Merry Christmas

Well, tonight we had our Christmas Eve service, and it went well....I enjoyed the time with the church family, and am now on my way home to spend the rest of the evening with my kids and grandkids...all in all, it is truly a blessing to be able to share this time of the year with those I love, and who love me! May all of you have a wonderful Christmas, and a most beautiful and blessed New Year....I am anticipating the Lord moving in a wonderful way!

Latest Ramblings

Lately I just haven't been in the mood to write...I usually like to respond to current events, or to share what is on my mind, but to be honest...I just haven't felt like writing anything. Still, with Christmas coming, my mind begins to drift towards two days past Christmas Day. December 27th, to be exact. That is the Sunday that I gave my heart to the Lord, and it is a day that makes December 25th special to me. When I think of that day, I also think of Jesus' parable of the Sower and the Seed, how He speaks of seed falling on both unreceptive and receptive soil. Out of the van load of kids who went with me to the Hollywood Palladium on that December day, I know of only one who continued in his walk with Jesus. All of the others seem to have fallen away. One of them used to attend our church in our early days, but he ended up marrying and divorcing twice, and while at our church was using cocaine and finally just walked away from the Lord. I heard a few years ago that he went to Calvary Chino Hills for awhile, and I pray that he did and that he is still there, as my hope would be that he came back to the Lord. Interestingly, our church bought the house where his ex-wife used to live in on Pipeline, and we "paved paradise and put in a parking lot". When we bought the house, I believe she had started going to Calvary Chino Hills, and again, I sure pray she is still there. 

It is amazing, when I think of it, how many people I have known and cared about (and for) who have left their walks with Jesus. Friends that I would break bread with, pray with, laugh with, and even confide in who were trustworthy and yet, when it came down to it, more than likely never were saved. It amazes me. I think of their impact on my life, especially when I first came to faith in Jesus and sometimes wonder what made the difference. We went to the same church, had the same friends, made the same profession of faith in the same Savior, and yet they walked away and I have remained with Jesus. Truly salvation is a mystery. 

Jesus likened the Kingdom of God to a man sowing seed in his field, and the seed sprouts and grows, but he himself does not know how (Mk 4:26-29) I certainly have no idea why someone claims faith in Jesus and walks away, and others make the same claim and become missionaries, pastors, teachers, full time ministers, chaplains, etc. and remain and grow strong in Jesus. All I know is that I want to remain faithful to Him, until the end, and that I want to be one who encourages others to love and serve Him, too. It never has been an easy road for me, but it has been a blessed one.

When I got saved, I had been dating a girl who broke up with me. Of course, I thought I would die of a broken heart! She actually was used by the Lord to make me consider my life, and to get it right with Jesus. It is amazing how the Lord used a broken relationship and a broken heart to bring me to a place where He could be the mender of broken hearts (Lu 4:18) It took around five years for me to get over her, and I really didn't get over her until the day she got married. I went to her wedding, and then went home and cried myself to sleep (drama is my middle name). God gave her a great young man whom I knew was better for her than I could ever be, but I never dreamed of the incredible gift He had waiting for me when He opened my eyes to a beautiful young woman named Marie. He used my sorrow over being such a jerk to bring me to repentance, that I might be a better man and to grow into a good husband and His servant...and to be the pastor of the church I now love and serve. Hmmmm, what a wonderful God and what a beautiful plan He had for me, and has for you. 

May you remain strong in Him, Merry Christmas, and remember that the best is yet to come!

Now What?

I was reading my bible the other day, and the passage I was looking at related to the manner in which Christians are to live, and how we are to think. Paul was writing of how believers are to walk in love, even as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. He went on to say because of this, sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness should not even be named amongst the saints. There should be no filthiness, foolish talking, crude joking in our lives because this is all out of place, but instead of these things, we should give thanks to God (Eph 5:1-15). I began to think: Paul could be writing to our nation and the church should wake up. 

When I look around today, I am not surprised at the casual sin and the accepting, tolerating attitude of people in general. God knows that is simply an expression of an unredeemed nature. People who do not claim to have a relationship with the Lord and His word cannot be expected to think or act in accordance to His will, though there are times that they most certainly do things that are charitable and caring, or sacrificial and result in good for those around them. 

What bothers me and saddens, even grieves me is when I see those who claim to be believers arguing in favor of things that the bible clearly condemns. 

I expected the election to turn out the way it did, and in this blog put forth some of the concerns that I had about it. Of course, Christians representing both parties let their thoughts be known, and I read all the comments written concerning why my thoughts were wrong or right. The funny thing is, some people think that I am a staunch Republican when in fact I am more Independent in my outlook on some issues. I vote for the person most closely mirroring my conscience, and do not vote along party lines if I disagree with the person's positions. I do not echo party line talking points, but try to think for myself. And my thinking is informed, not by the newspaper or televised news accounts (which are without argument biased to the "left") but by the word of God. After reading it for 38 years, and studying and teaching it for 35, I would guess that my way of thinking has been influenced by what I read in scripture. Which is why I teach in the manner I do, and write the things I write.

 For some, my opinions are just that, my opinions and on many matters, indeed that is what they are, simply my musings and opinions. Still, I would simply encourage believers to make sure that their opinions are formed through careful reading of the word of God with a desire to align with Him. This is what I would hope for all Christians, that we would consult the Lord and His word, in order to come into alignment with Him and what He has said in His word. 

Without a doubt, people today are much more callused to truth than in any other time I can remember. The filth of the world has pretty much polluted the moral base of this great nation, and I remain concerned at the lack of discernment many have. 

I was thinking about how people got to the place of thinking that marriage is inconsequential, and unnecessary to protect. Part of my answer came as I was flying home from a recent trip. The airline offered free movies, several one could select by simply scrolling through a personal screen and clicking "play movie". Under the heading of "comedy" were several recent movies, so I began watching them. I opened up three of them, and turned each one off within a couple of minutes. Each one had language that I can't repeat, and scenes that were pornographic. These were movies that any kid could turn on and watch, unedited, and I was shocked that this is what people watch and have no problem with. 

Some argue that such viewing does not effect the way people think, but a recent study reveals the opposite. What you watch most definitely influences how you think, and what you will do. Our society is totally callused, and the sad thing is that the church is too. 

The fact is, when so many have gone through divorces themselves, marriage loses its shine, especially when the persons going through the divorce are Christians. The ones most troubled are the children, who see marriage as something that doesn't necessarily work out, and isn't really something that lasts a lifetime. Millions have been broken through divorce, depreciating the value of marriage, and so ultimately it all boils down to "love". Since love is something we all need, why not let people who love one another get married, even if they are of the same sex? After all, marriage isn't that sacred, is it? 

Simplistic ramblings, I know, but true nonetheless. What we watch, read, listen to, think about, and eventually desire is what we ultimately do. I pray that people in our church will actually begin reading, thinking about, desiring, and ultimately begin doing that which pleases the Lord. And it all begins with loving Him, reading His word, and determining to keep it. 

 

To Vote or Not to Vote

Proverbs 11:3 Asks the question: If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? Very few can legitimately argue that the United States was not founded on religious principles and established by religious people. Though it is very much in vogue to find something evil about everything that made this country great, the fact is that you cannot go into our great national capitol and not find monuments throughout the entire city celebrating the fact that God was the One responsible for the establishment of this great country of ours. From the Lincoln memorial to small statues and plaques everywhere, the name of God and Jesus Christ, not to mention the Holy Spirit is reverently displayed and thanks goes to Him for all that has been accomplished.  Scripture is everywhere, speaking of God's greatness and goodness to us. It is amazing to see what has happened in my lifetime, how all of this has systematically been challenged and history has been re-written. Recently, Marie and I watched a short special on John Lennon and the Beatles, and we were reminded of how Lennon had stated "We are more popular than Jesus Christ". When he said that, (and I remember it well), Christians and millions of Americans in general, got outraged and Lennon was forced to apologize for such a slight. Can you imagine something like that happening today? Movies like Religulous would never have been made, South Park would never mock Jesus, God's name would not be allowed to be said on national TV while the "N" word is banned, and a host of plays, paintings, and movies would never be made. We have fallen so far from our Christian roots, and today we are paying for it. Take as an example Prop 8. Since when do we really have to define marriage as between a man and a woman? Doesn't nature itself tell you what works and doesn't work? Yet, homosexual activists have worked 24-7 to make sure that they are legitimized. This is not about equal rights, it is about legitimizing perversion, and the church is once again asleep at the wheel. One school "teacher" actually took her first grade class on a field trip to witness a lesbian wedding ceremony, because as she said, she didn't want to miss this "teachable moment". In other words, she didn't want to miss the opportunity to indoctrinate the children with confusion and perversion. Sadly, they went with the permission of their irresponsible parents, with only two parents having the common sense and backbone to keep their children home that day. Perhaps it is easier to have the kids go to a field trip than to actually stay home to care for them, or to provide someone (is anybody home) to watch them. Sad, sad, sad. This is the state of America. We have a Presidential candidate that believes in the re-distribution of wealth...you work, and I will live off of your earnings. After all, I don't want to work, won't work, am not willing to work, but still want a satellite dish and color TV. It's my right, so work hard so I can have it! This is pure socialism, yet people are not outraged by it. Hey, let's lower our medical standards so we can become a European or Canadian type country. We can then say that everybody gets health care, but not tell the people that to get health care like the British, we need to be willing to wait up to 40 weeks to get an operation, some dying before they can receive care. The Canadians who need operations come to the US by the thousands, and the Canadian government spends $1 billion a year to pay for medical operations that Canadians come here to get. But ignorant Americans want a president who will take our health care down, and he does it under the guise of being good to people. He says no new taxes on anybody but the wealthy. Then he defines wealthy for us, but fails to say that millions already don't pay taxes and small business owners will end up losing everything. Man, we had better wake up. We need to vote this coming election, and not vote on personality, but on experience. I don't care much for either candidate, but I know where one will take us and don't want to go there. God help us all...

What is truth

When I first became a Christian, it was very refreshing to finally have something that I felt I could hold fast to with complete trust. I knew that the philosophies of the world were vacuous and developed "me first" kinds of people, as I myself had been totally absorbed in the foolishness of the age myself and was a great example of such self-centered living, and so when I came to Christ, truth began to matter. Jesus made it clear that truth matters, and that truth exists. Obviously, He is truth incarnate, but He also speaks that which is true. His word is truth, and truth sets us free from the bondage that sin keeps us locked up in. This is the main reason that I try to teach: truth sets you free. When I look out at our church, I see so many who have come to understand this, people who have been set free from sin. I see former alcoholics, drug abusers, violent people, as well as former adulterers, homosexuals, and thieves. And this is my staff!!!! Actually, when you look at the church, it is made up of so many who at one time were blind, but now they see because of Jesus, and it makes my heart overflow with joy. It is all because Jesus set them free, and He did so and does so through His word, the Bible. When I first got saved, I was told that God's word was truth, and that I needed to read it, study it, and do it so that I might come to know how it does set free, and with this in mind we are going to have a series on Sunday nights with the hope that our people will take advantage of being better equipped to give away their faith. We live at a time that reminds me of the question asked of Jesus by Pilate, when he asked Him "What is truth"? His jaded mind could not grasp that, in the midst of a universe filled with lies, such a thing could exist. This spirit remains to our day, and I pray that the studies that will be given will help people understand that truth exists, it is incarnated in our blessed Savior, and has been given to us to hold fast to and to share. I pray people show up Sunday night, fully realizing how difficult it is for some to do so. But, it will be eternally worth it...

My God shall supply

I was reading something interesting (to me!) the other day. A writer was pointing out that though  charitable giving in the United States has steadily increased over the last 30 years, in the '80's religion received nearly 55% of all charitable gifts, but in the '90's it went down to 40%, and now is at 33%! This is interesting, in that though giving to those in need has actually grown, giving to the Lord has actually gone down. Americans, in general, give away 2% of their income yearly (far less than a tithe), yet less give to their churches today than ever before.  While we Americans, as a people, are the most generous people on the planet, we no longer seem to trust the churches we attend, which obviously includes the church I pastor. What is interesting is that we believers apparently have forgotten (or perhaps never really believed) that eternity matters, and that our church fellowships that we attend are actually impacting the world, for eternity. Without the financial support of our members, our churches will simply cease performing the functions that have produced such blessings in so many lives. I never actually say this in church as I am aware most would misunderstand me, but I am concerned for the health of our fellowship. It has been said "Giving is the closest thing we have on a daily basis to getting a true pattern of a person's character", and I happen to agree with that statement. As I have said in the past, my wallet and my heart have an invisible string, tying them together. I have seen that, when times get financially tight, the first thing that people do is stop giving to the Lord. It is not that they stop giving (fast food restaurants still get plenty of business), but they do stop giving to Him. Interestingly, some say that they will return to their giving patterns once the financial crunch is over, and they borrow from the Lord. Still, in the Old Testament, if I decided to withhold my gifts to God for personal benefit, I would actually add 20% to what I held back when I next presented my gifts to the Lord (Lev 27:31). Can you imagine how much I would be obligated to the Lord were we still under the Law? I pray that we, the church, repent from our habit of robbing God and begin trusting Him to "supply all of our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus". As a pastor, I actually am saddened as I see the church numerically growing, but now having to hold back on doing things that would benefit the kingdom of God and this church because people are withholding their gifts, or have simply never stepped out in faith to give to the Lord. If you are afraid financially, my encouragement to you is to evaluate your spending habits, eliminate non-essential spending, develop a budget that prioritizes your spiritual life, and be careful to eliminate credit card debt and unnecessary purchases. Learn to, as we used to say so long ago "put your money where your mouth is", in other words, learn to walk the walk as well as talking the talk. In doing so, God will reveal to you that He truly is the Jehovah Jireh, the God Who provides (Gen 22:14)! 

Call unto Me

We had our night of prayer last Friday, and it was wonderful in every way. It was a blessing joining with so many churches for prayer, and I rejoiced seeing the body of Christ uniting for prayer. Golden Springs, Chino Hills, Upland, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and many other fellowships were represented, and I was so moved by the excitement and anticipation I sensed in the sanctuary. We gathered to pray for our state and our nation, but especially for our marriages. Ultimately, society rises or falls on the foundation of its families, and with the radical re-defining of family, it is really the church's responsibility to stand up and re-emphasize just what a family is. God tells us that marriage is His idea, and in Malachi 2:11 He goes so far as to refer to marriage as the holy institution which He loves. Marriage is defined in scripture as the union of a man and a woman, creating a composite unity: the two becoming one.  Because we believe in the traditional definition of marriage, we oppose changing it to accommodate willful sin and this is why we joined in prayer this last Friday. I would encourage you all to pray for our marriages, and to guard your own, as well as turning out to vote in November. We need to make our consciences known, and you can do it in many ways, including at the ballot box. Remember, all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.