Can we contend without being contentious?

Have you ever got a splinter and you couldn’t remove it so you just left it under your skin; then a week later, you’ve got a blister and infection to have drained from your hand. Or maybe you saw water flowing through a dam that is controlled; it doesn’t seem like much, after all, it’s just a small trickle; until they open the dam and flood the river. That’s how Proverbs 17:14 describes contention. The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. (Proverbs 17:14)

Several years ago,  I heard a sermon about Galatians 5:15. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Galatians 5:15. Today I was thinking about how Great White Sharks are very territorial; and they will attack smaller Great Whites if they feel they are in their territory. It made me think about how often Christians will attack another Christian for no other reason than they feel threatened. Now, I know a lot of people don't realize this, but I am not a stranger to the attacks of Christians. I’ve had people in the church to bear false witness against me and even today, Dec. 30th, 2018, my own cousin told me that his ministry was none of my business and his wife blatantly attacked me. 

However, today, this verse kept coming up. “If you keep biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Sometimes, Christians are the reason why people won’t come to Christ. They see how we are not loving towards one another, how we don’t follow Christ like we should. If we give an opinion, we are quick to attack instead of going privately to the other person. Proverbs 15:1 says "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

When I was in Ireland, I remember walking past a butcher shop. Being an American, I didn’t realize that they still butchered meat and put it in the window for people to see, but they do. One thing I noticed is that the meat cleaver was never far from the butcher. It was sharp and it only took one good swing for it to cut through the muscle and bones. As I sit here tonight, I think about how contention is like that meat cleaver when it comes to relationships. They have the power to tear friends and family apart until there’s not much left. I suppose that’s why someone “who stirs up dissension among brothers” (Proverbs 6:19) makes the infamous list of things the Lord hates.

Today, I commented on a post on Facebook, I stated that “it shouldn't matter if a church is completely filled to the brim or only has 3-10 people that want to worship on New Year’s Eve. It’s not about man, it’s about glorifying God.” When I got home from Church, I noticed another person said “Well, if you are to continue something you start why are you not working full-time as a photographer?” To be honest, that’s a poor example of what I was trying to say. Matter of fact, instead of looking at the bigger picture and seeing what I was truly saying the commenter’s reply shows that they have a contentious heart. Contentious hearts look for things to criticize and for opportunities to tear down a person, program, or idea. They destroy the essential commodities of happy and productive relationships. When we unleash a volley of contentious verbiage, things like trust, thinking the best of each other, and loving attitudes all get buried under our contentious words.  As Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 12, followers of Jesus are meant to be working as one, in cooperative harmony. Have you ever seen a body divided into several parts but still functioning well? Division destroys the reflection of God’s love among us and the power of His unity through us. Words that work against our unity as His body are the meat cleavers in Satan’s hand.

Another thing that we don’t think about is that contentions put a stop to the growth of grace. The body may as well thrive in a fever — as the soul prosper when on a flame with strife and contention. Observe Ephesians 4:15: "But speaking the truth in love," or being sincere in love, "may grow up into Him in all things." The apostle is upon a cure, showing how souls may come to thrive and flourish; and the formula he gives is a composition of these two rare drugs, sincerity and love; preserve these and all will go well. There may be preaching — but no edifying, without love. You cut off your trade with Heaven, at the throne of grace; you will be little in prayer to God — if much in squabbling with your brethren. It is impossible to go from wrangling to praying, with a free spirit. And if you would be so bold as to knock at God's door, you are sure to have cold welcome, "Leave your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

In Romans 12:6-21, the apostle Paul describes how we ought to behave toward one another. He illustrates that the body of Christ will function effectively only if God’s spirit of love is the overriding influence. In presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, we ought to strive for the harmony that is needed for the spiritual gifts to operate fully. I’ll be honest, I frequently recognize a contentious spirit in others, but seldom do I recognize those same qualities or behaviors within myself. A continual examination of our motives when a disagreement arises certainly would provide a necessary checkpoint to aid in preventing a dispute from escalating into a situation that dishonors God and disrupts the body of Christ. We ought to be willing to learn and obey the principles the scriptures teach so that we can solve disputes in a loving and Christ-like manner. 

The next question that I started asking as another commenter took the conversation to private chat was “What is making this person disregard the basic truth?” My answer was far from me, Pride. John Rittenbaugh* of The Church of the Great God says “Only through pride does contention last. We primarily see the effects of pride because pride is frequently difficult to detect. God has shown in His Word how to detect it: by looking at the fruits. How do we know false prophets? By their fruits, by what they produce. A quarrel that could be easily settled if both parties were humble continues indefinitely when parties are arrogant. Why? Because pride plows the way for contempt for the others opinion. Pride inflames passion and wounds feelings. Because of competitiveness, also an aspect of pride, a person feels he has to fight back. And so the argument goes back and forth.”

One thing that I believe we as Christians, often forget is, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:19 “That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” Since God doesn’t count our trespasses against us we can’t count them against others. Isaiah 1:18 reminds us “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

Friends, we need to heed the words of Galatians 5:15; and remember to forgive others, don't hold their sins against them and as Courtnaye Richard, would encourage "Do your part and work together as one and in unity in the body of Christ. Philippians 2:2 says, “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.” (NLT) We need this today. So let’s serve. Let’s love. Let’s forgive. Let’s show others Christ within us. And let’s get the job done together so that we can someday hear those precious words from Matthew 25:21 which says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant…”

*The usage of quotes by does not mean author agrees with entire article written by John Rittenbaugh and does not serve to show endorsement of The Church of the Great God. 

Shallow Theology: Do we really have deep roots in the church today?

I spent a lot of time listening to folks discuss theology this Christmas.  The one thing that doesn’t improve is the shallowness of their theology. Most people think “if I can point to the Strong’s concordance in Hebrew or Greek then I can tell you exactly what the Bible says.” Yet they can’t point to any proofs of what their trying to say. Yet when I discuss theology with others, I find that they desire a deeper understanding of theology, but really don’t want to gain it due to the fact that a deeper understanding will call you out of where you currently are and out of your comfort zone.

For this, I tend to look no further than Psalm 1 and look at where this particular Psalm talks about the righteous person as being planted by streams of water who produces fruit in and out of season (Ps. 1:3). Those who are spiritually nourished have deep roots that anchor them to the shores of refreshment. This righteous person is not like the wicked who are compared to chaff that is driven away by the wind (Ps. 1:4). The contrast is stark: one is constantly fed and the roots grow deep while the fruit never ceases to grow, while the other is rootless and detached from any source of nutrition, and it is, therefore, blown away by the next wind that comes through. And while we need to be planted by streams that run deep with refreshment, we can also look at Matthew and see that sometimes it’s the soil…causing us to not take root. 

Jesus begins telling a series of parables in Matthew 13 starting with the parable of the Sower. The Sower scatters seeds on his field and some of the seed lands on different types of soil. Some fell along the path, some were devoured by the birds, others fell on rocky soil, sprang up quickly, but then were scorched when the sun appeared since they had no depth of root, and others found good soil and began producing fruit. Jesus tells us the point of this parable in verses 18-23 when he explains that the soil represents those that hear the message Jesus was proclaiming about His Kingdom, which is the seed that was scattered. According to what kind of soil the seed falls on determines the growth of the roots of that seed. One seed fell on rocky ground and began to grow. Jesus tells us, “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.” (Matt. 13:20, 21). 

Ethan Renroe states “We have replaced rich, robust theology in the Church with emotional music and constant reminders that “God is love and loves you and He’s your personal Savior and loves your soul …” These words are great at bringing outsiders through the doors (because they’re true by and large) but poor at growing believers into mature witnesses with rich understanding of the deep things of God. It should not only be pastors, authors and theologians who study what they believe, but all believers. Jesus Himself stated that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27), yet we tend to overlook this last one and focus on the heart and soul. God paints an intense fate for those who neglect to grow in their understanding in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you.” It’s not too late for Christians to learn in their understanding of the holy. It’s not too late to learn the meaning and value of our creeds, doctrines, and systems. There is merit in learning and understanding the deeper parts of our faith and I say we start sooner than later.

As much as I hate to admit it, and to admit that I even read an article by this author, Rachel Held Evans, had a couple of good points about why millennials are leaving the church—and I think her article may be why we also have a shallow theology. When discussing what churches are doing to regenerate interest in the church, Rachel says “In response, many churches have sought to lure millennials back by focusing on style points: cooler bands, hipper worship, edgier programming, impressive technology. Yet while these aren’t inherently bad ideas and might in some cases be effective, they are not the key to drawing millennials back to God in a lasting and meaningful way. Young people don’t simply want a better show. And trying to be cool might be making things worse. You can get a cup of coffee with your friends anywhere, but church is the only place you can get ashes smudged on your forehead as a reminder of your mortality. You can be dazzled by a light show at a concert on any given weekend, but church is the only place that fills a sanctuary with candlelight and hymns on Christmas Eve. You can snag all sorts of free swag for brand loyalty online, but church is the only place where you are named a beloved child of God with a cold plunge into the water. You can share food with the hungry at any homeless shelter, but only the church teaches that a shared meal brings us into the very presence of God.” (See footnote) 

I’ll conclude with Kevin DeYoung, “Our superficial world needs substantive churches. Our shallow culture needs depth in worship. Our secular society needs a whole lot of good, holy thinking.” 

(1) Article by Rachel Held Evans does not reflect my stance on homosexuality or the sacraments of the church. Article does, however, touch on why we have a shallow theology.

Judge Not...a misunderstood Bible verse

I can't tell you the times this week I have been told to “not judge” someone. It started when I posted an article about Lauren Daigle—the second time I heard this was when I commented on an article on Facebook about a man in France who is a landlord and he took the trash that a former tenant left and dumped it on the tenants new yard. 

In Lauren Daigle’s instance, I have said “We must be ready to give an answer at all times; and that answer should be ‘All sexual immorality is wrong.’” However, when we, whether ordained or laity, won’t stand, it brings up the church-wide authority problem we face. When theological training is de-prioritized and even avoided, then our celebrities become our experts. In the case of the landlord—the site was saying that the landlord was doing the right thing and teaching “Do unto others…”, My response was “I can’t believe anyone is saying that the landlord is correct in his actions.”

Needless to say, I was quoted Matthew 7:1 and Matthew 7:3-5. These are phrases that bring us comfort regardless if we are believers are unbelievers. It’s a phrase that is used all the time during conversations when a person is contentious or defensive. 

Eric J. Bargerhuff states “Those who mishandle this verse often use it as a “shield for sin,” a barrier to keep others at bay, allowing them to justify living as they please without any regard for moral boundaries or accountability. Their objections sound like this: “Aren’t we all sinners? What gives us the right to make moral judgments about someone else? Isn’t that God’s job?”

Let’s look at Matthew 7:1-5 

“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Jesus here was not opposing church leaders rebuking and correcting others. Instead He was opposing anyone who sets themselves up as the Final Judge instead of Him and His Word, and anyone who judges others about certain sins while refusing to turn from similar or worse sins. What a lot of people don’t understand is that in this verse Jesus isn’t telling us to not judge, He’s actually getting us to not judge improperly.

As a matter of fact, if we look at scripture, you’ll notice that in Matthew, Jesus gives us instructions on how to judge. In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ instructed us to judge the sins of our brother in a particular way: “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” 

God is not going to judge parents, teachers, police, human judges, juries and governments for them fulfilling His delegated authority to judge others who are in their area of God-given responsibility. Instead God will judge them as to whether they have judged rightly or wrongly according to His standards and whether they have rejected their God-given responsibilities to judge as His delegated representatives. 

Many Christians today just take one verse out of the Bible without even poring over its whole context - and at times not going through the whole story. This practice is tantamount to isolating the taken text from its co-text. It's imperative for readers to read the whole chapter and the succeeding verses - not just one verse - for us to get what the Bible really wants to convey to us.

In verse 5, we can clearly see that the Bible is actually teaching us not 'not to judge' - but 'how to judge righteously'. It says that, for us not to be called hypocrites, we must cast out first the beam that is in our own eye before we cast the mote out of our brother's eye.

The way Ligonier Ministries gives this example:

Jesus is actually warning us to be fair and humble when we make our evaluations. Human beings are naturally prone to focus on the failings of others and ignore their own heinous sins. Consider David’s reaction to Nathan after he slept with Bathsheba and had Uriah murdered (2 Sam. 11:1–12:15a). The king did more evil than the man in Nathan’s parable, but David wanted to chase after the speck in that man’s eye, so blinded was he by the plank of his own sin. Today, church leaders who have gossiped might come down mercilessly on someone who has occasionally used lewd language. This latter sin is real and inexcusable, but we have done wrong when we who judge do not hold ourselves to the same standard by which we judge others (Matt. 7:2).

John Chrysostom says, “Jesus does not forbid judging but commands that one first remove the plank from one’s own eye” (Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, 23.2). We must be harsher on ourselves than we are on others. Let us make sure our consciences are clear before we judge our brothers and sisters. 

Called, Traditionalist, and the feeling of being Blacklisted: A View

I haven’t spoken much about the current state of the United Methodist Church. As many people know the UMC is going through some major changes. The Council of Bishops has called a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church to be held February 23-26, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. The purpose will be to receive and act on a report from the Commission on a Way Forward based on the recommendations of the Council of Bishops. The 32-member Commission was authorized by General Conference 2016 and appointed by the Council of Bishops to examine paragraphs in The Book of Discipline concerning human sexuality and exploring options to strengthen the unity of the church.

There are three plans that the church could decide to follow. Traditionalists value marriage between one man and one woman, and sexual activity within this relationship. Traditionalists also seek greater accountability at every level of the church. Contextualists want to translate the gospel into the varied settings in which God places us. They see this as a missiological calling, and believe that the work of the church can be adapted in a global church. Progressives value full inclusion of all persons in the life of the church, at every level, and this includes the LGBTQ community. They also believe that the church can celebrate same-gender marriages.

As many may be surprised at this discussion that the UMC is having, it has placed significant stress on Candidates, such as myself. If you know me, you know that I have a pretty traditional view of marriage. Unfortunately that puts me at odds with many people in the United Methodist Church, including many of our ministers and those we have elected to represent our conferences and even our district committees on ordained ministry (dCom). 

When my dCom was over, I spoke with my pastor and decided that it would be best to fly under the radar—in other words, just stay silent until I passed through dCom. However, as I have often said “Sometimes your best officers come from your enlisted ranks.” In other words, while it is the officers that should be doing the discussion, and showing the way, sometimes our lay speakers, candidates and students that do the speaking and leading. As a Christian, who is called to minister the gospel, it is my job to declare, “Christ born, Christ died, Christ risen from the dead and Christ coming again.” It is also my job to honor the Word of God as written by helping people understand what the Bible says as infallible. In his sermon on “The Means of Grace,” Wesley says, “The same truth (namely, that this is the great means God has ordained for conveying his manifold grace to man) is delivered, in the fullest manner that can be conceived, in the words which immediately follow: ‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God;’ consequently, all Scripture is infallibly true; ‘and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;’ to the end ‘that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works’ (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)” 

Unfortunately, when I am writing as I am now, and commenting on anything that is considered “traditionalist” in view of the Bible, current Book of Discipline, I am being watched. Call it paranoia, because many will, being conservative in today’s United Methodist Church isn’t popular, and I am sure that I am “blacklisted.” 

According to “Our Daily Journey” A few years ago, a prominent Christian group removed the word Christ from its organization’s name. The organization defended its name change, citing research which revealed that 20 percent of non-Christians were alienated and offended by the name of Christ. A mere 20 percent of non-christians are offended; but what happens when it is those who believe they are Christians that are ashamed, alienated and offended by the name of Christ. I know that Matthew 10:33 states but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Sincerely, that is what these committees are doing when they write off, or refuse to pass people due to their traditionalist/conservative views. They are denying Christ to those who need Him and His salvation.

Even though, like many others, I am seen as a traditionalist and a threat to the progressive movement within the United Methodist Church, I take comfort in Matthew 10:16-18; 22. 16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 

So while I feel hated by those who can’t understand my call; I was never called to accept the world’s view and definitely not called to fit in!

Shortest Blog Post to date; Thanksgiving Summed up

True thanksgiving does not consist primarily of deeds, but of the disposition of the heart, and it brings persons nearer to God and enables them to see God’s salvation (Ps. 50:23). 

Finally able to Let Go and move Forward

Late last week, I realized something that I needed to change. For over 3 years, I have held on to a hurt that I shouldn’t have been holding on too. Don’t get me wrong, I was doing all the right things…praying for the person who hurt me; wishing them blessings, but if I ran into them or passed them on the road, I found myself having a major anxiety attack or worrying over what they were capable of. 

As many people know, I attend a small, rural Methodist church. I also help with our prayer group. Most of the time it’s just myself, my pastor and his wife…so sharing is easy—especially when it’s with people that you trust. Honestly, I would be less likely to talk about my struggles, if many people were there or if I felt that people wouldn't understand.  

One of the things that we prayed for this week is that I would be able to “let go” of the people and feelings of my past. Now as you know, most people that tell me that harken back to Elsa in Frozen, and I am like “Have you seen the movie?” This time it was different…I was ready to let go. According to Steve Maraboli in his book Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience “The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.”

I had found myself stuck…I wasn’t moving forward because I wasn’t ready to move forward. I was still hoping for a different outcome, even though that outcome wasn’t, isn’t possible. This week however, I have realized that I need to move forward. Even if I leave the other party behind—as I have always said—if anyone wants to be a part of my life, they will catch up. This is particularly true in this situation. 

John Wesley once said  “Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it. One who always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain, both for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them as coming from Him, and receives them for His sake- not choosing nor refusing, liking or disliking, anything, but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to His perfect will.” 

Yesterday while I was working in my study, I found a prayer journal. I decided to look through it and noticed that the last entry was over 3 years old and the prayer was full of thanksgiving—and honestly, I was happier then too. So I filled in a page for yesterday, updating all that has happened, and as I wrote, tears streamed down my cheeks. I realized that my prayers have become more and more monotonous, namely because I wasn’t approaching God with a spirit of Thanksgiving.

However, do not think that only thanksgiving prayers are worthy of God’s ear. John Wesley also stated “with all prayer (Eph. 6:18)" All sorts of prayer- public, private, mental, vocal. Do not be diligent in one kind of prayer and negligent in others... let us use all.” This being said, we always need to approach God with a spirit of thanksgiving and humbleness. 

Thus my prayer has become this week: 

“Purge me from every sinful blot;

My idols all be cast aside: 

Cleanse me from every evil thought,

From all the filth of self and pride.

The hatred of the carnal mind 

Out of my flesh at once remove:

Give me a tender heart, resigned, 

And pure, and full of faith and love.”

John Wesley

To Persist or To Quit: Prayer

I don’t write a lot about prayer; but tonight that needs to change. Prayer is one of our greatest privileges as God's children, and even if God doesn't seem to answer your prayers at first, don't stop praying. Prayer is one of the most selfless and amazing things you can do for a person, especially someone that you love dearly.

Over the past 3 years, since I left the local school district, I have been praying for a former friend, coworker and one that I believe(d) is a sister in Faith. My friends even tonight, told me, when Rachel prays, especially for someone that she loves, but severely dislikes her; she is praying for someone, she is performing a selfless act of hoping someone will be better, healthy, happy, and always be blessed. Not many people are willing to pray for other people. However, things can be a little different when it comes to people you love. We are willing to sacrifice and do something more for the ones that we love.

What a lot of people don’t understand, is that when pray for this person is that I am praying that the Lord will be with them. I pray that God is with this person and that he watches over them wherever they are. That God will guide them and show them direction and lead them to a healthy life. Second, I pray for the person to start working in their lives. I try to have the faith and prayer strength that God will start working on their lives. I may not see it immediately—I may never see it, but I have to believe that something deep within is slowly changing and that person will eventually change and lead a new and better life. Furthermore, I pray for God to open their heart, mind, and spirit to the love, grace, and healing that only He can bring. And third, I pray as if it has already come to pass. We must have the faith and believe that God is already working on that person and is guiding him or her to a brighter life. Give God the praise and the glory for the victory over the person’s life as if it has already happened. 

This week, I have felt like quitting praying for this person. So much to the point that it’s really bothered my spirit. Then as I read the Bible, I realized that I am not following the teaching of 2nd Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” If we pray and then quit because God didn't answer our prayer, or not soon enough to satisfy our apparent demands, then we are merely proving to our self that we are walking by sight instead of by faith. Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” You see at this point I am praying and leaning or depending on my own understanding and not waiting on the Lord. 

But at this point, since my prayer hasn’t been answered I wonder if God is even caring about what I am praying for. But Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 NIV

We can trust God is working on our behalf for our good even if it doesn't feel like it. The truth is if it's not good, then God's not done. And if God's not done then neither are we. So let's hold on to God's truth over our feelings and wait patiently on Him.

I have started to think that possibly God is absent, but then I began to think of the fact that just because God is silent, it doesn’t mean He is absent. I find that God works in the quiet ordinariness of our prayers. Think of Daniel from the Bible. For three weeks Daniel prayed and fasted for God to answer his prayer and he did not stop praying until he received an answer. In Daniel chapter 9 we read that God sent and angel to give Daniel understanding about his prayer the first time he prayed. 

Prayer goes beyond asking for something and waiting for results. Prayer changes lives. However, it does not always change our circumstance. Many times prayer changes our perspective and how we respond to our circumstance well before anything in our lives actually changes. Prayer goes far beyond making requests to God. It's about connecting with Him and aligning our will to His.

Prayer works! “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16 NIV and prayer helps us focus on God! 

And even if I feel like quitting doesn’t mean I have to quit. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 NIV

John Piper, states Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” So there seems to be a kind of hardness, and resistance, and cynical attitude that you should not share the most precious truths with. People are so utterly hard and cynical that they will only trample your gospel words under their feet. How do we know when that is? I mean, Paul spoke to people who then threw him in prison and chanted songs for two hours to false gods (Acts 19:34). That is a lot of trampling going on in response to Paul’s preaching. And Jesus spoke, and people killed him. That is trampling the pearl of great price.

However there are three sure fire times that we can stop praying.

We should stop praying when God has clearly answered No. 

If you’ve been praying about a relationship with a guy, and he gets married, you can safely stop praying. God has closed that door. If you interviewed for a job, and they hired someone else, it’s time to redirect your petitions. Banging our heads against doors God has unequivocally closed is futile and foolish. It reveals a stubborn heart that thinks we know better than God what’s best for us. 

We should stop praying when God removes our desire for the object of our prayers. 

Many times I’ve begun praying for something, only to find that after a few days, weeks, or months, I don’t really want it any more. Maybe I discover more information about what I thought would make me happy and realize it’s not best after all. Other times my desire just wanes and fades. When this happens, I can confidently stop praying about it. 

Psalm 37:4 promises that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will give us the desires of my heart. While this sometimes means he will give us what our heart desires, it usually means that he will give our heart the desires he wants it to have.

We could stop praying when God shows us a greater purpose for our situation. 

While my list continues to get longer, I feel like John Piper said “I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t bring myself to stop praying for her conversion. So I have never come to a situation where I have said, That person is beyond my prayers.” Equally I am reminded of the prayers of George Mueller One day George Muller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. Muller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend, and throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping that he would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded, for soon after Muller's funeral the fifth friend was saved. (Our Daily Bread)

The Acceptance of Sexual Sin does not equal Happiness

Today I shared a story on Facebook about a student at UC Berkeley who stood for her Christian beliefs and is currently being persecuted and asked to step down from the student senate. The same association that voted for her has also disassociated from her. One member of the association stated that he “Felt uncomfortable being validated, yet told that he wasn’t supported.” However, I need look no further than my own church’s current doctrine/discipline to find that my denomination validates people of the LGBTQA+ community as loved and of sacred worth, but not supportive of homosexual marriage. 

• ¶ 304.3: The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church. 

• ¶ 341.6: Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.

As you can see, our church doesn’t allow for the homosexual to serve as leadership in our church. In addition, to not allowing for our ministers to conduct homosexual unions. But it doesn’t mean that we don’t love homosexuals. It means that we don’t condone their actions. However, it’s not just homosexuality—it’s any sin. People are tempted by many things and being something doesn’t mean that you have to act upon it. The sin isn’t in being tempted by something it’s by acting upon that temptation. 

So as I used the example today, if I knew someone was being tempted to have an affair on their spouse and I said to them “Don’t act upon your temptation.” I am not saying “If you act, I don’t love you.” I am saying “Because I love you, I can’t support your choice to act upon your sin.”  At Liberty University, in my homiletics class the question came up about whether a gay person could be a pastor. My reply was “If the pastor is gay and celibate, then he can be ordained and maintained as a pastor however, if the pastor is acting upon his sin—giving in to his temptation—then it is wrong and he can’t  be ordained or maintained as a minister.”  So one of my friends in the class said “If you aren’t acting upon your homosexuality, then you aren’t gay!” Friends, that is like saying “If you aren’t sleeping with a man as a woman, then you aren’t a heterosexual.” We know this to be completely untrue. 

However, the question becomes, even if we accept homosexuality as a norm, will that be enough to make those who are homosexual happy?  The answer is a definite no. For this I will provide the following proofs. 

In what may be the most candid piece in Huffington Post history, Michael Hobbes, who identifies as gay, writes about what he calls an “epidemic of loneliness.” “For years,” he begins, “I’ve noticed the divergence between my straight friends and my gay friends. While one half of my social circle has disappeared into relationships, kids and suburbs, the other has struggled through isolation and anxiety, hard drugs and risky (behavior).” 

Hobbes goes on to write “Gay men everywhere, at every age, are two-to-ten-times more likely than heterosexual men to commit suicide.

And that’s just the beginning. Homosexual males also suffer from higher rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, allergies, asthma, and a whole host of behavior-related infections and dysfunctions. They’re twice as likely to experience major depressive episodes, report having fewer close friends, and abuse drugs at an alarming rate. Sadly even though homosexual marriage has been the law in Sweden since 1971, gay men remain three times more susceptible to mood disorders and three- to ten-times more likely to engage in “suicidal self-harm.”

According to the BBC LGBT people face a greater risk of developing mental health issues, with a new report suggesting that as many as 40% of London’s LGBT community suffers mental health problems. In short, the constant pursuit of casual sex and unnatural sex acts results not only in health and emotional problems, but also in leaving many homosexuals and lesbians with no permanent life partners or adult children to care for them in their old age. To be old and alone is part of the homosexual culture and lifestyle. Why aren’t we telling our youth about this? Instead, our youth are told that homosexuality is equal to heterosexuality. It isn’t.

And while I know this article will tick off a lot of people, I am fine with that.  I felt the need to let people know that non-non-acceptance of someone’s sin does not need to be considered a threat. We need to be telling people that God is love, and that He can change their lives. We need to be calling people to repentance instead of telling them that their actions don’t have possible dire consequences. I am not writing this to hurt my friends; but to reaffirm what I believe—but as I have told many of my friends…I have told you the truth, and your acceptance or denial of such truth is between you and God. 

I went to Liberty University, I am a Christian, I am a Doctor Who Fan and I am NOT ASHAMED

As many people know I am a huge Doctor Who fan. I have been since the ‘80s. When Peter Capaldi was the doctor, I quit watching because there was a blatant exhibit of homosexuality in the show—which by the way was a children’s show when it first came out.

Over the years, I have spoken about the topics that are way to “OUT THERE” for Doctor Who. Well today, several of the LGBTQA+ members of the fandom started bashing those of us who don’t think that Doctor Who should have a political agenda. I mean, it’s a TV SHOW for the family.

One comment came back today that said “Doctor Who has always been progressive, did the Rosa episode bother you, since you went to Liberty University, and have a Jerry Falwell Mindset?”

First off, I take a lot of flack for attending Liberty University. I shouldn’t take the amount of bullying, the disregard for my education and hate that I get for being a Christian, and attending a Christian University. When I asked the guy what he meant? He said “Oh, ya know it’s a mail order college, and I have a JD from a real college.” I replied “Good, so maybe you need to actually grow up instead of trying to insult someone who can't be insulted. Yes, I am a Christian, but that doesn't mean that I hate anyone or disregard their lifestyle choices. I have no problem saying that I went to LIBERTY UNIVERSITY and that I AM A CHRISTIAN. I live in the USA where I am free to make that choice. However, it will surprise you that I didn't vote for TRUMP, I joined the class and Alumni that literally went before JERRY FALWELL, JR and told him we didn't agree with his stance on Trump. Also I have black cousins whom I love dearly, and lots of gay friends many of whom also went to Liberty. So what is your point? You don't have one and that is completely fine. Glad that you got to go to college...too bad you have to make this about politics when it wasn't to begin with.”

We have lost the art of conversing with people; Social media has killed our ability to actually talk with one another. We say things online because we know if we said it to someone’s face we’d probably be missing some teeth. I think it would have been far more beneficial for this person to just get to know me instead of trying to insult me.

Right now, there is so much them vs. us in this country that it really makes me ashamed of being an American and I never thought I would say such a thing. Sadly, I don’t know how we can get back to being just Americans.

Friends, I am not ashamed that I went to Liberty University, I am not ashamed that I went to Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and I am not ashamed that I am a Christian. What I am ashamed of is the fact that we no longer care enough about people to talk with them, and we speak at them or about them. The Jewish people have the teaching of LaShon Ha-Ra. It’s best described as this—The power of speech and of the harm that can be done through speech. The rabbis note that the universe itself was created through speech. Of the 43 sins enumerated in the Al Cheit confession recited on Yom Kippur, 11 are sins committed through speech. The Talmud tells that the tongue is an instrument so dangerous that it must be kept hidden from view, behind two protective walls (the mouth and teeth) to prevent its misuse.
The harm done by speech is even worse than the harm done by stealing or by cheating someone financially: money lost can be repaid, but the harm done by speech can never be repaired. For this reason, some sources indicate that there is no forgiveness for lashon ha-ra (disparaging speech). This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the seriousness of improper speech.
A Chasidic tale vividly illustrates the danger of improper speech: A man went about the community telling malicious lies about the rabbi. Later, he realized the wrong he had done, and began to feel remorse. He went to the rabbi and begged his forgiveness, saying he would do anything he could to make amends. The rabbi told the man, "Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds." The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the rabbi that he had done it, the rabbi said, "Now, go and gather the feathers. Because you can no more make amends for the damage your words have done than you can recollect the feathers.” Speech has been compared to an arrow: once the words are released, like an arrow, they cannot be recalled, the harm they do cannot be stopped, and the harm they do cannot always be predicted, for words like arrows often go astray.
The Bible teaches: 

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29) 

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) 

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;” (James 1:19)

“For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:2-10)

While tonight, I am getting ready to lay down, and I am getting ready to do my prayers, trust me, even John H., the young man from UMASS-Amherst will be in my prayers—because if peace is going to come back to our nation, and we are going to learn to converse once more, please Lord, let it begin with me.

Christians...we must denounce Anti-Semitism

My heart hurts. Yesterday, in a senseless act of terrorism, 11 lives were ended and many more people were injured. Tonight, I am sitting here thinking about my own community--several years ago, the local synagogue put a sign outside the temple that let people know it was a Jewish congregation. Many of the elderly Jewish members of the congregation, had been Holocaust survivors or had lost family in the Holocaust and were worried about the fact that Anti-Semitism is alive and well in our nation and they felt putting the sign outside would invite trouble. 

The student Rabbi at the time said that the community should be proud to let the world know where they worshiped and honestly I agreed with the sentiment. After all, it's the 21st century and anti-semitism is so 20th century...or so I thought until yesterday, when I read that 11 people had died and all of them senior citizens. As a Christian, I immediately thought about evil that is wrought against "my spiritual cousins." As the names started to come out, as well as ages, I heard one was a holocaust survivor. Earlier today, I read on twitter that the "survivor" wasn't a Holocaust survivor--but here is my belief--she was 97 years old; she may not have been in Europe during the Holocaust, but what if her family was? What if she lost someone in a concentration camp?

Today, however, the various news sources have written about the victims, and what caused the shooting. I get it, the shooter was a non-Trump supporter, hater of Israel. However, we've not spoken out about what we really need to stand against! 

Christians, we must denounce Anti-Semitism. I was reading the ERLC website and have chosen to use their 6 reasons as to why we, Christians, must denounce anti-semitism. 

1. Anti-Semitism is hatred of the Jewish people

A human rights agency of the European Union once attempted to craft a working definition of anti-Semitism:

“[Anti-Semitism] is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”[1]

Some will say this is only a working definition of what anti-semitism is and while that is somewhat true; Christians are called to love. Matter of fact, Ruth, a Moabite, gives us our true first example of how we should view the Jewish people and God when she pledges her life to her mother-in-law Naomi “But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 

2. Anti-Semitism is contrary to Imago Dei

As confessing Christians, we learn from the very beginning of the biblical narrative that anti-Semitism is contrary to the biblical teachings of the Imago Dei. Specifically, Genesis 1:27 tells us, “God created man in His own image, He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.” “In the image of God.” This is a distinction given only to humanity amidst a vast and diverse creation. It is not merely that humans are at the top of a creation hierarchy. It is that we are in a different category altogether.

I love how the United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline states “We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God,” 

To speak, therefore, of any fellow human being as equivalent to—or lesser than—an animal is anti-human and, ultimately, unbiblical. Yet this is exactly what we find in anti-Semitism: the dehumanizing of human beings. Along with other forms of racism and xenophobia, anti-Semitism dehumanizes a very special member of God’s creation, a creature who bears the Imago Dei.

3. Anti-Semitism is an indicator of ethnic and religious intolerance

Where anti-Semitism is found, we also find intolerance of and persecution of other ethnic and religious groups. Anti-Semitic attitudes, rhetoric and actions mark the least free and most oppressive societies on our globe. U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power observed that anti-Semitism “is often the canary in the coal mine for the degradation of human rights more broadly. When the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Jews are repressed, the rights and freedoms of other minorities and other sectors are often not far behind.”

An account by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, (USCIRF) shows clear evidence anti-Semitism often corresponds with persecution and targeting of other minority groups. For example:

• In Egypt, where the media and government authorities permit anti-Semitism to run rampant, we see persecution of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Baha’is, among others.
• In Iran, where leaders have a history of denying the Holocaust, and calling for the destruction of the state of Israel, we witness imprisonment and torture of converts to Christianity, and other faiths like Baha'i and minority expressions of the Muslim faith.
• Where anti-Semitism persists in Belarus, other minority faiths are denied registration and Baptist churches are raided by the government.[2]

That is but a glimpse of the data, but the point is clear. Where anti-Semitism remains unchecked, persecution of other ethnic and religious groups also persists. Anti-Semitism is a problem for all human beings, not just Jews. It warns of other existing or future human rights abuses. Anti-Semitism is a worldview of thugs and despots.

4. Anti-Semitism is contrary to the behavior of a civilized people

Anti-Semitism is contrary to the behavior of a civilized people. By any measure, the countries mentioned above are not healthy, thriving societies. Instead, their governments aggressively antagonize and persecute their own citizens. Their governments collude with non-state actors to blame the Jewish people for their own self-imposed poverty, violence, and instability. Or, the government looks the other way and permits social hostilities to abuse Jews. A nation marked by rampant anti-Semitism is not a country entitled to normalized relations with the United States. Those complicit in either propagating or excusing anti-Semitism are no friends of freedom and, therefore, no friends of the United States of America.

5. Anti-Semitism is contrary to God’s gifts of freedom of thought and religion

Jewish identity is not limited to religious expression, of course. But to the extent religious expression is part of what it means to be Jewish, hatred of the Jews qualifies as hatred of a religious people and their beliefs. Thus, anti-Semitism is contrary to God’s gift[3] of freedom of thought and religion. God created humans as autonomous creatures. His instructions in the Garden gave us the responsibility of choosing our eternal allegiance. Even God did not pre-program us to blindly believe in and worship him. If the Creator granted individuals with a responsibility and freedom for belief, certainly it is wholly inappropriate for another human or temporal institution to persecute another on the basis of religious belief.

6. A lesson from history

Protestant Christianity learned our lesson on anti-Semitism the hard way in the 20th Century. As historian Timothy George accounts, aside from the Barmen Declaration of 1934 there was little in the way of protest from the organized church in Germany and Europe during the rise of Hitler and National Socialism. Instead, following the Holocaust that slaughtered 6 million Jews, the Evangelical Church in Germany and the Baptist Union of Germany could do nothing but issue statements of remorse, confessing they themselves shared in the guilt through their own “omission and silence.”

Regrettably, our own Convention was not exempt from this guilt. In 1936, Southern Baptist leaders visited Berlin to attend the Baptist World Alliance Congress:

“They met under the banner of the swastika, received greetings from Hitler, and returned to America with glowing reports on the great things happening in Germany. They specifically minimized the totalitarianism and glaring anti-Semitism which was obvious even in 1936.”[4]

Those who either fostered or ignored anti-Semitic attitudes were not merely on the wrong side of history. They were, as Russell Moore might put it, on the wrong side of Christ. Millions of our fellow human beings paid for our indifferent attitudes with their lives. Therefore, Southern Baptists have since resolved to no longer stand idly by when anti-Semitism rears its evil head. As we continue to witness new and virulent forms of anti-Semitism here and around the globe, Southern Baptists will–with God’s grace, and hopefully the broad spectrum of evangelical Christianity–stand up and yell, “stop” on behalf of Jewish people.

Notwithstanding the above dark history, Southern Baptists have otherwise commonly expressed solidarity with either the Jewish people or the state of Israel for nearly 100 years. A 1919 resolution called on the U.S. government to provide relief for displaced Jews. A resolution in 1947 called for the U.S. to admit 400,000 displaced Europeans in the aftermath of World War II, including Jewish populations. In this spirit, the following are excerpts from the Southern Baptist Convention’s most recent Resolution On Anti-Semitism, worth quoting at length:

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists deplore all forms of hatred or bigotry toward any person or people group; and

WHEREAS, Scripture speaks of God’s love for the Jewish people, through whom God has blessed the world with His Word and with His Messiah, our Lord Jesus; and

WHEREAS, There is a rising tide of anti-Semitism across the globe, which manifests itself in despicable acts of violence and harassment against the Jewish people; and ...

WHEREAS, Populist expressions of anti-Semitism are becoming widespread in some     European countries to a degree that has not been seen since World War II; and

WHEREAS, The bloody history of the twentieth century reminds us of the unspeakably evil legacy of anti-Semitism; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention… denounce all forms of anti-Semitism as contrary to the teachings of our Messiah and an assault on the revelation of Holy Scripture; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm to Jewish people around the world that we stand with them against any harassment that violates our historic commitments to religious liberty and human dignity; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we call on governmental and religious leaders across the world to stand against all forms of bigotry, hatred, or persecution.

And I am going to add a 7th reason Christians MUST denounce anti-semitism: 

First, anti-Semitism is totally inconsistent with the stated attitude of Jesus toward the Jews. To believe that Jesus is the Messiah or Christ and then not reflect His attitude toward the Jewish people is the height of hypocrisy, let alone a fallacious inconsistency. Jesus was born a Jew, He lived as a Jew, and He died a Jew, by His choice. Even His resurrection was molded after Jewish expectation. He lived in the midst of His Jewish people and He loved them with a love unparalleled in the annals of Jewish history. Even when it became apparent that a large number of His people had rejected His Messianic claims, Jesus wept over a city that not only missed His arrival, but also a city that would come under the Roman destruction in the very near future. Jerusalem, the golden, would become Jerusalem the ruin (Luke 19:37-44).

Even in His hour of death, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). His dying heart desired forgiveness, not revenge! Is it any wonder that Jesus told His disciples that love would be the one undeniable evidence that they had been with Him (John 13:34-35)? He commanded them, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). One can argue against a doctrine and fight against a cause, but when love is felt, the message is heard! The early Jewish believers were known for many things, but none more forcibly than their undying love for their Messiah and their Jewish kinsmen. It is utterly inconsistent to despise those who are so dearly loved by Jesus Himself. Prejudice must fade in the dawn of His love.

Early Jewish leadership of the Church

Second, anti-Semitism is absolutely inconsistent with the attitude and teaching of the Apostles, the early Jewish leaders of the Christian Church. They were not only loyal Jews who had come to believe that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, but they also wrote the documents of the New Testament. They knew Jesus personally and willingly died as martyrs rather than renounce Him. The Apostle Paul, more than any other, carried the good news of the Jewish Messiah to the farthest corners of the earth. And yet, wherever he traveled, he never bypassed the Jews; he always went to them first. God’s program begins with the Jews (Romans 1:16). Paul’s greatest sorrow was that many of his kinsmen had rejected their Messiah. This great Apostle’s love for his Jewish people was so intense that he was willing, if it were possible, to surrender his own salvation and suffer the eternal judgment of God, if they would only come back to Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. “I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from the Messiah for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:2-3). His prayers were constantly rising before the throne of God on their behalf: “My heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is their salvation” (Romans 10:1).

Paul realized that Israel’s future was anchored in her great heritage. The Jewish people “are beloved for the sake of the fathers” (Romans 11:28). God’s covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not broken and irretrievably cast aside. The promises stand firm and secure. Like Jesus before him, Paul foresaw a day in the distant future when Israel would experience all of the Messianic blessings, that glorious day when the nation would turn to Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world (Romans 11:25-29). The Apostles would have been appalled at the centuries of anti-Semitic hatred. It is absolutely inconsistent with not only their love and concern for the Jews, but also with their hope for Israel and her future.