The God Vacuum

Just today I was again praying for the families of the victims who lost their lives in the tragic massacre that took place last week in Newtown, Connecticut. The hearts of so many in the nation are deeply saddened and disturbed by such a senseless tragedy. We need to keep the families of those who lost loved ones in our prayers. What I'm going to express here is in no way intended to diminish the importance of remembering the real victims in this horrific act of violence. I was reading a few days ago in Romans chapter 1 and in verse 21 we read that "even though they knew God, they did not Honor Him as God...their foolish heart was darkened." The consequence of their idolatry and rebellion was that "God gave them over to degrading passions" (vss.26-27) and "just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind to do those things which are not proper" (vs.28). Verses 29-31 list those "things that are not proper" including murder. In America both privately and publicly there has been a tremendous effort to expunge God from life. Privately more and more people are turning away from God. The church has become more like the world in it's preaching and practices than different from the world. We have expelled God from schools and have sought to eradicate His influence by removing the 10 commandments from public buildings and banning nativity scenes from public lands. In Arkansas a church cancelled a showing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" intended for school children when a parent complained that the students would be traveling to the church to attend the play. Every year at Christmas there are debates over whether or not it is appropriate for public officials, businesses, etc. to say "Merry Christmas" or to use the less controversial and more PC statement "Happy Holidays." From the White House to the School House the term "Holiday Tree" is being used. I always wonder "what Holy Day" the tree commemorates? Can't be New Years for that is not a Holy Day. Must be Christmas. So why can't we say Christmas Tree? I still do. My point is that in America today even though we know God we do NOT honor Him as God. With the tragedy in Newtown even those who normally keep God out of the conversation (unless of course they refer to Him in some derogatory or defaming way with vulgarities) are found saying, "the victims and their families are in our prayers". There has been an openness to talk about God, about faith, about prayer since the tragedy that resembles the response of the nation following 9/11/2001. "We know God" in the sense that we know He exists (no atheists in a fox hole sort of thing) but we do not HONOR HIM as God. In tragic times the response of the elites who normally ignore God is to treat God like a genie in a bottle. When times are tough we rub the bottle in order to make our wish hoping that the God we have eliminated from our life will pop up and serve our utilitarian and self-absorbed purposes. How wonderful of us to treat God like our personal slave. We've missed that last part of Malachi 1 where God speaks through the prophet to the pretending people of God to tell them, " I AM A GREAT KING says the Lord of Hosts." The GREAT KING has been locked out of most of our lives, most of our public activities, and when the going gets tough we want to treat him like a bell hop. We should not be surprised to see a rise in "the things which are not proper" (Ro.1:28) like greed, envy, murder, malice, arrogance, etc.in our society. So when I see a tragedy like what happened in Newtown I see in the horrific act and in the response further evidence of a society with a God Vacuum...a people who have lost their moral compass, abandoned God, and who persist on "worshipping with their lips while their heart is far from him." The perpetrator of the horrific act was of "depraved mind", fallen, sinful, not controlled by God, but by Satan. The reaction by some politicians has been equally depraved in my opinion. Consider the knee-jerk reaction to push for stricter gun control. It seems pretty simple to me. The mother of this young man was negligent to let her son who was mentally unstable even near firearms. That is not the fault of the firearms, but of the mother and the son who should never have been allowed to handle them. Those pushing for gun control after this emotionally charged tragedy appear sanctimoniously to have the interest of the innocent victims in view. When I heard who was leading the charge in the quest for increased gun control I paused. Seriously, the women who are advocating for gun control to "protect innocent victims from violent acts" are the same women who are the most vocal proponents of murdering unborn children while they are still in the womb. These are the legislators who run for office as proponents of "a woman's right to choose." So they advocate that the government pay for abortions, for abortifacients, for abortion services. Think about this for a minute. The same women who are outraged that the second amendment is still upheld because of their concern over protecting innocent victims is the same group that vehemently, vocally, and venomously defends the need for abortions--that is the murder of millions of innocent children while still in the womb. So I ask, why are they so adamant about gun control to protect the innocent outside the womb,while they lobby for murdering innocent children inside the womb? Their concern, I would submit, has little to do with concern for the innocent victims or else they would be equally as disturbed over abortion as they are over what happened in Newtown. Consider for a moment that the second amendment is designed to provide protection for those who are under assault, to allow people to hunt and provide for their family, to provide recreation for gun users, to guard against tyranny. Now let me suggest that the real assault weapons that should be banned are those wielded by abortion doctors, and women who use abortifacients. These devices/drugs have one and only one express purpose and use--to take the life of an unborn, unsuspecting, and innocent child. The "weapons of abortion" cannot be used by the victims to defend themselves, they are not necessary to fend off tyranny, they are not for recreation (yeas I know that can be debated, but a life is in the balance), nor can these weapons be used to gather food to feed a family. Let me put things into perspective. There were 28 innocent lives taken at Newtown. There are 1.6million abortions per year in the U.S. That is over 4,000/day. That means the horror of Newtown is repeated over 200 times every single day in the U.S. Where is the outrage? Where is sorrow? Where is the outcry to stop this senseless taking of innocent human life? There is none. Just the opposite. The mantra is that murdering inside the womb is a "woman's right" So why was it not the mad man's right to shoot 28 people in Newtown. Of course this is a ludicrous thought. Murder is wrong...period. But we live in a nation with a God Vacuum where "doing what is not proper" is normal. So one man takes a number of innocent lives and that is tragic, horrific, heart-wrenching and WRONG. And everyday 200 times as many innocent unborn lives are taken and the general public pays for it, condones it, celebrates it as a step forward for women, and I say IT IS WRONG...terribly wrong. Where God is absent justice is twisted--In America we advocate stripping away people's second amendment rights in a futile attempt to prevent a tragedy that is a matter of human hearts turned away from God, but diligently defend the murder of millions of unborn children because that respects a "woman's right to choose." This is twisted indeed, but the answer is in seeing people's hearts changed, seeing people turn from sin, trust God, and live fully surrendered to the Lordship of Christ in their lives. But that is hard to legislate and offends our arrogant belief that we can control our own destiny. Such is life when God is absent. 2 Chronicles 7:14 comes to mind. In the meantime, I would advocate banning the assault weapons of abortion.

What to Boast About.

I woke up this morning with something heavy on my heart. Decisions always have consequences and I am fearing some unpleasant consequences from some past decisions. The most drastic of the consequences would probably be to my pride so we are not talking earth shattering stuff here. Nonetheless, I was in need of the Father's help, guidance, and wisdom so I spent time in prayer asking for "my will" submitting to His will and seeking some insight from the Lord. Later today as I was doing some reading I came across one of my favorite passages from Scripture...Jeremiah 9:23-24. "Let not the wise man glory/boast in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory/boast in his might, let not the rich man glory/boast in his riches; but let him who boasts, boast of this, that he understands and knows Me..." In my circumstance these words brought conviction. The verses indicate that we are to find our source of joy and sense of value/worth/importance in "understanding and knowing the Lord". It hit me that such was not the case for me. I could see that in my life there are circumstances in which I have, in the past, worked or am presently working subtly and yet sinfully to find joy and significance in being wise, powerful, and rich. God was graciously, lovingly, and yet clearly revealing to me that the consternation I felt this morning, the concern I had was rooted in misplaced dependency and idolatry. Were my relationship with the Lord--knowing that I am part of His glorious family--been the truest source of joy and provided the full sense of importance in my life then the unintended and unpleasant consequences I was distraught over would be seen as seriously inconsequential, trivial, and minor. I was deeply saddened to see how past decisions were, at their core, made in order to bring Me joy and a sense of worth from the very things Jeremiah says I should not glory in. A deep sense of sorrow, of contrition, of sadness over my idolatrous actions and over failing to glory fully in "understanding and knowing the Lord". How foolish for me to engage in efforts that I thought would bring joy and satisfaction somewhere other than in the Lord. In my Father's gracious working He brought me comfort along with conviction. Comfort in leading me to see the sinful approach to life, in pointing out to me that I have, and do, work to find joy and value other than from being a member of His family. While I was convicted of my sin, asked for forgiveness, and sought His help to keep me boasting in Him, I found great comfort in knowing I'm forgiven and in realizing that regardless of how things turn out in the situation I was concerned about, my source of joy and sense of worth are found only in "KNOWING HIM." I will only fear consequences that strip me of joy and a sense of importance, so if my joy and significance are found in KNOWING HIM then I need not fear a lack of wisdom, power, or riches.

Hait, Christmas, and Doing the Father's Will

Two weeks ago today my wife Marla and I were on a flight headed back to the U.S. from our first visit to Haiti--the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. We were privileged to join a team of folks for a one week ministry trip where our church has been investing time, money, and human capital for almost three years now. It was an opportunity for me to see first hand what is happening at the Consolation Center (a ministry that includes an orphanage for about 35 young girls that has expanded into a school for 250 students, and a medical clinic with plans for the opening of a community center) and the Village of Hope (a neighborhood development providing housing for displaced victims of the 2010 earthquake, clean water, a store, agricultural activities, and a church for the village and neighboring residents). It was great to see the girls at the orphanage, to spend time playing with them, showing interest in their lives, and encouraging them. It was wonderful to experience a different culture where we were welcomed warmly and treated graciously. It was wonderful to spend time with dear Christian folks on our team, to labor together installing solar panels, cleaning up for a dedication, burying electric lines, repairing a tractor, getting a tour of all the ministry activity, and to expand our understanding of the needs in the world. When I say "wonderful", I do NOT mean that everything was comfortable,easy,or without difficulty. Life in a third world country has it's challenges. As I have told the congregation here, "I saw what I expected, but I did not expect what I saw." It is one thing to hear stories about people unclean tap water, intermittent electrical supplies, open dumping of garbage, people living in extreme poverty, filth, and despair and actually witnessing it first hand. Pictures can never communicate the smell of what is burning in open fires, or the sounds of traveling down crowded and chaotic streets. Our senses were on visual overload. But the value our time in Haiti was much more than the sights, sounds, and stuff we accomplished. For me it was connecting with those who are knee deep in ministry--the director of the Consolation Center (Eddie and his wife Djoune--pronounced June), the Pastor at the Village of Hope (Wadsene and his wife Jasmine), and the missionary couple our church supports there (Les and Catherine DeRoos). What a joy it was for me to sit around and hear their hearts for ministry, to listen to their stories of what God is doing in Haiti and to their vision for what the future holds. The sacrifice of these saints brought both conviction and inspiration to my heart as I saw in them what our Lord modeled in the Garden of Gethesemane--a willingness for the Father's will to be done (Mt.26:39,42). These precious saints are sacrificing what they could potentially have in this world to serve the Lord by caring for the physical and spiritual needs of the needy. Each of these couples could be living here in the U.S. making a comfortable living, without the physical hardships of daily life in Haiti. But because of Christ, they are their seeking to reach out in love with the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life only through faith in Jesus. They are investing their lives on eternal things, living on little, in a place that is uncomfortable, where spiritual darkness is palpable because their faith in Christ is real. They have each surrendered their will to that of the Father and said, "yet not as I will, but as You will" (Mt.26:39). That sort of sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom is contagious. God is blessing their efforts. We took part in the first baptism at the church in the Village of Hope. Thirty four people gave bold testimony to their recent decision to trust Christ as Savior and what a blessed time it was to see them baptized in the river as about 200 people looked on. We enjoyed the meaningful worship of this local body of believers and I had the humbling privilege of sharing from God's Word during the service. Gathered around me in that Gazebo and well beyond it's reach were dozens of young and old alike riveted to the Word of God and the message about Jesus. At this Christmas season I think about Haiti, about the real meaning of Christmas--"God Sent His Son, born under the Law that He might redeem those who were under that Law that we might receive adoption as Sons" (Gal.4:5-6). The end game of Christ's birth was not the cradle, but the Cross. And what Christ sacrificed for us at Calvary saying, "Yet not as I will, but as You will" made possible our salvation and serves as our model. So that those who are God's children are challenged to follow Jesus in saying to the Father, "Yet not as I will, but as You will" which translates into our willingness to sacrifice so that others will Know Christ. It means willingness to give our money to sponsor orphans, to give clothes for the orphan girls at Christmas, to pray for our dear friends in Haiti and other parts of the world, to think about what I may be willing to do without at Christmas so that someone may have something, to clean off the counter out of love for my wife, to take the time to pray with my children at night, to lead our families into service and sacrifice for the sake of Christ. What sacrifice is too great to make for the sake of the One who gave His life as a ransom for many?