Elections: When We Mock God’s Sovereignty…

“The LORD sat as King at the flood; Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.” Psalm 29:10

Please do not misunderstand me when I say this – sometimes we make a mockery of God’s Sovereignty in life. Today is a presidential election, we have one every four years…it’s built into the construct of our nation (and other nations also). Admittedly, some elections seem to be more pivotal than others. We ought to, if compelled, exercise our civic duty and right to vote. The problem I have is this: When God’s people, those who would label themselves as Christians – use the term “who ever becomes President, God is still sovereign”…now don’t get me wrong, it’s not that this isn’t true, but I think we sometimes use this flippantly and with very little thought. I will also admit that I have used it, and this is why I write this today.

I have looked around social media today (Election day) and I am amazed in the outpouring and calls for prayer. Not that we don’t need prayer, we absolutely do, but it feels almost like that test in school. You know the one I’m talking about. It’s the test you didn’t study for, and are about to take. You aren’t prepared and so you utilize the last resort prayer…does God work that way? I mean, does he answer prayers for crammed tests and sudden emergencies in our lives? Is that what God has become to His faithful? The God of last resorts?

This is where I feel we make a mockery of God’s Sovereignty sometimes, and as I say this I am not accusing everyone of this, I am asking us to look into our motivations behind the prayers and the declarations of God’s sovereignty. Are we treating God as if he is the emergency cord?

What I mean is, do we include Him in only a portion of our lives, ONLY when we need Him? Or is He invited in daily? Do we only declare Him to be a Sovereign God, who is over all things ONLY during an election, or do we declare this in and through ALL of our every day existences?

What if we prayed to the Almighty like we did during that Presidential election day?
What if we declared His Sovereignty not just when we feel our candidate is the one that should be elected, but in our common, every day kinda life? What would happen then?
I’ll tell you what would happen – we would stop making a mockery of God’s Sovereignty through our consistent declarations.

So which is it?
Do we serve a God who only comes out at election day and ensures the right candidate is placed in the Oval office? Or do we serve a God who is over all and in all things every day of the year – every moment of every day? I must confess that as I point the finger out to every Christian today, that I have three fingers pointing back at me, and that scares me.
I do not want to cheapen God’s power and might! I do not want to make light of His Sovereignty. I must approach this topic with a sober mind knowing that I too have done this. Have you?

Prayer:
Lord, forgive us when we have cheapened your grace and power.
I long to have you walk beside me every moment of every day. Forgive me when I have forgotten to include you in my life, when I have used you as a last resort instead of my constant Father who vows never to leave me or forsake me. I ask that you remind me of what it means to be called a child of You. Show how I must live today, and tomorrow…
Lord, you are Holy and the only One who is Sovereign over all things. Help me declare this every day, through word and deed. -Amen.

November 8, 2016 0

Doctor Strange – Movie Review

This past weekend I went to see Doctor Strange in the movie theater with my family. We are admittedly Marvel movie fans. So we all piled into the car after school on Friday and, with popcorn in hand, found our perfect seats to watch this much anticipated film.

I won’t share any spoilers for you, but I would like to delve into some of the themes of this film. If you know the marvel comics at all, you will know that they are setting the stage for the infinity war. Doctor Strange deals primarily with the metaphysical and dimensional space…thus you will inevitably have a very mind-bending kind of film = I was not disappointed!

The special effects reminded me of Inception on steroids, in that a lot of city scenes are folded as reality is bent and even broken. It’s a very trippy experience that some non-marvel fans who are going to just see a movie might not like.
I loved the humor and the comedic timing of this film, as well as the traditional Stan Lee cameo and teasers (2 of them) at the end of the film.

Underlying Spiritual Themes:
There was a pivotal moment in the film that had me kind of cheering in my seat. There’s a scene (not really a spoiler) where Doctor Strange, who has been injured and has irreparable damage to his hands seeks out a mystical healer in Nepal. As he tries to comprehend how this healer is able to break new ground in medicine, it becomes apparent that it is something so much more. This mystical healer, who is actually “the ancient one” tells Doctor Strange that somethings cannot be explained by medicine and science, and that there is so much more to the universe.

I have to stop right there and say, I loved that spiritual illustration…this man had spent his entire fortune seeking out a scientific breakthrough to help fix his damaged hands and could not find a solution – and what this Ancient One offered could not be explained in the physical realm. As a Pondering Pastor, I have to say that this is how faith works…when reasoning fails and when science cannot explain – there comes a point that we must admit that we do not know all of the mysteries of the universe and all of the infinite possibilities of God.

…and here is where our philosophies diverge.
The cure for Doctor Strange isn’t found in the physical realm, but instead it is found in the metaphysical – and in his own mind. What he had perceived to be impossible is possible in this other realm, and he must call upon Eastern meditation, mysticism and astral projection to get there. If I were only paying attention to this underlying theme of the film, I would have had a hard time accepting it. I don’t necessarily embrace that philosophy of teaching in my life…but as whole film, and action packed as it is, I recognized this to be a movie – fiction and a really good one at that! I hope others see it that way too!

Benedict Cumberbatch does an excellent job, in my opinion, in the role of Dr. Stephen Strange. His character is egotistical at the on set of the movie, but you journey with him to his lowest point. You begin to sympathize with him, and then cheer for him as he discovers his powers.

I look forward to a second installment of Doctor Strange as well as his cameos in other upcoming Marvel films. He is an intriguing character and takes the word “trippy” to a whole new plain.

So, should you see this film? Yes! Go watch it, take some popcorn, and enjoy another great Marvel movie.

I give this film

Something more to Ponder today!

November 7, 2016 0

3 Vitals About This Life…

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14

Life is so fragile and brief.
As we get older it seems that things just seem to speed up like a run away train on a track that isn’t finished yet. We keep plodding along thinking that the line is still hundreds of miles away, yet it’s only a couple of miles down along the bend.

Sometimes life isn’t what we thought it would be…yet we had clung to the notion that it would be awesomely amazing when we grew up…only to discover that life is what you make of it, it takes a lot of work and hard decisions. Life can be pleasantly insulated by friends, family, children – and this makes the journey, because that’s what life truly is, a journey – so much more enjoyable and treasured.

Here’s what I know about this life so far…I’ve been pondering this for some time now…and i know that there are far more wiser people out there than me, but let me try to articulate what I know about life so far, perhaps this will resonate or at least make sense to you.

3 Vitals About This Life…

1. We don’t get to choose how many days of life we have…
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” -Psalm 90:12
This life IS temporal, and we don’t live forever in this body. Does the spirit live forever, that’s what we have been told and what I believe, but this shell will one day give out and stop working…and so will yours. Sounds kinda depressing doesn’t it? I know…but in the grand scheme of things, there is a far better – longer lasting existence waiting for us. A life where there will no longer be this barrier between us and the Almighty. A place where we will no longer suffer from disease and the aches and pains of life. I can’t even begin to imagine that yet, but we must, at some point, come to terms with the limited nature of this life. We don’t get to choose the length of our lives. God does give and take away, He is sovereign over our very breath, and I have to believe without a shadow of a doubt that we deeply matter to Him.

2. This life is like a mist, really it’s not that long – make the most of it.
As James puts it, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14) Have you ever seen that fog in the early morning? It’s so mysterious and wispy, just hanging there. It’s dangerous to drive into, but you know that in a little while, as soon as the Sun starts to shine on it, that fog will dissipate and vanish. It’s a great analogy of life isn’t it? This vital understanding of how brief our life really is puts it into perspective. Don’t waste your life. Make memories. Don’t get so caught up in things that don’t really matter much – even (or especially) work can become one of those things. When it is all said and done, will you be known for getting those reports in on time? Will you really want to be remembered for the labored hours you spent in the office, even during family vacations and nights when you should have been home with your kids? NO! I think a lot of people will be living with regret in the late stages of life. Success in business doesn’t always equate to making the most out of your life and what really, truly matters. Are you really living life right now, or are you just plodding? It’s like that fog in the early morning…far too soon it will dissipate and vanish. Don’t take it for granted, don’t waste it on things that don’t really matter. Invest in the right kinds of things and in people who care and love you.

3. Some people with less of a life span live a whole lot more than some with a much longer life span…what you make of it matters…

This directly correlates with the last vital point…I met some who are simply coasting through life. They have no real purpose, they aren’t happy with anything, they are miserable people to be around. These people (not to sound condescending, but rather a warning here) are just hoping the next life will be better, but they really aren’t living the one they have been given right here and now. It’s such a waste…have you live this at some point in your life? Do you know what I mean? Some people have been given such a short life due to illness, disease or accident, and they lived it to the fullest. They were full of vigor and passion and it just seem to pour out of them – it was contagious. I hope we live like that with whatever time we have in this body. I hope we can laugh and love and cry and experience life in all of its glory. I never want to be one who merely looks forward to heaven, yet I miss out on, or waste this gift of life I have been given right here and now.
Some of us bury ourselves in elements of life and distractions of life…and then we look up from our cell phones and our social media accounts and miss the beauty of nature all around us. Don’t miss it. Don’t miss the glory of God, which is evident all around us. Soak it in, notice it, embrace it, spend some of your “mist” time just breathing it in. Life isn’t life unless you’re actually an active participator in it.

I’ve had some peers and friends of mine pass way before their time. Their life seemed like a brief mist…and sadly gone too soon. I’ve even performed a couple of their funerals as the Pastor…it isn’t easy, it breaks the heart and it later causes me to think more deeply as to what I am doing with my life – this mist that I am. Have you been there? Can you relate? What I do know is that our journeys have a destination that extends beyond the veil of life and death…and the next life begins with the glory embrace of Christ. And although I long for that day, I don’t want to ~~mist~~ miss this moment right here and now, where everything and everyone that is important and precious becomes crystal clear. When that happens to you…what and who do you see?

Something more to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

November 2, 2016 0

Sermon Podcast – “Who Am I?”

Exodus 3:11 (NIV)

“But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Thanks for checking out our sermon, God Bless you!

October 31, 2016 0

Keep It Simple Stupid – An Uncomplicated God Thing…

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form…” Colossians 2:9

We as humans tend to over-complicate things, our friendships, our beliefs and even our families from time to time. When it comes to Church and our worship, we have to have all of the right elements put into place…the right songs need to be sung, the format – comfortable, and we place our “hallelujahs” and “amens” all in the right places…have we made our worship overly complicated? Are our experiences with God overly complicated? Do we make it something it was never intended to be? What about authenticity and candid moments with the Father? Do these take place in our utterances to Him?

I believe we have this big picture idea about God sometimes that leaves God this great big idea out there…but very seldom do we realize that He comes directly to us in our minuscule lives and wants to just hang out. He longs to connect in ways we have never anticipated or believed to be possible. Why is that? Why do we believe in this mighty God and yet, at times, fall short of believe He desires real, authentic relationship with us?

I will tell you why – because there a moments, even large spans of time where we believe the lie that Satan tells us. What is that lie you ask? – That we aren’t good enough. That we don’t really belong. That no matter what that preacher or friend might say, He would never spend time with me, because of all of the sins and bad things I have done in my life…yet we asked for forgiveness…yet we accepted Christ into our lives…but still…why do we keep buying this lie?

Because we do not feel worthy enough?
Because we do not think a great BIG God would ever come down to our teeny tiny level?
Because we still struggle with temptation…and we still stumble and fall?

So we over complicate it…our relationship with God.
We try to fill in the gaps with complicated worship and ornate speech and follow a strict pattern of obligations…but it’s complicated…

God doesn’t do complicated.
He doesn’t beat around the bush (sorry Moses).
He doesn’t need ritual or motions of worship for us to be accepted as His children.
He simply says to us,”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28)

All He wants from us is our fellowship.
He desires to be included.
He longs for connection…for things uncomplicated.

So let’s uncomplicate things…
Let His presence remove the insecurities and the lies.
This great BIG God will be there in our small spaces of life.
And He breathes peace into our lives
Something more to ponder today.

Peace be with you!

October 26, 2016 0

Do You Love Him?

“…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

We Christians are often very good at quoting scripture, especially verses that bring us comfort and strength in times of need. These verses have a way of making us feel good and bring us relief in knowing that we aren’t alone and that we have One who goes before us on this faith journey. But I wonder how intricately do we know the passages that we cling to? Do we know a scripture’s complete context and the full understanding of the words we utter from memorized verses in whatever translation that we’ve memorized them from?

Do we sometimes pick and choose the passages that most suit us in our times of need? Perhaps our troubles have begun way before the physical worries manifest themselves in our lives because we have failed to include the Almighty into our day and moment by moment. God doesn’t want us simply to check in from time to time with Him, like some teenager would with his or her parents while they are out late with friends. No, instead He desires the fellowship which lasts all day.

For example, the focus verse that I have listed above has been taken out of context many times. We stop short of reading it in its full entirety because we only want the good that comes from God. We only want what we want and we fail to understand that this relationship with God first begins with love and devotion to Him. From this all things flow. Now, don’t misunderstand me. We do not love simply to have good things happen to us. God is not some genie who grants wishes if we are good to Him. We pleaded with by the Holy Spirit to love because He first loved us. We are invited to become partakers of His kingdom and to be called sons and daughters of God. There is no better invitation than that! But you see love isn’t about getting stuff…that’s not love at all. We don’t love God to get things or because it benefits us in a prosperity sort of way. No, instead a right relationship with Him demands of us our full devotion and love.

This is the path least taken in this world.
This is the place where true faith walks in tandem with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus looked into Peter’s eyes, these same eyes that stared blankly at accusers while his lips denied his allegiance to his Teacher. Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Not once, not twice, but three times – the same amount of times Peter had lied and denied Him. Imagine the conviction of that moment. Envision sitting there with the Son of Man and coming face to face with your shortcomings and failures? I am certain that the tears of shame would flow, and my heart would be rent.

Jesus still asks us today, “Do you love me?” He pleads with us “Let me in, allow me access to your daily life…let me be a part of who you are – can I be a part of your very identity?”
What will your answer be?

Something more to ponder today.

October 24, 2016 0

Don’t Lockup The Holy Spirit!!

I was doing homework with one of my sons the other night.
We have four children, all in school and there are some days that my wife and I scramble to help them with their collective homework – which seems to be like our laundry: never ending.

So there we were at the kitchen table, the contents of his backpack emptied and I am pouring through his homework folder trying to make sense of his disorganization (it too is a never ending task it seems). As I am finally wading through the old papers and graded papers at last I come to the homework that needs to be done. We both sit at the table and I begin reading it to him. He has no idea how to fill in the answers – it’s history, one of his favorite subjects (proud Dad moments, History was mine as well). So he doesn’t know the answers, and the questions are very specific…and then I read the very top of the page; “Use your text book from pages 265-282“. I look over at my son, “Where’s your text book?” He goes to his now empty backpack – it isn’t there. “I think I left it in my locker“, he says. “Well then, I really can’t help you with these questions, because without the text book we will probably get every one of these questions wrong.“I said this with frustration in my voice, knowing his homework would be late. School is important and to forget some as pivotal as his text book was very unfortunate.

In that moment, homework was cancelled, or perhaps postponed until the next day…all because without the text book, the homework and its questions were beyond our reach.

It got me thinking…
The Holy Spirit is a lot like that in our lives.
No, He’s not some text book that we stuff into our locker at school and forget about…but then again we kinda do leave him out of our lives from time to time. We do forget about Him. We know the story of Jesus, His love and grace and His gift to us on the cross and in the empty grave. We believe that He is preparing a place for us, but there’s more to the story. When He ascended the Holy Spirit came and never left God’s people. The Holy Spirit is still real within us and can be felt in the still small voice or the gentle prodding in our lives. Jesus even told His disciples: “I have told you this while I’m still with you. However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.” John 14:25-26

But sometimes, we leave Him in the lockers of our lives. We forget He’s even there, ready and able to help us. We think we have to guess at all of life’s mysteries all by ourselves, and so we begin attempting to take the whole world upon our shoulders…in our own strength…and when we fail (which we will) we wonder where God is, when in fact, He never left us, we forgot or left Him.

My dear fellow ponderers, take God’s holy presence with you into the fray.
Don’t forget what great power He has for you and the hope and peace He will provide you in your day. Don’t lock Him up or compartmentalize your “Church life” from your “Home life”. Remember He can’t be contained, He doesn’t want to share space in your life with false gods and earthly “stuff”. He is certainly jealous for you and me. He longs for fellowship with us, and He desires moment by moment conversations and heart to hearts.
Don’t lock up that potential, because in reality you are only limiting the joy and peace you could experience with Him intricately involved in your life…He has the answers – seek Him out and He will be found.

Something more to ponder today!

October 21, 2016 2

International Day of the Girl…So Far To Go…

Today is an important day!!
Perhaps you didn’t know it was today…perhaps you didn’t really even care.

But…
There is a movement out there that I believe we should all be a part of…it is the movement to ensure all girls around the world have access to education and employment! That girls from whatever corner of the earth is treated with the same equality that boys her age receive. This movement must grow and enter every corner of the world. We must push this movement and ensure that regardless of race, ideology and culture ALL girls & women are treated with equality, freedom and fairness.

This is not the case in many places of our world.
Almost all religions are guilty of suppressing female – some are still in the ideological dark ages where women are treated as property. This cannot continue! We must fight against such ideologies with education and compassion! We must stand up for those girls in our world who still have no voice in their culture. If we truly believe that all people matter, and all are equal – we cannot rest until all girls have the freedom to grow up to be whatever they want to be and are not restrained by archaic religious practices and teachings bent of controlling those they teach.

I have a daughter, she is the light of my life, and she has access to education – and I hope, with her parent’s help, we will give her every opportunity to succeed in life and she can aspire to be whoever she wants to be…but I also know that there are millions of girls like my daughter out there in the world today who will never have these same opportunities that she has. And these girls will have these amazing dreams to be and do something, but the society that they live in will prohibit their dreams and limit their access to the resources they will need to succeed.

I am just one father, one parent – but I stand with this International Day of Girls because I know that we can make a difference for ALL. It may take years, but we mustn’t give up. We mustn’t quit on those who are currently voiceless and without choices in life.

I believe in a God who created both Male and Females to live equally together in this world. I believe we must empower this generation of girls to dream big and live it out until those dreams become a reality. I also believe that if we work together, and if we persevere, we will better the lives of girls all around the world!

Let’s turn dreams into realities!
Something more to ponder today!

More reading on this topic check out these links:
How are you making a difference?
Day of the Girl – US
International Day of the Girl – U.N.
Fighting Human Trafficking -SA

October 11, 2016 0

Holiness – The Only Prescription!

“…but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:14

The Doctor’s Visit:
Suppose I had an ailment that could only be cured by going to the doctor on a regular basis. Now, suppose after my very first visit (which was fantastic and successful) I believed myself cured and instead of taking the doctor’s advice, I left and never came back…how foolish would I be? I felt great for a short time, but soon enough, my symptoms returned and I was right back where I began. You might say that I should have taken the doctor’s advice, and followed through with my treatment plan. You might also say, that I was stubborn and foolish.

The RX Application:
This is how Holiness should be to a Christ-follower!
God has prescribed to us the perfect example by which we should live – His Son Jesus Christ.

But you see, I don’t believe that Salvation is the end of this spiritual journey, instead it is only the beginning! Once we accept Christ in our lives and believe He saved and redeemed us from sin and death, we are essentially at the very first appointment at the doctor’s office! We still struggle. We still need help. We can still fall into temptation!

Christ’s prescription to us? A daily/moment by moment conversation with Him. The more we visit with Him, the more we begin to reflect who He is in our lives. Our goal (and the simple definition of Holiness) is to become like Him in every way day by day – by taking His prescription for life! Without it, we will be like the patient (me…) leaving the doctor’s office the very first time and not following his treatment plan!

Salvation is just the first dose and Holiness is the cure!
Something more to ponder today!

October 5, 2016 0

Dear Salvation Army – A Parable Of US…These are OUR People!!

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…” -Matthew 25:35

The Story:

In the frosted air of mid December, where ice is forming, melting in the midday sun, only to refreeze in winter’s kiss at dusk; a man zips up his camping tent for the night. It will be another bitterly cold attempt at sleep, which has proven elusive and wrought with lingering aches in limbs and ligaments. The man wraps himself up in multiple blankets of mismatched colors, extinguishes the insignificant blue flame from the juniper green propane camp stove, and settles in for another volatile night of shivering slumber as the constant freeway noise clambers on.

As dawn slips past the horizon of the army green tent flap, which has been frosted and now baptized in a hopeful light; the man untangles himself from the layers of blankets and additional coats laid down in the middle of the night, a stop gap that offered little to no help. Having survived yet another night languishing in hypothermic rest, the men unzips the tent and stretches out the pain of cramping muscles and battered tendons. Shivering noticeably through the noise of his chattering teeth, he moves as quickly as his lumbering joints can move as he seeks out somewhere to warm his tired bones.

A few blocks away, the crimson glowing lights of a red shield inscribed with the words “Salvation Army” calls out to him. The backdoor to the gymnasium has been opened, and there will be warmth within. As he steps inside, the man encounters the soup kitchen cook, draped in a white billowing apron and a broad smile. “Good morning friend!” The cook says in a deep gravelly voice by way of greeting, “would you care for some coffee?” The shivering man nods and shuffles towards an open chair as others also begin to arrive. They too have anticipated this moment, and their search for warmth, food, coffee and conversation is at an end.

The homeless man, still shaking off the bone-seeping coldness in his body, has finally found a safe haven, and with it – his dignity and hope once more…

…The Rest of the Story (As Paul Harvey used to say)
This is just a glimpse into the lives of those we serve. Some have had it better than others…
I have sat in our gym and listened to the stories some of our patrons can tell.
Some of them have truly been through hell on earth.
Some battle with constant addictions.
Some with physical or emotional trauma.
All are God’s…they are His…and He speaks to us through their stories of brokenness, pain and sorrow.
He also prods us to do something about their suffering.

Yes, Dear Salvationist, it seems like an impossible and never ending task because poverty, addictions and homelessness seem to be constantly knocking on our doors. The situations are the same, but the faces change over time! The question is – are we available to help and are we receptive to the Holy Spirit’s leading? Are we here to be a light when the rest of the world has turned the light off, given up and walked away? Can we still provide hope and love even if that person is stuck in the cycle of crisis? Can we offer it without judgement? Yes, we ought never put a band-aid on deep wounds, but can we serve first then minister? Or can ministry truly be found IN the service and care of others?

Here is a reality check: Some may never darken the doors to our sanctuaries on a Sunday morning, but are they not still a member of our congregation if they are at our facility EVERY DAY for a warm meal and a safe place to sit and rest? I think we miss a far greater opportunity that can be found on Sunday morning if we don’t engage during these moments feeding and conversing. Dear Salvationist, these are our people too! They come to us because we are the harbor and they have been shipwrecked by life. What we say, how we show love, and what we do – MATTERS!

The story I shared with you today, is real.
This man came to our corps and community center years ago, homeless, suicidal and at the end of his rope. And because the doors to our gymnasium were open, and he found warmth in the company of people in our corps, he is alive today. His life (literally his life) was saved! I know that there are many more stories just like this one wherever a Salvation Army facility is located. Doing the most good isn’t some prideful declaration to the public, instead is ought to be a phrase we ask ourselves every day both personally and organizationally – “Am I/Are We – Doing the most good”?

Make a difference in the lives you reach for Christ, and know that our “congregation” is so much larger than just our soldiery on Sunday mornings!

October 2, 2016 1

Category: Faith Ponderings