If the word 'legalism' makes you cringe a little, chances are you are on the side of the religious fence which believes your salvation has a direct connect to something you 'do'. Many of you know of a personal journey that I went on a few years ago to study the legalistic side of my own brand of religion. The end result was, I discovered that for me to 'do' anything with regard to my salvation, other than enact my faith, was detracting from the greatest work of time and eternity...the cross of Christ.
Upon my exodus from a religious framework I found a host of people who God had led along the very same pathway. My religious past insisted on upholding specific, non-scriptural codes as tests of fellowship in the brotherhood, and more importantly, as a test to see if one was saved or not. Being taught these things from a child, they were deeply embedded within my thinking. Still, there was considerable internal stress of having to preach what the religion expected and finding more and more discrepancy with the scripture.
Grace is a powerful thing! Salvation is a gift! The Holy Spirit is a gift. Somehow religion, for their own control purposes, have abused the Word of God to manipulate people away from Grace and into their own rule-book. Depending on the religion, they can tell you everything from what food to eat, to what day to worship, to what to wear, to who you can date, and the list is endless! In my opinion, these stiff rules are enticing to those who, by personality, need a strong leader and someone to tell them what to do, etc. On the other hand, it pushes away so many people who may be genuinely hungry for the Lord but are unwilling to yield their intellect to the whims of men when they can plainly read the Word for themselves.
Legalism infiltrates every arm of religion. There will forever be the conservative and the liberal, no matter which branch of the tree you choose to travel. In Adventism, there are those who are liberal enough to eat chicken occasionally, and are scorned by those who are strict vegetarian. In the Amish community, there are those who refuse any and all modern conveniences and these hold a level of chagrin for the liberals who allow for a light in their milk barn, or wear a hat with a ribbon on it. In Holiness churches there are those who preach hot and heavy concerning ladies cutting their hair or wearing slacks. The liberal is willing to concede some of these, especially on vacation etc.
From a distance, it all looks the same, only the issue is different. They all have their Old Testament verses...they all harp on a particular view of them....they all have camps.....they all speak one thing in public and a different thing around the table of their peers....they all have secret questions....and most will not buck the system b/c it infringes upon the safety of their status, their income, or both.
So what then is important. I firmly believe God's Word is true, is pure and is powerful. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the primary factors of salvation. When a man places his faith in the salvific work of the cross, the Word of God boldly and plainly declares his salvation is made sure. We are not saved by works (Eph2:8) lest any man should boast. Circumcision will not save you! Worship on Saturday will not save you! Baptism will not save you! Communion will not save you! Holiness standards will not save you! Only the blood of Jesus can wash away your sins.
No wonder Paul said, "I'm glad I didn't baptize any of you." No wonder he further declared, "I only want to know among you Jesus Christ and Him crucified." It is a simple gospel that becomes complex in the hands of the legalist.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Renewing Faith
It occurs to me over and over again, that we are people of faith. That being said, it is amazing how quickly we lose heart and fall prey to the idea that things are supposed to be concrete, for our prayers to be answered immediately and in the manner we desire them. However, faith is far different from that.
Faith encompasses everything from our salvation to the way we live our day to day lives. Salvation comes through faith. Just as Abraham, prior to his circumcision (works), was justified by faith, so we are justified in the same manner. We are the seed of Abraham because we have come into the faith family.
Abraham, the father of those who are filled with faith, is noted at least twice in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. Most people think of the faith of Abraham based on his willingness to trust God when Jehovah asked him to offer his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice. While this was indeed a noble event, it is not perhaps the greatest display of Abraham's faith. In fact, Hebrews 11 mentions the next act of faith ahead of the Isaac event.
Abraham was told to go and look for a city whose builder and maker was God. And without having to have details or without consulting his GPS....Abraham obeyed and set out, "not knowing where he was going." Friend that is faith of the purest kind. If it had been most of us, we would have demanded a full set of plans, a map, a compass, a survival pack, extra food and the guarantee that in x number of days we'd find that city. Well....guess what? Abraham died having never found it...yet. One day he will see it and live in it! But he died with the promise and died with his faith intact.
Faith is that blessed element that keeps us going in that interim of time between the giving of a promise and the fulfillment of it. Only God is privy to the time-period in between. We are only asked to trust Him. Oh that we had the faith ....at least the depth of faith as Abraham. If God doesn't answer your prayer the way you wanted Him to ....or if God doesn't answer your prayer within in the time you would like Him to....will you still trust Him?
This is why we must renew our faith. Faith is not some stupid idea. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen." We understand that faith must be rooted in something with substance and that in time provides evidence. This is why faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Anything of real faith has substance in God's word. We lay hold on a promise and then cling to it until it comes to pass in God's time. This is indeed faith that pleases God. The just truly live by faith.
May you be encouraged to live in the simple faith and trust of knowing and believing all that God is, says and does.
Tim Estes
Aug 12, 2010
Faith encompasses everything from our salvation to the way we live our day to day lives. Salvation comes through faith. Just as Abraham, prior to his circumcision (works), was justified by faith, so we are justified in the same manner. We are the seed of Abraham because we have come into the faith family.
Abraham, the father of those who are filled with faith, is noted at least twice in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. Most people think of the faith of Abraham based on his willingness to trust God when Jehovah asked him to offer his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice. While this was indeed a noble event, it is not perhaps the greatest display of Abraham's faith. In fact, Hebrews 11 mentions the next act of faith ahead of the Isaac event.
Abraham was told to go and look for a city whose builder and maker was God. And without having to have details or without consulting his GPS....Abraham obeyed and set out, "not knowing where he was going." Friend that is faith of the purest kind. If it had been most of us, we would have demanded a full set of plans, a map, a compass, a survival pack, extra food and the guarantee that in x number of days we'd find that city. Well....guess what? Abraham died having never found it...yet. One day he will see it and live in it! But he died with the promise and died with his faith intact.
Faith is that blessed element that keeps us going in that interim of time between the giving of a promise and the fulfillment of it. Only God is privy to the time-period in between. We are only asked to trust Him. Oh that we had the faith ....at least the depth of faith as Abraham. If God doesn't answer your prayer the way you wanted Him to ....or if God doesn't answer your prayer within in the time you would like Him to....will you still trust Him?
This is why we must renew our faith. Faith is not some stupid idea. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen." We understand that faith must be rooted in something with substance and that in time provides evidence. This is why faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Anything of real faith has substance in God's word. We lay hold on a promise and then cling to it until it comes to pass in God's time. This is indeed faith that pleases God. The just truly live by faith.
May you be encouraged to live in the simple faith and trust of knowing and believing all that God is, says and does.
Tim Estes
Aug 12, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
A Day To Remember
On this Memorial Day my mind travels through the history of our beloved nation. I am very appreciative of the teachers in my life who have kept alive our history, and by doing so, have preserved some hope for our nation. Around this world are cemeteries filled with the bodies of American men and women who paid the ultimate price for freedom. Yet, I cannot think of a single cemetery in America where troops from some other country came to defend us with the lives of their people.
America is a special place. We have been blessed more than we deserve. Somehow I believe that the reason for our blessings is due to the reason for our existence as a nation. We were founded so that men could have a place to worship God according to the dictates of their hearts. Please understand that there was no worship of Hindu gods, or Buddah, or any other false deity. They came to America to worship the One True and Living Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything about our beginnings as a nation spoke of our independence from tyranny, and of our total dependance upon God. Such facts are engraved in the marble and granite that bedeck the beauty of our nations capital. It is on our currency...."In God We Trust!"
Somehow we've been so blessed that we have forgotten what brought us these blessings. It is imperative that this generation catch the responsibility to return to trusting God. Nobody in this country is owed anything! We have the right to pursue happiness, the right to liberty, and the right to life. Other than that, take responsibility for your own actions, your work ethic, your moral values and dedicate your life to preserving what others have laid down their lives for.
Our history rumbles with the sounds of the muskets of the Civil War, the trench warfare of WW1, the Naval Turrets of WW2, the Helicopters and 50 calibers of the Vietnam and Korean Wars, the awesome air bombardments of Desert Storm and Gulf Wars. Righteousness will always be a target, but it will always win....if we call upon God to be our Keeper.
We cannot separate God and the Church from the status and success of America. We are responsible to keep the fires of hope burning by passing on the history and values, including sacrifice, which has made America the greatest nation on earth. Today, we remember.
America is a special place. We have been blessed more than we deserve. Somehow I believe that the reason for our blessings is due to the reason for our existence as a nation. We were founded so that men could have a place to worship God according to the dictates of their hearts. Please understand that there was no worship of Hindu gods, or Buddah, or any other false deity. They came to America to worship the One True and Living Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything about our beginnings as a nation spoke of our independence from tyranny, and of our total dependance upon God. Such facts are engraved in the marble and granite that bedeck the beauty of our nations capital. It is on our currency...."In God We Trust!"
Somehow we've been so blessed that we have forgotten what brought us these blessings. It is imperative that this generation catch the responsibility to return to trusting God. Nobody in this country is owed anything! We have the right to pursue happiness, the right to liberty, and the right to life. Other than that, take responsibility for your own actions, your work ethic, your moral values and dedicate your life to preserving what others have laid down their lives for.
Our history rumbles with the sounds of the muskets of the Civil War, the trench warfare of WW1, the Naval Turrets of WW2, the Helicopters and 50 calibers of the Vietnam and Korean Wars, the awesome air bombardments of Desert Storm and Gulf Wars. Righteousness will always be a target, but it will always win....if we call upon God to be our Keeper.
We cannot separate God and the Church from the status and success of America. We are responsible to keep the fires of hope burning by passing on the history and values, including sacrifice, which has made America the greatest nation on earth. Today, we remember.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
The Finished Product of the Brewers Art
Sometimes we are so close to the forrest that we cannot see the trees. Advertisers for alcoholic beverages have become so common place that we scarcely even give them a second look. Consequently, the drip, drip, dripping of something more harsh than water, has worn the way the stone of our constitution and resolve to the point of acceptability. In the days of prohibition, anything regarding the usage of alcohol garnered immediate attention. However, today the banners of these toxic juices are splayed on billboards, in the LED lighting of sports arenas, and as headliners at everything from rodeo's to rock concerts. What's more, there is so much money involved that beer producers have become the major sponsor of most national athletic events. Often people applaud all their money buys in a positive light, while choosing to overlook all the havoc their product produces behind the scenes.
We hardly even wince when everything from imported wines, to hard liquor is promoted on TV. The enticement to drink...to come to the high life....to enjoy the thrill...is piped right into our living rooms with such regularity that it has dulled the senses. The advertisers want you to believe that if you are cool you drink. That a vacation is not a vacation without drinking. That happiness and joy at all sorts of gatherings centers completely on having drinks. Elegant women in evening attire are shown sipping a crystal glass of champagne. Rugged outdoors men toss one another a cold beer. Cowboys and athletes are represented as finding their being through drinking alcohol. One beverage advertises as, "The finest product of the brewers art."
Let me give to you the real story. I can tell you from several perspectives. First, we all should be smart enough to know that Satan always puts the pretty stuff on his 'billboard'. He will never show you what really happens or he would be out of business tomorrow. It is his sly deceit that has kept him in business since his fall from heaven. For all you people that come around with, "Well a little beer here and there won't hurt you....or I don't think it's wrong to just have one now and then".....let me please reason with you. The sad endings that I am about to tell you of are the result of someone taking their first drink. Whatever the sordid outcome, it began with the first drink!
As a chaplain with the Arkansas State Police for 10 years, I have seen my share of accidents. My job was to make fatality notifications to the families of those who died on the highways. While there were many that did not involve alcohol, there were very many that did. Drunk driving kills thousands of innocent people each year. I remember one of my first calls involving alcohol. I helped load up three teenagers who were still laying on the highway when I arrived at the scene. They had been to a party and were on the way home when alcohol reaped its reward. I especially recall zipping the lifeless form of a young girl into a body bag. I was so upset by it that my legs literally were jerking. Her eyes were looking right at me when we closed the bag and loaded her. A small river of blood was still running across the road toward the corpse of one of her peers. Many other similar scenes of death were wreaking with the smells of alcohol. Oh yes, this is the high life!
I am recalling a most beautiful girl. She was the valedictorian of her high school class. Her brilliance had earned her a scholarship to college and a very promising future. She could set the limits. She could make as much money as she wanted. But sadly, the college scene and the peer pressure to be in the social drinking society changed how high she would truly soar in life. The demon of alcoholism took root in her soul. The first drink led to the next and the next and the next until...well, until I received her into the prep room of the funeral home I worked for. The culprit of her death? End-stage cirrosis of the liver. She was an emaciated shell of the beauty she had been..only her abdomen was strutted due to the self-inflicted disease. Her face would have been an advertisement for hell with its grotesque look of gaunt eyes and bloody teeth. Oh yes advertisers...this is where the fun is!
Sadly within my own family this horrid vice of alcoholism has taken its toll. A family member was an amazing farmer and positioned to pass on a wealthy legacy to his family. That is until the clutches of the drink wrapped around the neck of a great person...turning him into one who didn't care anymore. The clutches kept taking, until it took the farm, the future, the legacy and the wealth. Broke and almost destitute this person had to start over again from the bottom. Oh yes...no life without the brewskis!!
I remember some of my own friends who were hit head-on by a drunk driver. I drove up on the scene just after they had to airlift my friend and transport their children by ambulance. One of the children was literally scalped. Another had busted through his locked seatbelt on impact. The mother had multiple broken bones including a compound fracture of the arm and her pelvis broken into 7 pieces. The drunk was dead and was literally surrounded by more than 90 beer cans that flew out of his truck. Only his broken leg stuck up out of the wreckage as his broken soul went into the captivity of hell! Oh...did you want another drink cool guy? How 'bout it sexy lady? Come on....let's party!
How about the one of the dad who wound up molesting his own flesh and blood due to the influence of the drink. Or what about the girl who became a prostitute to support her habit of alcohol? She couldn't hold a job because of the drink, and she couldn't live without it, so she sold her own body to supply her damning habit. What about the athlete who lost his place on the team? Or what about the young person who didn't wake up the night of the party? What about the accident that took innocent lives? What about the man who threw himself overboard on the cruise that was supposed to be fun and relaxing? Oh....yes.....isn't this the fun of drinking? Come on....play that ad one more time. I love the tune....look at the smiles.....look how cool the people are! Isn't that how you will look? Please......!
When the advertisers tell you to "Taste Greatness!" or "Welcome to Miller Time!" or "The King of Beers!" You'd better think again. They are tools of Satan...playing a jingle that is leading many innocent people to the slaughter.
The stories are endless concerning the demise, the failure, the fights, the suicides, the loss and pain, the broken hearts and homes, the crime, disease, and hellish sins that have been committed at the hands of the brewers of whiskey, wine, beer and other strong drinks. The next time you see an advertisement of an alcoholic drink, take a moment to think about what is behind the billboard. While on the front they all look beautiful and healthy.....smiling with friends, remember that many times on the other side of the billboard is someone with an unwanted pregnancy, another who just beat up his own mother, another who woke up in jail with his own vomit dried in his hair, and another who didn't wake up at all...at least in this life. The next life is no relief either. For the Word of God says that drunkards will be eternally lost! A second hell awaits those who fall victim to the drug of alcohol. These are not the 'finest' product of the brewers art...but the 'finished' product of the brewers art.
Parents, please talk with your kids about this. Pastors, please speak clearly on the subject. Grandparents, tell it like it is. Don't play around with alcohol. Don't cover up the ugliness of its final result. Don't be caught in its web. Rise above it and reveal the wicked monster that it really is. Together we can save lives...and souls.
Tim Estes
We hardly even wince when everything from imported wines, to hard liquor is promoted on TV. The enticement to drink...to come to the high life....to enjoy the thrill...is piped right into our living rooms with such regularity that it has dulled the senses. The advertisers want you to believe that if you are cool you drink. That a vacation is not a vacation without drinking. That happiness and joy at all sorts of gatherings centers completely on having drinks. Elegant women in evening attire are shown sipping a crystal glass of champagne. Rugged outdoors men toss one another a cold beer. Cowboys and athletes are represented as finding their being through drinking alcohol. One beverage advertises as, "The finest product of the brewers art."
Let me give to you the real story. I can tell you from several perspectives. First, we all should be smart enough to know that Satan always puts the pretty stuff on his 'billboard'. He will never show you what really happens or he would be out of business tomorrow. It is his sly deceit that has kept him in business since his fall from heaven. For all you people that come around with, "Well a little beer here and there won't hurt you....or I don't think it's wrong to just have one now and then".....let me please reason with you. The sad endings that I am about to tell you of are the result of someone taking their first drink. Whatever the sordid outcome, it began with the first drink!
As a chaplain with the Arkansas State Police for 10 years, I have seen my share of accidents. My job was to make fatality notifications to the families of those who died on the highways. While there were many that did not involve alcohol, there were very many that did. Drunk driving kills thousands of innocent people each year. I remember one of my first calls involving alcohol. I helped load up three teenagers who were still laying on the highway when I arrived at the scene. They had been to a party and were on the way home when alcohol reaped its reward. I especially recall zipping the lifeless form of a young girl into a body bag. I was so upset by it that my legs literally were jerking. Her eyes were looking right at me when we closed the bag and loaded her. A small river of blood was still running across the road toward the corpse of one of her peers. Many other similar scenes of death were wreaking with the smells of alcohol. Oh yes, this is the high life!
I am recalling a most beautiful girl. She was the valedictorian of her high school class. Her brilliance had earned her a scholarship to college and a very promising future. She could set the limits. She could make as much money as she wanted. But sadly, the college scene and the peer pressure to be in the social drinking society changed how high she would truly soar in life. The demon of alcoholism took root in her soul. The first drink led to the next and the next and the next until...well, until I received her into the prep room of the funeral home I worked for. The culprit of her death? End-stage cirrosis of the liver. She was an emaciated shell of the beauty she had been..only her abdomen was strutted due to the self-inflicted disease. Her face would have been an advertisement for hell with its grotesque look of gaunt eyes and bloody teeth. Oh yes advertisers...this is where the fun is!
Sadly within my own family this horrid vice of alcoholism has taken its toll. A family member was an amazing farmer and positioned to pass on a wealthy legacy to his family. That is until the clutches of the drink wrapped around the neck of a great person...turning him into one who didn't care anymore. The clutches kept taking, until it took the farm, the future, the legacy and the wealth. Broke and almost destitute this person had to start over again from the bottom. Oh yes...no life without the brewskis!!
I remember some of my own friends who were hit head-on by a drunk driver. I drove up on the scene just after they had to airlift my friend and transport their children by ambulance. One of the children was literally scalped. Another had busted through his locked seatbelt on impact. The mother had multiple broken bones including a compound fracture of the arm and her pelvis broken into 7 pieces. The drunk was dead and was literally surrounded by more than 90 beer cans that flew out of his truck. Only his broken leg stuck up out of the wreckage as his broken soul went into the captivity of hell! Oh...did you want another drink cool guy? How 'bout it sexy lady? Come on....let's party!
How about the one of the dad who wound up molesting his own flesh and blood due to the influence of the drink. Or what about the girl who became a prostitute to support her habit of alcohol? She couldn't hold a job because of the drink, and she couldn't live without it, so she sold her own body to supply her damning habit. What about the athlete who lost his place on the team? Or what about the young person who didn't wake up the night of the party? What about the accident that took innocent lives? What about the man who threw himself overboard on the cruise that was supposed to be fun and relaxing? Oh....yes.....isn't this the fun of drinking? Come on....play that ad one more time. I love the tune....look at the smiles.....look how cool the people are! Isn't that how you will look? Please......!
When the advertisers tell you to "Taste Greatness!" or "Welcome to Miller Time!" or "The King of Beers!" You'd better think again. They are tools of Satan...playing a jingle that is leading many innocent people to the slaughter.
The stories are endless concerning the demise, the failure, the fights, the suicides, the loss and pain, the broken hearts and homes, the crime, disease, and hellish sins that have been committed at the hands of the brewers of whiskey, wine, beer and other strong drinks. The next time you see an advertisement of an alcoholic drink, take a moment to think about what is behind the billboard. While on the front they all look beautiful and healthy.....smiling with friends, remember that many times on the other side of the billboard is someone with an unwanted pregnancy, another who just beat up his own mother, another who woke up in jail with his own vomit dried in his hair, and another who didn't wake up at all...at least in this life. The next life is no relief either. For the Word of God says that drunkards will be eternally lost! A second hell awaits those who fall victim to the drug of alcohol. These are not the 'finest' product of the brewers art...but the 'finished' product of the brewers art.
Parents, please talk with your kids about this. Pastors, please speak clearly on the subject. Grandparents, tell it like it is. Don't play around with alcohol. Don't cover up the ugliness of its final result. Don't be caught in its web. Rise above it and reveal the wicked monster that it really is. Together we can save lives...and souls.
Tim Estes
Friday, March 12, 2010
American Role Models
Today I arranged two end of life memorial services for American hero's. I did not know either one of the two people for whom I worked to honor their lives, but there is no doubt that their passing represents the incredible moral values that are passing from this generation. The two deceased are not related, of opposite sex, lived in different places, and yet they are related in the sense of what they did helped to make America great a few decades ago. Tom Brokaw called them the "Greatest Generation."
The lady I speak of was 92 years old when she drew her last breath yesterday. When I asked her only daughter to describe the occupation that best described her mother's work she said without reservation, "She was a homemaker." You don't hear much about homemaker's these days. There just seems to be no glory in it. It is too far from the glitz, the glamour, the soap-opera scene to attract the modern lady. Homemaker's smell like washing powder and baby burp. They spend their days in the unsung heroic tasks of paying bills, keeping house, rearing children, washing clothes and taking pride in a home that is run with order and efficiency. The daughter of the deceased lady spoke how her mother always had a treat for her when she arrived home from school. The smell of popcorn filled the air and often the baby dolls were lined up a for a tea-party with mother and daughter. I kept pushing tissues across the desk for the dear lady to wipe the tears of love that continually flowed down her face. It was obvious her heart was full of the right kind of things. The things that every lady should desire to leave behind....and no I'm not talking about some fancy career, or tons of money, or awards for beauty contests won. I'm talking about leaving behind a legacy of love and of focusing on the home, that awesome place designed by God to be the seedbed of greatness for a nation that will honor their God-given roles.
This morning I was called to remove the body of a man who had passed away in his home. When I arrived, I realized it was the father in law of a childhood friend of mine. After some talk outside, we moved from the cold and went inside the residence. It was there I discovered the greatness of the man who had passed. There in the living room, surrounded by his daughters and room full of love, the old gentleman had simply appeared to have fallen asleep and transitioned to that place only the dead can know. Standing in the room I suddenly noticed a display case lined with medals of a soldier. I soon discovered this was one of the few remaining World War II veterans. I love those men. Many of them had to quit school to go to work and help make a living for the family. Such was the case with this gentleman. The sixth grade was as far as his formal education would take him....just like my own grandfather, also a WWII vet. This dear man had received a bronze star and a purple heart for the shrapnel he had taken in his back and neck. He had fought during that awful battle known as the Battle of the Bulge. If you haven't read of it lately, please take time to research it. The old man's feet were in bad shape....and had been since they had frozen during the war. The family told that he could hardly talk about all he had seen without crying. In his pocket was a coin, a silver doller, that he wanted to buy from a private during the war. The private wouldn't sell it to him, but instead gave it to him. The private died in the next battle. This old soldier carried that coin every day until the day he died. It was worn slick. They will bury it with him in a couple of days. Within the heart of men like this one is a hero. They live in meager conditions and expect nothing after laying it all on the line. This sort of thing...this decency...self-sacrificing spirit is going to the grave with this generation. Today, young people are rebellious and often disrespectful. It is more about themselves than serving others.
Today was a special day...a sad day...a day of honor. It was a day I helped prepared two American Role Models for their journey home. I hope we can all learn from them and be better models to those watching us. God bless America!
The lady I speak of was 92 years old when she drew her last breath yesterday. When I asked her only daughter to describe the occupation that best described her mother's work she said without reservation, "She was a homemaker." You don't hear much about homemaker's these days. There just seems to be no glory in it. It is too far from the glitz, the glamour, the soap-opera scene to attract the modern lady. Homemaker's smell like washing powder and baby burp. They spend their days in the unsung heroic tasks of paying bills, keeping house, rearing children, washing clothes and taking pride in a home that is run with order and efficiency. The daughter of the deceased lady spoke how her mother always had a treat for her when she arrived home from school. The smell of popcorn filled the air and often the baby dolls were lined up a for a tea-party with mother and daughter. I kept pushing tissues across the desk for the dear lady to wipe the tears of love that continually flowed down her face. It was obvious her heart was full of the right kind of things. The things that every lady should desire to leave behind....and no I'm not talking about some fancy career, or tons of money, or awards for beauty contests won. I'm talking about leaving behind a legacy of love and of focusing on the home, that awesome place designed by God to be the seedbed of greatness for a nation that will honor their God-given roles.
This morning I was called to remove the body of a man who had passed away in his home. When I arrived, I realized it was the father in law of a childhood friend of mine. After some talk outside, we moved from the cold and went inside the residence. It was there I discovered the greatness of the man who had passed. There in the living room, surrounded by his daughters and room full of love, the old gentleman had simply appeared to have fallen asleep and transitioned to that place only the dead can know. Standing in the room I suddenly noticed a display case lined with medals of a soldier. I soon discovered this was one of the few remaining World War II veterans. I love those men. Many of them had to quit school to go to work and help make a living for the family. Such was the case with this gentleman. The sixth grade was as far as his formal education would take him....just like my own grandfather, also a WWII vet. This dear man had received a bronze star and a purple heart for the shrapnel he had taken in his back and neck. He had fought during that awful battle known as the Battle of the Bulge. If you haven't read of it lately, please take time to research it. The old man's feet were in bad shape....and had been since they had frozen during the war. The family told that he could hardly talk about all he had seen without crying. In his pocket was a coin, a silver doller, that he wanted to buy from a private during the war. The private wouldn't sell it to him, but instead gave it to him. The private died in the next battle. This old soldier carried that coin every day until the day he died. It was worn slick. They will bury it with him in a couple of days. Within the heart of men like this one is a hero. They live in meager conditions and expect nothing after laying it all on the line. This sort of thing...this decency...self-sacrificing spirit is going to the grave with this generation. Today, young people are rebellious and often disrespectful. It is more about themselves than serving others.
Today was a special day...a sad day...a day of honor. It was a day I helped prepared two American Role Models for their journey home. I hope we can all learn from them and be better models to those watching us. God bless America!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Religious Bologna
The older I get the more I detest religion. I mean really! The very organizations that are purported to propagate the gospel wind up being the thing that at least becomes a stumbling block, and at worst totally drives people away from a relationship with God.
Religion is sickening for many reasons. Mostly because it is a device to measure...who's bigger, who's better, who's more spiritual, who's the strongest, who's holiest etc. The fact is none of the devices work. Religious people wind up making themselves smaller and invaluable to the real purposes of God, because God seems to be little interested in man's way of doing things.
In religious circles we find politics of positions. Under the guise of being humble or spiritual we subtly climb religious ladders to assume positions of men. We like them too! The heartier the pat on the back, the more we purr with our pseudo humility.
The bias of religion is painful. Although we are supposed to love all men, we wind up loving those who meet our criteria, who play our flavor of music, who preach our candy-stick sermons and doctrines. In the mix of religion, many walk away from a would be experience with God due to our religion.
Religion is the chief source of hypocrites. If we wouldn't be so concerned with our man-made boundaries, we could focus more on just being real and living openly...even admitting our shortcomings for the purpose of working on them and getting better. But religion....no way! We hide behind our masks of righteousness while we rot inside. There is no place of accountability so religion becomes chiefly responsible for our spiritual abscesses.
Jesus was constantly fighting religion. The Pharisees, neath the cloak of righteousness, were called what they really were by God in flesh. He wasn't the least bit impressed with their traditions or their masquerades. Jesus was much kinder to those who admitted their failure and lack. "Lord be merciful to me a sinner" meets God's approval much faster than, "Look how much I pray, give, serve, etc."
Religion has become a place of competition in our cities. Ministerial Alliances and para-church organizations spend valuable time debating their opinions and flavors. Much energy is wasted tippy toeing around personalities, and the big man on the block...be that the up and coming church, or a church connected to employment or a church connected to a place of higher learning. To prevent 'offending' the wrong people, the work of God....I mean the real, down to earth work of God gets placed on a shelf. Religion is always more concerned about what 'they' think than what 'He' thinks.
May religion die...and the simple Christ-exalting gospel of Jesus Christ take it's rightful place.
Religion is sickening for many reasons. Mostly because it is a device to measure...who's bigger, who's better, who's more spiritual, who's the strongest, who's holiest etc. The fact is none of the devices work. Religious people wind up making themselves smaller and invaluable to the real purposes of God, because God seems to be little interested in man's way of doing things.
In religious circles we find politics of positions. Under the guise of being humble or spiritual we subtly climb religious ladders to assume positions of men. We like them too! The heartier the pat on the back, the more we purr with our pseudo humility.
The bias of religion is painful. Although we are supposed to love all men, we wind up loving those who meet our criteria, who play our flavor of music, who preach our candy-stick sermons and doctrines. In the mix of religion, many walk away from a would be experience with God due to our religion.
Religion is the chief source of hypocrites. If we wouldn't be so concerned with our man-made boundaries, we could focus more on just being real and living openly...even admitting our shortcomings for the purpose of working on them and getting better. But religion....no way! We hide behind our masks of righteousness while we rot inside. There is no place of accountability so religion becomes chiefly responsible for our spiritual abscesses.
Jesus was constantly fighting religion. The Pharisees, neath the cloak of righteousness, were called what they really were by God in flesh. He wasn't the least bit impressed with their traditions or their masquerades. Jesus was much kinder to those who admitted their failure and lack. "Lord be merciful to me a sinner" meets God's approval much faster than, "Look how much I pray, give, serve, etc."
Religion has become a place of competition in our cities. Ministerial Alliances and para-church organizations spend valuable time debating their opinions and flavors. Much energy is wasted tippy toeing around personalities, and the big man on the block...be that the up and coming church, or a church connected to employment or a church connected to a place of higher learning. To prevent 'offending' the wrong people, the work of God....I mean the real, down to earth work of God gets placed on a shelf. Religion is always more concerned about what 'they' think than what 'He' thinks.
May religion die...and the simple Christ-exalting gospel of Jesus Christ take it's rightful place.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Unfairness is Fair
Today I'm pondering the facts of unfairness. I begin by pondering the purpose of the referees and umpires who wear the striped shirts and blow the whistle during all sorts of sporting events. Besides being the recipient of all our yelling...their purpose for being on the court or field of play is for the sole purpose of maintaining fairness in the game. Yet, with all their best efforts, there is one thing for certain...they will not catch every foul, every block in the back, etc. The thing that really levels the playing field is the fact that there will be misses on both sides and therefore the unfairness, is fair.
Life is much like that playing field. As much as I would love to think that life for us all will be fair, I am painfully aware that it is not. This fact is unsettling to me. I want everyone to have a fair shot, the same opportunity, the same advantages. It is especially painful to witness bad breaks happen to good people.
I just came from the funeral of a friend this week. She was still young, only 40 years old, the mother of two young sons and a surrogate mother to hundreds. She was a pastor's wife who lived her life in an impeccable manner, serving others. Five years ago, to the day she died, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She suffered immeasurably. She had multiple major surgeries but the cancer spread from the breasts, to the lungs, bones, liver and other areas. She endured over 100 chemotherapy treatments and the latent sickness that entails. She had a rod placed in her hip to repair bones that broke due to the disease. What in the world is fair about that?
I have witnessed good people who have tried to get ahead in life, which means taking some amount of risk financially, who have found themselves struggling, having to sell almost everything they have to survive. More and more people have filed bankruptcy...good people, with good values and financial responsibility. Yet, due to job losses and the inability to sell their existing homes, these catastrophic things happen. If life and success was based on fairness, these things would have never happened. But, they happen. Life is not fair.
The only fairness in life, is that one day some level of unfairness will come around to all of us. The 'ref' will miss a call concerning my team, and your team too. There is fairness.
In reality, the God of heaven and earth will deal righteously in all matters. Sometimes He heals and sometimes He does not. But in either case, He has it all in control. Our job is to play the game and not whine about all the calls. If we keep the faith, we win...and that is all that really matters.
Life is much like that playing field. As much as I would love to think that life for us all will be fair, I am painfully aware that it is not. This fact is unsettling to me. I want everyone to have a fair shot, the same opportunity, the same advantages. It is especially painful to witness bad breaks happen to good people.
I just came from the funeral of a friend this week. She was still young, only 40 years old, the mother of two young sons and a surrogate mother to hundreds. She was a pastor's wife who lived her life in an impeccable manner, serving others. Five years ago, to the day she died, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She suffered immeasurably. She had multiple major surgeries but the cancer spread from the breasts, to the lungs, bones, liver and other areas. She endured over 100 chemotherapy treatments and the latent sickness that entails. She had a rod placed in her hip to repair bones that broke due to the disease. What in the world is fair about that?
I have witnessed good people who have tried to get ahead in life, which means taking some amount of risk financially, who have found themselves struggling, having to sell almost everything they have to survive. More and more people have filed bankruptcy...good people, with good values and financial responsibility. Yet, due to job losses and the inability to sell their existing homes, these catastrophic things happen. If life and success was based on fairness, these things would have never happened. But, they happen. Life is not fair.
The only fairness in life, is that one day some level of unfairness will come around to all of us. The 'ref' will miss a call concerning my team, and your team too. There is fairness.
In reality, the God of heaven and earth will deal righteously in all matters. Sometimes He heals and sometimes He does not. But in either case, He has it all in control. Our job is to play the game and not whine about all the calls. If we keep the faith, we win...and that is all that really matters.
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