France continued the godless destruction of the Protestant church, causing thousands of refugees to seek asylum elsewhere in Europe. Abraham Michaux appears on a the Dutch Reformed Church roster of January 28, 1691. A the age of 20, Abraham married Susanna Rochet at this same church. They met while working at a gauze and lace factory. Susanna had her own harrowing tale of fleeing France years earlier. Her family hid her in a barrel aboard a ship in order to smuggle her out of France and into Holland. (facts taken from an historical genealogy blog)
My family, by the grace of God, was able to flee such horrific persecution and through a land grant from England, arrive in the New World to help settle the frontier. Our family received 574 acres in what is today Powhatan County. (I'm still a littler bitter all that James River water front property didn't make its way to me!) We lived in Stafford County for a period of time after arriving here until 1705 when we settled in what was then known as Manakin Towne where our 574 acre land grant was located. (facts taken from same blog referenced above)
There are still the remains of an Episcopal chapel there in what eventually became known as Michaux, Virginia. A family cemetery plot is just down the road from the chapel overlooking the James River. I have visited there many times, even taken my family to stand on this ground that is sacred to me still today because that is the beginning of my heritage in America. My children are the tenth generation of Michauxs to live in this beloved Country. There is a family Bible beautifully preserved in the archival collection at Union Theological Seminary. I was allowed to spend time with this family Bible several years ago. The feeling of gently turning its pages created in me a profound appreciation for the legacy that has come to me through centuries to cherish God's Word and worship Him fully. Many names were written in its margins as this Bible not only served as a source of spiritual nourishment but also a proud family genealogy.
Here is another wonderful piece of Michaux history in Virginia...taken from a plaque placed at that little Episcopal Church. The plaque was erected in 1937 and states, "This tablet is dedicated to the memory of Abraham Michaux and Susanne Rochet Michaux...their heroic spirit, their loyalty to truth, their fidelity to Christ we treasure as our richest heritage." France was robbed of the contribution these citizens could have made because of hate and prejudice. But thank God for Romans 8:28 and His promise of ultimate goodness in every circumstance!
By now I trust you have realized that I don't hate Catholics, that I have no ill will toward Catholics individually or Catholicism as a Christian religion. Those opening sentiments were what could have been my emotional heritage. I wonder if Jacob Michaux could have said that? I wonder if Abraham Michaux or his wife Susanna could have said that? Possibly their Christian character was strong enough to withstand such sentiments I shared in the opening of this blog? But my suspicion is their humanity would have prevailed given the atrocities they most certainly witnessed first hand of the brutality of Catholics in France in the 16th, 17th, and early 18th centuries. But which generation was the first generation to choose to forgive? Which generation was the first generation to not make this hatred part of the emotional heritage given to their children? If I were able to step back in time and observe the attitude of my ancestors, who would be the turning point?
So here comes the irony. My family left France because of barbarous acts. I wonder how may of my ancestors became guilty of such acts against Native Americans...against Blacks. I find it terribly sobering and highly probable that persons in my family became the "Catholics" they abhorred. Meaning, there are families here in Virginia and elsewhere whose heritage of hatred doesn't trace itself back to a religion or a political entity...but to my family name. They suffered at the hands of Michauxs.
I'm inspired to share this blog today because few people in this life don't have a heritage of hate working through their family. The question becomes whether or not I am willing to be the person in history who decides that a different heritage is going to be gifted to the next generation. For some, this challenge is much more difficult because their persecution, their suffered injustice is not historical, on the contrary, it is devastatingly present. I know for me, not only am I committed to teaching my children the sacred virtue of being forgiving, I am also praying, talking, asking, studying, reading, and striving to determine how God is asking me to help route out injustices that are taking place today, here in my city and beyond.
Who were the people in France who sat idly by while thousand of Huguenots were killed? Citizenship means that I not only fight to preserve equality that serves me but equality that serves all.
Pastor Fred
(www.letspraxis.com)
The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day on August 24/25 of 1572 inspired the murder of thousands of French Huguenots not just in France but throughout all of Europe. For the next two hundred years, my family suffered at the hands of hatred...torture, rape, imprisonment, murder...a conspiracy to dehumanize all Protestants perpetrated by Catholics with the aid and support of the French government and The Vatican. The situation was in such despair that Abraham Michaux, born in 1672 of Sedan France, fled to Amsterdam Holland in 1690 with his father Jacob Michaux. King Louis XIV of France continued the godless destruction of the Protestant church, causing thousands of refugees to seek asylum elsewhere in Europe. Abraham Michaux appears on a the Dutch Reformed Church roster of January 28, 1691. A the age of 20, Abraham married Susanna Rochet at this same church. They met while working at a gauze and lace factory. Susanna had her own harrowing tale of fleeing France years earlier. Her family hid her in a barrel aboard a ship in order to smuggle her out of France and into Holland. (facts taken from an historical genealogy blog)
My family, by the grace of God, was able to flee such horrific persecution and through a land grant from England, arrive in the New World to help settle the frontier. Our family received 574 acres in what is today Powhatan County. (I'm still a littler bitter all that James River water front property didn't make its way to me!) We lived in Stafford County for a period of time after arriving here until 1705 when we settled in what was then known as Manakin Towne where our 574 acre land grant was located. (facts taken from same blog referenced above)
There are still the remains of an Episcopal chapel there in what eventually became known as Michaux, Virginia. A family cemetery plot is just down the road from the chapel overlooking the James River. I have visited there many times, even taken my family to stand on this ground that is sacred to me still today because that is the beginning of my heritage in America. My children are the tenth generation of Michauxs to live in this beloved Country. There is a family Bible beautifully preserved in the archival collection at Union Theological Seminary. I was allowed to spend time with this family Bible several years ago. The feeling of gently turning its pages created in me a profound appreciation for the legacy that has come to me through centuries to cherish God's Word and worship Him fully. Many names were written in its margins as this Bible not only served as a source of spiritual nourishment but also a proud family genealogy.
Here is another wonderful piece of Michaux history in Virginia...taken from a plaque placed at that little Episcopal Church. The plaque was erected in 1937 and states, "This tablet is dedicated to the memory of Abraham Michaux and Susanne Rochet Michaux...their heroic spirit, their loyalty to truth, their fidelity to Christ we treasure as our richest heritage." France was robbed of the contribution these citizens could have made because of hate and prejudice. But thank God for Romans 8:28 and His promise of ultimate goodness in every circumstance!
By now I trust you have realized that I don't hate Catholics, that I have no ill will toward Catholics individually or Catholicism as a Christian religion. Those opening sentiments were what could have been my emotional heritage. I wonder if Jacob Michaux could have said that? I wonder if Abraham Michaux or his wife Susanna could have said that? Possibly their Christian character was strong enough to withstand such sentiments I shared in the opening of this blog? But my suspicion is their humanity would have prevailed given the atrocities they most certainly witnessed first hand of the brutality of Catholics in France in the 16th, 17th, and early 18th centuries. But which generation was the first generation to choose to forgive? Which generation was the first generation to not make this hatred part of the emotional heritage given to their children? If I were able to step back in time and observe the attitude of my ancestors, who would be the turning point?
So here comes the irony. My family left France because of barbarous acts. I wonder how may of my ancestors became guilty of such acts against Native Americans...against Blacks. I find it terribly sobering and highly probable that persons in my family became the "Catholics" they abhorred. Meaning, there are families here in Virginia and elsewhere whose heritage of hatred doesn't trace itself back to a religion or a political entity...but to my family name. They suffered at the hands of Michauxs.
I'm inspired to share this blog today because few people in this life don't have a heritage of hate working through their family. The question becomes whether or not I am willing to be the person in history who decides that a different heritage is going to be gifted to the next generation. For some, this challenge is much more difficult because their persecution, their suffered injustice is not historical, on the contrary, it is devastatingly present. I know for me, not only am I committed to teaching my children the sacred virtue of being forgiving, I am also praying, talking, asking, studying, reading, and striving to determine how God is asking me to help route out injustices that are taking place today, here in my city and beyond.
Who were the people in France who sat idly by while thousand of Huguenots were killed? Citizenship means that I not only fight to preserve equality that serves me but equality that serves all.
Pastor Fred
(www.letspraxis.com)
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
"All of this..."
As I was reading yesterday, I was struck by the the phrase "All of this..." we find in verse 22 of Matthew 1. I have read that verse many times in my life and have never stopped to consider their implication. Of course we know the first chapter of Matthew 1 chronicles for us the genealogy of Christ through Joseph and also gives us details about how Joseph learned she was pregnant with the Messiah. The Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to write those words in verse 22 because He wanted the world to know everything that is about to follow in the story of Jesus in this gospel (and all the gospels) is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Matthew1:22-23 is a grand declaration of the sovereignty of God at work to save the world!
But yesterday when I was reading, I realized "All of this..." wasn't just referring to the details regarding Mary. "All of this..." is inclusive of all the details which means even the details regarding Joseph. For Mary, she had no knowledge of being pregnant until after her angelic visitation (Luke 1:29-31). Not so with Joseph. Matthew 1 is very clear. Joseph already had knowledge of Mary's pregnancy prior to his angelic visitation. In fact, based on his intentions given to us in Matthew 1:19 he assumed that Mary had disgraced herself and their engagement by betraying her vow to Joseph by becoming sexually involved with another man. Why is this important? Because God intentionally allowed Joseph to feel betrayed before He intervened. God could have easily said to Gabriel, "While you are there telling Mary she will become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit make sure you tell Joseph too. We don't want him to feel betrayed...he should know." Did Gabriel forget? Not likely! Matthew 1 says "All of this..." meaning the timing of Joseph's notification was by God's design.
Why would God do this? I believe God was preparing Joseph to be the kind of father to Jesus and husband to Mary that would be demanded of a man who had been given such a grand destiny. Can you imagine the kind of character required of a man to take on such a responsibility? Our character is not formed in the ease of life. Our character is formed when tested, when tried. The stress of life accelerates the growth of virtues in us. God wanted Joseph to face the appearance of betrayal, the sting of public humiliation, and the weight of shame. God was preparing Joseph for his purpose in life, to be the earthly father of Jesus and the husband of our Savior's blessed mother. God had Joseph in a season of virtue growing pains.
Are you in an "All of this..." season as you start this new year? Are you facing hardship that feels overwhelming? Do you feel as though you are suffering in innocence, meaning your hardship is not the consequence of your own foolishness? My encouragement to you is find patience. Psalm 27:13-14 might be your verses for this season! Trust in God's goodness and His timing to reveal that goodness to you! He is making you ready! You have a divine destiny! You are chosen! You are special! I guarantee that your pain now is far less than what it could be if He allowed your purpose to approach you only to find you unprepared. God knows what you need to be victorious in this life. He shapes us so that we can serve Him... "All of this..."
Pastor Fred
But yesterday when I was reading, I realized "All of this..." wasn't just referring to the details regarding Mary. "All of this..." is inclusive of all the details which means even the details regarding Joseph. For Mary, she had no knowledge of being pregnant until after her angelic visitation (Luke 1:29-31). Not so with Joseph. Matthew 1 is very clear. Joseph already had knowledge of Mary's pregnancy prior to his angelic visitation. In fact, based on his intentions given to us in Matthew 1:19 he assumed that Mary had disgraced herself and their engagement by betraying her vow to Joseph by becoming sexually involved with another man. Why is this important? Because God intentionally allowed Joseph to feel betrayed before He intervened. God could have easily said to Gabriel, "While you are there telling Mary she will become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit make sure you tell Joseph too. We don't want him to feel betrayed...he should know." Did Gabriel forget? Not likely! Matthew 1 says "All of this..." meaning the timing of Joseph's notification was by God's design.
Why would God do this? I believe God was preparing Joseph to be the kind of father to Jesus and husband to Mary that would be demanded of a man who had been given such a grand destiny. Can you imagine the kind of character required of a man to take on such a responsibility? Our character is not formed in the ease of life. Our character is formed when tested, when tried. The stress of life accelerates the growth of virtues in us. God wanted Joseph to face the appearance of betrayal, the sting of public humiliation, and the weight of shame. God was preparing Joseph for his purpose in life, to be the earthly father of Jesus and the husband of our Savior's blessed mother. God had Joseph in a season of virtue growing pains.
Are you in an "All of this..." season as you start this new year? Are you facing hardship that feels overwhelming? Do you feel as though you are suffering in innocence, meaning your hardship is not the consequence of your own foolishness? My encouragement to you is find patience. Psalm 27:13-14 might be your verses for this season! Trust in God's goodness and His timing to reveal that goodness to you! He is making you ready! You have a divine destiny! You are chosen! You are special! I guarantee that your pain now is far less than what it could be if He allowed your purpose to approach you only to find you unprepared. God knows what you need to be victorious in this life. He shapes us so that we can serve Him... "All of this..."
Pastor Fred
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Fear
Fear. This is one of the most prevalent words in conversations
leading up to and following Tuesday’s Presidential election. My hope is
that people who do not share the same fears will not belittle or disparage the
fears of others. Fear is one of God’s great gifts to humanity. And
that idea may be foreign to too many Christians.
Some of you are already quoting 2 Timothy1:7. That’s not prophetic…just
predictable! Let’s talk about this wonderful verse. I like to start
with the last word in the verse, a wonderful Greek word, “sophronismos.”
I like this word because there is only one appearance in all of Scripture and
this is the solo performance in 2 Timothy! Some translations choose sound
mind, others use discipline, while another is sound judgment. The best
would be to combine them all. My spirit when renewed by the Holy Spirit
should transform my mind in a way that is Biblically sound leading to
self-discipline and good judgment. I should be characterized by this
description as a devoted follower of Jesus. Now, let’s read the verse.
Paul says to Timothy “spirit” not “emotion.” Too many people misuse this
verse to demean an emotion that should be present in us all. While I
should not be characterized as a fearful person, fear as an emotion must be
present in an emotionally healthy Christian at proper times. When “sophronismos”
is a word that best describes me, I am able to experience the emotion of fear
without emotions taking control of my life and becoming the shaping force and
influence on my spirit.
So if someone talks about their fears related to this election, spend
time listening before you bludgeon them with a verse that was given to us to
inspire…not wound. Especially if you are the one needing some correction,
in regards to how we should cherish fear.
Might I share some examples? We readily acknowledge the importance
of the fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 15:33, Revelation 15:4). My capacity for fear
was created by God and is vital; take for example Jesus admonition in Luke 12:4-5. People like to restate “fear”
in these texts as “respect” but that is not what the Holy Spirit chose.
Don’t edit the Holy Spirit! Is respect a component of healthy fear?
Most certainly, but that does not change the essence of fear…it is to be
afraid! And as long as that feeling of being afraid remains a healthy
emotion, it will not displace the virtues of courage and faith. My
capacity for diverse emotions is evidence of emotional health. And my
strength of character (that “sophronismos life”) becomes the boundary that
keeps those emotions from becoming spiritual traits.
So if fear is necessary in my relationship with God, are there other applications
where fear should be embraced? Yes! Fear saves lives. When I
am unsafe, the emotion of fear is an alarm that prompts protective action.
I would like to suggest to you that fear is also an indispensable facet of
choosing political leaders. If you suppress healthy fear in others, you
are a dealer in shame. And if you are devoted follower of Christ, you
should be ashamed of your shaming!
This is a time for people to talk about their fears. Last night I
met with a new friend to talk about our fears. His fears are different
than my fears. And my fears are not more important than his fears,
neither his relative to mine. I must seek to understand the fears of
others if I expect others to value mine. If you can’t accept that
Christians were legitimately divided at the polls on Tuesday, then you are part
of the problem that divides this nation. You are a person that is
belittling the fears of others. You are a person that is a shame dealer.
My fears are always going to be more present in my life than your fears.
That is the nature of fear. We are not able to manufacture emotion.
But, as you have heard me say many times, right feelings follow right actions (Matthew 6:21). If you don’t understand
the fears of others, put in the time to talk with them, hear their story, ask
questions, reflect, ponder, contemplate their feelings!
The progress we need in this nation should start with The Church.
And that progress will begin when people who have divergent fears begin to feel
the fears of others because their right actions led to shared feelings.
So do me a favor, don’t reach for 2 Timothy 1:7 prematurely. Let Romans12:15 reach you. I believe this
verse in not just limited to the emotions of joy and sorrow. I believe
this is a fill in the blank text. I believe this verse is about emotions.
In fact, when I look back to the beginning of this chapter, I find a command
that my mind should be renewed! That sounds like a “sophronismos life” to
me! Paul, in one of the most celebrated doctrinal books of the New
Testament, is making a demand of all Christians that emotional empathy is the
minimum! Emotional empathy expects me to have an appropriate, gracious,
understanding response to the feelings of others. Romans 12 tells us we
should actually share in their emotion, regardless of whether or not we share
in their circumstance.
So this is my question to you…if you voted for Donald Trump, have you
found some people who did not that you can sit with and ask them about the
fears that helped to motivate their decision? If you voted for Hillary
Clinton, have you found some people who did not that you can sit with and ask
them about the fears that helped to motivate their decision? If you don’t
know anyone who voted differently than yourself, you are intellectually and
emotionally isolated! Next, here comes your prayer. Ask God to help
you experience Romans 12:15. We need to feel one another’s fears.
Be all about that “sophronismos life!”
Pastor Fred
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Stranger Things
Well if you are tracking with our most recent sermon series at all three campuses, you know we are all about some Netflix binging!
Here is a portion of the plot description that you can find on one of my favorite websites and most used phone apps...IMDB, "In a small town where everyone knows everyone, a peculiar incident starts a chain of events that leads to the disappearance of a child - which begins to tear at the fabric of an otherwise peaceful community. Dark government agencies and seemingly malevolent supernatural forces converge on the town, while a few locals begin to understand that there's more going on than meets the eye." At the time I pulled that quote, there were over 165k user reviews for this show and the average rating was 9.1 out to 10...which is historically high! Now be warned, the show can be creepy, evil, and disturbing. So if you are prone to nightmares, you may be living with EVERY light on in your house for a while...especially all the new Christmas lights!
I love this show because I believe it reminds us that just because something is strange doesn't mean it can't be real. In the series at the Newport News Campus, we are exploring some strange things in the Bible that I believe God wants to be our reality! They may belong in an "upside down world" but God's hope is that we will grow to both expect them and embrace them!
We started our study in 1 Corinthians 12. If you are interested in listening to those two opening messages, then you can use this link: City Life Podcast. Last week I was not able to finish our look into this amazing chapter and wanted to share my final thoughts to complete the teaching on this text.
In the first two weeks, we talked about how God wants us to expect and embrace a "strange voice" in our lives. That is the opening of 1 Corinthians 12. Paul is exhorting them and now us that we need people in our lives who love us enough to challenge and even when necessary bring correction. That feels strange if you aren't used to it but it is most certainly a vital part of any healthy spiritual family. I build trusting relationships at church so God can use me to help others and so I can have people I trust to help me. We also talked about a "strange expectation." This is where we worked through the list of nine results of grace that manifest God's reality in a supernatural way. I like the phrase results of grace because that is the true meaning of the word "gift" that appears in the text. But for simplicity sake, we call them: three gifts that reveal, three gifts that declare, and three gifts that command. Being a candidate for God to use to reveal Himself in a supernatural way feels strange, especially the first time we experience something otherworldly like the working of a miracle or a word of knowledge. We talked about a "strange reliance" that took us through verses 12 to 27. All ministry begins by learning how to serve one another as part of the same body. Mutual dependence is not easy for us; it feels strange. We like to champion this idea of rugged independence! You will never be fully complete until you connect your life to others in a covenantal community called the local church and there is a local church out there somewhere that will be forever incomplete until you show up!
The point we never reached is a "strange deference." Take a minute to read 1 Corinthians 12:28-30. Remember, Paul has already given us an outline for this chapter in verses four through six. Here he is shifting gears into part three of this chapter in talking about a "varieties of activities" that he connects to God. (If you recall, he connected a "varieties of gifts" to the Holy Spirit and a "varieties of ministries" to Jesus). I believe what Paul is trying to communicate to us here is that if the activity of church is not directed by the activity of leaders who ensure order then chaos will soon be present which is why Paul is having to write this letter to Corinth...they are a chaotic church! Paul is assuming that you have read the preceding verses. His use of "first, second, and third" are to say all of these three are examples of directive leaders in a church. We know this from connecting this text to Ephesians 4, which Paul also wrote. Paul believes in the principle of directive leaders (which I also call nucleus leaders or senior leaders). And these numbers are not to be interpreted as an order of importance. It is simply three offices in a church whose primary activity is to bring healthy authority. The emphasis should not be placed on the unique role that apostles, prophets, or teachers carry out. That is more related to the "varieties of ministries." The emphasis should be placed on their specific activity of being directive leaders. This is why we have this portion of the chapter connected to God because He reminds us of the need for the presence of a directive authority. Again, Paul assumes you have read the whole chapter so when the verses shift in the NKJV with the use of "after that" and "then" Paul is pulling examples from both of the two former lists. He gives us some examples of "varieties of gifts" and "varieties of ministries." He is saying that what makes a church a safe place for these former two lists of "varieties" is the activity of directive leaders. It can be strange for people to allow others to be in a place of spiritual authority in their life. Although I am a nucleus, directive leader now, that has not always been the case. Many of my years in church were benefitting from the direction of elders and other senior leaders. They created order, defined vision, created ministries, set the pace in giving, exemplified Christ, cared for people in crisis, and invested in others who might one day walk in their shoes. I can't imagine what my formative years as a Christian would have been like without them. Leaders can never demand this relationship from people. They can make demands of people and sometimes that is necessary but those demands are never fruitful unless the person being directed has already embraced that person's authority in their life.
Verse 29 is basically a synopsis verse for everything that preceded before. Every person matters. Every ministry is important. Every role is essential. The family of God is made complete when each part does it's work in love...again, the great partner text here is Ephesians 4. Remember, even though I am constantly referring to verses and chapters, this was originally a letter. It did not have verses and chapters. Verses and chapters aid our study but sometimes they break the flow of the original text. Verse 31 is supposed to flow right into chapter 13...where Paul reminds us that love must be the defining aspect of any church culture. And love is not the only standard...all of chapter 13 points to every other portion of Scripture that demands of us the character of Christ. And when we find ourselves immersed in a healthy community of people called the local church, we are able to challenge one another to that end...so let's be a little "strange" together!
Pastor Fred
Here is a portion of the plot description that you can find on one of my favorite websites and most used phone apps...IMDB, "In a small town where everyone knows everyone, a peculiar incident starts a chain of events that leads to the disappearance of a child - which begins to tear at the fabric of an otherwise peaceful community. Dark government agencies and seemingly malevolent supernatural forces converge on the town, while a few locals begin to understand that there's more going on than meets the eye." At the time I pulled that quote, there were over 165k user reviews for this show and the average rating was 9.1 out to 10...which is historically high! Now be warned, the show can be creepy, evil, and disturbing. So if you are prone to nightmares, you may be living with EVERY light on in your house for a while...especially all the new Christmas lights!
I love this show because I believe it reminds us that just because something is strange doesn't mean it can't be real. In the series at the Newport News Campus, we are exploring some strange things in the Bible that I believe God wants to be our reality! They may belong in an "upside down world" but God's hope is that we will grow to both expect them and embrace them!
We started our study in 1 Corinthians 12. If you are interested in listening to those two opening messages, then you can use this link: City Life Podcast. Last week I was not able to finish our look into this amazing chapter and wanted to share my final thoughts to complete the teaching on this text.
In the first two weeks, we talked about how God wants us to expect and embrace a "strange voice" in our lives. That is the opening of 1 Corinthians 12. Paul is exhorting them and now us that we need people in our lives who love us enough to challenge and even when necessary bring correction. That feels strange if you aren't used to it but it is most certainly a vital part of any healthy spiritual family. I build trusting relationships at church so God can use me to help others and so I can have people I trust to help me. We also talked about a "strange expectation." This is where we worked through the list of nine results of grace that manifest God's reality in a supernatural way. I like the phrase results of grace because that is the true meaning of the word "gift" that appears in the text. But for simplicity sake, we call them: three gifts that reveal, three gifts that declare, and three gifts that command. Being a candidate for God to use to reveal Himself in a supernatural way feels strange, especially the first time we experience something otherworldly like the working of a miracle or a word of knowledge. We talked about a "strange reliance" that took us through verses 12 to 27. All ministry begins by learning how to serve one another as part of the same body. Mutual dependence is not easy for us; it feels strange. We like to champion this idea of rugged independence! You will never be fully complete until you connect your life to others in a covenantal community called the local church and there is a local church out there somewhere that will be forever incomplete until you show up!
The point we never reached is a "strange deference." Take a minute to read 1 Corinthians 12:28-30. Remember, Paul has already given us an outline for this chapter in verses four through six. Here he is shifting gears into part three of this chapter in talking about a "varieties of activities" that he connects to God. (If you recall, he connected a "varieties of gifts" to the Holy Spirit and a "varieties of ministries" to Jesus). I believe what Paul is trying to communicate to us here is that if the activity of church is not directed by the activity of leaders who ensure order then chaos will soon be present which is why Paul is having to write this letter to Corinth...they are a chaotic church! Paul is assuming that you have read the preceding verses. His use of "first, second, and third" are to say all of these three are examples of directive leaders in a church. We know this from connecting this text to Ephesians 4, which Paul also wrote. Paul believes in the principle of directive leaders (which I also call nucleus leaders or senior leaders). And these numbers are not to be interpreted as an order of importance. It is simply three offices in a church whose primary activity is to bring healthy authority. The emphasis should not be placed on the unique role that apostles, prophets, or teachers carry out. That is more related to the "varieties of ministries." The emphasis should be placed on their specific activity of being directive leaders. This is why we have this portion of the chapter connected to God because He reminds us of the need for the presence of a directive authority. Again, Paul assumes you have read the whole chapter so when the verses shift in the NKJV with the use of "after that" and "then" Paul is pulling examples from both of the two former lists. He gives us some examples of "varieties of gifts" and "varieties of ministries." He is saying that what makes a church a safe place for these former two lists of "varieties" is the activity of directive leaders. It can be strange for people to allow others to be in a place of spiritual authority in their life. Although I am a nucleus, directive leader now, that has not always been the case. Many of my years in church were benefitting from the direction of elders and other senior leaders. They created order, defined vision, created ministries, set the pace in giving, exemplified Christ, cared for people in crisis, and invested in others who might one day walk in their shoes. I can't imagine what my formative years as a Christian would have been like without them. Leaders can never demand this relationship from people. They can make demands of people and sometimes that is necessary but those demands are never fruitful unless the person being directed has already embraced that person's authority in their life.
Verse 29 is basically a synopsis verse for everything that preceded before. Every person matters. Every ministry is important. Every role is essential. The family of God is made complete when each part does it's work in love...again, the great partner text here is Ephesians 4. Remember, even though I am constantly referring to verses and chapters, this was originally a letter. It did not have verses and chapters. Verses and chapters aid our study but sometimes they break the flow of the original text. Verse 31 is supposed to flow right into chapter 13...where Paul reminds us that love must be the defining aspect of any church culture. And love is not the only standard...all of chapter 13 points to every other portion of Scripture that demands of us the character of Christ. And when we find ourselves immersed in a healthy community of people called the local church, we are able to challenge one another to that end...so let's be a little "strange" together!
Pastor Fred
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Divergent - Politics of 2016
Frustrated, disappointed, angry, sad, and embarrassed are all words that best describe my reaction to the 2016 Presidential race. I am not speaking of any candidate in particular nor any one political party. These feelings are the result of what I believe to be the root of the dissension and frustration in the entire elective process.
In 2014, the first in a book series by Veronica Roth became a successful film at the box office -- Divergent. Her blog describes Divergent this way: "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives..." If you have read the books or seen the movies you know that once an adolescent chooses a certain faction, they must serve that virtue for the remainder of their lives. For example, if I am Amity, I will never be allowed to work or serve in any role that is assigned to the faction or class of Erudite. What makes these fictional stories so compelling is the contrast to our society where we celebrate and cherish our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as so courageously penned in our Declaration of Independence. America is a great nation because we champion the right of self-determination...unless we are talking about politics.
One of the distinctive differences between the Republican and Democratic primary process is the presence of super-delegates in the Democratic Party. Both parties are well into their respective primaries whereby citizens in each state have the opportunity to vote for their candidate of choice. In an effort to simplify this process, think of it this way. The number of votes a candidate receives correlates into points. The Republican candidate must amass a total of 1237 and the Democratic candidate 2383. These points are called delegates because they are actual people.
At each party's convention this summer, every state will send delegates/representatives to select a candidate that will run for the office of President. And while both party's rules vary, the expectation is that these delegates will vote at the convention based on how their state voted in the primary. For example, in Virginia's primary, Hillary Clinton beat Bernie Sanders by approximately 65% to 35%. So she was assigned 62 delegates and Sanders was assigned 33 delegates from Virginia. If both candidates are still in the race by the Democratic convention, those delegates will vote for their assigned candidate. The Republican party operates in a similar fashion. However, if there were two candidates still in the Republican race at the time of the convention, the only delegates who are allowed to vote are those sent by the states. And those delegates sent by the states vote according to results determined solely by the voters. However, if there is more than one ballot, then the rules begin to change so that a candidate can ultimately be selected. But the first ballot is clear, delegates sent by states represent the will of the people as expressed through their vote in the individual state primaries.
So back to super-delegates. If you are interested in a more complete history of super-delegates you can see this article by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. There are 712 super-delegates. These individuals are major elected officials, notable party figures, and select leaders of organizations affiliated with the Democratic National Convention (definitions by Becca Stanek). Their support is not dictated by the voters. They are allowed to choose which Democratic candidate to support. Now you have to decide which process you prefer. For me, I always want a process that has the opportunity to be determined solely by the outcome of voters.
The former Democratic Governor of North Carolina Jim Hunt said the following in November of 1981, "We must also give our convention more flexibility to respond to changing circumstances and, in cases where the voters’ mandate is less than clear, to make a reasoned choice." I'm not sure how the voters' mandate can be anything but clear. People vote and margins are based on math and a winner is declared. Really what Governor Hunt was saying is that sometimes the voter is not savvy enough to pick the right candidate and we the political elite must step in to protect the general public from themselves. Is it possible for no single candidate to gain enough delegates to be selected? It is certainly possible in the Republican Party. In that case, there are rules that guide the process forward so a candidate can be selected. But what the Democratic Party has done through the creation of super-delegates is to never give the voters of their party an opportunity to express a clear mandate.
We have factions. They are not formalized factions like Veronica Roth's novels but they exist and they are powerful influences in our society. And I believe one of those factions is the faction of the political elite. The presence of super-delegates is a clear example. 712 of the 2383 delegates that choose the Democratic candidate for the President of the United States are not bound by the vote of citizens. This concerns me. The will of the people can be thwarted. As of this morning, Hillary Clinton has earned 1,716 delegates through the voting of citizens. Bernie Sanders has earned 1,433 delegates through the voting of citizens. So when you hear news outlets continue to report that it is mathematically impossible for him to win the nomination for his party, doesn't that surprise you? The will of the people has yet to be determined. In an article by Huffington Post yesterday, Bernie Sanders has won 19 of 25 State primaries/caucuses and is only a few hundred thousand votes behind in the popular vote which is a small margin given how many votes have been cast. Both he and Hillary Clinton are tied in National polls for their party. But super-delegates swing heavily in her favor, people who are not bound by the will of voters.
I am equally concerned for the Republican Party. There are no super-delegates in the Republican Party. But there is a faction of political elites that should be equally disturbing to us. When former Presidents and their families publicly state they will not support the candidate chosen by the people at the polls, they are the political elite. When candidates who ran but lost publicly state they will not support the candidate chosen by the people at the polls, they are the political elite. When elected officials publicly state they will not support the candidate chosen by the people at the polls, they are the political elite. Oh they are going to say it violates their conscience or their position is because of their personal integrity...they lie. They are the political elite. They are a part of the class of people in our society who have been controlling the political process for decades. And now someone who is not part of their "faction" is trespassing. They should be ashamed of themselves. Their withholding of support has nothing to do with character. They are spoiled elites who are pouting about their loss of control or they are political candidates posturing in a way they believe better positions them for future elections...or both!
Regardless of how you may feel about any of the candidates in this year's Presidential race, champion and protect the foundation of our political system...a free elective process whereby the will of the people is expressed at the polls. Do not support the political elites who seek to control outcomes and derail the will of voters. Be wise and recognize when media outlets who are supposed to be journalists stop reporting the narrative and begin creating their own narrative. Don't be naive. Both conservative and liberal media outlets are pushing an agenda and that agenda is the profitability of their respective brands. In addition, many of them are just as much a part of this "faction" of the political elites as the candidates themselves.
I'm for a faction free world. I don't want to live in Veronica Roth's dystopian society. May we never stop being these people, which people? "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Pastor Fred
In 2014, the first in a book series by Veronica Roth became a successful film at the box office -- Divergent. Her blog describes Divergent this way: "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives..." If you have read the books or seen the movies you know that once an adolescent chooses a certain faction, they must serve that virtue for the remainder of their lives. For example, if I am Amity, I will never be allowed to work or serve in any role that is assigned to the faction or class of Erudite. What makes these fictional stories so compelling is the contrast to our society where we celebrate and cherish our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as so courageously penned in our Declaration of Independence. America is a great nation because we champion the right of self-determination...unless we are talking about politics.
One of the distinctive differences between the Republican and Democratic primary process is the presence of super-delegates in the Democratic Party. Both parties are well into their respective primaries whereby citizens in each state have the opportunity to vote for their candidate of choice. In an effort to simplify this process, think of it this way. The number of votes a candidate receives correlates into points. The Republican candidate must amass a total of 1237 and the Democratic candidate 2383. These points are called delegates because they are actual people.
At each party's convention this summer, every state will send delegates/representatives to select a candidate that will run for the office of President. And while both party's rules vary, the expectation is that these delegates will vote at the convention based on how their state voted in the primary. For example, in Virginia's primary, Hillary Clinton beat Bernie Sanders by approximately 65% to 35%. So she was assigned 62 delegates and Sanders was assigned 33 delegates from Virginia. If both candidates are still in the race by the Democratic convention, those delegates will vote for their assigned candidate. The Republican party operates in a similar fashion. However, if there were two candidates still in the Republican race at the time of the convention, the only delegates who are allowed to vote are those sent by the states. And those delegates sent by the states vote according to results determined solely by the voters. However, if there is more than one ballot, then the rules begin to change so that a candidate can ultimately be selected. But the first ballot is clear, delegates sent by states represent the will of the people as expressed through their vote in the individual state primaries.
So back to super-delegates. If you are interested in a more complete history of super-delegates you can see this article by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. There are 712 super-delegates. These individuals are major elected officials, notable party figures, and select leaders of organizations affiliated with the Democratic National Convention (definitions by Becca Stanek). Their support is not dictated by the voters. They are allowed to choose which Democratic candidate to support. Now you have to decide which process you prefer. For me, I always want a process that has the opportunity to be determined solely by the outcome of voters.
The former Democratic Governor of North Carolina Jim Hunt said the following in November of 1981, "We must also give our convention more flexibility to respond to changing circumstances and, in cases where the voters’ mandate is less than clear, to make a reasoned choice." I'm not sure how the voters' mandate can be anything but clear. People vote and margins are based on math and a winner is declared. Really what Governor Hunt was saying is that sometimes the voter is not savvy enough to pick the right candidate and we the political elite must step in to protect the general public from themselves. Is it possible for no single candidate to gain enough delegates to be selected? It is certainly possible in the Republican Party. In that case, there are rules that guide the process forward so a candidate can be selected. But what the Democratic Party has done through the creation of super-delegates is to never give the voters of their party an opportunity to express a clear mandate.
We have factions. They are not formalized factions like Veronica Roth's novels but they exist and they are powerful influences in our society. And I believe one of those factions is the faction of the political elite. The presence of super-delegates is a clear example. 712 of the 2383 delegates that choose the Democratic candidate for the President of the United States are not bound by the vote of citizens. This concerns me. The will of the people can be thwarted. As of this morning, Hillary Clinton has earned 1,716 delegates through the voting of citizens. Bernie Sanders has earned 1,433 delegates through the voting of citizens. So when you hear news outlets continue to report that it is mathematically impossible for him to win the nomination for his party, doesn't that surprise you? The will of the people has yet to be determined. In an article by Huffington Post yesterday, Bernie Sanders has won 19 of 25 State primaries/caucuses and is only a few hundred thousand votes behind in the popular vote which is a small margin given how many votes have been cast. Both he and Hillary Clinton are tied in National polls for their party. But super-delegates swing heavily in her favor, people who are not bound by the will of voters.
I am equally concerned for the Republican Party. There are no super-delegates in the Republican Party. But there is a faction of political elites that should be equally disturbing to us. When former Presidents and their families publicly state they will not support the candidate chosen by the people at the polls, they are the political elite. When candidates who ran but lost publicly state they will not support the candidate chosen by the people at the polls, they are the political elite. When elected officials publicly state they will not support the candidate chosen by the people at the polls, they are the political elite. Oh they are going to say it violates their conscience or their position is because of their personal integrity...they lie. They are the political elite. They are a part of the class of people in our society who have been controlling the political process for decades. And now someone who is not part of their "faction" is trespassing. They should be ashamed of themselves. Their withholding of support has nothing to do with character. They are spoiled elites who are pouting about their loss of control or they are political candidates posturing in a way they believe better positions them for future elections...or both!
Regardless of how you may feel about any of the candidates in this year's Presidential race, champion and protect the foundation of our political system...a free elective process whereby the will of the people is expressed at the polls. Do not support the political elites who seek to control outcomes and derail the will of voters. Be wise and recognize when media outlets who are supposed to be journalists stop reporting the narrative and begin creating their own narrative. Don't be naive. Both conservative and liberal media outlets are pushing an agenda and that agenda is the profitability of their respective brands. In addition, many of them are just as much a part of this "faction" of the political elites as the candidates themselves.
I'm for a faction free world. I don't want to live in Veronica Roth's dystopian society. May we never stop being these people, which people? "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Pastor Fred
Thursday, March 17, 2016
An Answer to Prayer
Do you remember your first prayer? Not the first time you memorized, "Now I lay me down to sleep..." and not even those meaningful prayers you may have prayed at bedtime as a child. I'm asking for you to recall that first time you cried out to God in desperation. I'm asking you to remember that first time you faced a situation so overwhelming that it exposed the magnitude of your human limitations and left you in a place of frenzied faith for divine intervention. Do you remember that time?
I do. I was eleven. My mom was well into her pregnancy with my brother. I remember my mom being in her room and dad was on the phone calling people on the phone to come to the house. I'll never forget the expression on his face. It is the only time I ever remember seeing my dad afraid. Neighbors came rushing over, mom was helped into a car that raced off to the hospital. They told me and my sister (13) that everything was going to be okay and that we should go back to bed. It was one of those moments as a child when you realized that adults lie.
September of that year my brother was born after months of my mom being on bed rest. I know scores of people were praying that night. No Facebook in 1978, just the telephone! Churches then had prayer chains. You were assigned people to call to notify them of a prayer need whenever you were called...I think all of Varina's phones were ringing that night! I made a call too, my first prayer.
I was in bed crying, afraid, I saw the look on everyone's face. Was that going to be the last time I ever saw my mom? Was she going to die? Was my brother/sister going to die? I found my prayer voice that night. And although my prayer life went through what should probably be referred to as the silent years during the debauchery of my high school and college life, that first prayer has now become a life of prayer. And God answered.
As I was praying for North Riverside Baptist Church on Wednesday, March 16th for their impending vote to invite City Life to join them at their church here on 311 Selden Road, God reminded me of that night in 1978. Faith builds in our hearts when we recall the times from our past when God heard our cry! Think of all the times God has intervened on your behalf! Think of all the answers to prayer God has graciously given to you! Think of all the times you have posted on Facebook, called a friend, shared at church, cried with your family...because of an answer to prayer!
But what if you could be an answer to prayer for God? What would that be like? Even though we call Matthew 6:9-13 The Lord's Prayer, this is really our prayer. This is Jesus teaching us to pray. But Jesus does have a prayer. But that prayer is in John 17. Look at verses 20 and 21. Jesus says this prayer is for us, for all future Christians. And what does He pray? In verse 21 He prays for unity. City Life has a vision for multi-church campuses for one central reason. We want to be an answer to Jesus' prayer just as He is so often an answer to ours! When NRBC voted in the affirmative last night, Jesus pointed at 311 Selden Road and told all of Heaven that another room full of Godly people answered His prayer!
I know there will be dissenters. There will always be people who are not able to see past their own superficial, personal preferences...people who only ever want answers to prayer but never willing to make the kind of sacrifices necessary to be an answer to prayer, not even for Jesus. I love how this decision for City Life to join NRBC and form a new multi-church campus here in the 757 is just weeks before Easter as we celebrate Jesus' greatest of sacrifices! It's never wrong to question. It's never wrong to be honest about your concerns. It's never wrong to share your fears, your reluctance. But God expects us to work through the reaction that comes from our humanity and feel the eternal part of who we are deep within beginning to resonate with the call of the Holy Spirit within us saying, "Be an answer to Jesus' prayer!"
City Life has never had 24/7 access to a facility before. We have never had a campus where all of our operations were in one central location. I believe God is going to give some of you dreams for new ministries, dreams that are going to be possible now because there is a place for those ministries to begin. For example, we have never been able to do conference type ministry that starts on a Friday night and culminates with our Saturday night service. We've dreamed for years of encounter type weekends where people can come for extended times of prayer and worship. How about being able to baptize people...during our weekend worship service!
There is triple the parking capacity here compared to The Mosaic and a building with endless classroom space, phenomenal nursery, youth rooms, a commercial kitchen, and a fellowship hall that can accommodate our entire campus. The sanctuary can seat 400 people which means our NN Campus can double in size. There is also a budget to renovate the existing chapel for our weekly youth service on Wednesday nights! I know from the picture I posted to Facebook yesterday of the existing sanctuary you see a worship space that is quite different from what you are accustomed to seeing on Saturday nights. But once the renovation is complete which includes $70,000 in theatrical lighting, a stage redesign, $20,000 in sound upgrades, and all the technicals support systems necessary to provide a modern worship experience, you are going to fall in love with this sanctuary!
Jesus prayed. Will you be an answer to prayer?
Pastor Fred
I do. I was eleven. My mom was well into her pregnancy with my brother. I remember my mom being in her room and dad was on the phone calling people on the phone to come to the house. I'll never forget the expression on his face. It is the only time I ever remember seeing my dad afraid. Neighbors came rushing over, mom was helped into a car that raced off to the hospital. They told me and my sister (13) that everything was going to be okay and that we should go back to bed. It was one of those moments as a child when you realized that adults lie.
September of that year my brother was born after months of my mom being on bed rest. I know scores of people were praying that night. No Facebook in 1978, just the telephone! Churches then had prayer chains. You were assigned people to call to notify them of a prayer need whenever you were called...I think all of Varina's phones were ringing that night! I made a call too, my first prayer.
I was in bed crying, afraid, I saw the look on everyone's face. Was that going to be the last time I ever saw my mom? Was she going to die? Was my brother/sister going to die? I found my prayer voice that night. And although my prayer life went through what should probably be referred to as the silent years during the debauchery of my high school and college life, that first prayer has now become a life of prayer. And God answered.
As I was praying for North Riverside Baptist Church on Wednesday, March 16th for their impending vote to invite City Life to join them at their church here on 311 Selden Road, God reminded me of that night in 1978. Faith builds in our hearts when we recall the times from our past when God heard our cry! Think of all the times God has intervened on your behalf! Think of all the answers to prayer God has graciously given to you! Think of all the times you have posted on Facebook, called a friend, shared at church, cried with your family...because of an answer to prayer!
But what if you could be an answer to prayer for God? What would that be like? Even though we call Matthew 6:9-13 The Lord's Prayer, this is really our prayer. This is Jesus teaching us to pray. But Jesus does have a prayer. But that prayer is in John 17. Look at verses 20 and 21. Jesus says this prayer is for us, for all future Christians. And what does He pray? In verse 21 He prays for unity. City Life has a vision for multi-church campuses for one central reason. We want to be an answer to Jesus' prayer just as He is so often an answer to ours! When NRBC voted in the affirmative last night, Jesus pointed at 311 Selden Road and told all of Heaven that another room full of Godly people answered His prayer!
I know there will be dissenters. There will always be people who are not able to see past their own superficial, personal preferences...people who only ever want answers to prayer but never willing to make the kind of sacrifices necessary to be an answer to prayer, not even for Jesus. I love how this decision for City Life to join NRBC and form a new multi-church campus here in the 757 is just weeks before Easter as we celebrate Jesus' greatest of sacrifices! It's never wrong to question. It's never wrong to be honest about your concerns. It's never wrong to share your fears, your reluctance. But God expects us to work through the reaction that comes from our humanity and feel the eternal part of who we are deep within beginning to resonate with the call of the Holy Spirit within us saying, "Be an answer to Jesus' prayer!"
City Life has never had 24/7 access to a facility before. We have never had a campus where all of our operations were in one central location. I believe God is going to give some of you dreams for new ministries, dreams that are going to be possible now because there is a place for those ministries to begin. For example, we have never been able to do conference type ministry that starts on a Friday night and culminates with our Saturday night service. We've dreamed for years of encounter type weekends where people can come for extended times of prayer and worship. How about being able to baptize people...during our weekend worship service!
There is triple the parking capacity here compared to The Mosaic and a building with endless classroom space, phenomenal nursery, youth rooms, a commercial kitchen, and a fellowship hall that can accommodate our entire campus. The sanctuary can seat 400 people which means our NN Campus can double in size. There is also a budget to renovate the existing chapel for our weekly youth service on Wednesday nights! I know from the picture I posted to Facebook yesterday of the existing sanctuary you see a worship space that is quite different from what you are accustomed to seeing on Saturday nights. But once the renovation is complete which includes $70,000 in theatrical lighting, a stage redesign, $20,000 in sound upgrades, and all the technicals support systems necessary to provide a modern worship experience, you are going to fall in love with this sanctuary!
Jesus prayed. Will you be an answer to prayer?
Pastor Fred
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Jesus' Costume
I read a post to FB this morning that has inspired me to share an apologetic on why I believe Halloween for Christians is something to consider. I think that if Jesus were here in bodily form, He would be out there with us. Besides, He likes the whole idea of costumes...remember that one time He came into the world dressed like a person? How great was that! And then when He was on the Mount of Transfiguration and Peter, James, and John saw Him without His costume...what a day! I'm convinced too His teaching about what goes into our mouths doesn't defile us. I wish I had better Bible knowledge as a child...I would have shared that text with my parents on Halloween and Easter when they said I couldn't have any more candy!
The post I read had a great point. Let's stop comparing Christians celebrating Halloween with Christmas and Easter. Those aren't fair comparisons. I agree. Although many Christian holidays have pagan influences, Christmas and Easter are now fully Christian. There are no other two holidays more sacred to Christians than Jesus' birth and His resurrection. Even if their origins have to own some fault for pagan assimilation, today those holidays have one focus for us as devoted followers of Jesus...Him! We cannot let the history that is behind us rob us of the opportunity we have to make the history that is before us! And the history that is before us is desperate for devoted followers of Jesus to glorify His name! From someone who has been in pastoral ministry since 1999, people turn their attention to God on those two holidays! I know the Holy Spirit is always working in every life to bring them to Jesus and those two holidays create moments for His seeds to find good soil!
I believe people's reluctance to celebrate whatever you want to call 10/31 is born out of two streams of thought. The first is that it violates someone's conscience. I understand that. We all need to understand that. Scripture is clear in it's division of sin. There are moral issues. Those things that are wrong for all people for all time, without exception. There are matters of conscience which are things that are wrong for one person but not for someone else. The Apostle Paul used certain dietary restrictions as an example of this. Then there are forgoing liberties. This is where the Apostle Paul, on more than one occasion, talks about our need as Christians to forgo liberties if in exercising that liberty we may cause another to stumble in temptation. For example, if you are having dinner with a recovering alcoholic, you should not have that favorite glass of wine with your meal. This is the first reason there is conflict with Halloween, in two ways. The first way is found in the name used. We don't avoid the use of "Halloween" because we are ashamed of our activities. We don't use that name because we don't want to unnecessarily offend. This isn't being politically correct or white washing our sin...it's being sensitive to others which quite frankly needs to be more abundant in the Christian community! The second way is that people who don't celebrate Halloween because it violates their conscience need to be respected, honored, and celebrated. But those same people need to stop trying to justify their abstaining by making this a moral issue. I have a definition of unity I like to teach. Unity is when absolute commonalities transcend relative dissimilarities. We need to agree on absolutes and hold them in common. We also need to agree on what is relative and embrace how we are dissimilar. When we force those things that are relative (matters of conscience and forgoing liberties) into the category of morality, we create legalism. When we force those things that are absolute into the category of relative, we create permissiveness. If you have come out of a background of the occult, some sort of satan worship, or used to get falling down drunk and stupid on Halloween and celebrating that day now in any way, even if your celebration now is wholesome, creates a feeling of conviction in your heart then most certainly, respect your conscience!
This post I read today also used comparison like orgies or naked group dancing around a fire...all pagan practices. That we would not do those things and defend them as Christians. No we wouldn't. I prefer to do my naked fire dancing in private...just kidding! I can't even dance clothed! But just in the same way you don't like unfair comparisons like with Christmas and Easter, neither do we. All those examples in and of themselves are immoral. Sex outside of marriage, sexual immodesty...all of those are wrong regardless of the reason. Halloween for Christians who are celebrating community, having fun as a family, reaching out to their neighbors, using it to tell people about Jesus like we do at City Life...those are all virtuous, noble Christian actions. Just because other people are using this night to celebrate evil does not undermine why we are celebrating. Just because it is historically evil also does not taint the virtuous reasons we celebrate today. If anything, because other people are using this night to celebrate evil is all the more reason we should be out there celebrating righteousness and life fully devoted to Jesus! Those comparisons are born out of a need for people who have a legitimate matter of conscience objection but want to press it inappropriately into the category of morality.
Okay, here is the second stream of thought among Christians about Halloween. As I was reading the Bible this morning, I found myself in Luke 14. The chapter begins with Jesus healing on the Sabbath much to the anger of the religious leaders there. These conflicts with Jesus and the religious establishment were related to what is referred to as traditions of the elders. These were restrictions that were not specifically called for in the Mosaic Law but were born out of rabbinical interpretation. For example, because working was prohibited in the Sabbath, a person with a tooth ache could not rinse their mouth with vinegar and spit it out because that would be practicing medicine and is working. You could however rinse and swallow because that fell under the category of eating. There were limits on how far you could walk...which is why you find in Scripture the phrase "a Sabbath days journey" to communicate distance...people of Jesus' day knew how far that would be, based on these traditional restrictions. Jesus' frustration with the religious establishment was that they viewed God as a God who took pleasure in denial. This same view point gave birth to the failed experiment of Monasticism. Does God have boundaries...yes! But His boundaries are only for the purpose of releasing us into more liberty! Wasn't it Jesus who said in John 10 that He came so we could have life to the fullest possible measure? Many Christians today find an unhealthy fulfillment in denial. I'm all for denial that is virtuous. But I would humbly suggest that many of the people who feel the need to take hard stance against Christian families having fun tonight in an effort to honor God would have complained about Jesus violating the traditional Sabbath, not following washing rituals, parties He attended, and disciples He chose. Liberty is a celebrated virtue of Christianity and one that we must not lose.
I hope this helps bring some clarity to why people can't seem to agree on this issue. We don't need to agree...that is a beautiful aspect of the Christian faith that makes Jesus so very different from the rest!
Pastor Fred
The post I read had a great point. Let's stop comparing Christians celebrating Halloween with Christmas and Easter. Those aren't fair comparisons. I agree. Although many Christian holidays have pagan influences, Christmas and Easter are now fully Christian. There are no other two holidays more sacred to Christians than Jesus' birth and His resurrection. Even if their origins have to own some fault for pagan assimilation, today those holidays have one focus for us as devoted followers of Jesus...Him! We cannot let the history that is behind us rob us of the opportunity we have to make the history that is before us! And the history that is before us is desperate for devoted followers of Jesus to glorify His name! From someone who has been in pastoral ministry since 1999, people turn their attention to God on those two holidays! I know the Holy Spirit is always working in every life to bring them to Jesus and those two holidays create moments for His seeds to find good soil!
I believe people's reluctance to celebrate whatever you want to call 10/31 is born out of two streams of thought. The first is that it violates someone's conscience. I understand that. We all need to understand that. Scripture is clear in it's division of sin. There are moral issues. Those things that are wrong for all people for all time, without exception. There are matters of conscience which are things that are wrong for one person but not for someone else. The Apostle Paul used certain dietary restrictions as an example of this. Then there are forgoing liberties. This is where the Apostle Paul, on more than one occasion, talks about our need as Christians to forgo liberties if in exercising that liberty we may cause another to stumble in temptation. For example, if you are having dinner with a recovering alcoholic, you should not have that favorite glass of wine with your meal. This is the first reason there is conflict with Halloween, in two ways. The first way is found in the name used. We don't avoid the use of "Halloween" because we are ashamed of our activities. We don't use that name because we don't want to unnecessarily offend. This isn't being politically correct or white washing our sin...it's being sensitive to others which quite frankly needs to be more abundant in the Christian community! The second way is that people who don't celebrate Halloween because it violates their conscience need to be respected, honored, and celebrated. But those same people need to stop trying to justify their abstaining by making this a moral issue. I have a definition of unity I like to teach. Unity is when absolute commonalities transcend relative dissimilarities. We need to agree on absolutes and hold them in common. We also need to agree on what is relative and embrace how we are dissimilar. When we force those things that are relative (matters of conscience and forgoing liberties) into the category of morality, we create legalism. When we force those things that are absolute into the category of relative, we create permissiveness. If you have come out of a background of the occult, some sort of satan worship, or used to get falling down drunk and stupid on Halloween and celebrating that day now in any way, even if your celebration now is wholesome, creates a feeling of conviction in your heart then most certainly, respect your conscience!
This post I read today also used comparison like orgies or naked group dancing around a fire...all pagan practices. That we would not do those things and defend them as Christians. No we wouldn't. I prefer to do my naked fire dancing in private...just kidding! I can't even dance clothed! But just in the same way you don't like unfair comparisons like with Christmas and Easter, neither do we. All those examples in and of themselves are immoral. Sex outside of marriage, sexual immodesty...all of those are wrong regardless of the reason. Halloween for Christians who are celebrating community, having fun as a family, reaching out to their neighbors, using it to tell people about Jesus like we do at City Life...those are all virtuous, noble Christian actions. Just because other people are using this night to celebrate evil does not undermine why we are celebrating. Just because it is historically evil also does not taint the virtuous reasons we celebrate today. If anything, because other people are using this night to celebrate evil is all the more reason we should be out there celebrating righteousness and life fully devoted to Jesus! Those comparisons are born out of a need for people who have a legitimate matter of conscience objection but want to press it inappropriately into the category of morality.
Okay, here is the second stream of thought among Christians about Halloween. As I was reading the Bible this morning, I found myself in Luke 14. The chapter begins with Jesus healing on the Sabbath much to the anger of the religious leaders there. These conflicts with Jesus and the religious establishment were related to what is referred to as traditions of the elders. These were restrictions that were not specifically called for in the Mosaic Law but were born out of rabbinical interpretation. For example, because working was prohibited in the Sabbath, a person with a tooth ache could not rinse their mouth with vinegar and spit it out because that would be practicing medicine and is working. You could however rinse and swallow because that fell under the category of eating. There were limits on how far you could walk...which is why you find in Scripture the phrase "a Sabbath days journey" to communicate distance...people of Jesus' day knew how far that would be, based on these traditional restrictions. Jesus' frustration with the religious establishment was that they viewed God as a God who took pleasure in denial. This same view point gave birth to the failed experiment of Monasticism. Does God have boundaries...yes! But His boundaries are only for the purpose of releasing us into more liberty! Wasn't it Jesus who said in John 10 that He came so we could have life to the fullest possible measure? Many Christians today find an unhealthy fulfillment in denial. I'm all for denial that is virtuous. But I would humbly suggest that many of the people who feel the need to take hard stance against Christian families having fun tonight in an effort to honor God would have complained about Jesus violating the traditional Sabbath, not following washing rituals, parties He attended, and disciples He chose. Liberty is a celebrated virtue of Christianity and one that we must not lose.
I hope this helps bring some clarity to why people can't seem to agree on this issue. We don't need to agree...that is a beautiful aspect of the Christian faith that makes Jesus so very different from the rest!
Pastor Fred
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)