Condemnation is the language that sin speaks. Surely the wages of sin are death, but prior to death when the reaper whispers into our itching ears to warn, or even mock the ones he comes for…he whispers condemnation.

He has told me more than once that I am a lost cause, recalling for me the sins of my past or even worse the sins I am still bound to. Lucifer, that mighty angelic creature says to me in the midst of my sorrow…”you will never be enough.” He implores me to work harder for the gain I seek and the glory I long to know. It is a compelling argument for the simple fact I need no reminding of who I am, if anyone should know, it is I. I know my failures and I am deeply acquainted with my sin.

I am foolish then to have listened to the promises of God. To have taken heed of the fact that scripture declares “His grace is sufficient.” That if I were only to confess my sins to God “He is faithful and just to remove that sin as far as the east is from the west.” To have believed that a turning away from sin were sufficient or even possible is foolish talk says the one who cloaks himself with light.

Solutions to life problems are rarely as easy as scripture has laid them out. If life has taught me anything it has taught me that work returns its great reward…and so I work. Work is a good thing and we are commanded to do it, in fact we are told we will work by sweat of our brow. Work…hard work is as valued in our culture as our freedom. One could say that it was due to our work that we have known our freedoms. Satan then uses this to his advantage, advancing the same promise whispered into our ears…work…work…work for your freedom and freedom you shall know.

The master of all deception, Satan’s greatest skill is to take what on the surface is good, what is noble, what is righteous and use it to advance his own cause, creating hostility between the savior and the saint. To whisper into the ears of Gods greatest men the lies he has fathered. If one is to defeat an army of superior strength, one must first weaken that army before engaging it on the field of battle. Now the tactics he employs are coming clear. The work that God has called us to is altogether a different work than that which Satan has bound us to. Satan is calling us to work for peace and freedom from sin in the same way that a man might work for his wages. Hence the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life.

We weary ourselves with work, we tire quickly and quickly we come to the conclusion that the whole thing is a wash. The effort is too great, I will never secure my bounty. We are in a weakened state now and Satan readies his forces for the final attack. It’s here that the secret is exposed that in our weakness we find our strength. We have finally given up the work, willing to sacrifice the wage we hoped to earn. It is here, in our surrender that we can now receive the gift, the gift that reveals the lie. What is done in the dark will be made known in the light and God, the father by whom all good things come down is the father of light revealing to us our peace.  Peace that we shall only know through a full surrender.

God whispers too, and the whispers of God are beckoning men to come, kneel before the cross of Christ and surrender your rights and freedom…it will indeed be the most liberating thing you have ever done.

Lies…Lies…Lies…we are so used to telling lies in our faith that truth appears only as a mirage. Something we desperately try to reach but never quite get there. Scripture speaks to the devastation of a lying tongue…its cost and consequence. We often justify these lies with well intentioned attitudes that reflect our desire not to hurt or offend others.

In time we also come to believe the lies we tell. Has it not dawned on us that Satan himself has fathered these lies. In fact scripture tells us that Satan is the father of all lies. It is equally true however that while Satan is the father of all lies, God himself is the father of all lights, a father from which all good things have come.

What is the difference and what connection can be made between the father of all lies and the father of lights? Why does scripture tell us that all good things come from the father of lights? How are the gifts and the light connected?

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, yet darkness covered the face of the deep. So what did God do next? He created the light and after observing the light God said it is good. Light is good…Why? Simple: You see without light we as a people would have no vision and where there is no vision the people perish. Therefore light is good because light gives us vision. It stands to reason then that vision is equally good for that was the purpose of the light.

Why then is vision important? So that we as a fallen people living in a fallen world could make a distinction between that which is good and that which is not. For it is by vision that we see the heavens declaring his Glory, and we can say that it is good-that God is good. Without vision we as a fallen people living in a fallen world would lack the tools necessary to distinguish between the good and the bad. We may in fact be forced to rely on our other senses…senses that can and will lead us astray. Yes, I know our eyes have the same tendency but imagine for a moment you are lost in a mountain wilderness, darkness has set in and the cold has come with it. You know you must keep moving, but have no knowledge of where you are going. The dangers are lurking everywhere. Cliffs on two sides and animals hungry for an evening snack are stalking your every move…you sense they are there but you cannot see their presence. You are terrified and pray for light…for vision. You see, in your current dilemma your other senses are meaningless for the most part and you recognize the one thing that darkness has stolen is the one thing you so desperately need.

God knew this even from the beginning, because in the beginning his first act after having created the heavens and the earth, was to create the light and to separate it from darkness. Notice too that God did not give the same approval of the darkness that he did to the light, when he called that light…GOOD. Scripture lends itself to this subject more than once and more than once the petition is made “give them eyes to see.” In other words give them light. Scripture says “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

So often what we see in the physical world is only a reflection of what is happening in the spirit world and it is equally true that there are many today whom are living in darkness. Jesus himself hath said:

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.” 

 

How well the Apostle Paul understood this truth to have penned these words…

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Test and prove what pleases the Lord. Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself. So it is said:

“Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Yes, we once were darkness but now we are light…however the scripture also says:

“If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not     practice the truth.”

and so now we are back to the beginning. Many of us have said we are children of light, we have said this because a preacher hath declared it so, or maybe it was our parents whom having reassured us from our youth have now led us astray. If we say we have fellowship with him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Satan is the father of all lies, God is the father of lights. It is this light that exposes the lies that Satan has told…if you have come to salvation by any other means than Christ, you have believed a lie, and it is perhaps the greatest lie that was ever told.

This Christmas season be wise as the wise men were and follow that light, I assure you it will lead you to the truth.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night.

 

 

 

What is light other than the absence of darkness? Why is light…perhaps that is a better question. It seems that if as the evolutionists believe-the earth is millions of years old, then through adaptation and survival of the fittest we would have developed an ability to see as clearly in the absence of the sun as we do in the presence of the same.

It is not to be and nor will it ever be the case that man will in time develop this nocturnal ability. Why? Light may be our greatest ally and most trusted confidante, exposing the dangers and peril of life without it. Darkness however is an altogether different animal, inciting within us the most primal of fears. Why…what causes this reaction? Darkness harms not the subjects cloaked in its shadow. Darkness is not a thing to be felt or touched…Darkness is nothing more than the absence of light.

It is not the darkness man fears but rather what lurks in the darkness. The robbers and the thieves. When the sun sets and darkness falls the unscrupulous fellow begins his day. Why must they wait for nightfall for a dishonest days work? The answer is simple…darkness rather than light they have befriended. A friend sticks closer than a brother and night conceals their crimes. The unscrupulous fellow cannot work in the light for the light will surely discover his deeds.

What then…why then did God split our days between the darkness and the light? Would it not have been better to live in constant light? Maybe…just maybe God is making every attempt at revealing himself to his subjects. Teaching us to yearn for light by causing us to know the darkness, fearing the thing that lurks there. Perhaps it is that God was demonstrating for us the effects of a world that was bound to fall. Helping us to understand how truly important it is live in light while despising the darkness.

The day itself is a model of sorts that we in our limited understanding can observe with our eyes and perceive that which is spiritual. For the man who has lived in darkness has seen a great light and now chooses to live by the latter. If the light that is in you is darkness how great is that darkness, that is the question we all must answer, and to all the answer is the same…

Mathew 4:16

…”the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

HIS NAME IS ABOVE ALL NAMES, IT IS THE ONLY NAME UNDER HEAVEN BY WHICH MEN MUST BE SAVED…HIS NAME IS EMANUEL- GOD WITH US. IT IS JESUS THE CHRIST.

 

 

The days are long and the hours even longer. Confusion reigns as it always has and the nights are met without slumber. What is this work that God is doing and why must I wait for the answer. Time is limited and life is a fleeting thing, like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow…waiting is not an option.

Yet still the command is given: “wait upon the Lord”- “be still and know that I am God.”

Why? I ask. I know the work and how to do it. I respond with the words of Isaiah “Here am I send me.” words that are again met with silence. Silence is not deafening it is terrifying. Why…Why… has God gone silent? Surely there is a reason. A test perhaps? or maybe he is busy at work responding to the countless other requests being hurled toward the heavens in volleys that have no aim.

The amateur knows not how to pray…he only knows that he should. Prayer itself must be met with great preparation. We are going into the house of the Lord and we must guard our steps. Treading carefully and with all caution knowing that should we overstep our bounds, He may give us exactly the thing we have asked of Him…and this to our own demise. God waits with great anticipation for the man of God to come and when we have studied thoroughly the matter before us, we shall know of what to ask and how to ask of it. It will be the thing that in the end brings to our Lord the greatest glory. Often times however the thing we come to know of is not the thing we desire ourselves and so it is through prayer that God will give us the desires we lack…the desires of our heart.

I am no amateur when it comes to prayer. I have studied well the matter before me and still there is silence. Perhaps it is my sin that stays his words from coming forth. I examine myself, making every effort to know the cause of his silence that I may again hear that still small voice that once upon a time reverberated in my soul like a Lions roar.

Maybe I have grown so accustomed to his presence that I now have taken it for granted. Like an old married couple who barely acknowledge the existence of one another. A bride who in her golden years presumes her spouse will always be around. A husband who wakes to the terrifying silence of a marriage gone cold, or worse still…a bride lacking a groom.

The banquet is off…the celebration is over…we panic with the sure knowledge that something is amiss. In a moment of clarity God in his grace grants us access, if only for a moment, to the infinite knowledge he possesses about us. Unfolding before us and projected in ways that Hollywood could never reproduce is the life we have lived. We watch as we come into this world, born once and then again. We watch as we take our turn down the aisles of matrimony. Joining ourselves to another that we may become one flesh. Engrossed in our own stories and sitting on the edge of ours seats as if we didn’t already know the outcome. Suddenly we begin to notice the affection we once had for the bridegroom has all but disappeared. The joy that lit our eyes with wonder has turned instead to sadness as we watch the transaction unfold. The exchange is taking place and we scream from the depths of our soul the warnings we failed to heed. DONT DO IT, THE COST IS TOO HIGH! It is no use, the person you are watching is not real. No, it is only a vision of the past. A past that you cannot change. The vision ends and you find yourself hunched over in your seat…inconsolable.

Suddenly you begin to feel that gentle wind blow across your cheeks. You rise with anticipation waiting expectantly to hear that still small voice. As quickly as you rise you fall, in humble submission. You plead for his mercy as he motions you near, and in that still small voice he whispers…”my steadfast love endures forever.”

You are keenly aware of your trespass now…overtaken by guilt. Knowing you have committed the most scandalous act of adultery in human history. You left the bosom of your creator that you might be joined to the world. What have I done? The guilt is now too great to bear and again you fall to the ground inconsolable. This momentary affliction is interrupted by an explosion of light that lets loose an array of color and sound. You hear the savior say “thy strength indeed is small, child of weakness watch and pray, find in me thine all in all.”

The secret is out and silence has been answered. The cause was not that you knew not how to pray…the cause was that you knew not how to stay. Psalms 119

 

 

 

Watching the world erupt at the thought of a Trump Presidency has been quite humorous to me the last few days. What a sad testimony for a generation of people who will now forever be known by their entitlement attitudes. Perhaps it is official now, we have already witnessed the greatest generation so it would make sense then for us to identify and label the worst of generations. But this post in actuality has nothing to do with them, I am simply just using them to paint a bleak picture of what the future holds for us as a result of their ignorance. I have been quite disgusted by the slogan that this mob movement has adopted-“LOVE TRUMPS HATE.” It would be different if I actually thought they believed it. Sadly I am unable to give them credit for such a noble thing as their actions are dictating otherwise.

I wonder how many opportunities this lost generation have had to demonstrate in practice what they chant on the street. For the many objections I have had about Hillary Clinton, one thing that I respect about her is that she stood by her husband when his acts of infidelity were exposed to the world and became fodder for every late night talk show in America. While I do not know her motivation for standing by him I would like to assume that it was because of her Love for him. Having said that it’s time now to move on to the meat of the matter.

The bible talks at length about love…in fact the bible even has what’s known as the love chapter. Here is just a snippet from 1 Corinthians 13

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

But perhaps it is more easily summed up in the words of Christ himself when asked “what is the greatest commandment,”  Jesus replied “Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, and mind and the second is liken to it, love thy neighbor as thyself.” Yet, how much more so does Christ even elevate the standard for love when it comes to our spouses? To love our wives as Christ hath loved the church…that he laid down his life for it. Yes, the standard is set high, but the standard was in keeping with His own demonstration for us. Whereas in Romans the scriptures tell us that “God hath demonstrated his own love for us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

This is a stinging reminder that while 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what love is perhaps we don’t quite understand what that looks like in practice. If one were to take a long hard look at the what this chapter actually says we must then come to the realization that these words are spoken in light of a backdrop that opposes such behavior. We are inherently sinful and because of that our natural inclination when tested in so many areas is to do the exact opposite of what Paul and for that matter Christ hath told us to do. Therefore love does not come easily. It is hard work and we must make a practice of it and we must do so in defiance of our sinful nature, refusing to buckle under the weight of our frustrations or even hate. It is hard work to love sometimes.

Think about your children and how they can literally drive you to the point of Insanity at times…yet again we are told not to exasperate them, but instead to be patient. Think about your spouse and how sometimes we can get on one another’s last nerve, yet again I am asked if necessary to lay down my life for her. What does that mean exactly? Does it mean that I am to take a bullet for her, jump in front of a moving truck, or does it mean something even more? I submit to you that it means even more. It means that in every case where I see my wife struggling-that I as the spiritual leader in my home am to immediately take my place in the gap and do all that I possibly can to ease her discomfort. It means that I am to shoulder the load and if need be…to do it alone.

I have said all of this for the simple fact that LOVE has sadly become a cliché in our society. It sounds good to say “LOVE TRUMPS HATE,” but it is an entirely different story when we are asked to put our money where our mouth is.

Today is my wife’s Birthday and I must admit that she is an amazing woman who for the most part has shown me what it means to Love. Sadly I cannot say that I have done the job as well as her. I cannot even begin to list off the number of times that she has shown me patience when she should have shown disdain, or the number of times she has shown me kindness when she should have shown hate, or the number of times she has shown gratitude for the little I am able to provide instead of envy the things I cannot, the number of times that she has been right about a matter but instead of boasting she held her tongue, the number of times she has lifted the hearts and spirits of others that I have been quick to condemn; the number of sacrifices she has made for our little big family, never seeking fulfillment of her own; or the number of wrongs that I committed against her that she has extended forgiveness. YES, my wife is a picture of proverbs 31. If you ask her, she will deny it and likely begin to list off the many ways she has failed. I will simply chalk that up to humility. My wife is fiercely protective of her family, trusting always in the Lords provision, hoping against all hope and persevering in all her struggles, knowing that in the end she will reap her rewards.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORI-WE LOVE YOU.

 

I am a man, and a man’s job is to fix things. It becomes especially important to fix the broken when a man lacks resources or the ability to replace the broken. That is the easy answer, to replace what is broken. Sometimes however the broken things cannot be replaced…they must be fixed. How frustrating it is when a thing is broken and a man knows not how to fix it. How frustrating it is when neither YouTube nor Google have the answers. We must swim alone in this sea of brokenness as we blindly grasp for the answers.

From one generation to the next we have taught our children that fixing a thing is sometimes too costly and far too demanding of our time. We have taught them that discarding the broken is often times more beneficial to us than taking the time to salvage and to mend. We have failed in teaching our children to embrace the broken. The broken is ugly, the broken is useless and unnecessary, the broken is of no value to us, the broken is a waste of time. Replace…Replace…Replace is our motto.

How unfortunate it is that we have allowed this mentality to creep into our homes and our churches while never realizing the full impact of its consequences. Man creates as in the likeness of his own Creator. The value of man’s creations pales in comparison to the value of HIS. The result is that we can without consequence discard and start again. Oh, but the greatest of all creation was man himself. Our creator painted for himself such an exquisite masterpiece so full of vibrancy and color. With wonder in HIS own eyes he looks longingly into his creation while paying attention to every intimate detail, to every brushstroke and to every shade…he looks with penetrating and wonder filled eyes into the depths of every man’s soul to examine it’s beauty.

We say to ourselves “if he only knew the truth,” the masterpiece He created has been corrupted. The colors have all now faded to black, the brushstrokes and the shade are no longer distinguishable…we are ruined and destined for the same fate that befalls every broken thing…That once priceless piece of art that the master once looked upon as his most prized possession will forever be discarded, laid aside in order that He may start again. Our thoughts will take us to that dreadful place where the only visitor we have is the past, the what ifs and the could have beens. We wonder does he ever think of us? Does He remember me? The wonderful times we shared together? Does he remember how as a child we would crawl up into the security of his bosom and rest our weary heads upon his shoulders, shoulders that have already borne the weight of so much, yet somehow still retained enough strength to bear the weight of our sorrows as well…Does he remember?

…and this is the glory of the Gospel…it is the greatest scandal in the history of mankind. The love of God manifested upon the Cross of Calvary where his only son…his perfect son would soon be crushed for our iniquity. God how can it be that you have been broken that we may be healed? This is not how it is supposed to work. It goes against the natural order of things…we should have been discarded, tossed away and counted as worthless. Instead we have been healed, mended, repaired and put back into service. Why? How?

Christians let us remember the broken…let us always remember the broken, and let us do our part to mimic the masters love for his creation. If we are going to fix, we first must love. I have learned much about brokenness in the life of my adopted son. I likewise have learned much about me and even more so about the master. But what I have learned the most is that he loves to fix the broken and rather than discard and walk away he instead invites the broken and beckons them to come sit at his table and sup with him. How contrary is this to our modern world…embracing the broken. I have learned that most beautiful of all things is the broken thing repaired. Now I have been granted access to sit at the front and witness as a little broken boy puts his life in the masters hands, and I will watch in wonder as he puts this little boy back together again.

The best of times and the worst of times, too often they bring out the worst of us. I have pondered a great deal the impact of this years election. I have spoken with many people to include those in ministry that may or may not have a different view than others who are simply just angry and desperate for change. It seems that while many people are paying attention (which is a good thing) the attitudes are varying with regard to the impact it will have. The overwhelming consensus within the church is that God is in control. I wonder though if this attitude is nothing more than a cop out because we simply don’t know what the proper response should be. The fact is that if God is in control now, then surely he was in control when those who were oppressed by the crown in Britain took to the high seas in search of freedom, and certainly God was in control when that great declaration of independence was signed setting off a revolutionary war and that inevitable shot heard round the world.

Strangely enough it seems that we are now facing the same level of corruption and once again it is coming from within our own government. The oppression is beginning to flesh itself out in the many policies that have been introduced by a tyrannical government that likewise intimidates anyone that might oppose such action into silence. Perhaps the feelings are best represented by the idea that there is a force which cannot be stopped and therefore there is no rationality that would suggest we try. That force being the fulfillment of Gods Word with regard to end times, or perhaps we have come to understand that our responsibility is to coexist, a hallmark of the progressive movement. Surely there is some evidence that scripture would suggest as much. But how then do we harmonize the blessing of God on a nation that revolted in times past. The general consensus at the time was that to resist tyranny was obedience to God.

Surely there is evidence of tyranny in our day, some might argue that our government has never been more tyrannical than it is today. How then should we respond? That is the million dollar question. Certainly in an effort to move toward globalization the influence of America has been reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes. Whether this was intentional or not is besides the point. What matters is that here, in America, we understand the value of freedom, the value of self-rule, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. As it stands now our government has ceased to be represented by the people, no longer does it have our best interest at heart. Instead we are ruled by those who have agendas, bought and paid for by special interests groups and lobbyists that determine everything from policy to legislation to enforcement. This is all becoming more and more clear with the constant barrage of emails being leaked and made available for the general public to read. Emails that if the media had their way, the public would never have been allowed to access. CNN over the weekend even suggested that Americans who access these emails may in fact be breaking the law. Really? The only logical conclusion that can be reached as to why they would suggest something so ridiculous, is that they too are guilty of the same level of corruption as our government. The two (media and government) are working to together to influence the American voter into blindly following them into the abyss of a post modern world.

In evaluating the current crop of candidates it becomes more and more apparent that one is clearly more competent than other. Their knowledge of government is vast, their ability to maneuver and make things happen is supreme, their influence can be felt before even walking into the room. The problem is that while she may be far more competent as a politician, she is corrupt, and therefore cannot be trusted to consider the best interest of those she would claim to represent. On the other hand we have another candidate who likewise is far from perfect but has no record as a politician. A billionaire land mogul who claims to represent the people of this great nation. Yet, most Americans cannot fathom his wealth nor could we begin to comprehend the magnitude of dirty business practices that have allowed him to acquire such wealth. The man himself has all but proven his sleazy and chauvinistic character. Is that enough however for us to suggest that he is not qualified to run this country? Surely he has run his businesses well enough that if the measure of success were wealth, he would be a the top of that list, sharing the space with the likes of Warren Buffet, Mark Cuban, Zuckerberg, Musk, Soros, and so many others. Is vast amounts of wealth a disqualifying factor or just the means by which it is was obtained?

The hard truth is that we are stuck with one or the other, lest we should rise up against them both. The possibility of the American people rising up against its government is not likely to be realized. Therefore we must choose the candidate that will chart the course of this nation for the next 4 years. Where that course leads matters a great deal. It matters to me simply due to my posterity and likewise that of others. It matters to me because for the better part of our nations history we have been a beacon of hope to all nations and to all peoples that yearn for freedom and the possibilities that exist under the umbrella of a free and fair republic…possibilities to be great. That greatness is being exchanged for mediocrity, because in a world of globalization there cannot be a standard of excellence that others aspire to. No, in the post-modern world we live in today, everyone gets a trophy. It matters to me because that exchange will be completed in the next for years and we will have effectively entered into a time when the institutions that have made this country what it is can no longer be saved. We must decide then to chart a new course that will lead us back to a free and fair society. The voyage will be fraught with danger, but it may in fact be our only hope of saving this once great Republic.

 

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Waiting, impatiently waiting…that is how we choose to spend our days. We wait, wait for the next piece of gossip to drop, the next big story to hit the press, the next terrorist attack, the next result from a series of medical tests, whatever it is, it seems that all we do is wait. In the meantime the world around us spins at a dizzying pace out of control; instead of doing our part to fix what is broken…we wait. Wait for someone else to step up and to say “Here am I send me.”

We yearn to hear a word from God on the matters of life as they pertain to us and likewise on the affairs of men. Sadly our yearning does not translate into seeking and so we continue to wait, never realizing that failure to do our part will in no way solicit the answers nor the one who has them. We are hard pressed on every side never realizing the depth of our own despair, the realization itself would in fact buckle our knees and bow our heads in honor and in shame at what we have done and not done with the power we possess. So we wait, thinking to ourselves that there must be more, more of this and more of that to satisfy our schizophrenic appetites. The truth is we are a hungry people, unfortunately there is just simply too much to choose from and so we stand waiting for our mind to make its choice all the while our spirit is being starved.

It stands to reason: when we don’t know what we want, something is better than nothing. But we are a peculiar people; for we would rather go without than be nourished by what we know is good. We long for truth, justice, and mercy but we have no earthly idea how to achieve them, perhaps we should then consult the heavens and the one who created both. What do we do when we do not know what to do? To do nothing is an illogical choice…and so is waiting, for they are one and the same.

Instead let us consult the Word in the same manner that we pray to the one who spoke it…without ceasing. Then we shall have our answers and we shall have the truth…it must not stop here though, the seeking must continue so as to know how to implement what which was spoken when we sought. This is what it means to redeem the time, that instead of idleness in the face of a clock that will eventually run its course, never to be wound again, we should employ ourselves at his service…seeking, listening, and doing.

 

My heart, as so many others this morning is heavy. Heavy because for the first time the tragedy that has been unfolding around our nation has now come home to our own community. Officer Tim Smith was cut down in the line of duty by a young man with so much to live for.  Life could have been different for this young man, he could have made better choices, he could have been a productive member of society…he could have been like Officer Smith. Instead he chose differently.

The question I ask myself is: Was he conditioned to do so?  The culture not just amongst the African American community (but perhaps the most pronounced there) has been ravaged by fatherlessness, and if I had to take a guess, I would bet this young man had no father in his life. No one to show him what it means to actually live as a man. What it means to get up at the crack of dawn and go to work, to come home at the end of the day and help (in a perpetually exhausted state) with the homework. To sit down at the end of supper and speak truth from God’s word into his young heart, no one to kneel beside him in prayer as they petition the father who is in Heaven.

There indeed are two tragedies here, we will all focus on the one…as we should. But let us not forget the other…two lives have been lost.  We have a choice as to how we respond to this tragic event, and I will be the first to admit that I am angry, infuriated by the thought of what occurred in our community. I am angry that Officer Smith’s children will grow up without a father…I am angry that this young man likely had no positive influence from his father. Yet, scripture declares that I am not to allow the sun to go down upon my anger…That I am to be angry but not to sin. Therefore I confess my anger to God and I shake my fist at heaven. Why? Why? Why?

Scripture tells us that we are to submit ourselves to the governing authorities, submission begins at home, as a father teaches his children to respect and submit to his own authority. When the father is not present though, these lessons are not being taught. I can tell you that if there is one problem to fix in our society that may in fact have the desired snowball effect in fixing the others that exist…it is the recognition of and submission to the authorities that God has placed over us.

We have all seen the graphic that depicts the thin blue line. The badge with one thin blue stripe sandwiched between two black stripes. Perhaps what we don’t know however is where this term originated, or what it means. The term itself originated in Great Britain the design represents the wall of police protection between the criminal elements and the general population of good and honest citizens. This line is now blurred as many have come to see the protective elements of our society as the enemy…where does that leave us when the forces that are supposed to be focused on protecting the civil order are now having to defend their own lives instead of ours. It is time for us, as a society of good order and good people to build a wall between the criminal elements and the men and women of law enforcement.

How do we build that wall? There are many ways we can help. To start with…we can and should be praying for these men and women on a daily basis. As a community we can let the criminal elements that exist know that they are not welcome here lest they put aside their criminal order and choose instead to contribute in the building back of the walls. As men we can teach our children what it means to make sacrifices for the general good of others, we can show them that there are other ways to accomplish equality than violence. We lift up men like Martin Luther King Jr. instead of boys like Tupac. We can lift up men like Abraham Lincoln instead of boys like Robert Byrd.

First thing is first however and that first thing is prayer, this community has an opportunity to demonstrate their willingness to set things right. It was reported that on Wednesday at 7pm, Liberty Baptist Church in Eastman, Ga. will be holding a prayer rally for exactly this purpose…to my knowledge everyone is welcome. Please consider attending this event as we learn well to pray.

 

 

Today they will enter their mission field. It is journey fraught with difficulties and surely there will be many trials to be overcome as the year presses on. I have faith though, that what God has begun he will finish. For the bible declares it so…”He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion.” They are a faithful bunch, but like the rest, they too have their struggles. While they understand that salvation has been secured, they are not content with that alone…their desire is HOLINESS. Therefore I know that they will fight not only against the powers of darkness that roam the halls, but also against their own flesh as it makes every attempt to war against their souls.

They are not many, but like I said they are faithful to the one who multiplies. They are the youth at Lakeview Baptist Church. I pray for them as they return today to the land of exile…to a place that is not their home. I pray that God will give them eyes to see. Eyes to see the lost amongst them, eyes to see the pitfalls that Satan will lay before them, eyes to see the grace that God hath given to them. I pray that they will never fail to act on the things they see with the new eyes they have received. To flee to the lost as if they were fleeing for their own lives sake, to avoid the traps of Satan as he battles for their minds that he might control their hearts, to extend the grace that has been extended by the un-shortened arms and open hands of our Lord.

You will learn things this year that will contradict what you already know, your itching ears will invite the teachings of the lost…guard yourselves with truth, and ground yourselves in doctrine. Learn well from your heavenly teacher that you too may teach well for others sake. Submit to the authority placed over you in order that others will know you have first submitted to something greater. Let your conscience be your guide for as the scripture says…”He has placed the laws of God within our own hearts that our conscience will bare witness against us.”

Trust that the same spirit dwelling in you…empowering you…convicting you…and reassuring you, is the same spirit that descended from the heavens two thousand years ago…the same spirit that has filled the bodies of countless men when God breathed upon their souls. Remember, that building, otherwise known as a school, the place that will take up the bulk of your time for the next 10 months, is really nothing more than a mortuary for dead souls…it is your mission field. Look upon your peers with new eyes and trust that you will see them as they are. Give them eyes to see Oh Lord…give them eyes to see.

SPEAK LIFE…WALK TRUE…SHINE BRIGHT…AMEN