On Bullying

This is a continuation of the discussion we had Sunday night in youth group. I hope that we can continue to be a voice and encouragement for those both in our community and our society who feel bullied and continued to be bullied by others. We had this lesson/discussion immediately proceeding a lesson on salvation and our aim in doing this lesson was to encourage our young people that one of the best ways to live out their salvation was to stand up for those who are bullied and oppressed in our societies. Here are a few things to draw from what we learned.

1) Bullying is far greater than on the bus- One of the big mistakes people can make is to believe that bullying stops after high school. We challenged our students to see bullying as one person exerting an unfair advantage over another. So, the truth is bullying happens a lot in our society. It happens when the employer or person in advantage takes advantage of someone without a voice or person of influence in our society. Sex trafficking, discrimination, gossip, lies, and the list can go on and on about people getting bullied in our society. One of the first steps we as Christians need to do is to educate people and allow them to see that bullying goes in our society in many ways and that if we as followers of Jesus Christ really take him seriously we need to be intentional about standing up against bullying in our society.

2) In Luke 15- Jesus tells three really powerful stories about things that were lost and become found. With the most powerful story being the Prodigal Son. But, right before the stories, the teachers of the law come up to Jesus and say that He is a man who eats with sinners and the unrighteous. What a comment, but essentially without going into it full blown, they described Jesus as someone who associated with those who are bullied. What a thing to be said about Jesus, and what if it was said about us: that we were people who welcomed all into our church, home, and life?

3) Finally, we want to be people who recognize and understand the solution. I will be the first to tell you, the solution to this problem is far greater than one person, one idea, or one church. But, that should not stop us from looking at issues in life and doing our best to make right the people who have been wronged in our society. One of the valuable first steps is to understand that power and wisdom come through prayer. Before acting first pray, and seek what God would you have do right here and right now. There's value and insight to be gained in prayer, and I hope that all of us would relish in the fact that we can do something to make right all the wrongs in our society. 

On the Dependability of Scripture

This might be the million dollar question! How, can we be sure that the what Bible is telling us is true and reliable today? Is what we read in the Bible able to deal with issues and problems that we often face in our high-tech world? Well, this blog post may be one of the most important posts I've made yet. Because, we believe 100% that the Bible is relevant and applicable for today. Here's are just a few things we need to understand when looking at just how dependable is the word of God.

1) The Bible revolves around ordinary people who are dealing with normal "life" circumstances:
  Please don't ever make the mistake and think that the people who make and star in the pages of scripture are any different than you. That would be a terrible mistake for you to make! We often view folks such as David, Moses, Noah, Ruth, and Hannah as people who are far greater and grander than we are. In fact the opposite is true, these often were people who were down and out, people who didn't have a lot to offer society. These people were so inspiring, so transforming, because was able to work in mighty ways in their lives. So, the question remains is God able to work in your life? Is what God wants, God's priorities, God's desires, God's goals, and God's mission greater than your's? That's a tough question for many of us to answer, but what the Bible is all about is making God's desires greater than your own. God was able to move and use ordinary people because these people placed their desires on the back burner.

2) The Bible isn't designed to answer every life question:
  The word of God can often get a bad rap because people will ask or say something like, "The Bible doesn't even talk about this or that, it must not be reliable." Which, it is true that Bible doesn't cover all of life's questions or answers. As a future father, I really wish the Bible would be tell me how to put on a diaper. It unfortunately doesn't do that. However, the Bible does do something and it does it very, very well the Bible's purpose isn't to answer every life question. Rather, it's purpose is to inspire and show you how to fall in love with Jesus and change your heart to Jesus' heart. If the Bible gave you every answer to every question you wouldn't need to have faith, and as we all know that kind of is important.

3) The Bible addresses and shows humans how to fill their deepest need:
  Thousands of years into the future everything will more than likely be different than what you and I are used to today, but one thing will not change: human beings are sinful and they need a savior. The Bible addresses the most important part of the human story, we as human beings need Jesus. Without Jesus life we're missing what brings us true satisfaction, true joy, and true contentment. Without Jesus we'll never experience amazing grace, perfect love, and unending forgiveness. The Bible is and will still be relevant in the future because it shows and allows humans to meet their most basic need: for a Savior.

On Grace

This is arguably one of the easiest posts to writes but one of the toughest to wrap your brain around. I will begin my post by saying that grace is a truth of which I am eternally grateful, but I will never understand fully how it works. Looking at grace many people would define grace in the terms of unmerited favor. Grace is something that we sing about often in our churches, read about often in our Bibles, and we hear a lot about in spiritual conversation, but the question have we really been grabbed by grace? Has grace really changed us? Here are a few things for us to consider when looking at grace.

1) Grace is a past joy and present reality-One of the struggles a lot of us have in our Christian existence is maintaining a high level of spiritual enthusiasm throughout your Christian life. Most of us live through the spiritual highs and ride those highs until the next spiritual high. A lot of us in our spiritual lives live and relish in past moments and past glories. What I'm saying is that we need to seek the presence, face, and touch of God in the present. God spoke to and grabbed us in the past, and what's not to say that God still doesn't want to know us, love us, and shower us with His grace in the present? Grace is a present reality. Pray for it. Crave it. Desire it. Set aside your own inhibitions, ideas, and prejudices when you enter worship. Pray with the confidence and desire knowing that God will bring His grace and love to you in the present.

2) Know that God is for you- Joy should be woven into the fabric of our Christian existence. We serve and worship a God who is absolutely crazy about us! Grace is clearly shown on the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. That act on Calvary's hill is the Lord of the universe telling everyone for all times and all places that I am for you. I'm giving you an incredible gift which you don't deserve, and you can't earn, but I'm 100% crazy about you! Many people make the mistake of basing God's opinion on them through the lens of their own circumstances or what is happening in the world. The sad reality is that paints a very false picture of God. God weeps when you hurt, is there when you're alone, and is sometimes your only support in the midst of life's greatest struggles. If you don't get anything else from this entire blog, please get this God is for you. If he weren't then the Cross would have never happened.

3) Grace is the message and the lifestyle- One of the best ways to communicate this message of grace powerfully is to live what you're saying. With that being said we as Christians need to understand that the Kingdom of God and a seat at the Lord's table are for all people. We very easily don't want to or don't associate with those who make us feel uncomfortable, and the sad reality is that can often carry over into our spiritual existence. Learn to live a lifestyle filled with grace, have someone keep you accountable as you strive to live into a more graceful lifestyle.

Remember grace changes everything! It's amazing and it's for you.

On Heaven

  One of the things I think we don't talk about enough is Heaven. We talk a lot about the temporary, the present, but we often forget to talk about and dwell on eternity, and our eternal destination: Heaven. Heaven is one of life's great mysteries, which this writer believes and holds true will be well worth the wait. There are many things we don't know about Heaven, but there are a few we do. The following ideas that follow are a Christian perspective on Heaven.

1) Heaven is a reality where God is said to dwell-Numerous examples throughout the Old Testament show that God dwells in Heaven, gives gifts from Heaven, is worshiped in Heaven, and the list can go on and on and on. A lot happens in Heaven. One of the main things we want you to understand is that Heaven is the ultimate destination of your future. That destination won't change, cannot be altered, isn't affected by your circumstances, and it's a place you can never be taken away from. Be comforted and assured that no matter what your government does, your children get into, your bank account reads, etc. Your citizenship in Heaven cannot be taken away from you!

2) The Kingdom of Heaven is here but not fully realized- This is not an easy thing for people to understand. When you arrive at a party or at work you are totally 100% there and fully realized. But, it can be tough to see how something is here but not fully realized. One thing we know for sure, the Kingdom of Heaven is directly tied to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus preached for sinners to repent for the Kingdom is near or at hand. We believe that the Kingdom will be fully realized in the second coming, but we do see glimpses of the Kingdom right now. When a marriage comes back together after being on the brinks, the Kingdom shows. When someone sacrificially gives to others who are hungry, tired, cold, or thirsty, the Kingdom shows. When someone who has been controlled or addicted by external forces gives that up and pursues help, the Kingdom shows. When children talk innocently and plainly about their faith and trust in God, the Kingdom shows. The list can go on and on and on. But, I think you get my point.

3) The Kingdom is our message- One of the biggest things I hear in fear of evangelism is people don't know what to say or are afraid they'll say something wrong. My best advice share the message Jesus shared. The kingdom of God has come and is for everyone. Jesus is not distant, impersonal, or doesn't care, Jesus Christ the Son of God has come to bring the Kingdom to it full reality and it will be a day you won't want to miss! That's the message the world needs to hear.

On Syria

  A wise women once told me, "Brian, if you want to lose all of your friends start talking about religion or politics." Well, I most certainly don't want to lose all my friends, but there are certain issues in our society that just cannot be swept under the rug, and I believe the escalating tension in Syria is most certainly one of those issues. I hope that we as Christians and those who may be seeking can learn and grow together in our understanding of some very difficult/complex issues that a lot of us must go through. Let me be clear before we dive into this post, I'm not looking to solve the Syrian crisis or state which way or another that US troops should or shouldn't go. I'm looking to offer some perspective on the issue through a Christian point of view. Here are just a few things that come to mind when looking at Syria.

1) This is a crisis that involves human beings.
  When we are detached from a situation it can become very easy to lose the personal effect of the situation. We are blessed to live in the United States of America, and the situation that is going on in Syria right now is very foreign to us. Very few if any of us can even imagine the horror of losing 100,000 due to war in the span of 2 years. I hope that as we continue to see how events unfold in Syria we become committed to praying for the Syrian church, people, leadership, and leaders all over the world as they continue to look at this very pressing issue which is affecting the entire country of Syria. Please remember it is very easy to point fingers, name names, and be part of the problem in the discussion, my encouragement would be to be part of the solution and vow today to continue to pray for the Syrian church.
2) God is still in control
  If anytime people doubt the control and power of God it would be a situation that is similar to what's going on Syria. What we're seeing Syria right now is absolute chaos. Bombings, deaths of children, fire, disease, and the sad part is this has been going on for far too long. I want to be clear: God cares deeply about the thousands of innocent lives and people who have been lost in Syria. God has not lost any power or control with the current situation in Syria, while as a limited human being I cannot fully explain how God still maintains control in this current situation, but one thing is certain that God hasn't lost power or goodness with what's going on in Syria. The Syrian civil war is a MAJOR test of faith of for many people, and I hope we can continue to be faithful in the midst of the storm.
3) These people need Jesus
  Religion is often blamed for starting many wars and conflicts throughout our world. I must say that it religion certainly is blameworthy in sadly quite a few instances of violence in human history. But, these people in Syria, in the Middle East, across the world don't need religion. Religion doesn't save people, only Jesus can save people, heal people, and be the fulfillment that all people that all people desperately seek. Let me be clear here, most people believe in Jesus. They believe that he is a historical, real person. But, where a lot of people disagree is about Jesus' divinity. Most people in all different religions will claim that Jesus existed, they won't say that Jesus can save you from your sins. So, the challenge is to communicate the saving message of Jesus to those who don't believe. It's never easy, but we as Christians need to take the words of Jesus seriously, be in prayer constantly, live a moral/righteous life, and we need to seek to be the church wherever we go.

I hope we continue in prayer for the ongoing crisis in Syria.

On Lee Daniels' The Butler

  It's already getting Oscar buzz, hype, creating conversation, and it is pegged by several critics of the must see movie of the summer. No, I'm not talking about Planes. The movie is Lee Daniels' The Butler. This movie walks the viewer through the life of butler, Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), who served as a butler to the President of the United States beginning with Dwight Eisenhower and ending with Ronald Regan. The movie also captured a lot of the of the prevailing social issues that dominated life for African Americans during their fight for civil rights during the 1950's and 1960's.

  The movie begins by showing scenes from Gaines' childhood growing up in the deep south. Tragedy, hardship, and a stroke of luck land Gaines a job working at an upscale hotel in the deep south, where he is befriended by the hotel's butler. Together the two of them faithfully serve the hotel and its guests day in and day out. It was working at this hotel that the opportunity of a lifetime falls in Cecil Gaines' lap. He gets a job opportunity to work at a prestigious hotel in Washington D.C. Gaines' readily accepts the job, and his hard work, dedication, and charming personality land him an even bigger job in 1957: a job serving one of the most powerful men in the world, President Eisenhower. Thus begins Gaines' career serving the most powerful people in the world. It is a remarkable film with a stellar cast and in-depth glimpse of life in the Oval Office, but even greater than that the film shows the struggle by African Americans for full acceptance in American society. The film also shows poignant moments from Gaines' personal life, and it really give the viewer an personal feel to the film. You will walk out of the theater thinking that you know Cecil Gaines.

  In terms of family friendliness The Butler falls about on the middle of the spectrum. There is little sexual scenes or innuendos in the film. But, the film does have moments of strong language, violence, and scary images. I would rate it 2.5 out of five stars in terms of family friendliness. In terms of overall quality the film shines at some moments and not at others. Whitaker and Winfrey are absolutely stellar in terms of acting, but the script leaves characters undeveloped, tries to do too much in the time frame allotted, and feel forced at times. I would bet it will see lots of attention come Oscar season, but for this reviewer it only gets 2.8 out of five stars.  

On Honesty

  This post strikes deep for me. I must say this is one of the toughest posts for me to write. Because, the temptation to be dishonest runs deep within our society. It is easy to cheat on your taxes, lie when the cashier gives you too much change, take an extra sick day at work, lie to your family, be dishonest with your friends, etc. The list can go on and on and on. But, the question remains are we really committed to live out our faith? If the answer is yes, then being an honest person/person of integrity has to be a MAJOR priority in our lives. Proverbs 24:26 states,"An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips." John 9:24 states, "Give glory to God by telling the truth."

  I hope through all of us learn not that we should be honest. I'm hoping by now through lessons from our parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, etc. That we all know we should be honest. What this post is designed to communicate is that honesty doesn't need to be something we follow when it's convenient, honesty needs to be something that our lives revolve around. We need to be intentional about holding each other accountable in moments of deception and untruth. Being honest is one of the greatest witnesses and testimonies that we as Christians can have to an unbelieving world.

  In our current post modern world, where truth is under attack, where absolute truths are being debated/redefined/rewritten, we as the people of God need to stand up for what is right and true. I want you to understand that two truths need to be communicated and lived out in this generation. First, being that God loves sinners and has come to save them. We need to look past just having a church that appeals and welcomes people who look they have it all together. We need to reach out to the lost and broken, those who don't have a clue, the destitute, distraught, ashamed, sinful people, because that's exactly who Jesus reached out to in the Gospels and continues to reach out to today. Secondly, that we are called to be transformed in our walk with the Lord. The Bible isn't designed to give humans every single answer. It doesn't answer issues such as identity theft, cyber bulling, etc. The Bible's purpose isn't even for you to worship it, rather the purpose it serves is to transform you to look and act more like Jesus every single day. We as Christians need to understand that Christianity cannot be something we just do on Sunday morning. This is every part of our existence. One of the main ways we live out our faith is being honest and truthful all the time.