I'm going to wish you all a Happy Easter today because I will not be blogging again until after Easter has passed. You could say, a blogging fast, to clear the way to draw closer to God.
I will spend the next two weeks preparing my own heart for the Easter message.
May God speak to you in amazing ways this Easter season and may you be reminded of the gift of Jesus!
Happy Easter!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Listen to Him!
In Mark 9, Jesus takes three of his disciples up to a high mountaintop with him. There, Jesus is transfigured before them. A cloud envelopes them and a voice comes from the cloud:
A couple of things stood out for me when I read these verses.
God seems to be just beyond our human senses. We know he's there, but we can't see him, touch him, hear him, etc. But, occasionally God will break through one of those areas and let man experience a piece of him. In the bible, there are examples of people being given a glimpse of heaven (Isaiah and John) or of hearing God's voice spoke directly to them (Moses). What a privilege it must have been for these men, and with that privilege, a responsibility to share with others.
A few years ago, I felt the physical presence of Jesus in a room with me. I had been crying hysterically, distraught over a situation I had no control over, and desperate for these feelings to end. I was alone, not just physically alone, but I also felt I had no where left to place my trust anymore. The people or things I had used as security were breaking down all around me. I was seeing for the first time just how I was staying afloat for most of my life. Hurts had piled up, people had left or abandoned me, and bad decisions were made. When one area failed, a wall went up. I'd try again, put my trust in the wrong thing or person, things would fall apart again, and another wall went up. I was so exhausted from years of holding up my walls up and from trying to control every single situation. And, here I was again. Things were spiraling out of my control, the hurt was going to come again, and panic was setting in.
I stood crying and sobbing, and then. . .I felt a presence behind me, off to the right. I just knew without a doubt that it was Jesus. He came toward me, staying behind me and to the right, and he placed his hand on my shoulder. In my mind, his words came to me, "You can trust me! I am trustworthy. I will not abandon you." I instantly felt peace flow down over me. I calmed down. The fear subsided. I softened. I crumbled. I had lost my need to control everything because someone with much more ability than I had it all under control. I also felt like even if this current situation didn't turn out the way I thought I needed it to, and even if I experienced hurt again, I would be okay this time because I would never be alone again. I knew without a doubt that Jesus was the ultimate source of trust.
This is the moment in my life when I completely surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. Prior to that, I knew who Jesus was, but I had never placed my faith, hope, and trust in him. It became very apparent to me where I was placing those things over the years, none of which were rightly placed in him. I am awed and eternally grateful for his pursuit of me and the great lengths he went to in trying to gain my attention. Once I really saw who he was, and who I was to him, there was no turning back. He had captured my heart forever. God's Son had come down to earth to communicate with me!
I long to experience that kind of intimacy with God again. In my prayer time, I know he's there listening and communicating with me, but not like on that day! That day was special and it may not come again this side of heaven. It sustains me though, reminding me he is always near and in control.
2. God's words, first acknowledged Jesus as God's Son, and he communicates his great love for him. I think God also is bringing to attention his pleasure in the work Jesus is doing, according to God's will.
3. God tells the disciples to listen to him! Not only were the disciples to listen to him, but I think those words are for us today as well. Jesus was sent to lead and to teach and then to become our sacrifice for sin. The words and actions of Jesus are our road map on how to live a life pleasing to God. Who he talks with, who he touches, who he heals, who he is servant to, and whom he is under authority to, are all examples to us. His commands and principles should become ingrained in our own behaviors and demonstrated daily. His attitudes and attributes speak volumes to us about how we should conduct ourselves. We are to obey and model ourselves to be more like him, especially in our hearts.
"This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
A couple of things stood out for me when I read these verses.
1. God came down to earth and made his presence known to the men.
God seems to be just beyond our human senses. We know he's there, but we can't see him, touch him, hear him, etc. But, occasionally God will break through one of those areas and let man experience a piece of him. In the bible, there are examples of people being given a glimpse of heaven (Isaiah and John) or of hearing God's voice spoke directly to them (Moses). What a privilege it must have been for these men, and with that privilege, a responsibility to share with others.
I am comforted reading these examples of God making himself known to the people in concrete ways. It reinforces our belief that God is real. It also reinforces the relational side of God. He comes to communicate directly with us. I am reminded of my own experience.
A few years ago, I felt the physical presence of Jesus in a room with me. I had been crying hysterically, distraught over a situation I had no control over, and desperate for these feelings to end. I was alone, not just physically alone, but I also felt I had no where left to place my trust anymore. The people or things I had used as security were breaking down all around me. I was seeing for the first time just how I was staying afloat for most of my life. Hurts had piled up, people had left or abandoned me, and bad decisions were made. When one area failed, a wall went up. I'd try again, put my trust in the wrong thing or person, things would fall apart again, and another wall went up. I was so exhausted from years of holding up my walls up and from trying to control every single situation. And, here I was again. Things were spiraling out of my control, the hurt was going to come again, and panic was setting in.
I stood crying and sobbing, and then. . .I felt a presence behind me, off to the right. I just knew without a doubt that it was Jesus. He came toward me, staying behind me and to the right, and he placed his hand on my shoulder. In my mind, his words came to me, "You can trust me! I am trustworthy. I will not abandon you." I instantly felt peace flow down over me. I calmed down. The fear subsided. I softened. I crumbled. I had lost my need to control everything because someone with much more ability than I had it all under control. I also felt like even if this current situation didn't turn out the way I thought I needed it to, and even if I experienced hurt again, I would be okay this time because I would never be alone again. I knew without a doubt that Jesus was the ultimate source of trust.
This is the moment in my life when I completely surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. Prior to that, I knew who Jesus was, but I had never placed my faith, hope, and trust in him. It became very apparent to me where I was placing those things over the years, none of which were rightly placed in him. I am awed and eternally grateful for his pursuit of me and the great lengths he went to in trying to gain my attention. Once I really saw who he was, and who I was to him, there was no turning back. He had captured my heart forever. God's Son had come down to earth to communicate with me!
I long to experience that kind of intimacy with God again. In my prayer time, I know he's there listening and communicating with me, but not like on that day! That day was special and it may not come again this side of heaven. It sustains me though, reminding me he is always near and in control.
2. God's words, first acknowledged Jesus as God's Son, and he communicates his great love for him. I think God also is bringing to attention his pleasure in the work Jesus is doing, according to God's will.
3. God tells the disciples to listen to him! Not only were the disciples to listen to him, but I think those words are for us today as well. Jesus was sent to lead and to teach and then to become our sacrifice for sin. The words and actions of Jesus are our road map on how to live a life pleasing to God. Who he talks with, who he touches, who he heals, who he is servant to, and whom he is under authority to, are all examples to us. His commands and principles should become ingrained in our own behaviors and demonstrated daily. His attitudes and attributes speak volumes to us about how we should conduct ourselves. We are to obey and model ourselves to be more like him, especially in our hearts.
May we all have a desire to know Jesus and to be like him so that when he comes back, he will say to us, and to the Father, that he knew us, and we knew him, and eternal life will be our reward!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Who Knows Best?
The second coming of Jesus Christ will not happen until the full number of Gentiles has come in (see Romans 11:25)
Be fruitful and multiply! God said this many times in the bible. I've often wondered what kind of impact birth control and family planning has on the christian life, if any. I've always had a conflict with God telling us to have children and the world telling us in a sense, not to. After reading the Romans verse above, I clearly saw the impact.
When believing parents have children, and raise them to come to a saving belief on their own, they are adding to the full number of Gentiles that must come in before Jesus will return. Also, the more workers (believers) available, the more work (proclaiming) will be done. Parents who follow God's command to have children are hastening the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
On the flip side, believing parents who neglect to follow God's directive in this area, in a sense by saying they know better, are quite possibly slowing down the return of our Lord.
I would say that Satan knows full well this impact, too. The longer Christ stays away, the longer Satan has to play around and try to control the world and exert his power in it. He knows what his fate will be upon Christ return. It's easy to see Satan's hand in the area of abortion, but have we ever considered his hand in the area of birth control and family planning? Isn't that the same old deceptive lie that he always likes to get us to believe. The lie that says we know better than God what is good for us. The lie that gets us to go outside of God's will for us. Satan is very aware of the benefit to him in all he does. We need to be more aware of his tactics and the impacts.
I know as believers, we wait in hopeful anticipation for the promise of Christ return to be fulfilled. We pray for His peace to come, for his judgement to take place, for things to be restored to their original glory. We want it to come now! We want relief from this world today! We are aliens here and we want to be gathered home in Christ!
And, yet, we may have inadvertently delayed the glorious coming of Christ because of the decisions we made in our narrow and limited capacity to understand God's story and our role in it!
There is so much we don't know and don't understand. Isn't is nice though that there's someone who does (God)? We should learn to better trust that He really does know what is best for us and give control of our Spirit over to Him in all things.
God's Story
Do you know that the Old Testament feasts were a rehearsal of things yet to come?
Our weekly small group listened to a sermon (on tape) by a Pastor in Michigan on how the Old Testament feast were a prelude to the New Testament fulfillment and what is still yet to come.
It was really amazing to see God's story so beautifully intertwined and laid out for us. Such details! I was in complete awe of the Lord and really humbled in the fact that this is really God's story. We have been given the great privilege of playing a part in His story. To understand the privilege He has given us is beyond what I can comprehend!
I'd like to share my notes I took while listening to the tape. Please remember, I am not a scholar, just a regular person, and this is just what I took from the message. (black=N.T and Red=O.T.)
____________________________________________________________________
In the four days prior to Jesus death, he was questioned and interrogated by the Jewish leaders, the people in town for the passover celebration, and the Roman rulers, all who were trying to find fault in him. Remember, none was found. This compares to the Passover lamb of the OT which was to be selected on the 10th day and kept in the home until the 14th day and was to be without blemish (found perfect).
Jesus died on the cross at 3 PM the day after the Passover celebration. The Passover lamb was to be slaughter at twilight (3 PM in the Hebrew day).
Jesus was buried. The Israelites are allowed to leave Egypt the day after they celebrated the Passover supper. (In the Hebrew week, the new day starts the night before, not the morning of.)
Jesus was buried for 3 days. The Israelites traveled for 3 days in the desert before arriving at the Red Sea.
On the 3rd day Jesus was raised from the dead, breaking the bondage of sin over all people. On the 3rd day God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites safely passed through. The Egyptians were all drowned in the sea. The fact that the Egyptians all died was necessary in breaking the bond of slavery the Egyptians had over the Israelites. If the Egyptians would have lived, the Israelites would have still be enslaved to the Egyptians. They would have had a claim to them.
50 days after the death of Jesus, Pentecost takes place. 50 days after the first Passover, God gives Moses the 10 Commandments.
Jesus death, resurrection, ascension, and, giving of the Holy Spirit to convict us all happen according to the Spring Festivals that God had already established. (May have missed some - it was hard to take notes as fast as he was talking) Cool, huh! So, Jesus came to us the first time during the Spring Harvest.
Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.
This verse says Jesus will come in both the winter and spring rains. If, His first coming is compared to the Spring festivals, then His second coming will be comparative to the Fall Festivals.
The first Fall Festival is the The Blowing of the Trumpet - Day of Judgement. It is prophesied that the second coming of Jesus will be announced with a trumpet.
The second Fall Festival is the Day of Atonement. It is prophesied that on this day Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. Those who knew Jesus are the sheep. Those who did not know Him are the goats.
The third Fall Festival is the Feast of the Tabernacles. The Israelites were to live in tents together during this feast and celebrate to the Lord. This represents God dwelling with man on earth.
If Jesus first came to earth during the Spring Festival or often called the Spring Harvest season, and He will come again during the Fall Harvest season, then we are currently living in the Summer Harvest.
Matthew 9:37 Then he said to the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Do we see the harvest work that must be done?
Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
____________________________________________________________________
Christians - We have a job to do. We have a role in this story. When we share Jesus with others, we are adding to the harvest, to the full number of Gentiles. If we lead someone to Christ, and they accept Christ as their Savior, is that the last one? Is that the full number for the harvest?
The Pastor said this:
We live in a hurting and lost world.
We know where healing and new life can be found- in Jesus.
We can transform the world, and bring complete peace and healing to it, by helping to bring on the second coming of Christ! By adding to the harvest, by reaching the full number.
Wow! We have a role in God's story!
We can hasten Jesus' second coming by doing the work He called us to do- telling others about him!
Too often we make our christian life about standing up for a principle, or a practice, or a belief. I'm just as guilty as the next. But, we're getting it all wrong! It's not about us! It's not about what we know, what we do, how we do it, when we do it, or who does it. It's about God - it's about what He has done and what He is going to do - it's about what He wants to do in us, and in others - it's about what role He has made for us to do in His Story!
This lesson reminded me, and I hope I never forget again, that this is His story, not mine!
Our weekly small group listened to a sermon (on tape) by a Pastor in Michigan on how the Old Testament feast were a prelude to the New Testament fulfillment and what is still yet to come.
It was really amazing to see God's story so beautifully intertwined and laid out for us. Such details! I was in complete awe of the Lord and really humbled in the fact that this is really God's story. We have been given the great privilege of playing a part in His story. To understand the privilege He has given us is beyond what I can comprehend!
I'd like to share my notes I took while listening to the tape. Please remember, I am not a scholar, just a regular person, and this is just what I took from the message. (black=N.T and Red=O.T.)
____________________________________________________________________
In the four days prior to Jesus death, he was questioned and interrogated by the Jewish leaders, the people in town for the passover celebration, and the Roman rulers, all who were trying to find fault in him. Remember, none was found. This compares to the Passover lamb of the OT which was to be selected on the 10th day and kept in the home until the 14th day and was to be without blemish (found perfect).
Jesus died on the cross at 3 PM the day after the Passover celebration. The Passover lamb was to be slaughter at twilight (3 PM in the Hebrew day).
Jesus was buried. The Israelites are allowed to leave Egypt the day after they celebrated the Passover supper. (In the Hebrew week, the new day starts the night before, not the morning of.)
Jesus was buried for 3 days. The Israelites traveled for 3 days in the desert before arriving at the Red Sea.
On the 3rd day Jesus was raised from the dead, breaking the bondage of sin over all people. On the 3rd day God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites safely passed through. The Egyptians were all drowned in the sea. The fact that the Egyptians all died was necessary in breaking the bond of slavery the Egyptians had over the Israelites. If the Egyptians would have lived, the Israelites would have still be enslaved to the Egyptians. They would have had a claim to them.
50 days after the death of Jesus, Pentecost takes place. 50 days after the first Passover, God gives Moses the 10 Commandments.
Jesus death, resurrection, ascension, and, giving of the Holy Spirit to convict us all happen according to the Spring Festivals that God had already established. (May have missed some - it was hard to take notes as fast as he was talking) Cool, huh! So, Jesus came to us the first time during the Spring Harvest.
Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.
This verse says Jesus will come in both the winter and spring rains. If, His first coming is compared to the Spring festivals, then His second coming will be comparative to the Fall Festivals.
The first Fall Festival is the The Blowing of the Trumpet - Day of Judgement. It is prophesied that the second coming of Jesus will be announced with a trumpet.
The second Fall Festival is the Day of Atonement. It is prophesied that on this day Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. Those who knew Jesus are the sheep. Those who did not know Him are the goats.
The third Fall Festival is the Feast of the Tabernacles. The Israelites were to live in tents together during this feast and celebrate to the Lord. This represents God dwelling with man on earth.
If Jesus first came to earth during the Spring Festival or often called the Spring Harvest season, and He will come again during the Fall Harvest season, then we are currently living in the Summer Harvest.
Matthew 9:37 Then he said to the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Do we see the harvest work that must be done?
Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
____________________________________________________________________
Christians - We have a job to do. We have a role in this story. When we share Jesus with others, we are adding to the harvest, to the full number of Gentiles. If we lead someone to Christ, and they accept Christ as their Savior, is that the last one? Is that the full number for the harvest?
The Pastor said this:
We live in a hurting and lost world.
We know where healing and new life can be found- in Jesus.
We can transform the world, and bring complete peace and healing to it, by helping to bring on the second coming of Christ! By adding to the harvest, by reaching the full number.
Wow! We have a role in God's story!
We can hasten Jesus' second coming by doing the work He called us to do- telling others about him!
Too often we make our christian life about standing up for a principle, or a practice, or a belief. I'm just as guilty as the next. But, we're getting it all wrong! It's not about us! It's not about what we know, what we do, how we do it, when we do it, or who does it. It's about God - it's about what He has done and what He is going to do - it's about what He wants to do in us, and in others - it's about what role He has made for us to do in His Story!
This lesson reminded me, and I hope I never forget again, that this is His story, not mine!
All glory and honor and praise be unto Him!!!!
Go, be an effective, focused, and purposeful servant in the harvest of souls for the glory of God!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Be Of One Mind
When we stop listening,
when we stop trying to understand,
when we stop being on the same side,
Then, we begin to divide.
Our focus starts to shift to ourselves,
our opinions become more important,
our pride is on the line.
We fail to see what God wants us to see,
we forget to search for His truth,
we neglect to put on his attitude,
we stop walking in his ways.
Satan is very happy when Christ's followers
begin to put more emphasis on right believing,
than on right disciplines.
If we are in God's Word daily,
if we are praying for wisdom and understanding,
if we are making an effort to be Christ like in our dealings with others,
if we are making an effort to draw near to Him,
THEN,
He will draw near to us.
He will speak His truth to us,
He will convict our hearts,
He will lead us,
He will teach us,
He will guide us,
and keep us until the end.
It's not up to you,
or to me,
or to anyone else.
We are God's agents only,
He does the work in us!
We are to teach the spiritual disciplines
so that we may draw near to God,
and He will teach us right belief.
We are to be of one mind,
God's mind,
and that only happens when we seek Him first,
and He places his word in our hearts.
Lord, we struggle everyday to love each other and to walk in your ways. Forgive us for all the ways we fail you. Please strengthen our desire to draw near to you, and may you continue to reveal yourself to us. We trust your will be done!
when we stop trying to understand,
when we stop being on the same side,
Then, we begin to divide.
Our focus starts to shift to ourselves,
our opinions become more important,
our pride is on the line.
We fail to see what God wants us to see,
we forget to search for His truth,
we neglect to put on his attitude,
we stop walking in his ways.
Satan is very happy when Christ's followers
begin to put more emphasis on right believing,
than on right disciplines.
If we are in God's Word daily,
if we are praying for wisdom and understanding,
if we are making an effort to be Christ like in our dealings with others,
if we are making an effort to draw near to Him,
THEN,
He will draw near to us.
He will speak His truth to us,
He will convict our hearts,
He will lead us,
He will teach us,
He will guide us,
and keep us until the end.
It's not up to you,
or to me,
or to anyone else.
We are God's agents only,
He does the work in us!
We are to teach the spiritual disciplines
so that we may draw near to God,
and He will teach us right belief.
We are to be of one mind,
God's mind,
and that only happens when we seek Him first,
and He places his word in our hearts.
Lord, we struggle everyday to love each other and to walk in your ways. Forgive us for all the ways we fail you. Please strengthen our desire to draw near to you, and may you continue to reveal yourself to us. We trust your will be done!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Economy
How is the economy affecting you?
Layoffs, loss of health insurance, loss of retirement savings, and loss of security. The list goes on and on for a lot of people in our area, including some of our own family members recently. It's beginning to be hard to ignore the affects as real and it's saddening to see so much worry.
Hope in God's provision and care is more important than ever. We, as believers, have huge opportunities to bring hope to others right now. You will not have far to look to find someone needing to hear the gospel message or to be reminded of it these days.
Stay rooted in God's word and in his promises. Remember, the ways in which the Lord has come through for you before and trust that he will again.
Layoffs, loss of health insurance, loss of retirement savings, and loss of security. The list goes on and on for a lot of people in our area, including some of our own family members recently. It's beginning to be hard to ignore the affects as real and it's saddening to see so much worry.
Hope in God's provision and care is more important than ever. We, as believers, have huge opportunities to bring hope to others right now. You will not have far to look to find someone needing to hear the gospel message or to be reminded of it these days.
Stay rooted in God's word and in his promises. Remember, the ways in which the Lord has come through for you before and trust that he will again.
Who's Position?
We tend to see our own position, rather than God's!
This is a quote I pulled out of this week's lesson from The Truth Project because it made a big impact on me.
In the video lesson, Del Tackett, shared a college football story with us. He said he was at a championship college football game and in the last few seconds of the game, the opposing team threw a pass into the end zone. Immediately, all of the opposing fans stood up, threw their arms up into air, and yelled TOUCHDOWN! In contrast, the home team fans, in the same instance stood up, waved their arms out in front of them, and yelled NO GOOD!
Del wanted to know how all of these people, having just saw the same play, could come to two completely different conclusions of what had just taken place. Then, he related this to how we respond to life by saying, "We tend to see our own position, rather than God's." I wrote the words in my notebook because I could see how often I did this in my own life.
This simple quote can explain our actions in many different circumstances. It explains why we spend money the way we do, why we get divorced, why we use birth control, why we convince ourselves abortion is okay, why we steal from others, why we disobey our parents, why we argue with our spouses, why we seek out our own needs instead of helping others, etc. We tend to view our decisions based on our own position, on our own limited view or perspective.
We have an all knowing, all seeing, all powerful God who has a much broader, much bigger perspective than we could ever come close to having. We cannot understand what God knows or sees because we are nothing compared to him. But, it's that lack of understanding that tells us we must trust in ourselves and what we know. We make decisions based on our limited knowledge of the situation. And, we always get it wrong, don't we?
Imagine how different our choices would be if we asked for God's perspective, God's knowledge, and God's direction in every situation! Imagine if we really trusted God to have all the right answers because he sees the bigger picture that we can't! Imagine the blessings we throw away because we didn't look to God for the direction to proceed or the damage we create because of the path we chose.
I know I've screwed up in this area tons of times in my life. I can see the results of my decisions outside of God's plan, and they're not good. Knowing me, I'll probably make many more decisions based on my position, rather than God's - but I hope not! I hope I can get over myself and really trust in the Lord I KNOW is that big! I hope you can, too!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Spring in Wisconsin
Spring?
We finally have fifty degree weather with sixties promised for tomorrow. The snow is melting and water is everywhere but it's finally nice enough to go outside.
Under the melting snow are the piles of dog poop our Golden Retriever, Katie has left us through the winter. Actually, we did have a melting last month in which we cleaned up the majority of the winter's droppings, so this time it's only about a months worth. Not too bad.
The dreaded red wing blackbirds are starting to appear. I have a fear of birds today because red wing black birds tormented me as a kid. In an effort to protect their nest, which they always created by the creek that ran past our house, they would swoop down at me whenever I rode my bike or jogged across the bridge on our road. One time, one even touched the top of my head in it's terrifying swoop. I never pedaled so fast in all my life! For a long time after that, I would ride my bike all the way around the country block to avoid crossing that bridge. It took me much longer to get uptown but I wasn't petrified in the process.
I remember making lots of rivers and dams with the melting snow water as a kid. We'd take sticks and dig out little lagoons and rivers for the water to travel in. It was always so cool to watch how the water would run, where it would bend, and how it would reshape the landscape. I guess that's where I learned about the power that water has, kid's curiosity and experimentation. As I walk around town today and see all the opportunities for exploration, I wish I was still a kid so I could play like that again. I guess since I have a seventeen month old daughter, I still have an excuse to play like that. I just have to get her interested in it.
Spring cleaning will happen soon, both garage and house. I will be able to hang clothes on the line again and begin to plan my garden although we can't actually plant for another month or two yet.
I'm sure we in for some cold days yet and the nights are still in the thirties but it is nice to know Spring is just around the corner.
Have a great day!
We finally have fifty degree weather with sixties promised for tomorrow. The snow is melting and water is everywhere but it's finally nice enough to go outside.
Under the melting snow are the piles of dog poop our Golden Retriever, Katie has left us through the winter. Actually, we did have a melting last month in which we cleaned up the majority of the winter's droppings, so this time it's only about a months worth. Not too bad.
The dreaded red wing blackbirds are starting to appear. I have a fear of birds today because red wing black birds tormented me as a kid. In an effort to protect their nest, which they always created by the creek that ran past our house, they would swoop down at me whenever I rode my bike or jogged across the bridge on our road. One time, one even touched the top of my head in it's terrifying swoop. I never pedaled so fast in all my life! For a long time after that, I would ride my bike all the way around the country block to avoid crossing that bridge. It took me much longer to get uptown but I wasn't petrified in the process.
I remember making lots of rivers and dams with the melting snow water as a kid. We'd take sticks and dig out little lagoons and rivers for the water to travel in. It was always so cool to watch how the water would run, where it would bend, and how it would reshape the landscape. I guess that's where I learned about the power that water has, kid's curiosity and experimentation. As I walk around town today and see all the opportunities for exploration, I wish I was still a kid so I could play like that again. I guess since I have a seventeen month old daughter, I still have an excuse to play like that. I just have to get her interested in it.
Spring cleaning will happen soon, both garage and house. I will be able to hang clothes on the line again and begin to plan my garden although we can't actually plant for another month or two yet.
I'm sure we in for some cold days yet and the nights are still in the thirties but it is nice to know Spring is just around the corner.
Have a great day!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Mission Trip Video
My brother-in-law, along with some of our friends, just returned from their second mission trip to the Dominican Republic. This video is their story in pictures of what they saw and did while there. I hope you are moved by their love and their willingness to give of themselves.
Thank you guys for your example!
Blessed are. . .
Matthew 5:3-11
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I may not have been completely sensitive in my previous blog about completing the rice and beans challenge. I chose, maybe incorrectly, to write about how hard it was for our family, instead of writing about the transformation of my heart. So I'd like to do that now.
I don't know why God places some in prosperity and some in poverty, I only know He does. I don't know why I was born here and not in some other land or in another time. However, I do know that it has absolutely nothing to do with me but every thing to do with God's perfect plan.
Up until our church started to focus on the hungry just a few months ago, I did not have an appreciation for my circumstances, nor for the responsibility that comes with it. I blindly lived my life and failed to see my part in supporting others. Through this hunger challenge, we saw our greed. Maybe not like what is going on in wall street lately, but greed nonetheless. We were wasteful in how we spent our money. We paid for things we could just as well have done ourselves. We paid for convenience instead of taking the extra time to prepare from scratch. Things were disposable because we could afford to buy more. I thought is was okay to spend because I had the money. I failed to see that if I spent more wisely, I could offer more to others who don't have.
Now, on my refrigerator is a picture of four young boys holding out empty bowls with the caption that I added that says "It's not fair, God gave you more so you could share!" It serves as a reminder to me that I have a responsibility to others! Everything I have belongs to God and He determines how I should use it. I have not received these blessings just for myself. They are meant to be shared. I am no more special than anyone else in this world. I don't deserve any more than anyone else. If I have more, it's because God intends for it to be shared.
Our family cancelled our satellite TV subscription in January and now allocate that money monthly to sponsoring a child through Compassion International. Mackenson is five years old, and lives in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. We set a family budget for 2009 that reigned in all of our spending areas so we could free up more money to donate or to help others. We are more conscious about God's command to 'love our neighbor' and we are making strides in humility and compassion toward God's people.
I am beginning to see and envy the dependence the poor have on God to provide for their needs. Prosperity hides our connection to God for all of our needs to be met. We begin to think of ourselves as the provider, the one in control. We become independent from God and that sin keeps us from a truly dependent life on Him. The poor have no where else to turn but to a faith in a loving, provisional God who hears their cries for help and who comes to their aid. The poor grow in faith in a way the rich cannot. Wealth can be a curse to those who forget where the wealth came from and that it is all God's.
I've come to realize also that when we go to help someone in need, we, often times are the ones who are helped. We don't see our own needs until we see what we are missing in the heart of someone else. We offer money or physical aid but we receive far more in return. The peace and joy of a Christian in physical need despite their circumstances is something we need to learn. In all things be thankful! In all things have peace, knowing the God that saves, sees you!
God intended a different kind of world for us when He created humanity and the universe. The fall of man in the Garden of Eden brought a curse to the earth that we will live under until God showers in the new heaven and earth. This life is not the life He intended us to live. It is a hard life with many hurts, unfairness, persecution, and oppression! It is a life that demands we help each other! A life that begs us to reach out to those in need, to give up so others can have, to unselfishly share of our time, talent, and money. It is a life that takes all of us, in obedience to God, to persevere until the end. To an end with a great reward - a place to dwell with no more tears or sorrow!
The rice and beans challenge helped our family see our divine responsibility to a hurting world by first breaking us out of our own comfort zones. We had to shake up our world to be available to hear God' calling. We had to depend on Him to get us through that week and in that dependence God showed us amazing things.
Oh, Lord, forgive me for not seeing the world and my place in it the way you see it. Forgive me for selfishly taking, and at times for not even being thankful for your blessings. Give me a new heart! Show me your plan and my part in it! Show me the world through your eyes! Give me mercy and compassion for others. Break my pride and selfishness and replace it with humility and selflessness. Heal the wounds of others and remain near them, always seeing, always hearing, always sending your servants to be your hands and feet! Amen.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Beans and Rice Challenge
The world population stands at about 6.7 billion people.
1.4 billion (20+%) of those people live below the international poverty level of earning less than $1.25/day.
923 million people worldwide are undernourished or hungry.
6 million children under the age of 5 die every year due to hunger or malnutrition.
Our church embarked on a five day beans and rice challenge in an effort to understand the effects of hunger in the world. We purchased 'kits' that contained enough beans, rice, and oatmeal for five days. We could add spices (mainly chili powder, cumin, cinnamon), sugar, and flour. We also made homemade flour tortillas and a fry bread to go with our meals.
Our school aged children were allowed to eat school lunches but had to stick to the rice, beans, and oatmeal at home. I heard the children comment on how good the school lunches were every day. They found a new appreciation for those hot lunches they would normally complain about.
My husband and I really began to understand the variety and choices we Americans have become accustomed. We didn't like the pinto beans supplied in our kit so we went and bought black beans. It was amazing to just see the amount of choices we have in beans alone at the grocery store. Watching TV was hard too because of all of the commercials for McDonald's and other restaurants. Billboards too. Do you realize how many billboards you pass while driving that advertise for fast food or restaurants? It's no wonder we eat out so often! It was little things like that we noticed. Things normally taken for granted.
I thought these simple meals were more time consuming to make. The flour tortillas took over an hour to mix, roll out, and fry one at a time. It took more planning. It wasn't like popping a pizza in the oven and doing ten other chores while it bakes. You had to stay with these. I over boiled every batch of rice, to the point I had to buy new metal drip pans for my stove. The beans, too, overflowed from the crock pot overnight, making a huge mess. Oh, and every bowl of oatmeal exploded in the microwave, too. I was really humbled though when I began to consider a mother in sub-Sahara Africa having first to go to a well to get water, then gather firewood to start a fire, then pound the rice off the plant, etc. in order to make her family a meal. I may have considered it an inconvenience but for most mothers it's a way of life.
We were tired most of the day and it really took a lot to adjust to the portion sizes which were much smaller than we were use to. The kids had to give up after school snacks so there were lots of complaints about that. How do mothers who experience this every day deal with the complaints and real concern of their children's hunger when they too are hungry and tired. I imagine a very hopeless, frustrating situation.
We had over 600 families participate in this challenge. We were asked to calculate our savings for the week from groceries we normally would have purchased and then donate that savings to Stock the Storehouse. Stock the Storehouse is the name we gave the fund for our church. Our donations will be divided among 3 groups of people (local food pantry's, Saharwi refugees, and Haiti). In the first weekend alone we raised over $19,000 and donations are still coming in. My husband calculated that $19K can provide 190,000 meals of rice and beans to others around the world. Awesome!
The idea has caught on in the area in which we live in. Many other churches in the community are starting their own challenges. A local Catholic high school had 200 students agree to participate in a challenge, too. They may even convince the cafeteria to make the beans and rice for them. Isn't that cool? In a day and age with many people worried about their own finances, I think it's extra special that so many are taking the time to consider someone who has it worse then them and to give what they can to help!
There are lots of blog stories posted on our church website at Christtherock.org if you're interested in reading more about the challenge. You may even be moved to start your own challenge. Don't be afraid to do it!
Through prayer ask God to give us his eyes and heart for his people so that we will be moved to help!
1.4 billion (20+%) of those people live below the international poverty level of earning less than $1.25/day.
923 million people worldwide are undernourished or hungry.
6 million children under the age of 5 die every year due to hunger or malnutrition.
Our church embarked on a five day beans and rice challenge in an effort to understand the effects of hunger in the world. We purchased 'kits' that contained enough beans, rice, and oatmeal for five days. We could add spices (mainly chili powder, cumin, cinnamon), sugar, and flour. We also made homemade flour tortillas and a fry bread to go with our meals.
Our school aged children were allowed to eat school lunches but had to stick to the rice, beans, and oatmeal at home. I heard the children comment on how good the school lunches were every day. They found a new appreciation for those hot lunches they would normally complain about.
My husband and I really began to understand the variety and choices we Americans have become accustomed. We didn't like the pinto beans supplied in our kit so we went and bought black beans. It was amazing to just see the amount of choices we have in beans alone at the grocery store. Watching TV was hard too because of all of the commercials for McDonald's and other restaurants. Billboards too. Do you realize how many billboards you pass while driving that advertise for fast food or restaurants? It's no wonder we eat out so often! It was little things like that we noticed. Things normally taken for granted.
I thought these simple meals were more time consuming to make. The flour tortillas took over an hour to mix, roll out, and fry one at a time. It took more planning. It wasn't like popping a pizza in the oven and doing ten other chores while it bakes. You had to stay with these. I over boiled every batch of rice, to the point I had to buy new metal drip pans for my stove. The beans, too, overflowed from the crock pot overnight, making a huge mess. Oh, and every bowl of oatmeal exploded in the microwave, too. I was really humbled though when I began to consider a mother in sub-Sahara Africa having first to go to a well to get water, then gather firewood to start a fire, then pound the rice off the plant, etc. in order to make her family a meal. I may have considered it an inconvenience but for most mothers it's a way of life.
We were tired most of the day and it really took a lot to adjust to the portion sizes which were much smaller than we were use to. The kids had to give up after school snacks so there were lots of complaints about that. How do mothers who experience this every day deal with the complaints and real concern of their children's hunger when they too are hungry and tired. I imagine a very hopeless, frustrating situation.
We had over 600 families participate in this challenge. We were asked to calculate our savings for the week from groceries we normally would have purchased and then donate that savings to Stock the Storehouse. Stock the Storehouse is the name we gave the fund for our church. Our donations will be divided among 3 groups of people (local food pantry's, Saharwi refugees, and Haiti). In the first weekend alone we raised over $19,000 and donations are still coming in. My husband calculated that $19K can provide 190,000 meals of rice and beans to others around the world. Awesome!
The idea has caught on in the area in which we live in. Many other churches in the community are starting their own challenges. A local Catholic high school had 200 students agree to participate in a challenge, too. They may even convince the cafeteria to make the beans and rice for them. Isn't that cool? In a day and age with many people worried about their own finances, I think it's extra special that so many are taking the time to consider someone who has it worse then them and to give what they can to help!
There are lots of blog stories posted on our church website at Christtherock.org if you're interested in reading more about the challenge. You may even be moved to start your own challenge. Don't be afraid to do it!
Through prayer ask God to give us his eyes and heart for his people so that we will be moved to help!
Monday, March 9, 2009
God Sees!
Jeremiah 23:23-24
"Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD, "and not a God far away?
"Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.
These verses were part of a response from God to the prophet Jeremiah who had just poured his heart out to God about the confusing messages being delivered to the people by the prophets in
Judah.
Jeremiah's message was very different from the message of the other prophets in the land. All of the other prophets were telling the people that all would go well for them and that God would give them peace. Yet, Jeremiah's words spoke of coming destruction and death to the land of Judah for their many sins. The people ignored Jeremiah's words, favoring instead the words they wanted to hear. The words that required no action or change on their part. In addition, Jeremiah endured ridicule and hardship for the message he proclaimed on God's behalf.
I think Jeremiah was asking God for an explanation. Why do you have me say one thing and them another? How productive is that?
The text goes on to explain to us that Jeremiah was the only one speaking the 'words of the Lord'. The other prophets were speaking of visions created in their own heads and giving out messages that were falsely being passed off as coming from God. When, in fact, they had never sought the Lord's counsel at all. If they had sought the counsel of the Lord their messages would have been the same as Jeremiah's.
The false prophets were giving the people false hope and preventing them from coming to repentance and change in their life. Jeremiah tried to inform God of the conflicting messages, and the destruction they would bring on the people as a result.
God, however, sets Jeremiah straight. He already knew exactly what was going on and what the consequences would be. He didn't need Jeremiah to fill Him in. The verses above illustrate God's reassurance of Jeremiah that He is a God that sees everything. He is a God that is present everywhere and in every situation. He is a God that will bring justice to all the wrongs of the world, but in His perfect timing.
Sometimes, I get caught up in the false teachings of the world, and feel I need to inform God of what is being taught. Or, I need to ask Him why He is allowing lies to be taught under the guise of Christianity. Sometimes, I think if God only knew what was going on, He'd be so mad or disappointed in us. But in reality, He already knows what is going on. He doesn't need me or anyone else to inform Him.
We can find comfort in the fact that God is aware of false prophets, false teaching, and injustices happening in the world. We don't always understand the plan but we can rest assured there is one. We can trust that God is the ultimate judge and will bring all to justice. He is in control!
"Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD, "and not a God far away?
"Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.
These verses were part of a response from God to the prophet Jeremiah who had just poured his heart out to God about the confusing messages being delivered to the people by the prophets in
Judah.
Jeremiah's message was very different from the message of the other prophets in the land. All of the other prophets were telling the people that all would go well for them and that God would give them peace. Yet, Jeremiah's words spoke of coming destruction and death to the land of Judah for their many sins. The people ignored Jeremiah's words, favoring instead the words they wanted to hear. The words that required no action or change on their part. In addition, Jeremiah endured ridicule and hardship for the message he proclaimed on God's behalf.
I think Jeremiah was asking God for an explanation. Why do you have me say one thing and them another? How productive is that?
The text goes on to explain to us that Jeremiah was the only one speaking the 'words of the Lord'. The other prophets were speaking of visions created in their own heads and giving out messages that were falsely being passed off as coming from God. When, in fact, they had never sought the Lord's counsel at all. If they had sought the counsel of the Lord their messages would have been the same as Jeremiah's.
The false prophets were giving the people false hope and preventing them from coming to repentance and change in their life. Jeremiah tried to inform God of the conflicting messages, and the destruction they would bring on the people as a result.
God, however, sets Jeremiah straight. He already knew exactly what was going on and what the consequences would be. He didn't need Jeremiah to fill Him in. The verses above illustrate God's reassurance of Jeremiah that He is a God that sees everything. He is a God that is present everywhere and in every situation. He is a God that will bring justice to all the wrongs of the world, but in His perfect timing.
Sometimes, I get caught up in the false teachings of the world, and feel I need to inform God of what is being taught. Or, I need to ask Him why He is allowing lies to be taught under the guise of Christianity. Sometimes, I think if God only knew what was going on, He'd be so mad or disappointed in us. But in reality, He already knows what is going on. He doesn't need me or anyone else to inform Him.
We can find comfort in the fact that God is aware of false prophets, false teaching, and injustices happening in the world. We don't always understand the plan but we can rest assured there is one. We can trust that God is the ultimate judge and will bring all to justice. He is in control!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Morality and economics
by Crown Financial Ministries
Americans are being battered by a variety of recent crises and concerns such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. relations with North Korea and turmoil in the Middle East.
Add to that the continuing threat of terrorism, an increased unemployment rate, a rising trade deficit and a floundering economy, and it's no wonder many Americans are concerned about the future.
A survey conducted by the Barna Research Group reported that 65 percent of Americans are concerned about the future, with roughly 74 percent of those citing moral decay in America and in the world as their primary concern.
Economically, with the U.S. economy teetering between recession and slowdown, the financial well-being of a third of Americans is hanging in the balance. People are worried about not having enough money to pay normal monthly bills.
Needless to say, they are living so close to the edge financially that a prolonged economic downturn could put them in a serious financial squeeze. Yet, even though this has the potential of easily igniting a collapse in consumer spending and consumer confidence, it has not.
According to the same Barna poll, although consumers are very concerned, consumer spending has not dropped in proportion. In fact, there has been very little change in the percentage of their income that Americans spend. However, there has been a shift in how the funds are spent.
Less money is being saved or contributed to churches and charitable organizations, and more is being spent on credit card interest, recreation, alcohol, gambling (primarily through state lotteries) and pets.
This shift in spending focus has become especially noticeable in the wake of America's economic slowdown. However it's not a new trend, because there has been a steady and constant shift in spending habits for the past two decades.
God's Word says, "It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).
How can we know if we're being "faithful"? Just as the buyer of a complex piece of machinery studies the manufacturer's manual to learn how to operate the equipment, we need to examine the "Creator's handbook," the Bible, to find out how He wants us to handle His possessions.
Many Christian leaders feel that this shift is directly related to and can be traced back to the decline of America's and the world's moral standards. In fact, many feel that morality has such a direct relationship to economic stability that when moral character collapses the economic ramifications on a nation can be devastating.
The breakdown
A collapse in morals also creates a financial collapse. A generation ago, marriage was the bedrock of family security. Today, 50-plus percent of all marriages end in divorce, and most failed marriages are the result of financial problems or unfaithfulness.
There are more than 11 million single-parent families in America with average annual incomes of less than $20,000 -- below the government's established poverty level.
Since the Supreme Court's 1973 decision that legalizes abortion on demand, there has been an average of 1 million surgical abortions and another 9 to 12 million mechanical and chemically controlled abortions annually.
This has caused a loss of more than 45 million consumers and taxpayers in America since 1973, with an estimated loss of over $430 billion in revenues, salaries and consumer sales, not including the $80 billion spent on medical costs for performing the abortions.
Since the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic -- a disease transmitted by infected intravenous paraphernalia or through sexual contact -- the virus has infected more than 50 million people in the world in the past 20 years. With more than 30 million deaths, HIV/AIDS is the fourth leading cause of mortality.
At the present spread rate of the disease, AIDS patients could occupy 70 percent of the available hospital bed space in America by the year 2010, leaving only 30 percent of the available space for the treatment of all other diseases, afflictions and accidents.
Despite what we know about the health effects of tobacco, Americans are still spending an average of $31 billion annually on tobacco products. In addition, $58 billion is spent on alcohol consumption and $586.5 billion on gambling. Then, on top of that, $250 billion is spent annually on the medical treatment of tobacco- and alcohol-related diseases.
The shift
This steady shift of the spending patterns of Americans has been very obvious in contributions to churches and charitable organizations.
The Barna Research Group reports that since 2000, 78 percent of American adults have contributed to a church, charitable organization or nonprofit organization at least one time. That is down from 90 percent between the years 1990 and 1999.
Sixty-one percent of those giving gave to a church -- also down from 77 percent 10 years ago. However, only 6 percent of adults gave 10 percent (a tithe) to the church, and less than 2 percent gave more than a tithe to such things as offerings, special projects and missions.
Total global church income in 2000 was $12.3 trillion. Of that amount, $213 billion was given to causes such as radio, TV, book publication, counseling and so on. Of the $11.4 billion given to missions, only 5.4 percent went to foreign missions. And 87 percent of that amount was for work among people who were already Christians. That left only 13 percent of foreign missions contributions to evangelize the entire non-Christian world.
Even though money to fund church operations and the Great Commission has declined steadily over the past decade, Americans have annually increased their spending on leisure, hobbies, entertainment, gambling and recreation.
Americans spent $21.3 billion in 2002 on pets -- almost twice the amount given to missions worldwide. Then $224 billion was spent to eat out, $67 billion for frozen dinners, $15 billion on junk food snacks, $25 billion on gardening, $22.1 billion on hunting and $191 billion on personal water craft.
This decline in moral standards and values not only has affected our spiritual and emotional welfare but also directly has influenced our value system, priorities, consumer spending and charitable contributions. Personal and national debt, government entitlement programs and how they are funded, insurance and healthcare, our overall economic well-being and the inability to recover from economic downturns can be traced to the moral decline of our nation.
Time for a heart checkup
It's time that American Christians checked their hearts - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.... No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth" (Matthew 6: 21-24).
What has morality got to do with economics? Just about everything.
This article appeared on the Baptist Press Web site on November 19, 2003.
Americans are being battered by a variety of recent crises and concerns such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. relations with North Korea and turmoil in the Middle East.
Add to that the continuing threat of terrorism, an increased unemployment rate, a rising trade deficit and a floundering economy, and it's no wonder many Americans are concerned about the future.
A survey conducted by the Barna Research Group reported that 65 percent of Americans are concerned about the future, with roughly 74 percent of those citing moral decay in America and in the world as their primary concern.
Economically, with the U.S. economy teetering between recession and slowdown, the financial well-being of a third of Americans is hanging in the balance. People are worried about not having enough money to pay normal monthly bills.
Needless to say, they are living so close to the edge financially that a prolonged economic downturn could put them in a serious financial squeeze. Yet, even though this has the potential of easily igniting a collapse in consumer spending and consumer confidence, it has not.
According to the same Barna poll, although consumers are very concerned, consumer spending has not dropped in proportion. In fact, there has been very little change in the percentage of their income that Americans spend. However, there has been a shift in how the funds are spent.
Less money is being saved or contributed to churches and charitable organizations, and more is being spent on credit card interest, recreation, alcohol, gambling (primarily through state lotteries) and pets.
This shift in spending focus has become especially noticeable in the wake of America's economic slowdown. However it's not a new trend, because there has been a steady and constant shift in spending habits for the past two decades.
God's Word says, "It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).
How can we know if we're being "faithful"? Just as the buyer of a complex piece of machinery studies the manufacturer's manual to learn how to operate the equipment, we need to examine the "Creator's handbook," the Bible, to find out how He wants us to handle His possessions.
Many Christian leaders feel that this shift is directly related to and can be traced back to the decline of America's and the world's moral standards. In fact, many feel that morality has such a direct relationship to economic stability that when moral character collapses the economic ramifications on a nation can be devastating.
The breakdown
A collapse in morals also creates a financial collapse. A generation ago, marriage was the bedrock of family security. Today, 50-plus percent of all marriages end in divorce, and most failed marriages are the result of financial problems or unfaithfulness.
There are more than 11 million single-parent families in America with average annual incomes of less than $20,000 -- below the government's established poverty level.
Since the Supreme Court's 1973 decision that legalizes abortion on demand, there has been an average of 1 million surgical abortions and another 9 to 12 million mechanical and chemically controlled abortions annually.
This has caused a loss of more than 45 million consumers and taxpayers in America since 1973, with an estimated loss of over $430 billion in revenues, salaries and consumer sales, not including the $80 billion spent on medical costs for performing the abortions.
Since the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic -- a disease transmitted by infected intravenous paraphernalia or through sexual contact -- the virus has infected more than 50 million people in the world in the past 20 years. With more than 30 million deaths, HIV/AIDS is the fourth leading cause of mortality.
At the present spread rate of the disease, AIDS patients could occupy 70 percent of the available hospital bed space in America by the year 2010, leaving only 30 percent of the available space for the treatment of all other diseases, afflictions and accidents.
Despite what we know about the health effects of tobacco, Americans are still spending an average of $31 billion annually on tobacco products. In addition, $58 billion is spent on alcohol consumption and $586.5 billion on gambling. Then, on top of that, $250 billion is spent annually on the medical treatment of tobacco- and alcohol-related diseases.
The shift
This steady shift of the spending patterns of Americans has been very obvious in contributions to churches and charitable organizations.
The Barna Research Group reports that since 2000, 78 percent of American adults have contributed to a church, charitable organization or nonprofit organization at least one time. That is down from 90 percent between the years 1990 and 1999.
Sixty-one percent of those giving gave to a church -- also down from 77 percent 10 years ago. However, only 6 percent of adults gave 10 percent (a tithe) to the church, and less than 2 percent gave more than a tithe to such things as offerings, special projects and missions.
Total global church income in 2000 was $12.3 trillion. Of that amount, $213 billion was given to causes such as radio, TV, book publication, counseling and so on. Of the $11.4 billion given to missions, only 5.4 percent went to foreign missions. And 87 percent of that amount was for work among people who were already Christians. That left only 13 percent of foreign missions contributions to evangelize the entire non-Christian world.
Even though money to fund church operations and the Great Commission has declined steadily over the past decade, Americans have annually increased their spending on leisure, hobbies, entertainment, gambling and recreation.
Americans spent $21.3 billion in 2002 on pets -- almost twice the amount given to missions worldwide. Then $224 billion was spent to eat out, $67 billion for frozen dinners, $15 billion on junk food snacks, $25 billion on gardening, $22.1 billion on hunting and $191 billion on personal water craft.
This decline in moral standards and values not only has affected our spiritual and emotional welfare but also directly has influenced our value system, priorities, consumer spending and charitable contributions. Personal and national debt, government entitlement programs and how they are funded, insurance and healthcare, our overall economic well-being and the inability to recover from economic downturns can be traced to the moral decline of our nation.
Time for a heart checkup
It's time that American Christians checked their hearts - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.... No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth" (Matthew 6: 21-24).
What has morality got to do with economics? Just about everything.
This article appeared on the Baptist Press Web site on November 19, 2003.
National Day of Prayer - May 7, 2009
National Day of Prayer - May 7th, 2009
(See link) http://www.ndptf.org/home/index.cfm
The 58th Annual National Day of Prayer will take place Thursday, May 7, 2009. Millions will unite in prayer as thousands of events will take place from coast to coast. The theme for this year is "Prayer... America's Hope" and is based on the verse from Psalm 33:22 which states: "May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you."
I took a group of people to one of the local events in our area last year. I even took my 10 year old daughter out of school for the morning so she could attend with us. She can't wait for it to come around again. Last years' event was a prayer breakfast with Jill Briscoe as the guest speaker. We prayed for our country and for our leaders at all levels of government.
Our nation was founded under one God and He should be our ultimate authority. It is right for us to pray to Him for wisdom in the leading of our cities, states, and nation. It is good for us to pray to Him for the protection and safety of our people. It is our great duty to keep our nation under one God and to be dependent on Him for all things. Imagine all the people of the nation gathered together on one day throughout the country, united in the sole purpose of petitioning our God's will and favor. Imagine the sounds going up to heaven, to God's ears, and imagine His delight in His people who still remember and honor Him above all else.
Won't you join us by finding a local event near you and inviting everyone you know to participate in some way. The website will show you all your options for participating whether it's attending a local event or watching one in the various broadcast medias.
For those of you readers who live in my neck of the woods (Northeast Wisconsin) I invite you to join my group at the Appleton Prayer Breakfast. The guest speaker at this event is Bob Lenz. I've blogged about Bob before because he is such a great speaker of God's love, especially to the youth. This would be a great event to take your pre-teen/teenager kids too.
Appleton, WI Event
http://www.ndptf.org/custom/events/eventSearch/details.cfm?cal_id=10533
What a great tradition to start with your kids who will be the future leaders of America. Why not teach them the power of prayer as a nation, before the world tells them it's not an important thing to do, or before the world takes away the right to assemble in prayer altogether! Our freedoms in the area of religion are under attack and we must take a stand as to not lose them for our future generations.
Shirley Dobson (Dr. Dobson's wife) is the chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. She, along with President George W. Bush, and two governors, are being sued for praying publicly on the National Day of Prayer by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. This is a group made up of atheists, agnostics and free thinkers. They would like to eliminate all displays or expression of faith in the public square and are willing to drag you through the courts to intimidate you into subscribing to their vision of America.
(See link) http://www.ndptf.org/home/index.cfm
The 58th Annual National Day of Prayer will take place Thursday, May 7, 2009. Millions will unite in prayer as thousands of events will take place from coast to coast. The theme for this year is "Prayer... America's Hope" and is based on the verse from Psalm 33:22 which states: "May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you."
I took a group of people to one of the local events in our area last year. I even took my 10 year old daughter out of school for the morning so she could attend with us. She can't wait for it to come around again. Last years' event was a prayer breakfast with Jill Briscoe as the guest speaker. We prayed for our country and for our leaders at all levels of government.
Our nation was founded under one God and He should be our ultimate authority. It is right for us to pray to Him for wisdom in the leading of our cities, states, and nation. It is good for us to pray to Him for the protection and safety of our people. It is our great duty to keep our nation under one God and to be dependent on Him for all things. Imagine all the people of the nation gathered together on one day throughout the country, united in the sole purpose of petitioning our God's will and favor. Imagine the sounds going up to heaven, to God's ears, and imagine His delight in His people who still remember and honor Him above all else.
Won't you join us by finding a local event near you and inviting everyone you know to participate in some way. The website will show you all your options for participating whether it's attending a local event or watching one in the various broadcast medias.
For those of you readers who live in my neck of the woods (Northeast Wisconsin) I invite you to join my group at the Appleton Prayer Breakfast. The guest speaker at this event is Bob Lenz. I've blogged about Bob before because he is such a great speaker of God's love, especially to the youth. This would be a great event to take your pre-teen/teenager kids too.
Appleton, WI Event
http://www.ndptf.org/custom/events/eventSearch/details.cfm?cal_id=10533
What a great tradition to start with your kids who will be the future leaders of America. Why not teach them the power of prayer as a nation, before the world tells them it's not an important thing to do, or before the world takes away the right to assemble in prayer altogether! Our freedoms in the area of religion are under attack and we must take a stand as to not lose them for our future generations.
Shirley Dobson (Dr. Dobson's wife) is the chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. She, along with President George W. Bush, and two governors, are being sued for praying publicly on the National Day of Prayer by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. This is a group made up of atheists, agnostics and free thinkers. They would like to eliminate all displays or expression of faith in the public square and are willing to drag you through the courts to intimidate you into subscribing to their vision of America.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)