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Preview: T.R.U.T.H. IN MINISTRY.org
T.R.U.T.H. IN MINISTRY.org
Are you okay with Obama talking to your kids in school? Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:12:57 +0000 Take a poll:
Where's the Love?--By T. Michael Cart Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:12:19 +0000
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Earlier today, I wrote an article describing the horrible things that a Phoenix pastor has been teaching his congregation. The article is here: This particular case has affected me greatly. I was upset all day. After hearing so many different opinions about this, I was awash in a sea of disbelief. I know that there are elements within the realm of Christendom that have extreme views, but I guess I didn't realize that there are actual Christian people who believe it is okay to pray that people die and go to hell. As if God, the author of the universe, who sent his Son so we could have eternal relationship with him, would be sitting on high, waiting to strike people dead at our whim. God does not do our will. He does his. This breaks my heart. I can not easily explain how I feel about this. It has shaken me to the core. How many of you, out there, believe that God wants you to use the precious and powerful gift of prayer to beg of him your desire to see a man die at your behest and then be made to suffer the eternal penalty? Isn't it more in line with God's character to pray that a person repents and be saved? Does not God wish all of his children to be reconciled to him? President Obama included? Does God exclude people on how we feel about the things they do, instead of the soteriological condition of their souls, which only he can discern? When we were lost in sin, does it comfort us to think that there were people ... Christian people ... who might have been praying for us to die and go to hell? When does that get fun? All of this has caused me to really look closely at what it is we, as true Christians, are about. We can not be about both love and hate at the same time. We simply can not pray for the salvation of some and pray for the death and damnation of others. It does not stand. And I can not, nor will I ever, condone the type of doctrine or theology that allows a Christian to hate another human being to the point of begging our loving creator to murder them and destroy their soul forever. This is not the love of the Gospel of Jesus, and I can not allow it to aggregate, unchallenged. If any of my readers think that this horrible behavior is okay, please ... email me and I will take all the time necessary to help you see why it is wrong.
Of Love and Boats: By T. Michael Cart Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:22:45 +0000
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." How did it come to be that the word "love" in the above scripture has been all but supplanted by other words unappealing and base? There are many: words like "rape", "kill", "molest", "cheat", "control" and "conquer". Indeed, there have been many examples of this in history and in homes even today. More than ever, as our world deteriorates into darkness, true love becomes the salve of our failures as a species as well as the unstoppable weapon against the one who hated us from the beginning. If only we could just get that one thing right. Such a simple truth. This love of the ages, this force that changes lives and destroys despair is not out of reach. The fullness of this love resides within you. Someone, right now, in your life, in your neighborhood, in your line of vision needs to know that such a love is possible...a living and vibrant love that meant for them to be; meant for them to see another day through eyes of gratitude, wet with the tears of victory. Without this love ... all is lost. How will they know us? Is it really by our love? Is it love by which our own friends know us? How would they answer? What of our children? our enemies? The most precious love is the one that costs. I remember a man I had just met tell of his ordeal after the levies broke during hurricane Katrina. He, his wife and several dogs were rescued at the last minute by some random guy in a boat who was going back and forth, picking people up...at great risk to his own life. There were acts of heroism like this happening everywhere. Right there, in the middle of the horrific reality of death, disaster and hopelessness, people loved other people. As he told me this, it wasn't the story itself that affected me as much as the look in his eyes. He couldn't believe that someone would do that for him. To this man, it meant everything. All or nothing. I don't know if the random boat man was a disciple of Jesus or not. But I do know that it was love that made him save all those people. To this day, my friend can't find the random boat man. If he could, he might say "hey, there is the guy who loved us enough to save us." This is the kind of love that changes everything. It is the kind of love that we, as disciples of Jesus, should be known for ... not for how well we can cross the t's and dot the i's and not for how many different ways we can pretend that the world is fine as long as we can hide in church. Change starts with love.
Grace is free, but rent is not Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:48:44 +0000
to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. As I was browsing a major internet bulletin board this morning, I came across an advertisement for a writing gig in the San Diego area that was calling for people to write articles for an upcoming internet webzine dealing with pop culture. The pitch seemed interesting enough. That is, until I noticed that the employer was not going to pay for those writing services. This is actually becoming a more and more prevalent practice in our failing economy. Everyone is struggling in this financial quagmire, true. However, I don't see a ton of job ads calling for waiters, doctors, plumbers, politicians, lawyers and teachers being asked to work for free. Yet, writers, artists and the like are asked to produce a quality job for merely the hope of eventually getting paid or perhaps securing a permanent position. In my opinion, this is predatory and tantamount to theft. As I mulled over all of this, a thought occurred to me: this kind of thing has been going on in the Christian business world for years. In truth, this is nothing new at all. In circles of believers, it doesn't stop with writers, either. You could have any kind of business and, if you are a Christian, there is the underlying expectation that you "hook a brother up". Understand me: I am not saying that freely giving your services to others is bad. In fact, it is quite a good thing. I would, however, like to make the distinction between offering to work for free versus being expected to work for free. In my opinion, this has become a cultural stumbling block in the church. Christians need paychecks, too. I've seen ministries opt not to pay their employees due to financial hardship, but then just use Bible verses to nullify the employee's right to be upset. "Hey, we have to bear each other's burdens, right?" This happens more than you might think. One of the most intensely mind-boggling and beautiful things about grace is that it is free. This is a concept that has befuddled believers and non-believers alike for centuries. In all of Christianity, there is no single area of our faith that raises more eyebrows than does the idea of free grace. Yet, it is always there...able to be received and costing exactly nothing. This is a gift that endures; a gift that changes things. It is a principal, however, upon which the rest of the world does not operate. Believers, please allow others to make their own sacrificial choices and gestures. Don't use the Bible or guilt as a means of extortion. Grace is freely given, not owed. Grace is freely received, not demanded.
More Persecution in Pakistan Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:13:19 +0000
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,536238,00.html I was struck hard, this afternoon, when I read the above article about a family that was killed in Pakistan after allegedly burning a copy of the Koran. In addition, 40 Christian homes were burned in a riot. I was affected so much, possibly due to the fact that just prior to reading the article, I was writing on the differences between Bible translations and the infighting that takes place within Christianity over who has the more "correct" translation. I realized that, as western Christians, we really are disconnected from the realities of Christian persecution abroad. We are wrapped up in "church-world" to the point of near blindness. We obsess over worship styles, doctrinal and legal minutiae, who is wearing what and how often did so-and-so show up for church. We have become a group that seeks the experience of church in a way that we are comfortable with, having little regard for what it really means to suffer for Christ. Every day, people are being tortured and slaughtered for their witness. Every day. I feel that we have missed the point. There are core truths that effect all of Christendom...core truths that should bring us together. Instead, we allow tiny denominational details to prevent us from becoming an effective body that can possibly protect those people that die for Jesus. They died for Jesus, not for Calvin or Arminius. They died for Jesus, not for Luther or Constantine. They died for Jesus, not for the American religious right or the emerging church. The scope of what we are extends beyond our tolerance of rock and roll worship music. It is time for us to grow into our global responsibility as believers. More Christians are going to be killed.
Mad-Dogged By The Holy Spirit--by T. Michael Cart Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:27:56 +0000
Then Saul---also known as Paul---was filled with the Holy Spirit; he looked straight at the magician Have you ever been stared at by the Holy Spirit? It is an experience not soon forgotten. The dividing edge of the Holy Spirit's gaze comes from grandmothers, spouses, preachers, children, the rich, the poor and whomever God chooses. In such a swath of holiness will be found no guile and no element of falsehood whatsoever. In the above scripture, Paul turned those holy flashlights on a magician named Bar-Jesus who had been a friend of the governor of the island of Cyprus. Bar-Jesus had told everyone that he was a prophet. Here's the thing: the governor wanted to hear Paul and Barnabas preach the word of God. Bar-Jesus would hear nothing of it. He opposed them. So, Paul and the Holy Spirit let him have it. Paul's words went like this: "You son of the Devil! You are the enemy of everything that is good. You are full of all kinds of evil tricks, and you always keep trying to turn the Lord's truths into lies! The Lord's hand will come down on you now; you will be blind and will not see the light of day for a time." Now, that's what I call a burn. What I would draw attention to in this story, however, is not so much the events themselves, but rather how they started. Take a look back a bit in Acts 13:4 and we see that it was the Holy Spirit who sent them to Cyprus in the first place. It is almost as if they were just going about their business when the Holy Spirit paged their holy beepers like a couple of Navy SEALS. They were, literally, sent to Cyprus to deal with Bar-Jesus and to perhaps curtail the potential damage that his spiritual poison was about to do. Remember, Bar-jesus had the ear of the governor. Do you know any other "prophets" who have influence on our world leaders today? I'm not saying its a good idea to go call everyone the devil. But I am saying that letting the Holy Spirit speak through you is good. The Holy Spirit, full in the personage and the totality of God, not only convicts and discerns, but also directs and delivers. He calls us out to send his regards; to confront Bar-Jesus and those like him; to make God's truth known without possibility of question. It is the stare that changes minds and melts hearts. It refines and rebuilds. It destroys and creates in a single moment. We were built for this.
Don't Be A Coat-Holder--By T. MIchael Cart Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:03:17 +0000
With a loud cry the Council members covered their ears with their hands. Then they all rushed at him at once, Over the years, one of the most crucial concepts I have tried to demonstrate to my sons is the idea that it is not okay to allow someone to be mistreated if one is witness to it. In many ways, passively observing some injustice or trangression against another is comparable to participating directly. No? Well, perhaps the person who was wronged might say that it is absolutely as bad, if not worse. Many times, the person who watches and does nothing is the person that the victim remembers the most. I often wonder if Stephen, the one who was murdered in the above scripture, saw Saul standing there, holding the coats of the active participants in the stoning. Obviously, Saul would have seen this summary execution and probably agreed--at least conceptually--with the ones who were doing it. Stephen, in that moment, would have no way of knowing that Saul would eventually become Paul, the most prolific and influential Christian of the first century. He had no idea that Saul, who watched him get bashed to death, would make the same claims to the world that Stephen was, now, being killed for. I wonder if Saul heard Stephen ask God to forgive the ones who were doing this horrible thing. But most of all, I wonder if Paul, when faced with his own persecutory death, remembered back to the moment he held the coats and watched Stephen die. I have to assume that Saul, at the time, was invested in his beliefs. He likely also disapproved of Stephen's behavior and his preaching of Jesus. He was Joe-establishment all the way...he was a company man...a willful cog in a massive religious machine. If they said Stephen was evil and wrong, well that was good enough for Saul. Saul believed Stephen was guilty. Do you know Christians who act his way? Isn't it true that some of us feel that there are certain types of people that, well, are outside the normal rules of Christian engagement? Oh we don't say so in public and we certainly won't go on record with it, but it is true regardless. We can orate on forgiveness for hours on end, but how many of us would permit an abortion doctor to be stoned to death in front of us? Would we hold the coats of the faithful as they exact justice and take away God's right to manage his own affairs? When the recent abortion doctor was murdered in a church, how many believers secretly said "Oh well, I guess he had it coming.", in their hearts? This is a problem. Look, say what is right, sure. Preach holiness, yes. Warn of eternal judgement, fine. Speak kind counsel to your brothers when warranted, great. Expose darkness and give God all the credit, absolutely. But, whatever you do...and no matter how learned of the scriptures you become, do not be a coat-holder. Do not allow the mistreatment of others just because the crowd has found them distasteful. We need to have the courage to speak up and face down the surge of the crowd when we realize that they are becoming shrill and unreasonable; having abandoned God's purposes for the satisfaction of their own. Saying and doing the right thing sometimes means rocking the "church-world" boat a little bit.
He Is For You, Not Against.--By T. Michael Cart Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:17:41 +0000 If God is for us, who can be against us" Today is Father's Day. For me, Father's Day comes with a complex mix of emotions and textures. I usually reflect on the previous year as a father and, almost always, I find myself coming up short. By the end of the day, I will have resolved to do better in the coming year. Yet, even though there will always be room for improvement for all fathers, I would like to take a moment and appreciate all of the fathers out there, flawed and imperfect, who are in the active dispensation of their fatherly business, working it out and doing their best. You are brilliant. Your sacrifice means something. Your work and your efforts will produce good things in the lives of your children. You are worth it. You are good enough. Remember, God is for you and, likewise, you are for your children. God is our collective father. He is for us. No matter what mistakes we make or how many expectations we do not meet, he is for us. He is for us, like the father is for the prodigal son; always watching the road intently...waiting for his son to return. And though he will correct us from time to time, he is still on our side. Be encouraged. You can do it. You are more capable than you realize. God chose you for this job. You may not see the immediate results of all that you do and, at times, you may feel unappreciated by children, spouses and others. That is okay. You can handle it. You are a father; a symbol of stability and strength. God is for you, not against. Pass it down.
T.R.U.T.H. IN MINISTRY Book Review by Naomi Silva "Davennomi" (Amazon.com) Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:27:28 +0000 This book is simple yet profound. It absolutely speaks the "truth" regarding what our focus as Followers of Jesus should be. Of course that focus is so much more than just going to church, or it should be. Unfortunately we all are vunerable to becoming "churched" and losing sight of our call. This book is a great tool to strip it all down to what is important. And that is being teachable, reachable, unoffendable, tangible and honorable. Simply put to follow the example of Jesus! This book is not so much like reading a book as it is like sitting down across the table from a good friend and having a encouraging conversation.
Lone Wolves Are Easy Prey--By T. Michael Cart Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:40:36 +0000 for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers. -Proverbs 24:6 I heard somewhere that none of us is as smart as all of us. Generally speaking, I feel this to be true. Yet, the idea of seeking guidance and help in our endeavors sometimes goes against our flesh. It is one thing to say to our friends that the counsel of many is a good thing, and another thing to actually seek it ourselves. If I asked all the lone wolves to raise their hands, would you be among them? Do you have a child, friend or a parent that excessively goes at it alone? True, some people just seem to navigate the waters of life better if they are the only ones with any real input on how the course is plotted. But, then again, once they arrive at their destination, they may likely find themselves in the same situation as when they started: alone. As I continue to look at spiritual warfare, I found it of particular interest that the Bible gives proverbial precedent to the idea that wars are best waged by those who can recognize the value of external guidance and advice. This does not mean that we blindly jump on every advisory bandwagon that comes our way. But it does mean that we position ourselves among those who strengthen and encourage us in our daily battles. Nowhere is this more true than when in the midst of a spiritual struggle. Quiet isolation is the goal of the enemy. It presents an ideal situation for his assault. Quarry that is separated from its kind is a much easier acquisition. I can clearly remember one particular night when I was yet a teenager. I was heading to an all-night coffee session with a friend. As we walked, I noticed three older boys on the other side of the street staring at us. Their ill intent was plainly visible. There would be no avoiding conflict. We attempted to pass anyway, unchallenged. We managed to go a few more steps before one of the boys, a tall one, began to trot toward us across the street. He yelled out in a non-threatening tone "Hey man...can you do me a favor?" Relieved, I replied "Sure." The last thing I remember was seeing the glint of the streetlight reflecting off of the metal clip on his ski glove. When I came to, I was sprawled out on the remains of what used to be someone's fence in their front yard. It had broken my fall and suffered more than a little damage. As my awareness and my vision returned, I saw something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. Standing above me, was my friend. He placed himself between me and my attackers, which were now all three. He was brandishing a screwdriver he had been carrying and fiercely holding them off. Based on the situation and the specific group that the assailants came from, it is safe to assume that, had my friend not been there, I would likely have been the recipient of a much worse beating. Regardless of our individual strengths, experiences or victories, we are all capable of giving ground to the enemy. Sometimes, even when our initial instincts tell us something is wrong, we let our guard down. We are best equipped through the corporate strength of our faith communities. It is how God made us to be; dependant on him, yes, but also finding potency and purpose in the company of eachother. Whatever the situation may be, I want to encourage you to seek out other believers for strength and encouragement in the fight. It makes it difficult for our brothers and sisters to bear our burdens if they do not know about them. Let us stop excluding ourselves from the blessings that we would freely offer others. We, too, need help at times. Its okay. The next time a believer asks us how we are doing, perhaps we could just tell them the truth. You never know, they may know exactly what we are going through. Maybe they need your advice too. [...]
A Friend Like Epaphras--By T. Michael Cart Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:57:02 +0000 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
Do you have an Epaphras in your life? We all could use the kind of devotion and fealty in a friend such as Epaphras. The word says that "he is always wrestling in prayer for you". Isn't that great? When someone tells you that they will pray for you, one of two things will happen; they either will pray for you or they will not. You might never know if they do or not, but I want to assure you that it is a matter of some import. When someone tells someone else they will pray for them, a sacred trust is formed that tests the integrity of the promiser. It is a covenant that ought to receive the highest priority. We have told someone that we will talk to God for them...and if need be...wrestle. Perhaps their situation is grave. It could be medical or relational. To them, it could be the darkest time they've ever faced. We assure them that we will pray for them. We have given them hope; reasonable expectation that we will spend time on their situation. Yet, there is a spiritual connection that now demands attention and time. We made a promise. How important is that promise and do we give it the gravity it deserves? Perhaps we could learn from Paul, who spoke highly of Epaphras. Perhaps it is the simple fact that it is Paul speaking of his friend, rather than Epaphras speaking of himself. In fact, I would go as far to say that Epaphras likely told very few people at all that he would pray for them. I imagine that he simply prayed without ceremony or hype. He probably prayed right on the spot and then continued to pray at other times as well. I believe he prayed when he was sick, well, happy, sad, indifferent or, otherwise, indisposed. He wrestled on his friends' behalf. He wrestled. Amen? I want to encourage all of you, today, to consider what praying like Epaphras really means. It means that we pray with people on the spot, if necessary. It means that we take prayer seriously and that we hold reverence for its function and faith in its promise. It means that we pray for people as if our lives depended on it. It means that our time is spent praying for others, instead of just telling people we will do it. Does that mean that we should not tell people we will pray for them? No. It does mean, however, that we do so with sincerity of heart and a genuine sense of urgency.
Fight Like Lot!--By T. Michael Cart Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:40:10 +0000
Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing." I wonder just how horrified Lot must have been to see every man in town surrounding his house, demanding that he relinquish to them his guests, two angels, so that they could have their way with them. The Bible says that every man was there, both young and old. No doubt, Lot could see people he knew: merchants, neighbors, officials, soldiers and buddies. Sounds like something out of a zombie movie. Indeed, that is exactly what it must have been like. It is the stuff of nightmares; all of your friends and cohorts suddenly converging on your house, ill intended and bent on sullying the truth of God's goodness. Yet, Lot went outside and faced them...pleaded with them. He stood between the army of darkness and the two angels that he harbored in his home. Such a burden. If Lot ever felt alone for a single day in his life, this was it. When he came against them, the crowd reacted with vitriol, telling him that he would be treated worse than the two messengers he was protecting. Lot was desperate and determined. In the center of his being, he had to know that the stakes stretched far beyond the scope of his own life. There was something vastly complex and eternal about to happen that had chosen his front yard as a stage to play out. This was a spiritual battle of unsearchable importance that would ring through the heavenlies for all time. So crucial was this encounter in the annals of humanity, that Lot even offered up his own daughters to the crowd in order to satisfy them. He was willing to pay such a price. But, the crowd would have nothing to do with them. They came for the messengers...God's messengers. At some point, the angels pulled him inside and came clean about God's intention to destroy the city. As it turned out, Lot and his extended family would be offered clemency; a chance to escape. Sodom was lost, but the determination and intercession of one man, softened God's heart and kept an entire army of evil at bay. In our own battles, we must come to terms with the fact that our decisions, prayers and spiritual actions advance the overall war effort in the name of the King. It is never just about our own house. It is never just about our own struggle. It is never just about our own story or legacy. Every time we stand in the gap, determined to come between the enemy and something or someone God loves, we become a sharpened agent of the Most High and, just for a moment, we actually understand the truth of what we are fighting for. Lot saw it too. It is love that holds us fast against the dark tide that surges at our defenses and that seeks our lives and the lives of those around us. It is love that causes us to open the door and abandon safety for the confrontation of ages. It is love that sustains us as even our friends and neighbors desire to see us destroyed. It is love that wins the war. Today, I want to encourage you to fight like Lot. Do whatever it takes. But just remember, you are backed by the author of the universe. Though you stand, at times, seemingly alone, God is behind you and his
Bible Study Battle in Bonita Fri, 29 May 2009 21:06:47 +0000 Apparently, the county of San Diego gets to tell people what they can do in the privacy of their own home.
Context and Confrontation Tue, 19 May 2009 17:01:26 +0000 It is the strangest thing: Lately, I have been put on the spot about the Bible quite a bit from various people. Sure, it happens to all of us from time to time, but for me, more than usual. The overwhelmingly common denominator in these recent encounters, I've found, is the disregard for context when referring to scripture. But, the more I think about it, the more I realize that this is the prevailing posture out there. I can remember a time when I acted similarly toward believers. I spent a great deal of time and energy reading the Bible and reading books that sought to discredit the Bible with the intention of discovering the magic bullet that would hopefully leave Christians speechless and unable to respond, thereby proving that they were wrong. I prided myself on "knowing the Bible better than most Christians". When I would enter into a debate, my purpose was one thing only: to win the argument. As such, I brandished a pre-meditated list of verses I felt to be contradictory, atrocious or anachronistic. Yet, even as I expertly laid out my argument, I gave zero play to context or translation. I simply pulled out one liners and thereby summed up my case against Christianity based on those verses. As long as I could keep the focus on the literal dimension of those scriptures, I would leave the debate feeling bolstered and justified. I win. Here's the thing: my focus was on myself. If you are a believer, this is going to happen to you. It is going to happen to you a lot. It's okay. You can handle it. Here are some guidelines that may be helpful when confronted by someone who wants to engage you in debate over your faith or a particular scripture. 1. Pay Attention. It will not take long to figure out the mood texture of the encounter. The tone of the debate can be dramatically different based on the intentions of the person presenting the challenge. Some people will be genuinely curious about the Bible and your faith. This will likely yield a fairly pleasant experience. Some people will engage you with the intention of refuting Christianity specifically. Still others will care only about the debate itself, wanting to win the argument, giving less regard to the subject matter in question. If you can determine this early on, you will have a better chance of staying on topic and not being manipulated. 2. Check yourself. It is very important to keep a posture of humility during such and encounter. You might help someone to Christ that day or you might not. But, no matter what, you will plant a seed. It is a mistake to focus on being right. If the truth is the truth, it doesn't need us to make it true. Instead, we should focus on being civil, forgiving and non-inflammatory in our demeanor. The seed will remain and if they come to Christ later on, they will remember that we were kind, even if they were not. You can not force someone with a hardened heart to glean the Spirit that resides within scripture. But, we can demonstrate evidence of the Spirit through our actions. 3. If you do not know a scripture, do not pretend that you do. Many people, especially those that specifically seek to discredit the Bible, are very well-read Bible students. There are droves of books and articles out there that point out all sorts of Biblical contradiction, weirdness and miscellany. Most who confront you will come into the conversation with a plan of action. Part of that plan will likely be to catch you off guard by proposing that you explain how a specific scripture could be true. If you do not have the context of the scripture down, then just admit it. You could offer to look it up and discuss it with them or you could contact someone [...]
Witch Children In Nigeria: Spiritual Atrocity Mon, 18 May 2009 23:02:13 +0000 Today, I read an article on CNN.com that completely floored me. It is an article about the witch children in Nigeria. This breaks my heart in two. I can not adequately describe how this makes me feel. It angers and disgusts me that people use my Savior's name to inflict such base atrocity on others; more especially children. This must be stopped. I can not believe that more is not being done about this. This is spiritual abuse to the extreme. The article is as follows: Below is a video (part 1 of 2) that explains a little further. This is an outrage. Please pray for Nigeria and for the children hurt by this twisted attack. This is not Christianity. Jesus would never have condoned this.
End Of The Road--By T. Michael Cart Tue, 12 May 2009 04:24:12 +0000
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. My son walks to school. He walks 2.5 miles to school...each way. When he first started, it was not uncommon to hear him complain about tired and sore legs after he got home. It is quite a distance and he was not all that happy to do it. Unfortunately, our particular family circumstances required it. Now we are almost at the end of the school year. He is still walking. Only now, he does so with ease and confidence. He hardly notices at all. It is second nature to him...no big deal. He actually enjoys it. Of course, he requires more food as a result. Seems like he is always hungry. Spiritually, we can enter a similar dynamic. We can dread doing something that is uncomfortable or difficult. It could be anything: approaching a brother with an admonition, cheerfully giving, denying self, turning the other cheek, forgiving a trespasser or answering a question truthfully, though it may cost us something. What if we could look at the road ahead and be happy that it is going to be a difficult walk? What if we could experience true joy that we are about to suffer or be greatly inconvenienced? What if we could realize, before hand that the testing of our faith meant that it would eventually be strengthened as a result? The funny thing about being tested is that, the more you have to do it, the easier the test becomes. It is always that first step that is the hardest. And, while being tested builds perseverance, there is no guarantee that the trials will ever end. Consider James. When he wrote the above scripture, could he have known that he would be stoned to death in A.D. 62? Probably not. But, his trials led him there, regardless. So how do we do it? How do we come by this ability to face adversity, considering it as joy? Well, there is great freedom in knowing that we are on the road that God set before us...even if that road is rocky and overgrown. By the very fact that we can come to this conclusion, we can also arrive at the idea that God would give us the ability to travel that road, even if we don't think we can. And, even if we cannot see the details of all the hazards that the road may hold, we do know exactly where the road ends. This is joy.
Willing--By T. Michael Cart Thu, 07 May 2009 03:24:01 +0000
... "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." I absolulely love the book of Luke. There is just something about it that speaks to my spirit. I love the way it flows; the way it addresses the supernatural; the way it tells the story that has given us new life. As I was looking through Luke today, I happened upon the scripture above. The phrase says so much. The man who said it was a leper. The Bible says that when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, saying those words. How did the leper know? The Bible really isn't clear. But it could have been that the leper heard about Jesus around town. Maybe he had a friend that talked about him. Maybe he overheard a group of people spreading the good news. Maybe he had been hearing about him for a while. Who knows. The important thing is that the leper found him. The first part of what he said, 'Lord, if you are willing', is beautiful. Why? Because it acknowledges Jesus' authority as well as the leper's humility. Secondly, the man says 'you can make me clean'. He boldly believes that Jesus can do it. His faith is true. He basically says 'Lord, whatever you want, you can do it'. Of course, Jesus says 'I am willing', then he heals him. Jesus is always willing to respond to humility and faith. It doesn't matter how sick we are, how many times we denied him before, how long it took us to find him...he is always willing. Always. Isn't that good news? It is we who are not always willing. It is that willingness that we should pray for. It is like an open hand that leads straight to the heart. Will we accept whatever he places in it?
Carrie Prejean: under fire again Wed, 06 May 2009 05:51:01 +0000 My latest article on Examiner.com article. Pray for Carrie.
Not of My Making by Margaret W. Jones, Ph.D.--A Book Review Sun, 03 May 2009 21:05:00 +0000
Not of My Making, by Dr. Margaret Jones, is the true story of one woman's journey through the realities and consequences of abuse in churches and families. The book engages the reader from the outset, setting the stage for a compelling journey through the perils of abusive church systems from the perspective of a sincere seeker of truth. Spanning the realms of Unitarian Universalism as well as mainstream Christianity, I found Dr. Jones' first hand experiences regarding the similarities in abusive practices between them to be shocking and informative. But if I had to choose one word to describe the work, I would choose the word 'honest'. Dr. Jones writes with an introspective, transparency of thought that is downright refreshing. She writes with fairness and constant self-examination, sharing her humanity and vulnerability. And, while the subject matter creates an immediate expectation within the mind of a potential reader, this is not a church-bashing book by any stretch. For those who are sensitive to it, there are strong references to occurrences of emotional and sexual abuse and a little bit of profanity as well. It does not detract from the book, however; just be ready for it. Even at 400+ pages, it moves forward at a good pace. Overall, this is a good read for anyone who wants further insight into the effects of spiritual abuse. Here is a link to the book's Amazon.com listing: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Making-Margaret-Jones-PhD/dp/098014910X
Letter to Spiritual Abuse Survivors--By Margaret W. Jones, Ph.D Sat, 02 May 2009 04:59:21 +0000 Abuse, no matter, what form it takes: sexual, physical, emotional or spiritual wounds our souls often driving us away from God. After I was raped at age 11 I withdrew from everyone. Five years later finding no solace in attending mass I stopped going and became an atheist. I thought, What was the point of praying. God wasn’t listening. But that left me spiritually empty. My story as told in Not of My Making recounts my spiritual journey away from God and back again. When my children reached school age I returned to church looking to provide them with a moral education. I chose Unitarian Universalism because I believed them to be open and tolerant. Later I was driven out because I wasn’t liberal enough and because I began my journey back to Christianity. I joined a Lutheran Church. Members never saw me as one of them. It was easy for them to force me out a few years later. Why did I turn away from God after being bullied and molested outside the church only to have my faith deepened when I was scapegoated and abandoned by three churches? Perhaps because that was all that was left. Stripped of all my safe havens I came to understand in a way that I never understood before that we all sin. It doesn’t matter what kind of church you attend. At some point, there will be bullying and scapegoating during some conflict because it is the easy way to handle it. People don’t have to change if they can put the blame on someone else. Scapegoating helps to unite people against a common foe making themselves feel powerful and righteous. Like Christ it is the innocent who are expelled. My husband angrily asked me, “Why do you keep going to church? They will only hurt you again.” “If someone is rejected by their partner don’t tell them to stop dating.” I responded, “Rather you tell them there are more fish in the sea and to keep searching.” I have kept searching and to my surprise have found what I was looking for in a theologically conservative church. It is the polar opposite of the Unitarian Universalism Church but close to the Catholic Church of my childhood. I think I am safe there. I urge all survivors to return. Help those sitting in the pews see the harm they are doing to the body of Christ by expelling some of its members. Bring your understanding and compassion to church. Unite with fellow survivors and build better, healthier churches that help everyone grow closer to God. You belong there. Didn’t your ancestors help build the churches and contribute to the financial support of its clergy? Why shouldn’t you go? Church is your spiritual home. Come home and make it a better place for everyone.
Facebook International Influenza H1N1 Prayer Team Sat, 02 May 2009 00:37:53 +0000 Link to a worldwide effort to pray over the H1N1 flu virus situation
Strongtower! Fri, 01 May 2009 01:24:46 +0000
http://www.strongtowermediaservices.com/ It has taken some doing and a lot of God's goodness, but we started a new editorial / writing services company. It is called Strongtower Media Services LLC. It will allow us to engage in our ministries and still pay the rent. We felt a very strong leading to go in this direction. After years of marriage, we finally realized that each of us has one piece of the puzzle. One flesh, one purpose, one victory. Good word-of-mouth would be very timely and much appreciated. God bless you!
Swine flu pre-prayer-edness Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:01:40 +0000 I have been following the development of the global swine flu situation. I wrote this article at examiner.com. We should all pray fervently pray that God is merciful in this matter. Swine flu pre-prayer-edness - It has been confirmed that WHO, the World Health Organization, has upgraded the swine flu pandemic threat to level 4, indicating that the swine flu is now considered to be capable of causing what WHO officials would call 'community level outbre... [San Diego Christian Examiner]
Regarding Christians and Pornography Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:38:08 +0000
I wrote an article at Examiner.com called Church and porn: we are not fine |
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